• Jeff Smith to Publish Debut Picture Book, ‘Smiley’s Dream Book’
• Jarrett J. Krosoczka to Publish Graphic Novel Memoir, ‘Hey, Kiddo’
• Debut Author-Artists Kelly Fernandez and Breena Bard Sign with Graphix as Winners of the 2016 “Get Published by Graphix” Contest

San Diego, CA—July 21, 2017-Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education, and media company, has announced new publishing for its acclaimed Graphix imprint from both acclaimed author-artists and fresh, new voices.

“The Graphix imprint champions graphic novels that spark young readers, and at San Diego Comic-Con International this year, we have four particularly exciting new projects to introduce,” said David Saylor, Vice President, Creative Director of Trade Publishing, and Editorial Director of Graphix. “Each of these books embodies the kind of passionate storytelling that has inspired kids and created new readers.”

Saylor has acquired the first picture book from Jeff Smith, SMILEY’S DREAM BOOK (ISBN: 978-0-545-67477-5). Smith is the creator of the hugely popular Bone series, and this will be his first of two picture books featuring Smiley Bone and the Bone cousins. With English language publication rights in the United States, Canada, and the Philippines, SMILEY’S DREAM BOOK is slated to publish in Summer 2018.

Smith is the award-winning creator of the New York Times bestselling BONE series. This epic story about three Bone cousins lost in a valley filled with wonderful and terrifying creatures is loved by readers young and old, and was named by Time as one of the top ten graphic novels of all time. Today, there are millions of BONE books in print in the United States, and they have been translated into thirty languages worldwide. Smith started drawing stories about the BONE characters before the age of ten. In 1991, he launched the comic book BONE and began to create the serialized epic fantasy story that was eventually published in nine volumes. Smith was the subject of a documentary called "The Cartoonist: Jeff Smith, BONE, and the Changing Face of Comics." Smith lives (and dreams) in Columbus, Ohio, with his wife, Vijaya Iyer.

David Levithan, Vice President, Publisher and Editorial Director of Scholastic Trade Publishing, has acquired world rights from Rebecca Sherman at Writer’s House for the remarkable graphic novel memoir of bestselling author/illustrator Jarrett Krosoczka’s childhood and adolescence, HEY, KIDDO (ISBN: Hardcover: 9780545902472 / Paperback: 9780545902489). Raised by his colorful grandparents, who adopted him because his mother was an incarcerated heroin addict, Krosoczka didn’t know his father’s name until he saw his birth certificate when registering for a school ski trip. HEY, KIDDO traces Krosoczka’s search for his father, his hard interactions with his mother, his day-to-day life living with his grandparents (who had not expected to be raising another child), and his path to becoming an artist.

To date, nearly one million people have viewed Krosoczka’s TED Talk about this experience, and now will truly be able to see this portrait of an artist as a young man, and of the family he came from. Artwork from his childhood and teen years will be incorporated into the original illustrations for HEY, KIDDO, which will publish simultaneously in hardcover and paperback in Fall 2018.

Krosoczka is a New York Times bestselling author, two-time winner of a Children’s Choice Book Award, an Eisner award nominee, and is the author and/or illustrator of more than thirty books for young readers. His work includes several picture books, select volumes of Star Wars: Jedi Academy, the Lunch Lady graphic novels, and Platypus Police Squad novel series. Krosoczka is also the host of The Book Report with JJK on SiriusXM’s Kids Place Live, a weekly segment celebrating books, authors, and reading. He lives in Western Massachusetts with his wife and children, and their pugs, Ralph and Frank.

In addition to announcing new projects from some of the bestselling authors on the Graphix list, Scholastic also revealed the winners of the “Get Published By Graphix” contest. Unveiled at San Diego Comic-Con in 2016, the contest was open to U.S. residents to submit their unpublished works. From the 234 manuscript submissions received, two author-artists have been awarded contracts with Graphix for world rights publication of their debut graphic novels.

MANU by Kelly Fernandez is a middle-grade graphic novel featuring Manu and her best friend Josefina who live in a magical school for girls. Fernandez makes comics that are inspired by her daily experiences, American culture, and her Hispanic heritage. Her work was recently featured in Cicada magazine, and she has won a Chicago Alternative Comics Expo Cupcake Award for her self-published work. MANU was acquired by Cassandra Pelham, Senior Editor at Graphix and Scholastic Press, who will edit the edition slated to publish in Fall 2020 in jacketed hardcover, paperback and eBook formats.

TRESPASSERS by Breena Bard is a contemporary middle-grade graphic novel of family, friendship, a summer lake house, and a local mystery. Bard was a 2011 Xeric Award winner for her self-published graphic novel Picket Line, and is the creator of a Kickstarter-funded comic memoir, Hey Baby. She has drawn educational and informational comics, as well as concept sketches for Android, Red Bull, and Dropbox. TRESPASSERS was also acquired by Cassandra Pelham, who will edit the edition slated to publish in Spring 2020 in jacketed hardcover, paperback and eBook formats.

About Graphix
In 2005 Scholastic launched Graphix with the publication of the full-color edition of BONE #1: Out from Boneville. Graphix is dedicated to publishing engaging, age-appropriate graphic novels for children and teens. Supported by librarians, teachers, and most important, kids, Graphix titles have become bestsellers around the globe and continue to receive awards and critical acclaim including multiple Eisner Award wins and nominations, a Stonewall Book Award Honor (Drama), a Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honor (Smile), an Edgar Allan Poe nomination (The Lost Boy), and 20 New York Times bestsellers to date.

About Scholastic
Scholastic Corporation (NASDAQ: SCHL) is the world’s largest publisher and distributor of children’s books, a leading provider of print and digital instructional materials for pre-K to grade 12, and a producer of educational and entertaining children’s media. The Company creates quality books and ebooks, print and technology-based learning materials and programs, classroom magazines and other products that, in combination, offer schools customized solutions to support children’s learning both at school and at home. The Company also makes quality, affordable books available to all children through school-based book clubs and book fairs. With a 96 year history of service to schools and families, Scholastic continues to carry out its commitment to “Open a World of Possible” for all children. Learn more at www.scholastic.com.

Scholastic Media contact:
Lauren Donovan
Director of Publicity
212-389-3786
ldonovan@scholastic.com