We believe every child deserves to open a book and see themselves represented. All children dance and cry, celebrate and fail, love and learn.
We not only create these books, but we also celebrate them.
We believe in publishing stories that empower the younger generation to believe these messages: you matter in this story. You’re important. This world needs you. You can do anything you dream of doing. There are no limits for your beautiful mind.
At Hightree Publishing, we are proud to offer a variety of books that are 100% diverse. Our main focus is to introduce new books where children get to flip through the pages and are able to say, “That’s me. I can do that too.”
We create books with relatable problems, hurt feelings, accidental messes, important holidays, forgotten heroes, new princesses, scientists, ordinary and extraordinary adventures.
It’s time to change the narrative and we believe that begins with the stories we tell our children.
Hi, I’m Roda and it’s so good to see you here! I always find it tricky to answer the “where are you from” question since I was born in Somalia, moved to Saudi Arabia, grew up in Norway, lived in New York for ten years, and currently reside in Los Angeles, California. I’m a mother to two beautiful children, wife, author, and traveler.
I love taking care of my friends and family more than anything. My people are my world. I believe in serendipity and looking for magic in everyday life. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always wished I could live inside of a book. Every Sunday when I was a child, my dad would take me to the library. I still remember telling him I wanted to have my name written on books in the library one day.
I think the most important thing we can extend to another person is the feeling of being “seen.” I like to know people’s names and ask them questions about their lives. I collect stories and I never forget a face. I believe in the power of humans and think there are more things that connect us than not. I believe the stories around us shape who we are and what we become.
At Hightree Publishing, we believe in inclusiveness and diversity. I like to say we are making and planting something-- deep and rooted-- for future generations. I truly believe all children deserve to see someone like them as the main character in the books they read, getting to claim those wild adventures as their own.
I graduated from the Norwegian University of Technology and Natural Sciences with a degree in Anthropology. I’ve mastered five languages: Somali, Arabic, Norwegian, English and French. Before founding Hightree Publishing, I built a strong background in books. My debut novel. “Forberedelsen” (The Preparation), became a bestseller in Norway and my first children’s book “Mae Among the Stars” was published by Harper and is in its eight printing. “Mae Among the Stars” is inspired by the story of Mae Jemison, the first African American woman to travel into space. Through this experience, I realized I wanted to break pervasive stereotypes in the marketplace and really capture the essence of all children through the power of illustrations and the written word. I make this my mission daily to help connect authors and illustrators from around the world and make books that reflect the world we live in.
Lea Bogner, Literary Director
Lea serves as the Outreach Manager for the Texas Book Festival, running year-round programs including Reading Rock Stars, Real Reads and the Library Grants program. Lea holds a bachelor's degree with honors in International Relations and International Development from Tulane University. After graduating, she served as a member of Teach for America and taught 6th grade reading in New Orleans. Lea received her Master's of Public Affairs in 2016 from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs and currently resides in Austin with her fiancé and their two dogs.
Hathaway Pogue, Senior Editor
Hathaway began her career in song writing after graduating from USC with a BA in 'Literature & Creative Writing’. Hathaway has published numerous songs through records and television.
After having her two children she shifted her passion for story telling through lyrics, into creating children’s books. She enjoys writing and editing for children as they are her greatest source of inspiration.
Valerie Jauregui, Editor
Valerie has been an early childhood educator for 20 years, 14 as a teaching librarian in elementary and middle schools in Northern and Southern California. She has experienced children’s books from several angles, including teaching, writing, bookselling, and jacket copywriting. Her passion lies in promoting books that highlight social justice and equity. She is also a freelance story editor and copywriter developing, editing, and promoting children’s picture book and middle-grade manuscripts. She lives in Los Angeles. Find her on Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest: @valeriepress.
Autumn Cobb, Publicist
Autumn is a San Francisco native and a graduate of Penn State University where she received her degree in Public Relations in 2010. She began her career at Edelman Silicon Valley where she worked on enterprise technology accounts. After relocating to New York City, she joined Access Communications where she contributed to campaigns for Facebook Small Business and EMC. She later moved on to work in SoulCycle's corporate offices on the company's SuperSoul team. In October of 2015, Autumn joined the BlinkNow Foundation to help lead the 2015 CNN Hero campaign for Maggie Doyne in Nepal.
Charnaie Gordon, Brand/Digital Strategist
Charnaie Gordon is a Diversity and Inclusion Advocate, children’s book author, blogger, podcast host and Digital Creator. She served as a member of the National Advisory Board for Reading is Fundamental for their Race, Equity and Inclusion (REI) initiative. Charnaie is also the founder of 50 States 50 Books, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that donates diverse children's books to kids in need across America. More than anything else, she cares about connecting people with great books they'll love. In her world, books are an absolute necessity. Charnaie is passionate about instilling a love of reading, lifelong learning and curiosity in her kids. She hopes to inspire others to do the same with their children. Find her online at hereweeread.com, charnaiegordon.com and @hereweeread on Instagram.
