JoJo’s Guide to the Sweet Life

ABRAMS SIGNS 13-YEAR-OLD DANCE STAR, SOCIAL MEDIA SENSATION, AND ANTIBULLYING ADVOCATE JOJO SIWA TO BOOK DEAL

JoJo’s Guide to the Sweet Life, a memoir launching in Fall 2017, inspires young girls to find the courage and confidence to go after their dreams

New York, NY (February 15, 2017)—Amulet Books, an imprint of ABRAMS, today announced a book deal with 13-year-old singer, dancer, actress, and social media influencer JoJo Siwa, entitled JoJo’s Guide to the Sweet Life. Publishing in October 2017 with a first print of 250,000 copies, the book is a nonfiction middle-grade memoir that shows young women how they can move past bullying and negativity to accomplish anything they imagine. The acquisition, for world rights, was negotiated by Andrew Smith, Senior Vice President and Publisher of ABRAMS Children’s Books, and Anne Heltzel, Senior Editor at Amulet, with Sarah Passick and Celeste Fine of Sterling Lord Literistic, Inc. Heltzel will edit the book.

Fans will recognize JoJo Siwa from her time on Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition and Dance Moms; her hit single, “Boomerang”; her YouTube show, JoJo’s Juice; and her line of accessories at Claire’s, especially her signature bowsSeparately, Siwa has signed an exclusive partnership deal with Nickelodeon to develop a line of consumer products inspired by the popular teen.

JoJo’s nonfiction literary debut with JoJo’s Guide to the Sweet Life is the next generation’s version of a real-life Cinderella story: Nebraska girl becomes Hollywood’s belle of the ball thanks to her spunky attitude and creative drive. At her core, JoJo is a fierce antibullying advocate who has had to deal with online bullying most of her life, and she strives to help others stand up for themselves. Through the lens of JoJo’s personal experience and playful voice, she digs into themes such as finding your passion, appreciating your individualism, and the importance of being loyal. The book is also a go-to antibullying resource for kids, parents, and teachers when discussing how to go high when bullies go low.

According to Siwa, “My fans are always asking me how I deal with bullying and negativity. Now I can share all my stories with them in this book. It’s my guide to positivity and the sweet life. I’m super-excited to share it with everyone!”

JoJo Siwa is a YouTube personality, singer, dancer, businesswoman, and social media influencer. Visit www.itsjojosiwa.com for more. She connects with her fans through many channels: via social media, where she currently has almost over 4.7 million followers on Instagram, 8.5 million followers on Musical.ly, 250,000 Twitter followers, over 250,000 likes on Facebook, and over 401 million views on her YouTube channel; through her SIWANATOR club, which stands against negativity and bullying; through her line of accessories at Claire’s; and with her single, “Boomerang,” which has been viewed over 183 million times.

“JoJo has been such a strong role model for her countless fans, and we greatly admire the strength and power of her message of celebrating individuality, keeping strong in the face of adversity, and never giving up,” said Smith. “We’re thrilled to publish JoJo’s book this fall and share her inspiring words with readers and fans around the world.”

More information about the book can be found at www.abramsbooks.com/jojosiwa.

###
Founded in 1949, ABRAMS was the first company in the United States to specialize in publishing art and illustrated books. Now a subsidiary of La Martinière Groupe, the company continues to publish critically acclaimed and bestselling works in the areas of art, photography, cooking, craft, comics, interior and garden design, entertainment, fashion, and popular culture; children’s books ranging from young adult fiction to picture books to board books. ABRAMS creates and distributes brilliantly designed visual books with the highest production values under the following imprints: Abrams; Abrams ComicArts; Abrams Image; Abrams Books for Young Readers; Amulet Books; Abrams Appleseed; and a gift and stationery line, Abrams Noterie. ABRAMS also distributes books for The Vendome Press, Victoria & Albert Museum, Tate, Royal Academy of Arts, Booth-Clibborn Editions, Five Continents, SelfMadeHero, MoMA Children’s Books, and others.