- 2024 Apr 26
New Black-Owned Indie in South Carolina
Online bookstore Liberation is Lit will open a brick-and-mortar storefront in Columbia next weekend.
OKC Bookstore Supports Native Readers
Following a collaboration with NDN Girls Book club, Green Feather Book Co. in Oklahoma City is looking to bring Indigenous stories to its shelves.
Hammad Wins Aspen Words Prize
Isabella Hammad's 'Enter Ghost' is the winner of this years $35,000 Aspen Words Literary Prize.
- 2024 Apr 24
From the New York Times
Pennsylvania School Board Reinstates Gay Author’s Speech Amid Backlash.
From the Bookseller
Magic Cat Publishing wins the Independent Publisher of the Year Award at the U.K.'s Independent Publishing Awards.
From Teen Vogue
Book Ban Fight in Nevada Would Create LGBTQ+ Section of Libraries.
From Variety
All Seven Harry Potter Books to Be Recorded as Full-Cast Audio Productions with More Than 100 Actors, Will Release Exclusively on Audible.
From Art Media Agency
Sad news: author-illustrator Étienne Delessert has died at age 83.
From the Oregonian
Beloved Oregon author Beverly Cleary still pulls her hometown together.
From Literary Hub
Alicia D. Williams on How Music and Verse Can Spark Literary Passion in Reluctant Readers.
From NPR
George Takei Lost Freedom some 80 years ago—now he's written that story for kids.
From Sierra Magazine
12 Earthy Kids' Books That'll Help the Whole Family Fete Earth Week.
Women’s Prize for Fiction Shortlist
Anne Enright and V. V. Ganeshananthan are among the six authors shortlisted for one of the U.K.'s most prestigious literary prizes for women authors.
Kotynska Wins Drahomán Prize
Polish scholar Katarzyna Kotynska has won the 2023 Drahomán Prize for her translation of Ukrainian writer and literary critic Oksana Zabuzhko's book 'The Longest Journey.'
Colorado Bookstore Reopens
The Bookies Bookstore in Denver will host a "grand reopening" at its new location on April 27.
- 2024 Apr 23
NYPL Cullman Fellows
Authors Heather Clark, Isabella Hammad, Leslie Jamison, and Eric Orner are among the New York Public Library’s 2024–2025 Fellows of the Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers.
O. Henry Prize Winners
Jai Chakrabarti, Kate DiCamillo, and Allegra Goodman are among the winners of this year's O. Henry Prizes for Short Fiction.
RIP Trina Robbins
The pioneering comic book creator and historian behind the feminist comic It Ain’t Me Babe died on April 10 at 85.
RIP Robert Beerbohm
The pioneering comics retailer and historian, who helped start the first comic book store chain, died on March 27 at 71.
RIP Jeffrey Veregge
The Marvel, Valiant, and IDW comic book and cover artist died on April 12 at 50.
Ed Piskor's Legacy
The Comics Journal offers a comprehensive, career-spanning look at the life and work of the late cartoonist, who died earlier this month.
Remembering John G. Trimble
StarTrek.com honors the fan whose grassroots letter-writing campaign helped save the Star Trek universe.
Comic Sales Sagged in 2023
Graphic novel unit sales were down nearly 20% from 2022, with Marvel and DC both underperforming while Scholastic dominated the market, reports the Beat.
Marjane Satrapi Wants a Revolution
The Persepolis author spoke with the New York Times about resistance in Iran and her new illustrated book about the country's Woman, Life, Freedom movement.
R.L. Stine Returns
The Goosebumps author is back with a new horror comic series illustrated by Spider-Woman artist Carola Borelli, reports Fangoria.
Superman Superstars Continues
The next pairings for the 2024 Superman Superstars lineup include Gail Simone and Eddy Barrows taking on Superman and debut DC author Rainbow Rowell and Cian Tormey penning Lois Lane's story, per Bleeding Cool.
A Trans Take on Batman's Mythology
Rolling Stone argues that the film The People's Joker charts a new path forward for superhero movies and stands apart as a "lifeline for the genre."
Penn Libraries Welcome Comics Donation
Comic collectors Gary and Dawn Prebula have donated more than than 75,000 comic books—valued at more than $500,000—to the University of Pennsylvania.
Manga Pirate Ordered to Pay
The owner of a Japanese pirate site will pay out around $11 million to manga publishers Kadokawa, Shogakukan, and Shueisha—the largest such compensation in a piracy suit ordered to date in Japan, according to Anime Corner.
Layoffs Hit Marvel
Fifteen employees across Marvel Entertainment and Marvel Studios were laid off earlier this month, reports Deadline.
Berserk Is Back
The Berserk Chapter 376 release date has officially been confirmed, reports CBR.
