Children’s Books To Help Adults Talk About School Shootings with Kids
American classrooms now include routine lockdown drills, leaving children to grapple with fear and uncertainty. A growing niche of children’s books—such as *One Thursday Afternoon*, *Not Like Every Day*, and *The Shape of Thunder*—offers age‑appropriate narratives that help kids name and process these emotions. The titles pair gentle storytelling with practical coping strategies, encouraging open dialogue between kids and trusted adults. By framing trauma in relatable scenarios, the books aim to normalize discussion of school safety and emotional well‑being.
Stephen Colbert’s Book Club Picked a True Crime Book
Stephen Colbert’s Late Show Book Club chose Patrick Radden Keefe’s *London Falling* as its April pick, spotlighting a new true‑crime narrative that intertwines a 19th‑century murder mystery with modern investigative journalism. The selection follows Goodreads’ recent compilation of 136 popular...
The Book News We Covered This Week
Book Riot’s weekly roundup highlights a surge in literary controversy and market activity. Utah’s book‑banning legislation now covers 32 titles, marking the state’s most aggressive censorship effort. Meanwhile, the LA Times announces its 2025 Book Prize winners, the Women’s Prize shortlist...
These Are the Most Challenged Books of 2025
2025 saw “Sold” become the most challenged book in the United States, sparking renewed debate over content warnings and censorship. Independent bookstores experienced a surge, with 422 new locations opening—a 31% increase over the prior year—signaling a grassroots revival amid...
How BookCon 2026 Became a Moshpit
Spotify marked its 20th anniversary by releasing an all‑time most‑streamed audiobooks list, with six romantasy titles occupying a third of the top 20. After a seven‑year hiatus, BookCon 2026 returned to fan frenzy, but the scramble for free ARCs turned...
14 Book Censorship Posts to Revisit: Book Censorship News, April 24, 2026
The April 24, 2026 roundup revisits earlier Literary Activism columns while spotlighting fresh censorship battles. Highlights include a Tennessee bill widening school‑librarian certification requirements, a North Smithfield, RI library attacked for flying an LGBTQ+ flag, and a South Carolina district debating removal of the children’s...
Does Your Library Have Its Own Annual Book Lists?
Public libraries are increasingly publishing annual, niche booklists that reflect their communities, exemplified by Detroit Public Library’s African American Booklist and Pima County Public Library’s Southwest Books of the Year. The Detroit list showcases over 50 titles by Black authors,...
30% of People Think Reading Regularly Makes Them Better Than Others
An informal roundup from Today in Books highlights several cultural trends. A Headway app survey finds 30% of respondents believe regular reading makes them superior, with 24% refusing to date non‑readers and 82% seeing non‑readers as intellectually lacking. The 2026...
Books Marrying Memoir and Nonfiction with Nature
The article spotlights a growing niche of books that fuse nature writing with memoir, showcasing Helen Macdonald’s *H Is for Hawk* and Robin Wall Kimmerer’s *Braiding Sweetgrass*. Both titles intertwine personal narrative with ecological insight, attracting readers who crave emotional depth...
Is Bob Dylan Hawking AI Historical Fiction Now?
Bob Dylan’s new Patreon channel delivers a series of audio essays and short stories that many suspect are generated or voiced by artificial intelligence. While neither Dylan nor his team has confirmed the use of AI, the stylistic hallmarks—excessive similes...
A Feminist Tale of Vengeance and Redemption
Xiran Jay Zhao’s YA novel Iron Widow follows Zetian, a rebellious concubine who pilots a giant mecha to avenge her sister’s death in a patriarchal, god‑ruled future. The story mixes Chinese historical motifs, alien threats, and high‑octane action while spotlighting...
Books to Read With Your Book Club to Stay in the Know
A new roundup highlights the most buzzed‑about titles for book clubs, featuring Tayari Jones' novel "Kin," Xochitl Gonzalez's "Last Night in Brooklyn," and a groundbreaking memoir by a debut author who is the first nonverbal autistic graduate of UCLA’s English...
