After launching in the U.K. this past May, Sweet Cherry Publishing will bring its imprint targeting the special educational needs (SEN) market stateside this month. Six classic fiction titles will comprise the core line-up, with six additional fiction and nonfiction books to roll out by the end of 2025.
Every Cherry, positioned to enhance its parent company’s existing portfolio, will be led by Emma Steel, a longtime SEN educator. Realizing that reading challenges were universal, she decided to aim Every Cherry at a wider market. “Our core mission is to ensure that anyone with a learning disability or difficulty, or anyone looking to learn English as a second language, can enjoy the same great books as everybody else,” Steel told PW. “We’re creating books for the SEN community, not about them.” Every Cherry’s books are also targeted at those who are new to reading or who struggle to read standard books.
Accessible Classics
Every Cherry has categorized its books within three ranges, each designed with key features to help with reading comprehension and engage readers. Easier titles incorporate dyslexia-friendly fonts and paper, glossaries, and high-low reading levels, particularly suited for those with autism, ADHD, or another neurodiversity. Symbolized books contain graphics above keywords to boost reading comprehension and understanding. (“The cherry on top? They come with free ASL videos,” Steel said.) The final range, Stories for Your Senses, consists of illustrated board books that tap into the five senses via everyday excursions, such as a day at the beach or a walk in the woods. While targeted at readers with more severe learning disabilities, these titles are also appropriate for the kindergarten classroom.
Every Cherry’s U.S. launch list will include adapted classics Moby Dick (Accessible Symbolized Edition), The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Accessible Symbolized Edition), Moby Dick (Accessible Easier Edition), Frankenstein (Accessible Easier Edition), The Hound of Baskervilles (Accessible Easier Edition) and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Accessible Easier Edition). “We’ve really left no stone unturned,” Steel said, “as every single book comes not only with a free audiobook, but with free teaching and learning resources, allowing educators to immerse themselves in a fully accessible reading session.” Every Cherry plans to distribute advance copies, shelf talkers, bookmarks, display units, and POS items to its customers.
In 2025, the publisher will introduce six additional fiction and nonfiction titles in all three ranges, including versions of the Sweet Cherry series Maggie Sparks, Soccer Rising Stars and Mula and Friends.
“Our plan at Every Cherry is to keep working as hard as we can to ensure that our books reach those who need them the most,” Steel said.
