Much like many other consumer products, licensed book publishing benefitted from the wave of pandemic-induced nostalgia, but it also found a home in new streaming properties.

And while book sales overall have slowed – down by 1.6 million units in July from the previous month and 6% (414 million units) for the first half – there are signs that gains made from licensed books during the pandemic may hold going forward.  To begin with, overall book sales increased 2% in the week ended Aug. 20, but more importantly,  book publishers have broadened their business.

For example, Chronicle Books expanded its licensing agreement with Lego to include adult books and puzzles, the latter strengthened by the acquisition of Ridley Games and Game Rooms. In April 2023, Chronicle will return to the Marvel fold with the release of its first Marvel-licensed title in 15 years, “Thor and Loki Midgarrd Family”.

Meanwhile, in a potential sign of strengthening in licensing, Penguin Random House launched Random House Worlds, a new imprint dedicated to licensing including existing agreements for Star Wars, Minecraft, Stranger Things, Garfield, Magic The Gathering and others. As part of that effort, the Random House division will migrate existing frontlist and backlist titles to the new imprint starting in 2023, said Keith Clayton, VP and Deputy Publish of the company’s Del Rey imprint who will lead the new group, which will encompass titles stretching from novels to cookbooks and coloring books.

“The approach will enable us to have one conversation with readers, retailers and partners, delivering service to licensors and high-quality content to fandoms,”  Clayton said.

Those fandoms are forcing license book publishers, like many other licensees, to loosen their reliance on tentpole films and look elsewhere for potential content be it through streaming and SVOD services or collectible products themselves.  Random House Books for Young Reader last year paired Funko wand Universal Brand Development for a line of Little Golden Books featuring Universal properties and Funk’s Pop! Brand, the first fruits of which was “Universal Monsters Little Golden Book (Funko Pop!).”

Among the streaming properties there are new books being released is YouTube’s Super Sema, “Karma World” (Netflix) and Cry Babies (Magic), which is based on an IMC Toys property. And in the case of Chronicle, one its book series, Ivy, is being developed for Netflix.

“Consumers have an appetite for play and connection and you are connecting to a beloved brand, but in a new way and you are able to meet a consumer at any one touchpoint,” said Christina Amini, executive publishing director for art, food, lifestyle and entertainment at Chronicle, which is releasing the latest in its “Art of” book line – Wakanda costume designer Ruth Carter (Nov. 15) — to coincide with the Nov. 11 released of the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” film.  “People are rediscovering their fandoms and retailers are going for the beloved licensed brand and going with the tried a true. The availability of content has widened our publishing.”