AGP Executive Report

Early Education & Politics: Federal changes to Head Start under Trump could weaken Wisconsin’s early-learning impact, raising fresh questions about how the program is run and funded. Nature Writing Spotlight: Dara McAnulty lands on the Wainwright Prize 2026 shortlist for children’s non-fiction, with the award set to celebrate conservation-focused books this September. Prison Reality Check (Book Review): Taylor Sheridan and Tom Nelson’s How To Not Die in Prison leans into blunt, uncomfortable truths about incarceration—comfort is off the table, and regret is part of the first-day reality. Reading for Kids & Screens: Great Western Railway’s summer push adds mini libraries at stations, using Michael Rosen’s We’re Going on a Bear Hunt to nudge families toward more reading time. Tech Meets Publishing (Reviews): CNET weighs in on Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8, while other reviews and lists keep the week’s book-and-media buzz moving. Legal Education Scrutiny: India’s Allahabad High Court orders a zero-mark law student’s answer copy sent to the Bar Council and Law Commission, flagging declining standards. AI & Books: Multiple reports this week point to AI companies cutting up books to train models, reigniting the fight over authors’ rights and rare-book preservation.

AI & Free Speech: A First Amendment fight over liability for harmful information is resurfacing as AI-generated outputs raise the same “can you sue for what a book/guide says?” questions, echoing a landmark mushroom-guide case. Publishing & Bookselling: A California bookstore finally got an apology after 40 years, returning a stolen rare book with a $100 surprise. Dystopian Fiction: Noelle Michel’s “The Shadows Tomorrow” imagines a Truman Show-style reality program in 2168, using climate-change sci-fi as a chilling backdrop. Children’s Books: Two Humboldt County women turned an eighth-grade classroom story into a published goat adventure, while another new children’s title aims to help families explain IVF to young kids. Book Industry & Events: A queer-owned Winnipeg sci-fi/fantasy shop “Other Places Books” opens with 900 titles, and Fargo’s Emrys Cove expands to a bigger fantasy hub. Book Culture Picks: Ann Patchett spotlights backlist favorites, urging readers not to wait on older books. Public Safety (Book-Adjacent): Police arrested a daycare operator accused of child sexual abuse, underscoring the real-world stakes behind community trust.

Publishing & Books in the Spotlight: Shari Lapena’s new thriller Getting Away with Murder tops Canada’s fiction bestseller list this week, while Alison Espach’s The Wedding People keeps sparking sequel talk after a big Open Book With Jenna appearance. AI, Maps & Reading Tech: Google is rolling out “Ask Maps” in 130+ countries with agentic help for ordering food and booking hotels—useful, but also another reminder that discovery is getting automated. Consumer Protection for Online Shopping: India’s CCPA fined nine platforms for “dark patterns,” including drip pricing and subscription traps, hitting companies like IndiGo, Zepto, Physics Wallah, and BookMyShow. Books as Community Infrastructure: West Central Saskatchewan is seeing more “Free Little Libraries,” small take-leave boxes that keep books circulating for free. Publishing Industry Moves: Matthew Cole is joining Swift Press as editorial director for non-fiction, bringing agent and publishing experience to the list. Culture Beyond Books: John Carpenter’s family-made Cathedral graphic novel and album arrives, and Ryan Murphy’s The Shards debuts on Disney+.

AI Policy: The White House is shaping a voluntary frontier AI cybersecurity testing framework after a meeting with major AI firms, but key standards and decisions are still secret. Publishing & Business: News Corp posted record profitability, with book publishing and Dow Jones helping drive an 11% revenue jump in the June quarter. Books in the Community: A free “Children’s Story Book Walk” in New Hampshire’s Weirs Community Park is now open through mid-October, pairing local history with a kid-friendly reading trail. Local Reading Picks: Six Colorado independent bookstores share top history reads for the state’s 150th anniversary, including multiple recommendations for “Go as a River.” Book Culture & Controversy: A Nashville bookstore backlash over an author event highlights how quickly publishing can collide with politics and public pressure. E-Bike Safety: New York City lawmakers move toward sweeping e-bike oversight after deadly crashes, with new rules aimed at retailers and enforcement. Crime & Security: A man arrested at Trump’s California golf course faces additional weapons-related charges after authorities say he posed as security and had illegal arms. New Releases: Reese Witherspoon’s August book club pick is Kelly Anderson’s “The Wild Beneath.”

