iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

ToBeBooks @tobebooks.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

Best comment during election analysis goes to ‘it’s like soiling your trousers but then changing your hat.’ Pretty much sums up modern British politics very well. 👏

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Marianne Doherty @mariannedoherty.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

We all love getting great books into the hands of kids. But there’s nothing quite so wonderful as a child discovering books they love and recommending them back to us. Which books/authors have been championed by the kids in your life? #KidsBooksFriday #KidLitUK #UKKidLit #KidLit #EduSky

Book cover for Looshkin: The Maddest Cat in the World! By Jamie Smart

Book cover for Who Let the Gods Out by Maz Evans

Book cover for Murder at Snowfall by Fleur Hitchcock

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Marianne Doherty @mariannedoherty.bsky.social · 24/04/2026

As a celebration of all those going above and beyond to help kids develop a love of reading, and working so hard to get great books into the hands of kids - this week’s #KidsBooksFriday theme is Teamwork. What great books about #teamwork would you recommend? #KidLitUK #UKKidLit #KidLit #EduSky

Book cover for Crookhaven: A School for Thieves by J.J.Arcanjo

Book cover for The Good Turn by Sharna Jackson

Book cover for Nate Yu’s Blast from the Past by Maisie Chan

Book cover for Another Kind by Cait May and Trevor Bream

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Louie Stowell @louiestowell.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

School librarians! I would like to buy you a copy of this. First to reply gets it :) Pls RT as I don't know how many school librarians follow me.

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Jonathan Emmett @jonathanemmett.com · 09/04/2026

The current government's pledge to put a library in every primary school by 2029 is commendable, but we need libraries in every secondary school too. If not, we risk many children, particularly those from low income families, having their reading habits broken at a critical age. #KidLitUK 👇🏼📚👇🏼📚👇🏼

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Louie Stowell @louiestowell.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

Wanna feel old? It is the 20th anniversary of Mr Gum.

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Marianne Doherty @mariannedoherty.bsky.social · 27/03/2026

There’s been a lot of chat about suggestions for alternative kids’ magical book series the past few days. I thought using #KidsBooksFriday might be a constructive way of having lots of suggestions in one place. What magical book series for kids would your recommend? #KidLitUK #UKKidLit #KidLit

Book cover for the first in the Witches of Brooklyn series by Sophie Escabasse

Book cover for Artezans: The Forgotten Magic, the first in the Artezans series by L. D. Lapinski.

Book cover for Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow, the first in the Nevermoor series by Jessica Townsend

Book cover for Dragon Storm: Tomas and Ironskin, the first in the Dragon Storm series by Alastair Chisholm.

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Lyndsey Goddard @pinklibrarian.bsky.social · 23/03/2026

We need to keep this conversation going. The article linked to below makes some very salient points about school library collections and informal censorship.

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Louie Stowell @louiestowell.bsky.social · 23/03/2026

There are some strong reasons in this thread to buy the Darkwood Trilogy. I will add "BECAUSE I AM YELLING AT YOU TO BUY IT NOW" to them. Found family in a forest!

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Sarah McIntyre @sarahmcintyre.bsky.social · 23/03/2026

Oxford people! Join Philip Reeve and me at Oxford Lit Fest next Saturday for Adventuremice shenanigans, drawing and more! 12 noon, Magdalen College Auditorium Ticket link in the next post 🧵

Book cover of ‘Adventuremice: Of Mice and Mummies’

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Johanna T 👻 📚 @johannamation.bsky.social · 21/03/2026

People who make comics (or other freelance art work) as their fulltime job: how do you do it? How do you make it work, esp financially? People who make comics on the side while having a fulltime day-job: how do you do it without overworking and/or burning out?

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ToBeBooks @tobebooks.bsky.social · 23/03/2026

The school officials used AI! To inaccurately identify ‘inappropriate’ book content. 😶 Hello dystopia, would you like a drink? must be thirsty work attacking all our sanity across so many levels: children’s rights read and access to books, LGBTQ, employment, data…etc…etc… #booksky

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Louie Stowell @louiestowell.bsky.social · 23/03/2026

Are any other news outlets going to cover this? Still only seen one local paper do so (with an interesting angle on why this is dangerous) northwestbylines.co.uk/news/educati...

northwestbylines.co.uk

Not banned – just gone: what Manchester’s missing books reveal about England’s schools

Books removed from a Manchester school raise a bigger question: who decides what children are allowed to read?

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Dan Whitehead @danwhitehead.net · 23/03/2026

Good news everyone! You can now voluntarily feed your hard work into the churning maw of the machine that wants to devour your livelihood.

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ToBeBooks @tobebooks.bsky.social · 23/03/2026

Horrifying the books on this list have been censored in a secondary school. Even more horrified that a school has taken a librarian to task for stocking mainstream books found in any decent secondary school library.

