Shifts at Harcourt

by Diane Roback -- Publishers Weekly, 4/25/2005

Harcourt Children's Books has moved to consolidate its children's division, dropping its Gulliver Books imprint. According to publisher Lori Benton, all original hardcover picture books and novels will appear under the Harcourt Children's Books name as of 2006.

The shift is meant "to give us a bigger presence in the marketplace as a unified group," Benton said.

Allyn Johnston, currently editorial director, has been named editor-in-chief, a new position, reporting to Benton. She has been with Harcourt since 1986. Liz Van Doren, formerly editorial director of Gulliver Books, was named editorial director for Harcourt. In addition to continuing to acquire and edit, Van Doren will direct the division's Red Wagon imprint of books and merchandise, and will report to Benton.

A new addition to the Harcourt team will be Kathy Dawson, who joins the division June 1 as associate editorial director. She is currently executive editor at G.P. Putnam's Sons, where she has worked for 17 years.

In other moves at Harcourt, Jeannette Larson was promoted to executive editor, and Andrea Beebe and Kate Harrison were promoted to editor.