Author: Sharifah Williams

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by JIMMY Patterson Books.

Amazon Should NOT Replace Libraries TYVM

Librarians responded to a Forbes piece (which, for some reason, leads to a 404 error as of the writing of this newsletter) that suggested Amazon bookstores should replace all public libraries. We are also sputtering at the absurdity. “At the core, Amazon has provided something better than a local library without the tax fees,” wrote Panos Mourdoukouta. “No offense to y’all at Forbes, but a little research would prevent you from publishing this kind of twaddle,” the Harris County Public Library in Texas wrote in response. Check out this article for even more satisfying responses.

Genrefication In School Libraries

Speaking of libraries and bookstores, an article on Mindshift discussed at length how genrefication makes school libraries more like bookstores. Dewey Decimal System nerds might especially be interested in this discussion about the “search hurdle” the classification system poses to young readers. Fans of reorganizing school libraries around genre say it encourages literacy, particularly among “struggling readers, students not yet fluent in English, and those with learning disabilities.”

Hamilton Playwright Helps Create Multimillion-Dollar Puerto Rico Fund

Lin-Manuel Miranda has helped create a multimillion-dollar fund to boost the arts in Puerto Rico as the U.S. territory continues to recover from Hurricane Maria. The Hamilton playwright is also planning to donate all funds from his hit Broadway play when it’s performed in January in Puerto Rico. The first five recipients of the fund include a dance school and a theater company. Cheers to that!

And don’t forget–we’re giving away $500 of this year’s best YA books (so far)! Click here to enter.

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by The Con Artist by Fred Van Lente, published by Quirk Books.

Shakespeare Would’ve Loved Parks & Rec

On Twitter, Alison Sloan summed up every Shakespeare play using one Parks and Recreation quote each. This thread is the definition of perfection. My favorite might be the one for As You Like It because that play, April Ludgate, and that quote are bae.

Toy Store Dedicates Entire Floor To Harry Potter

Hamleys, the oldest and largest toy shop in the world, said what the heck and turned an entire floor into Potterhead paradise. That’s 3,000 square feet of Diagon Alley now situated in our humble Muggle world. Check out the goodies, but maybe leave the emergency credit card at home–being a wizard is, apparently, not cheap.

Watch The First Trailer For GRRM’s Nightflyers

It’s San Diego Comic Con time, which means sneak peeks and exciting announcements from the world of comics, SFF, and more. During SDCC, the Syfy Channel hosted a panel with the cast and crew of the upcoming adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s psychological space thriller, Nightflyers. And we got the first official trailer! Watch it here.

And don’t forget–we’re giving away $500 of this year’s best YA books (so far)! Click here to enter.

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by Flatiron Books, publishers of The Family Tabor by Cherise Wolas.

Exploring How Reading Affects Eating Disorders

A researcher partnered with the UK eating disorder charity, Beat, to design an online questionnaire that asked respondents about the links they perceive between their reading habits and their mental health, with a focus on eating disorders. They found that 69% of those with personal experience of an eating disorder reported seeking out both fiction and nonfiction to help with their eating disorder, and that 36% had found the fiction or nonfiction they tried helpful. Click here to read the full report.

Students Paint Over Kipling Mural

Students at the University of Manchester painted over a mural of Rudyard Kipling’s “If,” replacing it with Maya Angelou’s poem, “Still I Rise.” Sara Khan, the student union’s liberation and access officer, said students had not been consulted about the commissioned mural decorating the union’s building. “Kipling stands for the opposite of liberation, empowerment and human rights – the things that we, as an SU, stand for,” Khan stated. Kipling’s works have been criticized for being racist; George Orwell called the author a “jingo imperialist.”

Props To Lauren Groff

People have been talking about Fates and Furies author Lauren Groff’s excellent response to an interview question asked by a reporter from The Harvard Gazette. The lowdown: the reporter asked Groff, “You are a mother of two. In 10 years you have produced three novels and two short-story collections. Can you talk about your process and how you manage work and family?” Groff responded, “I understand that this is a question of vital importance to many people, particularly to other mothers who are artists trying to get their work done, and know that I feel for everyone in the struggle. But until I see a male writer asked this question, I’m going to respectfully decline to answer it.​” Yes. All the yes.

And don’t forget–we’re giving away $500 of this year’s best YA books (so far)! Click here to enter.

