Status | Active |
---|---|
Founded | 1981 |
Founder | Wayne Bell |
Country of origin | United States |
Headquarters location | St. Louis, Missouri |
Nonfiction topics | Coloring books |
No. of employees | 18 |
Official website | http://www.ColoringBook.com |
Really Big Coloring Books, Inc is an American publisher based in St. Louis, Missouri. The company develops, publishes, and distributes children's coloring and activity books, some in large format. Some of their products have been deemed controversial due to their political content. [1]
Really Big Coloring Books was established in 1981 by publisher Wayne Bell. [2] The company publishes coloring and activity books covering a range of topics, including animals, cultural events and religious themes. The company also produces politically themed coloring books, covering subjects such as Barack Obama, the Tea Party Movement, [3] and Occupy Wall Street. [4] The company distributes its coloring books through wholesale and retail outlets, as well as its own websites. The company claims to own roughly 1600 domain names related to coloring books. [5] Really Big Coloring Books also distributes its coloring books through a fundraising division. The company states that their fundraising efforts have helped raise millions of dollars for organizations around the world. [5] [6]
The company has one again gained national attention in 2023 becoming the Publisher of the PBS KIDS Characters coloring program. Really Big Coloring Books® | ColoringBook.com expands product offerings with launch of Brand-New Coloring Book Products for PBS KIDS® Characters In a world driven by innovation and adaptability, stories of entrepreneurial spirit often stand out as inspiring examples of taking risks and carving a unique path to success. Wayne Bell, the CEO and Founder of Really Big Coloring Books® Inc. (ColoringBook.com), embodies this narrative of vision, tenacity, and dedication to telling the stories of countless individuals and communities around the world. From humble beginnings in the 1980s to becoming a globally recognized publishing powerhouse, Bell’s journey reflects the transformative power of creativity, education, and the ever-evolving digital landscape. The Journey of Really Big Coloring Books® Alex Schlosser
Bell began writing in 2022 for the US based Rolling Stone Culture Council by writing and publishing articles on the production and use of Hemp Paper, which is legal in the United States, articles on music, gaslighting and digital publishing. Rolling Stone Culture Council is a private, vetted community for influencers, taste-makers, and innovators in the worlds of music, entertainment, media, food & beverage, fashion, sports, gaming and cannabis. He is also a member and writer since 2021 for US based Business Journals Leadership Trust, a vetted group of business leader men and women.
The company gained national attention in 2008 by publishing the Yes We Did - President Barack Obama Coloring and Activity Book. This was the first in the Really Big Coloring Books series on cultural events. The book, recommended for children, parents and educators, received both praise and criticism. Bell maintains that the book simply reflects a historic event, the election of the USA's first African American President. [7]
The company again gained national attention in 2010 following their publication of The Tea Party Coloring Book for Kids. [8] The coloring book, recommended for children aged two to five, contained passages reading "When taxes are too high, the high tax takes away jobs and freedom" and "In 1773 we had a Tea Party and this led to freedom from high taxes. Today we are having another Tea Party and this will lead to freedom from high taxes again!" [9] Critics argued that the coloring book was not appropriate for children, and instead was more suitable for politically right-wing adults due to its positive references to the Tea Party. [10] The publisher asserted that the intentions of The Tea Party Coloring Book for Kids are not political. [11]
In 2011 the company published We Shall Never Forget 9/11: The Kid's Book of Freedom. The coloring book was released prior to the ten-year anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks and drew criticism from American Muslim groups for its representation of Muslims. [12] The book contained references to "Radical Islamic Muslim Extremists" ten times, and said "some Muslim people believe the attacks were a conspiracy caused by Jews". [13] The coloring book also asserted that the September 11th terrorist attacks "will change the way America deals with and views the Islamic and Muslim people around the world". [14] Despite the controversy, the company claimed it was having trouble meeting demand for their product. [15] In response to the controversy, the company stated that it has donated a portion of the profits from the coloring book to the non-profit organization Bridges for Peace. [16]
