I’m frequently asked why I work for a publishing house when I’ve already got a teaching gig and my own writing/editing/coaching/ghostwriting career. Well, this month’s Industry Insider post will help explain it by offering a deep dive into one of the most exciting kidlit presses working today, which is where I just so happen to work as Editor and Head of Strategic Alliances as of about two years ago.
Welcome to David Miles, the co-founder and Publisher of Bushel & Peck Books, a press that he launched with his wife in 2018 (their first books came out in 2019).
RVC: What inspired you to start Bushel & Peck Books?
DM: I love books. I love reading them. I love writing them. I love designing them. I love making them. In fact, when I was in college, if I had a big exam that I had to study for, and I wasn’t very motivated to go through my notes, I would actually go to the library. They had a really nice children’s section at BYU. I would get a big stack of children’s books from the shelves, and then I would reward myself so if I made it through 10 flashcards or memorizing certain list of vocab, I could read a book. Then I would go back to my notes, do a bit more work, and then go back to my stack of children’s books. That was one of the ways I got through college.
RVC: What were some of your favorites as a kid?
DM: As a kid, I loved Richard Scarry. I loved the Magic School Bus. I loved the Mrs. Piggle Wiggle books, although those are chapter books. But on the picture book side? Stephen Kellogg’s The Mysterious Tadpole. And I love Jamberry–it’s one of my all-time favorites.
RVC: Were the ones you chose as an adult in the BYU library the same ones?
DM: At that point, I had already published my first book. I was really interested in children’s books and the illustrations and different ways that they were created, so I would just grab any book that looked interesting off the shelf. And then I was just reading books and studying them and seeing what I liked.
RVC: What did you attend BYU to study?
DM: Business management.
RVC: Well, that explains a lot. Now, clarify something for me. Is missionary work a BYU thing or a faith thing?
DM: It’s part of the faith.
RVC: Did you go on a mission during your BYU days?
DM: I did a year at BYU and then took sabbatical and did a two-year mission in Thailand. I spent half of that time in the rural Northeast, and I spent the other year in Bangkok.
RVC: What was the most memorable part of your mission?
DM: Just realizing how wonderful people are all over the world. And how much they care about their families. They were so warm and inviting and happy.
I remember flying home to Los Angeles. Now I didn’t know this at the time, but when you when you go on an international flight and you come back to the United States, they play this Department of Homeland Security “Welcome to the United States” video, which isn’t actually all that welcoming. I love America and was glad to be home, but I was very taken by the people I met during my time away and missed the warmth and openness I experienced with them.
RVC: Let’s circle back to the press. How did you choose the name?
DM: My wife, Stephanie, and I spent quite a bit of time brainstorming names. We wanted something that was a little bit unique, a little quirky. We settled on Bushel & Peck because it was broad enough to include all the different kinds of books we wanted to do. It had the right feeling of warmth and charm that goes with that title, and we love that it spoke to the best of childhood. I also loved how the ampersand in Bushel & Peck had a higher end feel, like Crate & Barrel or a brand like that. So, it seemed like a good blend of premium, high-quality books mixed with the warmth and magic of a loving childhood. That’s what we wanted.
RVC: What’s the most important thing people should know or understand about Bushel & Peck?
DM: That we are a very thoughtful press. When we create a book, we’re not just filling a catalogue, or a certain quota of titles that we have to publish.
We think very carefully about each book. And we think very carefully about how we make each book. We want the books that we create to be the very best that there are on any given topic. That means that the visuals need to be amazing. It means that the writing has to be fantastic. But it also means that it needs to help a kid have an experience with the book–or with the topic or whatever it is–that is thought provoking and inspiring, that it touches them on a lot of levels.
For example, if we do a book about dinosaurs, we don’t want to just another dinosaur book that adds to the noise. It needs to be a fantastic, original experience. I think that people are starting to come to expect that from us now.
RVC: Name a book for each kidlit level you publish that really showcases what Bushel & Peck is about.
DM: On the picture book side, we did a book called God’s Earth Is Something to Fight For which turned out to be a remarkably controversial picture book! It’s one of the first picture books out there to look at climate change from a faith-based perspective. That’s a perfect example of a book where we’re on the forefront of ideas and conversations. They might not always make big bucks or become bestsellers, but they’re important books. And they offer a perspective that’s unique, and it’s beautifully done. Its backmatter is terrific, too, and Kris Smolskaya’s illustrations are wonderful. It’s a high-quality book with a very intelligent, thoughtful message.
