High Interest Publishing is really two companies - one in Toronto, Ontario and one in Buffalo, New York. Both companies produce novels that are specifically written, edited and designed for reluctant readers from age 8 to 18.
Founded in 2001, the Canadian company began with updating and reissuing titles from the old Series Canada/Encounter Series (US) for high-school students. Now it develops entirely new titles, including the HIP Junior series aimed at middle-school students with below-grade reading skills, HIP Edge titles for senior high students, HIP Fantasy novels, and HIP Professional Books for teachers. Soon the HIP Xtreme series will be available for students in grade 6 and higher with gripping stories of adventure.
The
American company, set up in 2008 in New York State, handles production and distribution in the United States from the Tri-Main Building at 2495 Main Street. We're proud to be a New York company and part of the Buffalo renaissance. Dina DiGiuseppe handles orders and shipping to all American customers. Both companies have a simple mission: producing excellent books for reluctant readers, levelled to match student reading ability with appropriate supports to encourage further reading development.
There are two components to this mission. The first is publishing high-interest, low-vocabulary books that carefully match student reading ability. One aspect of producing such books is readability, another is student testing. These work together to ensure that each title has real appeal for students, and never exceeds their level of reading skill.
The second component is to provide supports so teachers can use these books to build student reading skills. Our teacher's guides, reader's theatre plays, and teacher training programs all show teachers how to help students build comprehension skills and fluency as they read.
HIP was initially created as a partnership between Terry Durkin (formerly CEO of Listening for Pleasure Talking Books) and author Paul Kropp. The company has grown considerably in the last twelve years and is now incorporated in both the United States and Canada. Sadly, Terry Durkin - HIP's super salesman - passed away in April, 2012. Direct sales for HIP books are now handled by Jill Richardson who can offer special deals on orders over $500. Jill is always willing to handle questions or expedite orders in both the US and Canada.
The HIP team includes:
- Jill Richardson, Sales Director
- Paul Kropp, Editorial Director
- Lori Jamison, Educational Director
- Ruth Peterson, HIP Seminars Administrator
- Dina DiGiuseppe, Buffalo Office Manager
- Sally Chatfield, Production Coordinator
- Laura Brady, text design
- Bob Corrigan, covers and general design
HIP novels are sold by many distributors in the United States including BookSource, Follett and Saddleback. High Interest Publishing is part of the Chestnut Publishing Group in Canada. HIP novels are also available in England and Ireland in an adapted version from Robinswood Press. In Australia, HIP novels are distributed by INT Books. In Sweden, some of our novels are available in book form and on audio tape from RoseHip.
To contact HIP Books by mail: (In Canada) 391 Wellesley Street East, Toronto, ON M4X 1H5; (In the US) High Interest Publishing, 2495 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14214.
To contact the editorial offices by email: hip-books@sympatico.ca
To contact the sales office by email: info@hip-books.com
In Canada, High Interest Publishing acknowledges the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund and the Ontario Media Development Corporation Book Publishing program.