"I realize there are still so many book deserts. I live in a beautiful book bubble here in Seattle. We have about 23 bookstores participating in our Seattle Independent Bookstore Day Passport. It feels like every neighborhood has its bookstore and it's such a good feeling. I wish that every community in our country had that.

"I think there is opportunity there. We have so many readers who also want to be business people. And there are so many creative thinkers and creative ways to do that, for example with pop-ups and mobile stores. And so I feel like the more places we have to get books and get inspiration and talk to readers, the better it is not just for our industry, but really for our communities and for our country."

Kwame Spearman, former co-owner and CEO of Tattered Cover Book Store in Denver, Colo., plans to open Denver Book Society, a bookstore with "soul and substance," at 1700 Humboldt St. in City Park West, in 2026. The Denver Post reported that Spearman and a partner bought the 9,000-square-foot building for $2.9 million.

Kwame Spearman

"Hopefully, second time will be a little bit more of a charm," said Spearman, who, with David Back, led an investor group that bought the Tattered Cover in December 2020. Spearman served as CEO until April 2023, when he stepped down during an unsuccessful run for the city's school board. Prior to that, he had briefly run for mayor. His tenure at Tattered Cover was marked by a large number of store moves and openings as well as the unusual public airing of staff dissatisfaction. At the time, Spearman said that Tattered Cover had had severe financial problems for years and needed to cut costs or grow, with growth his choice.

Tattered Cover was sold to Barnes & Noble last summer for $1.8 million. "Tattered Cover losing its independent status was disappointing to a lot of people, including me," Spearman said.

He wants to open his new bookstore by spring 2026, in about 3,500 square feet of the former Humboldt Kitchen + Bar restaurant, which closed two years ago. He is also considering turning the restaurant's former kitchen into an approximately 2,000-square-foot eatery. He described the Humboldt St. space as "a super awesome location." 

Spearman's partner on the deal, Rich Garvin, is a philanthropist from San Francisco. The Post noted that Garvin came to Denver during the pandemic, and the two men had made a bid to maintain control of Tattered Cover once it entered bankruptcy in 2023. 

The future home of Denver Book Society

The goal for Denver Book Society is to become a community hub, with events and programming complementing the literature inside, Spearman said, adding that the bookstore will stand out by what it stocks: "Books that you can easily find on Amazon, you can find on Amazon. You come into our store and have a best-in-class staff opportunity that recommends a book that you wouldn't have found otherwise."

Regarding his first experience as a bookseller, he observed: "I think a combination of its history, the pandemic and me being a first-time bookstore owner made that incredibly challenging, but in my role I saw the potential of what or how a bookstore could really impact the community and we plan to do just that."

Lacy Simons, founder of hello hello books in Rockland, Maine, has sold the 14-year-old bookstore to longtime bookseller Jacob Fricke. 

New owner Jacob Fricke

Fricke joined the bookstore when it was about a year old, and as of last week, officially took over the store. In a message to customers announcing the ownership change, Simons said of Fricke: "No words suffice to describe how integral they became to the operation and the lived mission of this shop; it would not have survived the last few tumultuous years in particular without them, and I'm extraordinarily lucky that the store I loved making is the place they have poured so much energy and care into. There is no one on this weird little planet better suited to steward this small but powerful bookstore into the future."

The store's mission, name and sensibility will remain the same under Fricke's ownership, though Simons alluded to some new store programs and "the relaunch of some beloved bits from hello hello's past."

Simons explained that the last few years "have upended my own life in difficult ways that have made being present in the store really challenging, and managing it from a distance has been a kind of heartache. I dreamed of opening my own bookshop for so many years that it was a surprise to feel, eventually, that I was ready to let it go, and to let myself figure out how I'm going to show up in the world next."

Noting that she and Fricke have approached the ownership change in a "nontraditional" way, Simons said she is backing roughly half of the sale price of the store through a seller-financed loan. This means that she is "literally invested in the bookstore's future under Jacob's ownership. In truth, it's an easy risk to take, an easy decision to make. As a queer person, as a woman, as a full-time single parent, as a citizen of this country and this state, the existence of this store is vital to me, and I’m going to do whatever is in my power to ensure that it thrives."