AI & Copyright Clash: A U.S. court filing describes Anthropic’s “Project Panama” as “destructively scan all the books in the world,” reigniting the fight over whether companies can treat books as raw material. Publishing Business: Berrett-Koehler launches Montgomery Station Press, extending its editorial and distribution muscle to more nonfiction authors via a tiered service model. Reading Access: Texas’ free Talking Book Program is pushing back-to-school audiobooks for students with dyslexia, offering a lifetime library of 180,000+ titles. New Releases & Authors: Donald E. Archey announces The Art of Closing the Elusive Sale for Aug. 15; South Cariboo writer Nichelle Schulz follows her debut with Death and Comedy. Literary Culture: A Conversation Connecticut spotlights children’s poet Emilio J. Vargas; Josh Silver discusses YA thriller Traumaland ahead of the YA Book Prize shortlist. Global Books & Travel: Exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen leaves Kolkata after six days, saying she’ll return when the city “calls.”

Publishing & Books in the News: Massachusetts lawmakers advanced a bill that would set a formal, public process for removing challenged books from school and public library shelves, aiming to protect free expression while raising the bar for what counts as “age appropriate” or lacking educational value. AI & Authorship: A study in Judgment and Decision Making found readers rated AI-written short stories as more absorbing and higher quality than human-written ones—though the authors warn that “better” doesn’t mean AI should replace human writing. Rare Books vs AI Training: Multiple reports this week keep spotlighting the backlash over companies allegedly destroying or pulping rare books to train AI. Fantasy & Mental Health: George R. R. Martin returned to blogging to describe battling sadness and depression, adding fresh context to his long gaps between updates. New Releases & Events: VIZ released LYNX, Vol. 1, a dystopian manga about grief and a frozen world; and UT Press debuted its first children’s picture book, My Magic Tux. Local Literary Life: Hamilton Public Library opened a temporary Indigenous-focused branch with books, resources, and an art exhibit.

Publishing & Events: National Book Store (NBS) is bringing back the Philippine Readers & Writers Festival (Aug. 14–16) in Araneta City Cubao, with free entry and 40+ events, plus a first-time partnership with Komikon for more storytelling and creator programming. Author Spotlight: Brenda Thurmond, a widow who began publishing children’s books at 82, is turning grief into a new career with a fall debut collection. Reading Habits: A new take on Gen Z argues reading isn’t collapsing—it’s shifting to multimodal formats and web platforms, with more young people identifying as readers. Privacy in Kids’ Books: Jessica Kingsley Publishers is rolling out removable “safety covers” so families can read gender-identity and other sensitive titles without unwanted attention. AI & Books: Multiple reports this week keep circling the same worry: AI systems are increasingly tied to book scanning and publishing disruption, raising fresh backlash. New Releases: Riley Sager’s The Unknown leans into immersive, eerie disappearance-mystery vibes, while River to Freedom offers a Christian historical adventure set under Soviet oppression. Tech in Everyday Life: Bolt adds a ChatGPT ride-booking plugin for South Africans, letting users plan trips in chat before finishing in the app. Book Industry Business: Barnes & Noble’s comeback is framed around empowering store-level teams instead of relying on headquarters control.

Book Culture & Celebrity Picks: Ann Patchett and Jenna Bush Hager bond over their shared first favorite, E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web, and roll out more mystery recommendations. Publishing & Community Events: The “GMA” Book Club spotlights a rotating slate of bestselling reads, while local festivals and store openings keep feeding the in-person book circuit, from Hackensack’s Art & Book Festival to a new independent bookstore grand opening in Lincolnton. AI, Books & Rules: Businesses selling into the EU are being warned to check whether the EU AI Act’s transparency duties apply to their customer-facing AI and AI-made content. Book Industry Headlines: The Booker Prize semifinal list is out, with Marlon James, Douglas Stuart, and Elizabeth Strout among the 13, plus debut authors in the mix. Kids & Inclusion: A New Jersey author is gaining attention for a rhyming picture book celebrating being autistic and biracial, adding to the week’s focus on diverse children’s literature. Tech & Reading Devices: Onyx BOOX continues positioning its Android-based e-readers as a Kindle alternative for readers who want more than just reading.

