 Sourcebooks, a leading independent book publisher, has preempted world English rights to Chris Ferrie’s Red Kangaroo series from China Children’s Press & Publication Group (CCPPG). The deal gives Sourcebooks world English and North American Spanish rights, and comes ahead of the Bologna Book Fair, where China is this year’s guest of honor. The new series is a way to bring the world of physics and mathematics to the graduates of Baby University. The Red Kangaroo Physical Quiz series explains, in simple terms, the theories of classical, mechanical, optical, and quantum physics. An abundance of illustrations makes learning physics fun and easy for children, and not-so-daunting for parents, too. (10 titles; ages 4-8) Lively conversations between “Dr. F” and the adorable Red Kangaroo character introduce young readers to scientific concepts using real-life examples.
About CCPPG
China Children's Press & Publication Group (CCPPG), the largest professional children's press and publication group in mainland China, was formed by consolidating of China Teenagers Press (established in 1951) and China Children's Publishing House (established in 1956). With 750 employees, CCPPG publishes 5 newspapers, 11 magazines and around 1,500 books every year. In 2013, the total printed copies of books, newspapers and magazines reached over 130 million. CCPPG owns Juvenile & Children Reading Experience Wonderland (the Wonderland), a website (www.ccppg.com.cn), China Children Audio-Visual and Electronic Publishing House and a range of educational services branded as "Heart-to-Heart Sister". The Wonderland, a base to promote reading among young people, is China's largest professional bookstore for children and teenagers. In 2013, as shown in the "2012 Press and Publication Industry Analysis Report" developed by the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television of The People's Republic of China, CCPPG ranks the first in terms of total economic value among all children's publishers in China. About Sourcebooks Sourcebooks is a thriving entrepreneurial company that brings extraordinary authors to readers in the most dynamic, data-driven ways. We create books that transcend categories and defy odds and have been honored with hundreds of national bestsellers and awards. We are home to enthusiastic, book-loving employees who are dedicated to connecting books to readers in new and innovative ways. Story by story, book by book, we have touched over 100 million lives. Join us as we change 100 million more.  Many were no doubt surprised and saddened by the news that Sally Dedecker passed away on Monday night.
Sally was a close friend, and an extraordinary asset to the publishing industry. So many have since come out to talk about the ways that Sally impacted their life, their work, and themselves. In September, I had the honor of presenting her with the BISG Lifetime Service Award. I spoke of Sally’s many achievements and contributions to BISG and the entire book industry. I was speaking on behalf of all of her many friends at BISG: As we continue to reinvent BISG, there's no better example of what our core values mean in practice than Sally Dedecker. For more than half of the time that BISG has been serving the industry, Sally has been serving BISG. Her knowledge and experience make her invaluable to this organization and the publishing industry as a whole. As seen through her work with BookExpo, uPublishU, BISG, and more, Sally’s collaborative nature has helped publishers, authors, readers, and so many others connect for meaningful conversations that help our industry move forward. In a sense, Sally is an unsung hero, with an incredible breadth of knowledge. Through her comprehensive consultant agency, Sally Dedecker Enterprises, Sally has helped provide solutions in distribution, sales, marketing, product development, among other areas of the digital and print publishing process. As many of you know, she has also developed and curated the educational conferences for BookExpo America. When asked about Sally, Maureen McMahon said, "If I had to describe Sally Dedecker in one word, it would be 'unstoppable.' Her combination of industry knowledge, energetic problem solving, and generous friendship put her at the top of the list of colleagues we turn to for advice -- or when we just need a dose of