São Paulo – Brazilian children’s books were the focus of attention of foreign publishers in the 13th Publishers Conference in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, that took place from October 29 to 31, which preceded the Sharjah International Book Fair that ends on Sunday (12). The participation of Brazilian publishing houses (pictured) in the Publishers Conference was one of the actions of the Brazilian Publishers project, a partnership between the Brazilian Book Chamber (CBL) and the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil).
According to CBL international relations coordinator Rayanna Pereira, Brazilian companies that joined the meetings struck deals, but the total amount is yet to be calculated. She said that contemporary literature books hold appeal for the region’s publishers, as it occurs in other global events, because the Brazilian literature is “awe-inspiring” for foreign readers. Children’s books, she said, have attracted the interest of foreigners thanks to both the stories and the work of illustrators.
Another reason drives the appeal of these books. “The interest in books is raised there from an early age. I saw many stands of children’s books being set up in the fair. I believe this is a strategy to have more adult readers in the future. They are trying to boost it in children. So, maybe that’s why they are primarily interested in children’s books. And Brazil has amazing names in children’s literature. Not just authors but amazing illustrators, too. Wherever we go, we see that there’s demand for children’s books from Brazil,” said Pereira.
Overall, says Pereira, foreigners have an extensive knowledge on the Brazilian publishing industry, and this was seen in the participants of the Sharjah show. “They know [Brazil’s traditional literary award] Jabuti, they know who won it. They are interested in contemporary literature, but they are publishing and seeking more children’s books,” she says.
The Brazilian Publishers project featured the participation of publishing houses Dublinense, Tabla, Rua do Sabão, Roça Nova, Telos, Carambaia, and Aleph, literary agent Juliana Farias, and Pereira. Besides the two days of B2Bs, the Brazilian participation in the event included a visit to Sharjah’s cultural hub House of Wisdom, and lectures. Pereira added that the Sharjah Fair has a very strong appeal for Gulf companies. The conference brought together representatives from various parts of the world like China, Turkey, Japan, Europe, and Latin America.
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
