Bloomsbury goes to the zoo
Bright Group International (BGI) has announced details of a ground-breaking deal that will see renowned publisher Bloomsbury create the first publishing programme for the Zoological Society of London.
ZSL London Zoo is run by the Zoological Society of London and has an unparalleled reputation and history that dates back to the 19th Century. Bloomsbury will be looking to build on this strong platform to create a publishing programme with wide appeal that is true to the zoo’s ethos of conservation and education.
‘We are delighted to be working with ZSL on creating a range of books that will encourage a sense of wonder about animals and nature in young readers. They will be created by a range of our very best authors and illustrators and we are thrilled to be part of this very exciting new venture.’ comments Sarah Odedina, Publishing Director, Bloomsbury Children’s Books.
“At ZSL we have so many interesting and inspiring stories to tell. We have loved sharing these stories with our visitors in the zoo and this new exciting partnership with Bloomsbury will let us reach young children around the world, sharing the amazing, strange and fun sides of our work whilst hopefully creating a generation of budding conservationist,” adds David Field, Zoological Director, ZSL.
The deal represents a further success for BGI, which has a considerable pedigree in publishing having grown out of the success of the Bright Agency – a leading illustration agency in children’s publishing that works with big-name clients such as Hachette, Random House and Scholastic. BGI has also recently been responsible for the successful transition of top Hallmark brand Country Companions into the publishing sector, after securing a deal with Egmont.
“We are delighted to have signed such a prestigious publisher as Bloomsbury to work with ZSL, we now have a publishing partner on board that will make the most of the zoo’s incredible heritage and objectives so the potential is amazing and we feel that Bloomsbury and ZSL are perfectly matched in regard to brand positioning,” says BGI MD Vicki Willden-Lebrecht. “A zoo might not be a traditional basis for a publishing programme but we are always searching for new and exciting opportunities and are currently looking at a range of other amazing properties that have the potential to translate well to publishing.”
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