Official Twilight Illustrated Guide: Given New Name and Onsale Date

This press release just in from Little Brown:

– Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, a division of Hachette Book Group, has announced today at the Frankfurt Book Fair that it will release The Twilight Saga: The Official Illustrated Guide by Stephenie Meyer on April 12, 2011.  This definitive encyclopedic reference to the Twilight Saga is the only official guide and is full color throughout, including nearly 100 full-color illustrations and photographs.  The Twilight Saga: The Official Illustrated Guide will be released in hardcover for $24.99 and also be available as an e-book.

The Twilight Saga: The Official Illustrated Guide provides readers with exclusive new material and everything they need to further explore the unforgettable world Stephenie Meyer created in Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn and The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner.  The Guide also includes character profiles, outtakes, a conversation with Meyer, genealogical charts, maps, extensive cross-references, and much more.  Originally announced as “The Official Guide,” The Twilight Saga: The Official Illustrated Guide includes illustrations from several artists, including Young Kim, the illustrator behind the #1 New York Times bestselling Twilight: The Graphic Novel, Volume 1.

“I’m always amazed at how many in-depth questions my readers have about my characters and the world within the Twilight Saga,” said Stephenie Meyer.  “With The Official Illustrated Guide, I hoped we could incorporate as many details as possible, including character histories, like Alice’s back story.  I’m thrilled with the different artistic interpretations done by Young Kim and the other talented illustrators, including Bella’s wedding dress.  I hope the fans feel it was worth the wait!”

In five years, Stephenie Meyer has become a worldwide publishing phenomenon.  The Twilight Saga’s translation rights have been sold in nearly 50 countries and 116 million copies have been sold worldwide.

Hachette Book Group (HBG) is a leading trade publisher based in New York and a division of Hachette Livre, the second-largest publisher in the world. HBG publishes under the divisions of Little, Brown and Company, Little Brown Books for Young Readers, Grand Central Publishing, FaithWords, Center Street, Orbit, and Hachette Digital.

So, are you all excited? You can pre-order it here on Amazon for a discounted $14.29.