Press Room
The Dolls Tell All in the New Nonfiction Picture Book The Doll Test by Carole Boston Weatherford and Illustrated by David Elmo Cooper
This November, Carolrhoda Books, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group™, presents The Doll Test: Choosing Equality written by Young People’s Poet Laureate Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrated by David Elmo Cooper. In their so-called doll test, pioneering Black psychologists Kenneth Clark and Mamie Clark investigated the effects of segregation by presenting children with two Black and two white baby dolls. View →
Lerner Publishing Group Publicist Megan Ciskowski Named PW Star Watch Honoree for 2024
Thirty-Five Individuals Selected for Contributions to Book Publishing View →
Everyone Makes Mistakes in the New Picture Book Poetry Anthology The Mistakes That Made Us from Irene Latham and Charles Waters and Illustrated by Mercè López
This October, Carolrhoda Books presents The Mistakes That Made Us: Confessions from Twenty Poets selected by award-winning authors Irene Latham and Charles Waters and illustrated by Mercè López. In this beautiful collection, twenty brave poets share real-life blunders they made as young people and reveal how they learned from them. View →
STOKES by Ty Chapman and John Coy and Illustrated by Lonnie Ollivierre Squares Up to the Story of the NBA’s First Black Superstar
There’s nothing but net in Stokes: The Brief Career of the NBA’s First Black Superstar, a new picture book biography from Millbrook Press™, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group™. Written by Ty Chapman and John Coy and illustrated by Lonnie Ollivierre, Stokes tells the story of the NBA’s first Black superstar, Maurice Stokes, who broke the mold for NBA players in the 1950s. View →
Lerner Publishing Group Joins A New Offense Against Book Bans
Lerner Publishing Group has joined the We Are Stronger Than Censorship campaign to fight back against efforts to restrict the availability of books featuring Black, Queer, and other under-represented characters, themes, and history which are at an all-time high. View →
Lerner Publishing Group Acquires Sundance Newbridge
Sundance Newbridge Employees and More Than 3,600 Sundance Newbridge Books Find a New Home at Lerner Publishing Group View →
Debunk the Constructs of Gender with Lee Wind's New Young Adult Nonfiction Book The Gender Binary Is a Big Lie: Infinite Identities Around the World
This August Zest Books™, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group™, releases the second book of the Queer History Project The Gender Binary Is a Big Lie: Infinite Identities Around the World. This eye-opening piece of nonfiction takes readers on a journey to examine gender identity and representation throughout history and across cultures. Follow along with author Lee Wind, the founding blogger and publisher of I’m Here. I’m Queer. What The Hell Do I Read?, as he breaks down the walls that make up the gender binary. View →
Lerner Publishing Group Hires Fran Greenman-Schmitz as New Kar-Ben® Publisher
Fran Greenman-Schmitz has been named as the new publisher of Kar-Ben® Publishing, one of the world’s largest publishers of exclusively Jewish-themed children’s books and an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group. Fran Greenman-Schmitz will take over the helm of Kar-Ben on July 1, 2024, with the retirement of current Publisher Joni Sussman and as Kar-Ben celebrates its 50th anniversary. View →
Midwest Indigenous Immersion Network Collaborates with Lerner Publishing Group to Bring Ojibwe Books to Young Readers
Lerner Publishing Group™ is pleased to announce a collaboration with the Midwest Indigenous Immersion Network (MIIN) to create new books in Ojibwe for young readers. The collaboration was introduced at the Minnesota Indian Educators Association conference which was held over the weekend in Hinckley, Minnesota. The new books will be available in Fall 2024 and will amplify Indigenous voices and promote cultural awareness and language learning through literature. View →
Lerner Publisher Services Announces New Distribution Agreement with American Psychological Association
Lerner Publisher Services, a division of Lerner Publishing Group, today announced a new partnership with the American Psychological Association (APA) to be their exclusive global distributor beginning January 1, 2025, for their Magination Press imprint. View →
Lerner Publisher Services Announces New Distribution Agreement with Walker Books Australia
Lerner Publisher Services, a division of Lerner Publishing Group, today announced a new partnership with Walker Books Australia to be their exclusive distributor in the U.S. and Canada beginning August 1, 2024. Lerner Publisher Services will grow sales for Walker Books by leveraging the market reach, expertise, and reputation for exceptional quality and customer service that has made Lerner Publishing Group a leader in independent children’s book publishing for 65 years. View →
Author Kao Kalia Yang and Illustrator Jiemei Lin Share the Struggle of Finding One's Voice in the Powerful Picture Book Memoir The Rock in My Throat
