About Us

About Us

Who we are

Who we are

White Finch Press is a boutique publishing house founded by the team behind Platypus Media and Science Naturally, a Washington, DC independent press with 25 years of experience making illustrated books for curious readers of all ages.

Building on this experience, White Finch has partnered with an extended network of editors, designers, illustrators, subject-matter specialists, and creative professionals, along with established world-class manufacturing partners. This allows White Finch to bring the right expertise and resources to every stage of the publishing process across a broad range of subjects and audiences.

White Finch Press is a boutique publishing house founded by the team behind Platypus Media and Science Naturally, a Washington, DC independent press with 25 years of experience making illustrated books for curious readers of all ages.

Building on this experience, White Finch has partnered with an extended network of editors, designers, illustrators, subject-matter specialists, and creative professionals, along with established world-class manufacturing partners. This allows White Finch to bring the right expertise and resources to every stage of the publishing process across a broad range of subjects and audiences.

White Finch Press is a boutique publishing house founded by the team behind Platypus Media and Science Naturally, a Washington, DC independent press with 25 years of experience making illustrated books for curious readers of all ages.

Building on this experience, White Finch has partnered with an extended network of editors, designers, illustrators, subject-matter specialists, and creative professionals, along with established world-class manufacturing partners. This allows White Finch to bring the right expertise and resources to every stage of the publishing process across a broad range of subjects and audiences.

Who we are

Who we are

We built our careers around image-led books, where design, illustration, and content have to work together on every page. White Finch brings that same craft to illustrated general nonfiction for adults, including memoirs, personal development, architecture, design, cooking, and stories of all kinds told visually. We publish as a hybrid press, meaning our authors invest in production and receive a higher royalty as a result; you can read more about how that works in our Hybrid Model & Pricing page.


White Finch started with something we kept hearing about our children’s books: they are both substantive and captivating. These books were made for families to sit down with, for kids to learn from, and for gifting and passing along. When we turned our attention to illustrated general nonfiction for adults, we found readers wanting exactly the same thing: books people collect, gift to friends, bring to a new home, and share with family. Those books exist but there aren’t enough of them. That’s the idea White Finch is built on. We bring that kind of book, beautiful but with something real inside, to every kind of table.

We built our careers around image-led books, where design, illustration, and content have to work together on every page. White Finch brings that same craft to illustrated general nonfiction for adults, including memoirs, personal development, architecture, design, cooking, and stories of all kinds told visually. We publish as a hybrid press, meaning our authors invest in production and receive a higher royalty as a result; you can read more about how that works in our Hybrid Model & Pricing page.


White Finch started with something we kept hearing about our children’s books: they are both substantive and captivating. These books were made for families to sit down with, for kids to learn from, and for gifting and passing along. When we turned our attention to illustrated general nonfiction for adults, we found readers wanting exactly the same thing: books people collect, gift to friends, bring to a new home, and share with family. Those books exist but there aren’t enough of them. That’s the idea White Finch is built on. We bring that kind of book, beautiful but with something real inside, to every kind of table.

Meet the Team

Proud member of IBPA

Proud member of IBPA

Independent Book Publishers Association

Our Work Before White Finch

Our Work Before

White Finch

Our Work Before

White Finch

Highlights from the Platypus Media and Science Naturally catalog.


The illustrated work that shaped how we think about design, detail, and what makes a book worth keeping.

Highlights from the Platypus Media and Science Naturally catalog.


The illustrated work that shaped how we think about design, detail, and what makes a book worth keeping.

FeaturedAuthors

Dr. James J. McKenna, PhD

Infant Sleep Science

Dr. James J. McKenna is the author of Safe Infant Sleep which has sold over twenty-five thousand copies world-wide and showcases his world-renowned work as the leading scientific authority on mother-infant co-sleeping. The book was honored by the National Health Information Awards and was a finalist among five award honors and distinctions overall. As a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, he received the American Anthropological Association’s Anthropology in Media Award for translating biological science into public health knowledge. He pioneered laboratory research on parent-infant sleep behavior at UC Irvine’s School of Medicine and has published over 139 peer-reviewed articles. His work continues to serve as a key reference for pediatricians.


Endorsed by Kourtney Kardashian: "I still love reading/listening to more safe co-sleeping tips and hearing about the benefits" – Kourtney Kardashian, writing over a screenshot from the Audiobook Safe Infant Sleep: Expert Answers to Your Cosleeping Questions


Dr. Donna Jo Napoli, PhD

Linguistics & Children’s Literature

Donna Jo Napoli is a celebrated linguist, scholar, and award-winning author of over eighty titles that have received over thirty-five national and state awards and honors. A prolific best-seller across multiple genres, Napoli’s work with Science, Naturally! includes Mara Plants a Seed, which won first place in the Green Book Awards. She is also the recipient of the Sydney Taylor Book Award and the Golden Kite Award. Donna Jo is co-director of RiseVideoBooks.org, a project that creates free bimodal-bilingual videobooks to share with deaf children in dozens of countries. As a Fellow of the Linguistic Society of America, she earned her Ph.D. from Harvard University, a postdoctoral year at MIT, and serves as a Professor of Linguistics and Social Justice at Swarthmore College. She brings a rich understanding of language, history, and science to young readers, turning complex ideas into accessible, memorable stories that cultivate empathy and curiosity.

