US books sales in 2020 were mixed, with AAP reporting trade book revenues up but declines in K-12 and higher education materials.
Hardinge’s ‘Lie Tree’ Wins Costa’s Second Big Nod to Children’s Books
For the second time in its history, the Costa Awards has chosen a children’s book as its book of the year: The Lie Tree by Francis Hardinge.
Scholastic Promotes Diversity in Books for Young Readers
The Scholastic Reading Club and We Need Diverse Books are promoting a list of 75 titles for middle-grade readers featuring diverse characters and plots.
UK’s Kids Pub Nosy Crow Partners with British Museum
Nosy Crow has partnered with the British Museum to produce a children’s books that will make art and history more accessible.
The Importance of Licensing: Children’s Brands and Books
Randy Petway of Publishing Technology previews his talk at the Frankfurt Book Fair about licensing children’s books and media properties.
Christians Pressure New Zealand to Ban Award-Winning YA Novel
The Guardian reports that the New Zealand government has banned Ted Dawe’s award-winning YA novel, Into the River, after protests from a Christian group.
Captain Underpants’ Dav Pilkey on Being Banned for No Good Reason
Why are Dav Pilkey’s Captain Underpants books so consistently banned when they contain nothing objectionable? Because they teach children to challenge authority.
Malaysia’s Wen Dee Tan Wins Illustrator’s Award at Sharjah
Malaysian children’s book illustrator Wen Dee Tan, who won the top prize at the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival, discusses the mission of her work.
Penguin Young Readers Partners with Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution and Penguin Young Readers are collaborating on a new series of narrative non-fiction books riffing on the Smithsonian experience
From Bologna: Mattel Publishing Has New Plans
At the Bologna Book Fair, toy company Mattel announced new plans to publish books and digital stories for Barbie, Thomas & Friends, Fireman Sam and others.