Sourcebooks is launching Stonefruit Studio, an imprint focused on creative children's books across all age categories and formats. Stonefruit will publish 16-24 titles annually, starting in Summer 2026, and will include picture books, middle-grade, YA, graphic novels, and nonfiction titles. The imprint will be a place, the company said, "where authors and illustrators can showcase their bold narrative voices and distinct styles that bring the joy of reading to children of all ages."
Stonefruit Studio will be headed by editorial directors Ben Rosenthal and Mabel Hsu under the leadership of Jenne Abramowitz, editorial director for Sourcebooks Fire, Young Readers, and Jabberwocky. The team includes Mikaela Luke, editorial assistant, and Celeste Knudsen, senior art director. Erin Fitzsimmons, associate creative director at Sourcebooks, designed the logo for the new imprint.
The imprint's first year of releases will include a celebration of imaginative dreaming by Matthew Burgess and Matthew Forsythe; a hilarious tale about a princess pony by Jordan Morris and Charlie Mylie; the adventures of the last living dinosaur by Skylar Hogan; and a surreal chess-themed story by Jacob Sager Weinstein and Victo Ngai.
The middle-grade list will include a wildly reimagined hero's journey by Daniel Nayeri; a spooky, tech-twisted series by Erin Entrada Kelly and Eliot Schrefer; a humorous graphic novel about a secret organization of pests by Michelle Sumovich; and an adventurous graphic novel about a family taking on the Aztec underworld by Yehudi Mercado.
For young adult readers, the lineup features an Enola Holmes-meets-Buffy fantasy adventure by J.A. Morgenstein; and Firstborn, the first in a fierce romantasy trilogy by M.J. Hastings.
Rosenthal commented: "Stonefruit Studio is about celebrating stories that are fresh, diverse, and unexpected--in other words, 'stories that refuse to be eaten politely.' We're building a space where authors and illustrators can explore big ideas and take creative risks."
Hsu added: "Having an imprint team that spans departments--from marketing/publicity to editorial to design--all dedicated to the same books and mission will help us create better books. Stonefruit's approach will be highly collaborative, which means we're looking for creators who want to partner in how we edit, design, produce, market, and publish these books together."
Sourcebooks publisher and CEO Dominique Raccah said, "Stonefruit Studio exemplifies what Sourcebooks does best: empowering stories and their creators to connect with readers in profound ways. I'm so thrilled to see this talented team bring their passion and creativity to life with this new imprint!"
Jenn Gonzalez, senior v-p, publisher of children's, added: "With Stonefruit Studio, Ben and Mabel are creating something truly special, bringing an exciting array of stories that will inspire and captivate young readers. We are excited to offer a dynamic platform for authors and illustrators to push boundaries and redefine the landscape of children's books."