"Thank you for your unabashed enthusiasm, your patience, your community care, your jokes, your kindness, your fantastic book recommendations and your trust in ours, your shared snacks, and your emotional investment in every inch of our 850 square feet," Simons wrote. "Thank you for loving this store, and for taking pride in it alongside me, no matter if you walked in for the first time in 2011 or two weeks ago. You changed my life, and I'm so lucky to have been part of yours."

Treasure House Books and Gifts, Albuquerque, N.Mex., has been put up for sale by owner John Hoffsis, who is hoping to sell the store and building to "someone who can carry on the legacy, putting New Mexico stories and authors as the main focus," KRQE reported. 

"It would be nice to have somebody who can devote the same kind of attention to the same type of thing [and] carry on having a bookstore in old town," he said.

Hoffsis noted that over the years Treasure House has "gained a real kind of local following.... A lot of the bookstores have some local books and local authors, but there wasn't anybody who was specializing in it, who was actually trying to showcase the local talent that we have and the local history that we have."

Noting that his father had owned the building before him, Hoffsis added that he hopes to retire this summer: "I've been in retail now because I have worked at my father's store, at my stores, for now over 51 years.... I think it's time that I relax and kind of lay back. We do own this building, so we are going to retire, so to speak, hopefully June 1 of this year."

For more information, call at 505-242-7204 or message Treasure House Books & Gifts.

Troublemaker Café has opened inside Givens Books bookstore and Little Dickens toy store in Lynchburg, Va. WSET reported the café "has been a long time coming and the owners are passionate about serving coffee, breakfast and lunch to the community."

Co-owner Jared Stuart said, "We want anybody to feel like this is their spot. It's coffee and a sandwich, it's quick, it's fun, it's friendly and it's for everyone; that's really important to us."

The owners have worked to give Troublemaker Café an inviting atmosphere for their customers, WSET noted. "We want to be like a friendly place, we want people to feel comfortable and welcome here," said Stuart. "It's really fun! We get crossover definitely from the demographic we are trying to reach."

They plan to monitor the café's business over the next couple of months to see what else could be added to the menu, including seasonal items in the future.

In an Instagram post, the owners wrote: "We've been working hard, hard, hard getting trained up and clarifying our vision. We take coffee seriously, and we take food seriously, and we take our role in this community seriously. Come and see us, talk to us, let us serve you, and let's reclaim this awesome little space inside of @givensbookslittledickens."

Ten Speed Press has launched a new imprint, Ten Speed Young Readers, that will publish "bold and imaginative fiction and nonfiction with a distinctive aesthetic, delivering stories that inspire and entertain, ranging from the provocative to the profound to the seriously fun."

The Ten Speed Young Readers 2026 list consists of 20 titles, including the picture books Others by Kobi Yamada and illustrator Charles Santoso and Axolotl-Ella by Kate Messner and illustrator Lian Cho; the board book Chess for Babies from International Master and Gotham Chess YouTube star Levy Rozman; and middle grade titles such as Kid Potato by Neil Coslett, a young readers edition of Overlooked by Amisha Padnani and the New York Times, and a nonfiction series with Atlas Obscura.

Part of the Crown Publishing Group division of Penguin Random House, the Ten Speed Young Readers team is led by Ginee Seo, v-p, editorial director, Kelly Barrales-Saylor, executive editor, and Adah Li, assistant editor.

Seo said, "Reading and books have never been more important than they are at this moment, especially for our children. It's been a joy to answer that need within our unique position at Ten Speed and Crown, where we're able to harness all the creative energy around us. Whether the ideas come from our amazing roster of authors, our talented editorial colleagues, or beloved authors and agents within our own networks, our goal is to create dynamic new books designed to instill the joy of reading and discovery for every kind of child and family."

Aaron Wehner, executive v-p and director of business development, Crown Publishing Group, publisher, Clarkson Potter, and Ten Speed Press, added: "Children's books are the inception point for a love of storytelling and rich, transporting art, and are a major source of comfort (or perspective-expanding discomfort)--and just plain entertainment and joy. I could not be more excited to work with Ginee and her team as we expand Ten Speed's illustrated publishing program to include young readers, across a range of subject areas and formats, both traditional and innovative. Ginee is a publishing legend, and it's a true honor to have the opportunity to partner with her."

