Lego: meditative. (Alan Chia [CC BY-SA 2.0])

As reported in iNews this week, Build Yourself Happy: The Joy of Lego Play, written by long-time Melville House friend and supporter Abbie Headon, and published by DK, will be released on October 3rd. It is the first Lego book aimed squarely at adults—although we should probably assume a pretty healthy adult uptake for previous ‘children’s’ titles such as Lego Star Wars: Build Your Own Adventure and Lego Harry Potter: The Magical Guide to the Wizarding World, really, if we’re honest with ourselves.

iNews describes the book as “a more traditional remedy to the stresses of parenting and work life.” A quote from Lego publishing director Robin Pearson reads:

“Lego bricks have a timeless appeal and building with them can be just as rewarding for adults as it is for kids. We’re excited to work with DK on this book which explores how playing with Lego bricks can help you practice mindfulness, explore creativity and unwind.”

The company reported a 4% increase in sales in the first half of 2019, highlighting the Lego Movie and Avengers tie-in merchandise as particularly strong performers. Now it seems the company is looking to branch out beyond the traditional toy-and-game focused market. DK licensing publisher Julie Ferris said to iNews:

“We want to reach a new adult audience with our Lego publishing and show that the joy and escapism of building with Lego bricks has benefits for everyone.”

Hard to argue with that—I whiled away many an hour as a child on the classic fire station set. Looks like a trip to the attic may be in order … all in the name of my psychological wellbeing, of course.