World Languages Collection Development Resources for Teen Librarians by Michelle Biwer

A recent project at work led me to research how to find quality, recent books in world languages for children and young adults. The best resources I found that include books for teens are below. If you have any further suggestions please leave a comment, I would love to hear about it!

Vendors:

Overdrive: provides e-books in Spanish for adults, teens, and children

Tsai Fong Books:

• Titles in Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese
• Translated, authentic, and bilingual titles
• English annotations for all titles
• Company will help you build “starter collection” of essential titles
• Includes literature awards in catalog
• Adult, YA, and Children’s titles

Publishers:

Lectorum – publisher and distributor of books in Spanish, both books originally written in Spanish and translations.  Features Adult, YA, and children’s books.

Penguin Random House – publishes Spanish translations of children’s and YA books, including recent bestsellers.

Toon Books – graphic novel publisher with children’s and YA Spanish translations

Resources and Awards:

International Board on Books for Young People:

• Awards
  • Hans Christian Anderson Award: recognizes lifelong achievement of children’s authors/illustrators from around the world
  • IBBY Honor List: election of outstanding, recently published books, honoring writers, illustrators and translators from IBBY member countries (2018 list)
  • IBBY Europe: best books for children in languages common in Europe
• Bookbird – journal of international children’s literature featuring coverage of children’s literature studies and children’s literature awards around the world

Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award – rewards lifetime achievements for children’s authors, illustrators and oral storytellers internationally

Educational Book and Media Association – organization that caters to the educational media marketplace

• Spanish and Bilingual Children’s Books Resources – compilation of a variety of awards, lists, etc…that feature quality Spanish and Spanish/bilingual children’s and young adult books

Global Literature in Libraries Initiative – organization that promotes world literature

Worlds of Words – academic library at University of Arizona that specializes in global literature for children and young adults.

• Exploring International and Intercultural Understanding Through Global Literature Guide – how global literature can be used in classrooms with resources on how to find titles

Filed under: Collection Development