Budget cuts threaten French National Book Center amid political debate

France's 2027 budget sparks debate over cultural funding, with the CNL facing cuts despite increased support for independent bookstores.

French 2027 budget under discussion

The French government's proposed 2027 budget, presented in early October, is currently under discussion in Parliament, beginning with the National Assembly. The budget includes a range of financial allocations and cuts across various sectors, with the Ministry of Culture's budget constraints once again affecting the funding of the National Center for the Book (CNL).

CNL's ongoing financial difficulties

Despite the budget level being roughly maintained, the CNL remains in difficulty due to significant cuts in recent years. The 2026 budget was particularly challenging for the CNL and the book sector overall, resulting in a 15% reduction in its credits, from 26.7 million euros in 2025 to 22.39 million euros in 2026. This followed another reduction, bringing the total decrease to 22%.

CNL's working capital and future outlook

The operator experienced a deficit of 5.3 million euros in the last fiscal year, as it aimed to maintain its level of intervention with book industry actors. The working capital of the institution allowed it to cover this shortfall, but this reserve is gradually diminishing. By the end of 2026, the working capital level is expected to be around 15 million euros, with 2027 likely being the last year of reliance on this fund for financial management reasons.

2027 budget increase and challenges

Despite a 1.5 million euro increase in the CNL's 2027 budget (totaling 23.875 million euros), primarily allocated to support independent bookstores, especially in regions, the operator had estimated its budget needs at 28.6 million euros to carry out its missions effectively. The increase is seen as a step forward, but it still falls short of the CNL's requirements.

Cultural preservation and political significance

During a presentation of the strategic plan for the Passe Culture, Culture Minister Catherine Pégard stated that the CNL's operational capacity was preserved: "For now, we are not changing anything, and I hope that during the budget debate, we will maintain this objective." This "baseline" for cultural preservation is a politically significant moment, as parliamentarians amend the budget proposed by the government, "can change things," she added.

Economic context and budget constraints

The 2027 budget is presented in a particularly tense economic context, between the rise in interest rates on French loans and the deficit. This new PFL maintains, in general terms, the Macronist reflexes: limiting new levies and rather reducing public spending. Invited to comment on two amendments to the 2027 PFL proposing to introduce a tax on online sales of new or used books via marketplaces, Catherine Pégard declined.

CNL's future and challenges

The situation remains delicate, according to the minister's own admission: "My goal is to make sure things are organized as well as possible, so that no one loses. The idea is not to break the dynamic we have." Drawing up a proto-balance sheet of the cultural policy on books, she estimates that "on reading, we have taken many measures, which aim both at the practice of reading, the maintenance of independent bookstores, the reading aloud, all these devices are maintained, they exist."

CNL preparing for 2027 deficit

Despite a stabilized budget, the CNL is preparing for a deficit in 2027. In Spain, a river caused a gate to collapse and flooded a library. In the night of October 3 to 4, the Riu Sec caused a gate in the wall along the Central Library of Cerdanyola del Vallès, near Barcelona, to collapse. The two lower levels were flooded, with one completely submerged. A week later, the establishment remained closed, and the extent of the damage to the books remained unknown.

French state acknowledges failure in prison libraries

In France, the state acknowledges its failure regarding prison libraries. Prisons in France aim to prepare detainees for reintegration into society, but the necessary means are sorely lacking. This reality is illustrated by the penitentiary center in Le Havre, where libraries have not been accessible since 2023. The CNL is hiring Virginie Queste for its national events. Virginie Queste has joined the CNL in October, in the position of national events officer, within the communication and literary events delegation, headed by Magali Fourmaintraux.

French language and climate denial

The French language is no longer ignoring climate denial. As climate change increasingly affects our material and physical conditions of existence, including in Metropolitan France, it becomes increasingly difficult to deny the climate upheaval. Some continue to do so: these are the climate deniers, indicates the French Language Enrichment Commission.

