Harry Lerner, the founder of Lerner Publishing Group, died on April 8, at the age of 93. He left, as the company noted, "an enormous legacy in the children's book publishing industry as the founder of one of the nation's largest independent publishers. His taste, business sense, loyalty, and of course tenacity have touched the lives of young readers, authors, illustrators, family, and friends across the world."
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| Harry Lerner | |
While stationed in Germany as a young soldier, Lerner started publishing a guidebook, distributed by Stars and Stripes, the U.S. military's daily newspaper. The guidebook helped soldiers select cars and provided information on traveling in Europe. When he returned to civilian life, he finished college and began publishing a magazine, Sporting Goods Journal.
In 1959, Harry switched to publishing children's books, launching with a series called Medical Books for Children, which aimed to help children through their illnesses. These books were produced with help from his brother, Aaron, and were written by his sister-in-law, Dr. Marguerite (Margie) Rush Lerner. Using her sons as characters, Margie Lerner explained such topics as chickenpox, mumps, and measles. She also featured a female doctor in the books, at a time when fewer than 6% of doctors were women. The illustrator was George Overlie; this was the first of many books he illustrated for Lerner Publications. Thinking that the natural market for these first eight books was doctors' offices and hospitals, Harry Lerner sent direct mail to these locations--and as an afterthought, to schools and libraries. The medical community did not respond, but schools and libraries did.
Lerner loved finding new artists and bringing their work to the world. He also discovered unusual manuscripts from budding authors, and had a great eye for art and design. With his first wife, Sharon Lerner, he founded Carolrhoda Books in 1969, the company's first imprint, named after Carolrhoda Locketz, a friend of Sharon Lerner who had died. Expanding beyond the editorial and artistic sides of publishing, he started Muscle Bound Bindery in 1967 and purchased Interface Graphics in 1994 to create a fully integrated and independent publishing operation. Until 2020, Lerner Publishing Group also ran its own warehousing and fulfillment services before outgrowing its space and partnering with Corporate Graphics to manage these operations.
Lerner was also proud of the company's acquisitions, which most recently included YA nonfiction publisher Zest Books in 2018; Gecko Press, a New Zealand publisher known for its picture books and chapter books, in 2024; and Sundance Newbridge Publishing, a publisher of supplemental literacy solutions for grades PreK-8, which added more than 3,600 fiction and nonfiction titles to Lerner's catalog.
Over the years, the company received numerous accolades, including a Caldecott Honor, and multiple Coretta Scott King Book Awards, Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medals, and Jane Addams Children's Book Awards--each recognizing excellence in children's literature and impactful storytelling. The company publishes approximately 600 new books and series annually, for both the trade and school and library markets.
In 1998, Lerner turned over day-to-day reins to his oldest son, Adam, who is publisher and CEO of Lerner Publishing Group. Harry Lerner served as chairman of the board until his death and came into the office several days a week, remaining engaged and interested in all aspects of the business and in children's publishing. The family business continues into a third generation, with Lerner's oldest grandsons, Ariel Lerner and Leo Lerner, currently working at Lerner Publishing Group, along with other grandchildren who have held internships and been involved with the company.
Lerner and his family were instrumental in the development of the literary community in Minnesota through support for such organizations as The Loft, Books for Africa, the Minnesota Library Association Foundation, the Minnesota Book Publishers Roundtable, the Minneapolis Public Library (now Hennepin County Library), Minneapolis Central Library, the Kerlan Collection, and the University of Minnesota, whose Lerner Publishing Media Lab is named in Lerner's honor. Lerner celebrated diversity in children's book publishing not only by publishing diverse books, but by offering scholarships and donations to diverse creators through the Lerner Foundation.
Lerner was preceded in death by his first wife, Sharon Lerner, and is survived by his wife of 29 years and expert proofreader, Sandy; his four children, Adam (Maryann) Lerner; Mia (Raul) Posada, an award-winning illustrator; Daniel (Sharon) Lerner; and Leah (Itay) Ophir; nine grandchildren; and extended family.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Lerner's memory may be made to Books for Africa or the American Library Association.