Czech-based independent children’s publisher Albatros has announced plans to expand its operations in the United States. Albatros was established in 1949 and was among the seven co-founders of the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in 1964. Since 2021, the company has been publishing titles in the U.S., where it is distributed by Consortium.
As part of the expansion, beginning in spring 2026, the publisher will increase the number of titles on its list to 50 books per season—ranging from children’s nonfiction to picture books, activity books, and chapter books—adding American authors and new categories to the catalog. Carolina Schwarz, children’s publishing consultant and founder of We the Content, will continue to steer Albatros’s overall strategic direction and management in the U.S. Susan Marston, who joins the publisher from Junior Library Guild, where she served as editorial director for nearly 35 years, will oversee the school and library list.
“We are delighted to put in motion our broader U.S. expansion plans in order to serve not just the school and library market, but also a wide range of other accounts,” Tomáš Jodas, export manager at Albatros, said in a statement. “Our ambition is that within five years, Albatros will be a brand everyone will recognize for children’s books with outstanding content and terrific graphic design. As a solid next step, I’m truly excited to welcome Susan Marston to our team. With her deep passion for children’s books and unique insight into the school and library world, I’m confident we’ll connect with even more readers and boost our U.S. sales.”
Marston said in a statement, “I am honored to partner with Albatros and We the Content. To have the opportunity to apply my knowledge of U.S. children’s publishing to help Albatros expand in this country is beyond exciting. Jana Cieslarova [rights specialist], Tomáš Jodas, and Pavla Fortelná [foreign rights manager and acquiring editor] have demonstrated their innovative spirit and sense of fun through the books they publish and their willingness to grow and change. It is hard to imagine a better team or a more promising future for Albatros.”
