- 2020 Apr 08
New Zealand Booksellers Look Ahead
Booksellers in New Zealand are cautiously optimistic they can weather the coronavirus crisis.
Dallas Bookstore Helps with Hotline
Deep Vellum Books opened a hotline for book recommendations that has become so much more.
Amazon in U.K. Prioritizes Kids' Books
Amazon in the U.K. is now prioritizing delivery of children's books and education titles.
- 2020 Apr 06
From the Washington Post
Jason Reynolds asked his Twitter followers if they needed groceries. A flood of requests sparked an outpouring of generosity.
From the New Yorker
The Delight and Sadness of Tomie dePaola.
From the Bookseller
In the U.K., Amazon prioritizes children's books and educational titles experiencing 'strong demand.'
From Deadline
Universal has picked up the film rights to Tracy Wolff’s forthcoming YA vampire novel Crave.
From the Hollywood Reporter
Disney Breaks Theatrical Window with Artemis Fowl Debuting on Disney+.
From Bustle
Ahead of the 2020 Election, YA Novels Are More Political Than Ever.
From LAist
Coronavirus Storytime: Here's Where to Find Celebrities Reading Children's Books Online.
From the New York Times
Sketchbook: “You’re Quarantined and Your Kid Runs Out of Books to Read”: by Aron Nels Steinke.
Books Are as Important as Weed
An op-ed argues that if marijuana dispensaries are essential businesses, so are bookstores.
From Secret Manchester
Inspired by the children’s book We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, this household is displaying teddy bears to cheer up the neighborhood.
U.K.'s W.H. Smith Makes Money Moves
W.H. Smith is raising cash by issuing new shares and taking loans to weather the coronavirus crisis.
From BuzzFeed
10 Authors and Illustrators Who Are Keeping Kids Busy (And Parents Sane).
How U.K. Indies are Invigorating Sales
U.K. indie booksellers have launched a variety of new promotions to entice customers and pump up sales.
From Book Riot
7 of the Best Homeschooling Books.
Owner of Boston Mystery Store Dies
Kate Mattes, owner of Kate’s Mystery Books, which was open from 1983 to 2009, has died.
From Brightly
YA Novels to Read with Your Teenager.
Czech Bookstores Go Digital
Czech bookstores have seen a huge leap in online sales since the start of the coronavirus crisis.
From Brightly
Middle Grade Books Both You and Your Kids Can Enjoy.
- 2020 Apr 03
Mapping Canadian Indies with Delivery
Don Gorman of Rocky Mountain Books published a map showing all independent bookstores in Canada offering delivery.
U.K. Wholesaler Gardners Reopens
Gardners in the U.K. has restarted direct-to-home fulfillment services for book orders.
Owner Says Bookstores are Essential
The owner of Skylark Bookshop in Columbia, Mo., argues that bookstores should stay open during the pandemic.
Tokyo's 'Foreign Bookstore' Reopens
Tsutaya Tokyo Roppongi has reopened with a new design, and is offering 30,000 foreign-language books.
- 2020 Apr 02
ABA President Reassures Booksellers
American Booksellers Association board president Jamie Fiocco has written a letter of encouragement to her constituents.
In U.K., Ingram Stays Open, Extra Clean
Ingram in the U.K. is performing extra cleaning of its facilities and continuing to ship books on behalf of booksellers.
Norwegian Booksellers Don Hazmat Suits
Booksellers from Cappelens Forslag, an English-language bookstore in Oslo, are delivering books while wearing hazmat suits.
Binc Gives Out $50,000 in One Week
The Book Industry Charitable Foundation delivered $50,000 to booksellers in need last week.
ABA Board Elections Begin
Voting has begun on the three positions on the board of directors at the American Booksellers Association.
- 2020 Apr 01
From Literary Hub
Mary Poppins is launching a children’s book podcast.
From Book Riot
Wizarding World Introduces Harry Potter at Home.
From Penguin Kids
What is social distancing? A message from Chelsea Clinton and illustrator Alexandra Boiger.