This March, Carolrhoda Books, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group™, presents The Rock in My Throat by award-winning author Kao Kalia Yang and illustrated by Jiemei Lin. This true story captures the heartbreak and hope of Kao Kalia Yang’s experiences as a young Hmong refugee navigating life at home and at school with selective mutism. View →
Kar-Ben® Publisher Joni Sussman to Retire; Recently Recognized with the Sydney Taylor Body-Of-Work Award
After a distinguished career spanning decades in the publishing industry, Joni Sussman, Publisher of Kar-Ben® Publishing, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group, is retiring. Her outstanding contributions to Jewish children’s literature have left an indelible mark on the literary landscape. In recognition of her remarkable career, Sussman has been honored with the 2024 Sydney Taylor Body-of-Work Award. View →
Lerner Publishing Group Receives Eight American Library Association Youth Media Awards
Lerner Publishing Group has received eight 2024 American Library Association (ALA) Youth Media Awards. Kar-Ben Publisher Joni Sussman was honored with the Sydney Taylor Body-of-Work Award. Nearer My Freedom: The Interesting Life of Olaudah Equiano by Himself was named a YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Finalist. A Pocketful of Stars, The Bear and the Wildcat, and The Moon Is a Ball: Stories of Panda and Squirrel, have been named USBBY Outstanding International Books. Not So Shy was named a Sydney Taylor Book Award Honor Book in the Middle Grade category and The Rabbi and His Donkey and Zhen Yu and the Snake have been named Sydney Taylor Book Award Notable Books in the Picture Book category. View →
Lerner Publishing Group Partners with The Planetary Society and CEO Bill Nye to Bring New Science Books to Young Readers
Lerner Publishing Group™ is pleased to announce a new partnership with The Planetary Society® and CEO Bill Nye to create educational and fun books for young readers. The collaboration launches in 2024 and will include 15 titles for all markets about space science and exploration. View →
Lerner Publishing Group Acquires Gecko Press
Gecko Press Associate Publisher and Nearly 200 Gecko Press Books Find a New Home at Lerner Publishing Group View →
Humor and Heartbreak Lead to Self-Acceptance in Laurie Boyle Compton's Free Verse Memoir THE DENIM DIARIES
This November Zest Books™, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group™, releases The Denim Diaries: A Memoir. This poetic memoir traces Laurie Boyle Compton’s coming of age in rural Pennsylvania and New York City during the 1970s and 1980s. Combating family issues, relationship troubles, and body image insecurities, Laurie finds ways to love and accept herself. View →
Lerner Publisher Services Announces New Distribution Agreement with Flying Start Books
Lerner Publisher Services, a division of Lerner Publishing Group, today announced a new partnership with Flying Start Books to be their exclusive distributor in the U.S. and Canada beginning February 1, 2024. View →
WHERE WE COME FROM by Celebrated Authors Diane Wilson, Sun Yung Shin, Shannon Gibney, and John Coy, with Illustrations by Dion MBD, Named a 2023 White Raven Book
Lerner Publishing Group is pleased to announce that Where We Come From, written by acclaimed authors Diane Wilson, Sun Yung Shin, Shannon Gibney, and John Coy, and illustrated by Dion MBD, has been included in the prestigious White Ravens 2023 catalogue. View →
Cast Off on a Container Ship's Voyage Through the Ocean in the New Picture Book I Ship by Kelly Rice Schmitt and Illustrated by Jam Dong
If you’ve ever wondered where various items in your home come from, look no further than I Ship: A Container Ship’s Colossal Journey published by Millbrook Press™, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group™. Told from the perspective of a cheery container ship, this new picture book from author Kelly Rice Schmitt and illustrated by Jam Dong follows the vessel’s valuable mission around the world.
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Celebrate a New Sesame Street Friend with My Friend Julia: A Sesame Street® Book about Autism by Jennifer Cook
This September, Lerner Publications™, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group™, presents My Friend Julia: A Sesame Street® Book about Autism by Netflix consultant and award-winning international speaker Jennifer Cook. This colorful and compassionate title introduces an autistic girl named Julia and shows how all children — autistic and neurotypical alike — are amazing in their own ways. View →
Art Inspires Activism in New Young Adult Novel THE WEIGHT OF EVERYTHING by Award-Winning Author Marcia Argueta Mickelson
This May, Carolrhoda Lab®, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group, releases The Weight of Everything by Pura Belpré Young Adult Honor Author Marcia Argueta Mickelson. This contemporary novel follows a teen girl of Mexican and Guatemalan descent as she navigates the depths of grief with warmth and self-discovery. View →
Lerner Publisher Services Announces New Distribution Agreements with Scallywag Press and Mayo Clinic Press Kids
Lerner Publisher Services, a division of Lerner Publishing Group, today announced new distribution arrangements with Mayo Clinic Press Kids and Scallywag Press. Lerner Publisher Services will be the exclusive book distributor of Scallywag Press in all north American markets.
