Welcome to August’s World Kid Lit web round-up. Throughout August we’ve thoroughly enjoyed Women in Translation Month and we’re pleased to have been able to represent some of the best World Kid Lit written by women. Take a look below for some of this month’s highlights as well as opportunities for publishers and translators.
With #WorldKidLitMonth now just days away, make sure you’ve got the dates in your diaries for our two very exciting panels for WORLD KID LIT LIVE! And just in time for #WorldKidLitMonth, there are lots of brilliant new releases coming out in September.
Book Reviews and Readings
ArabLit 10 Recommended Books from 2020, including the award-winning YA Wondrous Journeys in Strange Lands, by Sonia Nimr, translated by M Lynx Qualey (Interlink Books) and picture book Alya and the Three Cats, by Amina Hachimi Alaoui, illustrated by Maya Fidawi, translated by Mehdi Retnani
The Rabbit Hole Children’s Bookstore 20 Books about tigers – featuring Secret Life of a Tiger by Przemysław Wechterowicz, illustrated by Emilia Dziubak, translated by Antonia Lloyd-Jones (words and pictures)
Books and Bao 7 Wonderful Japanese Children’s Books in Translation, article by Will Heath
Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast Review of The World’s Poorest President Speaks Out edited by Yoshimi Kusaba (in the original Japanese), illustrated by Gaku Nakagawa, translated by Andrew Wong (Enchanted Lion) – a picture book adaptation of Uruguay President José Mujica’s 2012 speech to the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development
Canadian Picture Book Blog Review of Pierre and Paul: Avalanche! by Caroline Adderson and Alice Carter (OwlKids). Pierre speaks French and Paul speaks English, this dual language book follows their adventures
Global Literature in Libraries Initiative (GLLI) Felix After the Rain written and illustrated by Dunja Jogan, translated from Slovenian by Olivia Hellewell (Tiny Owl). Review by Laura Taylor of Planet Picture Book
GLLI Review of award-winning graphic novel Witch Hat Atelier, v. 1, written by Kamome Shirahama, translated from the Japanese by Stephen Kohler (Kodansha Comic). Review by Nanette McGuinness.
GLLI Review of Do Fish Sleep? by Jens Raschke, illustrated by Jens Rassmus, translated from German by Belinda Cooper (Enchanted Lion). Review by Nanette McGuinness
Kirkus Reviews Little Fox written by Edward van de Vendel, illustrated by Marije Tolman, translated from Dutch by David Colmer
Kirkus Reviews Lemon Butterfly by Cao Wenxuan, illustrated by Roger Mello, translator from Chinese unknown (Reycraft Books)
Kirkus Reviews – Fall Preview: Visions of Immigration for Kids, including The Day Saida Arrived by Susana Gómez Redondo, illustrated by Sonja Wimmer and translated by Lawrence Schimel (Blue Dot Kids Press)
Rachel Ward reads from her translation of middle grade railway adventure The Train Mouse by Uwe Timm, illustrated by Axel Scheffler (Andersen Press)
Nadine Kaadan at the Edinburgh Book Festival Picturing Tomorrow: Nadine reads from her fabulous book Tomorrow.
BookTrust Home Time – Translator Laura Watkinson reads The Golden Cage – a deliciously dark tale by Anna Castagnoli and Carll Cneut (Book Island)
Articles and online discussions
Chinese Books for Young People – Lizzie Marshall discusses wolves in children’s fiction with reference to Shen Shixi’s Jackal and Wolf, tr Helen Wang (Egmont)
Gecko Press – Julia Marshall of Gecko Press on being brave in publishing
Publishers Weekly – Leonard S. Marcus Joins Astra Publishing House as Editor-at-Large. “Marcus is working with Russo and minedition founder Michael Neugebauer, who is based in Hong Kong, to acquire and edit picture books from around the world”
Los Angeles Review of Books – Refugee Tales: A Conversation with Juan Pablo Villalobos. Paulo Lemos Horta interviews Juan Pablo Villalobos about YA non-fiction book The Other Side: Stories of Central American Teen Refugees Who Dream of Crossing the Border, translated by Rosalind Harvey (Farrar, Straus and Giroux).
