‘It’s quite galling’: children’s authors frustrated by rise in celebrity-penned titles

Keira Knightley is latest star to publish a children’s book, but some say trend pushes aside genuine writers and makes it harder to find great children’s fiction“A modern classic by Keira Knightley” reads the provisional cover of the actor’s debut children’s book, I Love You Just the Same. Set to be published next October, the 80-page volume, written and illustrated by Knightley, is about a girl navigating the changing dynamics that come with the arrival of a sibling.The Pirates of the Caribbean star is the latest in a long list of celebrities to have turned to writing children’s books. McFly’s Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter have been hovering at the top of the bestseller chart since the publication last month of their latest book The Dinosaur that Pooped Halloween!. Earlier in the year, David Walliams dominated with his newest book Astrochimp. The entertainer has sold 25m copies of his children’s titles in the UK alone, according to Nielsen BookData. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2024-10-20 13:00:48 UTC ]
News tagged with: #authors frustrated #trend pushes #genuine writers #provisional cover #80-page volume #girl navigating #changing dynamics #caribbean star #long list #tom fletcher #dougie poynter #bestseller chart #pooped halloween #nielsen bookdata #nielsen #latest book

Other Publishing stories related to: '‘It’s quite galling’: children’s authors frustrated by rise in celebrity-penned titles'


Authors, Literary Orgs Respond to 'Hebdo' Attack in Paris

After the attack at 'Charlie Hebdo,' PEN called for renewed efforts to protect "those working on the front lines of free expression.” Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-01-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #charlie hebdo #renewed efforts #front lines #free expression


Authors Guild Drops HathiTrust Case

After suffering two major defeats in its legal battle with Google’s library scanning partners, the Authors Guild this week finally ended the litigation. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-01-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #legal battle #authors guild


Authors on the Air January 8, 2015: Nicholas Carlson

Nicholas Carlson, author of 'Marissa Mayer and the Fight to Save Yahoo!' (Twelve, 9781455556618), will appear on Bloomberg Radio 'Taking Stock' on Thursday, January 8; and MSNBC's 'The Cycle' on Friday, January 9. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-01-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #marissa mayer #taking stock


US stats show children's dominating 2014

Children's books dominated the top of the US book charts in 2014, Nielsen BookScan's full-year statistics have revealed. Seven children's titles hit the number one spot last year and claimed pole position for 39 of the 52 weeks ending 28th December. This included an unbroken run of 15 weeks... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-01-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #nielsen bookscan #titles hit #john green #veronica roth #katherine tegen #gayle forman


The Best Book Gift? A Hand-Translated Title

Working in the book business can make one cynical about giving and receiving books as gifts, but the gift of a hand-translated title was a special surprise. The post The Best Book Gift? A Hand-Translated Title appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-01-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book business #receiving books


After the Embargo: Cookbook Author Ana Sofia Peláez on Cuban Cuisine

Peláez, author of 'The Cuban Table: A Celebration of Food, Flavors, and History,' talks about what might happen to Cuban cuisine after the embargo is lifted. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-01-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Children's illustrator Penny Dann dies

Children’s book illustrator Penny Dann has died at the age of 50. She had been suffering from cancer. Dann, who died on Saturday 20th December, illustrated anthologies, early readers, fairytales and poetry collections, and most recently illustrated Polly Parrot Picks a Pirate (Macmillan... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-01-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #orchard books #illustrated anthologies #early readers #poetry collections #peter bently #early 2000s


Best of 2014: Seven authors reflect on battles close at hand

A Monitor book critic recalls seven of his favorite author interviews from 2014. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-12-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #authors reflect


PEN Pushes Sony to Release 'The Interview'

With questions still lingering about Sony Pictures's release plans for the Seth Rogen comedy 'The Interview,' after the studio suffered a cyber attack and a terrorist threat issued by the North Korean government, the PEN American Center has published an open letter to Sony CEO Michael Lynton,... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #sony pictures #open letter


Edicola: Bringing New Chilean and Italian Authors to the World

Founded in 2012, Chile's Edicola publishes new Chilean and Italian authors in Spanish, Italian, and English in both print and ebook formats. The post Edicola: Bringing New Chilean and Italian Authors to the World appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-12-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #world appeared #italian authors #ebook formats


Argentina’s La Bestia Revives English Authors in Spanish

Argentina's La Bestia publishing house brings previously untranslated top English titles, from authors such as Kurt Vonnegut, into Spanish translations. The post Argentina’s La Bestia Revives English Authors in Spanish appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-12-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #post argentina #kurt vonnegut


Brooklyn Publisher Pushes Cuba Titles

In the wake of President Obama's announcement that the U.S. will begin to "normalize" relations with Cuba, Restless Books is promoting a group of titles by Cuban writers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #president obama #restless books


S&S UK permits library e-lending for all titles

Simon & Schuster UK is to allow libraries to lend its full catalogue of nearly 14,000 ebook titles, effective immediately. Following what the publisher said was a "successful" pilot scheme, it is expanding access to its full catalogue of ebooks to libraries nationwide in the UK. A similar... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-12-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #libraries nationwide #effective immediately #pilot scheme #simon schuster


Debut author will give grants to six independent bookstores

Author Jeffrey Stayton, whose first book is being published this February, recently sponsored a competition to select six independent bookstores as recipients of $250 grants. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-12-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #debut author #independent bookstores #recently sponsored


It’s All About Children’s Education in Incheon, Korea

Incheon, the third-largest city in Korea with around three million people, was the venue for the first International Children’s Education Forum, which ran from December 17 to 18. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #international children #million people


Local authority budgets cut again

Local authorities will see their spending power reduced by 1.8% on average in 2015/16, following cuts to funding by the government, but some councils could face a 6.4% reduction. The announcement comes on the same day that the funding of libraries has come under the spotlight with the release... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-12-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #local authorities


Oyster Adds 1,000 Bloomsbury Titles

E-book subscription service Oyster is adding 1000 books from Bloomsbury to its inventory of titles. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Second Story Press Celebrates 25 Years of Feminist and Social Justice Publishing

When Toronto-based Second Story Press celebrated its 25th anniversary this month, the room at a community center in downtown Toronto was filled with authors and illustrators who have helped the press pursue its goal of publishing important feminist and social justice books for young readers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #25th anniversary #community center #downtown toronto #young readers


Authors on the Air December 18, 2014: Molly Manning

Molly Manning, author of 'When Books Went to War: The Stories That Helped Us Win World War II' (HMH, 9780544535022 ) will appear on WNYC’s the 'Leonard Lopate Show' on Friday, December 19. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Remembering author Norman Bridwell, creator of Clifford the Big Red Dog

Bridwell wrote and illustrated more than 150 titles for Scholastic, according to the publisher. Two 'Clifford' titles are still forthcoming. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-12-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |