ABSTRACT
From 1945 until the end of the 1980s, most publishing for children in the countries within the Russian sphere of influence in Eastern Europe followed a common pattern. Publishing houses were state owned, first editions of new books were very large, sold well and went out of print very quickly. There was a sameness of appearance and writing style. Most countries established centres for children's books where publishers, authors, illustrators and editors could meet with librarians, teachers and children, and books were produced to meet perceived needs and requirements. Children's library services were generally well developed and generously staffed so that there was a clearly defined market for books. Publishers made good use of traditional material and editions with new and attractive illustrations were frequently published. Paperback books and magazines and comics were widely available through schools and youth organisations and in shops and markets. It is interesting to note, however, that even before the break up of the Soviet Union and the former Yugoslavia, the constituent nations had their own traditions and pre-1940 literatures for children on which to draw, and this led to national differences even in the fifty years of communist domination.
