ANDREWS MCMEEL ACQUIRES QUIRK BOOKS
Kansas City, MO (October 6, 2025) – Andrews McMeel Universal (AMU) has entered into an agreement with Quirk Productions, Inc. (QPI) for all of Quirk’s titles to become an imprint of Andrews McMeel Publishing (AMP), announced Kirsty Melville, president and chief executive officer of AMU. AMP assumed publication of Quirk’s frontlist and backlist titles effective October 1, including titles to be released in late 2025. Quirk founder and publisher Dave Borgenicht will become the publisher of the Quirk Books imprint of Andrews McMeel Publishing, reporting to Melville. Sales and distribution of the Quirk titles will remain with Penguin Random House Publisher Services. Borgenicht will work with staff in Philadelphia to wind down the QPI company and transition the imprint.
“I have known and admired Dave since he first launched Quirk Books and am excited to work with him,” said Melville. “Quirk’s witty, entertaining, and irreverent books seamlessly align with Andrews McMeel. We similarly tap into the zeitgeist, creating bestselling books that delight, inspire, inform, and entertain readers immensely.”
“We are delighted to add the Quirk Books imprint to our exceptional offering of titles,” said Hugh Andrews, chairman of Andrews McMeel. “They provide an ideal complement to our list, and will continue to do so in the future with their imaginative and engaging books.”
“I’ve been a fan of Andrews McMeel since I was in high school and I opened my first The Far Side® calendar,” said Borgenicht. “And I’ve admired their creativity and entrepreneurship for as long as I’ve worked in this industry—which is about as long as I’ve known Kirsty. I’m thrilled to be placing Quirk in their hands, and I'm really looking forward to doing some creative (and independent) publishing together.”
For nearly 25 years, Quirk titles have been a mainstay of popular culture. Its “Worst Case Scenario” series, has sold more than 10 million copies and has evolved into books, games, calendars, and two television series. In addition to its early bold “irreference” titles, which include The Action Hero’s Handbook, The Secret Lives of the U.S. Presidents, and The Baby Owner’s Manual, Quirk has expanded into multiple genres, including fiction, YA, and children’s books.
Throughout its history, Quirk remained focused on delivering unconventional, engaging, and entertaining books. Other bestselling, notable titles include Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Grady Hendrix’s Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires, pop classics such as Elf and Back to the Future, William Shakespeare’s Star Wars series, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, and many more. Collectively, these titles alone have sold more than 15 million copies.
Quirk will retain its mission: to live up to its name, and to publish playful, bold, and unconventional books that make life a little bit better. The Quirk imprint will be well-positioned to complement Andrews McMeel’s titles.
Quirk Books was represented by David Lamb of Book Advisors LLC. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
About Andrews McMeel
Andrews McMeel is the world’s largest independently owned feature syndicate and a publishing industry leader. Distinguished by a creator-first approach and the uncanny ability to tap into popular culture, Andrews McMeel specializes in comics, illustrated humor and inspirational content, with a remarkable roster of talent across syndication, book, calendar and greeting card publishing, digital consumer experiences and entertainment licensing, including dozens of New York Times best-selling authors and Pulitzer Prize-, Reuben Award- and Emmy Award-winning creators.