Wikipedia Bans AI-Generated Content, and More Library News
Wikipedia has officially banned AI‑generated content, joining a wave of platform crackdowns on synthetic text. The publishing sector is grappling with AI’s encroachment, from the New York Times’ internal AI usage to high‑profile lawsuits against Anthropic, backed by an amicus brief from...
Are We in the Age of the Indie Bookstore?
Independent bookstores are experiencing a resurgence, with the American Booksellers Association reporting 422 new indie shops opened in 2025—a 31% rise over the previous year. The nonprofit platform Bookshop.org amplified this trend, posting $70 million in revenue for 2025, a 55%...
Veronica Roth Announces New Books Set in the World of DIVERGENT. Sort Of.
Veronica Roth revealed at BookCon that she will launch two new titles set in an alternate version of the Divergent universe, beginning with *The Sixth Faction* slated for fall 2026. The books are not sequels, prequels or interquels; they explore...
The Book News We Covered This Week
This week’s Book Riot roundup highlighted several notable developments in the literary world. Spotify announced a partnership with Bookshop.org to sell physical books in the US and UK via its app, marking a new entry of a streaming platform into...
The Best Way to Keep Track of New and Upcoming Queer Books
Book Riot’s New Release Index offers a searchable database of upcoming LGBTQ titles, organized by release date and genre. Curators, including the article’s author, add dozens of queer books each month, allowing readers to filter for niche combos like queer...
The Best Way to Keep Track of New Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books
Book Riot’s New Release Index is a curated database that lists upcoming science‑fiction and fantasy titles by release date. Readers can filter by genre, view cover art and descriptions, and add favorites to a personal Watchlist. The tool is bundled...
Rhode Island Bill Would Mandate More School Librarians
Rhode Island lawmakers are advancing a bill that would require every public school with 250 or more students to employ a full‑time librarian, and schools with fewer than 250 students to have a half‑time librarian. The measure estimates a statewide...
10 Years of Dog Man
This year marks the 10‑year anniversary of Dav Pilkey’s debut Dog Man graphic novel, a series that has grown to 14 titles and sold over 70 million copies in 50 languages. The twelfth book, Dog Man: The Scarlet Shedder, topped global bestseller lists in...
Why Are We So Obsessed With Dead Girls? These Books Explore if True Crime Is Ethical
Recent true‑crime titles are challenging the genre’s long‑standing voyeurism toward murdered women and girls. Alice Bolin’s Dead Girls argues that society repeatedly mythologizes victims without recognizing patterns, while Myriam Gurba’s Creep reclaims narrative agency for survivors. Sarah Weinman’s edited collection...
The Best in Sci Fi and Fantasy, As Picked by Readers
The article spotlights four literary developments: the 2025 Locus Awards finalists, a new PBS documentary titled “What’s the Story, Wishbone?” debuting May 27, an analysis of books turning into luxury items amid economic strain, and a curated list of the...
My Favorite Nonfiction Book for Creatives
"Creative Quest" by Questlove is a nonfiction guide that blends memoir, philosophy, and actionable exercises for creators across any discipline. The book’s audiobook adds original Roots music and guest appearances, turning the listening experience into a multimedia lesson. Questlove draws...
When Housewives Get Revenge, and More Mystery News
The latest Book Riot newsletter highlights a wave of new paperback releases, including 66 mystery‑thriller titles, and several adaptation projects. Actress‑author Krysten Ritter is set to star in a series version of her novel *Retreat* alongside producer Steve Yockey. Iantha...
The Book News We Covered This Week
Book Riot’s weekly roundup spotlights several pivotal developments in the literary world. The American Library Association settled its lawsuit, securing Institute of Museum and Library Services funding after the Trump administration withdrew its appeal. After a seven‑year pause, the Indies...
