Bologna

APRIL 2017 VISIT PW AT HALL 26 B38

Bologna 2017: A Colorful Mash-Up

of Commerce, Art, and Technology
This years fair will have 35,000 visitorsincluding 20,000 professionalsand
1,300 exhibitors from 75 countries
BY ED NAWOTKA
This year we have moved from a childrens book fair con-
cept to a childrens content concept, says Elena Pasoli, exhi-
bition manager for the Bologna Childrens Book Fair. We
are enhancing what we do and exploring all kinds of new
ideas to help people do business better, and we are looking
at ways of combining our traditional best practices with the
latest innovations in tech, retailing, and content creation.
This new approach expands the fairs mission from serving
primarily as a marketplace for content to expanding into
becoming a forum for exploring new ideas and innovations
on all sales fronts. This doesnt mean we have shifted pri-
orities, Pasoli explains. Bringing together publishers,
authors, and illustrators is still the core activity of the fair
but we are exploring how we can combine things in this
mishmash world and this mishmash industry. It helps every- Judges reviewed the finalists for the 2017 BolognaRagazzi awards in
one understand each other. February, with the winners announced prior to the fair.
The Digital Cafwhich took on a more prominent role Pitti Immagine Bimbo, a prominent Italian childrens fash-
last year, having been moved to its own dedicated space in ion fair. The result was The Extraordinary Libraryan
Hall 32is getting even more glitzy in 2017. Members of the exhibition of 100 illustrated books for children and teens
Google Play and Google Daydream teams are scheduled to about fashion and art, which has been presented at various

INSIDE:
appear alongside numerous presentations about opportuni- events around Italy and will
ties in virtual- and augmented-reality storytelling. Among be on display at the fair.
the other technologists on hand will be representatives from This got a great result,
Italys Pubcoder, who will present Pubcoders new ABC Pasoli says. She adds that since INSIDERS
app for refugees, and representatives from Singapores the debut of the exhibition, VIEWS ON
SnaptoLearn, who will present a new VR viewer. As they did
last year, a full contingent of VR/AR developers from South
the fair has attracted buyers
from high-end fashion stores
PREFAIR
TRENDS
4
Korea will offer education solutions, and the European Kids and design shops who are
App Collective will present their latest projects. sourcing books to sell and A TALK WITH
The fair has also attracted Chinese computer manufacturer who are talking with pub- TRANSLATOR
Lenovo, which will debut a new pen-enabled Yoga tablet lishers and illustrators about DANIEL HAHN 12
computer in the Illustrators Caf, where aspiring and estab- licensing illustrations for
lished book illustrators gather at the conference. They are a T-shirts and other products. THREE PUB-
prime audience for the tech giant, which is keen to show just In addition, a new Bologna- LISHERS GROW
how eager it is to collaborate with content creators. We
think this is going to offer new and unique opportunities for
Ragazzi Award for books on
art and artists was estab-
TRANSLATION 16
LISTS
illustrators and publishers to experience the capabilities of lished this year, with the
some of the new technology firsthand, says Neal Hoskins, inaugural award going to SNAPSHOTS
who curates the Digital Caf. Cloth Lullaby: The Woven OF 11 KIDS
Cross-industry promotion is becoming integrated into the Life of Louise Bourgeois by MARKETS 22
year-round life of the fair, which last year collaborated with Amy Novesky, illustrated by
 I absolutely loved The Black Witch
and will have a very hard time waiting for the second book!
Tamora Pierce, #1 New York Times bestselling author

With strong feminist messages, In Ellorens tale, this briskly
lively secondary characters, paced, tightly plotted novel enacts
and an especially nasty rival the transformative power of
(imagine a female Draco Malfoy), education, creating engaging
fans of Harry Potter and characters set in a rich
Tamora Pierce will gobble alternative universe with a
down the 600-plus pages complicated history that can help
and demand the sequel. us better understand our own.
Booklist, Kirkus Reviews,
starred review starred review

Available May 2017

Check out these

compelling reads!

Visit us at the HarperCollins booth: Hall 26, Stand A 96

17_158_PWDaily_TEEN_Bologna_Rev9.indd 1 2017-03-24 10:01 AM


Isabelle Arsenault (Abrams). Arsenault will take part in a
panel titled Childrens Books on Art and Artists moder-
ated by New York Times childrens book editor Maria
Russo and featuring Charles Kim, associate publisher of
the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Asked why the
fair put a new emphasis on books about art, Kim replies:
Visual-arts education and visual literacy for children is
increasingly important in a world where children are look-
ing at screens for much of the day. It teaches them to see
and to understand what they are seeing. Rather than just
being told what they are looking at, they can develop a
critical eye.
Illustrators Survival Corner
Other exhibitions planned for this year include a special
display dedicated to the history of pop-up books, as well as
the usual illustrators exhibition, which this year features
works by 75 artists. We are very much a fair about books,
books, books, and more books, Pasoli says. And we are
focusing even more than before on illustration and helping
young illustrators advance their careers.
To this end, the fair has added what it is calling the illus-
trators survival corner in Hall 26. This area is reserved for
young, inexperienced illustrators and will offer workshops
on the basics of networking at the fair and working in pub-
lishing, including how to set up a portfolio, how to
approach a publisher, how to handle portfolio reviews, and
more.
In addition, the fair will now print out free postcards
Bologna Show Daily is published by Publishers
Weekly in cooperation with the Bologna Children's
Book Fair.
To contact Publishers Weekly during the fair,
visit us at our stand in Hall 26 B38.
Publisher: Joseph Murray
Editors: Ed Nawotka, Diane Roback, Jim Milliot
Contributors: Miah Arnold, Jef Van der Avoort, Jasmin
Kirkbride, Teri Tan
Project Management: Bryan Kinney
Layout and Production: Clive Chiu
To subscribe to Publishers Weekly, call +001-818-
487-2069, or for a free digital trial to the weekly
magazine, go to publishersweekly.com/freetrial.
APRIL 2017
Two N.Y.C. Events Set
Publishers Weekly and the Bologna Childrens Book Fair
have announced that the third Global Kids Connect con-
ference will be held in NewYork City on December 4. Simi-
lar to the two previous conferences conducted by PW and
Bologna, the 2017 event will feature leading figures in the
childrens publishing market discussing industry trends
and issues.
Separately, BolognaFiere, which organizes the Bologna
Childrens Book Fair, has announced that it is launching a
book industry trade show focused on publishing, inter-
national rights, and licensing.The first show is scheduled
for June 2018 in NewYork. BolognaFiere has yet to
announce partners for the event but hopes to release
more information at this weeks fair.
featuring the works of each of the illustrators in the exhi-
bition. The postcards will have the illustrators contact
information so that it will be easier for publishers and
others to track the illustrators down after the fair. It is a
simple idea that will have a big impact, and something we
havent done in the past, Pasoli says.
Catalonia as Guest of Honor
Catalonia and the Balearic Islands are the fairs guests of
honor. More than 40 events related to the region are
planned in Bologna and around the book fair, including
street art, film screenings, and theater performances, all
curated by Paula Jarrin, owner of the Al-lots childrens
bookstore in Barcelona. We also have over 40 publishers
and nearly 200 students, illustrators, and official represen-
tatives coming to the fair, notes Izaskun Arretxe of the
Institut Ramon Llull, which has organized the exhibition.
Among the highlights will be a display of 42 Catalan illus-
trators featuring the artwork of each displayed on the
inside of one of 42 hammocks. In this way, fairgoers can
literally get inside the art and experience it, Arretxe says.
One Catalan company that has been committed to coming
to Bologna year in and year out is Gemser Publications, an
illustrated-book publisher based outside of Barcelona that
publishes some 20 titles a year. It is the single most impor-
tant fair for us, says Georgina Segarra, who serves as for-
eign-rights director and manages the company alongside
her sister and mother. With Catalonia as guest of honor,
this year is special. But we always come to Bologna, as it is
important for us to get a sense of where the market is
moving. For example, we now have seen that for us Russia
and Brazil have fallen off, but the situation in other coun-
tries where there had previously been difficultiesas in
Greece and Portugalis improving. But, of course, this
always changes, which is part of the joy of returning each
year. What doesnt change is how we like to end our days
herewith a nice Aperol spritz in the afternoon and then a
limoncello to end the evening in a bar under the arches in
the city center! 
3
BOLOGNA SHOW DAILY

Trend Watching Compiled by Diane Roback

photo by diane roback

We asked a number of U.S. agents and On the international side, I love the years when there is
no particular trend that publishers are seeking at Bologna:
scouts attending this years Bologna all of our books get similar attention, and it makes for
book fair to talk about the trends theyve animated conversation. One of the most enjoyable aspects
of my job directing foreign rights is watching the changes
been noticing: in themes, in genres, and over the years in each of the markets: for instance, where
in international demand. Their responses YA sci-fi didnt work a few years ago in Poland, or contem-
porary YA in Italy, theyre now safe bets; Italian pub-
covered a wide range of issues. lisher Il Castoro has even launched a new YA imprint, Hot
Spot. And its so nice to be getting good offers again in
Spain and Portugal.
CHERYL PIENTKA
Director, foreign and subsidiary rights, and agent BARRY GOLDBLATT
Founder
sonya sones

Jill Grinberg Literary Management

Barry Goldblatt Literary
Domestically, were seeing
andrea hand

more marginalized voices Agency

across age groups, more My sense of things in the
graphic novels, more fan- international market is that
tasy. But while we observe everything has gotten harder,
current trends, we prefer to especially YA, and there are
follow our heartswere far fewer titles selling into
drawn to and look for gor- translation these days. There
geous voices and authentic are obviously still big break-
stories with an emotional out titles, and always will be,
core. I think that well be but success in the U.S. doesnt guarantee any kind of success
seeing some surprising and in international markets. I think its particularly interest-
imaginative work in the near future, projects inspired by ing that the reinvigoration of contemporary YA and middle
the presidential election and our current climate of unease, grade has not, at least for me, been echoed in markets around
resistance, and protest. the world.

