[maria-dalessandro Posts: 7 Status: Offline I love kids' books!]

I write picture books and stories for magazines. Specifically I'm submitting to Highlights and Cricket Media. Does anyone know what the rules or etiquette is about turning a previously published magazine article into a picture book? I have a couple of pieces that I think are currently more suited for publishing as a story in a magazine like Ladybug or Highlights High Five, but I'd like to eventually re-envision/rework them as picture book manuscripts. Usually magazines only buy first rights and then if you want to include that story in a book later you reserve the right to do so, but I'm wondering if its different for children's fiction. If anyone knows specifically about the publishing rights for above mentioned magazines that would be most helpful. Thanks!

[Sara Posts: 177 Status: Offline WWW]

Hello, Maria--

Highlights buys all rights. I *think* Cricket does, too, unless it's something that was first published somewhere else. Both magazines often then publish these stories on other sites that can be accessed by schools, or else sell them to testing companies.

One thing to think about, too, is that children's magazine stories are very different from picture books, so usually a story isn't suited for both genres.

[Vijaya Posts: 7,172 Status: Offline Encourage WWW]

Maria, Highlights and Cricket group buy all rights but you could ask for a non-exclusive. I've found that most of my magazine pieces would have to be heavily reworked to turn into PBs--they are such different animals--so there's no worry about legal troubles because what I sold the rights to was for that particular arrangement of words, not the idea. Ideas are free. Good luck with your submissions!

[Debbie Vilardi Posts: 7,007 Status: Offline Language is so cool! WWW]

In the past, Highlights could have stories reworked and pubbed as PBs through Boyd's Mills or one of their imprints. Make sure you read contracts carefully. But the ladies above are correct that you can rearrange the words and change the names of characters and locations to have a completely different story for the PB market.

[maria-dalessandro Posts: 7 Status: Offline I love kids' books!]

Thank you!