books

An exciting new early years reading programme with stickers to collect has been launched in libraries across Devon and Torbay, aiming to inspire a lifelong love of reading.

Libro’s Friends is an extension of Libraries Unlimited’s hugely successful The Secret Book Quest, which was launched in 2021.

Both programmes have been created as part of Libraries Unlimited’s drive to boost the reading skills of children in the county.

The Secret Book Quest uses a free sticker collection book to set older children a 50-book goal and takes them on a journey through topics...

Three Devon authors, who are all members of the same writing group, will be sharing their experience of the rocky road to publication, in an attempt to help other writers get published.

Yaara Lahav Gregory, Anna Lunk, and Sophie Pierce will be in conversation at Exeter Central Library next month (March 12th), in an event entitled One Writers’ Group: Three Routes to Publication.

All three have had books published in the last year, but know what a lonely business writing is, and how difficult it is to get published. The trio will share their experiences in an event at Exeter...

Publishing house Panoma Press has announced the launch of a new children’s imprint, Panocub, which will focus on publishing important personal development and social themed books for children.

Since the independent publishing company was first launched in 2005 it has been committed to publishing books which have one purpose, to change lives. Having worked with hundreds of authors and negotiated sales and distribution relationships in over 50 countries, Panoma Press has become known for bringing important conversations to life through print, digital and audio. The publisher is also...

An award-winning Exeter children’s author has become a virtual bedtime storyteller to help families cope with the coronavirus lockdown.

Dr Wendy O’Shea-Meddour has replaced her work in schools and libraries with story sessions filmed at her home for toddlers to nine-year-olds. Her books have already garnered recognition for helping adults support children through difficult experiences and have become even more relevant now.

The sessions, available online, will include readings from new books not yet published. Dr O’Shea-Meddour, who records with a camera balanced on a...

With lockdown only set to continue, bolster yourself with a few good reads…

We've selected five of the best new books out right now including The Address Book by Deirdre Mask which uncovers what the humble address reveals about us in a multitude of ways – from how we perceive and make sense of our world, through to what constitutes a social legacy, and on to the very timely usefulness of the address in helping us deal with epidemics

To read the full list, click here...

Five new books to read in lockdown

Keeping in good health isn’t just a matter of eating the right food, and sleeping enough, although that's a good start. Feeding your brain and your imagination is equally important. It’s not enough to get up early in the morning, have fruits for breakfast and stick to a healthy diet. If you spend hours on the internet, the truth of the matter is, you'll be drained of energy and motivation to do anything.

Being healthy in body and mind involves looking at several aspects of your life, from your food to your exercise regimen, even to how you sleep and how many miles you walk. There...

Devon author Kate Vane’s new novel, Still You Sleep, focuses on hate crime on social media. A young woman with a learning disability is found dead, and her death becomes the subject of social media trolling.

Kate said, “The investigation focuses on whether the trolls are connected directly to her murder, or whether they are just exploiting her death for their own reasons. Like many people, I’ve become increasingly dismayed by social media trolling and wanted to explore the different reasons why people do it, from resentment, to conviction, to just wanting to join in a pile-on.”...