The Emma Press is an award-winning press based out of Birmingham in the United Kingdom. Founded in 2012 by the eponymous Emma Wright, this publisher focuses on titles directed at children, while at the same time seeking to break down barriers and offer perspectives that are underrepresented (whether due to race or ideology).

Though the Press focuses on poetry, short fiction, and children’s books, the publisher actually also has a line of translated titles from countries that include Latvia, Estonia, Spain, The Netherlands, and Indonesia. As we are still in the midst of a month of Baltic appreciation, we’ll be shining the spotlight on some of those translated titles.

Spotlighted Titles:

The Book of Clouds, written by Juris Krunbergs and illustrated by Anete Melece (translation from Latvian by Mara Rozitis and Richard O’Brien)

This fantastical combination of free-spirited imagination and fun facts is the result of a collaboration between an award-winning animator and an accomplished poet. Whether your kid is pulled in by the wild, exhilarating art style, cool facts about clouds, or the playful poems translated from Latvian, there’s plenty of fun to be had with their head buried in this book of clouds.

The Noisy Classroom, by Ieva Flamingo with illustrations from Vivianna Maria Staņislavska (translated from Latvian by Žanete Vēvere Pasqualini, Sara Smith, and Richard O’Brien)

Ieva Flamingo’s series of children’s poems are filled to the brim with emotion. Addictive highs, chaotic scenes, and the wild joys of childhood craziness are tempered by touching odes to loneliness, as well as asides to everyone in the school from the harried teachers and principal to the end of day cleaners. There is a wonderful sense of sympathy and understanding present that makes for an excellent way of introducing children around the age of eight and above to slightly more mature concepts in an approachable manner.

Check out more of The Emma Press’ awesome books here!