Kids Can Press
Kids Can Press is a Canadian-owned children's book publisher founded in 1973, producing 600+ titles including Franklin the Turtle, Scaredy Squirrel, and CitizenKid, distributed through Hachette Book Group and Peribo to bookstores, schools, libraries, parents, and blue-chip custom publishing partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1973
- HeadquartersToronto, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Kids Can Press does
Kids Can Press is a Canadian-owned children's book publisher founded in 1973 and headquartered at Corus Quay in Toronto, operating as a subsidiary of Corus Entertainment. The company's core product is a curated library of more than 600 titles spanning picture books, non-fiction, graphic novels, early chapter books, novels, first readers, and young adult titles, including flagship global brands Franklin the Turtle, Scaredy Squirrel, and the CitizenKid global-citizenship series, plus a young adult imprint called KCP Loft. Content is acquired from creators with a stated focus on diversity, social-emotional development, and underrepresented voices, and is delivered in both print and ebook formats. The company monetizes through three streams: wholesale book sales to the retail and library trade, direct-to-consumer sales via kidscanpress.com, and a custom publishing business producing branded content for blue-chip corporate partners, supplemented by licensing and permissions revenue from the underlying IP.
Kids Can Press sells primarily through established book-trade channels rather than its own sales force. Primary US and Canadian wholesale distribution is handled by Hachette Book Group, which also services international accounts through its International Department; the Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea region is served by Peribo. Marketing reach is built through social media (Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube), educator-facing resources such as leveled reading guides and Common Core alignment content, and trade catalog distribution on NetGalley, Edelweiss, and BN Catalist. The publisher is supported by Canadian public arts funding from Ontario Creates, the Ontario Arts Council, the Canada Council for the Arts, and Canadian Heritage, and has been recognized with 11 Governor General's Literary Awards and the 2017 Bologna Prize for Best Children's Publisher, North America.
Kids Can Press firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kids Can Press
- Legal name
- Kids Can Press Ltd.
- Website
- https://kidscanpress.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1973
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Kids Can Press is a Canadian-owned children's book publisher founded in 1973, producing 600+ titles including Franklin the Turtle, Scaredy Squirrel, and CitizenKid, distributed through Hachette Book Group and Peribo to bookstores, schools, libraries, parents, and blue-chip custom publishing partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kids Can Press industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Children's Book Publishing
- NAICS
- Book Publishers (513130)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Early Readers & Chapter Books Publishing (MPAJAFAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Children’s Religious & Values-Based Publishing (MPAJAFAL), Children’s Nonfiction Publishing (MPAJAFAE), Children’s Educational & Curriculum Publishing (MPAJAFAF), Children’s Digital & Interactive Publishing (E-books, Apps, Enhanced Content) (MPAJAFAJ)
Keywords
Where Kids Can Press is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Toronto
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Kids Can Press business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Book Sales: Revenue from publishing and selling children's books in physical and digital formats through wholesale distribution and direct-to-consumer e-commerce sales.
- Custom Publishing: Thriving custom publishing business in partnership with blue-chip brands.
- Licensing and Permissions: Revenue generated from granting permissions to reproduce material and utilize intellectual property of their creators.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Kids Can Press product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kids Can Press publishes and sells a library of more than 600 children's book titles spanning picture books, non-fiction, graphic novels, early chapter books, novels, first readers, and young adult titles, available in print and ebook formats. The company also operates a custom publishing business that produces branded children's content for blue-chip corporate partners and earns licensing revenue from its character properties and content rights.
Product overview
Kids Can Press is a single-product publisher of children's books, operating as a Canadian-owned children's book publisher and Corus Entertainment company. The core offering is a library of over 600 book titles spanning multiple genres including Picture Books, Non-Fiction, Graphic Novels, Early Chapter Books, Novels, First Readers, and Young Adults. The publisher's portfolio includes beloved global brands such as Franklin the Turtle, Scaredy Squirrel, and CitizenKid, supplemented by its young adult imprint KCP Loft and a custom publishing business serving blue-chip brand partners. Books are available in both print and ebook formats, distributed through Hachette Book Group.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- KCP Loft: Young adult imprint launched with a focus on properties with crossover potential.
Products and services
- Kids Can Press Children's Book Catalog A library of more than 600 children's book titles spanning Picture Books, Non-Fiction, Graphic Novels, Early Chapter Books, Novels, First Readers, and Young Adults, published by the Canadian-owned children's publisher. Available in print and ebook formats for parents, children, educators, and libraries.
