A google search landed on the site regarding the future of children's books. It is with extreme confidence that I will predict there will be children in the future. With somewhat less confidence, I aver that children's and juvenile books seem to be a special kind of book that is immune from many technological and market changes roiling book manufacturers today.
Parents will still read books to their children. Even though some of these books can be read on tablets, it seems more likely a young child will be left with a book rather than expensive electronics. Large format juvenile books can survive use as a makeshift sled to barrel down the stairs on. An Ipad may not.
Children's books are well suited as gifts from friends and family.
Existing juvenile book titles will likely be printed offshore for the foreseeable future. Classic titles from Dr. Suess for example do not change and are not time sensitive, so the production problem is inventory management rather than time to market.
Thinking ahead a little bit, juvenile books with personalization holds huge opportunities for domestic production. What if the mainstream publishers start opening up their titles for photobook type personalization. What if you could see your child's face in a hardcopy version of Goodnight Moon or Oh, The Places You'll Go? The power of personalization could drive a renaissance of domestic production.
I think we are far from the last word on children's books.
T. R. Shannon
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