Penguin Books Australia

GLOBAL PUBLICATION OF DIARY OF A WIMPY KID BOOK 8
The biggest book of 2013 will have a major simultaneous international release in November 2013. 

BOLOGNA, Italy, March 25, 2013—Today at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, ABRAMS announced that its Amulet Books imprint will join forces with seven publishers around the world including Penguin Group (Australia) for a global release of the eighth book in the blockbuster Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. The release of the latest book is one of the most anticipated publishing releases of the year.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 8 will go on sale in the United States in November 2013. The United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, Greece, Japan, Korea, and Norway will release the book in their respective territories just after the U.S. debut. An original new image by Jeff Kinney, featuring Greg Heffley under an umbrella being bombarded by raining Magic 8 balls, was revealed to tease fans about what might next happen to Greg Heffley.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I think that Greg Heffley’s stories would be enjoyed by this many kids around the world,” says Kinney. “I’m incredibly excited that ABRAMS is launching the newest Diary of a Wimpy Kid book with an international release of this size." alt="" />

Following major marketing and social media promotions in the U.S. for the November 2013 release, international partners will launch their respective campaigns around the world as fans cheer the arrival of the newest Diary of a Wimpy Kid story.

Books in the core Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney include Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2007), Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules (2008), Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw (2009), Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days (2009), Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth (2010), and Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever (2011). On November 13, 2012, book 7 in the series, The Third Wheel, released with a 6.5-million-copy first printing in North America. Jeff Kinney has also written and illustrated The Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book and The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary. The books are a fixture on the USA Today bestseller list (the first book in the series has remained in the top 150 for more than 200 weeks) and the Wall Street Journal and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists. The series has remained consistently in the top spots on the New York Times lists since the publication of the first book.

More than 85 million Diary of a Wimpy Kid books are in print around the world. The books have been sold in more than 44 territories in 42 languages. Jeff Kinney was named one of Time magazine’s most influential people in the world. Three movies based on the book series have grossed more than $250 million internationally. The book series won Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards in 2010, 2011, and 2012 (and is nominated for one in 2013), and Jeff Kinney won a Children’s Choice Book Award in 2012. The books have won numerous awards voted on by students and teachers around the globe. The Wimpy Kid Island on poptropica.com, a virtual world for kids, remains one of the most visited on the site.

Lola Bensky by Lily Brett has been longlisted for the 2013 Miles Franklin Literary Award

For more information visit the Miles Franklin Literary Award website.

Wednesday 20 March:  Penguin Books Australia is delighted to announce the launch of a new series, the Pink Popular Penguins, which will hit bookstores from today.

The series aims to help the McGrath Foundation expand their McGrath Breast Care Nurse network and increase breast awareness throughout Australia. Penguin Books will donate $1 from the sale of every Pink Popular Penguin to the McGrath Foundation. 

The orange Popular Penguins tri-band design adopts pink covers and includes a range of classics including the bestselling Alphabet Sisters by popular Australian novelist Monica McInerney.

To celebrate the release of the Pink Popular Penguins, and to encourage people to read pink and make a difference, Penguin Books Australia’s website and social media will be pink themed and a suite of promotional activity will follow throughout the month.

The 12 titles included in the ‘Pink Popular Penguins’ range are:

• Alphabet Sisters by Monica McInerney
• Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
• Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
• Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
• Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Suskind
• The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald
• A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf
• Love in a Cold Climate by Nancy Mitford
• Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
• Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
• A Spy in the House of Love by Anais Nin

Co-founded by Jane and Glenn McGrath after Jane’s initial recovery from breast cancer, the McGrath Foundation raises money to place McGrath Breast Care Nurses in communities right across Australia and to increase breast awareness in young women. 

McGrath Breast Care Nurses are specially trained nurses who act as patient advocates, coordinating care for Australian families experiencing breast cancer.  In doing so, they work to ensure physical, psychological and basic support needs are met.

The McGrath Breast Care Nurse network has helped support close to 20,000 Australian families experiencing breast cancer nationally.  McGrath Breast Care Nurses offer a unique service, which combines key learnings from around the world to deliver optimal care for all they support.  Families experiencing breast cancer are able to self-refer to this free service. 

The McGrath Foundation believes 150 McGrath Breast Care Nurses are needed to ensure every Australian family experiencing breast cancer has access to a breast care nurse, no matter where they live or their financial situation. Only then will every family experiencing breast cancer have the benefit of optimal care.

To find out more about the McGrath Foundation and how you can make a difference, please visit www.mcgrathfoundation.com.au.

Penguin Books Australia and the McGrath Foundation have announced the launch of a new series, Pink Popular Penguins, to assist the McGrath Foundation continue their invaluable work expanding the Breast Care Nurse network and promoting breast awareness in throughout Australia. 

