Publisher Profile: MamaBear Books
The CBC asks Ashley and Jeff Wall, Founders of MamaBear Books, questions about the publisher.
How did your publishing house start out?
As a former educator, I knew from the very beginning how powerful reading would be in my own home. From day one, I read to my babies. Before they could talk. Before they could sit still. Before they understood the words, they understood the rhythm, the closeness, the magic.
Books were never just bedtime routines in our house. They were adventures. They were conversations. They were invitations to imagine.
Over the years, after reading thousands of stories, I felt something stirring. I saw the way certain books made children sit up straighter. The way their eyes lit up when they saw characters solving problems, being brave, working together. I also saw the shift happening around us. Screens were becoming louder. Faster. More constant. Childhood felt like it was speeding up.
And I knew there was a need.
A need for stories that slowed things down. A need for imagination to take center stage again. A need for books that didn’t rush kids out of childhood but instead protected it.
I felt called to create books that would spark imagination and build confidence. Books that would empower kids to stay curious. Books that would remind them they are capable. Brave. Strong thinkers.
What is your publishing house most known for?
Creating stories that children love and read over and over again. Stories that build confidence through imagination, keep kids, kids, and help children believe in who they are becoming.
Which genres does your house prefer to publish?
Fiction stories that take kids on adventures using their imagination.
Which formats does your house prefer to publish?
Hardcover picture books, board books, and chapter books.
6. What are some of your house’s publishing priorities over the next few years?
We aim to grow with our authors, establishing each one as a long-standing author who will inspire children and build a love for reading in children. We want to get books in the hands of children across the country and break into the international markets.
Which title has your house recently rallied behind?
The Wildflower Girls: Quest to Save Unicorn Magic is our first elementary chapter book that will be released this June. We are excited to broaden our audience and really start building confidence in a new set of readers.
Which upcoming titles is your house buzzing about?
Bix’s Balloons is going to be a really fun book that incorporates feelings and friendships with adorable dogs, as well as Counting My Colorful World, which will be our first lift-the-flap board book.
Which of your frontlist titles would be great for a school or public library?
The Day I Had a Zoo is a great one for libraries and schools. It is the fifth book in The Day I Had series, which follows four friends who use their imaginations to have larger-than-life adventures while showing kindness, practicing teamwork, and inclusion. All of the books in this series are always checked out at libraries.
The Wildflower Girls: Quest to Save Unicorn Magic will be a great addition to libraries and schools as well. It takes kids on a magical adventure where four friends have to work together to help a magical land in trouble. Kids will learn to problem solve, believe in themselves, and learn that the magic is within.
Name a few of your favorite backlist titles that people should check out.
The Day I Had a Bulldozer, The Day I Had a Dinosaur, The Handy Pandas, and How to Get an Alligator Out of the Bathtub are all really fun read-aloud books kids love!
Thank you, MamaBear Books!
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