"The IB isn't really about learning the material. It's about learning how to use it."
IBDP Publishing began with two brothers and one observation.
Alexander and Roman Zouev finished the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme with 43 and 42 points respectively, but the journey there taught them something the syllabus never did. The IB isn't really about learning the material. It's about learning how to use it: how to frame an argument, structure an Internal Assessment, write the Extended Essay, and present every piece of work in the very specific way the IBO expects.
That insight wasn't unique to them. It was the quiet difference between students who scored a 4 and those who scored a 7. Yet most schools weren't teaching it explicitly. With wide subject ranges to cover and small departments to staff, even the most committed teachers were sometimes asked to step into rooms outside their specialism, leaving students to work out the unwritten rules of the programme on their own.
Alexander & Roman Zouev
The brothers founded IBDP Publishing to change that. They wrote the books they wished they'd had: practical, candid, and grounded in the perspective of someone who had just been through it. Every title teaches the craft as much as the content: how to pick a workable IA topic, how to structure a TOK essay, how to read an examiner's mind.
What began as two brothers writing for the next year's cohort has grown into a small, focused publisher. Our authors today include other recent IB graduates who share the same conviction, alongside seasoned IB teachers who have shaped the programme for decades. Every book carries both perspectives: the discipline of an experienced educator and the immediacy of someone who sat the exams not long ago.
We publish for the students who want to do well, and for the schools who want to give them every advantage. If you're an IB coordinator looking to equip your cohort with resources written from inside the programme, we'd love to hear from you.
IBDP Publishing
Meet the Team
Our Authors
Our books are written by a mix of recent IB graduates and seasoned classroom teachers, each bringing their own subject expertise and lived experience of the programme.
Mark Beales is a writer, teacher and former school principal. Originally from England, he was an award-winning journalist and newspaper editor before becoming a teacher. Since 2004 he has taught in Thailand, Vietnam and Japan and been IB Diploma Coordinator in a number of schools. Mark is an IB evaluator for schools and his main subject is English A: Language and Literature. He is also a keen traveller who has written books for Lonely Planet and Insight Guides. Mark currently lives in Bangkok, Thailand, with his wife and two children, Daniel and Rey.
Rob Flynn, better known online as Mr Flynn IB, is a leading figure in the world of IB Mathematics. As a teacher, examiner, and moderator, he is recognised internationally for his expertise in the Maths IA. His website and YouTube channel, used by tens of thousands of students and teachers, offer lessons, past paper solutions, and resources that have made him a trusted voice in IB Maths education.
Melvin Fung is one of the rare students in the world to achieve a perfect 45/45 in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. Known throughout school as the class clown, he became obsessed with a single question: how do you guarantee success?
Rather than following conventional study advice, he developed his own systems, memorization techniques, exam frameworks, and psychological strategies designed to maximize results and eliminate uncertainty. These methods ultimately helped him achieve a perfect IB score.
Since then, his content, resources, and mentorship have helped over 50,000 students worldwide improve their academic performance and achieve higher grades.
Kenneth Christopher Hendra is an Indonesian student who graduated from Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) and attained an IBDP score of 43 in November 2023.
He is currently pursuing a degree in Business Analytics at the National University of Singapore. In addition to running his own social media marketing startup, he actively helps fellow Indonesian students achieve their goals of getting into their dream universities.
Dr Angel Jebailey is a tutor and educator specializing in Biology, Nutrition, and Health Sciences. She holds degrees in Biology, Nutrition, Sports Nutrition, Curriculum & Education, and a PhD in Natural Medicine. She creates a safe, supportive, and encouraging space where students feel seen, comfortable, and confident to learn. Her teaching style is relatable and focused on helping students truly understand the material, not just memorize it.
For IB/AP/MYP Biology, she teaches the syllabus exactly as required and uses many official exam questions to prepare students effectively for success. Her students consistently achieve results above the worldwide average, and she supports each student based on their individual needs, whether they are aiming for top grades or building confidence step by step.
Inessa Kulbarisova is a 2023 IB graduate with a total of 45 points. She is an alumna of the Letovo school, which is consistently ranked ‘the best IB school in the world’.
She is currently pursuing her bachelor’s at UCLA, where she’s aspiring to become a built environment specialist. Inessa is always glad to tutor or help students with the university application process.
Dr Sophie Muscatelli holds three degrees in Business Management, along with a Postgraduate Certificate in Education. She began teaching IBDP Business Management in 2019 in Athens and offers online tutoring. She also authors IBDP Business Management content for Toddle and Revision Dojo.
Martin Ruzicka is a Czech student who graduated from the English College in Prague and achieved the maximum 45 points in the IBDP in May 2023.
He currently studies Business at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, speaks five languages, and dabbles with content creation on his TikTok and Instagram channels (@martinruzi).
Ruchi N.P. Singh is an IBDP English A Language & Literature educator and DP1 & DP2 Coordinator working with GEMS Education in Dubai. She is also a Global Online Tutor with Revision Village and Ascend Now (Singapore), and supports students globally to excel in communication, analysis, and academic inquiry.
David graduated IB in May 2021 with 44 points. He started tutoring on the side whilst studying abroad, at which point he grew convinced that most IB students were getting the wrong advice.
A few years later, the7student has over 30,000 followers across social media and a mentoring agency that is changing the way students approach the IB Diploma.