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An Unlikely and Hilarious Friendship Blossoms in New Picture Book SASQUATCH AND SQUIRREL from Author Chris Monroe
Carolrhoda Books, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group, presents Sasquatch and Squirrel by Chris Monroe, author of the Monkey with a Tool Belt series. Silly and adorable, this story draws two very different characters together in a series of misadventures and embraces the power of friendship. View →
Lerner Publishing Group Partners with Benetech to Make Books Accessible to Children in the US with Reading Disabilities
Lerner Publishing Group has teamed with Benetech to provide accessible books via the Bookshare collection, for children in the US with reading disabilities. Lerner’s entire eBook catalog of more than 7,000 titles will be available in accessible formats on the Bookshare platform and other preferred assistive technology platforms. With Bookshare access, people with dyslexia, blindness, cerebral palsy, and other reading barriers can customize their experience to suit their learning style and find virtually any book they need for school or the joy of reading. View →
Lerner Publishing Group Receives Best Pre-School Licensing Project Award for SEL Publishing Program with Sesame Street
MINNEAPOLIS, MN— Lerner Publishing Group was awarded Best Pre-School Licensing Project for the SEL Publishing Program with Sesame Street. With 75 titles in multiple formats, including hardcover, softcover, eBook, and eBook with audio, published in both English and Spanish, this robust program introduces young children to concepts of respect, inclusion, and community awareness. View →
Lerner Publishing Group Partners with AdoptAClassrom.org to Give Away Classroom Libraries to Teachers
Lerner Publishing Group has teamed with AdoptAClassroom.org to support classrooms nationwide as part of AdoptAClassroom.org’s vendor marketplace. To celebrate this new partnership, Lerner will fund three Read for a Better World classroom library prizes for educators. The curated Read for a Better World classroom libraries for grades K-5 support reading instruction, promote literacy, and provide access to engaging books that help students grow as readers and as people in the classroom and beyond. View →
Lerner Publishing Group’s FROM THE TOPS OF THE TREES By Kao Kalia Yang and Illustrated By Rachel Wada Named the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature Picture Book Winner
From the Tops of the Trees, written by Kao Kalia Yang, illustrated by Rachel Wada, and published by Carolrhoda Books®, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group, is the 2023 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature Picture Book winner. The award is based on literary and artistic merit promoting Asian/Pacific American culture and heritage and is presented annually by the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA), an affiliate of the American Library Association (ALA). View →
Learn Invaluable Lessons from the Natural World with Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults, a New Adaptation of the Bestselling Book by Robin Wall Kimmerer and Monique Gray Smith with Illustrations by Nicole Neidhardt
MINNEAPOLIS, MN—This November, Zest Books™, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group, will release Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants, a new edition of the best-selling Braiding Sweetgrass by Indigenous botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer. Adapted for young adults by Monique Gray Smith with illustrations from Nicole Neidhardt, this young readers’ edition weaves together the science of botany and Indigenous wisdom, exploring the importance of our relationship with and respect for the world around us. View →
Lerner Publishing Group Editorial Director Amy Fitzgerald Named Publishers Weekly Star Watch Finalist for 2022
Amy Fitzgerald, editorial director at Lerner Publishing Group, was named a PW Star Watch finalist, one of 5 finalists selected from a list of 41 honorees for the 2022 awards, which identify and celebrate innovators in book publishing. View →
Cartoonist Tessa Brunton’s New YA Graphic Memoir Notes from a Sickbed Portrays Chronic Illness with Honesty and Humor
MINNEAPOLIS, MN— Coming this November from Graphic Universe™, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group™, Notes from a Sickbed collects previously released and brand-new, unseen comics that recall author and artist Tessa Brunton’s experiences with a little-known chronic illness. View →
Lerner Publisher Services Announces New Distribution Agreements with Planting People Growing Justice, Knowledge Books, and Intergalactic Afikoman
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Lerner Publisher Services, a division of Lerner Publishing Group, today announced new distribution arrangements with Planting People Growing Justice Press, Knowledge Books, and Intergalactic Afikoman to be the exclusive book distributor for all three publishers in all markets beginning January 1, 2023. View →
In Debut Graphic Novel Unretouchable Sofia Szamosi Takes a Snapshot of Social Media and Our Image-Conscious Society
MINNEAPOLIS, MN— This September, Graphic Universe™, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group™, presents a story about body image, media, and the unseen forces that shape both with Unretouchable. In this graphic novel debut, visual artist Sofia Szamosi approaches these serious topics with a winning combination of curiosity, sensitivity, and wit. View →
Celebrated Authors Diane Wilson, Sun Yung Shin, Shannon Gibney, and John Coy, with Acclaimed Illustrator Dion MBD, Collaborate to Explore Diverse Identities in a Single Poetic Work
MINNEAPOLIS, MN— This October, Carolrhoda Books®, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group™, presents Where We Come From, a unique and powerful collaboration between four renowned authors who lyrically explore the elements that shape who they are. Award-winning authors Diane Wilson, Sun Yung Shin, Shannon Gibney, and John Coy weave together their individual stories to explore place, ancestors, movement, struggle, determination, and hope. Richly layered illustrations from artist Dion MBD connect past and present, making for an accessible and visually striking look at history, family, and identity. View →
Lerner Digital™ Is Getting an Upgrade! Updates to Digital Platform Increase Speed and Enhance Usability
Lerner Publishing Group™, one of the nation’s largest independent children’s book publishers, announced today that the Lerner Digital™ book platform has been improved with a more modern and easy-to-use interface. Current Lerner Digital™ customers will see the improvements right away and will not need to make any changes to access their books. All user access—including credentials, authenticated URLs, and MARC records—will remain the same.
