Random House Children’s is getting two more paperback imprints for middle-grade and YA books: Ember, for bestsellers and award winners, and Bluefire for “beloved fantasy novels.” In distribution news, Harper Canada will handle sales, marketing, and distribution of Pan Macmillan UK‘s titles in Canada as of June 1. The British publisher had been with the now-bankrupt H.B. Fenn.
Children's
Comprehensive Nook Color Update Includes Email, Apps, and Social Networking, Plus New Ad Campaign
This morning Barnes & Noble confirmed what had been rumored over the weekend a major firmware update to Nook Color (now on Android’s 2.2/Froyo OS) that makes the device a lot more like a proper tablet, with new apps, additional illustrated and enhanced ebooks, the ability to check email, more magazines for sale, and social networking. Nook Email allows users to check a variety of accounts, while social networking service Nook Friends allows for book-swapping and targeted library lending, “liking” titles and viewing other customer recommendations. “Frankly most of the things they have asked us about are very popular tablet […]
People, Etc.
David Saracco has joined codeMantra as director of strategic accounts and business Development. Previously he was VP ePublishing and business development for Impelsys. Shaun Tan has won the Astrid Lindgren Prize, the largest children’s literature award. The Australian Crime novelist and critic HRF Keating, best known for his Inspector Ghote novels, died Sunday at the age of 84. Telegraph Obit Book Expo America announced the convention will have an increased digital presence on the show floor thanks to the IDPF-sponsored Digital Zone, which will feature 17 booths and 16 kioks over approximately 5000 square feet. The IDPF’s two day conference […]
People: Strauss-Gabel to Run Dutton Children’s as Hornik Expands Dial
Julie Strauss-Gabel has been promoted to vp and publisher of Dutton Children’s Books. The unit will publish 10 to 15 titles a year as “a boutique middle grade and young adult imprint with a focus on titles of exceptional literary quality and strong commercial appeal.” Penguin Children’s president Don Weisberg says that Strauss-Gabel will be taking Dutton Children’s “gracefully into the future and I am excited to see her take on this new role at Penguin.” The move allows Lauri Hornik to return to a sole focus on Dial, where she remains publisher and president. Dial will expand from 50 titles […]
Skyhorse Buys Sports Publishing Assets, Prepares Children’s List
Skyhorse Publishing has purchased the assets of Sports Publishing, which went bankrupt in 2008. That gives them rights to over 700 books, including works by Michael Phelps and Dick Vitale. They will relaunch Sports Publishing as a new imprint with 40 revised and updated titles in fall 2011. In the same season, the company will launch a new children’s imprint, Sky Pony Press. They expect to start with 15 to 20 titles. Former publisher and founder of Millbrook Press Jean Reynolds is serving as consulting editor. The company says sales for 2010 were up more than 60 percent over 2009.
It’s Children’s eBook Press Release Day
Random House Children’s Books is releasing the first of their ebooks co-developed with digital media agency Smashing Ideas tomorrow. Wild About Books, based on the New York Times bestselling children’s picture book by Judy Sierra and illustrated by Marc Brown, goes on sale in iTunes tomorrow at an introductory price of $4.99. Simon & Schuster announced 17 kids ebooks, including the Olivia titles. Apple sent the NYT a release about “a major push” into illustrated ebook titles, with a big 100-plus “assortment of children’s books, photography books and cookbooks” in the iBookstore (which was fully color-book capable from day one). […]