Children’s publishing and bookselling seminar ‘hailed as a success’

The Australian Publishers Association (APA) and Australian Booksellers Association (ABA) say they hope to run more joint events centring on the children’s sector, after the success of the ‘Between the Covers, Behind the Counter’ seminar held in Brisbane on 27 July.

Booksellers, publishers, authors, librarians, academics and Children’s Book Council of Australia members attended the event at the Queensland Writers Centre.

Presentations included designer and author Matt Stanton on the message of publishing; Shaun Symonds from Nielsen Book Australia on statistics and trends in children’s and YA book sales; University of Queensland Press’ Kristina Schulz and Riverbend Books’ Suzy Wilson giving their respective insights into children’s publishing and bookselling; and blogger and librarian Megan Daley, writer Rebecca Sparrow and author and bookseller Christopher Currie on the ins and outs of social media.

Walker Books Australia school and library manager Steve Spargo said the APA’s children’s publishing committee ‘were excited to organise this event alongside Fiona Stager of Avid Reader and Where the Wild Things Are’. ‘It was wonderful to see this level of interaction and enthusiasm from such a varied representation of the children’s book industry,’ said Spargo. ‘We look forward to replicating this event in other states.’

Category: Junior Local news