Shout Mouse Press

In CENTERING MARGINALIZED PERSPECTIVES, we aim to diversify the next generations bookshelves. We publish youth-authored, diverse, and inclusive childrens and young adult books. We also provide platforms for emerging artists from marginalized backgrounds by connecting them to industry mentors and hiring them to illustrate their first childrens book. We actively promote and sell these books, both in traditional and educational marketplaces, because we believe that peer voices are powerful voices, and they can engage audiences in ways that adult authors cannot. Finally, we ensure that earned income from book sales are invested directly back into young people themselves: proceeds support scholarship funds for author communities, salaries for author interns, and programs that help young people speak up, be heard, and be taken seriously as leaders in their communities.

WRITING WORKSHOPS serve as the first step for Shout Mouse Press authors. All book projects begin with a non-profit program partner, who recruits young writers from their community. Our non-profit program partners are carefully selected and serve communities whose identities are underrepresented as characters and creators within young peoples literature. All workshops and 1:on:1 writing mentorships are run by professional teaching artists, many of whom share identities and lived experiences with our authors. During workshops, youth are coached to write mission-driven books in a variety of genres. We pass the pen to those who can best represent themselves and their communities with authenticity, knowledge, and understanding.

Our AUTHOR PATHWAYS PROGRAM is our newest post-publication leadership development track for Shout Mouse authors. Pathways encompass a variety of career and college access supports, including author internships, college and scholarship essay support, and direct contributions to scholarship funds for author communities.

OUR AUTHOR TALKS PROGRAM is one of two post-publication leadership opportunities for all Shout Mouse authors. Our authors are routinely invited to serve as guest speakers in school, university, community, and literary spaces as a way to address community issues on which they are truly experts but rarely consulted. We provide training for these public speaking engagements as well as transportation and honoraria for all authors.