Seattle-based Sasquatch Books has been acquired by Penguin Random House for an undisclosed price. The publisher, which has a backlist of approximately 250 titles and publishes in a range of areas, was one of PW’s fast-growing independent publishers of 2016.
Sasquatch has been a distribution client of Penguin Random House Publisher Services for five years. In a move to maintain the company’s editorial independence, rather than make the company part of one of PRH's publishing divisions, PRHPS president Jeff Abraham will oversee Sasquatch.
Commenting on the purchase, Abraham said that when he learned Sasquatch was looking for a buyer, the prospect of acquiring the company was "enormously appealing to both sides.”
Sasquatch, which is currently overseen by president Sarah Hanson, will remain based in Seattle. PRH added that no changes are planned for the publisher's management and staff.
The biggest driver of sales at Sasquatch in 2016 was its 52 Lists journal series by Moorea Seal. The series, which features The 52 Lists Project and 52 Lists for Happiness, has more than 375,000 copies in print. Another title by Seal, Make Yourself at Home: Design Your Space to Discover Your True Self, was released last week.
Other subject areas covered by Sasquatch include nature, travel, lifestyle, food, and wine. In 2014, the company started a children’s imprint, Little Bigfoot.