4
 BOLOGNA SHOW DAILY

As for trends in my own submission box, the big thing

is diversity and [the] #OwnVoices [campaign]though I
really hate referring to it as a trend, because its more a
collective awakening and opening of doors in publishing.
Ive been making a concerted effort to reach out to mar-
ginalized writers, and Im sure that is impacting the number
who are querying me. Weve still got a really long way to
go, but the efforts of groups like We Need Diverse Books,
and the high-profile successes of authors like Nicola Yoon,
Angie Thomas, Sabaa Tahir, and others feels like its not just
opening doors, but smashing down walls.
We Are Quarto
RACHEL HOROWITZ
Senior scout
Maria B. Campbell
Associates
In Frankfurt there were a
lot of reimagined fairy tales,
and stories set in space, but
were seeing a bit less of those
for Bologna. Middle grade
adventure series with a
magical element are still
evergreen, but the bar is
really high. Licensed properties are very competitive,
especially books based on video games. More and more
foreign publishers are looking at American graphic novels,
Please come and visit us at specifically ones with strong narratives, and these are
Pad. 25 Stand A/163 translating into film as well. Ive been reading a lot of
self-published fan fiction, mostly compulsively readable,
guilty pleasure romancessome quite sexyfor the 18-plus
#wearebooks #wearepeople #wearequarto
space, or what we call new adult, and foreign publishers
are publishing them on their crossover lists. Crossover in
quartoknows.com
general is a big themeolder YA that adults may want to read.
Nonfiction is a real growth area in both YA and middle
grade, with books that tackle issues like body image,
bullying over social media, and sexuality, as well as titles
about girl power and coding. Picture books are still of
interest in Asia, especially in China, and for film clients
looking to be inspired for animation. Were still seeing
a lot of YouTube stars writing nonfiction and fiction
alike; I keep hearing that YouTube is Google for kids,
which is actually true for my kids as well. Finally, we
always see a surge in material that reflects the political
climatelast year it seemed to be stories inspired by
the Black Lives Matter movement, and Ive been reading
a lot more stories about the refugee experience, whether
they are first-person or fictionalized.

JENNY BENT
Lindpendance crative Founder
The Bent Agency
We are having nice success with YA contemporary right
now, both domestically and abroad. If it has a speculative
twist, even better. I also see a small trend of YA historical

6
 APRIL 2017

heating up, again both domes- See Your Content

tically and abroad. I think
fantasy can still work, but it
Come Alive!
has to be very different and Capitalize on your
freshI see a ton of fantasy
submissions that are too existing content
similar to whats already out
there. We are also selling
more middle grade abroad Problem
areas shown
Word and
than we used to, but YA is phoneme level
in red

still dominant, at least for scoring

our agency.

JONATHAN LYONS
Director of translation rights
Curtis Brown Ltd.
Curtis Browns childrens list
is quite varied, but we continue
to have particular domestic
success with literary middle
grade and YA fiction. In
Areas of
addition, publishers continue mastery noted
to express interest in finding in green

diverse voices and unique pre-

sentations across the spectrum.
For picture books, nonfiction, A LanguaBook is the most
advanced format of a book
where unique people, places,
with the power to accelerate
and things can be introduced to a young audience in fun and
learning for English language
original ways, is trending strongly. learners and Struggling
In terms of the global market, middle grade works remain Readers. Ask us how we
hot, continuing and expanding the trend weve seen over the can help you generate
past three years. Otherwise, a number of publishers (primar- additional revenue
ily in Western Europe and Brazil) are interested in publishing Next
streams from your
Generation
upmarket young adult works as crossover fiction. Picture existing titles. Your Speech Enhanced
book sales remain strong in Asia, with more scattered suc- digital market Products
cesses in other markets. Finally, correlating with the sig- share awaits.
nificant upswing in interest in graphic novels domestically,
we are noticing that some markets seem more open to these
works in translation than in years past.

LAURA DAIL
CAROLINE KRAVITZ

Founder
The Laura Dail Literary
Agency
In YA, Id say everybody is
looking for high-concept
Languabooks transforms static
fiction with a voice that content into books that listen,
grabs you and never lets go. speak and teach.
YA fantasy is still working,
but it has to really stand out.
Come see us at Hall 32 Stand C/13 or
The darker the better in all of these. Were hearing that
science fiction is difficult. Editors and houses are very Visit us online at LanguaBooks.com
focused on diversity, smartly and rightly so!
LanguaBooks is a division of LanguaMetrics, Inc.
Middle grade editors seem to be looking for action and
To learn more, please visit www.languametrics.com.
adventure. Were doing quite a bit of younger middle grade

7
 BOLOGNA SHOW DAILY

(more 810 than 1112); at the same time were doing KATHLEEN ORTIZ
older YA (protagonists are 18 and 19). We are bullish Director of foreign rights and agent
about narrative nonfiction and fun, creatively designed New Leaf Literary & Media
reference for middle grade.
In young adult it seems
MELISSA WHITE everyone overseas is still
Director of international rights looking for (but being very
selective with) fantasy;
Folio Literary Management contemporary is also a hot
Middle grade is certainly genre, though everyone wants
having its moment across something different. Were
many territories, mainly seeing a large wave of
for series but also for the requests for more diverse
unique, exquisite stand- voices, which were thrilled
alone, especially when there to see is not limited to the
is an element of fantasy or U.S. On the middle grade
magic involved. There is side, series are selling better than standalones, and everyone
fatigue with contemporary is looking for that big, breakout fantasy or adventure story.
YA, as most markets have
gotten very crowded with CHRISTA HESCHKE
these titles over the last few Literary agent
years and still have many in the pipeline. The good thing is
we are seeing publishers continue to invest in an author
McIntosh & Otis
for their third and fourth books, but then its that much As were an agency that has
harder to get a commitment for a debut contemporary YA. been around since 1928, we
Still, if the voice is really special or it has a fresh setup, work with a lot of estates and
there is still interest. backlist titles. There have
Theres been an uptick in childrens sales in the U.K. from been great new opportunities
the U.S. over the last two to three years, so one can assume in the foreign market for our
that will plateau or decrease in the coming year, even if its classic titles, especially in
just an overall feeling of uncertainty. China, Korea, and Japan. All
of these countries actively
ALLISON HELLEGERS look for and buy a lot of picture books, both classic and
Rights director and agent frontlist. The Thai and Indonesian markets seem to be
growing. Ive been working more with them this year
Rights People on a variety of titles, from picture books to YA.
I think U.S. agents and edi- For frontlist, Ive had strong interest in the U.K. and
tors are both apprehensive Europe for middle grade and contemporary YA. One of our
and excited right now. The titles that has sold in the most territories and still receives
political climate is generat- a lot of interest is a YA contemporary tearjerker. Im not
ing raw, intense feelings, and sure if Id call this a trend or hot, but Im having luck
we cant help but wonder with contemporary YA right now. Big fantasy titles still
what kind of art will be cre- seem to be going strong in the foreign market as well.
ated now. In YA, Ive been
hearing that most people ROSEMARY STIMOLA
want to avoid dystopias with Founder
escapist novels of family
and heartfelt romance. But I believe that sci-fi and fantasy
Stimola Literary Studio
will continue to be on the rise and be redefined in ways In tumultuous times around
that are shocking and new. People want to see life reflected the globe, I find many books,
in art, but they also want to see a life they havent seen across format, age range,
before. and genre, adding themes
Foreign sales are well spread across the age ranges at of kindness, tolerance, and
present, with Brazil continuing to struggle, while China acceptance of the other
continues to power ahead. Brexit is being heavily dis- to those of courage, determi-
cussed but has not yet had any noticeable impact on nation, and defiance seen in
rights sales. recent trends. The setting

