Tag Archives: publishing

Kodak snaps up Rocket Licensing for UK, Eire, and European licensing programme

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The iconic Kodak brand has snapped up Rocket Licensing as its licensing agency for the UK and Eire as well as Europe, as the firm begins to build a consumer products programme across the regions.

In its role – marking a new step for Rocket, an expert in character, entertainment, and publishing licensing – who will focus the campaign on a range of categories including apparel, accessories, stationery (including arts and crafts), publishing, games and puzzles, and collaborations.

The team will target a primarily adult and millennial audience and is looking to place product principally in fashion and mid-tier retail.

Kodak is a 130 year-old company, which is known worldwide by its instantly recognisable red and yellow logo, which has evolved over the years. The company offers an extensive library of classic and modern logos, branding and advertising, which is ideal for developing into exciting, impactful and desirable licensed collections.

To date, Kodak has created far reaching collaborations with A list celebrities, Lulu Guinness and Cara Delavigne, leading designer, Lama Jouni, and key retailer, Forever 21, among others. Rocket will be building on these solid foundations with best in class partners to create on-trend, appealing consumer products and campaigns.

Rob Wijeratna, joint MD, Rocket Licensing, said: “We’re really looking forward to the opportunity to build the Kodak brand in the UK and extend it throughout Europe. Kodak is an iconic brand, known worldwide and offers a wealth of fantastic creative assets to build exciting new collections.”

Clara Fort, Kodak VP global brand licensing, added: “Collaborating with an award-winning partner like Rocket Licensing is an important opportunity for Kodak. The combined strengths of the iconic Kodak brand and Rocket’s creativity and experience will help us bring exciting products and collections to consumers across the UK and Europe.”

FanGirl Consulting named licensing agent for Somos Arte’s La Borinqueña

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The Brooklyn-based indie studio, Somos Arte (We Are Art), the name behind the hit comic superhero franchise, La Borinqueña, has tapped FanGirl Consulting & Brand Management as its agent to focus on licensing, promotional partnerships, and brand integrations.

Created by the graphic novelist Edgardo Miranda-Rodriquez, the superhero emerged in 2016 as a direct response to the economic crisis affecting the island of Puerto Rico. Inspired by the Puerto Rican national anthem of the same name, La Borinqueña is an original Afro-Puerto Rican character and patriotic symbol presented in a classic superhero story.

As a response to Hurricane Maria, Miranda-Rodriguez self-published the best-selling benefit anthology, Ricanstruction: Reminiscing & Rebuilding Puerto Rico, under his own studio Somos Arte.

The anthology features La Borinqueña teaming up with Wonder Woman, Superman, Batman, and other DC Comics heroes. All sales from this benefit anthology were used to award grants to non-profit organizations based in Puerto Rico. During the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con event, Miranda-Rodriguez was bestowed the Eisner Award’s Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award for his philanthropic efforts.

Through sales of the graphic novels and various other collaborations, the grants program has raised over a quarter of a million dollars for grassroots organizations in Puerto Rico via the La Borinqueña Grants Program.

“Superheroes and their stories inspire us to help make the world a better place for all of us. With La Borinqueña, I set out to create a character that connects readers and fans to a real place rich with history and heritage,” said Miranda-Rodriguez. “Our hope is that La Borinqueña inspires us all to see our heroic potential to make a difference now, leaping from the comic book pages to the real world.”

Anita Castellar, CEO of FanGirl Consulting and Brand Management, added: “As a Puerto Rican woman myself, I couldn’t be prouder to build an official licensing program for La Borinqueña and to work with Somos Arte to celebrate our Puerto Rican heritage and share our stories with the world.”

In 2020, both Rosario Dawson and Zoe Saldana lent their voices to various public service announcements featuring La Borinqueña, and produced in conjunction with Voto Latino, Fair Fight, and Poder Latinx, to engage voters in the US general election and the Georgia runoff elections.

On December 18, 2020 La Borinqueña joined forces with Stretch and Bobbito + The M19s Band to produce the first song, music video, and comic book Que Bonita Bandera to commemorate the 125th anniversary of Puerto Rico’s flag which falls on December 22nd.

