How does a picture book get translated into other languages? Simon & Schuster UK's Tracy Philips explains the process for I'M BORED

Just found out that the French version of I'M BORED is available for ordering online! Check out the cool cover above. I've been enjoying saying "Je m'ennuie" waaay too much since seeing this. I've probably been pronouncing it incorrectly, too...I'll have to find someone fluent in the language to teach me the proper pronunciation.

Anyway, that got me curious about how a picture book is translated into other languages. Tracy Philips, Co-editions & Rights Director at Simon & Schuster over in the UK, was kind enough to answer a few questions for me.

Above: The Translation Rights team at Simon & Schuster UK. From left to right: Ruth Middleton, Nino Tarkhan-Mouravi, Tracy Philips, Stephanie Purcell and Kim Van Berkel.

Q. What is the process for getting a picture book translated?

Tracy: The Rights team receives f&gs from the printer which feature the final text and art for each picture book on unbound sheets. We show these f&gs to our foreign publishers at book fair meetings talking through the text and illustrations and discussing what is right for each market – they are all so different!

The main fairs are: Frankfurt in October, Guadalajara in November, Bologna in March and London in April. We also travel to visit our publishers in their offices throughout the year and would show the f&gs during this visits to. This year, for example, the S&S rights team have travelled to: Brazil, Chile, France, Norway, China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Turkey and the US.

If a publisher expresses interest in the book we’ll send them an f&g or maybe even the book as a digtal pdf (which they can then forward to their own retailers to get feedback). If they decide to buy the book (which we really hope they will) they contact us to ask for prices and the negotiations begin!

Q. Are there any issues that writers and illustrators should be aware of when creating a picture book, in terms of potential translation?

Tracy: In terms of the text - a heavily rhyming text is hard to translate into other languages and, indeed, an Alphabet book is impossible as ‘c’ is not for cat in all languages! (it’s eine Katze in German …)

In terms of the illustrations, elements that are very culturally specific (such as red pillar boxes or London black cabs for picture books from the UK) sometimes make the book tougher to sell and featuring animals that are unfamiliar can be tricky too.

Having said all of that – I have sold many books with rhyming texts and unfamiliar pictures – if the book is really special and you have a great, free, translation then it will work everywhere!

Q. Is the translation done at Simon & Schuster? Or do publishers do the translations?

Tracy: Each publisher choses their own translator – they are much closer to their market than we are and know writers in their own language best able to do the work.

Often they choose children’s picture book authors or poets but most certainly have a group of their favourite professional translators who are best able to capture the essence of each work.

Thanks so much for this great info, Tracy!

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Related links:

How to say "I'm Bored" in other languages (including Klingon! Part of the I'M BORED Bonus Page)

Je M'Ennuie on Amazon.fr

I'M BORED Bonus page (which includes other how-to and behind-the-scenes material)

I'M BORED in Notable Children's Books Of 2012, The New York Times Sunday Book Review

Thanks to The New York Times for including I'M BORED in its list of Notable Children's Books Of 2012!

I'm about to head out to find a copy of the print version in Toronto in a few minutes, but wanted a post a thank you to editor/publisher Justin Chanda and Simon & Schuster Children's in my blog first.

Simon & Schuster Children's Trade Marketing as I'M BORED characters

Simon & Schuster Children's trade marketing group as I'm Bored characters, "looking bored as called for." From L to R: Nick Elliot (potato), Bernie Cruz (the flamingo), Chrissy Noh (the girl), and Annie Giovaniello Zafian (potato). Chrissy & Bernie designed & sewed the costumes with help from Nick. I LOVE THESE COSTUMES. Thanks to Anne for the photo!

First visit to Simon & Schuster in NYC

A continuation of my series of posts about how I'M BORED was created. To catch up, see the post archive. Or you can go back to the Main I'M BORED Homepage.

In late 2010, I posted on my Facebook Wall that I was going the SCBWI conference in NYC:

When he saw this, Justin Chanda e-mailed me to ask if I'd be interested in visiting the Simon & Schuster offices while I was NYC.

I remember reading his e-mail twice to make sure I hadn't misread. Holy cow. (!!)

Of course I said yes.

On the day of the meeting, I arrived about an hour early because I was paranoid about getting lost.

I know you experienced published types are used to the idea of visiting your publisher, but it was such a thrill for me. I remember staring up at the main entrance sign in gawking awe. I WAS STANDING IN FRONT OF THE SIMON & SCHUSTER BUILDING IN NEW YORK CITY!!! THIS WAS MY PUBLISHER.

Did some sightseeing until it was time to go in, then went to the first-floor security desk and asked them to let Justin know I was there.

As the security guy dialed Justin's number, he said, "You know, your name sounds familiar."

Me: "Really?"

Guard: "Yeah, I think I saw it on a sign up on the 4th floor, where you're going."

Me: "A SIGN??"

I figured he must be misremembering but sure enough, here's what was on the lobby bulletin board when I stepped out of the elevator on the fourth floor:

Is that COOL OR WHAT?!???

And check out part of the front lobby:

Dani Young, Justin's editorial assistant, greeted me and led me through the corridors to Justin's office. This is Dani in her office (I took this photo later in the year):

Justin's office wasn't quite what I expected. I knew he was the publisher of three imprints at S&S, so I guess I assumed he'd be in some huge posh office with big windows and designer furniture. Instead, his office seemed to be the same size as most of the other offices…and it was crammed full of children's books. Very colourful and fun and comfortable-looking. :-)

After chatting a bit, Justin took me around to meet Laurent Linn, who would be my Art Director on the project.

Laurent used to work on Sesame Street; check out what was on his office door:

AND he had a Sesame Street photo signed by the staff!

They took me to a restaurant (I don't remember which one, sorry) close to the office. I remember being really nervous at first, but the food was really good  and the conversation was lots of fun, so I started to relax a bit. 

After lunch, we then headed back to S&S. Justin gave me a tour of different parts of S&S, and I got to see The Room Where All The Big Deals Are Made, with a long board room table lined with chairs. I saw framed photos of Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln ("Max") Schuster, and also a hallway of framed portraits showing some of their best-known talent.

Above: M. Lincoln (Max) Schuster & Richard L. (Dick) Simon, who founded the company in 1924.

Then we headed back Justin's office to hook up with Laurent and talk about the sketches I had sent. We sat at a little table in Justin's office and went through the printouts of my sketches. I confess that it was an effort for me to concentrate at first. I kept thinking, "OH MY GOD I'M HAVING A MEETING AT SIMON & SCHUSTER AND THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT *MY* ILLUSTRATIONS FOR A *BOOK*" but  I forced down the squee in a tiny corner of my brain so I could focus. There would be time enough to let loose the squee after I went back home.

And then things got even more fun. Because WOW, that meeting was amazing. It was the first time Justin and Laurent had had a chance to discuss my sketches with each other, and I learned SO MUCH from listening to their comments as they flipped through the pages.

But not only that -- they made me a part of the process. Again, you experienced types already know how things work. As a total newbie to illustrating picture books, however, I hadn't expected to be so involved in decision-making process from the beginning. Both Justin and Laurent kept asking me for my feedback during the discussion, asking me what I thought of this and that, making sure I was okay with the changes we were discussing.

Also, Laurent and Justin are pretty funny guys, and the banter back and forth could be highly entertaining. I never expected to laughing so hard at my first meeting at S&S! 

I'll be talking more about progression of changes in my sketches in future posts, along with giving examples of how the images changed from start to the final version.

For now, though, I have to just say this:

That first meeting was incredibly productive and so SOOOOO fun.

Above: high tech tools at our meeting in Justin's office.