8
 BOLOGNA SHOW DAILY

may range from historical to contemporary and futuristic, Speaking to the American
the context may be one of peace or one of war, and the tone market, everyone is aware
may be light and humorous or dark and ominous. It might of certain key awards that
be a little girl facing down her fears to save a wolf cub, or a cant be won unless book-
middle grade zombie looking to fit in with his living class- makers are American citizens
mates. It might be a story that connects multigenerational or residents. And so even
characters across different time periods, or one in which just a few years ago, I saw
different sexual preferences, identities, and diverse cultures a more nationalistic envi-
are naturally mainstreamed. ronment, with international
I also find the impact of social media in the lives of young talent sometimes being
people is being universally felt and increasingly woven into passed over in favor of
mysteries and psychological thrillers for older readers, Americans. But recently Im
who pay for their interconnectedness with a loss of privacy. seeing a resurgence in international enthusiasm. Publishers
And then there are those stories that bring readers to seem less preoccupied by award eligibility, and are instead
secondary worlds in which familiar rules do not apply, sparking brightly around unusual and unfamiliar styles
a recalibration of accepted thought is required, and a touch and voices. At least within the world of picture books
of magic may be friend or foe. which is where I spend most of my timemy international
Overall, current trends in books for young readers point to clients are seeing bigger financial offers and more oppor-
tales that pose challenges to all-too-human characters to be tunities in general. Culturally different is replacing
overcome with strength and resilience, but also with heart award eligible as a publishing priority, paving the way
and understanding. for more opportunities for foreign authors and illustrators
in the American marketplace, and leading us into a cultur-
KIRSTEN HALL ally richer and more internationally united kids book
Founder world as a result.
Catbird Agency
RACHEL HECHT
Founder
Rachel Hecht Childrens Scouting
Ive noticed a good number
N E W STO R I E S WITH of YA thrillers around so
UNIVERSAL HEART AND APPEAL far this year, both new
projects on submission and
finished books starting to
hit the shelves, and though
there is interest interna-
tionally I think we still
have yet to see foreign
publishers fully embracing
this trend on the childrens
Life affirming Pure weird entertainment sidein contrast to their
Publishers Weekly Booklist
adult counterparts. Diverse
reads and #OwnVoices books are very much in demand,
and are perhaps more important than ever, as are refugee
stories and those addressing the immigrant experience.
Similarly, Ive observed (and welcomed!) a minitrend of
YA feminist storiesempowering contemporary ones as
well as feminist-minded fantasies.
And in terms of the global market, from where I sit,
Brazil and Scandinavia have been quieter markets so far
Longlisted for the Devastatingly vital.
National Book Award Kirkus this year, while there have been some fierce competitive
Magnetic and chilling moments in Poland and China. Im continuing to cast
New York Times
around for projects that are going to capture that univer-
sal international appeal as we swim into the high tides
For subsidiary rights information,
VISIT OUR BOOTH: contact Maria Kjoller: of the prefair offerings, and as always am very much
HALL 26 B/66 mkjoller@lernerbooks.com
MK247-0317 looking forward to catching up with my foreign clients
and dear friends in Bologna in a few short weeks.

10
 APRIL 2017

Aarhus 39 Show-
cases Top Emerg-
ing Childrens
And YA Writers in
Europe
Authors from 20 diferent countries will
be featured in a two-volume anthology
and honored at the European Children's
Literature Hay Festival in Denmark
By Jasmin Kirkbride
Aarhus 39, a partnership between Hay Festival and Aarhus
(Denmarks second largest city, which is holding a year-
long European Capital of Culture celebration in 2017), has
chosen 39 contributors for a new anthology featuring what
it is calling the top emerging writers in European childrens
literature under the age of 40. The writers have been
invited to appear at this years inaugural European Chil-
drens Literature Hay Festival in Aarhus (October 2529),
which is being organized in conjunction with Literature
Across Frontiers and the British Council.
The 39 childrens and YA writers, from 20 countries
and working in 16 languages, were selected from over
400 submissions by three acclaimed contemporary childrens
authors: Kim Fupz Aakeson (Denmark), Ana Cristina
Herreros (Spain), and Matt Haig (U.K.).
By complete coincidence, the judges actually had the
meeting to select the 39 writers on June 23, 2016 [the day
of the Brexit vote], so we were having our very positive,
outward-looking, bridge-building conversation while out-
side this cataclysmic thing was happening in society and
politics, recalls Daniel Hahn, who will edit the anthology
of original works by the 39 authors. The theme of the
anthology is journey. The anthology will be published in
two volumes and will launch at Hay Festival Wales in May,
publishing in English with Alma Books and in Danish with
Gyldendal later this year.
The idea of things being mobile and not restricted is
so important to the way we talk about politics and the
modern European experience now, Hahn says. Appropri-
ately, the majority of the Aarhus 39 writers have never been
published in English before, and only four of the stories
in the anthology were written in English originally.
Beyond the political aspect, Hahn is thrilled by the look
of the collectionseach story has been assigned its own
illustrator. 

Jasmin Kirkbride is a freelance writer living in London.

11

The U.K.s Champion of
Childrens Book Translation
Daniel Hahn is a tireless advocate for bringing books
from around the world to English-language readers
BY MIAH ARNOLD
Daniel Hahn is the kind of man who walks into a well-
appointed London bookshop and counts the chil-
drens books. As he does so, he roughly determines
how many have been written by authors who write in
languages other than English. And the inevitably low
number is tantamount to sacrilege for him.
Hahn looks like the book-jacket drawing of Harry Potter,
filled out and grown up. In a phone interview, he asks rhetor-
ical questions so quickly they seem like incantations: How
many childrens book authors from Scandinavia can you
name? From all of Latin America? From Asia, from the
entire continent of Asia? Can you name 10 contemporary
childrens writers working not in English? He adds: Were
missing out on a lot. Most people dont think about what
were missing.
Since 2002, when Hahn started work as a translator, he
has translated books from French, Portuguese, and Span-
ish; books from Africa, the Americas, and Europe. He has
translated everything from soccer star Pels autobiogra-
phy to Jos Eduardo Agualusas Man Booker Interna-
tionalshortlisted novel, A General Theory of Oblivion.
Hahn has multiple translations coming out this year across
the English-speaking world and is in the midst of launch-
ing In Other Words, a London Book Trust project dedi-
cated to publishing 10 childrens books in translation
every year.
The work of translation is, according to Hahn, all-con-
suming. Translators have to change all the words in a
book without alarming writers too much. In addition to
the actual work of translation, translators promote the idea
of translation and what it representsan opening of
worlds, a listening in on the 95% of the world that doesnt
write in English. And they act as the face of foreign-lan-
guage authors to domestic readers and as the salesmen of
the books to publishers in the English-language world.
The challenge of convincing publishers can be great.
Imagine I approach a publisher, Hahn says, and I say,
This is the most important book for you to publish right
now. Im sure of it. But heres the thing: you cant read it
yet, you have to buy it based on trusting me, on a synopsis,
on how it sold in Poland. Hahn laughs. You understand
the publishers reluctance. It makes sense.
For Hahn, events such as the Bologna Book Fair are
important for bringing the community of publishers and
translators together in dialogue, fostering a sense of
APRIL 2017
JOHN LAWRENCE
Daniel Hahn
mutual commitment. The childrens book world gathers
here, Hahn says. A lot of what you get here is catching
up with people, a gathering of the tribe, and so it has that
kind of energy of people who have something in common.
That energy is no small matter: it helped Hahn see his way
through two alarming recent world eventsthe Brexit vote
and the U.S. presidential election. Coincidentally, he says,
he was surrounded by translators when each of these elec-
tions was called.
Very quickly, Hahn recounts, in both cases, after the
initial shock and disgust had passed, rather than saying,
Whatever we do is a waste of time, we were saying: We
need to do more of what we do, we need more people to be
aware of thinking about the rest of the world, to know
how important it is to understand different points of view.
Why the traffic of ideas is valid. He adds that transla-
tors, like all writers, are by definition vocationally against
small-mindedness.
This year once again he has some very good news
regarding his own work to share with his cohorts here in
Bologna: another of his books has been nominated for an
important award. Not only has his translation of Socorro
Aciolis The Head of the Saint been shortlisted for the Los
Angeles Review of Books Prize for Young Adult Literature,
but it has been shortlisted among books originally written
in English. It is being judged, in other words, not as a novel
in translation, but as a novel, period.
This nomination vindicates Hahns argument that we too
often miss the best writing from most of the world. It is a
milestone, a victory for Hahn and for translators everywhere.
This novel is very different from a novel you would see
[by an English-language author], Hahn says. The way it
talks about the world is completely different from American
or British books, which is part of its appeal. This nomination
makes a huge difference, he adds. It makes some practical
difference, and quite a lot of symbolic difference.
Miah Arnold is a writer and educator in Houston, Tex.
12
BOLOGNA SHOW DAILY
Play Starters and the Power of Slime
Human imagination remains the best virtual-reality engine ever built
By Jef Van der Avoort
Sticky, green, smelly play slime. It has been 25 years, but I still
remember how the smell hit my nostrils every time I opened
the little plastic container with the Ghostbusters logo on it.
When my parents were moving a couple of years ago, I found
it in the back of my old closet; the bright-green substance
had turned into something best described as toxic puke. It
was the best toy I ever owned.
Recently, I watched my friends son running around in the
garden. He is a digital native, born into a world of zeros
and ones. But running in the garden he looks like any six-
year-old boy throughout history, enjoying the grass between
his toes, chasing bugs, and attempting to whistle for the first
time. I can only imagine how much he would like a big
container of slime.
THE BUSINESS OF IMAGINATION
No, our kids are not digital creatures. And while we adults
may be addicted to instant gratification and endorphin-
inducing digital delights, as professionals in the publishing
industry we need to understand that we cant be digital just
for the sake of being digital anymore. The space has matured
and consumers are reevaluating the place of modern technol-
ogy in their lives.
We are in the middle of a counterswing to bring the atten-
tion back to ourselves, to the way we like to experience the
world with all our senses. Digital may seem perfect: sleek,
fast, and error freeall the things we humans are not. The
more efficient and polished our world becomes, however,
the more we will fall back on tangible, imperfect things such
as paper books, vinyl records, and board games. (Remem-
ber the Star Trek holodeck?)
We as an industry need to adapt to this social undercur-
rentthis counterswing. Traditionally, publishing has turned
to other media for inspiration: film, music, games. But in
this phase of the digital evolution, there might be a better
place to look: the toy industry. Just as Lego bricks can turn
into a dragon, a series of well-written paragraphs can build
an entire world in the readers mind. Publishing is in the
business of imagination, creating worlds that are bigger than
their parts.
Companies such as Lego, Mattel, and others have been
working hard over the past decade to bring analog experi-
ences into an increasingly digital world. Earlier than in any
other industry, toy companies burned their fingers by seeing
digital as the end goal. Today, these companies use technol-
ogy to enhance their core product experiencesnot replace
themwith digital staples such as connectivity, user-specific
context, and customization.
We can learn from them to believe in our unique selling
14
According to Jef Van der Avoort, cofounder of Squirl, to stay relevant,
publishers should turn to the toy industry.
proposition again. Great stories have the power to trigger
the best virtual-reality engine ever built: the human brain.
Often we try to build the hardware when it is already there.
Instead we should focus on creating the right software
for our brains. Innovation that augments our imaginations,
that opens up new worlds for the reader, should be our goal.
Toy designers and marketers talk about play starters, little
triggers that push users off to a good start but then give
them the space to discover on their own.
When we talk about innovation, we should look for the
publishing equivalent of play starters. How can we use the
different senses to access the readers brain? Companies such
as Booktrack, which creates soundtracks for e-books, are
already popping up. We are just at the beginning of an excit-
ing time in the evolution of digital. The moment is oppor-
tune for digital leaders who dare to take a step back and
who are not afraid to let a book be a book. In the end movies
are better at being movies and games are better at being
games.
Back to that smelly green play slime in my closet. Why was
it the best toy I ever owned? Because it was the most com-
plete toy a six-year-old boy could wish for. You could
squeeze it, make funny sounds with it, and if you were really
brave you could even taste it. It was a full sensory experi-
ence, one that is hard to recreate with just a screen and some
speakers. The digital wave will roll on, becoming more
humancentric along the way. Eventually the border between
the two worlds will completely disappear, likely creating
totally new sensory experiences. But until that day, we in
the publishing industry need to stay relevant in a world of
instant gratification and constant status updates. 
Jef Van der Avoort is cofounder of Squirl, a location-based book-discovery
app.
Books parents trust, activities kids love!

