They’re the note cards and novelty gifts that catch book buyers' eyes at the checkout counter. They’re the puzzles and games that cover entire tables alongside the latest thrillers and celebrity memoirs. They’re the dolls and superhero gear that draw children to their next favorite book. Some are brand extensions, or sidelines, of popular book titles. Others are independent creations hatched by publishers partnering with designers and writers. All are vitally important to the publishing industry.
The Book Industry Study Group (BISG) reported that nonbook sales in bookstores have grown by approximately 5% annually over the past five years. A survey by the ABA indicated that independent bookstores that expanded such offerings saw an average sales increase of 10%–15%. And a Nielsen report showed that consumers are willing to spend more on high-quality and unique sidelines, often purchasing them as impulse buys or gifts.
Brand extensions allow fans to explore new facets of the books they love. Toys give kids the chance to delve more deeply into the worlds of beloved characters. Calendars and notebooks based on self-help or lifestyle titles enable readers to incorporate the books’ wisdom into their daily lives. Independently developed content can offer innovative ways to engage minds, such as puzzles based on the lives of literary figures and games that immerse players in the worlds of art, history, music, and science.
Designing these buzzy buys requires the right mix of business acumen and creative whimsy. Publishers need a keen understanding of how to find the right extension for a book title, how to develop a strong and cohesive visual presence, and, most important, how to create something fun.
“Rule number one of making gifts,” says Marc Valli, publishing director, general trade division, at Thames & Hudson, “is this: if you’re not having fun while making them, others are not likely to have fun playing them.” Below, we talk to the fun and games experts about this serious business.
Insight Editions
When the editors of Insight Editions first learned that Christina Ricci was interested in creating a tarot deck based on her life’s journey, they were thrilled to have the chance to work with one of Hollywood’s most respected artists. “We were tremendously excited,” says Vanessa Lopez, Co-Publisher and VP, Licensing and Partnerships, at Insight Editions. “We’re all lifelong fans of her work, and a tarot deck just made sense given her career and its association over the years with the spooky and macabre.”
The project is a natural fit for Insight Editions, which specializes in celebrities, arts, and entertainment and is known for unique boundary-pushing books and collectibles that provide meaningful ways to engage with characters and stories. During her critically acclaimed career, Ricci has played witches, angsty teens, superheroes, and runaways. These roles translate well into tarot, which uses imagery to help people explore ideas about their lives, feelings, and futures. The Cat Full of Spiders Tarot Deck and Guidebook (October) draws inspiration from her life and experiences. However, Ricci, who wrote the foreword, says her connection to the deck goes much deeper than that.
“Tarot calls to light the meaningfulness of our personal stories and journeys,” Ricci says. “This deck is reflective of mine. All the characters I’ve ever played have come from some part of my personality and life experience, and my life is also more valuable than the characters I’ve played or my career. As an individual, as a human being, my value is in my very human emotional journey and sharing my experience and insight with others.”
Created with artist Felipe Flores, author Minerva Siegel, and creative director Mark Hampton, the deck features 78 cards and a 128-page booklet with stunning custom artwork. “I absolutely love the world Mark, Minerva, and Felipe have created,” Ricci says. “The artwork is insane, so detailed and original. Each character has a story, a world that they inhabit, and speaks to how as artists we truly value the individual. This deck reflects how we celebrate the unique and specific.”
Ricci says she’s drawn to tarot because it helps her tap into the wisdom of the subconscious. “Tarot appeals to me as it can have a mystical interpretation and then a much more grounded one,” she says. “Our own self-knowledge, our own journeys, can predict our future and answer our deepest questions.”
Booksellers tell the Insight team that customers have shown tremendous enthusiasm for pop culture tarot decks. “The decks are great in terms of tarot practice, and they also make great collector items,” Lopez says. “They’re an opportunity to see your favorite characters and worlds interpreted in the style of the tarot, and it’s fun to think about the various archetypes they represent and what we can learn from that.”
Since Insight published its first pop culture decks in 2020, tarot cards have become one of the press’s bestselling product lines. “While tarot sales have always ebbed and flowed, I don’t see it ever stopping,” Lopez says. “It’s the sort of thing that never really goes out of style.”
Laurence King Publishing
At Laurence King Publishing, puzzles, games, and gifts are much more than sidelines—they are a core part of its business and mission. The 33-year-old press, which was acquired by Hachette U.K. in 2020, is a premier publisher of books and gifts on the creative arts that are widely praised for their inventiveness, design, and status as authoritative texts.
