AGP Executive Report

Publishing Policy & Trade: Moldova is withdrawing from a CIS agreement on publishing, distribution and printing, saying the deal is outdated and that European programs like Horizon Europe and Creative Europe better fit its cultural goals. Children’s Publishing & Community: Queen Camilla visited St Mungo’s to highlight how her reading charity’s book donations and training help people recovering from homelessness through book clubs and shared reading. Industry Milestone: Independent children’s publisher Nosy Crow marked its 15th anniversary with major industry figures gathering to celebrate its growth. Book Awards (Indie): Las Vegas magician Connie Boyd’s debut The Power of Magical Women won the 2026 Next Generation Indie Book Award in Women’s Literature Non-Fiction. Regional Literary Funding: South Arts announced 2026 Literary Arts Grants, backing 16 writers and 13 organizations across the American South, including three Kentucky recipients. Book-to-World Cup Learning: Edinburgh mum Aileen Summers launched The World Cup Files children’s book series and podcast ahead of the 2026 tournament. Amazon Reading List: Amazon revealed its “Best Books of the Year So Far” Top 20, curated by editors rather than sales data. Author Events: Rachel Bennett Steury will hold a June 27 Auburn signing for Losing My Kidney and Finding My Voice, a memoir about living organ donation and advocacy. Tech & Publishing Adjacent: Meta launched a “Business Agent” for WhatsApp, Messenger and Instagram to handle customer chats, lead qualification and bookings.

Memoir Spotlight: Deb Haaland’s new memoir, A Voice Like Mine (Henry Holt), turns her rise from poverty and hunger to becoming the first Native American Cabinet secretary, with a governor’s race backdrop. Political Memoir: Chrystia Freeland’s Unreliable Boyfriend (Simon & Schuster Canada) lands in October, mixing political memoir with an insider look at U.S. power and trade. New Releases (Business/How-To): Hema Dey’s The AI Translator hits Amazon June 10 after pre-launch No. 1 buzz in Global Marketing, pitching a practical framework for AI-era communication. Publishing & Reading Culture: Vermont’s Youth Book Awards name student-voted winners—Whalesong (K-4), Impossible Creatures (4-8), and Not Like Other Girls (high school). Climate Fiction Watch: A roundup on the state of cli-fi highlights a busy slate of new climate-focused novels and prizes. Children’s Story Meets Real Life: Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s Zog partnership with Great Western Air Ambulance marks Zog Day (June 11) with readings and lifesaving lessons. Adaptation News: Prime Video’s Every Year After (based on Carley Fortune’s Every Summer After) premieres June 10 with all episodes dropping at once. Black Bookselling Legacy: A feature traces the legacy of Black bookselling in Minnesota, spotlighting historic stores like Challenge Books. Library Services: A guide to “Library of Things” and other unusual library checkouts points readers to free, practical resources beyond books. Award Recognition: Fort McMurray Elder Robert Cree’s memoir The Many Names of Robert Cree wins Alberta’s Best Memoir at the Writers’ Guild of Alberta awards.

Publishing Buzz: Sarah Wynn-Williams’ Careless People surged about 305% week-on-week after the author was “silenced,” with NielsenIQ BookData pointing to a major sales spike. Theater-to-Books Culture: Netflix is pushing Hadestown into theaters with a July 23–27 run, featuring the original Broadway cast and a story rooted in Orpheus and Eurydice. TV Adaptation Update: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is ending with a third and final season (2027), based on Holly Jackson’s book trilogy. New Releases & Launches: Skyward Imprint set June 23 for Virtuous Business: A Model Approach; Sibylline Press released Pam Troy’s immigration fantasy The Newcomers: The Chronicles of Touperdu, Book I (out now). Memoir Spotlight: Kim Thayil’s A Screaming Life lands today, reflecting on Soundgarden, grief, and the band’s later years. Book World in Court: Six Georgians went on trial in France over theft of rare Russian classics from libraries, with defendants facing up to 10 years. Awards Watch: The 61st Nebula Awards named Stephen Graham Jones’ The Buffalo Hunter Hunter as top winner.

