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The Ant-icipation Is Over: 'Juan Hormiga' Is Here!

Elsewhere Editions

Review

Are You There God? It's Me, Juanita

The Ant-icipation Is Over: 'Juan Hormiga' Is Here!

April 18, 2021 • Gustavo Roldán's tale of an adventurous (if nap-prone) ant — newly translated into English — has everything you could want: silliness, adventure, daring, a cliffhanger, and a fun, satisfying ending.

The Whiting Foundation

2021 Whiting Awards Honor 10 Soon-To-Be-Big Writers

April 14, 2021 • The winners of this year's Whiting Awards have been announced; the $50,000 prize honors emerging writers, with the aim of enabling them to concentrate full-time on their work.

Larry McMurtry, Novelist And Screenwriter Of The West, Has Died At Age 84

President Barack Obama presents novelist, essayist and screenwriter Larry McMurtry with the National Humanities Medal in September 2015. Leigh Vogel/WireImage/Getty Images hide caption

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Leigh Vogel/WireImage/Getty Images

Larry McMurtry, Novelist And Screenwriter Of The West, Has Died At Age 84

March 26, 2021 • In over 30 novels and across dozens of screenplays, nonfiction works and memoirs, McMurtry became a beloved yet unsentimental chronicler of the American West.

'Perseverance' And Poetry Help A Writer Bridge Multiple Worlds

Poet Raymond Antrobus's parents didn't realize he was deaf until he was 7 years old. /Suki Dhanda hide caption

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/Suki Dhanda

'Perseverance' And Poetry Help A Writer Bridge Multiple Worlds

March 25, 2021 • Poet Raymond Antrobus was born in East London to a Jamaican father and a British mother. He grew up deaf, turning to poetry as a way to navigate between the hearing and non-hearing world.

'Perseverance' And Poetry Help A Writer Bridge Multiple Worlds

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Dr. Seuss Enterprises Will Shelve 6 Books, Citing 'Hurtful' Portrayals

Dr. Seuss Enterprises is pulling six of the author's books, saying they "portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong." Theodor Seuss Geisel, who wrote children's books as Dr. Seuss, is seen here in his La Jolla, Calif., home. James L. Amos/Corbis via Getty Images hide caption

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James L. Amos/Corbis via Getty Images

America Reckons With Racial Injustice

Dr. Seuss Enterprises Will Shelve 6 Books, Citing 'Hurtful' Portrayals

March 2, 2021 • The decision includes books such as And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street and If I Ran the Zoo. They have been criticized for how they depict Asian and Black people.

King Cat John Porcellino On Comics, Zines And Trying To Make The World Less Crazy

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Author Interviews

King Cat John Porcellino On Comics, Zines And Trying To Make The World Less Crazy

February 28, 2021 • Cartoonist and zine-maker John Porcellino has been a hugely influential figure in the world of zine-making. As several of his classic books are reissued, we talk to him about his life and work

Will Nico Walker Watch 'Cherry?' Probably Not

Nico Walker Michael Krim hide caption

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Michael Krim

Author Interviews

Will Nico Walker Watch 'Cherry?' Probably Not

February 27, 2021 • The new movie Cherry follows an Iraq war vet who gets addicted to heroin and starts robbing banks. It's based on a semi-autobiographical novel by Nico Walker, who was just released from prison.

Will Nico Walker Watch 'Cherry?' Probably Not

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Exclusive 1st Read: 'Klara And The Sun,' By Kazuo Ishiguro

Knopf

First Reads

Exclusive 1st Read: 'Klara And The Sun,' By Kazuo Ishiguro

February 20, 2021 • We're excited to bring you an exclusive prepublication excerpt of Kazuo Ishiguro's new novel Klara and the Sun, a gentle fable about a world in which androids serve as companions to children.

Erin Baiano

Aspen Words Announces 5 Finalists For 2021's Literary Prize

February 17, 2021 • The $35,000 prize honors fiction that "illuminates vital contemporary issues." This year's finalists deal with everything from Native American land ownership to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Longdale Press

For These 3 Writers, Black Love And Black Joy Take Center Stage

February 14, 2021 • We're celebrating what our pals at the Code Switch blog are calling Black Kiss-tory this Valentine's Day, with a roundup of classic, too-often-overlooked Black romance authors.

Copper Canyon Press

'Love And Other Poems' Promises That Love Will Find Us

February 9, 2021 • Alex Dimitrov's new collection — perfect for anyone caught between the moon and New York City — advises readers to be patient: Time is always moving on, bringing us closer and closer to love.

'She Persisted,' Now In Chapter Book Form, Brings History To Life

Philomel

Are You There God? It's Me, Juanita

'She Persisted,' Now In Chapter Book Form, Brings History To Life

January 30, 2021 • Chelsea Clinton has turned her She Persisted series of picture books into a new series of chapter books, written by prominent kids' authors. The new books really take readers inside historical lives.

After Inaugural Performance, Poet Amanda Gorman Tops The Amazon Bestseller List

Poet Amanda Gorman performs "The Hill We Climb" during the inauguration of U.S. President Joe Biden. Erin Schaff-Pool/Getty Images hide caption

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Erin Schaff-Pool/Getty Images

After Inaugural Performance, Poet Amanda Gorman Tops The Amazon Bestseller List

January 21, 2021 • Gorman's debut poetry collection and an illustrated kids' book are first and second on the list — on the strength of pre-orders, since both titles won't be out until September.

