Ariel Books

Ariel Books is a book producer based in New York City. AtoZ worked with them on many miniature books and gift packages in the late 1990s and early 2000s. These were always fun—working with and art directing different illustrators for each project—as well as designing high impact layouts in very small spaces.

Mini Books

project : Art direction and design of jackets and interiors for an ongoing series of 4” tall gift books on topics ranging from celebrating special occasions to biographies of celebrities.

solution : Eye-catching, “buy-me” designs for nearly a dozen books, including The Beatles, For Your Engagement, Christina Aguilera, The Little Book of Baby Names, Chinese Astrology, For My Wife, and For My Husband.


Tiny Tomes

project : Book jacket and interior designs for 2.25” tall books that celebrate personal milestones, the first of their kind in the gift book market.

solution : Fanciful, fun, and colorful designs for more than a dozen book


Bunco in a Box

project : Design of product contents—a game instruction booklet, set of miniature dice, a bell card and a score pad—all to fit in a box just a bit over 3” tall.

solution : Meticulous attention to detail on design elements, including the use of silver and gold metallic highlights, ensured an elegant finished product that was delivered on time and on budget for release to major bookstores.


Bush in a Box + Hillary in a Box

project : Art direction and design of product contents—a booklet of quotes, standing Bush and Hillary figures and stands, and two pages of cling balloons—all to fit in a box measuring just a bit over 3” tall.

solution : Working with Neil Shapiro, a talented caricature illustrator from Chicago, Ann developed star-stangled kits that gently poked fun at our 43rd president as well as his nemesis.


Texas Hold ’Em in a Box

project : Design and typesetting of a humorous booklet that includes instructions and rules for several different versions of poker, as well as a deck of miniature cards, 12 miniature poker chips and a poker table—all to fit in a box measuring just a bit over 3” tall.

solution : A rush job delivered on time and on budget, this product features a retro look at the Texas Hold ’Em craze sweeping the nation.


Feng Shui series

project : Art direction and design for three 6.5” tall books that explain the Chinese art of arranging an environment to affect positive change in its inhabitants’ or visitors’ lives.

solution : The design for this book series evokes elements of classic Chinese art—clean and calm.