Category: Today In Books

Adina Porter & Clark Backo To Star Opposite LaKeith Stanfield in The Changeling

Adina Porter (Underground) and Clark Backo (Letterkenny) have been cast to star opposite LaKeith Stanfield in Apple TV+’s upcoming drama series based on Victor LaValle’s bestselling novel The Changeling. Lakeith Stanfield is starring as Apollo. Porter will play Lillian, Apollo’s mother. Backo is Emmy, Apollo’s wife. Kelly Marcel (Cruella, Venom) wrote the adaptation and serves as showrunner. Melina Matsoukas (Queen & Slim, Insecure) will direct.

Judy Blume Documentary in the Works at Amazon

Children’s and young adult author Judy Blume will be the subject of a documentary feature from Amazon Prime Video and Imagine Documentaries. The as-of-yet untitled film will cover 50 years of Blume’s life and many of her bestselling books, including, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, Blubber, Superfudge, and more. The documentary will also examine Blume’s impact on pop culture and the controversies surrounding the author’s frank discussions about sex and puberty in her books. Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok will direct and produce the project with Sara Bernstein, Justin Wilke, and Marcella Steingart of Imagine. Bernstein told Variety, “We are excited to bring Judy’s prolific personal story, the inspirations behind her beloved iconic works and her enduring, trailblazing spirit to the Amazon audience and to a new generation of readers.”

HBO Releases First Trailer for The Time Traveler’s Wife

HBO Max has released the first trailer for their upcoming series adaptation of The Time Traveler’s Wife, based on Audrey Niffenegger’s novel of the same name. The series comes from Sherlock and Doctor Who alum Steven Moffat and stars Rose Leslie and Theo James. The six-episode series will premiere on HBO and HBO Max in May.

What Are Obscenity Laws?: This Week’s Censorship News

What are obscenity laws, anyway? That and a look at this week’s book censorship news from around the US (and Canada).

Seoul Street Developing Suzanne Park Novel As A Movie

Seoul Street will be adapting Suzanne Park’s bestselling novel Sunny Song Will Never Be Famous for the big screen. Earlier this year, The Good Doctor star Will Yun Lee and Wonder Street partners Christine Holder and Mark Holder launched Seoul Street. The focus of the film and TV venture is to tell unique diverse and inclusive stories. The company is also currently developing Aloha Motherf**ker with HBO Max showrunner Cris Cole and Lions in the Garden with Kevin Hart’s Hartbeat Productions, among other projects.

Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches Adaptation Finds Its Star

Alexandra Daddario has been announced as the star of AMC’s Mayfair Witches, a series adaptation of Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches series, which begins with The Witching Hour. Variety describes Daddario’s character Rowan as “a brilliant doctor who grapples with her fate as the heir to a family of powerful witches.” AMC has ordered an eight-episode first season of the show. Mayfair Witches has Esta Spalding and Michelle Ashford as writers and executive producers. Spalding is also working as showrunner. AMC’s Dan McDermott says, “We found our Rowan and can’t wait for her to meet viewers later this year in a series.”

Here’s the Official Teaser Trailer for Heartstopper

Netflix released a trailer this week for the upcoming series Heartstopper, based on the graphic novel series by Alice Oseman. “Heartstopper is a show that celebrates individuality, promotes acceptance and above all puts a smile on your face,” See-Saw Films executive producer Patrick Walters said in a statement. “This cast does exactly that, bringing heart, humor and complexity to their roles.” This eight-part series drops on April 22nd.

Exactly Who is Moon Knight?

Disney+ is about to launch another exciting Marvel Cinematic Universe show: Moon Knight. But who exactly is Moon Knight anyway?

Meg Ryan Set to Direct A Lady’s Guide to Selling Out

Meg Ryan is set to direct a feature adaptation of Sally Franson’s novel A Lady’s Guide to Selling Out for Netflix. In the vein of The Devil Wears Prada and Mad Men, A Lady’s Guide to Selling Out follows Casey Pendergast, who is described as a “praise-seeking missile who navigates a tricky Twenty First Century career and the even trickier question of who she wants to be.” Jenny Rachel Weiner will write the script for the project. The film is being produced by Gary Foster and Russ Krasnoff for Krasnoff/Foster Ent and Kim Hodgert for Anonymous Content.

