Global Publishers Spread the Love with Care Bears
Cloudco Entertainment has signed several publishers for its global Care Bears program, resulting in a list encompassing children’s books, gift and lifestyle titles, crafting, magazines and partworks, coloring and activity titles, collectible formats, and more.
The new licensees are led by HarperCollins Publishers, which holds global English-language rights (excluding Australia and New Zealand). Tomas Palacios, executive editor at HarperPop, said that the Care Bears’ “core themes—kindness, empathy, and connection—are more important than ever, resonating with nostalgic parents and a new generation of kids.” It’s a real testament to the Care Bears’ timeless appeal and relevance, even after 40 years.” He added, “We’re especially excited about creating mindfulness and emotional intelligence content for young readers.”
HarperPop in the U.S. and Farshore in the U.K. will launch the first titles in summer 2026 with a coloring book, Care Bears: Colors of Caring, followed by a search-and-find, Care Bears: Hug & Seek, in September and a board book with a die-cut cover and watercolor art, Care Bears Baby: Love You Lots, in December. In 2027, titles will include an I Can Read, Welcome to Care-a-Lot; a second Care Bears baby book, Peek-a-Book Baby Bear; the Kindness Coloring Book; and the Sticker Therapy Book. HarperPop will also publish History of the Care Bears in the U.S. in 2027, timed to the property’s 45th anniversary that year.
“We’re exploring interactive formats like lift-the-flap books, touch-and-feel elements, and even books where kids can ‘activate’ a Care Bear’s power,” Palacios said. “We’re also tapping into nostalgia for parents and older fans with collectible editions and retro-inspired designs.”
Meanwhile, Running Press is publishing books in the gift and milestones areas across all of its imprints. “What we try hard to do at Running Press, especially with our licensed properties, is align all of our lists so there is something for every stage of life,” Allison Cohen, senior editor at Running Press Kids, told PW. “It’s cross-generational Care Bears love.”
Titles include Care Bears Baby Book: My First Three Years (RP Adult) and Care Bears: Cross-Stitch Kit (RP Minis) in June 2026. Following in fall are Care Bears 5-Minute Stories (RP Kids) and Care Bears: We’re Better Together! A Fill-In Book (RP Studio). A fifth title, a character guide, will release in time for the holiday season. The mini-kit, fill-in book, and character guide are in the classic Care Bears art style; the baby book is in a classic baby art style that Cloudco developed in the past; and the 5 Minute Stories’ art and content is tied to Unlock the Magic, a 2D-animated Care Bears children’s TV series. More books are coming in 2027, including a holiday picture book, a format that has done well across many of Running Press’s licenses.
Rounding out the list of new partners in the U.S. is Scholastic, which will bring Care Bears into school book fairs and clubs. Outside North America, Penguin Random House U.K. has leaned into the brand’s social-emotional and mindfulness traits with a Care Bears Colouring Book for teens and adults and The Little Book of Friendship in 2026. Other English-language publishers include Scholastic Australia and Search Press, the latter for craft titles in the U.K.; non-English-language publishers on board to date include Hachette, Schwager & Steinlein Verla, and Dressler Dublin; and global publishers for magazines, comics, artworks, and collectible titles include Luppa Solutions, Kennedy Publishing, Panini U.K., and Practical Publishing. The new partners join existing licensees Bendon in the U.S. and Wanna Publishing in China.
“The world can be tough. There’s a lot of noise,” said Cohen of Running Press. “There’s something so fun and pure about working with Care Bears that’s been really great for the soul. We can all learn a lot from the Care Bears.”
Simon & Schuster Forecasts Success For ‘Weather Hunters’
Simon & Schuster is the primary trade publisher for Weather Hunters, a STEM-themed animated series for kids created by and featuring Today weatherman Al Roker, which launched on PBS Kids in September 2025.
The appeal to Simon & Schuster was multifold. “How many great things can one show have?,” asked Siobhan Ciminera, VP and editorial director for Simon Spotlight. “Al Roker is probably the most beloved person in the country, and PBS does these shows so well. And it’s a great hybrid of fiction and nonfiction. The characters are so engaging, and the science is presented in such as digestible way.” Ciminera pointed out that educational systems including New York City Public Schools are using curricula on weather as a way to teach about STEM, raising awareness of the subject with students, teachers, and parents.
The series teaches concepts of meteorology, earth science, and climate education, as well as skills such as making observations and collecting data. It centers on eight-year-old weather detective Lily Hunter and her family, and the voice cast features some big names in addition to Roker, including LeVar Burton, Holly Robinson Peete, and Sheryl Lee Ralph. The series has been nominated for Outstanding Animated Series at the 2026 NAACP Image Awards and received an Excellence in Early Learning Digital Media nod from the 2026 ALA Youth Media Awards.
