Templar explores older market

Publisher and packager Templar in Dorking has appointed Bounce to market and distribute its new baby book imprint, Amazing Baby. The list, which is being sold exclusively to Mothercare and W H Smith, will be rolled out to the trade in spring 2004.

Sales and marketing director Ruth Huddleston says: "We will have a number of new formats available to the general trade in the spring. They will all be interactive, with noise and glitter."

The company is currently focusing on developing pre-school novelty and picture book titles and has expanded its picture book list to 10 titles this year. "We will be putting a lot more effort behind selling the picture books into the trade," Huddleston says. The picture book and novelty titles are distributed by Ragged Bear. Philippa Perry has joined Templar in a part-time PR and marketing role.

Templar also plans to move beyond its traditional market by developing titles for older children. It will launch its first title for the older market, Dragonology (£17.99, h/b, 1840115033), this autumn. Templar managing director Amanda Wood says: "We wanted to find a way to move into the market for older readers but still using our core novelty skills." The title, which is written by Templar's senior editor Doug Steer, integrates lavish spreads with interactive pull-out letters and so on. Illustrators include Helen Ward, Wayne Andersen and Douglas Carrell.

Dragonology was shown at Frankfurt last year and almost immediately sold to Candlewick in the US. The first print run for the 32-page book stands at 100,000 copies, of which 30,000 are destined for Australia. In the UK, it has already sold into W H Smith, John Lewis and Hamleys.