National Assembly rejects RN's proposal

The National Assembly rejected the RN's proposal to have Olympe de Gouges enter the Pantheon. The far-right party did not succeed in convincing the National Assembly to vote on its proposal to have Olympe de Gouges enter the Pantheon. The proposal was rejected with 158 votes against and 133 for. The Prime Minister, on a report from the Culture Minister, signed a decree naming the members of the sanctions college of the control commission for copyright management organizations and neighboring rights.

Constitutional bill on regional languages

A constitutional bill proposes to make the respect, promotion, and protection of regional languages a fundamental principle of the Republic. Deposited on October 5 at the National Assembly, the constitutional bill seeks to inscribe "the respect of the use, promotion, and protection of regional languages" in the French Constitution. An addition to Article 2 would allow "to reconcile the protection of the French language with the safeguarding and promotion of regional languages," according to the deputies who support it.

CNL in danger and calls for action

The CNL is in danger: "Publishing houses must also take a clear stance." The mobilization against the programmed disappearance of the CNL as a public institution is expanding. On October 6, the Charter of Children's Authors and Illustrators and the League of Professional Authors and Illustrators supported the CNL and asked publishing houses to take a clear stance. Their intervention came three weeks after a particularly rich hearing of the CNL's management in the Senate.

German Minister of Culture in controversy

The German Minister of Culture, Wolfram Weimer, has been embroiled in a controversial debate. In March, three bookstores were excluded from an institutional prize and labeled as "extremists" by Weimer. After the intervention of the judiciary, new revelations have undermined the political figure's defense.

French cultural network abroad

The French cultural network abroad, supported by the French Institute, is opening 12 calls for applications for research and creation residencies. Some of them concern specifically writing or literary translation, while others are multidisciplinary and include literature.

Vocabulary of batteries in French

The vocabulary of batteries is enriching the French language. Imperfect answers to energy and ecological challenges, batteries are nevertheless promising in terms of electricity storage for various uses. The French Language Enrichment Commission is devoting a complete list of vocabulary to them and provides the right terms to discuss a very changing technological field.

Anne Gérard to head Drac of Grand Est

Anne Gérard will head the Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs (Drac) of the Grand Est region starting November 1. She succeeds Isabelle Chardonnier. In Russia, books by "foreign agents" are being removed from catalogs. The restrictions targeting authors classified as "foreign agents," "extremists," or "terrorists" do not result in a uniform procedure in libraries.

2027 budget further reduces culture funds

The 2027 budget further reduces the means for culture. The government presented its 2027 budget on October 1, a particularly particular budget, which occurs a few months before the presidential election and in a context of a rather dull economy. Unsurprisingly, culture loses some feathers in the equation.

Emma Tesson new regional mission officer

In Brittany, Emma Tesson is the new regional mission officer for Culture-Justice. Emma Tesson has joined the team of Livre et lecture en Bretagne since September 1. She joins Sara Mammad de Beauregart in the Culture-Lecture-Justice mission entrusted to Livre et lecture en Bretagne since 2023 by the Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs (Drac) of Brittany, the Interregional Prison Services Directorate, and the Judicial Protection of Youth (PJJ).

Lire et faire lire reactivates volunteer mobilization

Lire et faire lire is reactivating its volunteer mobilization with the sharing of science. From September 24 to October 8, Lire et faire lire is relaunching its volunteer mobilization campaign on social networks. Created in 1999, the association relies on readers and readers over 50 years old who intervene with small groups of children, aged 0 to 12 years, in educational, cultural, and social structures.

Name dropping replaced by nominite

Name dropping is being replaced by nominite. Hiding shortcomings in a demonstration or showcasing one's culture, name dropping can have several functions, rarely positive. The French Language Enrichment Commission, instead of banning it, provides an equivalent in French, the nominite. The term appears in a new list related to the vocabulary of economics and finance.

Drac Normandy may change director

In 2027, the Drac Normandy may change its director. As of January 1, 2027, the Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs for Normandy may change its director, announced the Ministry of Culture in a notice of vacancy. Jean-Michel Knop has held the post since 2024.

