Adventure Media & Events LLC, publisher of The Toy Book, The Toy Report, The Toy Insider, and The Pop Insider, named James Zahn as Editor-in-Chief of the Toy Book effective immediately. The announcement was made by Laurie Schacht, CEO. Zahn previously served as Deputy Editor of The Toy Book, a position he held since March 2021.
"For the past 38 years, The Toy Book has been the leading publication serving the toy industry across North America. It is an incredible honor to be asked to take the helm of this storied magazine at a time when kids and kidults are embracing the power of play and fueling industry growth in new ways. Backed by an incredible team here at AM&E, I look forward to keeping the industry on the #pulseofplay as we move ahead into 2023 and beyond."
After years of building his personal brand as “The Rock Father,” Zahn joined the Adventure Media & Events (AM&E) family in 2016 as a member of The Toy Insider Parent Advisory Board and a contributor to The Toy Book. In 2018, he contributed to the launch of the Pop Insider and continued growing his presence across all AM&E publications. In January 2019, Zahn joined AM&E full-time as a Senior Editor of The Toy Book, The Toy Insider, and The Pop Insider.
In addition to keeping the toy industry informed by writing daily news on toybook.com and print features for The Toy Book magazine, Zahn has expanded the brand’s reach and presence across all media. He regularly appears in regional and national TV segments across North America presenting the best toys for kids of all ages and has appeared on panels at Comic-Con International: San Diego (SDCC) and ASTRA Marketplace & Academy. He is also frequently called upon to provide expert commentary on the toy industry to major news outlets, including Yahoo! Finance, MarketWatch, Forbes, CNBC, BBC World News, and many more.
In his new role as Editor-in-Chief of The Toy Book, Zahn will continue to grow and evolve the brand across all media platforms and will continue working from his purpose-built home office outside of Chicago.
Zahn has 30 years of experience in the entertainment, publishing, and consumer products industries. Prior to joining AM&E, he created content for clients including Netflix, Fandango, and PBS KIDS, in addition to penning articles for Sprout (now Universal Kids), Pop Sugar, Chicago Parent, and others. He previously served as director of new media development for Fangoria and Starlog magazines.
In addition to his role as Editor-in-Chief of The Toy Book, Zahn will continue to serve as a Senior Editor for The Toy Insider and The Pop Insider.
