Love that every Y6/P6 child will be given a free book (new NLT/royal National Year of Reading initiative - not commenting on the royal piece) but I think they missed a trick by not having a range of books kids can choose from. Or if they had to give one book, I think it should have been a comic.

Thrilled to be an official Author Ambassador for The Reading Agency’s Teachers’ Reading Challenge, a lovely project to help teachers, TAs and librarians discover and share brilliant books. Sign up now at teachersreadingchallenge.org.uk

Hari Kumar Ultimate Superstar by Mamta Singh and me has been shortlisted for the Tower Hamlets Book Award! In INCREDIBLE company! Look at these books!! 🎉

This means the world coming from @domconlon.bsky.social!

Dom Conlon@domconlon.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Thank you @rashmiwriting.bsky.social - this is an absolute JOY to read and savour

Random mini rant. STOP SAYING YOU WANT KIDS TO LOVE BOOKS AND THEN GATEKEEPING WHAT THEY READ! OR CALLING COMICS A “GATEWAY” INTO READING THE GOOD STUFF. Reading is reading. And a love of books (of all kinds) is an amazing and empowering thing. Besides, there’s some MASTERFUL storytelling out there.

Seeing a lot of chat about the term “reading for pleasure” (with lots of critics) and I’m on a deadline and can’t get into it but it does make me wonder why we didn’t have all these discussions BEFORE the start of the National Year of Reading.

Let's kill "comics are a gateway to reading" dead please?

SJ Wills’s Bite Risk! Namina Forna’s The Gilded Ones!! Rebel Skies by Ann Sei Lin. Inkbound by Philippa Leathley. Sue Lynn Tan’s epic fantasy romances. Danielle Jawando’s YA books. So many. #kidlituk #kidsbooksfriday

Marianne Doherty@mariannedoherty.bsky.social · 5mo ago

I’ve been rediscovering my love of TV and film whilst I’ve been off work and I’m excited to see a TV adaptation of the Crookhaven books is on its way. For this week’s #KidsBooksFriday, what books would you love to see in a TV or film adaptation? #UKKidLit #KidLitUK #KidLit

Happy World Book Day! Celebrating with a fun little doodle from Anaya (age 10). The message: read whatever you love in whatever format you want! 📖 🎧 ✨ 🎉 It’s ALL reading. #kidlit #worldbookday

Yes! Every week! So proud to have been a part of this.

Neill Cameron@neillcameron.bsky.social · 5mo ago

So much great stuff in the Funday Times! @jamiesmart.bsky.social! @louiestowell.bsky.social! @rashmiwriting.bsky.social! @jessbradley.bsky.social! @monstrouscomics.bsky.social! AND MANY MORE. They should do this every week, right? Ok good we are all agreed, they should do this every week.

We’re really excited about our latest AI model that can parent your children, make love to your wife and experience all of human joy for you, while you just stare at your phone or something. Isn’t that better than living your life?

I’ve been hoping Maisie Chan would do an Author’s Live for ages. So excited for this! Open to all schools in the UK. Get your classes registered folks. It’s going to be another brilliant one. #KidLitUK #UKKidLit #EduSky

Maisie Chan 🐼 CHI CHI THE PANDA out now! 🎋@maisiechanwrites.bsky.social · 5mo ago

I'm on AUTHORS LIVE on Wednesday! Schools you can book in and ask me questions via e-mail! www.scottishbooktrust.com/learning-and...

Children’s book people - any suggestions for stories with great friendships (with Stargazing vibes)? #kidlit #childrensbooks

Mae Walters@medieval-coconut.bsky.social · 5mo ago

Stargazing is one of our favorites. My 7yo son reads it on repeat. Is there another friendship story that has a similar vibe?

Another lovely feature for #poemsontheunderground 40th anniversary If there’s a poem you loved, you can buy the poster from @poetrysociety.org.uk here: poetrysociety.org.uk/projects/poe... www.nytimes.com/2026/02/20/b... #poetrysky #ukpoets

How a New Yorker Put Poetry on the London Underground

nytimes.com

So much chat about business rates for pubs. So little chat about business rates for independent bookshops who do so much for their local communities.

