Logo for Etch
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt have announced plans to launch a children’s graphic novel imprint called Etch. The imprint is set to launch in September 2020, with the catalogue at launch consisting of seven titles, and an aim of publishing fifteen books per year.
The imprint will be overseen by HMH Publisher Catherine Onder, with the editors of HMH’s children’s imprints (Clarion, Versify, and HMH Books for Young Readers), all going to be acquiring properties for Etch. HMH already publishes a host of graphic novels, such as Kayla Miller’s “Click” and “Camp,” but Onder said in a statement that the decision to create a dedicated imprint was to make a “more visible home” for their books, as well as to expand their reach into “a vibrant category of books that plays a key role in turning children into lifelong readers.”
In September 2020, there will be three middle-grade graphic novels and one YA title:
“Dinomighty!,” by writer Greg Tine and illustrator Aaron Blecha, will tell an adventure story starring four dinosaurs, described as being in the same vein as Dav Pilkey’s “Dog Man” series.“Sherlock Bones and the Natural History Mystery” will be written and illustrated by Renee Treml, and follow a bird skeleton and their sidekick – who is a stuffed parrot – solving mysteries.“Carmen Sandiego: The Chasing Paper Caper,” which will be the third graphic novel based on the hit Netflix series.Ryan Inzana’s “Ichiro” will be the YA title at launch. The title, which was nominated for an Eisner Award in 2012 when it was first published, tells the story of a Japanese-American boy who starts experiencing supernatural encounters when his family moves to Japan.The other three currently announced titles are as follows:
“Timo the Adventurer,” a fantasy adventure story by writer Jonathan Garnier and illustrator Yohan Sacré. It will be released in October 2020.“Oh My Gods!,” the first in a series of graphic novels by writers Stephanie Cooke and Insha Fitzpatrick, and illustrator Juliana Moon. It will chronicle the story of a young girl who goes to a school on Mount Olympus with teenage Greek gods. It is scheduled for release in January 2021.“Power Up,” by writer Sam Nisson and illustrator Darnell Johnson, will combine middle school drama with robot video game battles. The book is set for release in February 2021.You can check out the covers for all four launch titles at Publishers Weekly.