Stephen Munzer talks to literary translator Rosie Hedger about translating Norwegian children’s books. Listen on anchor.fm or search on Spotify for Let’s Talk Children’s Books
The Center for the Humanities, City University New York Translating the Future: “Building Translator Communities and Communities for Translation,” with Paige Aniyah Morris, Shuchi Saraswat, Allison Markin Powell, & M Lynx Qualey
Lee and Low webinar Strategies for building an inclusive bookshelf
The Emma Press weekly Book Chats dedicated to children’s books:
- Emma talks to Ruth Ahmedzai Kemp about all things World Kid Lit
- Emma talks to Ulla Saar about Estonian children’s book
- TONIGHT 7pm BST – Emma talks to Gamze Erentürk of Kovan_Agency about Turkish children’s literature! Register now on Zoom.
Translator / Publisher opportunities
Translation grants from the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for foreign publishers who have sealed a foreign rights agreements between June 1st and September 25th 2020 – deadline for application 5th October
The Voyage YA Journal. A new journal dedicated to inclusive Young Adult writing. Editor Raquel Henry has confirmed translations will be considered – be sure to check your permissions first!
Dates for your diary
World Kid Lit LIVE!
Making KidLit Travel: How Translations Happen
2nd September at 4pm BST
Join us as we speak to children’s publishers and literary professionals from around the world to discuss the business of kid lit. What do publishers look for in translated children’s literature? How do market standards differ across regions? What are the unique challenges brought on by the pandemic, and how does it affect the kid lit universe? Our expert panelists give us their perspectives. Let us know you’re coming over on our Facebook event page
Speakers:
Charlotte Ryland – Director, Stephen Spender Trust (UK)
Shelley Tanaka – Author and Fiction Editor, Groundwood Books (Canada)
Radhika Menon – Publishing Director, Tulika Books (India)
Emma Wright – Founder, The Emma Press (UK)
In Conversation With Marcia Lynx Qualey – Co-founder, World Kid Lit (Morocco)
Why translate KidLit? A talk with translators around the world
30 September at 4pm BST
Celebrating #WorldKidLitMonth with translators from around the globe, this session is about translating for younger audiences. Why translate kid lit, anyway? Are translation difficulties different here? Panelists will talk about the particular challenges and highlights in their kid lit journey, give their thoughts about improving the field, and discuss how others can get involved with translated literature for young readers. Let us know you’re coming on our Facebook event page
Lawrence Schimel (Spanish)
Avery Fischer Udagawa (Japanese)
Laura Watkinson (Dutch, German and Italian)
Sawad Hussain (Arabic)
Moderated by Marcia Lynx Qualey (Arabic)
***
TONIGHT 7pm BST – Emma Wright of The Emma Press talks to Gamze Erentürk of Kovan_Agency about Turkish children’s literature! Register now on Zoom.
***
American Literary Translators Association Conference
Two events focusing on children’s literature in translation:
Annual Alexis Levitin Bilingual Reading – Children’s Literature & Performance
Saturday 3rd October 2:00-2:50pm EST
Richard Robinson
Anna Bentley
Ruth Ahmedzai Kemp and Lawrence Schimel
Jennifer Vevian-Sparf
Mina Kyounghye Kwon
Dongshin Chang
Sign up for event
Children’s Literature in Translation: Beyond Three Percent (Free & open to the public)
Monday 12th October 2:00-2:45pm EST
Ruth Ahmedzai Kemp
Mia Spangenberg
Daniel Hahn
David Jacobson
Sign up for event
New for September
board books
Bronxshapes (Bronx Baby) by Alex Rivera ~ Kokila [bilingual book English/Spanish]
Picture Books
The Birthday by Hans Fischer, translated by David Henry Wilson ~ NorthSouth Books USA [Originally in German]