From Pre-K to Grade 6. www.flashkids.com

STERLING PUBLISHING, CO., INC

www.sterlingpublishing.com
PLEASE VISIT US AT HALL 25, STAND B63
 BOLOGNA SHOW DAILY
Trio of U.S. Publishers
Seeks More Translations
Archipelago Books and Restless Books join
New York Review Books in focusing on
translations of childrens titles
By Miah Arnold
Last year Kendall Storey was sifting the rich offerings in
Bologna when a cover jumped out at her. She was at the
fair to acquire books for Elsewhere, a new imprint for chil-
drens books in translation from U.S. publisher Archipelago
Books. When she inspected the cover more carefully, it
revealed a series of international connections of the sort
that make Bologna such a rewarding experience for pub-
lishers, editors, writers, translators, and illustrators alike.
First, Storey saw that the book was written by Chinese
author Cao Wenxuan, who was new to her, and that the
illustrations were by Brazilian author and illustrator Roger
Mello. Coincidentally, Elsewhere had recently acquired a
picture book by Mello, You Cant Be Too Careful, and
admired his work. Like Mello, Wenxuan had recently won
the esteemed Hans Christian Andersen Award. Storey
opened the book and read its trade-show translation. The
book is about a feather looking for its bird of origin,
searching all the birds of the sky for the one to whom it
belongs.
Moved by this adventurous, thoughtful story of belonging,
Storey fell for Feather. She says now, I just knew it belonged
on our list. A few months later, when she read Chloe Garcia
Robertss translation of Feather for the first time, it brought
tears to my eyes, Storey says.
For a work of translation to find a home in the U.S. book
market is no small feat. According to Restless Books Ilan
Stavanswho is launching Yonder, another new imprint
for translated childrens books, this fallaround 3% of
books published in the U.S. each year are translations, and
the numbers for the childrens market are similar. This lack
of representation for translated works, coupled with a
passion for opening the wider world up to young readers,
accounts for the sense of mission that is a common element
among publishers specializing in childrens translation in
the United States.
Susan Barba, senior editor at the New York Review
Childrens Col-
lection, which
has published
An image from
Yonders transla-
tion of the
Ramayana.
16
A book by Chinese author Cao Wenxuan is a highlight
of Elsewheres inaugural list of translated titles.
international childrens literature since 2003, says, Its
almost like speaking another language when you read a
book that comes from another country. You get a better
sense of what that culture is like. Not an immersion, but a
sense of it. Then perhaps you go on to read another book
from that same country, from a different author. You read
another, and bit by bit, in increments, that builds up.
Restless Books Yonder, Stavans says, has sought to acquire
books that bring magic to young readers while also allowing
them to see themselves in other cultures. Stavans hopes that
in the work of identifying with strong, well-drawn charac-
ters living in other parts of the world, Yonders young read-
ers will come to see these worlds and their customs not as
distant and peculiar, but instead as being as normal as our
own culture.
Whats more, translated books can have a wide commer-
cial appeal. One of Yonders books, a YA novel by Juan
Villoro called The Wild Book, sold over two million copies
in its native Mexico. Its a kind of Neverending Story,
Stavans says. Im really excited to introduce it to young
people in the U.S.
NYRBs Barba points out that parents are often motivated
by nostalgia when they choose books for their children, and
that many people dont even think of the childrens books
that theyve read in translation as translationsthink of
the Pippi Longstocking, Heidi, or Tintin books, for example.
Sometimes, she says, parents seek out newer works from
around the world to help their children to understand for-
eign cultures and places. Barba cites the recently published
translation of Anna Starobinetss Catlantis as an example
of a book that will give children an idea about what life is
like in Moscow.
The mission of publishers of translated childrens books
has become more urgent during the last few months of politi-
cal upheaval in the United States. Up until November 8 we
were just a publisher of international literature, Stavans
says. After the election, all of a sudden, this type of writing
has become all the more necessary, in an atmosphere where
our politicians are sending messages isolating our country
from other countries and cultures. There is compassion,
there is empathy in understanding these stories. 
 BOLOGNA SHOW DAILY
Checking on Trends in the
Asian Childrens Book Market
Long-term challenges go hand in hand with surprising
opportunities in some major markets
By Teri Tan
Low birth rates are a longstanding issue in several Asian
countriesparticularly Japan, Singapore, South Korea,
and Taiwanand one that has been the bane of their
childrens book markets.
But for Taiwans childrens book market, there is a silver
lining to the countrys low birth rate, which at 1.18 is among
the lowest in the world. Parents, especially dual-career
urban couples, most of whom have only one child, are now
spending a lot more of their discretionary income on their
children, particularly on buying educational materials and
edutainment products, says Huang Paoping, director of
the Taiwan Pavilion at Bologna Book Fair, which this year
will host a delegation of 13 publishers, including Hsin-Yi
Publications, CommonWealth Education Media and
Publishing, and Aichi Books Co. So our childrens book
publishers are flourishing. This is evident from the 14%
increase in sales of childrens books at our islands largest
online bookstore, Books.com.tw, last year.
Huang offers more statistics that evidence the booming
childrens book segment. According to the National
Taiwan Library, which archives our islands publications,
there were 38,807 new titles released in 2016, and nearly
20.4% of them were intended for preschoolers, school-
children, and young adults, Huang says. So while the
Taiwanese book industry in general has declined over the
years, the childrens book segment has bucked the trend
and continues to expand.
Last year, for the first time ever, a childrens bookThe
Little Train of Courage, a book/CD package by popular
childrens book author and illustrator Lai Matopped
Books.com.tws bestseller list. It was a huge surprise since
the top title, more often than not, tends to be a literary
read, Huang says. [Lai topping the chart] underscores
the strength of the current childrens book segment in
Taiwan. Huang adds that Lai also collaborates with
CommonWealth to produce a variety of educational prod-
ucts such as puzzles, board games, and English-language
learning kits. Such derivative products by well-known
authors and illustrators are very trendy in Taiwan, Huang
says. Parents are buying these products in the hope that
their children will have a well-rounded learning experience
that covers areas such as language skills, and also that they
will acquire social and emotional training that will contrib-
18
ute positively to their personal growth and development.
Over in Seoul, the economy may be in the doldrums,
but there has been a noticeable upswing in the publishing
industry. The birth rate in our country remains low at 1.24,
but the childrens book segment is experiencing a long-
awaited rejuvenation, says Eric Yang, CEO of RHK and
founder of South Koreas biggest rights agency, Eric Yang
Literary Agency.
The South Korean book industry, Yang says, went through
a difficult period after the fixed-book-price laws were passed
in November 2015. Many childrens publishers with sizable
door-to-door sales channels, unable to compete on fixed
pricing, closed down. But last October, several small and
midsize houses reestablished their childrens editorial teams
and publishing programs, Yang says. There are two major
reasons behind this. First, the introduction of a new edu-
cation system that puts an emphasis on improving childrens
reading ability. This will naturally create demand for more
childrens books and reading materials. Second, the growing
number of public, municipal, and school libraries, and the
increases in budget allocations for them. Yang adds that
most librarians prefer using these budget increases to pur-
chase childrens books rather than, for example, adult
bestsellers. This upswing in the South Korean childrens
book market, Yang adds, could not have come at a
better time.
The Northeast Asian region, where diplomatic relations
between governments have always been complex, has hit
another difficult period diplomatically in recent months.
Tensions in South KoreaChina relations have already
affected the publishing industry on both sides. In recent
years, Korean publishers have licensed more than 1,500
titles to China annually, Yang says. Now we are seeing
cutbacks in rights as well as coproduction deals between
Korean and Chinese publishers. Yang does not see a
relaxing of the soft embargo anytime soon. This is
unfortunate, because Chinese parents and children have
been reading and enjoying translated works from Korea
for a long time, and now they will have lesser access to
our content, Yang says.
What Yang and his counterparts can do to make up for
the loss in sales to China is to leverage the current resur-
gence in the South Korean book market while working to
 We are celebrating our
10th anniversary of
producing the industrys
best pop-up books!

