Track down that elusive novel, story, or poem

Locating a novel, short story, or poem without knowing its title or author can be very difficult. If Googling doesn't work, check out a guide from The Library of Congress to help readers identify a literary work when they know only its plot or subject, or other textual information such as a character's name, a line of poetry, or a unique word or phrase

How splendidly ripping!

Enid Blyton is the UK's best-loved writer, according to a survey conducted for the Costa Book Awards. The popularity of children's writers continues throughout the top 50, with Roald Dahl, JK Rowling, Beatrix Potter, CS Lewis, AA Milne and Dr Seuss included. There's been a lot of media coverage (I caught the BBC, Guardian and Radio 4). Commentators tended to agree that it was "simpler" to write about childhood when Blyton was publishing than now.

Revisit your childhood reading at the Enid Blyton Society and EnidBlyton.net, and see also Nostalgia Publishing.

World Book & Copyright Day (April 23)

Since 1996, World Book and Copyright Day has been celebrated on 23 April to honour books, widely recognized as invaluable cornerstones of societies’ educational, cultural and social systems.

23 April is a symbolic date for world literature for on this date and in the same year of 1616, Cervantes, Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega all died. It is also the date of birth or death of other prominent authors such as Maurice Druon, K.Laxness, Vladimir Nabokov, Josep Pla and Manuel Mejía Vallejo.

It was therefore a natural choice for UNESCO's General Conference to pay a world-wide tribute to books and authors on this date, encouraging everyone, and in particular young people, to discover the pleasure of reading and gain a renewed respect for the irreplaceable contributions of those who have furthered the social and cultural progress of humanity.

Christian Book Awards

The UK Christian Book Awards search for nominations has now begun for its 2008 high-profile event which promotes the best in Christian publishing in the UK. Now in its seventh year, the 2008 Awards will be held on 14th May at the National Christian Resources Exhibition in Esher, Surrey.

Voting is open to the public, with the opportunity to vote for your favourite Christian Books from the selected shortlist. You might win one of 5 book sets worth £100 for a library of your choice by voting for your favourite Christian book. There is a free complimentary ticket for Christian Resources Exhibition with every online vote. Voting closes on 31st March 2008.

Leicester Book News on Facebook

Are you a member of the social network Facebook? If so you can now find out about everything to do with books and reading in the city on the Leicester Book News Facebook group. The group is a great way to get involved with the latest live reading events, chat with other people who enjoy books and even join in with great book promotions, like Leicester favourite book. Go to Leicester Book News on Facebook.

Narnia in the news

If you are thinking about re-reading old favourites during the the Year of Reading, you may be interested in a blog post from Sam Allberry who says that the correct order for reading the Chronicles of Narnia is the order in which they were published: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe; Prince Caspian; The Voyage of the Dawn Treader; The Silver Chair; The Horse and His Boy; The Magician's Nephew; and The Last Battle.

You may also be interested in publicity for Planet Narnia: The Seven Heavens in the Imagination of C.S. Lewis by Michael Ward, to be published next month. There's a blog post about it here.

Free Day in Leicestershire Libraries

Have the blog posts about the Year of Reading inspired you to return to your local library? If not, will tomorrow's Free Day in Leicestershire Libraries encourage you? Basically, everything is free at your local public library tomorrow, including DVD hire, CD hire, Talking Books, requests, broadband internet access, free printing and free book loans. Best of all: no charges on overdue items tomorrow.

There is some small print (1 DVD/CD per person, subject to availability and a max 6 prints per person). However, the good news is that it is always free to join and borrow books.

What is YOUR favourite book?

People across Leicester will be thinking about their favourite books as part of the city’s celebrations for the National Year of Reading 2008. This month, Leicester Libraries launches its search for Leicester’s favourite book. It doesn’t matter whether you are an avid reader or just flick through the occasional paperback, the survey offers you the opportunity to to suggest your favourite book.

Any work of fiction, including novels, short stories and poems are eligible for nominations. Every member of library staff will also be suggesting their own top reads and these will be combined together with ideas from the public and decades of library lending records to produce a shortlist of Leicester’s favourite books. People will be able to vote on the shortlist from April, and the winning book will be announced in July.

National Year of Reading

Given my profession, its hardly surprising that I blog about books and reading fairly often. However, I may do so even more frequently this year as 2008 is the National Year of Reading. Here are some recent links on the topic:

• Do you need to read books to be clever? - BBC website

• The reading cure (Bibliotherapy) - The Guardian

• How book groups got child- friendly - The Guardian

• Make 2008 your National Year of Reading - DCSF Press release