The product was published on March 26, 2013 as a coloring and activity book for children, adults and educators on LGBT issues. CBS News reported that the "'Being Gay is Okay' coloring book is like nothing you or your children have ever seen before" and referred to the book as controversial. [17] Child psychologist Deb Pontillo said "You know, I think it's education, and I don't think there's ever a harm to education". [18] Participants in making of the book included both members of the LGBT community and people that previously knew little about the gay community. OUT Magazine reported "Overall, the novel’s main message is that being gay is something to be celebrated and there is community, history and resources to be found in LGBTQ culture." [19] Wayne Bell insisted, "The book is about education, diversity and inclusion. Every part of the book is suitable for parents, educators and all children. There is nothing in the book about sex and there is no agenda, it is about reality through honest introduction of issues some people must face". [20]
The company produced a coloring and activity book featuring Senator Ted Cruz: U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz to the Future which is intended for "all ages." Cruz did not cooperate in its production. The cover features the senator pointing at a flourishing tea plant whose stalks are stencilled with the "Ten Commandments" and "U.S. Constitution." Stencils on the leaves of the plant include "Gun rights," "Free Enterprise," and "Lower Taxes". [21] [22]
Really Big Coloring Books released Anti ISIS Coloring Book Comic Culture of Evil, aimed at adults. The coloring book was met with controversy due to its subject matter. The publisher defended the book as depicting real events.[ citation needed ] The book was banned on Amazon as individuals and groups mounted a protest against the book as being "too realistic". [23]
Really Big Coloring Books Inc. released the Pope Francis Coloring and Activity Book, aimed at all ages. [24] They received a letter in response from the Vatican. A company official stated the book was created with integrity, respect, honesty and courage. [25]
Really Big Coloring Books released a "unauthorized biography" on Donald J. Trump and Michael Pence. The cover features photographs of Trump and Pence with information on The White House, the US Capitol and Washington, D.C. [26]
Really Big Coloring Books released a "unauthorized biography" on Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. The cover features photographs of Biden and Harris.[ citation needed ] One version of the Biden Harris book is printed with hemp paper, a first in US History. [27]
Western Publishing, also known as Western Printing and Lithographing Company, was a Racine, Wisconsin, firm responsible for publishing the Little Golden Books. Its Golden Books Family Entertainment division also produced children's books and family-related entertainment products. The company had editorial offices in New York City and Los Angeles, California. Western Publishing became Golden Books Family Entertainment in 1996. Little Golden Books remains as an imprint of Penguin Random House. Golden Guides andGolden Field Guides are published by St. Martin's Press.
Scholastic Corporation is an American multinational publishing, education, and media company that publishes and distributes books, comics, and educational materials for schools, teachers, parents, children, and other educational institutions. Products are distributed via retail and online sales and through schools via reading clubs and book fairs. Clifford the Big Red Dog, a character created by Norman Bridwell in 1963, serves as Scholastic's official mascot.
Most United States presidents have kept pets while in office, or pets have been part of their families. Only James K. Polk, Andrew Johnson, and Donald Trump did not have any presidential pets while in office. However, Johnson did take care of some mice he found in his bedroom.
LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. is an educational entertainment and electronics company based in Emeryville, California. LeapFrog designs, develops, and markets technology-based learning products and related content for the education of children from infancy through grade school. The company was founded by Michael Wood and Robert Lally in 1994. John Barbour is the chief executive officer of LeapFrog.
Penguin Group is a British trade book publisher and part of Penguin Random House, which is owned by the German media conglomerate Bertelsmann. The new company was created by a merger that was finalised on 1 July 2013, with Bertelsmann initially owning 53% of the joint venture, and Pearson PLC initially owning the remaining 47%. Since 18 December 2019, Penguin Random House has been wholly owned by Bertelsmann.
Simon & Schuster LLC is an American publishing company owned by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts. It was founded in New York City on January 2, 1924, by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. Along with Penguin Random House, Hachette, HarperCollins and Macmillan Publishers, Simon & Schuster is considered one of the 'Big Five' English language publishers. As of 2017 Simon & Schuster was the third largest publisher in the United States, publishing 2,000 titles annually under 35 different imprints.
