- 2025 Jun 25
Vermont Bookstore Is On the Move
The Burlington location of Phoenix Books is moving to a new location on Church Street, the city's main shopping thoroughfare.
- 2025 Apr 10
Athenaeum Literary Award Winners
Philadelphia authors Emma Copley Eisenberg and Elizabeth A. Athens are the winners of this year’s Athenaeum Literary Awards, presented by the Athenaeum of Philadelphia.
Andy Award Finalists
Sheila Johnson, Joe Moore, and Jill Duggar are among the 12 finalists across four categories for this year’s Andy Awards, presented by Gotham Ghosts and the American Society of Journalists and Authors.
Spotlight on Fairytale Bookstore in Ohio
Enchanted Novelties in Cincinnati is decorated with faux fireplaces, whimsical murals, a magical tree portal, and other fantasy-themed decor.
Louisiana’s Newest Bookshop
TBR Books and Tea will open in Baton Rouge on April 12, and will offer a selection of books, gifts, and artisanal tea blends.
- 2025 Apr 09
2025 IBPA Book Award Finalists
The Independent Book Publishers Association has named finalists across 59 categories for this year’s IBPA Book Award, which honors independently published books.
Wisconsin Indies Stand Against Amazon
Independent bookshops, including Bound to Happen Books in Stevens Point and WordHaven in Sheboygan, are promoting a “shop local” message in the face of Amazon boycotts.
- 2025 Apr 08
Taking the Temperature on Tariffs
Despite the cascade of tariffs imposed on many of America's largest trading partners, books and comics appear to have fared well—at least for now.
Happy Anniversary, Charlie Brown!
Abrams ComicArts will publish The Essential Peanuts, a deluxe 75th anniversary coffee table book celebrating the legacy of comic artist Charles M. Schulz, this October.
TFAW.com to Shutter
TFAW.com, the e-commerce portal for comic book chain Things from Another World, will shut down on April 30, ending its online service after 25 years.
Comics Publishing in the Age of Tariffs
The Beat takes a deep dive into what is and isn’t exempt from Trump administration tariffs, and what that means for the biz.
Changes to ‘Good Omens’ Graphic Novel
Following numerous sexual assault allegations against Neil Gaiman, David Tennant and Michael Sheen have pulled their forewords for a graphic novel adaptation of Good Omens, per File 770.
British Comics Pubs Launch New Trade Org
Comic Book UK seeks to “make the U.K. the best place in the world to create, publish, and sell comics and graphic novels,” according to the Beat.
The Wonder Woman of DC Comics
The BBC profiles Jenette Kahn, who, in 1976 at the age of 28, became the first female boss and publisher of DC Comics.
Chris Ware Talks Shop
The graphic novelist spoke with the Financial Times about his new solo exhibition at the Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona.
Paul Pope Finds Hope in Pulp, Again
The cartoonist discussed his newest art book Pulphope2, a reissue of the long out of print Pulphope: The Art of Paul Pope, with the Comics Journal.
OpenAI vs. Studio Ghibli
ChatGPT’s “Ghiblification” craze is probably infuriating anime legend Hayao Miyazaki, let alone furrowing the brows of copyright lawyers. The Observer looks into the trend.
Stan Lee Film Kickstarter Closes
The $300,000 campaign for Stan Lee: The Final Chapter has been canceled after securing independent financing, reports Comics Beat.
Actor Val Kilmer Dies at 65
The film star, best known for his roles as Batman and Jim Morrison, died on April 1 in Los Angeles, per the New York Times.
The Summer of ‘Superman’
Director and writer James Gunn believes the last son of Krypton can save box office deficits this summer, per AP, as Warner Bros. prepares to to roll out a new film starring the Man of Steel.
Garth Greenwell Wins PEN/Faulkner Award
Greenwell’s novel Little Rain (FSG) is the recipient of the $15,000 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction.
Michigan Bookstore to Shutter
After 35 years, Olivet Book and Gift Shop in downtown Alpena will close.
