Random House Graphic revealed its four-title launch lineup in an exclusive with The Hollywood Reporter on Wednesday. Included in the list are two middle-grade graphic novels, a young adult graphic novel, and a chapter book graphic novel aimed at younger kids. The imprint also revealed future titles to be published after the initial January 2020 launch, including a new graphic novel by New York Times best-selling writer Lucy Knisley.
In January, Random House Graphic will release The Runaway Princess by Johan Troïanowski, followed in February by Laura Knetzger‘s Bug Boys. Aster and the Accidental Magic by Thom Pico and Karensac will hit shelves in March, then Witchlight by Jessi Zabarsky will debut in April.
Per THR, future titles include Knisley’s Stepping Stones for May 2020, Andi Watson‘s Kerry and the Knight of the Forest, Trung Le Nguyen‘s The Magic Fish, and Sophie Escabasse‘s Witches of Brooklyn.
Random House Graphic is headed by former First Second associate director Gina Gagliano, former BOOM! Studios editor Whitney Leopard, and designer Patrick Crotty. In August, former DC publicist Nicole Valdez will join the team as marketing and PR manager.
“Random House Graphic is dedicated to publishing the best in kids and YA graphic novels,” Gagliano said in a statement. “It’s an incredibly exciting time for the graphic novel medium — with more readers coming to these stories, and new groundbreaking books being published, the category is expanding by leaps and bounds. We can’t wait to share our contributions to it with readers, booksellers, comic book sellers, educators, librarians and everyone who loves books and comics.”
Check out the covers, synopses and publication dates for Random House Graphic’s launch titles below. You can also visit the website for more information, including presale links.
The Runaway Princess by Johan Troïanowski
On sale January 21, 2020
This princess can’t resist the lure of adventure, but her parents aren’t quite on board in this fantastical graphic novel perfect for fans of Princess in Black and Phoebe and Her Unicorn! Robin? Robin? Robin?! Where are you? She couldn’t have gone far. . . . Princesses don’t run away to have their own adventures. Right? Princesses stay quietly and obediently at home. They would never want mermaids and swamps and pirates and getting kidnapped to be a part of their lives. Not this princess! Adventures await when Robin (bored of princess-ing all the time) embarks on the best adventure of her life—meeting friends along the way as she travels through the magical landscape of her country. But her parents aren’t so pleased—and they’re coming to find her and bring her back to the castle, no matter how she feels about it!
Bug Boys by Laura Knetzger
On sale February 11, 2020
Join two bug friends as they learn about the science of the world around them and the meaning of friendship in this early graphic novel series perfect for fans of Narwhal and Jelly! Rhino-B is a brash, but sweet guy. Stag-B is a calm and scholarly adventurer. Together these two young beetles make up the Bug Boys, best friends who spend their time exploring the world of Bug Village and beyond, as well as their own – sometimes confusing and complicated – thoughts and feelings. In their first adventure, the Bug Boys travel through spooky caves, work with a spider to found a library, save their town’s popular honey supply from extinction, and even make friends with ferocious termites! What challenges will these two earnest beetles face? Whatever it is, you can be sure that Rhino-B and Stag-B will face it together — with the power of friendship behind them.
Aster and the Accidental Magic by Thom Pico and Karensac
On sale March 3, 2020
A fun, action-packed fantasy adventure about a girl, her dog, and magic gone wrong! Quiet . . . birds . . . nature. . . . That’s what Aster expects when her parents move their whole family to the middle of nowhere. It’s just her (status: super-bored), her mom and dad (status: busy with science), her brother (status: has other plans), and . . . . . . magic? In her new home, Aster meets a mysterious old woman with a herd of dogs who gives her a canine companion of her own. But when she and her dog Buzz are adventuring in the forest, they run into a trickster spirit who gives Aster three wishes. After wishing for the ability to understand and talk to her dog, she becomes only able to talk in dog language . . . and the trouble she gets into is just starting. Maybe the middle of nowhere will be more interesting than Aster thought.
Witchlight by Jessi Zabarsky
On sale April 14, 2020
Love — loss — witches — this YA fantasy graphic novel has it all! This thoughtful, emotional story will entrance you with its moving story and organic artwork. Lelek is a witch. That’s all Sanja knows when she meets Lelek in the marketplace. But Lelek is hiding secrets — and as her life begins to intersect with Sanja’s, all that she’s hiding starts to come to light. Secrets, friendship, and magic all come together as Lelek gets closer and closer to uncovering the truth about her past. . . .Witchlight is a wonderful adventure filled with friendship, family, falling in love, and dealing with the hardest bits of your past all along the way.
