NEW YORK, NY AND MIDDLETON, WI — Scholastic, the world’s largest publisher and distributor of children’s books, and American Girl®, a premium brand for and about girls, today announced that it will launch an extensive publishing program based on the iconic American Girl brand beloved by millions of girls around the world. The multi-year licensed agreement includes rights to publish books in print and digital formats starting in January 2017, and marks the first time American Girl has licensed the rights to publish books based on its characters. Under the agreement, Scholastic will publish and distribute books simultaneously in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Asia.

The wide-ranging list of titles and formats spans ages 5-12 and includes publishing for American Girl’s popular Girl of the Year™ line, including each character’s novels, as well as new formats for current and previously-released Girl of the Year™ characters. American Girl is also partnering with Scholastic to release a non-fiction chapter book series inspired by the brand’s historical BeForever™ line, a new original series in middle grade, chapter book, and reader categories, various novelty formats including treasury books, guided journals, and American Girl-branded yearbooks featuring activities and quizzes.

Since its inception in 1986, American Girl has devoted its entire business to fueling connection among girls. To date, more than 153 million American Girl books have sold, and more than 29 million American Girl dolls have sold through the company’s catalog, retail stores, and website, which attracts an estimated 52 million visitors per year. There are currently 20 American Girl proprietary retail stores around the United States which have welcomed approximately 80 million visitors to date.

“American Girl has earned the loyalty and praise from parents and educators and continues to create unforgettable memories for millions of girls,” said Ellie Berger, Executive Vice President, Scholastic Inc. and President of Scholastic Trade Publishing. “We are thrilled to collaborate with the American Girl team to develop an exciting and innovative publishing program that inspires, celebrates, and empowers girls, while instilling a lifelong love of reading.”

“Storytelling has always been at the heart of the American Girl brand, and we continue to evolve the way we use content to speak to girls today. Whether it’s character-focused stories, popular advice books, or even our AG Life YouTube series, our goal is to support girls in a variety of life stages and help them reach their full potential,” said Katy Dickson, American Girl President. “Partnering with Scholastic helps expand our narrative and the reach of our empowering stories and characters, allowing us to connect with even more girls across the globe.”

About American Girl
American Girl is a premium brand for and about girls and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAT, www.mattel.com), the worldwide leader in the design, manufacture, and marketing of toys and family products. Headquartered in Middleton, WI, American Girl offers an inspiring world of dolls, experiences, and entertainment to empower and unite girls of all ages. Best-selling lines include Truly Me™, Girl of the Year™, Bitty Baby™, and the classic historical character line BeForever™. The company sells products through its award-winning catalogue, on www.americangirl.com, in its experiential retail stores nationwide, and in specialty boutiques at select Indigo™ and Chapters™ in Canada and El Palacio de Hierro locations in Mexico City. American Girl’s mission is to fuel belonging and connection among girls, a goal that has already earned the loyalty of millions and the praise and trust of their parents and educators.

About Scholastic
Scholastic Corporation (NASDAQ: SCHL) is the world’s largest publisher and distributor of children’s books, a leading provider of print and digital instructional materials for pre-K to grade 12, and a producer of educational and entertaining children’s media. The Company creates quality books and ebooks, print and technology-based learning materials and programs, classroom magazines and other products that, in combination, offer schools customized solutions to support children’s learning both at school and at home. The Company also makes quality, affordable books available to all children through school-based book clubs and book fairs. With a 95 year history of service to schools and families, Scholastic continues to carry out its commitment to “Open a World of Possible” for all children. Learn more at www.scholastic.com.