Today we learn more about Vancouver, Canada-based Greystone Kids, which focuses on picture books and middle-grade nonfiction about science, health, nature and community. WKL contributor Mia Spangenberg speaks with Lara LeMoal, Publishing Director of Greystone Kids.

WKL: Hello Lara and welcome to the WorldKidLit blog! Greystone Kids is a new imprint of Greystone Books. Could you tell us about what led to the formation this imprint? How does your mission inform the books you publish?

Greystone Kids launched in 2019 as an imprint of Greystone Books, an independent publisher of adult nonfiction known for books about nature, science, health, and social issues. There have always been a few titles for kids on the Greystone Books list, and Founding Publisher and CEO Rob Sanders and Publisher Jen Gauthier decided it was time to publish kids’ books in earnest. They gathered a group of talented and passionate children’s literature professionals to join the Greystone team. Two key additions were Kallie George, Editorial Director of Picture Books, and Sara Gillingham, Consulting Creative Director —and the Greystone Kids imprint was born. Shortly after that the Aldana Libros imprint was launched, with Patricia Aldana as Publisher.

The Greystone Kids imprint shares its mandate and mission with the adult program: to publish high quality, beautifully made books from creators all around the world about nature, science, health, and community. We want our books to challenge, inspire, and entertain. Above all we aim to publish great books that kids will love.

For instance, here are four beautiful books that will give your readers a sense of what GS Kids is all about:

WKL: Could you tell us a little bit about your role as publishing director for the imprint? What makes your job fun and fulfilling? How do you balance publishing books covering your different themes?

As the Publishing Director I am involved in every aspect of the publishing process, and I love that! We have a very close team and we really enjoy working together. That makes the job so much fun.  

I’ve always loved kids’ books; I think my passion for the genre might have been cemented when my step-mother forbade me from reading my younger brother’s library books, telling me I was too old for books with pictures.

I have a Master’s Degree in Children’s Literature, not ever imagining I’d have the good fortune to be able to work in the industry, and now I have a young son who loves kids’ books as much as I do. My work life and my personal life intersect in so many ways, and for all these reasons my job is incredibly fulfilling.

In terms of balancing our list, it’s a pretty organic process. We definitely have priorities and goals, but we are also very flexible and open to all projects that come to us. We want non-didactic books about the health of people and the planet, fun and challenging books, books from many voices and perspectives, books that we think readers will want to read over and over again. 

WKL: You also feature translated titles on your list. How do you find these books, and what role do they play in your overall publishing goals?

Translated titles play a major role for GS Kids: we are committed to showcasing international creators, and we want to publish stories from as many perspectives and backgrounds as possible. We travel to the major international rights fairs and have a global network of authors, illustrators, agents and publishers to help us discover the books that best fit our list. We publish for children across the Anglophone world, not just in North America, and as a result we are especially focused on finding stories with universal appeal. A couple of my favourite translated GS Kids titles are:

Can You Hear the Trees Talking? by Peter Wohlleben, bestselling author of The Hidden Life of Trees, translated by Shelley Tanaka: This is a book for ages 8-12 that shares the mysteries and magic of the forest with young readers, revealing what trees feel, how they communicate, and the ways trees take care of their families.

Tâpwê and the Magic Hat by Buffy Sainte Marie, first published in English and then as a Cree edition shortly thereafter– tâpwê êkwa mamâhtâwastotin, translated by Solomon Ratt, an author and recently retired Cree language professor at First Nations University of Canada. This chapter book was inspired by oral histories and traditions and was written by Buffy almost forty years ago. It began as a story she would tell her young son, one that evolved over time– this was a wonderful opportunity to publish our first Cree language audiobook.

WKL: It’s great to see your focus on Indigenous voices. How do you find the authors and illustrators?

Knowing and hearing the stories of Indigenous creators is a priority for us and is an important act of reconciliation. We find illustrators and authors by building relationships and connections in the community of kids’ book creators, and we let authors, illustrators, editors, and agents know that growing our list of Indigenous creators is a mandate for Greystone kids. We will continue to explore new ways of ensuring Indigenous creators can find us.

WKL: Picture books in other languages can often have more text than we are used to in English-language markets. Other cultures can also have a different aesthetic or a different sense of the kinds of topics that are appropriate for children’s books. Have you encountered challenges like this with your children’s books in translation? How do you handle these challenges during the editing process?

