Astra Publishing House
Astra Publishing House is a New York-based independent multi-imprint book publisher founded in 2020, publishing across adult literary fiction/nonfiction, science fiction and fantasy (DAW Books), children's books, comics and graphic novels (TOON Books), poetry, and educational titles for readers from preschool through adulthood.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Astra Publishing House does
Astra Publishing House is a private, New York-based independent book publisher founded in 2020 that operates as a multi-imprint platform serving readers from preschool through adulthood. The portfolio spans 11 sub-brands across distinct genres and age groups: Astra House (adult literary fiction and nonfiction), Astra Young Readers and Astra Books for Young Readers (umbrella for children's titles), Calkins Creek (children's history/nonfiction), Hippo Park (picture books), Kane Press (educational children's books), minedition (international picture books), Minerva (diverse children's stories), Wordsong (children's poetry), TOON Books (comics/graphic novels for grades K-6, acquired February 2022), and DAW Books (science fiction and fantasy, acquired July 2022). Acquired imprints have retained their staff and editorial identities, with TOON Books founder Françoise Mouly continuing to lead the imprint.
The company generates revenue primarily through one-time book sales across physical and digital formats (trade paperbacks $9.99-$13.99, hardcovers $18.99-$26, e-books ~$10.99), supplemented by rights and licensing. Distribution is structurally dependent on third-party partners: Penguin Random House Publisher Services handles most imprints and Consortium/Ingram handles TOON Books, providing access to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, Walmart, independent bookstores, libraries, and schools. The go-to-market is sales-led, with book acquisition through literary agents and direct author submissions, marketing via per-imprint social channels (X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Bluesky), email newsletters, a content blog, trade media outreach, and industry events such as ALA conferences. Präsident and CFO is Leying Jiang. No external parent company, private equity, or venture capital ownership is disclosed, and no funding rounds are reported.
Astra Publishing House firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Astra Publishing House
- Legal name
- Astra Publishing House, Inc.
- Website
- https://astrapublishinghouse.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Astra Publishing House is a New York-based independent multi-imprint book publisher founded in 2020, publishing across adult literary fiction/nonfiction, science fiction and fantasy (DAW Books), children's books, comics and graphic novels (TOON Books), poetry, and educational titles for readers from preschool through adulthood.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Astra Publishing House industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Book Publishing
- NAICS
- Book Publishers (513130), Book Publishers (51313), Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)
- akta.pro primary industry
- General Trade Publishing (Adult Fiction & Nonfiction) (MPAJAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Children’s Nonfiction Educational (Science, History, Nature) (EDAGAIAC), Children’s Activity & Workbook Publishing (MPAJAFAG)
Keywords
Where Astra Publishing House is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Astra Publishing House business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Book Sales: Revenue generated from selling published books through retail channels including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and independent bookstores. Books are sold as physical trade paperbacks, hardcovers, and e-books at retail prices ranging from $9.99 to $26 USD.
- Rights and Licensing: Potential revenue from licensing rights for translations, special editions, and subsidiary rights, though not explicitly detailed in available sources.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Thomas Jefferson's Battle for Science - eBook |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Thomas Jefferson's Battle for Science - Hardcover |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Simone - Hardcover |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Nadia's Hands - Trade Paperback |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Foreclosure Gothic - Fiction |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels10 records
Astra Publishing House product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Astra Publishing House is a multi-imprint book publisher that acquires, produces, and distributes print books and e-books across children's, young adult, and adult audiences. Its portfolio spans literary fiction and nonfiction (Astra House), science fiction and fantasy (DAW Books), comics and graphic novels for early readers (TOON Books), children's picture books, history, poetry, and educational titles through imprints including Calkins Creek, Hippo Park, Kane Press, minedition, Minerva, and Wordsong. Distribution is handled through Penguin Random House Publisher Services and Consortium/Ingram to retail, library, and direct e-commerce channels.
Product overview
Astra Publishing House is a multi-imprint book publishing company that operates as a platform of distinct imprints serving different market segments. The portfolio includes Astra House (adult literary fiction/nonfiction), Astra Young Readers and Astra Books for Young Readers (umbrella for children's publishing), DAW Books (science fiction/fantasy), TOON Books (comics/graphic novels for K-6), Calkins Creek (children's history), Hippo Park (children's picture books), Kane Press (educational children's books), minedition (international picture books), Wordsong (children's poetry), and Minerva (diverse children's stories). Distribution is handled by Penguin Random House Publisher Services, with TOON Books distributed by Consortium/Ingram.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Astra House: Adult fiction and nonfiction imprint
- Astra Young Readers
- Astra Books for Young Readers
- Calkins Creek
- DAW Books
- Hippo Park
- TOON Books
- Kane Press
- minedition
- Minerva
- Wordsong
Products and services
- Astra House imprint Adult literary fiction and nonfiction imprint featuring literary works from diverse voices, including titles like Burnside, Capital From Zero, and Presence. Targets adult readers seeking literary fiction, narrative nonfiction, essays, and cultural commentary.
- Astra Young Readers imprint Imprint focused on young adult literature and content for teenage readers across fiction and nonfiction.
- Astra Books for Young Readers (ABFYR) Umbrella imprint for children's book publishing, encompassing picture books, nonfiction, poetry, and early readers across multiple children's imprints under Astra Publishing House.
- Calkins Creek imprint Children's imprint specializing in history and nonfiction for young readers, publishing titles about American history and historical figures including Thomas Jefferson's Battle for Science.
- DAW Books imprint Science fiction and fantasy publisher serving as Astra's exclusive SF/F imprint, publishing authors including Mercedes Lackey and Seanan McGuire with titles like The Reel Stuff, The Unkindest Tide, and A Killing Frost.
