Read on for news about publishing programs for two PBS Kids shows focused on computational thinking, MIT Kids’ Work It Out Wombats! and Paw Prints’ Lyla in the Loop; a STEM-based graphic novel introducing the Spark Universe, from Andrews & McMeel; Michaelson Entertainment’s pro sports-licensed board books; a look at Random House’s Richard Scarry licensing program five years in; and more.
Scholastic Plans Publishing Program for ‘Paris & Pups’
Reality star and influencer Paris Hilton, who has a following of more than 80 million fans, is no stranger to licensing, having driven more than $4 billion in retail sales across product categories from beauty to home goods. Now, thanks to her new animated series, Paris & Pups, which is inspired by her life and her real-life pets, she is entering the children’s publishing industry through a licensing deal with Scholastic.
The series, which premieres this fall on YouTube, is produced by Hilton’s 11:11 Media, which oversees her commercial ventures; HappyNest, a joint venture of the agency that represents her, United Talent Agency, and Stampede Ventures; and 9 Story Media, a division of Scholastic since June 2024.
The series follows five pups who live with their 12-year-old owner, Paris Star, in the penthouse of the Fabuluxe Hotel. It celebrates the bond between owner and pups as they bring joy to others. “Paris has expressed who she is over the years, and one thing she’s known for is her pups,” said Debra Dorfman, senior v-p and publisher, global licensing brands and media, at Scholastic. “It’s well-written, it’s about kindness and happiness, and the pups have their own personalities. It’s got heart, glamour of course, and comedy, and it’s just really, really sweet.”
Scholastic’s license gives it global rights across all publishing formats, including chapter books, 8x8s, readers, picture books, handbooks/guidebooks, sticker and activity, and novelty titles. The first two releases, both chapter books, are planned for publication next fall, about a year after the launch of the show, coinciding as closely as possible to the launch of the toy line. A broader list will follow in spring 2027, including more chapter books, a reader, and novelty formats, all for a sweet spot of ages five to seven.
Possibilities for future titles range from a puppy-in-a-purse novelty format—Hilton was one of the first to carry her pups this way—to nonfiction titles about the care and keeping of pets. “Paris is a crafter, with a crafting room in her house, and her kids love to do projects with her,” Dorfman said. “So we’re looking at some fun craft books.” Scholastic offered feedback to the show’s producers on the cover designs of two fiction titles, a comic book and a book of short stories, that play a role in plots of episodes, and those could also become real books in the future.
Retail Monster handles licensing for the U.S., while 9 Story oversees consumer products internationally, as well as distributing the series worldwide.
Candlewick’s MIT Kids Signs ‘Wombats’ in First Licensing Deal
GBH, the Boston PBS station and the producer with Pipeline Studios of the PBS Kids series Work It Out Wombats!, has licensed Candlewick Press’s MIT Kids imprint to publish books based on the property. The Wombats! franchise includes digital games on PBS Kids, a podcast, and an app, along with the TV show.
The licensor first approached MIT Press, which referred it to MIT Kids, an imprint of Candlewick Press since 2021, in partnership with MIT Press. “The show fit nicely with MIT Kids in the way it’s structured,” said Hilary Van Dusen, senior executive editor of MIT Kids and MITeen. “It’s based on computational thinking. There are several ways of problem-solving under the C.T. umbrella, and each show focuses on one of them.”
The publishing program debuts with a standalone title in summer 2026 that introduces readers to the characters and the setting of the show, the Treeborhood, a huge treehouse with secret passageways, gondolas, and rope swings, whose residents are wombats, snakes, moose, kangaroos, iguanas, fish, eagles, and tarsiers. Each character has its own skills, abilities, traditions, and families.
Computational thinking—a problem-solving process that serves as a foundation for coding—is woven throughout, with the Wombats characters demonstrating preschool-appropriate computational thinking elements like design, sequencing, and debugging. “It’s more about the way problems are solved and the different ways to approach problems, rather than STEM content,” Van Dusen explained.
Two more titles will follow in the fall, an early chapter book and a solve-it-your-way story for the same age group, in which the readers further the narrative based on how they choose to solve a problem. The concept for the latter was loosely inspired by the online games available on the PBS Kids website, said Van Dusen. Both of the fall releases represent the first titles of continuing series, with a total of three books in the works for each. All are illustrated with images from show and are based on stories from TV episodes.