International Rights and Co-Production editions

Jumping Jack Press owns world-wide rights to all of our titles. We have
extensive experience producing co-editions in multiple languages and we
welcome inquiries from foreign publishers seeking to partner with us to
produce co-editions of our unique pop-up books.
Please direct such inquiries to George White at
georgew@upwithpaper.com and 1-513-759-7473, ext. 2150.

To see more spreads and videos of our books:

https://www.youtube.com/user/UpWithPaper
http://www.upwithpaper.com/products/books/

Distribution of English
Language Books:

US and Canada

Ingram Pubishers Services

ingramcontent.com
855-802-8295 Brand New Titles!
customer.service@ingrampublisherservices.com Find us at
American Collective Stand
Europe
Hall 26 B 38
Bounce
bouncemarketing.co.uk
010-7138-3650
sale@bouncemarketing.co.uk

www.jumpingjackpress.com
 BOLOGNA SHOW DAILY
form new partnerships with publishers in Europe and in
other parts of Asia. Opportunities are everywhere as long
as one works hard to find them, Yang says.
For Japanese childrens book publishers, on the other
hand, China is a fast-growing rights market. Last year,
my agency signed more than 400 titles, including extension
and derivative works, with Chinese publishers, says
Yurika Yoshida, president of Tokyo-based Japan Foreign-
Rights Centre (JFC). That is double the number of deals
we had in Taiwan or Korea in the same period. Our business
in China also represents nearly 50% of our total overseas
sales. That means that for many Japanese publishers,
royalty income from China has increased significantly in
recent years.
But Japan-China relationsand, to a certain extent,
JapanSouth Korea relations as wellare currently dete-
riorating, and the backlash has affected the Japanese
childrens publishing industry.
And since many Chinese publishers are state owned,
any tension between the two countries is like a gray
cloud hanging over our heads, Yoshida says. It may
lead to severe limits placed on the number of Japanese titles
entering China. Yoshida, however, remains hopeful that
the mutual trust and close collaboration nurtured in the
past decade between the Japanese and Chinese book indus-
tries will prevail, he says. Many of our titles are loved
by Chinese parents and children, and we will continue our
mission to introduce great content not just to China and
Korea, but also to other countries in the world. Sharing
the joy of reading with childrenthat will bring all of us
together to transcend politics, culture, and geography.
The JFC team recently sold Megumi Iwasas newest pic-
ture book to New Zealand (published by Gecko Press there
as Yours Sincerely, Giraffe) and Germany. They also sold
a Taro Gomi picture book to Chronicle Books. The book,
titled Over the Ocean, was a 2017 Batchelder Award Honor
Books selection.
Over in China, the childrens book market is going along
just fine. The most significant impact on Chinas childrens
book publishing industry is coming from the latest reforms
of Chinas university-entrance-exam system. From 2017
onward, students taking the university entrance exam will
need to have more general knowledge of Chinese culture
and history, increased language capabilities, and better read-
ing and subject comprehension, says Li Xueqian, president
of China Childrens Press & Publication Group (as well
as president of the Chinese section of the International
Board of Books for Young People). Some test subjects will
have more questions, thus requiring better and faster read-
ing skills, information analysis, and logical thinking.
China, Li points out, has always been an exam-centric
society, with its university entrance exam the most important
test of all for students. Following these exam-requirement
changes, primary- and secondary-school curricula are also
undergoing overhauls, Li says. One major change is the
unprecedented focus on reading. Today, weekly reading
classes in primary schools are no longer a novel thing.
20
And that is where the challenges (and new opportunities)
are in the Chinese childrens book industry, according to
Li. Our current industry is geared toward the retail
market, Li says. Shifting to publishing for the class-
rooma segment in which most of us lack experience
is a challenge. Meanwhile, the grading system to measure
reading proficiency has not been established, and therefore
we have no concrete idea as to the types of books to rec-
ommend for different grades. On the other hand, our
childrens publishing industry has been focused on litera-
ture, with few titles produced on science, technology, the
humanities, and social sciences. Li points out that, going
forward, industry players will need to rework their pub-
lishing programs to meet the dual goals of fulfilling retail-
market demands and school requirements.
With the above in mind, Li has already started tweaking
his companys publishing program. We are spending more
time studying school curricula and working on attracting
highly experienced teachers to write for us, so that we will
be able to publish more titles that meet the reading and
learning needs of schoolchildren. (For more on Lis com-
pany and on the childrens book market in China, go to
publishersweekly.com/chinachildrens2017.)
To the south, in Thailand, the attitude of parents toward
digital content is a major issue, says Trasvin Jittidecharak,
owner of Silkworm Books and executive member of the
International Publishers Association. Thai reading culture
is not strong, and parents tend to think that free content
is good enough and to see no reason to pay for content,
Jittidecharak says. Unfortunately, most of the childrens
content that is available for free download is of inferior
quality, and that is a worrisome issue for Thai educators.
This habit of obtaining content for free has contributed
to the growth of piracy websites in Thailand, according
to Jittidecharak. Many Japanese manga titles have
been pirated and translated for free downloads, causing
big sales losses for both Thai and Japanese publishers,
Jittidecharak says. Thai publishers are forced to keep
their retail prices very low in order to fight piracy. This
has resulted in chain bookstores closing down some
branches, with those that remain dedicating as much as
40% of their shelf space to nonbook products.
While there are no published figures on the lost sales,
Jittidecharak notes, The fact that four major Japanese
manga publishersKadokawa, Kodansha, Shueisha,
and Shogakukanand the manga- and anime-goods
vendor Animate have set up a joint-venture anime store
in Bangkok together to tackle the piracy issue means that
the losses must be substantial.
This year, various Thai government ministries for culture,
education, and home affairs set up a five-year Promote
Reading Culture master plan with a THB five billion ($142
million) budget. The Publishers and Booksellers Association
of Thailand has yet to get actively involved in this project,
Jittidecharak says. As for the piracy issue, the Department
of Intellectual Property has been focused on other counter-
feit products and not so much on book piracy.
 APRIL 2017

Worldreader to Help Refugees

In Jordan
The charity will offer 50,000 Syrian families free e-books
By Ed Nawotka

In the second implementation of its Read to Kids program,
Worldreader, the literacy-promotion organization that
offers free e-books to disadvantaged communities around
the world, has launched a new program to assist Syrian
refugees living in Jordan. This project follows a 2015 pilot
funded by Pearson that targeted families in New Delhi
with children up to age six to encourage family members
to read to children out loud. The goal was to promote
the idea of parents or caregivers as first teachers, says
Susan Rimerman, director of content for Worldreader.
Worldreader began in 2010 by offering free Kindles to
schools in Ghana and Kenya and setting up digital librar-
ies in those countries. As it has grown, it has shifted focus
away from dedicated readers to mobile phones; it now
offers 40,000 titles for everyone from prereaders all the
way up to adult lifelong learners. The books are available
in 43 languages and 52 countries and reach nearly half-a-
million readers a month.
We know the Syrian refugees in Jordan have mobile
phones, so this is how we plan to reach them, Rimerman
says. The goal is to reach 50,000 families in the first year
after the project is launched. Currently, Worldreader is
sourcing Arabic-language content. Arabic is a new lan-
guage for us, Rimerman says. If this is successful we
could spread it out to Turkey, Canada, and other places
where there are Syrian refugees.
The Jordanian project is being supported by a $1 million
grant from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation. One of
the things that is specific about this situation is that it
has severely impacted childrens access to education,
Rimerman says. Something as basic as reading to kids is
a great first step in trying to help. We see it as an opportu-
nity to provide an emergency response for educational
support unlike ever before. 

