Pushkin launches new imprint for children's books in translation

From JK Rowling to Lewis Carroll and JM Barrie, British children's literature can claim its fair share of superstars. But the UK's children are still "missing out" on some of the best stories in the world, according to the prize-winning author David Almond, because of the scarcity of children's books translated into English.

Pointing to the recent statistic that less than 3% of all books sold in the UK (including adult books) are translated fiction, Almond, the Carnegie medal-winning author of Skellig, said that "children need to read the best books by the best writers from all parts of the world. Of course they do. But the plain fact is that there is very little translated children's fiction published in the UK, and our children are missing out."

By contrast, 46% of books published in Poland are translated, as well as 12% in Germany, 24% in Spain and 15% in France, according to Literature Across Frontiers.

"There's a great, longstanding tradition of Anglo-American children's literature, which we naturally embrace," agreed Adam Freudenheim, managing director at independent publisher Pushkin Press. "Yet at the same time there [is] a wide range of wonderful children's books – both classic and contemporary – which we're currently missing out on [and] that's a real shame."

Freudenheim is launching a new imprint, Pushkin Children's Books, "specifically to rectify this situation, bringing classic and bestselling children's books from all around the world to British children".

"I think there is a perception that children somehow won't 'get' literature from other countries. This is absolutely not true – just look at the success of the likes of Asterix, Emil and the Detectives and Pippi Longstocking," said Freudenheim, who will be introducing titles to the UK including the Dutch classic The Letter for the King by Tonke Dragt, winner of the Dutch children's book of the year award in 1962.

"I'm astonished it has never been published in English before," said Freudenheim. "We're so excited to introduce new names to British kids, like the mischievous cartoon schoolboy Vitello, a huge star in Denmark, and cult heroine Oksa Pollock, described as the 'French Harry Potter', who has armies of fans known as 'Pollockmaniacs' in 26 countries. We think they'll be every bit as popular here as they are around the world."

Although UK publishers have started to focus on picture books in translation, Freudenheim believes there has been too little attention paid to translated books for older children. "I do think what we are doing is different and something new," he said. "There are plenty of publishers doing picture books in translation, for children aged five and under, particularly Gecko Press, [but] no one's looking at books for five- to 10-year-olds, and 10-plus."

Melissa Cox at Waterstones agreed there was room for more translated children's fiction. "There is a gap in our children's books departments for the new Mrs Pepperpot and Tintin," she said. "We're excited that more amazing stories from overseas will be made available to children in the UK, and can't wait to see where the next cult classic will come from."