Children’s book publishing in Barbados
I was again lucky enough to be on a trip to Barbados recently, and noticed an increasing number of small, local independent publishers producing children’s books for early readers. It prompted me to reflect on the benefits and challenges of such initiatives. It also allowed me to celebrate the publications and in some cases to meet the educator entrepreneurs behind the initiatives.
In this blog, I refer to localisation as the publishing for a specific market, rather than the adaptation of resources from one market to align them with the needs of another. I make no general claim for publishing across The Caribbean, although I suspect many of the points I raise, will resonate beyond Barbados. These are my personal reflections.
Some benefits of providing localised children’s books:
Promotes accessibility through language:
Embedding the language of the location and its community supports accessibility for children, teachers and families. It also promotes talk and vocabulary development which are essential for early language development.
In Bajan Baby Explore from A to Z by Terri-Ann Hopkin and published by Cherry Tree Kids (see https://www.instagram.com/cherrytreekids246/), note the culinary delights such as ackees, conkies and jug jug. Many imported books in use in schools, will be promoting K is for King, but how much better to be promoting : K is for kadooment, the biggest celebration in Barbados.
In Bajan Baby, What do you see? by the same author, we are reminded of the classic picture book by Eric Carle, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see? , but in this instance, Bajan Baby’s answer is, ‘I see flying fish swimming in the sea.’ The patterned rhythm of the language supports the reading of the words and their meaning.
Provides a cultural context:
Localising stories allows children to connect with characters, settings, and themes that resonate with their own lived experiences. Traditions and culture can be woven into narratives, fostering a sense of pride and identity in young readers, but also a familiarity with context that supports their enjoyment of reading and their early attempts to read.
Again, in Bajan Baby, Explore from A to Z, as cited above, familiar parks, attractions, plantation houses and even the University of the West Indies, are included. Localised books are more likely to be authentic texts that avoid insensitivities and inaccuracies.
Boosts the selection and richness of books available:
Local authorship supports the development of a vibrant children's reading book scene and encourages publishing opportunities for local illustrators too.
Lily and Luca’s Adventures now has four books in its series and can be found on Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B092SRWTCG?binding=paperback&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tpbk . The title Lily and Luca’s Adventures in Bridgetown includes embedded activities and quizzes. The series are created by husband and wife team, Gabriel PGF. Welch and Stacey A. Welch and published by their own Gabcey Productions.
Some challenges for providing localised children’s books are:
Cost and Complexity:
Publishing books for specific and often small markets can be expensive and time-consuming with little opportunity to further localise for other markets. This can lead to market fragmentation. The increasing sophistication of AI will almost certainly play a part in streamlining localisation and reducing costs to ensure that more bespoke solutions are still commercially viable.
In the series, Lily and Luca’s Adventures the authors widen the appeal of the books by capturing the families of children who are returning to Barbados, or who have family and experiences of the island. A clever move! Whilst Bajan Baby lives on the island, Lily and Luca are visiting from the North of England to visit their grandparents.
Although originally published in 2004, Learning to Surf by Jason Cole (Cole’s Printery Ltd.), is a good read with vibrant and engaging illustrations and some great humour. I have recently gained permission to use this story and its illustrations within the new Cambridge University Press and Assessment Early Years Programme, as part of the provision for Communication and Language development https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/programmes-and-qualifications/cambridge-early-years/. Including localised texts in global programmes is another way to increase exposure and strengthen the commercial success of localised publishing where the content allows.
Affording quality assurance and longevity:
Part of the cost challenge is that there is likely to be little money to invest in market research or high quality editorial checks. There may be fewer opportunities to consider page layout, artwork styles or readability levels or long term strategies to extend the series or brand.
Despite the challenges of localised publishing, the goal should be to create high-quality, culturally relevant books that resonate with young readers, their teachers and family members. I was encouraged by the increasing selection of books for young readers that I found in Barbados that will certainly be nurturing young imaginations and fostering a love of reading for generations to come. I look forward to my next visit to see what else I can find.