Industry News

Random House Children’s Books has acquired Figment, an online teen community for readers and writers that features more than 300,000 registered users, announced President and Publisher Barbara Marcus.

Make It @ Your Library, in collaboration with Instructables.com and the American Library Association, has finally launched its searchable website, makeitatyourlibrary.org, for librarians seeking maker space ideas and projects. Make It @ Your Library—an initiative developed through the ILEAD USA program over the past year—aims to help librarians realize maker projects in their own communities at low cost.

New York City helped celebrate the 50th anniversary of Leroy Brown, boy detective, by proclaiming October 26 “Encyclopedia Brown Day” and hosting a reception at the New York Public Library. The character was the creation of the late Donald Sobol, who wrote the first book in 1963. The series went on to become a staple in classrooms and children’s libraries.

The Society of Illustrators gathered last week in New York to showcase the work of 125 artists at “The Original Art,” its annual juried exhibition of original children’s book illustrations. Artists, designers, authors, and publishers alike were in attendance to toast the top award-winners—Jennifer Yerkes, Jon Klassen, and Simona Mulazzani—and to honor the careers of David Macaulay and the late Barbara Cooney.

I have a sister.  Did you know that?  Tis true.  She’s not a librarian and her interest in children’s literature pretty much begins and ends with me, which is probably why she hasn’t come up before.  One thing she is?  Crafty.  Crafty as all get out.  And the kicker is that she’s just started this [...]

London-based writer Katherine Rundell met with librarians and booksellers in New York City this week to chat about her middle grade novel, Rooftoopers. Illustrator Ian Schoenherr and Norwegian author Tone Almhjell celebrated the release of Almhjell's debut fantasy novel, The Twistrose Key.

Through Friday, November 1, the Young Adult Services Association (YALSA) is seeking public comments on the draft report from its National Forum on Libraries and Teens project. The report aims to identify the ways in which libraries can adapt and change to meet the needs of 21st century teens.

Newbery-winning author Rebecca Stead’s Liar & Spy has won this year’s Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, a literary award that annually recognizes one children’s fiction book written for children or young adults that is published in the United Kingdom. Stead is the first American author to earn this distinction, only recently available to US writers since 2012.

World Book Night has selected 35 books for its annual celebration dedicated to spreading the love of reading. In its third year, the program will mobilize tens of thousands of volunteers on April 23 to distribute half a million paperback editions of the chosen titles, nine of which are for children’s and young adult readers.