Sharing ‘Aesthetic and Educational Values’

Formalizing the news at the Beijing International Book Fair, which closed Sunday (August 26), San Francisco-based Chronicle Books has announced a partnership with Trustbridge Global Media to publish and distribute Chinese-language editions of selected Chronicle children’s books.

Trustbridge is an affiliate of Trustbridge Partners, an investment firm with offices in Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Boston.

The partnership is dubbed Chronicle Bridge, and Chronicle Books’ promotional material describes the company as producing books and gifts in retail categories including design, art, architecture, photography, food, lifestyle, pop culture, and children’s titles.

The partnership’s output is focused initially on five titles, out this month in Chinese, and the program is expected to produce 20 titles in its first year, taking over the Chinese license for the Ivy & Bean chapter book series, which is written by Annie Barrows and illustrated by Sophie Blackall.

The initial five titles in the new translation and distribution deal with Trustbridge are:

• Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker with illustrations by Tom Lichtenheld
• Hungry Bunny by Claudia Rueda
• Love Is by Diane Adams with illustrations by Claire Keane
• Duck! Rabbit! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal with illustrations by Tom Lichtenheld
• Steam Train, Dream Train by Sherri Duskey Rinker with illustrations by Tom Lichtenheld

In a prepared statement, Chronicle’s president, Tyrrell Mahoney—who spoke in the Beijing Fair’s Children’s Forum program—is quoted, saying, “We’ve found in Trustbridge Global Media an ideal partner to introduce our publishing to young readers in China.

“Trustbridge Global Media not only shares Chronicle Books’ aesthetic and educational values, they have unparalleled publishing expertise and a deep understanding of the Chinese book market.”

And speaking for Trustbridge, its director, Dan Sullivan, is quoted, saying, “We are enthusiastic about the opportunity to work with Chronicle because, in addition to having such a distinguished and award-winning history, they are a group that shares our ideals, our philosophies, and what we believe is a common heart for the importance of high quality children’s content.”

Also of interest from Chronicle, is its ongoing series of company blog posts on diversity in publishing, “focusing on the need for inclusion, equity, and diverse voices in the book industry.” The most recent entry is about podcasts “that represent diverse voices from people of color, immigrants, the LGBTQ community, and more.”

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More from Publishing Perspectives on the Beijing International Book Fair is here, and on children’s books is here.