Scholastic Launches New Imprint for Teens

Posted on January 18, 2002

Scholastic, a children's publishing and media company, has announced the launch of PUSH, a new imprint for teens. Scholastic will develop first-time writers through the PUSH imprint. Scholastic says PUSH will be a well-defined line of books that presents exciting, vivid and innovative work that both provokes and relates specifically to teens.

The first four titles in the new PUSH imprint are: You Remind Me of You by Eireann Corrigan, Pure Sunshine by Brian James, Cut by Patricia McCormick and Kerosene by Chris Wooding. The books will be available in stores in mid-January. As part of a promotion with Gemstar-TV Guide International, Pure Sunshine and Kerosene were made available in the Gemstar ebook format beginning December 15th, and through February 15th.

"PUSH is about discovering new authors with stories and voices that connect with teens," said David Levithan, Senior Editor, Scholastic. "We want to build an imprint that will help define literature for this generation."

To launch the imprint, Scholastic has developed a marketing campaign which includes a national publicity tour featuring author appearances and signings at bookstores and high schools in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, D.C., San Francisco and Seattle. A national radio advertising campaign will also coincide with the tour. To cross-promote the titles, special PUSH postcards will be distributed at all Tower Records locations nationwide and PUSH poster snipes will be seen on billboards in major cities. The PUSH website has also been launched.

Scholastic has also created a PUSH Novel Award in conjunction with the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Teens will have an opportunity to submit sample chapters or an outline of their work and the most promising submission will be considered for publication as a novel under the PUSH imprint. Additional information about the contest can be found on the PUSH website.