Miles Kelly Publishing

Miles Kelly Publishing is an independent children's publishing company based in Bardfield End Green near Thaxted in Essex, England. Founded in 1996 by Jim Miles and Gerard Kelly, the company developed a list focused on books for children approximately three to twelve years old. Its publishing program spans both educational and entertainment-oriented formats, including encyclopedias, reference series, quiz books, dictionaries, atlases, handbooks, fact books, poetry, fiction, and novelty titles. The company is notable for the breadth of its backlist rather than for a single dominant character or franchise. The published list has exceeded 700 titles, giving Miles Kelly a presence across early-learning, general-interest children's nonfiction, activity publishing, and illustrated fiction. Its books have been distributed internationally and made available in more than 50 languages, extending the company’s reach beyond the United Kingdom. Miles Kelly has also operated as a publishing-services and content-creation partner. Since its establishment, it has occasionally produced books for other publishers, creating more than 200 titles for 15 publishing companies in the United Kingdom and the United States. This work has included six titles associated with the Ripley's Believe It or Not! publishing program. The activity indicates that the company’s capabilities have included editorial development, packaging, and production for third-party publishing programs as well as books released under its own name. The company was originally based in Great Bardfield, Essex, where it remained for 13 years. In 2010 it moved to its current base in the nearby village of Bardfield End Green. Alongside its main publishing operation, Miles Kelly previously ran Budding Press, an imprint intended to produce premium children's fiction for self-publishing authors. That project has since ceased. Miles Kelly’s positioning is that of a flexible, independent children's publisher with a broad, commercially oriented list and international distribution. Its portfolio combines durable reference and educational formats with fiction, poetry, quizzes, and novelty books. Publicly available reference material does not identify a parent company, public listing, current chief executive, or financial results.

Miles Kelly Publishing was established in 1996 by Jim Miles and Gerard Kelly as an independent children's publishing company in Essex. From the beginning, its list was aimed primarily at children between three and twelve years old. Rather than concentrating on one narrow format, the company built a varied catalogue covering children's encyclopedias, reference series, dictionaries, atlases, handbooks, fact books, quizzes, poetry, fiction, and novelty publishing. The company initially operated from Great Bardfield, Essex. It remained there for 13 years before relocating in 2010 to Bardfield End Green, a village near Thaxted. The move kept the business in the same wider Essex area while establishing its current base. Over time, Miles Kelly developed a substantial backlist of more than 700 titles. Its books became available internationally in over 50 languages, indicating an export and licensing reach beyond the domestic British market. The breadth of the list allowed the company to serve different stages and interests within children's publishing, from early-learning and general reference to recreational reading and activity-led formats. Miles Kelly also undertook commissioned publishing work for other companies. Since 1996, it has created more than 200 titles for 15 publishers in the United Kingdom and the United States. This work included six books connected with the Ripley's Believe It or Not! series. The third-party program complemented the company’s own publishing activity and demonstrated its ability to develop and produce books for external brands and publishers. The business additionally operated Budding Press, an imprint focused on high-end children's fiction for self-publishing authors. Budding Press was later discontinued, leaving the core Miles Kelly publishing operation as the continuing business described in available reference material. Public sources provide limited information about the company’s corporate ownership, management structure, finances, and current publishing schedule. The available record nevertheless presents Miles Kelly as an independent UK children's publisher with a large, internationally distributed backlist and a varied mix of educational, reference, fiction, and novelty books.

• 2010

  Relocation to Bardfield End Green

  [1]Miles Kelly Publishingen.wikipedia.org

  After 13 years in Great Bardfield, the company moved to Bardfield End Green near Thaxted in Essex.

• 1996

  Company founded

  [1]Miles Kelly Publishingen.wikipedia.org

  Jim Miles and Gerard Kelly founded Miles Kelly Publishing as an independent children's publishing company.

An independent, broad-list children's publisher combining educational reference, activity, fiction, poetry, and novelty books with international distribution and third-party publishing expertise.

• Reference and educational publishing

  Children's encyclopedias and reference series

  A central part of the Miles Kelly list consists of encyclopedias and reference series for children. These books are designed to present general knowledge and subject information in accessible formats for the company’s target readership of approximately three- to twelve-year-olds.

• Reference and educational publishing

  Dictionaries, atlases, handbooks and fact books

  Miles Kelly’s backlist includes practical reference formats such as dictionaries, atlases, handbooks, and fact books. Together, these titles extend the catalogue across language, geography, general knowledge, and subject-based learning.

• Activity publishing

  Quiz and activity books

  Quiz books form part of the company’s activity-oriented publishing. They provide recreational and knowledge-based content for children and sit alongside the publisher’s broader reference and novelty output.

• Children's literature

  Children's poetry and fiction

  The publishing list also includes poetry and fiction, giving Miles Kelly a literary component in addition to its large nonfiction and reference program. The former Budding Press imprint was specifically associated with high-end children's fiction for self-publishing authors.

• Third-party publishing

  Ripley's Believe It or Not! titles

  Miles Kelly produced six titles for the Ripley's Believe It or Not! publishing program as part of its work creating books for external publishers and brands.

• Fiction imprint

  Budding Press

  Budding Press was a former Miles Kelly imprint specializing in premium children's fiction produced for self-publishing authors. The imprint is no longer operating.

1. 1Miles Kelly Publishingen.wikipedia.org