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by Dynamite Entertainment.

Survey Exposes Dearth Of BAME Characters In Kidlit

Last year, England’s Department of Education identified 32.1% schoolchildren of minority ethnic origins in the country–also in 2017, 1% of the children’s books published had a BAME (black, Asian and minority ethnic) main character. The Centre for Literacy in Primary Education conducted the research project, which also found that 10% of these books contained “social justice” issues, such as war and conflict. The report “warns publishers that if children do not see their realities reflected in the world around them or only see problematic representations mirrored back at them, the impact can be tremendously damaging.”

Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles Gets Hulu Series

Anne Rice’s The Vampire Chronicles is officially in development over at Hulu. The adaptation of the popular book series, which begins with Interview with the Vampire, was optioned last year. Anne Rice’s son Christopher Rice will serve as executive producer alongside the author herself. :waits impatiently for casting news:

Lin-Manuel Miranda Writes Gmorning, Gnite!

Lin-Manuel Miranda, he of Hamilton fame, is turning his positive Gmorning and Gnite tweets into a book, illustrated by Jonny Sun (everyone’s a aliebn when u a aliebn too). The book, aptly titled Gmorning, Gnight! Little Pep Talks for Me & You, came at the request of fans. Check out the article for sample Gmorning, Gnite tweets and the cover reveal.

And don’t forget–we’re giving away $500 of this year’s best YA books (so far)! Click here to enter.

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by Magination Press.

First Look At She-Ra Reboot

Nimona creator Noelle Stevenson is working on a She-Ra reboot for Netflix, and she gave us a first look today! It looks pretty epic. Expect to see DreamWorks’ She-Ra and the Princesses of Power on Netflix November 16. This child of the ’80s is pretty stoked. Also, congrats to Stevenson and The Witch Boy creator Molly Knox Ostertag!

Andy Weir’s Artemis Will Be Adapted

Geneva Robertson-Dworet (Captain Marvel) is adapting Andy Weir’s Artemis for film. The sci-fi crime caper follows smuggler Jasmine Bashara, who finds herself in the middle of a major conspiracy. Phil Lord and Chris Miller will direct.

Literary Tourism–Portugal

Trying to decide on your next travel destination? Check out this literary themed hotel in Portugal. It comes with its own library and a gin bar featuring a cocktail list inspired by literary icons and their works. They even have reading nooks in the dining room!

And don’t forget–we’re giving away $500 of this year’s best YA books (so far)! Click here to enter.

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by Beacon Press.

Obama’s Summer Reading List Of Books From African Authors

In honor of an upcoming trip to Africa, Barack Obama shared a list of books by African authors for summer reading. The list includes Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, A Grain of Wheat by Ngugi wa Thiong’o, Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela, and a short summary for each of the six works. Obama will be in South Africa for the Obama Foundation, which will convene 200 young leaders from across the continent, and to deliver a speech to mark the 100th anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s birth. He’ll also pay a visit to Kenya, the Obama ancestral home.

An Alternative To The Nobel Prize In Literature

A New Academy has risen from the rubble of the Swedish Academy sexual assault allegations that initially canceled the 2018 Nobel prize in literature. A group of the country’s cultural figures came together and asked Swedish librarians to nominate an author from anywhere in the world. The result is a very interesting longlist. Also, shortlist voting is open worldwide, and the New Academy is enforcing a gender quota on this stage–the shortlist will comprise two men and two women.

Black Girls Read Visits The Library Of Congress

This is just nice. Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden welcomed “Black Girls Read” and their families from Louisville, Mississippi to the Library of Congress. She met the young women at the Mississippi Book Festival last summer. Check out her tweet and pic here!

And don’t forget–we’re giving away $500 of this year’s best YA books (so far)! Click here to enter.

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by Libby, the one-tap reading app from OverDrive.

New Obama White House Book Throws Shade

Pete Souza, the former Chief Official White House Photographer for Barack Obama, well known for his Instagram images and commentary on the state of the country and the presidency, will release a new book entitled, Shade: A Tale of Two Presidents. “Some call this ‘throwing shade.’ Souza calls it telling the truth,” the book’s publisher, Little Brown, wrote in its announcement post.

