Edda USA is launching a line of illustrated nonfiction lifestyle books under license from DreamWorks Animation this fall. The first two titles are The Ultimate DreamWorks Cookbook and DreamWorks Celebrations. At least four to six additional titles are expected in 2016, with more to follow in 2017.
“Last year, when DreamWorks was beefing up their publishing business and restructuring their total approach to publishing, we began talking to them about all kinds of products,” says Jon Axel “Jax” Olafsson, CEO of Edda USA. “There are so many ways we can add their characters to our specialties of cooking and party books. They give us a lot of leeway to twist and turn in all kinds of directions, within certain limits.”
The initial books will feature characters from across the DreamWorks portfolio of films, including Kung Fu Panda, How to Train Your Dragon, Madagascar and Penguins of Madagascar, and Shrek franchises. Future titles will be tied not only to these brands, but to upcoming films such as Trolls, set for a 2016 release. There will also be titles dedicated to Shrek, which celebrates its 15th anniversary next year.
The DreamWorks program follows Edda USA’s 2014 launch of a similar illustrated lifestyle book range with Disney. Its two bestselling Disney titles to date are Disney Frozen Hairstyles, with 100,000 copies in print and another 25,000 on order; and Disney Princess Hairstyles, with 30,000 in print.
The publisher will release five more Disney-themed books this spring, with initial print runs of 35,000 each. They include The Ultimate Disney Party Book and Disney Frozen Fever Hairstyles in May and Amazing Frozen Hair Accessories, Amazing Frozen Hairstyle Tricks, and Disney Frozen Fever Birthday Book in June.
Edda USA is a division of Edda Nordic Ltd., which has been operating in Iceland and Europe for more than 30 years. It has been a Disney licensee almost since its founding and recently acquired the DreamWorks license in Europe as well.
