New Sendak Picture Book to Publish in Fall 2011

NEW YORK, March 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- HarperCollins announced today the publication of a long-awaited new picture book by beloved author Maurice Sendak. Known best for his Caldecott-winning Where the Wild Things Are, Sendak's illustrious career has spanned more than 60 years, establishing him as one of the most consistently inventive and challenging voices in children's literature. Now, with BUMBLE-ARDY (Michael di Capua Books / HarperCollins; 9780062051981; $17.95) set for release on September 6, 2011, readers will have a brand-new Sendak treasure to add to their library. The first book illustrated and written by Sendak since Outside Over There in 1981, BUMBLE-ARDY will have a first printing of 500,000 copies.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110325/NY71476 )

BUMBLE-ARDY has evolved from an animated segment for Sesame Street that aired in the early 1970s to a glorious picture book about a mischievous pig who has reached the age of nine without ever having a birthday party. But all that changes when Bumble throws a party for himself and invites all his friends, leading to a wild masquerade that quickly gets out of hand. In this highly anticipated picture book, Sendak once again explores the exuberance of young children and the unshakable love between parent (in this case, an aunt) and child.

"We are thrilled to be publishing Maurice Sendak's BUMBLE-ARDY," said Susan Katz, president and publisher of HarperCollins Children's Books. "Generations have grown up with his books, and this new picture book is a true testament to Maurice's matchless ability to delight, entertain, and surprise us with everyone."

Maurice Sendak's children's books have sold nearly 30 million copies in the U.S. alone and have been translated into more than 30 languages. He received the 1964 Caldecott Medal for Where the Wild Things Are and is the creator of such classics as In the Night Kitchen, Outside Over There, Higglety Pigglety Pop! and Nutshell Library. In 1970 he received the international Hans Christian Andersen Medal for illustration, in 1983 he received the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award from the American Library Association, and in 1996 he received a National Medal of Arts in recognition of his contribution to the arts in America. In 2003, Sendak received the first Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, an annual international prize for children's literature established by the Swedish government.

HarperCollins Children's Books is one of the leading publishers of children's books. Respected worldwide for its tradition of publishing award-winning books for young readers, HarperCollins is home to many timeless treasures—Where the Wild Things Are, Charlotte's Web, The Chronicles of Narnia, Goodnight Moon, Where the Sidewalk Ends, the Ramona series—and popular new classics such as The Graveyard Book, A Series of Unfortunate Events, Warriors, and Fancy Nancy. HarperCollins Children's Books has published some of the world's foremost authors and illustrators, who have won numerous awards, including the Newbery Medal, the Caldecott Medal, the Michael L. Printz Award, and the Geisel Award. HarperCollins Children's Books is a division of HarperCollins Publishers, one of the leading English-language publishers in the world and a subsidiary of News Corporation (NYSE: NWS, NWS.A; ASX: NCP, NCPDP). Headquartered in New York, HarperCollins has publishing groups in the US, Canada, the UK, Australia/New Zealand, and India. You can visit HarperCollins Children's Books at www.harpercollinschildrens.com and HarperCollins Publishers at www.harpercollins.com.

SOURCE Harper Collins Children's Books