Salariya Book Company
A Brighton-based independent British publisher of children's fiction, non-fiction, graphic adaptations, and early-learning books.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Salariya Book Company is an independent British publishing house founded in Brighton in 1989 by illustrator and designer David Salariya. It began as a book-packaging business, developing concepts and finished publishing projects for children’s and educational markets before expanding into publishing under its own imprints. The company’s catalogue has included children’s non-fiction, fiction, historical titles, graphic adaptations of literary classics, and books for babies and preschool readers. Its publishing has been intended for both the domestic United Kingdom market and international licensing and distribution. The company’s principal UK imprints are Book House, Scribblers, and Scribo. Book House became the company’s publishing imprint in 2002 and has been associated particularly with illustrated non-fiction and history. Scribblers was launched in 2007 to create books supporting early development and key learning skills for babies and preschool children. Scribo followed in 2009 as a children’s fiction imprint, broadening the company’s publishing activity beyond information-led books. Salariya’s best-known series include You Wouldn’t Want To Be, known in the United Kingdom as The Danger Zone. The series presents historical subjects through an entertaining first-person viewpoint, combining illustrated storytelling with factual explanation. It grew to more than 50 titles and became an example of the company’s approach to making history accessible through humour, visual design, and narrative immediacy. Another prominent line is Graffex, a series of abridged graphic-novel adaptations of classic works such as Frankenstein, Dracula, Oliver Twist, Treasure Island, Hamlet, Jane Eyre, and The Odyssey. The books use simplified retellings and visual storytelling to introduce major literary works to younger or less confident readers, and have been made available in multiple languages. Book House also publishes A Very Peculiar History, an illustrated history series designed for browsing as well as continuous reading. Its volumes cover subjects ranging from ancient Egypt, the Tudors, and the First World War to football, cats, dogs, whisky, Brighton, and global warming. The series uses short sections, fact boxes, lists, unusual anecdotes, and myth-busting material to offer multiple entry points into a topic. Electronic editions of the series began appearing in 2013. In 2009, Salariya acquired rights connected with Amos Daragon, a French-Canadian fantasy fiction series. The property expanded the company’s relationship with international children’s fiction and was associated with development of an animated adaptation by Spectra Animation in Canada. The same period also brought industry recognition: Salariya was shortlisted for the Independent Publishers Guild Children’s Publisher of the Year award in 2009 and won the award in 2010, ahead of Walker Books and Top That! The business is distinctive less for a single mass-market character franchise than for combining editorial packaging, strong illustration, educational utility, and adaptable formats. Its publishing programme has addressed several age groups, from baby and preschool learning to middle-grade fiction and illustrated historical non-fiction. Publicly available reference material does not establish current ownership, financial figures, a stock-market listing, or a complete current leadership roster.
History
David Salariya founded the Salariya Book Company in Brighton in 1989 after working as a freelance illustrator and designer. Trained in illustration, printmaking, and book design, he established the business initially as a book-packaging company. In that role, the company developed and assembled publishing projects, an approach that helped shape its later emphasis on clear visual communication, structured page design, and accessible subject presentation. A major step in the company’s development came in 2002, when it began publishing under the Book House imprint. Book House provided a publishing identity for a substantial part of Salariya’s illustrated non-fiction programme, especially books aimed at children and general young readers. The imprint became associated with historical subjects, compact reference formats, and series-led publishing. One of its notable series was You Wouldn’t Want To Be, known in the United Kingdom as The Danger Zone. These books use a first-person narrative to place readers inside difficult or dangerous historical situations while supplying factual context through illustrations and concise explanations. The series eventually exceeded 50 titles. Salariya broadened its age range in 2007 with Scribblers, an imprint designed for babies and preschool children. Its stated purpose was to support key learning skills and early development. In 2009 the company launched Scribo, a children's fiction imprint, creating a clearer home for narrative publishing alongside its established non-fiction and early-learning lists. The company's catalogue also developed a strong adaptation strand. Graffex, published in the UK by Book House and distributed or licensed in various languages, retells classic literature in graphic-novel form. The series includes works by authors such as Charles Dickens, William Shakespeare, Robert Louis Stevenson, Jules Verne, Jane Austen, Bram Stoker, Mary Shelley, Alexandre Dumas, and Homer. The adaptations are abridged and use colourful visual storytelling to make demanding narratives more approachable for younger readers. Penko Gelev illustrated many of the titles, with contributions from other illustrators including Li Sidong, Nick Spender, and Romano Felmang. Another important Book House line is A Very Peculiar History. These illustrated books combine established historical information with unusual anecdotes, lists, fact boxes, recipes, and discussions of popular myths. The format is designed for readers to browse individual sections or read a complete subject overview. Topics have included ancient Egypt, Scotland, London, castles, the Olympics, kings and queens, the Titanic, the Tudors, the First World War, regional histories, sport, animals, and everyday social history. The range reflects Salariya's effort to make informational publishing entertaining without abandoning a factual framework. Electronic editions of the series appeared in 2013. In 2009, Salariya acquired rights to the French-Canadian fantasy fiction series Amos Daragon. The acquisition added a recognised international property to the company's fiction portfolio. An animated version was reported as being developed by Spectra Animation in Canada, although the available reference material does not establish the final status or release of that adaptation. The company received industry recognition during this expansion. It was shortlisted for the Independent Publishers Guild's Children's Publisher of the Year award in 2009 and won the award in 2010, defeating Walker Books and Top That! The award acknowledged Salariya's performance as an independent children's publisher. Public reference material identifies the business as based in Brighton and publishing for UK and international markets, but does not provide reliable public details on current ownership, revenue, listing status, or the full present-day management team.
