The Guardian view on children’s books: a restricted view of a wide world | Editorial

Almost a third of school-age children are from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds. But they will still struggle to find characters who resemble themselvesBooks can show us the world both as it is, and as it could be – “mirrors and windows”, as the author Malorie Blackman notes. For children, they are currently falling short on both counts. In the pages of a picture or chapter book, readers have their experience affirmed or glimpse exciting new possibilities: mastering a fear of the dark, or travelling through space. Yet a young black or Asian child picking up a book today is more likely to encounter a rabbit than a protagonist who looks like them, says the expert who has led a new review of representation, Reflecting Realities. This is astonishing in an age when 32% of school-age children are from black, Asian or minority ethnic backgrounds; and is bad news not only for them but for all young readers. Publishers are offering a dated, narrow and skewed picture of the complex, diverse, interconnected world around them.Don’t blame Beatrix Potter. This is not a historic, cumulative problem; the new research covers only books published in 2017. The Centre for Literacy in Primary Education asked publishers to submit titles with BAME characters and received fewer than 400, set against the roughly 9,000 books published for children aged three to 11. Quality and sheer variety are as important as quantity. Only 1% of titles featured a BAME lead character; in a quarter of... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2018-07-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon Prime members get free audio books and access to 'Audible Channels'

As someone on the go, I have always craved the ability to listen to audio books in my car. Whenever I research getting them, however, the high prices always scare me away. Look, I understand a lot of time and effort goes into creating versions of books that are read aloud, but with current... Continue reading at Betanews

[ Betanews | 2016-09-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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International Hot Book Properties, Week of September 12, 2016

Among the titles heating up abroad are a Swedish thriller set in Russia and a Korean novel about masterminds who invent assassination plots for the government. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-09-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Man Booker Prize Gets a Triple Highlight at Frankfurt Book Fair

Six days before the announcement of the winner of the 2016 Man Booker Prize, Frankfurt Book Fair will have three events in recognition of its international influence. The post The Man Booker Prize Gets a Triple Highlight at Frankfurt Book Fair appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-09-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Israel’s Short-Lived Fixed-Price Book Law: A Rights Agent’s Viewpoint

International publishing rights agent Stephanie Barrouillet of Tel Aviv describes the effects of a short-lived fixed-price law, just repealed by Israel. The post Israel’s Short-Lived Fixed-Price Book Law: A Rights Agent’s Viewpoint appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-09-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Summer 2016: Children's Booksellers More Than Hold Their Own with a Little Harry Potter Magic

Flat was the new up between June 1 and August 30 at many bookstores that participated in PW's informal survey of 20 stores throughout the country. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-09-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hodder Children’s signs Ruffles debut

Hodder Children’s Books, an imprint of the Hachette Children’s Group, has signed the debut novel by Faber Academy graduate Lydia Ruffles. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-09-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Audio Book Club Hangs Out With the Girls

To listen to the Audio Book Club discussion of The Girls, click the arrow on the player below. Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2016-09-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Philippines’ National Book Awards Longlist Is Out

A wide array of poetry and prose, in English and Filipino and other languages, goes into competition in The Philippines' awards program, which comprises work in multiple languages. The post The Philippines’ National Book Awards Longlist Is Out appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-09-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Balancing the books at Laurence King

Laurence King talks to Philip Jones about Laurence King Publishing's 25 years of steady progress. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-09-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Women's Equality Party co-founder pens 'illuminating' book

HarperCollins imprint HQ is to publish Attack of the Fifty Foot Women, an "exciting and inspiring" book by author and co-founder of the Women’s Equality Party, Catherine Mayer. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-09-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Book Deals: Week of September 12, 2016

Nick Cannon, director and star of the forthcoming film King of the Dancehall, sells a tie-in novel to St. Martin’s; Bloomsbury USA picks up two titles from a former Booker finalist; and Berkley’s Kerry Donovan signs two two-book deals for six figures each in this week's notable book deals. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-09-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Monthly E-Book Ranking: Moyes the merrier as sequel surpasses Me Before You

Jojo Moyes becomes only the third author to claim the monthly ebook pole with multiple titles. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-09-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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PW Picks: Books of the Week, September 12, 2016

This week: Ian McEwan's new novel, which is narrated by an unborn baby, plus novels from Ann Patchett and Alan Moore. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-09-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Pew Report: Americans Still Love Libraries, Especially the Books

Overwhelmingly, Americans continue to view public libraries as vital to their communities, but as libraries adapt to the digital age, opinions differ over how books should be treated in the library. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-09-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bloomsbury has two on FT Business Book shortlist

Two titles from Bloomsbury have been shortlisted for the FT and McKinsey & Company Business Book of the Year award alongside entries from HarperCollins, Penguin Random House, Princeton University Press and Harvard University Press. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-09-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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With a chill in the air, it's the perfect time to head back into the house and curl up under a blanket with a good book. Looking for a captivating novel? Intriguing nonfiction? You're sure to find something that suits your interests on this list of the 10 best books to be released this month,... Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2016-09-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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O'Reilly departs Dulwich Books after 14 years

Sheila O’Reilly is retiring from Dulwich Books, just over a year after selling it to The Marsh Agency co-founder Susie Nicklin. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-09-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Game of Thrones book publication date 'not finalised'

George R R Martin's UK publisher HarperCollins has said "nothing has been finalised regarding the publication or the date" of the author's much anticipated sixth book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series, after reports surfaced that it would be published in March next year. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-09-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Waterstones' Cox joins Hodder as editorial director

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[ The Bookseller | 2016-09-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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With Dovetail, a Product Designer Branches Into Books

The Brooklyn-based W&P Design, which is established in the food-and-drink market, is launching a publishing company to pair books with its original products. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-09-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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