LITTLE, BROWN BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS CELEBRATES 100 YEARS

A Story for Every Reader Since 1926

“Little, Brown Books for Young Readers changed my life and that’s the truth. Arthur’s Nose was my first published book. I had the good fortune to have LBYR as my publisher. My first editor, Emilie McLeod saw something in me that she nurtured. And now, after many more books and a successful PBS animated series later, I still pinch myself.”
—Marc Brown, author of Arthur’s Nose

“Little, Brown has created such a beloved and treasured storytelling legacy. From Little Women to Ed Emberley’s Drawing Book, it’s an honor to think that my books are helping to continue that lineage. Congratulations to all the hardworking and dedicated people that make Little, Brown the publisher of children’s literature that is not only timely, but timeless.”
—Grace Lin, author of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and The Gate, the Girl, and the Dragon

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NEW YORK, NY (June 12, 2026)—With the publishing house’s centennial, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (LBYR), a division of Hachette Book Group (HBG), is marking the milestone with a print and downloadable brochure highlighting the group’s history; curation of a 100-title book list capturing the breadth of LBYR’s publishing; and more.

All LBYR titles publishing in 2026 will feature a celebratory hundredth anniversary logo on their title pages and, for novels, a letter from LBYR President and Publisher, Megan Tingley, at the back of the book. See it here.
A commemorative brochure detailing LBYR’s storied history is available for download here and will be distributed physically at upcoming industry events—in addition to LBYR centennial tote bags.
A curated list of 100 titles spanning LBYR’s history—from Mr. Popper’s Penguins and Arthur’s Nose to Twilight and The Wild Robot—is viewable now on the anniversary’s landing page.

LBYR’s rich history dates back to 1926, when Little, Brown and Company (est. 1837) launched a dedicated children’s division following a period marked by tremendous growth in children’s literature. First helmed by Lucile Gulliver out of LB’s Boston headquarters (the move to New York would come in 2002), the LB children’s division quickly began acquiring future classics, award winners, and bestsellers—with a notable early collaborator being Cornelia Meigs who won Newbery Honors in 1929 and 1933 and the Newbery Medal in 1934 for Invincible Louisa: The Story of the Author of Little Women.

Through the decades, LBYR titles have been recognized multiple times by the Newbery Awards and National Book Awards, and have received the most Caldecott Medal recognition of any publisher this century, having won six medals since 2010 (with a total of seven medals and ten honors conferred since the Caldecott was first awarded in 1938). This includes a three-year medal run from 2015-2017 (Dan Santat’s The Adventures of Beekle, Lindsay Mattick and Sophie Blackall’s Finding Winnie, and Javaka Steptoe and Jean-Michel Basquiet’s Radiant Child). In 2010, Jerry Pinkney became the first Black man to win the Caldecott Medal (solo) for The Lion & the Mouse and in 2024, Vashti Harrison made history as the first Black woman to win the Caldecott Medal for Big. Please click here to see a timeline of LBYR and industry history.

Said Tingley, “Having begun my career at Little, Brown, I am honored to have been here for nearly 40 years of its esteemed 100-year history and grateful to my colleagues and our authors and illustrators for their contributions to our success. Looking back at our accomplishments and accolades, as well as our challenges, over the last century has made me deeply proud of the impact these vital works have made on generations of readers—and mindful of how important it is that our books continue reaching the young people who need them. So much has changed over the decades, but our commitment at LBYR remains constant: to provide a supportive home for all creators and superb stories for all readers.”

Other exciting developments from LBYR that are underway and upcoming in 2026:

Requited , a new adult imprint announced in 2025, will publish its first full title list in 2026 and its first four hardcover releases, Sable Sorensen’s Dire Bound (March) and Fury Bound (May), Jordan Stephanie Gray’s The Wicked Sea (April), and Caty Rogan’s Kissed by the Gods (June) all debuted on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists.
Alvina Ling, previously Editor-in-Chief and a 25-year veteran of LBYR, will launch her eponymous imprint, Alvina Ling Books, in Fall 2026.
Longtime LBYR author Jewell Parker Rhodes, winner of the 2026 Coretta Scott King Book Award for Will’s Race for Home, recently announced—in collaboration with LBYR—The Jewell Parker Rhodes Fellowship for Emerging Voices.
LBYR will continue supporting HBG’s urgent and long-term campaign to raise awareness about the decline in children reading for fun, Raising Readers —an initiative originated by Megan Tingley.

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“LBYR brilliantly supports my lifelong dream to be a children’s book author. Expert editing, superb marketing and publicity, and tremendous School and Library Outreach—indeed, the ENTIRE LBYR publishing team supports and encourages me to write my best for the most precious and prestigious audience – children. LBYR’s century-long commitment to narrative and high-quality publishing makes it a perfect literary home for me.”

—Jewell Parker Rhodes, author of Ghost Boys and Will’s Race for Home

“For a hundred years, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers has published stories that allow kids to discover the magic of words. I am honored for my books to be part of their legacy and wish LBYR many centuries of publishing to come.”
—Holly Black, author of The Novels of Elfame and The Folk of the Air series

“As a children’s bookstore buyer for over forty years, I look forward to seeing what LBYR is publishing every buying season. I know I will find more of the ‘forever’ books that I treasure, the books that will always be on our shelves. From the owner of a 150-year-old family bookstore, thank you for all you do in helping us place brilliant ‘forever books’ into the hands of children!”
—Becky Anderson, owner, Anderson’s Bookshops, Chicago

“The picture book is an art object, and I am delighted that Little, Brown recognizes this as well and pays such careful attention to all aspects of picture book design such as the endpapers, dust jacket, case cover and more.”
—Dr. Jonda C. McNair, Charlotte S. Huck Endowed Professor of Children’s Literature, The Ohio State University

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About Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers is a division of Hachette Book Group, a leading U.S. general-interest book publisher made up of dozens of esteemed imprints within the publishing groups Basic Books Group, Grand Central Publishing, Hachette Audio, Hachette Nashville, Little, Brown and Company, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, Orbit, Running Press Group, and Workman Publishing. For more information, visit hachettebookgroup.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LBYR Contact: Mary McCue, VP, Publicity and Strategic Communications 908-489-0436, mary.mccue@hbgusa.com