Cliff

Shirley Hughes 1927-2022

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Thank you to our friends at Penguin Random House for permission to reproduce this tribute to Shirley Hughes, one of our most beloved children’s authors, who died in February this year at the age of 94. Shirley was an award-winning author of more than 50 children’s books, and illustrator of some 200 more, with worldwide sales of more than 11m. In addition to her own work, Shirley championed the cause of illustrators and authors, serving on the management committees of … Read more

Review: Paradais

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  Juvenile lust, desire and greed are laid bare in this quietly powerful Booker International longlisted novella. Bored teenage gardener Polo works in the ‘Paradais’ complex and in his downtime hangs out with Franco Andrade, a porn-obsessed loner who fantasises about his glamorous neighbour. When a plot is hatched to fulfill his dream, Franco enlists the drifting Polo to be his wingman…with deadly results. Told in short and arresting prose, this stark novel serves as more than just a shocking … Read more

Small Press Focus: Fitzcarraldo Editions

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We’ve been discovering some of the less well-known publishers around the world and finding out what makes them tick. This month’s small press is Fitzcarraldo Editions, which has recently been fortunate enough to have three titles nominated on the Booker International Longlist. Sales and Marketing Executive Rosie Brown kindly gave us some of her time to fill us in with all things Fitzcarraldo: Q: What is Fitzcarraldo Press’ origin story? Founded in 2014, Fitzcarraldo Editions is an independent publisher specialising … Read more

Review: My Brother Ben

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  Luke and his big brother Ben spend the summer on the banks of Cabbage Tree Creek. Quiet Luke sketches birds, while Ben leaps off the Jumping Tree. The boys couldn’t be more different, but they share a special bond. When a local competition to win a boat is announced, the brothers spring into action, dreaming of exploring the creek together. But then Ben starts high school, bringing unfamiliar changes into their lives. Slowly, the boys start to drift apart … Read more

Review: The Last Firefox

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  Between bullies at school and changes at home, Charlie Challinor finds life a bit scary. And when he’s made guardian of a furry fox cub called Cadno, things get a whole lot scarier. Because Cadno isn’t just any fox, he’s a Firefox; the only one of his kind and a sinister hunter from another world is on his trail. Swept up into an unexpected adventure to protect his flammable friend, Charlie needs to find the bravery he never thought … Read more

Hot Upcoming Special Editions to Pre-Order

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We’re excited to show you some superb books that will be published later this year. We are lucky enough to have secured a limited number of these gorgeous titles for you to pre-order while stocks last.

Annette’s Devon Bookshelf

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Annette Shaw is a freelance writer and a book group organiser, and has a regular column in Devon Life, sharing her pick of brilliant books with Devon connections. With her reputation for championing books and authors around the county, we’re delighted to have the opportunity to showcase her reviews here. Adrift by Tracey Williams What would a green dragon be doing at Bigbury Bay? This quirky tale, which is true, explains all. It began on Thursday 13 February 1997 when … Read more

Picador Collection

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In 2022, Picador celebrates its 50th anniversary and the launch of the Picador Collection, a new list of contemporary classics taken from and inspired by the last fifty years of Picador’s agenda-setting and boundary-pushing publishing. Sonny Mehta first launched Picador as an imprint in 1972 with the aim of publishing outstanding international writing. The Picador Paperback Originals quickly became known for their iconic white spines, which were the mainstay of many readers’ bookshelves. These books were known for being challenging, … Read more

Review: These Silent Mansions

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  A charming and informative meander around graveyards that Jean Sprackland has known – to uncover some of the extraordinary stories of those at rest, and reflect on the changing customs of burials and memorials. Wherever she has lived, Sprackland has visited graveyards. In ‘These Silent Mansions’ she re-visits these special places to learn more about some of those buried and commemorated; not the famous who “can look after themselves” but people now forgotten whose stories still have meaning for … Read more

What We’ve Been Reading Recently

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Despite the busy and sometimes breakneck pace of The Bookery, we always find time for our reading! The greatest pleasure for us here is getting to share our thoughts on the brilliant books we read, and recommend them to all of you! Below are some of our recent favourites…