- 2025 Apr 07
From School Library Journal
The Cost of Losing IMLS Funding.
From the New York Times
How the Trump Administration Might Target D.E.I. in Public Schools.
From Book Riot
A History and Future of School Librarianship.
From the Rabbit hOle
USPS Goodnight Moon Stamp to be unveiled at the Rabbit hOle.
Chicago Indie Temporarily Closes
Semicolon Books will close to build its coffee shop, Junction Cafe, with hopes of reopening by Juneteenth.
Massachusetts Bookstore Turns 50
The Bookstore & Get Lit Wine Bar in Lenox is celebrating its 50th year in business this month.
Hmong Bookshop Celebrates 30 Years
The Hmong ABC Store in St. Paul, Minn., is the world’s first and only Hmong bookshop, and has now been open for 30 years.
Minnesota’s Newest Independent Bookshop
Dana’s Bookstore is Isanti’s first independent bookshop, offering books, puzzles, gourmet snacks, and book-themed gifts.
- 2025 Apr 04
Romance Bookstore Reopens After Fire
Following a devastating fire just hours after its grand opening last November, Friends to Lovers in Alexandria, Va., is reopening.
Christopher Award Winners
Twelve authors, including Colum McCann, Thomas Fuller, and Hannah Rose Thomas, have received this year’s Christopher Award, which honors the films, TV programs, and books that “uplift the human spirit.”
Bookstore–Coffee Shop Opens in Minnesota
Inkwell Booksellers Company in Minneapolis opened last month.
Arizona’s Newest Romance Bookshop
Opening this weekend in downtown Gilbert, the Bookish Shop will provide another venue for romance-specific literature.
South Carolina Bookstore to Close
Fiction Addiction in Greenville will shutter after May 17.
- 2025 Apr 03
Pasadena Bookshop Reopens After Fires
Following the Eaton fire in Los Angeles, the Friends of the Pasadena Public Library bookstore has reopened with new discounts and a sale.
Carol Shields Prize Shortlist
Miranda July and Sarah Manguso are among the five shortlisted authors for this year’s Carol Shields Prize for Fiction.
New Black-Owned Bookstore in Mass.
Susie’s Stories in Rockport celebrates literary diversity, with a particular focus on Black and brown authors.
Oregon Bookshop Changes Ownership
Established in 1979, Bloomsbury Books in Ashland now has new owners and will celebrate the occasion with a grand reopening on April 5.
Harvard Square’s Bookish Ball
This year’s ball will be held on April 12 and will celebrate bookstores in Cambridge’s Harvard Square neighborhood.
Amazon Criticizes French Book Fee
France imposed a three euro book delivery fee in October 2023, which Amazon has now attacked as discriminatory in Europe’s top court.
- 2025 Apr 02
National Book Foundation’s 5 Under 35
Stacie Shannon Denetsosie and Megan Howell are among the National Book Foundation’s 5 Under 35 honorees this year.
Women-Owned Bookshop Marks Anniversary
Lake Country Booksellers in White Bear Lake, Minn., turns 45 this year.
Women’s Prize for Fiction Shortlist
Miranda July, Nussaibah Younis, and Elizabeth Strout are among the six shortlisted authors for this year’s Women’s Prize for Fiction, a U.K.-based award that offers £30,000 to its winner.
Boston’s Only Black-Owned Bookshop
Frugal Bookstore, a family- and Black-owned bookshop in the heart of Roxbury, has been named a “Legacy Business” by the city of Boston.
Caroline Criado Perez Wins Unwin Award
The writer, broadcaster, and feminist campaigner won this year’s inaugural Unwin Award, a U.K.-based literary prize that recognizes nonfiction writers in the earlier stages of their careers as authors.
Spotlight on Pennsylvania Bookstore
The Squirrel & Acorn Bookshop in State College provides a space for physical connection, discovery, and shared experiences in an age dominated by digital shopping.
- 2025 Apr 01
From Book Riot
South Carolina postpones vote on banning 10 books statewide.
