Chaos in Washington, Distribution Turmoil Made for a Tumultuous 2025 buff.ly/KrdFVR6

Celine Ong debuts with a riveting queer sports romance that deserves a place in the subgenre’s canon. Fans of Heated Rivalry will be thrilled. @berkleypub.bsky.social

In Mutiny (FSG, Apr. 2026), the journalist discusses the economic shifts that undermined the prospects of a generation.

The literary agent and social media expert, whose Substack has earned her a reputation as a romance publishing guru, predicts which trends will shape the industry next year.

After 16 years acquiring and publicizing sports titles at Triumph Books, the publishing veteran has launched Ames Sports Literary & Publicity Agency, a combined literary agency and book publicity and marketing company.

During her long career at the magazine, Roback oversaw the expansion of Publishers Weekly’s coverage of the children’s book market during a period when the sales of children’s books exploded. Starting March 2, Roback will become editor-at-large.

Six authors who opted out of the the proposed Anthropic settlement have filed individual lawsuits against Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Meta, xAI, and Perplexity AI, seeking $150,000 for each title from each defendant per the Copyright Act.

Authors File New Lawsuit Against AI Companies Seeking More Money buff.ly/ALps4v7

The Trump administration targeted several book-adjacent government agencies, while libraries and comics publishers reeled over Baker & Taylor’s closure and Diamond’s bankruptcy, respectively.

Author Kiran Desai (r.), whose novel The Loneliness of Sonia and Sonny (Hogarth) was a finalist for this year’s Booker Prize, was in conversation with journalist Razia Iqbal (l.) at New York City’s the Strand on December 4 as part of PEN America’s PEN Out Loud series. (Jasmina Tomic)

Diane Roback to Step Down as ‘PW’ Children’s Book Editor

The smart and exciting sequel to Blackgoose’s Nebula Award–winning debut, To Shape a Dragon’s Breath, digs into the colonialism and classism of magic academy and dragon rider tropes. Readers will be eager for more. @delreybooks.bsky.social

“Mr. Willowby’s Christmas tree/Came by special delivery” in 1963’s Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree by the late Robert Barry. Now, in a never-before-published sequel discovered by Barry’s son, Mr. Willowby’s Head Over Heels Christmas, characters from the original book take a sleigh-inspired adventure.

Four decades have passed since young readers first climbed on the North Pole-bound Polar Express along with Santa and the narrator of Chris Van Allsburg’s Christmas classic. Clarion has released two new editions of The Polar Express in celebration of the anniversary.

With the holiday season in high gear, people are counting the days until Christmas, often keeping track on an advent calendar. A raft of new books for kids and teens aim to replicate that experience, featuring open-a-chapter-a-day anticipation. buff.ly/QZ2FH41

The Helsinki-based Get Lost has begun testing BookID, an AI-powered manuscript analysis tool aimed at helping authors and publishers position their work in the market.

As the deployment of ICE agents to the Windy City rattles the customer base of Los Amigos Books, the bilingual bookshop is also contending with tariffs as it seeks to become a distributor for Spanish-language titles.

Distribution, federal funding, the freedom to read, and digital and print collection development were behind the most-talked-about library stories in 2025—and they aren't going away in 2026.

It was an eventful year for booksellers, who dealt with such obstacles as the Trump administration’s tariffs, National Guard occupations, and brush fires. Despite it all, Independent Bookstore Day still managed to be a huge success for retailers across the country.

The collapse of ReaderLink’s proposed purchase of Baker & Taylor led to the sale of the wholesaler’s distribution business to Lakeside Book Company. Meanwhile, three of the Big Five made acquisitions and a new player emerged to buy two major hybrid publishers.

Author Nancy Matsumoto (far r.) hosted a panel on women in the food systems industry at the Museum of Food and Drink in celebration of her book Reaping What She Sows: How Women Are Rebuilding Our Broken Food System. (Melville House)

The author’s latest novel is a provocative exploration of immigration in America—readers can expect a bumpy ride. buff.ly/WjoT7Cb?

The Government Accountability Office released a report on the condition of public library buildings in the U.S., finding that 70% required additional maintenance and only 20% report “good” or “very good” condition.

The philanthropic foundation has announced 57 grants totaling more than $38.4 million, including a $2 million grant to the Association of Rural and Small Libraries. ARSL executive director Kate Laughlin called the pledge “transformative.”

U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) and newly sworn-in U.S. Representative Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ-07) have reintroduced the Right to Read Act, designed to increase federal funding to address the nation’s literacy crisis.

