Author, illustrator, director, toy maker, and actor Matthew Gray Gubler and ABRAMS Books announced today the upcoming publication The Little Kid with the Big Green Hand as part of the launch of Gubler’s publishing venture Pumpkin Patch Press. The Little Kid with the Big Green Hand follows Gubler’s #1 New York Times bestselling book Rumple Buttercup: A Story of Bananas, Belonging, and Being Yourself and is aimed at readers of all ages; it will be published on September 26, 2023. The deal for World rights was negotiated by Andrew Smith, SVP, Publisher, ABRAMS Children’s Books, and Maggie Lehrman, Editorial Director, with Gubler and Colin Tanner, Head of Production, Gublerland. The book was edited by Rachel Poloski, Pumpkin Patch Press, Gublerland.
The Little Kid with the Big Green Hand is a heartwarming story of colors, creatures, and connection. It follows two unlikely friends, Chuck and Lenore, as they embark on a surreal journey of self-discovery and uncover the magic of seeing the world through someone else’s eyes. Lovingly hand-drawn and featuring a cloth cover and ribbon bookmark, The Little Kid with the Big Green Hand is a book to treasure, read, and reread.
“I want to make books that hug readers’ hearts and eyeballs,” says Gubler when asked about his new publishing venture. “As someone who adores every detail of the process, it just made sense. I would be personally hand-binding each copy of my books in my basement if I thought I could pull it off, but I probably wouldn’t get enough made for my hometown before accidentally cutting off a thumb, and I need my thumb to write more books. Luckily, I’ve joined forces with Abrams to help with that part. To me, they don’t make books; they make paintings you can read. We both share a deep love and appreciation for our readers and want to spoil them with the most beautifully crafted objects imaginable—the kind of things you want to pass on to future generations, or at least use as a colorful coaster.”
Gubler entered the publishing world in 2019, becoming a #1 New York Times bestselling author with his debut book, Rumple Buttercup: A Story of Bananas, Belonging, and Being Yourself. Gubler’s unique writing and illustrating style—every element of the book, including the copyright page and barcode, was meticulously drawn and written by hand—not only defied traditional categorization (it’s for ages 0–99 and up) but also resonated with a wide range of readers around the world. Since its release, the timeless and uplifting story of Rumple Buttercup has been printed in five languages and as a collectible Heirloom Edition released in 2021.
“Matthew Gray Gubler is an incredible storyteller, and his unwavering creativity and devotion to the art of books is tailor-made for our mission here at Abrams,” says Smith. “We are thrilled to launch our partnership with Matthew and his team at Pumpkin Patch Press to bring The Little Kid with the Big Green Hand—an unforgettable story of friendship and self-discovery—to readers everywhere this fall.”
About Matthew Gray Gubler
Matthew Gray Gubler is an Emmy Award–winning actor, director, author, toy maker, and painter from Las Vegas, Nevada. After starting his career playing the loyal intern in Wes Anderson’s The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004), Gubler starred as the lovable genius Dr. Spencer Reid on the internationally popular CBS drama Criminal Minds for fifteen seasons. During his time on the show, he directed twelve episodes as well as the mockumentary series Matthew Gray Gubler: The Unauthorized Documentary that lampoons his behavior behind the scenes. He has provided the voice of Simon the chipmunk in the wildly popular Alvin and the Chipmunks film franchise as well as voicing the Riddler for DC Comics’s animated film Batman: Assault on Arkham. He is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Rumple Buttercup: A Story of Bananas, Belonging, and Being Yourself, which has been printed in five languages. Gubler recently designed and released the HUGGABLE RUMPLE stuffed creature, based off the title character in Rumple Buttercup, to help raise awareness and to benefit artists with intellectual disabilities at One Step Beyond, Inc. OSBI provides comprehensive programs and services to individuals who have intellectual disabilities and their families. For more information on Matthew, please visit matthewgraygubler.com
About Abrams
Founded in 1949, ABRAMS was the first company in the United States to specialize in publishing art and illustrated books. The company continues to publish critically acclaimed and bestselling works in the areas of art, photography, cooking, craft, comics, interior and garden design, entertainment, fashion, and popular culture as well as narrative non-fiction and new works of fiction for adults; children’s books ranging from middle grade to young adult fiction to picture books to board books. ABRAMS creates and distributes brilliantly designed books with the highest production values under the following imprints: Abrams; Abrams ComicArts; Megascope; Surely Books; Abrams Image; Abrams Press; The Overlook Press; Cernunnos; Cameron + Company; Abrams Books for Young Readers; Amulet Books; Abrams Appleseed; and Magic Cat. ABRAMS also distributes books for Booth-Clibborn Editions, Bungie, Alain Ducasse Édition, Èditions de La Martiniére, Editions BPI, Global Golf Group, Lucky Spool, Milky Way Picture Books, The Museum of Modern Art, SelfMadeHero, Skittledog,Tate Publishing, V&A Publishing, and The Vendome Press.