Debra Kim Wolf, Esq

Conservation & Environment

Debra Kim Wolf is a conservation attorney, environmental advocate, and founder of One Little Earth, a nonprofit dedicated to connecting youth with nature. Her debut picture book, A Family for Zoya: The True Story of an Endangered Cub brings real-world animal conservation stories to children, and was named Recommended Reading in the Green Book Awards, inspiring the next generation of planet protectors . An alumna of Brown University and Georgetown University Law Center, Debra has spent decades protecting natural habitats, managing land conservancies, and serving Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park Commission—work that earned her a lifetime achievement honor in conservation. She continues this mission by writing picture books that foster environmental stewardship and respect for wildlife.

Guy Brown

Meteorology & Weather Education

Guy Brown is an award-winning broadcast meteorologist for Spectrum News NY1 in New York City. His award-winning book Look Up to See What the Weather Will Be was a National Finalist honoree that empowers kids to observe the sky, understand changing weather patterns, and appreciate meteorology in their daily lives. Holding the Seal of Approval from the National Weather Association and advanced credentials in Operational Meteorology from Mississippi State University, Guy’s forecasting career spans diverse microclimates across the United States—from Western blizzards to severe Midwest storms. Dedicated to weather education and community safety, he transfers atmospheric science into fun, practical learning for children.

Mary Wissinger

STEM for Early Readers

Mary Wissinger is the award-winning author behind the bestselling Science Wide Open (a six-book series), My First Science Textbook series, and Talking Science, whose books have earned honors including the Mathical Honor Book Award and the Eureka! Children’s Nonfiction Silver Honor for making science engaging, inclusive, and empowering. An author, educator, and podcast host with a Master’s Degree in Teaching and over 16 years of classroom experience, Mary introduces young readers to foundational concepts in chemistry, biology, physics, and the lives of pioneering female scientists. Dedicated to storytelling that sparks curiosity and emotional connection, she translates complex STEM concepts into inviting narratives for early readers.

Dr. Noureddine Melikechi, PhD

Physics & Space Science

Dr. Noureddine Melikechi is a distinguished atomic, molecular, and optical physicist, inventor, and educator. His book How Do You See the World? invites young minds to explore the science of light, optics, perception, and won the NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book Award and the Reader Views Literary Award. He serves as Interim Provost, Vice Chancellor, and Dean of the Kennedy College of Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. As a Fellow of Optica, the American Physical Society, and the AAAS, his research spans early cancer detection using optical spectroscopy and analysis of Martian soil. As a key member on NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity Rover mission, his role earned him recognition as Delaware’s “Ambassador to Mars” and a NASA Group Achievement Award. He inspires the next generation of scientists to ask big questions about how we view the universe.

Dr. David L. Hu, PhD

Biology & Engineering

Dr. David L. Hu is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Biology and Adjunct Professor of Physics at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He authored The P Word: A Manual for Mammals, an engaging pre-puberty guide that uses fascination with animal biology, comparative mammal facts, and straightforward science to normalize anatomical health and hygiene for young readers—a book that won the Academics’ Choice Smart Book Award. An alumnus of MIT (B.S. and Ph.D.), Dr. Hu is a recipient of the prestigious NSF CAREER Award and a two-time Ig Nobel Prize winner, with pioneering research focused on animal locomotion, fluid dynamics, and biomimicry—exploring how creatures swim, walk on water, and interact with physical forces. His scientific discoveries regularly make international headlines for translating biological principles into real-world technological and robotic innovations, bridging advanced research with accessible, lighthearted education that empowers kids to understand their own bodies through the lens of natural science.

Dr. Judy Staveley, EdD

Biotechnology & STEM Education

Dr. Judy Staveley is a nationally recognized leader in biotechnology, molecular biology, public health, and STEM education who excels at translating high-level scientific research into engaging content for future innovators. Her book, C is for Crime Scene: A Forensics A to Z Book, aligns with her lifelong advocacy for STEM literacy and hands-on discovery and was named a Teacher’s Favorite by the Children’s Book Council. As CEO of STAVETECH Innovations and former President of the Washington Academy of Sciences, her career bridges national security, medical preparedness, and scientific workforce development with five consecutive Presidential Award nominations for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, Engineering Mentoring (2020–2024) reflecting her commitment to mentoring women, underserved students, and military families. Her work inspires young minds to explore complex biological and environmental concepts while building confidence in scientific inquiry.

White Finch Press

1140 3rd St NE, Suite 200

Washington, DC 20002

202-982-3900

info@whitefinchpress.com

© 2026 White Finch Press. All rights reserved.