“And publishers can see the commercial reality reflected back at them.”. June 8, 2020 5:59pm /Reply. “We are discovering authors from Africa, providing mentorship, and then publishing their work,” Ahenkorah told Publishing Perspectives. Little Leaders, by Vashti Harrison. Bringing African Authors to a Worldwide Audience A s conversations about children’s and young adult books are underway at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair. Fortunately (hopefully) those conversations are less likely to be had today because the audience is there and is demanding that books are available for them and their families. One Love (Music Books for Children, African American Baby Books, Bob Marley Book for Kids) Cedella Marley.

Publishing Perspectives | 30 Irving Place, 4th Floor, New York NY, 10003 | +1-212-794-2851 |. That’s what ww’d like to work on to change.”. It’s almost as if technology came and fueled demand for diverse books, which always existed but was latent.”, Odedina, looking back on her career, recalled a time when publishing wasn’t responsive to diverse stories or characters: “I remember two conversations very vividly. “But there aren’t enough voices in that canon for children to enjoy.

Similar changes are taking place in other book markets as well. this week, a cross-continental publishing duo has launched a cooperation to mentor African children’s book authors and publish their books in the US, UK and across the African continent. “Our mission,” she said, “is to reach as many writers working in the field of children’s literature on the [African] continent as possible and to find ways of helping some of those writers find worldwide publication.”. “The Golden Baobab Prize was started 10 years ago when Internet access was just penetrating the African continent,” she said. Then it started online … parents, readers, librarians, and book lovers who have for a very long time not understood why there were not enough diverse books, could talk to each other, organize, advocate, talk loudly; and all of that is what has crescendoed into the response we now see from mainstream publishing. Dismayed by a lack of black characters in books available to African children, Ahenkorah founded her literary nonprofit organization Golden Baobab in 2008 with the goal of supporting African writers and increasing the number of African books on the market.

A few of the African authors the pair has on their radar right now include Ruby Goka, “who writes fabulous books for teens and young adults,” said Odedina; Dela Avemega, writer and illustrator of books for preschool children about life in Accra; and Bontle Senne, South African author of middle-grade books “the world should watch out for,” said Ahenkorah. An adorable little picture book about all the things that brown boys love. “Our meeting, which was scheduled for an hour, went on all day,” said Odedina. Lullaby (for a Black Mother) by Langston Hughes, Illustrated by Sean Qualls.

Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Pena (Goodreads Author) Before joining PP in 2009, she worked as Project Manager at the German Book Office New York. Taken from the poem by Langston Hughes... 2. More on the ongoing Bologna Children’s Book Fair this week is here. Just want to add Stamped by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi, How It Went Down by Kekla Magoon (more for high schoolers), Barracoon by Zora Neale Hurston, Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson, and Crossover by Kwame Alexander. Both Ahenkorah and Odedina have impressive backgrounds in the book world. Through Odedina, Pushkin Press plans to publish some of the titles in the UK, and the pair is also reaching out to their network of industry contacts to find additional US and UK publishers for their chosen African titles. Board book. During that second meeting, the two realized they shared a similar ambition to get more African writers published and recognized internationally, Odedina told Publishing Perspectives. Without diverse books, what we are telling children is, ‘Hey look, the world looks only like the people you read about.’”. Gone Crazy in Alabama (Ala Notable Children's Books. This adorable tale written by acclaimed … We will possibly appoint a sub-agent in the USA to represent the titles to American publishers and possibly the same in the UK. But why now? Please, Baby, Please, by Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee. Hannah Johnson is the Publisher of Publishing Perspectives. Odedina added, “I have read world literature for as long as I can remember because I want to read about the world. literary festival in Accra. Sign up to get our FREE email edition, Monday to Friday! Despite the rising desire for stories told by diverse authors, Ahenkorah and Odedina believe there is still a lot of work to be done to meet that demand. Along the lines of the kind of author mentorship that Ahenkorah already provides through the Golden Baobab Prize, this new venture aims to identify and publish African writers from across the continent. “The demand is too loud now and too viable to be ignored, and the industry is responding. She also helped launch Hot Key Books and now works on Pushkin Press’s children’s book program. Odedina’s long career in children’s book publishing includes stints at Penguin Books and Orchard Books. “At the time we started,” said Ahenkorah, “there was no real conversation about diverse books happening anywhere. She was the publisher at Bloomsbury Children’s for 14 years, during which time she worked on each of the Harry Potter books. 4.8 out of 5 stars 1,796. Sarah Odedina, an editor-at-large for Pushkin Children’s Books in the UK, and Deborah Ahenkorah, founder of Golden Baobab and publisher at African Bureau Stories in Ghana, first met at a conference in Singapore, and then again at the 2018 Pa Gya! This gorgeous book tells the stories of 40 black women who have … Ahenkorah attributes this recent realization of the importance of diversity to technology and online communication. Tags: Africa, African Bureau Stories, children's books, diversity, Ghana, Golden Baobab, inclusivity, Pushkin Press, UK, YA.

The main thing will to be to find all the authors we work with the right home.”. We live in a capitalist world, and the easiest way to move the cursor of supply is with demand. 4.8 out of 5 stars 187. It was the only way we could be a truly pan-African prize, given that we were run by a small team. African writers from Buchi Emecheta, Amos Tutuola, Ama Ata Aidoo and Ousmane Sembene as well as more contemporary voices like Ayesha Harruna Attah, Ayobami Adebayo and Chimamanda Adichie Ngozi are a fantastic part of our global literary culture. “We designed the prize to function completely online: receiving submissions, jury meetings, and even announcing winners of the prize.

Ahenkorah said she feels “a deep frustration and disappointment with the fact that children are not being given windows into the world as it really looks. Wanting to see more African characters in children’s books—both in Africa and internationally—publishers Sarah Odedina and Deborah Ahenkorah have formed a new partnership. What’s behind this recent rise in diversity-oriented publishing? “We put in the work to make sure that the books have a global reach but also a very African reach.”. Sarah Odedina (left) and Deborah Ahenkorah are working together to build international recognition for African children’s book authors.