The song is released on 10x Grammy Award winner Eddie Palmieri’s label Uprising Music NYC (distributed by ADA/Warner Music) featuring vocals from such celebrities as Rosario Dawson, Rosie Perez and over a dozen more! On sale now with 100% of the net profits to benefit the La Borinqueña Grants Program.

FanGirl Consulting & Brand Management will serve as global Licensing Agent for La Borinqueña brand, overseeing and seeking deals across licensing, retail, and promotional opportunities, as well as build direct to consumer and ecommerce strategies.

The Point. 1888 secures raft of licensees for Moonbug’s CoComelon across books, arts & crafts, puzzles and more

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The hit children’s brand, CoComelon has strengthened its licensing portfolio with the addition of no fewer than 11 new licensing partners, thanks to a slate of signings secured by The Point. 1888 on behalf of the pre-school IP owner, Moonbug Entertainment.

The brand extension specialist was brought on board in August 2020 as the master licensing agency across EMEA for CoComelon and other brands under the Moonbug umbrella, including Blippi, My Magic Pet Morphle and ARPO. Since joining, The Point.1888 has sought to build on the fast-growing popularity and awareness of CoComelon, signing licensees that will give the brand products to widen consumer engagement.

New licensees secured by The Point.1888 for CoComelon, include the clothing specialist, Poetic Brands, the underwear specialist Misirli who will produce CoComelon socks, Egmont Books as the master publisher for story, board, novelty, activity, and sound books, and children’s bedding specialist Character World.

Meanwhile, Crayola will create colouring and activity books, Alligator Products will expand on the Crayola offering with complimentary colouring and activity books, RMS International will produce CoComelon wooden puzzles, arts & crafts, bubble kits, and sensory toys, YWOW will create CoComelon branded collectable mini cube puzzles, Danilo will produce greeting cards, and Sinco Creations will produce accessories and playmates.

Finally, Zak will develop a line of lunchware.

These new licensees join CoComelon’s existing partners Jazwares and Bandai, whose products have already proven hugely popular since their launch in A/W as well as Wow! Stuff, Ravensburger, TDP Textiles, Aykroyds & Sons and Egmont Magazine all launching SS2021.

Becky Langer, senior commercial manager of soft goods at The Point.1888, said: “The broad range of deals we’ve secured ensures that CoComelon’s fast-growing audience can build a greater affinity with the brand and still get enjoyment from it even while away from the TV or iPad.

“The growth of the brand is phenomenal and we only expect this to accelerate once product hits the markets and consumers can fully immerse themselves in the world of JJ and the rest of the CoComelon gang.”

Simon Philips, senior in-house advisor, Moonbug, added: “It is great to watch the affinity for CoComelon grow globally and we’re thrilled to bring a broad range of experiences – from puzzles to clothing – to kids and families everywhere.”

Further developments in CoComelon’s EMEA brand licensing programme are to be announced in the coming weeks and the first products are expected to be in stores by January 2021.

Master Moley ‘will drive a major licensing roll-out’ but timing for the property will be key

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The new British-made children’s property, Master Moley – that witnessed a successful premiere on WarnerMedia’s Boomerang channel just last month – has been the focus of ‘several proactive approaches from publishing and toy partners’, as the creative team behind it promises to be meticulous in its licensing strategy.

Master Moley made its debut in November as a TV special on the Boomerang channel that launched to more than 100 territories across EMEA. Following a ‘phenomenal start’, the show’s creator James Reatchlous is among the team now in production on a full Master Moley animated series.

The Misadventures of Master Moley will comprise 52 episodes and will continue the adventure of Master Moley and his friends. In addition to this, a feature-length film is also in development.

“Master Moley has got off to a phenomenal start,” Reatchlous tells Licensing.biz. “We’ve already received proactive approaches from both publishing and toy partners. We are in a good position and making sure each step that we take is exactly the right one for this unique property.

“All of the elements are there for a full, cross-category merchandise programme and as soon as the time is right, we’ll be in discussions with the key partners straight way.”

