Disney Publishing Worldwide Announces New Children's Series Unlimited Squirrels With Best-selling Author Mo Willems

Hyperion Books for Children To Publish New Early Reader Series for Fans of Elephant & Piggie by Beloved Author and Illustrator

Disney Publishing Worldwide (DPW) announced today the creation of a new Hyperion Books for Children series by best-selling author and illustrator Mo Willems. In Unlimited Squirrels, Willems, creator of the revolutionary, award-winning, best-selling Elephant & Piggie series, is back with another breakout beginning-reader series featuring an ensemble cast of squirrels, acorns, and pop-in guests hosting a page-turning extravaganza! Each book in the new series features a funny, furry adventure AND bonus jokes, quirky quizzes, nutty facts, and so many squirrels!

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Mo Willems is a number one New York Times best-selling author and illustrator. He has been awarded a Caldecott Honor on three occasions, for Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale, and Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity. He has won two Theodor Seuss Geisel Medals and five Geisel honors for his celebrated Elephant & Piggie series. Mo began his career as a writer and animator on Sesame Street, where he garnered six Emmy Awards.

"I'm excited about creating these new Unlimited Squirrels adventures with my longtime team at Hyperion Books for Children," said Willems. "I hope these books will resonate with young readers who love funny stories, interesting facts, silly jokes, and an overabundance of squirrels."

Disney Book Group has been creating stories that foster a love of reading, inspire a child's natural curiosity, and excite families and fans for almost 90 years. The business has grown its collection of imprints including Hyperion Books for Children, Disney*Hyperion, Kingswell, Disney Press, Marvel Press, Freeform, Lucasfilm Press and more, to keep pace with rich content opportunities from across The Walt Disney Company (TWDC). The portfolio of content, which features a roster of best-selling authors such as Willems, also includes Rick Riordan, Melissa de la Cruz, Alexandra Bracken, Robert Beatty, and 40 New York Times best-selling titles in FY 2017 alone, spanning a mix of formats, genres, and play patterns that target a broad range of demographics—from children to adults.

"Hyperion has been incredibly fortunate over the years to publish a rich array of amazing authors and illustrators, and one of our greatest collaborations has been with Mo Willems," said Andrew Sugerman, executive vice president, Publishing and Digital Media at Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media. "We are thrilled to continue our wonderful relationship with the extremely talented and versatile Mo, and we can't wait to bring this hilarious, new hybrid of narrative stories with a surprising element of non-fiction sprinkled throughout to his legion of fans."

The first book in the new series, I LOST MY TOOTH!, goes on sale on October 2, 2018. The deal was brokered by Willems' longtime agent, Marcia Wernick, of Wernick & Pratt. The series will be edited by Tracey Keevan, executive editor at Disney Publishing Worldwide.

About Disney Publishing Worldwide

Disney Publishing Worldwide (DPW) is the world's largest publisher of children's books, magazines, and apps, igniting imagination through storytelling in ever-inventive ways. DPW creates and publishes books and magazines both vertically in-house and through an extensive worldwide licensing structure. As a leader in digital products, DPW creates best-selling eBook titles and best-in-class original apps. Headquartered in Glendale, California, DPW publishes books, magazines and digital products in 85 countries in 75 languages. For more information, visit www.disneypublishing.com.

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