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Batchelder comments
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From: Levine, Arthur <ALevine>
Date: Thu, 24 Jan 2002 12:48:10 -0500
I very much appreciated Ginny's comments about the Batchelder.
She wrote:
"I've wondered what has happened to the handsome Batchelder Award seal sold by ALSC or ALA Graphics for a few years. Everyone says that seals make a difference in bookstores, and they can make a difference with some kids, too. But if the winning publishers don't purchase the award seals available for any award and then pay for warehouse workers to "sticker the stock" currently in their warehouses
- probably a very small printing in terms of numbers if it's a translated book - then sales figures will be even lower than they otherwise might be. A self-fulfilling prophecy. Translated books, even the Batchelder books, "don't sell." Message: buy seals! "
As the publisher of SAMIR AND YONATON by Daniela Carmi, last year's Batchelder, I can say that we would have loved to purchase stickers for the book. Unfortunately ALSC or ALA Graphics (I don't remember which either!) doesn't make them any more. We had to content ourselves with printing an image of the sticker, which isn't nearly as snazzy. :)
I guess I want to add an aside and say that my interest in translation is personal. It comes partly from a belief that ignorance is the root of hate, and that the more we know about each other, the less possible it is to demonize whole groups, cultures, countries. And it comes partly from my belief that all writing is a translation of some sort -- a translation of emotion, of event, of experience, into words.
And we were so grateful to receive the Batchelder. It felt like a validation of my and Zehava Cohn's (the book's editor) efforts on Daniella Carmi's behalf. It definitely provided the encouragement to continue our translation efforts!
Awards are important. We can take them as a moment to celebrate. We can take them as a moment to call attention to the honored book. Perhaps we can even, in the case of the Batchelder, take them as a moment to push our collective interests outward, and help readers to do the same.
And if I have one suggestion/cheerleading shout/hope it's that we can start that push with this year's Batchelder discussion on CCBC. Interestingly enough, the timing of last year's Batchelder discussion was that it occcurred as I was on my way to the 2001 Bologna Book Fair, to look for other great novels in foreign languages. I brought my computer with me, and eagerly checked in on the discussion. Well, let's just say that it was quiet. Like, pin drop quiet. Which was a little disappointing to me. It felt
-- irrationally -- as if our book won an award and still nobody read it, which made me question what I was doing. If even the wonderful, passionate, opinionated members of the CCBC weren't going to read and comment on the Batchelder, who was?
I hope I don't sound whiney. Of course there are lots of reasons why few people might not have shown up for that discussion, and I fully understand that many of those reasons would have nothing to do with the book itself (he wrote, optimistically!), or the membership's interest in translated literature. I only share that transitory dip in my spirits in the spirit of our collaboration. . One thing we can all do to promote the translation of more books from abroad is read this year's Batchelder winners, and actively join in the discussion when the topic comes up. (And you can all write howlers to me if I'm not first in line with opinions when the time comes!)
For those of us editors who are working on translations -- or hoping to work on them -- your discussion of the books is so necessary. We value your opinion so much, and we lean forward in our collective seats to listen for your feedback. It tells us that our interest is shared, and that we're not working in a vacuum. I would venture to say that it's even more important than the award itself.
.
Just a note that SAMIR will be available in a lovely Signature Paperback edition this coming November.
Susie Morgenstern's editor is the talented Jill Davis.
Cheers to you all -- and happy reading!
Received on Thu 24 Jan 2002 11:48:10 AM CST
Date: Thu, 24 Jan 2002 12:48:10 -0500
I very much appreciated Ginny's comments about the Batchelder.
She wrote:
"I've wondered what has happened to the handsome Batchelder Award seal sold by ALSC or ALA Graphics for a few years. Everyone says that seals make a difference in bookstores, and they can make a difference with some kids, too. But if the winning publishers don't purchase the award seals available for any award and then pay for warehouse workers to "sticker the stock" currently in their warehouses
- probably a very small printing in terms of numbers if it's a translated book - then sales figures will be even lower than they otherwise might be. A self-fulfilling prophecy. Translated books, even the Batchelder books, "don't sell." Message: buy seals! "
As the publisher of SAMIR AND YONATON by Daniela Carmi, last year's Batchelder, I can say that we would have loved to purchase stickers for the book. Unfortunately ALSC or ALA Graphics (I don't remember which either!) doesn't make them any more. We had to content ourselves with printing an image of the sticker, which isn't nearly as snazzy. :)
I guess I want to add an aside and say that my interest in translation is personal. It comes partly from a belief that ignorance is the root of hate, and that the more we know about each other, the less possible it is to demonize whole groups, cultures, countries. And it comes partly from my belief that all writing is a translation of some sort -- a translation of emotion, of event, of experience, into words.
And we were so grateful to receive the Batchelder. It felt like a validation of my and Zehava Cohn's (the book's editor) efforts on Daniella Carmi's behalf. It definitely provided the encouragement to continue our translation efforts!
Awards are important. We can take them as a moment to celebrate. We can take them as a moment to call attention to the honored book. Perhaps we can even, in the case of the Batchelder, take them as a moment to push our collective interests outward, and help readers to do the same.
And if I have one suggestion/cheerleading shout/hope it's that we can start that push with this year's Batchelder discussion on CCBC. Interestingly enough, the timing of last year's Batchelder discussion was that it occcurred as I was on my way to the 2001 Bologna Book Fair, to look for other great novels in foreign languages. I brought my computer with me, and eagerly checked in on the discussion. Well, let's just say that it was quiet. Like, pin drop quiet. Which was a little disappointing to me. It felt
-- irrationally -- as if our book won an award and still nobody read it, which made me question what I was doing. If even the wonderful, passionate, opinionated members of the CCBC weren't going to read and comment on the Batchelder, who was?
I hope I don't sound whiney. Of course there are lots of reasons why few people might not have shown up for that discussion, and I fully understand that many of those reasons would have nothing to do with the book itself (he wrote, optimistically!), or the membership's interest in translated literature. I only share that transitory dip in my spirits in the spirit of our collaboration. . One thing we can all do to promote the translation of more books from abroad is read this year's Batchelder winners, and actively join in the discussion when the topic comes up. (And you can all write howlers to me if I'm not first in line with opinions when the time comes!)
For those of us editors who are working on translations -- or hoping to work on them -- your discussion of the books is so necessary. We value your opinion so much, and we lean forward in our collective seats to listen for your feedback. It tells us that our interest is shared, and that we're not working in a vacuum. I would venture to say that it's even more important than the award itself.
.
Just a note that SAMIR will be available in a lovely Signature Paperback edition this coming November.
Susie Morgenstern's editor is the talented Jill Davis.
Cheers to you all -- and happy reading!
Received on Thu 24 Jan 2002 11:48:10 AM CST