- Hippo Park imprint Children's imprint publishing picture books for young readers, including titles featuring diverse characters and cultures.
- TOON Books imprint Publisher of easy-to-read comics and graphic novels for young readers grades K-6. Award-winning imprint with titles from creators including Art Spiegelman, Eleanor Davis, and Jeff Smith; reported as the foremost publisher of comics for early readers.
- Kane Press imprint Children's imprint publishing educational books including the Math Matters, Mouse Math, Science Solves It Activities, and The Milo & Jazz Mysteries series.
- minedition imprint Children's book imprint offering international picture books and translated works for young readers.
- Minerva imprint Children's imprint publishing diverse stories including titles like Simone by Viet Thanh Nguyen.
- Wordsong imprint Imprint dedicated to poetry books for young readers, publishing collections including works by award-winning poets.
Quantifiable outcome
- TOON Books titles have won Theodor Seuss Geisel Award, Eisner Award, Bologna Ragazzi Award, and Kirkus Prize, among others.
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Astra Publishing House
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Astra Publishing House technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Astra Publishing House partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- DAW BookscoreDAW Books was acquired by Astra Publishing House in July 2022. It became the exclusive science fiction and fantasy imprint for Astra, with its entire staff retained. DAW brings an extensive backlist of SF/Fantasy titles and established author relationships.
- TOON BookscoreTOON Books joined Astra Publishing House in February 2022 as an imprint of Astra Books for Young Readers. Founded in 2008 by Françoise Mouly, TOON Books publishes comics and graphic novels for early readers (grades K-3) and middle graders (grades 3-6).
- Penguin Random House Publisher ServicescorePenguin Random House Publisher Services handles distribution for Astra Publishing House imprints, ensuring broad retail and library channel reach for their published titles.
- Consortium/IngramcoreConsortium/Ingram serves as the distribution partner specifically for TOON Books, handling fulfillment to retail and library channels.
- Françoise MoulycoreFounder of TOON Books and pioneer in the comics field. Continues to lead TOON Books following the acquisition, bringing expertise in visual literacy and early reader publishing.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights8 records
Astra Publishing House competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sourcebooks: Independent trade publisher that has grown aggressively through acquisitions and multiple imprints across children's and adult segments. Directly comparable to Astra's acquisition-driven multi-imprint growth strategy.
- Candlewick Press: Independent children's book publisher with strong picture book and YA catalog. Highly comparable to Astra's children's imprints (Hippo Park, Calkins Creek, TOON Books) in editorial focus and award-winning positioning.
- Chronicle Books: Independent trade publisher known for illustrated books, children's titles, and gift books. Closely comparable to Astra in focusing on visually-driven and design-forward titles across adult and children's segments.
- Lee & Low Books: Independent children's book publisher focused on diversity and multicultural representation. Directly comparable to Astra's Calkins Creek, Hippo Park, and Minerva imprints in editorial mission and target market.
- Bloomsbury Publishing: Mid-sized independent publisher with adult and children's divisions including Harry Potter franchise. Comparable scale and multi-segment structure to Astra, with stronger global brand recognition.
- Workman Publishing: Independent mid-sized trade publisher with multiple imprints spanning adult nonfiction, children's books, and calendars. Comparable to Astra's multi-imprint structure and similar scale in the independent publishing segment.
- Abrams Books: Independent publisher specializing in illustrated books, art, and children's titles. Comparable to Astra's mix of literary adult fiction and visually-distinctive children's publishing through multiple imprints.
Broad incumbents
- Scholastic: Largest children's book publisher with dominant position in school channels and trade children's market. Overlaps with Astra's young readers imprints and competes for school and library budgets but at vastly larger scale.
- HarperCollins Publishers: Big Five publisher with extensive children's and adult imprints. Competes with Astra across most segments, including literary fiction and children's picture books, with substantially greater capital and shelf access.
- Penguin Random House: Largest trade publisher in the world and Astra's distribution partner. Operates hundreds of imprints across all age groups and genres, representing the scaled incumbent against which Astra's portfolio competes for shelf space.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Astra Publishing House social profiles
Digital presenceAstra Publishing House compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Astra Publishing House financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Astra Publishing House leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Astra Publishing House subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries5 records
Astra Publishing House funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Astra Publishing House M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Astra Publishing House
What does Astra Publishing House do?
Astra Publishing House is a multi-imprint book publisher that acquires, produces, and distributes print books and e-books across children's, young adult, and adult audiences. Its portfolio spans literary fiction and nonfiction (Astra House), science fiction and fantasy (DAW Books), comics and graphic novels for early readers (TOON Books), children's picture books, history, poetry, and educational titles through imprints including Calkins Creek, Hippo Park, Kane Press, minedition, Minerva, and Wordsong. Distribution is handled through Penguin Random House Publisher Services and Consortium/Ingram to retail, library, and direct e-commerce channels.
Is Astra Publishing House a public or private company?
Astra Publishing House is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Astra Publishing House founded?
Astra Publishing House was founded in 2020. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Astra Publishing House based?
Astra Publishing House is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Astra Publishing House make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Book Sales are the primary driver. The others are rights and Licensing.
Who are Astra Publishing House's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sourcebooks, Candlewick Press, Chronicle Books, Lee & Low Books, Bloomsbury Publishing, Workman Publishing and Abrams Books. Broad incumbents are Scholastic, HarperCollins Publishers and Penguin Random House.
Does Astra Publishing House have an API?
No public API is recorded for Astra Publishing House.
What industry is Astra Publishing House in?
Astra Publishing House's product category is Book Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAAAA, General Trade Publishing (Adult Fiction & Nonfiction), with a secondary code of EDAGAIAC, Children’s Nonfiction Educational (Science, History, Nature). Its NAICS code is 513130 and its SIC code is 2731.