Judy Blume

Judy Blume, one of the best-loved champions for free speech, spoke to a standing-room only crowd at the American Library Association's Annual Conference opening day in Chicago on Friday. Blume was in conversation with Simon & Schuster's children's division publisher Justin Chanda, who asked her why she decided to attend ALA. "If ever there were a chance to thank you," she told librarians from across the country, "this is the year to do it."

She described her weekly trips to the Elizabeth, N.J., public library from age four with her mother, buying Madeline--her favorite book as a child--for her own daughter, and more recently, starting her own bookstore, Books & Books in Key West, Fla. "Most booksellers want to grow up to be writers..." raucous laughter kept Blume from finishing her sentence. "I live in Key West. We won't say the name of the state," Blume continued. "Not a week goes by when a teacher says to me, I could lose my job [for just reading the wrong book]."

Blume said the current wave of book-banning is much more targeted than the one in the 1980s, but also that we've never been more equipped to fight it, with Judith Krug at the Freedom to Read Foundation, PEN America, and the National Coalition Against Censorship banding together. "Some people think they can't control much, but they want to control what children read. They can't control what children think," Blume said. "They don't want kids to think--to be curious." Chanda asked, "If you had Ron DeSantis in this room, what would you say?" Without a pause, Blume answered, "What are you afraid of?”

The American Booksellers Association, the American Library Association, the Association of American Publishers, and the Authors Guild are jointly calling on "all members of the book community" to reaffirm their commitment to the Freedom to Read Statement on its 70th anniversary.

First unveiled on June 25, 1953, the Freedom to Read Statement begins: "The freedom to read is essential to our democracy. It is continuously under attack." To see the full, original statement, which is available on the Unite Against Book Bans website, click here. Over the years, the statement has been supported by a range of organizations and individuals.

The heads of the four groups--ABA CEO Allison Hill, ALA executive director Tracie D. Hall, AAP president and CEO Maria A. Pallante, and Authors Guild CEO Mary Rasenberger--issued this joint announcement yesterday:

"Seventy years ago, fear, suspicion, and suppression fueled by McCarthyism was at a fever pitch--a serious situation that required a robust and vigorous affirmation of intellectual freedom and the constitutional protections that protect it. Today, as we grapple with a new wave of censorship in schools, libraries, and bookstores targeting a wide range of expression, including fiction and nonfiction, the Freedom to Read Statement remains an important defense of the freedom to write, publish and inquire.

"Our democracy is based on the belief that every person’s right to read is indispensable to their personal and political pursuit of happiness. This fact is indisputable. American democracy has always depended on the lawful dissemination and rigorous protection of speech--from all political quarters and all personal perspectives, both old and new ideas.

"To be clear, not every expression of authorship will withstand the rigorous and sustained scrutiny of the marketplace of ideas, but our free society requires that we have the right to make up our own minds about what we choose to read and what we think of what we've read. As our predecessors stated in 1953, 'Americans do not need others to do their thinking for them.'

"As we celebrate this anniversary, we are mindful not only of the rights of readers, but of the nation's authors, publishing houses, bookstores, and libraries, whose missions both reflect and are in service to our free society."

The group noted, too, that in the past year, "more than 60 state bills have been introduced that would restrict or chill what Americans may read. Many of these efforts are unquestionably unconstitutional and would impair the First Amendment rights of readers of all ages."

PEN America, its president, and a group of past presidents quickly joined the four associations in support of the Freedom to Read Statement.

PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel said yesterday, "The freedom to read is the lifeblood of a healthy democracy and a thriving society. The drafters of the Freedom to Read statement put forward a ringing endorsement of this principle, forcefully rebutting the varied excuses for curtailing the individual liberty to explore books and words. The call to action they issued 70 years ago, as the McCarthy-era Red Scare emboldened censorship, is as urgent today as the day it was drafted. Amid a climate of newfangled censoriousness, the chilling of speech and out-and-out censorship in the form of book bans and laws that justify and mandate the suppression of ideas, the statement offers a bold reminder of how and why we safeguard the freedom to read. Their forthright, uncompromising rejection of the notion that books are dangerous, that tastes and interests can be coerced, and that the identity of an author should foreclose a book from being read are essential entreaties that demand to be heard and heeded in this new era of censorship. In the digital age, books offer a lone portal to a vanishing realm of deep thought and sustained attention. It is therefore vital to renew the call to action for librarians, publishers, educators, government, institutions, writers and readers to stand up once again for the freedom to read."