Master Moley follows the adventures of the titular hero, a mole residing under the foundations of Windsor Castle, who finds himself on far-flung escapades as children and audiences travel with him, exploring the world and different cultures.

Here, Licensing.biz catches up with Master Moley creator, James Reatchlous to learn more about the plans for the British-made children’s property, the perks of launching an IP through Roblox, and why timing will be key to the success of the IP’s comprehensive licensing programme.

James Reatchlous with his two daughters, for who he created Master Moley

Hi James, and first up – congratulations on the strong positive reception to Master Moley. That must be very encouraging as you start to look at wider licensing plans for the IP. What do you think Master Moley brings to audiences and to the licensing space?

Master Moley has got off to a phenomenal start. We are really thrilled with the reaction the TV Special has received following its premiere on Boomerang in November. Viewers in over 110 countries across EMEA met Master Moley, and I couldn’t be more delighted.  The feedback and response has been incredible, it’s a really strong start for us.  I’m confident that this is just the starting point as we build our audience ahead of the launch of our commercial plans.  

 I truly believe that Master Moley is just what we all need right now – bright colour, optimism, kindness and adventure. At its core it is a fun and wholesome entertainment show that appeals to the whole family, and crucially it really sparks the imagination of young viewers. The underground world of MoleTown is a rich creative canvas that enables our characters to have adventures all around the globe – something we’ll see a lot more of in the series.  

Moley is such a charismatic character, but he also has lots of friends in the TV Special and upcoming series, so there really is something for everyone. A wide variety of characters, gadgets, and locations will feature in the series  and we’re supporting the growth of the audience through high profile digital led initiatives right from the outset.    

The partnership with Roblox looks brilliant. Why does this mark an important step in building out a licensing programme for Master Moley? How does this deal help you tap into the core audience for the property?

We couldn’t be happier with the Roblox computer game, it’s great fun and a fantastic way for children to find and engage with new content safely. We wanted to start building the brand outside of the TV space, and so we worked with specialist agency Dubit to develop the Roblox game. This was a strategic move to go to where the children already were, to raise the brand recognition.  

We launched the game just before the special aired on Boomerang to capitalise on the audiences who tuned in, and vice versa, for those who found the content via Roblox, it encouraged them to go and watch the animation on Boomerang. It was a great success with over 60,000 plays in the first week. We have followed the launch with some great videos by Roblox influencers who have capitalised on the excellent start that we’ve made and grown our player base even further.

Roblox serves an incredibly important role for us – not only does the platform enable us to introduce Master Moley to their incredible user base, it will also continue to build the Master Moley fanbase in between the premiere of the 30-minute special on Boomerang and the series launching in 2021. Roblox provides both a bridge between the special and the series, where children can discover and engage with MoleTown and the universe of Master Moley, and visibility when he’s ‘off’ our TV screens, driving enthusiasm for the series during this time.  

You’ve mentioned to us before that you have extensive licensing plans for Master Moley. Could you talk us through these? Where would you like to take Master Moley?

There’s a rich universe in Moletown which brings in elements of upcycling alongside exciting locations and innovative vehicles… the lives of the characters in the show and the items with which they interact, really provide a great opportunity for similar lines of product in the real world.

We are very well aware that the commercial world revolves around the ability of a brand to reach its audience. Whilst we believe we have a brand with huge potential and there is tangible excitement among our commercial partners, the licensing roll out will be slow and phased and we will only begin pitching to partners in earnest once we know the audience reach is there to enable our licensees to be successful on shelf. Watch this space as the audience is set to grow quickly.

What sort of partnerships do you think will be the integral to the licensing success of Master Moley? Are you looking for toy partners for the property, and if so, what do you think Master Moley can bring to the toy space?

We’ve already received proactive approaches from both publishing and toy partners. We are in a good position and making sure each step that we take is exactly the right one for this unique property. We already have a movie special and a 52-episode TV series, not to mention a feature film in the works, all of which will support the growth of the brand creatively.

