Watermark Books & Cafe in Wichita, Kan., has been put up for sale. Sarah Bagby has owned the store, which opened downtown in 1977, since 1996. Describing the development as "a shocker," the Wichita Eagle reported that Bagby has seen substantial interest since listing Watermark for $247,400 (not including an approximately $250,000 inventory) with Todd Bailey, president of Transworld Business Advisors of Wichita.

"I just want to make sure we get the best fit," Bagby said. "It would be fantastic to have somebody from the local community that knows the local community, that has contacts and has a knowledge for the community and a passion for the Wichita community." 

Another requirement for prospective owners is "a passion for books," she noted. "You have to read a lot to be an owner.... And, honestly, it is so fun.... We talk about books constantly." 

Bagby added that there is no chance the store will close. She is working to find someone who can help Watermark thrive for at least another half century, the Eagle wrote, adding that Bagby said she has always appreciated being the best steward she can for the store and that it is in a great spot for someone else to step in. "It's really exciting to have a lot of interest because I feel like... we'll find somebody who likes and loves where the store is and can flourish with it."

Regarding her future, Bagby said, "I'm not going to retire. I'm going to rewire," adding that her plans include some adventurous travel and getting her garden in shape. She's worked at the store since 1977, beginning as a part-timer when Bruce Jacobs owned it.

She helped Watermark open two more stores--one focused on children's books and one for adults--at Central and Rock in Piccadilly Square, but when Bagby became majority owner, she closed those stores and moved the main bookstore from downtown to Lincoln Heights Village. "We were one of the last stores downtown," she said. She also added a cafe at the new store: "People were really wanting that." 

She recalled seeing the bookstore through challenges like "the rise of the chains" and the advent of Amazon. "There were these challenges that made it interesting because you have to adapt." Hosting author events was one of those strategies: "Our publisher partners were very supportive and knew that would help with the strength of the store. We just sold and sold books and had the passion and had the love of the community of Wichita, which has been so supportive of this store, so that's how we adapted." 

Bagby also credited her staff, noting: "I hired really good people. Honestly, they're so capable.... It's a turnkey deal pretty much." 

Penguin Random House, Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Simon & Schuster, Sourcebooks, authors Malinda Lo, David Levithan, and Dashka Slater, and others have filed a lawsuit in Idaho challenging the book removal provisions of a law signed last July that restricts books in public and school libraries. The Idaho law, called HB 710, forbids anyone under the age of 18 from accessing library books that contain "sexual content," regardless of the work's literary or educational merit; the law's definition of sexual content is "broad, vague, and overtly discriminatory," the plaintiffs said.

The law allows county prosecuting attorneys and the state attorney general to bring claims against any school or public library and "incentivizes private citizens to file legal complaints against public libraries or schools through a bounty system." The plaintiffs noted that "many libraries, including those in rural areas that are the sole book providers in their communities, cannot afford to be sued because they cannot cover the cost of a defense."

Plaintiffs charged that the law has "resulted in a chilling effect across the state, with libraries preemptively removing hundreds of books from their shelves. Some libraries have been forced to ban minors from their premises entirely because [the libraries] are too small to segregate 'adult' books. One such case is the Donnelly Public Library, a plaintiff in the lawsuit, which has restricted access to its building for anyone under 18 unless they are accompanied by a parent or guardian."

Plaintiffs said the law has been applied to "classics such as Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five, Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye, Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, and Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings; and bestsellers including Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin, I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson, The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, and Forever... by Judy Blume." The law also affects nonfiction, "imperiling access to factual resources such as The "What's Happening to My Body?" Book for Girls by Lynda Madaras, and erasing history by removing books about the Holocaust and other historical events. The law makes no distinction between infants and 17-year-olds--books are classified as harmful regardless of the age and maturity level of the child."

Plaintiffs seek to have the court to declare the law "unconstitutional under the First and Fourteenth Amendments, issue preliminary and permanent injunctions barring its enforcement, and award plaintiffs their costs and attorneys' fees."