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Lerner Publishing Group and Thomson Reuters Team Up to Lift Diverse Voices in Children’s Book Publishing
Lerner Publishing Group has teamed with Thomson Reuters to raise the voices of diverse authors in children’s book publishing. The new publishing program will launch with one young adult nonfiction book in spring 2023 and will continue through spring 2024 with at least 4 additional young adult nonfiction books written by debut and emerging authors, artists, and creators of color. View →
Lerner Publishing Group Celebrates Founder and Chairman Harry Lerner’s 90th Birthday
Cheers to 90 years! Lerner Publishing Group is honored to celebrate Founder and Chairman Harry Lerner’s 90th birthday. Family and friends gathered together at a party to toast Harry and honor his legacy and the impact he has made on the children’s book publishing industry.
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Take Control and Feel Good Doing It with the New YA Nonfiction Book How to Be a Difficult Bitch
Coming this April from Zest Books™, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group™, How to Be a Difficult Bitch: Claim Your Power, Ditch the Haters, and Feel Good Doing It empowers teens to love and stand up for themselves and those around them. View →
Explore the Value of Allyship with Author and Actor Duoa Muoa in His New Picture Book Today Is Different
In Today Is Different, coming this spring from Carolrhoda Books®, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group™, debut author Duoa Muoa and debut illustrator Kim Holt tell the story of two girls standing together with their communities to protest systemic racism and injustice. This gentle, exploratory title shows young readers the importance and necessity for solidarity and understanding. View →
Recycling Gets Creative in New Nonfiction Book Washed Ashore
In Washed Ashore: Making Art from Ocean Plastic, a new book from author and photographer Kelly Crull and published by Millbrook Press™, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group™, biology meets art to showcase fourteen stunning animal sculptures created completely from ocean trash. View →
Acclaimed Author Carole Boston Weatherford and Award-Winning Illustrator Jeffery Boston Weatherford Share the Story of an Unsung Heroine in Call Me Miss Hamilton
Acclaimed Author Carole Boston Weatherford and Award-Winning Illustrator Jeffery Boston Weatherford Share the Story of an Unsung Heroine in Call Me Miss Hamilton View →
Reading Rainbow Live Launches with Be a Maker, Celebrated Picture Book from Lerner Publishing Group
Lerner Publishing Group is pleased to announce that Be a Maker by Katey Howes, illustrated by Elizabet Vuković, and published by Carolrhoda Books, will be the first book featured on Reading Rainbow Live, a new version of the beloved Reading Rainbow TV series that originally launched in 1983. View →
Lerner Publishing Group Receives Caldecott Honor, Five Other American Library Association Youth Media Awards
UNSPEAKABLE BY CAROLE BOSTON WEATHERFORD AND ILLUSTRATED BY FLOYD COOPER NAMED A CALDECOTT HONOR BOOK, A SIBERT HONOR BOOK, AND IS THE WINNER OF THE CORETTA SCOTT KING BOOK AWARDS FOR AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR
WHERE I BELONG BY MARCIA ARGUETA MICKELSON NAMED A PURA BELPRÉ YOUNG ADULT AUTHOR HONOR BOOK
CLASSIFIED BY TRACI SORELL AND ILLUSTRATED BY NATASHA DONOVAN RECEIVES AN AMERICAN INDIAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION YOUTH LITERATURE AWARD HONOR View →
Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre from Carolrhoda Books® Named a 2021 New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children’s Book
Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre, published by Carolrhoda Books®, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group, by celebrated author Carole Boston Weatherford and acclaimed illustrator Floyd Cooper has been named a 2021 New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children’s Book. View →
Chico Bon Bon Gives the Gift of Holiday Cheer in Monkey with a Tool Belt and the Craftiest Christmas Ever! by Chris Monroe
Chico Bon Bon fans rejoice! Just in time for the holiday season, Carolrhoda Books®, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group™, introduces Monkey with a Tool Belt and the Craftiest Christmas Ever! The seventh book in the Monkey with a Tool Belt series by author and illustrator Chris Monroe is an entertaining Christmas tale that offers a zany, DIY story with humor that will appeal to adults and children alike. View →
Angelina Jolie and Professor Geraldine Van Bueren Partner with Amnesty International to Present New Young Adult Nonfiction Book Know Your Rights and Claim Them
This October, Zest Books™, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group, presents Know Your Rights and Claim Them: A Guide for Youth, a new young adult nonfiction book from actress, filmmaker, and humanitarian Angelina Jolie; professor Geraldine Van Bueren; and human rights organization Amnesty International. View →
Kao Kalia Yang’s New Picture Book From the Tops of the Trees Tells the True Story of the Love Between a Father and a Daughter
This October, Carolrhoda Books ®, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group, presents From the Tops of the Trees, a new picture book from acclaimed author Kao Kalia Yang and illustrator Rachel Wada. Yang, whose strong narrative is emboldened by Wada’s signature usage of rich color and texture, takes her real-life experience as a Hmong immigrant in the United States and weaves it into this beautifully expressive story of hope and resilience. View →
Lerner Publishing Media Lab Opens at the University of Minnesota Honoring Lerner Publishing Group Founder Harry Lerner
