The China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair (CCBF) has been moved to July 22-24, due to Shanghai’s COVID regulations. The fair had been planned for March 20-22, overlapping with the Bologna Children’s Book Fair. In 2023, the CCBF is planning to return to its schedule of hosting the fair in the fall.
International News
Bonnier Books Reports Record Year
Like some other trade publishers, Bonnier Books reported “a record year” for 2021. Sales rose over 13 percent to SEK 6.919 billion ($806 million), “mainly attributable to the publishing business,” which “achieved its most profitable year ever.” Total EBITA for Bonnier Books division was SEK 573 (392) million ($67 million), up 46 percent, “despite significant continued investments in BookBeat and losses from book stores.” They saw a “strong rise in sales of physical books, a trend driven by the children’s literature segment,” particularly in Germany, where the division “achieved its highest ever sales and profits for the second year in […]
Amazon to Close India’s Westland Books
Amazon will shut down Indian publisher Westland Books, which it acquired in 2016 and made part of Amazon Publishing. They said in a statement, “After a thorough review, we have made the difficult decision to no longer operate Westland. We are working closely with the employees, authors, agents, and distribution partners on this transition and we remain committed to innovating for customers.” According to Scroll.in, Amazon has told employees that they will try to find jobs for them within the company. Employees were reportedly surprised, both at the abruptness of the announcement and the decision to close the company rather […]
Ambo Anthos Suspends Printing of The Betrayal of Anne Frank
Dutch publisher Ambo Anthos has suspended printing of The Betrayal of Anne Frank after questions emerged about its research, Reuters reports. Published on January 18, the book named a Jewish man, Arnold van den Bergh, a relatively obscure figure, as the top suspect who informed the Nazis of Anne Frank and her family’s hiding place, leading to their capture in 1944. The research team behind the book was led by former FBI agent Vince Pankoke, who enlisted a group of said to include a psychologist, a criminologist, researchers and data specialists. But some outside researchers called the conclusions of the […]
UK Tries TV Show Search for Cookbook Author
Starting January 31, the UK’s Channel 4 will air a seven-episode TV series called The Great Cook Book Challenge with Jamie Oliver. Following a series of cooking challenges among 18 chefs, one winner will get a cookbook publishing deal with Penguin Michael Joseph. The publisher’s managing director Louisa Moore is head judge on the show. She says: “I hope and believe that this show offers an opportunity to showcase one area of publishing to a wider audience in a positive and genuine way, that it can start to help demystify the publishing process, because it is essential and necessary now […]
Harper, Hachette and Bonnier UK to Return to Office
England is ready for people to go back to the workplace. Employees at Harper UK, Hachette UK and Bonnier Books UK will be expected to return to the office, the Bookseller confirms, as the UK has lifted work-from-home guidance put in place during the Omicron surge. Harper and Bonnier employees will be expected to work in the office two or more days per week starting January 24. Hachette will require employees to be in the office three days a week beginning January 31. Working in the office remains voluntary for UK staff at Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, and […]