- 2013
A Very Peculiar History digitised
[1]Electronic editions of the A Very Peculiar History series were released.
- 2010
Children's Publisher of the Year
[1]Salariya won the Independent Publishers Guild's Children's Publisher of the Year award.
- 2009
Scribo launched and Amos Daragon rights acquired
[1]Salariya launched the Scribo fiction imprint and acquired rights associated with the Amos Daragon fantasy series.
- 2007
Scribblers launched
[1]The company introduced Scribblers for baby and preschool books focused on early learning skills.
- 2002
Book House becomes a publishing imprint
[1]Salariya began publishing under the Book House name, establishing a principal home for its illustrated children's publishing.
- 1989
Company founded in Brighton
[1]David Salariya founded the company as a book-packaging business in Brighton, England.
Products and positioning
An independent children's publisher focused on visually engaging, accessible, and educationally useful books, with particular strengths in illustrated history, classic-literature adaptations, early-learning titles, and internationally adaptable formats.
Historical children's non-fiction
You Wouldn't Want To Be / The Danger Zone
A large illustrated history series that places the reader in the role of a person facing a hazardous or difficult historical circumstance. The books use first-person narration, humour, visual detail, and factual explanation to make history vivid and approachable. The series has comprised more than 50 titles and is known in the UK as The Danger Zone.
Graphic-literature adaptations
Graffex
A series of abridged graphic-novel adaptations of classic literature. Titles include adaptations of Frankenstein, Dracula, Oliver Twist, Treasure Island, Hamlet, Jane Eyre, The Odyssey, and other works. Simplified narratives, sequential art, and colourful illustrations are used to help younger readers engage with canonical stories. The series has been published in the UK by Book House and made available in multiple languages.
Illustrated history
A Very Peculiar History
An illustrated history series built for browsing and short-form reading. Each volume combines core historical coverage with unusual facts, anecdotes, lists, fact boxes, and myth-busting material. Subjects range from ancient Egypt and the Tudors to Brighton, the World Cup, cats, dogs, whisky, and global warming. The series was later extended into electronic editions.
Baby and preschool books · 2007
Scribblers
An imprint focused on books for babies and preschool children. Its publishing purpose is to support early learning and key developmental skills through age-appropriate formats and content.
Children's fiction · 2009
Scribo
The company's children's fiction imprint, launched to provide a distinct home for narrative titles alongside Salariya's non-fiction, history, and early-learning lists.
Fantasy children's fiction rights · 2009
Amos Daragon
A French-Canadian fantasy fiction property for which Salariya acquired publishing rights in 2009. The property represented an expansion of the company's international children's fiction activity and was linked in reference material with development of an animated adaptation in Canada.
Brand decisions
2013
Electronic editions of A Very Peculiar HistoryGeneration changeBackground
The A Very Peculiar History series had established a broad illustrated history catalogue.
Action taken
Salariya released electronic editions of titles in the series.
Aftermath
The series became available in an additional digital format.
2009
Launch of ScriboProduct launchBackground
The company was expanding beyond its established illustrated non-fiction and early-learning lists.
Action taken
Salariya introduced Scribo as a dedicated children's fiction imprint.
Aftermath
Scribo added a separate fiction identity to the company's imprint structure.
2009
Acquisition of Amos Daragon rightsM&ABackground
Salariya was developing its children's fiction and international rights activity.
Action taken
The company acquired rights associated with the French-Canadian fantasy series Amos Daragon.
Aftermath
The property became part of Salariya's international fiction portfolio and was linked to proposed animation development.
2007
Launch of ScribblersProduct launchBackground
Salariya sought to extend its children's publishing programme to babies and preschool readers.
Action taken
The company created Scribblers as an imprint focused on early-learning and developmental books.
Aftermath
The imprint broadened the company's age coverage beyond older children's non-fiction and fiction.
2002
Move into publishing under Book HouseStrategyBackground
The company had originally operated as a book-packaging business since its foundation.
Action taken
Salariya began publishing books under the Book House imprint, giving its catalogue a dedicated publishing identity.
Aftermath
Book House became associated with the company's illustrated non-fiction, history, and graphic-adaptation programmes.
Recent events
- 2013
A Very Peculiar History receives electronic editions[1]
Product generation
Electronic editions of titles in the A Very Peculiar History series were released, extending the format of the company's illustrated history catalogue.
- 2010
Salariya wins Independent Publishers Guild Children's Publisher of the Year[1]
Other
Salariya won the Independent Publishers Guild Children's Publisher of the Year award, beating Walker Books and Top That!
- 2009
Scribo fiction imprint launched[1]
Product launch
The company expanded into children's fiction with the launch of Scribo.
- 2009
Salariya acquires rights to Amos Daragon[1]
M&A · Other
Salariya acquired rights connected with the French-Canadian fantasy series Amos Daragon, adding an international fiction property to its catalogue.
- 2009
Salariya shortlisted for Independent Publishers Guild children's award[1]
Other
The company was one of three publishers shortlisted for the Independent Publishers Guild's Children's Publisher of the Year award.
- 2007
Scribblers imprint introduced for babies and preschool readers[1]
Product launch
Salariya established Scribblers to develop books supporting early learning and key developmental skills.
- 2002
Salariya launches Book House publishing imprint[1]
Other
The company began publishing under the Book House imprint, which became closely associated with its illustrated children's non-fiction and history programme.
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