Lerner Publishing Group is pleased to announce the opening of the Lerner Publishing Media Lab in the recently renovated Pillsbury Hall at the University of Minnesota. The Lerner Publishing Media Lab has been established, via a gift from the Lerner Foundation, in honor of Harry Lerner, who founded Lerner Publishing Group in Minneapolis in 1959. View →
Beanstack and Lerner Publishing Group Offer Unlimited Book Access for Winter Reading Challenge
Edutech startup Beanstack and Lerner Publishing Group offer libraries and schools free access to books to help readers of all ages explore diversity, empathy, and action through literature. View →
Lerner Publishing Group and Milkweed Editions Collaborate to Create a Young Adult Adaption of Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Acclaimed Bestseller Braiding Sweetgrass
Lerner Publishing Group and Milkweed Editions today announced a new partnership to create a young reader’s adaptation of botanist and Citizen Potawatomi Nation member Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants. View →
Graphic Universe Presents A Major Graphic Novel Debut: Olivia Stephens’ YA Graphic Novel Artie and the Wolf Moon
This September Graphic Universe, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group, will publish Olivia Stephens’s eagerly awaited YA graphic novel debut Artie and the Wolf Moon. A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, Stephens has created a timely and original take on werewolf lore, one that celebrates the importance of community and the joy of family, no matter how unusual those family members might be. View →
NoNieqa Ramos and Kiesha Morris’s New Picture Book Hair Story Reveals the Stories That Hair Can Tell
This September, Carolrhoda Books®, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group, presents Hair Story, a new picture book written by NoNieqa Ramos and illustrated by Kiesha Morris. Ramos, the author of both young adult novels and picture books, tells a story portraying the belief that hair, or lack thereof, can be magical, powerful, “an anthem of inner beauty sung from the crown.” View →
Emily Barth Isler’s Middle Grade Novel AfterMath Sparks Conversations about Gun Violence, Life After Loss, and the Power of Infinity
This September, in partnership with Carolrhoda Books®, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group, Emily Barth Isler will release her debut novel, AfterMath. Described by actor and comedian Amy Schumer as “a gift to the culture,” this middle grade novel is a heart-wrenching book that deals with life after loss and is an empowering story for any child that has ever felt alone in their grief and sorrow. View →
Lerner Publisher Services Announces New Distribution Agreement with Soaring Kite Books
Lerner Publisher Services, a division of Lerner Publishing Group, today announced a new distribution arrangement with Soaring Kite Books to be their exclusive book distributor beginning January 1, 2022. View →
Lerner Publishing Group Announces New Read Woke™ Books in Partnership with Cicely Lewis, the Read Woke Librarian
MINNEAPOLIS, MN—Lerner Publishing Group is introducing Read Woke™ Books, a new brand which examines hard topics facing our society, created in partnership with Cicely Lewis, the Read Woke librarian. Launching in Fall 2021 with the Issues in Action series, Read Woke Books are inspired by a belief that knowledge is power and seek to challenge social norms, give voice to the silenced, provide information about groups that have been disenfranchised, disrupt the status quo, and share perspectives from underrepresented or oppressed groups.
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Lerner Publisher Services Announces New Distribution Agreement with Cheriton Children’s Books
Lerner Publisher Services, a division of Lerner Publishing Group, today announced a new distribution arrangement with Cheriton Children’s Books to be their exclusive book distributor in the US and Canada beginning January 1, 2022.
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New #OwnVoices Picture Book UNSPEAKABLE from Carolrhoda Books Reveals the Forgotten History of the Tulsa Race Massacre in Honor of 100th Anniversary
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre, Carolrhoda Books® is honored to release Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre by celebrated author Carole Boston Weatherford and award-winning illustrator Floyd Cooper. The first of its kind, this picture book has already received six starred reviews and is a testament to the people who perished and those who survived one of the worst incidents of racial violence in our nation’s history. View →
Lerner Publisher Services Announces New Distribution Agreement with the Page Education Foundation
Lerner Publisher Services, a division of Lerner Publishing Group, today announced a new distribution arrangement with the Page Education Foundation to be their exclusive book distributor beginning April 29, 2021. Lerner Publisher Services will grow sales for the Page Education Foundation by leveraging the market reach, expertise, and reputation for exceptional quality and customer service that has made Lerner Publishing Group a leader in independent children’s book publishing for more than 60 years. View →
Lerner Publishing Group and Avivo Establish Avivo Village for Twin Cities Homeless Population
Lerner Publishing Group is pleased to announce an agreement with Avivo to lease warehouse space at 1251 Washington Ave North in Minneapolis for the purposes of building an indoor village tiny house community for people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in the Twin Cities. This project, called Avivo Village, will be the first of its kind in the area and will provide transitional housing to 300-400 people per year, with priority going to local tribal members. View →
