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On to Bologna!
As children's publishers from the world over convene in Italy later this month (March 23—26), a number of issues hang in the balance. How will the economy shape this year's fair? Is the age of the big YA fantasy trilogy finally over? Will picture books make a resurgence? What of the co-edition market? The digital revolution? We asked a sampling of Bologna veterans for their take on what to expect at this year's fair, and what they're looking for.
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S&S to Launch New DiTerlizzi Series
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers has just announced a new middle-grade series by Tony DiTerlizzi. The Search for WondLa, about a 12-year-old girl-—raised underground by a robot-—and her search for other humans. The first volume in the series will be published on September 21 with a 300,000-copy first printing. The book will feature two-color artwork throughout and will incorporate "augmented reality" in several places, a first for the publisher. S&S plans to promote the book with a $350,000 marketing campaign. -
HarperTeen Promotion Aims to Combat Winter Blahs
The folks at HarperCollins Children's Books found a way to help teen readers take the chill out of a snowy February with its 28 Days of Winter Escapes Web site, an online promotion with multiple interactive components. These included a calendar spotlighting a different young adult novel each day, links to Twitter and to YA blogs featuring Q&As with authors, games, a widget, a browse-inside-the books option, and a sweepstakes offering a chance to win a signed copy of a book and one of five iPod Touch prizes.
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Candlewick Launches Marketing Program for Indies
Candlewick Press in Somerville, Mass., affirmed its commitment to independent bookstores with the launch of a new marketing program aimed specifically at frontline indie booksellers, CHIRP. In a bit of double entendre, "CHIRP," short for Candlewick's Handselling Indie Recognition Program, also refers to a short, lively, high-pitched sound, the kind someone makes when they're excited about a book.
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New Children's Bookstore to Open Near Salt Lake City
As far back as junior high school, 28-year-old Michelle Witte knew she wanted to have her own bookstore. But she put the idea on hold while she attended college, where she majored in journalism. Then after five years as an associate editor at Gibbs Smith, Witte decided early last month that the time was right to start a children's bookstore. She's already got a name picked out, Fire Petal Books, and a location, a 1,400 sq. ft. space in Centerville, Utah, just outside Salt Lake City.
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In Brief: March 4
This week, President Obama writes a proclamation for Read Across America Day, the Children's Book Council reveals the Children's Choice finalists, two "angelic" authors go on tour together, a Louis Sachar novel has its theatrical debut, and Scholastic's 'Be Big' publishing program for Clifford.
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Q & A with Elisha Cooper
Author of such picture books as Ballpark, Dance!, and Beach, Elisha Cooper has transported young readers to numerous child-pleasing locales. His latest book takes them to yet another. Due from Orchard, Farm follows the workings of a Midwestern farm over the course of a year.
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Sedaris Teams with Falconer for Next Book
David Sedaris's next title to be illustrated book of animal fables.
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What's Old Is New for Pooh
Starting this spring, Penguin Young Readers Group's Grosset & Dunlap imprint will publish a variety of formats under the Classic Pooh brand, through a deal with Disney Licensed Publishing. The books, to include hardcover picture books, board books, paperback storybooks, sticker books and novelty books, will feature artwork inspired by the classic E.H. Shepard illustrations and editorial content tied to the world of A.A. Milne's original stories.
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Galleys on the Go Give Readers an Early Look at Debut Novel
Authors have been known to embark on pre-pub tours to spark interest in forthcoming books. But first novelist Lauren Oliver, whose Before I Fall will be released by HarperTeen next week, devised a more, well, novel plan to give potential fans a heads-up about her book: she sent two ARCs on the road. And she's also done her part to spread word of the novel online and in person.
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Rendezvous with Readeo
With a new subscription site called Readeo.com, which launches this week, children and adults in different cities can see live video of each other sharing digital picture books. All that's missing: snuggling while reading the stories. So far four publishers—Candlewick Press, Simon & Schuster, Chronicle Books, and Blue Apple Books—are licensing titles to Chicago-based Readeo. In return, they receive an undisclosed percentage of Readeo's revenues—and expose their books to a new audience.
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Q & A with Ricky Gervais
British comedian, actor, and writer Ricky Gervais's Flanimals and More Flanimals, illustrated by Rob Steen, introduced a cast of absurd creatures, which are now taking on additional zany dimension in Flanimals Pop-Up, due from Candlewick. Gervais spoke with Bookshelf about this and his earlier book projects.
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Dutton to Publish First John Grisham Series for Kids
Penguin Young Readers Group in the U.S. and Hodder & Stoughton in the U.K. announced today that they will be publishing bestselling author John Grisham's first series of books for children. The middle-grade series will focus on 13-year-old Theodore Boone, a legal whiz kid. In the first book, Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer, Theo gets caught up in a high-profile murder trial in his town. It's scheduled to be released by Dutton Children's Books on May 25, and on June 10 by Hodder in the U.K. The second book, as yet untitled, is scheduled for release in 2011.
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Numbers Down, But Spirits Up, at 2010 Toy Fair
The number of publishers exhibiting at Toy Fair continues to decline, with fewer than 25 of the 1,100 booths at the show featuring publishing houses this year, versus about 30 last year and 40 to 45 five years ago. Bargain book vendors and liquidators now take up some of the space previously held by traditional publishers in the Children's Books & Music section of the show, which ran from February 14-17 at the Javits Center.
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Common Sense Raises Issues at B&N
When Barnes & Noble announced earlier this month that it was going to add Common Sense Media's ratings of children's books, movies, games, and music on its Web site, few gave it much thought. After all, the book retailer already includes customer reviews, reader ratings, and editorial reviews such as those that appear in Publishers Weekly. But ever since YA author Sarah Dessen raised the subject of Common Sense's ratings on her blog last Thursday, the blogosphere has started to light up.
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In Brief: February 18
This week, Emily Windsnap tops one million copies sold, Mo Willems tries his hand as a guest cartoonist, an angel visits Times Square, and more.
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In Brief: February 18
This week, a British author comes across the pond for her first book, and goes on a cross-country pre-pub tour.
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Yaged to Leave Disney
Jonathan Yaged, v-p and U.S. publisher of the Disney Book Group, has been named chief operating officer of House Party, a consumer activation and experiential marketing company. Yaged has been with Disney since 2000, when he joined as director of business affairs.
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Children's Books: The Art of Mentoring
We spoke with a variety of children's book publishers, editors, publicists, rights directors, art directors, and marketers, and asked them to tell us about those who made a difference to them, early on in their careers.
Betsy Groban, senior v-p and publisher, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Book Group
John Keller was head of children's books at Little, Brown, back when we were celebrating its 150th year on Beacon Hill, and "twilight" was just a lovely time of day. I was thrilled when he hired me as library services manager, and we began a professional and personal relationship that has lasted over 30 years. John taught me nearly everything I know about publishing books for children, and even more about how to live both an honorable life and a life of the mind. -
PEN Panel Tracks Authors Who 'Made It'
In any discussion on how to be a children's book author, questions naturally focus on the beginning of the journey — how to get started, how to get an agent, how to get published. Rarer is a focus on what it takes to be successful after that first book. That was exactly what author and editor David Levithan and his fellow panelists were challenged to explore at a panel discussion in New York City this past Monday...
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