Come to Pad 26 Stand B/117 to learn about opportunities for translation rights

Magination Press publishes beautifully

written and accessible picture books,
middle school readers, teen guides,
and workbooks to help children deal
with a wide variety of psychological
concerns and challenges.

Life Skills Special Needs

Family Issues Health Issues
Bullying Self-Esteem
Emotions Anxiety

www.apa.org/pubs
 BOLOGNA SHOW DAILY
Bologna Show Daily Publishing Postcards
We surveyed 11 childrens publishers, booksellers, and librarians from across the
globe and asked them to share the challenges and opportunities they face
Edited By Ed Nawotka
People who work in childrens publishing tend to see their
jobs as both a mission and a calling. We surveyed childrens
publishers, booksellers, and librarians from around the
world, asking them to share their viewpoints on the state
of the industry, to comment on their personal journeys in
publishing, or to reflect on the challenges they face today.
Argentina: Kids Books Are 25% of
the Market and YA Is Growing
Trini Vergara
Argentines have strong reading habits, something that starts
in childhood, with children who have books available to
them. Today, around 96 of the 240 active trade publishing
houses in Argentina have a childrens book list, and 24 of
these 96 specialize in childrens books. Childrens publishers
sell a total of some 10 million books annually and publish
about 3,500 titles per year, with the latter figure representing
approximately 25% of the whole trade publishing market
in Argentina.
There are still many independent bookstores in Argentina
(independent bookstores represent around 70% of the
bricks-and-mortar bookstore market), but childrens books
are mainly sold in specialized areas of the big chain stores
(Yenny El Ateneo and Cuspide). One of Argentinas childrens
bookstores is Ramos 0 a 18 (the bookstore caters to kids
up to age 18) in Quilmes, in the outskirts of Buenos Aires,
which is owned by the Canalicchio family. We are a fac-
tory of readers, Valeria Canalicchio says in defining the
stores vision. The store hosts activities with children and
young adults year round and has developed a database of
over 4,000 customers.
22
Overall, the entire Argentinean book market has been
stable for the last five years, but the future is uncertain. In
December 2015 a new government took power and very
quickly loosened restrictions on book imports, which were
significantly curtailed during the previous administration.
This allowed many childrens publishers to return to print-
ing overseas. At the same time, the new administration
suddenly ended official government purchases of childrens
literature for schools, which led to a childrens book market
sales decline of approximately 15% in 2016 compared to
2015. Many small childrens book publishers were surviving
thanks to these government purchases, which could amount
to as few as 8,000 copies per title, but which could go up to
90,000 copies or even more.
For decades, the childrens book market in Argentina was
dominated by two publishers: Atlntida and Sigmar. But
several new independent and commercial houses, including
V&R, Guadal, and Vertice, have emerged in recent years
to become serious players. In addition, several smaller yet
prestigious publishers have grown, including El Zorro Rojo,
Calibroscopio, and Del Naranjo.
One of the most important trends in the Argentinean book
market is the continuing development of the YA and middle
grade markets, which account for 20% of overall book
sales in the country. And we are starting to see some new
literary stars emerge in Latin America. After J.K. Rowling,
the top-selling childrens author in Argentina last year
was German Garmendia, a Chilean YouTube star, whose
book Chupaelperro (Lickthedog)published by PRH
sold 90,000 copies in just a few months.
Trini Vergara, international manager of the
Cmara Argentina de Publicaciones and director and
founder of VR Editoras
Brazil: With a Big Market Come Big
Challenges
People look at Brazil and think: wow, what a big country;
wow, what an opportunity. But being a childrens book
publisher in Brazil is not easy. For 20 years, the government
was our biggest client. It bought books for public schools
and libraries. I must say the government programs spoiled
us and we did not pay heed to the real market. But since
2014, the government has significantly cut back on its book
purchases for schools, putting many publishing houses in a
difficult financial situation. Relying on the government to
buy books is not an option any longer, so what about the
Introducing
...

Select
Marit Weisenberg
It had always been a fact of life that we were
biologically differentbetterand that it had
to be kept secret.
Julia Jaynes has the perfect life. The perfect family.
The perfect destiny. But theres something rotten beneath
the surfacedangerous secrets, superhuman abilities,
and an elite society of people determined to remain
anonymous to humanity. Caught between the prejudices
of her manipulative father and the allure of an outsiders
life, Julia must decide how she will define herself
and whom she will betray.

Running Full Tilt

Michael Currinder
I really didnt have much choice but to run, and I had
to run far. . . . Sometimes I felt like I could run forever.
In many ways Leo and Caleb are like most brothers. But
when Calebs erratic behavior forces Leo to run, he runs
far, far away. The survival tactic becomes talent when Leo
tries out for the cross-country team. When a family trauma
interrupts the precarious calm, however, Leo cant run
away this time.

