Category: Today In Books

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New Graphic Novel Imprint Aims At All Ages

HarperAlley will be a new graphic novel imprint from HarperCollins Children’s Books with the goal of publishing thirty titles a year that “readers of all ages can enjoy, from the youngest readers to teens and adults.” For more details read on here.

Reminder Of The Good Libraries Do For Their Community

Not only are these librarians, whose friendship started at the Horn Lake Library, running free camps at the library but they’re also organizing 141 programs “ranging from career building, food giveaways, law enforcement training and more” to help local immigrants. You can read their story here.

First Youth Poet Laureate’s Picture Book Deal

Amanda Gorman, the first person to be named National Youth Poet Laureate, has an upcoming 2021 picture book from Viking Children’s Books: Change Sings: A Children’s Anthem. Looking forward to this and, being that it’s the first in a two-book deal, curious for what she has up her sleeve next.

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by THE VAN APFEL GIRLS ARE GONE by Felicity McLean.

Edgar Allan Poe Cabaret

If you’re in Washington, D.C. and curious as to what a cabaret paying tribute to Edgar Allan Poe would be like you’re in luck! Tomorrow, Saturday the 13th, Crown & Crow is hosting the event Quoth the Raven: A Cabaret Tribute to Edgar Allan Poe. Click here for tickets and more info.

Paper Girls Adaptation Coming To Amazon

The sci-fi graphic novel by Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang will be a series on Amazon. The adaptation series, about a group of paper girls trapped between fighting time travelers, will be penned by Stephany Folsom (Toy Story 4) who will also produce along with Plan B, and Vaughan. Excited to see how this adapts, especially since one of my favorite parts of the comic is the coloring.

Library Buys FitDesk Exercise Bikes

Wright State University library purchased FitDesk exercise bikes in one of the study areas allowing students to get some blood pumping into their hearts while working out their brains. Being that the bikes were placed in front of windows with the view of the campus and away from students that need quiet, this sounds like a well thought-out plan more libraries should look into.

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by Famous People: A debut novel by Justin Kuritzkes and Henry Holt & Co.

Gone With The Wind Mansion For Sale

The Georgia mansion that was used in the Gone With The Wind film as Ashley Wilkes’s Twelve Oaks family home is for sale. Bidding on the 12 bedrooms/11.5 bath home starts at $1 million if you’ve got bags of money and are looking for a restored Georgia mansion.

Canada’s 2019 Bestseller Lists

I love looking at book sales data, especially when we get to compare regions, countries, etc. We got to see the best selling print books in the U.S. so far the other day and now we get Canada’s. While Michelle Obama’s Becoming was our #2 seller it’s Canada’s #1. Check out the rest of the backlist dominating best selling print books.

Chef Loses Star And Demands Removal From Michelin Guide

Marc Veyrat, acclaimed chef of La Maison des Bois, is railing against the loss of a star and demanding to be removed from the Michelin Guide. The publishers are refusing. For the full “he said, they said” story (Veyrat doubts they even visited his restaurant), and the beautiful “They said we used cheddar!” quote, read on here.

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by Nan A. Talese/Doubleday.

In-Flight Lending Libraries Added To 300 Flights

Granted bibliophiles come prepared after hours, days, and even weeks of selecting which–and how many–reads to take on a flight, but our booknerd hearts still love the idea of in-flight libraries for kids. EasyJet will have over 60,000 books available across 300 flights tucked into the seat pockets.

Memoir Gets Fashion Collaboration

Elaine Welteroth, who made Teen Vogue what we know today and current Project Runway judge, has teamed up with two fashion brands for her memoir: More Than Enough: Claiming Space for Who You Are. There’s a Lingua Franca cashmere sweater with “More Than Enough” embroidered on it and a ByChari necklace that says “More Than Enough.” Brilliant and I want both!

Nonfic To Get Multi-Part Docuseries Adaptation

The Heritage: Black Athletes, a Divided America, and the Politics of Patriotism by Howard Bryant will be adapted into a multi-part docuseries by Maverick TV, with Sacha Jenkins producing and directing one episode. For more on the book and the production read on here.

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by Aftershocks by Marko Kloos and Amazon Publishing.

The Top Selling Print Book Of 2019 So Far

Based on figures from outlets that report to NPD BookScan the #1 selling print book of 2019 so far is–wait for it… Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. And if you had guessed Michelle Obama’s Becoming, you were close–she has the #2 selling print book for the first half of the year. Read on here for some more titles and sales numbers.

#BookstoresAgainstBorders Raised $48,000+ For RAICES

So far it looks like the efforts started by A Room of One’s Own bookshop owner to raise money for Refugee Center for Education and Legal Services has raised more than $48,000! It’ll probably be a bit before final tallies are in since some bookstores have pledged to extend #BookstoresAgainstBorders fundraising through July. Booknerds uniting for good is a beautiful thing.