PEN America president Ayad Akhtar added, "Efforts to suppress ideas are inimical to democracy in its truest sense. We need to be clear-eyed about these threats, forthright in calling them out, and willing to defend against them. If we expect to understand--let alone practice--responsible citizenship, we owe it not only to our young people, but to ourselves to stand for the freedom to read. At stake is our democratic future, and the time to act is now."

Balin Books, Nashua, N.H., is for sale. The store was founded as a Toadstool Bookshop in 1989 in Milford N.H., and moved in 2019 to Nashua, which is the second largest city in New England north of Boston. In February, owners Willard and Holly Williams sold the other two Toadstool stores, in Peterborough and Keene, keeping the one in Nashua and renaming it Balin Books. Toadstool Bookshops have served southwestern New Hampshire since the Williams family opened the first in 1972.

Balin Books is located at the Somerset Plaza in Nashua and is, owners said, "in need of a new owner with the energy, ambition, and creativity to bring it to its full potential. The store has an excellent and comprehensive inventory of books for adults and children that is representative of the interests of the community based on years of experience satisfying the reading habits of a public dedicated to supporting local independent businesses. With 5,000 square feet of retail space in a busy plaza, solid wood bookcases, an excellent inventory control system, and the best in books, the store is well positioned for growth."

Among many other things, Toadstool is known for having started Cider Monday in 2013, which Willard Williams saw as a local, homey, bricks-and-mortar response to Cyber Monday, the frenetic online shopping occasion on the Monday after Thanksgiving. The holiday is celebrated by a range of booksellers and other retailers.

For more information about Balin Books, contact Willard Williams at 603-547-3508, willard@balinbooks.com, or c\o Balin Books, 375 Amherst St., Nashua, N.H. 03063.

Snug Bookshop and Cafe

In the run-up to Independent Bookshop Week in the U.K. and Ireland last week, a number of indies received national awards, honoring contributions to their local communities, their resourcefulness as small businesses and even their very premises, the Booksellers Association reported.
 
Aimed at the small business sector and focusing on businesses often overlooked by other awards, the Small Awards recognized the Snug Bookshop and Café, Langport, as winner in the Sole to Sole category for best self-employed small business owner. Hold Fast Bookshop, Leeds, a recently-founded bookshop on a boat, Marjorie R, was awarded Flagship of the Year by National Historic Ships U.K. In addition, the Muddy Stilettos Awards 2023 recognized local independent lifestyle businesses across the country, including numerous booksellers with their Bookshop Award. 
 
Emma Bradshaw, BA head of campaigns, said: "It's great to see so many of our members being recognized for the brilliant work they are doing. We hope that this, coupled with all of the activity going on during Independent Bookshop Week, will remind consumers of the value of their local bookshops and encourage them to vote with their money for the kind of businesses they want to see in their community."

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Total sales for books in Norway passed the 6.2 billion kroner (about $573 million) mark for the first time since 2007, according to the results shared by the Norwegian Publishers' Association. The European & International Booksellers Federation's Newsflash reported that the results, based on figures from member publishers, "represent an increase of 4.4% over 2021. This growth is driven by a new school reform in Norway, with sales for school books boosted by as much as 24% in 2022. Moreover, audiobook streaming accounts for almost a fifth of the general literature market."

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Anna Morlinghaus and Anna Weilemar

Anna Weilemar, a children's bookseller at Bokskogen bookshop in Farsta, Sweden, was a participant in the second round of the RISE Booksellers Exchange program, traveling to Germany to spend three days at the Berlin bookshop Krumulus, owned by Anna Morlinghaus. Weilemar shared some of her experiences in a post on RISE Bookselling's blog. 

"I have spent three wonderful and inspiring days at Krumulus in Kreuzberg, Berlin, with owner Anna Morlinghaus and her fantastic staff Kerstin, Sven, Annette and Max," she wrote, in part. "They immediately made me feel very welcome and to start off the first day I was thrown into a great interactive story hour with some 4-5-year-olds from a nearby 'Kita' (Kindergarten). I even got to introduce myself in German and tell the group a little bit about Sweden.

"Krumulus was founded by Anna in 2014 and has developed to be a well-known children's bookstore and cultural hub, winning the German Booksellers Award no less than three times! There are events taking place almost every day of the week--apart from story hours there are reading club meetings, printing workshops, birthday parties and more....

"A couple of interesting things to learn was that there is actually a bookseller university degree in Germany and that even in the biggest cities (e.g., Munich) there is not one single children's bookstore!"