Publishing & Books in the Spotlight: Simon & Schuster/37Ink debuts Elizabeth Stordeur Pryor’s memoir “Something We Said: Richard Pryor, a Notorious Word, and Me,” tying her research to her father’s legacy and sparking a new conversation on the n-word. Classics & Translation: Two major Chinese translations—Xenophon’s “The Four Books” and “Quintilian: A Roman Educator and His Quest for the Perfect Orator”—head to a classics conference in Athens, pushing “ancient-to-modern” scholarship. Children’s & Community Reading: A new holiday picture book pairs Christmas cheer with puppy mischief and gentle life lessons, while local authors keep using books for causes, including a children’s title with proceeds supporting Ruffy’s fire brigade. Indie Comics Distribution: Battle Quest inks a distribution deal with Universal for a “Summoner Wars” comic series, aiming to bridge tabletop fandom and the book channel. Book-to-Screen Buzz: Zendaya makes a surprise stop at an indie bookstore, spotlighting “Dune Messiah” and “The Odyssey” as her film projects ramp up. Literary Culture: Nepal launches an ecological literature award in memory of Prem Kumari Hitan, underscoring how literature is being used to tackle climate and society.

Education Inequality: Hannele Niemi warns that despite access to information, education quality still tracks wealth, with under-resourced schools and fewer supports leaving many students behind. Children’s Publishing Launch: Raindrop Production debuts nature-rooted fairy tales for ages 3–8, starting with The Big Symphony, a read-aloud about community and perseverance. Middle-Grade Deal: Bloomsbury Children’s Books acquires Rea Malhotra-Mukhtyar’s illustrated middle-grade series The Absolutely True Confessions of a Funny Girl. Graphic Journalism Blocked in India: Penguin Random House India won’t distribute Joe Sacco’s The Once and Future Riot after internal concerns about editorial issues. Book Bans Fight: Knox County school board votes to urge Tennessee lawmakers to fix the state law behind the Roots removal. Author News: Dr. Kristen Broughton releases Automatic Body, reframing the “fitness loop” as a plan-structure problem, not personal failure. Publishing & Community: Fresh Water Press in Two Rivers expands local author publishing with new releases planned for 2026–27. Cultural Loss: Marjane Satrapi, creator of Persepolis, dies at 56.

Immigration Crackdown in South Africa: President Ramaphosa says Home Affairs, border officials and police will intensify efforts to identify and deport undocumented foreign nationals, amid rising anti-migrant protests and calls for a June 30 shutdown. Publishing Diplomacy: Saudi Arabia wraps up its guest-of-honor run at the 2026 Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair, highlighting literature, translation, rare manuscripts and pavilion programming. Literary Community in Korea: Seoul’s Seorae Book Club invites readers to discuss Shin Kyung-sook’s “The Girl Who Wrote Loneliness,” with English-only sessions aimed at understanding Korean society through fiction. Grassroots “Book Village” in Kashmir: Aragam in north Kashmir is turning homes into mini libraries, where a teen reader now studies and shares stories with younger siblings. Book-to-Stage Spotlight: Tolethorpe Youth Drama prepares an “Animal Farm” adaptation at Tolethorpe Hall, pitching Orwell’s satire as still sharply relevant. Publishing Industry Tech: CBSE gets final security clearance for its examiner re-evaluation portal after IIT-led cybersecurity checks, paving the way for reassessment of Class 12 answer scripts. Cultural Loss: Psychiatrist Robert Coles, Pulitzer-winning author of “Children of Crisis,” dies at 97.