AI & Publishing Rights: Princeton University Press struck a licensing deal with Cashmere to make academic books discoverable in AI research platforms while aiming to protect copyright and author compensation. Book Culture & Events: Printers Row Lit Fest announced its Sept. 12–13 lineup, including Scott Turow and Geoff Bennett, plus a Patti Smith gala award. Local Reading Life: Rodman Public Library’s Friends used-book sale drew big crowds back at the library. Religion & Faith Writing: Disney star David Henrie and Maria Henrie are releasing the children’s picture book “Is God Bigger Than a Dragon?” Community Literacy: Doncaster LitFest is launching a citywide grassroots festival with local author talks and a school sci-fi writing contest. Publishing Industry Talk: A new discussion piece questions whether MFAs “breed elitist literature,” while another argues for “machine ethics” as AI systems get more autonomous. Public Safety & Ethics: Blaine police say an undercover exploitation sting led to 24 arrests targeting adults soliciting sex with people they believed were juveniles.

AI & Rare Books: Reports say tech firms are buying and shredding rare print titles to train chatbots, sparking fresh backlash over cultural loss and “slop” prevention. Publishing & Adaptations: Apple TV is developing Colson Whitehead’s Harlem trilogy as a multi-decade drama series, while HBO’s Harry Potter reboot faces the casting test fans fear could make or break the show. Book Industry & Tech Policy: A debate keeps heating up over whether publishers should publish authors’ books after they die and how AI is reshaping rights, marketing, and access. Community Reading & Libraries: A new Melbourne bookstore aims to be a community hub, and a library-centered play highlights how local readers and librarians collide over access. Author Events: Karin Slaughter headlines a Lewes library event for “The Secrets We Hide,” and Taslima Nasreen renews calls for India’s Uniform Civil Code. Culture on Screen: “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” gets a strong review, and Prime Video’s Off Campus (based on Elle Kennedy) is renewed for season 2.

AI & Copyright: Anthropic’s $1.5bn settlement approved by a US judge targets downloading books from pirate sites, not the basic legality of training on copyrighted text—raising the question of what “permission” really means for creatives. Publishing & Business: HSBC is selling its Australian retail loan book to Blackstone-backed Virgo BidCo, a reminder that publishing-adjacent finance deals still ripple through book markets. Climate Books: Fred Pearce’s “Despite it All” argues the green transition has real momentum, even as climate impacts worsen. Indigenous Stewardship: “Guardians of Life” pairs Indigenous knowledge with big photography to make the case for land and water sovereignty. Book-to-Screen: Prime Video is developing “Cleat Cute” as “Playing the Field,” expanding queer soccer romance beyond the page. Royal & Culture: Princess Beatrice’s 38th birthday is framed as complicated amid family fallout. Local Reading Life: A Durham theatre is staging “Toto the Ninja Cat,” adapted from Dermot O’Leary’s children’s book. War & Faith Writing: Moshe Taragin’s “Reclaiming Redemption Vol. II” uses today’s storms to revisit faith, identity, and redemption.

Local Reading Picks: Shreve Memorial Library’s One Book One Parish has crowned Shannon Terry Wiley’s Yellow September after 83% of 900+ votes, with October events planned around the 1873 yellow fever story. Publishing & Culture Under Pressure: Reports say Russia destroyed 1.5M Ukrainian books in a drone strike, underscoring attacks on cultural and educational infrastructure. AI vs. Books: ISBNdb is backpedaling after backlash over claims it helped supply bulk books for AI training, while broader coverage keeps spotlighting fears of rare titles being destroyed for scanning. Author Spotlight: Tomi Adeyemi calls the Children of Blood and Bone film adaptation “the worst thing I’ve had to live through,” describing a traumatic on-set exit and ongoing fallout. Community Book Life: Wichita’s Kansas Literacy Festival celebrated young authors from the LEAP program, and libraries keep rolling out author talks, book fairs, and kids’ reading events. Mystery in the Margins: A South African rock painting may depict an extinct dicynodont—but a July 2026 challenge argues the case isn’t strong enough.

