Allison Manley ’89 & Squishy Press — Making Safe & Smart Children’s Books

Allison Manley '89 with her business partner and husband, Rob Coleman, and photographer Steven E. Gross.

Squishy Press has published two titles so far. Silly Faces and Opposites feature fun photographs of children interacting with colorful backgrounds. The books were made in the USA without any harmful substances. They are available from www.squishypress.com.

When Allison Manley ’89 and her husband Rob Coleman saw their son chewing on his baby books, they wondered what was in them—and whether they were safe to eat. They did some research and were surprised by the lack of regulations and environmentally-friendly options for children’s books. Eco-conscious Allison and Rob found they had lots of options for cloth diapers, low-voc paint, and organic food—but not for books.

The two graphic designers and owners of Rogue Element, a Chicago-based design firm catering to higher education and sustainability clients, decided to do something about it. They teamed up with award-winning photographer Steven E. Gross, and worked with Illinois-based Lake County Press to create beautiful children’s books without any of the harmful substances usually found in book bindings, inks, and coatings. Squishy Press was born.

The team approached the project as they would any other design project—setting up photo shoots, designing a logo and website, printing t-shirts, and creating a trade-show booth. All while trying to learn a new business. “It’s been a huge learning curve for us,” said Allison. “The design part was easy because we know how to do that. Learning how to do retail when we’re used to a service model has made for a very interesting ride.”

As they learn about the ins and outs of retail, Allison and Rob are trying to redefine the business as they go. “We wanted transparency in our processes and to make sure that people were confident in our products. All the information is right on our website,” said Allison. “It’s where we think other companies should go…they should be building confidence with their consumers.”

Allison hopes that Squishy Press books will appeal to parents who are concerned about sustainability and accountability—as well as to folks looking for quirky, sophisticated books they can enjoy with their children. So far, the company has published two books, Silly Faces and Opposites, and hopes to have a boxed set of five or six by the end of next year. After that, says Allison, “Phase three is to expand into stacking blocks, paper dolls, coloring books—all made in the USA and non-toxic.”

Get more information about Squishy Press at www.squishypress.com.