Quality Children's Books in Family Venues

Connecting independent authors with families across the UK

Thoughtfully designed vending machines bringing curated children’s books to cafes, shopping centres, and family-friendly locations nationwide.

Building Momentum Since July 2025

Early traction with authors and growing conversations with venues across the UK

15+

Authors Onboarded

15+

Venue Conversationss

Coming Soon

First Pilots Launch

70%

Author Royalties

Who We Work With

Supporting venues, families, and authors with quality children’s literature

Venues & Partners

Add value for families at your location with curated children’s books

  • Affordable entry point – a modest venue investment covers full setup
  • Revenue share from each book sold
  • 3-6 month pilot with no long-term commitment
  • Professional installation and ongoing maintenance
  • Enhance your family-friendly offering
  • Perfect for any family-friendly venue

Families & Readers

Discover unique children’s books in convenient locations near you

  • Quality books in cafes, shopping centres & parks
  • Independent authors not in chain stores
  • Books £5-£12, clearly priced and age-labeled
  • Brand new books, carefully curated
  • Support independent creators with every purchase

Authors

Get your book into family venues with industry-leading royalties

  • £50 one-time setup, then earn 70% per sale
  • Focused placement in high-traffic family venues
  • Top sellers considered for future media opportunities
  • Monthly payments with clear reporting
  • Performance tracking & insights 

What Makes Us Different

We’re not a bookstore, publisher, or online platform – we’re a focused distribution and placement network.

Physical Presence

Real vending machines in real locations where families already spend time – cafes, shopping centres, and holiday parks

Data-Driven Discovery

We track every sale to identify franchise-worthy stories. Top performers may get consdieration for future media opportunities

Low Risk Investment

Just £50 to get started, then you earn 70% of every sale. We focus on curating your book, placing it in selected venues, and increasing discovery, while you retain the majority of the profits.

Curated Quality

Every book is hand-selected by our team. We ensure families discover only the best independent children’s literature

How Stepping Stone Books Works

A simple, revolutionary approach to getting quality children’s books into families’ hands

Authors Submit

Independent authors submit their manuscripts through our simple online application process

We Curate

Our team reviews submissions and selects books that meet our quality standards for storytelling and illustrations

We Select & Place

We focus on placing books within our network of vending machines across the UK and driving discovery in high-traffic locations.

Families Discover

Parents and children browse touchscreen displays and purchase books at convenient locations they already visit

Authors Earn

Authors receive transparent monthly royalty payments as their books sell across our network

Success Stories Scale

High-performing titles may be explored for future media opportunities

Where You'll Find Us

Our vending machines are strategically placed in family-friendly venues across the UK

Growing Network of UK Venues

We are building a UK-wide network of family-friendly venues, our machines are bringing quality children’s books to communities everywhere

Cafes & Coffee Shops

Perfect for browsing during family outings

Shopping Centres

Convenient access while you shop

Holiday Parks

Entertainment for family vacations

Family Venues

Play centres, museums, and attractions

Waiting Rooms

Paediatric clinics and family centres

Hotels & Resorts

Family-friendly accommodations

How It Works for Families

Finding quality children’s books has never been easier or more convenient

Find a Machine

Discover books at Stepping Stone locations

Browse Books

View covers, descriptions, and choose the perfect book for your child’s age

Quick Payment

Card or contactless – all major cards and digital wallets accepted

Enjoy Reading

Take home a brand-new book and support independent authors

Age Ranges

Picture books (0-5 years)
Early readers (5-7 years)
Middle grade (7-12 years)
All clearly labeled on each book

 
Price Points

Typically £5-£12 depending on book size and format. All prices displayed clearly on the machine.

Quality Promise

Every book carefully curated for quality storytelling and illustrations. All books are brand new and never-read.

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about Stepping Stone Books

How much does it cost for authors to get started?

There’s a one-time £50 onboarding fee upon acceptance. This covers your author dashboard setup and placement preparation. After that, you earn 70% from every book sold, with monthly payments and clear reporting.

Authors receive 70% of the retail price. Payments are made monthly, with detailed sales reports so you can track performance.

Visit our Reader page and use the location finder. Enter your postcode to explore nearby venues as new pilot locations go live.

We accept children’s books suitable for family venues, including:
• Picture Books (0–5 years) – 50–1,000 words, illustration-led, emotional intelligence and early learning themes
• Early Readers (5–7 years) – 200–1,500 words, simple language, strong illustrations
• Chapter Books (7–9 years) – 4,000–15,000 words
• Middle Grade (8–12 years) – 20,000–40,000 words

Most authors hear back within 2–3 weeks. If accepted, we begin preparing your book for placement in selected venues as pilot locations are confirmed.

What Our Community Is Saying

Real feedback from authors, venues, and families already part of our journey

Get in Touch

Interested in hosting a pilot? Have questions? We’d love to hear from you.

Join other authors, readers, and illustrators in our community

Ready to Get Started?

Choose your path and join the Stepping Stone Books revolution today

Authors

Submit your manuscript and get your book into hundreds of venues with no risk

Readers

Discover Authors you won’t typically find in chain stores

Illustrators

Join our creative network and collaborate on curated children’s book projects.