Simon & Schuster's Aladdin Imprint to Publish Tori Spelling's First Children's Book

NEW YORK, Feb. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Aladdin announced today that it will publish a children's picture book with New York Times bestselling writer Tori Spelling, entitled Presenting . . . Tallulah. This is the first children's book that Spelling has written. Spelling is the author of two New York Times bestselling books, Mommywood and the #1 bestseller sTORI Telling that combined have close to a million copies in print. She'll also have her third adult book, tentatively titled uncharted terriTORI, on sale in June of 2010.

Taking cues from her own childhood, Spelling's Presenting . . . Tallulah tells the sweet tale of a young girl who really just wants to be herself. All her life, Tallulah has heard what she's not supposed to do: Don't get dirty . . . don't talk loudly . . .  don't wear jeans like all the other kids. You're not that kind of girl, everybody keeps telling her. Tallulah knows plenty about what she can't do and what she shouldn't do, about what kind of girl she isn't. But it's up to her to figure out what kind of girl she is. Spelling and illustrator Vanessa Brantley Newton (Let Freedom Sing and Drum City) bring to life the story of a spunky little girl who, with the help of some special friends, is able to discover exactly who she is.

Says Spelling, "I love reading to my kids. It's our special time together. That and my passion for story telling inspired me to write a children's book of my own to read to them and children everywhere."

Spelling and husband Dean McDermott are currently filming the fourth season of their hit Oxygen reality series, Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood. In the series' new season, premiering in Spring 2010, Tori and Dean will offer an even closer look into their family life and at their own relationship, which will include a first ever Spelling-McDermott cross-country family road trip. Last season's finale attracted more than one million viewers.

Spelling is also an accomplished designer. Her clothing line, Little Maven, for infants and toddlers, features fun, young and versatile designs. The line is sold in department stores and specialty boutiques. Her latest jewelry designs from The Tori Spelling Collection are available exclusively on HSN.  

Bethany Buck, V.P., Publisher of Aladdin and Simon Pulse, said "Tori is a proven storyteller in the adult world, and we're positive that her foray into children's books will be nothing short of a success. We're thrilled to welcome her to our program."  

Aladdin's Associate Editor Emily Lawrence negotiated the deal with agents Dan Strone and Alyssa Henkin of Trident Media Group. The deal includes world rights. The book is scheduled for publication on September 21, 2010.  

Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, one of the leading children's book publishers in the world, is comprised of the following imprints: Aladdin Paperbacks, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, Libros para ninos, Little Simon®, Little Simon Inspirations™, Margaret K. McElderry Books, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, Simon Pulse, Simon Scribbles, and Simon Spotlight®.  While maintaining an extensive award-winning backlist, the division continues to publish acclaimed and bestselling books for children of all ages.  In addition to numerous Caldecott, Newbery, and National Book Award winners, Simon & Schuster publishes such high-profile properties and series as Eloise, Olivia, Raggedy Ann & Andy™, Henry & Mudge®, The Hardy Boys®, Nancy Drew®, The Spiderwick Chronicles, Charles M. Schulz's Peanuts®, Nickelodeon's® Dora the Explorer®, Blue's Clues® and SpongeBob SquarePants®, and Mirage studios' Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles™.  For more information about Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, visit our website at http://kids.simonandschuster.com.

Simon & Schuster, a part of the CBS Corporation, is a global leader in the field of general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for consumers of all ages, across all printed, electronic, and audio formats.  Its divisions include Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing, Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, Simon & Schuster Audio, Simon & Schuster Digital, and international companies in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom.  For more information, visit our website at http://www.simonandschuster.com.

SOURCE Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing