AGP Executive Report

Publishing & Policy: Nigeria set a June 19 deadline for publishers to resubmit textbooks under a new approval process that adds a ranking system, reshaping competition and raising the bar for what reaches classrooms. Book Fairs: Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair closed with a record 2.416 million visitors, with officials crediting the MADANI Book Voucher push and a growing digital titles ecosystem. International Publishing: Bulgaria wrapped up its Bucharest Book Fair guest-of-honour run with presentations on Bulgarian communities and translated Romanian editions, underscoring how translation keeps “book children” growing into new languages. Industry Watch: Australia’s independent bookshops keep shrinking—at least 13 have closed in a year—while costs and online competition squeeze the local ecosystem. Community & Culture: Dominica’s Frontline Cooperative Bookstore is remembered as an education-and-co-op movement built around Eddie Toulon’s push for literacy and national consciousness. Books & Ideas: Celeste Ng’s Our Missing Hearts review spotlights a dystopian America where state power targets Chinese-Americans and families.

Translation & Literary Experiment: Geetanjali Shree’s translated short-story collection Once Elephants Lived Here spotlights her genre-bending, rule-breaking approach to narrative. Books in Wartime: Kyiv’s Book Arsenal literary festival went ahead under repeated air-raid warnings, with evacuations during the run-up to a major missile and drone attack. Indie Book Retail Under Pressure: Australia’s independent bookshops keep shrinking fast—more than half closed between 2013 and 2023—raising the question of who will save local stores. Pride & Queer Publishing: A new Pride-focused comics push from GlobalComix spotlights LGBTQ+ creators across genres, while a UK campaign seeks the lesbian grandmothers who inspired a children’s picture book. Publishing Meets Politics: NYC schools released a “Know Your Rights” comic for immigrant families as deportations rise. Speculative Fiction Awards: Aotearoa’s inaugural Te Pae Tawhiti Speculative Fiction Awards shortlist highlights standout adult and genre work from the region. Industry Watch: Wiley’s $452M deal to acquire Emerald Publishing signals continued consolidation in publishing. Book-to-Screen Buzz: Rebecca Yarros shared fresh adaptation updates for Fourth Wing and The Things We Leave Unfinished.

Page-to-screen buzz: Rebecca Yarros shared fresh updates on her next adaptations, keeping fans locked in on what’s coming from Fourth Wing and The Things We Leave Unfinished. Bucharest Book Fair diplomacy: Bulgaria’s Bookfest guest-of-honour moment included Romanian book donations for Sofia University Library, plus Romanian translations spotlighting Bulgarian authors like Joanna Elmi and Petia Kokudeva. War, poetry, and translation: Yordan Eftimov used his Romanian-translated collection to argue that war’s stories echo back to Homer, while also reflecting on how literature travels across borders. Gaming as storytelling: Fellow Traveller wrapped its Story-Rich Showcase with indie narrative updates, while a separate report highlighted how Canadian gaming skews adult and increasingly female. Comics in public life: NYC schools released a “Know Your Rights” comic for immigrant families amid deportation fears. Publishing business: Penguin Random House UK named 44 independent shops for its 2026 children’s grant, funding reading clubs, manga programs, and translated story collections. Controversy at distribution: Penguin Random House India won’t distribute Joe Sacco’s The Once and Future Riot in India, citing issues including an inaccurate map and missing citations. New releases: SHP Comics previewed Sight #1 (a boxer who sees the future) and B. O. Wolf #2 in August 2026 solicits.

Grants & Community Reading: Penguin Random House UK picked 44 independent bookshops for its £150k Penguin Children’s Bookshop Grant 2026, funding everything from parent reading-confidence courses to manga and graphic-novel programs. Inuit Poetry Publishing: Stephanie Mikki Adams released the first part of her Still Here: A Reclamation Trilogy, drawing on 2,000+ poems written since her teens to process grief, racism, and Inuit identity. AI, Kids, and Books: A new pushback against screen-heavy childhoods argues devices are harming brain development—an issue that’s now spilling into the publishing conversation about what children read and how they learn. Distribution Clash: Penguin Random House India won’t distribute Joe Sacco’s The Once and Future Riot on the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots, citing red flags including an inaccurate map and unanswered citation questions. Big Publishing Deals: Wiley agreed to buy Emerald Publishing for £337m, expanding its research and economics/business/finance footprint. New Titles & Genres: Fitzcarraldo Editions spotlights debut and literary fiction with housing-crisis Dublin in Dooneen and Ireland’s mapped-over Famine history in Maggie O’Farrell’s Land. Comics & Culture: A new interactive coding children’s book, Yago!, and fresh attention on graphic novels’ role in the reading crisis keep comics firmly in the spotlight.

New Releases & Launches: Angolan writer Sousa Jamba launched his short-story collection The House of the Two Bibles and Other Stories in Luanda, aiming to spotlight Central Plateau heritage for young readers. Romance & Genre Trends: A new wave of foodie rom-coms is blending kitchen detail with romance tropes, with cookbook authors and romance publishers crossing over more than ever. Author Spotlight: Mary Kay Andrews’ Road Trip follows estranged sisters traveling to Ireland to solve a family mystery, framed as a story about reinvention. Publishing & Rights: Bulgaria’s Petya Kokudeva brought her children’s book Lupo and Tumba to the Bucharest Book Fair in Romanian, with the guest-of-honour spotlight on Bulgarian publishing. Literary Culture: Pope Leo XIV’s recommended reading includes Brother Lawrence’s The Practice of the Presence of God, now getting fresh attention via a Vatican-linked edition. Industry Watch: Liftoff Mobile closed its IPO, and Marvel revealed a new Avengers lineup for 2026’s Armageddon spin-off series. Poetry: Kevin Young won the 2026 Griffin Poetry Prize for Night Watch. AI & Media: A report alleges paid influencer promotion tied to Polymarket odds, while another piece warns AI is reshaping children’s books and raises questions about authorship.

Publishing Policy & Rights: A new Bahrain proposal would bring back the international book fair annually, arguing it boosts access, cultural tourism, and a “shop window” for writers and publishers. First Amendment & Media Pressure: A guide to “jawboning” explains how government pressure on private platforms can threaten First Amendment freedoms. AI & Writers: Writers’ lawsuit against AI giant Anthropic is framed as a payout that’s “pocket change,” reigniting debate over copyright scraping and author compensation. Industry & Business: Allied Market Research projects the comic book market at $31.2B by 2034 (6.6% CAGR), with physical still the top revenue driver. Book Culture & Access: Australia’s independent bookshops keep shrinking fast, with closures piling up and the government help question back on the table. Major Loss in Publishing: Marjane Satrapi, creator of Persepolis, dies at 56, with family saying she died of grief after her husband’s death. Children’s Publishing: A world-first trilingual picture book spotlights Māori and Lule Sámi characters and language alongside English. Local Publishing: Pasadena’s Red Hen Press launches a GoFundMe amid a financial crisis. Comics & Pop Culture: Archie Comics and Shaquille O’Neal team up for a new Black Caesar comic series. Games-to-Books Buzz: Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters expands into book releases after major streaming and awards success.

Publishing & Policy: The Literary Arts Fund, backed by the Mellon Foundation and other philanthropies, will distribute $7.7 million to 40 U.S. independent and nonprofit book groups across 19 states, aiming to shore up access to books as arts funding faces pressure. Labor & Rights: Dark Horse Comics says it will voluntarily recognize the Dark Horse Workers United union, moving toward good-faith bargaining after employees formed the CWA-affiliated group. AI & Fraud: A new warning from publishing insiders highlights how scammers are increasingly impersonating literary agents, using polished outreach and “representation” fees to steal manuscripts or identities—an AI-fueled trust problem for authors. Books to Screen: Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters is driving new book demand, with the film’s success translating into upcoming print releases. Local Book Culture: Kolkata’s College Street hawker eviction rumors were denied by KMC’s commissioner, who said no eviction notices or directives are in place. Industry Watch: Japan’s manga/anime pipeline continues to diversify as audiences move beyond isekai, while publishers chase proven franchises across formats. Loss: Marjane Satrapi, creator of Persepolis, has died at 56.

Publishing Industry & Revenue: The Publishers Association reports record publishing revenue of £7.4bn in 2025, up 3%, with audiobooks, digital and export driving growth. Kids & Awards: The Week Junior Book Awards unveiled a 73-book, 12-category 2026 shortlist, spotlighting everything from picture books to poetry and audiobooks. Reading Science: A University of Tokyo study finds reading manga in print improves comprehension and reduces unnecessary brain activity versus tablet reading. AI in Publishing: A Delhi conclave, “Authorless Horizons,” put publishers and editors on the spot over what AI can (and can’t) do in marketing, editing and trust. Book Trade Strategy: WAN-IFRA and FIPP’s Innovation in Media Report urges publishers to build direct audience relationships and treat AI as an “intelligence product” engine, not just a cost saver. Labor & Comics: Dark Horse Comics will voluntarily recognize its employee union and enter good-faith bargaining. Community Book Culture: A new independent bookshop is set to open in York, while Minneapolis’ Wild Rumpus keeps drawing families with its “kitty cat” charm. Local/Global Access: Auckland’s libraries launch a bilingual Samoan children’s picture book, but an author warns Pacific kids still face major shortages in reading material.

Publishing Deals & Rights: Wiley is buying UK’s Emerald Publishing for $452M, expanding its journal portfolio to about 2,500 titles and beefing up proprietary research content for AI and data analytics. AI & Newsroom Work: A new Future Newsrooms study (FT Strategies/WAN-IFRA) maps 16 emerging strategy roles from audience editors to “editor-coders,” reflecting how publishers are redesigning work for AI-native production. AI in Search: The UK’s CMA says Google will let publishers opt out of having their content used for AI Overviews—framed as a “world first.” Books & Culture Events: Sharjah wraps a major Warsaw International Book Fair run as the first Arab Guest of Honour, with citywide programming and publishing-sector exchanges. Local Book Scene: A new Park Rapids shop, Northbound Ink, pairs an indie bookstore with a tattoo studio—built fast on TikTok-driven author discovery. New Releases & Adaptations: Penguin Random House imprint acquired Lindsey Anderson Beer’s debut novel “Hollow to Putnam,” with Sydney Sweeney attached to star and produce; publication is set for fall 2027. Comics/Indie Publishing: The Beguiling’s BDP Press licenses Battan’s “The Golden Fly” for English, using Kickstarter to fund the print release. Literary Awards: Miriam Rimkunas won a Maine Literary Award for “Survivor Concentrate,” a speculative fiction fable set in Siberia.

Publishing & AI Integrity: Granta’s Commonwealth Short Story Prize winners sparked a fresh AI-authorship fight after readers flagged possible machine-written text, putting “AI detectors” under the spotlight again. Copyright & Piracy: Vietnam’s publishers are pushing for stronger, more proactive copyright protection as piracy shifts online fast—scans, PDFs/EPUBs, audiobooks, and social sharing are driving major losses. Book-to-Screen Buzz: Putnam fast-tracked Lindsey Anderson Beer’s gothic, erotic Sleepy Hollow reimagining Hollow for a Fall 2027 release, with Sydney Sweeney set to star and produce. Tech in Publishing: Japan’s print revival story highlights why creators say paper can’t be replaced by AI, even as self-publishing and zines grow. Controversial Course Materials: University of Nebraska at Kearney will drop a human sexuality textbook after complaints about “graphic images,” and will add clearer course-content notices. Literary Awards: The Sami Rohr Prize 2026 shortlist includes memoir and Holocaust-era history finalists, with the winner due June 16. Indie & Local Reading: A Midwest poet’s debut A Midwestern Introvert’s Atlas lands via a small press, with a public reading scheduled June 4.

Publishing & Censorship: Lee Child calls “sensitivity” edits to older books “slightly Orwellian,” arguing novels are historical artefacts and he’d refuse to change a word. Author-Platform Tensions: Meta-backed arbitration forced former Facebook whistleblower Sarah Wynn-Williams to sit in silence at Hay Festival while her book, Careless People, faces a legal gag tied to her exit deal. Industry Careers: Fitzcarraldo Editions hires Jennifer Tighe as operations director, signaling a push to tighten day-to-day publishing operations. Rights, Access & Global Books: Malaysia’s PENA launches Phase Three of the MADANI book project with RM1m for writers across genres; Ghanaian author Ishmael Junourgh heads to Europe to promote African literature. New Releases & Formats: Oni Press expands its 2026 Archie line with Sabrina The Teenage Witch #1; Manga Mavericks Books announces English release of Taiyo Matsumoto’s Brothers of Japan (Feb 2027). Book Culture & Reading: A review roundup spotlights Bunny, The Hidden Record after three independent five-star verdicts.

Publishing & Borders: Sharjah’s Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi launched the Polish edition of her book Let Them Know She Is Here in Warsaw, underscoring how translation and publishing fairs keep stories moving across languages. Genre Spotlight: Chinese suspense keeps climbing, with Beijing events tracing two decades of mystery writing and its blend of local life with global thrills. Literary Culture: Israeli writer Etgar Keret’s new collection The Blues of the End of the World frames war-era reality as surreal “zombie” dystopia. New Fiction (AI): ButterflyMan’s sci-fi WUKONG imagines AI companionship and identity after romantic loss. Faith & Books: Bible-related publishing continues to surge, with devotionals and study guides driving major print growth. Comics as Collectibles: Argent Comics’ ultra-limited Batman: The Killing Joke fine-art edition heads to San Diego Comic-Con. Geopolitics via Print: North Korea’s 2025 map and book reportedly omit Takeshima/Dokdo, fueling fresh sovereignty speculation.

