World Famous Feline Grumpy Cat Joins Iconic Little Golden Books Line in 2016
New York, NY — The iconic Little Golden Book format will extend its collection of beloved characters this July to include Grumpy Cat, the world’s most famous cat, as announced today by Mallory Loehr, Vice President, Publishing Director, Random House/Golden Books Young Readers Group. Chris Angelilli, Vice President, Editor-in-Chief, Director of License Publishing, Random House Children’s Books, will oversee the Grumpy Cat publishing program, which includes three Little Golden Books.
In just three years, Grumpy Cat has become known around the world, with 8 million Facebook followers (facebook.com/TheOfficialGrumpyCat), her own TV movie, two New York Times bestselling photographic books, and a “spokescat” role with Friskies. Grumpy Cat has been featured on the cover of New York magazine, the front page of the Wall Street Journal, and the cover of People.
“We look forward to introducing Grumpy Cat, who has captured the hearts of young and old, to the iconic Little Golden Books line,” said Angelilli. “Bringing together these two popular brands, one steeped in history and one a pop-culture phenomenon, is a truly exciting marriage of past and present.”
“The Grumpy Cat Little Golden Books will be the cutest books ever. It’s going to be awful,” said Grumpy Cat.
The first Little Golden Book, to be released on July 26, 2016, features illustrations by Stephanie Laberis. In the story, Grumpy Cat’s friends and admirers try to get her to try new things and have fun, and each time she is even more resolved to say NO. In the end, she is right. Having fun is awful.
Publication dates for the additional two Little Golden Books will be announced.
Stephanie Laberis has loved drawing for as long as she can remember and was raised on a healthy diet of cartoons, video games, and getting muddy in the New England woods. She attended RISD and has a BFA in illustration, and she enjoys working in many artistic fields—illustration, character design for animation, and toy design. She works out of her home studio in the San Francisco Bay Area.
In just over three years, Grumpy Cat has become the most famous cat in the world. She has starred in her own movie, Grumpy Cat’s Worst Christmas Ever, is the author of three bestselling books, has an ever-expanding merchandise line, and has 10 million online followers and growing. When she’s not attracting adoring crowds or scowling with celebrities on the red carpet, she spends her time napping and playing with her brother, Pokey, in Arizona.
Launched in 1942, Little Golden Books revolutionized children’s book publishing by making high-quality picture books available at affordable prices. More than 60 years later, many of the original Golden Book titles are still wildly popular.
Random House Children’s Books is the world’s largest English-language children’s trade book publisher. Creating books for toddlers through young adult readers, in all formats from board books to activity books to picture books, novels, ebooks, and apps, the imprints of Random House Children’s Books bring together award-winning authors and illustrators, world-famous franchise characters, and multimillion-copy series. The company’s website, Kids @ Random (randomhousekids.com), offers an array of activities, games, and resources for children, teens, parents, and educators. Random House Children’s Books is a division of Penguin Random House LLC.
