Now in its fourth edition, Children’s Publishing Market Forecast 2010 offers an accurate and objective perspective on where the market for children’s books is headed in 2010, as well as analysis of market opportunities and pitfalls. How are publishers battling challenges such as an overall decline in reading, returns of unsold stock from retailers, and the intensifying battle for shelf space?

The overwhelming successes of children’s book series in recent years such as Harry Potter, Captain Underpants and Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight have sent publishers scrambling to uncover the next multi-title blockbuster craze. In addition, bestselling individual titles of rapidly growing genres like graphic novels have illuminated the children’s book market as a lucrative space for publishers, editors, marketers, distributors and retailers in the trade book industry. What’s more, the nuances of children’s books compared to “young adult” titles needs to be better understood by everyone in the industry value chain.

Armed with an archive of trade book data that goes back more than 30 years, Simba’s team of seasoned trade book analysts examines the market for children’s books segment by segment, from youngsters to tweens to teens. In addition, Children’s Publishing Market Forecast 2010 provides high-quality, unbiased market intelligence on the publishing houses, and the entire retail landscape, from independent bookstores to online outlets to big box stores.

Gain access to exclusive statistics and analysis such as:

• An in-depth look at bestselling children’s books drawn from the USA Today, Publishers Weekly and New York Times lists, with breakdowns of top-performing titles, authors, imprints and a comprehensive category ranking of which books are selling and which are not.
• Expanded analysis of the most vital facet of children’s publishing: series books.
• Results from Simba’s surveys of independent retailers across the country rating different books and genres; as well as info on buyer profiles and behaviors.
• Exclusive five-year category trends for 15 major juvenile categories.

Children’s Publishing Market Forecast 2010 includes detailed strategic and financial profiles of companies such as Candlewick Press, Disney Publishing Worldwide, Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins, Holtzbrinck, Houghton Mifflin, Penguin Group, Random House, Scholastic and Simon & Schuster.

This report is a critical tool in evaluating growth potential, understanding trends affecting the industry, sizing up the competition, reviewing potential partner or acquisition profiles, examining market share rankings of leading publishers, benchmarking performance, and planning short- and long-term growth strategies.

Children’s Publishing Market Forecast 2010 is essential for publishing executives, M&A advisors, market analysts, and industry consultants who need to understand the business strategies driving the children’s trade book publishing industry today.

Additional Information

Stamford, CT-Oct. 5, 2009- Simba Information, a media research firm which recently published Trade E-Book Publishing 2009 and Trends in Trade Book Retailing, has released the latest edition of the annual report Children’s Publishing Market Forecast. The report projects the children’s and young adult book market to decline again in 2010, but at a less dramatic pace compared to 2009.

“The breadth of titles offered, coupled with the new tools publishers, authors and retailers are using to reach readers is working in the industry’s favor,” said Michael Norris, senior analyst of Simba Information’s Trade Books Group. “But publishers are still slow to realize what a hard sell engaged reading can be, especially when consumers have a growing list of free entertainment options.”

Those challenges aside, the report does present the current state of the segment, beginning with the growing strength of the fantasy category which hit No. 1 in Simba’s analysis (up from No. 3 as shown in last year’s report). Books from Stephenie Meyer, P.C. Cast and other authors continue to occupy bestseller lists, but the report wonders what will fill the ‘vampire vacuum’ once that trend finally runs its course.

New to this report is an e-book discussion, including fully updated data from Trade E-Book Publishing 2009 detailing the extent children’s titles have penetrated the bestseller lists of Sony and Amazon over a 12-month period. Additional research provided in the report indicates approximately one in five adults in the U.S. will buy at least one children’s book in 2009; a relatively stable figure from previous studies.

The report again reminds publishers about the value of multiple, healthy retailers selling their products and warns about the growing influence of non-bookstore entities: “If companies like Wal-Mart, Target or even Amazon suddenly decide to cut back on what they stock or pull some other kind of power play, publishers may find they have little negotiating heft with them if bookstores don’t stay healthy,” said Norris.

The report expands on its demographic data on children’s book buyers and provides a multi-year overview of the top imprints, authors and categories in the segment, as well as an age analysis.

For more information visit www.simbainformation.com or contact Warren Pawlowski at 203-325-8193 x114.

About Simba Information:

Simba Information is widely recognized as the leading authority for market intelligence in the media and publishing industry. Simba's extensive information network delivers top quality, independent perspective on the people, events and alliances shaping the media and information industry. Simba provides consulting and reports that offer key decision-makers at more than 15,000 client companies around the globe with timely analysis, exclusive statistics and proprietary industry forecasts. For more information, please visit www.simbainformation.com.