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SF Layzell @sflayzell.bsky.social · 1d

Happy Bookshop Day! Last week I visited my book Cottonopolis at radical booksellers Housmans nr Kings Cross London. If only I could stretch big enough to hug the whole shop.

If you're after a historical LGBTQ novel for readers young and old, find it here ❤️🏳️‍🌈
housmans.com/product/cott...

Image shows the front window of a small but perfectly formed bookshop. There is a book trolley in the foreground, and behind the book trolley is a smiling person in a blue coat, stretching their arms wide to showcase the window display.

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Brian Groom @groomb.bsky.social · 18h

Happy Bookshop Day, an annual celebration of bookshops, booksellers and the joy of shopping local. Where would we be without them?

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SF Layzell @sflayzell.bsky.social · 20h

A delightful poetry find - makes me think of the phrase "move fast and break things" 🍃 #PoetrySky

poets.org/poem/wind-2

Wind

The wind was a care-free soul / That broke the chains of earth,

poets.org

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Alom Shaha @alomshaha.bsky.social · 1d

The charity which wrote the recent report on lack of “own voices” books for children have “How to Find a Rainbow” as a “top pick”. I write it for my daughters but have to confess I would like more than two kids to have seen it:

How to Find a Rainbow

Stunning imagery with a soft colour palette, this beautiful picture book will immerse you in a cosy, rainy day.

www.inclusivebooksforchildren.org

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SF Layzell @sflayzell.bsky.social · 23h

@housmansbookshop.bsky.social

SF Layzell @sflayzell.bsky.social · 1d

Happy Bookshop Day! Last week I visited my book Cottonopolis at radical booksellers Housmans nr Kings Cross London. If only I could stretch big enough to hug the whole shop.

If you're after a historical LGBTQ novel for readers young and old, find it here ❤️🏳️‍🌈
housmans.com/product/cott...

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Big Bearded Spookteller @bigbeardybooks.bsky.social · 2d

It's the end of the week so it must be #PublisherFriday!

If you are an #IndependentPublisher why not let us know a bit about your press, some links, current projects, crowdfunders, submission windows, some of your authors

#publisher #SmallPress #publishing #IndiePress

alt text in pictures please

old engraving of a Tunis Press, which is a large wooden structure, with one man pulling the lever to make a print and another man who is smoking a pipe checking some copy, with sheets of paper strewn on the ground

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SF Layzell @sflayzell.bsky.social · 4d

It's such an honour to be part of this community 🥹

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Little Rebels Award @littlerebsprize.bsky.social · 4d

And now, (some of) our 2025 #LittleRebelsAward Shortlistees
happily join our little gallery of past shortlistees- thank you, all of you, for all of the work you have done making social justice topics engaging, riveting & accessible for young audiences ♥️
#KidLitUK ⤵️

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Little Rebels Award @littlerebsprize.bsky.social · 5d

1/2 A fabulous Little Rebels Award Shortlistee Panel at our award night last week. Thank you @darrenchetty.bsky.social for your always-thoughtful & inquisitive chairing. And thank you @sarahhaggerholt.bsky.social @ellemcnicoll.bsky.social @sflayzell.bsky.social &Cathy Jenkins..
#KidsLitUK
#UKKidsLit

Author SF Layzell holds a mic & is talking. To her left is author Cathy Jenkins. To her right is author Elle McNicholl and, next to her, author Sarah Hagger-Holt. All are sat down, front facing. Everyone is smiling.

Author Sarah Hagger-Holt has the mic now and is gesturing with her other hand, legs crossed, in a casual pose. To her right is a big board with a kids book illustration (red riding hood?) To her left is Elle McNicholl who is turned towards her and laughing. To her left we can just see SF Layzell.

Now Elle holds the mic. The other panellists are all laughing.

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East Anglia Bylines @eastangliabylines.co.uk · 9d

🎬 From Ely bookshops to global premieres: Cambridge Film Festival celebrates stories filmed at home and abroad.

Cambridge Film Festival returns with 11 days of premieres, stars and local stories

Cambridge Film Festival is back this October with 100+ films, star names and local stories on screen

eastangliabylines.co.uk

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FootyCon @footycon.bsky.social · 9d

Our Call For Papers/Presentations is now live for the International Football History Conference aka FootyCon 2026.

Get your proposals in for what promises to be another great conference. The deadline is January 5th 2026!!

#Footycon26

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Books for Keeps, the online children's books review journal @booksforkeeps.bsky.social · 10d

Congratulations again to Sarah Hagger-Holt and to all the shortlisted rebel authors! Great evening celebrating with @letterboxlibrary.bsky.social Their book packs include excellent reading guides www.letterboxlibrary.com/product-page...

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Books for Keeps, the online children's books review journal @booksforkeeps.bsky.social · 10d

Tonight's the night we discover the winner of the 2025 @littlerebsprize.bsky.social (one of our favourites)👀Revisit the shortlist, which do you fancy for the win? #LittleRebelsAward #UKKidLit

booksforkeeps.co.uk/debut-author...

