Capstone Publishers and Sports Illustrated KIDS Team Up to Publish High-Concept Children’s Sports Books

Minneapolis, MN, July 10, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Capstone Publishers, the leading publisher of children’s books in the U.S. education market, has signed with Sports Illustrated KIDS, the award-winning sports magazine publisher, to create a new line of leveled chapter books. The project will last through spring 2012 and ultimately produce 82 new titles for young readers.

The new books will feature high-interest nonfiction and fiction sports stories in three separate formats: high-low informational, graphic novels, and illustrated chapter books. They will be created for the elementary and middle school grades, especially struggling and reluctant readers.

“This is an exciting opportunity for SI Kids and we are thrilled to be working with Capstone Publishers, the industry’s most respected publisher of children’s books,” said Bob Der, Sports Illustrated KIDS Managing Editor.

Published under Capstone Publishers’ well-known imprints Capstone Press and Stone Arch Books, the Sports Illustrated KIDS’ books will debut with three series in January 2010: Greatest Sports Stars, The Science of Sports, and Graphic Sports. Both nonfiction and fiction developers will have access to Sports Illustrated KIDS’ extensive collection of photographs, resulting in compelling books packed with exciting sports action photos.

“There’s no question that Sports Illustrated KIDS is the authority on kids and sports. We are thrilled to partner with them to create these exciting new sports titles,” said Matt Keller, President of Capstone Publishers Nonfiction. “Our goal is to reach kids where they are, to turn their interests and hobbies into springboards for reading. Sports is one of the biggest high-interest topics in the country.”

“We’re all passionate about this project,” said Joan Berge, President of Capstone Publishers Fiction. “Our collaboration will produce some of the coolest, high-interest, high-action titles kids won’t want to put down.”

This is the second licensing agreement in recent months for Capstone Publishers. They launched a successful partnership in 2008 with DC Comics to publish DC SUPER HEROES, an original book series based around DC Comics’ iconic characters BATMAN and SUPERMAN, under its Stone Arch Books imprint.

The Sports Illustrated Kids books will be available on Capstone Publishers’ e-commerce websites and by calling 800-747-4992.

About Capstone Publishers
Capstone Publishers is the leading publisher of children’s books. Its authors, artists, and designers create rich experiences – nonfiction, fiction and picture books to interactive books, audio books, and literacy programs – which ignites kids’ passion for reading. Imprints include Capstone Press, Compass Point Books, Picture Window Books, Stone Arch Books, Red Brick Learning, and Heinemann-Raintree.

About SI Kids:
Sports Illustrated Kids, the first sports magazine written for kids ages 8 and up, connects with its readers through their passion for sports. The magazine offers kids the access to athletes and sports information that they want with in-depth reporting, action photography, first-person athlete accounts and other features. The magazine, books and website promote positive values, good sportsmanship and the fun of reading.

###