Video games isn’t the only category that seems to be holding up in the recession, as HIT Entertainment announces that its Thomas & Friends UK book sales were up 10% in 2008.

With more than 200 million Thomas books sold globally to date, HIT is working with its publishing licensee Egmont UK to build on the growth and expand its range of titles and formats, including classic story books, novelty books, magazines and TV tie-ins.

New promotions have also helped, as HIT partnered with the Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror, offering readers 10 free classic storybooks over 10 days. An estimated one million book coupons were redeemed and through the promo, bringing the total number of sold books this past January up to nearly two million.

Egmont UK has also been driving growth in global markets by appointing book partners in China, Thailand, Spain and Holland, also founding the first pan-Eastern Euro agreement with other members of its publishing group to open up 13 new markets for books and seven new markets for magazines.

Hamley’s will host a special series of Thomas & Friends weeks from March 16 in its flagship London store and in Dumfries, Ireland.