Global publishing program for Mattel brand will be based on the Girl of the Year and BeForever lines.

Mattel’s American Girl and Scholastic have joined forces to launch an extensive global publishing program based on the doll brand.

The multi-year license agreement will include a range of titles and formats for children, ages 5-12, and includes publishing for American Girl’s Girl of the Year line, including each character’s novels, as well as new formats for current and previously released Girl of the Year characters.

Scholastic will also release a non-fiction chapter book series inspired by the brand’s BeForever line and a new, original series of middle grade, chapter books, treasury books, guided journals and American Girl-branded yearbooks featuring activities and quizzes.

“American Girl has earned the loyalty and praise from parents and educators and continues to create unforgettable memories for millions of girls,” says Ellie Berger, executive vice president, Scholastic, and president, Scholastic Trade Publishing. “We are thrilled to collaborate with the American Girl team to develop an exciting and innovative publishing program that inspires, celebrates and empowers girls, while instilling a lifelong love of reading.”

Scholastic will begin to publish and distribute books simultaneously in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia, New Zealand and Asia starting in January 2017.

“Storytelling has always been at the heart of the American Girl brand, and we continue to evolve the way we use content to speak to girls today. Whether it’s character-focused stories, popular advice books or even our ‘AG Life’ YouTube series, our goal is to support girls in a variety of life stages and help them reach their full potential,” says Katy Dickson, president, American Girl. “Partnering with Scholastic helps expand our narrative and the reach of our empowering stories and characters, allowing us to connect with even more girls across the globe.”