MINNEAPOLIS July 20 2004 - Lerner Publishing Group announces the acquisition of The Millbrook Press and Twenty-First Century Books imprints.

Established in 1991, The Millbrook Press specializes in K-6 nonfiction for the school and public library market as well as for the trade bookstore market. Twenty-First Century Books is a nonfiction library imprint for grades 7 and up. The van Tulleken Company, with offices in New York and London, represented The Millbrook Press, Inc. in the sale.

Millbrook Press and Twenty-First Century Books will operate as separate imprints of Lerner Publishing Group. (With the finalization of the sale, "The Millbrook Press" will be referred to as "Millbrook Press.") In 2005, plans include launching 100 new titles from Millbrook Press and Twenty-First Century Books, bringing Lerner Publishing Group's annual total of new titles to over 400. Future plans include further expansion. The new imprints will add approximately 900 backlist titles to the Lerner Publishing Group lists, bringing the total number of books in print to over 2400.

"Millbrook and Twenty-First Century have fine lists that will fit in well with our solid base of titles for the school library market," said Adam Lerner, president and publisher of Lerner Publishing Group. "This acquisition enables us to continue to grow as one of the country's leading independent children's book publishers."

Sale of The Millbrook Press and Twenty-First Century Books imprints was made pursuant to The Millbrook Press, Inc.'s Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization plan.

Lerner Publishing Group plans to maintain a Millbrook Press/Twenty-First Century Books editorial office in Connecticut. Manufacturing and marketing will be handled through its Minneapolis office.

Lerner Publishing Group's distribution center in Minneapolis will immediately take over all order processing, warehousing, fulfillment, billing, customer service, and credit and collection for Millbrook Press/Twenty-First Century Books frontlist and backlist titles (formerly handled by Simon & Schuster).

Lerner Publishing Group will ship all Millbrook Press and Twenty-First Century titles beginning September 1, 2004.

Based in Minneapolis, Lerner Publishing Group, founded in 1959, is one of the nation's largest independent children's book publishers. The company is made up of the following imprints and divisions: Lerner Publications, Carolrhoda Books, First Avenue Editions, LernerSports, LernerClassroom, Kar-Ben Publishing, Millbrook Press and Twenty-First Century Books. For further information, visit Lerner Publishing Group's website at www.lernerbooks.com.