We are completely focused on delivering the audience. All of the elements are there for a full, cross-category merchandise programme and as soon as the time is right, we’ll be in discussions with the key partners straight away.

Ultimately, Master Moley is a brand which will be able to drive products from major toy lines to publishing, soft lines and home… but timing is key and we have brought in a team of the industry’s leading professionals to ensure we get this right… your readers will no doubt be hearing from them.

What do you think is key to Master Moley’s success on the international scene? As Master Moley continues to grow in the international markets, how will you maintain the core values of what makes it unique?

Master Moley is truly international. He might currently reside under Windsor Castle in England but his adventures take him all over the globe, which will appeal to audiences worldwide. Children can travel with him exploring the world and different cultures.  And there are plans to have episodes take place in different countries, to widen that appeal.  

The beauty of animation of course is that you can translate it into different languages. We have a stellar British cast for the English-speaking territories, including Gemma Arterton, Warwick Davis and Julie Walters, but we can cast amazing international actors for different languages and territories. It opens up enormous possibilities for Master Moley to become a truly global powerhouse. 

At the heart of Master Moley are charismatic characters, whose values are shared around the globe – kindness, enthusiasm, friendship, adventurousness, love… all with a desire to learn, meet new people and find a positive way out of slightly sticky situations. That is a key thread throughout each episode.  

What’s the next step for you?

We are currently in production on the Master Moley series, The Misadventures of Master Moley, which will comprise of 52 x 11-minute episodes and continue the adventures of Master Moley and his friends – including lots of new friends and places to explore. In addition to the series, we are developing a feature-length film adventure for Moley.

The world is Master Moley’s oyster! 

Poetic Brands to launch Brambly Hedge baby clothing and accessories range

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The apparel licensee Poetic Brands has signed on to create a range of baby clothing and accessories based on the heritage children’s publishing property, Brambly Hedge.

The new collection will include layette and fashion daywear along with nightwear, snow suits, sleeping bags, accessories, and changing mats each inspired by the adventure of the community of Brambly Hedge’s resident mice.

Brambly Hedge joins a number of prestigious new children’s partners for Poetic Brands, as the licensee establishes its new Baby, Children’s Wear and Accessories division.

Brambly Hedge began life in 1980 as a series of intricately illustrated books following a family of mice in the English countryside. Written by Jill Barklem, the brand is now celebrating 40 years since its first book was published.

Rockpool Licensing, which manages the property worldwide, recently announced a deal with Lupus Films, which will see the production company adapt the classic stories for screen, initially as a Christmas special, with further episodes to follow, bringing new exposure to the brand and introducing it to a fresh generation of fans.

Licensing activity for Brambly Hedge begins to pick up following a period of heightened consumer awareness and interest in nature and our natural surrounding, a trend facilitated by the coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent social restrictions that have been taken.

The detail of the illustrations, along with the strong representation of the seasons throughout the stories, lend themselves particularly well to licensed products. The brand already has an army of fans, with 22,000 Instagram followers and 57,000 Facebook fans, and is already a firm favourite with all adults; parents, grandparents and gift-givers alike.

Anne Bradford, director, Poetic Brands, said: “Brambly Hedge is a stunning heritage baby brand with timeless illustrations. With the success of many other evergreen collections before it we are looking forward to creating some exquisite ranges. The nature of the illustrations allows us to literally work through the seasons giving a unique product offering.”

Vickie O’Malley, managing director, Rockpool Licensing, added: “We’re thrilled to have the talented team at Poetic Brands on board to develop babywear ranges for Brambly Hedge. The exquisite artwork that so beautifully portrays the changing seasons, nature, family and celebration is so perfect for babywear.

“At a time when consumers are craving these things in their lives, I wonder if the world has ever needed Brambly Hedge more?!”

Egmont Magazines rounds-off Thomas and Friends 75th anniversary year with special collector’s edition

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Egmont Magazines is celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Thomas & Friends brand with the release of a limited edition gift pack of its popular, officially licensed magazine.