Visit us in Hall 26 at Stand B117

For foreign rights, contact Mary Ann Sabia at
masabia@charlesbridge.com

www.charlesbridgeteen.com
 BOLOGNA SHOW DAILY
retail market? After
all, Brazil has some
20 million people
under the age of 14
who are potential
consumers of chil-
drens books. Unfor-
tunately, they dont
read enough books,
in part because they
and their caregivers
are not educated suf-
ficiently about the
Miriam Gabbai
importance of reading.
In my view, in addition to buying books for schools and
libraries, the government should develop a long-term pro-
gram for promoting literature and reading. There are some
public and private efforts in this vein, but they dont go far
enough. There should be more focus on helping teachers to
effectively use the books that have been purchased for the
classroom and on helping families with children to incor-
porate reading into their daily lives.
When it comes to anything to do with Brazil, the scale
of the country, both in terms of population and geo-
graphic size, makes implementing any widespread project
daunting. I was once talking to someone from the Ministry
of Education and he said, You must realize that every-
thing we do, even a simple letter, is done in great quanti-
ties... millions. We distribute books all over Brazil and
that is not an easy task. So we must take into consider-
ation that any large-scale literacy or education project in a
big country will not be easy to implement. With a big
market come big challenges.
 Miriam Gabbai, publisher, Callis Editora
Canada: Staying Ahead of the
Curve on STEM
There are a couple of economic challenges facing rights sales
for Canadian childrens publishers right now: (1) market
saturationthere are just more and more books available;
and (2) a stagnant world economy, which means foreign
editors tend to be risk averse when it comes to emerging
authors and innovative, unproven content.
Certain themes that might be resonating in Canada and
the U.S.STEM or global issues, for examplemight not
catch on internationally until a few years later. This actu-
ally works in favor of Canadian childrens publishers.
Our book The Most Magnificent Thing, for example, has
sold over 250,000 copies due to its strong STEM content
and the growing maker movement. But its only now, three
years after it was first published, that were starting to see
rights sold internationallycurrently into nine languages
and counting. Now that the STEM movement is a world-
wide one, we expect to see quicker pickup on our upcoming
STEM-related books.
Adrienne Tang, rights director at Kids Can Press
24
Chile: Dreaming of Making a Real
Difference
If I had to say what the biggest challenge or obstacle facing
childrens book publishing and literacy in Chile today is,
the first thing that comes to mind is the perennial difficulty
in finding interesting subjects to bring to children. In the
Chilean book market, we have a good variety of books on a
wide range of subjects, but its always necessary to try to
deliver new stories with new themes that can answer chil-
drens questions and be part of their various stages of growth.
Even though MsKe Libros is a small company, with only
three people running two bookstores, we have tried to make
a difference in improving our countrys reading level. That
includes publishing our own bookswe have released two
so far.
In our stores, we dont stock any Harry Potter titles, so
our bestseller list tends to be a little different than the usual.
While some authors on our list, such as Mo Willems, will
be familiar to many, other local writers and publishers
whom we have done well with are lesser known. Among
the lesser-known titles that have sold well for us are Yo
tena diez perritos by Paloma Valdivia and Carles Ballesteros
and Animezclados by Constanze von Kitzing, both published
by Editorial Amanuta.
Miguel Wolter, manager, MsKe Libros
Colombia: Kids Books Open the
Door to Discussing Difficult Issues
Thirty years in childrens publishing have convinced Mara
Osorio, owner and founder of Bogota-based Babel Libros,
of the necessity of addressing Colombias complicated and
often violent history in childrens literature. Issues such as
death, vulnerability, ransom, displacement, and massacres
have been central to childrens stories by Colombian authors
such as Irene Vasco, Yolanda Reyes, Triunfo Arciniegas,
Pilar Lozano, and Francisco Montaa, Osorio explains.
Osorio references Reyess 2013 book Agujeros negros, a
60-page story about a displaced boy who lives in a run-
down house in Bogota with his grandmother. His parents
disappeared following a home invasion at their house in
the woods. The boy survived by hiding in a closet. The
black holes of the title refer to the voids left by his parents
disappearance, voids he will have to face as he travels back
to the house in the woods and relives the dark experience.
The history of Colombias long armed conflict is evident
in stories such as this one. Childrens stories make no effort
to hide the context in which events take place; they show
reality as it is seen from a childs perspective, Osorio says.
One result of this frankness has been strong sales. [These
books] give parents an excuse to talk about contentious
issues with their children, Osorio says.
According to Osorio, local childrens publishing began to
flourish in the 1980s, with the success of publishers such as
Editorial Norma (bought by Spains Grupo Prisa in 2016)
and Carlos Valencia Editores. Nowadays, other players
 BOLOGNA SHOW DAILY
such as Panamericana Editorial and smaller independent
companies such as Cataplum, GatoMalo, Salmn, Rey
Naranjo, and Tragaluzare are paving the way for new
subject matter, authors, and illustrators.
After a 15-year career in childrens publishing at Editorial
Norma, Osorio founded her own company, Babel Libros,
in 2001, a three-pronged venture into book publishing,
book distribution, and bookselling. Since then she has been
actively engaged in numerous initiatives around childrens
books in Colombia.
Last February, Babel Libros was awarded the Bolo-
gnaRagazzi New Horizons Award at the Bologna Book
Fair for La mujer de la guarda by Chilean authors Sara Ber-
trand and Alejandra Acosta, becoming the second Colom-
bian publisher to receive such a distinction in a few short
years, after Rey Naranjo Editores for La chica de polvo
by Jong Jumi in 2014.
Andrs Delgado Darnalt, a Bogota-based writer
Finland: 360-Degree Storytelling in
the Far North
As cofounder of Kaiken Entertainmenta global enter-
tainment company based in Helsinki, Los Angeles, and
Vancouver specializing in storytelling through TV, film,
digital-products licensing, and publishingIm really
A POIGNANT SYRIAN REFUGEE STORY
[A] lovely, timely book.
Quill & Quire Starred Review
Beauty and sorrow sit side by side in this compassion-
ate and age-appropriate depiction of contemporary
refugee life.The Horn Book Magazine
A stunning offering for libraries wishing to add to
their collection of hopeful yet realistic refugee tales.
School Library Journal
978-1-77278-010-9
Hardcover with dust jacket
Canada Stand 29 D7
Catherine Mitchell, Rights Mgr
rights@pajamapress.ca
Gail Winskill, Publisher
gailwinskill@pajamapress.ca
Rights Available: World ex
North America & Korea www.pajamapress.ca
26
interested in sharing stories with fans through a broad
spectrum of media. This type of 360-degree storytelling is
exactly how readers, particularly the children and teens
who comprise our target audience, prefer to experience
their beloved stories. This phenomenon is just as strong
in Finland as it is in the rest of the world: young Finnish
readers devour their favorite series through subscription
services that range from book services to games to VOD
services.
Many of the publishing trends in the bigger publishing
markets correspond with what is happening in Finland.
Subscription services seem to have the same dilemma here
as they do in other markets: they are very successful with
children and YA readers but they arent as popular with
adults. Likewise, childrens publishing here is strong, as is
licensed childrens publishing.
The trend of major brands shifting to content production
(e.g., Hasbro) continues. As a multimedia production studio,
Kaikens publishing and animation units work in tandem
developing and creating story properties that we see as
franchisable. We also handle licensing, which gives us a
two-way door that allows us to add consumer products to
the franchises around our stories.
Kaikens tagline is, Creating stories. Building worlds.
Its not a trend necessarily but rather my strong belief that
in Finland and throughout the globe, audiences are keen
on stories that branch out and beyond and that encompass
all forms of media
Laura Nevanlinna, CEO, Kaiken Entertainment
Guatemala: Planting Seeds for a
Culture of Reading
Rural schools in Guatemala function with the bare necessi-
tiesa chalkboard, wooden desks, miniature chairs, and
dusty shelves. School supplies are scarce and books are
nearly nonexistent.
As an educator, mother, and librarian I understand that
in order to produce a generation of readers, we must first
give children access to booksmore specifically, to books
that they desire to readand we must grant children time
to read and encourage them to learn, ultimately, that read-
ing is fun!
For those students who are lucky enough to attend
public school in rural Guatemala, most will learn to read.
However, very few will learn to enjoy a good story or expe-
rience the pleasure of having adventures in reading. Even
fewer will be encouraged to develop their critical-thinking
and comprehension skills through reading.
Families in rural Guatemala earn just enough to survive
day by day. Most men work in the fields harvesting a vari-
ety of fruits and vegetables. When work is available, they
will bring home approximately $8 a day to cover the living
expenses of their families. For the families who struggle to
buy tortillas and beans to feed their children, little extra
funds remain for books and educational materials.
At Biblioteca Puerta Abierta, on the shores of Lake Atit-
 A Brand-New 5-Book Miniseries
Join the Aldens on a secret mission that takes them around the world!

#1: Journey on a Runaway Train #2: The Clue in the Papyrus Scroll #3: The Detour of the Elephants
Available now! Available now! June 2017

#4: The Shackleton Sabotage #5: The Khipu and the Final Key
HC 9780807506875 PB 9780807506882 August 2017 HC 9780807506813 PB 9780807506820 October 2017

Look for the new animated movie, Surprise Island, fall 2017!

Visit Albert Whitman & Company in Hall 26, Stand B38 to learn more
about the licensing opportunities for this exciting new series!

#Boxcar75 www.boxcarchildren.com www.albertwhitman.com

GKC_SAVE_BOL_HALF_V.qxp_Layout 1 3/21/17 5:40 PM Page 1
A WORLD OF INFORMATION IN A DAY
SAVE THE DATE
DECEMBER 4, 2017
NEW YORK CITY
Youre invited to the third annual
Global Kids Connect conference,
the premier childrens publishing
event of the year.
Sign up now to get all
the latest event information.
www.PublishersWeekly.com/GKC17
PR ESE NTE D B Y
28
BOLOGNA SHOW DAILY
lnwhich Aldous Huxley once described as the second
most beautiful lake in the world (after Lake Como)we
have created a safe environment for students to explore
reading and to connect with literature. By providing story
hours, reading clubs, and creativity workshops we have
begun to plant the seeds of a culture of reading. We lend
books to students who have never held a storybook in their
hands before, giving them the opportunity to lose them-
selves in a story for the first time.
Amanda Flayer, director and founder of
Biblioteca Puerta Abierta
Latvia: The Struggle Is to
Encourage Reading for Pleasure
In Latvia, the best information we have about the reading
habits of children comes from the Childrens Literature
Centre of the Latvian National Library. The literature
centers manager, Silvija Tretjakova, has said that the
chief challenge facing literacy initiatives in Latvia is
getting new and interesting books into childrens hands.
School libraries purchase only textbooks and teaching
materials.
The other problem is that there is little public support
to encourage reading as a pastime to children. There are
almost no reviews of or discussions about childrens
books in the media, and the visibility of local childrens
authors and illustrators is rather poor in comparison to,
say, local singers or actors. There are ongoing discussions
between the Latvian Publishers Association and the
Ministry of Culture to find the best ways to develop a
long-term, reliable model to help finance reading pro-
grams as well as the publication of interesting new illus-
trated books for children. As Latvia is quite small, and
the local market is limited, publishing these types of illus-
trated books in Latvian can be prohibitively expensive.
Renate Punka, president of the Latvian Publishers
Association and managing director of
Janis Roze Publishers
United Arab Emirates: Kalimat
Celebrates Its 10th Anniversary
I cant believe the journey we have taken, says Bodour Al
Qasimi, founder and CEO of Kalimat Groupthe first
publishing house dedicated to the production of Arabic-
language titles for children. Since its inception, the company
has published 175 books, and last year Kalimat won the
BolognaRagazzi Award for Best Publisher of the Year in Asia.
That made a huge difference to us, Al Qasimi says. We
saw random traffic to our booth [at the Bologna Childrens
Fair] really increase, as people who were curious about us
stopped by. More and more people are getting to know us.
Kalimat has long professed that its goal is to educate
and entertain its readers, and it has placed a special empha-
sis on making its books attractive to Arabic-speaking read-
ers, for example by incorporating local design elements.
The Tools you need to maximize your Rights Business
Stand # Hall 26 B38