Sally's no-holds-barred candor. You can always count on Sally to tell it like it is." No task has been too small, no project has been too big for Sally. She has looked at our business as if it were her own, because truly, it has been. Sally has dedicated her life to this industry, and has made an incredible impact. Sally once again chaired this year's jury to select the recipients of BISG's 2017 awards. We couldn't tell her that we'd also picked out one for her. I am happy, proud, and honored, to present Sally Dedecker with the 2017 Lifetime Service Award, given by all of her colleagues, past and present, who know all the many and amazing things she has done to make BISG work for its members and for our industry. I will miss my friend. I know we all will. She made an enormous difference in our lives, for which I will always be grateful. —Dominique Raccah, CEO and Publisher, Sourcebooks
In celebration of Children’s Book Week, March 4th and Sourcebooks recently made a joint donation of 21,000 books to First Book, the nonprofit social enterprise that has distributed more than 160 million books and educational resources to programs and schools serving children from low-income families. The donation of six Little Pickle Press titles appealing to children from preschool to middle grades is being made in support of First Book’s partnership with Every Child a Reader, the charitable arm of the Children’s Book Council and sponsor of Children’s Book Week, which will take place May 1 to 7, 2017. Little Pickle Press is known for award-winning books that help children make sense of complex issues. Titles donated include: A Bird on Water Street by Elizabeth O. Dulemba, Roar Like a Girl by Coleen Murtagh Paratore, Spaghetti Is Not a Finger Food (and Other Life Lessons) by Jodi Carmichael, The Treasure of Barracuda by Llanos Campos and translated by Lawrence Schimel, What Does It Mean to Be an Entrepreneur? by Rana DiOrio and Emma D. Dryden, and What Does It Mean to Be Safe? by Rana DiOrio. In January, Sourcebooks and March 4th (formerly Little Pickle Press) announced an innovative publishing partnership, and this donation is one of the first efforts undertaken as part of their on-going relationship. “We are honored to help make these books available to schools and families who may not otherwise have access to quality children’s content,” said Rana DiOrio, CEO of March 4th and founder of Little Pickle Press. “We have always believed that for society to thrive, it must promote literacy and instill values in its young people. Getting meaningful messages into the hearts and minds of more children has always been the keystone of our approach.” To learn how to participate in Children’s Book Week, visit Every Child a Reader. March 4th is catalyzing a universe of character-driven stories that meet the cross-format demands of young consumers and their caring adults. Brought to life through video, film, aStories™, and merchandise, this universe increases market awareness and penetration for its publishing partners.
Sourcebooks brings extraordinary authors to readers in the most dynamic and data-driven ways. Through innovative publishing, exploring every platform, and creating breakthrough models, Sourcebooks is consistently finding new ways to help authors touch people and change lives. In 2016, Sourcebooks CEO and publisher Dominique Raccah was named PW Person of the Year and BISG Innovator of the Year. Visit www.sourcebooks.com for more information, and check out the Sourcebooks blog. Contact March 4th, Inc.: 3701 Sacramento Street #494, San Francisco, CA, 94118; (877) 415-4488; [email protected] Sourcebooks, Inc.: 1935 Brookdale Rd, Ste 139, Naperville, IL, 60563; (800) 432-7444; [email protected]  As announced last month, we are partnering with fellow independent publishers to draw attention to books that have big impact. This month, we're celebrating International Women's Day - a day that recognizes the social, economic, cultural and political achievement of women. From brilliant scientists, physicsts, and mathematicians, to navigating fragile terrain and fighting for unity, these stories showcase amazing women in our past, and the power of those who lead us today. They will encourage, inspire, and empower both girls and women to be themselves, seize the day, and break barriers. You can learn more about International Women’s Day here. Join the conversation at #IReadIndie and #BeBoldForChange! SOURCEBOOKS