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Nik Sunil Williams @nikwilliams.bsky.social · 20/03/2026

My excellent colleague @katiedd.bsky.social has just published this remarkable investigation into rampant book banning in a Greater Manchester secondary school library. 193 books including The Da Vinci Code, Twilight, White Teeth and 1984 Graphic Novel www.indexoncensorship.org/2026/03/scho...

indexoncensorship.org

School book banning escalates in the UK as Greater Manchester secondary school censors scores of books - Index on Censorship

A school librarian faced a disciplinary hearing and scores of books were removed from her school library after she stocked Laura Bates’ Men Who Hate Women

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Marianne Doherty @mariannedoherty.bsky.social · 20/03/2026

When the world is so filled with real life rogues, funnelling our anger towards a fictional villain can be quite cathartic, especially when they get their comeuppance. Who do you reckon are the best/most memorable kids book baddies? #KidsBooksFriday #KidLitUK #UKKidLit #KidLit

Land of Roar by Jenny McLachlan with Croaky as the villain

The Ogress and the Orphans by Kelly Barnhill with The Mayor as the villain.

Mega Robo Bros: Power Up by Neill Cameron with Robot 23 as the villain.

Brightstorm by Vashti Hardy with Eudora Vane as the villain.

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ToBeBooks @tobebooks.bsky.social · 19/03/2026

Anyone else baffled by this move? #booksky #kidlit #kidkituk Can’t say I’m surprised. I wish our country would wean itself off the teat of American tech. I don’t understand why authors aren’t livid.

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Rashmi Sirdeshpande @rashmiwriting.bsky.social · 19/03/2026

Random mini rant. STOP SAYING YOU WANT KIDS TO LOVE BOOKS AND THEN GATEKEEPING WHAT THEY READ! OR CALLING COMICS A “GATEWAY” INTO READING THE GOOD STUFF. Reading is reading. And a love of books (of all kinds) is an amazing and empowering thing. Besides, there’s some MASTERFUL storytelling out there.

Pictured: stack of comic books including The Sad Ghost Club by Lize Meddings, Mexikid by Pedro Martín, Global by Eoin Colfer, Andrew Donkin and Giovanni Rigano, Stargazing by Jen Wang, Unicorn Boy by Dave Roman, The Cartoonists Club by Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud, Donut Squad by Neill Cameron, Agent Moose by Mo O’Hara and Jess Bradley, InvestiGators by John Patrick Green, Juniper Mae by Sarah Soh and A Day in the Life of an Astronaut, Mars and the Distant Stars by Mike Barfield and Jess Bradley.

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gabliotecaria @gabliotecaria.northsky.social · 19/03/2026

I think it's become very difficult to gauge what the correct price should be because of all the undercutting by Amazon and the large bookshops 😣 it does my head in. Audiobooks have always felt outrageously expensive to me. I think £17-20 for a hardback, £7-10 for a paperback is reasonable?

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Renee Guill AI Systems Writer🖖🤖💻 @reneeguillclimate.bsky.social · 19/03/2026

Right now, I'm on government assistance, can only afford the library. I'm hoping to be rich someday, so I can have a home library and buy books no matter how expensive they are. Maybe, someday.🤔😏📚💙🖖

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A.C. Harper (he/him) @harperac.bsky.social · 19/03/2026

I go by value. Paperbacks near meal money feel fair, hardcovers are an occasional splurge, and libraries plus sales keep the stack growing without wrecking the budget.

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Dan Whitehead @danwhitehead.net · 19/03/2026

Anything over a tenner will trigger my "do I REALLY need this?" instincts, but anything under £8 I'll pick up on a whim.

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Dr Stew Hotston (he/him) @stewarthotston.com · 19/03/2026

should cost start around the £15 mark really if they'd kept up just with inflation from the point the NBA was dismantled. That may not feel like much on paperbacks that are now closer to 10/11 but it's a big deal in terms of volume.

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Eddie Robson @eddierobson.bsky.social · 19/03/2026

The interesting thing with vinyl is it's completely detached from any notion of a "standard" price. Small indie artists might price their albums as low as £20. Major artists with a big loyal fan base will charge double that, because they can. There's seemingly no agreed price a record "should" cost.

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Kate Orman @kateorman.bsky.social · 19/03/2026

Books are cheap -- postage is expensive! I've been buying e-books which I couldn't afford in the dead tree edition.

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Ian Purser @ip33.bsky.social · 19/03/2026

As a bookbinder who was made redundant nearly 7 years ago because it was too expensive to keep someone with my experience on, I can only agree.

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Bil Mitchell @bilak1964.bsky.social · 19/03/2026

I've read many books, hope to read more. Watched many movies, hope to watch more. On both sides, the good ones remain indelible in my memory and when recounting them pleasurably, I never consider what the initial cost was; just appreciate the value of the memory in that moment.

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Louie Stowell @louiestowell.bsky.social · 18/03/2026

I'm going to a conference this friday. As someone who works from home and doesn't get to talk shop often enough i am VERY excited. The coffee will be bad but the discussions will be excellent.

