Publisher Profile: Blue Star Press
The CBC asks Sada Stipe, Senior Children’s Editor, questions about the publisher.
How did your publishing house start out?
Blue Star Press was founded in 2015. We got our start in the adult coloring book category, where we quickly became one of the leaders in the space with multiple New York Times bestselling titles. As the business quickly grew, we expanded into categories including wellness, creativity, food and drink, self-help, and gift publishing. In 2020, we launched our children’s publishing program, which has grown rapidly and now represents more than half of our annual publishing list. We’re proud to be distributed by Penguin Random House Publisher Services and to have been named one of the industry’s fastest-growing publishers by Publishers Weekly.
What is your publishing house most known for?
Our children’s publishing program is best known for books that support early development, learning, and play. We’ve found particular success in the 0–5 age range, as well as activity and interactive formats for ages 6–12.
We are also proud to be the publishing home of Tabitha Paige, bestselling author, illustrator, and certified speech-language pathologist. Her books and box sets have sold more than 750,000 copies and are beloved by parents and caregivers for being both beautifully illustrated and developmentally intentional. Her success has helped establish Blue Star as a trusted destination for thoughtfully designed books that support children’s growth and learning.
Where in the country is your house based? What do you love about being based there?
Blue Star is a fully remote company, with employees located around the world—from Oregon to Spain and many places in between. Not being tied to a single publishing hub gives us a perspective that’s fairly unique within the industry. Our team comes from a wide range of professional backgrounds, many of them outside traditional publishing, which encourages fresh thinking and constant curiosity about how things can be done differently. Our varied experiences help keep us nimble, entrepreneurial, and adaptable in a rapidly changing market.
How many employees does your house have?
We currently have approximately 40 employees across editorial, design, production, marketing, sales, operations, and product development.
Which genres does your house prefer to publish?
Within children’s publishing, we have found particular success in the 0–3 gift-book category—board books that make meaningful gifts for baby showers, birthdays, and new parents. We’re also expanding into activity- and play-based formats for ages 3–8, including sticker books, water-reveal books, lift-the-flap books, games, and other interactive products that encourage creativity and keep kids engaged off-screen.
Which formats does your house prefer to publish?
We don’t have a single preferred format. In fact, one of our internal goals is to launch one or two entirely new formats each year. Recent additions include sticker books, water reveal books, lift-the-flap board books, jacketed hardcovers, sound books, puzzles, plushes, wooden train sets, and other book-plus products. We love exploring formats that create memorable experiences for children and families.
What are some of your house’s publishing priorities over the next few years?
Expanding our children’s publishing program is at the top of the list. We’re always looking to discover new authors and illustrators, explore underserved age ranges and categories, and develop formats that help children learn, play, and connect with the people around them. We are especially interested in building long-term brands and series that can grow alongside young readers.
Which title has your house recently rallied behind?
I’ve Loved You from the Start by Tabitha Paige, which comes out in August 2026. It’s the kind of book that finds its way into baby showers, hospital gift shops, and first-birthday celebrations—a genuine keepsake that resonates with new parents and caregivers. We’re extending the series in Spring 2027 with a companion plush featuring the book’s Ducky character, giving readers more ways to love this story.
Which upcoming titles is your house buzzing about?
We are really excited about The Unbreakable Piñata from our bilingual brand Sí Sabo. It’s an interactive pop-up book reminiscent of Hervé Tullet’s Press Here in the best way. Gera Guillén’s piñata is a cheeky little character that kids will want to push, roll, and tickle again and again.
Which of your frontlist titles would be great for a classroom? Which grade?
Tabitha Paige’s forthcoming fall 2026 title, Winnie-the-Pooh: Finding Feelings, would be great for pre-K and kindergarten classrooms. It features a character kids already love and hits on important SEL topics like naming feelings and working through them in healthy ways. Also, another upcoming fall 2026 title—our Learn-to-Write Spanish Workbook from the Sí Sabo Kids line—is a natural for bilingual classrooms doing early handwriting and Spanish vocabulary work.
Which of your frontlist titles would you like to see get more attention from bookstores?
My Fancy Sticker Storybook Series. Author and artist Alli Koch has a fun, modern art style, and the characters and worlds she’s created are a real treat for kids ages 5–8. The books are beautifully designed and look better than anything else in the sticker book category, which makes them a natural impulse buy. The Mermaids edition is coming out in spring 2027, and we think it’ll turn a lot of heads on the shelf.
Name a few of your favorite backlist titles that people should check out.
Tabitha Paige’s board books Wishy Washy and Scribble Scrabble are two favorites we’re constantly recommending. Scribble Scrabble was recently recognized by Amazon as one of the Best Children’s Books of 2026 so far, and both titles do a wonderful job blending creativity, play, and developmental value in a way that feels effortless and fun.
What else would you like to tell us about your house and the amazing work you all do?
At Blue Star, we believe children’s books should be both beautiful and purposeful. Whether we’re creating a board book, workbook, sticker book, game, or gift product, our goal is always the same: to create experiences that help children learn, connect, and make meaningful memories with the adults who love them. We’re incredibly optimistic about the future of children’s publishing and excited to continue growing alongside the authors, illustrators, retailers, librarians, educators, and families who support our books.
Thank you, Blue Star Press!
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