Scholastic Inc.

A blown knee, an injured ankle and a couch. What started as a chance encounter between a movie producer and a children's book author—both nursing injuries while at a brunch hosted by a mutual friend—has turned into a cross-media franchise to promote the recently published children's book "The Black Belt Club." The happenstance meeting led the people behind the book down a path with other savvy publishing companies engaging in a new wave of audience-building, sales-enhancing efforts that utilize multiple media. Michel Shane, co-president of Hand Picked Films Inc. in Los Angeles, had injured his knee while skiing. Dawn Barnes, karate-guru-turned-author, had injured her ankle.

For some, 2004 wasn't exactly easy on the blood pressure. For others, some gains planted seeds of optimism for 2005. Meanwhile, new business models are emerging incorporating print-on-demand. New technologies are being sought out to streamline workflow and cut costs. Cross-media publishing is starting to feel somewhat like the Gold Rush. Paper prices are rising, and demand in some grades could get tight this year. And that's just the beginning. The industry is also amidst a historic transition to a 13-digit ISBN number. E-books and handheld mobile devices are crossing the schoolyard and taking a seat in the classroom. Radio technology

It is estimated that 42% of the global wood harvested for industrial uses goes to paper production. Is it possible that the book publishing industry, a sector that depends heavily on paper production, can implement policies that help preserve endangered forests and biodiversity? Over 120 North American publishers believe it is possible, and they're working with the non-profit Green Press Initiative (U.S.) and Markets Initiative (Canada) to implement innovative production practices that have tangible environmental benefits. Innova, the root of the word innovation, means 'into the new'. The 'new' in this case is a growing movement among businesses to include social and environmental considerations into their

It seems as if a certain Phoenix is rising from gold rather than ashes. On Aug. 10, Scholastic released "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" in paperback, after the hardback edition had already earned the title of the fastest-selling book in publishing history. To support the paperback release, Scholastic launched a $1 million marketing campaign that tackled all ends of the advertising spectrum. By partnering with Internet search engine giant Google, Scholastic reached millions of Google-goers throughout the summer. Radio promotions and billboard advertisements along the routes to popular summer destinations also helped to announce the news, and the campaign didn't

The world's largest children's book publisher has decided to slice the fat out of its computer systems. Leading the charge is Reg Maton, who signed on as senior VP and CIO of Scholastic Inc. in December. Topping Maton's agenda: a complete evaluation of Scholastic's information systems, to look for overlaps. Redundant systems will be eliminated, allowing Scholastic to trim expenses and boost productivity. "They're looking to use technology to enable the business to reduce costs, [and to] consolidate certain processes, where you get productivity improvement by going to common processes," Maton says. "There's opportunity to eliminate redundancy, to consolidate, to rationalize where we

Some make a splash. Others won't tear. For swimmers who need to read workout guides in the pool or publishers wishing to avoid damage from freight distribution, durable papers are unique alternatives to traditional stock. Added to the staple of synthetic and super-substrates on the market, some publishers have even invested in water-proof materials to ensure that the books they produce survive in less traditional reading environments. The waterproof materials, though rare compared to a non-synthetic such as TruTech, are examples of how diverse book market concepts can be applied to multiple projects. As a result, future readers, who may be chin-deep in the

With his slight build, round rims and British accent, Harry Potter, the international star of the children's literati, has already inspired comparisons to beloved book characters including The Little Prince and Mathilda. Magical and quirky, the Potter series is reputed to be among the bestselling publishing cross-over hits ever with 55 million prints and counting in circulation in the U.S. alone. But what sets Potter apart from the pack is not so much the creativity of J.K. Rowling, but rather, the bite that the traditional print book series takes out of the multi-media world: toys, gadgets and a Hollywood movie replete with special effects

The same forces that dictate which clothing designer's spring line will garner the most retail attention—marketing, aesthetics and target audience—also influence seasonal buying trends. And while the debate withstands in determining the breadth of "good" literature based on either popularity or critical credibly, it's a fact that general reading audiences do judge books by their covers. As a result of the old adage, many book publishers and printers are developing ways of cornering consumers using unusual substrates and production methods to enhance design, of which fine art photography is a common thread. The following titles are among a few fresh examples of how

In the movie To Kill a Mockingbird, the soft, slow-rolling tones of the narrator's voice takes us back to 1930's Maycomb, AL, where time was slow and "there was nothing to buy and no money to buy it with." The rough accent of the narrator in Goodfellas places us quickly in the brutal milieu of the mob, where we watch the narrator climb his way up the family business ladder. The ideal typeface for a book is like the perfect narrator for a film: It draws the audience in and helps set the tone and style. "Every typeface has a personality," says Lisa Clark,

The right typeface makes elegant prose more pleasing, and striking cover art can stop consumers in their tracks. Nothing new there. Indeed, such traits have always seduced book lovers. But now, thanks to breakthroughs in foil and hologram production, some book covers reflect an ongoing technical revolution. In particular, hologram pioneers are adding a new dimension to the science of making a striking book. But there are pitfalls, as well as thrilling changes, facing those publishers who hope to make use of these technologies. A New Age for Covers Joseph Funicelli, president of Unifoil Corp., Passaic Park, NJ, says that since its introduction to the book market