Author: Sharifah Williams

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by The Philosopher’s Flight by Tom Miller.

Trailer for The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

We got an official trailer for the film adaptation of Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows’ The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. The story follows writer Juliet Ashton who finds the subject of her next book in an alibi-turned-society born during the German occupation. The film, starring Lily James, will be out this April in the UK and Australia–no U.S. release date yet. Check out the trailer.

Dev Patel Will Play David Copperfield In Modern Retelling

Oscar-nominated star of Lion and Slumdog Millionaire Dev Patel will play David Copperfield in a new retelling of Charles Dickens’ The Personal History of David Copperfield. The film will present a modern take on the David Copperfield character, following him as he seeks to find his place within a chaotic world. Veep creator Armando Iannucci is set to direct and write the retelling. No word yet on the release date.

Ibi Zoboi’s Pride and Prejudice Remix

The American Street author’s next book is called Pride, and, yes, it does include a character named Darcy–well, Darius Darcy. Set in Brooklyn, the story follows Zuri Benitez, one of five sisters living in a gentrifying Brooklyn neighborhood. When a wealthy family by the name of Darcy moves in nearby, Zuri decides she wants nothing to do with arrogant Darius Darcy, until she has no choice but to find common ground. Check out the cover and an excerpt of Ibi Zoboi’s Pride.

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This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by Mister Tender’s Girl by Carter Wilson.

V.E. Schwab Announces Shades of Magic Comic

The Shades of Magic author announced a prequel to the trilogy–a comic series. Shades of Magic: The Steel Prince will tell the backstory of Kell’s adoptive father before he became the king of Red London. The story is set in a violent port city where Prince Maxim Maresh encounters an unruly band of soldiers and a pirate queen. The series, featuring art by Andrea Olimpieri, will be out from Titan Comics on October 8.

Trump’s Budget Proposal Makes Big Cuts to Library Funding

The White House is proposing to eliminate the Institute for Museum and Library Services and hundreds of millions of dollars supporting the country’s libraries through the Library Services and Technology Act as part of its 2019 budget proposal. Additional federal programs that support libraries, including Innovative Approaches to Literacy, would also be eliminated under the administration’s budget. Congress has final say on whether these proposed cuts will be enacted.

Tiffany Haddish and Melissa McCarthy May Star In DC Adaptation The Kitchen

The actresses are finalizing deals to star in the adaptation of DC’s comic about three women who take over their husbands’ mob business, set in Hell’s Kitchen during the ’70s. Haddish starred in Girl’s Trip and authored The Last Black Unicorn, and McCarthy starred in Bridesmaids. Andrea Berloff, co-writer of Straight Outta Compton, is writing the screenplay.

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This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by Penguin Teen, publishers of Down and Across by Arvin Ahmadi.

Lee And Twain Dropped From Minnesota Curriculum

Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird and Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn were both dropped from the Duluth school district class curriculum due to the risk of students being marginalized and humiliated by the novels’ use of racial slurs. The books will be available in the school libraries, but will be replaced in ninth and 11th-grade English classes. According to the local newspaper, no specific complaints were filed by students, but the titles’ use created an uncomfortable atmosphere. The NAACP has voiced support for the move, while the National Coalition Against Censorship has criticized the decision.

ALA Announces Youth Media Award Winners

The American Library Association announced the top books, video, and audio books for children and young adults. Winners included Piecing Me Together, written by Renée Watson who received the King Author Award; We Are Okay, written by Nina LaCour, winner of the Printz Award; and Jacqueline Woodson, winner of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award. Click here for the full list of winners.

Jay Asher Expelled From Writer’s Organization

Jay Asher, a writer of best-selling young adult novels, was expelled from the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators over sexual harassment allegations. According to SCBWI executive director Lin Oliver, claims against both Asher and illustrator David Diaz were investigated; both were found in violation of the society’s harassment code and banned. The news came to light in result of a School Library Journal piece about harassment in children’s publishing.

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by Call Me Zebra by Azareen Van der Vliet Oloomi, on sale now.

Plagiarism Software Discovers New Source For Shakespeare’s Plays

Scholar Dennis McCarthy and LaFayette College professor June Schlueter discovered source material for Shakespeare’s plays using WCopyfind. Through the software, they compared Shakespeare’s plays with George North’s 1576 unpublished work, A Brief Discourse of Rebellion, and traced more than 20 passages back to Discourse. These passages included Gloucester’s opening soliloquy in Richard III, Macbeth’s comparison of dog breeds to different classes of men, and the Fool’s Merlin prophecy in King Lear. In their upcoming book, A Brief Discourse of Rebellion and Rebels by George North, McCarthy and Schlueter wrote that Discourse “is one of the most influential Shakespearean source texts in any form.”

