The Bookseller.com

1st December 2008

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Film and book club boost for Scholastic

08.09.08 Caroline Horn

Sales of the "Golden Compass" film tie-in books and growth of its school book club business helped Scholastic UK to a 15% rise in sales in the year to 31st May 2008. Turnover rose from £32.3m in 2007 to £37.1m this year with operating profits of £0.39m, up from a loss of £0.36m the previous year.

The company has used the “breathing space” provided by the its tie-in editions of Philip Pullman's Northern Lights series to develop its front list and coedition sales for its new picture book list, said group managing director Kate Wilson. Next year the publisher said it planned to launch its new picture book and novelties titles under the direction of Katherine Halligan.

While the publisher's core publishing and school book club sales were each up by about 40%, areas that remain “challenging” for the company include its magazine division and School Book Fairs, said Wilson.

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