Award-winning children’s division Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing announces new UK imprint Bright Light and 2021 titles
Bright Light and FMcM
Bright Light, the new imprint of Hardie Grant’s award-winning children’s division, has today unveiled details of its conversation-starting publishing programme for 2021.
Bright Light, the new imprint of Hardie Grant’s award-winning children’s division, has today unveiled details of its conversation-starting publishing programme for 2021. The new imprint, launched at The Bookseller Children’s Conference, is the publisher’s first list for children in the UK and will shine a light on challenging and pertinent topics important to young people and their families across the world.
Commissioning for the imprint is underpinned by six thematic pillars: Gender, Environment, First Nations, Bodies, Character and Diversity, and its list of new titles for 2021 will include:
Picture books:
• How to be a Real Man by Scott Stuart (July 2021)
• The Very First You by Scott Stuart (July 2021)
• All Bodies are Good Bodies by Charlotte Barkla, illustrated by Erica Salcedo (August 2021)
• The Boy Who Tried to Shrink His Name by Sandhya Parappukkaran, illustrated by Michelle Pereira (August 2021)
• Minty Mae Gray and the Strangely Good Day by Fifi Box, illustrated by Freda Chiu (October 2021)
Board books:
• We Got This! By Teresa Bellón (August 2021)
• You Are Awesome! by Susann Hoffmann (September 2021)
• I Can Wear Anything! by Susann Hoffmann (September 2021)
• I Can Play with Anything! by Susann Hoffmann (September 2021)
• Let’s Change the World: Zero Waste by Megan Anderson, illustrated by Genna Campton (December 2021)
• Let’s Change the World: Slow Fashion by Megan Anderson, illustrated by Genna Campton (December 2021)
Speaking at The Bookseller Children’s Conference, Kate Brown, Commercial Director at Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing (HGCP), described how the Bright Light imprint was conceived in Melbourne during lockdown as the world faced global unrest, unprecedented fires and flooding, and responded to #MeToo and the Black Lives Matter movement.
She said: “We know that conversations about privilege, anti-racism, sovereignty and equality are critical in raising children to become good citizens of the world – but they’re also notoriously tricky to start and keep going. Of course parents can talk to their kids about these topics any day of the week, but it can be so powerful and illuminating to use a story as a prompt for that discussion. Bright Light is all about providing those prompts so that parents can guide their children confidently.”
The 2022 list will deep dive into body image, consent and representation, and include the launch of a series about neuro-diverse children, a non-fiction series about bees, ants and worms, and a Samoan story about the celebration of White Sunday. Big acquisitions include a book from best-selling author Sally Rippin and disability advocate Eliza Hull. Come Over To My House explores the home life of children and parents who’re d/Deaf or disabled. The story focuses on friendship, play and family life while normalising accessible home environments.
Bright Light have appointed FMcM Associates to handle media relations in the UK. Their portfolio includes three years with World Book Day, and campaigns for EmpathyLab, CLPE and the 95th anniversary book Winnie-the-Pooh: Once There Was a Bear (Farshore, 30 September 2021).