Mega Bestselling Thriller Writer Freida McFadden’s Identity Revealed
The mystery surrounding bestselling thriller author Freida McFadden has been solved: she is Dr. Sara Cohen, a neurologist who treats brain disorders. Cohen adopted the McFadden pen name, a wig and glasses to keep her literary work separate from her...
Where and How Book Censorship Is Impacting Children’s Publishing Right Now: Book Censorship News, April 10, 2026
The abrupt closure of Penguin Random House's Dial Books imprint highlights the cascading effects of intensified book censorship in U.S. schools and libraries. Aggressive legislation in Texas and Florida—particularly Senate Bills 12 and 13—has stalled thousands of titles, costing publishers...
THE HOUSEMAID Author Freida McFadden’s Identity Revealed
The article highlights three major publishing trends: Nigerian Muslim women are circumventing strict censorship by sharing erotica in women‑only WhatsApp groups; bestselling thriller author Freida McFadden’s true identity was uncovered as Dr. Sara Cohen, a brain‑disorder specialist who uses a wig and...
Indie Booksellers Award the Best Books of 2025
Independent booksellers revived the Indies Choice Book Awards in 2025 after a seven‑year hiatus, honoring titles that appeared on the ABA’s Indie Next, Kids’ Indie Next and Indies Introduce lists. Winners include Virginia Evans’ novel *The Correspondent*—soon to be a...
A PARABLE OF THE SOWER Adaptation Is Coming
Octavia Butler’s 1993 novel *Parable of the Sower* is finally getting a film adaptation, with Melina Matsoukas directing for Warner Bros. The story, set in a near‑future United States ravaged by climate‑driven scarcity, follows Lauren Olamina’s trek north after her...
Sex Work Is Real Work, Even in Romance
The article examines the persistent stigma surrounding sex work—even in its modern, consensual forms like cam work and adult entertainment—and how romance novels have traditionally depicted sex workers as victims. It traces the genre’s evolution from rescue‑oriented tropes to more...
5 of the Best Poetry Picture Books for Kids
National Poetry Month, celebrated each April since 1996, renews focus on poetry across schools, libraries, and homes. The article highlights five picture‑book selections that introduce poetry to children, beginning with two standout titles: Exquisite, a biography of Pulitzer‑winning poet Gwendolyn Brooks,...
The Winner of the First James Patterson & Bookshop.org Prize Is One of Last Year’s Buzziest Titles
Bookshop.org and bestselling author James Patterson launched their inaugural prize for debut novels published in the United States within the past year. Virginia Evans’ epistolary work, The Correspondent, was named the winner, with Milo Todd’s The Lilac People as runner‑up....
Court Victory for American Libraries, the Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Trump administration has withdrawn its appeal in Rhode Island v. Trump, leaving Judge John J. McConnell’s permanent injunction intact and restoring full grant funding to the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The decision reverses a year‑long effort...
The Best Way to Keep Track of Upcoming Mystery and Thriller Books
Book Riot’s New Release Index is a searchable database that lists upcoming mystery and thriller titles by release date, letting readers filter by genre and save favorites to a personal Watchlist. The tool is bundled with the All Access membership,...
The Best Way to Keep Track of Upcoming Graphic Novels
Book Riot’s New Release Index is a searchable database that lists upcoming graphic novels by release date, letting readers filter by genre and save titles to a personal Watchlist. The tool is bundled with the All Access subscription, which costs...
Friday Link-O-Thon
Today’s Books roundup notes a 3.1% drop in U.S. print sales for Q1 2026, rising legal tensions as Penguin sues OpenAI over an AI‑generated German children’s book, and a cultural flashpoint with a Tennessee librarian fired for refusing to move over‑100...
An Interactive Approach Helps Librarians Protect Intellectual Freedom: Book Censorship News, April 3, 2026
Library Futures has released a free, web‑based game called “Imagine IF” that lets librarians role‑play common censorship confrontations and practice de‑escalation techniques. The American Library Association reported 2,452 book challenges in 2024, and more than 40 anti‑library bills were introduced...