In issue number 791 of Thomas & Friends, the titular hero takes a special trip to the capital, while the issue itself will come accompanied by a seven-piece play-set that includes Thomas, Percy and a carriage. Readers can explore London alongside Thomas with the London Eye, bus, phone box and Fat Controller figurines also included in the play-set.

Meanwhile. there are over 40 stickers, a reward chart, posters, puzzles and more, all designed to help develop early years skills.

Egmont has released three special editions of Thomas & Friends magazine this year. Thomas fans delighted in receiving an official mini train and story book in issue #781, and this year’s summer special was a treat for young Thomas fans and collectors alike, with a special anniversary train set accompanying the magazine.

An impressive 32 years after launch, Thomas & Friends magazine remains a top 20 title in the children’s market and is the oldest single character magazine in the UK.

Kiran Vara, publisher of Thomas & Friends magazine, said: “We’ve loved celebrating with Thomas and Mattel through all three anniversary issues of this evergreen magazine but Thomas’ trip to London is really something special.

“We know that Thomas fans will love exploring the city with Thomas and enjoy all the exciting activities inside the magazine.”

Poetic Brands brings Gigantosaurus into its baby, children’s wear and accessories fold

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Poetic Brands has added the award-winning children’s IP, Gigantosaurus to its growing baby, children’s wear and accessories division. The move marks a new partnership between bRAND-WARD Services and Cyber Group Studios, brokered by Riverside Brands.

Targeting children aged three to six, Poetic Brands’ Gigantosaurus collection is due to include a range of children’s apparel, outerwear and swimwear, as well as luggage. The collection is inspired by the popular Gigantosaurus, and the case of characters, including Rocky, Bill, Tiny and Mazu.

Written by Jonny Duddle, published by Templar, and sold to 300,000 units in the UK alone, Gigantosaurus follows the adventure of four dinosaur friends who are trying to avoid the Gigantosaurus while playing in the forest. 

In 2018, the story was adapted into an CGI-animated TV series by Paris and Los Angeles-based producer and distributor, Cyber Group Studios. The popular CGI-animated programme, currently airing its first season on Disney Junior worldwide, Tiny POP (UK) and on other major broadcasters, is also available on Netflix and Disney +.

In addition, the series has just been commissioned by The Walt Disney Company and France Télévisions for seasons two and three and by Super RTL (Germany) for season two. 

Gigantosaurus has also been adapted into a video game. Developed by Cyber Group Studios and published by Outright Games, Gigantosurus the Game was launched on March 27th, 2020.

In addition, Jakks Pacific Inc introduced a Gigantosaurus toy range in the US in Q4 last year and Templar will have 40 new TV tie-in books published over the next three years in the UK. Many more categories will be announced and are in discussion for launch in 2021.

Anne Bradford, director, Poetic Brands, said: “Gigantosaurus was actually the first licence that we signed for our Baby and Children’s wear division which was a significant moment for us! Although extinct, dinosaurs will never go out of fashion, and this has already been a really fun collection to start creating and sharing at retail.

“With a huge following across boys and girls, we are looking forward to sharing the collections and providing everything for pre-schoolers from tee shirts and joggers, to puddle suits and jackets. We have also just found out that Gigantosaurus will be one of the 12 featured book titles for World Book Day 2021, so now is the perfect time to speak to us and create some amazing product for spring.”

Trudi Hayward, co-founder of bRAND-WARD Services Limited, added: “We are delighted to be partnering Poetic Brands, as they are a great company to work with and Cyber Group Studios has been delighted with their interpretation of Gigantosaurus on their range of clothing products, and will look forward to seeing lots of children wearing their favourite dinosaurs when the product launches early next year.”  

Ash Holman from Riverside Brands, concluded: “Poetic Brands has a best in class retail distribution network, and we are in the midst of some very exciting joint launch plans. Fans of the show will love to wear the product that will be available on shelves early next year.”

Penguin Random House launches National Trust, Christmas Grotto, and Instagram campaigns for Peter Rabbit

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Penguin Random House UK has launched a series of new brand activations for Peter Rabbit, giving families the chance to come together this winter as lockdown restrictions lift in the UK.

