NEWS


JACKS THOMAS JOINED BOLOGNA AFTER SEVEN YEARS LEADING THE LONDON BOOK FAIR


Bologna Children’s Book Fair 2022 The headlines


Thomas ‘energised’ as in-person BolognaBooksPlus takes off


Jacks Thomas has been “energised and excited” by the participation levels in BolognaBooksPlus (BPP), the satellite event of the Bologna Children’s Book Fair (BCBF) aimed at the adult and general trade audience, which launched its first in-person event on Sunday (20th March). BBP has 30 exhibiting compa- nies from 26 countries and a semi- nar stream of 30 events over four days. Thomas was asked to launch BBP as guest director by BCBF head Elena Pasoli “literally the day aſter” Thomas departed Reed Exhibitions in 2020, aſter leading


the London Book Fair for seven years. The new adult fair is part of BCBF’s expanding portfolio, which includes its Licensing Trade Fair and the Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair, the later of which it co-organises. Thomas is joined at BBP by head of marketing Orna O’Brien.


Thomas said: “Bologna is so well-established as the interna- tional children’s fair, but there are publishers who have to choose one fair per year. So to give them the opportunit to sell general rights as well seemed like something that was definitely worth exploring.


And the idea was to use that base of Bologna’s reputation in children’s, illustration and design as some- thing to build on.” BBP’s seminars kicked off with a pre-fair rights conference on Sunday, and a self-publishing stream on the first full day of BCBF (21st). There is a focus on successful agenting today (22nd) and BBP ends with a number of translation events on 23rd March. There is an additional strand on design, with a “Jackets Off” exhibition showcasing cover design for the same titles across the world. Participants throughout the four days include LBA founder Luigi Bonomi, Midas PR c.e.o. Jason Bartholomew, International Publishers Association president Bodour Al Qasimi and author Michèle Roberts. Due to pandemic restrictions,


BBP’s scheduled bow last year was turned into a “soſt launch” virtual programme. Thomas said it was “a great experiment and some parts were wildly successful”, adding: “I was as exhausted aſterwards as I was for a physical fair. But it is very nice to be back in-person. I applaud Frankfurt for geting back to real life last year, as there was almost a psychological barrier to cross of geting to your first post-pandemic event. I say ‘post-pandemic’ hopefully, as I think we have learned a huge degree of humilit around that.” Reporting Tom Tivnan


T&H signs up ‘enthralling’ Robot Heart


Thames & Hudson is to publish The Girl and the Robot Heart by storyteller Neal Hoskins and award-winning Lithuanian illustrator and picture-book creator Monika Vaicenavičienė. Set in a sleepy town on Christmas Eve, The Girl and the Robot


Heart begins with a conversation between a girl and her toy robot, who wants to know what is inside a human heart. Describing it as a literary picture book, the publisher said it “celebrates the power of stories to make us feel human”. Vaicenavičienė’s What is a River? (2019) qualified as a finalist for the Bologna Children’s Book Fair Illustrators Exhibition 2022 and is published in 14 languages. Hoskins runs content marketing consul- tancy wingedchariot and organises the Digital Café programme of talks and events at Bologna Children’s Book Fair. Roger Thorp, editorial director at Thames & Hudson, said the


IS A FINALIST AT THIS YEAR’S ILLUSTRATORS EXHIBITION


MONIKA VAICENAVICIENE 06 22nd March 2022


“unique collaboration brings together the extraordinary artistic talents of Monika Vaicenavičienė with the magical storytelling of Neal Hoskins... It’s a book of wonder that will enthral children and adults alike.” The Girl and the Robot Heart will be published in autumn 2023.


PHILIP REEVE AND SARAH MCINTYRE WILL RENEW TIES


David Fickling signs up Reeve and McIntyre’s Adventuremice


Series launch


David Fickling Books (DFB) has signed a new four-book series, Adventuremice, from


author-illustrator duo Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre. Liz Cross, publishing and


managing director at DFB, acquired world rights from Jodie Hodges at United Agents for McIntyre and Philippa Milnes Smith at the Soho Agency for Reeve. The pair have worked together on a number of titles for OUP Children’s, where Cross was formerly head of chil- dren’s publishing, including Pugs of the Frozen North, Roly-Poly Flying Pony and Oliver and the Seawigs. Adventuremice sees a tiny


mouse set off in search of excitement, only to become swept up in the escapades of the Adventuremice: a brave, deter- mined team that keeps the Mouse Islands safe from danger. The illustrated fiction series is aimed at children aged five to seven. Reeve and McIntyre said:


“We’re squeaking with excitement at the prospect of introducing young readers to the world of the Mouse Islands, where our tiny heroes venture forth from their Mousebase to save the day when- ever danger threatens.” Cross added: “With an irresist-


ibly kind-hearted hero, a whole team of intrepid adventurers and all the trademark Reeve and McIntyre detail and invention, all beautifully illustrated in stunning full colour, Adventuremice has as much fun as you can pack into a book.” DFB will publish the first two titles in the series in paper- back in spring 2023.


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