Publishing This Week

This week in publishing news the Simon & Schuster agency is building on its relationship with Moxie & Co. by giving the licensing agency representation rights for a half dozen additional properties. (Moxie has been licensing Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys for Simon & Schuster since 2005.)

The agency will seek licensees for Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, David A. Carter’s Bugs, Marissa Moss’s Amelia, Matthew Van Fleet’s Cat and Dog, Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman’s Bear and Little Pip, Little Quack, and Pendragon. The first licensee signed for any of the new properties is Manhattan Toy for Chicka Chicka Boom Boom developmental soft toys.

Meanwhile, Moxie & Co. is actively looking for more literary properties, talking to publishers, literary agents and authors and recently signing a deal with Suse MacDonald for Alphabet Animals. “Our goal is to add more iconic, classic books with staying power,” says co-owner Laura Becker.


Nickelodeon has authorized 19 books based on its series Ni Hao, Kai Lan through the end of 2010, including titles from Simon & Schuster (storybooks), Random House (coloring and activity), Publications International (sound books), Readers Digest (supernovelty formats) and LeapFrog (Tag electronic readers).

Target exclusively launched one book, along with a handful of toys, in May; Jade Liana, the actress who voices Kai Lan, will read and sign two of the Ni Hao titles at the Target Book Festival in Minneapolis in September, where Ni Hao will be the focus of the children’s section. Target, Borders and Kohl’s are end-capping the books, and Nickelodeon is talking to Barnes & Noble, Borders and Amazon.com about promotional events. Licensee Mega Brands will promote the books on its Ni Hao, Kai Lan packaging, while some book titles will feature call-outs for Fisher-Price and Vtech toys.

Ni Hao, Kai Lan follows in the footsteps of Nickelodeon’s other leading preschool girl property, Dora the Explorer, which launched with four books. “Dora paved the way for a new generation of preschool tie-in publishing,” Allen says. “It’s been a top publishing property for almost a decade now.”



Cookie Jar Entertainment has signed a number of new licensees for author Richard Scarry’s characters, in conjunction with the debut of a new 52-episode television series, Busytown Mysteries, which will launch this fall. NCircle Entertainment is on board for six DVDs, Cookie Jar has created a Web site called BusytownMysteries.com that includes an immersive world and a fan club, and Simon & Schuster will introduce a new line of books, based on storylines from the TV series, in summer 2010. Current licensed products, for boys age 2-5, include board games from I Can Do That, puzzles from Cardinal and cake decorating supplies from DecoPac. Toys, plush, home furnishings and gifts are planned.

According to Lisa Streff, Cookie Jar’s senior v-p of domestic consumer products, the series has the look of the classic books, and many of Scarry’s most popular characters appear in it. Pointing out that there hasn’t been any merchandise on the market for quite some time, Streff says retail-specific promotions are planned with mass and mid-tier retailers and that the company is in talks with bookstore chains as well.


N
ordstrom will exclusively sell children’s apparel in its Midwest and Northeast stores based on the Planet Color by Todd Parr brand. The clothing will be produced by Jen’s Ideas.... Grosset & Dunlap will publish three titles for boys 7-10 tied to Warner Bros.’ Batman: The Brave and the Bold, in spring 2010.


Modern Publishing will release Smurfs coloring and activity books, licensed by Sony. The classic blue characters will make their comeback in an upcoming film.

Majesco Entertainment is introducing interactive games for the Wii and Nintendo DS platforms based on The Daring Book for Girls.


Warner Bros.’ licensing program for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince includes manufacturers NECA and Corgi International for toys, Mattel for a Scene It game, and Noble for wands, chess sets and sculpts, among others.


With all of this news I am most excited about the Smurfs! What is not to love? How could anyone not simply adore the cute little blue guys? I still have a stuffed Poppa Smurf from when I was little. I cannot wait till the movie is released, and I will try to find some additional inforamtion on that and post it as soon as it becomes available!

Have a great Weekend!