Carnegie Medal Shortlist Announced

The 2022 Carnegie Medal Shortlist has been announced. The eight-book shortlist includes Tsunami Girl, a story told through both prose and manga, by Julian Sedgwick and illustrated by Chie Kutsuwada. This is the first time a manga book has been shortlisted for the prize. The other nominees are October, October by Katya Balen, Guard Your Heart by Sue Divin, When the Sky Falls by Phil Earle, Everyone Dies Famous in a Small Town by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock, The Crossing by Manjeet Mann, Cane Warriors by Alex Wheatle, and Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam. The winners of the Carnegie Medal and the Yoto Kate Greenaway medal for the best children’s illustrator will be announced on June 16th.

Jonathan Majors to Star in Adaptation of Walter Mosley Novel

Jonathan Majors is set to star in the film adaptation of the Walter Mosley novel The Man In My Basement. Majors will also serve as an executive producer, under his Tall Street Productions banner. Nadia Latif is making her directorial debut for this film, which is scheduled to start filming in the fall.

Disney+ Releases Ms. Marvel Trailer

The first trailer for the new Ms. Marvel Disney+ show dropped yesterday. The show stars Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan.

Author Delays Book Release After Being Called Out for Ableism

When a blurb for Cora Reilly’s self-published novel A Touch of Fate came out earlier this month, many people spoke out on social media about the ableist language used in the book’s description. Now, Reilly has put her book on pause but clarified on Instagram that she would be moving forward with the book at a later date, with the help of sensitivity readers.

DC Comics Announces New Poison Ivy Series

Pride Month will see the launch of a new Poison Ivy series that will continue throughout the year. This new six-issue comic, by G. Willow Wilson (Ms. Marvel, Invisible Kingdom) and Marcio Takara, will tell the story of Ivy leaving Gotham City and delivering “a gift to the world that will heal the damage humanity has dealt to it.” DC is also releasing a lot of new content for Pride Month this year, including another one-shot DC Pride 2022 anthology. To read more about all of the upcoming Pride-related DC projects, check out Entertainment Weekly‘s article here.

New Zealanders Carry On Borrowing from Closed, Unstaffed Library

Tūranga, the main public library in Christchurch, New Zealand, was meant to be closed for Waitangi Day, a national holiday. But due to an error with the automated door programming, Tūranga’s doors opened to the public as usual. As a result, the unstaffed and unsecured library was used by the public as usual. People browsed and checked out books for hours before anyone realized the mistake. 380 people came into the building that Sunday morning. “Our self-issue machines automatically started up and 147 books were issued by customers. No book-theft alarms went off, and at this stage nothing has been reported missing, nor have we spotted any damage,” said a library staff member at Christchurch city council.

Lambda Literary Awards Announce Their 2022 Finalists

The Lambda Literary Awards (or “Lammys”) have narrowed the 2022 finalists down to five finalists each in 24 categories. Here are the categories and their finalists.

Reese Witherspoon Partners with SIMI Winery on New Wine Inspired by Book Club

SIMI Winery, a Sonoma County company, announced on Monday the introduction of the Editor’s Collection Rosé. This new rosé was created in collaboration with Reese Witherspoon’s book club. Described in a release as “an elegant, pale pink, medium-bodied blend with light fruit flavors for a dry, Provence-style wine,” the Editor’s Collection Rosé was developed by SIMI’s female-led winemaking team and “the heroines of Reese’s Book Club.” The brands say the new wine “pairs beautifully with good conversation, books and many favorite book club snacks.”

Shawn Levy to Direct Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool 3

Shawn Levy is in negotiations to direct the upcoming Marvel movie Deadpool 3, starring Ryan Reynolds as the titular character. Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, who penned the scripts for the first two films, are currently working on the script for Deadpool 3. The third installment in the Deadpool franchise will be the first Deadpool film following Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox, which released the first two installments. Despite Disney’s reputation for family-friendly content, then-CEO Bob Iger reassured Deadpool fans that the films would remain R-rated. A release date for Deadpool 3 has not yet been announced.

Sci-Fi Author J.M. Clark Opening Bookstore

Science fiction author Jeremy Clark — who goes by the pen name J.M. Clark — is opening The Tome, a bookstore and coffee shop at 2123 Beechmont Avenue in Cincinnati, Ohio. The shop will host its grand opening and ribbon cutting on April 18th.

The Best Books According to Reddit

What are the best books Reddit users recommend? A look at the reading habits of Reddit users plus top reads by genre and subgenre.

Rainbow Rowell Announces New Book

Rainbow Rowell has announced her next book, a collection of short stories titled Scattered Showers. The collection of her complete stories (including ones never before released in print) is set to release on November 8, 2022 and it will contain nine stories, five of which are brand-new and never before published, and three of which are about some of her favorite characters from her previous works. The book will be a stunner, promising stained edges and a ribbon bookmark—and just take a look at that cover!

