When girls don’t read: Reaching reluctant girl readers
Thursday, 5 April 2018
Lorien Kaye asks how the book industry can connect reluctant girl readers with books. Mention kids who don’t like reading and most people immediately think of boys. Discussion of ‘reluctant...
Write on: 2018 fiction preview
Monday, 23 October 2017
New books by Ceridwen Dovey, Kristina Olsson, Melissa Lucashenko, Lloyd Jones and Gerald Murnane, and a number of highly anticipated debuts, are among Australian publishers' local highlights for 2018, reports...
Write on: 2018 nonfiction preview
Monday, 23 October 2017
Andrea Hanke reports on Australian publishers' local nonfiction highlights for 2018. Click here for the fiction highlights and here for the children’s and YA preview. ‘Riffing on the Anh Do...
Summer bestsellers: A look at the post-Christmas charts
Monday, 23 October 2017
When the Christmas frenzy has died down, what sells during the rest of the summer? Brad Jefferies explores the trends behind the post-Christmas bestsellers. (more…)
The millennial market: Publishing for a new generation
Monday, 23 October 2017
They’re a generation more talked about than listened to, but the collective spending power of millennials is set to grow. Sarah Farquharson investigates how publishers are tapping into the millennial...
The reinvention of lit mags
Monday, 23 October 2017
In recent years, Australian literary journals have expanded into public events, unpublished manuscript prizes and even traditional book publishing, and are increasingly being seen as places that nurture vibrant literary...
Soaring twenties: 20 years of Hardie Grant
Monday, 23 October 2017
Hardie Grant Publishing celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Books+Publishing looks back over the publisher’s many highlights. When Hardie Grant Publishing was established in 1997, the company had two clear...
What next for school libraries?
Monday, 23 October 2017
Jackie Tang explores the changing nature of school libraries in Australia. In September 2017, Australian children’s laureate Leigh Hobbs voiced his concern that Australian school libraries and librarians are ‘disappearing’,...
A league of their own: Junior fiction about girls and sport
Monday, 23 October 2017
Following the success of the inaugural AFL women’s league, Meg Whelan explores the recent spate of junior-fiction books about girls and sport. TV and radio presenter and now children’s book...
Reading ahead: 2018 children’s and YA preview
Monday, 23 October 2017
2018 sees the release of a new YA series from Jay Kristoff and a middle-grade series from Amie Kaufman; the re-release of a 10-year-old series from Liane Moriarty; and the...
Sound of the times: The rise of audio
Monday, 17 July 2017
From audiobooks to podcasts, Brad Jefferies investigates the rising popularity of audio formats. The widespread take-up of smartphones has enabled the growth of the audiobook market at the same time...
Stocking up: 2017 Christmas highlights
Monday, 17 July 2017
Andrea Hanke, Brad Jefferies and Sarah Farquharson round up this year’s Christmas releases. Festive fiction Literary fiction fans will be spoiled for choice this Christmas with new novels from many...
In the picture: Exploring the illustrated books market
Monday, 17 July 2017
The illustrated books market is thriving thanks to a growth in aspirational lifestyle titles and a reappreciation of books as beautiful objects, reports Andrea Hanke. In mid-2015, Penguin Random House...
Yule rush in: Children’s Christmas highlights
Monday, 17 July 2017
Andrea Hanke seeks out the highlights from publishers’ Christmas lists. Picture books Australian comedian and composer Tim Minchin’s bittersweet song ‘When I Grow Up’ from the musical Matilda has been...
Rippin’ good yarns: Sally Rippin on her new imprint at Bonnier
Monday, 17 July 2017
Jackie Tang talks to Sally Rippin about setting up the new ‘Sally Rippin Presents’ junior fiction list at Bonnier Publishing Australia and what direction she wants to take it. Sally...
