BEA Children's Breakfast Speakers Announced

The speakers for the annual Children's Book and Author Breakfast at this year's BookExpo America convention have been announced. The breakfast will feature Brian Selznick, author of Wonderstruck (Scholastic); Sarah Dessen, author of What Happened to Goodbye (Viking); and Kevin Henkes, author of Little White Rabbit and Junonia (Greenwillow).

Licensing Hotline: February 2011

Viz Publishing is the U.S. master licensee for Mameshiba ("bean dog"), a hit property in Japan, for children's book formats. The program marks a departure for Viz in many ways. It is its first major branded children's line consisting of original titles—partners for additional programs will be announced soon—and the books will be in color.

Marketing Campaign Sheds Light on Dark Days

HarperCollins Children's Books recently launched The Dark Days of Supernatural, a six-month, six-figure marketing initiative promoting 11 new hardcover novels in the paranormal, dystopian, and supernatural romance genres.

New Socially Conscious Children’s Books Hit Market

This spring, Independent Publishers Group is introducing a new children's publisher to the U.S. children's book market: Cuento de Luz. The Spain-based eco-friendly company will debut its U.S. line in April with eight books in Spanish and six in English.

Kids Running the Store

From time to time bookstore owners are forced to turn to their kids for help, especially during the holidays, when there never seem to be enough booksellers. But last fall a group of teens and tweens contributed their time and expertise without being asked.

Missen to Head Up Children's Books at Penguin Canada

Penguin Canada has hired Lynne Missen as publishing director for its children's and young adult program, which the company plans to expand. "We’re definitely investing and expanding, and Lynne's hire is an indication of that," said Penguin Canada publisher Nicole Winstanley.

News Briefs: February 3

CPSC Extends Stay of Enforcement on CPSIA Testing

The Consumer Product Safety Commission announced on Tuesday that it would extend the stay of enforcement on total lead content in children's products, as dictated in section 102 of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008, until December 31, 2011. The vote was four to one, with Commissioner Robert Adler dissenting. The stay had been scheduled to expire on February 10.

Open Road to Publish Virginia Hamilton E-books

On February 15, Open Road Integrated Media will publish the first children’s titles in its “author branded program”: seven e-books by Newbery Medal and National Book Award winner Virginia Hamilton, who died in 2002. Among the e-books on the list are Newbery and NBA winner M.C. Higgins, the Great.

What Do Children's Book Consumers Want?

"Children's books are not going anywhere. They're going to be a very secure category in the marketplace," said former Association of Booksellers for Children executive director Kristen McLean during a presentation at the ABA's Winter Institute with Kelly Gallagher, v-p of publishers services at Bowker/PubTrack.

Digital Book World: Can Publishers Create “Cradle-to-College” Bond with Kids?

In today's connected, social media world, kids are increasingly becoming empowered consumers. So how are publishers looking to connect with kids in the digital age--and what works? A Digital Book World panel moderated by Kristen McLean, founder and CEO of Bookigee.com, assembled a slate of heavy hitters to discuss a critical question: what are the challenges and opportunities as technology begins to change the way publishers and kids connect?

Strauss-Gabel Named Publisher at Dutton Children's Books

Julie Strauss-Gabel has been named v-p and publisher of Dutton Children's Books, effective immediately. She was previously associate publisher. Dutton will become a "boutique middle grade and young adult imprint with a focus on titles of exceptional literary quality and strong commercial appeal," according to Penguin.

Digital Book World: Multimedia, Kids' Apps and the Rise of a New Form

The final day of Digital Book World brought together four publishers at the forefront of combining technology and content to create a new form of “book” that combines video, animation, audio and text in a software package that can be continually updated with new features even as it generates data about how it’s being used.

Winter Institute: Ideas That Work

At a presentation called Ideas That Work at last week's sixth annual Winter Institute for booksellers, which took place from Jan. 18-21 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Va., former Association of Booksellers for Children executive director Kristen McLean, founder and CEO of tech venture Bookigee.com, and Cynthia Compton, owner of 4 Kids Books and Toys in Indianapolis, offered lots of suggestions for getting creative when it comes to displays and events.

New Jewish Children's Books Line Launching This Fall

Marshall Cavendish, a New York-area publisher of adult trade, reference and children's books, as well as curriculum and digital research resources, is partnering with The PJ Library, a Jewish literacy program in Massachusetts, to launch a line of Jewish children's books. The first titles under the new Shofar Books imprint will release this fall.

LBYR Expands to West Coast

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers' fiction editorial director, Jennifer Hunt, is relocating to Los Angeles and expanding the imprint's presence on the West Coast. Hunt, who oversees the middle grade and YA lists at LBYR, will be working out of a home office in L.A. and will be, as the publisher notes, providing "an on-the-ground representative to explore opportunities in the entertainment and digital arenas."

FastPencil Premiere Signs Mercer Mayer

In less than six months, FastPencil Premiere has signed 20 authors, many of them bestsellers, and it announced its latest big name this week: children's book author and illustrator Mercer Mayer, who plans to release nine books with the imprint this year.

Children's Agents Wernick and Pratt Launch Agency

Marcia Wernick and Linda Pratt, veteran literary agents who spent the majority of their careers at the Sheldon Fogelman Agency, are decamping to start their own eponymous outfit. The pair, who handle children's authors and illustrators, have worked together for more than 20 years and will focus on everything from picture book authors to YA novelists at the new agency, to be called Wernick & Pratt.

Pamela Paul Named Children's Books Editor at 'NYTBR'

Pamela Paul has been named children’s books editor of the New York Times Book Review. Paul is a journalist and book critic, is the author of three nonfiction books, and is a columnist for the NYT’s Styles section.