Please read and share widely.

I just saw a piece in @thebookseller.com about this fundraiser - to protect and share a collection of over one million Black books in the UK, a labour of love by one collector, Baba Pepukayi, but a vital resource for the nation. www.gofundme.com/f/save-1-mil... Please share, and donate if you can.

Donate to Save 1 Million Black Books, organized by Black British Book Festival

Save 1 Million Black Books One of Britain's Largest Collections of Black Books… Black British Book Festival needs your support for Save 1 Million Black Books

gofundme.com

#KidLitUK

Books for Keeps, the children's books review journal@booksforkeeps.bsky.social · 10h ago

Wainwright Prize 2026 shortlists announced! ‘Each of the categories reflects the remarkable breadth of stories & ideas explored through environmental literature. With the natural world in crisis ... we need these books, now more than ever.’ Ambassador, Henry Bird booksforkeeps.co.uk/wainwright-p...

A huge congratulations to Heathfield Infant School for a wonderful performance at the National Theatre in front of ~1000 audience members at #CLiPPA26! Poem: 'Dinosaur' from 'Five Little Friends: A Collection of Finger Rhymes', by Sean Taylor, illustrated by Fiona Woodcock, Walker Books🎉

Wainwright Prize 2026 shortlists announced! ‘Each of the categories reflects the remarkable breadth of stories & ideas explored through environmental literature. With the natural world in crisis ... we need these books, now more than ever.’ Ambassador, Henry Bird booksforkeeps.co.uk/wainwright-p...

#NewIllustrationOfTheDay. Picture of a snake charmer by Olivier Tallec from his picturebook Red Snake, Blue Snake. Blue Snake, in the corner (with hat, and frightened expression), is making his escape. The charmer echoes the drawings of Saul Steinberg. Gecko Press 6 August. @geckopress.bsky.social

“As neither ‘pure’ text or ‘fine’ art, comics is non-binary&fluid in how these combine,contrast, counterpoint,even contradict” Curator Paul Gravett introduces new queer comics exhibit-Quentin Blake Ctr for Illustration Ends 4th Oct! @booksforkeeps.bsky.social booksforkeeps.co.uk/article/quee...

Poetry By Heart is loved by teachers for its many benefits plus the sheer #poetry joy it brings into schools. For 2026 –2027 there's a different funding model and a new set of options to support schools to take part. Find out more & ask us about available grants poetrybyheart.org.uk/about/our-of...

Actually, on the subject of comics in the classroom: One big hurdle I’ve found is teachers lacking confidence in drawing. I cannot recommend Ed Emberley’s how to draw books enough for this. He has a whole range, but Make A World & Faces are the two I’d start with.

#NewIllustrationOfTheDay by Aldy C Aguirre from What Makes a Family: Celebrating the Filipino Day of the Dead. Written by Eric Ruiz Roxas. Handmade scene with observed figures in a graveyard, & a sense of community & light, made from soft, blended watercolour. Lantana 4 Aug. @lantanapub.bsky.social

Our NEW Book of the Week BLOOD OF GODS AND GIRLS by K.L. Kaine @penguinrandomhouse.bsky.social. This fiery feminist fantasy finds opportunities for humour amongst the polemic and action and offers readers lots to enjoy as well as to think about. #KidLitUK booksforkeeps.co.uk/review/blood...

I'll be running a 6-week course at the @irishwriterscentre.bsky.social in Dublin in September on writing science fiction and fantasy. Check out the details on their website if you'd like to join me in my discussions about making stuff up. irishwriterscentre.ie/courses/writ...

“Now, more than ever, it is critical that we continue to review and recommend books that foster a spirit of inclusion and empathy, including those with LGBTQ+ themes and by LGBTQ+ authors – not just for LGBTQ+ children and young people, but for everyone.” CEO @childrensbooksireland.ie #KidLitUK ⬇️

Children's Books Ireland@childrensbooksireland.ie · 2mo ago

🌈The Read with Pride reading guide is back for 2026! 🌈 Featuring 100 LGBTQ+ inclusive stories and 100 ‘read also’ suggestions 📚📚📚 That’s 200 books celebrating LGBTQ+ love, joy, and identity. Find out more and download for free at the link below 🔗 childrensbooksireland.ie/our-recommen...

Your regular reminder that if you visit us at bookshop.org you’ll find fab booklists like Young Carers, New Beginnings & books from the latest Beyond the Secret Garden column @ksandsoconnor.bsky.social & @darrenchetty.bsky.social in @booksforkeeps.bsky.social Visit: uk.bookshop.org/lists/beyond...

Yay! I helped whittle down the adult fiction and kids' non-fiction longlists this year, but will be helping shortlist the children's fiction so can't comment on any of these [gorgeous] titles. Happily have already read & enjoyed a good number of them, picking the "best" is going to be hard #KidLitUK

Books for Keeps, the children's books review journal@booksforkeeps.bsky.social · 6d ago

The longlists for the seventh Diverse Book Awards have been announced, with organisers hoping that these ‘outstanding books’ will be seen as essential reading. Explore the lists in full and cast your vote in the Readers' Choice Award ⬇️#KidLitUK booksforkeeps.co.uk/60808-2/

Congratulations to all on these lists and delighted to see so many #BranfordBoaseAward favourites incl Nathanael Lessore, Maisie Chan, Ella Dove, Becki Jayne Crossley, Manjeet Mann and Asli Jensen 💐

Books for Keeps, the children's books review journal@booksforkeeps.bsky.social · 6d ago

The longlists for the seventh Diverse Book Awards have been announced, with organisers hoping that these ‘outstanding books’ will be seen as essential reading. Explore the lists in full and cast your vote in the Readers' Choice Award ⬇️#KidLitUK booksforkeeps.co.uk/60808-2/

The longlists for the seventh Diverse Book Awards have been announced, with organisers hoping that these ‘outstanding books’ will be seen as essential reading. Explore the lists in full and cast your vote in the Readers' Choice Award ⬇️#KidLitUK booksforkeeps.co.uk/60808-2/

Love the #KidLitUk tag, find so many great recommendations on it

Books for Keeps, the children's books review journal@booksforkeeps.bsky.social · last wk.