Michael Grygiel, an adjunct faculty member with Cornell Law School's First Amendment Clinic, the lead legal representation in the suit, said that the law "has resulted in the removal of classic works of literature from library shelves across Idaho as libraries attempt to protect themselves from liability under the law's vague and overbroad provisions. This type of self-censorship is inimical to First Amendment liberties and has suffocated the right of Idaho students to read books deemed appropriate for their age and maturity level by their parents. In short, the law is an affront to the Constitution. It is a privilege to represent the publishers, authors, libraries, parents, and students who have joined this lawsuit to challenge HB 710 and stand up for the First Amendment rights of all Idaho citizens."

Dan Novack, v-p, associate general counsel at Penguin Random House, emphasized that "Idaho 710 goes even further than previous laws by removing classic books from public libraries in addition to schools."

Penguin Random House, Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins Publishers, Macmillan Publishers, Simon & Schuster, and Sourcebooks have also filed lawsuits against Iowa and Florida public officials, and Penguin Random House is a plaintiff in a lawsuit filed with PEN America against the Escambia County (Florida) School District over books that have been unconstitutionally removed.

In a memo to staff and authors, PRH CEO Nihar Malaviya wrote in part, "This is the third historic lawsuit we've initiated against book banning in just over a year. I want to take this moment to state, in no uncertain terms, that Penguin Random House will unequivocally stand up for free expression and work to protect the right to read. These values go hand in hand with our ongoing goal of increasing the content we're acquiring, publishing, and promoting by creators of all backgrounds and identities. Publishing books that reflect the world we live in is not only necessary for us to truly deliver on our mission to create books for everyone--it is the best way to position ourselves to continue to grow as a business, and the very foundation of who we are and what we do."

Scarlett Pavlovich has filed a civil lawsuit against British author Neil Gaiman and his estranged wife, musician Amanda Palmer, accusing Gaiman of repeatedly sexually assaulting her while she was working as the couple's babysitter and nanny, the Guardian reported.

Pavlovich filed the lawsuit in federal court in Wisconsin, Massachusetts, and New York earlier this week. She was one of eight women who had detailed allegations of assault, abuse, and coercion against Gaiman in an exposé published by New York magazine last month. The civil lawsuit also accuses Gaiman of rape, coercion, and human trafficking, and Palmer of "procuring and presenting" her to Gaiman "for such abuse."

Gaiman has denied all allegations, saying he thought the relationships were consensual.

Two of Gaiman's publishers, HarperCollins and W.W. Norton, have said they have no plans to release his books in the future. Others, including Bloomsbury, have so far declined to comment, the Guardian wrote, adding that Dark Horse Comics announced in January it would no longer release its illustrated series based on Gaiman's novel Anansi Boys. In addition, a production of Coraline has been cancelled, while Disney has paused a planned adaptation of Gaiman's The Graveyard Book. Netflix is still scheduled to release a second season based on The Sandman, but has announced it would be the last.

Fourcorners Comics & Games, Gettysburg, Pa., plans to open a second location, at 34 Frederick St. in Hanover, within the retail space of the former Montgomery Ward building. The Evening Sun reported that the announcement "marked the first retail tenant for a prominent downtown Hanover building that had been renovated after sitting vacant and blighted for many years."

Co-owners Arthur Sanchez and Holly Krichten addressed the expansion in a social media post, noting that "for nearly 10 years, Fourcorners Comics has been proud to serve our community, offering a welcoming space for trading card games and a haven for readers to immerse themselves in comics and graphic novels. It hasn't always been easy--in fact, it's often been downright challenging at times. So why, you might ask, would we branch out and open a second location?

"The truth is, we're taking a leap of faith. We believe so much in what we've built here in Gettysburg, that we want to expand our reach to serve an even larger part of our community including those in Hanover and beyond, to continue to grow the connections we've fostered over the years. Rest assured, the Gettysburg location isn't going anywhere! We'll continue to offer the best customer service and run events that excite and engage this amazing community. It's been worth every single moment!"

Marion Wiesel, who translated many books written by her husband, Elie Wiesel, including the final edition of Night, and who "encouraged him to pursue a wide-ranging public career, helping him become the most renowned interpreter of the Holocaust," died February 2, the New York Times reported. She was 94.

