Debra Mostow Zakarin and Peter Norton of Printers Row Publishing shared their company’s story with SDtoday. | Photos via Printers Row Publishing Group; graphic by 6AM City
SDtoday readers, gather ‘round. This is the story of Printers Row Publishing Group (PRPG), a Sorrento Valley-based company captivating readers of all ages for the past 30+ years.
A division of Readerlink Distribution Services, PRPG is known for its interactive children’s books, activity kits, and classic literature — packaged in exciting, market-driven ways. The company features seven imprints and creates book ideas in-house with its talented writers and editors.
We chatted with VP/Publisher Peter Norton and Publisher/Senior Director of Children’s Publishing Debra Mostow Zakarin about the business. Turn the page.
Q: How many books do you currently have in print? A: [Mostow Zakarin] We have a little over 1,000 books currently in print, across all of the imprints.
Q: Walk us through some of your imprints: A: [Norton] Thunder Bay is primarily a crafts and activity-based imprint. We’ve grown significantly in licensing over the last four years, so we work with a lot of the big names. Some new licenses are “Stranger Things,” “Nightmare Before Christmas,” and Bob Ross is huge for us.
Canbury Classics features a $25 leather-bound classics line and we’re launching a new series, Crafted Classics, offering books that are embroidered on the covers.
A: [Mostow Zakarin] For Silver Dolphin, we’re always trying to develop interactive books. We have picture books and chapter books, but we’re really known for having a lot of ‘book plus’ — touch and feel flaps, movable parts — ways to have children utilize their fine motor skills.
Q: Where can San Diegans buy your books? A: [Norton] Wherever books are sold in San Diego — Barnes & Noble, Warwick’s, Verbatim Books, smaller local bookstores, and big stores like Walmart and Target. San Diego is a great reading town.
Novo Halloween Party | Friday, Oct. 27 | 4:30-9:30 p.m. | Novo Brazil Brewery, 901 Lane Ave., Chula Vista | Free | Wear a costume and enjoy specialty brews, games, a bouncy castle, and DJs spinning Top 40 Latin hits.
Halloween Aglow | Friday, Oct. 27-Saturday, Oct. 28 | 6-8:30 p.m. | Birch Aquarium, 2300 Expedition Way, La Jolla | $27-$30 | After the sun goes down, the aquarium will transform into a glowing nightscape featuring skeleton divers in the Giant Kelp Forest, live music, a costume contest, trick-or-treat stations, and more.*
San Diego Gulls vs. Abbotsford Canucks | Friday, Oct. 27 | 7 p.m. | Pechanga Arena, 3500 Sports Arena Blvd., San Diego | $20+ | Puck yeah — hockey is back at this Halloween-themed game.
Mask-O-Raid 2023 | Friday, Oct. 27 + Saturday, Oct. 28 | 7-10 p.m. | Comic-Con Museum, 2131 Pan American Plaza, San Diego | $125 | Funko founder Mike Becker leads this celebration of masks and mascots with a DJ, costume contests, and food and drink to benefit the Comic-Con Museum and Education Center.
Saturday, Oct. 28
Barktober Fest in North Park | Saturday, Oct. 28 | 9-11 a.m. | Morley Field Dog Park, 2225 Morley Field Dr., San Diego | Free | Bring your pup dressed in their Halloween costume to this community shindig featuring photo ops, a costume contest, prizes, and treats.
Fairy Tale Ball | Saturday, Oct. 28 | 11 a.m. | Mission Valley Branch Library, 2123 Fenton Parkway, San Diego | Free | Grab the little ones for this royal ball filled with crafts, games, and family fun; wear your costumes.
Jonas Brothers | Saturday, Oct. 28 | 7 p.m. | Viejas Arena, 5500 Canyon Crest Dr., San Diego | $70+ | If this makes you happy, “Love Bug,” it means you’re “Only Human": The sibling trio performs their “Five Albums, One Night” tour, with special guest Lawrence.
Eddie Griffin Live in San Diego | Saturday, Oct. 28 | 8 p.m. | Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Ave., San Diego | $45+ | The actor and comic performs at the historic downtown venue.