A coloring book is a type of book containing line art to which people are intended to add color using crayons, colored pencils, marker pens, paint or other artistic media. Traditional coloring books and coloring pages are printed on paper or card. Some coloring books have perforated edges so their pages can be removed from the books and used as individual sheets. Others may include a story line and so are intended to be left intact. Today, many children's coloring books feature popular cartoon characters. They are often used as promotional materials for animated motion pictures. Coloring books may also incorporate other activities such as connect the dots, mazes and other puzzles. Some also incorporate the use of stickers.
Alyson Books, formerly known as Alyson Publications, was a book publishing house which specialized in LGBT fiction and non-fiction. Former publisher Don Weise described it as "the world's oldest and largest publisher of LGBT literature" and "the home of award-winning books in the areas of memoir, history, humor, commercial fiction, mystery, and erotica, among many others".
Disney Publishing Worldwide (DPW), formerly known as The Disney Publishing Group and Buena Vista Publishing Group, is the publishing subsidiary of Disney Experiences, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. Its imprints include Disney Editions, Disney Press, Kingswell, Freeform, and Hyperion Books for Children. It has creative centers in Glendale, California, and Milan, Italy.
Parragon Books Ltd, a United Kingdom publishing company, was formed in 1988 by friends Guy Parr and Paul Anderson. In 2001, it became part of D. C. Thomson & Co.
Richard Russell Riordan Jr. is an American author, best known for writing the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series. Riordan's books have been translated into forty-two languages and sold more than thirty million copies in the United States. 20th Century Fox adapted the first two books of his Percy Jackson series as part of a series of films in which Riordan was not involved. Riordan currently serves as a co-creator and executive producer on the television series adaption of the book series that was released on Disney+ in 2023. Riordan's books have also spawned other related media, such as graphic novels and short story collections.
The English Roses is a children's picture book written by American entertainer Madonna, released on September 15, 2003, by Callaway Arts & Entertainment. Jeffrey Fulvimari illustrated the book with line drawings. A moral tale, it tells the story of four friends who are jealous of a girl called Binah. However, they come to know that Binah's life is not easy and decide to include her in their group.
Callaway Arts & Entertainment is a company based in New York founded by Nicholas Callaway. It specializes in the design, production, and publication of illustrated books and multimedia products. The company is known for producing books by Madonna, including Sex (1992) and The English Roses (2003), as well as the Miss Spider series, created originally by David Kirk.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid is an American children's book series and media franchise created by American author and cartoonist Jeff Kinney. The series follows Greg Heffley, a middle-schooler who illustrates his daily life in a diary.
Ashley Blazer Biden is an American social worker, activist, philanthropist, and fashion designer. She served as the executive director of the Delaware Center for Justice from 2014 to 2019. Prior to her administrative role at the center, Biden worked in the Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth, and Their Families. She founded the fashion company Livelihood, which partners with the online retailer Gilt Groupe to raise money for community programs focused on eliminating income inequality in the United States, launching it at New York Fashion Week in 2017. Biden's parents are President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden.
Abrams, formerly Harry N. Abrams, Inc. (HNA), is an American publisher of art and illustrated books, children's books, and stationery.
American author Dan Savage has written six books, op-ed pieces in The New York Times, and an advice column on sexual issues in The Stranger. A graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Savage began contributing a column, Savage Love, to The Stranger from its inception in 1991. By 1998 his column had a readership of four million. He was Associate Editor at the newspaper from 1991 to 2001, when he became its editor-in-chief, later becoming its editorial director in 2007.
Bendon is an American publisher of children's books.
Ying Chang Compestine is a Chinese American author, speaker, television host and chef. She has written over twenty-five books including Revolution Is Not a Dinner Party (novel), based on her life growing up during the Chinese Cultural Revolution., and a middle grade novel, Morning Sun in Wuhan, set in Wuhan, China.