Publishers Show-off at ALA 2025: A Round-Up of Must-Have Titles

The American Library Association (ALA) 2025 conference was buzzing for publishers and librarians alike, offering important titles for a library’s collection. From diverse children's literature to niche non-fiction and captivating poetry, Printed Word Reviews had the honor of interviewing publishers showcasing books designed to engage, educate, and entertain readers of all ages. Here's a round-up of some of the standout presses and their exciting offerings, and if you want to view the interviews, please visit our YouTube Channel, https://www.youtube.com/@Independentpressaward/videos 

Casemate Publishers: Exploring Military History and Local Stories

Lauren Stead from Casemate Publishers showcased their expertise in military history and their growing two-year old Brookline Books imprint, which focuses on the greater Philadelphia’s local histories. Casemate also serves as a distributor for numerous international publishers.

A highlight for their 250th anniversary programming is "Noble Undertaking," a two-volume work by Brian Deming that delves into the entire Continental Congress (Two Volumes). Stead also presented their popular "America Through Time" series, a collection of beautiful photo books that document various states and regions across the U.S., ideal for library regional collections. Casemate distributes for international clients including White Owl, Pen and Sword, and Berlin. More information on their titles and distribution services at https://www.casematepublishers.com/.

Charlesbridge Publishing: Celebrating Stories from Diverse Perspectives

Donna Spurlock, Marketing Director for Charlesbridge Publishing, introduced the Massachusetts-based children's publisher, which has been operating for almost four decades. Charlesbridge publishes books for ages 0 to 18, offering a wide range of engaging titles.

Among the key titles that resonated with librarians at ALA 2025 were "CC and the Underground Railroad Cinderella," a fictional retelling of the Cinderella story featuring an enslaved girl rescued by Harriet Tubman. Another highlight was "Dropbear" by Philip Bunting, (releasing Sept. 9, 2025), a humorous and insightful story that promotes the message of "not judging a book by its cover." For middle-grade readers, "The Golden Necklace" by National Book Award finalist Mitali Perkins was particularly exciting, offering an intrigue-filled mystery set in India for ages 7 to 10. Librarians can discover more at https://www.charlesbridge.com/.

Dow Creative Enterprises: Making Medical Concepts Accessible for Children

Michael Dow from Dow Creative Enterprises presented his "Nurse Florence" series, a unique program designed to introduce medical words and concepts to children. His goal is to help kids understand how their bodies work and to better comprehend diseases that might affect their families.

Dow emphasized that his program is a pioneer in the market for children's health book series, with his books even being sold on Harvard.com, which he considers a significant endorsement. The "Nurse Florence" series aims to be in every library, offering a "first to market" approach. In addition to the core books, many titles have been converted into coloring books, providing a coping skill through drawing paired with learning. A particularly exciting series is "Nurse Dorothea," launched about a year ago, which focuses on mental health for teenagers and young adults. These interactive books encourage readers to participate with characters through exercises like deep breathing, helping to remove the stigma surrounding mental illness. More at https://nurseflorence.org/. 

Globe Pequot: Guiding Readers Through Regional Discoveries and Outdoor Adventures

Jason Rossi from Globe Pequot showcased their diverse range of imprints, with a strong emphasis on children's literature and adult nonfiction. He noted that their children's imprint, Muddy Boots, and adult nonfiction imprints like Prometheus Books, Falcon Guides, Stackpole Books, and Lyons Press are highly popular with librarians.

A standout title for librarians at the show was "Quail Trail" from the Muddy Boots imprint, which educates children about outdoor safety while also providing information about quails. Globe Pequot is also known for its extensive collection of "how-to" Falcon Guides, which offer regional insights for outdoor recreation activities such as hiking and cycling across the U.S. These guides are seen as invaluable resources for library shelves. Find out more at: https://www.globepequot.com/imprint/. 

Inner Traditions: Embracing Holistic Health and Personal Growth

Maria Loftus of Inner Traditions shared the independent press's commitment to holistic health, personal growth, and spiritual studies. Celebrating its 50th anniversary, Inner Traditions has seen growing demand from librarians for books in these areas, reflecting patrons' interests.

Among the titles generating excitement at ALA were "The Occult Elvis," a unique biography compiled from primary sources like letters between Elvis and his friends. "The Herbal Dog," written by a canine herbalist, was also popular, offering herbal remedies for canine ailments along with an introduction to herbalism. Other well-received books included "The Fern Pharmacy," which explores modern pharmacology and indigenous practices related to ferns. Inner Traditions' extensive catalog is available through their website (https://www.innertraditions.com/), major distributors like Baker & Taylor and Ingram, and directly from the publisher, with distribution by Simon & Schuster.