“There is no other show about climate and weather, and it’s such a major factor in kids’ lives every day, from what they wear to whether they have school,” said Sophie Partridge, who represents the property for licensing with fellow independent licensing agent Gary Hymowitz. “It’s a real opportunity to fill a gap in the marketplace.”
Simon & Schuster’s publishing program starts with two early Ready-to-Read titles in fall 2026, which Ciminera pointed out is a perfect format for the show and this grade K–4 age group. “It’s an interesting time where you’re learning to read and you’re learning how to distill information,” Ciminera said. “This format is a no-brainer since it’s marrying the two.” Future formats for 2027 and beyond are in development. “We have lots of great ideas that families, librarians, and teachers will gravitate toward,” Ciminera added. “Literally, the sky’s the limit.”
Supplementing Simon & Schuster’s formats is Dynamite Kids, whose books are distributed by S&S. It will publish STEM-based coloring, puzzle, and sticker books. “There are tons of questions kids are always asking about the weather, like why is it raining? Or where does the wind come from?,” Jon Rosenberg, VP at Dynamite Kids, told PW. In keeping with the kid-led problem-solving in the show, he said, “We want to lead the readers down the path to their own discoveries.” The first two titles in fall 2026 will be an interactive activity book with rebus puzzles and other components and a weather activity book with stickers. Six more titles will follow in 2027.
Beyond publishing, East River Toys has launched a Weather Hunters board game exclusively with Barnes & Noble as the launch partner, with further STEM and science kits to come. More deals are in the works, including for additional publishing categories.
Scholastic Leans Into STEM with Rober and CrunchLabs
Scholastic has signed a deal with CrunchLabs, the STEM brand founded by Mark Rober. The partners will release a line of STEM-themed books in 2026, distributed through Scholastic’s retail and book fair channels, including its new traveling STEM event, Discovery Fair.
Rober is an engineer who formerly worked at NASA, an educator, and a YouTuber with more than 71 million subscribers and almost 14 billion views of his videos, where he answers questions like “Can sharks smell blood in the water?” He has a competition show, Schooled!, in development with Netflix, and his CrunchLabs brand offers three subscription STEM activity lines. CrunchLabs recently announced a licensing deal with Moose Toys for a line of STEM toys and games to be distributed through retail channels starting this year.
“We have been after Mark Rober for many years,” Debra Dorfman, Scholastic’s SVP and publisher, global licensing, brands, and media, told PW. But licensing had not been a priority, as Rober had a small staff and had been focusing on creating new content. “Then out of the blue I got a call from an ex-Scholastic sales rep, Rachel Harmuth, asking if we would by chance be interested in working with Mark Rober, and I was so shocked I almost fell off my chair.” Harmuth is now the chief product officer at CrunchLabs.
“He is just a rock star with kids, and one of the most trusted STEM brands in the world,” Dorfman said. “Millions of kids watch his experiments online.” Rober recently made a surprise appearance at a Scholastic Book Fair near his home, where a member of the Scholastic team was present. “He stepped from behind a standee and the kids were just standing with their mouths open because they were so taken aback.”
Children’s deep love for the brand will drive book fair sales, Dorfman believes, noting that parents and caregivers are likely to embrace the books as well. “Our buyers with kids absolutely know who he is. They are thrilled that their kids are watching something of so much substance and that they like it and are having fun.”
The property has a broad reach, from children as young as six up to 12 years old. The first two books, Lava vs. Laser and Extreme Engineering, will launch in the fall. Extreme Engineering is a 128-page, $12.99 paperback for a slightly older audience, while Lava vs. Laser is a 7 x 9 “blinged-up paperback” with 64 pages for $10.99. The latter is the first book in a “versus” series, with an additional title planned for each publishing season through 2027. Science Fair Experiments will also come in spring of 2027, as will the first book-plus title from Scholastic’s Klutz imprint, currently titled Squirrel SkyLab, which features builds for Gus, the squirrel that is regularly featured in the videos running mazes created by Rober.
Teachers are already using Rober’s videos in the classroom—he will be the keynote speaker at the National Science Teaching Association conference for the second year in a row—and he is partnering with other educators to develop a curriculum that’s free to teachers. “Combining STEM and entertainment is the future of kids’ learning,” Dorfman said. “We can explore so many different genres within Mark’s universe. He’s the real deal.”
Chronicle Debuts Sesame Street Books for Momsters and Their Kids
Chronicle Books has a new license with Sesame Workshop, its first time working with the licensor, to publish books for adults and children featuring the Sesame Street characters.