From the Dallas Morning News
Texas school libraries could have tighter oversight if Republicans get their way.
From the Guardian
Scandal-hit creative writing website NaNoWriMo to close after 20 years.
From the New York Times
The American picture book's unsung parent: Japan.
From Good Morning America
Emily J. Taylor talks about her new YA book, The Otherwhere Post.
From Literary Hub
Ten New Children's Books That Reveal the Wondrous Act of Storytelling.
Multilingual Bookstore Comes to Iowa
Nos Books, a new multilingual bookstore in Des Moines, seeks to highlight international authors, writers of color, and underrepresented communities.
Academy of American Poets Award Winner
Daniel Moysaenko’s Overtakelessness was selected as this year’s winner of the Academy of American Poets’ 2025 First Book Award.
Woman-Owned Bookshop Opens in Texas
Bibliobar, a new independent and woman-owned bookshop in Plano, opened in March, and specializes in fiction and children’s books.
J. Anthony Lukas Prize Winners
Rebecca Nagle, Kathleen DuVal, Susie Cagle, and Dan Xin Huang are the winners of this year's J. Anthony Lukas Prize, presented by the Columbia Journalism School and Harvard's Nieman Foundation for Journalism.
Christian Indie Awards Winners
Twenty-seven winners across 21 book categories were selected for this year’s award, presented at the Blue Lake Christian Writers Conference last month.
- 2025 Mar 31
Disabled Poets Prize Winners
Oli Isaac and Rue Collinge are the winners of the U.K.’s Disabled Poets Prize.
Kwame Spearman Returns to Bookselling
The ex-Tattered Cover CEO has bought a new building in Denver, and plans to open a bookstore at the location by spring 2026.
EBRD Literature Prize Shortlist
Ivana Bodrožić, Artem Chapeye, and Olga Tokarczuk are among the 10 shortlisted authors for this year’s European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Literature Prize.
- 2025 Mar 28
Waterstones Children’s Book Prize Winner
Mikey Please has been named overall winner of this year’s Waterstones Children’s Book Prize for his picture book The Café at the Edge of the Woods, presented by the U.K.-based bookstore.
- 2025 Mar 27
Detroit Bookshop’s New Gen Z Owner
Jelani Stowers has taken the helm at Pages Bookshop, which will celebrate its grand reopening next month.
- 2025 Mar 26
From the Guardian
Waterstones children’s book prizes are announced in the U.K.
From the New York Times
Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit behind Sesame Street, is confronting what executives have described as a "perfect storm" of problems.
From NPR
John Green cherishes life by writing about death.
From the New York Times
L.J. Smith, Author of Vampire Diaries Book Series, Dies at 66.
From Newsweek
“They are so crisp and in such good condition and the icing on the cake: they're all first edition." Thrift store enthusiast scores vintage R.L. Stine's Goosebumps books.
From the New York Times
Vandals of Paddington Statue Were 'Antithesis' of Beloved Bear, Judge Says.
From JSTOR Daily
A University of Virginia professor enlisted students to document the graffiti—profane, hopeful, despairing—left on library carrels by previous generations.
From Book Riot
Chic, Stylish, and Thought-Provoking Picture Books About Fashion.
Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction Shortlist
Neneh Cherry, Rachel Clarke, and Yuan Yang are among the six shortlisted authors for this year’s Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction.
Spotlight on Black, Queer-Owned Bookshop
Get Lit Books & Things in Moreno Valley, Calif., has become a haven for queer people, women, people of color, and bibliophiles alike.
New Political Bookshop in Massachusetts
Implacable Books, which specializes in political theory and Black literature, will open in Worcester this April.
2025 Writing Freedom Fellows Announced
The fellowship, launched by Haymarket Books and the Mellon Foundation last year, seeks to support writers impacted by the carceral system. This year, 20 writers have been selected as fellows, including Ra Avis, Dante Clark, and Elizabeth Hawes.