Weetzie Bat On The Big Screen

Anya Taylor-Joy (The Witch) has been cast in the film adaptation of Francesca Lia Block’s Weetzie Bat. The 1989 YA novel follows Weetzie, of Shangri-L.A., who discovers a magic lamp that grants her three wishes. The adaptation will be written by Lock herself.

Pepe The Frog Creator Wins Suit Against Neo-Nazi Site

Matt Furie, the creator of Pepe the Frog, won a copyright action against neo-Nazi website the Daily Stormer for using his comic character on their site. The character was appropriated as a hate symbol by white supremacists. Recently, Furie also had to take legal action against a self-published author who used the character in a children’s book that espoused “racist, Islamophobic and hate-filled themes.”

And don’t forget–we’re giving away $500 of this year’s best YA books (so far)! Click here to enter.

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by Flatiron Books and If You See Me Don’t Say Hi by Neel Patel.

PBS Masterpiece To Adapt Jane Austen’s Sandition

Austen’s unfinished novel about a sleepy fishing village turned fashionable seaside resort and a young, unconventional heroine is getting a television adaptation. PBS Masterpiece and British broadcaster ITV have teamed up to produce the eight-part adaptation of Sandition, with War and Peace and Mr. Selfridge writer Andrew Davies on the team.

Winnie-the-Pooh Map Sets Record At Auction

The original map of Winnie-the-Pooh’s Hundred Acre Wood by the artist EH Shepard just set a world record for a book illustration sold at auction. The map, which was privately owned and unseen for nearly 50 years, is selling at London auction house Sotheby’s for £430,000. Captioned “Drawn by Me and Mr Shepard helpd,” (“Me” being Christopher Robin) the map is littered with spelling errors like “nice for picnicks” and “100 aker wood.”

Inside The Largest Chained Library

BBC took us inside an ancient library. The library at Hereford Cathedral in the UK is the largest surviving chained library in the world–chained as in all the books are locked in by chains. The library was rebuilt exactly as it had been from 1611 to 1841. Take a peek!

And don’t forget–we’re giving away $500 of this year’s best YA books (so far)! Click here to enter.

We are giving away a stack of 11 of our favorite Beach Reads for Summer 2018! Go here to enter for a chance to win, or just click on the image below. Good luck!

Watch The Trailer For OITNB Season 6

Netflix dropped the trailer for the sixth season of Orange is the New Black, the series adapted from Piper Kerman’s memoir, Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Women’s Prison. I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone who hasn’t binge watched the previous seasons, but if you want a play-by-play of the trailer with a little look back at season five, you can check out this BuzzFeed announcement.

The English Patient Wins Best Of Man Booker

Michael Ondaatje’s wartime love story The English Patient won the Golden Man Booker Prize. This “best of” Booker Prize commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Man Booker. The public voted to choose the winner from a shortlist of five previous Man Booker winners selected by a panel of judges.

Stolen Yeats Letters Identified

A researcher discovered a collection of unpublished, stolen letters written by W.B. Yeats. The letters, burgled in the 1970s, had only recently been returned to Princeton University, delivered anonymously. In the recovered collection, the Irish poet corresponded with his publisher and publishing assistant. “I am desperately hard up and owe about £20,” Yeats wrote in a letter. That writer’s life.

And don’t forget–we’re giving away $500 of this year’s best YA books (so far)! Click here to enter.

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by K.J. Howe’s The Freedom Broker.

Arsenic And Old Books

So, it turns out that three rare books from the 16th and 17th centuries contain large concentrations of arsenic on their covers. The poisonous books hail from the University of Southern Denmark’s library collection. Researchers were trying to read recycled Latin texts used to make the books’ covers when a lab came back with the results that the green pigment layer obscuring the texts was arsenic. (Note to self: never lick fingers after touching books again.)

ALA Approves Graphic Novel Roundtable

The American Library Association’s governing council approved a Graphic Novel Roundtable. This means we may get awards, events, guests and more from the ALA around graphic novels. The decision was announced at the ALA annual conference.

Philip Pullman Argues Against Emphasis On Exams

Philip Pullman, author of His Dark Materials, spoke against the emphasis on exam results in education and reading. “The function of a book or a poem or a story is to delight, to enchant, to beguile,” said Pullman. The author was one of dozens of children’s writers to sign a letter calling for Sats (curriculum assessments carried out in primary schools in England) to be scrapped.

And don’t forget–we’re giving away $500 of this year’s best YA books (so far)! Click here to enter.