As for a nonfiction picture book? Wendy Bjazevich’s Exoplanets is another really good example where we found a topic that hasn’t really been done before. And we didn’t just do a little book about it–we did a big book with really stunning illustrations. We went to a high level of detail in the science. We didn’t just talk about these planets out there. We went further and talked about probability and spectroscopy and all these different scientific terms that are pretty high level even for adults, but that I think kid readers can handle. Then we went through all the work of including examples of specific exoplanets with how large they are, their mass in relation to Earth, and so on. It’s a remarkable level of detail.
RVC: What about middle grade?
DM: I’m just a big fan of really, really fun stories, the kind that you want to read, that make you feel good. So, with our middle grade imprint, my goal is with every book, I want you to end with those warm feels. Maybe the book leaves a real impression on you, or maybe it just makes you feel warm and happy, or just glad you read that book because it just lifted you up. We have titles where some are sad, some are funny, some are more adventurous, but they all have the ability to connect with the reader by the end in that way.
RVC: What was the first big success with a Bushel & Peck book?
DM: It was Christy Monson’s 50 Real Heroes for Boys: True Stories of Courage, Integrity, Kindness, Empathy, Compassion, and More!, which is actually another good example of a representative Bushel & Peck book. There were so many titles coming out for girls, and for good reason. But as we thought about that, we realized that with those books, we’re only solving half of the problem. Now, empowering girls is incredibly important, but if we’re not also teaching boys to have values, to treat women with respect, to think about the kind of men that they grow up to be, then we’re missing half of the equation. So, that was a book where we wanted to provide the heroes and values specifically to boys. We created this book in our very first publishing season in 2019. We were a nobody, yet Barnes & Noble took the title nationwide, which is unusual for a brand-new press. It was an instant success.
The Interactive Constitution
book was also in that first season, and it went on to sell thousands of copies. Since then, our biggest success is the Draw With series, which again, is one of those thoughtful Bushel & Peck books, where it’s not just a doodle book, it’s not just a coloring book. And yes, there have been thousands of doodling and color books in the last 10 years, but ours was different because it focused on creating a unique experience for a parent and a child to bond together, to grow together, and maybe spend some time off screens. That message resonates. To date, we’ve sold almost 100,000 copies in that series.
RVC: What’s a project you’ve worked on that pushed you out of your comfort zone, and what did you learn from it?
DM: Our forthcoming Religions of the World book.
And it wasn’t the content that pushed me out of my comfort zone, but our goal with the book: we wanted to do the book right, to create something that really represented multiple faiths and was as inclusive as possible. We were really challenged editorially to figure out how we could truly accomplish that mission in so few pages. It would have been very easy to do a surface-level book about some of the bigger faiths and call that a “world religions” book. But that option seemed pretty disingenuous when there are millions of people around the world with lots of different faiths outside the main ones. And it takes a lot of work and a lot of thought and a lot of introspection to figure out how to represent so many people and do so respectfully and authentically. So, that’s a book where the easy path would still have sold books, but that’s not the kind of press we are, and those aren’t the kind of books we want to make.
We learned a ton. We learned a lot about the faiths themselves, and I think we also learned about ourselves, and just how much we really wanted to be able to create books like that. When you go through that process, and you realize how hard it is, and you realize you might be one of the few people who actually do it, it makes you want to do it even more.
RVC: How do you approach the delicate balance between educational content and pure storytelling?
DM: If the book isn’t fun, kids are going to pick it up. And for us, the goal is always to educate. We became publishers because we wanted to have a megaphone. Not an activism kind of megaphone, but a megaphone where we had a chance to share important information and share values and teach kids about the diverse world around them. That’s always the goal of our books–to teach and to explore and to nurture curiosity and help kids broaden their outlook on the world and the people around them. But you can’t do that if the book is boring, or if the art is plain, or if the text is dull. You really have to create an experience that’s engaging and enjoyable. That doesn’t always mean it has to be fun or funny, although sometimes that’s a good way to do it. Sometimes it just means that you really dig into the questions that kids have, and you talk directly to them, and you talk intelligently to them. And you really help them learn the things that they’re already innately curious about.
You just have to think like a kid—like you were as a kid, or the kids that you know—and think, “Okay, for this particular topic, what would be the most compelling way for me to teach this or engage with a child about this topic?” And then you find that path, and that’s the route you follow for that book.