Kuala Lumpur Book Fair: Saudi Arabia wrapped up its guest-of-honor run at the 2026 Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair, spotlighting literature, translation, heritage crafts and rare manuscripts. China–Malaysia Reading Bridge: Chinese publishers and cultural groups used the fair to push multi-language titles and youth dialogues, with visitors picking up pinyin editions and meeting authors. AI & Copyright: A push for collective licensing is gaining momentum as generative AI scales up, with publishers and creators demanding authorized, transparent use of copyright-protected works. Sustainable Aviation Fuel Reality Check: IATA says SAF still covers under 1% of jet fuel use, calling policy and oil-company support “ineffectively sequenced” while urging a viable global SAF market. Literary Loss: Uzbek literary scholar Ibrahim Gafurov, a major figure in publishing and culture, died at 88. Book Culture in Bulgaria: Georgi Gospodinov and Kostadin Kostadinov drew crowds at Bucharest’s spring book events, underscoring how readers and translators help books endure across crises and languages. Publishing Rights in India: Penguin India declined distribution of Joe Sacco’s “The Once and Future Riot,” raising questions about precedent for researched, truth-telling comics. Libraries & Literacy: Coforge opened its fourth public library in Delhi, while a Sioux Center program rewards kids for reading 1,000 books before kindergarten. Crisis Documentation: UPSI published “UPSI Berduka” to record the Gerik tragedy and outline crisis-management phases for future emergencies. Creator Credit Fight: Rob Liefeld criticized Marvel’s New Mutants omnibus credits, saying his writing role is being minimized.

School Textbook Overhaul: India’s NCERT is set to release a revised Class VIII Social Science book chapter on the judiciary after a prior version was pulled for references to judicial corruption, with the Supreme Court banning its sale. Local Publishing & Community Reading: Australia’s independent bookshops keep shrinking—half closed between 2013 and 2023—raising alarms for the wider publishing ecosystem. Ethics in Memoir Spotlight: Jill Biden’s new memoir recounts returning a Modi gift diamond after officials valued it far above the stated price, underscoring strict rules for foreign gifts. Libraries Reimagined: A Middle East roundup highlights new library designs built for lingering—gardens, cafés, study spaces, and public courtyards—turning reading into a social destination. Comic Previews: Marvel’s Black Cat #11 and DC’s Emperor Aquaman #18 both hit June 10 with high-stakes showdowns and cosmic jailbreak setups. Poetry Release: Chesaning author Jamie Hoeft published Poems on the Narrow Path, a faith-and-music-inspired collection.

Local Journalism & First Amendment: Southern LitFest kicked off with a panel on journalists-turned-authors, arguing local reporting keeps a fair “first draft of history” when social media gets loud. Pride Reading Picks: A roundup spotlights LGBTQ+ memoirs and stories for Pride month, including Juda Bennett’s “Qtopia” and Chad Anderson’s “Gay Mormon Dad.” Women’s Publishing & Speaking: Attorney/author Kara Vaval will keynote Miami’s Busy Woman White Summer Soirée, promoting her Amazon bestseller “From Clearance to Priceless.” Rights Education via Comics: NYC schools released a 32-page “Know Your Rights” comic for immigrant families, using sanctuary-city rules and ICE school-access guidance. Children’s Books & Literacy: Indiana teacher Julia Kolouch published “No Pockets? No Problem!” to teach problem-solving; South Africa’s Naledi Setzin pushes reading as fun through her books and literacy initiatives. Book Culture & Reviews: Tom Perrotta discusses “Ghost Town” in a Q&A; poetry review highlights Dinesh Adhikari’s “Pani Ko Parade” as politically charged and unsettling. Travel & Publishing Tie-ins: Diper Tour published Japan-planning guides for Filipinos and Indians for 2026, emphasizing early booking and tailored itineraries.

