Blue Dot Kids Press & The Portal to Infinite Possibility

Why should we read translations? More specifically, why should children be exposed to translations? These questions are answered through the telling of the story The Day Saida Arrived by Spanish author Susana Gómez Redondo and translated by Lawrence Schimel. If it were up to me, I would make The Day Saida Arrived the official book to represent the importance of translated children’s literature. As introduced by Schimel in his 2020 Translators Aloud video, this is a story about “friendships across languages and cultures that goes in both directions.”

Published by Blue Dot Kids Press in the USA The Day Saida Arrived tells the story of an Arabic-speaking girl named Saida who moves from Morocco to a part of the world where Arabic is not the primary language. A beautiful friendship blossoms when Saida and the narrator exchange their respective languages and find new ways to communicate with each other—therefore practising the art of translation.

You may have heard the expression “practice what you preach.” Blue Dot Kids Press, in fact, “practices what they publish.” The core values of Blue Dot Kids Press align with the linguistically-relevant themes throughout The Day Saida Arrived, as their website states that “in the hands of a child, a book is a portal to infinite possibility.” The description continues, affirming that a book “engages a child’s natural curiosity…their world expands, as does their sense of self. In this way, a colourful stack of books carried home from the library or bookstore creates ripples of connection and inquiry.”

Heidi Hill (the Founder, Publisher, and Acquiring Editor of Blue Dot Kids Press) speaks about how these core values contribute to the mission of Blue Dot Kids Press. “Blue Dot Kids Press inspires curiosity with beautifully crafted stories that connect us to each other and the planet we share. Written and illustrated by impassioned storytellers and artists from around the world, our books engage young readers’ innate sense of wonder and empathy, connecting them to our global community and the pale blue dot we call home,” Hill says.“Our books spark important conversations at home and in the classroom.”

When asked what the greatest achievement of Blue Dot Kids Press has been, Hill pays tribute to the word “craft.” Because of the dedication of the talented authors, illustrators, and translators, the final products aptly yield success. Going above and beyond with each of their crafts, Blue Dot Kids Press ensures that their books are printed with vegetable inks on responsibly sourced paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council™. Once the books go out into the world, they continue to do good and make the world a better place: from the sale of every book, they donate to environmental causes through their membership with 1% for the Planet.

Hill alludes to another one of their selfless acts: “Through our annual Earth Day Initiative with our partner One Tree Planted, readers have the opportunity to plant trees—over 1,500 trees planted to date!” She, and the rest of Blue Dot Kids Press, “believes that business can be a force for good not only in content but also in creation.”

The creative process as a whole has been the heart of achievement. For instance, the aforementioned “official book to represent the importance of translated children’s literature,” The Day Saida Arrived, is a success story. In 2020, it was recognized as a finalist for the Jane Addams Children's Book Award, and it was awarded A Bank Street College Education ‘Best Children's Books of the Year.’ In 2021, it became the NCTE Notable Children's Book in the Language Arts.

The Day Saida Arrived is not the only book of theirs to be noticed. Jacob’s Fantastic Flight, a book by German author Philip Waechter and translated by Elizabeth Lauffer about a good-hearted boy who can fly, receives many distinctive, starred reviews. Kirkus Reviews takes note of the book's “high-flying humor and heart.” Publishers Weekly’s shining review comments that “Waechter’s assured, Roald Dahl-leaning storytelling, rendered in a delightful to read translation, offers a whimsical flight of fancy to readers feeling wanderlust.” Booklist acknowledges the magical elements of the book: “Delightful… filled with intricate and charming details… a most unexpected and unusual ‘what I did on my… vacation’ tale.”

Whether reading about cultural exchange in The Day Saida Arrived or about a flying boy in Jacob’s Fantastic Flight, it is clear that Blue Dot Kids Press publishes books that emit magic (and with great success!). After all, it says right on their website that “across languages and across borders, stories are magic. Storytelling connects us to each other and to who we are. Our innate appreciation for story is part of what makes us human.”

While I work on figuring out how to make The Day Saida Arrived the official book to represent the importance of translated children’s literature, Blue Dot Kids Press will continue to serve their purpose of sharing stories, breaking down barriers, and opening up the portal to infinite possibility.

Further information can be found on the Blue Dot Kids Press  website.

Catherine Hurwitz
(July 2022)