PW CHILDREN'S BOOKSHELF

Children's Publishing in Canada
Not unlike the adult side of the business, children's publishing in Canada looks to be headed for a pretty good 2013 overall, despite limited school and library budgets and reduced inventory and heavy return rates at Indigo Books and Music chain stores. All publishers, of course, have sales and marketing strategies aimed at keeping things in the black, but what they really want to talk about is what they consider the most powerful asset – great books. In this feature, PW highlights big books, brave books, and books that keep the beat; click through to learn more. more

First Book Launches Global Initiative
During the 2013 Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting hosted by former President Bill Clinton, First Book, a nonprofit organization that provides new books and educational materials to school and organizations serving children in need in the U.S. and Canada, announced its plan to extend its program globally and bring books and resources to 10 million children worldwide by 2016. more

Jessica Lange Publishes First
Children's Book
It's About a Little Bird, Oscar-winning actress Jessica Lange's first book for children, is illustrated with Lange's original photographs and tells the story of two sisters who visit their grandmother, Mem, on her farm. After the two girls sneak into the barn and find treasures, including an antique birdcage, and ask what happened to its occupant, Mem reminisces about living in Europe as a young woman, where she adopted a canary named Uccellino, or "Little Bird