Read for a Better World Summer Reading Program Aims to Help Children Grow as Readers and as People
The Read for a Better World Summer Reading Collection is a tool families and educators can use as part of a remediation plan for both literacy and diversity awareness. These books and activities encourage readers to reflect on their own identity, the world they live in, and how they can act for a more just world. These take-home packs of award-winning and highly recommended books are curated by a collaborative team of educational experts including principals, superintendents, librarians, and master teachers and will be available just in time to stop the summer reading slide. View →
Miriam at the River and Beni’s War from Kar-Ben Publishing® Receive Association of Jewish Libraries’ Sydney Taylor Book Awards
Miriam at the River, a picture book written by Jane Yolen and illustrated by Khoa Le, and Beni’s War, a middle-grade novel by Tammar Stein, have been named named a Sydney Taylor Honor Book and Sydney Taylor Notable Book, respectively. View →
Spur a Consent Conversation with New Tween Nonfiction #MeToo and You by Halley Bondy
Coming this spring from Zest Books™, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group™, #MeToo and You: Everything You Need to Know about Consent, Boundaries, and More by Halley Bondy delves into the nuances of emotions, comfort, and discomfort in platonic, sexually charged, and emotionally abusive situations. View →
New #OwnVoices Picture Book CLASSIFIED by Traci Sorell Tells the Inspiring True Story of “Hidden Figure” Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer
Coming this spring from Millbrook Press™ an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group™, Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer by award-winning Cherokee author Traci Sorell and acclaimed Métis illustrator Natasha Donovan traces Ross’s journey from being the only girl in her high school math class to becoming an accomplished engineer and leader. View →
New #OwnVoices Picture Book UNSPEAKABLE from Carole Boston Weatherford and Floyd Cooper Reveals the Forgotten History of the Tulsa Race Massacre
Celebrated author Carole Boston Weatherford and award-winning illustrator Floyd Cooper shed light on the untold story of Black Wall Street in Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre, coming this spring from Carolrhoda Books®, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group™. View →
New Young Adult Book WHEN DOGS HEAL Offers a Unique Portrait of HIV Infused with a Deep Message of Hope
Coming this spring from Zest Books™, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group, When Dogs Heal: Powerful Stories of People Living with HIV and the Dogs That Saved Them illustrates a refreshing, beautiful, and totally unique portrait of HIV infused with a deep message of hope for young adults. View →
History and Sci-Fi Collide in New YA Graphic Novel Lizard in a Zoot Suit by Marco Finnegan
Lizard in a Zoot Suit, available now from Graphic Universe™, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group™, sends readers on an adventure through the streets of Los Angeles during the Zoot Suit Riots of 1943. This historical graphic novel by Marco Finnegan embraces timely topics of race and social unrest, but adds a sci fi twist making it a must-read for fans of E. T. and The Shape of Water. View →
Middle-Grade Graphic Novel Mega-Dogs of New Kansas by Dan Jolley Explores Themes of Bravery and Empathy on a Far-Flung Planet
Explore outer space with man’s best friend in Mega-Dogs of New Kansas, coming this fall from Graphic Universe™, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group™. Written by Dan Jolley and illustrated by Jacques Khouri, this sci-fi friendship story weaves humor and heart with a sensitive take on social anxiety. View →
Do It Now! Teach Teens How to Stop Procrastinating with Expert Leslie Josel’s New Young Adult Book How to Do It Now Because It’s Not Going Away
How to Do It Now Because It’s Not Going Away: An Expert Guide to Getting Stuff Done teaches teens to manage their time and attention through everyday life and tough challenges alike. Written by internationally recognized academic/life coach Leslie Josel, this book motivates readers to stop procrastinating by providing them with digestible tips and tools from her sixteen plus years in the field. View →
New Young Adult Book She Represents by Caitlin Donohue Celebrates Feminism, Activism, and Social Change in Politics
Just in time for election season, She Represents: 44 Women Who Are Changing Politics . . . and the World written by Caitlin Donohue and published by Zest Books™, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group, sheds light on the motivations, goals, strengths, and even missteps of the most powerful women in the political sphere. View →
New #OwnVoices Picture Book The Most Beautiful Thing by Kao Kalia Yang Explores Poverty, Beauty, and Love with Intergenerational Refugee Story
In The Most Beautiful Thing author Kao Kalia Yang shares the heartwarming true story about a Hmong refugee family and a girl whose grandmother helps her find beauty in a most unexpected way. With stunning illustrations from Vietnamese illustrator Khoa Le, The Most Beautiful Thing will enchant readers of all ages. View →
Explore the Historic Protests that Paved the Way for Protestors Today in New Young Adult Book Into the Streets
Into the Streets: A Young Person’s Visual History of Protest in the United States by Marke Bieschke takes readers on a visual voyage of resistance through American history. View →
Lerner Publisher Services Announces New Distribution Agreement with New Frontier Publishing
Lerner Publisher Services, a division of Lerner Publishing Group, today announced a new distribution arrangement with New Frontier Publishing to be their exclusive distributor in North America beginning August 1, 2020. View →
