I was reading a great article this week and was blown away by all the amazing information I gleaned from it. HERE is the link so you can glean, too. But I summed it up with a listing of the market trend predictions by some leaders in the industry.
Natasha Ferrant, literary scout
There's a real buzz about YA literature, which is tremendously exciting. I'm hoping to see less of the paranormal stuff and more good, original writing. Much as I love them—I do, I do—I don't want to read any more vampire books, probably EVER AGAIN. What I really want to find is simple and oh so elusive: a strong middle-grade series with great writing and an even better story.
Rob McMenemy, senior v-p, Egmont English Language and Central Europe
I'm expecting still more YA, although I sense the pendulum is just about to swing back to middle-grade and picture books. Indeed, there are signs of improvement for picture books, in so far as the quality is as high as it has ever been, and more and more publishers are investing again—consumers are, of course, a different matter.
Stephen Roxburgh, president and publisher, namelos
Previous generations of e-ink readers had no impact on picture books, but the advent of color readers marks a new platform for content that was restricted to and constrained by print formats. I believe this will initiate an evolutionary leap in the picture book form and dramatically impact children's book publishing worldwide.
Klaus Humann, publisher, Carlsen Verlag, Germany
Recent successes in children's publishing show us that good books always have a chance, on the fiction side as well as on the picture book side.
Thanks, Michelle. I actually saw the same article already -- and gleaned something else from it. I'm posting it on my blog, but I'll give you a nod too.
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