This is the first license for the MIT Kids imprint, a decision that was made after debating the merits of putting it under the Candlewick Entertainment banner, where other licensed entertainment titles reside, versus MIT Kids. Van Dusen noted that the entertainment value of the show is as appealing as the educational content. “The show is really well done, and the graphics are engaging and fun,” she said. “It’s a great way for parents to find out about the MIT Kids imprint and bring a bigger audience. It was a good opportunity for us and for GBH and MIT. It’s beneficial all around.”
PBS and its affiliated stations have been in the Trump Administration’s crosshairs, with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s 2020–2025 Ready to Learn grants—which funded shows incorporating computational thinking as one of the initiative’s learning priorities for the period—terminated in May, and Congress is currently debating whether to end broader CPB funding. GBH announced on June 2 that it was laying off 6% of its workforce, or 45 staff members, after letting go 31 staffers a year earlier. “We’re still able to go full steam ahead, but we’re being sensitive to that,” Van Dusen said.
In addition to MIT Kids, other new Work It Out Wombats! licensees include Topix Media, for a magazine based on the series, and Tonies, for a screen-free audio device and content.
Paw Prints Publishing Secures Rights to ‘Lyla in the Loop’
Paw Prints Publishing, Baker & Taylor’s children’s imprint, has acquired rights for Lyla in the Loop, which has aired on PBS Kids stations and digital platforms since February 2024. Like Work It Out Wombats!, this series is focused on computational thinking. The first books will launch in spring 2026, under license from Mighty Picnic, which produces Lyla along with Pipeline Studios.
“We’re a PBS Kids household and I was a fan of Lyla before we connected,” said Bobbie Bensur, senior director, Paw Prints Publishing. “It’s wholly wholesome, it’s representative and inclusive, and it’s edutaining. It was a really natural fit with our values, mission, and strengths.”
Dave Peth, founder of Mighty Picnic, created Lyla in the Loop after becoming aware back in 2015 that PBS Kids was looking for new ideas around coding skills that would be relevant for its audience. He was working on PBS Kids content at the time, especially apps and games. “I was in the digital space, so I saw the value in the idea. But you can’t show someone typing at a computer screen all the time, and you need to tackle it without dystopian sci-fi tropes.”
Instead, he created a show about a seven-year-old girl, Lyla Loops, her blue alien sidekick, Stu—short for “Something Truly Unique”—and her family, who run the Loops Lunch diner. As the characters solve the problems of daily life and help their community, they make mistakes, learning along the way.
The character Stu serves to make abstract ideas about computational thinking concrete. “He is a stand-in for a computer and thinks in a literal and rule-following way,” said Peth. “But he’s also a very fun, very loving, and very helpful companion.” Stu follows instructions exactly as given, which can lead to crazy outcomes, reflecting the way a computer interprets what’s given to it.
“Problem-solving is iterative in nature, and you fail in different ways. There’s comedy in making mistakes,” Peth said. “I wanted to normalize that iterative design process and make it fun, and show that it’s not for a specific, stereotypical person. It’s for everyone.”
The books, which will hit bookstores in late April 2026 with four titles, including a level 2 reader, A Piece of Cake; an 8x8, Hairdos and Hair Don’ts; and a board book, Rainbow Collection, all by Alliah L. Agostini and based on individual episodes. The books feature back matter incorporating activities, discussion questions, and an explanation of the concept or skill highlighted in the story. The fourth title is a 5-Minute Stories Collection containing 10 episodic retellings, by Natalie Engel.
Peth pointed out that everyone has to use technology and solve problems, no matter where their job or life takes them. “What’s being asked of people in the use of technology is only increasing,” said Peth. “So we’re meeting the needs of this moment. We’re focusing on what it is to be human and trying to to empower kids, parents, and caregivers to interact with technology in a way that’s healthy and positive.”
Lyla marks the second licensed publishing program for Paw Prints, after the acquisition of Fraggle Rock from Jim Henson Productions last year, and the company is open to considering other licenses that align closely to its publishing goals and mission.
Andrews McMeel Ignites Spark Universe with New Graphic Novel
Andrews McMeel has secured the rights for a middle-grade graphic novel based on Spark Universe, a new property from High Touch High Tech: Science Made Fun, a developer of immersive, hands-on science experiences for children aged 3–12, and its High Tech Entertainment division. The book, The Spark Experiment, comes out in the spring, along with plush from fellow licensee Teddy Mountain.
“I liked how it tied real science and experiences into the story narrative,” said Cindy Harris, editorial assistant at Andrews McMeel and a comic book artist, letterer, and illustrator. “It explains how things work while tying into a story that’s fun, light, and accessible.” As a graphic novelist herself, Harris said she appreciated some of the small details in the manuscript. “There are these little moments and comedic elements that are in the panels and dialog that are really charming.” she explained. “And it seems like a good time to support science and STEM in children’s media, so it was appealing that they had a background in that sphere already.”