Zoobean Announces Beanstack Distance Learning Reading Challenge In Partnership with Lerner Publishing Group
The “Lerner Sports Challenge” aims to support schools, libraries, and families by providing a free distance learning opportunity; publisher provides access to learning resources and pledges books to winning groups. View →
Fight Alongside the Women's Battalion of Death in New YA Novel Open Fire by Amber Lough
MINNEAPOLIS, MN— Follow a young recruit of the Women’s Battalion of Death in Open Fire, coming this spring from Carolrhoda Lab®, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group™. Author Amber Lough sheds light on a pivotal moment in Russian history in this fast-paced historical YA novel. View →
Middle-Grade Novel Red Menace by Lois Ruby Features Baseball, Bar Mitzvahs, and the FBI
Explore questions of patriotic dissent and national security during the era of the Red Scare through the eyes of a kid growing up in Kansas in Red Menace, coming this spring from Carolrhoda Books®, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group™. View →
The Key from Spain and A Scarf for Keiko Commended by Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee
The Key from Spain: Flory Jagoda and Her Music, a picture book written by Debbie Levy and illustrated by Sonja Wimmer, and A Scarf for Keiko, a picture book written by Ann Malaspina and illustrated by Merrilee Liddiard, were named a Sydney Taylor Honor Book and Notable Book, respectively. View →
Lerner and the Center for Cyber Safety and Education Collaborate with Garfield®
Help kids make a safer cyber world with the new Garfield’s ® Guide to Digital Citizenship series, coming January 2020 from Lerner Publishing Group. View →
Lerner Publisher Services Announces New Distribution Agreement with Ruby Tuesday Books
Lerner Publisher Services, a division of Lerner Publishing Group, today announced a new partnership with Ruby Tuesday Books to be their exclusive distributor in the U.S. and Canada beginning November 1, 2019. View →
The Truth Is Explores Love, Identity, and Self-Worth
MINNEAPOLIS, MN— Uncover the challenges of expectations and identity in The Truth Is, coming this fall from Carolrhoda Lab®, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group™. View →
Stage Dreams Offers New Perspective on the Old West
MINNEAPOLIS, MN— Coming this fall from Graphic Universe™, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group™, acclaimed cartoonist Melanie Gillman puts readers in the saddle alongside Flor and Grace as they thwart a Confederate plot in Stage Dreams. View →
Owl's Outstanding Donuts Features Mystery and Friendship
MINNEAPOLIS, MN— Robin Yardi, author of The Midnight War of Mateo Martinez, weaves an intriguing mystery with a sensitive take on grief and recovery in Owl’s Outstanding Donuts, coming this fall from Carolrhoda Books®, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group™. View →
Ella McKeen, Kickball Queen Features Strong Girl Athletes
MINNEAPOLIS, MN—In Ella McKeen, Kickball Queen, coming this fall from Carolrhoda Books®, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group™, debut author and illustrator Beth Mills offers a pitch-perfect look at being a good sport—while also playing to win. View →
New YA Book Queer, 2nd Ed. Is the Ultimate Guide for LGBTQ Teens
MINNEAPOLIS, MN—Coming this fall from Zest Books™, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group™, Queer, 2nd Edition: The Ultimate LGBTQ Guide for Teens by Kathy Belge and Marke Bieschke offers valuable advice on coming out and finding community. View →
Greg Hunter Named a 2019 Publishers Weekly Star Watch Honoree
Lerner Publishing Group is pleased to announce that Graphic Universe™ Editorial Director Greg Hunter has been named a 2019 Publishers Weekly (PW) Star Watch honoree. View →
Lerner Celebrates 60 Years of Publishing Children’s Books
MINNEAPOLIS, MN—Lerner Publishing Group, one of North America’s largest independent book publishers for children and young adults, is proud to celebrate 60 years of creating books that educate, entertain, and empower young people. View →
Middle-Grade Novel Last of the Name Follows Irish Immigrants
Follow the journey of an Irish brother and sister who immigrate to New York City in Last of the Name, a middle-grade novel available this spring from Carolrhoda Books®, a division of Lerner Publishing Group™. View →
Lerner and Garfield® Announce New Children’s Book Partnership
This fall, explore the art of comics and STEM breakthroughs with new books from Lerner Publishing Group and Garfield®. View →
YA Novel The Stand-In Becomes the Netflix Film The Perfect Date
The Stand-In, written by Steve Bloom and published by Carolrhoda Lab®, is coming to Netflix on April 12, 2019, as The Perfect Date. View →
Inventive New Young Adult Novel The Manic Pixie Dream Boy Improvement Project Turns Tropes Upside-Down
MINNEAPOLIS, MN—Explore the tropes that make young adult novels tick in The Manic Pixie Dream Boy Improvement Project, coming this spring from Carolrhoda Lab®, an imprint of Carolrhoda Books®, a division of Lerner Publishing Group™. View →
Lerner Publishing Group Announces Partnership with Science Buddies®
Lerner Publishing Group has partnered with Science Buddies® to create educational and fun series and titles for young readers. View →
Lerner and Sesame Workshop Announce New Children’s Book Collaboration
MINNEAPOLIS, MN—This fall, grow stronger, smarter, and kinder with new books from Lerner Publishing Group and Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization behind Sesame Street. View →
Caldecott Honoree Gordon C. James and Coretta Scott King Award-winner Vaunda Micheaux Nelson Partner Up for Let ‘Er Buck!, a New Picture Book from Millbrook Press