Explore the Lives of Incredible Women in April’s New Historical Fiction
April 2026 brings a wave of historical fiction that centers on women defying societal norms, building on the recent Women’s History Month momentum. The article highlights two releases: *Honey in the Wound*, a Korean resistance tale infused with magical realism,...
April Is Showering Us With New Comics and Graphic Novels
April brings a fresh wave of graphic novels and comics, ranging from horror‑infused series like "Unemployed Killers Support Group" to Lily Kim Qian’s memoir‑style "Until We Meet Again." The releases showcase a mix of genre‑bending storytelling, vivid illustration, and personal...
New York Times Reviewer Fired For (Badly) Using AI
The New York Times terminated a book reviewer after discovering that the critic used artificial intelligence to draft a review, resulting in near‑verbatim plagiarism from a Guardian piece. The incident underscores AI’s limitations in generating original content for niche topics...
7 of the Best New Book Releases Out March 31, 2026
The March 31, 2026 roundup spotlights several high‑profile releases, including Yann Martel’s literary experiment "Son of Nobody," Brandy’s debut memoir "Phases," and Arsenio Hall’s new autobiography. It also teases a forthcoming 2027 romance novel co‑written by Roxane Gay and Channing Tatum, while noting librarian...
The Voice of the Shadow Daddies
The article spotlights a wave of spring literary adaptations, including Apple TV’s upcoming "Margo’s Got Money Troubles" and Hulu’s Handmaid’s Tale sequel based on Margaret Atwood’s "The Testaments," alongside other film and streaming releases. It also honors Gertrude Chandler Warner,...
The Winners of the 2025 National Book Critics Circle Awards
The National Book Critics Circle announced its 2025 award winners at New School in New York. Han Kang captured the fiction prize for "We Do Not Part," while Arundhati Roy earned the autobiography award for "Mother Mary Comes to Me."...
Manipulating the Law: Dismantling the Miller Test and Exploiting the “Government Speech” Doctrine: Book Censorship News, March 27, 2026
State legislators in Florida, Idaho and other states are drafting bills that undermine the Supreme Court's Miller test for obscenity and invoke a stretched government‑speech doctrine to justify book bans in public schools and libraries. Florida's Senate Bill 1692 and...
The Bestselling Books of the Week, According to All the Lists
The weekly roundup identifies titles that dominate multiple bestseller charts, with Andy Weir’s *Project Hail Mary* and Allen Levi’s *Theo of Golden* appearing on all five major lists. New entrants include Lucy Score’s sequel *Mistakes Were Made* and the unexpected...
The HEATED RIVALRY Precursor Coming Back to Print
Vogue’s latest fashion spread spotlights the resurgence of paper books, featuring models, chefs and Sarah Jessica Parker as symbols of reading as style. A surprising literary discovery revealed that Don DeLillo penned a 1980 hockey romance under the pseudonym Cleo Birdwell,...
The Best Way to Keep Track of New Horror Books
Book Riot’s New Release Index consolidates upcoming horror titles into a searchable, date‑ordered database, letting readers filter by genre and save favorites. The tool replaces manual tracking with an intuitive cover‑scroll interface and detailed synopses. It is bundled with the...
The Best Way to Keep Track of New Romance Books
Book Riot’s New Release Index offers a curated database of upcoming romance titles, organized by release date and filterable by genre. Readers can browse cover images, read descriptions, and add favorites to a personal Watchlist, eliminating the need for manual...
The Nationwide Book Ban Bill Moves to the House: How to Take Action Now
The House Education and Workforce Committee approved HR 7661, the “Stop the Sexualization of Children Act,” and sent it to the full House. The bill would prohibit federal funding for any public‑school program that provides or promotes literature deemed “sexually...