Almost a third of school-age children are from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds. But they will still struggle to find characters who resemble themselvesBooks can show us the world both as it is, and as it could be – “mirrors and windows”, as the author Malorie Blackman notes. For children, they are currently falling short on both counts. In the pages of a picture or chapter book, readers have their experience affirmed or glimpse exciting new possibilities: mastering a fear of the dark, or travelling through space. Yet a young black or Asian child picking up a book today is more likely to encounter a rabbit than a protagonist who looks like them, says the expert who has led a new review of representation, Reflecting Realities. This is astonishing in an age when 32% of school-age children are from black, Asian or minority ethnic backgrounds; and is bad news not only for them but for all young readers. Publishers are offering a dated, narrow and skewed picture of the complex, diverse, interconnected world around them.Don’t blame Beatrix Potter. This is not a historic, cumulative problem; the new research covers only books published in 2017. The Centre for Literacy in Primary Education asked publishers to submit titles with BAME characters and received fewer than 400, set against the roughly 9,000 books published for children aged three to 11. Quality and sheer variety are as important as quantity. Only 1% of titles featured a BAME lead character; in a quarter of... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2018-07-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon US has launched its first subscription service for physical books - a service called Prime Book Box specialised in children's books. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-05-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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In subscriptions, Amazon's Prime program announces a "Book Box" invitational offer in the United States, as the UK's Unicorn art-book publisher names New Mexico's Fatima Ronquillo to its retrospective club. The post Industry Notes: Amazon Prime Boxes Books for Children, Unicorn Acquires... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-05-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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At the 2018 Abu Dhabi Book Fair, Flora Rees of the Emirates Literature Foundation talks about the editor-author relationship and the role of literary agents in publishing across the Arab world. The post At the Abu Dhabi Book Fair: An Industry Ready for Editorial Rigor and Literary Agents... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-05-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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International officials and media gather on World Book Day to open the 18th UNESCO World Book Capital program in Athens, celebrating what Greece's Prokopis Pavlopoulos calls 'the powerful potential of books.' The post Greece Opens Athens’ Year as UNESCO’s World Book Capital appeared first on... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-04-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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From The Forsyth Saga to Game of Thrones, The Man in the High Tower and The Handmaid's Tale, books have provided the inspiration for some of television's most memorable shows. Continue reading at Stuff
[ Stuff | 2018-04-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A fast-updating ticker from Amazon Charts is displaying how many pages have been read in nine prominent translations curated by the editors of AmazonCrossing. These #readtheworld titles can be downloaded free through April 24 in recognition of World Book Day. By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-04-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Today, only some 30 percent of Estonian children's literature originates in Estonia. Katrin Reinmaa is one of the leading publishers of content for youngsters, in a country where 'books are expensive both to publish and to buy.' The post Publisher Katrin Reinmaa on the ‘Sun and Cloud’ of the... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-04-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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HarperCollins Children’s Books has appointed Elisa Offord as interim marketing director, covering Alex King's maternity leave. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-04-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Does the burgeoning technology—best known in the finance industry for powering cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin—hold promise for publishing? Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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In examining common ground between independent booksellers and publishers at Bologna's new bookstore conference, the International Publishers Association's Michiel Kolman previewed some of the tensions to be debated at London Book Fair. The post At the First European Children’s Bookstore... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-04-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Named in six parts of the world, Bologna's six annual cohort of 'Best Children's Publishers of the Year' is named on the first evening of the book fair. The post ‘Best Children’s Publishers of the Year’ Named at Bologna Book Fair appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-03-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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In an interview during the Bologna Book Fair, Haiyun Zhao from SAPPRFT and Xueqian Li of CCPPG discuss the rapid development of China’s children’s book publishing market. The post Why China’s Children’s Book Industry Is Growing So Fast appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-03-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Jacqueline Woodson, who won a National Book Award for her memoir in verse “Brown Girl Dreaming,” won the 2018 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award on Tuesday. The award comes with a prize of $608,000. Publishers Weekly reports that Woodson is the 18th person or organization to win the prize, which is... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2018-03-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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In the ITEF program's eighth year, 19 professional fellows will meet with players in the Turkish publishing industry. And BIBF is to open its own dedicated children's book fair in Beijing. The post Istanbul Festival Names 2018 Fellows; Beijing Announces Children’s Book Fair appeared first on... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-03-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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US author Angie Thomas has been crowned the overall winner of the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2018 for her debut YA novel, The Hate U Give (Walker Books). Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-03-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The director of Tyto Alba describes what her house and other publishers are up to. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-03-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Tom Fletcher and Shane Devries’ Brain Freeze (Puffin) has eased into the UK Official Top 50 number one spot for a second week running, selling 46,028 copies. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-03-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The past few years have seen social media, propelled by the all-purpose WeChat app and the Weibo microblogging service, become an indispensable promotional and sales channel in the Chinese publishing industry. Critics point to challenges facing publishers who depend on social media marketing.... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-03-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The phrase “in the right place at the right time” seems tailor-made for Jieli. Its Usborne China imprint, launched in January 2017, came at an opportune moment when the Chinese market was ready for higher-priced toy- and game-based board books and novelty titles. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-03-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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For 16-month-old Beijing Bright Culture, making an impact on the market is the top priority, and Jef Nys’s Jeremy series (or Jommeke in the original Belgian) is the answer. “We have published only 25 out of the available 278 volumes, meaning that we have a built-in long seller in our portfolio,”... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-03-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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