Scarletta Press, a small press in Minneapolis best known for its nonfiction, including an annual Writer’s Handbook, is launching a children’s fiction line this summer. The first title in the new line will be Lost in Lexicon: An Adventure in Words and Numbers by Pendred Noyce, illustrated by Joan Charles. Noyce previously self-published Lost in Lexicon in October 2010.

The middle-grade fantasy novel will be released by Scarletta this August. It’s a tale about two cousins, Ivan and Daphne, who embark upon a quest to find lost children in a world of words and numbers gone wild. Lost in Lexicon is the first in a series of four releases that will form the cornerstone of Scarletta’s new children’s line. The second novel in the series will be released in August 2012, the third in August 2013, and the fourth in August 2014.

“We wanted to do a line that’s intellectually stimulating for children and has an educational side to it for parents too,” said Desiree Bussiere, Scarletta’s publicity director. She anticipates targeting libraries, schools, and book clubs besides bookstores.

Scarletta Press, founded in 2005, publishes three or four titles each year, but plans to increase its output and is converting its entire list into e-book format. Scarletta titles are available through PGW/Perseus.