Letter From London

This story originally appeared in Children's Bookshelf on December 14, 2006 Sign up now!

by Julia Eccleshare, Children's Bookshelf -- Publishers Weekly, 12/14/2006

A Waterstone's children's department in Arndale Centre, Manchester.

Waterstone's recent takeover of Ottakar's was eyed with particular suspicion by many in children's books. Ottakar's had a reputation for being exceptionally supportive of children's books—sponsoring the Children's Laureate and setting up the Ottakar's Children's Book Award for example, as well as allowing its individual buyers considerable freedom in what they stocked. The long period of uncertainty over the takeover fueled publisher fears, but once the deal was confirmed Waterstone's moved swiftly and, now the dust has settled, everyone has nothing but praise for the new strategy.

This is largely a result of the appointment of Wayne Winstone, formerly children's and non-book director of Ottakar's, as children's category manager, a strategic role from which he is quickly developing and embedding a new children's book policy for Waterstone's. Winstone was a key figure in all the major Ottakar's initiatives, in particular the Ottakar's Children's Book Award, having recognized the importance of finding new authors and promoting them within the stores. Other children's buyers, including picture book buyer Sam Harrison and fiction and reference buyer Claudia Mody, have also moved from Ottakar's to be part of the new Waterstone's team, further strengthening the new strategy.

The result is a strong commitment to children's books in all Waterstone's shops; "we are really looking forward to creating a store where the children’s section is the destination," Winstone said. A high level of autonomy will be given to branches which, according to Winstone, will allow the passion of the individual manager to be expressed.

Winstone presented the new Waterstone's policy to the children's book group of the Publishers Association and the reaction has been almost universally favorable. "It's early days but it looks very positive so far," said Francesca Dow, managing director of Puffin. "Wayne Winstone has made it clear that he intends to make Waterstone's as good as Ottakar's—or better." Ingrid Selberg, publishing director of Simon and Schuster U.K., agreed. "Our fears don't seem to have been realized. The new Waterstone's seems to be embracing a lot of what we liked most about Ottakar's. So far so good."

Only Marlene Johnson, managing director of Hachette Children's Books, sounded a cautionary note. "It is excellent that they are listening to publishers and working closely with them to see how we can sell as many books as possible. But I am bemused by why they felt they had to take away choice from the high street. Keeping both the chains would have given book buyers greater freedom to choose."

Book Thief Arrives in U.K.

For the adult market.

Markus Zusak's The Book Thief, a bestseller in Australia and the United States, will be published in England in January. The book was acquired jointly by Charlie Sheppard, fiction editorial director at Random House Children's Books, and Jane Lawson, editorial director of Doubleday, giving the company the opportunity of publishing for both markets simultaneously, along the lines of Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time.

Sheppard has nothing but superlatives for the novel: "Markus Zusak is a genius and no other book has had the same effect on me. I was emotionally drained by the time I finished it. I actually wandered around in a daze for a couple of days. Everyone here loves this book, everyone supports it and I hope that by spreading the word and publishing in two editions it'll touch the lives of as many people as possible. It's not a 'Holocaust book.' It's about what it must have been like to be a good, honest decent German living under the Nazi regime, and it's about the power of words and books to help people endure the darkest moments of human existence. It's for books like this that I came into the industry in the first place, and being involved in this project has been a daily reminder of the power of the written word."

For the children's market.

Booksellers from the chains and the independents were also hugely enthusiastic from the outset, a view strengthened by Zusak's brief visit to the U.K. in November. Becky Stradwick of Borders said, "This is undoubtedly the book of the year". Borders is promoting it in its Borders Best collection in January, and as a book of the week in February.

The Book Thief will also be featured in Waterstone's New Talent promotion, and Eason, the Irish book chain, has made the title its Book of the Month. Independent children's bookshops such as Ruth Swindon of The Bookworm in London are equally enthusiastic. "You cannot fail to be moved by Marcus Zusak's passionate and remarkable novel," she said. "It is beautifully written; the power and honesty brings tears to your eyes."

Andersen at 30

Andersen Press celebrated 30 triumphant years under its inspirational founder Klaus Flugge at a party in London last month. During its 30 years, Andersen have built up a distinguished picture book list which still includes the illustrators it was founded on: David McKee, Michael Foreman, Tony Ross, Ruth Brown and the late Max Velthius.

Andersen revelers: Ruth Brown, Klaus Flugge and David McKee.

Flugge's ability to build a successful business around strong friendships has ensured; the press has kept its identity and integrity while also benefiting from being part of the Random House group. Andersen's forays into fiction, though a smaller part of the business, have also been successful. Flugge published Melvin Burgess's controversial Junk which went on to win the Carnegie Medal as well as his subsequent, equally controversial titles such as Doing It.

In a warm speech during which Flugge, microphone in hand, spotlighted individuals and praised them profusely, he said, "The most rewarding part of being a publisher is, of course, to have established internationally renowned artists like David McKee and Tony Ross whose books are now published in over 30 countries and who have become close personal friends of mine."

Children's Books on Stage
The National Theatre in London has brought back Helen Edmundson's production of Jamila Gavin's award-winning Coram Boy for a second Christmas season following last year's box office success. The production is due to open on Broadway in April 2007. Eva Ibbotson's Journey to the River Sea, adapted for the stage by Carl Miller, is also making a welcome return to the stage at the Unicorn Theatre, where it ran last spring.
Obituary
Maggie Noah, agent to both adult and children's authors, including most notably David Almond, Sid and Paul Fleischman and until recently Anthony Horowitz, died unexpectedly on November 17 from advanced undiagnosed blood cancer. She was 57.	Noah.

 

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