The Horn Book
The Horn Book is a 101-year-old specialty publisher of children's and young adult literature reviews, operating The Horn Book Magazine (6x/year) and the Horn Book Guide/Reviews Database for a community of 50,000+ librarians, educators, and enthusiasts, as a subsidiary of Media Source LLC.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1924
- HeadquartersBoston, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What The Horn Book does
The Horn Book, Inc. is a specialty publishing company founded in 1924 by Bertha Mahony Miller and currently headquartered in Dublin, Ohio (firmographic data lists Boston). It produces editorial content focused on children's and young adult literature, anchored by two core products: The Horn Book Magazine, a print journal published six times per year with digital editions featuring reviews, articles, interviews, and editorials; and The Horn Book Guide/Reviews Database, a searchable subscription database of short critical reviews of hardcover trade books for young people from 2000 to the present, rated on a 1–4 scale. Supporting the core subscription products are free e-newsletters (Notes from the Horn Book, Talks with Roger, The Horn Book Herald), editorial blogs (Calling Caldecott, Family Reading, Out of the Box, Read Roger), and the Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards, administered in partnership with The Boston Globe and The Boston Globe Foundation since 1967.
The company operates a subscription-based business model with individual tiers priced at $72–$119/year and a $99/year print+digital bundle, plus institutional/multi-user subscriptions sold via custom quote to libraries, schools, and organizations. Marketing is content-driven, leveraging free newsletters, social media presence across Facebook, Bluesky, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, and Twitter/X, and the annual Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards event. The Horn Book is a wholly owned subsidiary of MSI Information Services, Inc. (Media Source LLC), which also owns Library Journal, School Library Journal, Junior Library Guild, and AKJ Education, creating cross-promotional synergies within the library and education media portfolio. The company serves a stated community of 50,000+ librarians, teachers, media specialists, pre-service instructors, and children's literature enthusiasts, with publishers participating as advertisers through the Publishers' Previews supplement. Revenue is not disclosed; headcount is in the 11–50 range.
The Horn Book firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Horn Book
- Legal name
- The Horn Book, Inc.
- Website
- https://hbook.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1924
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Horn Book is a 101-year-old specialty publisher of children's and young adult literature reviews, operating The Horn Book Magazine (6x/year) and the Horn Book Guide/Reviews Database for a community of 50,000+ librarians, educators, and enthusiasts, as a subsidiary of Media Source LLC.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Horn Book industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Children's and Young Adult Literature Publishing
- NAICS
- Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131)
- SIC
- Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Children’s Subscription & Book Club Publishing (MPAJAFAO)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Children’s Reference & Encyclopedias (Dictionaries, Atlases) (EDAGAIAD)
Keywords
Where The Horn Book is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Horn Book business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Print Magazine Subscription: Print subscription to The Horn Book Magazine, published 6 times per year. Includes sharp editorials, insightful reviews, special features, starred books, and author/illustrator interviews.
- Digital Subscription: Digital-only subscription providing access to all digital content, full searchable archives dating back to 2010, digital exclusives, and collection development resources. Available on any device with up to three simultaneous logins.
- Print + Digital Bundle: Combined print and digital subscription offering the best value. Includes all print and digital content, collection development and readers' advisory tools, ability to build a personal library with saved articles and reviews, and access on up to three devices simultaneously.
- Institutional/Multi-User Subscriptions: Team and institutional access to The Horn Book's premium content in both print and digital formats for libraries, schools, and other organizations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Print + Digital Bundle - Best Value |
| Subscription | Annual | Digital Only - Standard |
| Subscription | Annual | Digital Only - Best Value |
| Subscription | Annual | Print Only |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels10 records
The Horn Book product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Horn Book publishes expert reviews, editorials, feature articles, and author/illustrator interviews about children's and young adult literature through The Horn Book Magazine (print, 6 issues per year, plus digital edition) and The Horn Book Guide / Reviews Database (a searchable online database of short critical reviews of hardcover trade books for young people from 2000 to present). It sells annual individual and institutional subscriptions, and administers the Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards in partnership with The Boston Globe.
Product overview
The Horn Book offers a comprehensive suite of publications and resources for children's and young adult literature. The core offering consists of The Horn Book Magazine (a 6x/year print and digital publication with reviews, articles, and editorials) and The Horn Book Guide/Reviews Database (a searchable collection of critical book reviews from 2000 to present). Supporting these are multiple free e-newsletters including Notes from the Horn Book, Talks with Roger, and The Horn Book Herald. The company also maintains several editorial blogs (Calling Caldecott, Family Reading, Out of the Box, Read Roger) and administers the prestigious Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards program. All content is accessible through subscription-based access to digital editions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The Horn Book Magazine: One of the most distinguished resources in the field of children's and young adult literature
- The Horn Book Guide
Products and services
- The Horn Book Magazine A distinguished journal in children's and young adult literature providing in-depth reviews, articles, interviews, and editorials; published 6 times per year in print with a full digital edition, available via individual annual subscription (print, digital, or combined bundle) and institutional/multi-user subscriptions for libraries and schools.
