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
- 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

About Robin Willis
After working in middle school libraries for over 20 years, Robin Willis now works in a public library system in Maryland.
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