Publishing Deals & Industry Moves: Wiley is buying Emerald Publishing from Cambridge for £337m, boosting Wiley’s research and “research intelligence” footprint across journals and books. AI & Authorship Debate: A novelist argues AI can’t replicate the passion and anguish behind writing, as publishers and authors clash over AI-generated books. Rights, Distribution & Legal Scrutiny: Penguin Random House India won’t distribute Joe Sacco’s The Once and Future Riot on the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots, citing issues including an inaccurate India map and missing citations. Literary Awards: Indian American anthropologist Anand Pandian won the 2026 Zócalo Book Prize for Something Between Us, examining everyday barriers that split Americans. Book Launches & Community Reading: A Mumbai commuter library debuts with 1,200 books at a free railway station, while Storytime Bookshop in Kennewick reopens after a fire with a new nonprofit “Book Buddy” program. New Titles (Reviews/Previews): Maggie O’Farrell’s Land and Keith Ridgway’s Dooneen spotlight Ireland’s history and housing-era unrest; Claudia Hammond’s Overwhelmed targets mental-health pressure with practical brain-based tricks. International Author News: Graphic-novel icon Marjane Satrapi (Persepolis) dies at 56.

New Biography Release: TSHA Press is out with Texas Songbird: The Life and Songs of Cindy Walker, a definitive biography by Barbara Finlay that spotlights the “dean of Texas songwriters” and the enduring reach of “You Don’t Know Me.” Community Literacy: Wooster’s “Reading Under the Lights” marked 10 years with 1,200+ attendees and free books for students, pairing authors and local readers for a night of modeled reading. Publishing & Culture: Vatican Publishing House marked its centenary with Pope Leo XIV praising books for nourishing the mind and helping people encounter others through reading. Book-to-World Storytelling: A new extract from Peter F. Hamilton’s Exodus universe (The Helium Sea) ties official sci-fi novels to the broader game franchise. Award Watch: Maria Reva’s debut Endling won the 2026 Amazon First Novel Award (Canada), blending romance-tour survival with war-era truths. Book Market/Industry: Regulators issued guidance urging banks to flag payroll fraud and unauthorized employment patterns, a reminder that publishing and reading ecosystems still sit inside wider policy shifts. Notable Death: Iranian-French graphic memoir icon Marjane Satrapi has died at 56, prompting fresh tributes to Persepolis and her influence on global comics.

Book Industry & Publishing Finance: Pasadena’s Red Hen Press, hit by funding cuts and a tougher economy, has launched a GoFundMe to keep programming alive. Literary Loss: Iranian-French graphic novelist Marjane Satrapi (Persepolis) has died at 56, with family and French officials citing “sadness” after her husband’s death. Publishing & Culture: Taiwan Travelogue’s International Booker Prize win is framed as a spotlight on who gets to narrate Taiwan—and what translation and Western attention can miss. New Book Releases (Nonfiction/History): The Tank Museum in Bovington announces Tank Command, co-written with former tank commander Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, tracing how tanks shaped conflicts from WWI to today. Author Spotlight: Courtney Maum’s Alan Opts Out tackles ethical consumption and late-stage capitalism through a magical-realist, dairy-fueled satire. Public Life & Law: Indira Jaising’s memoir The Constitution Is My Home blends her legal career with a personal history of Partition and a call to return to constitutional ideals. Community Reading: Arapahoe County’s jail “book cart days” expand inmate access to thousands of titles, boosting morale and reducing tension.

Publishing & Rights: Bloomsbury Press has published the late Dr. Garabet K. Moumdjian’s “The Armenian Revolutionary Federation and Constitutionalism in the Ottoman Empire, 1895-1908,” using Ottoman, British and Armenian archives to map shifting ARF–Young Turk ties before the 1915 genocide. Literary Loss: Iranian-French graphic novelist and filmmaker Marjane Satrapi (“Persepolis”) has died at 56, with tributes highlighting her revolution-and-exile storytelling and the Oscar-nominated animated adaptation. Book Industry Funding: The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and partners’ Literary Arts Fund will distribute $7.7m to 40 U.S. independent/nonprofit groups, including the National Book Foundation and Graywolf Press. New Releases: HB Publications released “The Long-Distance Dementia Caregiver,” a stage-by-stage guide for adult children managing care remotely. Children’s Books: Beekeepers’ Naturals announced “Little Bee and The Bloom” (Sept. 1, 2026) and author Kasey Mansfield’s screen-free “The Day the Devices Disappeared.” Community & Events: The St. Lawrence Writers Festival returns to Brockville for a second year (Sept. 10–13).