The Wiesels met in the late 1960s and married in 1969. Elie Wiesel had already achieved acclaim with his memoir Night (1960), which was originally translated from French by Stella Rodway. "Friends, relatives, and writers all attributed the moral stature he achieved partly to the quiet influence of Marion," the Times noted.

"In the alignment of stars that helped make Wiesel the international icon he became, his marriage to Marion was among the most significant," Joseph Berger wrote in Elie Wiesel: Confronting the Silence (2023). Berger noted that of the 10 million copies of Night that have had sold, three million came after her 2006 translation, which was also promoted by Oprah Winfrey and became a widely assigned book in high schools.

Like her husband, Marion Wiesel was a Jewish survivor of the Holocaust. One of her major impacts on his career was through translation. She "shared her husband's cosmopolitan knowledge of European culture and fluency in several languages. She quickly began translating his writing from French to English, ultimately working on 14 of his books," the Times noted. 

Her own literary career included editing To Give Them Light (1993), a collection of Roman Vishniac's photographs of Eastern European Jewry before World War II. She also wrote and narrated Children of the Night (1999), a documentary film about children killed during the Holocaust.

She advised her husband as he made public appearances and became a voice in world politics. Using money from Elie Wiesel's 1986 Nobel Prize, the couple founded the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity. Marion Wiesel managed the Beit Tzipora Centers in Israel, which provide schooling and other support to Jewish children of Ethiopian origin who have faced challenges integrating into Israeli society. She also served as the founding chairman of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. 

Describing Marion Wiesel as her husband's "most trusted adviser," Ileene Smith, the couple's editor, observed that "as his translator from the French, Marion pored over every sentence of Elie's work with astonishing insight into his interior world, his literary mind."

Renée Watson was in conversation with Jason Reynolds (who recently won the 2025 Coretta Scott King Author Award) for the launch of her middle-grade novel All the Blues in the Sky (Bloomsbury) at Recirculation, a Word Up Community Bookshop project in New York City’s Washington Heights neighborhood. With a lively and engaged crowd, Watson read excerpts from the book and discussed craft, creativity, and writing with care for young people on the themes of grief and change. (photo: Emmanuel Abreu)

"Black all year, but we get extra BLACK during February. Pull up on us!" Class Bookstore, Houston, Tex., noted in sharing an Instagram Reel titled, "Walking into my Black-owned bookstore during Black History Month." 

Mat Nichols is joining Simon & Schuster in the newly created position of associate director of client sales, independent retail team. He was previously senior key account manager at Ingram.

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At Berrett-Koehler Publishers:

Christy Kirk has been promoted to associate director of marketing.

Elsa Frantz has been promoted to a full-time position as a sales, marketing, and publicity specialist. Frantz has been an intern at the company.

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Shannon Hegarty has joined Henry Holt as marketing assistant.

It's Getting Hot in Here: A Novel by Jane Costello (Zibby Publishing).

Today:
NPR's Morning Edition: Lara Marlowe and Lieutenant Yulia Mykytenko, author and subject of How Good It Is I Have No Fear of Dying: Lieutenant Yulia Mykytenko's Fight for Ukraine (Melville House, $29.99, 9781685891879).

NPR's All Things Considered: Pádraig Ó. Tuama, author of 44 Poems on Being with Each Other: A Poetry Unbound Collection (W.W. Norton, $27.99, 9781324086161).

Mark Strong (Dune: Prophecy, The Penguin) has been added to the cast of the Apple TV+ series Neuromancer, based on the William Gibson novel, Variety reported. He joins previously announced leads Callum Turner and Briana Middleton in the show, which was picked up to series at Apple in February 2024.

Neuromancer comes from co-creators Graham Roland and J.D. Dillard. Roland will also serve as showrunner, while Dillard will direct the pilot. Both are executive producers along with Gibson; David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Matt Thunell for Skydance Television; Anonymous Content; Drake, Adel "Future" Nur and Jason Shrier for DreamCrew Entertainment; and Zack Hayden. Skydance Television will co-produce with Anonymous Content and Apple Studios.

