Disney Publishing Worldwide Launches Two New Books to Coincide with Upcoming Television Premiere of High School Musical 2

Disney Publishing Worldwide released today High School Musical 2 Junior Novel (purchase from Amazon) and High School Musical: East High Yearbook (purchase from Amazon) in conjunction with Disney Channel's highly anticipated August 17, 2007 premiere of High School Musical 2, with over 1 million copies of the junior novel being shipped to U.S. retailers. To date, worldwide sales of High School Musical books are well over 4.5 million copies and an additional 18.5 million stickers/packets sold throughout Europe and Latin America. There are over 60 High School Musical related titles currently published worldwide and are sold in over 30 countries around the world. Titles have appeared on the best-seller lists in the US, UK and Spain.

Disney Press's High School Musical Junior Novel hit #1 on the New York Times best-selling list and spent 16 weeks on the list. The original novelization series- Stories from East High- from Disney Press based on High School Musical characters has also spent time on the New York Times best-selling list, as well as, USA Today's Top 150 Best Sellers. In the US, a total of 10 titles will be in stores in time for the August premiere of High School Musical 2 and 20 more titles are in development through spring 2008, including original fiction, novelty and High School Musical 2 tie-ins.

Premiering this August on Disney Channel, there is no stopping this tween phenomenon. Disney Records' soundtrack to High School Musical hit #1 on the Billboard Top 200 chart and is the best-selling album of 2006. The TV movie has spawned the #1 album of 2006, the year's #1 TV movie on DVD, a sold-out 42-city arena tour in North America, licensed amateur and professional stage productions, a best-selling junior novel, sheet music, and a popular consumer products franchise at mass retailers.

"High School Musical 2," part of the blockbuster Disney Channel Original Movie franchise, premieres Friday, August 17 (8:00 p.m., ET/PT) on Disney Channel U.S., and will be featured Saturday and Sunday, August 18 and 19 in online and on-air programming events hosted by the movie's cast. It will also premiere on Disney Channels around in the world beginning in September.

It's summertime, school's out and the East High Wildcats yet again take the center stage - this time at the Lava Springs Country Club, where Sharpay tries to lure Troy away from Gabriella and his friends and into a duet with her for the club's Midsummer Night's Talent Show - in Disney Channel's contemporary musical movie, “High School Musical 2,“? the sequel to the award- winning global sensation for kids and families.

DPW is the world's largest publisher of children's books and magazines with 441 children's magazines published and 120 million children's books sold each year. Disney Book Group is part of Disney Publishing Worldwide (DPW). Disney Book Group's imprints include Hyperion Books for Children, Jump at the Sun, Disney Press, and Disney Editions. Headquartered in New York, DPW publishes books and magazines in 85 languages in 75 countries, reaching more than 100 million readers each month.