RVC: How do you balance the demands of running a business with your own creative aspirations?
DM: There’s nothing more challenging, or more creative, than creating a business. I love creating books. I love writing books. I love illustrating books. But what I’ve learned is that what I love even more is seeing books succeed. As much as I love writing and illustrating and doing all that, I’m actually perfectly happy to take a backseat while other wonderful, talented people do that. It means that I still get to watch the book take off and make a difference.
As far as balance goes, as the press grows, the amount of time that I spend writing and illustrating myself shrinks. Yet the time I spend shepherding other books to the process grows. I love both parts equally. I’ve never felt a lack as some of the other demands of the press have grown.
RVC: Let’s talk for a moment about the book you’ve written and illustrated yourself. What are some of your favorites, and why?
DM: I’ll give you three.
One of my favorites was Unicorn (and Horse). It was just so fun to write because the characters were instantly clear to me. They were fun to spend time with they were fun to write about. It was just a fun story that almost wrote itself.
I loved writing Allegro: A Musical Journey Through 11 Musical Masterpieces, which was a book all about music and how music makes you feel. But it starts with this boy, and he’s practicing the piano (and not real happy about it). There’s probably a lot of autobiography in that book. It was fun to pick some of my favorite classical pieces that stir feelings within me. It’s exciting to imagine kids pushing the buttons and hearing those pieces and sharing that experience with them.
One of the most satisfying books that I worked on was probably The Side by Side Declaration of Independence, and also The Interactive Constitution. Those were both extremely challenging books to write, because when you get into that level of history and detail with these original documents, there’s a lot of pressure to make sure that whatever you’re teaching kids is accurate and correct. You’re interpreting things and that’s both very challenging and super rewarding. I can’t think of many things more important than helping kids understand the framework of our nation and the importance of some of these founding documents and what they continue to mean to the country today.
RVC: What’s a typical workday look like for you?
DM: A lot of email, which I wish I didn’t have to spend so much time doing, but it’s part of running a press. On different days, it varies. Some days, it’s a heavy design load, where I’m creating books, or I’m creating covers. I still like to get my hands on the design process. It’s an area that I enjoy and it’s part of the look and feel of our press, so it’s something I like to stay involved in. On other days, it’s lots of meetings as I’m shepherding books through the process. With meetings, you’re talking to authors, you’re spending time discussing art with agents, and providing feedback as an art director. Other days, it’s very analytical. You put your business hat on, and you’re looking at financials, and you’re forecasting cash flow. Yet I love that part. And as much as I love the creative part, I also love the analytical part. I love the puzzle pieces you move around as you try to make your press as efficient as you can. I really love the business side of it.
I find that I don’t do well when I’m trying to do little bits of everything. It’s best if I block out big chunks of time to work on creative parts or work on business parts. It helps my brain stay focused on the right things for the right amount of time.
RVC: What role does your family play in Bushel & Peck?
DM: First, there’s huge support. There’s no way that we could have started the press without Stephanie and Tucker being on board. It’s a lot of hours. And the press is always on your mind. A lot of the days, you wake up, you go to bed, and there’s problems that you’re thinking about. There are just things on your mind that you know you need to solve. But as much as we can, we try to make it a family affair. Tucker has come to some of the publishing conferences. He likes to look at the books that we publish. He has lots of opinions about them, which is good!
Stephanie plays a bigger role in the actual press. She gives a lot of critical feedback on design and on the books we’re looking to acquire. She takes the lead on all of our social media interactions.
The biggest part though, honestly, is just having people around you that believe in you. It’s a pretty scary thing to go out and start a press–especially when you’re doing it on your own. To have your wife be a partner who believes in it and believes in what you’re doing and can see past the setbacks and can see past the problems and knows where it’s able to go and believes that you’re able to get it there is the biggest thing you could ever ask for.
RVC: What role does your faith play in your work?
DM: I believe that we are all on the earth to make a difference. I would go so far as to say that I think we all have a mission in life, or even multiple missions. I think everyone has a different role to play, and a different way that we can use our time and our skills to benefit mankind.
When we started Bushel & Peck, we could have done just an everyday press that published nice books and tried to make a lot of money. But because of our faith, and that innate desire that our faith has given us to try to do good, and be good, and leave the world better for having lived here, well, I think that belief and that goal just naturally imbued itself in the press. So, the kinds of books that we publish, the approach that we take to our editorial process, how we think about how a book is going to impact people, how we think about people who are marginalized, about voices and stories that need to be heard, that’s all part of our faith.