Cassandra Clare Will Launch A One-Off Publishing House

The Mortal Instruments author Cassandra Clare announced the launch of her one-off publishing house, Shadow Market Enterprises. Through it, Clare will release a collaborative anthology, Ghosts of the Shadow Market, which will feature short stories from Maureen Johnson (Shades of London series), Robin Wasserman (Girls on Fire), Sarah Rees Brennan (Demon’s Lexicon series), and Kelly Link (Get in Trouble), set within the Shadowhunter canon. Beginning in April, Clare will digitally release the stories on a monthly basis for $2.99 each. A print edition from Simon & Schuster, which will include two additional stories, will be available next year.

Stephen Chbosky’s Second Novel Will Be A Horror Story

The Perks of Being a Wallflower author has announced his second novel, almost 20 years after his debut. Described as literary horror, Imaginary Friend follows a single mother trying to start over in a new town with her son after fleeing an abusive relationship. Her son disappears in the woods, to return days later with a voice only he can hear, and a warning. Chbosky’s second book will be out fall of 2019.

Firefly Canon To Expand With Original Book Series

Titan Books and Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products will publish an original series of books tied in to Joss Whedon’s TV series Firefly. According to Entertainment Weekly, the books will be official titles within the Firefly canon. Whedon will serve as consulting editor. The first three books will be Firefly: Big Damn Hero by Nancy Holder (October 2018), Firefly: The Magnificent Nine by James Lovegrove (March 2019), and Firefly: Generations by Tim Lebbon (October 2019). Learn more about each title here.

Penguin Young Readers Announces Diverse Books Imprint

The new imprint, Kokila, will focus on publishing diverse books for children and young adults. Penguin Young Readers has named Namrata Tripathi, previous associate publisher and editorial director of Dial Books for Young Readers, to head the imprint as publisher. Kokila’s debut list will launch in the summer of 2019, and will release about 15–20 fiction and nonfiction titles annually. Their list will include picture books, middle grade and young adult books, and graphic novels.

1,600 Occult Books Now Digitized And Online

A while back, we mentioned Dan Brown’s sizeable donation to Amsterdam’s Ritman Library, enabling the library to digitize thousands of occult texts. Well, 1,617 of the texts from the digital education project (“Hermetically Open”) are now available online. Have at it (or, maybe, proceed with caution?).

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by Happiness Is a Choice You Make: Lessons from a Year Among the Oldest Old by John Leland, published by Sarah Crichton Books – FSG.

Diversity In UK Children’s Books Will Be Examined

Two Arts Council England-backed studies into representation in children’s literature will examine the dearth of diversity in UK children’s books. The Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE) will, for the first time, chart the extent and quality of ethnic representation among characters in UK children’s books, while BookTrust will evaluate the number of children’s books created by authors and illustrators of color. Look out for the study from CLPE in July, and the one from BookTrust in September. These studies may also become annual events.

Jesmyn Ward Announces 2 New Books

The National Book Award-winning author of Sing, Unburied, Sing announced that she’s working on a novel for adults set in antebellum New Orleans, following an enslaved woman from the Carolinas. Ward is also working on her first novel for middle graders about a magical adventure featuring a black Southern female protagonist with special powers. “I’ve wanted to write a middle grade book for years, a book that might reach the child I once was and expand that child’s sense of self,” said Ward. The publishers have yet to announce titles or release dates.

Bill Gates Has A New Favorite Book Of All Time

The Microsoft co-founder chose Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress by Steven Pinker. The book is described as one that “shows that life, health, prosperity, safety, peace, knowledge, and happiness are on the rise, not just in the West, but worldwide.” Pinker said he and Gates met in 1995 via email, and that they have since bonded over their shared optimism about humanity.

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by Hey Harry, Hey Matilda by Rachel Hulin new in paperback from Anchor Books.

And The Oprah Book Club Pick Is…

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones. Oprah announced her latest book club pick on CBS This Morning. Speaking on why she chose this particular book, Winfrey said, “It’s a love story that also has a huge layer of suspense.” She added that Jones’s novel is current and “now,” that she couldn’t put the book down and has already passed it on to many of her friends. She believes the story will resonate with many. Jones, who expressed excitement about receiving the call, discussed the surprising inspiration behind her book (a couple she overheard while at the mall) during her CBS This Morning interview.

YouTube Star Kian Lawley Fired From The Hate U Give Movie

Twentieth Century Fox fired cast member Kian Lawley from the upcoming film adaption of Angie Thomas’s YA novel The Hate U Give. The studio made the decision in response to a video that resurfaced showing Lawley, a YouTube celebrity, using racial slurs. Lawley was cast as the boyfriend of the film’s star, Amandla Stenberg, in a movie that centers on race and police brutality. Fox plans to recast the role and reshoot scenes as needed.