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Story Teller Bookshop in Kolkata

"Five must-visit bookstores in Kolkata" were showcased by Outlook Traveller, which noted that a "good book continues to be a draw as a portal to other worlds. The City of Joy has always been a bibliophile's haven, with some of India's top independent and specialty bookstores. We have put together a list of stores you can visit when you are in the city next. And you don't have to carry your stash back with you, all the bookstores will deliver them to your doorstep.

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Bookseller moment: Posted by Otherwise Bookshop, Rome, Italy: "First #summer night! #roma." --Robert Gray

The Book Industry Charitable Foundation and Macmillan are partnering again this year on the Macmillan Booksellers Professional Development Scholarship program, which provides $500 to booksellers traditionally underrepresented within the industry to attend their region's independent booksellers association fall trade show. Applications are being accepted from now through July 10.

Jennifer Gonzalez, president, sales & marketing, at Macmillan, said, "We know firsthand how the regional trade shows are impactful for networking and professional development within the industry. To give a bookseller the opportunity to attend a trade show who may not have been able to is not only beneficial to them, but also to us at Macmillan and the entire industry. We are thrilled to once again support Binc on their mission as they help our bookstore colleagues."

Binc executive director Pam French said, "Thanks to the continued commitment of Macmillan Publishers and the independent bookseller associations, underrepresented booksellers have access to a wider range of opportunities for professional development and growth within the book industry. Binc is honored to work with a publisher and regional executive directors whose values align with the Foundation."

The scholarship allows eight booksellers from underrepresented groups to attend one of the eight regional independent book association trade shows. In all, 32 scholarships for booksellers from underrepresented groups have been awarded since its founding in 2017. Each scholarship covers the cost of travel, lodging, and meals for one bookseller at each regional independent booksellers association's fall trade show up to $500.

For qualifications and how to apply, click here.

Last Thursday, more than 1,000 people attended an event hosted by Bookmarks, Winston-Salem, N.C., at Wait Chapel with NBA star and Winston-Salem native Chris Paul, whose new book is Sixty-One: Life Lessons from Papa, On and Off the Court (St. Martin's Press).

Curious Elixirs cocktail bar in the Rare Book Room

Over the weekend, the Strand Book Store, New York, N.Y., marked its 96th anniversary with celebrations that included the reopening of its third floor Rare Book Room for the first time in more than three years. The space will stay open through today and has bookseller recommendations made specially for the occasion as well as newly acquired rare book stock for purchase. There is also a selection of artifacts from the Strand's 96-year history on display. On Saturday, staff presented their own writings at a Bookseller Salon. To help commemorate the anniversary, Strand partnered with Curious Elixirs to create a secret elixir bar.

Third-generation owner Nancy Bass Wyden commented, "I am incredibly proud of what the Strand has become, as well as where we are headed. To celebrate our anniversary, I thought it would be nice to focus on our history and the things that make Strand such a magical place--books and our booksellers."

Square Books, Oxford Miss., "is decked out and feeling a little patriotic," the bookshop posted on Facebook Sunday.  

Bay Books, Suttons Bay, Mich., shared a photo of the shop's recent sidewalk chalkboard message: "Read Books, Be Kind, Stay Weird."

Today:
Today Show: Melanie Hamrick, author of First Position (Berkley, $17, 9780593638149).

Fresh Air: Laura Dern, co-author of Honey, Baby, Mine: A Mother and Daughter Talk Life, Death, Love (and Banana Pudding) (Grand Central, $30, 9781538720370).

Tomorrow:
Good Morning America: Jason Derulo, author of Sing Your Name Out Loud: 15 Rules for Living Your Dream (HarperOne, $27.99, 9780063270831).

Also on GMA: Danny Freeman, author of Danny Loves Pasta (Alpha, $29.99, 9780744078336).

CBS Mornings: Wesley Lowery, author of American Whitelash: A Changing Nation and the Cost of Progress (Mariner, $29.99, 9780358393269).

Tamron Hall: Ali Landry, author of Reshape Your Life: Don't Settle Because You Are Worth It (Thomas Nelson, $28.99, 9781400235100).

Olivia Colman, Antonio Banderas, Rachel Zegler, and Emily Mortimer "are in talks to join the cast of Paddington in Peru, the third opus of the beloved bear's adventures," Variety reported. Based on Michael Bond's children's book character, the movie is set to start filming in July.

Paddington in Peru also stars Hugh Bonneville, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Madeleine Harris, and Samuel Joslin. Ben Whishaw and Imelda Staunton will also be back as the voices of Paddington and Aunt Lucy, respectively. Filming locations include the U.K., Peru, and Colombia.

