Children’s publishers anticipate ‘buoyant’ LBF

Children’s publishers are feeling “quietly optimistic” going into next week’s London Book Fair (14th-16th March), with interest in acquiring across middle-grade, Young Adult and “crossover” titles.

Rebecca Hill, editorial director at Usborne, said: “I’m feeling really positive about LBF, it is getting busier and buzzier each year”, while Leah Thaxton, publisher at Faber Children’s, is expecting the mood to be “buoyant” as “everyone will be relieved to be talking books, not politics”.

Pushkin Children’s Books’ editor-at-large Sarah Odedina is expecting “concern about the state of the world”, but Bella Pearson, publishing director at David Fickling Books, said: “I think the mood will be quietly optimistic, despite these strange times.” Jane Griffiths, editorial director at Simon & Schuster Children’s, agreed. “With the huge global shifts we’re seeing, everyone is even more aware of the role children’s books play
in opening up the world in a positive way through vibrant and diverse voices.”

On the lookout

In the run-up to the fair, submissions have been flooding in. “I’ve never known a year this busy, or with tighter deadlines,” Thaxton said.

Griffiths agreed. “As LBF falls earlier, it feels like the slight respite of submissions that usually comes at the start of the year hasn’t happened,” she said.

Some publishers are moving away from YA and looking for books for younger readers. Hill said: “We are focusing on Middle Grade and home-grown fantasy rather than YA—the market has become more difficult for YA.”

Odedina said she was also interested in fiction for readers aged eight to 12. “I am looking for original standalone books, not series, something that is author-driven rather than genre-driven. There is such a lot of great teen and YA around but books for younger readers are harder to find at the moment.”

Griffiths is hoping to find strong, voice-led Middle Grade fiction from the UK. “I’d love to read something that has the makings of a classic—adventurous, magical, pure escapism.” Pearson is keen to find “writers to work with in the long term, especially strong new YA voices and funny, warm, Middle Grade novels”. Jane Winterbotham, publishing director at Walker Books, said she was looking for “new voices and compelling stories” in Middle Grade and YA. Ali Dougal, Egmont fiction publishing director, said she was seeking “knockout YA fantasy and something funny with gender neutral appeal for our Middle Grade list”, and Egmont Picture Book, Gift and Non- Fiction publishing director Melissa Fairley was hoping to see “début author- illustrators, lyrical stories with unexpected endings and non-fiction with an original hook”.

Meanwhile, there has been more interest in crossover titles for older readers. Barry Cunningham, publisher and m.d. of Chicken House Books, said the fair is “a great forum for speaking to publishers who look to buy crossover and thriller titles”. Madeleine Milburn, literary agent and director of the Madeleine Milburn literary agency, has noticed a growth in crossover genre fiction.

Rise of escapism

Given the uncertain political climate, particularly in light of the recent Brexit vote, publishers were on the look-out for books offering escapism. Thaxton is looking for “comforting reads, whether they feature a strong voice, humour or escapism”. Lisa Milton, executive publisher at HarperCollins division HQ, said the fair was “a real opportunity to share books that will provide escapism, as well books to help explain how we can live better”. She also said that she was looking for “diverse voices” in YA publishing, but there were “just not enough submissions”.

That said, Brexit is not restricting Chicken House’s business with Europe. Cunningham said: “Indeed, we are seeing a positive reaction to YA books about issues of the modern world, as well as younger books about love, tolerance and welcoming new citizens.” Hill has also noticed “more socially and politically conscious work” as well as “more diverse characters”. Children’s publishers have adapted to LBF taking place a month earlier with a two-week gap until Bologna Children’s Book Fair this year, following a clash last year that saw just five days between the fairs.

Christian Herisson, UK commercial and sales director at Usborne, said he and his staff had more meetings scheduled than last year and “with the pound weak against the dollar and Euro, we expect more foreign visitors than last year”.

Winterbotham said: “We’re pleased to have more of a gap this year between LBF and Bologna and we have appointments split between both fairs. We’re seeing many UK agents before and at LBF, allowing us to focus on international agents and publishers at Bologna.”

Griffiths said LBF falling early had meant “everyone seemed to hit the new year running”, but she was unsure of the impact it would have on Bologna. “Usually, Bologna is where agents talk up big new children’s submissions, but a few are sending them out for LBF this year instead. It’ll be interesting to see if agents hold submissions for Bologna, or if it will feel much quieter because the noise for the bigger books has already happened at London.”