“Nonbook publishing is an essential part of the Laurence King list,” says Laurence King deputy publisher Philip Contos. “We have been leading the field for the last decade and seeing incredible growth in this space. It’s becoming an increasingly crowded market, but we’re continuing to innovate to maintain our position.”
With eye-catching designs and playful themes, Laurence King’s games and gifts are designed to capture imaginations and expand horizons. Upcoming titles reflect that mission:
In the jigsaw puzzle category, Laurence King offers new installments of its popular “World of” series, which celebrates the lives and work of creative greats. October titles include The World of Oscar Wilde, illustrated by Adam Simpson, and The World of Terry Pratchett, with artwork by Paul Kidby, Sir Terry’s artist of choice. Laurence King’s Wild Seas jigsaw puzzle (September) is the first in its 1,000-piece range to feature shaped pieces, with artwork from Good Wives and Warriors and inspiring stories of nature’s recovery by Helen Scales.
In Laurence King’s cards range, the editors are excited to partner with author Alice Oseman, creator of the LGBTQ+ YA romance comic Heartstopper and its Emmy Award–winning Netflix adaptation. The Heartstopper Official Fan Cards (September) will feature favorite characters plus conversation cards to help readers explore essential themes raised by the series.
In the partner publishing arena, Laurence King has joined forces with the Metropolitan Museum of Art to launch a gift range of nine nonbook titles over the next three years. The project begins with two games. In Match a Masterpiece (October), players match two halves of iconic masterpieces from the Met’s collection, and in Sooner or Later (October), players compete to piece together a timeline of ancient wonders and contemporary marvels. “In both cases, families can enjoy stunning art from around the world with fast-paced games suitable for all ages,” Contos says.
Nonbook products like puzzles and games are, of course, designed with consumers in mind, but they’re also extremely important to booksellers and librarians. “In today’s market, the nonbook offer is an essential part of any bookshop,” Contos says. “Booksellers love the literary angle of our gifts, which makes them an easy fit for their stores. Libraries love the way our nonbook titles offer ‘education by stealth.’ Kids learn while they play, without it feeling forced or ‘worthy.’”
When looking to complement a book list with games and gifts, it’s key to “never take the format for granted,” Contos says. “Just because something has been a success in book form doesn’t mean it will work as a gift. First and foremost, you have to always be thinking: ‘How is this going to be used? Why should this not be a book?’”
Grumbalina Press
In 2013, Karina Frederiks wrote a poem about a fairy named Grumbalina who lives on the only gray cloud in the sky. That led to a picture book, Grumbalina and the Day Everything Changed, a witty and charming story of a little fairy who longs to do magic and make friends in Pufftown but, alas, has only a cardboard wand.
With bright, engaging illustrations, the tale of the frustrated fairy took flight. Frederiks published several more Grumbalina books, and with the help of her assembled team, began adding toys, such as figurines and magic wands, that enable children to act out the world of Pufftown. “I've had such positive feedback since the beginning,” Frederiks says. “It was this little poem, and it just grew over time.”
The Grumbalina books focus on challenges such as sibling rivalry, laziness, loneliness, and pollution. The ragdolls and Pufftown character figurines reinforce the books’ message about cultivating emotional resilience and honoring the not-always-pleasant feelings that everyone has sometimes. Their expressive faces highlight their chatty, mischievous, or, well, grumbly personalities.
The team at Grumbalina Press, says the dolls’ faces are attention-grabbers. “Grumbalina is known to sport a frown, and the toys play off that expression, which always gets a double take,” she says.
Frederiks is excited to give kids a non-tech way to engage with her characters and enjoy good old-fashioned playtime. “I’m very inspired by the free play of my 1990s childhood, which I find is slipping away for the modern child,” she says.
Incorporating the illustrators’ colorful and detailed artwork has been a critical part of that process. “I wanted to make sure the illustrations would really captivate a child,” Frederiks explains. “I knew it needed to be able to compete with an iPad.” That same creative work has been integrated into the toys and packaging, making the series and its sidelines both eye-catching and visually cohesive. The packaging for the figurines, featuring the series' characters with their expressive emotions, further reflects the continuity of the world and draws in the reader and imaginative play from the very moment of unboxing.
“My desire is to nurture imagination and creativity,” Frederiks continues. “I want to encourage children to step away from screens and iPads and rediscover the joy of traditional play. Imaginative play is so enriching—it not only brings happiness but also invites kids to explore new ideas and experiences with the toys in a real environment.”