- The Horn Book Guide / Reviews Database A searchable online database offering short, critical reviews of recommended hardcover trade books published in the United States for young people from 2000 to the present, with each book rated on a 1-to-4 scale. Designed for librarians and educators performing collection development and readers' advisory work.
Companies that use The Horn Book
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The Horn Book technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
The Horn Book partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- The Boston Globe / Boston Globe FoundationcoreLong-standing partnership since 1967 to present the Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards, one of the nation's top honors in children's and young adult literature. Through The Boston Globe Foundation, the Boston Globe partners with The Horn Book to present these prestigious awards, which reflect a commitment to literacy, education, and the power of storytelling.
- Media Source LLC (MSI Information Services, Inc.)coreMedia Source LLC is the parent company of The Horn Book, Inc. The Horn Book website (hbook.com) is identified as a wholly owned subsidiary of MSI Information Services, Inc. MSI also owns sister publications Library Journal, School Library Journal, Junior Library Guild, and AKJ Education.
- Junior Library GuildmajorJunior Library Guild is a sister company under Media Source LLC. The two companies partner on the Horn Book Herald newsletter, which features new Horn Book Guide reviews and JLG selections. Junior Library Guild also handles licensing, permissions, and reprints for The Horn Book.
- Library JournalminorSister publication under Media Source LLC, sharing content partnerships and cross-promotional relationships.
- School Library JournalminorSister publication under Media Source LLC, sharing content partnerships and cross-promotional relationships.
- AKJ EducationminorSister company under Media Source LLC, appearing in partner logos on The Horn Book website.
- LittleBitsminorElectronic building block company featured in a promotional resource download partnership on the About Horn Book page.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Horn Book competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Kirkus Reviews: Long-established (1933) paid book review publication covering primarily adult and children's titles. Closest direct competitor in the paid professional book review space, with a similar mix of subscription, editorial content, and a Kirkus Prize awards program.
- Library Journal: Sister publication under Media Source LLC serving public and academic librarians with reviews and professional content. Comparable subscription + institutional review business model, broader in scope (all genres) but analogous GTM and customer base.
- Booklist (American Library Association): ALA's flagship review journal for libraries, offering book reviews and readers' advisory for children, young adults, and adults. Directly comparable as a subscription review resource serving librarians and educators.
- School Library Journal: Sister publication under Media Source LLC, also providing reviews, news, and professional resources for school librarians. Directly comparable business model (subscription + institutional) and overlapping audience in K-12 children's literature review.
- BookPage: Free consumer-facing monthly book review publication distributed via libraries and bookstores. Directly comparable editorial product (book reviews and author interviews), though distributed free rather than via paid subscription.
- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books: Academic journal of children's book reviews published by the University of Illinois iSchool since 1945. Directly comparable as a curated review publication serving children's literature professionals and librarians; Roger Sutton was previously its editor.
Broad incumbents
- Publishers Weekly: Long-running trade publication covering the entire book industry with reviews, news, and industry data. Comparable subscription + advertising model at broader (industry-wide) scope rather than the children's niche.
- The New York Times Book Review: Flagship Sunday newspaper supplement and digital property providing authoritative book reviews. Comparable as a high-credibility book review destination, though part of a much larger news organization rather than a focused subscription business.
Emerging players
- Goodreads: Largest user-generated book discovery and review platform owned by Amazon. Indirect competitor for end-reader attention and book discovery; not a professional review product, but increasingly substitutes for paid curated reviews among consumers and some educators.
Others
- Junior Library Guild: Sister company under Media Source LLC providing subscription book curation and selection services to school and public libraries. Closely related business in the same Media Source ecosystem, though its core offering is curated book delivery rather than reviews.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Horn Book social profiles
Digital presenceThe Horn Book financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Horn Book leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
The Horn Book funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Horn Book M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Horn Book
What does The Horn Book do?
The Horn Book publishes expert reviews, editorials, feature articles, and author/illustrator interviews about children's and young adult literature through The Horn Book Magazine (print, 6 issues per year, plus digital edition) and The Horn Book Guide / Reviews Database (a searchable online database of short critical reviews of hardcover trade books for young people from 2000 to present). It sells annual individual and institutional subscriptions, and administers the Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards in partnership with The Boston Globe.
Is The Horn Book a public or private company?
The Horn Book is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was The Horn Book founded?
The Horn Book was founded in 1924. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Horn Book based?
The Horn Book is headquartered in Boston, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Horn Book make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Print Magazine Subscription is the primary driver. The others are digital Subscription, print + Digital Bundle and institutional/Multi-User Subscriptions.
Who are The Horn Book's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, Booklist (American Library Association), School Library Journal, BookPage and Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. Broad incumbents are Publishers Weekly and The New York Times Book Review. Goodreads is listed as an emerging player. Junior Library Guild is listed as an others.
Does The Horn Book have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Horn Book.
What industry is The Horn Book in?
The Horn Book's product category is Children's and Young Adult Literature Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAFAO, Children’s Subscription & Book Club Publishing, with a secondary code of EDAGAIAD, Children’s Reference & Encyclopedias (Dictionaries, Atlases). Its NAICS code is 5131 and its SIC code is 2721.