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British Fantasy Society @britfantasysoc.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

More than two decades since Mortal Engines was published, @philipreeve.bsky.social revisits that world with his new release, Bridge of Storms. But how did he get here? And why does he keep going back to that world? britishfantasysociety.org/from-pen-to-...

The cover of the book Bridge of Storms by Philip Reeve, who is also pictured

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Cambridge University Press @universitypress.cambridge.org · 10/03/2026

Today we stand with @publishersassoc.bsky.social and almost 10,000 authors that have come together to publish an empty book protesting the theft of books to train AI models. Together are urging the UK government to take a stance against the unlicensed use of content. 🔗 cup.org/4cyRqEp

A book stands upright against a light gray background. The front cover features a large, bold red title reading "DON'T STEAL THIS BOOK." A mask graphic in black is partially visible behind the text. Along the spine, it reads "A Plea from Authors."

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Princeton University Press @princetonupress.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

Princeton University Press supports the Don’t Steal This Book campaign, a call from authors urging the UK government to take a stance on the unlicensed use of creative work in AI training. To find out more about Don’t Steal This Book, visit: www.dontstealthisbook.com #DontStealThisBook

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Association of University Presses @aupresses.bsky.social · 12/03/2026

Our executive director Peter Berkery (left) & Lisa Bayer, director UGA Press, highlight the Don’t Steal This Book campaign at the London Book Fair #LBF26. Read more abt this UK-based protest against AI firms using authors' work without permission, in The Guardian: bit.ly/40Ys0Jd

2 people standing side by side in front of a tall floor-standing banner displaying the A U Presses and university press logos. Man on the right is holding a book entitled: Don’t Steal This Book: A Plea from Authors.

The backcover of the Don’t Steal This Book: A Plea from Authors, explaining the protest campaign of which it is a part.

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The Society of Authors @societyofauthors.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

Almost 10,000 authors have come together to publish an empty book protesting the theft of books by tech companies to train AI models. Titled Don’t Steal This Book, it is empty of text except the names of the authors involved.. 🧵

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Nosy Crow | Children's Books @nosycrow.bsky.social · 12/03/2026

We're proud to support the Don't Steal This Book campaign, calling on AI companies to stop stealing books! #DontStealThisBook is a clear message from almost 10,000 authors calling on the UK government to protect our world-class creative industries and creators. Learn more: t.co/PT5KiRfV0k

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Ed Newton-Rex @ednewtonrex.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

Fantastic news in the UK today - the government has apparently ditched its plan to force creatives to 'opt out' if they don't want AI companies training on their life's work. www.thetimes.com/uk/technolog... 🧵 1/4

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The Bookseller @thebookseller.com · 14/03/2026

ICYMI: Around 10,000 authors have come together to publish Don’t Steal This Book, an empty book protesting the government’s proposed "commercial research exception" to copyright law 👇 #BookSky

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Around 10k authors protest AI commercial research exception with publication of empty book

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Darren Shan @darrenshan.com · 17/03/2026

Today the Shans visited the Postal Museum in London. The highlight, of course, was the ride underground through a stretch of the old sub-London Mail Rail. But the kids loved designing their own stamps too! Well worth a visit.

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Hazel Pinner @hazelmpinner.bsky.social · 17/03/2026

😢 promise not all of us, but I know it can be a strategy to get some on board who haven't got the personal experience of great comics/graphic novels. Me, I'm just book obsessed according to pupils. I'm so known for my joy of reading that random kids who I've never taught start talking books with me!

media.tenor.com

a cartoon of stitch holding a stick in his hands

Alt: a cartoon of stitch holding a stick in his hands looking sad and doodling in the sand.

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The Arthur C. Clarke Award @clarkeaward.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

Launched today on Kickstarter! THE IRON CODE: Original Stories in Honour of David Gemmell. To commemorate the 20th anniversary of David Gemmell's passing, twenty-one of the finest fantasy authors have gathered to write twenty-one brand new stories in his honour.

kickstarter.com

The Iron Code

Original Stories in Honour of David Gemmell.

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Caroline Fielding @cazapr1.bsky.social · 17/03/2026

Ooh, all the kids books are great! #JhalakPrize26

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Neill Cameron @neillcameron.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

The wonderful Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre, who really do put on a show like nobody else, will be in town on Saturday 28th March, bringing FUN and SONG and MICE and ADVENTURE! oxfordliteraryfestival.org/literature-e...

oxfordliteraryfestival.org

Of Mice and Mummies | Oxford Literary Festival

Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre - Of Mice and Mummies

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Neill Cameron @neillcameron.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

There’s a bunch of other fun stuff happening at the festival for young readers! The brilliant @louiestowell.bsky.social will be there THIS SUNDAY causing Norse-themed mayhem and mischief at the Sheldonian Theatre! oxfordliteraryfestival.org/literature-e...

oxfordliteraryfestival.org

Loki: A Bad God’s Guide to Causing Chaos | Oxford Literary Festival

Louie Stowell - Loki: A Bad God’s Guide to Causing Chaos

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