Dr Carl Thirsk
Author of IB Chemistry Internal Assessment · Coming November 2026
Dr Carl Thirsk (MChem PhD PGCE MRSC QTS) is a PhD-qualified organic chemist, qualified teacher, and examiner for IB Diploma Chemistry. With over 13 years of teaching experience and more than 14,000 hours of one-to-one tuition delivered to students across 26 countries, he specialises in IB Chemistry (HL and SL), where his students consistently achieve Level 6/7 grades and strong progression to competitive university courses.
An author of exam preparation materials, and with prior leadership experience founding and running a chemical R&D company, Dr Carl combines deep subject expertise, practical experimental insight, and authoritative knowledge of IB assessment standards. His diagnostic, mastery-focused approach equips students to excel in every stage of the Chemistry Internal Assessment, from crafting focused research questions and robust methodologies to precise data analysis, justified conclusions, and rigorous evaluation.
Annique Quarles Van Ufford is a 2023 IB graduate, having completed the programme with 45 points. She is currently living in Amsterdam, where she is studying Liberal Arts and Sciences at Amsterdam University College, specifically focusing on Physics and Environmental Sciences.
Next, she would like to study environmental engineering, to contribute to finding solutions to some of the world’s current global challenges.
Sally Weatherly is a Fellow of the Institute of Physics and has been teaching IB Physics since 2004. She is the founder of GradePod, a free IB Physics tutorial platform used by 30,000+ students worldwide, and the author of four IB Physics books, two of which reached number one on Amazon.
Sally studied Astrophysics at the University of Edinburgh and trained as a teacher at King's College London. She built GradePod out of a conviction that every student deserves access to great IB Physics teaching, regardless of school or budget.
Alexander Zouev is an author, tutor, and consultant for the IB Diploma Programme with over 18 years of experience working with IB students and IB schools. Having completed the IB Diploma in 2007 with a total of 43 points, he went on to read Economics and Management at the University of Oxford before joining an IB tutoring startup that went on to become one of the largest IB tutoring agencies in the world.
He is currently pursuing his PhD in Philosophy, having already obtained an MA and an MRes in Philosophy, as well as an MSc in Mathematical Finance.
Over the past two decades, he has tutored over 500 IB students and published 32 best-selling books specifically for the IB Diploma, 12 of which he wrote himself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you might be wondering
Are these books officially affiliated with the IB?expand_more
No. These books are independent educational guides designed to help students succeed in the IB Diploma Programme. They are not endorsed by or affiliated with the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO).
Why should I buy a book instead of just using ChatGPT for my IA?expand_more
Our authors are real humans with years of IB experience, both teachers and IB alumni.
Who are these books written for?expand_more
Our books are written primarily for:
IB Diploma students (SL & HL)
students completing IAs, EEs, and TOK essays
parents supporting IB students
teachers looking for structured guidance and examples
Do the books follow the latest IB syllabus?expand_more
Yes. We regularly update our books to reflect the latest IB specifications, assessment criteria, and examiner expectations wherever applicable.
Will these books help me improve my grades?expand_more
The books are designed to help students:
understand assessment criteria
avoid common mistakes
structure high-scoring work
work more efficiently
While no book can guarantee a grade, many students use these guides to improve confidence, clarity, and performance.
Are the example essays and IAs real student examples?expand_more
Many books include authentic-style examples, examiner-style commentary, and model structures designed to demonstrate what strong IB work looks like.
Can I use these books even if my teacher has given different advice?expand_more
Yes. Different schools and teachers sometimes approach the IB differently. These books are designed to complement classroom teaching by providing clear, structured guidance aligned with IB assessment criteria.
Are the books suitable for both SL and HL students?expand_more
In most cases, yes. Where relevant, books explain any important differences between Standard Level (SL) and Higher Level (HL) expectations.
Do you offer digital versions of the books?expand_more
At the moment we only supply physical books.
How should I use these books most effectively?expand_more
The best approach is to:
read the relevant guidance section first
study the examples carefully
apply the structure to your own work
compare your draft against the assessment criteria
Which book should I start with?expand_more
If you’re unsure where to begin:
choose subject-specific IA guides for coursework support
choose TOK/EE guides for core components
choose general IB success guides for overall study strategy and university preparation
Do these books replace my teacher?expand_more
Absolutely not. The books are designed to support and supplement classroom teaching, not replace it. Think of them as structured guidance from experienced IB educators.
Can my school order in bulk?expand_more
Yes, please use the contact form and we will send you a price quote with the relevant discounts.
Do you ship worldwide?expand_more
Yes, we ship bulk orders worldwide; shipping costs are on us.
Privacy Policy
Last updated: May 2026
IBDP Publishing ("we", "our", or "us") respects your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect when you visit ibdppublishing.com or contact us through the site, how we use it, and the choices you have.
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When you use our Bulk Discounts contact form, we collect the information you provide directly: your contact email, school name, the message you send, and the titles and quantities you indicate. We do not require an account or collect identifiers beyond what you submit.
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We use the information you submit solely to respond to your inquiry, prepare a quote, and follow up about your order. We do not use it for unsolicited marketing, and we do not sell or rent your information to third parties.
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Our site is intended for educators, school administrators, and IB Diploma Programme students aged 16 and over. We do not knowingly collect information from children under 13. If you believe a child has submitted information to us, please contact us so we can remove it.
Updates to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The "last updated" date at the top of this policy will reflect any changes.
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If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your information, please email zouev.publishing@gmail.com.
