Lerner Publishing Group (booth 621) is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, a milestone that the company’s Minneapolis hometown is marking by officially proclaiming May “Lerner Publishing Group Month.” At BookExpo, LPG is continuing the festivities with a 60th anniversary tote bag and a sweepstakes to win “60 Books for 60 Years.” The company is also hosting a quartet of authors whose books reflect the spectrum of genres published by the house. (See author signing information below for details of who, when, and where.)
LPG boasts an impressive growth trajectory since its founding in 1959, when Harry Lerner launched the company with four titles published for children to read at doctors’ offices about common childhood illnesses. Six decades later, LPG has more than 7,000 titles in print and releases 700-plus new titles annually for both the trade and school and library markets. The group now encompasses 14 imprints, among them Carolrhoda Books, Millbrook Press, Twenty-First Century Books, Graphic Universe, Kar-Ben Publishing, Zest Books, and First Avenue Editions.
“This is not only a momentous occasion for me and my family, but for all of the employees, authors, and illustrators who have made our award-winning company what it is today,” says Lerner, now chairman of the board of LPG. “We are proud to remain an independent and family-owned company and have enjoyed supporting librarians and teachers in educating children for 60 years.”
His son Adam, publisher and CEO of LPG, regards BookExpo as a fitting venue to highlight the company’s anniversary. “Booksellers have played a critical role in our success over the past 60 years,” he says. “As one of the country’s largest independent publishers, we have a lot of admiration for the dedication and love that independent book stores share in communities around the country, and we’re excited to celebrate our anniversary with them at this show.”