www.Pubmatch.com
 BOLOGNA SHOW DAILY
Our goal has always been to offer original content repre-
sentative of local cultures, Al Qasimi says. Initially, we
were happy to produce books with girls in head scarves
there were none of those when we startedbut have since
expanded into a very diverse range of products, from
counting books to comic books to young adult books.
In 2016, the company struck rights deals with Quarto
and Bloomsbury in the U.K. and recently announced a new
deal with Gallimard in France. Kalimat and the foreign
publishers will trade rights and publish each others titles.
Its amazing for me to think that the first time I came to
Bologna, it was just mewith no boothwalking around
on my own, Al Qasimi remarks. Now we have a staff of
18 and a wonderful booth. Whats more, in this age, our
books are all the more important and relevant to readers
who want to understand cultures different from their own
and people who may be different from themselves. We are
as motivated as we have ever been.
Ed Nawotka, Publishers Weekly
United Kingdom: Inspired by Snow
on a Summer Day in Cape Town
On a sweltering day in 2012, I visited a school in South
Africa. It was a relatively affluent middle-class school in
Cape Town with a mixed student population. In the
library, the childrens books on display featured white fam-
ilies, a lot of snow, and New York City skylines. In a card-
board box in one corner of the room were a handful of
books about black-African children. When I asked the
librarian why these books were in a box, she told me that
they werent popular enough to take up shelf space. A few
of the white children will read them, she confided, but the
black children wont touch them. Why? I asked. Because,
she saidand here it should be noted that she was a black
African herselfwhite people have a better life.
This conversation comes to mind whenever the publica-
tion of diversity statistics in publishing causes a new wave
of consternation. It seems obvious to me that those young
black-African students attending the school in Cape
Townand finding no mirror therewill start questioning
the role the education system and social institutions are
positioning them to play in society. If black lives and black
experiences are represented only through secondary char-
acters or stereotyped into roles the majority culture marks
out for them, why should children of color expect a life
that isnt similarly marginalized, valued less than the lives
of those in the majority culture, or relegated to a meta-
phorical box in the corner of the library?
I set up Lantana Publishing in 2014 on a small budget
and with just two staff but with a big ambition: to publish
visually stunning contemporary picture books in which all
children can see their lives reflected. For us, diversity isnt
a tick-box exercise dependent on sales trends or hashtags
on Twitter feedsits the basis for each and every publish-
ing decision we make. Diversity is a message that Im ener-
gized to see resonate strongly with like-minded organiza-
30
tions around the world and with anyonein houses large
or smallworking to create a more inclusive book land-
scape.
I believe were at a pivotal period in publishing history
in which its possible to tap into rising public concern to
create transformational change in the industry. Whos
with me?
Alice Curry, founder and publisher of Lantana Publishing
United States: Social Justice Books
Are Not a Trend, but a Mission
For the past two years, childrens publishing headlines
have been dominated by stories about diversity. Since the
November election, that talk has intensified, as publishers
and booksellers take special care to reaffirm their own
valuesfor diversity, but also for activism, organization,
and a commitment to community. It is impossible to ignore
news stories about bullying, vulgarity, and racial and ethnic
slurs and threatsthe very things we warn our children
against. Today, more than ever, we need childrens books
that provide models for activism and that tell stories that
give us hope that change is possible.
Children have an instinctive sense of fairness and justice,
but they may also not be aware of how recent many of
our gains on those frontssuch as in womens, civil, and
LGBTQ rightstruly are. Having grown up in a more
inclusive society (even if there is always room for
improvement) than previous generations, they may take
certain things for granted. Fortunately, books can rein-
force the importance of social justice and tell stories
about the important contributions of those who have
come before us.
At Peachtree, weve been interested in the topic of social
justice for years, as a result of our collective perspective and
of our location in Atlanta, itself an incubator for civil- and
human-rights activism. For many years weve focused on
telling some of the stories of this activism, and our commit-
ment remains strong. One example is the forthcoming picture
book biography Dangerous Jane by Suzanne Slade and Alice
Ratterree (fall 2017). It tells the story of Nobel Prizewinner
Jane Addamss efforts to help immigrants and bring about
world peace by organizing women around the world.
Today, many of us need inspiration and examples of
resilience. As with many adults, children may feel power-
less in the face of injustice and cruelty. Cynthia Levinsons
middle grade books Weve Got a Job and Watch Out for
Flying Kids remind us that individuals, even children,
can and do make a difference.
Childrens publishers are (and have been) out there pro-
ducing impactful works of fiction and nonfiction on
social-justice themes. For us, its not a trend. Its a mission.
As long as there are readers, well continue helping writers
and artists deliver their messages of community, inclusion,
empathy, and peace.
Margaret M. Quinlin, president and publisher,
Peachtree Publishers
 LOOK FOR NEW AND EXCITING WIZARDING WORLD TITLES TO COME!

TM

PRICE: $29.99
SIZE: 9 X 10.5 INCHES
PAGES: 104
WORDS: 15,500

PRICE: $29.99
SIZE: 9 X 10.5 INCHES
PAGES: 104
WORDS: 15,500

PRICE: $19.99 PRICE: $27.99 PRICE: $19.99

SIZE: 8 X 8 INCHES SIZE: 6.5 X 8 INCHES SIZE: 8 X 8 INCHES
PAGES: 48 PAGES: 5 POP-UP SPREADS PAGES: 48
WORDS: 4,500 WORDS: 1,200 WORDS: 4,500

BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC. PUBLISHING RIGHTS JKR. (s17)

RIGHTS JKR. (s17) BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC. PUBLISHING
INC. J.K. ROWLINGS WIZARDING WORLD J.K. ROWLING AND WARNER
WORLD J.K. ROWLING AND WARNER INC. J.K. ROWLINGS WIZARDING
ENTERTAINMENT INC. WB SHIELD: TM & WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT
TM & WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT ENTERTAINMENT INC. WB SHIELD:
CHARACTERS, NAMES AND RELATED INDICIA ARE & WARNER BROS.
INDICIA ARE & WARNER BROS. CHARACTERS, NAMES AND RELATED POTTER
COPYRIGHT 2017 WARNER BROS ENTERTAINMENT INC. HARRY
ENTERTAINMENT INC. HARRY COPYRIGHT 2017 WARNER BROS
POTTER

VISIT OUR BOOTH IN HALL 26 B115

CONFORMS TO ASTM F963-11/USCPSC CONFORMS TO ASTM F963-11/USCPSC
LOT #XXXXXXXX LOT #XXXXXXXX
CHINA
MANUFACTURED IN SHAOGUAN,
CHINA MANUFACTURED IN SHAOGUAN,
EDITIONS, LP
COPYRIGHT 2017 BY INSIGHT
EDITIONS, LP COPYRIGHT 2017 BY INSIGHT
A DIVISION OF INSIGHT EDITIONS LP, SAN RAFAEL, CA 94901
LP, SAN RAFAEL, CA 94901 A DIVISION OF INSIGHT EDITIONS
INCREDIBUILDS INCREDIBUILDS

BUILDS BUILDS
TM
TM

INCREDI INCREDI

www.incredibuilds.com
kits at:
Find more IncrediBuildsTM books and

THEM ALL! THEM ALL!

COL LEC T INCREDI COL LEC T
TM

BUILDS INCREDI
COLLECTIBLE WOOD ART
INCREDI COLLECTIBLE WOOD ART BUILDS
TM

TM

BUILDS

STAG PATRO N US
SORT ING HAT DELUXE BOOK AND 3D WOOD MODEL
DELUXE BOOK AND 3D WOOD MODEL

FEATURES
A STAG PATRONUS GUIDEBOOK
FEATURES
EASY-TO-ASSEMBLE LASER-CUT
A SORTING HAT GUIDEBOOK WOOD PIECES
WOOD PIECES STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
EASY-TO-ASSEMBLE LASER-CUT
COLORING AND CRAFTING
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS IDEAS
IDEAS
COLORING AND CRAFTING

ECO-FRIENDLY
ECO-FRIENDLY ages
ages NO GLUE OR
NO GLUE OR SKILL 8+ TOOLS NEEDED!
8+ TOOLS NEEDED! LEVEL
SKILL
LEVEL

PROJECTION BOOKS DELUXE BOOK & MODEL KITS

PRICE: $16.99 PRICE: $19.99
SIZE: 7.5 X 9 INCHES SIZE: 7.5 X 9 INCHES
PAGES: 16 PAGES: 32
WORDS: 800 WORDS: 3000

2017 Warner Bros Entertainment Inc. HARRY POTTER and FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM characters, names and related indica are and Warner Bros.
Entertainment Inc. WB SHIELD: TM & WBEI. J.K. ROWLINGS WIZARDING WORLD J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Publishing Rights JKR. (s17)
Collect Classics THE

E L E G A N T L E AT H E R B O U N D E D I T I O N S

STERLING PUBLISHING, CO., INC

www.sterlingpublishing.com
PLEASE VISIT US AT HALL 25, STAND B63