Jessica Kingsley Publishers: Addressing Neurodiversity, Gender, and Sexuality

David Corey, representing Jessica Kingsley Publishers (JKP), highlighted the publisher's strong presence in the fields of autism and neurodiversity, as well as their growing focus on gender and sexuality. Corey expressed his excitement to be at ALA, recognizing librarians as "crusaders" for literature and the foundational role of words in civilization.

At the conference, JKP showcased titles like "The Everybody Book," an award-winning work on asexuality from the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists, and a follow-up book on consent by the same author. A forthcoming title, "How Porn Is Not Sex Ed," aims to demystify and unpack the complexities of pornography for teens in an honest, straightforward, and healthy way, promoting good mental health development. JKP's diverse offerings for kids, teens, parents, and teachers can be explored at: https://us.jkp.com/.

Orca Book Publishers: Championing Diversity and Accessibility

Andrew Wooldridge of Orca Book Publishers highlighted the Canadian independent publisher's commitment to diverse representation and accessible reading. Celebrating 40+ years, Orca boasts 90 new titles this year aimed at young readers. They are particularly noted for their high-interest, low-readability (Hi-Lo) format, appealing to middle school and teen readers.

Librarians at ALA showed significant interest in Orca's "Meg and Greg" books, a decodable series designed for shared reading, particularly beneficial for children with dyslexia or other language-based learning difficulties. Their "Orca Rapid Read" series, including "Orca Soundings," "Currents," "New York," and "Anchor," continues to be popular for its hi-low, appealing to middle school and teen readers. Wooldridge emphasized the importance of authentic voices and diverse perspectives in their books, noting their publication of "Pride Puppy," a title that garnered attention as part of a Supreme Court case related to freedom of expression. In addition to their robust publishing program, Orca, https://www.orcabook.com/,  also provides distribution services for other publishers across Canada and the United States.

Schiffer Publishing: An Eclectic Mix of Niche Interests and Children's Delight

Frederick Glasser from Schiffer Publishing highlighted the independent publisher's diverse catalog, spanning craft and hobby books, gardening, cooking, lifestyle, pop culture, mind-body-spirit titles, and children's books. Celebrating 50 years, Schiffer is based in Atglen, Pennsylvania.

Librarians at ALA showed interest across their range. Children's titles like “Maze Play” by a "wonderful illustrator" featuring themed mazes and a beautifully rhymed bedtime story by acclaimed poet "Father Goose" were popular. "Calm Down, Coco," a book about a cat learning to relax with the help of a mouse, resonated for its message of taking deep breaths and practicing yoga poses. In pop culture, a definitive biography of Richard Manuel, lead singer of The Band, garnered attention, as did a forthcoming book on "Star Trek" that delves into the scientific accuracy Gene Roddenberry aimed for. Another highly discussed title was "Comic Book Apocalypse," which explores the "wild, fun stuff" and often racy, violent themes of comic books before the Comics Code in the 1950s. Schiffer's wide-ranging collection ensures "something for everyone," and their full catalog can be found at https://schifferbooks.com/.

Tiger Tales: Engaging Young Readers with Humorous and Heartfelt Stories

Barb Knight, Sales Director for Tiger Tales, emphasized the publisher's focus on creating engaging and imaginative books for young readers up to ten years old. Their catalog spans various formats, including hardcover picture books, durable board books with interactive elements, and their "360 Degrees" nonfiction imprint.

Librarians at ALA were particularly drawn to their hardcover picture books, especially "Hank Goes Honk" and "Hank Meets Frank," as well as newer titles like "The Bear Who Wanted to Dance" and "Our Tree." Knight noted that these books are ideal for storytime in libraries, with their "read aloud" appeal. Anti-hero characters like Hank, who struggles to be on his best behavior, and humorous, big-personality characters such as "Snarky Sharky" and "Dodo from Gogo" were especially popular. These titles feature bright, bold illustrations and laugh-out-loud stories, making them perfect additions to children's library shelves. Librarians can find out more through their favorite wholesalers, the Tiger Tales website (https://tigertalesbooks.com/), and review journals.

Trio House Press: A Haven for Poetry and More

Kris Bigalk of Trio House Press, a non-profit literary publisher, shared their expanded focus beyond poetry to include nonfiction. Established in 2012 and now based in Minneapolis, Trio House Press champions diverse voices and aims to inspire connection and understanding through literature.

At ALA, Bigalk highlighted five new titles popular with librarians: "Mele,” “Rooms for the Dead," "The Grace of Black Mothers," "Splice," and "Girl in a Forest" (out in October). "Mele" and "The Grace of Black Mothers" generated significant buzz due to recent positive reviews in PW and Booklist. Trio House Press also promotes virtual readings and offers a variety of poetry and nonfiction works from both new and established authors. Explore their catalog and events at https://www.triohousepress.org/.