Our History

The Tale of One Man and a Dream
Once upon a time, a young Englishman named Sebastian Walker set out to publish the very best books for children. With publishing experience in sales, a small bank loan, and a huge entrepreneurial spirit, he launched Walker Books in 1978 in the spare bedroom of his home and convinced Wendy Boase, a brilliant editor, and Amelia Edwards, a visionary designer, to join him in his venture.

The three created a uniquely creative working environment and offered a level of support that was new in publishing, not just for their staff but also for the prominent authors and illustrators who quickly came aboard. These top names in publishing — including Helen Oxenbury, Nicola Bayley, and Colin McNaughton — were welcome to drop in unexpectedly at Walker Books, meet with their editors at any time, and even work in the pleasant, light-filled offices. (As you can imagine, the staff soon outgrew Sebastian's spare bedroom.) Years before Internet start-ups, Walker Books not only served lunch to its staff and visitors daily but also offered its authors and illustrators shares in the company profits. This generosity is still unique in publishing.

The message was clear: the books and their creators were the stars of Walker Books. This extraordinary commitment, support, and generosity earned the company a loyalty that endures even today.

When Sebastian Walker chose to expand internationally, he chose bookish yet vibrant Cambridge, Massachusetts, which reminded him of the London area where Walker Books eventually made its home. (Candlewick Press has since relocated to an even more vibrant area of Somerville.) Sadly, Sebastian died in 1991 shortly after launching Candlewick, as well as Walker Books Australia in Sydney, but his commitment to publishing excellent children's books lives on —and flourishes — as a legacy on three continents.

My, How We've Grown: Candlewick Press Today
Candlewick Press opened with a mere six employees, and in the years since then our staff has increased to nearly one hundred. We've published more than 3,000 remarkable children's books, including the classics Can't You Sleep, Little Bear? by Martin Waddell, illustrated by Barbara Firth; Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney, illustrated by Anita Jeram; My Very First Mother Goose, edited by Iona Opie and illustrated by Rosemary Wells; and It's Perfectly Normal by Robie H. Harris, illustrated by Michael Emberley.

We’ve also greatly expanded our list of extraordinary middle-grade and young adult titles, among them the National Book Award Winner The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume One: The Pox Party by M. T. Anderson and the Newbery Medal winners The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo and Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village by Laura Amy Schlitz.

And how could we forget the ’Ologies? Having taken flight with Dragonology, our New York Times best-selling publishing phenomenon continues to soar, offering a world of wonder in a series of lavish and whimsical novelty books—along with companion handbooks, novels, kits, and models spanning every genre and format.

Our logos—the original Big Bear spiriting a candle through the dark and the Candlewick C-flame, which now highlights our books for older readers — remind us that our authors and illustrators are truly the best and brightest in the business: Jez Alborough, M. T. Anderson, Anthony Browne, Lucy Cousins, Kate DiCamillo, Michael Emberley, Paul Fleischman, Wilborn Hampton, Martin Handford, Robie H. Harris, Kevin Hawkes, Amy Hest, Anita Jeram, Kathryn Lasky, P.J. Lynch, Megan McDonald, Iona Opie, Helen Oxenbury, Matthew Reinhart, Peter Reynolds, Robert Sabuda, Laura Amy Schlitz, Martin Waddell, Rosemary Wells, and so many others. With talent like that on the roster, our future looks bright indeed.

What's Next?
The growth within the company promises an even more expansive and exciting future. With our parent company, Walker Books in London and in Sydney; our new imprint, Templar Books (through which an array of exceptional, innovative British publishing finds its American home); a growing Web presence; and most important, the highest-quality children's books to span the globe; Candlewick Press is today part of a worldwide company with an infinite horizon. And this is just the beginning.

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