What Adventure Publications does

Adventure Publications is a privately held specialty book publisher headquartered in Cambridge, Minnesota that focuses on regional, nature, and outdoors titles. Its catalog spans hundreds of active titles organized around state-specific wildlife field guides (anchored by author Stan Tekiela, with 175+ titles), the Critters series of children's wildlife pocket guides, the Nature's Favorite Foods cookbook line, and award-winning children's picture books. Authors include naturalists and biologists (Stan Tekiela, Alex Troutman) and cookbook authors (Julia Rutland), with content syndicated through newspapers and broadcast.

The company's commerce and distribution are centered on the AdventureKEEN owned e-commerce storefront, which sells Adventure Publications titles alongside books from Menasha Ridge Press and Wilderness Press. Customer acquisition is direct-to-consumer through the AdventureKEEN shop, an active blog, email newsletters, organic social media, and print/digital catalogs (2026 catalogs currently distributed). The business model is one-time book sales with no subscription or licensing model disclosed.

Adventure Publications operates as a small independent publisher (11-50 employees) without disclosed external funding, parent company, or M&A activity. There is no proprietary technology platform; revenue derives entirely from physical and digital book sales. Its competitive position rests on a deep content library, niche brand authority in regional/nature publishing, and long-standing author relationships rather than on technology differentiation.

Name

Adventure Publications

Legal name

Adventure Publications

Website

https://adventurepublications.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Adventure Publications is a privately held specialty book publisher in Cambridge, Minnesota that produces regional, nature, and outdoors titles — including state-specific wildlife field guides, children's wildlife pocket guides, and cookbooks — for nature enthusiasts, families, and home cooks.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Cambridge

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Book Sales: Adventure Publications generates revenue through the sale of physical and digital books. Their titles include field guides, nature books, children's books, cookbooks, travel guides, and regional books sold through the AdventureKEEN online store.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Adventure Publications is an independent book publisher that produces and sells printed nature, regional, and outdoors titles through its AdventureKEEN online store. Its catalog centers on Stan Tekiela's state-specific field guides for birds and mammals (covering nearly every U.S. state), the Critters Series of children's wildlife pocket guides, and the Nature's Favorite Foods cookbook line. The company also publishes children's picture books, birding and wildlife photography titles, and specialty nature books (geology, foraging, travel, regional history, ghost stories), and distributes selected hiking and outdoor titles from partner publishers Menasha Ridge Press and Wilderness Press alongside its own through the same storefront.

Product overview

Adventure Publications operates as a book publishing company with a diverse portfolio centered on regional, nature, and outdoors content. The core offerings include Stan Tekiela's state-specific field guides (birds and mammals) that form the flagship product line, complemented by the Critters Series of children's wildlife pocket guides. The Nature's Favorite Foods cookbook series represents a distinct publishing category, while children's picture books and specialty titles round out the portfolio. All books are distributed through the AdventureKEEN e-commerce platform. The company maintains author-driven content through its blog, with prominent authors including Stan Tekiela (nature/wildlife), Alex Troutman (children's wildlife), and Julia Rutland (cookbooks).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• State-Specific Field Guides (Birds & Mammals) Stan Tekiela's flagship series of field guides covering birds, mammals, and wildlife for specific U.S. states, organized by family and size, with full-color photographs, range maps, and species identification tips. Designed for practical field use by hobbyists, birders, and naturalists.
• Critters Series (Children's Wildlife Pocket Guides) State-specific wildlife pocket guides for children, featuring mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians with professional-quality photographs and 'Did You Know?' facts. Existing titles include Arizona, California, Michigan, Massachusetts, Texas, and Iowa.
• Nature's Favorite Foods Cookbook Series Ingredient- and technique-themed cookbook series by Julia Rutland, with titles including Cast-Iron Cooking, Apples, Tomatoes, Blueberries, Squash, Eggs, Rhubarb, and Maple Syrup; each title contains roughly 50 or more recipes.
• Children's Picture Books (Mamas & Babies series and nature picture books) Award-winning children's picture and board books on nature and wildlife themes, including the Mamas & Babies board book line and titles such as Super Animal Powers, Maggie the One-Eyed Peregrine Falcon, and Critter Litter, the latter three recipients of 2016 Mom's Choice Award Gold.
• Birding & Wildlife Photography Books Books focused on bird watching, bird feeding, and wildlife photography techniques and species identification, for hobbyists and amateur naturalists.
• Specialty Nature & Regional Books Specialty titles outside the core field guide and cookbook lines, including ghost story collections, geology guides, travel books, foraging guides, and regional history titles.
• Mammals of Wisconsin Field Guide (Second Edition) A specific state-specific second edition title within the Field Guides (State-Specific) line, covering all 71 species of Wisconsin mammals with updated photographs, range maps, and expert insights.

