Why I Quit My Job at a Children’s Book Publisher

We are excited to publish a guest submission from Mandy B who worked as a marketing manager for a children’s book publisher. She decided she had to leave her position because of how ideology had seeped into her profession and her company.

We welcome guest submissions (anonymously, if necessary) from insiders in the education and children’s book space. Please be in touch.

I began my career in the world of children’s book publishing in June 2016. I took a remote position as an Executive Assistant for a children’s book publisher and absolutely loved everything about it. The publishing house only published realistic fiction that was centered around encouraging positive character traits in children, ages 4 - 10. There was nothing about the work that I didn’t love. I was working for an amazing woman who always led with integrity and did all she could to help her entire team succeed. 

Within 3 years I had worked my way up to Marketing Manager. I was working one-on-one with authors on their book launches, supervising interns, overseeing social media marketing and so much more.

I was 100% remote, able to choose the hours I worked, and never had to get out of my comfy pants (bonus perk). As a mom, this was more than ideal. I homeschooled from 2016 - 2022 and the job allowed this flexibility. But the best part of the job was that I truly loved what I was doing and the people I worked with. There was no competitiveness. There was a true “team” mentality. We had never met each other in person, but we all worked so well together to meet deadlines and company goals. 

A few years ago, I began to notice that the founder was a supporter of the LGBTQ+ lifestyle and wanted the company to begin to market its support. I didn't agree with those beliefs. I believe all people are made in God’s image and as such, a treasure to Him and me. My heart is to encourage others to follow the truth that God’s plan for heterosexual monogamy within marriage. I love people too much to not communicate this.

I am so thankful for friends who encourage me to make better choices and I want to be that kind of friend to others. No one is more a sinner than I am, in need of the saving grace of Jesus Christ (Romans 3:23-24 ESV). I firmly believe in God’s design for gender, marriage, and family. Because of these personal beliefs, I was thankful that I was able to not touch any aspect of the promotions the company would occasionally market. I handed off any of these marketing items to interns and/or other team members. Blog post creation? Handed to a team member. Post support to social media? Assign that to a team member. Does an email need to be written to show our support in June? Assign to another team member. I justified it all because “I didn’t actually do any of that”. Sure, my name was on the company website as the “Marketing Manager”, but I wasn’t writing any marketing copy. I loved the work so much and figured that one month a year was OK because I wasn’t writing what was being posted. 

I justified staying on many times. There was a Pride virtual panel held in 2022 with authors and illustrators of children’s picture books that supported and introduced multi-gender ideology from very young ages and for children aged infant to middle-school. A virtual panel was held earlier this year (2023) that had an author who claims to be bi-gender and the panel was geared towards young children. Yet, I justified staying because I loved what I do and I work mostly with the authors and had, to that point, never worked on the panel creation.  

However, I knew I had to leave my much-loved job when I saw that the publishing house would be partnering in a giveaway that was supporting a Drag Queen Story Hour for Pride Month in 2023. My Biblical beliefs and values do not leave any “wiggle” room there. I absolutely could not be a part of a company that supported corrupting children with sexualized presentations. I called my boss and respectfully shared with her my personal Biblical basis for not being able to be a part of this new collaboration. She was very understanding and tried to find a way for me to not have anything to do with this collaboration so that I could stay on. She remained firm on the fact that the company is a supporter of the LGBTQ+ lifestyle and felt very strongly about collaborating in the Drag Queen Story Hour. As my name was on the website as the Marketing Manager, I knew this would lead to the assumption that I supported the collaboration. So I advised her I was officially submitting my 2-week notice. 

Was this a lightly made decision? No. I was in a career that I loved, working with a team that was absolutely phenomenal. I could never complain about my boss; she worked hard for and with the team. I prayed about the decision before I ever called my boss. I sought wise counsel. I didn’t leave the job because I didn’t get along with my co-workers or because my boss was an awful person. I had to leave the job because my values and mission no longer aligned with the company’s values and mission. I cried when I logged off for the last time, but I knew that I had made the right decision. 

I want to encourage you if you’re in a similar situation: stand firm for the truth. We, as Christians, can no longer sit quietly while society seeks to infiltrate our homes through any means possible - be that our children’s education, the shows they watch, or even (gulp) their books & story hours. We need to be fighting just as hard to not allow this invasion. We don’t have to be loud or mean. In fact, I encourage you to be as kind and loving as you can when refuting this harmful ideology - but please, refute them with truth. Stand firm and be bold. Our children need us to stand up for them. They need us to protect their innocence. 

I hold strongly to the truth found in God’s Word and my life is built around what the Word states. I can not get behind the strategizing and tactical infiltration of families through our children. Christ-followers are called to love all, but also to communicate the truth, found in God’s Word, in love (2 Timothy 2:24-25 ESV). Love “does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices at the truth” (1 Corinthians 13:6).

Mandy is the Communications Director at her local church. She’s a Christ-follower, wife, mom, and avid reader. She’s worn many hats, including being a former homeschooler and marketing manager for a children’s book publisher. She believes strongly in standing firm on the truth found in the Word of God.