These toys enable Grumbalina fans to engage more deeply in the world of the books, the Grumbalina sales team explains. “They take the stories and characters off the pages to spark imaginative and creative play.” The team also notes that the relationship can work in reverse—the child spots the toy and then discovers the books. “The products play off the books,” they say. “They are engaging to young minds who might first connect with a sparkly wand and then discover it’s lifted directly from the pages of a Grumbalina story.”
The characters and their accompanying figurines are all inspired by real people from Frederiks’s life. The Character Mitchy, for example, is inspired by one of Frederiks’s friends who is gay. “Unlike a lot of gay characters in children’s books, where the story centers around their loneliness over being different, I wanted to have gay characters who were just happily living their lives,” Frederiks says.
The real Mitchy adores his Pufftown avatar. “The friends who are in the book and have figurines are thrilled,” Frederiks says. “The friends who are not in the book yet are saying, ‘Please, make me a character!’”
Phoenix International Publications, Inc.
Phoenix International Publications, Inc., aims to publish engaging, educational, and entertaining books for young readers, and chief publishing officer Susie Brooke says add-ons like flashlights and 3D glasses are a natural extension of that mission. “Sideline products that complement our books help get kids interested in reading and make it fun,” she says.
The PI Kids imprint publishes a wide range of sound books and Look and Find books for children featuring favorite characters from licensing partners that include Disney, Nickelodeon, and Sesame Workshop. Goodies like puzzles and magic wands keep kids even more engaged. “We’re always exploring new ways to add value and extend storytelling through play,” Brooke says.
With cost pressures still high, customers are particularly interested in add-ons that maximize their spending dollars. “Today's consumers are looking for value added to anything they purchase,” she says. “Including extras like wristbands and flashlights with our books helps to grab shoppers' attention when they're scanning the shelves.” The Fall 2024 list showcases Phoenix International's popular licensed characters, as well as a variety of sidelines designed to encourage imagination, exploration, and learning through play.
PAW Patrol: Spaceship Rescue Book and 5-Sound Wristband (November). The story of the PAW Patrol’s extraterrestrial adventure gets an added dimension with a five-sound wristband. While reading the story, kids can call the PAW Patrol and help save the day.
Disney Mickey & Friends: A Very Mickey Christmas Book and 5-Sound Flashlight Set (September). The tale of Mickey and company’s special delivery to Santa gets extra cheer with a five-sound flashlight that glows on foiled pages and makes five different sounds. Gabby’s Dollhouse: Sparkle Science Book and 5-Sound Flashlight Set (August) also gets extra pizazz from shiny, foiled pages and a working five-sound flashlight.
Marvel Spider-Man: Look and Find 3D with 3D glasses (August). 3D glasses bring Spider-Man's action-packed adventures to life. With more than 100 hidden objects and characters, this Look and Find book encourages focus and exploration.
“I love that sidelines add an interactive play pattern to reading and offer children multisensory ways to engage with stories about their favorite characters,” Brooke says. “When you wear your five-sound wristband, you’re part of the PAW Patrol story, helping the crew accomplish their mission. When you shine your five-sound flashlight on the pages, you make Mickey’s Christmas adventure, or Gabby’s magical world, sparkle and shine. When you put on your 3D glasses, you see Spider-Man leap out of the pages to save the day!”
Ensuring that products mesh well with titles is key, Brooke says. “Successful pairings complement the characters and stories: a sound wristband has the feel of the PAW Patrol’s Pup Pad, a flashlight helps Mickey navigate the skies on his Christmas Eve journey, and adding a 3D effect to Look and Find scenes makes objects even more fun, and challenging, to find!” For busy parents, anything that keeps kids' heads in books for a little longer should be a welcome addition to their children’s libraries.
Sourcebooks
In May 2023, Sourcebooks introduced the My Sticker Dress-Up line, and the team realized that the series had tremendous potential. “From that point forward, we knew we wanted to build out the program and experiment with different sticker dress-up themes,” says Nicky Benson, Sourcebooks publishing manager packaging & proprietary.
Activity books are now a significant part of the publisher’s business, and the My Sticker Dress-Up line continues to deliver. Illustrated by Louise Anglicas, each activity book encourages imaginative, screen-free play by enabling kids to create their own outfits and scenes with five pages of reusable stickers, as well as a picture album where children can select and save all their favorite moments.
