How can we encourage children to build a reading habit? By giving them choice! Empowering children to pick the books they read increases their motivation to read, especially when they feel their preferences are respected. 📺 Watch our recent webinar about book choice: https://bit.ly/4bmJJjk

We are seeing an increased ICE presence in NYC - making it imperative that NYers KNOW YOUR RIGHTS. I wrote a comic with @mayor.nyc.gov @nycimmigrants.bsky.social @davidhahn.bsky.social @elllewrightart.bsky.social @tayloresposito.bsky.social to do that! DOWNLOAD: www.weteachnyc.org/resources/co...

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...

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/

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...

'We often talk about the power of reading. But as educators we should be equally attuned to the reading of power.... It may be churlish to look a gift horse in the mouth. It is downright irresponsible to fail to investigate potential Trojan horses.' booksforkeeps.co.uk/article/on-r...

booksforkeeps.co.uk/article/on-r... A really thoughtful piece by Darren Chetty bringing together many of the concerns around the Queen’s upcoming Christmas gift to year 6s

“A lovely, well-meaning endeavour that, for me and many others working in children’s literature and education, completely missed the mark.” 💯 Thoughtful comment piece from @clairelinney.bsky.social #KidLitUK www.thebookseller.com/comment/a-pr...

A problematic gift

Queen Camilla’s book initiative is well-intentioned but completely misses the mark

thebookseller.com

I have written a piece on nurturing lifelong readers inspired by the wonderful Aidan Chambers (pages 4-5) booksforkeeps.co.uk/wp-content/u... @booksforkeeps.bsky.social

A new #IBBY Honour List! 🎉 "Selected for the 2026 list are 76 entries in the category of Writing; 58 in the category of Illustration; and 57 in the category of Translation, making it the largest list ever compiled since the creation of the programme seventy years ago." www.ibby.org/awards-activ...

And a lot of the kids who it’s perfect for will already have read it and/or own it… Half a dozen titles like World Book Day would have been far more sensible.

I know from my work in schools and from my own kids how difficult it is for kids to choose books at all, never mind the right book at the right time. Can you imagine the difference if we had a librarian in every school who knows the kids and provides opportunities for them to discover new books?

This is a nice gesture but it won’t be a shared experience for Year 6s who are not at the necessary reading level, who don’t like fantasy, or who can’t see themselves reflected in this book. Why not have a choice and celebrate all readers and multiple quality authors?

National Literacy Trust@literacytrust.org.uk · 3w ago

📚Some good news! 📚 Every Year 6/P6 child across the UK will receive a copy of ‘Impossible Creatures’ by Katherine Rundell this Christmas.

Reviewed Mac Barnett’s MAKE BELIEVE on @booksforkeeps.bsky.social booksforkeeps.co.uk/review/make-...

Banned Books Week UK is back! Join us in celebrating the freedom to read from 4-10 October. Get involved: 📚Read a banned book 📖Visit your local library or bookshop 🎙️Host an event 📱Share on social media Find out more ⬇️ www.indexoncensorship.org/bannedbooksw...

Wow, amazing opportunity to take a writing workshop with @nkjemisin.bsky.social on world building at NYPL, in person (if you're in NYC) and virtually—for free! Register here: events.leapevents.com/event/writey...

CHOICE! Such an important thing & yet it’s gone missing as a concept & a practice in many English classrooms. It doesn’t have to be entirely open. It can be within limits but it can increase range & quantity of reading& writing, builds critical & personal response, judgement & most of all buy-in!

National Literacy Trust@literacytrust.org.uk · 5mo ago

Choice is radical 📢 @sharnajackson.com is closing #PrimCon2026 with a powerful address on the future of reading and literacy #NationalYearOfReading2026

🥳Then we were at the @nationaltheatre.org.uk to see the winner of the @theclpe.bsky.social #CLiPPA Award: ⚡️John Agard for The Poetry World of John Agard (Ill. @shirleyhottier.bsky.social) @otterbarrybooks.bsky.social #KidLitUK #BookSky (📸 @darrenchetty.bsky.social @ksandsoconnor.bsky.social)

My neighbour was asking if I had any books by the new children’s laureate, @lawrencepatrice.bsky.social. I sent her this picture of some of the books from my collection.

We have a selection of John's poems on the Poetry By Heart website, including Checking Out Me History (2004) with videos of some superb finalists performances #poetry poetrybyheart.org.uk/search/john%...

Books for Keeps, the children's books review journal@booksforkeeps.bsky.social · 4w ago

Congratulations to John Agard, just announced winner of the #CLiPPA26 for THE POETRY WORLD OF JOHN AGARD, illustrated by Shirley Hottier published by Otter-Barry Books🎉 Playful, serious poetry and an unprecedented third win👏@theclpe.bsky.social #KidLit booksforkeeps.co.uk/extraordinar...

"I feel hopeful every time I walk into a school and meet the young people. How thoughtful, empathetic, considerate and knowledgeable they are. That's what gives me hope" The wonderful @lawrencepatrice.bsky.social, our new Waterstones #ChildrensLaureate, on what keeps her optimistic.

-she has used her talent to give voice to the minoritised and disenfranchised; to the young people who have been misunderstood, marginalised and who have fallen through the cracks of social care. She truly is a Social Justice Champion (& she writes darn good literature!) CONGRATULATIONS PATRICE!

Prof Karen Sands O’Connor gave a fascinating presentation “Prizing East Asia: British Children’s Publishing By and About East Asians”, then told us so much more in this interview! chinesebooksforyoungreaders.word-press.com/2026/07/09/1... @ksandsoconnor.bsky.social @worldkidlit.bsky.social

197. Interview with Professor Karen Sands O’Connor

On 27 April 2026 Professor Karen Sands O’Connor gave a fascinating presentation to Ocean University 中国海洋大学, Qingdao, China, titled “Prizing East Asia: British Children’s Publishing By and About Eas…

chinesebooksforyoungreaders.wordpress.com

Zadie Smith nailed it here. bsky.app/profile/writ...

Writeups.org@writeups.org · 9mo ago

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🥳 We are delighted to announce that the brand new Waterstones #ChildrensLaureate 2026-2028 is the marvellous @lawrencepatrice.bsky.social We're so excited that Patrice is taking on the role and love that she will be focusing on how stories can help to build communities. #NationalYearOfReading2026

Today's the day! We're announcing our brand new @waterstones.bsky.social #ChildrensLaureate today. Stay tuned 👀

2 days to go until CliPPA 2026! 🎉 As we get even closer to the big event itself, we're continuing our conversations with this year's shortlisted nominees. Today, we have Shirley Hottier talking about how it feels knowing 'The Poetry World of John Agard' is shortlisted for the award.

Congratulations to the winners of the @uklitassociation.bsky.social Book Awards! Judged by teachers & hotly debated, giving classroom practitioners the opportunity to read high quality new children’s books is as important as finding an overall winner 💐#BookSky booksforkeeps.co.uk/winners-of-t...

That’s a wrap on the @histchild.bsky.social conference. Thank you delegates & keynote speakers, & the many academic & professional services colleagues @sheffielduni.bsky.social who helped it happen, especially @drjuliabish.bsky.social Glorious weather, fabulous papers. 🎤⬇️ #histchild26