Vinland Saga Creator Hints at Finale
Makoto Yukimura is hinting that the grand finale of his popular manga series may be imminent, per ComicBook.com.
Blue Beetle to End in July
The DC series will conclude with its eleventh issue this summer, reports Popverse.
Toriyama x Takahashi
A 1986 conversation between manga icons Akira Toriyama and Rumiko Takahashi has resurfaced, courtesy of Rumic World.
Wolverine's Origin Story
Forbes takes a look at the creation of Marvel's Wolverine 50 years ago.
April Graphic Novels
The New York times surveys this month's graphic novel offerings.
Jeff Lemire Heads to Boom! Studios
The creator of Sweet Tooth will write and illustrate a series run for the first time with the company, reports the Beat.
Harry Nordlinger on Horror and Comics
The comics creator behind Vacuum Decay, Night Cruising, and Shadows Over Springfield talks with the Comics Journal.
Alex Graham Is Living the Dream
The rising star of the alt comics scene talks with the Comics Journal about The Devil's Grin and the joys of becoming a full-time cartoonist.
Tim Lane Excavates Pop Culture Ephemera
The creator of Happy Hour in America talks with the Comics Journal about his latest series, Mythologies and Apocrypha.
The Legend of Drizzt, Explained
Screen Rant explains how to read all 39 Drizzt Do'Urden books in order—and it gets complicated.
Most Anticipated Anime of Spring 2024
Anime News Network previews Train to the End of the World, Kaiju No. 8, and more.
Best Animated Films of 2024—So Far
SlashFilm picks The Concierge at Hokkyoku Department Store, Robot Dreams, and more.
- 2024 Apr 22
From Fast Company
There's a revolution happening in children's publishing—you can thank the book bans.
From the Associated Press
Minnesota and other Democratic-led states lead pushback on censorship. They're banning the book ban.
From Teen Vogue
Texas Book Ban Law Is the Target of Youth Organizations Like SEAT, Booksellers.
From the Associated Press
Pennsylvania school board's cancellation of actor and children's author Maulik Pancholy was ill-advised, education officials said.
From the Los Angeles Times
Writers and readers wrestle with tough subjects at Los Angeles Times Festival of Books.
From the Paris Review
Encyclopedia Brown: A Story for My Brother, Philip Seymour Hoffman.
From CBS Sunday Morning
Julie Andrews on finding her voice again, as a children's book author.
L.A. Times Book Prize Winners
Roxanna Asgarian, Claire Dederer, Ed Park, and Ivy Pochoda are among the winners of this year's Los Angeles Times Book Prizes.
Georgia Store Hosts Kids' Book Fest
The inaugural Decatur Children’s Book Festival, presented by Little Shop of Stories, will be held May 3–5.
Minnesota's Newest Store to Open
Well Read Books in Elk River will host a grand opening on April 27.
- 2024 Apr 19
Paul Yamazaki on Indie Bookselling
The legendary City Lights bookseller reflects on the important work of running an independent bookstore.
Joudah Wins $100K Jackson Poetry Prize
Palestinian American poet Fady Joudah has won the 2024 Jackson Poetry Prize, awarded annually by Poets & Writers to "an American poet of exceptional talent." This year's judges were Natalie Diaz, Gregory Pardlo, and Diane Seuss.
- 2024 Apr 18
NYPL Young Lions Fiction Award Finalists
Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah and C Pam Zhang are among the five finalists for the New York Public Library's 24th annual Young Lions Fiction Award.
Bomb Threat Targets Ithaca Bookstore
A bomb threat last Sunday led to the evacuation of an upstate New York mall, with Buffalo Street Books and five individuals linked to the store specifically targeted.
- 2024 Apr 17
From Axios
DeSantis signs bill limiting Florida school book challenges.
From USA Today
“I'm an adult and I just read the Harry Potter series. Why it's not just for kids.”
From Vanity Fair
Against All Odds, John Green and Hannah Marks Made a Movie of Turtles All the Way Down.
From USA Today
How Little House on the Prairie star Melissa Gilbert shaped a generation of women.
From the Nerd Daily
Growing Pains: H.E. Edgmon on the Tricky Gray Area of Upper YA.
From the New York Post
Millions of Cats, the oldest American picture book still in print, and its famous NYC author, are being honored at the Whitney.
From People
Chris Pine to Publish Debut Children's Book That He Hopes 'Resonates with the Child in All of Us.'
From Fangoria
R.L. Stine Announces New Comic The Graveyard Club.
From the New York Times
Picture book author Natalia Sylvester on why some words feel truer in Spanish.
From Brightly
Enthralling Historical Fiction Audiobooks for Tweens.
Washington Bookstore's New Chapter
The new owners of Page 2 Books in Burien are putting their focus on booksellers.
