Roger Priddy, publisher and namesake of Priddy Books, the U.K.–based imprint at Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, will retire from his longtime position on June 30. Sally Poulson will serve as managing editor of both Priddy Books and Neon Squid, the nonfiction children's book imprint launched in 2021, and will report to Allison Verost, senior v-p and publisher at Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group.
Priddy's son, Sam Priddy, will serve as publisher of both Priddy and Neon Squid, where he had been copublisher, and will report to Poulson. Roger Priddy will continue to work as an author and consultant for the eponymous imprint. Joanne Clark and Fiona Macdonald, formerly copublishers, with Sam Priddy, at Neon Squid, will respectively move into the roles of creative director, reporting to Sam Priddy, and publishing director of Neon Squid, reporting jointly to Poulson and Sam Priddy.
Best known for series including First 100 Words and See Touch Feel, Priddy Books focuses on publishing books for babies, toddlers, and young children, primarily in the board book format. Macmillan said that Priddy titles "have sold upwards of 20 million copies in over 40 countries around the world." Forthcoming titles from the Priddy and Neon Squid lists include See Touch Feel: Play, First 100 Royal Words, and Key Skills for Toddlers, among others.
“For the past four decades, Roger has been at the forefront of children’s publishing,” Macmillan CEO Jon Yaged said in a statement. “Since founding Priddy Books, his unique brilliance, creativity, and genuine passion for early childhood learning has fundamentally changed how books are published for young children around the world. I consider myself fortunate to have worked with Roger the past 13 years and wish him joy and happiness always. I know my colleagues across Macmillan feel the same.”
“After 40 years of making children’s books, it’s time for me to try something new. Maybe I’ll retrain as a patisserie chef, or become an acrobat—who knows?” Priddy said in a statement. “One thing for sure is that I’ll be sitting down with the grandkids and reading some books. It’s time for the next talented team to take over at Priddy Books, which has always been a creative hub of people and ideas. I for one will be looking forward to seeing what they come up with next.”