A Country Between: Making a Home Where Both Sides of Jerusalem Collide by Stephanie Saldaña “Beautifully written, ardent and wise.”—Geraldine Brooks, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Secret Chord, People of the Book, and March When American writer Stephanie Saldaña finds herself in an empty house at the beginning of Nablus Road, the dividing line between East and West Jerusalem, she is a new wife trying to navigate a fragile terrain, both within her marriage and throughout the country in which she has chosen to live. Pregnant with her first child, Stephanie struggles to protect her family, their faith, and herself from the cracks of Middle Eastern conflict that threaten to shatter the world around her. A Country Between captures the fragile ecosystem of the Middle East and the difficult first years of motherhood in the midst of a conflict-torn city. Buy the Book Indiebound | Barnes & Noble | Amazon Brave New Girl: How to Be Fearless by Lou Hamilton Insightful, bold, and timeless, Brave New Girl shows women and girls that anything is possible, and motivates them to move past fear and into courage. Each page is an invitation to pause, reflect, and happily rise to the occasion. This inspirational gift book encourages girls and women to seize the day, be kind to themselves, and break down any imaginary barriers holding them hostage. Buy the Book Indiebound | Barnes & Noble | Amazon The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict “Fascinating and thoughtful.”—B.A. Shapiro, New York Times bestselling author of The Art Forger and The Muralist Albert Einstein’s first wife, Mileva “Mitza” Maric, was more than the devoted mother of their three children—she was also a brilliant physicist in her own right, and her contributions to the special theory of relativity have been hotly debated for more than a century. The Other Einstein offers a window into a brilliant, fascinating woman whose light was lost in Einstein's enormous shadow. Buy the Book Indiebound | Barnes & Noble | Amazon WORKMAN PUBLISHING
Strong Is the New Pretty: A Celebration of Girls Being Themselves by Kate T. Parker
Girls being fearless. Girls being silly. Girls being wild, stubborn, and proud. Girls whose faces are smeared with dirt and lit up with joy. So simple and yet so powerful, Strong Is the New Pretty celebrates, through more than 175 memorable photographs, the strength and spirit of girls being 100% themselves. Buy the Book Workman Publishing | Indiebound | Barnes & Noble | Amazon The Atomic Weight of Love: A Novel by Elizabeth J. Church Follow the journey of a driven young woman whose scientific ambitions are subverted by the expectations of her era in Elizabeth J. Church’s debut novel. Told through the eyes of Meridian Wallace, The Atomic Weight of Love takes us from the World War II years in Chicago through to the 1970s in Los Alamos, New Mexico, blending an intriguing piece of American history and science with feminism and a passionate love story. Buy the Book Workman Publishing | Indiebound | Barnes & Noble | Amazon Radioactive: How Irène Curie and Lise Meitner Revolutionized Science and Changed the World by Winifred Conkling Radioactive tells the fascinating, little-known story of how two brilliant female physicists working in a male-dominated field made groundbreaking discoveries that led to the creation of the atomic bomb. A nonfiction narrative that reads with the suspense of a thriller, Radioactive sheds light on Irene Curie and Lise Meitner, who are still largely ignored despite their crucial contributions to cutting-edge research. Buy the Book Indiebound | Barnes & Noble | Amazon
SOURCEBOOKS TO PUBLISH MOST-RED WATTPAD STORY OF 2016, CHASING RED THE WATTPAD COMMUNITY SPENT A COMBINED 282 YEARS READING "CHASING RED" Sourcebooks, a leading independent book publisher, has acquired the worldwide English rights to Wattpad’s most-read story of 2016, Chasing Red. With over 126 million reads, the Wattpad community spent over 148 million minutes, the equivalent of 282 years, reading the story by Wattpad Star Isabelle Ronin. Revised and with new original content from the author, Sourcebooks will publish Chasing Red in two volumes, releasing in September and November, 2017.
