Editor-in-Chief Andrew Richard Albanese stands in this week for publishing analyst Carlo Carrenho with a review of the headlines from across the international publishing world. By Andrew Richard Albanese, Editor-in-Chief t’s summer, and Carlo Carrenho is enjoying some well deserved time off with family, so I’m stepping in again this week with an abbreviated version of the Around the Book …
In the U.S., Texas Asks Court to Resurrect ‘Unconstitutional’ Book Rating Law, Alarming Publishers and Booksellers
After more than two years, the return of H.B. 900, which would require bookstores and vendors to review all books in Texas schools at their own expense and rate them for sexual content, is a tense, and unwelcome development for freedom-to-read advocates.
New PEN America Report Finds Nonfiction Increasingly Targeted by Book Banners in U.S. Schools
“The content of these books that are disappearing speaks volumes about both the stories, identities, and facts that are being suppressed, and about the political and cultural attack on public education across the U.S.,” the report states.
PEN America Honors Tennessee Library Advocates for Defending the Freedom to Read
“The Rutherford County Library Alliance is an important reminder that power lives in our communities, with the courage of individuals who refuse to be silenced,” said Summer Lopez PEN America co-CEO.” Also this week, PEN International released its 2026 International Case List, highlighting writers around the world targeted for their work.
At a Vibrant 2026 Bologna Children’s Book Fair, a Model of Resilience and Diversity
The fair reported 32,652 professional visitors, a slight 2% drop from 2025, attributed to the complexity of the international situation and travel difficulties.
American Library Association Shares Book Ban Data, List of ‘Most Challenged’ Titles of 2025
U.S. librarians tracked 4,235 unique book challenges in 2025, nearly matching the record of 4,240 recorded in 2023, and almost double last year’s count.
Canadian Publishers Speak Out Against Recent Book Bans in School Libraries
Despite the concerns raised by teachers, librarians, and publishers, a ministerial order signed in September by the Minister of Education and Childcare has been implemented, resulting in the removal of titles across the province of Alberta.
Belarus: Where Independent Work is Branded Extremism
PEN Belarus launched a new website to highlight work that is being censored in their country, highlighting a growing campaign against free expression.
International Children’s Publishers Mobilize For a Stronger Future
At the Frankfurt Kids Conference, speakers highlighted how the international publishing industry mobilizes cultural resistance against systematic book destruction