NEW YORK
,
March 11, 2022
(press release)
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New children’s book series to adapt the Pinna Original podcast QUENTIN & ALFIE’S ABC ADVENTURES Farrar, Straus, and Giroux Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group will partner with Pinna, the only on-demand audio entertainment service developed and curated exclusively for kids 3-12, to adapt the popular Pinna Original podcast QUENTIN & ALFIE'S ABC ADVENTURES, for a series of books for young readers, to launch in early 2023 with a hardcover picture book, with further books to follow in multiple formats. Coretta Scott King / John Steptoe Award winning author Randy DuBurke will write and illustrate the books, which, like the podcast, will center around young Alfie and his super-cool babysitter, Quentin, and their adventures on a fantastical sidewalk — making new friends and learning the alphabet along the way. Each book will place a strong emphasis on functional literacy, a loving Black male relationship between a boy and his babysitter, and finding extraordinary things even in ordinary days. The QUENTIN & ALFIE’s ABC ADVENTURES podcast is a Parents’ Choice Gold Award Winner that tells the stories of five year-old Alfie and his babysitter Quentin, and their every day whimsical adventures filled with fun, friends, and lots of letter learning along the way! Each day, a magical sidewalk takes them to an exciting new location, from A(amusement park) to Z(zoo). The podcast, like the upcoming series of books, introduces preschoolers to the alphabet and early literacy learning in a developmentally-appropriate way, with a focus on exploration and fun. "This latest collaboration with Pinna has grown out of Macmillan's long-standing history of publishing podcasts and supporting podcasting with its own networks,” said Kathy Doyle, Vice President, Content Development at Macmillan, which is among the only major book publishers with a dedicated podcast network. “We’re excited to be partnering with the incredible team at Farrar, Straus and Giroux and celebrated author/illustrator, Randy DuBurke, to bring the world and our characters from Quentin and Alfie’s ABC Adventures to life in books. The series will deliver fresh new stories that immerse young children in literacy-based, play-along adventures that get readers looking for & learning about signs, symbols, words and more in all of the places where the magical sidewalk takes them. Collaborating with Randy and the team at FSG to bring this world and our characters to life in picture books and extend our stories in new directions is thrilling, ”said Maggie McGuire, CEO, Pinna. ''I am very excited about becoming a part of Pinna's 'Quentin and Alfie' family. The Quentin and Alfie’s ABC Adventures podcast is a fun, engaging way to bring young children the joys of learning,” said DuBurke. “I hope I can add to the growth of 'Quentin and Alfie' by expanding the podcast into a series of entertaining, informative picture books.'' “It’s been such an honor to work with Pinna and Randy to bring Quentin and Alfie’s ABC Adventures to life in a fresh way, and we’ve had such fun blazing a new trail for books to meld with the kids’ audio space,” said Melissa Warten, associate editor with Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers. “"The strong, supportive relationship between Quentin and Alfie, as well as the creative and encouraging approach to reading in everyday life, made this story feel so relevant to so many kids today." Note To The Press: Randy DuBurke is an award-winning children’s book author and illustrator. His illustrations have appeared in The New York Times Book Review, Mad Magazine, DC and Marvel comics, graphic novels, and science-fiction magazines. He is the winner of the 2004 Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Award for illustration. He lives in Switzerland with his wife, their sons, and a dog. randyduburke.com Macmillan Publishers is a global trade book publishing company with prominent imprints around the world. Macmillan publishes a broad range of award-winning books for children and adults in all categories and formats. U.S. publishers include Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Flatiron Books, Henry Holt & Company, Macmillan Audio, Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, Picador, St. Martin’s Press, and Tor Books. In the UK, Australia, India, and South Africa, Macmillan publishes under the Pan Macmillan name. The German company, Holtzbrinck Deutsche Buchverlage, includes among its imprints S. Fischer, Kiepenheuer & Witsch, Rowohlt, and Droemer Knaur. Macmillan Publishers is a division of the Holtzbrinck Publishing Group, a large, family-owned media company headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. Macmillan's main podcast network, Quick and Dirty Tips, provides short-form, actionable advice and knowledge from friendly, informed experts to help you live your best life at home, at work, or at play. Starting with Mignon Fogarty’s Grammar Girl podcast in 2006, Quick and Dirty Tips has since expanded with Nutrition Diva, Savvy Psychologist, Money Girl, and more edutainment podcasts, collectively reaching nearly 370 million lifetime downloads. Macmillan has also published other podcasts, including Driving the Green Book, which won the 2021 Ambie award for Best History Podcast. The podcasts are operated by Macmillan Publishers, who have published over 30 books under the Quick and Dirty Tips series. Pinna, LLC is the creator of the first and only on-demand audio entertainment service developed and curated exclusively for kids 3-12. Pinna LLC is an entertainment and media company backed by Graham Holdings, Inc. With thousands of podcast episodes, audiobooks and songs, Pinna partners with respected children's brands and produces original audio programming under the Pinna Originals brand. Pinna is available in the iOS, Android, and Amazon app stores both domestically and internationally and can also be accessed on the web. For more information visit www.pinna.fm. Pinna’s literary rights are handled by Jessica Regel at Helm Literary.
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