From Literary Hub
LeVar Burton will read to you on Twitter three times a week.
From KTXS
Record-setting astronaut Christina Koch to read children's books on Instagram.
From Vogue
Why the Judy Blume Renaissance Can't Come Soon Enough.
From the New York Times
Sketchbook: Curious George, the Wild Things, and Frog and Toad Get an Update.
From Book Riot
What If the Little Mermaid Learned Sign Language? Thoughts About Fairytales and Disability.
Booksellers Down Under May Get Benefits
Australian booksellers may be eligible for government support if laid off due to the pandemic.
From Epic Reads
26 YA Retellings to Look Forward to in 2020.
Salt Lake City Bookstore Is Saved
Loans and a generous landlord helped save Ken Sanders Rare Books from closure.
From Book Riot
Fun Writing Prompts to Entertain Your Kids (And Keep You Sane).
B&N Manager In Arkansas Turns Hero
An assistant manager at a Barnes & Noble in Jonesboro saved a baby during a tornado.
From Oprah Magazine
The Best YA Books That Adults Will Enjoy, Too.
Bertrams Closes in the U.K.
The bookstore and library fulfillment company has temporarily closed due to the pandemic.
From Book Riot
16 New Picture Books from Caldecott Winners.
U.K. Bookstores Have Will to Survive
The Bookseller Association in the U.K. says bookstores will "roar back" after the coronavirus crisis passes.
From 100 Scope Notes
2020 Books by Printz Winners.
- 2020 Mar 31
Waterstones Booksellers Displeased
A survey found that booksellers at Waterstones were upset with communications from management during the new coronavirus outbreak, calling it "passive aggressive."
Chinese Bookstores Still Struggle
Foot traffic in bookstores that have reopened in China are down 80% from the previous period last year.
Facemask Nation
Although the use of facemasks was first discouraged for anyone but healthcare workers, opinion on their use, particularly homemade facemasks for the general population, has changed radically in recent weeks. Forbes offers perspectives, data on their efficacy, and information on patterns and materials needed to make good ones at home.
Game Theory
In 2008, game designer Make Leacock created a cooperative board game called Pandemic that is proving to particularly relevant in 2020.
A Critical Response
Fieldmouse Press, a new nonprofit house focused on publishing comics, essays and comics criticism, is launching a fundraising campaign to support its activities, and debuting Solrad, an online comics journalism hub.
Rakim Speaks
Over at the Believer magazine, John O’Connor interviews the legendary rapper and MC, Rakim, considered one of the greatest MCs of all time.
When Nowhere is Safe
Over at The Millions Sara Finnerty reacts to Jenny Offils novel Weather and comes to the conclusion that the book is about “the absurdity” of trying to keep people safe.
- 2020 Mar 30
From People
The Hate U Give Author Angie Thomas Announces Third Novel, Concrete Rose.
From the New York Review of Books
A Change in Lesson Plans: Homeschooling in a Pandemic.
From the Hollywood Reporter
How the Save with Stories Initiative Enlisted Amy Adams, Reese Witherspoon, and More.
From School Library Journal
J.K. Rowling has granted educators permission to record themselves reading the Harry Potter stories aloud.
From the New York Times
Ann Patchett on why we need life-changing books like Kate DiCamillo’s right now.
Author Urges Readers to Save Stores
Author Dave Eggers entreatied readers to save indie bookstores by buying gift cards and more.
From Jarrett J. Krosoczka
A love story shared in memory of Tomie dePaola.
Bookstores Across Canada Fight Crisis
Canada's indie bookstores, from Toronto to Winnipeg, are finding ways to work through the pandemic.
From the New Yorker
Inside Tove Jansson’s Private Universe.
Roman Bookstores React to Virus
English-language bookstores in Rome are muddling through Italy's lockdown as best they can.
From the Independent
The Big Book of Silly Jokes for Kids has become a surprise success for families during confinement.
