Random House has signed a deal that will see a major expansion of book titles being published and distributed globally for toy giant LEGO.
Under the agreement, Random House Children’s Books will partner with AMEET Publishing, LEGO Publishing’s worldwide strategic partner, to expand the LEGO Books business, said Chris Angelilli, VP & Editor-in-Chief of Licensed Publishing, Random House Books for Young Readers. The first titles will release in Fall 2021, notably marking the first-ever publication of LEGO Books titles from Random House Children’s Books.
“It’s no secret that Random House Children’s Books has admired the LEGO Group and all of its products, franchises, and films for decades,” said Angelilli. “We are absolutely delighted to have the opportunity to partner with AMEET in building a strong and dynamic LEGO Books publishing program.”
The new publishing partnership with Random House Children’s Books will encompass all LEGO brands, including LEGO NINJAGO and LEGO City, as well as select licenses like LEGO Batman and LEGO Jurassic World. The titles will be released in a wide variety of formats, including Little Golden Books, chapter books, leveled readers, picture books, and more. The first titles, publishing simultaneously on Sept. 7, 2021, will include an all-new LEGO NINJAGO chapter book series and a search-and-find book celebrating the history of the LEGO brand and toy sets. Additional titles coming in Spring 2022 will include LEGO Batman, LEGO Jurassic World, and LEGO City titles in various formats.
Dan Shepherd, International Sales and Marketing Director at AMEET, says the agreement is a major expansion in what has already been a successful foray into the world of publishing for LEGO.
“AMEET is LEGO Publishing’s global strategic partner for the LEGO Books imprint,” Shepherd explained. “This agreement with Random House Children’s Books adds a brand-new range of narrative playful reading titles, from picture books to chapter books and more. We’re looking forward to bringing together two beloved brands for the very first time: Golden Books and LEGO bricks.”
Underscoring the importance of the agreement is the face Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House, is the world’s largest English-language children’s trade book publisher.