High Touch High Tech got its start 33 years ago. “Back then science was taught out of a textbook,” said Daniel Shaw, president, CEO, and founder. “I wanted to pull it out of the textbook and put it in kids’ hands.”
After two years of use in the classroom, Shaw began to franchise the concept. Currently, 35 service centers in different U.S. cities lead projects at camps, summer schools, classrooms, birthday parties, and elsewhere. The program now serves 18 million students annually in 17 states and 12 countries, as well as through partnerships with companies such as Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, which has been offering programs for kids in three age groups daily on its 27 cruise ships for 25 years.
This is the company’s first foray into publishing. “I was thinking about how to push more content out to kids beyond the borders of the program,” Shaw said. That led to the development of a brand-new IP, which is being introduced through the graphic novel.
The first book, The Spark Experiment, features a fifth grader, David Patel, who wants to start a science club in school but has trouble because the students think science is boring. After his scientist mother ends up in a micro-universe during an experiment, he and his younger homeschooled friend Marta Martinez do their own experiment, which takes them to this other dimension, where they meet a character called Spark and try to save the world through science. The back matter features QR codes linking to videos that guide readers on how to recreate the experiments that the characters perform during the course of the story.
“What separates this from what’s out there is that it’s real science, with real experiments that the readers can perform themselves or with a parent, wrapped in a compelling story,” said J’Net Smith, founder of All Art Licensing, who represents the property for consumer products. “The characters lead you into the experiments, which are integral to the story. And the character of Spark is the equivalent of science, which is a unique spin.”
The Spark Experiment is written by Matthew Manning and illustrated by Matt Loux, both vets of DC and Marvel Comics commissioned by Shaw, who says the new book has the potential to draw kids who love graphic novels into the science content, while making reading compelling to those who are already into science.
Andrews McMeel is likely to see bonus distribution opportunities through High Touch High Tech’s franchisees and corporate partners, as well as across its traditional channels. “Something like this has great appeal to teachers and librarians,” Harris said. “But there’s a commercial aspect to it too, from the mix of ages and the kind of unique world that it’s in.”
Publisher Wins Young Readers and Families Through Pro Sports
Michaelson Entertainment was launched 25 years ago to fill a gap in the market for board books based on favorite major league sports teams. President Brad Epstein got the idea after seeing small selections of sports-licensed products, but no books, while shopping for his one-year-old in baby products stores.
“They’re meant for parents or grandparents to read with the child and share memories,” said Epstein. “They’re especially designed for dads, who often don’t spend as much time reading to their kids or spending time with their kids, and boys, who are less likely to read. It’s nice intergenerational quality time, and it works. We often hear that the book becomes one of their kids’ favorites and that they like to read it over and over again.”
Michaelson got its start with titles tied to university licenses, which tend to be easier for a new company to acquire than a league license. A few years later it secured rights from Major League Baseball, followed by the National Football League. Those are the company’s focus now, although it continues to publish a few collegiate books as well as non-licensed titles.
The first focus was a 101 series (e.g., New York Yankees 101: My First Team-Board-Book), featuring basic fan knowledge like the team’s mascots, stadiums, historically famous players, big moments, and rituals. This remains the core series, with a version available for every MLB and NFL club.
The list has since expanded to 140 titles. Other series include ABC books (e.g., Phillies ABC: My First Alphabet Book), which help kids learn their letters with their favorite teams, and most recently the Good Night series (Good Night, Dodgers), which takes young readers through the day of the big game (which their favorite team wins) and then to bed where they dream of their pro sports debut. About half of the teams in each league, specifically those with the biggest or most avid fan bases, offer these formats.
The company’s titles are sold in independent and chain bookstores, Hallmark shops, local sporting goods stores, and other outlets, and are periodically updated to add championships or new traditions that come up. They have turned into evergreen offerings that retailers, especially independents, turn to year after year, regularly reordering for holidays, the start of the season, or throughout the annual calendar. “A lot of our customers have ordered books for 25 years,” said Epstein, citing a Michigan gardening store that sells Detroit Lions and Tigers titles every year during the holidays, merchandised with a selection of other gifts. “Baby stores are great,” he continued. “We might be the only books in the entire store, and the local store owners are often fans of their local teams, so we get really good exposure.”
Michaelson plans to add another license to its portfolio in the near future, said Epstein, adding, “There’s a built-in market for these books that’s not going anyplace as long as babies are being born.”