Virus Disrupts U.K. Book Deliveries
Gardners has temporarily closed its distribution center, disrupting fulfillment for Waterstones online orders.
From the Guardian
Kids at home? The books you should read to keep everyone entertained.
From McSweeney’s
Frog and Toad Are Self-Quarantined Friends.
- 2020 Mar 27
Belgian Bookstores May Stay Open
Bookstores in Belgium will be allowed to remain open during the lockdown, but are still changing the way they do business.
PRH U.K. CEO Vows to Help Bookstores
Tim Weldon has pledged his company's support for booksellers throughout the coronavirus crisis.
U.K. Crowdfunds Support for Booksellers
In the U.K., publishers and others in the trade are raising £100,000 to help struggling booksellers.
Australian Bookstore Fights for Survival
Gleebooks in Sydney is among the businesses attempting to survive through the pandemic.
- 2020 Mar 26
Maine Loses a Bookstore Forever
Sherman's Books and Stationery in Camden is closing permanently after 16 years in business.
Independent Bookstore Day Rescheduled
The retail holiday has been rescheduled for August 29.
ABA Online Sites See Record Sales
IndieCommerce and IndieLite websites saw sales increase by 1,350% on Monday, March 23, compared to that same day last year.
Advice on How to Save U.K. Indie Stores
The publisher of Scottish press Monstrous Regiment offers nine ideas for what the book biz can do to save indies now.
- 2020 Mar 25
From the New York Times
With Kids Learning from Home, Children’s Publishers See a Spike.
From Mental Floss
Sesame Workshop Shares New Resources and Activities to Help Parents and Kids Cope with Self-Isolation.
From PBS News Hour
Lambslide author and bookseller Ann Patchett on what to read while staying home.
From the Guardian
Asterix: a world of joyful innocence born in the aftermath of war.
From the Chicago Tribune
11 book recs to lure kids away from screens during the coronavirus lockdown.
From the Washingtonian
These Maryland Social Workers Wrote a Children’s Book to Answer Coronavirus Questions.
U.K. Book Distributors Cope with Virus
Bookspeed and Baker & Taylor are closed, but Gardners remains open.
From Book Riot
Pennsylvania Library Creates a Hogwarts Digital Escape Room.
Indigo CEO Argues Books are Essential
Heather Reisman says citizens need bookstores for mental and emotional support during pandemic.
From Epic Reads
Stock Your Pantry and We’ll Tell You Which YA Character You’re Quarantined With.
Governments Ask If Books Are Essential
The question of whether bookstores are "essential" businesses is being debated around the world.
From the Cut
20 of the Best Children’s Books for Uncertain Times.
Australian Bookstore Switches to Bikes
Glee Books in Sydney continues to deliver books via bicycle during the pandemic.
From BuzzFeed
21 Brand New Young Adult Romances to Read This Spring.
Rhode Island Store Hustling for Sales
Riff Raff in Providence is delivering 10 to 20 books a day, which may be enough to help it survive.
From Romper
16 Adventurous Children's Books to Inspire Your Kid to Explore.
- 2020 Mar 24
Australia Keeps its Bookstores Open
Bookstores are staying open in Australia amid a growing countrywide lockdown to battle the coronavirus.
New Zealand Booksellers Prep for Virus
Booksellers NZ has released a plan to cope with the coronavirus crisis.
EIBF Offers Advice for Crisis Coping
The European and International Booksellers Federation has launched a resource page for global booksellers.
Beijing Offers Cash to Help Bookstores
The city is providing $14 million to support bookstores suffering from low sales due to the coronavirus crisis.
W.H. Smith in the U.K. Closes Many Shops
W.H. Smith has closed 60% of its stores across the U.K. as the country moves close to total lockdown.
- 2020 Mar 23
From the New York Times
Mo Willems, Gene Luen Yang, Amie Kaufman and other authors for young readers are reading their work online and offering drawing tutorials, to help fill our strange new hours.
From the Guardian
Asterix co-creator Albert Uderzo has died at 92.
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