The winners of the Firecracker Awards, sponsored by the Community of Literary Magazines & Presses (CLMP) and given to "the best independently published books of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry and the best literary magazines in the categories of debut and general excellence," have been announced. Each winner in the books category receives $2,000: $1,000 for the press and $1,000 for the author. Winners in the books categories are:

Fiction: Brother Alive by Zain Khalid (Grove Atlantic). Judges wrote: "The sentences in Brother Alive present like small, astonishing jewels, and the brilliance of this novel only accrues from there. Brother Alive's extraordinary writing develops into a propulsive narrative that is a genuine pleasure to follow--one that both surprises and delights. This novel is surreal, complex, puzzling, mind-expanding, imaginative, original, and presciently relevant to our times."

Creative Nonfiction: Optic Subwoof by Douglas Kearney (Wave Books). "Here are a few words that come to mind when reading Douglas Kearney's Optic Subwoof: sonic, polyphonic, urgent in delivery and in truth. Beginning with the book's first sentence--'Hush.'--readers are invited into a work of creative nonfiction where language is at its best and most playful and yet most serious. Optic Subwoof shows us how vital and limitless human creativity is."

Poetry: Customs by Solmaz Sharif (Graywolf Press). "In Customs, Solmaz Sharif pushes into a bold examination of the exhausting uncertainties and irreconcilable conditions of life in exile in the United States. Throughout, the poems in Customs feel fearless even in their fear. When the speaker sees, the poems skillfully call the reader to see with great caution and grief the external and internal powers over belonging as family members, citizens, and poets. This collection is thrilling to read--scathing, insightful, and original."

In addition, Christine Holbert, founder and publisher of Lost Horse Press, was presented with the 2023 Lord Nose Award, given in recognition of "a lifetime of superlative work in literary publishing."

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Nominees for the 2022 Shirley Jackson Awards, honoring "outstanding achievement in the literature of psychological suspense, horror, and the dark fantastic," have been named in six categories and can be seen here. Winners will be announced July 15 at Readercon 32, in Quincy, Mass.

Even before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, it was clear American teenagers were facing a mental health crisis, one that manifested itself in alarming rises in the rates of depression, anxiety, and other psychological ailments. In Never Enough, Jennifer Breheny Wallace, a journalist and mother of three adolescent children, identifies the root cause in an "environment of unrelenting pressure" created by the single-minded pursuit of achievement and status. While sympathetically exploring the dimensions of the problem, she also offers some thoughtful approaches to parenting intended to create a more humane, and sane, culture for young people.

Wallace's analysis is rooted in a survey she conducted in early 2020 with the assistance of a researcher from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. More than 6,000 parents quickly responded, offering tangible support for the published reports on the dire state of adolescent mental health.

To aid in interpreting and explaining the results, Wallace traveled across the United States--from Wilton, Conn., to Mercer Island, Wash.--where she engaged in thoughtful conversations with some 200 of her respondents, most of them well-educated people living in affluent communities who were open about sharing the challenges they face as parents and children living in a "kind of gilded pressure cooker." She skillfully weaves these stories, by turns inspiring and painful, into her narrative, acknowledging that some conversations led her and her husband to make changes in their own parenting practices.

Wallace's fundamental prescription, one she describes as a "radical new lens for how we as adults... see our kids and communicate to them about their worth, potential, and value to society," is a concept she calls "mattering," shorthand for "the feeling that we are valued and add value to others." Instead of prizing children only for the achievements that will pave the way for entry into elite colleges and high-status jobs, she argues, mattering can serve to "correct the lies that our society tells them: that they only matter if they're performing, if they're achieving. Our job is to let them know they are enough, right now, in this moment."

Wallace offers various practical steps for beginning to realize this vision in daily life, ones she supports with citations to relevant research. They include assigning children age-appropriate chores to foster an outward focus, and creating parenting networks to ease the feeling of isolation that arises when parents feel they're grappling with problems particular to their offspring. Through these and other practices, she writes, we can shift from an attitude of scarcity and competition to one of abundance and connectedness.

It will take cooperation among parents, educators, and policymakers to address this crisis before the damage to a generation of children becomes too profound and lasting. Wallace's book is a useful starting point for those committed to that task. --Harvey Freedenberg, freelance reviewer

Shelf Talker: By valuing children for who they are rather than what they do, Jennifer Breheny Wallace argues, we can begin to alleviate some of the serious mental health problems afflicting American children.