Richard Scarry Licensing Hits Five-Year Milestone
Since becoming the focus of a strategic consumer products licensing program five years ago, The Busy World of Richard Scarry has appeared on merchandise for both children and adults from more than 35 licensees and counting. “The publishing, marketing, and licensing teams have worked together to grow the entire franchise,” said Rachel Bader, director of licensing at Penguin Random House, who oversees the merchandise program.
On the children’s product side, licensees incorporate imagery from Scarry’s books, which have sold more than 160 million copies around the world across 300-plus titles. Partners range from the likes of Briarpatch and Yottoy, which have been on board for the full five years, to new additions such as Kinder Cloth for diapers and Bright Stripes and Tattly for craft and activity categories, among others. Meanwhile, RHCB continues to release new titles, including novelty formats.
Bader is currently focused on capitalizing on young adults’ fond memories of the property by expanding the product assortment for the millennial market, with current licensees including Casetify (tech accessories), Super 7 (collectible figures), and more. The products for this demographic, which are carried by trendy specialty stores like Urban Outfitters, are based on social media memes.
In 2023, Random House purchased Richard Scarry Love, a fan site that had 70,000 followers at the time and now has 255,000 and counting. The estate and Random House hired an agency to post 20 times a month, and Scarry’s son, Huck, who carries on his late father’s work, controls the tone. The posts generate strong engagement, and celebrities and influencers who love the character follow it. “It’s uplifting, and I think it gives people a lot of joy,” said Bader.
While most Scarry licensed products encompass the full Busy World, Random House has started to highlight the character of Lowly Worm. “He and his apple car, which is featured in the bestselling title, Cars and Trucks and Things That Go!, are iconic,” Bader said. “We thought, can we build Lowly as a standalone character?” A new hardcover book, Lowly Saves Christmas, will be the first in a series of holiday books that feature him, for example.
A high-profile and Lowly-centric collaboration for adult fans saw Random House partner in November 2024 with luxury brand Bottega Veneta, which reproduced Scarry’s 2013 title Biggest Word Book Ever! in a $3,500 oversize edition with a UV-printed calfskin leather cover, as part of its spring 2025 collection. A non-licensed but complementary line of accessories inspired by Lowly Worm’s color palette accompanied the release, which generated significant press coverage and social media buzz.
In Brief
Cottage Door Press is moving into the toy aisle with the launch of its Luna StoryTime Projector, a screen-free storytime device featuring narration, sing-along songs, and projected images. Content includes classic stories as well as licensed titles, both new (e.g., Mo Willems’ Unlimited Squirrels) and under Cottage Door’s existing agreements (Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, John Deere Kids, PAW Patrol, Sesame Street, Thomas & Friends).... Simon & Schuster is publishing three titles tied to the new live-action How to Train Your Dragon feature film. They include a guidebook, How to Train Your Dragon: Book of Dragons, a movie storybook, and a Ready-to-Read, When Hiccup Met Toothless. Universal Products & Experiences is the licensor.... Random House Children’s Books is extending its Ms. Rachel publishing program with a second picture book, Ms. Rachel and Bean and the Bedtime Routine: Encouraging a Calm and Comforting Good Night, set for an October 21 release with a 750,000-copy first printing in North America. This follows the success of Ms. Rachel’s first picture book in September 2024, Ms. Rachel and the Special Surprises, which set the single-day preorder record for RHCB when announced. Leading up to the picture book, the company will publish a board book with sound, Ms. Rachel: A Day on the Farm (September 2), and a Sesame Street board book, Ms. Rachel: Get Ready for School (September 30), based on one of the episodes in a special three-part online series featuring Ms. Rachel and the Sesame Street characters.... Van Ryder Games is releasing a strategy tabletop card game, Enemies & Lovers: The Crown of Elfhame, based on Holly Black’s YA book series set in the realm of Elfhame. Black created the game and raised $650,000 in a Kickstarter campaign last year before partnering with Van Ryder.... Dr. Seuss Enterprises renewed its partnership with Little Dot Studios, producer of its YouTube destination, and is expanding its roster of programming to include a new flagship series, Seuss Circle Time, which premiered on June 20 and features early learning concepts through storytelling, singing, dancing, and play. Other new content includes Crafty Fun with The Cat in the Hat and Learn to Draw Dr. Seuss Babies.... Almond Entertainment, a developer of children’s book and cross-media content, including Philip Osbourne’s Diary of a Nerd, launched a new tech division specializing in digital innovation for storytelling and entertainment. Its first partnership is with Play Curio for an augmented-reality app combining books and technology. The first co-developed titles include a new IP, Hola, and an app-enhanced version of Almond’s Fun Facts About the Best Artists book series.
