Lori Benton has joined Abrams as SVP of its children’s publishing division. Benton comes to Abrams from Scholastic, where she has worked since 2011, most recently as VP and group publisher of Orchard Books, Scholastic Press picture books, Cartwheel, Scholastic Audio, and Weston Woods.
At Abrams, Benton will oversee all children’s publishing programs including, according to a release, “strategic planning, content development, digital publishing initiatives, and cross-functional collaborations across the company’s various channels.” She also will be responsible for building up Abrams’s children’s publishing program’s visibility in the marketplace “while maintaining Abrams’s reputation for high-quality, beautifully illustrated children’s books.”
Abrams, publisher of the bestselling Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney, is known for its art and illustrated books for both adults and children, published under nine imprints. The house has three imprints dedicated to children's books: Abrams Appleseed, Abrams Books for Young Readers, and Amulet.
Prior to her 14-year tenure at Scholastic in various roles, Benton held executive positions at several houses, including Harcourt, where she worked for seven years and served as VP and publisher of the children’s books division, and Capstone, where she was general manager and publisher of the fiction division. Benton has also served as chairman of the research committee for the Audio Publishers Association; held various leadership roles at Children’s Book Council, including chair and treasurer; and served as chairman of the board for Every Child a Reader, the nonprofit literacy foundation affiliated with the CBC.
“We are thrilled to welcome Lori to the Abrams family,” stated Mary McAveney, Abrams president and CEO, to whom Benton will report. “Her exceptional track record in driving publishing innovation, building strategic partnerships, and developing successful children’s content makes her the ideal leader to guide our children’s division into its next chapter of growth.”
