Latest News from The Bookseller

Children’s titles continue to outperform market The children’s book market is continuing to outperform other sectors, with sales of children’s titles up 4.3% so far this year, against the wider print market that is slowing down.

Bookshops weave some magic to mark Harry Potter’s 20th anniversary Bookshops around the country are unveiling a host of magical events — including Quidditch Pong, Harry Potter Bingo and Horcrux hunts—to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the publication of J K Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Bloomsbury).

Notting Hill Editions founder Kremer dies Tom Kremer, founder of Notting Hill Editions and the Essay Prize, has died aged 87.

Casely-Hayford to chair Carnegie and Greenaway Medals diversity review CILIP has announced that Margaret Casely-Hayford, the chair of charity ActionAid UK, is to lead a review into the diversity of its Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals prompted after a backlash over the 2017 Carnegie Medal longlist.

Controversy as author pulls out of history festival in diversity protest A Twitter storm erupted last week over the lack of people of colour speaking at the Chalke Valley History Festival, with historian Rebecca Rideal pulling out just four days before it is due to begin today (26th June), in protest over the issue. However, the festival director, historian James Holland, has defended the line up, telling The Bookseller he will not be “bullied” into changing the editorial content of the event over a “storm in a teacup”.

Harvill Secker pre-empts North Korea thriller sold in 12 territories Harvill Secker has pre-empted Star of the North by D B John, an international thriller moving between the US and North Korea.

Big Green Bookshop owner faces Piers Morgan on ITV Big Green Bookshop co-owner Simon Key came face to face with presenter Piers Morgan on ITV this morning (26th June) - months after the pair had a heated Twitter feud over the merits of J K Rowling’s Harry Potter series.

Luck joins Bonnier Zaffre as brand director Gina Luck is joining Bonnier Zaffre in the newly-appointed role of brand director, working with authors Lynda La Plante and Wilbur Smith.

BuzzFeed writer pens 100 'Nasty Women' for Hodder Hodder & Stoughton has commissioned BuzzFeed writer Hannah Jewell to author 100 Nasty Women of History, a book profiling women united by the fact they were all "too scandalous, too difficult, and too unladylike for their time".

Samuel West to narrate new Inspector Morse audio series Actor Samuel West is reading the entirety of late Colin Dexter’s Inspector Morse series, as well as the short story collection Morse's Greatest Mystery and Other Stories, for a new audio series from Pan Macmillan.

Ben Myers pens 'startling and powerful' nature exploration Independent non-fiction publisher Elliott & Thompson has signed Under the Rock, a "bold and original" exploration of landscape, nature and literature by Benjamin Myers.

Ainley buys two novels with 'international focus' for Borough Press The Borough Press has acquired two novels with an "international focus": The Nine-Chambered Heart by Indian author Janice Pariat and Stephen Florida by Publishers Weekly fiction reviews editor Gabe Habash.