22.03.22 Free


At the Bologna Children’s Book Fair 2022.


Hall 25, B96


UK publishers share delight at return to Bologna—and report it’s ‘business as usual’


UK-BASED PUBLISHERS HAVE HAILED THE EFFECT OF AN IN-PERSON FAIR


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ologna Children’s Book Fair got off to a “vibrant” start yesterday, with publish- ers feeling positive and reporting full schedules for their rights teams, despite Brexit complications and the absence of some international publishers. Hachete Children’s Group c.e.o. Hilary Murray-Hill told The Bookseller she was “delighted” to be back at the fair in person and that it “feels really vibrant already”. She cred- ited the organisers with doing “a stupendous job, considering the circumstances”. Hachete brought its full stand and rights team, as well as publishers, editors and art directors. Though the rights team’s schedules “filled up more slowly” than usual in the run-up to Bologna, several contacts deciding to come at the last minute has meant that they are now as busy as in previous years. “It’s business as usual for us,” said Murray-Hill. Erin Murgatroyd, senior rights manager at Nosy Crow, described being back at the


fair in person as “incredible... coming back here, it just feels like book fairs are returning. Everyone seems so happy to be here and to see books in real life.” Walker Books inter- national sales director Caroline Muir echoed this, saying the return was “a breath of fresh air” and that it was “really lovely to be able to reconnect with so many of the publishers that we work with”. Walker is at the fair with a revamped stand, but it did not bring a full team. Similarly, Nosy Crow has a slightly smaller team at the fair to accommodate for the “lack of presence from some territories”. This was exacerbated by the fact that m.d. Kate Wilson tested positive for Covid aſter flying out to the fair and is currently self-isolating. Her team has reshuf- fled meetings to plug the gap, with an upbeat Murgatroyd saying: “Books prevailed in a pandemic, when people were nervous about the market. They seem to prevail in crises. So actually, it just feels good to be home.”


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Bloomsbury took a “careful” approach to the fair this year, according to group rights director Stephanie Purcell, bringing a smaller team and a simpler stand. Yet the event has exceeded expectations, she added: “All the customers have come, we have full schedules and everyone is here to buy. All the publishers internationally are really keen to acquire.” Though they lamented the absence of publishers from the US and Asia, publishers who spoke to The Bookseller said they were continuing to meet virtually with people in those territories, as well as others who could not atend in-person. Complications have also arisen as a result of the UK no longer being part of the EU. As Muir put it: “The biggest challenge for us is to do with Brexit and the paperwork that’s required to import the things that you need for the stand.” Purcell added: “Just being at the fair makes such a difference. It’s really brought back to us how vital being here and touching the books is.” Murray-Hill agreed: “Virtual selling has definitely got a place… but I think there is a general underlying consensus that meeting in person is really, really important.”


Reporting Caroline Carpenter


David Fickling in Smart pickup of illustrated series


David Fickling Books has swooped for three titles from Jamie Smart, whose Bunny vs Monkey series has become a slow-burn graphic novel hit. DFB commissioning editor Rosie Fickling acquired


world all-language rights to the Max and Chaffy series from Jodie Hodges at United Agents. The titles are centred around Max, who moves to an island full of animals, where he meets a special creature named Chaffy, who is lost. On the way to try to find Chaffy’s home, the two have adventures all over the island. Fickling said Max and Chaffy was “quite simply one of the most gorgeous and fun new series of books that I have ever seen. The super-cute artwork is complemented by Jamie Smart’s wonderful sense of humour and elevated further by a beautifully sensitive core emotional story in each book.” Smart’s Bunny vs Monkey series has been growing in popularity since it was first published in the UK in 2014, and has shifted nearly 240,000 copies for £1.8m through Nielsen BookScan. “It’s an absolute joy to tell these stories,” Smart said of his new deal.


Tuesday


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