To be released on March 19, 2013 for a limited time only, the Pink Popular Penguins include classics such as Breakfast at Tiffany's, Pride and Prejudice, Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre, Perfume, The Great Gatsby, A Room of One's Own, Love in a Cold Climate, Madame Bovary, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, A Spy In The House Of Love, as well as the bestselling Alphabet Sisters by popular Australian novelist Monica McInerney.

With every purchase of these special editions $1 will be donated to help place McGrath Breast Care Nurses in communities right across Australia and to increase breast health awareness in young women.   

“Penguin is proud to turn pink for the McGrath Foundation.  We have chosen 12 of the most popular classics to ensure that this program, with the support of booksellers and booklovers alike, delivers a great level of assistance to the McGrath Foundation to enable them to continue their invaluable work.” Troy Lewis, General Manager, Penguin Brands & Licensing

McGrath Foundation Ambassador and Director, Tracy Bevan, is thrilled by the McGrath Foundation’s new friendship with Penguin Group and believes the Pink Popular Penguins program will go a long way in telling the next chapter of the Foundation’s story where every family experiencing breast cancer has access to a breast care nurse.

“Bookworms right across Australia can now enjoy the satisfaction of reading literary classics such as Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Wuthering Heights and of doing their bit to make a difference to the lives of Australian families experiencing breast cancer.” Tracy Bevan, McGrath Foundation Ambassador and Director

Co-founded by Jane and Glenn McGrath, the McGrath Foundation raises money to place McGrath Breast Care Nurses in communities right across Australia and to increase breast awareness in young women.

The McGrath Foundation believes 150 of these specially trained nurses are needed to ensure that every family experiencing breast cancer has access to a breast care nurse, no matter where they live or their financial situation.  McGrath Breast Care Nurses offer a unique service to families who can self-refer to this free support.

To find out how you can make a difference visit www.mcgrathfoundation.com.au

With 21 nominations across 11 categories Penguin Australia has dominated the shortlist for the 61^st Annual Book Design Awards. Congratulations to our talented team of designers, illustrators and authors; Kirby Armstrong, Aaron Blabey, John Canty, Allison Colpoys, Tom Jellett, Adam Laszczuk, Claire Llyod, Marina Messiha, Daniel New, Emily O’Neill, Evi Oetomo, Tony Palmer, Katie Quinn Davies, Karen Scott, Laura Thomas and Elissa Webb.

Best Designed Children’s Series

• Australian Children’s Classics – cover & internal design by Allison Colpoys

Best Designed Children’s Picture Book

• The Dreadful Fluff – cover & internal design by Elissa Webb and Aaron Blabey
• Gobbledygook is Eating a Book – cover & internal design by Kirby Armstrong and Tom Jellett

Best Designed Children’s Fiction  

• The Children of the King – cover & internal design by Marina Messiha

Best Designed Children’s Non-Fiction  

• Girl! The Ultimate Guide to Being You – cover & internal design by Karen Scott
• Sophie Scott Goes South – cover & internal design by Tony Palmer

Best Designed Specialist Illustrated

• The Essential Leunig: Cartoons from a Winding Path – cover design by Adam Laszczuk and Michael Leunig, & internal design by Adam Laszczuk

Best Designed General Illustrated

• My Greek Island Home – cover design by Evi Oetomo, internal design by Evi Oetomo and Claire Lloyd
• Things I Love – cover & internal design by Evi Oetomo

Best Designed Fiction

• The Festival by the Sea – cover & internal design by Allison Colpoys

Best Designed Fiction Literary Fiction

• Cloudstreet 21^st Anniversary Special Edition – cover & internal design by John Canty
• Lola Bensky – cover & internal design by Laura Thomas

Best Designed Cookbook

• Kylie Kwong’s Simple Chinese Cooking Class  – cover & internal design by Daniel New
• Lantern Cookery Classics: Maggie Beer – cover & internal design by Lantern Design
• What Katie Ate – cover design by Katie Quinn Davies, internal design by Katie Quinn Davies and Emily O’Neill

Best Designed Children’s Cover

• Australian Children’s Classics: I can Jump Puddles  – cover & internal design by Allison Colpoys
• The Children of the King – cover & internal design by Marina Messiha
• The Dreadful Fluff – cover & internal design by Elissa Webb and Aaron Blabey
• Gobbledygook is Eating a Book – cover & internal design by Kirby Armstrong and Tom Jellett
• Sophie Scott Goes South – cover & internal design by Tony Palmer

Best Designed Cover of the year

• The Essential Leunig: Cartoons from a Winding Path – cover design by Adam Laszczuk and Michael Leunig, & internal design by Adam Laszczuk
• My Greek Island Home – cover design by Evi Oetomo, internal design by Evi Oetomo and Claire Lloyd

And congratulations also to our Pearson colleagues for their nomination:

Best Designed Secondary Education

• Pearson Year 9 English: Student’s Book – cover design by Glen McClay, Miranda Costa, Jo Ground, Kim Ferguson; internal design by Miranda Costa

For more information visit the APA website.