“It’s an all-ages program for both children and adults,” Brittany McInerney, Chronicle’s publishing director, art and entertainment, told PW. “We like to add a little twist or wink of humor, and Sesame Street does that as well. We think this is a really special space: it’s kids and their grown-ups, and everyone laughing together.”
The first title, in April, is The Momster at the End of This Book, a humorous adult take on the classic Sesame Street children’s bestseller, The Monster at the End of This Book. “I pitched it as a hug to moms everywhere,” said McInerney, who wrote the title. “It’s about how kind, silly, brave, and strong moms are.”
The second title, set for a fall release, is Elmo Checks In: How Is Everybody Doing?, an all-ages hardcover gift book offering comfort for readers. It is inspired by Elmo’s viral January 2024 social post in which he asked the simple question in the title and received an outpouring of engagements from more than 320 million people. “It was real and raw,” McInerney said. “They were saying, ‘Things are tough. Let me tell you about it.’ ” The book is Elmo’s response, with quotes, advice, and affirmations inspired by some of the concerns that came up in the viral conversation.
In 2027, Chronicle will publish two chunky character-shaped die-cut board books with seek-and-find elements. An Elmo-shaped title in the summer will feature colors, followed by an Abby Cadabby-shaped title in the fall. The books are designed to stand up on a shelf for display.
The process of developing the books has been collaborative. “We pitched our silliest, blue-sky ideas,” McInerney said. “They were open to us saying, ‘Can we make this?’ and they would help us figure out how to get there.”
In Brief
Author Holly Black has paired with Funko for The Cruel Prince Funko Pop! Collection based on the faerie world of Elfhame depicted in her YA fantasy books. The line will include vinyl figures from her The Folk of the Air books, including Jude Duarte, Cardan Greenbriar, Oak, and Wren…. Mattel and its Australian publishing licensee Hardie Grant have signed fashion illustrator Megan Hess for a seven-book series, comprising three deluxe hardcovers and four coloring and activity books for children and adults, to debut in September in the Asia-Pacific, North American, and U.K. markets. Titles include Barbie: A Fashion Icon, featuring more than 100 hand-drawn illustrations exploring collaborations, collections, and color in Barbie fashion over the years; The World of Barbie, an illustrated children’s book that takes readers into Barbie’s spaces; and coloring and activity formats ranging from “learn-to-draw Barbie with Megan Hess” titles to adult coloring books…. Titan Comics is publishing a licensed graphic novel based on the 2022 Netflix animated feature adaptation of the Ruth Stiles Gannett’s children’s book My Father’s Dragon, produced by Cartoon Saloon, through the Titan Nova young readers imprint, in September 2026…. Quarto’s Walter Foster imprint is releasing the latest title in its licensed series with Bobbie Goods, a nostalgic art brand with a large social media following, created by Abbie “Bobbie” Goveia. Bobbie Goods Sunshine Coloring & Drawing releases in May, following Bobbie Goods Cozy Coloring & Drawing in November. Other titles in the series include Bobbie Goods Postcard Coloring Book and How to Draw Super Cute Things with Bobbie Goods…. The second title in IDW’s new kids line, On the Go! is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures — On the Go: Half-Shell Shenanigans, releasing in March. The line of kid-friendly, pocket-sized collected editions of a dozen throwback comic stories, priced at $13.99, started last September with Sonic the Hedgehog: On the Go, Vol. 1…. The Hidden Pigeon Company has signed Spin Master for a co-branded collection of content and products tied to Mo Willems’s properties, including digital content for the Piknik platform starting this month, with the characters to be featured in the Sago Mini World, Sago Mini School, and Crayon Club games. Toys will debut in the fall, with a Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus wooden playset and an Elephant & Piggie cube puzzle from Spin Master’s Melissa & Doug division and The Pigeon, Elephant & Piggie and Knuffle Bunny plush from the Gund brand…. Mercis and the Joester Loria Group have signed Galison for a range of Miffy products, with the first items introduced this spring. Initial items include the Miffy with Flowers Greeting Card Puzzle, Miffy 100 Piece Surprise Puzzle, Miffy and Friends 500 Piece Puzzle, and a Miffy Sticker Tin…. Middle-earth Enterprises and asmodee licensed Sirius Partners for tabletop gaming accessories, including themed dice and collectible blind packs, tied to The Lord of the Rings…. Japanese publisher Kodansha partnered with Jakks Pacific for a line of toys and collectibles across a number of its manga/anime properties, including Attack on Titan and Gachiakuta. Jakks has been boosting its presence in the anime and manga space in the last few weeks, signing deals with VIZ Media (for Naruto) and Crunchyroll, among others.
