W.W. Norton Will Launch Norton Waverly Imprint in 2027
The new imprint will debut its first title on April 6, 2027, featuring an inaugural work by author Kate DiCamillo.
Updated on Oct. 1, 2026 in Books
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Employee-owned publisher W.W. Norton & Company will launch a new trade imprint named Norton Waverly in spring 2027. The debut release, The True Story of Edith Leapyear, Child Outlaw: As Told by Herself by Kate DiCamillo, is scheduled for April 6, 2027.
Why it matters
The publisher aims to bridge the gap between children and adult audiences by producing titles suitable for shared reading. This expansion represents the first new imprint added to the company since 2019.
The imprint is named after the address on Waverly Place where W.W. Norton began operations in 1923, totaling 103 years of company history. It intends to release approximately six new titles each year in physical, ebook, and audiobook formats.
The players
W.W. Norton & Company
This is an established employee-owned book publisher founded in 1923.
Kate DiCamillo
She is a renowned author who wrote the inaugural title for the new imprint.
Karen Lotz
She serves as the director of children's books and strategic development for the company.
Autumn Loyal Watkins
She is an author from Kodiak Island, Alaska, who is slated to contribute titles to the new imprint.
The details
The imprint will focus on works that appeal to both children and adults, with future releases already planned from authors such as Colin Meloy, Carson Ellis, Rhiannon Giddens, Agathe Chave-Lucas, and Autumn Loyal Watkins. The new division will operate under the direction of Karen Lotz, who joined the company in September 2025.
Timeline
1923: W.W. Norton & Company began operations on Waverly Place.
September 2025: Karen Lotz joined the company to lead children's books and strategic development.
Spring 2027: The Norton Waverly imprint is set to officially launch.
April 6, 2027: The imprint will release its first book, The True Story of Edith Leapyear, Child Outlaw.
Industry Dynamics
The launch of Norton Waverly marks the first growth of the company's catalog since the 2019 expansion of W.W. Norton's publishing imprints. This move highlights a strategic shift toward titles designed to capture cross-generational appeal in an evolving literary market.
Readers can expect the new titles to be available in physical, ebook, and audiobook formats starting in early 2027. The content is explicitly designed for shared reading experiences, potentially changing how families or adult readers select books for their home libraries.
The takeaway
The creation of Norton Waverly signals a long-term commitment by W.W. Norton to invest in cross-generational storytelling. Consumers interested in these future releases should look for the inaugural title hitting shelves in early April 2027.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest developments in the publishing industry in our Books section.
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