Scholastic, the world’s largest publisher and distributor of children’s books, and American Girl, the makers of the popular dolls and books, announced last week that it will launch an extensive publishing program based on the iconic American Girl brand beloved by millions of girls around the world.
The deal between Scholastic and American Girl is a multi-year licensed agreement that includes rights to publish books in print and digital formats starting in January 2017, and marks the first time American Girl has licensed the rights to publish books based on its characters.
Under the agreement, Scholastic will publish and distribute books simultaneously in the United States, Canada and more. The wide-ranging list of titles and formats spans ages 5-12 and includes publishing for American Girl’s popular Girl of the Year line, including each character’s novels, as well as new formats for current and previously-released Girl of the Year characters.
American Girl is also partnering with Scholastic to release a non-fiction chapter book series inspired by the brand’s historical BeForever ™ line, a new original series in middle grade, chapter book, and reader categories, various novelty formats including treasury books, guided journals, and American Girl-branded yearbooks featuring activities and quizzes.
Since its inception in 1986, American Girl has devoted its entire business to fueling connection among girls. To date, more than 153 million American Girl books have sold, and more than 29 million American Girl dolls have sold through the company’s catalog, retail stores, and website, which attracts an estimated 52 million visitors per year. There are currently 20 American Girl proprietary retail stores around the United States which have welcomed approximately 80 million visitors to date.
“American Girl has earned the loyalty and praise from parents and educators and continues to create unforgettable memories for millions of girls,” said Ellie Berger, Executive Vice President, Scholastic Inc. and President of Scholastic Trade Publishing. “We are thrilled to collaborate with the American Girl team to develop an exciting and innovative publishing program that inspires, celebrates, and empowers girls, while instilling a lifelong love of reading.”
Katy Dickson, American Girl President added,
“Storytelling has always been at the heart of the American Girl brand, and we continue to evolve the way we use content to speak to girls today. Whether it’s character-focused stories, popular advice books, or even our AG Life YouTube series, our goal is to support girls in a variety of life stages and help them reach their full potential. Partnering with Scholastic helps expand our narrative and the reach of our empowering stories and characters, allowing us to connect with even more girls across the globe.
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