Scribd Returns To Unlimited Access

Scribd is returning to its original terms, which gave subscribers unlimited access to titles. Scribd abandoned its unlimited access model in 2016, but the company’s co-founder and CEO Trip Adler said current profitability and stability has made the original business model possible once more. That said, the company can detect whether “over-consumption” is occurring, and new controls will limit power readers’ access to the most expensive and popular titles.

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by Wires and Nerve, Volume 2 by Marissa Meyer.

Solo: A Star Wars Story Trailer Released

Good Morning, America aired the first full trailer for Solo: A Star Wars Story. On Sunday during the Super Bowl, Lucasfilm released a teaser, promising and delivering a full trailer today. The movie will follow Han Solo, played by Alden Ehrenreich, as he meets Chewbacca and encounters Lando Calrissian, played by Donald Glover, years before he joins the Rebellion. The movie is out May 25, and you can watch the trailer here.

DC’s New YA And Middle Grade Imprints

DC Entertainment announced two new original graphic novel publishing imprints: DC Ink for YA readers, and DC Zoom for middle grade readers. The stories will be built around characters like Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, with the first titles from DC Ink and DC Zoom to be released this fall. The first DC Ink titles include Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass by Mariko Tamaki (This One Summer) and Steve Pugh, and Mera by Danielle Paige (Dorothy Must Die). The first DC Zoom title will be DC Super Hero Girls: Search for Atlantis by Shea Fontana (Wonder Woman Rebirth) and Yancey Labat.

Jason Reynolds To Serve As National Spokesperson For School Library Month

This April, Jason Reynolds will serve as the national spokesperson for the American Association of School Librarians’ 2018 School Library Month. The event “celebrates school libraries as approachable, equitable, and personalized learning environments necessary for every student’s well-rounded education.” The Ghost author recently spoke at the AASL National Conference in Phoenix.

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by All the Women in My Family Sing: Women Write the World: Essays on Equality, Justice, and Freedom edited by Deborah Santana.

Publishers Call On Man Booker To Drop Americans

A letter, still in draft form, from 30 members of the publishing industry is urging the Booker Foundation to reverse its 2014 decision to include U.S. authors. Prior to the decision, the prize only allowed entry to citizens from Commonwealth countries and the Republic of Ireland. The petitioners argue that the inclusion of the U.S. has allowed the domination of Anglo-American writers, and could result in “a homogenised literary future.” The letter, which was intended to be private while in draft stage, has not been sent to the Booker Foundation, but the Booker responded, saying there’s no evidence that diversity has been affected.

The New York Times Gets A Romance Novel Review Column

New York Times Book Review Preview Editor and columnist Tina Jordan announced The New York Times‘ first romance novel review column. The Times‘ Book Review has been criticized for ignoring the genre as a whole. Late last year, the section inspired anger and disappointment in many romance readers who found a rare romance novel roundup, written for the Times by former Simon & Schuster editor-in-chief Robert Gottlieb, dismissive. Jordan, who covers romance as well as other genre fiction and literary fiction, did not mention the Book Review’s history with romance or the approach it would take with the new column in her original Twitter post, but you can judge it for yourself.

Disney’s Hocus Pocus Gets A Book Sequel

Take this fun news into the weekend with you. We’re getting a sequel to Disney’s Hocus Pocus, but instead of a movie, the story will be published as a book. Hocus Pocus and the All-New Sequel will be out in time for the 25th anniversary of the film, on July 10, 2018. Part one of the book will be a retelling of the original film, and part two will be a sequel that continues the story of familiar and new characters.

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This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit by Michael Finkel, new in paperback from Vintage Books.

Rowling Responds To Criticism About Dumbledore’s Sexuality

J.K. Rowling expressed her displeasure about the criticism she received in response to news that Dumbledore’s sexuality will not be explicitly addressed in the Fantastic Beasts sequel. The film’s director David Yates made that clear in an Entertainment Weekly interview. The piece was updated with Rowling’s tweet and a comment that she’s suggesting angered fans are jumping the gun without knowing what will happen in the story long-term. But fans, including some high profile types, remain skeptical.

Octavia Spencer and Little Miss Flint Mobilize For #BlackPantherChallenge

Mari Copeny, crowned Little Miss Flint, and her cousin, Felicia Copeny, are mobilizing for kids in their city of Flint, Michigan to see the comic adaptation Black Panther. Felicia created the Help Flint Kids See Black Panther GoFundMe page as part of the #BlackPantherChallenge. In the same vein, Octavia Spencer is planning a free Black Panther screening to help brown children see themselves as superheroes.

Rose McGowan Confronted About Trans Rights At Book Event

At a promotional event for her new autobiography, Brave, Rose McGowan got into an argument with someone in the audience. The audience member brought up comments McGowan made on RuPaul’s “What’s the Tee?” podcast in July 2017, and said, “Trans women are dying and you said that we, as trans women, are not like regular women.” According to Variety, the conversation turned into a shouting match, and the guest was escorted out by security. Read the full story here.

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