ABRAMS
ABRAMS is a privately held, New York-based independent book publisher founded in 1949, operating 15+ imprints across children's books, graphic novels, comics, art books, and adult trade titles for global retail and direct-to-consumer distribution.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1949
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What ABRAMS does
ABRAMS is a privately held, New York-based independent book publisher founded in 1949, operating a multi-imprint portfolio spanning children's books, graphic novels, comics, art books, fiction, nonfiction, and gift/novelty formats. The company maintains 15+ imprints and subsidiary publishers including Abrams ComicArts (graphic novels and licensed IP), Amulet Books (middle grade and YA, home to the Diary of a Wimpy Kid franchise), Abrams Books for Young Readers, Abrams Appleseed, Abrams Press, Abrams Image, Abrams Fanfare, Magic Cat, KANA (manga), Megascope, Surely Books, Cameron Books, Cameron Kids, and acquired houses including The Overlook Press, Cernunnos, and Taunton Press. ABRAMS publishes over 1,173 children's titles and 309+ comic/graphic novel titles, anchored by the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series—authored by Jeff Kinney and recognized as the #1 international bestselling children's series with 21+ books and six Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards for Favorite Book.
The company's publishing operations center on editorial acquisition, content development, and multi-format production (hardcover, paperback, board books, ebooks, calendars, and novelty) priced from $8.99 to $200 depending on format and segment. ABRAMS monetizes primarily through one-time book sales to consumers and secondarily through licensing and royalty arrangements with major entertainment IP holders—most recently Paramount Pictures (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise, announced February 2026), Marvel Comics (Spider-Man, X-Men, Marvel Dimensions graphic novel), Disney (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Disney+ editions, Nightmare Before Christmas), and Scholastic (TMNT co-publishing). Distribution spans Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Bookshop.org, Powell's, and Indigo, alongside direct-to-consumer sales at abramsbooks.com and publishing-partner distribution for cultural institutions including MoMA, Tate Publishing, V&A, and Getty Publications.
ABRAMS operates globally across North America, the UK, Australia, and the Philippines via subsidiary rights agreements, with seasonal Spring/Fall catalog releases driving revenue cadence. The company employs 51–100 staff under CEO Michael Jacobs and President/CEO Mary McAveney, and maintains active social, newsletter, and catalog (Issuu) marketing channels. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; the absence of funding rounds, M&A activity, or disclosed financials positions ABRAMS as a founder-/privately-held, mature trade publisher whose recent strategic activity centers on entertainment IP licensing and vertical imprint expansion.
ABRAMS firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ABRAMS
- Legal name
- ABRAMS
- Website
- https://abramsbooks.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1949
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- ABRAMS is a privately held, New York-based independent book publisher founded in 1949, operating 15+ imprints across children's books, graphic novels, comics, art books, and adult trade titles for global retail and direct-to-consumer distribution.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ABRAMS industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Book Publishing
- NAICS
- Book Publishers (513130), Book Publishers (51313)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Genre & Category Publishing (Romance, Mystery/Thriller, Sci‑Fi/Fantasy, etc.) (MPAJAAAB)
Keywords
Where ABRAMS is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
ABRAMS business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Book Sales: Abrams generates revenue primarily through the sale of physical and digital books across multiple formats including hardcover, paperback, board books, and ebooks. The company publishes titles across diverse categories including children's books, graphic novels, art books, fiction, non-fiction, and calendars.
- Licensing and Publishing Rights: Abrams enters into publishing deals for licensed properties such as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise, Marvel comics, Star Wars, and other entertainment properties. These deals involve acquiring rights to publish derivative works based on existing IP.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Hardcover Editions |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Deluxe Collector's Editions |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Premium Art Books and Graphic Novels |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Paperback Editions |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels5 records
ABRAMS product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ABRAMS is an independent trade book publisher that develops, edits, designs, produces, and distributes illustrated and art books across multiple imprints. Its catalog spans children's picture books, board books, middle grade and young adult fiction (including the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series), graphic novels and comics (including licensed Marvel, Peanuts, and TMNT properties), adult nonfiction and fiction, photography, art, craft, and gift/novelty formats. The company sells through its own website and through major retailers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Powell's, Indigo, and independent bookstores.
Product overview
ABRAMS is a book publishing company with a multi-imprint portfolio architecture. The company operates several specialized imprints: Abrams ComicArts handles graphic novels and illustrated books; Amulet Books publishes middle grade and YA titles including the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series; Abrams Books for Young Readers focuses on picture books; Abrams Appleseed serves early childhood; Abrams Press covers adult nonfiction and fiction; and Abrams Image produces novelty and gift books. ABRAMS also distributes through publishing partnerships with entities like MoMA, Tate Publishing, and Bungie. The company's product portfolio spans children's books, graphic novels, comics, art books, fiction, nonfiction, calendars, and novelty/gift formats across 309+ comic titles and 1,173+ children's titles.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Abrams ComicArts: Comics and graphic novels imprint focused on licensed properties, art books, and original graphic novels
- Amulet Books
- Abrams Books for Young Readers
- Abrams Appleseed
- Abrams Image
- Abrams Press
- Abrams Fanfare
- Magic Cat
- KANA
- Megascope
- Surely Books
- The Overlook Press
- Cernunnos
- Taunton Press
Products and services
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series The #1 international bestselling children's book series by Jeff Kinney, published under the Amulet Books imprint with 21+ books, special Disney+ cover editions, movie diaries, and companion series including Awesome Friendly Kid. Jeff Kinney is a six-time Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award winner for Favorite Book.
