Due to the Anzac Day public holiday, the Books+Publishing newsletter will not be published on Thursday, 25 April.

Bologna Children’s Book Fair, held 8–11 April, was ‘the most upbeat fair for some time’, reported Scholastic senior rights manager Claire Pretyman. ‘The mood was... Read more

Thames & Hudson (T&H) is celebrating its 75-year anniversary this year with a series of trade promotions and events. Walter and Eva Neurath founded T&H... Read more

Transit Lounge has acquired world rights to Xenograft, a debut novel by Western Sydney author Ann Dombroski. In the novel, 40-year-old Alice Kaczmarek wants a baby,... Read more

Upswell Publishing has acquired world rights for White Hibiscus: A portrait in words, the debut work of visual artist Loribelle Spirovski. Publisher Terri-ann White described... Read more

In the US, PEN America has cancelled its 2024 Literary Awards ceremony, which was to be held on 29 April, reports Publishers Weekly. It comes... Read more

In this week’s news are two new ventures: new independent publishing house Vitagraph Publishing has launched Written Off, a new literary journal dedicated to Australian literature; and student-run Elephant Page Publishing has launched at Curtin University.

Meanwhile, in awards news, the Age has announced the shortlists for its 2024 Book of the Year awards; Text Publishing and the New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi O Aotearoa (PEN NZ Inc) have announced the longlist for the 2024 Michael Gifkins Prize for an unpublished novel; Meanjin has announced Ella Ferris as the inaugural recipient of the Meanjin InPlace residency; and in the UK, the Crime Writers’ Association has announced the longlists for its Dagger Awards, with local writers Chris Hammer and Kate Morton longlisted for the Gold Dagger.

Elsewhere in international news, the Bookseller reported that HarperCollins UK announced a partnership with US-based audio AI company ElevenLabs to create audiobooks for its non-English language business, as well as that data released by Spotify shows that 25% of the platform’s Premium users are ‘engaging’ with its audiobooks offering; and the 2024 shortlists for the Jhalak Prize and Jhalak Children’s & Young Adult Prize have been announced.

Ashleigh Barton is a children’s author and copywriter from Sydney who draws on her rich experience in publishing and marketing, including work on Jessica Townsend’s... Read more

I recently read and loved One Song by A J Betts. It reminded me how much I love YA. I also loved that it was... Read more

Sales Fiction Bold Type Agency has sold the Swedish rights to The Italian Marriage (Jenna Lo Bianco, Macmillan), on behalf of Jacinta di Mase Management;... Read more

Top 10 bestsellers The Scarlet Shedder (Dog Man 12) (Dav Pilkey, Scholastic) Wild Love (Elsie Silver, Piatkus) A Calamity of Souls (David Baldacci, Macmillan) Shock... Read more

Blossom goes beyond merely showcasing the beauty of flowers, offering wonderful and practical ideas for using flowers through the seasons. In her latest book, botanical... Read more

Like the river at its heart, Everything Is Water takes readers on a meandering journey full of unexpected delights, surprises and challenges at every turn. Novelist... Read more

The Skeleton House is a powerful and riveting literary debut, delving into themes of motherhood, coercive control, and life within a remote and rigid society.... Read more

Birdie’s world is torn asunder when Ned, her husband and the father of their five daughters, dies unceremoniously of stomach cancer. In a reversal of... Read more

Brock the Croc is a humorous early chapter book for kids aged 7+ who have recently become comfortable with independent reading. Brock is the only... Read more

In Father of the Lost Boys, former child refugee Yuot A Alaak immortalises the hero who rescued 20,000 boys from the brink of death—his father, Mecak... Read more

Hide & Seek Beautiful by Nicki Esler Gill explores a tender and heart-warming story of friendship and the little things in life. Best friends since... Read more

Freddie Spector, Fact Collector: Space Cadet is the first instalment in this funny, fact-filled junior fiction series, ideal for ages 7 to 10. Freddie is a... Read more

The latest YA novel from Palyku author Ambelin Kwaymullina is a high-action, thematically rich fantasy with a gutsy, intuitive protagonist who must become a good... Read more

Folklorist, social historian and author June Factor has died, aged 87. Factor was the compiler of a list of 1980s children’s schoolyard rhyming books published... Read more

Books+Publishing is partnering with US trade news magazine Publishers Weekly to provide our subscribers with exclusive access to the weekly digital edition of PW magazine.... Read more

Unlock Books+Publishing, Australia’s number-one source of news about the book industry, keeping subscribers up to date with the latest book industry news, events, features, interviews, opinion, personnel changes, job advertisements and classifieds.

Books+Publishing is also the only source of pre-publication reviews of Australian and New Zealand books, publishing an average of 30 pre-publication reviews per month.

Subscribe or renew your subscription here.

2024 marks the 20th anniversary of the highly acclaimed, bestselling picture book, Where Is the Green Sheep? by Mem Fox and Judy Horacek. To celebrate... Read more