Canadian bargain book wholesaler Book Depot has acquired children’s publisher Kidsbooks. Based in Chicago, Kidsbooks focuses on the publication of activity books, board books, sound books, cloth books, and novelty books, and has a backlist of about 1,000 titles. Kidsbooks founder and previous CEO Dan Blau will stay on as a consultant for the next nine months to help with the transition.
“In speaking with Dan about Kidsbooks, it was evident from the start that we share the same passion for quality children’s products. We both agree that learning should be fun," Book Depot CEO Wilf Wikkerink said in a prepared statement. "Kidsbooks also offers us the opportunity to add a great brand to our current publishing portfolio.”
This is Book Depot’s second purchase of a book publisher, as last year, it acquired the intellectual property of Rainstorm Publishing. Kidsbooks will remain in Chicago and will be run as a standalone company. Greg Sizelove, business development director of Book Depot, has been named president of Kidsbooks. Other new members of the management team are Link Dyrdahl, former managing director of Rainstorm, who has been named creative director, and publishing veteran Claire Payne, who has been named sales director.
Sizelove told PW Book Depot is open to making additional acquisitions. “We are open to all possibilities in the market, for we have the team and resources to explore them as they arise,” he said.