Sunday, Oct. 29
Día De Muertos: Espírítu de Xochímílco | Sunday, Oct. 29 | 12-7 p.m. | Barrio Logan, 2185 Logan Ave., San Diego | Free | Remember me: This community celebration will include tributes, live music, mariachi, and a screening of “Coco.”
US Women’s National Team vs. Colombia | Sunday, Oct. 29 | 2:30 p.m. | Snapdragon Stadium, 2101 Stadium Way, San Diego | $25+ | The US Women’s National Team plays at the Mission Valley venue for the first time in a friendly match against Columbia’s team.
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The county will expand dredging efforts in the Tijuana River Valley to remove trash and sediment and improve water flow across channels that impact nearby communities. The $5.1 million investment also aims to reduce flooding from the Tijuana River, which has contributed to the county’s environmental state of emergency.
Sports
Another one bites the dust. Bob Melvin is leaving the Padres for a manager gig with the San Francisco Giants. Melvin managed the Friars for two years — the historic 2022 NL Championship Series season and this year’s not-so-great showing. Who could be the team’s next manager? (AP + San Diego Union-Tribune)
Award
TIME has named UC San Diego’s network of wildfire tracking cameras one of the best inventions of 2023. The university’s tech-forward ALERTCalifornia system uses AI to help detect brush fires via 1,050 cameras placed throughout the state — including 52 in wildfire-prone areas of San Diego County.
Real Estate
RentCafe ranks downtown San Diego — or 92101 — the No. 8 zip code in the US for apartment construction in the last five years. From 2017 to 2022, the boom added 5,346 apartments to the area, or a 46.4% increase. SD’s stat outranked top zip codes in San Francisco. (RentCafe)
Trending
SeaWorld San Diego said an Emperor penguin chick was hatched at the facility last month — the first since 2010 in SD. The species is currently threatened; the theme park’s Penguin Encounter exhibit is home to a colony of 17 Emperor penguins, plus 300 penguins spanning several species.
Edu
Hispanic Outlook on Education Magazine said SDSU is No. 15 among top universities or colleges in the US for the total number of bachelor’s degrees earned by Hispanic/Latinx students in 2021-2022. SDSU is also No. 36 for the number of master’s degrees awarded to Hispanic/Latinx students. (SDSU NewsCenter)
Community
Encinitas’ inaugural Meet Your Elected Officials and Community Leaders reception is on Monday, Oct. 30, 5:30-7 p.m. at the Institute of Contemporary Art North. Locals will be able to connect with leaders like Congressman Mike Levin, Senator Catherine Blakespear, Assemblymember Tasha Boerner, and Mayor Tony Kranz. Buy tickets.
Arts
Art San Diego is coming to the San Diego Convention Center Friday, Nov. 3-Sunday, Nov. 5, and we can only “Imagine” the masterpieces headlining the art fair. The Lennon Art Collection — showcasing 50+ originals, lithographs, and prints by John Lennon — will be among the event’s buzziest displays.
Eat
Sweet tooth locals, this one’s for you: The Mental Bar will partner with the Straight Up Cake bakery for a pairing event Saturday, Oct. 28, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., at the Encanto cafe. Attendees will taste five cakes paired with coffee or tea drinks, plus a bonus round matched with wine.
Try This
National Chocolate Day is this Saturday, Oct. 28, and Carmel Valley’s Seabreeze Craft Chocolates will host a decorating class for kids at 10 a.m., and truffle-making classes for adults at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. The shop offers workshops year-round, but going on this day might feel particularly sweet.
A new entrance road and pedestrian walkway to Terminal 1 opens tomorrow on westbound North Harbor Drive beginning at Liberator Way. Construction is impacting airport traffic, so give yourself extra time to arrive before your flight.
The timeline is on track: The 5,200-space New T1 Parking Plaza is set to open in late 2024. Phase 1A, which includes 19 new gates, is slated to debut in late summer 2025. Phase 1B, with 11 more new gates, is expected in 2028.
I know it’s not even Halloween yet, but I’m already getting excited for upcoming holiday events in SD.
A fun one for the calendar: On Sunday, Nov. 12, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., the Mission Trails Regional Park Visitor Center will be transformed into the Holiday Marketplace featuring vendors selling nature-themed goodies. A portion of sales will benefit the Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation.
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