International > Who we are
Who we are
ZOOlibri is an indipendent publishing house born in Reggio Emilia in 2001 and works to produce picture books. ZOOlibri takes life from experiences and ideas collected by a dinamic team that deals with animation, culture, graphics, illustration, languages, literature, cinema, writing and history. We are the ones who brought for the first time in Italy the books of Benjamin Chaud, Gabriel Pacheco and Oliver Jeffers, of Klaas Verplacke, Simon James and Jon Klassen. We are also the ones who believed in the abilities of picture books illustrators of Philip Giordano, Gianluca Folì, Maddalena Gerli, Virginie Soumagnac and María Moya.
What we do
We make ZOObooks, this is what we do.
Our aim is produce our own titles and sell their rights for foreign translations, finding everytime new and original artists. We as well try to bring on Italian market foreign titles that fit our catalogue for their wit and amazing illustration. Every title that is part of our catalogue has been chosen, handled, loved. If they belong to the same catalogue is because they share something that make each and everyone of them special. The catalogue is like our art gallery, in which every piece of art is carefully chosen for its qualities and how it fits with the others. They have to make you say “This is a ZOOlibri.”
How we are
This would be something to ask our readers, yes, because our books and us are very much alike. We are “light” even if ours are serious stories. We have different reading keys, we have different heights and number of pages, we have different styles and voices. Sometimes we are of few words, but the right ones. Sometimes we talk a lot, because we love words so much. Among there is someone who has always a book in the bag, someone who has a pouch full of bic pens and a sketchbook, someone who has red shoes and always listens to good music, someone who always has a touch for a cat and loves warm things… and this is just the beginning!
Where to find us
ZOOlibri lives in a real house! In Reggio Emilia, in the heart of Pianura Padana, surrounded by nature, there’s a small farm house. Take a glance at our house here. Our titles are in all the best bookshops of Italy, look carefully for our little eye on books’ spines and if you don’t find us, just write and we’ll be happy to help!
How much we travel
We really enjoy travel and our books are as good as us! ZOOlibri’s books have been out in the world for 16 years now and they speak a lot of languages: “L’orso con la spada” (The bear with the sword) talks fluent in Korean, Spanish, English, German, French and other 8 languages. “L’uomo d’acqua e la sua fontana” (The waterman and his fountain) talks in 10 languages and “Chissadove” (Whoknowswhere) eight. Each title of our catalogue has at least one translation and we want to continue this way, creating books made of stories and illustrations that speak to everyone, everywhere.