NEW YORK, June 21, 2005 -- Scholastic, the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books, announced today that it has signed a major publishing deal with the LEGO Company, one of the world's largest and most innovative toy companies. As part of the agreement, Scholastic will have rights to publish a wide range of formats based on LEGO- owned intellectual properties, throughout the world. Scholastic has acquired world English rights.
The relationship between Scholastic and the LEGO Company began in November 2003 with the tremendously successful publication of books based on BIONICLE®. In spring '05, under this new agreement, Scholastic will begin publishing books based on LEGO® Knights' Kingdom, a new line of construction sets due to launch in the summer of 2004. Much like BIONICLE, Knights' Kingdom is a toy line with a rich back-story consisting of an exciting adventure centered around a quest. Scholastic will create books including readers, sticker books and activity books. In fall '05, Scholastic the LEGO Company plan to introduce books based on CLIKITS(TM), LEGO's premiere girl fashion craft property and their ALPHA TEAM(TM) series -- a line of spy/adventure toys -- as well as core LEGO brand construction toys and LEGO DUPLO® preschool products.
"We are thrilled to expand our partnership with LEGO," said Ellie Berger, Senior Vice President Trade, Scholastic. "Building on our incredible success with BIONICLE, we look forward to introducing new formats with unique and collectible features. Together with LEGO we will launch a new innovative marketing campaign in an effort to not only enhance the play value, but to get kids excited about reading."
"Scholastic has been a strong and successful partner in spreading the BIONICLE story to kids around the world," says Stephanie Lawrence, director of global licensing, LEGO Company. "Scholastic was my first and only choice for developing a broader presence for the LEGO brand in the publishing category, and I am thrilled to be extending our relationship beyond BIONICLE to include other LEGO characters and properties that will engage children's imaginations through reading."
Scholastic Corporation, the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books, creates quality educational and entertaining materials and products for use in school and at home, including children's books, textbooks, magazines, technology-based products, teacher materials, television programming, videos and toys. The Company distributes its products and services through a variety of channels, including proprietary school-based book clubs, school-based book fairs, school-based and direct-to-home continuity programs; retail stores, schools, libraries, and television networks; and the Company's Internet Site http://www.scholastic.com.
The LEGO Company, a privately-held, family-owned company based in Billund, Denmark, is one of the world's leading manufacturers of play materials for children, employing approximately 8,000 people globally. The Company is committed to the development of children's creative and imaginative abilities, and its employees are guided by the motto adopted in the 1930s by founder Ole Kirk Christiansen: "Only the best is good enough." Visit the LEGO brand online at http://www.LEGO.com.
LEGO, the LEGO logo, BIONICLE, CLIKITS, ALPHA TEAM and DUPLO are trademarks of The LEGO Group. The LEGO Group.
