Workman Kids’ bestselling Indestructibles series has made its first foray into licensing, acquiring the rights to Sesame Street from Sesame Workshop. Six books are set for publication this year and next.
Retailing for $5.99, the first two titles, to be released on September 12, are Sesame Street: Elmo Says Surprise!, in which Elmo hosts a surprise birthday party for his dog Tango; and Sesame Street: Starring Abby Cadabby!, about a magic show Abby puts on for her friends. Two more titles will follow in spring 2024 and another two in fall 2024, including a Cookie Monster title and three stories featuring the ensemble of familiar characters experiencing daily life on the Street.
The Indestructibles brand, created by mother-of-triplets Amy Pixton, encompasses titles constructed from Tyvek material and incorporating non-toxic inks, resulting in a product that is chew- and rip-proof as well as washable. Since Workman Kids launched the brand in 2009, 50 titles have been published, with more than 10 million copies collectively in print.
“After 50 titles, it was time to try something new,” said Riley Golberg, editorial assistant at Workman Kids, who oversees Indestructibles. “We were looking at what we could do to expand this brand, and licensing was one way to do that.”
She noted that Sesame Street has the trust of parents, like the Indestructibles brand does, offers engaging characters and stories that can be read again and again, and has a nostalgia factor that makes parents want to share their love of the property with their young children. “This mashup is just perfect,” she said. “It’s nice to have a collaborator that shares our passion about helping kids grow and learn and have fun. It’s a good way to ease into licensing.”
The stories in the Sesame Street series are all original and are illustrated with art from the Sesame Workshop archive. “The options are endless,” Golberg said. “We had the freedom to do a lot of things.”
Golberg said she is excited to see how readers react to the new books. “If it’s anything like everyone in the office, they’ll love them,” she predicted.
