In a series of deals signed at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, Trajectory, a digital publishing, distribution and technology developer, announced partnerships with China’s People’s Education Press and Xiamen Bluebird Cartoon Company to distribute more than 50 popular Chinese kids digital titles.
Trajectory, which specializes in digital content for children, said the deal with the People’s Education Press, a press under the direction of China’s Ministry of Education, will provide worldwide digital distribution to seven titles in the PEP’s Great Society series of colorful illustrated children’s fairytales. The series will also be translated into the English, French and Spanish. Trajectory also inked a deal with the Xiamen Bluebird Cartoon Company of China to distribute more than 50 e-books based on Xingxing Fox, a popular Chinese animated TV series about a brave quick-witted fox that lives in a magic forest.
Yin Zhongmin, president of PEP, said “being a leading children’s text book publisher in China, we also offer a large variety of story and activity books to young readers in China. We are pleased to have this opportunity working with Trajectory to introduce our award-winning books to the children around the world in e-book format. The world is flat. We look forward to sharing and exchanging quality books and diverse culture among the young readers worldwide.” Bluebird Cartoon general manager Ecco Lin said, “It is our great honor to establish a partnership with Trajectory. This partnership means we start a new step in the internationalization of our platform. We feel Trajectory provides a great opportunity to expand our reach.”
PEP’s Great Society series offers illustrated fairytales about kids experiencing life and growing up; while Xingxing Fox is one of the most popular kids’ characters on Chinese TV and winner of numerous broadcasting awards.
Trajectory CEO Jim Bryant said the new deals focus on Trajectory’s plans to curate and distribute children’s content from around the world, “We’re trying to find titles that best reflect each countries values. We think kids’ stories can help other kids around the world to better understand world cultures,” he said.
In addition, Trajectory is also releasing a One World Kids App, launching with about 50 titles aimed a kids published by Trajectory and its international partners. The app will include a selection of Trajectory digital titles including Classic Illustrated comics and The Sally Discovers series as well as titles from the Great Society series and Xingxing fox. The app is free to download form the Apple App store and allows consumers to make in-app purchases priced 99 cents to $3.99. Bryant said more titles will be added to the app each month. The app also features previews of selected books as well as “discovery” pricing with staff favorites priced at 99 cents.
And Bryant also noted that Trajectory is releasing, Sally Discovers New York, a new digital-first publication created as part of the late Vermont artist Stephen Huneck’s Sally Discovers Series, which looks at the antics of big black Labrador retriever, and is included in the One World Kids app. Bryant said the new work has been created through a collaboration between Stephen’s widow Gwen Huneck and Amanda McDermott. Huneck's books are illustrated with woodblock prints and Bryant said, "Gwen is using existing artwork for most of the images," and has "modified some of it to fit the storyline." The project was also supported by Kickstarter campaign that raised $8,700 to fund its publication and will include images of the project’s backers dogs. The book is also sponsored by a Orvis, the outdoor clothing and gear company.
Bryant said using Kickstarter to fund the book also served to market the title and “brought in more fans from around the world.” Bryant said Trajectory continues to add new publishing partners and distribution accounts around the world. “Our message is that we have a global network and we can help make your frontlist and backlist easily available globally.”
