Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Scholastic Buys Interest in Interactive Kids Publisher

Shelf Awareness

Scholastic has bought a "minority equity interest" in Make Believe Ideas, the U.K. publisher of books for babies and children that encourage creativity and promote learning.

The companies' first co-branded books for early learners from newborns to age 5 will be unveiled next week at the Bologna Children's Book Fair and will have a global English-language release this fall. The list features brightly colored, interactive books that encourage activity-based learning in multiple formats, including lift-the-flap, finger tracing, sound-enriched, touch-and-feel, write-and-wipe, as well as books with press-out models and sticker activities.

"Make Believe Ideas' focus on early learning and creativity and its engaging product line extends our publishing program and fits seamlessly into our distribution channels at Scholastic," said Ellie Berger, executive v-p, Scholastic, and president, trade publishing.

"Make Believe Ideas has worked closely with Scholastic for many years now," said Jo Bicknell, founder of Make Believe Ideas. "And we could not be more delighted to be going into a more formal partnership with the biggest children's book company in the world."

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