Candlewick Press, established in 1992 and located in

Somerville, Massachusetts Somerville ( ) is a city located directly to the northwest of Boston, and north of Cambridge, in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city had a total population of 81,045 people. With an area ...

, is part of the Walker Books group. The logo depicting a bear carrying a candle is based on Walker Books's original logo. Sebastian Walker launched Walker Books from his spare bedroom in his London home in 1978. Walker Books grew and he founded Candlewick Press in 1992. Candlewick Press opened with only six employees and now has one hundred. Candlewick was first known for picture books but expanded to include board books, novelty books, e-books and middle-grade and young adult fiction and non-fiction. Candlewick is an important children's book publisher thanks to publications such as a series known as the ''Ologies''; Robert Sabuda and Matthew Reinhart's pop-up books; the ''Judy Moody'' and ''Stink'' franchises from author

Megan McDonald Megan Jo McDonald is an American children's literature author. Her most popular works is the series of books which concern a third grade girl named Judy Moody (written for grades 2–4). McDonald has also written many picture books for younger c ...

and illustrator Peter H. Reynolds; '' Guess How Much I Love You''; Martin Handford's Where's Waldo? books;

Lucy Cousins Elizabeth "Lucy" Cousins (born 10 February 1964) is an English author and illustrator of children's books. She is best known for her books featuring Maisy Mouse, but she has also published other children's books, such as ''Jazzy in the Jungle'' ...

' Maisy Mouse books, and

National Book Award The National Book Awards are a set of annual U.S. literary awards. At the final National Book Awards Ceremony every November, the National Book Foundation presents the National Book Awards and two lifetime achievement awards to authors. The N ...

winner ''The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Volume 1: The Pox Party'' by M. T. Anderson."Candlewick Turns Sweet 15: Picture books, then fiction prove a winning formula"
Judith Rosen. January 26, 2007. ''Publishers Weekly'' Volume 254 Issue 5 01/29/2007. Retrieved 2012-04-13. Candlewick's books continue to be in demand as demonstrated by recent

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

bestsellers ''

I Want My Hat Back ''I Want My Hat Back'' is a 2011 children's picture book by author and illustrator Jon Klassen. It was Klassen's first book as both author and illustrator. The book was published by Candlewick Press in September 2011. It is notable for its dark en ...

'' and ''

This is Not My Hat ''This Is Not My Hat'' is a 2012 American children's picture book by the author and illustrator Jon Klassen Jon Klassen (born November 29, 1981) is a Canadian writer and illustrator of children's books and an animator. He won both the Ameri ...

'' (also winner of the 2012 Caldecott Medal) by Jon Klassen and ''Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made'' by Stephan Pastis. Candlewick Press is home to author

Kate DiCamillo Katrina Elizabeth DiCamillo (born March 25, 1964) is an American children's fiction author. She has published over 25 novels, including '' Because of Winn-Dixie'', ''The Tiger Rising'', '' The Tale of Despereaux'', '' The Miraculous Journe ...

, having published her first novel, '' Because of Winn-Dixie'' (a

Newbery Honor Newbery is a surname. People * Chantelle Newbery (born 1977), Australian Olympic diver * David Newbery (born 1943), British economist * Eduardo Newbery (1878–1908), Argentine odontologist and aerostat pilot * Francis Newbery (disambiguation), ...

Book), along with ''

The Tiger Rising ''The Tiger Rising'' is a 2001 children's book written by Newbery Medal winning author Kate DiCamillo. It is about a 12-year-old named Rob Horton who finds a caged tiger in the center of the woods near his home. The book was a National Book Awar ...

'' (a

finalist), '' The Tale of Despereaux'' and ''

Flora & Ulysses ''Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures'' is a children's novel by American author Kate DiCamillo and illustrated by K.G. Campbell, published in 2013 by Candlewick Press. It tells the story of Flora Belle Buckman and a squirrel named Ul ...

'' (

Newbery Medal The John Newbery Medal, frequently shortened to the Newbery, is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), to the author of "the most distinguished cont ...

winners), ''The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane'' (a Boston Globe-Horn Book Award winner), the

Mercy Watson series ''Mercy Watson'' is a series of chapter books written by Kate DiCamillo and illustrated by Chris Van Dusen. Mercy Watson is the fictional pig who stars in the series. Mercy Watson is called a "porcine wonder" by Mrs. and Mr. Watson. She loves to ...

and ''Tales from Deckawoo Drive'' series of early readers, and ''The Magician's Elephant''. M. T. Anderson, author of the award-winning ''Octavian Nothing'' series of speculative historical fiction, is another of Candlewick's authors.

