Penguin Workshop Acquires Time for Kids License
Penguin Workshop has acquired the rights to publish middle-grade nonfiction under the Time for Kids brand, released through its Penguin Young Readers Licenses imprint. All the books will be easily identified by the well-known red border edging their covers.
When the licensing agency for Time for Kids approached the company, “we jumped at the opportunity to work with the brand,” Daniel Moreton, VP and publisher for brands and licenses at Penguin Workshop, told PW. “It’s a reputable source of information and we liked the journalistic approach to delivering information. We’re maintaining that voice in the books.”
When Penguin was considering the license and brainstorming ideas for the series, it had the National Geographic children’s nonfiction publishing program in mind as a model. “That was the comparison that kept coming up, both in the statement it makes at retail and the content,” Moreton said. “But the more we dove in, the two are quite different.”
The Time for Kids program will start with six titles in December and next April. December will bring Time for Kids: Kid Reporter Field Guide: A How-To Book for Junior Journalists, a close-to-the-brand offering that reveals the processes of becoming a reporter and finding information, and Time for Kids: Amazing Athletes: 101 Stars You Need to Know, which features well-reported facts in 96 pages.
Following in April 2025 are another book in the 101 series, Time for Kids: Spectacular Sea Creatures: 101 Animals You Need to Know; two level 3 readers, Time for Kids: Weather and Time for Kids: Insects; and a larger fact book in a square format, Time for Kids: 300 Fantastic Facts!: Space. “It’s a little punchier and more design-forward” than the 101 format, Moreton said of the last title.
Books in development for future seasons include more field guides, fact books, level 1 through level 3 readers in English and Spanish, and almanacs, with topics encompassing cats, money, planets, dinosaurs, and more. “We’re building on topics they cover in the magazine and using that as a stepping stone to other foundational nonfiction topics and anything that’s interesting,” Moreton said. The plan is to release 12 to 14 books per year, or about three per season.
Penguin recently announced that it had signed a nonfiction license with Ford. “We had been wanting some brands that were not traditional entertainment brands,” Moreton said. Time and Ford were pitched to the publisher around the same time, and it ultimately decided to take both of them. “Both cover a wide variety and scope, and both are tried-and-true brands with a history,” he said. “They were attractive not just because of their legacy but where they’re going. Partnering to develop their translation into the kids’ publishing space is exciting.” Penguin Workshop expects to announce another program based on a corporate brand in the coming months.
Studio Fun Hopes to Make Magic With ‘Spellbound’ Publishing Program
Studio Fun International, an imprint of Printers Row Publishing Group, has signed on as the primary publisher for the animated feature film Spellbound, which releases on Netflix on November 22. The movie is about a princess, Ellian, who goes on a quest to save her family and her kingdom after a spell turns her parents into monsters.
“What captivated me first was the storyline,” Debra Mostow Zakarin, VP and publisher of children’s publishing at Printers Row, told PW. “It’s an adventure story about a young girl, but it’s also a family story. The art is beautiful and lush and dynamic, and the first time we heard a snippet of the music, we were humming it all day.”
The film is produced by Skydance Media, whose animation division is headed by former Pixar chief creative officer John Lasseter, with Vicky Johnson (Shrek) directing and songs by Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast). “The team behind it excited me,” she said. “Skydance, John Lasseter, and Netflix were the perfect trifecta. And I loved the cast.” Spellbound’s voice stars include Rachel Zegler, John Lithgow, Nathan Lane, Javier Bardem, and Nicole Kidman.
Studio Fun is the primary publisher and is releasing seven titles with price points from $5.99 to $21.99. “We wanted to capture a wide audience,” said Zakarin. “There will be something for everybody.” Titles include tried-and-true formats including Spellbound Magnetic Play Set and Spellbound Movie Theater Storybook and Movie Projector; two coloring and activity titles, one with crayons for ages 3–6 and one with gel pens for ages 6 and up; a level 2 reader; a deluxe junior novelization, representing one of the company’s first forays into that format in some time, according to Zakarin; and an 8x8 storybook called Princess Ellian’s Parents Are Monsters, which is based on a song in the movie.
Separately, Studio Fun is celebrating the 10th anniversary of Moonbug’s preschool educational property Blippi, for which it has been the primary publishing licensee since 2019 and has sold more than 2.1 million copies of 40 titles. The property drives sales of books across all formats, with one standout being sound books. “Sound books, when they have Blippi’s voice, have done really well,” said Zakarin.
