Mattel and one of its key publishing licensees, Random House, announced last week that they would launch a middle-grade chapter book series called Malibu Mysteries, starring Barbie. This is just the latest example of the strong role licensing plays when it comes to fiction series for girls, especially those of elementary and middle school age.
The book series typically feature all-original stories and are often written by established authors with a fan following among young girls. They help establish or expand the property’s world, plotlines, and characterization, and sometimes launch simultaneously or even prior to any franchise-based entertainment vehicles. They also have a strong track record when it comes to sales.
The trend can be traced back to the Disney Fairies franchise, introduced in 2005. A spin-off of Peter Pan, featuring Tinker Bell and a number of new characters, the brand began as a novel called Fairy Dust and the Quest for the Egg by Gail Carson Levine, published by Random House. That title was followed by a virtual world, direct-to-DVD productions, and licensed merchandise to the tune of more than $2 billion a year at the franchise’s peak.
The bulk of the publishing program, which has extended to more novels, chapter books, leveled readers, and other formats, moved to Little, Brown in 2014; Random House continues to publish Never Girls, a Disney Fairies-based chapter book series it debuted in 2013.
Little, Brown is also Mattel’s partner for both Monster High, launched in 2010, and Ever After High, which followed in 2013. In both cases the young adult novels, by Lisi Harrison and Shannon Hale, respectively, were among the first products introduced, and they remain a central component of the respective franchises. Little, Brown also publishes novels tied to Hasbro’s My Little Pony: Equestria Girls, a spin-off of My Little Pony that appeals to slightly older fans.
Last summer, Random House announced a new chapter book series for girls aged 6 to 9 called Elsa & Anna, tied to Disney’s Frozen. The first two titles were introduced in January of this year. It has been publishing Frozen tie-ins in various formats since 2013, with more than 8 million books sold at the time of the Elsa & Anna announcement.
As these examples show, the key players in licensed fiction series for girls are Disney and Mattel on the licensor side and Random House and Little, Brown on the licensee side. But others have latched onto the trend as well. The Jim Henson Company launched a chapter book series called Enchanted Sisters as the first project of its newly formed publishing imprint, with the initial title, Autumn’s Secret Gift, released by Bloomsbury in August. Last month, Henson paired with Cyber Group Studios to co-produce an Enchanted Sisters TV series.
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