The 500 Words competition (now in its 10th year) launched today, Thursday 16 January, on BBC Radio 2. It is one of the most successful children’s story-writing competitions in the world, and helps to get them excited about reading and writing.

Created by Chris Evans, the competition is now hosted by Zoe Ball on her breakfast show.

This year, the live final event will be held on 12 June at Buckingham Palace. Every child who takes part, and every teacher and librarian who helps with the judging, will be entered into a draw to attend the event.

All entries must be received by Thursday 27th February at 8pm. 
Enter via the website (linked above).

To celebrate the 125th anniversary of the New York Public Library’s opening in 1895, a team of library experts decided it was only fitting to highlight the perennially popular books that have contributed to its success.

They pulled the circulation stats on all print and digital formats of books, analyzed factors like length of time in print and presence in the library catalog, and came up with a list of the library’s 10 most checked-out books of all time.

1. The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats // 485,583

2. The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss // 469,650

3. 1984 by George Orwell // 441,770

4. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak // 436,016

5. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee // 422,912

6. Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White // 337,948

7. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury // 316,404

8. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie // 284,524

10. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling // 231,022

from https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/612218/new-york-public-library-most-borrowed-books

https://www.achuka.co.uk/blog/17632-2/

The Autumn/Winter 2019 edition of Carousel was its last.
The closure of the magazine, after 24 years of publication, was confirmed yesterday.

Ever since Books for Keeps became an online-only publication, Carousel had been the sole print-based magazine in the UK entirely focused on the full range of children’s books. It leaves Scotland’s TEEN TITLES as the one regularly produced print publication focused on children’s publishing lists, although this magazine, as its title suggests, only encompasses the older end of the market.

I had been a contributing editor during the early years of Carousel.

It’s a considerable loss for the children’s books sector.

The Bookseller reports that Mitch Johnson, 2018 Branford Boase Award winner for his debut Kick, is moving (from Usborne) to Hachette  for his second title.

The next book by Johnson, who is also a Waterstones bookseller, will be Pop!, described as “a warmly funny, action-packed adventure about an outrageous theft, a huge reward and the power of courage”.

The book tells the story of Queenie, “who stares out at the ocean dreaming of a world beyond her small town … When a priceless recipe for the world’s most popular drink – thought to be lost for ever – washes up at her feet, Queenie’s life instantly changes. Everyone wants it and with a $10 million bounty on her head, Queenie’s soon on the run. Pursued by bounty hunters, black-ops helicopters and angry mobs, Queenie’s journey involves a trip to Area 51, a man-eating alligator and an unlikely new friend, Todd.”