Ida and the World Beyond Mount Kaiserzipf ~ written and illustrated by Linda Schwalbe, translated by David Henry Wilson ~ NorthSouth Books USA [Originally in German]
Hans Christian Andersen: The Journey of His Life by Heinz Janisch, illustrated by Maja Kastelic, translated by David Henry Wilson ~ NorthSouth Books USA [Originally in German]
The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen, illustrated by Bernadette Watts, translated by Mrs H. B. Paull ~ NorthSouth Books USA [Originally in German]
Festivals & Traditions in Switzerland by Barbara Piatti, illustrated by Yvonne Rogenmoser, translated by Mary Carozza NorthSouth Books USA [Originally in German]
The Day Saida Arrived by Susana Gómez Redondo, illustrated by Sonja Wimmer, translated by Lawrence Schimel ~ Blue Dot Kids USA [Originally in Spanish]
What Can You Do With a Color? by Gülşah Yemen, illustrated by Çağrı Odabaşı, translator not known ~ Crackboom Canada [Originally in Turkish]
What Can You Do With a Line? by Gülşah Yemen, illustrated by Çağrı Odabaşı, translator not known~ Crackboom Canada [Originally in Turkish]
Plasticus Maritimus: An Invasive Species by Ana Pêgo and Isabel Minhós Martins, illustrated by Bernardo P. Carvalho, translated by Jane Springer ~ Greystone Kids Canada [Originally in Portuguese]
Animals Brag About Their Bottoms By Maki Saito, illustrated By Maki Saito, translated By Brian Bergstrom ~ Greystone Kids Canada [Originally in Japanese]
Little Tad Grows Up by Giuliano Ferri, translated by Charise Myngheer ~ Mineditions PRH USA [Originally in German]
One Boy’s choice: A Tale of the Amazon by Sueli Menezes, illustrated by Annika Siems, translated by Kathryn Bishop ~ Minedition [originally in German]
A Blue Bird and Her Little Tree: A Story Told in English and Chinese by Jin Bo, illustrated by Zhao Guangyu, translated by Yijin Wert ~ Shanghai Press
The Umbrella Tree: A Story Told in English and Chinese by Bai Bing, illustrated by Li Hongzhuan, translated by Yijin Wert ~ Shanghai Press
The Little Calf: A Story of Courage Told in English and Chinese (Stories of the Chinese Zodiac) by Dong Hu, illustrated by Li Jian, translated by Yijin Wert ~ Shanghai Press+
When We Are Kind / Nihá’ádaahwiinít’íįgo by Monique Gray Smith, illustrated by Nicole Neidhardt, translated by Mildred Waters ~ Orca Books [dual language English / Diné]
Victor by Jacques Maes and Lise, translated by Laura Watkinson ~ Pushkin Press UK / Penguin Random House Canada [Originally in Dutch]
Count on me by Miguel Tanco ~ Tate Publishing [Originally in Spanish]
How Do Bridges Work? by Roman Belyaev, translated by Ruth Ahmedzai Kemp ~ B Small Publishing UK [Originally in Russian]
Lemon Butterfly by Cao Wenxuan, illustrated by Roger Mello, translator unknown ~ Reycraft Books [Originally in Chinese]
Fiction 9+
Red Stars by Davide Morosinotto, translated by Denise Muir ~ Pushkin Children’s UK / Delacorte Books for Young Readers USA [Originally in Italian]
The Blue Wings by Jef Aerts, translated by Laura Watkinson ~ Levine Querido [originally in Dutch]
YA Fiction
The End by Mats Strandberg, translated by Judith Kiros ~ NorthSouth [Originally in Swedish]
Fright Night by Maren Stoffels, translated by Laura Watkinson ~ Delacorte Press (Penguin Random House) USA [Originally in Dutch]
Graphic Novels
Undead Messiah #3 by Gin Zarbo, translated by Nanette McGuinness ~ TOKYOPOP USA ~ Ebook available [Originally in German]
The Sisters #6: Hurricane Maureen by Christophe Cazenove, translated by Nanette McGuinness ~ Papercutz USA [Originally in French]
Poetry
Leave a Message in the Sand: Poems about Giraffes, Bongos, and Other Creatures with Hooves by Bibi Dumon Tak, illustrated by Annemarie van Haeringen, translated by Laura Watkinson ~ Eerdmans Books for Young Readers USA [Originally in Dutch]
As always, if you see anything we’ve missed, please get in touch to let us know.
worldkidlit.wordpress.com 