We Need Diverse Books announced the 2025 Walter Dean Myers Awards and Honor books for outstanding children's literature in two categories: young readers (ages 9-12) and teen (ages 13-18). The award, also known as "The Walter," is named for prolific children's and young adult author Walter Dean Myers (1937-2014). 

Titles chosen for the 10th annual award "recognize diverse authors whose works feature diverse main characters and address diversity in a meaningful way." The 2025 Walter Awards will be held on Friday, April 11, in Washington, D.C.

Younger Readers Winner: Shark Teeth by Sherri Winston (Bloomsbury Children's Books)
Younger Readers Honor: The Creepening of Dogwood House by Eden Royce (Walden Pond Press/HarperCollins)
Teen Winner: Black Girl You Are Atlas by Renée Watson, illustrated by Ekua Holmes (Kokila/Penguin Random House)
Teen Honor: A Crane Among Wolves by June Hur (Feiwel & Friends)

Jamiel Law

Jamiel Law is an illustrator, painter, and creative thinker. He was born and raised in Sarasota, Fla. He strives to create honest work that resonates with others and establishes a genuine connection. When not at his desk, Law can be seen lounging around with his family or hooping at a local park. Last week, Law won the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Illustrator Award for his debut picture book as illustrator, Jimmy's Rhythm & Blues: The Extraordinary Life of James Baldwin (HarperCollins), written by Michelle Meadows.

Jimmy's Rhythm and Blues is a beautiful book--how do you feel about your work being recognized in this way?

Thank you for the kind words! Although I strive to create work that connects with others and that I'm proud of, I never would've expected this level of recognition--especially in my first book! So, I'm a bit taken aback to say the least.

How do you describe this book to people unfamiliar with it?

It's an honest, thoughtful, spirited, exciting biography about the life and impact of writer and activist, James Baldwin.

I imagine that illustrating a work of nonfiction must be different than illustrating a work of fiction--you must get the settings, clothing ensembles, and details correct, not to mention replicating real humans who lived. What kind of research did you do for this book? How did you match your work to the time?

Oh absolutely. That's what made it so challenging, but I think it made it all the more fun, too. I started by watching documentaries about Baldwin and about the general time (roughly the 1920s to 1980s) just to get an overall sense of place--the textures, clothes, hairstyles, people, and architecture. From there, I then filled a digital mood board with a TON of references of all those things mentioned above. Because my book would include familiar faces in poses not photographed, I hired some friends and family to pose in a studio so that I could gather the anatomical and lighting information to really ground these characters into space. Also, I can be a massive overthinker, so all this groundwork was necessary for me to really focus on the drawings and how I wanted to tell this story visually.

You stick to a palette that mostly features browns, tans, greens--how did you choose this palette and why did it work for you?

I thought those colors were so vital in describing the city that served as not only the backdrop of the story but also the muse of such an influential writer and activist. So, I think it's cool that those warm colors carry that familiarity and that feeling of inspiration through the writer's life and travels. It's another way to remind us of his constant thoughts of home throughout his life--thoughts that would bring him back at a point.

One double-page spread, though, is almost entirely black and features a close-up of Baldwin's face. It's a shock of a page turn, utterly captivating. What was your inspiration for this image? How did you feel when creating it?

When I read the manuscript, that was the first image that came to mind. It describes the anger and the rage that bleeds from the writer's thoughts of the injustice taking place in the 1950s and '60s in the U.S. It was clear to me that a level of pain would have to be evident and that I really had to feel something when I saw this page. It made the most sense to me to pull the reader uncomfortably close to the character. You're close enough that his glaring eyes can stare directly into yours in a confrontational manner or in a way with which you can empathize.

How did you feel when you were approached to illustrate this picture book? What did you think of the text? Did you already feel a connection with Baldwin?

I thought that it was a huge honor. I read the manuscript and was blown away with how Michelle Meadows weaved his story together with the pen. And, seeing that no prior picture books of this magnitude had ever been created to chronicle and celebrate his life, I was nervous to say the least.