It is always fascinating to notice the preferences and norms related to children’s publishing from other cultures and countries. The questions you asked are always on my mind when looking for new books.

It is true that many norms or conventions are different for the North American English language market than for other international markets. Some elements are easy to adapt (title, cover image, etc.) but some challenges are more difficult to overcome. Categorization for instance, where we try to determine where a book will ‘fit’ in the market as well and gauging the appropriate reading level, can be tricky.

We do certainly face challenges when translating books from other languages into English, but those challenges are part of the fun! Those subtle (or not so subtle) differences are often why a book is special and unique, and so we always strive toward a balance that ensures the book will work well in the English language market while also ensuring it remains true to the original work. Sometimes we will work with an illustrator to ensure their artwork reflects the diversity our readers experience.

There have been a few picture books that I wished we could have published, but I was confident our market would not be entirely comfortable with the content. One was a book set at the beach and showed some nudity, and the other was a wordless picture book that depicted two young kids who missed their school bus and decided to spend the day exploring together. Both were excellent books but I knew it would have been difficult for them to find their place in our market. 

There are far more similarities than differences when it comes to what makes a fantastic book for kids. While we do want to publish books that fit our market’s requirements in terms of length and content, we also have a responsibility to push the boundaries of our own conventions when we consider what to publish. Just as we want diverse content, we also want to promote different forms and ways of storytelling.

WKL: Thank you for sharing this. Could you tell us a bit about some forthcoming titles you are looking forward to? Is there anything else you can tell us about upcoming plans for Greystone Kids?

We have many upcoming titles that I think the World Kid Lit Blog readers will be interested in! Here are a couple we are publishing this fall:

Super Space Weekend, written and illustrated by French cartoonist Gaëlle Alméras, translated by David Warriner: This is our first graphic novel and the first book in our Science Adventure Club series where we meet three characters, Squeak, Orni, and Castor, as they camp out in a tree fort outfitted as an observatory and embark on an adventure, exploring the night sky, our galaxy, our solar system, and how our universe was created, all in one weekend.

Imagine a Garden by Rina Singh and illustrated by Hoda Hadadi: This is a beautifully illustrated collection of stories/poetic vignettes told in free verse about courage, resilience and creating beauty. These are seven real life stories of people from all around the world who have made a difference in their communities in the face of war, poverty, and violence. And we also have a new Julie Flett title in the works, Let’s Go!, which will publish in Spring 2024. This story, showing a young child learning to skateboard, celebrates family, community, friendship, perseverance, and passion.

WKL: Super Space Weekend looks like a fun read! Are you planning to include more graphic novels down the line? You also mentioned the Science Adventure Club series. Are series going to be a growing part of your program?

Super Space Weekend is so fun, yes! I had my son in mind when I acquired this. He has an insatiable appetite for comics and graphic novels. We’ve read everything available in our library and local bookstores, and this was unlike anything I’d seen or read before. It really fills a gap in the market and is the kind of nontraditional nonfiction we love to publish.

There are two additional books forthcoming in the Science Adventure Club, the next will be Super Ocean Weekend, set to publish in Spring 2024. And yes, we do have more series in the works! Another I am extremely excited about is the Chronicles of the Yellowstone Wolves series by renowned wolf researcher and writer Rick McIntyre and award-winning author David A. Poulsen. Told in a gripping narrative non-fiction style, this series will keep young readers absorbed as they follow the many adventures of the Yellowstone Wolves.

WKL: Our readers include translators as well as teachers, librarians, booksellers, and others. What’s the best way to find your books? What can we do to support you and your efforts?

We’re distributed by Ingram Content Group in the US and internationally, and University of Toronto Press and Heritage Distribution Group in Canada, who all do a fabulous job of getting our books to retailers and wholesalers. The best way to find our books is at your favourite bookstore (they can always order a copy in for you if they don’t have the book you’re looking for). You can also visit us online at greystonebooks.com, and be sure to check out our educator hub full of learning resources related to our books at greystonebooks.com/pages/educators.

The best way to support us is to recommend the titles you love from us to your friends and colleagues. Thanks for supporting independent publishers!