Finnish literacy initiative Read Hour is coming to the UK for the first time in September.
Amazon to open US department stores, WSJ reports
Amazon plans to open several large physical retail locations in the US that will operate like department stores, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.
‘Tantalising new voice’ Anderson wins Leapfrog Prize
Chicago-based writer K L Anderson has won the Leapfrog Global Fiction Prize for her novel But First You Need a Plan.
The polarized publishing world
The polarized publishing world Aug 20 2021 For a snapshot of how politically polarized the country has become, consider the best-seller list in this Sunday’s New York Times. Political books hold the top five spots on the hardcover nonfiction list, but they offer wildly divergent views... ...“The same kind of polarization that we’re seeing in the mainstream culture is happening in the book market,” Kristen McLean, an analyst at NPD BookScan, a market research firm, said. “The appetite is there on both sides of the political divide.” Source: New York Times More News Stories
Yorkshire comic festival launches donation drive for libraries and schools
A comic art festival based in Yorkshire is encouraging the public to donate new and used comic books to its organisation, which will then distribute copies to schools and libraries.
The Winner of the 2021 Public Library of the Year Has Been Announced
The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) is an organization found in Scotland in 1927, and it’s considered the “global voice of the library and information profession.” Each year, they announce a The Public Library of the Year at their annual conference, recognizing a new library that “best combines open, functional architecture with creative IT solutions and also takes into account both digital developments and local culture.” This year, the five finalists were: Marrickville Library (Australia) Today In Books Newsletter Sign up to Today In Books to receive daily news and miscellany from the world of books. Thank...
Jill Murphy, author of The Worst Witch, dies aged 72
Children’s author and illustrator Jill Murphy, best known for the Worst Witch novels and Large Family picture books, has died aged 72.
Monumental options Benson’s debut
Jendella Benson’s debut novel, Hope and Glory (Trapeze), has been optioned for TV by Monumental Television, with the series to be created in conjunction with ITV Studios.
Aster secures two more Slimming Foodie titles
Aster has acquired two more books from Pip Payne, founder of the award-winning blog The Slimming Foodie and author of The Slimming Foodie, published by the Octopus imprint earlier this year.
Centre people with learning disabilities in your planning, publishers and festivals urged
Publishers and literary festivals should "rethink assumptions" and include people with Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities (PMLD) in the early stages of planning accessible books and events, panellists at the Edinburgh International Book Festival have said.