AI Policy & Power: Bernie Sanders is pushing an “AI Sovereign Wealth Fund” that would seize 50% ownership in major AI firms, as lawmakers scramble over who gets the upside. Publishing & Copyright: CNN’s lawsuit against Perplexity spotlights the fight over AI scraping and news content rights. Booksellers vs Tech: The ABA’s virtual forum drew fresh pushback as members weigh AI, discounts, and how platforms like Bookshop.org treat used books. Translation & Labor: A Yale Ph.D. project spotlights translators’ “workshop” materials—drafts, contracts, even invoices—arguing translation is professional practice, not invisible magic. New Fiction Releases: Annelise Osborne debuts “Hold On for Dear Life,” a novel built from the human cost inside crypto finance; meanwhile, a new multi-book series launch, “Woe to the Leaders Who Harm the Innocent,” kicks off a leadership-and-conscience project. International Book Scene: Warsaw International Book Fair momentum continues with Sharjah’s guest-of-honour push and UAE publishers expanding rights and translation ties. Print’s Comeback: Japan’s zine trend leans on paper’s tactile appeal—“AI simply can’t replicate it.” Local Reading Ecosystems: Maine’s Midcoast Villager leans on a cafe as a “third place” to keep local coverage alive.

New Releases & Series: Luke Stoffel’s The Warboy Chronicles drops June 1 with Boy, Refracted and The Third Person, a two-book dive into AI trust, chatbot “therapy,” and what consciousness might mean when you pour your deepest thoughts into a machine. Global Publishing & Promotion: Transworld promotes Izzie Ghaffari-Parker to senior publicity manager after major campaigns, including Nobody’s Girl. Children’s Publishing: Macmillan Children’s rolls out senior editorial and communications promotions after chart success. International Rights/Launches: Shonen Jump+ and MANGA Plus begin English releases for World Wide Web MIKO! (Kogattuo, Ichika Kino), adapting a light-novel series. Book Culture & Print’s Comeback: Japan’s zine and self-publishing scene keeps growing as creators argue print can’t be replicated by AI. Controversy in Kids’ Books: A Norwegian children’s “how-to” on making a baby (IVF, insemination, adoption) faces bans and death threats abroad. Publishing Industry Watch: Sharjah Book Authority’s HH Sheikha Bodour reviews its digital transformation roadmap and expands international participation to boost Arab publishing and translation. Media/Books Crossover: A new Marilyn Monroe 100 centenary book spotlights her 430-volume library via 17 photographers.

Book Fairs, Reading Culture: A new critique from China’s publishing scene argues many book fairs now feel more like product showcases than places for reading, with some publishers limiting booth “wenchuang” extras so books stay center stage. Digital Publishing Push: Namibia’s Microwide Publishing Press held a digital launch urging authors toward e-commerce and digital distribution, offering end-to-end support from manuscript to book. Social Media Meets Sales: At Malaysia’s PBAKL, writers and readers say platforms like social media help build author brands, spark purchases, and turn fairs into real meeting points. VAT Fight for Digital Books: In the Philippines, a national artist and an executive publisher asked the Supreme Court to scrap a 12% VAT on digital books and other published literature, calling it a barrier to education and expression. Women in Publishing, Global Stage: PublisHer wrapped a four-day Warsaw International Book Fair programme tied to Sharjah’s Guest of Honour, centered on women’s leadership and cross-border publishing decisions. Middle-Grade Action Debut: Puffin is spotlighting Isaac Hamilton-McKenzie’s solo series opener, Jamaal Target: PHANTOM Agent, pitched as Alex Rider meets Spider-Verse. Queer Book Club Pick: Perth’s Queer Book Club selected How to Dress for Old Age, a dual-parent-care story by David Carlin and Peta Murray.

Saudi-Malay Translation Push: Saudi Arabia’s literature agency says Malay-Arabic translation volumes are lagging and vows closer work with Malaysian partners after supporting 2,800+ titles since 2020. VAT Fight for Digital Books: Philippine book-industry petitioners ask the Supreme Court to strike down 12% VAT on digital books, arguing it blocks access to education and violates rights. Sharjah at Warsaw: Sharjah Book Authority officials tout the emirate’s Guest of Honour push at the Warsaw International Book Fair as growing European interest in Emirati and Arab publishing. Comics Buzz: The Eisner Awards 2026 ballot is open and publishers are campaigning hard, while Absolute Wonder Woman #20 narrowly tops Batman #163 in weekly sales. AI and Publishing Pressure: A new report spotlights how AI-detection tools like Pangram are shaping panic and policy around AI-written text. Faith and Print: Pope Leo XIV tells Vatican Publishing House staff that printed books still “nourish the mind,” arguing physical reading supports reflection and comprehension. New Books & Memoirs: A University of Tennessee Press memoir traces one immigrant family’s flight from war-torn Vietnam to America, while a new space-opera trilogy debuts with young “guardians” tasked with healing a fractured galaxy. Local Reading Culture: A Maine newspaper expands community ties by running a cafe-based “third place” to keep local news alive.