Graphic showing covers of the six books on the shortlist for the 2025 Little Rebels Award. Strapline Celebrating Radical Fiction for Children!

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Little Rebels Award @littlerebsprize.bsky.social · 10d

TONIGHT
TONIGHT
TONIGHT
#UKKidLit #KidLitUK
#LittleRebelsAward
#WinnerReveal

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SF Layzell @sflayzell.bsky.social · 11d

Thank you Iqbal! ❤️

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Iqbal Hussain @ihussainwriter.bsky.social · 11d

Honoured to have an essay in Bread Alone, a ground-breaking and important anthology from @indienovella.bsky.social featuring 32 working-class writers, collated and edited by award-winning journalist Kate Pascal. Pub: 9 March 2026. Pre-order: t.co/9AwOtMjLXC

Cover of book, with highlighted line in blue: "we often hear about towns decimated by the closure of coal pits or steelworks; cotton towns, with their largely brown workforce, didn't generate the same headlines - or sympathies. Words Beyond Walls, Iqbal Hussain."

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SF Layzell @sflayzell.bsky.social · 11d

TOMORROW!!!

Little Rebels Award @littlerebsprize.bsky.social · 11d

Dear #LittleRebelsAward Folk:

Ahead of tomorrow evening’s Award Ceremony, let’s remind ourselves of our very brilliant

🪧LITTLE REBELS AWARD
SHORTLIST 2025🪧

Books which are ⭐️plump⭐️with social justice content and hopeful activism!

#KidLitUK
#UKKidLit
#bookawards
#kidsbookawards

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SF Layzell @sflayzell.bsky.social · 11d

In various day jobs I've come across people who want user experiences to be "frictionless", but "frictionless learning" is a contradiction in terms!

Chanda Prescod-Weinstein 🌌 @chanda.blacksky.app · 11d

actually it's ok to look things up in the dictionary instead of blaming the author for using a word you didn't know

learning is good

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Hannah Elias @hannahelias.bsky.social · 11d

Are you an emerging scholar researching Black British history and looking for opportunities to share your research? Please get in touch with @oliviawyatt1999.bsky.social or Meleisa Ono George via contact info below to take part in this ⚡️ talks session @ihr.bsky.social (and please share widely!)

IHR Black British History Seminar @ihrblackbritish.bsky.social · 11d

Kicking off our fantastic line up with a showcase of new research! Get in touch if you are a postgraduate or early career researcher who would like to introduce their work to the field.

📍 Hybrid: N304, IHR, Senate House, WC1E 7HU and Online
📅 Thursday 16th October, 2025
⏰ 17:30
🔗 bit.ly/3INwCfO

Email Olivia.Wyatt@ed.ac.uk or Meleisa.Ono-George@history.ox.ac.uk to present online or in-person

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Little Rebels Award @littlerebsprize.bsky.social · 12d

THIS WEDNESDAY!!
9pm-ish
The winner of the edgiest children’s book award comes out to play!
Run by @letterboxlibrary.bsky.social & @housmansbookshop.bsky.social on behalf of the Alliance of Radical booksellers.

#LittleRebelsAward
#UKKidLit #KidLitUK

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Little Rebels Award @littlerebsprize.bsky.social · 12d

What a panel! What a night!

Last October 2024, our Shortlistee Panel shared all of their most rebellious thoughts at our award night ceremony. (See alt text for names)

We can’t wait to hear what our 2025 Shortlistee Panellists have to say.
#LittleRebelsAward
#KidLitUK

Photo shows a lineup of little rebels award shortlistees from last year / 2024. From left to right back row: JT Williams, Yaba Badoe, Jen Reid, Harry Woodgate, James Catchpole, Karen George, Kate Rafiq, Diane Ewen

Two shortlistees crouch at the front- these are Elisa Paganelli and Helen Rutter.

Behind them is a screen with a poster image of the 8 books in that year’s shortlists. There is a surround of bookshelves.

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Index on Censorship @indexoncensorship.org · 16d

Banned Books Week UK starts next Sunday! Help spread the word:

🔹Post on social media
🔹Share your favourite banned book
🔹Use the #BannedBooksWeekUK

Check out our social media pack, printable posters & resources: www.indexoncensorship.org/bannedbooksw... @thebookseller.com @hayfestival.bsky.social

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Louie Stowell @louiestowell.bsky.social · 14d

fyi if you're a non fic publisher, there are some retro ideas in here that might well be ready for a revival. Peter Usborne was always obsessed with "dusty corners" - what old book idea can you bring back for the modern age?

Louie Stowell @louiestowell.bsky.social · 14d

What was your favourite non fiction book as a kid? I have very fond memories of one called "How to handle a hamster" that taught you random skills like changing a plug (defunct skill now but still).

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SF Layzell @sflayzell.bsky.social · 14d

It still hasn't sunk in that my book was shortlisted for one of my favourite book prizes BUT I am very excited to hang out with everyone involved in this award and to spend some time talking together about what makes a radical children's book.

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