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RE: Latino Picture Books
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From: Jason Wells <jwells_at_abramsbooks.com>
Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2013 22:18:23 +0000
Since you mentioned publishers and the future, I just wanted to chime in th at Abrams does have a vested interest in publishing books for Latinos. I do believe some others publishers share this interest. And as for the future, here's what to expect from us this year, two offerings. Perhaps not as man y as Cinco Puntos has to offer, but we try to do our part! And our editors certainly do push for titles that they believe in.
.html
JASON M. WELLS Executive Director, Publicity and Marketing Abrams Books for Young Readers | Amulet Books | Abrams Appleseed
ABRAMS | The Art of Books Since 1949 115 West 18th Street, New York, NY 10011 T 212.229.8826 | F 212.366.0809 | M 646-456-5446 E jwells_at_abramsbooks.com www.abramsbooks.com Visit blog.abramsbooks.com Follow us @AbramsKids on Twitter Follow us @AbramsKids on Instagram Like us Amulet Books and Abrams Appleseed on Facebook
Message-----
From: Megan Schliesman
Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2013 5:13 PM To: ccbc-net, Subscribers of Subject:
Latino Picture Books
Caroline Jones wrote:
"As a former bookseller, I can't help but return to the market in scenarios such as this one. Perhaps many publishers perceive Latino topics as too po liticized in the current climate? With the Latino population growing so hea lthily, it seems ridiculous that they don't choose to capitalize on the inc reasing market."
I have no doubt the business side of publishing looks at potential sales as a huge, driving force (the huge, driving force?). I'm not saying that as a criticism, but a fact. And we have certainly heard, anecdotally, that tho se on the creative side of publishing can find it hard to push books they b elieve in through.
I hope this isn't about Latino topics being perceived as too politicized. "Latino" literature (or any multiclutural literature) includes great family stories (e.g., "I Love Saturdays and Domingos" by Alma Flor Ada ) and sill y stories (e.g., "The Cazuela That the Farm Maiden Stirred" by Samantha R. Vamos; "Just a Minute" by Yuyi Morales) and even a little-girl-loving- kitt tens story ("A Box Full of Kittens" by Sonia Manzano). These are just as important as books that explore more s erious dimensions of experience. (As an aside, I had a reference request re cently for books about Latino experience for older readers that weren't abo ut immigration or struggles in the barrio. The person was not disregarding the importance of such books or experiences, but did not want students gett ing only that perspective on Latino experience.)
To what extent is there is a disconnect between perception and reality when it comes to sales? As I mentioned in my opening post, we are hearing the demand for books in Spanish, and for books with culturally authentic Latino content, all the time from teachers and librarians in Wisconsin. There's a market out there, but teachers and librarians want quality, not just quantity. And quality comes on the creative end, first from authors and illustrators, and then editors who believe in their work, and who have the support to shephard a book, and sometimes a new tale nt, to publication.
I know that isn't easy. But if I am talking to librarians and teachers in small Wisconsin communities in need of such books, then that demand exists exponentially. But is that reflected in sales figures of Latino literature ?
Publishers need to do their part--and not just the wonderful small presses like Cinco Puntos, which Caroline mentioned.
But the rest of us need to do our part, too, following up our demands for L atino literature with purchasing that sends a message that it is valued, an d it will sell.
So back to the question: Where are the books? Not the books that are alrea dy published--there are terrific offerings--but the books to-be. Is there intent to meet this growing demand in a meaningful way? (By that I mean seeking out works that speak to diverse experiences and perspectives within the Latino community, that offer up human experience and history an d humor and everything else we would expect to find in literature in genera l.)
And will we buy them?
Megan
-- Megan Schliesman, Librarian Cooperative Children's Book Center School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison 600 N. Park Street, Room 4290 Madison, WI 53706
608/262-9503 schliesman_at_education.wisc.edu
www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/
Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2013 22:18:23 +0000
Since you mentioned publishers and the future, I just wanted to chime in th at Abrams does have a vested interest in publishing books for Latinos. I do believe some others publishers share this interest. And as for the future, here's what to expect from us this year, two offerings. Perhaps not as man y as Cinco Puntos has to offer, but we try to do our part! And our editors certainly do push for titles that they believe in.
.html
JASON M. WELLS Executive Director, Publicity and Marketing Abrams Books for Young Readers | Amulet Books | Abrams Appleseed
ABRAMS | The Art of Books Since 1949 115 West 18th Street, New York, NY 10011 T 212.229.8826 | F 212.366.0809 | M 646-456-5446 E jwells_at_abramsbooks.com www.abramsbooks.com Visit blog.abramsbooks.com Follow us @AbramsKids on Twitter Follow us @AbramsKids on Instagram Like us Amulet Books and Abrams Appleseed on Facebook
Message-----
From: Megan Schliesman
Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2013 5:13 PM To: ccbc-net, Subscribers of Subject:
Latino Picture Books
Caroline Jones wrote:
"As a former bookseller, I can't help but return to the market in scenarios such as this one. Perhaps many publishers perceive Latino topics as too po liticized in the current climate? With the Latino population growing so hea lthily, it seems ridiculous that they don't choose to capitalize on the inc reasing market."
I have no doubt the business side of publishing looks at potential sales as a huge, driving force (the huge, driving force?). I'm not saying that as a criticism, but a fact. And we have certainly heard, anecdotally, that tho se on the creative side of publishing can find it hard to push books they b elieve in through.
I hope this isn't about Latino topics being perceived as too politicized. "Latino" literature (or any multiclutural literature) includes great family stories (e.g., "I Love Saturdays and Domingos" by Alma Flor Ada ) and sill y stories (e.g., "The Cazuela That the Farm Maiden Stirred" by Samantha R. Vamos; "Just a Minute" by Yuyi Morales) and even a little-girl-loving- kitt tens story ("A Box Full of Kittens" by Sonia Manzano). These are just as important as books that explore more s erious dimensions of experience. (As an aside, I had a reference request re cently for books about Latino experience for older readers that weren't abo ut immigration or struggles in the barrio. The person was not disregarding the importance of such books or experiences, but did not want students gett ing only that perspective on Latino experience.)
To what extent is there is a disconnect between perception and reality when it comes to sales? As I mentioned in my opening post, we are hearing the demand for books in Spanish, and for books with culturally authentic Latino content, all the time from teachers and librarians in Wisconsin. There's a market out there, but teachers and librarians want quality, not just quantity. And quality comes on the creative end, first from authors and illustrators, and then editors who believe in their work, and who have the support to shephard a book, and sometimes a new tale nt, to publication.
I know that isn't easy. But if I am talking to librarians and teachers in small Wisconsin communities in need of such books, then that demand exists exponentially. But is that reflected in sales figures of Latino literature ?
Publishers need to do their part--and not just the wonderful small presses like Cinco Puntos, which Caroline mentioned.
But the rest of us need to do our part, too, following up our demands for L atino literature with purchasing that sends a message that it is valued, an d it will sell.
So back to the question: Where are the books? Not the books that are alrea dy published--there are terrific offerings--but the books to-be. Is there intent to meet this growing demand in a meaningful way? (By that I mean seeking out works that speak to diverse experiences and perspectives within the Latino community, that offer up human experience and history an d humor and everything else we would expect to find in literature in genera l.)
And will we buy them?
Megan
-- Megan Schliesman, Librarian Cooperative Children's Book Center School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison 600 N. Park Street, Room 4290 Madison, WI 53706
608/262-9503 schliesman_at_education.wisc.edu
www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/
---Received on Tue 05 Feb 2013 10:18:23 PM CST