Based on proprietary data and insights, Wattpad identified Chasing Red as an up-and-coming story in early 2015. Once Isabelle finished serializing the story in early 2016, the story’s popularity skyrocketed further. That week, Isabelle saw an influx of new readers—more than double the number of readers from the week prior. Since then, Chasing Red has ignited a voracious fan base that includes thousands of reviews, multiple trailers, a petition for a major motion picture, fan art, and around a million new reads each week on Wattpad. “The numbers alone for Chasing Red are extraordinary. This story has touched millions of readers and is attracting new reads every week,” Sourcebooks CEO Dominique Raccah says. “Once you start reading, it’s easy to see why. Readers get sucked into this world and these characters. It’s addictive. We are excited to bring this wonderful author and reader experience to published form this fall.” Thousands of Wattpad stories have been adapted as novels around the world, while others have become blockbuster movies and television shows. “We’re excited to build on past successes with Sourcebooks and are confident Chasing Red will be as successful in bookstores as it’s been on Wattpad,” said Ashleigh Gardner, head of partnerships for Wattpad Studios. “Not only is Chasing Red a massive hit within the Wattpad community, the high levels of engagement around the story have prompted several international publishers, including Hachette Livre, HarperCollins Germany, Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial, and Mondadori, to acquire rights to the story.” With Chasing Red, readers fall in love with Red and Caleb, frequently commenting on how “real” they feel. The story follows cynical straight-A college student Veronica “Red” Strafford, who gets kicked out of her apartment. When notorious basketball player Caleb Lockhart offers her a place to stay, their close quarters create a problem when he pursues her, and she is far from ready to open up about her painful past. Isabelle Ronin is a 30 year-old writer based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. As part of the Wattpad Stars program, Isabelle has also been tapped by brands like E! Network to craft custom content that drives huge engagement among young people. Wattpad and Sourcebooks first partnered in 2013 to publish Wattpad writers through the Sourcebooks Fire YA imprint as well as to market Sourcebook authors to the global Wattpad community. Since then, Sourcebooks has successfully published My Life with the Walter Boys by Ali Novak and The Cellar and The Cabin by Natasha Preston, both of which spent a combined thirty-seven weeks on the New York Times young adult paperback bestseller list. This year, Sourcebooks will publish more stories from popular Wattpad storytellers, including A. V. Geiger’s Follow Me Back, Juliet Lyons’s Dating the Undead, and Alyson McLayne’s Highland Promise.  Sourcebooks is celebrating 30 years in publishing, and are proud to be part of the independent publishing community - promoting titles that breed independent minds, break the mold, and dare to be different. In support of our fellow independents - publishers who are leaders and innovators in the industry - we’d like to draw attention to books that have big impact. First up, we’re highlighting our best books that celebrate diversity. These stories capture everything from the refugee experience to race and gender in America, to what feminism means, and women's fight for equal rights. What are your favorite books from independent publishers? Join the conversation at #IReadIndie. Sourcebooks
The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America’s Shining Women by Kate Moore As World War I raged across the globe, hundreds of young women toiled away at the radium-dial factories, where they painted clock faces with a mysterious new substance called radium. With such a coveted job, these “shining girls” were considered the luckiest alive—until they began to fall mysteriously ill. The Radium Girls is the first book that fully explores the strength of these extraordinary women in the face of almost impossible circumstances and the astonishing legacy they left behind. Buy the Book Indiebound Amazon Barnes & Noble Isabella: Girl in Charge by Jennifer Fosberry (author) and Mike Litwin (illustrator) Isabella: Girl in Charge explores some of the amazing women who made political history. This heartwarming tale empowers young girls to realize their true capabilities while inspiring them to let their own personalities shine. Buy the Book Indiebound Amazon Barnes & Noble What Does it Mean to Be Kind? By Rana DiOrio (author) and Stéphane Jorisch (illustrator) Part of the award-winning What Does It Mean to Be…? series, What Does It Mean to Be Kind? is a straightforward, accessible introduction to the idea of kindness, with suggestions that foster empathy and enlighten the world. What Does It Mean to Be Kind? shows young children how easy it is to be kind, through small acts and in simple ways. Buy the Book Indiebound Amazon Barnes & Noble WORKMAN PUBLISHING
