New York, New York, June 19, 2026 — Hungry Minds, the independent publisher and creative studio behind the bestselling hand-illustrated encyclopedia, The Book: The Ultimate Guide to Rebuilding Civilization, has launched a special limited edition, in partnership with Sungai Watch and Sungai Design. Created specifically for this collaboration, the new limited edition of The Book features a unique jacket cover created by Lev Kaplan, lead illustrator at Hungry Minds, along with new interior illustrations celebrating Sungai Watch’s mission and incorporating Sungai Design’s upcycled chair models into the world of The Book.
Sungai Watch and its sister organization Sungai Design have created a new way to turn river waste into one-of-a-kind products. Focused on stopping plastic pollution in rivers before it reaches the ocean by installing barriers, these organizations collect captured waste and upcycle the material for practical uses like these Sungai Design upcycled chairs.
As part of the collaboration, Hungry Minds is donating $10,000 USD directly to Sungai Watch to support its environmental work in Indonesia and beyond. In addition, proceeds from the special limited edition of The Book, will go towards Sungai Watch’s cleanup efforts, and there will only be 95 copies in existence. Fans of Hungry Minds’ “magical artifacts” can purchase the special edition here.
The international publisher is also proud to announce the launch of The Hungry Minds Initiative - a new initiative created to support organizations, artists, and creatives whose work benefits humanity. To kick off this endeavor, Hungry Minds partnered with Sungai Watch, and now they invite creators, authors and creative projects by artists all over the world to apply for funding and production support. Applications will open soon. Visit the website to apply this summer.
Through the Hungry Minds Initiative, Hungry Minds plans to use the engine behind its books and product releases to help selected partners reach wider audiences through funding, creative collaboration, and promotional support. That platform has generated 1.6 billion annual media impressions, 3.6 million total social engagements, and supported a $4.7 million marketing budget in 2025 alone.
“The Hungry Minds Initiative was created because we believe in more than making beautiful things. For us, that means supporting people and organizations doing meaningful work in the world,” said Seva Batishchev, co-founder of Hungry Minds. “We are so happy that Sungai Watch is our first partner. Their work is urgent and genuinely beneficial to the world. They’re exactly the kind of partner we want to stand behind. This is only the start. We want the Hungry Minds Initiative to grow into a platform that helps more organizations, artists, and creators reach new audiences and build momentum around work that truly matters.”
Download Partnership Assets here.
About Hungry Minds
Hungry Minds is an independent publisher and creative studio known for ambitious hand-illustrated books, collectible objects, and creative projects that ride the line between education and design. Its flagship title, The Book: The Ultimate Guide to Rebuilding Civilization, has sold more than 400,000 copies worldwide.
About Sungai Watch
Sungai Watch is an environmental organization on a mission to stop plastic from going into the ocean. Founded in 2020 in Bali, Indonesia, Sungai Watch is a team of 150+ passionate river warriors, working every day to create solutions to stop the flow of plastic waste. By designing simple trash barriers and operating a collection, sorting and up-cycling system, they have created a scalable approach to tackling plastic pollution. They are on a mission to scale their work throughout Indonesia’s most polluted rivers and expand Sungai Watch internationally.
Media Inquiries
Danielle Reed
Director of Public Relations
E: Danielle@hungryminds.com | P: +1 678-485-5731
hungryminds.com
