Free speech campaigners have spoken out against Scholastic’s withdrawal of A Birthday Cake for George Washington, pulled from shelves after it was criticised for its ‘light’ treatment of slaveryThe decision to pull a children’s book last week over the “false impression” it gives of slavery was the wrong one, according to free speech campaigners in America, who believe the move will lead authors to shy away from “taking on racially sensitive … topics for fear of public outcry and reprisals”.A Birthday Cake for George Washington, by author Ramin Ganeshram and illustrator Vanessa Brantley-Newton, is narrated by the daughter of George Washington’s slave, Hercules, who is preparing a cake for the president’s birthday. In a review, School Library Journal criticised the “dangerously rosy impression of the relationship between slaves and slave owners” that it could give to young readers. It said that the “light tone” of the text and the “colourful, cartoon-style” illustrations “convey a feeling of joyfulness that contrasts starkly with the reality of slave life”, while criticism of the book grew under the hashtag #slaverywithasmile. Related: Scholastic pulls George Washington book over slave cake controversy Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2016-01-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Written By: Charlotte Williams Random House Books has acquired one of the first books on the Gulf of Mexico oil leak, Spills and Spin: The Inside Story of BP by Reuters oil-industry reporter Tom Bergin. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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There have been a few popular books in recent years detailing Google's ascent in the digital world, notably Ken Auletta's Googled: The End of the World as We Know It and Jeff Jarvis's What Would Google Do. But there is another story, says author and media scholar Siva Vai-dhyanathan. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-01-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Despite pressure coming from a number of different areas on bricks-and-mortar bookstores, the American Booksellers Association's sixth annual Winter Institute, which took place January 1821 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Va., was surprisingly upbeat. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-01-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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There was no shortage of debates and discussions at last week's second annual Digital Book World, where about 1,300 members of the trade publishing industry turned out in New York to explore ways to navigate the digital transition. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-01-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The ebook sales milestone "has come even sooner than we expected," CEO Bezos says. Continue reading at PC World
[ PC World | 2011-01-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Online retailer reports sales of its digital ebooks has outstripped those of traditional paperbacks. Continue reading at PC World
[ PC World | 2011-01-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Written By: Charlotte Williams Puffin is to publish a new picture book by The Very Hungry Caterpillar author Eric Carle, his first in four years. The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse will be published in October 2011, in a global, simultaneous publication with Philomel, a Penguin Young Readers... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-01-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Written By: Benedicte Page The philosopher, author and life peer Baroness Mary Warnock has said closure of her local library, Sydenham Library, would be "barbarism". Warnock will be among the local authors and poets taking part in a read-in at the library on Saturday 5th February, as part of... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-01-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Written By: Lisa Campbell A children's book written by Jo Nesbo is among the choices in Richard and Judys Childrens Book Club, which launched in W H Smith today [27th January]. The husband-and wife television presenting team are working alongside the charity Booktrust, to encourage more... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-01-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Written By: Charlotte Williams Penguin has been appointed the exclusive publisher for Sainsbury's Book Club, providing all titles in the promotion between July 2011 and July 2012. Authors set to feature in the club include Marian Keyes, Clive Cussler, Jeff Kinney and Rick Riordan, with exact... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-01-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Costa Book of the Year prize-winner, Jo Shapcott, explains her delight that poetry has been recognised by Costa two years running. Continue reading at BBC News
[ BBC News | 2011-01-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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TED, known for exclusive events and online videos of speeches by celebrities like Al Gore, Bono and Malcolm Gladwell, plans to publish its own short ebooks, beginning with three that went on sale Wednesday. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2011-01-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Anna Boiardi's family founded Chef Boyardee more than 70 years ago, spelling their name phonetically to help Americans pronounce it. Now, Boiardi teaches cooking classes and has written Delicious Memories, which Stewart, Tabori & Chang will publish in May. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-01-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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While all the big box stores carry books and all offer discounted bestsellers, Target competes most directly for those consumers who might otherwise make their purchases at bookstores. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-01-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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