This is Me: A Story of Who We Are and Where We Came From by Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell From the #1 New York Times bestselling creative team comes a timely, interactive picture book about immigration and identity. It asks children to consider: What would you pack if you had to travel to a new country with just a small suitcase? What are the things you love best? What says “This is me!” Buy the Book Indiebound Amazon Barnes & Noble Workman In the Company of Women: Inspiration and Advice from over 100 Makers, Artists, and Entrepreneurs by Grace Bonney Across the globe, women are embracing the entrepreneurial spirit and starting creative businesses. In the Company of Women profiles over 100 of these influential and creative women from all ages, races, backgrounds, and industries, and details the keys to their success. Buy the Book Indiebound Amazon Barnes & Noble Workman Here We Are: Feminism for the Real World edited by Kelly Jensen Forty-four writers, dancers, actors, and artists contribute essays, lists, poems, comics, and illustrations about everything from body positivity to romance to gender identity to intersectionality to the greatest girl friendships in fiction. Together, they share diverse perspectives on and insights into what feminism means and what it looks like. Buy the Book Indiebound Amazon Barnes & Noble Workman GROVE ATLANTIC
The Kindness of Enemies by Leila Aboulela With citizens from seven predominantly Muslim countries recently banned from entering the United States, it is more important than ever to turn to and support those voices whose work unpacks history in order to provide clarity to the present. In her latest novel, Sudanese-born Leila Aboulela writes with inimitable elegance a multi-generational historical fiction saga about Imam Shamil, the 19th century Muslim leader who led the anti-Russian resistance in the Caucasian War; his family; and the reach of his legacy today. The Kindness of Enemies is both an engrossing story of a provocative period in history and an important examination of what it is to be a Muslim in a post-9/11 world. Buy the Book Indiebound Amazon Barnes & Noble Christodora by Tim Murphy In an age where queer people face hostility from a reactionary political establishment, the activism of the AIDS crisis offers urgent lessons as to how we can make positive change in the face of oppression and misinformation. A portrait of the endurance of love, the constellation of relationships that binds us, and the changing world of New York City, Christodora is a deeply moving portrait of a lost bohemian Manhattan and a powerful exploration of the fate of activists and artists in our contemporary society. Buy the Book Indiebound Amazon Barnes & Noble The Refugees by Viet Thanh Nguyen The refugee experience is the world experience, and it is the American experience too—not least because of wars fought abroad that cause an influx of refugees at home. In his new collection, The Refugees, Viet Thanh Nguyen looks at the Vietnamese refugee experience in America, as well as the lives of some Americans in Vietnam. From the battles to build a good life in the wake of actual wars left behind, to new and old experiences of love and tenderness, and questions of where home is when hostility is faced both in the country of birth and the adopted country, The Refugees is a powerful and moving testament to the experiences of people living lives between two worlds. Buy the Book Indiebound Amazon Barnes & Noble FEMINIST PRESS
Celebrate People’s History by Josh MacPhee Celebrate People's History! features posters by over eighty artists that pay tribute to revolution, racial justice, women's rights, queer liberation, labor struggles, and creative activism and organizing. These essential movements—acts of resistance and great events in an often hidden history of civil rights struggles—remind us of the resilience of humankind even at the darkest of moments. Buy the Book Indiebound Amazon Barnes & Noble But Some of Us Are Brave (2nd Edition) By Gloria T. Hull, Patricia Bell Scott, and Barbara Smith A precursor to Women’s March organizer Linda Sarsour’s statement “if you’re not following a woman of color, you’re in the wrong movement,” All the Women Are White, All the Blacks Are Men, But Some of Us Are Brave: Black Women's Studies is the first-ever comprehensive collection of black feminist scholarship. Featuring essays by Alice Walker, the Combahee River Collective, and Barbara Smith, and original resources, this book is vital to today's conversation on race and gender in America. Buy the Book Indiebound Amazon Barnes & Noble The Crunk Feminist Collection by Brittney C. Cooper, Susana M. Morris, and Robin M. Boylorn For the Crunk Feminist Collective, their academic day jobs were lacking in conversations they actually wanted to have—relevant, real conversations about how race and gender politics intersect with pop culture and current events. To address this void, they started a blog. Now with an annual readership of nearly one million, their posts foster dialogue about activist methods, intersectionality, and sisterhood. Never afraid to speak out, disrupt narratives, and prioritize self-care, the Crunk editors are the models we need for activism in 2017. Buy the Book Indiebound Amazon Barnes & Noble MILKWEED EDITIONS
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer “A hymn of love to the world.” —Elizabeth Gilbert As a botanist, the author has been trained to examine nature with the tools of science; as a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, she embraces the notion that plants and animals are our teachers. Here she brings these two lenses together, showing how other living beings offer us gifts and lessons, even if we’ve forgotten how to hear their voices. Buy the Book Indiebound Amazon Barnes & Noble Milkweed The Home Place: Memoirs of a Colored Man’s Love Affair with Nature by J. Drew Lanham Growing up on his family’s land in South Carolina, J. Drew Lanham fell in love with the subtle beauties of the natural world around him—and grew up to be one of the lone black men in a predominantly white field. This memoir is a riveting exploration of the contradictions of black identity in the rural South, asking what it means to be “the rare bird, the oddity.” Buy the Book Indiebound Amazon Barnes & Noble Milkweed Tula: Poems by Chris Santiago Tula: a ruined Toltec capital; a Russian city known for its accordions; Tagalog for “poem.” Inspired by the experiences of the second-generation immigrant who does not fully acquire the language of his parents, the winner of the 2016 Lindquist & Vennum Prize for Poetry paints the portrait of a mythic homeland that is part ghostly underworld, part unknowable paradise. Buy the Book Indiebound Amazon Barnes & Noble Milkweed ABRAMS BOOKS
Kindred: A Graphic Novel Adaptation by Octavia Butler; Adapted by Damian Duffy and illustrated by John Jennings More than 35 years after its release, Kindred continues to draw in new readers with its deep exploration of the violence and loss of humanity caused by slavery in the United States, and its complex and lasting impact on the present day. Adapted by celebrated academics and comics artists Damian Duffy and John Jennings, this graphic novel powerfully renders Butler’s mysterious and moving story, which spans racial and gender divides in the antebellum South through the 20th century. Buy the Book IndieBound ABRAMS Amazon Barnes & Noble Power to the People: The World of the Black Panthers by Bobby Seale; photographer Stephen Shames Admired, reviled, emulated, misunderstood, the Black Panther Party was one of the most creative and influential responses to racism and inequality in American history. They advocated armed self-defense to counter police brutality, and initiated a program of patrolling the police with shotguns—and law books. Published on the 50th anniversary of the party’s founding, Power to the People is the in-depth chronicle of the only radical political party in America to make a difference in the struggle for civil rights. Buy the Book IndieBound ABRAMS Amazon Barnes & Noble The Best We Could Do: An Illustrated Memoir by Thi Bui This beautifully illustrated and emotional story is an evocative memoir about the search for a better future and a longing for the past. Exploring the anguish of immigration and the lasting effects that displacement has on a child and her family, debut author Thi Bui documents the story of her family’s daring escape after the fall of South Vietnam in the 1970s, and the difficulties they faced building new lives for themselves. By the Book IndieBound ABRAMS Amazon Barnes & Noble CHRONICLE BOOKS
Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns: A Muslim Book of Colors by Hena Khan, illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini
Magnificently capturing the colorful world of Islam for the youngest readers, this breathtaking and informative picture book celebrates Islam’s beauty and traditions. From a red prayer rug to a blue hijab, everyday colors are given special meaning as young readers learn about clothing, food, and other important elements of Islamic culture, with a young Muslim girl as a guide. Buy the Book Indiebound Chronicle Books Amazon Barnes & Noble At the Same Moment, Around the World by Clotilde Perrin Clotilde Perrin takes readers eastward from the Greenwich meridian, from day to night, with each page portraying one of (the original) 24 time zones. Discover Benedict drinking hot chocolate in Paris, France; Mitko chasing the school bus in Sofia, Bulgaria; and Khanh having a little nap in Hanoi, Vietnam. Strong back matter empowers readers to learn about the history of timekeeping and time zones, and to explore where each of the characters lives on the world map. Buy the Book Indiebound Chronicle Books Amazon Barnes & Noble Loving vs. Virginia: A Documentary Novel of the Landmark Civil Rights Case by Patricia Hruby Powell, Illustrated by Shadra Strickland From acclaimed author Patricia Hruby Powell comes the story of a landmark civil rights case, told in spare and gorgeous verse. In 1955, in Caroline County, Virginia, amidst segregation and prejudice, injustice and cruelty, two teenagers fell in love. Their life together broke the law, but their determination would change it. Richard and Mildred Loving were at the heart of a Supreme Court case that legalized marriage between races, and a story of the devoted couple who faced discrimination, fought it, and won. Buy the Book Indiebound Chronicle Books Amazon Barnes & Noble
