Comments on: Storms in New York

By: Sheila Welch

Sheila Welch — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 20:56:19 +0000

In addition to Candlewick and Peachtree, here are a few independent publishers of children’s books:

Boyds Mills Press (which has poetry, YA, and historical fiction imprints)

Lee and Low (which now has its Tu imprint for middle grade fantasy and science fiction — all their books feature people of color)

Holiday House (may be the oldest of all those mentioned)

namelos (founded in 2009, mostly older middle-grade and YA, sells Front Street, now a Boyds Mills imprint, titles as e-books plus has its own list available as e-books, paperbacks, hardcovers)

By: Sondy

Sondy — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 21:34:10 +0000

I got endless amusement out of my first hurricane’s name. I can’t blame her for raging. That’s exactly how I feel when people call me Sandy!

Seriously, I wasn’t really affected beyond a headache from the low pressure and a couple days off work. Though I’m glad they had the sense to close down government — so the downed trees and power outages didn’t cause more trouble. (I’m in northern Virginia, near DC). My heart goes out to those much harder hit on the north side of the storm & closer to the coast.

By: Nina Lindsay

Nina Lindsay — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 16:35:35 +0000

“Independent” is a good take on it. It’s worth noting too that–at least from an outsider perspective–the imprints that have been swallowed by the behemoths seems to be able to maintain some editorial “independence.” I don’t know how much though their acquisitions are affected by the sales department… design/printing choices affected, etc. Candlewick, as an example of a great independent, has beautiful, unique, and stand out bindings and printing quality. Jon Klassen has also talked about shopping around I WANT MY HAT BACK…and that it was finally Candlewick who understood the genius in the ending and wanted it “hang” the worried-adult response. Not sure whether or not the Senior Editors within the big 6-5-4 can make that happen anymore. I’m sure it differs from house to house.

By: Martha

Martha — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 14:11:25 +0000

Maybe we should just use the term independent rather than small?

By: Jonathan Hunt

Jonathan Hunt — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 12:56:17 +0000

I’m not sure I’d consider Candlewick a small press. Maybe Lerner shouldn’t be considered one either, but their fiction output is relatively small compared to their nonfiction, so my top three small press books would be . . .

NO CRYSTAL STAIR (Lerner)

WE’VE GOT A JOB (Peachtree)

WATER SINGS BLUE (Chronicle)

By: laurel

laurel — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 04:09:24 +0000

Go, ATL!

SPlendors and Glooms. (Candlewick)

By: Eric

Eric — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 01:19:13 +0000

Carol, WE’VE GOT A JOB is from Peachtree Publishers (yeah ATL!!!). As was last year’s battle of the books contender CHESHIRE CHEESE CAT.

By: Carol E

Carol E — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 22:57:12 +0000

So glad that Roxanne and Monica are safe and snug. And reading! That is great news.

On the merger front, it really frightens me to see the gradual shrinking of the number of publishers. The bright spot is that there are still many imprints, but I continue to worry about the diversity of the marketplace and the ability of the giants to shove the smaller folks out of the way. One way libraries can help is to be looking for those small pubishers shiny best and promoting them.

Has anyone gotten excited about any titles from small presses?

By: Jonathan Hunt

Jonathan Hunt — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 21:51:37 +0000

The Big Six dwindles to the Big Five . . . or the Big One and Little Four. Will we see other mega-mergers follow? Hmmm. Glad to hear you are both riding the storm out, Monica and Roxanne.

By: fairrosa

fairrosa — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 20:41:12 +0000

I didn’t know the merger of the two big houses… wow. That’s HUGE! Superstormy for sure.