Last week Rockpool Children's Books attended its
sixth Bologna Children´s Book Fair.
We had an excellent fair, and as usual, welcomed potential customers/clients
from all over the world. We didn’t exhibit in our conventional way,
but joined the UK Publishers Association Collective stand.
With the support of Gloria Bailey and Helen Brown, from the PA,
it was an enjoyable experience,
and we may be back next year, if all is well. A big thank you to them.
Also I’d like to thank Mark from GBH for delivering our books
safe and sound to Bologna for the sixth year running.
This year has seen a major development in Rockpool Children’s Books
as it’s Rockpool App became available on iTunes three days before the fair.
Created by App developers Fingers’n’Thumbs in collaboration with
Rockpool Children’s Books,
the App is unique as it’s a Rockpool App Bookshop
containing 10 enhanced e-book readers from our back list
and one fabulous brand new title from Sam Walshaw, Neandersmall.
I attended the Tools of Change conference in Bologna
which addressed the digital world of Apps, e-books, tablets, Apple and Android.
The conference was very interesting with light being shed
on this very new and fluid side of the industry.
Whilst at the fair, information passed back and forth to the Fingers’n’Thumbs team
in the UK, only to be told, as the conference came to a close,
that our Rockpool App had gone to number one
in Apples App Store ‘New and Noteworthy’!
Needless to say, interest in Rockpool’s App from publishers
at the fair has been extremely strong.
Follow up meetings will take place at the London Book Fair 11th – 12th April.
We still have a few slots available, but going fast,
so if you’re interested in us developing you high quality,
cost effective App, contact us quick.