Lil' Libros

Research shows there are several benefits to encouraging young kids to read.

But for Hispanic families in America, finding books that cater to their bilingual children is a challenge. Less than 1% of books in the U.S. are for bilingual children, despite the fact that 1 in 4 U.S. kids are Latino.

To fill this gap, a pair of entrepreneurs — and Hispanic mothers — created Lil’ Libros. This publishing company celebrates the American-Latino experience by creating books that reflect Hispanic identities, cultures, and traditions. In doing so, it’s targeting the $18 billion global market for children’s and young adult books.

Lil’ Libros has sold more than 1.5 million books worldwide at retailers including Barnes & Noble, Walmart, Amazon, Target, and more than 2,500 independent retailers.

The company has been featured in The New York Times, CNN, NBC, The Washington Post, and Forbes. And it has a massive social media presence, with more than 300,000 followers across its platforms.

Lil’ Libros is growing fast. Sales grew from $717,000 in 2017 to $1.7 million in 2020. The company projects to generate $3 million in sales this year, and reach $6 million by 2023.

2020 was a strong year for Lil’ Libros. The company saw double-digit growth in both its business-to-consumer and business-to-business channels.

While Lil’ Libros was growing its business in 2020, the book publishing market was undergoing a wave of M&A activity. Last year, there were 20 deals in the space. Recent deals include Amazon’s acquisition of Marshall Cavendish, a publisher of more than 450 children’s books, and PlanetArt, another e-commerce business, which acquired award-winning children’s book publisher I See Me earlier this year.

Lil’ Libros’ goal is to provide high-quality, culturally-relevant content for parents, children, and schools. It also aims to increase the amount of multicultural books and children’s media content in the U.S., and inspire families to introduce a second language at home.

Its books cover a range of topics and subjects for kids ages 0 through 8. There are books on travel, cultural traditions, historical figures, “first concepts,” and STEM-related topics (short for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).

As mentioned, Lil’ Libros’ revenue is growing each year. The company achieves an average order size of $40, with costs to acquire each customer totaling less than $1.50. Each customer’s lifetime value is $120.

Team Background

Patty Rodriguez - Co-Founder & CCO

Patty is one of the most influential members of the American Latino community. She has more than 20 years of experience in entertainment, media, and marketing.

In addition to her role with Lil’ Libros, she has spent the past 17 years as a radio host with On Air With Ryan Seacrest, a nationally-syndicated program featuring Seacrest, a notable media personality.

Previously, she founded MALA, a jewelry line, and started her career in the entertainment sector with Clear Channel, an advertising business.

Ariana Stein - Co-Founder & CEO

Ariana is a serial entrepreneur. Prior to starting Lil’ Libros, she founded 1-800-Pet-Taxi, a transportation company helping pet owners get their animals to vet appointments.

Before that, she was a facilities manager with IDS Real Estate Group, where she managed a portfolio of more than 80 retail bank branches. She began her career as a revenue analyst with Macerich, a similar real estate company.

Ariana is a Goldman Sachs 10K Small Business alumna and was named Entrepreneur of the Year. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Business from California State University-Dominguez Hills.

Co-Investors