Toon Books Toon Books is a publisher of hardcover comic book early readers founded by Françoise Mouly. With titles by such creators as Geoffrey Hayes, Jay Lynch, Dean Haspiel, Eleanor Davis, and Mouly's collaborator and husband, Art Spiegelman, Toon B ...

was an imprint of Candlewick Press from 2010 to 2014. Nosy Crow was an imprint of Candlewick Press from 2011 to 2022. In 2019, Candlewick won six American Library Association Youth Media Awards including a

for ''

Merci Suárez Changes Gears ''Merci Suárez Changes Gears'' is a 2018 children's book (based on a short story from ''Flying Lessons and Other Stories'') written by Meg Medina. Mercedes "Merci" Suárez, the eponymous heroine, is a sixth grade scholarship student at an elite p ...

'' by

Meg Medina Meg Medina is an American children’s book author of Cuban descent whose books celebrate Latino culture and the lives of young people. She is the 2023 – 2024 National Ambassador of Young People’s Literature. Medina is the recipient of the 2 ...

, a

Caldecott Medal The Randolph Caldecott Medal, frequently shortened to just the Caldecott, annually recognizes the preceding year's "most distinguished American picture book for children". It is awarded to the illustrator by the Association for Library Servic ...

honor for ''Alma and How She Got Her Name'' by Juana Martinez-Neal, a

Coretta Scott King Coretta Scott King ( Scott; April 27, 1927 – January 30, 2006) was an American author, activist, and civil rights leader who was married to Martin Luther King Jr. from 1953 until his death. As an advocate for African-American equality, she ...

Illustrator award for ''The Stuff of Stars'' illustrated by

Ekua Holmes Ekua Holmes (born in 1955) is an American mixed-media artist , children's book illustrator, and arts organization professional. Holmes' primary method of art making is mixed media collage, by layering newspaper, photos, fabric, and other materi ...

, a Stonewall Book Award for ''

Julián Is a Mermaid ''Julián Is a Mermaid'' is an American children's picture book by Jessica Love. It tells the story of a boy who wants to become a mermaid and participate in the Coney Island Mermaid Parade. Love first began writing the book in 2014 while she ...

'' by

Jessica Love Jessica Love (born 1982) is an American theater actress, author, and illustrator. She is best known for her debut children's picture book '' Julián is a Mermaid,'' which has won the Stonewall Book Award and Klaus Flugge Prize. All of her books a ...

, a

Schneider Family Book Award The Schneider Family Book Award is an award given by the American Library Association (ALA) recognizing authors and illustrators for the excellence of portrayal of the disability experience in literature for youth. There is a category for children ...

for ''Rescue and Jessica: A Life-Changing Friendship'' by Jessica Kensky, Patrick Downes and illustrated by Scott Magoon and a Margaret Edwards Award for

M.T. Anderson Matthew Tobin Anderson (born November 4, 1968), is an American writer of children's books that range from picture books to young adult novels. He won the National Book Award for Young People's Literature in 2006 for '' The Pox Party'', the first ...

. The Walker Books Group is made up of Candlewick Press, Walker Books UK and Walker Books Australia. In May 2020, the group was acquired by Trustbridge Global Media.

Templar Books

Templar Books is Candlewick's first imprint and is a partnership between Candlewick Press and Templar Publishing in the UK. This imprint publishes picture books, novelty books and board books. Notable titles include Jonny Duddle's ''The Pirates Next Door'' and Levi Pinfold's ''Black Dog'' which received the

Kate Greenaway Medal The Kate Greenaway Medal is a British literary award that annually recognises "distinguished illustration in a book for children". It is conferred upon the illustrator by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) ...

in 2013.

Big Picture Press

Big Picture Press landed in the Fall of 2013 and publishes illustrated and high-quality books for readers of all ages. The imprint was developed by Templar Publishing in the U.K. as an alternative to digital publishing. Notable titles include ''Maps'' by Aleksandra Mizielinska and Daniel Mizielinski and a reissue of ''Nina's Book of Little Things'' by

Keith Haring Keith Allen Haring (May 4, 1958 – February 16, 1990) was an American artist whose pop art emerged from the New York City graffiti subculture of the 1980s. His animated imagery has "become a widely recognized visual language". Much of his wor ...

Candlewick Entertainment

Candlewick Entertainment launched in Spring 2014 to publish media-related children's books and TV and movie tie-ins including Peppa Pig.

Candlewick Studio

Candlewick Studio launched in Fall 2016 and publishes design-centric books with creators such as Ingela P. Arrhenius, élo, David Ellwand, Aaron Becker, and Carme Lemniscates.

MIT Kids Press and MITeen Press

The MIT Kids Press and MITeen Press imprints, launched in Fall 2021, are an innovative collaboration that pairs the expertise, reach, and creativity of both Candlewick Press and the MIT Press. The imprints offer lively, fascinating, and far-reaching writing on STEAM topics for young people and young adults.

Walker Books US

A new division of Candlewick Press, Walker Books US, launched in Fall 2018 and focuses on publishing fiction, graphic novels, and illustrated books for children and teens.

References

External links

* {{Authority control Book publishing companies based in Massachusetts Companies based in Middlesex County, Massachusetts Somerville, Massachusetts American companies established in 1992 Publishing companies established in 1992 1992 establishments in Massachusetts Children's book publishers