Ingram has inked a deal with Archetype Publications, and C&T has announced a new partnership with Leisure Arts.

Alexis Hall makes an ambitious pivot from witty romance to epic space opera in this dazzling retelling of Moby Dick set in the gaseous miasma above Jupiter after humanity’s exodus from Earth. This thrills. @torbooks.bsky.social

The Consortium president, who has been with the company for 30 years and will retire in 2026, is changing book culture one client publisher at a time.

Carter, who also led the National Endowment for the Arts during President Donald Trump’s first term, has historically supported the agency’s literacy initiatives as well as funding for creative arts therapies.

Gains in the company’s children’s book publishing and distribution, as well as international groups, offset declines in its entertainment and educational solution units, while lower costs helped boost operating income to $82.9 million from $74.7 million a year ago.

After years of steady sales declines, the format—credited with democratizing book buying and reading—will largely disappear next year. buff.ly/tnwQma3

The Portland, Ore.–based Ablaze has acquired the venerable graphic novel publisher’s nearly five-decade backlist, all current contracts, and its imprint brand, with NBM founder Terry Nantier staying on as a consultant and packager.

Journalist Mark Oppenheimer contends in this impressive biography that Judy Blume “rewired the English-speaking world’s expectations of what literature for young people could be.” Fans will be delighted. @putnambooks.bsky.social

San Francisco mayor Daniel Lurie (l.) issued a proclamation declaring December 12 as Drag Story Hour Day in the city, in celebration of DSH’s 10th anniversary. During a visit to the SF Public Library on 12/14, Lurie presented the proclamation while joined by the city’s drag laureate, Per Sia (r.).

The novelist joins the free speech organization for a two-year term, following his election by membership at PEN America’s annual general meeting held earlier this week. He succeeds author Jennifer Finney Boylan.

Author and social psychologist Jonathan Haidt teams up with science journalist Catherine Price to speak directly to tweens in The Amazing Generation: A Guide to Freedom and Fun in a Screen-Filled World, drawing on Haidt’s adult bestseller The Anxious Generation.

The deal “deepens the longstanding relationship” between the audiobook publisher and W.W. Norton, per an announcement.

Books and other printed material have officially been exempted from the European Union Deforestation Regulation, which mandates that only “deforestation-free” products be sold in the E.U. Book manufacturers had spent countless hours debating how to meet the requirements...

At the Guadalajara International Book Fair’s second annual audiobook forum, panelists discussed the development and challenges of the Spanish-language audio segment, identifying opportunities in the U.S. market and among young readers.

The publishing world’s biggest Spanish-language event, which closed on December 7, drew more than 950,000 visitors. Some 18,400 publishing professionals from 64 countries participated on the fair, as did a vibrant delegation from guest of honor Barcelona.

★ Suzanne Enoch puts a Regency spin on 'The Parent Trap' in this sparkling romp. Historical romance fans won’t want to miss this one. @torbooks buff.ly/ZpDA7e2

The longtime Authors Guild CEO has been a leader in the fight against AI companies’ use of copyrighted materials without compensating authors, as well as the ongoing surge in book bans.

The National Book Critics Circle has unveiled the seven longlists for its annual awards. Finalists will be announced on January 20, with winners to follow at a ceremony on March 26 in New York City.

October sales rose 6.7% over a year ago at publishers that report to AAP’s StatShot program. The increase followed a 14% jump in September, likely reflecting Amazon’s return to more normal buying patterns after reducing orders over the summer.

The Strand in Manhattan hosted a Jane Austen Tea Party, held in celebration of the author’s 250th birthday. The event included a panel discussion and Austen trivia led by authors Brandon Taylor, Jennifer Egan, and Adelle Waldman. The bookstore’s events team also donned Jane Austen–inspired costumes.

★ Bar Fridman-Tell’s gorgeous debut fantasy luxuriates on the border between romance and horror. Her eerie fairy tale premise unpicks all of the squirmy ethical implications of the created-lover trope, spinning a story that is as powerful in its human aspects as in its magic. buff.ly/rsATzpZ

An inside look at the publication process for the filmmaker’s debut novel.

America First Legal, founded by Stephen Miller, has asked the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to investigate Penguin Random House’s DEI policies and programs, which it called “apparent race- and sex-based discrimination.”

Corey Ann Haydu's wonderful adult debut explores the interwoven lives of two families. It’s a beautiful tale of complicated friendships. @littlebrown.bsky.social

Evil Genius (Ecco, Feb.), the novelist’s propulsive latest, chronicles a young woman’s awakening to the destructive forces of her own desire.