Regional Trade Shows 2010: Kids' Books

Here's our coverage of the children's events, panels, speakers, and all the activity at the fall's regional trade shows.

Children’s books were tightly woven into the warp and weft of this year’s New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association fall conference, including the Moveable Feast at which authors like M.T. Anderson and Lincoln Peirce spoke. The first show of the season’s round robin of regional gatherings, NAIBA took place just off the smoke-filled casino at the Trump Marina in Atlantic City from September 20 to 22. It could be a harbinger of the role that children’s books will play in the upcoming holiday season.

Even though only six of the 22 authors on the speakers roster at this year’s Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association trade show in Denver Sept. 23-25 were children’s and YA book authors, the buzz created by three of them among the 150+ booksellers almost surpassed the amount of buzz about the new adult releases. Laurie Halse Anderson started things off with a bang while introducing her latest novel, Forge (S&S), at the Children’s Author & Illustrator Luncheon. Anderson suggested that booksellers downplay the historical nature of her books, and instead emphasize their action-packed plots to YA readers. But it was what bookseller Susie Wilmer described as Anderson’s “spitting mad” defense of a previous novel, Speak, that especially resonated with her audience on the eve of Banned Books Week.

For children's booksellers, the two highlights of this year's Midwest Booksellers Association's trade show, held in St. Paul, Minn., on October 1 and 2, were a panel of three children's booksellers pitching their favorite fall releases to a room of about 75 of their colleagues, and the annual children's book and author breakfast. Both events provided moments of hijinks and hilarity during an otherwise sedate gathering of booksellers. Nancy Simpson-Brice, the owner of the Book Vault, in Oskaloosa, Iowa, quickly had booksellers out of their seats during her presentation of the season's best picture books during Friday's panel, "Children's Booksellers Pick Their Favorite Kids’ Books for Fall 2010."

The 37th annual New England Booksellers Independent Booksellers Association conference, held in Providence, R.I., from September 30 to October 2, was like the YA version of a bestselling adult title. All the important elements were there: educational sessions, meals with authors, and exhibits. It's just that they had been slimmed down, along with the show's footprint, which fit on a single floor of the Rhode Island Convention Center for the first time. The importance of children's books was underscored at the opening luncheon honoring NEIBA Book Award winners. There NEIBA president Dick Hermans, owner of Oblong Books & Music in Millerton and Rhinebeck, N.Y., gave the president’s award to 92-year-old Maine children’s book author and illustrator Ipcar Dahlov.

"I know I'm biased, but [GLiBA's] children's programming just rocked this year," said Great Lakes independent Booksellers Association president Cynthia Compton, owner of 4 Kids Books & Toys in Indianapolis and Fishers, Ind. "I am continually encouraged by the amount of programming, conversation, and buzz that children's lit creates at our bookseller events. It's fun to be part of the in crowd as children's books continue to show growth and profitability in our stores." Children's books were fully integrated this year' s GLiBA trade show, which was held from October 8-10 at the Hyatt Regency in Dearborn, Mich.

"We always have a great time at the show, and this year is no different," said Susan Kunhardt, children's book buyer at Book Passage in Corte Madera, Calif., of last weekend's Northern California Independent Booksellers Association annual trade show in Oakland. The children's booksellers in attendance took great advantage of show specials, were delighted by the plentiful offerings of new titles on display in the exhibition hall, and enjoyed themselves at the Children's Author Breakfast at the City Center Marriott, where the meeting was held.

The Southern California Independent Booksellers Association pulled out all the stops for children's books at its annual trade show and Authors Feast last weekend at the Renaissance Hotel in Los Angeles. More than one-third of the 50 authors at the Authors Luncheon and Authors Feast were authors or illustrators of children’s books and both of the afternoon kids' panels were packed. SCIBA's commitment to children's booksellers is longstanding, reinforced this year by the organization's decision to include children's bookstores on its annual Bookstore Tour. Based on the general buzz at the show, the market for children's books in the region seems to be holding steady in a challenging economic time.