- Franklin the Turtle
- Scaredy Squirrel
- CitizenKid
- KCP Loft (Young Adult Imprint)
- Custom Publishing Services
- eBooks
Companies that use Kids Can Press
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Kids Can Press technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Kids Can Press partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and regional.
- Hachette Book GroupcorePrimary wholesale distribution partner for all US and Canadian bookstore orders. Handles order fulfillment, shipping, and customer service for retail accounts. Located at 53 State Street, Boston, MA 02109 with toll-free support at 1-800-759-0190.
- PeriboregionalDistribution partner for Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea markets. Handles order fulfillment for ANZ region accounts.
- Corus EntertainmentcoreParent company. Kids Can Press is a Corus Entertainment company, providing corporate backing and synergies with other media properties.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Kids Can Press competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Scholastic: The largest US-based children's book publisher and distributor. Directly comparable as a publisher of children's picture books, chapter books, graphic novels, and young adult titles with deep school and library channel penetration.
- Albert Whitman & Company: Independent US children's book publisher with a long heritage in picture books and middle grade, including social-emotional and diversity-focused titles. Comparable in scale, mission, and editorial focus.
- Orca Book Publishers: Canadian-owned publisher with strong lists in children's picture books, middle grade, and YA, plus extensive Hi-Lo and educational titles. Comparable as a like-sized Canadian children's trade publisher with a broad format mix.
- Tundra Books: Canadian children's book publisher (Penguin Random House Canada imprint) publishing picture books, middle grade, and YA. Directly comparable as a Toronto-based Canadian children's trade publisher with a similar product range.
- Boyds Mills Press: US independent children's book publisher (Boyds Mills & Kane imprint family) producing picture books, non-fiction, and middle grade titles. Comparable as a small-to-mid-sized independent trade children's publisher with similar product breadth.
- Annick Press: Canadian children's book publisher known for innovative picture books, non-fiction, and YA. Comparable in mission, scale, and editorial focus on high-quality, socially engaged Canadian children's content.
- Groundwood Books: Canadian children's book publisher (House of Anansi Press imprint) focused on picture books, middle grade, and young adult titles. Closely comparable as a fellow Canadian-owned children's trade publisher with a values-driven, literary editorial profile.
- Candlewick Press: Independent US-based children's book publisher focused on high-quality illustrated picture books and middle grade fiction. Comparable as an independent trade children's publisher with similar editorial selectivity and award-track record.
Broad incumbents
- Penguin Random House Children's: Major children's division of the world's largest trade publisher, publishing picture books through YA across all major franchises. Comparable as a much larger incumbent in the same category with overlapping formats and channels.
- HarperCollins Children's Books: Major children's imprint within HarperCollins publishing picture books, middle grade, and YA globally. Comparable as a broad incumbent with extensive retail and institutional distribution reach.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Kids Can Press social profiles
Digital presenceKids Can Press financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kids Can Press leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Kids Can Press funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kids Can Press 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 Kids Can Press
What does Kids Can Press do?
Kids Can Press publishes and sells a library of more than 600 children's book titles spanning picture books, non-fiction, graphic novels, early chapter books, novels, first readers, and young adult titles, available in print and ebook formats. The company also operates a custom publishing business that produces branded children's content for blue-chip corporate partners and earns licensing revenue from its character properties and content rights.
Is Kids Can Press a public or private company?
Kids Can Press is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Kids Can Press founded?
Kids Can Press was founded in 1973. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Kids Can Press based?
Kids Can Press is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Kids Can Press make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Book Sales are the primary driver. The others are custom Publishing and licensing and Permissions.
Who are Kids Can Press's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Scholastic, Albert Whitman & Company, Orca Book Publishers, Tundra Books, Boyds Mills Press, Annick Press, Groundwood Books and Candlewick Press. Broad incumbents are Penguin Random House Children's and HarperCollins Children's Books.
Does Kids Can Press have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kids Can Press.
What industry is Kids Can Press in?
Kids Can Press's product category is Children's Book Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAFAB, Early Readers & Chapter Books Publishing, with a secondary code of MPAJAFAL, Children’s Religious & Values-Based Publishing. Its NAICS code is 513130 and its SIC code is 2731.