Things work differently at Bug & Bear Press.
Here, our mission is to empower youth to co-create, co-author, co-imagine the the stories they love.
Want your kid’s creativity to be featured in the next picture book?
Start here:
At Bug & Bear Press, we believe kids should see themselves as co-creators of their world.
That’s why—starting with Book Five—every picture book we publish is shaped by real kids (of all ages) through our nationwide Creativity Challenges.
Think wild themes, wacky rhymes, and hand-drawn magic creating the world of our dreams.
And because communities shape these creators,
75% of every launch goes back to schools, clubs, and libraries they choose.
We call it Participatory Publishing.
You’ll call it magic.
Book Four—The Story Shapers—is the bridge between our early books and
the co-created stories we’re building with kids today.
It’s the spark that started the movement.
Want a copy? You should.
Two teenagers. Two dogs. Two rats.
And one epic road trip with a mission to reshape how picture books are made.From libraries to classrooms, Bug & Bear Press founder Rebecca Young and the rest of the the Story Shapers Squad
are hitting the road to bring stories to life—one stop, one reader, one creative spark at a time.Join her for live readings, on-the-spot Creativity Challenges, behind-the-scenes peeks at our co-creation process,
and the chance to meet the squad (yes, maybe even the rats).Don’t worry — the grown-up comes too. Somebody has to drive the RV and corral the chaos.
Want to see where we’re headed next — or invite us to your hometown?
Contests, Voting, Tour Updates, and New Releases… All of the “good stuff” happens in the list. Make sure you’re on it!
© 2025 Bug & Bear Press. All rights reserved.
