By Tioka Tokedira
for SCBWI Bologna 2018 & Cynthia Leitich Smith‘s Cynsations

Note: To wrap up Cynsations coverage of the 2018 Bologna Children’s Book Fair, Tioka Tokedira, Regional Adviser for SCBWI France, talks with SCBWI co-founder Lin Oliver about trends in publishing for children and young adults.

In today’s digital world, in what ways do you see the rights of authors and illustrators and readers expanding, becoming more global? Are there any words of caution that you’d offer? And what makes you optimistic? 

Years ago, there was concern that screens would replace books in children’s lives. This has not proved to be true. The book continues to thrive, even in a world when there is so much digital competition for children’s attention. There is no replacing the experience of a parent reading a book to a child, or of a child snuggling in bed with a book.

The digital world does provide us with tremendous opportunities to promote our books and help them be discovered by readers. As digital markets and formats expand, creators must make sure to arm themselves with knowledge of digital rights so that our intellectual property is always within our control.

You’ve met with authors and illustrators and publishing professionals all over the world. What have you come across that seems to be universal? 

Lin signing in the SCBWI booth at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair.

I believe that we all love our work. I have literally never met anyone involved in children’s publishing that doesn’t feel lucky to be in this profession.

It is obviously so important in shaping the ideas, values, hearts and minds of the next generation.

We don’t have to search for meaning, it is right there in our daily work.


What vision did you have for SCBWI when you and Steve (Mooser) started the association? What are some of the dreams that you have for its future? 

I don’t think we ever projected that SCBWI would become the world-wide force that it is today. A surprise, and very gratifying outcome, is the sense of community and friendship that exists among our members.

The SCBWI is much more than a professional organization, it is truly a very bonded community of friends, where people support each other personally and professionally. I could never have dreamed that the strength of these friendships would be so powerful.

For the future, I want our members to continue to feel those bonds, to know that they are in the midst of kindred spirits. And my hope, too, is that SCBWI will become a unified voice of children’s book creators, supporting a vision of our society that is peaceful, diverse and representative of all cultures.

There are so many issues that writers and illustrators are facing today. Is there one in particular that you’d like to address?

Lin and Kwame Alexander at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair.

Diversity is on everyone’s mind, and for good reason.

As people, we are trying to build a world culture of acceptance, of appreciation of differences, of freedom of expression.

We want all children to see themselves reflected in literature. This is a big goal, but a crucial one. 

Each of us can contribute in our own way, by authentically expressing our own experiences and by supporting others who are doing the same thing.

A second issue we are all contending with is the effect of digital communication and social media on our ability to get and process information and feelings.

I think we are only now beginning to realize how the digital age is affecting our ability to gather information, to process what is true and what is false, and to interact with people and ideas in a personal and meaningful way.

We want to use technology to improve the human condition, and yet due to the pervasive and intrusive nature of social media, I believe we are now in danger of tampering with what is the essence of our humanity, the person-to-person interaction.

You’ve been immersed in the children’s literature world for a long time. Can you share a piece of wisdom that might help a writer or illustrator through their moments of doubt? 

Henry Winkler and Lin

Make sure your work comes from the heart.

If you try to write to a trend or to the marketplace, you will always be disappointed.

If you are creating something for children that reflects what you truly believe, and values that are central to you, your passion for that process will carry you through moments of doubt and frustration.

It’s inevitable that one generation creates the stories for the next. What do you think the books that we are creating today convey to young people? 

I hope that we are communicating the need to honor individual differences and choices, with an emphasis on celebrating rather than rejecting what is unique about each of us.

I hope our stories today honestly reflect the problems of our society, and explore ways we can be better.

Past eras have often tried to present to children a cleaned-up vision of the world, sweeping the problems and difficulties under the table in an effort to preserve children’s “innocence.”

But I think this generation of children’s book creators is more willing to call out problems where they see them, and provide hope that is tempered by reality.

I believe we are in a golden age right now, and that the books being written for children and young adults are outstanding examples of enduring literature.

Cynsational Notes

Lin Oliver is a prolific children’s book author. With Henry Winkler, she writes The New York Times bestselling book series, Hank Zipzer: World’s Best Underachiever (Grosset & Dunlap) Their chapter book series, Here’s Hank (Penguin Workshop), is also a New York Times bestseller.

Her two collections of poetry, both illustrated by Tomie dePaola, are the highly praised Little Poems for Tiny Ears (Nancy Paulsen), and the newly released Steppin’Out: Jaunty Rhymes for Playful Times (Nancy Paulsen).

Her newest work is a chapter book series, The Fantastic Frame (Grosset & Dunlap), five illustrated adventures set in the world’s great paintings.

Lin is the co-founder and Executive Director of SCBWI, a world-wide organization of over 25,000 writers and illustrators of children’s books. She is a recipient of the prestigious Christopher Award and the Eric Carle Mentor Award. Find Lin on Twitter or on Instagram.

Tioka Tokedira has been the SCBWI France Regional Advisor since 2007 and was one of the organizers for the first Europolitan Conference.

Tioka loves helping others tell their stories. She’s worked as a teacher, writing festival coordinator, literacy consultant for international governments, and documentary television producer.

When she’s not emailing the SCBWI France Board in the middle of the night about their next great event, she’s a YA acquisitions reader and trying her hand at writing series fiction for a book packager in London.