And honestly, I felt a great sense of self-doubt because Baldwin and his writings were such a huge benchmark in my studies of African American history. So, to illustrate a picture book telling the story of such an impactful person, it felt GRAND and beyond me.

Thankfully, the confidence and trust given to me by my agent (Steven Malk), editor (Luana), art director (Dana), and the author (Michelle) really empowered me to push through those emotions and to focus on the creation and fun of the work.

Is there an image that you found particularly difficult to illustrate? Anything that came to you immediately?

The spread that I found the most difficult to illustrate was Jimmy and Beauford talking in Beauford's Greenpointe apartment. I know I wanted a lot of information in the shadows, so it took me a while (and an entire redraw) to figure out the values and the color.

The images that came the fastest to me were the closeup of Baldwin's face and the spread where he is writing on the typewriter. Usually, the ideation and compositional aspect of illustration takes the longest, so I was very relieved when these images basically jumped from my brain onto the page.

Are you hoping to illustrate more picture books? Are you working on anything now?

I would love to illustrate more children's book, both nonfiction and fictional. And yes, it's funny that you ask that. I'm wrapping up another book at the moment written by the talented Teresa Rodriguez, about a Black family's story of growth and resilience told from the perspective of a pecan tree growing alongside each new generation. It's releasing spring of 2026 with Atheneum, and I am extremely excited.

Is there anything you'd like to say to Shelf Awareness readers?

Thank you for your support! It's truly the work that you do that allows amazing stories to be amplified and to connect to and to inspire others.

photo: Alyssa Essman

Gretchen Whitmer, the governor of Michigan, is a national voice on the rights of women, voters, and the LGBTQ+ community and known for her bold and plainspoken style. She rose to national prominence for her leadership in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic; later that year, a domestic terrorist cell began planning to kidnap and kill her, a plot that was foiled by the FBI and state police. Whitmer is a lifelong Michigander who first ran for office at age 29, has served in both state houses, and has never lost an election. She is the proud mother of two daughters, a huge Detroit Lions fan, and the subject of the song "Big Gretch" by rapper GMac Cash. The young adult edition of True Gretch is available now from Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Handsell readers your book in 25 words or less:

A handbook for how to deal with absolutely everything--from bullies to screw-ups--and how to find humor in tough times.

On your nightstand now:

Water, an industrial-strength white-noise machine, and at least three pairs of reading glasses. Oh wait--you mean books! All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker and On Freedom by Timothy D. Snyder.

Favorite book when you were a child:

Anything by Shel Silverstein. My mom used to quote his poem "Sick" to my siblings and me whenever we described dubious symptoms, usually on days she knew we had a test: " 'I cannot go to school today,' said little Peggy Ann McKay. 'I have the measles and the mumps, a gash, a rash and purple bumps.' "  It was how she (rightfully) called BS.

Favorite books to read to a child:

Skippyjon Jones by Judith Byron Schachner; The BFG by Roald Dahl, illustrated by Quentin Blake; The Big Box by Toni Morrison with Slade Morrison, illustrated by Giselle Potter; and Zen Shorts by Jon J. Muth. There is so much wisdom in children's literature--some of the lessons in these books still serve me well today.

Your top five authors:

Shel Silverstein, George Orwell, Judy Blume, Amanda Gorman, and Lisa Dickey.

Book you've faked reading:

Inferno by Dante Alighieri, though there are days when some might suggest that one of its most familiar quotes--"Abandon all hope, ye who enter here"--should be painted above the entrance to a legislative chamber. Also, Macbeth, which I regret now because references to that Shakespearean tragedy are everywhere.

Book you're an evangelist for:

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. My decision to go to law school was partly influenced by Atticus Finch. I also really connected with how the kids created a neighborhood villain purely because stories are always more exciting with a villain. And it's even more interesting when the fake villain becomes a real hero.

Book you've bought for the cover:

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. Beautiful cover and an even better book.

Book you hid from your parents:

Anything by Jackie Collins or V.C. Andrews.