She believes the appeal of energetic, orange-and-blue-clad Blippi is his ability to relate to young children and introduce them to the world. “Children are naturally curious, but sometimes we as adults don’t know how to bring that out. We tend to speak at them and not with them,” she said. “Blippi doesn’t speak down to the child. And he brings real-world learning and facts into creative play.” The YouTube videos and other content are a mix of demonstrations of how things work, problem solving, social-emotional learning, and active play.
Studio Fun began a series of bookstore events in 2022 that have helped drive sales. Five appearances at four Barnes & Noble outlets and a special event with Anderson’s Bookshops attracted more than 2,500 attendees collectively and sold more than 2,000 books. In August, Studio Fun partnered with 210 B&N locations for Storytime with Blippi events that included a reading from Studio Fun’s Blippi: 5-Minute Stories and free sticker and activity sheets.
In April, Studio Fun worked with Vroman’s Bookstore to distribute 150 tickets for a Blippi meet-and-greet at the L.A. Times Festival of Books to families who had purchased a tote bag and three-book bundle. “When they meet him, it’s like they’re seeing the fifth Beatle, and it’s not just the joy of the children, it’s the parents too,” Zakarin said. In another festival appearance, Blippi gave a reading from 5-Minute Stories on the Children’s Stage and signed books for guests who had made a purchase from partner Malik Books.
More Blippi titles are coming, including a mass market version of a vehicle board book with moving parts that has done well in the club stores, some key Studio Fun formats in which Blippi has not yet appeared, and new titles featuring both Blippi and the new fan-favorite character Meekah. Meekah made her Studio Fun publishing debut this year with Blippi and Meekah: Best Friends in July, followed by Blippi and Meekah: Love to Color in October.
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Sees Its Number of Licensees Climb
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, the classic children’s book authored by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault and illustrated by Lois Ehlert, has been part of a number of consumer products licensing deals over the years, including a three- to four-year program with TJX Companies, owners of T.J. Maxx and Marshall’s. But it wasn’t until about two years ago, when Simon & Schuster consolidated brand oversight, that things really began to take off.
“This has always been one of my favorite properties,” Arlene Scanlan, founder and president of Moxie & Co., who has been Simon & Schuster’s licensing agent for 20 years, told PW. She reported that about 20 licensees are currently creating products, enticed by the enduring popularity of the book, which has sold more than 30 million copies. “It’s still the number one most popular title at Simon & Schuster, and not just for kids,” Scanlan said, noting that it is the most-given book at baby showers. “It’s one of the most powerful preschool brands in this country.”
One recent focus has been the food category, with several products set for release in 2025. New partners include Amaxi, the licensee for powdered oat milk in three flavors; Eleni’s for cookies that can be decorated with numbers and letters; and McSteven’s (also the licensee for Eloise pink hot chocolate) for hot chocolate and brownies.
Educational products are also a key part of the program, including a felt palm tree that letters can climb, from Lakeshore Learning, and magnetic construction tile sets from CreateOn. Other products include toys and plush from Begin Again and Yottoy; apparel from Mad Engine, Trevco, Wild & Woven, and Out of Print; bamboo pajamas from Monkeeroos and Slumberly; bedding from 1888 Mills; party goods from Daydream Society; digital invitations from Evite; and ornaments from Christopher Radko, among others.
A new TV series will help take the licensing program to the next level by introducing characters for the first time, along with the familiar letters, coconut tree, and monkey. This will be appealing to potential master toy licensees and others, Scanlan said. Lion Forge Entertainment has developed the series as well as short interstitial content, and a deal with a network is possible by the end of the year, with the on-air debut as early as 2025. A live touring stage show will also premiere next year with licensee P3 Productions.
Simon & Schuster, meanwhile, is expanding its Chicka Chicka publishing program for the first time, releasing the Chicka Chicka Learn to Write Workbook for Preschoolers in August and Chicka Chicka Ho Ho Ho this month. Coming up are Chicka Chicka I Like Mom and Chicka Chicka I Like Dad next Apriland Chicka Chicka Boo Boo next July.
Cottage Door Press Expands Licensing Portfolio with Miffy, Moms on Call, More
When Cottage Door Press launched 10 years ago, its list featured 18 titles, none of which were licensed. “We never planned to get into licensing,” Melissa Tigges, VP of strategic initiatives, told PW. “It happened organically when people started to approach us, especially after we aged up from our original sweet spot of 0–3. Now about 20% of our revenues are driven by licensed products. Our licensing portfolio has grown up with our company.” Cottage Door now has more than 600 total titles on its list.
