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Re: A Paucity of Picture Books
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From: Sako Ikegami <sako_at_sakotrans.com>
Date: Sat, 06 Nov 2010 12:17:51 +0900
On 2010/11/05, at 20:02, bookmarch_at_aol.com wrote:
Because new picture books are of necessity hardcover (paperback picture books are so slim they disappear), a parent faces a relatively high cost (say $16) for a relatively short immersion experience (32, 40, 48 pages plus the effort the parent puts into engaging the child spread by spread). That is a tough purchase one, by one, by one. It becomes much more appealing to buy a new picture book when you already have shelves full of others -- as libraries and some fortunate parents do. Then you are not just spending $16 for 32 pages, you are adding one more choice to a rich set of options. The new 3 Billy Goats Gruff is a fun pair with an older one, a nonfiction book on goats (or bridges for that matter), a silly rhymes book on trolls. I wonder if publishers, and bookstores, might need to offer new picture books in something like a subscription model --
Fukuinkan-Shoten in Japan has a highly successful picture book subscription series called KODOMO NO TOMO (Roughly, Friends of Children) that have been family favorites for well over fifty years. There are presently a total of six picture book series for kids based on age (0-2, 2-4, 4-5, 5-6 year-olds) and content (two nonfiction/science-centric picture book series for 3-5 and 5-6 year-olds), and with the exception of the 0-2s as board books, all of these are initially released as monthly paperbacks. The books are available through school subscriptions as well as individually at almost all local bookstores because they are so affordable (410 yen w/tax) and widely popular. They come with a best of them (not sure how the publisher decides this, although ) are eventually re-released in hardcover (which are also relatively inexpensive 700-900 yen) and have often gone on to become picture book classics.
Since the publisher is able to take risks with this fairly inexpensive format, this series has provided a debut platform for many new illustrators and writers. It's a system that seems to work well for creators, the publisher and of course the kids and parents who enjoy the books. The only drawback is when your child's favorite doesn't get re-released in hardcover. I've had to tape together pages of volumes that have fallen apart after being read dozens of times.
http://www.fukuinkan.co.jp/magazine.php
Sako
Received on Sat 06 Nov 2010 12:17:51 PM CDT
Date: Sat, 06 Nov 2010 12:17:51 +0900
On 2010/11/05, at 20:02, bookmarch_at_aol.com wrote:
Because new picture books are of necessity hardcover (paperback picture books are so slim they disappear), a parent faces a relatively high cost (say $16) for a relatively short immersion experience (32, 40, 48 pages plus the effort the parent puts into engaging the child spread by spread). That is a tough purchase one, by one, by one. It becomes much more appealing to buy a new picture book when you already have shelves full of others -- as libraries and some fortunate parents do. Then you are not just spending $16 for 32 pages, you are adding one more choice to a rich set of options. The new 3 Billy Goats Gruff is a fun pair with an older one, a nonfiction book on goats (or bridges for that matter), a silly rhymes book on trolls. I wonder if publishers, and bookstores, might need to offer new picture books in something like a subscription model --
Fukuinkan-Shoten in Japan has a highly successful picture book subscription series called KODOMO NO TOMO (Roughly, Friends of Children) that have been family favorites for well over fifty years. There are presently a total of six picture book series for kids based on age (0-2, 2-4, 4-5, 5-6 year-olds) and content (two nonfiction/science-centric picture book series for 3-5 and 5-6 year-olds), and with the exception of the 0-2s as board books, all of these are initially released as monthly paperbacks. The books are available through school subscriptions as well as individually at almost all local bookstores because they are so affordable (410 yen w/tax) and widely popular. They come with a best of them (not sure how the publisher decides this, although ) are eventually re-released in hardcover (which are also relatively inexpensive 700-900 yen) and have often gone on to become picture book classics.
Since the publisher is able to take risks with this fairly inexpensive format, this series has provided a debut platform for many new illustrators and writers. It's a system that seems to work well for creators, the publisher and of course the kids and parents who enjoy the books. The only drawback is when your child's favorite doesn't get re-released in hardcover. I've had to tape together pages of volumes that have fallen apart after being read dozens of times.
http://www.fukuinkan.co.jp/magazine.php
Sako
Received on Sat 06 Nov 2010 12:17:51 PM CDT