Publishing & Local Books: A south Minneapolis bookstore, Wild Rumpus Books, is celebrating more than 30 years of kids’ reading with a whimsical, animal-filled space that turns storytime into a community hangout. Anime-to-Books Buzz: Crunchyroll is streaming the OVA episode (episode 13) for The Other World’s Books Depend on the Bean Counter, tying back to the boys-love light novel series and its Blu-ray/DVD bonus release. Comics Spotlight: DC’s Deadman #1 launches as part of its Next Level push to give less-mainstream characters a bigger spotlight, with early reviews praising its tone and color-rich presentation. Cricket Nonfiction: Penguin’s new Chasing like Dhoni digs into IPL’s rags-to-riches appeal, but critics note it may lean on familiar stories rather than fresh revelations. Library & Community Events: Joplin families get a new StoryWalk opening June 11 for Look Up! by local creator Isaiah Basey. Book Industry/Business: Wiley’s $452M Emerald Publishing acquisition is in focus, alongside other publishing-platform moves and AI-related publishing debates. Big Publishing Moments: Netflix’s A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder Season 2 arrives after the Season 1 twist, keeping the YA mystery momentum going.

Film-to-page buzz: Anna Kendrick is set to direct the movie adaptation of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s LGBTQ hit “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo,” with the novel’s Golden Age Hollywood romance and BookTok-fueled popularity front and center. Publishing & rights: Wiley has agreed to buy Emerald Publishing for £337m, a major consolidation move in academic publishing. Book-to-screen legacy: “Cape Fear” returns as an Apple TV series, extending John D. MacDonald’s 1957 thriller into a nine-hour Southern Gothic rework. Children’s media expansion: “Warrior Cats” (90M+ copies) is being developed as an authorized animated series for Tencent Video, debuting in 2028. Local literary life: St. Marys Museum’s summer exhibit “Building St. Marys” and author talk with architecture expert Shannon Kyles kick off June 6, while Burm Booksellers hosts B.K. Clay’s signing June 26. Industry & AI policy: Publishers will be able to opt out of having their content used for AI features in Google Search, via a CMA “world first.” Space science for readers: Operation Period is raising $1.2m to study menstruation in microgravity with Virgin Galactic.

Film & Publishing Adaptations: Anna Kendrick is set to direct and star in the film adaptation of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s LGBTQ hit The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, with a new movie push that keeps the book’s BookTok-fueled momentum front and center. Literary Grants & Heritage: Venezuela’s National Book Center (CENAL) opened 2026 grants for literary creation, adding a new Cinematographic Research track to mark 60 years of Cinemateca Nacional work, with projects focused on Venezuelan audiovisual heritage. Book-to-Screen Gothic Romance: Sydney Sweeney will produce and star in Hollow, a feature adaptation of Lindsey Anderson Beer’s debut novel, reworking The Legend of Sleepy Hollow with gothic, supernatural, and erotic-thriller elements. Publishing Industry Watch: Wiley is buying Emerald Publishing for £337m, a major consolidation move for academic and professional publishing. Local Reading Culture: A Churubusco Women’s Literature Club—founded in 1905—keeps meeting twice monthly at the public library, marking 121 years of community book discussion. June Paperback Buzz: New June paperbacks include R.F. Kuang’s Katabasis and Ron Chernow’s Mark Twain, signaling a busy summer gifting season.