Digital publishing

Publishers Weekly is an indispensable source of information about the book trade. Although aimed at publishers, it is one of the best ways for librarians and teachers to keep up with what's going on in children's publishing. A recent forum on Children's Publishing in the Digital Age offered many insights into the direction publishing may take in the future. One particularly thorny question for children's publishers is what to do about picture books. None of the e-book platforms now available are suitable for picture books, which rely on a marriage of print and graphics. The lack of color in many e-books limits their use for children's books. In recent years picture books have been turned into films and videos, but that changes the impact and emphasis. A film is not a substitute for a book, it's a different entity. No one is sure where e-publishing of children's books will be going in the next few years, but this forum gives us some possible directions to consider.