About Us

Design project management for authors and publishers of children’s books and software for educational and trade markets.
We are based in Oxfordshire and include major and minor publishers in our client list including Oxford University Press, Penguin, Pearson, Macmillan, Harcourt, Parragon, Firecrest and Ransom. We also design books for self-publishing authors.
If you would like us to work with you on a project please contact John Walker on +44 (0)845 8388707.
We additionally design websites for freelancers, small businesses and organisations. We create websites ideally suited to people who will want to add to the website themselves to keep their site fresh with news and updates.

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What we are up to...

  • @PublishingSpy all for golden age of pulp fiction etc but would prefer Simak or Dick to L Ron Hubbard. in reply to PublishingSpy 3 days ago
  • Designing vampire classic Carmilla by JS Le Fanu for Penguin Active Readers. Hope 2 find ace artist for it. 4 days ago
  • Too long since last designed business cards. Forgotten how small type can go. Much smaller than books. 1 week ago
  • Designing Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None" for Penguin Active Readers . Love designing books & having a good read! 2 weeks ago
  • http://bit.ly/cJyFs4 the need for editorial input for self-publishing authors. First of many advisors an author needs! 2010-02-10
  • More updates...

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Penguin Active Readers: Covers

Covers from the 7 reader books we designed for Pearson Education. Penguin Active Readers are published internationally and feature a wide range of genres in UK and International English for ELT. Covers are usually by the artists, but sometimes use stock photos or classic paintings or prints.

Artists: Mike McKeever (Monkey King), Katie Mac (Good Day, Bad Day), Adam Hunter Peck (Stories of Other Worlds), Nick Hardcastle (Bleak House), Sonia Kretchmar (Under the Bridge).

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Artist: Mike McKeever

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Artist: Katie Mac

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Artist: Adam Hunter Peck

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Nick Hardcastle

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Sonia Kretschmar

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Penguin Active Readers: Stories of Other Worlds

Stories of Other Worlds Cover

Stories of Other Worlds cover artwork: Adam Hunter Peck

Part of the Penguin Active Readers series for 2010, published by Pearson Education. Three short stories by H.G. Wells: The Country of the Blind, The Door in the Wall, The Young Ghost, illustrated respectively by Adam Hunter Peck, Mike Lacey, and Jamel Akib. Continue reading Penguin Active Readers: Stories of Other Worlds

Oxford Reading Tree: Snapdragons stage 2

Covers and sample spreads from the 2nd stage/level of Oxford Reading Tree Snapdragons. We were commissioned to produce 60 titles, in 10 levels or stages, using a wide variety of artists, typefaces, layouts and formats to motivate and stimulate readers. Though clearly leveled to provide a progression through the series, each title had to be an interesting book to pick-up and read for its own sake.

Artists: Andy Peters, David Mostyn, Jess Mikhail, Judy Brown, Lizzie Finlay, Liz Pichon

845510_st2_bk1_what_cvr 845511_st2_bk2_animalcvr Continue reading Oxford Reading Tree: Snapdragons stage 2

Oxford Reading Tree: Snapdragons stage 1

Snapdragons is part of the ever expanding Oxford Reading Tree (ORT) from Oxford University Press. Usually ORT book stories centre around the Biff and Chip characters, with consistent artwork and type. Not so the Snapdragons branch of the tree. We were commissioned to produce 60 titles, in 10 levels or stages, using a wide variety of artists, typefaces, layouts and formats to motivate and stimulate readers. Though clearly leveled to provide a progression through the series, each title had to be an interesting book to pick-up and read for its own sake.

Artists: Jan McCafferty, Sue Hendra, Jim Kavanagh, Joanne Partis, Ian Cunliffe, Colin Mier

845501_st1_bk1_dadcvr 845502_st1_bk2_updowncvr Continue reading Oxford Reading Tree: Snapdragons stage 1

Ransom: Boffin Boy

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A fun take on comic book super-heroes, and a good read too. Originally 6, now 12, graphic novels done in a manga style. These readers are aimed at older children needing help with reading who would be put-off by books written for younger readers. Ransom are particularly good at this sort of stimulating read, as is further demonstrated by their Goal! series.

The artist is Peter Richardson. He works in Illustrator, and his artwork is easy for a designer to work with, as the files are highly editable and adaptable for constructing prelim and cover pages, as well as being easily utilized for particular excerpts in worbooks.

bb-invaders Continue reading Ransom: Boffin Boy

Parragon: First Readers

A series of books that Parragon produces for M&S that young readers read with an adult. They are all very traditional fairy tales, designed to give children confidence to begin reading. These are hardback books with coloured metallic foil blocking in the titles and logo.

frcvr_3bgoats frcvr_3pigs Continue reading Parragon: First Readers