Opinion: 'The Great Gatsby' Enters Public Domain But It Already Entered Our Hearts

When F. Scott Fitzgerald published The Great Gatsby in 1925, it didn't sell many copies. Now it's sold nearly 30 million. AP hide caption

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Opinion

Simon Says

Opinion: 'The Great Gatsby' Enters Public Domain But It Already Entered Our Hearts

January 2, 2021 • NPR's Scott Simon reflects on the legacy of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. The literary classic's copyright expired on the first day of 2021.

Opinion: 'The Great Gatsby' Enters Public Domain But It Already Entered Our Hearts

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The Kids' Books That Helped 2020 Go By — And A Few To Look Forward To

Candlewick

Are You There God? It's Me, Juanita

The Kids' Books That Helped 2020 Go By — And A Few To Look Forward To

December 29, 2020 • As the year draws to a close, our kids' books columnist Juanita Giles looks back at some of the books that helped her family get through 2020 — and ahead to some exciting titles for next year.

Barry Lopez, Acclaimed Author And Traveler Beyond Many Horizons, Dies At 75

Barry Lopez won the National Book Award in 1986 for Arctic Dreams. John W. Clark hide caption

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John W. Clark

Obituaries

Barry Lopez, Acclaimed Author And Traveler Beyond Many Horizons, Dies At 75

December 26, 2020 • Lopez — who won a National Book Award in 1986 for Arctic Dreams — wrote about his travels to far places. But his writings aren't just travelogues, they remind us of how precious life on Earth is.

Barry Lopez, Acclaimed Author And Traveler Beyond Many Horizons, Dies At 75

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In 'Funny Boy,' A Young Sri Lankan Gay Man Comes Of Age As Ethnic Tensions Explode

Arush Nand plays the young Arjie at his make-believe wedding in Funny Boy. ARRAY hide caption

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ARRAY

Arts & Life

In 'Funny Boy,' A Young Sri Lankan Gay Man Comes Of Age As Ethnic Tensions Explode

December 16, 2020 • Deepa Mehta's new film, Funny Boy, is Canada's Oscar submission. It's being distributed by Ava DuVernay's company and premieres on Netflix. It's based on the novel by Shyam Selvadurai.

In 'Funny Boy,' A Young Sri Lankan Gay Man Comes Of Age As Ethnic Tensions Explode

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Latinx Authors Celebrate Children's Literature In Virtual Festival

Latinx KidLit Book Festival Latinx KidLit Book Festival hide caption

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Latinx KidLit Book Festival

Books

Latinx Authors Celebrate Children's Literature In Virtual Festival

December 12, 2020 • Las Musas, a group of writers, held a Latinx KidLit Book Festival this month to celebrate authors, illustrators and books by — and about — Latinx people.

Latinx Authors Celebrate Children's Literature In Virtual Festival

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Denver's Tattered Cover Becomes Nation's Largest Black-Owned Indie Bookstore

The Tattered Cover's location in Littleton, Colo. Andy Cross/Denver Post via Getty Images hide caption

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Andy Cross/Denver Post via Getty Images

Denver's Tattered Cover Becomes Nation's Largest Black-Owned Indie Bookstore

December 10, 2020 • The beloved local chain, founded in 1971, has had a rough year, including severe revenue losses during the pandemic. Its new owners are led by two Denver natives and self-described high school rivals.

Finding A Voice And Coming To Terms With A Stutter In 'I Talk Like A River'

Neal Porter Books

Are You There God? It's Me, Juanita

Finding A Voice And Coming To Terms With A Stutter In 'I Talk Like A River'

November 28, 2020 • Jordan Scott is a poet, a master of words, and a stutterer. His new kids' book, gorgeously illustrated by Sydney Smith, chronicles his childhood journey towards coming to terms with his stutter.

Book Publisher Simon & Schuster Sold To Rival

Bob Woodward's book Rage was one of a wave of highly publicized books Simon & Schuster published this year critical of President Trump. Jim Watson/Getty Images hide caption

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Jim Watson/Getty Images

Book Publisher Simon & Schuster Sold To Rival

November 25, 2020 • The third largest of the "big five" book publishers, was sold by its parent company to Penguin Random House.

In The Poppy War Series, R.F. Kuang Asks: 'What If Mao Was A Teenage Girl?'

Author R.F. Kuang grounded her Poppy War books in her own interpretations of history, and her family's history. Kobi C. Felton hide caption

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Kobi C. Felton

In The Poppy War Series, R.F. Kuang Asks: 'What If Mao Was A Teenage Girl?'

November 24, 2020 • The third volume in Kuang's Poppy War series is out now. She grounded the story in history, both her own and China's; it follows a passionate, ruthless young woman who becomes a military leader.

In A New Book, Pope Francis Speaks Out On The Coronavirus And Anti-Mask Protests

Pope Francis arrives at the window of his studio for the Angelus noon prayer in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Sunday. Alessandra Tarantino/AP hide caption

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Alessandra Tarantino/AP

Review

In A New Book, Pope Francis Speaks Out On The Coronavirus And Anti-Mask Protests

November 23, 2020 • People who claim that mask mandates deprive them of their personal freedom, Francis says, are "victims only in their own imagination." The book also addresses demonstrations against racial injustice.