About
about the publishers
In 2017, two sets of new parents in the Chicago area found themselves in a discussion about children’s books because…well, these are the things you find yourself talking about when you’re new parents! After sharing the titles of some personal favorites and well-known classics, the conversation shifted to to our disappointment in so many of the books we had come across or that had been recommended to us. We bemoaned the lack of well-constructed stories and the absence of important lessons conveyed by them.
And then we began to talk about our favorite children’s books. What it was about them that made them great. That made us recall them to this day. That made our own children demand them night after night at bedtime (and yes, they really do demand them- you parents reading this know exactly what we mean!).
It was only a few weeks later that we found ourselves back together, struck by an idea: to begin our own publishing company focused on creating the types of stories we loved as children, and that our own children love today.
Stories that inspire. With engaging language and beautiful illustrations. Stories with meaning.
And that “meaning” extends beyond our books and our own children. We want Ashland Wells’ impact to positively affect the communities in which we live and to help children everywhere, and so we’re committed to finding unique ways to do that, both with our books and through our online offerings. That may mean donating a portion of book sales to a charitable organization focused on helping children in under-resourced areas. It may mean providing downloadable stories for parents at no cost. Or finding ways to inspire the next generation of writers and illustrators. Our efforts will be shared with transparency and will be incorporated into everything that we do.
Our first project in this venture is My Blank Page, a story about the power of one’s imagination, an especially timely story in this age of technology.
That’s our commitment: Better stories for a better world.
We hope you’ll join us on our journey!