Nosy Crow, the U.K. children's publisher, is launching a U.S. company, Nosy Crow Inc., that will publish a range of titles that have been Nosy Crow's specialty, from novelty board books for the youngest child to engaging and educational nonfiction for readers up through middle school, all aiming to make children through age 12 lifelong readers. The list will be sold and distributed by Hachette Book Group.
Nosy Crow Inc.'s president is John Mendelson, formerly senior v-p of sales at Candlewick Press, who said, "I am delighted to lead Nosy Crow Inc., building a varied, commercially powerful, creatively distinct and fully Americanized list. Our first year of publishing will showcase 30 amazing books from illustrators and authors that will reach a wide audience across North America. Over the next few years, we'll add chapter books and middle-grade fiction and we'll originate books in North America too, featuring art and words from a diverse group of creators."
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| John Mendelson | |
During its 12-year history, Nosy Crow UK has sold North American rights to a range of publishers, and those titles will continue to be sold by those publishers. Many of those titles have been published by Candlewick Press using the Nosy Crow imprint, including a number of Nosy Crow UK's board book series and character-based picture books. Candlewick will continue to publish new titles in these series, but without the Nosy Crow imprint.
Kate Wilson, group CEO of Nosy Crow, who will oversee both the U.K. and U.S. companies, said, "As a publishing company creating books that are published around the world, this feels like such a natural extension of our publishing. We are hugely grateful to the U.S. publishers, particularly our long-time partner, Candlewick Press, who have been such amazing supporters of Nosy Crow's full-colour books in the first decade of our existence. But we feel it's now time to spread our wings and engage directly with the amazing and very different market that is North America. We look forward to bringing our great books, our reputation for sustainability, and our commitment to diversity and inclusivity to this vibrant market with a new company under the leadership of John Mendelson, whose customer focus combined with an intelligent engagement with books, authors and illustrators is unparalleled."
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| Kate Wilson | |
The inaugural summer list will launch in May 2023, and includes picture books like Frank and Bert by Chris Naylor Ballesteros, a meditation on friendship; How to Count to One by Caspar Salmon and Matt Hunt, a quirky counting book; and Everything Possible, based on a song that celebrates the range of ways of living and identities that potentially lie ahead of a child, illustrated by Alison Brown. The board book list will include the first books in the Look It's... series by Camilla Reid and Clare Youngs. The nonfiction list will include Welcome to Our Table, a celebration of food from around the world by Moira Butterfield and Harriet Lynas. Nosy Crow Inc. will also bring the Stories Aloud audio program directly to the North American market for the first time: all of Nosy Crow Inc.'s board and picture books will feature free, downloadable audio recordings so children and families can listen to the books wherever and whenever they want.
A major fan of Nosy Crow is James Daunt, CEO of Barnes & Noble and managing director of Waterstones, who said, "Over the years, Nosy Crow has been a phenomenal partner to Waterstones in the U.K. We look forward to more of their magic here in the States and wish them the very best of luck."