Candlewick Press

Big Bear and the Candlewick C-flame, the brand image of Candlewick Press.

Summary

Candlewick Press is an independent publishing company located in the U.S. Their goal is to make reading for kids, either beginning or learning to read, a fun and enjoyable experience. They primarily publish picture books as a result, with beautiful illustrations and great writing alike. Candlewick Press also keeps a socially and environmentally responsible image in its company and with their audience. It's for these reasons that Candlewick Press is the future of children's literature.

Cover of Where's Waldo (2012). Illustrated by Martin Handford.

Candlewick Press's Mission

Candlewick Press was founded in 1991 in Massachusetts by Sebastian Walker and officially started publishing in 1992. Candlewick Press was the third publishing house that Sebastian Walker founded, the first being Walker Books U.K. in 1978 and subsequently a second Walker Books in Australia in 1991. In the U.S., the name “Walker” was already in use by another company by the time Sebastian Walker wanted to begin his U.S. publishing house. In more recent years, as of 2017, Candlewick Press has bought back the rights to the name and released a series of books that celebrated their history as Walker Books U.S. with their most popular books that jumpstarted their career. Candlewick Press’s mission has been, and currently is, to promote reading for children and make engaging picture books and stories to foster a new era of literacy in future generations.

Cover of Judy Moody No.1 (2018). Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds.

Candlewick Press Publications

Certain titles featured on Candlewick Press's main page exemplify their mission to make reading accessible. Accessibility for new readers, for learning readers, and readers who have yet to see themselves in a book.

-       Where's Waldo is a property of Candlewick Press and their most famous character. Authored and illustrated by Martin Handford, Where’s Waldo, or Where's Wally in the U.K., series is among the most popular seek-and-find books. Such books train kids to begin to understand shapes and colors and get them to start “reading” through comprehending images on a page.

-        Judy Moody is a book series that combines both prose and pictures and was written by Megan McDonald, as well as illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. The series main audience is elementary age children. By using both words and pictures to offset mundanity and keep kids brains active, the Judy Moody series helps children get into reading more easily than jumping straight into prose-only books.

Cover of Julián Is a Mermaid (2018). Illustrated by Jessica Love.

-       Julián Is a Mermaid, a title featured on Candlewick Press’s website, won the Stonewall Book Award for its message of self-acceptance and queer pride, the BolognaRagazzi Award, and the Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Honor. This book was written and illustrated by Jessica Love. This is one of many titles Candlewick Press has that feature queer characters and creators, as well as BIPOC voices in children’s literature, such as Alma and How She Got Her Name, by Juana Martinez-Neal, winner of the Caldecott Honor Book Award and the Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Honor. These two books are the most influential part of Candlewick Press’s mission, to support new writers and open the world of children’s literature for all kids.

Brand Identity

Candlewick Press's brand identity is tied to their primary audience, mostly elementary age children who are just starting to read. Picture books are their most published format for the press. Because of this, they have a family-friendly image in mind and it shows in their artwork and even in their mascot, Big Bear, a bear holding a candle. Most of Candlewick Press is geared toward a younger audience, but they also publish some YA novels. As for teaching audiences, Candlewick Press provides plenty of resources for teachers to educate their students. The press itself has a very open idea of publishing and believes strongly in the freedom to read. This is demonstrated through their inclusion of diverse authors and artists. Though Candlewick Press is a for-profit company, another part of the company’s identity is to give back to the reading community and being environmentally conscious. They sponsor the Light the Way: Outreach to the Undeserved Grant, which gives $3,000 of assistance to libraries that demonstrate a desire to reach as many readers and non-readers as they can through programs and events. They also started a program called Candlewick Cares, which ensures that all of the publishing press's paper comes from reputable and recyclable sources.

Candlewick Press Structure

Candlewick Press has been through recent restructuring of its company with new hires and swapping positions with its partner publishers, especially in editorial areas. These partner publishers include Walker Books U.K., Walker Books Australia, Holiday House, and Peachtree Publishing. All of these associates are part of the Walker Books Group which was acquired in 2020 by Trustbridge Global Media. Karen Lotz is the current publisher and president of Candlewick books. She has been with the company for nearly 25 years and continues to be a part of Candlewick Press’s journey. At the moment, the company has over 100 employees, not including the authors and illustrators that Candlewick Press works with. The editorial directors are Emma Ledbetter and Sarah Ketchersid, senior executive editors are Kaylan Adair and Hilary Van Dussen. Though these editors each belong to their own genre of publishing, senior executive editor Andrea Tompa and executive editorial director Mary Lee Donovan work between all the separate parts. Each member is very experienced in their field, making this a great move for Candlewick Press.

Pricing

Candlewick Press's books are much more affordable in comparison to other publishing houses. The price range is usually between $6.00-$18.00 for children's books and graphic novels, which is less expensive than usual pricing for books combining pictures and words.

Candlewick Press's Impact

Candlewick Press has had a massive impact in readers' lives whether they know it or not. It's been a constant and popular source of children's literature for decades. Their mission has also slightly changed from its beginning. Making reading for kids accessible has not changed, and will likely remain a core part of their brand. With book bans becoming more prevalent, Candlewick Press has made an effort to push back with frequent features of BIPOC and Queer books. If Candlewick Press remains strong in its message of freedom to read, they could be a strong beacon of hope for readers everywhere.

References

• Handford, Martin. Where’s Waldo? : Deluxe Anniversary Edition. Somerville, Ma, Candlewick Press, 2012.

• “Home Page - Candlewick Press.” Candlewick Press, 15 May 2025, www.candlewick.com.

• Love, Jessica. Julián Is a Mermaid. Somerville, Massachusetts, Candlewick Press, 2018.

• Martinez-Neal, Juana. Alma and How She Got Her Name. Somerville, Massachusetts, Candlewick Press, 10 Apr. 2018.

• Mcdonald, Megan. Judy Moody. Somerville, Massachusetts, Candlewick Press, 2018.

• Mohr, Anais. “Candlewick Press.” Independent Publisher - Gbpublisher, 2024, independentpublisher.com/article.php?page=2092. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

• O’Sullivan, Joanne. “Emma Ledbetter Joins Candlewick as Executive Editorial Director of Picture Books.” PublishersWeekly.com, 2025, www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/98745-emma-ledbetter-joins-candlewick-as-executive-editorial-director-of-picture-books.html. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

• “Our Story - Candlewick Press.” Candlewick Press, 8 Apr. 2025, www.candlewick.com/our-story/.

• Rosen, Judith. "Candlewick Focuses on Branding at 25." Publishers Weekly, vol. 264, no. 37, 2017, pp. 20. ProQuest, http://libgateway.susqu.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/trade-journals/candlewick-focuses-on-branding-at-25/docview/1980688874/se-2.
• Walker Books. “Life at Walker - Walker Books.” Walker Books, 27 Nov. 2024, www.walker.co.uk/about-us/life-at-walker/.
• “Walker Books - Walker Books - Childrens Books.” Www.walker.co.uk, www.walker.co.uk.
• “Walker Books Australia | for the Best Books, Look for the Bear.” Walker Books Australia, www.walkerbooks.com.au.