Contact:
Lindsey Zabor
(616) 698-3332
lindsey.zabor@zondervan.com
Children’s group of Zondervan celebrates 10 years of publishing in 2008
Grand Rapids, MI, May 28, 2008-Zonderkidz is celebrating a decade of publishing in 2008. The children’s group of Zondervan was founded in 1998 and is the leading publisher of children’s Bibles and Bible storybooks.
Prior to 1998, Zondervan published just a small amount of children’s books and Bibles, such as the best-selling Adventure Bible. Once Zonderkidz was launched, the group was quickly established in The Association for Christian Retail (CBA) with The Beginner’s Bible and The Legend of the Candy Cane by Lori Walburg (a Zondervan editor at the time). Zonderkidz has grown substantially and currently has more than 900 titles in print.
“For the past decade, Zonderkidz has been proud to create bestselling and award-winning Bibles and books that inspire children 16 and under and the people who support them-from family members to educators,” says Zonderkidz Vice President and Publisher Annette Bourland. “Our goal for the next decade is to continue creating quality products that inspire and help children establish a solid foundation for a strong faith that will last the rest of their lives.”
A 2006 study by the Barna group shows that 43% of children made their professions of faith before the age of 13 and that 2 out 3 Christians professed their faith before the age of 18. The study also showed that younger children who call themselves Christians are more likely as adults to describe themselves as deeply spiritual, give more money to the church, and engage in lifestyle evangelism.
“This study shows us why what we’re doing at Zonderkidz is so important,” Bourland adds. “Our books and Bibles give children a head start with faith-based resources, so they can be more committed to their faith as adults.”
Zonderkidz plans to celebrate its 10th birthday with a year-long campaign that started with Zonderkidz staff members and will end with an outreach to consumers in Fall 2008.
Celebration plans include:
Granting 10 wishes for individuals or organizations that could benefit from FREE Zonderkidz products. Encouraging employees, authors and trade groups to “share the gift of Zonderkidz” by recommending Zonderkidz products to children in their lives.
Encouraging employees and authors to share their favorite Zonderkidz stories.
Discounts and giveaways for employees, authors, retail trade groups and consumers.
And much more!
Zonderkidz Timeline:
1934- Zondervan publishes its first-ever children’s book Deep Snow by C. Kuipers.
1998- Zondervan launches Zonderkidz™ and the New International Readers Version (NIrV) of the Kids’ Study Bible is unveiled.
2000- Zonderkidz begins to distribute The Chronicles of Narnia titles in the CBA market.
2001- Zonderkidz teams up with Vischer’s Big Ideas Productions to produce VeggieTales® book tie-ins. One million VeggieTales® books are sold in the first eight months of publication.
2001- Zonderkidz partners with Project Angel Tree to provide gifts for nearly 70,000 children of prison inmates from 2001 to 2002.
2002- Zonderkidz releases the first 2:52 books.
2003- The Edge Devotional Bible is published for “tweens” (ages 8-12).
2004- VeggieTales® characters Bob and Larry join Donald Duck, celebrities like Whoopi Goldberg, and First Lady Laura Bush to promote reading and literacy in the nationwide campaign “Get Caught Reading.”
2004- Zonderkidz launches the Faithgirlz™ brand with author Nancy Rue. Faithgirlz™ books have sold more than ¾ of a million copies to date.
2005- Disney releases the motion picture The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Zonderkidz distributes movie tie-in products.
2006- Zonderkidz publishes the first BOZ™ books.
2007-Zonderkidz starts to publish faith-based I Can Read books.
2007- Zonderkidz signs a contract to publish 12 faith-based Berenstain Bears titles, authored by Mike Berenstain. The first four titles will release in Fall 2008. 2008-Zonderkidz launches its Young Adult (YA) fiction category with titles by three of the top five selling Christian YA authors: Melody Carlson, Bryan Davis and Bill Myers.
Zondervan, a
HarperCollins company, is a world leader in Christian communications and the leading Christian publishing brand. For more than 75 years, Zondervan has delivered transformational Christian experiences through general and academic resources by influential leaders and emerging voices, and been honored with more Christian Book Awards than any other publisher. Headquartered in Grand Rapids, Mich., with offices in San Diego and Miami, Zondervan conducts events and publishes its bestselling
Bibles,
books,
audio,
video,
curriculum,
software, and
digital products through its
Zondervan,
eZondervan,
Zonderkidz,
Youth Specialties,
Editorial Vida, and
National Pastors Convention brands. Zondervan resources are sold worldwide through retail stores, online, and by
Zondervan ChurchSource, and are translated into nearly 200 languages in more than 60 countries. Visit Zondervan on the Internet at
www.zondervan.com (mobile site:
zvan.mobi).
Zonderkidz™, a division of
Zondervan, inspires young lives through imagination and innovation. As the leader in Christian children's communications, it produces bestselling and award-winning
Bibles,
books,
board books,
graphic novels,
audio,
video, and
digital products that awaken the hearts and touch the souls of kids under 16 and the people who love them, from family members to educators. Zonderkidz is the publisher of the
NIrV (New International Reader's Version) Bible translation, the 3rd-grade reading level edition of the
NIV that is ideal for children and those who speak English as a second language. Visit Zonderkidz on the Internet at
www.zonderkidz.com.