Sir Paul McCartney Creates Children's Book Coming This October With a 1st US Print-run of 500,000

Sir Paul McCartney Creates Children's Book Coming This October With a 1st US Print-run of 500,000

NEW YORK, June 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Sir Paul McCartney has signed with Penguin Young Readers Group to publish his children's picture book, High in the Clouds: An Urban Furry Tale, in the United States on October 4, 2005. The initial US print-run is planned at 500,000 copies.

This book will have two day publication of October 3 and 4 in 8 countries (and counting).

"Having worked on this story and the characters for many years, it's very exciting for me to see things come to fruition in what I think will be a remarkable book," said Paul McCartney.

For the project, McCartney teamed up with veteran children's book author, Philip Ardagh and animator, Geoff Dunbar. The story for High in the Clouds was inspired by an animated film called "Tropic Island Hum" on which Dunbar and McCartney had collaborated.

"This is going to be a major best-seller for us, and I know that a whole new generation of readers will become fans of Paul," says Doug Whiteman, the President of Penguin Young Readers Group who brokered the deal with the Editorial Director of Faber and Faber UK; Suzy Jenvey.

The book will be published under the Dutton Children's Book imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group, a division of Penguin Group (USA).

For more information on this book or others from Penguin Young Readers Group, please feel free to contact: Katrina Weidknecht, Director of Publicity, (cell at BEA: 917.544.0466) or Keith Mutzman, Senior Publicist (phone: 212.414.3464 or cell: 646.483.7924). Headshots and cover image of the book are available upon request.

Penguin Group (USA) is the U.S. affiliate of the internationally renowned Penguin Group. Penguin Group (USA) is one of the leading U.S. adult and children's trade book publishers, owning a wide range of imprints and trademarks including Berkley Books, Dutton, Frederick Warne, G. P. Putnam's Sons, Grosset & Dunlap, New American Library, Penguin, Philomel, Plume, Puffin Books, Riverhead Books and Viking, among others. The Penguin Group is part of Pearson (FTSE: PSON; NYSE: PSO). Pearson is an international media company with market leading businesses in education, business information and consumer publishing. For more information, visit http://www.pearson.com/ .

Source: Penguin Group

CONTACT: Katrina Weidknecht, Director of Publicity, cell at BEA: +1-917-544-0466, Keith Mutzman, Senior Publicist, +1-212-414-3464, +1-646-483-7924 (cell), both for Penguin Young Readers Group

Web Site: http://www.pearson.com/

NOTE TO EDITORS: Review copies will be embargoed until book is on sale.

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