From Harry Potter at Home to the National Shelf Service: bookish fun for the lockdown

An updating list of online treats from bibliophiles including JK Rowling, Simon Armitage and Lynda La Plante to entertain locked-down children and adults • The best arts and entertainment during self-isolationGruffalo artist Axel Scheffler has put out a free new picture book explaining the coronavirus to children, Marian Keyes has invited readers to sit down with her for a virtual cup of tea, and Cressida Cowell is reading How to Train Your Dragon aloud for confined children. For the book industry is pulling out all the stops to help keep Britain’s locked down masses entertained, whether that’s expert librarians – now unable to work at their branches – offering reading tips, JK Rowling launching Harry Potter at Home, or Kit de Waal putting together a Big Book Weekend bringing together the best of the British book festivals cancelled due to coronavirus.Here are some of the best free activities now available for the bookishly minded, which we’ll continue to update during the lockdown: Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2020-04-09 11:04:32 UTC ]

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Book sales hit record highs in 2019, but publishers ‘now need help’

Figures for last year show sales of £6.3bn, up 20% on 2015, but the Publishers Association says sector needs government support to weather coronavirusBook sales in the UK hit record levels in 2019, driven by a surge in audiobook and nonfiction titles, according to new figures released as... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2020-07-21 23:01:08 UTC ]
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Larkum to illustrate Captain Tom’s picture book One Hundred Steps

Puffin has revealed it has chosen Adam Larkum to be the illustrator of Captain Tom’s forthcoming picture book for young readers. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-07-21 13:03:42 UTC ]
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JK Rowling book sales unaffected by transgender views row

Bloomsbury says books were a lockdown hit, with children’s division revenue up 27%The backlash against JK Rowling’s views on transgender law reform has failed to dent the popularity of the Harry Potter author’s books, with publisher Bloomsbury saying they have proved a lockdown hit, pushing... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2020-07-21 12:29:43 UTC ]
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On the Biggest Collection of Fantasy Tales Since WWII

Fantasy, like any form of fiction or mode of fiction, can contain multitudes. At least, that is what we found when researching and compiling The Big Book of Modern Fantasy. In one sense, our task was made easier by the sheer immensity of the project: at 500,000 words, our anthology is the single... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-07-21 08:48:17 UTC ]
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Ann and Jeff VanderMeer on Fantasy’s Influence on Today’s Literature

At Electric Literature, Ann and Jeff VanderMeer take a look at fantasy’s impact on comtemporary pop culture, in their introduction to the new collection, The Big Book of Modern Fantasy. “Fantasy becomes something of use to a writer to make a political or social statement,” they write. “It’s not... Continue reading at The Millions

[ The Millions | 2020-07-20 20:30:05 UTC ]
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How Fantasy Literature Helped Create the 21st Century

The following is the introduction to The Big Book of Modern Fantasy, edited by Ann and Jeff VanderMeer, to be published by Vintage Books on July 21, 2020. Introduction copyright (c) 2020 by VanderMeer Creative, Inc. Fantasy is a broad and various category that on the one hand can feature... Continue reading at Electric Literature

[ Electric Literature | 2020-07-16 11:00:00 UTC ]
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S&S Children's scoops Fearnley picture book double

Simon & Schuster Children's is to publish two picture books from author and illustrator Jan Fearnley.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-07-08 05:37:49 UTC ]
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Jules Feiffer on His Long, Varied Career

Feiffer talks about his new picture book and more, and Steve Inskeep discusses “Imperfect Union.” Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2020-07-03 15:06:58 UTC ]
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The book industry needs to take responsibility for transforming itself

It would have been hard to have missed last week’s digital launch of Rethinking ‘Diversity’ in Publishing. The report - the first of its kind on diversity in trade fiction - not only landed noisily, but put the publishing ecosystem in the dock. So what's next? Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-07-03 09:58:58 UTC ]
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Mission-Driven Indie Bookstores Drop J.K. Rowling's Books

Three mission-driven indie bookstores well-known for their commitment to social justice have ceased stocking books written by J.K. Rowling, accusing the Harry Potter author of promoting hatred towards transgender people. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-07-03 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Ellan Rankin wins 2020 Carmelite Picture Book Prize

Aspiring illustrator Ellan Rankin has been announced by Hachette as this year's winner of the Carmelite Picture Book Prize.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-07-03 00:33:10 UTC ]
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I'm the first black author to win book of the year. I'm proud, but not completely happy

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[ The Guardian | 2020-07-02 07:00:46 UTC ]
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Fisherton Press to publish picture book honouring the NHS

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[ The Bookseller | 2020-07-02 06:40:02 UTC ]
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Sale of Book-Themed Masks to Benefit Binc

The ABA and Out of Print have collaborated on a new line of book-themed face masks. A portion of each sale will be donated to the Book Industry Charitable Foundation. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-06-30 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Evaristo and Carty-Williams become first black authors to win top British Book awards

Candice Carty-Williams and Bernardine Evaristo take book of the year and author of the year categories, as publishers face criticism for treatment of black authorsCandice Carty-Williams and Bernardine Evaristo have become the first black authors to win the top prizes at the British Book awards,... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2020-06-29 17:45:42 UTC ]
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British Book Awards: Online and Upbeat, a Busy Round of the Nibbies

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[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-06-29 16:44:39 UTC ]
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Carty-Williams' Queenie wins Book of the Year at British Book Awards

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[ The Bookseller | 2020-06-29 15:02:06 UTC ]
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Pan Mac and Waterstones triumph at British Book Awards 2020

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[ The Bookseller | 2020-06-29 14:20:04 UTC ]
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Coronavirus Update: BISG’s Annual Meeting ‘Repositions’ Online

The Book Industry Study Group–focused on supply chain in the United States–is reformatting its annual meeting to a series of digital events held over weeks. The post Coronavirus Update: BISG’s Annual Meeting ‘Repositions’ Online appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-06-29 14:01:13 UTC ]
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Egmont scoops picture book of Roberts' hit pandemic poem

Egmont has snapped up a picture book of "The Great Realisation", Tomos Roberts' poem in response to Covid-19 that has been viewed more than 60 million times since it was posted online in April. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-06-29 12:53:30 UTC ]
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