Posthumous publishing debate: A newly found Berenstain Bears manuscript is set to publish Oct. 6, reigniting the ethics question of releasing authors’ work after death. Travel & publishing tie-in: A guide for Indian travelers stresses that travel insurance claims hinge on policy wording and timely documentation—because “I’ll figure it out later” can backfire. Labor & travel disruption: WestJet cancels 81 flights ahead of a Sunday flight-attendant strike deadline, urging passengers to check status before heading out. Author returns to roots: Taslima Nasrin makes her first Kolkata appearance in nearly two decades, echoing themes from her novel “Phera.” Refugee story becomes kids’ book: A Cuban refugee’s life story lands as an illustrated children’s title, “Two Small Suitcases.” Book industry marketing: MindStir Media is ranked No. 1 in PaperTrue’s 2026 list of book marketing services. Libraries & literacy: Illinois State Fair partners with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library for free books for kids birth–5. AI controversy: Reports claim Anthropic bought and destroyed physical books for training, fueling renewed backlash over how AI gets its data.

AI Copyright & Publishing Rights: A new court fight over Anthropic’s training practices spotlights how “fair use” arguments collide with publishers’ contracts and authors’ fears that AI systems retain and reuse copyrighted material. Free Expression in Libraries: Massachusetts lawmakers advanced a bill to set clearer rules for schools and public libraries facing politically driven book bans, aiming to protect librarians and open access. Book Bans, Again (But Bigger): Arkansas moves toward prosecuting librarians over kids’ access to “harmful” books, keeping the censorship debate front and center. Book Industry Shockwave: Minotaur/Macmillan walked away from a $2.4M debut deal after AI-use suspicions raised copyright risk—another reminder that “AI slop” accusations can derail careers fast. Literary Awards: Makenna Goodman’s Helen of Nowhere landed on the Booker Prize longlist, joining a crowded field that includes past winners. Indie Book Boom: Pike County, Kentucky is getting new independent bookstores, part of a broader surge in physical retail reading spaces. Page-to-Screen: Prime Video is adapting Anna Todd’s The Last Sunrise, bringing another romance bestseller to the screen. Comic Culture: BLACKPINK’s Lisa is releasing a graphic novel companion to Alter Ego, blending pop fandom with print storytelling.

Book Publishing & Prizes: The Booker Prize 2026 longlist is out, with judges framing it as “risk”—and critics noting the list’s heavy Anglosphere tilt. YA & Rights Deals: Meg Cabot is back with Kissing Cowboys, acquired by Simon & Schuster as her first YA novel in more than a decade. Children’s Books & Events: “Consider the Picture Book” brings Mac Barnett (with Colin Meloy) to a live event, spotlighting how picture books connect to art, poetry, and performance. Indigenous War Memory: A new book honors First World War veteran Joseph Gagnon of Pikwakanagan and the discrimination Indigenous servicemen faced. AI vs Books: Consumers are pushing back on AI-driven narration and companies accused of destroying books for training data—raising fresh questions about culture and jobs. Controversy Abroad: Hyderabad police booked Meta India’s head over “digitally altered” Modi depictions, while separate cases target protesters’ remarks. Reading Culture: Ireland donates 1,300 children’s books to Lagos schools and the National Library to tackle literacy gaps.

Author Spotlight: Lenox Library is hosting biographer Tim Greiving to discuss his first major John Williams biography, with copies available for purchase and signing. Community Reading Access: Macon-Bibb Transit and the Middle Georgia Regional Library launched a downtown bus-station book locker, letting people request and return items via PINES. Kids’ Books at the Border: A bilingual children’s ecology book, A Los Alberti Borderland Wings, comes out of an architecture professor’s border research and classroom partnerships. Book Culture & Events: Fort Bend County Libraries’ virtual author talks lineup includes Julia Child’s kitchen legacy and fiction from Lucy Foley. Publishing Buzz: Obama shared his summer favorites list, including new nonfiction picks and fiction like Tayari Jones’s Kin. AI vs. Books: Multiple reports this week keep circling the same alarm: AI firms buying and destroying books for training data, raising cultural-heritage concerns. Public Safety: Texas DPS issued an Amber Alert for missing 14-year-old Ashley Alvarenga-Duarte.