Scholastic's Graphix Announces the Cartoonists Club by Bestselling Comics Legends Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud

The Cartoonists Club will be published on April 1, 2025 

New York, NY – June 25, 2024: Scholastic, the world’s largest publisher and distributor of children’s books, announced today the publication of The Cartoonists Club — a one-of-a-kind graphic novel from #1 New York Times bestselling authors Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud. Releasing on April 1, 2025, in the U.S., World rights were acquired by Cassandra Pelham Fulton and David Saylor in a deal with Judy Hansen of Hansen Literary Management.  

In the dream team collaboration combining award-winning creators Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud’s trademark charm, reliability, and comics expertise, The Cartoonists Club blends captivating narrative, how-to, and the enchanting art of comics to inspire a new generation of young cartoonists. 

The Cartoonists Club, at its heart, is a story of friendship, so it’s only right that it came about from the real-life friendship of two titans of the comics world. The result of this collaboration is a story that will at once be instantly familiar to readers of their previous work yet something wholly original,” says Pelham Fulton, Editorial Director of Graphix.

“With more than 26 million books in print, in 34 languages, and 639 weeks on the New York Times bestsellers list, Telgemeier’s legion of fans have been eagerly waiting since 2019 for her next book. So to pair her with comics powerhouse, Scott McCloud, the man who literally wrote the book on comics, is a marriage made in comics heaven. Fans will eat up this dynamic collaboration written from both of their hearts,” adds Saylor, Vice President and Publisher of Graphix. 

On putting together the book, Telgemeier remarks, “Whenever I speak to kids, they ask me what advice I have for budding cartoonists. I hope this book serves as a good answer, or at least a great jumping-off point! I have wanted a book like this to exist for a long time, and collaborating on it with Scott has truly been a dream come true. I’m ecstatic for younger readers to discover Scott’s insights into how comics work, what makes them special, and how to think about them!” 

“Collaborating with Raina on The Cartoonists Club has been one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences I’ve had in all my decades of making comics. She understands the power of comics in her readers’ lives like no one else. I hope that the love we have for these kids and their journeys shines through on every page,” enthused McCloud. 

The Cartoonists Club has an announced first printing of 750,000 copies and will be edited by Pelham Fulton. Books will be in stores nationwide on April 1, 2025. 

About THE CARTOONISTS CLUB

Makayla is bursting with ideas but doesn’t know how to make them into a story. Howard loves to draw, but he struggles to come up with ideas and his dad thinks comics are a waste of time. Lynda constantly draws in her sketchbook but can’t help but focus on what she feels are mistakes, and Art simply loves being creative and is excited to try something new. They come together to form The Cartoonists Club, where kids can learn about making comics and use their creativity and imagination for their own storytelling adventures! So, if you are in need of a little comics magic or have ever yearned to tell your own story…welcome to The Cartoonists Club, where friendship is a work of art!

About Graphix

Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic, is committed to publishing creator-driven graphic novels for early, middle grade and young adult readers. Graphix launched in 2005 with the publication of Jeff Smith’s acclaimed epic series, BONE. Graphix titles have become bestsellers around the globe and continue to receive awards and critical acclaim including multiple Eisner Award wins and nominations, a National Book Award Longlist selection (Hey, Kiddo), a Stonewall Book Award Honor (Drama), a Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honor (Smile), an Edgar Allan Poe nomination (The Lost Boy), and more than twenty-five New York Times bestsellers to date. The list now features the Dog Man series by Dav Pilkey, Raina Telgemeier’s books, the Amulet series by Kazu Kibuishi, the Sunny books by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm, Twins by Varian Johnson and Shannon Wright, Allergic by Megan Wagner Lloyd and Michelle Mee Nutter, the Heartstopper series by Alice Oseman, and the graphic novel adaptations of The Baby-sitters Club and Wings of Fire series.

About Raina Telgemeier 

Raina Telgemeier is the #1 New York Times bestselling, multiple Eisner Award–winning creator of Smile, Sisters, and Guts, which are all graphic memoirs based on her childhood. She is also the creator of Drama and Ghosts, and is the adapter and illustrator of the first four Baby-sitters Club graphic novels. Facing Feelings: The Art of Raina Telgemeier is a companion catalog for an exhibition held at The Ohio State University’s Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum. Raina lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. To learn more, visit her online at goraina.com. 

About Scott McCloud 

Scott McCloud is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art; Making Comics: Storytelling Secrets of Comics, Manga, and Graphic Novels; Zot!; and The Sculptor. He is a frequent lecturer on the power of visual communication, creator of the international 24-hour comic movement, and, in 2021, was inducted into the Will Eisner Awards Hall of Fame. He lives with his family in Southern California. His art and stories are available in more than 30 languages and on the web at scottmccloud.com 

THE CARTOONISTS CLUB

by Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud

Graphix | Ages 8–12 | On sale April 1, 2025

Paperback | ISBN 9781338777215 | $12.99

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For more information, please contact: 

Seale Ballenger

VP, Publicity 

SBallenger@Scholastic.com