BTW News Briefs

Nominations Sought for Anna Dewdney Read Together Award

The new Anna Dewdney Read Together Award, which commemorates the life and work of children’s author/illustrator Anna Dewdney, will be given annually to a superb read-aloud picture book that sparks compassion, empathy, and connection.

Penguin Young Readers, the Children’s Book Council, and Every Child a Reader are co-sponsoring the prize in honor of the late author and literacy advocate who died on September 3 at the age of 50.

The award will recognize a picture book published within the last five years in the U.S. that kids and grown-ups are currently discovering and reading together. All librarians, teachers, booksellers, parents/caregivers, and children’s book bloggers are encouraged to nominate up to five of their favorite read-together picture books by February 5, 2017. The award finalists will be revealed later that month, and the winning title will be announced during Children’s Book Week, May 1–7, 2017.  

The author and illustrator of the winning book will share a prize of $1,000 from the Children’s Book Council, and Penguin will purchase and donate $5,000 in copies of the winning book to a school, library, or literacy organization of the winner’s choice.  

To submit a nomination, complete this form.

Screen-Free Week to Partner with Children’s Book Week

This year, the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, the sponsor of Screen-Free Week, will partner with Every Child a Reader, the sponsor of Children’s Book Week, to promote their events, which both take place from May 1–7, 2017.

Screen-Free Week and Children’s Book Week each promote the same healthy objective: to unplug from screens and plug into life. The campaigns will work together to encourage families, schools, libraries, bookstores, faith groups, and communities to turn off screen-based entertainment for the week and, instead, read books, make art, exercise, and take part in outdoor activities.

Every Child a Reader and the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood will both be providing event kits and downloadable activities on their websites beginning in the new year.

LendingTree Launches $50,000 Small Business Grant Competition

One small business will win $50,000 in funding in LendingTree’s Small Business Grant Completion.

Small business owners who enter will be asked to tell Lending Tree about their business, how they would use the prize money, and why their business deserves the grant.

Register for LendingTree’s contest here.

New York Public Library and Macmillan Partner for New Publishing Program

The New York Public Library and Macmillan Publishers have announced an agreement to create and publish a wide variety of print and e-books for adults and children.

The new program will draw from the library’s collections of rare books, manuscripts, photographs, maps, and artifacts, the bulk of which are housed in the library’s Stephen A. Schwarzman Building on Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem, the Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center, and the Science, Industry and Business Library.   

Among the first adult titles will be a book by Maira Kalman celebrating libraries; a book on New York restaurant life; and Book Face, a compilation of the best posts from the #bookface Instagram sensation.

Among the first children’s titles will be: Coloring in the Lions, a coloring book featuring vintage art from the NYPL archive; a picture book starring the lions who stand in front of the library’s main building; and a middle grade novel based on a real family who once lived in the library.

Publishers Lunch Introduces Monthly Buzz Books

Publishers Lunch is introducing Monthly Buzz Books, a spin-off of its free, twice-a-year Buzz Books publication. Each month’s e-book will feature exclusive and substantial pre-publication excerpts from more than 100 buzzed-about new titles from big authors and breakout talents.

In the inaugural January Buzz Books Monthly, readers can find excerpts from six adult books due to be published in January 2017, as well as two highly anticipated YA titles.

January Buzz Books Monthly is available now as a free e-book on iBooks, Google Play, and other platforms. February Buzz Books Monthly will be available in early January 2017.

Binc Receives $10,000+ Holiday Donation from Ingram

This holiday season, the Book Industry Charitable Foundation (Binc) received a donation of more than $10,000 from Ingram Publisher Services on behalf of their publishing clients, including those with Publishers Group West, Consortium, Perseus Distribution, and Legato.

Over the past 20 years, the nationwide nonprofit has provided more than $6 million in support to more than 7,000 booksellers and their families during a time of personal financial need.

“Generous donations from our supporters, like Ingram Content Group, not only enable us to help those in need but also raise awareness that help exists,” said Binc Executive Director Pamela French. 

Chronicle Books Announces Leadership Changes

Chronicle Books has chosen Tyrrell Mahoney, currently vice president of sales and marketing, to succeed Jack Jensen as the company’s president.

Jensen is leaving to assume a new, more comprehensive role as president of McEvoy Group LLC, effective January 1, 2017, BookBusiness reported.

Jensen will be tasked with overseeing all McEvoy companies, which, along with Chronicle Books, include Galison/Mudpuppy, Princeton Architectural Press, and ISeeMe.

Mahoney, who has held various positions at Chronicle since 1996, including director of trade sales and executive director of sales, has served as vice president of sales and marketing since 2007.

Andy LeCount to Join HarperCollins as Vice President, Director of Sales

Andy LeCount will join HarperCollins as vice president and director of sales for general books starting December 29.

In his new role, LeCount will direct the overall sales effort for the adult hardcover and trade paperback imprints and supervise the adult sales teams for Barnes & Noble and Amazon. Carla Parker, Kathryn Walker, Kristin Bowers, and Brendan Keating will report to LeCount.

LeCount previously worked at Hachette Book Group, most recently as executive director of chains, where he oversaw sales for Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million for all adult imprints and served as the primary liaison between the sales and publishing teams at Little, Brown. Before that, he sold national accounts for Macmillan, worked as a marketing manager at Rodale, and was a features editor and buyer at BN.com.

All Nine 2017 PEN Longlists Announced

PEN America has now announced all nine longlists for the 2017 PEN America Literary Awards. The organization released the longlists for one to two book prize genres each day from December 5 through December 9 on Mashable, the PEN website, and social media.

The finalists for all book awards will be announced January 18, and most winners will be announced February 22. All winners will receive their awards at the 2017 PEN America Literary Awards Ceremony on March 27 at The New School in New York City.