Cherry Lake Publishing Group of Ann Arbor, Mich., has acquired Tilbury House Publishers, the children’s publishing division of WordSplice Studio. Based in Thomaston, Maine, Tilbury House publishes about 200 titles with a focus on children’s books that explore such topics as cultural diversity, social justice, and the natural world.
The acquisition was completed on May 19, and Tilbury House will continue to be operated by Jonathan Eaton and Tristram Coburn, who acquired the publisher in 2013. Tilbury’s list will continue to be distributed by W.W. Norton.
“When looking for a long-term home for our children’s list, we were pleased to find that CLPG shares our passion for creating books that can change children’s lives,” said Eaton in a statement. “We believe the team at CLPG will be good stewards and will continue our legacy of publishing books that matter.
Founded in the 1980s as Harpswell Press, Tilbury House originally published literary and New England regional titles before adding a children’s list in the 1990s. It has specialized in children's publishing ever since.
For its part, Cherry Lake originated in Mankato, Minn., as an educational publisher, and bought Sleeping Bear Press in 2012. It is comprised of five imprints, which include decodable books for young readers (Cherry Blossom Press), hi-lo books for struggling readers (45th Parallel Press), a wide range of educational titles (Cherry Lake Press), graphic novels (Torch Graphic Press), and picture books and chapter books (Sleeping Bear Press).
“Cherry Lake Publishing Group respects and admires Tilbury House’s mission to change children’s lives through quality books,” said Ben Mondloch, CEO of CLPG. “We are thrilled to be a long-term home for their list of titles, which directly align with our offerings.”