Discover the thrilling story of how African American cowboy George Fletcher won the popular vote at the 1911 Pendleton Round-Up in Let ‘Er Buck! George Fletcher, the People’s Champion, from Carolrhoda Books®, a division of Lerner Publishing Group™. View →
Lerner Publishing Group Wins Printz Honor and Batchelder Honor
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Lerner Publishing Group has received two 2019 American Library Association (ALA) Youth Media Awards. View →
Lerner Publishing Group Acquires Zest Books
MINNEAPOLIS, MN— Lerner Publishing Group announced today the acquisition of Zest Books. View →
Lerner Publishing Group and Holiday House Publishing, Inc. Announce Paperback Agreement
Lerner Publishing Group is working with Holiday House Publishing, Inc. to publish paperback editions of select Carolrhoda Books® and Carolrhoda Lab® fiction titles, beginning with two award-winning novels in Fall 2019. View →
The Flight of Swans, an Enchanting New Fantasy Middle-Grade Novel from Carolrhoda Books, Gives a Fresh Take on a Classic Fairy Tale
MINNEAPOLIS, MN— Author Sarah McGuire spins the much-loved tale of the Brothers Grimm’s Six Swans with new thread in The Flight of Swans, available this fall from Carolrhoda Books, a division of Lerner Publishing Group. View →
Lerner Publisher Services Announces New Distribution Agreement with Creston Books
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Lerner Publisher Services, a division of Lerner Publishing Group, today announced a new partnership with Creston Books to be their exclusive distributor beginning January 1, 2019. View →
Millbrook Press and Carolrhoda Books Editorial Director Carol Hinz Named a 2018 Publishers Weekly Star Watch Honoree
Lerner Publishing Group is pleased to announce that Millbrook Press and Carolrhoda Books Editorial Director Carol Hinz has been named a 2018 Publishers Weekly (PW) Star Watch honoree. View →
New Graphic Novel Series Features a Spud Superhero
MINNEAPOLIS, MN—New from Graphic Universe™, a division of Lerner Publishing Group: it’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s Super Potato to the rescue! Spanish author-illustrator Artur Laperla’s humorous Super Potato series for young readers features a spud like no other: Super Potato can fly, fight, make potato jokes, and save the world all at once. View →
Lerner Publishing Group Launches New Website
Lerner Publishing Group announced today the launch of its new website at lernerbooks.com which is designed to turn finding, evaluating, and buying children’s books into a time-saving, valuable experience for its customers. View →
New High-Interest Series for Middle-Grade and YA Readers Feature Mysteries, Soccer, and Teens with Superpowers
MINNEAPOLIS, MN— This spring, follow high school soccer players on and off the field, solve mysteries in Mason Falls, and see what newly super sixteen-year-olds will do with their powers, in three new series from Darby Creek, a division of Lerner Publishing Group. View →
Discover Five Great New Graphic Novels Featuring Alien Abduction, Grade School Detectives, and More from Graphic Universe™
MINNEAPOLIS, MN— Pick up five new graphic novels from Graphic Universe™, a division of Lerner Publishing Group, this spring! Whether you enjoy detective stories, teen drama with hints of aliens, fantastical mysteries, or whimsical adventures, you’re sure to find a page turner you’ll love among these beautifully illustrated graphic titles. View →
Sea Otter Heroes from Millbrook Press Named a Robert F. Sibert Informational Honor Book
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Sea Otter Heroes: The Predators That Saved an Ecosystem written by Patricia Newman and published in 2017 by Millbrook Press, a division of Lerner Publishing Group, has been named a 2018 Robert F. Sibert Informational Honor Book. View →
Millbrook Press Announces Two New Picture Books Featuring Diverse Animal Families and Haiku by Richard Wright
MINNEAPOLIS, MN— Enjoy two exceptional new picture books from Millbrook Press, a division of Lerner Publishing Group, this spring! Millbrook Press publishes award-winning, informational picture books and photo-driven titles for young readers, including the 2017 Orbis Pictus Honor Book Dazzle Ships by Chris Barton, with illustrations by Victo Ngai. View →
Discover Four Page-Turning New Novels for Young Adults from Carolrhoda Lab™
MINNEAPOLIS, MN— Explore unexpected, eclectic, and adventurous new young adult novels from Carolrhoda Lab™, an imprint of Carolrhoda Books, a division of Lerner Publishing Group! With four new titles featuring a high-stakes local election, a prestigious private high school with a dark side, and a girl trying to get her brother back from Child Protective Services, these engrossing titles will thrill YA fans of all ages. View →
Carolrhoda Books Releases Seven New Titles, Including Middle-Grade Novels and a Poetry Picture Book Illustrated by Sean Qualls and Selina Alko
MINNEAPOLIS, MN— This spring, learn why a chicken can be a great birthday gift, follow a young Syrian refugee as he flees his country, share poems about race and friendship, and more, in seven new picture books and middle-grade novels from award-winning Carolrhoda Books, a division of Lerner Publishing Group View →
Lerner Publishing Group Announces New Children’s Books Featuring Disney and Pixar Characters
MINNEAPOLIS, MN—Lerner Publishing Group is introducing new books featuring Disney and Pixar characters coming Fall 2018. Three engaging new series featuring beloved Disney and Pixar characters including Mickey Mouse, Miguel from Coco, Dory, Woody, Moana, Lightning McQueen, and more and a special Disney Frozen coding book will introduce popular early learning topics, engaging narratives, and beautiful illustrations and designs. The books will also include hands-on activities and online resources to bring core STEM and social and emotional topics to life. View →