NEW VENTURE WILL SIGNIFICANTLY EXPAND SOURCEBOOKS JABBERWOCKY'S NONFICTION PROGRAM Sourcebooks has acquired from March 4th all publishing rights for Little Pickle Press, best known for creating books that relate meaningful, complex concepts to children, including the bestselling and award-winning picture book Your Fantastic Elastic Brain by author JoAnn Deak, Ph.D. and illustrator Sarah Ackerley, which has sold more than 250,000 copies, and a multi-award-winning series that includes What Does It Mean To Be An Entrepreneur?® and What Does It Mean To Be Kind?®
Since founding March 4th (formerly, Little Pickle Press) in 2009, Rana DiOrio has sought to create products that inspire character development—traits such as kindness, honesty, bravery, and patience—in young people, and to do so in a socially and environmentally friendly manner. In addition to Deak, Little Pickle is the publisher of a number of bestselling authors, including Shawn Achor, Elizabeth O. Dulemba, and Coleen Murtagh Paratore. Many of the company’s titles are multiple award winners, and in 2014 Foreword Reviews named Little Pickle Press Independent Publisher of the Year. In 2015, Little Pickle expanded into the middle grade and young adult markets. “We are thrilled to partner with Sourcebooks! Dominique and her team embody so many qualities we admire—professionalism, entrepreneurialism, and kindness,” said DiOrio. “We couldn’t have wished for a better partner in furthering our mission to inspire character development in young people, and we are excited by the tremendous potential made available by our shared vision for the future.” Kelly Barrales-Saylor, who joined Sourcebooks as editorial director for children’s nonfiction in June 2016, has been working to quickly build its children’s nonfiction program, which has already seen great success with titles like This Book Is Gay, Dear Nobody, and the New York Times bestselling Poetry Speaks to Children series. “I could not think of a more natural fit than adding Little Pickle Press to our growing children’s business,” said Barrales-Saylor. “Rana’s mission to create books for a better world perfectly syncs with the Sourcebooks vision that books change lives. Little Pickle provides us with the opportunity to partner with a remarkably talented entrepreneur, as well as significantly expand our offering of books that inspire, encourage, and teach young readers.” Little Pickle Press will live as an imprint under Sourcebooks’ Jabberwocky brand, the company’s children’s imprint. The acquisition includes about twenty-five frontlist and backlist titles, which will be available through Sourcebooks beginning February 1. March 4th will work with Sourcebooks to seek out and generate new projects for the Jabberwocky and Little Pickle Press imprints, with new titles to come as soon as spring 2018. DiOrio will continue to run March 4th, Inc., with a focus on creating and acquiring content and developing video, film, and merchandise strategies in support of Sourcebooks and other partners. “There are opportunities for creating momentum and real change in this industry by having publishers band together to better support booksellers and authors,” added Dominique Raccah, CEO and publisher of Sourcebooks. “I’ve greatly admired Rana’s work for years. She has created something really extraordinary, and I am tremendously excited to join efforts with March 4th and the very talented Little Pickle Press authors.” I’m incredibly honored to announce that Sourcebooks won the BISG Industry Innovation Award at the BISG Annual Meeting held today, September 30, 2016, which also happens to be Sourcebooks’ 29th birthday! I’m sharing the acceptance speech I gave, below, because this award is not about me. It’s about each and every single person who walks through the door into our offices every morning, excited about what they will create that day. This is about our partners, and our authors, and the many readers whose lives we get to touch. It’s about what we’ve ALL created together. We've done so much. We get to do more. Thank YOU for loving books and helping to create (each and every day) the future of this industry that we love so much. Thank you. Dominique BISG Industry Innovation Award – Acceptance