The publisher has added a number of new licensed lines for 2025, with Dick Bruna’s Miffy being one of those. Through a partnership with Mercis and its North American licensing agency The Joester Loria Group, Cottage Door will launch a Miffy board book program in spring 2025. “It’s a super sweet character that fits our formats really well,” Tigges said, noting that Mercis, which has strict requirements for colors and paper quality, uses the same printer as Cottage Door does, which made for a seamless process. The first four board books will be Good Night Miffy, a lift-the-flap book; two shaped board books, Flowers for Mother Bunny and A Surprise for Father Bunny; and Colors with Miffy, with a built-in finger puppet.
Another new signing is Moms on Call, a bestselling parenting brand that includes a parenting journal, books, podcast, social media content, website, and online courses. The brand sold 100,000 books in 2023, has 297,000 followers on Instagram, and has seen its podcast drive half a million downloads.
Conversations about a potential distribution partnership ultimately led Cottage Door to sign a license to develop a line of books for toddlers, with the intent of reinforcing Moms on Call’s parenting guidance. “There are a lot of parenting books out there, but these are speaking to the child,” Tigges said. The first book, in September 2025, will be about bedtime and the second on behavior and manners, with future topics to include potty training, feelings, and getting a new baby sibling. All will feature parenting tips. “We incorporate their methods and engage the kids while reinforcing the Moms on Call messaging,” Tigges said.
Another new property is Super Simple Songs, a Canadian YouTube channel from Skyship Entertainment that has generated billions of views while teaching concepts like colors, counting, and animals. The songs are accompanied by animation featuring a diverse range of characters. “We publish song books, so these ‘super simple songs’ are perfect for what we do for our youngest readers,” Tigges said. There will be two song books to start.
Finally, in fall 2025, the company will publish two Elf on the Shelf novelty and sound titles.
Meanwhile, Cottage Door Press is expanding its lists for its ongoing licenses Paw Patrol and Sesame Street. “It speaks to our ability to find the white space in these established publishing programs and be successful enough that we’re granted rights to expand,” Tigges said. For Paw Patrol, the company has four titles coming out this fall, including a potty training reward chart, Christmas sticker-story book, a finger puppet book featuring the character Skye, and Paw Patrol Ruff Ruff Rescue Tales, a rolling slipcase with moving wheels and three shaped board books inside. For Sesame Street, a recent addition to the Cottage Door portfolio, a dot marker activity book comes out this fall, followed by My Very First Sticker by Number: Elmo & Friends and the electronic Sesame Street Early Learning Activity Pad in the spring. More traditional and sound book formats will follow.
Cottage Door Press is also adding licenses to its growing adult publishing program, which came to it through its 2018 acquisition of Parragon. It is bringing its existing John Deere and Smithsonian children’s licenses to its adult Brain Busters puzzle line, for example, and has added Mean Girls to its bestselling Art of Mixology program.
In Brief
Eva Chen, author of nine children’s books with Macmillan’s Feiwel and Friends imprint, including the bestselling Juno Valentine and the Magical Shoes and I Am Golden, is collaborating with retailer West Elm on a collection of kids’ furniture and décor. Many of the pieces are designed to encourage reading, such as a bed with a built-in reading nook and bookcase, and a “chair and a half” where children and parents or caregivers can read together.... DK is releasing an updated and expanded edition of The Marvel Encyclopedia, its bestselling guide to all things Marvel, on October 8. A special collector’s edition will follow on November 26. The most recent update of the encyclopedia was published in 2019.... For older teens and adults, Skybound licensed its comic book property Invincible to Indie Boards & Cards for a new card game. The brand’s 17 licensees to date, propelled by the success of the animated TV series, include Funko, Diamond Select Toys, Good Smile Company, YouTooz, and Mighty Jaxx, all companies in the toys and collectibles space, among others.... Park Avenue Entertainment has retained Surge Licensing as the global licensing agent for the first three films in author and screenwriter Clive Barker’s Hellraiser franchise. Licensees for the brand—which includes comic books, four theatrical films, six direct-to-video movies, a streaming movie reboot, and licensed video games—include Fright Rags for apparel and collector cards and Trick or Treat Studios for costumes, figures, masks, and props.... The Brand Licensing Group has been named as the distributor of Phidal Publishing’s books in the Australian market. Phidal is known for its licensed interactive and novelty books, including its Busy Books series.
