Andrew Smith has been appointed SVP and publisher of Candlewick Press, Holiday House and Peachtree for the Walker Books Group
He will report to Walker Books Group president and publisher Belinda Ioni Rasmussen and he will be a member of the global leadership team based out of the New York office.
Smith will manage the publishing lists at Candlewick, Holiday House and Peachtree, following the departures of other longtime editors across the three houses, and have oversight of the editorial and design teams, with those groups reporting to him from his start date on 28th April.
He joins from Abrams Children’s Books, where he was SVP and publisher, and is returning to Candlewick after close to two decades, where he previously served as VP of sales. Smith has spent his 30-year-plus career in the children’s publishing industry and has worked with the likes of Andrea Beaty and David Roberts, Jeff Kinney, Alex Aster, Chris Colfer, Stephenie Meyer and Kate DiCamillo, as well as brands such as Star Wars, Marvel, Disney, DC, My Little Pony, LEGO and Dr Seuss. He currently serves on the board of directors of the Children’s Book Council.
Before joining Abrams in 2016, Smith was the SVP and deputy publisher at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. He started his career as a bookseller and assistant manager at Waldenbooks in Brooklyn, New York.
Smith said: “I’m thrilled and honoured to join the amazingly talented group at Candlewick Press, Holiday House and Peachtree. I’ve long admired their commitment to the creative vision of their authors, illustrators and partners. Their stellar lists and focus and dedication to publishing beautiful, inclusive and popular books have enriched the lives of countless kids and teens. I look forward to working with the teams in this exciting role to continue to grow, innovate and reach all kinds of readers in new and groundbreaking ways.”
Rasmussen said: “I’ve followed Andrew’s career for years and have consistently been impressed by everything he’s achieved. At Abrams he’s delivered results in a challenging marketplace through a thoughtful, strategic and visionary approach. I am excited about Andrew’s bringing that same leadership and inspiration to our publishing at Candlewick, Holiday House and Peachtree, taking it to new heights. I’m also thrilled to welcome him to the Walker Books Group leadership team at a very exciting time as we gear up for growth.”