"We hope you are enjoying this open door weather as much as Molly and our other booksellers," Carmichael's Bookstore, Louisville, Ky., posted on Facebook. 

Ingram Content Group will be the print on demand direct distributor to the U.S. market of Hachette Livre's titles, both owned and distributed, what the two companies called "the largest catalog of French classic, contemporary, and public domain literature."

Ingram and Hachette Livre, parent company of the Hachette Book Group and Hachette UK, have a POD joint venture through Lightning Source France and have been collaborating to distribute to the French market since 2010.

Benoît Aubin, director of publisher relations at Hachette Livre, said that the new agreement "further strengthens the strong partnership established over 15 years ago between Ingram and Hachette Livre around print-on-demand solutions. This unique solution for printing and distribution through Ingram's global network will enable our publishers' catalogues to be promoted even more effectively on an international scale and distributed in a more sustainable and environmentally friendly way by overcoming the barriers of time and market access."

Janice Butler, director of content solutions at Ingram, added, "The partnership with Hachette Livre is part of Ingram's goal to help more books get into the hands of readers faster. Growing our catalog of non-English language titles breaks down barriers to distribution and allows readers to access content that might not otherwise be available locally through retailers and libraries. Through our global distribution and print network, we enable retailers and libraries access to the books that support their customers and patrons, publishers to find economical and sustainable solutions for accessing markets, and authors to reach more readers."

Kim Corbin has been promoted to publicity director at New World Library.

How to Menopause: Take Charge of Your Health, Reclaim Your Life, and Feel Even Better than Before by Tamsen Fadal (Balance).

Today:
CBS Mornings: Tess Sanchez, author of We've Decided to Go in a Different Direction: Essays (Gallery, $28.99, 9781668060858).

Today: Hilton Carter, author of The Propagation Handbook: A Guide to Propagating Houseplants (CICO Books, $30, 9781800653108).

Also on Today: Vicky Nguyen, author of Boat Baby: A Memoir (Simon & Schuster, $29.99, 9781668025567).

Good Morning America: Demi-Leigh Tebow, author of Princess Paris Finds Her Purpose (Tommy Nelson, $19.99, 9781400249503).

Live with Kelly and Mark: Eric Adjepong, co-author of Ghana to the World: Recipes and Stories That Look Forward While Honoring the Past (Clarkson Potter, $40, 9780593234778).

NPR's Here & Now: Maureen Dowd, author of Notorious: Portraits of Stars from Hollywood, Culture, Fashion, and Tech (Harper, $32.50, 9780063392229).

Sherri Shepherd Show: Tamika D. Mallory, author of I Lived to Tell the Story: A Memoir of Love, Legacy, and Resilience (Atria/Black Privilege Publishing, $28.99, 9781982173494).

Tomorrow:
CBS Mornings: Becky Kennedy, author of That's My Truck!: A Good Inside Story About Hitting (Feiwel & Friends, $19.99, 9781250326959).

Good Morning America: Lisa Lillien, author of Hungry Girl Sheet Pan Cookbook: One-Pan Wonders Under 400 Calories (St. Martin's Griffin, $22, 9781250881021).

Today: Maria Shriver, author of I Am Maria: My Reflections and Poems on Heartbreak, Healing, and Finding Your Way Home (The Open Field, $30, 9780593653395).

Also on Today: Christina Perri, author of A Thousand Years (Viking Books for Young Readers, $18.99, 9780593622599).

The View: Elie Mystal, author of Bad Law: Ten Popular Laws That Are Ruining America (The New Press, $26.99, 9781620978580).

Drew Barrymore Show: Matteo Lane, author of Your Pasta Sucks: A "Cookbook" (Chronicle, $29.95, 9781797229560).

Gemma Arterton (Quantum of Solace, The King's Man) will star in ITV's series Secret Service, based on the novel by ITV News anchor Tom Bradby, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Screenwriter Jemma Kennedy (The Buccaneers) and Bradby will co-write all five episodes of the project, which is set to film in Malta and London this spring.

The cast also includes Rafe Spall, Mark Stanley, Alex Kingston, Roger Allam, Amaka Okafor, Khalid Abdalla, Avi Nash, Aoife Hinds, Rochenda Sandall, Alma Prelec, Galaxie Clear, Harley Barton, Michael Tcherepashenets, Petar Zekavica, Miglen Mirtchev, Juris Žagars, and Lana Vlady.