Leading the charge is a dedicated partnership with the National Trust that will see a series of Peter Rabbit Winter Activity Trails launch across 90 National Trust places within the UK this month. The trails will offer families nature-themed activities in outdoor settings, while a range of Peter Rabbit gifts will be stocked at all National Trust shops and online.

The ambitious partnership will bring Peter Rabbit to the Trust’s impressive family audience with an expected 1.7m visitors accessing the trails this winter. Dates and locations are all available on the National Trust website.

Meanwhile, a series of digital activities will be available at a dedicated Peter Rabbit area on the National Trust website, including festive storytelling and audio clips from the recently released Beatrix Potter: The Complete Tales and activity sheets, to support partners across the Peter Rabbit brand, will be promoted to the Trust’s combined social media following of 2.7m followers.

“Penguin Random House UK has worked in partnership with the National Trust for many years to protect Beatrix Potter’s legacy in the Lake District,” said Izzy Richardson, global brand director, Penguin Random House Children’s Owned Brands.

“We are so excited that our partnership can now bring the adventures of Peter Rabbit and friends to National Trust supporters and their families in an entirely new and immersive way.

“The trails will place Peter in some of the most beautiful outdoor spaces in the UK and offer families the opportunity to create memorable experiences together this winter.”

The trails and digital campaign use the festive illustrations from a new book, ‘Peter Rabbit: Christmas is Coming’ which provides a story and an activity to share, every day throughout December.

An influencer campaign to promote the new book is currently underway with seven influencers showcasing family-friendly, festive activities and stories as well as a range of perfect Peter Rabbit licensed gifts. With new content posted every week, the ‘Festive Fridays’ campaign will reach a combined following of approximately 480,000 Instagram users during the crucial Q4 period.

In addition, Penguin Ventures (the licensing team at Penguin Random House) has worked with Eskimo Jo for the third year running to launch an official Peter Rabbit Christmas Grotto. The immersive experience will launch at Centre MK this December with Peter Rabbit and friends, welcoming back families as the shopping centre reopens this month.

Thomas Merrington, creative director at Penguin Ventures, said: “This is the third year into our partnership with Eskimo Jo and Vibration Music Ltd following two sell-out Peter Rabbit grottos at intu Trafford Centre.

“Together we have created an incredibly atmospheric and theatrical, interactive grotto. The cosy rabbits’ burrow and opportunity for children to get involved with crafting, is the perfect way to evolve Peter Rabbit for Christmas family audiences.”

Penguin Random House owner Bertelsmann sets out to acquire Simon & Schuster for $2.2bn

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Bertelsmann, owner of publishers Penguin Random House, has set out to acquire Simon & Schuster from ViacomCBS for $2.2bn, in a move that would ‘strengthen the company’s global footprint,’ particularly in the US.

Simon & Schuster employs around 1,500 people worldwide and generated revenues of $814 million in 2019.

The acquisition is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to close sometime next year. Bertelsmann has stated that it is ‘confident’ the acquisition would be approved.

The Bookseller reports that Simon & Schuster will continue to be managed as a separate publishing entity under the Penguin Random House umbrella.

Thomas Rabe, chairman and CEO of Bertelsmann said that the deal to acquire Simon & Schuster will enable the company to expand its global content business, strengthen its digital offering and build dominance in the US.

“Following the full acquisition of Penguin Random House in April this year, this purchase marks another strategic milestone in strengthening our global content businesses, which includes Penguin Random House, the Fremantle TV production business, and the BMG music division,” said Rabe.

“The book business has been part of Bertelsmann’s identity since the founding of C Bertelsmann Verlag more than 185 years ago and has lost none of its appeal to this day. Bertelsmann continues to be one of the world’s leading creative companies with annual investments in content of around €6bn.

“Bertelsmann will finance the acquisition of Simon & Schuster from existing cash resources. External borrowing is not necessary, thanks partly to the overall positive business development since the summer and the already completed sale of various businesses, investments and real-estate properties.”

