Macmillan Publishers (China) Ltd., a division of the Macmillan Publishing Group, and 21st Century Publishing House Co. Ltd., a children’s trade publisher based in Nanchang, have launched Macmillan Century, which will acquire, develop, introduce, and promote trade titles sourced from Macmillan’s global imprints for the Chinese market.
The venture’s first list, which had a soft release in April 2012, includes A Sick Day for Amos McGee, by Philip C. Stead, illustrated by Erin E. Stead; The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen, illustrated by Daniel X. Hanna; Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt; and Steve Jobs: The Man Who Thought Different by Karen Blumenthal), among other titles, all translated into simplified Chinese. According to Renee Huang, general manager of Macmillan Century, the debut list of 25 titles drew on the Macmillan U.S. and U.K. catalogues exclusively; plans call for 100 releases each year.
Previously, Macmillan (China) focused on English language and Chinese language learning books, as well as some science textbooks. 21st Century Publishing House is one of the largest children’s trade publishers in China, consistently ranking in the top three children’s publishers in terms of sales revenues, Huang says.
Zhang Qiulin, the president of 21st Century Publishing House, and Charlotte Liu, the Macmillan Group’s managing director for Greater China, will head up Macmillan Century.