"I am delighted to be stepping into the world of such a topical and gripping espionage thriller with this talented creative team," said Arterton. "Collaborating with Tom Bradby, Jemma Kennedy, James Marsh, and the remarkable production team at Potboiler is incredibly exciting. I can't wait to bring this story to life alongside the outstanding cast."

The Café at the Edge of the Woods, written and illustrated by Mikey Please, won the overall 2025 Waterstones Children's Book Prize, as well as the illustrated books category. The awards are voted for by booksellers, with category winners receiving £2,000 (about $2,590) and the overall winner getting an additional £3,000 (about $3,880).

Bea Carvalho, Waterstones head of books, commented: "Our booksellers fell in love with The Café at the Edge of the Woods for its charmingly evocative artwork and its funny, quirky story which is told in such beautifully engaging cadence. This is a book which champions the fun and playful joy to be found in children's books, takes delight in the delicious and disgusting in equal measure, and begs to be read on repeat. We know that children and adults alike will fall for Rene and Glumfoot, their sweetly slapstick dynamic, and their gorgeously surreal world."

The other category winners were Rune: The Tale of a Thousand Faces by Carlos Sánchez (younger readers) and King of Nothing by Nathanael Lessore (older readers).

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The Capitalist Manifesto: Why the Global Free Market Will Save the World by Johan Norberg (Atlantic Books) has won the 21st annual Hayek Book Prize, sponsored by the Manhattan Institute and honoring F.A. Hayek. Norberg will receive a $50,000 prize and deliver the annual Hayek Lecture in New York City on June 4.

Jury chair John Tierney called The Capitalist Manifesto "a wonderfully timely, entertaining and inspiring defense of free markets and free trade against the current critics in both political parties. Besides debunking the gloomy myths dominating headlines and politics, Norberg's rigorous analysis of recent data shows that people are not only healthier and wealthier but also happier in America and other countries enjoying the unprecedented benefits of economic freedom."

Tennessee Hill's first novel, Girls with Long Shadows, is a dreamy, atmospheric tale of sisterhood and coming-of-age in the fictional town of Longshadow, on the Texas Gulf Coast. Nineteen-year-old triplets Baby A, Baby B, and Baby C were orphaned when their mother died in childbirth; their father's identity remains a mystery. But they have always known family in the form of their loving but distant Gram ("Manatee" to the townsfolk, for her swimming prowess) and their adopted, nearly deaf younger brother, Gull. The whole town looks askance at the girls, spookily identical and associated with their mother's early death. The family's golf course, Bayou Bloom, provides respite, and the bayou itself (where Gram takes a daily swim, joined sometimes by one or more of the girls) offers a connection to nature, its fecundity and floods. Then one fateful summer, an act of violence, combining desire and objectification, ruptures the triplets, the family, and the town.

A tautly plotted Southern gothic, Girls with Long Shadows takes a distinctive perspective in Baby B's elegiac narration. "That weekend something gurgled beneath, rattled us where we stood." And: "Even before the worst of what that summer would bring was upon us, I began to mourn the girls we had been." Baby B speaks as "we" as often as "I." Only a few people other than themselves can tell the girls apart; even the boys they date may not make the effort. And intermittently the perspective shifts to a "Front Porch Chorus," in which the town speaks collectively, observing the girls from without: "They're a blur we never bothered to untangle." This lack of distinction is both a wound for the triplets and an indelible part of their identity. They feel each other's sensations and know that this is a boon. Without that link, they would be less themselves. In the eyes of the town, however, they are less human for being undifferentiated, more object or mirror. "All those boys touching all of us at the same time, hands on hands on bodies on hands. It wasn't even that Pete was the one touching me, it was all of them, their inability to leave us be."

Encompassing a single summer in the dripping, humid South, Hill's haunting debut deals in lyricism and tragedy as it considers the harm done to young women by the outside gaze. --Julia Kastner, blogger at pagesofjulia

Shelf Talker: Identical triplet girls are linked to tragedies across generations in this evocative first novel set along the swampy Texas Gulf Coast.