Candlewick Press, the U.S. publishing arm of U.K.—based Walker Books, is on track to post a 20% increase in sales in 2005, following a 39% increase in 2004 that pushed revenue up over $36 million. The company's growing "ologies" series (Dragonology, Egyptology, etc.) helped boost sales last year, and additional titles in the line this year, including Wizardology, will keep the momentum going this year, according to Candlewick president and publisher Karen Lotz. Also adding to this year's results is Kate DiCamillo's Because of Winn-Dixie, which benefited from the February release of the movie of the same name.
Candlewick's jump in revenue is reflected in an increase in New York Times bestsellers, as many as eight titles on a single list in September—a Candlewick first. At the same time, the company has kept the number of titles it publishes annually at 200 for each of the past five years. "What has changed," said Lotz, "is the mix. We are originating 132 books this year, up from 90 in 2002 and 69 in 1999." The remainder of the list is generated by U.K. parent Walker.
Another change is a marked uptick in fiction titles, which have doubled since 2002. To make those books stand out, as well as other titles for older readers, Candlewick will introduce a new logo on Valentine's Day, the publication date for what could be its biggest novel to date, DiCamillo's The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline.
Candlewick's next big push, Lutz said, will be paperbacks. In the meantime, the company has begun to ratchet up its consumer advertising. It supported DiCamillo's recently released Mercy Watson to the Rescue with a $250,000 marketing campaign that included print and radio advertising. Next year, it is planning its first television ads on Nick Jr.
To position itself for further growth, Candlewick has increased its staff to 76 and is about to add another 2,000 square feet of office space to the 19,000 it currently occupies. Earlier this spring, it moved its fulfillment from Penguin to Random House, a transition that went well, according to COO Mike McGrath. McGrath is also working to keep Candlewick's returns rate, one of the lowest in the industry, in the teens. "We're always interested not just in selling, but selling through," he notes.