Bidding War Over Naomi Novik’s Uprooted

And the winner of the heated bidding war to adapt Naomi Novik’s Uprooted is Warner Bros., with Ellen DeGeneres’ A Very Good Production producing. So if you have yet to read this Polish fairy tale-ish fantasy and you like to read before the adaptation, now may be a good time to curl up with it.

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by New Harbinger Publications.

10 Of The Best-Selling Books Ever!

Excluding religious texts, Mental Floss took a look at what qualifies as a single book–sorry, IKEA catalog you’re out–and rounded up 10 of the best-selling books in history. Place your bets now on what may have made it and how many copies it sold before checking out the list here.

Disney’s Mulan Trailer!

The upcoming live-action Mulan has a trailer! Directed by Niki Caro and starring Yifei Liu, Donnie Yen, Jason Scott Lee, Yoson An, Gong Li, and Jet Li the film will hit theaters March 27, 2020. Look at this gorgeous promo!

Gone Girl Author Slams Defense In Real Case

(If you’ve made it this far without knowing anything about Gone Girl and still plan to read it, uh, don’t read further.) Gillian Flynn, author of the psychopath Amy Dunne, is not here for people trying to use her novel’s twist in real life missing person’s cases as Fotis Dulos is trying to do through his defense lawyer.

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Where’s Waldo LARP

For the entire month of July, bookstores and libraries across the country are hosting an IRL Waldo scavenger hunt.

Be Suspicious Of Valuable Comics On The Market

The Friends of Seattle Public Library nonprofit was gearing up for a mid-month comic book sale, where donated first editions (many mint) of Marvel, DC, and indie comics were to be on offer. Those books have been lost in a break-in.

Tune In To A Bedtime Story

Every evening, sisters Zaria (thirteen years old) and Hailey (eight years old) read a library book live on Instagram and Facebook. Zaria told her local paper, “We were already reading each night, but we thought it would be beneficial for children who may not have the same luxury.”

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Books-A-Million’s Penny-A-Page Sale Is Back

The bookstore chain Books-A-Million will have their Penny-A-Page sale on July 13th for Millionaire’s Club Members. And it’s exactly as the name suggests: members can select one book and pay a penny for every page.

Rami Malek’s James Bond Villain Deal Breaker

Before signing on to play the villain in the upcoming James Bond film, Rami Malek needed to be assured his character would not “identify him with any act of terrorism reflecting an ideology or religion.” You can read more here, including all the setbacks the untitled film has had so far.

Books On Wheels Is Always Exciting

Not only are we always here for Books On Wheels news but toss in a big yellow school bus being converted into one thanks to an Eagle Scout and our bookish hearts are especially happy. You can check out the story and pics here.

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by the New York Times bestselling author, Chantal Fernando’s SAINT. Available now in eBook, print and audio.

MAD Magazine To Stop Publishing New Issues

Sad day for fans of the iconic MAD magazine as it’s announced that, coming this fall, it’ll stop publishing new issues. The upcoming issue 11 will have republished content and will no longer be available at newsstands–only shipped to subscribers and available at comic book shops. More info here.

Part Of Our World

Ariel has been cast in the upcoming Disney live-action The Little Mermaid! Halle Bailey–singer-actress in Chloe X Halle/Grown-ish–will give up her beautiful voice for a human man. You can check out more deets on the production here.

Conversion Therapy Books Removed From Amazon

English-language books promoting conversion therapy by Dr. Joseph Nicolosi have been removed from Amazon after activists petition and growing pressure. “His work lent credibility under the guise of ‘science’ to conversion therapy, even though the practice has been disputed and discredited as dangerous and harmful by medical experts.”

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by Carina Press, publisher of Saint by Chantal Fernando.

Library Of Congress Made D&D More Accessible

The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped at the Library of Congress has made Dungeons and Dragons more accessible by having a Player’s Handbook in a “fully navigable audio form.” There will also be an upcoming Dungeon Master’s Guide and Monster Manual. For more details read on here.

Harry Potter TV Series Being Developed

This was really only just a matter of time! Seems like Warner Bros. is in the early stages of creating a series for their upcoming streaming service that will take us to Hogwarts and around Europe, and will be set as a prequel to the Harry Potter series. More on the bits known here.

BOOM! And LB Are Giving Us Novels Of Two Fave Comics

Boom! Studios and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers are making the best team by bringing us a middle grade novel series and a YA novel series of comics Goldie Vance and Fence. Lilliam Rivera wrote Goldie Vance: The Hotel Whodunit and you can check out the cover here, and is it March 17, 2020 yet?!