Literary Arts Grant Program Recipients
Comprising writers, independent publishers, and small presses in the Southern region, 12 recipients make up this year’s Literary Arts Grant cohort, presented by South Arts.
- 2025 Mar 25
Detained Comics Artist Returns Home
Welsh comics artist R.E. Burke returned home to the U.K. on March 17 after being detained last month by ICE agents during her backpacking trip across North America.
Square Enix Teams with PRH
Square Enix Manga & Books has partnered with Penguin Random House on the newly launched Comic Partner initiative, a new retailer support program to “promote adoption of more manga in comic bookstores nationwide.”
IDW and Alien Ink a Distro Deal
IDW Publishing will handle sales, marketing, and distribution for Alien Books, including to the direct market and bookstores.
Oni and Magnetic Partner on Distro
Oni Press will oversee distribution of Magnetic Press via its distribution partners to the direct market, Diamond and Lunar, and the book channel, Simon & Schuster.
Texas Bill Could Ban Anime and Manga
Senate Bill 20 could potentially make it a felony to possess anime and manga that appear to depict minors in an “obscene” manner, reports Comic Book.
NASA Deletes Women Astronauts Comics
NASA has deleted two comic books about women astronauts from its websites in an apparent response to the Trump administration’s purge of “DEI” content from federal agencies, according to Futurism.
Graphic Novels Cut from Pa. High School
Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home, Maia Kobabe’s Gender Queer, and Craig Thompson’s Blankets were all removed from the Radnor High School library, per the National Coalition Against Censorship.
Applications Open for Binc’s Kamil Prize
The Susan Kamil Emerging Writers Prize will award two aspiring writer-booksellers or creator–comic retailers with $12,500 to focus on a full-length manuscript.
San Diego’s Newest Bookshop
Hey Books! is opening in April and will sell used and new books, host readings, and display and sell art on its walls.
Nnedi Okorafor’s Journey to Comics
The BBC profiles the award-winning Nigerian American comics author, who has written characters including Spiderman, the X-Men, and the Avengers.
When the Left Came After Comics
The Comics Journal explores the anti-comics movement of the 1950s.
- 2025 Mar 24
From the New York Times
Library Advocates Rally as Trump Targets Federal Funding.
From the Denver Post
Federal judge orders Colorado district to return banned books to school libraries.
From MPR News
The ACLU of Minnesota, along with the state's teachers' union, is suing a school district over its library book policy.
From CNN
Alabama board defunds local library for failing to protect teens from 'inappropriate' books.
From Locus
Vampire Diaries author L.J. Smith died on March 8, at age 66.
From People
George M. Johnson and Leah Johnson Team Up for YA Rom-Com There's Always Next Year
46-Year-Old Children’s Bookshop For Sale
Blue Marble Books in Fort Thomas, Ky., which has been open since 1979, is currently for sale.
2025 PEN Awards Longlists Announced
Kaveh Akbar, Venita Blackburn, Percival Everett, Miranda July, and Lucy Sante are among this year's nominees across the awards’ 11 categories.
Mutiny Brews at French Bookshops
French booksellers are trying to counter the growing influence of Vincent Bolloré, a conservative Catholic billionaire and owner of Hachette Livre, by limiting purchases from the publisher.
- 2025 Mar 21
Atlanta’s Newest Indie Bookshop
Offbeat Books will offer a curated selection of books across every genre with a special focus on sci-fi, fantasy, and horror, and will open in late summer or early fall.
Rare and Used Bookshop Comes to Arizona
Desierto Books, set to open in Tuscon this month, will sell rare, new, and used books with a unique focus on the Southwest.
- 2025 Mar 20
NAIBA Launches New Spirit Award
NAIBA has created the Joe Drabyak Spirit Award to recognize booksellers who excel at marketing and promotions. The winner gets $500 to attend New Voices, New Rooms.
Children’s Bookstore Seeks New Owner
Blue Marble Books in Fort Thomas, Ky., is one of the oldest children’s bookstores in the U.S., and is currently seeking a new owner to take over the business.