- Mighty Marvel Team-Up Graphic Novel Series Children's graphic novel series featuring Spider-Man and other Marvel characters teaming up with other heroes, published under the Abrams Fanfare imprint.
- Marvel Dimensions Graphic Novel 112-page graphic novel by Alex Ross featuring approximately 200 new Marvel characters, published under the Abrams ComicArts imprint in partnership with Marvel Comics.
Quantifiable outcome
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid series is the #1 international bestselling children's series with 21+ books
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use ABRAMS
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
ABRAMS technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
ABRAMS partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Paramount PicturescoreAbrams has a publishing deal with Paramount for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise expansion, including new novels and graphic novels as part of Paramount's sweeping plans to expand the 40-year-old IP across multiple products and demographics under new Skydance ownership.
- ScholasticcoreScholastic is mentioned as a publishing partner for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise expansion alongside Abrams, indicating co-publishing arrangements for children's books and educational materials.
- Marvel ComicscoreAbrams ComicArts partners with Marvel Comics to publish Marvel Dimensions, a 112-page graphic novel by Alex Ross featuring approximately 200 new characters, scheduled for September release.
- BungieminorBungie is listed as a publishing partner on the Abrams website, suggesting collaboration on game-related books or publications.
- The Museum of Modern Art, New York (MoMA)minorMoMA is listed as a publishing partner, indicating collaboration on art books and museum-related publications.
- Tate PublishingminorTate Publishing is listed as a publishing partner, suggesting collaboration on art and culture-related books.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
ABRAMS competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Quirk Books: Quirk Books is a direct peer as an independent trade publisher with comparable pop-culture, fiction, and specialty illustrated book programs targeting similar consumer segments.
- Scholastic: Scholastic is a direct peer as one of the largest U.S. children's book publishers with comparable middle-grade, picture book, and graphic novel programs; explicitly co-publishing partner with ABRAMS on the TMNT franchise, confirming highly overlapping product and customer base.
- Chronicle Books: Chronicle Books is a direct peer as an independent illustrated book publisher focused on gift books, art titles, children's books, and stationery with a similar multi-imprint premium positioning.
- Workman Publishing: Workman is a direct peer as an independent publisher of illustrated gift books, calendars, children's titles, and lifestyle non-fiction with overlapping specialty retail distribution.
- Insight Editions: Insight Editions is a direct peer focused on premium licensed and pop-culture publishing (film, music, gaming tie-ins), closely mirroring ABRAMS' ComicArts and licensed franchise strategy.
Broad incumbents
- Penguin Random House Children's Books: Penguin Random House is a broad incumbent controlling major children's franchises (Dr. Seuss, Peppa Pig, Magic Tree House); competes with ABRAMS for shelf space, licensing deals, and bestseller rankings but operates at substantially larger scale.
- HarperCollins Children's Books: HarperCollins is a broad incumbent publisher with a major children's imprint (including Chronicles of Narnia, Pete the Cat, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz) directly competing for graphic novel, picture book, and middle grade market share.
- Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing: Simon & Schuster is a broad incumbent with significant children's and graphic novel programs (including licensed properties) competing for similar retail and licensing opportunities as ABRAMS.
- Hachette Book Group Children's Division: Hachette is a broad incumbent whose children's publishing division competes with ABRAMS for middle-grade, YA, and licensed IP partnerships across the U.S. retail and library channels.
Emerging players
- VIZ Media: VIZ Media is an emerging player in the U.S. manga market directly relevant to ABRAMS' KANA manga imprint; both compete for manga reader share, translator talent, and Japanese licensing relationships.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
ABRAMS social profiles
Digital presenceABRAMS financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ABRAMS leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
ABRAMS subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries16 records
ABRAMS funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ABRAMS 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 ABRAMS
What does ABRAMS do?
ABRAMS is an independent trade book publisher that develops, edits, designs, produces, and distributes illustrated and art books across multiple imprints. Its catalog spans children's picture books, board books, middle grade and young adult fiction (including the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series), graphic novels and comics (including licensed Marvel, Peanuts, and TMNT properties), adult nonfiction and fiction, photography, art, craft, and gift/novelty formats. The company sells through its own website and through major retailers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Powell's, Indigo, and independent bookstores.
Is ABRAMS a public or private company?
ABRAMS is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was ABRAMS founded?
ABRAMS was founded in 1949. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is ABRAMS based?
ABRAMS is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does ABRAMS make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Book Sales are the primary driver. The others are licensing and Publishing Rights.
Who are ABRAMS's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Quirk Books, Scholastic, Chronicle Books, Workman Publishing and Insight Editions. Broad incumbents are Penguin Random House Children's Books, HarperCollins Children's Books, Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing and Hachette Book Group Children's Division. VIZ Media is listed as an emerging player.
Does ABRAMS have an API?
No public API is recorded for ABRAMS.
What industry is ABRAMS in?
ABRAMS's product category is Book Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAAAB, Genre & Category Publishing (Romance, Mystery/Thriller, Sci‑Fi/Fantasy, etc.). Its NAICS code is 513130 and its SIC code is 2731.