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and secondary.

• AdventureKEENcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAdventureKEEN serves as the primary distribution and e-commerce platform for Adventure Publications. The AdventureKEEN website (shop.adventurewithkeen.com) sells all Adventure Publications books alongside products from Menasha Ridge Press and Wilderness Press, functioning as the company's main online retail channel.
• Menasha Ridge PressminorOthersMenasha Ridge Press hiking and trail guides are distributed through the AdventureKEEN platform alongside Adventure Publications titles, expanding the product catalog available to customers.
• Wilderness PressminorOthersWilderness Press outdoor and hiking guides are distributed through the AdventureKEEN platform, complementing Adventure Publications' nature and regional book offerings.
• Stan TekielacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStan Tekiela is the company's most prolific and prominent author, having published over 175 field guides, nature books, children's books, wildlife audio CDs, puzzles, and playing cards. He is a naturalist, wildlife photographer, and writer who studies and photographs wildlife throughout the United States and Canada. His syndicated column appears in more than 25 newspapers and his wildlife programs are broadcast on Midwest radio stations.
• Alex TroutmancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlex Troutman is a Fish and Wildlife Biologist and Environmental Educator who has authored multiple Critters series books (Critters of Arizona, Critters of California, Critters of Michigan, Critters of Massachusetts, Critters of Texas, Critters of Iowa). He is known for his work encouraging diversity in nature and STEAM fields, including co-organizing Black in X weeks such as Black Birders Week and Black Mammologists Week.
• Julia RutlandsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerJulia Rutland is the author of the Nature's Favorite Foods cookbook series including Cast-Iron Cooking, Eggs: 50 Tried & True Recipes, Tomatoes, Blueberries, Squash, and Apples: 50 Tried & True Recipes.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Falcon Guides: An imprint of Rowman & Littlefield that publishes state-specific field guides, hiking guides, and nature books. Directly comparable to Adventure Publications in product format (state/regional guides), target customer (birders, hikers, outdoor enthusiasts), and distribution mix.
• Stackpole Books: Independent publisher of outdoor recreation, nature, wildlife, and regional guidebooks. Closely comparable to Adventure Publications in subject matter (field guides, regional nature titles) and customer base (outdoor recreationists).
• Lone Pine Publishing: Publisher of state-specific and regional nature, wildlife, and outdoor recreation guides. Directly comparable in product format, geographic focus, and target audience of nature enthusiasts and birders.
• Helm (Bloomsbury): Bloomsbury's Helm imprint publishes authoritative field guides covering birds, mammals, and wildlife globally. Comparable to Adventure Publications in product category (field guides for wildlife identification) though broader in geographic scope.
• Mountaineers Books: Nonprofit publisher specializing in outdoor recreation, hiking, and nature titles for the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Comparable in subject matter (regional outdoor and nature guides) and target customer profile.
• Timber Press: Publisher of books on gardening, plants, and natural history. Comparable to Adventure Publications in the nature publishing niche and the use of expert-authored, regionally-relevant content, though more focused on plants than birds/mammals.
• Cornell Lab Publishing Group: Publishes authoritative bird and nature guides, often in partnership with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Highly comparable to Adventure Publications in field guide content (especially birds) and target audience of birders and naturalists.

Broad incumbents

• Storey Publishing: Established publisher of practical books on gardening, homesteading, nature, and food. Comparable in subject-matter breadth within the nature/lifestyle space, with a larger catalog and broader retail reach than Adventure Publications.
• National Geographic Books: Major publisher of nature, wildlife, and reference titles under the National Geographic brand. Overlaps with Adventure Publications in field guides and nature content but operates at much larger scale with global brand recognition.
• Peterson Field Guides (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt): Iconic field guide series covering birds, mammals, plants, and insects across North America. The most established and recognized direct competitor in the field guide category, with far greater scale and retail distribution than Adventure Publications.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/adventurepub
• Facebookfacebook.com/adventurepublications
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/adventure-publications

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Adventure Publications