the President of the Russian book Union Sergei Stepashin announced the statistics: the loss of the book industry during the pandemic amounted to 3.6 billion rubles, about 80% of publishing houses reduced the number of books, while 43% of them had refused a third scheduled for publication innovations. Revenue themselves publishers fell by 50-90%.
since the beginning of June, book stores began to open, but unfortunately, demand recovered yet far from complete. In addition to the difficult financial situation the buyers themselves, not all of the book could go through a period of self-isolation, and now in Russia there are whole cities where bookshops ceased to exist.
So it was decided to launch the campaign “Book seasons” – it will attract buyers to bookstores and return the interest to the books. Similar events with different themes will be held regularly several times a year.
Russia is 1-2 in the world in the number of children to read, and it is 33 million people, which is why the first project will share “the Tale in the book” for the very young and important visitors. Bookstores and publishers will offer discounts of 30% on all children’s books, and the program comparable with the programs of such major book events like Book festival on the red square and the Moscow international book fair.
the Event will be held from 6 to 8 August. The event will be the participation of 30 publishing houses and more than 1,000 stores from all over Russia.
Svetlana Zorina, chief editor of the magazine “Book industry”, member of the Board of the Association of book publishers of Russia, explained that the action program was formed in a record 2-3 weeks thanks to the enthusiasm and unanimity of the amazing shops and publishers: “We thorough to the meaningful content has enlisted the support of our partner Yandex.The air, so that the program will be available only from 6 to 8 August, but events can be viewed and later, access will be unlimited.”
the Morning broadcasts will be interesting for the youngest readers, the afternoon for middle and high school age, and evening – for parents and teachers. So each guest will find the content to your taste.
Pass a literary marathon with the participation of the best children’s authors: Oleg Roy, Anastasia Orlova, Edward Verkin, Andrey Usachev, Irina Lukyanova, Nina Dashevskaya, Dmitry Yemets, Jennifer L. Scott.
Olga Muravyova, Director of Planeta Detstva publisher AST, thanked the writers and poets who support the action “the Tale in the book,” and expressed the hope that through this promotion will reach pre-crisis level of development of the book industry: will have the unique opportunity to get acquainted with those books, which was deposited due to the pandemAI, such a literature, which to the coronavirus and we do not read; perhaps there will be new names.
For children book stores is one of the places travelers book, and as theatres and houses of creativity are still closed, then bookstores will try during the campaign “a Tale in the book” to fill children this aspect: will get mini-performances, put tales, held contests and quizzes, competitions and master classes. Naturally, compliance with all the requirements of Rospotrebnadzor.
the Writer Oleg Roy on behalf of all writers expressed willingness to cooperate with publishers, bookshops and the festival. Drew attention to the fact that during the pandemic, when demand for books, everyone tried to find some sphere, to see this return, so many children’s writers started to work with animation studios.
Irina balahonova, editor in chief and Director of publishing house “Scooter”, expressed the wish that parents, who in the period of self-isolation to be alone with their children, learn to trust their children and listen to them: “And the book can become the very tool that will be able to build those bridges of understanding that were lost or not previously raised”.
On the question of how to involve the reading of children and is there a place in children’s literature attractive to the horrors, said the writer Oleg Roy: “Place is everything, it would be interesting to the child. We must not forget that both authors and publishers continue to fight for the environment of the child’s soul. But I want to say that the choice should be for an adult. We must rely on ourselves, like adults. In order for us adults to make good choices, we need to read, too. Need to return in our leisure time not only watching but also reading together”.
Sergei Stepashin wished: “Read more children. Then they will have more understanding and love.”
the action Program with detailed event announcements will be located on the page of the Russian book Union.
