2020 already feels like a bumper year for new children’s and young adult books, particularly from local talent.

In March we have a new middle grade novel from Jessica Miller, who has previously been shortlisted for the Readings Children’s Book Prize. It is called The Republic of Birds and I have it on good authority that it is brilliant. Also in March, we have a fantastic debut middle grade nove…

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It’s a new year and we’re excited about all the fantastic children’s books that will be published in 2020. Here are some of the titles that have already piqued our interest. For the most anticipated YA books of 2020, check out our comprehensive roundup here. Picture books Coming Home to Country by Bronwyn Bancroft (February) Counting our Country by Jill Daniels (February) Izzy and Frank b…

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Dear Reader

It must be said: it has been a grim start to the year. I have always imagined 2020 as the year that officially starts ‘the future’ (well, actually, it used to be the year 2000, but somehow that came and went two decades ago). But instead of the flying cars, intergalactic travel, and neural telepathy of my imagination, we are deep in climate emergency. The climate refugees in The Glad…

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The American Library Association (ALA) has announced its top books for children and young adults, including the influential Caldecott, Newbery and Printz awards. The winners include…

Winner of the John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature:

New Kid by Jerry Craft

This timely and honest graphic novel is about starting over at a new school where dive…

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Bluey: Time to Play! Bluey: The Beach Dog Man: Fetch-22 by Dav Pilkey Bluey: Fruit Bat Young Dark Emu by Bruce Pascoe One Of Us Is Next by Karen McManus Little Women by Louisa May Alcott The Beast of Buckingham Palace by David Walliams
One Of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus Welcome to Country (Youth Edition) by Marcia Langton

Our kids and YA bestsellers have been populated by the same books a…

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Dark Emu by Bruce Pascoe Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference by Greta Thunberg A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid Damascus by Christos Tsiolkas The Weekend by Charlotte Wood Normal People by Sally Rooney A Very Stable Genius by Carol D. Leonnig, Philip Rucker

There were lo…

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The longlist for this year’s Swansea University International Dylan Thomas Prize has been announced.

This Prize is run in partnership with Swansea University and is awarded to the best literary work in the English language written by an author aged 39 and under. The winning author will receive £30,000.

The 12 longlisted titles are…

Surge by Jay Bernard Flèche by Mary Jean Chan Exquisite Cadav…

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Here is a round-up previewing some most exciting local releases for the first half of 2020! Please note, this list is incomplete, but we do hope it reflects the wide array of titles on offer for the year. FICTION The Paris Model by Alexandra Joel (January) The Bass Rock by Evie Wyld (February) The Tiniest House of Time by Sreedhevi Iyer (February) Fauna by Donna Mazza (February) Dental Tou…

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Each week we bring you a sample of the books we’re reading, the films we’re watching, the television shows we’re hooked on or the music we’re loving. Bronte Coates is reading Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-Joo (translated by Jamie Chang) (available late February)

I’ve been lucky enough to get my hands on an early copy of this novel from South Korean writer Cho Nam-Joo. The story of an ‘o…

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With the imminent release of The Mirror and the Light, Hilary Mantel’s long-awaited sequel to Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies, our resident Tudor nut and Returns Officer Amanda Rayner has compiled a brief Q&A for newcomers to the series. What is the Wolf Hall trilogy?

The Wolf Hall trilogy is comprised of three books: Wolf Hall (2009), Bring up the Bodies (2012) and The Mirror and the Light…

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