The Bookseller@thebookseller.com · 6mo ago

Independent bookshops in England are facing business rates increases of up to 100% under the government’s new reforms, research commissioned by the Booksellers Association has found 👇 #BookSky

If any tech people do happen to have the ears of billionaires, I am here with my wallet open saying I would pay EXTRA for devices and software that don't have AI in them. Please take my money.

Jumping on this trend with a little twist: 🌟 the author and illustrator ✍️ 🎨 🌟 front cover 👀 📖 🌟 first page 🦖 Never Show a T-Rex a Book by Diane Ewen and me - it’s all about falling in love with ALL KINDS of books, following your interests and going all in. VERY National Year of Reading. 👀

My #GoodNewsFriday is we finally have a website for the charity! libraries-kids. It’s in the title #KidsNeedLibraries raising money to provide book grants 📚 so schools can spend on what their kids would love to have. Thx to Thinktech systems for the site!

My picture book with Diane Ewen, Never Show a T-Rex a Book, is a joyous love letter to libraries, reading and ambition and is often used in whole school assemblies. More recs below! #Kidsbooksfriday #kidlituk

Marianne Doherty@mariannedoherty.bsky.social · 6mo ago

With World Book Day just round the corner I’ve seen quite a few teachers asking about good books to share in assembly. For this week’s #KidsBooksFriday, what books do you think work well across age groups and/or with a mixed group of kids? #KidLitUK #UKKidLit #KidLit

Hey Fellow Youth #Library folk Pen & Inc is a great read! Be sure to take look! 📚📜

CILIP@cilip.bsky.social · 6mo ago

Calling booksellers & children’s/YA librarians! 📚 Pen&inc. the free EDI-focused Children’s & YA magazine from CILIP, is now fully digital, open access & completely FREE! Sign up to get all editorial + listings straight to your inbox: https://ow.ly/a3P150Yi6bC

Continuing my list of children’s reading recommendations for the National Year of Reading. This time, we’re zooming in on comics. Just a few faves here and most are series. Titles and creators in the ALT text. #kidlit #kidscomics

📣Little Rebels Award Folk! An Announcement: Award organisers @letterboxlibrary.bsky.social & @housmansbookshop.bsky.social are pausing the Little Rebels Award for Radical Fiction this year. Full announcement below. #KidLitUK

Turns out kids are ALREADY asking for Hari Book 2. Last week, one heard me mention it and the news rippled down the signing queue! So here it is: HARI KUMAR, ULTIMATE SUPERSTAR - GOING FOR GOLD. Out 13th August. Art by Mamta Singh, design by Elorine Grant and Kate Clarke. 🎉🌟

I would like to express something in no uncertain terms about the publishing industry re availability and I would really like this carved in stone. Carers and chronically ill writers are structurally disadvantaged in prestige economies. This is brutal and rarely said out loud. I need more support

An excellent series for anyone interested in how we get children reading for pleasure. I have lots to catch up on but I had to give it a boost! #kidlituk #ukkidlit

Mostly Book Talk@mostlybooktalk.bsky.social · 7mo ago

Why aren’t children reading for pleasure and what can we do about it? We look at the data, explore key barriers, and hear from authors, teachers & literacy experts working to change the story. 🎧 Listen now: https://loom.ly/7Zut6PU #ReadingCrisis #ReadingForPleasure #teachers

Super thrilled to speak at the @ylglondon.bsky.social Unconference for the National Year of Reading! Like so many writers, the local library was my happy place, a refuge from life’s travails & a second home. Here I am in the wonderful school library at Queensbridge School in Brum!

I met young readers today in the signing queue who actually know and love my books. And readers who were excited to talk about their ADHD brains and writing. What is this life? Seriously. Blown away that I get to call this my job.

As a long-term supporter of EmpathyLab’s work to raise an empathy-educated generation through books and reading, I’m super proud to be an official EmpathyLab ambassador. Here’s to giving time and energy to things that make a difference. #kidlituk #ukkidlit @empathylabuk.bsky.social

If any of you is looking for someone to write about / explain science to children, including fact-checking, I am looking for work. You can see why I’d be a good hire here at alomshaha.com

Alom Shaha

Science teacher, writer, film-maker

alomshaha.com

💡Did you know? Order #Bookspark for your school and you'll get 40 books plus resources to support impactful shared reading sessions. But that's not all - you'll also get access to an exclusive live event with super author Jennifer Killick! Find out more about Bookspark 👇 https://bit.ly/3ZwNE6V