2024 AJL Award Winners
The Association of Jewish Libraries has announced the winners of its Judaica Reference and Bibliography Awards.
- 2024 Apr 16
Kessler Wins Sami Rohr Prize
Oren Kessler's 'Palestine 1936: The Great Revolt and the Roots of the Middle East Conflict' is the winners of the the Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature's nonfiction award.
CrimeFest Award Shortlists
The finalists for the U.K's crime book awards have been announced.
- 2024 Apr 15
From the Washington Post
Red states threaten librarians with prison—as blue states work to protect them.
From New Lines Magazine
China's Picture Book Market Has Exploded, But Is It Fun for Children?
From the Associated Press
Marisha Pessl's Darkly, her first novel in six years, to come out November 12.
From Variety
Film Adaptation of J.K. Rowling's The Christmas Pig in Early Development
From the New York Times
Picture book author Natalia Sylvester on why some words feel truer in Spanish.
From Brightly
Queer YA Romance Reads Teens Will Love.
Arizona Bookstore Receives Bomb Threat
The queer-focused Mosaics Community Bookstore & Venue in Provo was the target of a bomb threat on Saturday morning.
Gotham Book Prize Finalists Announced
Tyriek White and Colson Whitehead are among the 11 finalists for this year's Gotham Prize, which honors books set in or about New York City.
Kushner to Receive PEN Award
Playwright and screenwriter Tony Kushner will receive the PEN/Mike Nichols Writing for Performance Award at this year's PEN America Literary Awards.
- 2024 Apr 12
2024 Guggenheim Fellows
Ned Blackhawk, Jamel Brinkley, Beth Nguyen, Tracy K. Smith, Justin Torres, and Ed Yong are among the writers to receive this year's Guggenheim Fellowships.
- 2024 Apr 11
PublisHer Excellence Awards Winners
The winners of the inaugural awards, which "celebrate women who have brought positive change to the international publishing industry," were announced at the 2024 Bologna Children’s Book Fair this week.
- 2024 Apr 10
Carol Shields Prize Shortlist
Eleanor Catton and Claudia Day are among the five women authors shortlisted for this year's Carol Shields Prize for Fiction.
Raleigh Store Defends Decision to Close
The owners of Liberation Station, the first Black-owned children’s bookstore in North Carolina, are confronting skepticism from white commentators about their decision to close due to "numerous threats."
Upper Midwest's First Romance Bookstore
Tropes & Trifles in Minneapolis will be the first romance-only bookstore in the region when it opens on Saturday.
SoCal Bookstore Faces Abuse, Uncertainty
The owners of the LGBTQ-focused Underdog Bookstore in Monrovia announced plans to close up shop following repeated incidents of verbal and online abuse.
Oregon Book Award Winners
Patrick de Witt and Erica Berry are among the winners of the 2024 Oregon Book Awards, hosed by Portland's Literary Arts.
- 2024 Apr 09
From School Library Journal
BIPOC Representation in Children’s Literature Continues Its Slow Rise, According to CCBC’s Diversity Statistics.
From NEA Today
It's a golden age of nonfiction books for younger readers.
International Booker Prize Shortlist
'Kairos' and 'Crooked Plow' are among the six works of fiction shortlisted for this year's International Booker Prize. The winner will be announced on May 21.
From the Telegraph
The Twits are back as celebs write spin-off Roald Dahl stories for ‘rights owner’ Netflix.
PEN America Literary Award Longlists
Mary Jo Bang, Maya Binyam, Catherine Lacey, and Christina Sharpe are among the authors longlisted for for PEN America's six literary awards, with winners to be announced on April 29.
Plutarch Award Shortlist
Jonathan Eig and Howard Fishman are among the shortlisted authors for the Biographers International Organization's 2024 Plutarch Award.
B&N Teams with Rhino Records
Barnes & Noble will feature a classic album from the Rhino Records catalog every week at retail locations across the country.
Sophie Castille Awards Expand
The second annual Sophie Castille Awards, recognizing the best translation of graphic novels into English, will be held this fall, and Italy, Poland, and Slovenia are launching their own iterations of the prize.
Ed Piskor Dies at 41
The death of the Eisner Award–winning author of the Hip Hop Family Tree and X-Men: Grand Design series followed allegations of sexual misconduct, reports the New York Times.
More Turnover at IDW
Troubles at the comics publisher continue, with COO Amber Huerta, who was promoted to the position last may, among five staffers laid off.
Sophie Castille Awards Expand
The second annual Sophie Castille Awards for graphic novels translated into English will be held this fall, and Italy, Poland, and Slovenia are launching their own iterations of the prize.
Glénat Éditions Foreign Rights Change
The Grenoble, France–based publisher of comics, graphic novels, and manga will roll its comics and graphic novels representation for world English rights into its foreign rights division.
