I am extremely depressed about this news: Random House is shuttering Tricycle Press. It looks like backlist will still be supported by RH, new titles that were scheduled for early 2011 will still be coming out under the name Tricycle, books under contract after that will possibly come out with some imprint of RH, to be decided.
You guys, here's the thing. While huge publishers might be willing to publish edgy or oddball picture books on outskirts of their lineups, Trike went out of their way to do so and to make those picture books the stars of their list. Multicultural, intergenerational, GLBT themed, environmental themed, just plain strange ... when other publishers might've rejected them or hesitated to publish them, Tricycle was willing to take a risk.
Of course... they also had to sell themselves to Random House, and they also closed. And while I am in no way involved, I can certainly speculate that RH closed them because they didn't make enough money selling those "different" books. And now those books will be even harder to get published.
I'm not just sad because people I like are losing their jobs, and friends might have their books orphaned. I'm sad because this is one more step toward bleak homogenization.
The children's book world is going to be a little less smart and a little less interesting without Tricycle. I like big blockbusters and shiny covers as much as the next guy, but I personally shudder when I imagine a future in which the only picture books that are available are glitter & lego-filled trash, or the ten bestsellers available at B&N or Target.
But we're lucky. There are still smaller presses, boutique imprints, and people doing interesting things outside the megawatt bestseller spotlight. So I urge you -- if there is a "little" book that you are interested in, a book from a small press or a less-well-known author or illustrator: Support it. Talk about it. Tell a friend. BUY IT.
Cause if you don't, there will come a time when you'll lose the opportunity to do so forever.