‘The Baby-Sitters Club’ Canceled By Netflix After 2 Seasons

Sad news for Baby-Sitters Club fans—the Netflix show has not been renewed for a third season. This is a huge bummer as the modern adaptation of the popular Baby-Sitters Club books was a fan favorite and beloved by critics as well—both seasons have received a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. However, despite its reception from fans and critics, Netflix cites the reason for cancellation is that it hasn’t found a wide enough audience for it to continue.

‘The Umbrella Academy’ Gets Season 3 Premiere Date On Netflix

The Umbrella Academy season 3 is coming to Netflix on June 22! The show, which is an adaptation of the The Umbrella Academy comics series by Gerard Way, is about a group of adopted superhero siblings solving the mystery of their father’s death. Season 3 sees the Umbrellas facing new threats after saving the world, and a new family of superheroes. The cast includes Elliot Page, Tom Hopper, Aidan Gallagher, Emmy Raver-Lampman, and Robert Sheehan.

We Need Diverse Books Launches Virtual Community

We Need Diverse Books announced on Wednesday that they are launching Rise Up. The nonprofit advocacy organization working to eliminate systemic racism in book publishing is partnering with Beacon Press and Hachette Book Group to launch the virtual community in late spring. The community is intended to support diverse mid-level publishing professionals in an effort to increase their industry retention rates. As part of the initiative, WNDB will facilitate an online community platform on a private Discord server for mid-level professionals who work in both adult and children’s publishing. This will be an opportunity for them to network and share resources. “Diversifying book publishing is about more than bringing new people into the industry: it’s about providing support for those folks as they pursue their careers,” stated Rise Up coordinator Kandace Coston.

Austin Butler in Talks for Key Villain Role in Dune 2

Austin Butler, star of Baz Luhrman’s upcoming Elvis biopic, is in talks to star as a key villain in the sequel to Denis Villeneuve’s 2021 film Dune. Butler would potentially play Feyd-Rautha, the cunning nephew of the baron, played by Stellan Skarsgard. The project hopes to begin shooting this summer in international locales. Currently, they are in the midst of casting three significant roles, with Florence Pugh also in talks for a role in the sequel film. 

Moon Knight Featurette Discusses Mental Health

Moon Knight, the next MCU series coming to Disney+, has released a featurette that discusses taking the story’s mental health aspect incredibly seriously. Actor Oscar Isaac, who plays a man with Dissociative Identity Disorder, says in the featurette, “[Moon Knight] is a real, legitimate character study. Our job was to put a lens on the things that had the most dramatic juice, and ultimately take the mental health aspect very seriously.” The featurette also includes new clips from the upcoming series, including one of the god Khonshu. Moon Knight premieres on Disney+ on March 30, 2022.

Assistant Principal Fired After Reading Kids A Silly Book

Mississippi educator Toby Price was fired this week for selecting a humorous, age-appropriate book to read to second graders.

Ukranian Children’s Book to be Published as Charity Fundraiser

Ukrainian writer, lawyer, and public activist Larysa Denysenko has written a children’s book Maya and Her Friends, illustrated by Ukrainian artist Masha Foya. The book will be released by Bonnier Books UK in April. All of the publishing company’s profits from the book will be donated to Unicef and their efforts to support the children of Ukraine in the ongoing invasion. Denysenko, a member of the human-rights organisation PEN Ukraine, added an introduction to the book to talk about “how the fate of children has changed” because of the war in Ukraine.

George R.R. Martin Gives Game of Thrones Updates

Earlier this week, author George R.R. Martin gave a significant update on the Game of Thrones prequels, including revealing the titles. Additionally, Martin gave updates about his long-awaited novel The Winds of Winter and discussed his reaction to early cuts of the upcoming Thrones prequel House of the Dragon. On the subject of House of the Dragon, the author says, “What I have seen, I have loved. I am eager to see more.” As for The Winds of Winter? “I made a lot of progress on Winds in 2020, and less in 2021… but ‘less’ is not ‘none.’ … The world of A Song of Ice & Fire, is my number one priority, and will remain so until the story is told. … Let me say once again, yes, I am still working on Winds of Winter.” For more, check out Martin’s latest blog post.

