Frankfurt as a key hub for children's publishing

Nicolas Roche, general director of France Livre, stated that Frankfurt remains a major hub for children's publishing, with 56 children's publishers present on the French stand at the Frankfurt Book Fair. While the Bologna Fair is still considered the essential event for children's publishing, the Buchmesse provides professionals with an additional opportunity to maintain relationships or gauge international markets.

Shared concerns in the sector

Children's publishing represents the leading sector in terms of purchases and rights sales, but conversations between international publishers have revealed shared concerns, including the decline in reading among young people, contraction in sales, public budgets under pressure, and more cautious commercial exchanges. These challenges vary by country depending on available levers and support.

Decline in Belgium's children's publishing

Mélanie Roland, director of Alice éditions, based in the French-speaking part of Belgium, noted that the children's publishing sector in her region has declined by about 4% in value, according to the Association des éditeurs belges (ADEB). She attributed this contraction in sales to a generalized weakening of reading habits, citing Belgium's poor performance in the PIRLS test, which measures reading skills of students at the end of their fourth year of compulsory schooling.

Austerity affecting education and publishing

Roland added that the Belgian education system is undergoing a period of austerity, leading to a decrease in available resources for teachers, who are essential prescribers of books in classrooms. This situation has further compounded the challenges faced by the children's publishing industry in the region.

Challenges in Colombia's publishing sector

In Colombia, Lizardo Carvajal, founder of LuaBooks, an independent publisher combining children's albums and technology, expressed concerns over budget cuts in the cultural sector by the far-right government appointed in August of last year. He noted that 10% of the population remains illiterate and that strong inequalities persist between public and private schools.

Innovative approaches to publishing

LuaBooks aims to address these issues by producing paper albums that interact with digital media, allowing illustrations to be animated in 3D and narratives to be accompanied by sound narration. Carvajal emphasized that reading must be a source of pleasure.

Bibliodiversity in Chile

Rocio Barros Lopez, director of the Chilean publisher Pehuén editores, highlighted the impact of insufficient bibliodiversity on reading indicators and written comprehension in Chile. She argued that publishers must contribute to the animation and visibility of catalogs, while also navigating the challenge of preserving singular catalogs rooted in local realities and ensuring their international circulation.

Homogenization of content for export

She noted that productions tend to homogenize to be exported. This trend may affect the diversity of content available to local audiences, even as publishers seek to expand their reach globally.

Support from public programs in Brazil

In Brazil, Ines Silva, director of By Rights Agency, stated that public book purchasing programs are an important support for children's publishing, with orders reaching hundreds of thousands of copies for a title. She noted that the local market was so significant that the country only recently turned to rights sales.

Growth of Brazilian authors internationally

Today, Brazilian children's publishers are attempting to make their authors known abroad, encouraged by distinctions obtained by some translated titles. This marks a shift in the country's publishing landscape, with a growing focus on international recognition.

Rise of national authors in Portugal

In Portugal, Silva also observed a positive development in children's publishing, particularly through Máquina de Voar, a publisher she supports. Portuguese readers are increasingly turning towards national authors after long dependence on foreign works.

Spain's mixed publishing performance

Spain presents a different scenario, with a 3% increase in overall revenue at the Frankfurt Book Fair, but a more nuanced situation for children's publishing. While young adult and books for young children remain lucrative segments, the decline in reading from the age of 10 affects the sector.

Market dynamics in Spain

Spain's market is described as one of new releases, with catalogs renewed by almost 80% every year, driven by impulse purchases. Julio Vicente, director of marketing and foreign trade for Editorial Libsa, noted that the market is experiencing a crisis of "fonds" and is almost insatiable in production.

Changing dynamics in international rights

Nolwenn Lebret of Casterman Jeunesse noted a greater caution from foreign publishers in rights exchanges, with Chinese purchases, historically important for French children's publishing, stepping back. Foreign publishers are reportedly more attentive to trends, and the market is tightening, with everyone tightening their catalogs.