This year’s headliner, My Sticker Dress-Up: Swifties (October 2024), has Sourcebooks’ Naperville, Ill., office buzzing. “We are absolutely thrilled to be able to include Swifties in our sticker mix,” Benson says.
Celebrating one of the most iconic fanbases on the planet, the 13th My Sticker Dress-Up title enables fans to create their own Swiftie style. It offers more than 500 reusable shimmer stickers, a gatefold closet to organize outfits, and hidden Swiftie “Easter eggs” on every page.
Also this fall, in anticipation of the holiday season, Sourcebooks is releasing My Sticker Dress-Up: Nutcracker (October 2024). Kids can delve into the world of Clara and the Sugar Plum Fairy, as Clara travels from the Land of Snow to the Land of the Sweets. “It will bring magic and fun for aspiring ballerinas everywhere,” Benson says.
The Sourcebooks team continues to expand into new themes to cater to children with different interests. My Sticker Dress-Up: Dancers (May 2023) explores the world of competitive dance in many different styles, including ballet, jazz, and tap. In 2025, the Sourcebooks team will release My Sticker Dress-Up: Stick It! (April 2025), which features gymnasts, and My Sticker Dress-Up: Sparkle Squad (August 2025), for competitive cheerleaders. “The Sourcebooks goal is to represent these sports in a realistic way to empower young children,” Benson says. “We want to help kids immerse themselves in a sticker experience that best represents who they are and what they do.”
Booksellers tell Sourcebooks that activity books are a staple in every planogram. “We are seeing that space be dominated by all the kid’s licenses we know and love,” Benson says. “However, there is a place and space for non-licensed activity book products. We’re always trying to expand our reach by creating activity books that encourage a more creative play pattern for children.”
The key to that success is creating content that kids will truly enjoy, she says: “Our main lesson is to always stay true to the customer experience. Listen to what customers are telling you, and you’ll be able to create an amazing product that they love.”
Thames & Hudson
Thames & Hudson views the fall launch of its new gifts and games line, T&H Gift Lab, as an essential part of growing its business, but they are not sidelines or brand extensions, says Marc Valli, publishing director, general trade division. “We want each of our titles in the T&H Gift Lab to be conceived as something completely new, a new strategy for conveying content, a new approach to a particular subject,” Valli says. At Gift Lab sessions with artists and authors, the team cuts and folds paper, plays games, and experiments with new formats as they work to answer the big question: how to make the subject—be it art, classical literature, or science—fun.
For example, when developing The Odyssey in 1,000 Pieces—A Storytelling Jigsaw Puzzle (October), the team discussed the fact that The Odyssey was not originally a book but part of a long oral tradition. “I kept imagining what it would be like for a young person in the Bronze Age to hear that story for the first time,” Valli says. “What images would be running through their heads? This jigsaw is another way of telling that amazing story.” The puzzle is illustrated by the British duo Good Wives and Warriors and comes with a long concertina book written by author Daisy Dunn.
Other offerings on the fall 2024 list bring out the fun of art and science. Queen of Arts—Women Artists Playing Cards and Book (November) is a hybrid box with a 120-page book and an illustrated set of playing cards featuring 54 women artists. “The last few years have seen a wealth of books on women artists, but we noticed that there was no fun set of playing cards on the subject,” Valli says. The writer, curator Lydia Miller, looked back to the late Middle Ages, when playing cards were first invented in France and the four suits represented the four orders of medieval society: knights, clergy, traders, and peasants. She adapted those to seers, warriors, influencers, and dissenters. Laura Callaghan, known for her powerful renderings of contemporary women, illustrated.
October brings new drawings of funny bugs by Yuval Zommer, the bestselling author of the children’s Big Book series. Inspired by his wildly popular The Big Book of Bugs, Zommer created Bugtastic Bingo, a game for children of all ages.
In Bigger Than This (November), the four suits have been replaced by different fields of science: chemistry, zoology, botany, and astronomy. Players collect cards to win the game by asking opponents for cards representing elements, animals, plants, or celestial objects that are either bigger or smaller than the ones pictured on the cards they hold. “Families are the sweet spot of the gift market, and the idea here is to have some fun time with your family learning amazing facts connected to nature,” Valli says.
By working closely with artists and writers, Thames & Hudson creates an environment characterized by inventiveness rather than merchandising, Valli says. “Surprising buyers is what makes the biggest difference. When I go to a trade show and I hear someone look at a product and exclaim ‘Ha!’ I know we have a good seller.”
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