HarperCollins and the Girl Scouts Launch Publishing Program

HarperCollins and Girl Scouts team up for an eight-book initiative, featuring fiction and nonfiction on friendship, leadership, and more. First book out this fall.

on May 17, 2024

HarperCollins and the Girl Scouts Launch Publishing Program | Frontlist

HarperCollins Children's Books has teamed with Girl Scouts of the USA to create an eight-book publishing initiative, with the first title set to be released this fall. Plans contain both fiction and nonfiction, with a focus on topics like friendship, leadership, action, and making the world a better place, which are all fundamental to the Girls Scouts organization.

The first book, Maven Takes the Lead, is a middle grade story written by Pura Belpré Award winner Yamile Saied Méndez, who has written 20 volumes, spanning picture books (Where Are You From?), middle school novels (The Trouble with Sunshine), and young adult novels.

Maven Takes the Lead, which will be released on September 24, is about a fifth-grade student who wants to win the school's robotics competition with the help of her classmates and her Girl Scout unit; in the process, they all learn to make a positive influence through courage, confidence, and character. This is the first installment of a planned series highlighting the varied members of Maven's Girl Scout group.

The first middle-grade nonfiction publications will be available in January and April 2025, respectively. They include a guidebook, Take Action: You Can Make the World a Better Place, and a guided notebook, The Ultimate Friendship notebook: An Interactive Guide to Making New Friends and Keeping the Ones You Already Have. Both have quizzes and writing suggestions, and other activities.

The remaining five Girl Scout novels under contract will be published throughout 2026. They will contain another middle grade novel, as well as publications for younger readers, such as a picture book and three I Can Read! level readers.

Cait Hoyt of CAA licensed world rights for the Girl Scouts of the USA's publishing program to Nancy Inteli, VP and Publisher of HarperCollins Children's Books, and Erika DiPasquale, Editor.

The Girl Scouts have expanded their brand into a variety of consumer product areas. Some of its recent goods debuts include Native body care, Hard Candy makeup, MGA Entertainment's plastic Girl Scout cookie booth, Chameleon Organic's cookie-flavored cold-brew coffees, and many more. Earthbound Brands represent the group for licensed brand extensions.