How to Sell Rights and Understand Licensing in Children’s Books

Debbie Bibo is a literary agent and editorial producer of children’s picture books and illustrated books. A native of Northern California, she moved to Milan in 1992 and worked for years in art publishing before founding Debbie Bibo Agency in 2011. The agency represents and promotes an eclectic selection of debut and award-winning authors and illustrators from around the world. Many of the books her agency represents have won multiple awards and have been published in over 25 languages. She has worked as an editorial consultant for international museums and holds courses on the process of picture-book making and the children’s book market at Mimaster in Milan, the Europe Institute of Design, and Ars in Fabula in Macerata, Italy.

Valentina Colombo founded Phileas Fogg Agency in 2014. Previously, she worked as a Junior Rights Manager in Spain (Libros del Zorro Rojo), literary agent in Italy (Agenzia letteraria Internazionale) and Rights Manager for Topipittori. With a specific focus on picture books and illustration, Phileas Fogg represents publishers, illustrators and book projects from all over the world, working with independent small and medium publishers to help them growing internationally and developing, also under commission, illustrated books for all ages. 

Sarah graduated from the University of Wales, Cardiff with a BA in English Literature and an MA in the Teaching and Practice of Creative Writing. After several years as a Bookseller in Cardiff and London, she joined the literary agency AP Watt and then Curtis Brown, where she developed a specific interest in contracts. From there she moved to the contracts team at Bloomsbury Publishing, working with an eclectic range of contracts including children’s and academic. After four years at Bloomsbury she joined Egmont UK, where she ran the legal department and negotiated contracts and brand licences for children’s books and magazines. She is currently Head of Contracts for the children’s division Farshore Books at HarperCollins UK. 

Helen McAleer runs a media consultancy specialising in IP, publishing and TV production, Helen McAleer Ltd. Drawing on almost 30 years’ experience of the children’s sector across all key media she works with clients including publishing houses Macmillan Children’s Books, UK and Macmillan Children’s US,  literary agents the Soho Agency and Producers Fourth Wall and Kelebek.

Helen is also a non-Executive Director of Irish production company Jam Media and non-Executive Chairperson of UK Producer and Publisher Fourth Wall and a non-Executive Director of Rocket Licensing Agency.   

Tracy is the Group Rights Director at HCG, the children’s division of Hachette in London.  She has worked in Children’s Rights for over 30 years at Reed, Macmillan, Simon & Schuster and Egmont prior to her move to Hachette in 2019.

Along with children’s books, she has worked across magazines, licensing and film and tv and has been responsible, in addition, for adult lists and UK trade sales.  She was a tutor on the Book House Selling Rights course for over a decade.  Tracy is happiest hiking in the countryside with her family or, of course, sitting by the fire with a good book.