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Walker Books Group has made a significant decision by appointing Andrew Smith as the Senior Vice President and publisher overseeing its three U.S. children’s publishing divisions: Candlewick Press, Holiday House, and Peachtree.
Smith, who is transitioning from his role as Senior Vice President and publisher of Abrams Children’s Books, will officially begin at Walker on April 28. In his new position, he will report to Belinda Ioni Rasmussen, the president and publisher of Walker Books Group, and will be based in New York as part of the company’s global leadership team. Smith’s extensive experience includes serving as Vice President of sales at Candlewick and as Senior Vice President and deputy publisher at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, before his tenure at Abrams starting in 2016.
This newly created publisher role is designed to oversee the publishing lists for all three divisions, aiming to enhance their collective strength while respecting their distinct editorial voices. Rasmussen highlighted that “Andrew’s appointment is part of a broader strategy to strengthen each of our U.S. publishing houses by retaining the individuality and unique editorial vision of each house, while also benefiting from a single point of leadership, which can drive a more joined-up approach to strategy and publishing output,” as stated in PW.
Before Smith’s appointment, the editorial oversight for Candlewick Press was held by Katie Cunningham, who has moved on to Nosy Crow, while Derek Stordahl recently departed as managing director of Holiday House and Peachtree. With the new structure in place, Smith is expected to provide the strategic leadership necessary to define the editorial direction and identity of these U.S. houses, according to Rasmussen.
This development aligns with Walker Books Group’s recent efforts to build a cohesive presence in the United States. Belinda Ioni Rasmussen stepped into her role as the president and publisher of Walker Books Group last April after having directed Macmillan Children’s Books in the U.K. for twelve years, following Karen Lotz’s departure from the position of managing director of Walker Books Group in November 2023.
The acquisition of Walker Books Group by Trustbridge Global Media in 2020 marked a new chapter for the company, which is part of the Shanghai-based private equity firm Trustbridge Partners. This transaction occurred after Trustbridge’s prior acquisitions of Holiday House in 2016 and Peachtree Press in 2018. Furthermore, in 2022, Trustbridge established Trustbridge Entertainment, focusing on developing children’s programming based on book content.
Smith’s appointment also comes in the wake of a strategic decision made at the end of last year to close the Walker Books US imprint previously led by Susan Van Metre. Currently, Van Metre is contributing to Walker in a freelance capacity, as mentioned by Rasmussen.
Rasmussen observed that the changes implemented over the past year reflect an integration of key operations within Walker. This included forming a unified sales and marketing team for Candlewick Press, Holiday House, and Peachtree, now under the leadership of Mary Marotta, the Senior Vice President of sales, marketing, and business.
Looking ahead, Rasmussen indicated that Walker anticipates an evolution of its publishing strategy in the coming years aimed at improving financial outcomes for the group. “That said,” she added, “any changes we make will be firmly rooted in the values that define our houses—namely, editorial and design excellence, deep care for author and illustrator relationships, and an unwavering commitment to quality and creativity.”
She stressed, “Walker’s strategy is not about simply increasing volume. Our focus will be on publishing with greater purpose, ensuring each title has the best possible chance to thrive—creatively and commercially.”
With Andrew Smith officially taking on this pivotal role within the leadership team, Rasmussen expressed optimism about the future. “We’re excited to have someone of his caliber leading our publishing into its next chapter, working in partnership with his colleagues in the U.S. and overseas.”
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