Tony Bradman's top tip for writing an exciting book: ‘Write a good story, & don’t put any boring bits in.’ He’s certainly applied that rule to his new series, TALES OF THE COBB STREET COMMANDOS, which is BfK Book of the Week #KidLitUK @faberchildrens.bsky.social booksforkeeps.co.uk/review/tales...

Great piece by @darrenchetty.bsky.social addressing The Queen’s Christmas Present initiative and the selected book Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell 📚📜 booksforkeeps.co.uk/article/on-r...

Great and fair article. I'm still finding multiple copies of the last book all children received from above (the one about the previous queen) that children 'accidentally' didn't take home. Choice is key. Choice would be an easy adjustment to make to this initiative.

Books for Keeps, the children's books review journal@booksforkeeps.bsky.social · last wk.

NEW #BfK article: @darrenchetty.bsky.social discusses the controversy around ‘The Queen’s Christmas Present’, an announcement has not been met with universal approval. #KidLitUK booksforkeeps.co.uk/article/on-r...

I think this is a minor, well intended but poorly thought out misstep for them, and I really hope that it doesn’t afffect people‘s perceptions of them, because they’re genuinely fantastic.

It’s well worth reading this piece about the free copy of Impossible Creatures. I would add one thing to this: I’ve had a few interactions with the National Literacy Trust. They’re genuinely brilliant, and there’s few other places or people out there as passionate about the role of comics.

Books for Keeps, the children's books review journal@booksforkeeps.bsky.social · last wk.

NEW #BfK article: @darrenchetty.bsky.social discusses the controversy around ‘The Queen’s Christmas Present’, an announcement has not been met with universal approval. #KidLitUK booksforkeeps.co.uk/article/on-r...

This is an excellent analysis by Darren

Books for Keeps, the children's books review journal@booksforkeeps.bsky.social · last wk.

NEW #BfK article: @darrenchetty.bsky.social discusses the controversy around ‘The Queen’s Christmas Present’, an announcement has not been met with universal approval. #KidLitUK booksforkeeps.co.uk/article/on-r...

A very interesting and enlightening article:

Books for Keeps, the children's books review journal@booksforkeeps.bsky.social · last wk.

NEW #BfK article: @darrenchetty.bsky.social discusses the controversy around ‘The Queen’s Christmas Present’, an announcement has not been met with universal approval. #KidLitUK booksforkeeps.co.uk/article/on-r...

I didn't fully realise that the giving of the one book in itself is meant to be "an initiative". If that's the case, that's... I don't know. Read this, I'm a bit tired today

Books for Keeps, the children's books review journal@booksforkeeps.bsky.social · last wk.

NEW #BfK article: @darrenchetty.bsky.social discusses the controversy around ‘The Queen’s Christmas Present’, an announcement has not been met with universal approval. #KidLitUK booksforkeeps.co.uk/article/on-r...

Thought provoking piece. I’m not sure it was the right way to go about it. I think they should’ve taken a leaf out of @booktrust.org.uk book (way of doing things).

Books for Keeps, the children's books review journal@booksforkeeps.bsky.social · last wk.

NEW #BfK article: @darrenchetty.bsky.social discusses the controversy around ‘The Queen’s Christmas Present’, an announcement has not been met with universal approval. #KidLitUK booksforkeeps.co.uk/article/on-r...

NEW #BfK article: @darrenchetty.bsky.social discusses the controversy around ‘The Queen’s Christmas Present’, an announcement has not been met with universal approval. #KidLitUK booksforkeeps.co.uk/article/on-r...

1/2 “It may be churlish to look a gift horse in the mouth. It is downright irresponsible to fail to investigate potential Trojan horses.” A highly considered piece from @darrenchetty.bsky.social in @booksforkeeps.bsky.social which brings together- #KidLitUK booksforkeeps.co.uk/article/on-r...

Tony Bradman's top tip for writing an exciting book: ‘Write a good story, & don’t put any boring bits in.’ He’s certainly applied that rule to his new series, TALES OF THE COBB STREET COMMANDOS, which is BfK Book of the Week #KidLitUK @faberchildrens.bsky.social booksforkeeps.co.uk/review/tales...

Just updated my WEBSITE, where you'll find lots of fun stuff, including FREE poems & info about performances, school visits, etc. Have a look around, & feel free to share: www.joshuaseigal.co.uk @michaelrosenyes.bsky.social @openingdoors.bsky.social @marymyatt.bsky.social #BookSky #poetry #teaching

Joshua Seigal | Official Website

Website of award-winning poet, author, performer and educator Joshua Seigal. Contains free poetry, and lots of information.

joshuaseigal.co.uk