Book that changed your life:

The Martha Stewart Cookbook by Martha Stewart. I know it's unconventional to say a cookbook changed my life, but when I first lived on my own, I didn't really know how to cook, as I never really did it growing up. Successfully learning how to do something useful from a book--not a textbook and not in school--opened a door for me.

Favorite line from a book:

"They eat and eat but they're never full. With this book, I wanted to pit a man freed from all responsibilities but his appetites against women whose lives are shaped by their endless responsibilities. I wanted to pit Dracula against my mom. As you'll see, it's not a fair fight." --Author's Note, The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix.

A fun, slightly unhinged book that celebrates the quiet strength, resilience, and badassery of women and mothers.

Five books you'll never part with:

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
On Tyranny by Timothy D. Snyder
Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh
Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin
Call Them by Their True Names by Rebecca Solnit

Book you most want to read again for the first time:

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. That's the thing about thrillers--you can only be thrilled once.

This spirited biography by Susanna Isern (The Voice of the Forest), translated from the Spanish by Cecilia Ross, pays tribute to changemaker Luisa Capetillo, who dared to challenge convention and gender norms by fighting for women's right to wear pants.

Readers meet Capetillo, born in Puerto Rico to a French mother, as a child: "She was a restless, curious girl who loved to learn." In school, she was taught the duties of "good wives, mothers, and homemakers." Illustrator Esther Gili depicts a row of girls engaged in needlepoint, Luisa refusing to stitch with an exasperated look on her face. As an avid reader, Luisa reads in French and Spanish and thrills in the "new worlds and new ways of thinking" introduced to her. She also loves playing outdoors but resents how her skirts restrict her movement. When she asks her mother why girls don't wear "more practical clothes," the "absurdity" of her answer--it is a social custom--leaves Luisa perplexed. The next morning, she boldly resists these norms by running in a pair of her father's old pants ("Luisa felt free!"), scandalizing the community.

Text and illustration seamlessly transition to Luisa as a young adult, advocating for women's rights by reading to illiterate factory workers. Later, during her world travels, she faces a "public scandal" but is acquitted by a judge, in what Isern describes as a "pivotal moment." While the illustrations offer some insight into this event, additional backmatter with further details about the scandal and other significant aspects of Capetillo's life would enrich the reader's understanding and inspire deeper exploration of her remarkable story.

Isern explores Capetillo's groundbreaking "bravery and her unconventional clothing" in a direct and straightforward style, effectively conveying Luisa's determination: "She could only think about that annoying skirt that made it difficult for her to move freely." Gili's illustrations, filled with calming earth tones and vibrant bursts of teal, rose, and marigold, capture Luisa's joy in being skirt-free. On one spread, Gili shows her mid-leap, running through a field of flowers, birds flying alongside her. These same birds, a symbol of the liberty Capetillo longed for, also adorn the opening and closing endpapers.

Young readers today might be surprised to learn of a time in which women were confined to skirts. Isern's story is a solid introduction to a woman who dared to defy expectations and paved the way for greater freedom and equality for women. The final spread, featuring contemporary women of all ages and abilities, underscores Capetillo's enduring legacy.  --Julie Danielson

Shelf Talker: This dashing biography of women's rights pioneer Luisa Capetillo tells the story of a woman who fought for her right to lead her life on her own terms.

The following were the most popular book club books during January based on votes from book club readers in more than 90,000 book clubs registered at Bookmovement.com:

1. The Women: A Novel by Kristin Hannah (St. Martin's Press)
2. James: A Novel by Percival Everett (Doubleday)
3. The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon (Doubleday)
4. The God of the Woods by Liz Moore (Riverhead)
5. All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker (Crown)
6. The Wedding People: A Novel by Alison Espach (Holt)
7. The Briar Club: A Novel by Kate Quinn (Morrow)
8. The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride (Riverhead Books)
9. Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver (Harper)
10. The Berry Pickers: A Novel by Amanda Peters (Catapult)

Rising Stars:
How to Read a Book: A Novel by Monica Wood (Mariner Books)
The Unmaking of June Farrow: A Novel by Adrienne Young (Delacorte Press)