Speech: Last week as I was walking out of the office one night I started a list of the things that we were working on that looked like "new" to me. I came back the next morning, expanded that list of 6 to 14 and realized it touched every part of our organization. When I shared it with my team, they expanded it to 31 and at that point I realized that we were rethinking our business from the ground up. Innovation is, I think, 3 things: It is customer centric. Leaning into the customer experience, whether it's augmented reality, ya covers, Facebook conversions or personalized books. And it is iterative. You try, learn, change, over and over. You start small, like that list I made. And you build from there. And it is about mindset. Our industry is often thought to be the hallmark of stuck. Innovation is tough, it's expensive and on some days it's really embarrassing. But it's our mindset --the way we think about it -- that allows us to drive through and innovate. When I look at us, the book industry, I see leaders. I see strivers. I see innovators. I see an industry that's breaking the norms of what media transformation can and should look like. And people who daily do the work for the sheer excitement that books bring into people's lives. Thank you so much for this honor, thank you to the whole BISG organization for the work you do, to the committee and working group members and chairs, to my many friends on the board, and to everyone here today for giving your time and effort to making our industry better. As members of BISG we are charged and trusted with setting standards for the industry. Let's continue to set a standard of innovation, of growth mindset, of reaching beyond what we are now and creating the future of book publishing. Thank you.   We are beyond excited to celebrate that This Is Where It Ends, after 24 weeks on the bestseller list, is now the #1 NEW YORK TIMES young adult hardcover bestseller! The success of This Is Where It Ends is really kind of remarkable considering that the Marieke is Dutch, English is her second language, and she’s written a story about a high school shooting in an Alabama small town. Nijkamp’s conversation with a friend about gun safety and school violence left her with so many questions that a story began to form in the back of her mind, and the voices of characters who wanted to tell their story. As a writer, this was something she had never quite experienced before. “At first it felt incredibly intimating, and I felt completely unequipped to talk about it," says Nijkamp. "But I started working on the book because I was feeling confused and baffled by how often these situations happen and how horrendous they are. I wanted to explore that and find a way to better understand.” And that’s what makes This Is Where It Ends special. Marieke captures the minds of teens experiencing a horrific situation, and has created a safe space in which teens and adults can discuss this extremely difficult subject that is unfortunately so much a part of their lives now. Marieke has met with over 25 teen book clubs over the past several months. We heard from one teacher that the book went through an entire group of students in four days, and from a librarian who, after having a number of students read it, had a line outside her office the next morning – they just had to talk about the book. This is an important moment for young adult literature. It isn't every day that a young adult with queer girl main characters tops the New York Times list. It's been an incredible journey for Marieke and her debut novel, and we look forward to seeing how many more lives this amazing book touches. Thank you to all of you who made this possible.  And some of the happenings on Twitter:      Yesterday, All Things Considered ran a brief piece about reader analytics. That’s a new field being developed by a lot of people, including the very smart folks at Kobo (Michael Tamblyn) and Jellybooks (Andrew Rhomberg).
What’s interesting in this conversation is the “or” nature of it. Data or editorial gut? But I think what we’re seeing evolve is when we use data as a part of our information stream…or maybe even a number of different data points to support our decision-making. Not “or” but “and.” As book publishers, we make thousands of decisions, and it’s always striking how relatively small decisions can have big impact. It’s hard to get a book 100% right. And that’s probably why it’s also so rare. For me, innovation and data are really all about connecting authors to readers; helping to expand readership and also connecting in new ways. I tried explaining that recently in an interview. I think we’re at the beginning of reader analytics. And it’s going to take us to some new places that will undoubtedly lead to other new conversations. What do you think? Dominique P.S. If you want to learn a bit more about reader analytics, here’s a quick reading list:
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