Magic Cat Publishing
Magic Cat Publishing is an independent UK children's book publisher producing illustrated books across themed series (Brown Bear Wood, Slow Down, Jamie's Little Food Library) for ages 0–7+. It sells direct-to-consumer online and via global distribution partners to parents, gift buyers, and educators.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Magic Cat Publishing does
Magic Cat Publishing (legal entity Lucky Cat Publishing Ltd) is an independent UK-based children's book publisher founded by Rachel Piercey and Jenny. The company produces illustrated books for children aged 0–7+, spanning board books, picture books, activity books, anthologies, and chapter-style titles, with a deliberate thematic emphasis on kindness, environmental awareness, mindfulness, and inclusivity. Its catalog is organized into branded sub-series including Brown Bear Wood, Slow Down, Jamie's Little Food Library (with author Jamie Oliver), In Our Nature, Future Me, Knock Knock, 5 Minute Stories, and Life Changing Magic, supported by sustainability commitments (FSC paper, soya inks, paper-based game products).
The business operates a hybrid go-to-market model. Direct-to-consumer sales run through the proprietary e-commerce site magiccatpublishing.co.uk with email-driven acquisition (10% off first-order incentive). Distribution is layered: wholesale and European distribution through Abrams and Chronicle; North American distribution through the Abrams Kids imprint; Australia/New Zealand through Thames and Hudson; plus online marketplaces (Amazon, Bookshop.org, Waterstones, Booktopia, Kinokuniya, Bol.com) and hundreds of independent bookstores globally. Revenue is generated predominantly through one-time physical book sales, with gift cards (£10–£100) as a small complementary stream. No proprietary technology platform, app, or AI capability is disclosed; the company is structurally a content/print publisher.
Magic Cat is privately held with no disclosed external funding, 29 employees, and a UK headquarters at Baird House, 15–17 Saint Cross Street, London. The company reports ~33% sales growth in 2024 and has received multiple trade awards including Independent Publisher of the Year at the British Book Awards 2025 and both Independent and Children's Publisher of the Year at the Independent Publisher Awards 2026. Sales span 30+ countries and key franchises have been translated into 27+ languages.
Magic Cat Publishing firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Magic Cat Publishing
- Legal name
- Lucky Cat Publishing Ltd
- Website
- https://magiccatpublishing.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Magic Cat Publishing is an independent UK children's book publisher producing illustrated books across themed series (Brown Bear Wood, Slow Down, Jamie's Little Food Library) for ages 0–7+. It sells direct-to-consumer online and via global distribution partners to parents, gift buyers, and educators.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Magic Cat Publishing industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Children's Book Publishing
- NAICS
- Book Publishers (513130), Book Publishers (51313)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Picture Book Publishing (MPAJAFAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Children’s Nonfiction Publishing (MPAJAFAE), Humor, Gift & Specialty Format Books (Journals, Coloring, etc.) (MPAJAAAN)
Keywords
Where Magic Cat Publishing is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Magic Cat Publishing business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Physical Book Sales: The company generates revenue primarily through selling physical children's books directly to consumers via their e-commerce website and through distribution partners, online marketplaces, and physical bookstores worldwide.
- Gift Cards: The company offers gift cards in denominations of £10, £25, £50, and £100, providing an additional revenue stream for customer purchases.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Gift cards available in fixed denominations |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels5 records
Magic Cat Publishing product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Magic Cat Publishing is an independent children's book publisher that creates and sells illustrated picture books, board books, activity books, and anthologies for ages 0–12. Their catalogue is organised around themed series (Brown Bear Wood, Slow Down, Jamie's Little Food Library, In Our Nature, Future Me, Knock Knock, 5 Minute Stories, Life Changing Magic) and emphasises themes of kindness, environmental awareness, mindfulness, and inclusivity, with production using FSC-certified paper and soya-based inks.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Jamie's Little Food Library: A cookbook series for children written by Jamie Oliver, featuring interactive board books with recipes for young cooks.
- Slow Down
- Brown Bear Wood
- Future Me
- Knock Knock
- In Our Nature
- 5 Minute Stories
- Life Changing Magic
Products and services
- Brown Bear Wood series
- Slow Down series Mindfulness-themed activity cards and books designed to encourage calm, nature connection, and reflective activities for children.
- Jamie's Little Food Library Cookbook and food-themed interactive board book series for children written by Jamie Oliver, featuring recipes, flaps, and textured elements for young cooks.
- In Our Nature series Nature-themed picture book series including titles such as Buzz, Wild, Fly, Glow, and Grow, exploring environmental and conservation themes for children.
- Future Me series Career exploration book series introducing children to different professions and inspiring future aspirations.
- Knock Knock series Joke and riddle book series for children designed to engage families and emerging independent readers.
- 5 Minute Stories series Quick-read story collections for children, designed for short reading sessions such as bedtime.
- Life Changing Magic series Activity-based skill-learning book series covering topics such as chess, baking, drumming, and skateboarding.
- Magic Cat Publishing Gift Card Digital gift card available in denominations of £10, £25, £50, and £100 for purchase of Magic Cat books.