Science in fiction: Hooking younger readers on science
Monday, 17 July 2017
Heather Zubek explores how children’s authors are making science engaging for readers. For many years, stories based on historical events have inspired young readers to explore the past. Now, it’s...
Join the club: Small children’s publishers building book clubs
Tuesday, 9 May 2017
Driven by a lack of access to media and retailers, concerns over literacy and a desire to instil a love of reading, small children’s publishers are investing in new ways...
Hanging in the balance: Gender parity in classroom text lists
Tuesday, 9 May 2017
With the Victorian Year 12 English text list recently reaching gender parity, Bec Kavanagh investigates how text lists are generated in other states and whether a gender-balanced list translates into...
Teen talk: A S King, Randa Abdel-Fattah and Will Kostakis on this year’s Reading Matters conference
Tuesday, 9 May 2017
Authors A S King, Randa Abdel-Fattah and Will Kostakis will be participating in this year’s Reading Matters conference. Jackie Tang finds out what they’ll be discussing at the conference—and what...
International perspectives: John Mutter and James Daunt on the book industry in the US and UK
Tuesday, 9 May 2017
John Mutter, editor-in-chief of US bookselling publication Shelf Awareness, and James Daunt, MD of UK bookstore chain Waterstones and founder of Daunt Books, will deliver keynote addresses at this year’s...
Double Act: Hybrid authors on publishing both ways
Tuesday, 9 May 2017
A new breed of hybrid authors are experimenting with self-publishing alongside traditional publishing. Jackie Tang and Andrea Hanke spoke to John Birmingham, Judy Horacek and Kylie Scott about their self-publishing...
Under the influence: Reaching online influencers
Tuesday, 9 May 2017
As ‘old media’ books coverage shrinks, the influence of voices in ‘new media’ is becoming increasingly important. But how do publishers reach online influencers—and how are traditional influencers growing their...
Diversity matters: Representation in children’s publishing
Tuesday, 14 March 2017
Three years on from the ‘We Need Diverse Books’ campaign, Jordi Kerr examines the state of diversity in children’s publishing and finds that we don’t just need diverse books, we...
Booksellers weigh in on popular fiction bestsellers in 2016
Tuesday, 14 March 2017
For an in-depth look at what’s popular in popular fiction, we asked specialist booksellers Stefen Brazulaitis of Stefen’s Books, Fiona Hardy of Readings and Lucy Abarcia of Ever After for...
Partnering up: Launching La Trobe University Press
Tuesday, 14 March 2017
La Trobe University has partnered with Black Inc. to launch the nonfiction imprint, La Trobe University Press, in the university’s 50th anniversary year. Vicki Stegink spoke to vice-chancellor John Dewar...
Festival fever: Are there too many literary festivals in Australia?
Tuesday, 14 March 2017
With the tally of Australian literary festivals reaching more than 90 in 2017, Jo Case takes a look at the role festivals play in an increasingly crowded literary events landscape....
Alternative worlds: Australian genre publishing
Tuesday, 14 March 2017
Danielle Binks explores the state of genre publishing in Australia. In 2012, the Australian Writer’s Marketplace (AWM)—an arm of the Queensland Writer’s Centre—held its first ever ‘GenreCon’ for writers. In...
Funny business: Children’s books by comedians on the rise
Tuesday, 28 February 2017
With children’s books by comedians on the rise, Jackie Tang asks publishers and booksellers what’s driving the trend—and whether the books are living up to the hype. Take a look...
School ties: Partnerships between bookstores and schools
Thursday, 6 October 2016
Danielle Binks explores different partnerships between bookstores and schools. At the 2016 Leading Edge Books Conference, the Best Business Idea award was presented to Amelia Lush from Better Read Than...
Under the microscope: Science and technology in the classroom
Thursday, 6 October 2016
A growing emphasis on science and technology in the classroom is presenting an opportunity for children’s publishing, writes Brad Jefferies. Late last year, Wiley introduced its ‘Dummies Kids’ line, a...
