Eight Million Viral Views Later: In Search of the Ultimate Children’s and YA Book Trailer

In Children's, Digital by Kathleen Sweeney

Book trailers — surveyed here last week — are a complicated art form, half-entertainment, half-promotion. Making them appeal to children and teens can be even more challenging. By Kathleen Sweeney The big screen success of the Dave Eggers/Spike Jonze adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are would suggest that producing a book trailer for children would be as …

Can You “Bring Back the Book” to a Country That Can’t Afford to Read?

In Children's, Growth Markets by Tolu Ogunlesi

Nigeria’s President launched a campaign to inspire reading that was part-election, part-Facebook festival and part-magical thinking. Editorial by Tolu Ogunlesi LAGOS: Nigeria has no national funding for the arts, no government-run grants-awarding body to support the production of books, and no National Book Policy. In place of a proper publishing industry, the country is awash with book printers, supporting a flourishing …

Is There a Global Market for Indian Comics and Children’s Books?

In Children's, Discussion by Edward Nawotka

By Edward Nawotka The first annual Comic Con in India was held last weekend and, according to Andrew Dodd of Campfire Books, it was a runaway success. Homegrown stories from Indian publishers and featuring Indian heroes were especially popular. While Dodd acknowledges that the comics market in India is still “nascent,” there might be potential for Indian publishers to market …

Could a Daily Children’s Newspaper Succeed in the US?

In Children's, Discussion by Edward Nawotka

By Edward Nawotka As discussed in today’s lead story, Play Bac’s daily newspapers for children remain very popular. The model has proven so successful, that Play Bac has licensed the model to publishers in Hong Kong and the Middle East. In the UK, there’s First News — a weekly pring newspaper — but there is nothing similar in the US. …

With 150,000 Daily Print Subscribers, France’s Children’s Newspapers Remain Popular Despite “Digital Distractions”

In Children's, Europe by Olivia Snaije

By Olivia Snaije At least French kids are reading newspapers. There is always a business model that works against the odds. France’s book publisher Play Bac presse, which also publishes three newspapers for children, is simultaneously celebrating its 25th anniversary, and its founding paper, Mon Quotidien’s (My Daily) 15th birthday. At a time when newspapers worldwide are struggling, and in …

What Can Schools Do to Inspire More Literary Creativity in Children?

In Children's, Discussion by Edward Nawotka

By Edward Nawotka Over the last several years literary entrepreneurs, supported by A-list authors, have opened several imaginative creative writing centers and bookshops aimed a children and teens. Arguably, these institutions — from Dave Egger’s 826 Valencia in San Francisco, Roddy Doyle’s Fighting Words in Dublin, to Nick Hornby’s Ministry of Stories in London (as discussed in today’s lead story) …

Feeding the African Imagination: Nigeria’s Cassava Republic

In English Language by Belinda Otas

By Belinda Otas and Tolu Ogunlesi ABUJA: Nigeria may not be the ideal place to start a publishing company, but Bibi Bakare-Yusuf and Jeremy Weate were crazy enough to take a chance. In 2006 the husband-and-wife team founded Cassava Republic, a publishing house with the goal of “feeding the African imagination” through stories taken from contemporary African life. When they …

Has Your Child Gone Digital?

In Children's, Discussion by Edward Nawotka

By Edward Nawotka Today’s story by Kristen McLean of the Association of Booksellers for Children explains why she believes digitization and e-books are good for literacy. Of course, some parents are likely reluctant to put their child in front of any type of electronic gizmo — be it a computer, television or beeping toy. Some may also be reticent to give …