- Believe Picture book anthology featuring origin stories of mythical creatures (trolls, fairies, dragons, merfolk, unicorns, elves, goblins, gnomes, griffins, krakens, yokai, sea serpents) with fairy tour guide Sage Brightwing, for ages 5–7. Hardback, 64pp.
- Cave Girl Picture book about friendship and finding your voice, written and illustrated by Ana Duna, for ages 0–5. Paperback, 32pp.
- Newton is Floating Science-themed picture book adventure about gravity featuring Newton the dog floating, with a back section explaining real science, for ages 0–5. Hardback, 40pp.
- Love Veggies with Jamie Oliver Interactive board book with textured vegetables and flaps to lift, part of Jamie's Little Food Library, including a healthy recipe from Jamie Oliver, for ages 0–5. Board book, 12pp.
- Jamie Oliver: Let's Make Lollies Board book in the Let's Make series teaching cooking steps with flaps, for ages 0–5. Board book, 12pp.
- Jamie Oliver: Let's Make Burgers Board book teaching burger-making with interactive flaps, for ages 0–5. Board book, 12pp.
Companies that use Magic Cat Publishing
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Magic Cat Publishing technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Magic Cat Publishing partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Abrams KidscoreAbrams Kids serves as the exclusive Magic Cat Publishing imprint for North American distribution, handling all sales and distribution within the United States and Canada.
- Thames and HudsoncoreThames and Hudson is the proud distributor for Magic Cat Publishing in Australia and New Zealand, with books available nationwide at Dymocks, Readings, and independent bookstores.
- Abrams and ChroniclecoreAbrams and Chronicle handles UK wholesale distribution and European sales for Magic Cat Publishing. Queries for UK wholesale can be directed to [email protected] and European queries to [email protected].
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Magic Cat Publishing competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Walker Books: UK independent children's book publisher known for picture books and middle-grade titles, including the London Walker brand. Directly comparable in output format and target customer segments.
- Usborne Publishing: UK family-owned publisher specializing in children's books including board books, picture books, and activity titles. Comparable in product breadth across age ranges and direct-to-consumer e-commerce model.
- Nosy Crow: UK-based independent children's book publisher producing award-winning picture books, board books, and novelty formats for young children. Closely comparable in product format, target age segments, and indie publisher positioning.
- Owlet Press: Independent UK children's publisher focused on meaningful, illustrated children's books with themes of kindness, sustainability, and emotional wellbeing. Most directly comparable in mission-driven editorial positioning and indie scale.
- Andersen Press: Independent UK children's publisher with a strong picture book and illustrated chapter book catalog. Comparable in serving similar age ranges (0-12) with quality illustrated titles and established retail relationships.
- Graffeg: Welsh independent publisher of illustrated children's books, gift books, and nature-themed titles. Comparable in published formats and thematic focus on nature and mindfulness.
Broad incumbents
- Thames & Hudson: Major illustrated book publisher and Magic Cat's distribution partner in Australia and New Zealand. Comparable in illustrated children's publishing while operating at a much larger scale.
- Abrams Books: Major US illustrated book publisher and Magic Cat's North American distribution partner through the Abrams Kids imprint. Comparable in illustrated children's publishing while operating at a much larger scale.
Emerging players
- Lantana Publishing: UK independent children's publisher focused on inclusive, diverse picture books. Comparable in indie scale and value-driven editorial standpoint, though smaller in catalog breadth.
- Flights of Foundry: Emerging indie children's publisher with picture book and activity book formats. Comparable in indie scale and value-driven thematic emphasis, though less established in retail.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Magic Cat Publishing social profiles
Digital presenceMagic Cat Publishing financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Magic Cat Publishing leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Magic Cat Publishing funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Magic Cat Publishing 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 Magic Cat Publishing
What does Magic Cat Publishing do?
Magic Cat Publishing is an independent children's book publisher that creates and sells illustrated picture books, board books, activity books, and anthologies for ages 0–12. Their catalogue is organised around themed series (Brown Bear Wood, Slow Down, Jamie's Little Food Library, In Our Nature, Future Me, Knock Knock, 5 Minute Stories, Life Changing Magic) and emphasises themes of kindness, environmental awareness, mindfulness, and inclusivity, with production using FSC-certified paper and soya-based inks.
Is Magic Cat Publishing a public or private company?
Magic Cat Publishing is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Magic Cat Publishing founded?
Magic Cat Publishing was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Magic Cat Publishing based?
Magic Cat Publishing is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Magic Cat Publishing make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Physical Book Sales are the primary driver. The others are gift Cards.
Who are Magic Cat Publishing's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Walker Books, Usborne Publishing, Nosy Crow, Owlet Press, Andersen Press and Graffeg. Broad incumbents are Thames & Hudson and Abrams Books. Emerging players are Lantana Publishing and Flights of Foundry.
Does Magic Cat Publishing have an API?
No public API is recorded for Magic Cat Publishing.
What industry is Magic Cat Publishing in?
Magic Cat Publishing's product category is Children's Book Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAFAA, Picture Book Publishing, with a secondary code of MPAJAFAE, Children’s Nonfiction Publishing. Its NAICS code is 513130 and its SIC code is 2731.