We’re also committed to publishing books that matter. There’s always a place for funny books, and quirky books, and stuff that’s entertaining, so we’re always going to do some of those books. Yet a lot of the titles we do have an optimism and a hope about them, an eye that’s trying to see the beauty in life and the beauty of humanity—seeing the good in the world. A lot of what we publish are things that champion that, whether it’s interesting nonfiction topics, or books about heroes and lives well lived. I hope the kids that read our books are inspired to be good people and to find ways to use their lives for good. I don’t know if we ever come out and say that directly, but I think it’s pretty clear when you look at the list.
RVC: Who or what has most influenced you as a member of the kidlit industry?
DM: I don’t think I could say anyone other than my mom. I can think of lots of people who have influenced me in different ways or have taught me skills or perspectives, but when I really consider who had the biggest impact, it was my mom. She was the one who taught us the value of books and the value of reading and of uplifting literature.
RVC: How did she do that?
DM: When I was a kid, we would sit as a family on Sunday nights and she would read from her favorite books. The Lord of the Rings. Ralphy Moody’s Little Britches series. Jan Karon’s Mitford series. We’d sometimes have popcorn, and we’d just sit there and listen to Mom read.
We didn’t have a ton of money as a family, so one year for Christmas, she bought a bunch of cassette tapes. She had a little tape recorder and all seven of us kids each got a book that she recorded on tape for us. I guess she did it for months during the fall while we were at school. I can’t remember who got what–one of us got a Henry Reed book, one of us got My Father’s Dragon, all different ones. I don’t know what happened to those cassettes, but we listened to them over and over and over. We loved going to bed at night and hearing Mom read these stories to us.
With a childhood like that, it’s only natural that you come out of it loving books and loving what they can do in your life, because you felt it.
RVC: What’s next for Bushel & Peck Books in terms of new projects or initiatives?
DM: We just launched three new imprints, so we now have Bushel & Peck, but we’ve also got Sunbeam, which is our faith-based, multi-faith imprint. We’ve got Moonshower, which is our poetry-only imprint. And then we’ve got Milk & Cookies, which is our middle grade imprint.
So, we just went through a big growth phase. Now we’re going to grow each of those imprints to really solidify their presence and brand. Then from there, we’ll look at new ways we want to grow. It could be new formats, or it could be new topics that we feel are underserved in publishing. It may be editorial directions that we’d like to add to our portfolio.
RVC: Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently in your publishing journey?
DM: We made lots of mistakes. But I wouldn’t do anything differently, because I don’t know how to learn other than making mistakes. Honestly, I can think of lots of things I would do differently, and yet I wouldn’t want to change that if it meant that I didn’t get to keep the wisdom that those kinds of experiences give you.
RVC: What do you do when you’re not Bushel & Pecking?
DM: Stephanie and I love to garden. We love going to nurseries to look at plants. We love little vintage finds and art and furniture and things like that. That’s a lot of fun. You can see from the books we do that I love seeing the things people have created over the past decades and centuries and finding a new use and appreciation for them. I also like to cook and bake and catch a good movie and throw the football with Tucker. We do a lot of that right now.
After the press launched and we began to have some success, I treated myself to a new piano. That’s been terrific.
RVC: Okay, David. It’s now time for the one, the only, the famous LIGHTNING ROUND! Let’s handle 6 questions and 6 answers in 60 seconds or fewer. Ready?
DM: Bring it!
RVC: If someone overhears you singing in the shower, what are you belting out?
DM: I’m usually listening to something upbeat on Spotify, and so I’m singing along to whatever song is playing at the moment. And yes, I sing!
RVC: What animal would be cutest if it were scaled down to the size of a gerbil?
DM: An otter.
RVC: If someone narrated your life, who would you want to be the narrator?
DM: Stephen Fry.
RVC: What are five things you couldn’t do your job without?
DM: Internet. Chocolate chip cookies. Diet Coke. A really good pillow–super important! And a little bit of rain.
RVC: What’s the last picture book you read that really had an emotional impact on you as a reader?
DM: Dan Santat’s After the Fall.
RVC: Your picture book philosophy in five words or fewer.
DM: Do good.
RVC: Thanks for taking the time to really help us understand Bushel & Peck Books, David. Great job!
