Usborne Books & More

The story starts with two companies. Usborne Publishing was founded in London in 1973 by Peter Usborne and became known for colorful, highly illustrated children's books. Educational Development Corporation (EDC) was incorporated in Delaware in 1965 and is based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. EDC became the US distributor of Usborne books, and the two signed a party-plan agreement on March 14, 1989. That deal created EDC's home business division, which sold Usborne books directly to families. It later took the name Usborne Books & More, often shortened to UBAM.

The “& More” part grew over time. In 2008 EDC bought Kane Miller, a San Diego publisher of children's books from around the world, and its titles joined the catalog. EDC later added SmartLab Toys and Learning Wrap-Ups. Our earlier profile noted that the Direct Selling Association recognized the company with an award for innovation in 2004.

Growth came in waves. EDC reported about 19,600 Consultants in early 2016. Then the pandemic sent families looking for books and home learning, and the division boomed. EDC's annual report counted 57,600 active Consultants at the end of February 2021, and CEO Craig White later said the division had reached as many as 60,000 Consultants at its 2021 peak. The home business brought in more than 85% of EDC's sales.

“We are launching our new branding, PaperPie, which is a better reflection of our full product offering, which has grown beyond books.”

Craig White, President and CEO, Educational Development Corporation — press release, December 21, 2022

Usborne Books & More sold books for children from birth to the early teens. The heart of the line was the Usborne Publishing catalog: touchy-feely board books, lift-the-flap first questions books, sticker and activity books, puzzle books, early readers, illustrated classics and a large range of science, history and reference titles. Kane Miller added picture books and chapter books, including popular series such as Conspiracy 365.

• Baby and toddler: board books, touchy-feely books and lift-the-flap titles.
• Activity: sticker books, coloring and puzzle books, and wipe-clean books.
• Learning: first encyclopedias, science, math and history titles, and graded early readers.
• Fiction: picture books, illustrated classics and chapter books from Usborne and Kane Miller.
• Later additions: SmartLab science and craft kits and Learning Wrap-Ups educational manipulatives.

The books were known for heavy illustration and plain explanations. That made them a favorite with homeschool families and teachers, as well as parents and grandparents buying gifts.

Sellers were called Consultants. They sold at home book parties, at vendor events and online, and many ran Facebook “online parties” that customers could join from anywhere. EDC's filings say internet sales became the division's largest channel. Each Consultant had a company-hosted website for orders. Consultants could also run book fairs and fundraisers with schools and libraries, which earned the school free books.

Starter Kit

New Consultants bought a starter kit of display books and business supplies. A mid-2000s profile by an industry law firm described a kit with 32 book titles, display items, business supplies, website access and training materials. Our earlier profile said joining cost less than $200, with a basic kit and a special kit whose titles changed each month. EDC's 2022 annual report said new Consultants could earn rewards, including discounted books and cash, by hitting sales goals after signing up.

Pay

Consultants earned weekly commissions on their own sales, with the rate set by the type of sale. An industry profile from the mid-2000s put personal commission at 25% to 30%, depending on monthly volume, with no monthly quota. Consultants could also earn a monthly sales bonus and “Home Office Challenges” rewards. Recruiting led to a career path of eight levels, from Consultant through Team Leader and Advanced Leader up to Senior Director. Team Leaders earned monthly overrides on their team's sales, leaders received one-time bonuses at each promotion, and overrides reached up to three levels below a leader's own group. Hosts also did well: our earlier profile reported up to 25% of a qualifying party's sales in free books, and book fairs could earn schools up to 50% in free books.

The name changed because of the publisher. In 2022 Usborne Publishing decided to keep all rights to its name and asked affiliates such as UBAM to rename themselves, according to Catchword, the branding firm EDC hired for the new identity. The same year, a new distribution agreement ended EDC's right to sell Usborne books to retail stores after November 15, 2022. HarperCollins took over US retail distribution, while EDC kept the right to sell Usborne books through its direct sales division.

On December 21, 2022, EDC announced that Usborne Books & More would become PaperPie, starting in January 2023. Chief Sales and Marketing Officer Heather Cobb said the rebrand had started in May 2022 with field leaders, staff and outside partners. Consultants became Brand Partners, and the career path kept the same eight-level shape. The old usbornebooksandmore.com address now forwards to paperpie.com.

PaperPie is still in business today. It sells Usborne, Kane Miller, SmartLab Toys and Learning Wrap-Ups products through Brand Partners, at home parties, online events and book fairs. It is much smaller than the UBAM peak. EDC's fiscal 2026 annual report, filed in May 2026, counted about 4,300 active Brand Partners at the end of February 2026, down from 7,800 a year earlier. Net revenue fell to $22.9 million from $34.2 million. EDC sold its Tulsa headquarters complex for $32.2 million and paid off its bank debt, and it still runs PaperPie from Tulsa. Direct Sales Aid does not yet have a separate PaperPie profile. To compare similar businesses, see live companies such as Barefoot Books and Discovery Toys.