The Charm of Children’s Lit – And Why We Need It – MSc Publishing

Children’s literature: it’s just for children, isn’t it? So, I must admit, was my inner thought process before attending the 2023 Bookseller’s children’s conference, but it turns out I couldn’t have been more wrong. Contrary to my popular belief, there is so much more to the realm of children’s literature than just the children who read the books, and that became evident very quickly. There were so many categories and topics covered that I would have never even considered. Overall, the conference was packed with engaging speakers with clear knowledge of their areas of expertise – some standouts included children’s poet laureate Joseph Coelho and author Katherine Rundell, who were able to dynamically captivate the crowd, rousing a sense of passion that is so desperately needed in the publishing industry but that can be so often sacrificed in favour of the success of a final product. All in all, the conference seemed like a breeze of fresh air, breathing new life into my own personal publishing journey.

The theme of this year’s conference was “Publishing with Purpose” and I believe that to be well chosen for the current literary climate. In a society of constantly shifting values and opinions, I think it’s vital to have something concrete to build upon, and a firm sense of present purpose is key in developing literary standards that will stand the test of time.

Once again, I must say that I did not enter the MSc Publishing programme with any particular interest in focusing on children’s literature, thinking – in error – that it was a side of publishing with lesser importance than the rest. I’ve discovered, however, both through my studies at Napier and my attendance at the Bookseller’s children’s conference, that it is a foundational part of the industry, as it directly impacts the future generations of readers, writers, and publishers.

So, what should the purpose of publishing be, specifically for children’s literature? The purpose should be to tell the stories that need to be told, stories that have the power to captivate an audience, inspire them, and make them feel like they are not alone, that their own stories are heard. And today’s children, now more than ever before, need that sense of connection and community that was somewhat lost growing up in the midst of a global pandemic. We cannot pass them over, but instead, as publishers we must put everything we have into producing wonderful children’s literature, because without that readership, publishing has no hope of survival.

At the end of the day, I’ve been reminded that children’s literature is truly for everyone. Kids read stories and uncover the brilliant and beautiful world of their imaginations; adults read children’s books and are transported back to their own childhoods, where the world is wide and full of opportunities. There was a quote by Mary Jo Putney mentioned in one of the talks at this year’s Magazine Street conference that I thought resonated well with this particular conversation: “What one loves in childhood stays in the heart forever.” ¹ With that in mind, if we invest in children’s literature by publishing with purpose, we will have readers forever.

Photo from The Bookseller (2022) Available at: http://www.thebookseller.com/news/one-in-five-children-do-not-own-any-books-of-their-own-according-to-latest-nlt-research (Accessed: 9 October 23).