The Princess Bride Gets An Official Cookbook

If you believe that good food and “wove, twu wove” belong together, then you’ll be excited to know that the 1987 film The Princess Bride is getting an official cookbook. The cookbook collects over 50 dishes seen in, and inspired by, the film. Some examples: Hash You Wish, Six-Fingered Sandwiches, Fezzik’s Stew, The Grandson’s Soup and Sandwich, and the Bread Pirate Roberts. The Princess Bride Cookbook: The Official Cookbook is out on December 6, 2022.

Why Didn’t The New York State Education Department Defend Its State Librarian?

Here is this week’s book censorship news, including challenges in Maryland, New Jersey, Florida, and several other states.

Netflix Drops First Official Trailer for Bridgerton Season 2

Netflix has released the first full-length trailer for the sophomore season of the Shonda Rhimes’ hit series Bridgerton, based on the books by Julia Quinn. The new trailer is over three minutes long and gives viewers a good look at what to expect from this second season, which focuses on the relationship between Lord Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) and the newly arrived Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley). This season follows the storyline of Quinn’s novel The Viscount Who Loved Me. Bridgerton makes its return to Netflix on March 25th.

Abbott Elementary Partners with Scholastic to Provide Free Book Fairs to Underfunded Schools

Attached to its sitcom Abbott Elementary, ABC has partnered with Scholastic to become the first entertainment brand to provide underfunded schools with free book fairs. The book fairs will take place at seven Title 1 schools between March 14th and 18th. Each student will be given two free books and each teacher will get 10 books. Of course, Philadelphia’s Harrity Elementary, which Abbott Elementary is based on, is one of the participating schools. Additionally, fairs will be held at Diehl Elementary in Erie, PA; Bond Elementary in Chicago; Dayton’s Bluff Elementary in Minneapolis; Freeman Elementary in Flint, MI; and Cortada Elementary and Florence Griffith Joyner Elementary in Los Angeles.

Cinedigm Nabs Rights to Pennywise: The Story of IT Documentary

Cinedigm has picked up the North American rights to Pennywise: The Story Of IT, a feature documentary that takes an in-depth look into the creation of Stephen King’s iconic character. The documentary film premiered at the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival in Spain in the fall and had its UK premiere at FrightFest in October. The film, which includes interviews with many of the key players behind the character of Pennywise in both the novel It and the adaptations, will be released on TVOD platforms including Apple, Prime Video, Google and VUDU, as well as on horror streaming channel Screambox, this summer. Yolanda Macias, Chief Content Officer at Cinedigm, said in a statement, “Even three decades after its release, It and the child-eating clown Pennywise scares audiences of all ages. We are excited to take horror fans on this terrifying journey back to the not so sleepy town of Derry.”

2022 International Booker Prize Longlist Announced

Honoring the finest works of translated fiction from around the world, the International Booker Prize has announced its longlist for 2022.

Six YA Author Team Announces New Book Collaboration Whiteout

The six YA author team behind Blackout has announced a new collaboration: Whiteout. Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon will be releasing their new novel on November 8th. Whiteout‘s synopsis, per HarperCollins, reads: “Atlanta is blanketed with snow just before Christmas, but the warmth of young love just might melt the ice in this novel of interwoven narratives, Black joy, and cozy, sparkling romance—by the same unbeatable team of authors who wrote the New York Times bestseller Blackout!” The novel is available for pre-order here.

Bridgerton Creator Chris Van Dusen Joins They Both Die at the End Adaptation

Bridgerton creator Chris Van Dusen has signed on to executive produce the series adaptation of They Both Die at the End, the bestselling novel by Adam Silvera. Van Dusen will be also be co-writing the pilot script for the TV adaptation with Silvera. Adam Silvera shared the news on Instagram, writing, “Chris has been a fan of the book for YEARS and we’ve been having so much fun developing this show and growing the world of Death-Cast together.” The series is being developed by the studio Entertainment One.

HBO Max Drops Trailer for New Brené Brown Series

HBO has released a trailer for Atlas of the Heart, a new six-part HBO Max original documentary series from best-selling author Brené Brown. Per the show’s logline, Dr. Brown will take viewers “on an interactive journey through the range of emotions and experiences that define what it means to be human. Grounded in more than two decades of research, Brown brings together a dynamic mix of powerful storytelling, film and television references, and a range of impressive researchers to share the language, tools and framework for meaningful connection.” Atlas of the Heart premieres March 31st on HBO Max.

Cormac McCarthey Has 2 New Novels Coming Out in 2022

It’s been sixteen years since his last novel The Road, but Cormac McCarthey has announced he will be releasing two new novels in 2022.