Our round-up of Midas news from the week:
Waterstones Children’s Laureate 2024-2026 Announcement
We travelled to Leeds to celebrate the joyous occasion of Frank Cottrell-Boyce, the multi award-winning author and screenwriter, being crowned the Waterstones Children’s Laureate 2024 – 2026 at a special ceremony put together by the wonderful team at BookTrust.
2024 marks the 25th anniversary year of this prestigious role – the foremost representative of children’s literature, awarded biannually to a renowned writer or illustrator in recognition of exceptional talent. Cottrell Boyce follows in the footsteps of the likes of Quentin Blake, Malorie Blackman, Michael Rosen, Cressida Cowell, Michael Morpurgo and outgoing Laureate Joseph Coelho.
Cottrell-Boyce launched his Laureateship with a powerful speech declaring his ambitions for children’s books and the life-changing benefits of reading to be ‘taken seriously’.
Waterstones Children’s Laureate 2024-2026 Frank Cottrell Boyce said: “My tenure as Waterstones Children’s Laureate will have happiness at its heart, but it will be about urgency. It will be about addressing invisible privilege and inequality. It will be about the increasing number of children in poverty being left further and further behind. It will be about calling for national provision so that every child – from their earliest years – has access to books, reading and the transformative ways in which they improve long-term life chances. It will be about campaigning for a visible sign that this country values its children – to show them they are important. That they are in fact our only hope.”
#TheBigRead
This month Bookshop.org launched its first-ever summer reading challenge, The Big Read, a celebration of literature that supports independent bookshops. Throughout July, readers are invited to share their favourite summer reads on social media tagging Bookshop.org and using Bookshop.org links. Every recommendation helps indie bookshops thrive!
Nicole Vanderbilt, Managing Director of Bookshop.org UK, emphasises the importance: “Indie bookshops need our support now more than ever. #TheBigRead is an opportunity to stock up for summer reading, share your recommendations, support indie bookshops, and win great prizes.”
By taking part, you’ll be championing a worthy cause, promoting literary culture, and engaging with your community in a meaningful way. Plus, it’s a great way to discover and share fantastic summer reads! Follow the latest developments with the hashtag #TheBigRead.
Inconceivable by Valeria Bauman
We celebrated the publication day for Inconceivable by Valerie Bauman (published by Union Square), an investigative memoir about the underground community of freelance sperm donors and recipients, and the quest to become a single mother by choice.
Marketing and Publicity Conference 2024
The Bookseller’s Marketing and Publicity Conference, , took place on Monday at County Hall, London. We had a great day networking and hearing our very own Georgina Moore, Hannah McMillan, and George Walkley speaking at the conference.
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