Markus Dohle, CEO of Penguin Random House, added: “Simon & Schuster is an extremely well-managed and extraordinarily attractive company with world-renowned authors, 2,000 new publications annually, and a catalog of 35,000 titles. We are very proud to welcome this esteemed company, founded in 1924, to our global publishing community.

“We share the same passion for books and reading and will work together to give our authors the greatest possible access to readers worldwide. Penguin Random House empowers its 320 publishers around the world with maximum creative and entrepreneurial freedom and will, of course, extend this to our new colleagues at Simon & Schuster.”

Ian Chapman, UK and international publisher and CEO for Simon & Schuster, said: “The news today comes at the end of a long year for us all and we welcome it with open arms. To become part of the outstanding global company that is Penguin Random House is a truly significant moment for us all. I would like to take the opportunity to thank the staff in the UK, India and Australia for their fortitude and resilience during this uncertain time and our authors and their literary agents who have shown abiding loyalty and trust in us. We look forward to thriving even more vibrantly under new ownership.”

Surge Licensing inks deal with indie author-illustrator Diane Alber

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Surge Licensing has been appointed by the independent children’s book author-illustrator, Diane Alber, to develop and implement a consumer products program across key categories inspired by her Amazon chart-topping book franchise.

The program will kick off with initial focus on a full-scale publishing program before tackling extended categories such as toys, apparel, back-to-school, home decor and more.

A mother of two young, energetic children who love books, Alber was inspired to start writing and illustrating books when she saw a need for a book that inspired art and creativity in children. Over the last three years, she has published over 50 titles across three series that collectively address social-emotional learning topics.

Branded under Inspire to Create, Inspire to Create a Better You, and Never Let A… banners, many of the books, which feature Alber’s popular Scribble, Little Spot, and Unicorn characters, capture top category spots on Amazon’s charts, and deliver messages of joy, inclusivity, and acceptance.

“Diane’s books have resonated with kids and their parents, teachers, counselors and caregivers across the US, inspiring kids to be creative, use their imaginations, and helping them to understand emotions,” said Elan Freedman, Surge Licensing EVP.

“There are countless possibilities to develop consumer products that will further engage children with Diane’s stories and characters, and we look forward to working with licensing partners across multiple categories, starting with publishing and expanding into toys, apparel, back-to-school, home décor and more, to develop a program that truly reflects the passion and sentiment in her books.”

Alber added: “What I love about children’s books is their ability to create memories. Almost everyone remembers their favorite book being read to them as a child, and I wanted to create a book to share in those memories. I am incredibly grateful for the reception my books have received over the past three years.

“It is now time to expand the business to the next level and develop new ways to captivate kids, and I look forward to working with the Surge Licensing team to develop a global brand presence.”

Alber’s first book, I’m Not Just A Scribble, was published in autumn 2017 and was the first in her Inspire to Create series.  Seven books featuring Scribble are currently available and help children to understand that something as simple as a scribble can not only be a great story but a masterpiece as well.

Under the Inspire to Create A Better You banner, now comprising 36 book titles, is Alber’s popular A Little Spot series.  Featuring Little Spot – a brightly colored, stick-legged sphere. The books were originally developed to help children visualize their emotions as spots so that it would be easier to manage them, and evolved to address topics such as kindness, empathy and honesty.

The Little Box of Emotion Box Set, geared for children four to 11, ranks number one in Academic Development Counseling, and number one in Children’s Moving.  Alber also created a series of books this year to help children deal with COVID-19:  A Little Spot Stays Home: A Story About Viruses And Safe Distancing, A Little Spot Learns Online (number three in Children’s Computer Software), and A Little Spot Wears a Mask (number five in Children’s Safety Books).

Finally, Alber’s humorous six-book Never Let A… series, which includes her popular Unicorn character, weaves together art principles, believing in yourself, character traits, empathy and educational standards and addresses how imagination plays into a child’s learning.  Never Let a Unicorn Scribble is the number one in Children’s General and other Myth Books on Amazon.

Alber’s books all come with sticker sheets, and additional sticker books, coloring books and sketch books have been created for many of the titles.