Court of Auditors presses Culture on AI

The Court of Auditors is pressing Culture to act on AI. Charts, working groups, 62 actions and now a project director: the Ministry of Culture is no longer discovering artificial intelligence. But the Court of Auditors now asks it to turn the page. In the book, it notes that at the time of its audit, the CNL had neither a specific budget nor personnel assigned to AI, while the BnF had already committed several million euros.

Frédéric Desfeuillet dies

Frédéric Desfeuillet, a Jules Verne passer in Amiens, has died at 54. Frédéric Desfeuillet, responsible for development, communication, and patronage of the Amiens Museums, died on September 21, 2026, at the age of 54. Closely linked to the Jules Verne House and the cultural life of Amiens, he had notably promoted the Aronnax route dedicated to the writer.

Region Île-de-France obtains stay of execution

The Region Île-de-France has obtained a stay of execution of the judgment that would have led to the withdrawal of its free digital school books until November 2. The deadline is now set for November 2, 2026, a much shorter period than the one proposed by the rapporteur public for July 3, 2027. The legal dispute remains open.

Legal status for friends

A legal status for friends: the bill proposal by Clémence Guetté. Less than three weeks after the publication of For a Policy of Friendship by La Découverte, Clémence Guetté has submitted a bill aiming to legally recognize certain friendships. Civil baptism, inheritance, leave or "social partnership": the text aims to transpose into law several avenues developed in her first book. This initiative is also part of a broader editorial reflection on friendship, nourished in recent years by Alice Raybaud or Geoffroy de Lagasnerie.

State's budget and culture cuts

The state's budget: the means for culture are being cut, before new cuts? The parliamentary debates on a 2027 budget, particularly marked by a presidential change, are looming, but the Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu did not wait to get his hands on public finances. Concerned about limiting a deficit, but without significantly increasing revenues, he acts on expenditures: and culture, in the equation, is not the last to suffer.

Olympe de Gouges and feminism

Feminist, antiracist, abolitionist: Olympe de Gouges, "at the antipodes of the ideas of the RN". The National Rally is investing in a new operation of mystification: the far-right deputy Jean-Philippe Tanguy (Somme) has thus proposed to have Olympe de Gouges enter the Pantheon. But the struggles of the woman of letters and feminist figure remain radically contrary to the ideas carried by the far-right party. The National Rally wants to have Olympe de Gouges enter the Pantheon. Exclusively - The author of the Declaration of the Rights of Women and of the Citizen (1791) has definitely done nothing to deserve it.

Region Sud and book agency

The Region Sud wants to integrate the regional book agency into Arsud. Exclusively - Confronted with a decrease in its resources, the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Regional Book Agency has been forced to cancel several professional days scheduled for September and October. The Region Sud, the main financier, confirms that its contribution amounts to 374,000 euros in 2026, or two-thirds of the amount allocated the previous year. And considers integrating the agency into Arsud, a public administrative body focused on the cultural sector.

Drac Centre-Val de Loire new director

The Drac Centre-Val de Loire has been entrusted to Naïma Ramalingom. After several months of uncertainty, the Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs for Centre-Val de Loire has finally found its director, Naïma Ramalingom. She takes over from Christine Diacon, who has been in post since 2022.

National Conference on Disability

The National Conference on Disability: towards a "catch-up" plan for adapted books. Delayed due to one of the summer heatwaves, the National Conference on Disability takes place at the "Prisme" in Bobigny, this Friday, September 4. On this occasion, Emmanuel Macron officially announced the launch of the upcoming Portal of Adapted Publishing, as awaited as delayed. A "catch-up" plan for adapted books should give a boost to the adaptation of catalogs, and more particularly to titles that are no longer marketed or whose formats are complex.

Adapted works and legal notices

Adapted works: Les Liens qui Libérent and Mengès put on notice. Two publishing companies have been put on notice by the Audiovisual and Digital Communication Regulation Authority (Arcom) due to shortcomings in the obligation to deposit digital files with the National Library of France. Done on the PLATON platform, this deposit facilitates the production of adapted works for people with one or more motor, physical, sensory, mental, cognitive, or psychological disabilities.

Vocabulary and renewable energies

Vocabulary: talking about renewable energies without stirring the wind. If there is a crucial domain for the future, it is certainly that of renewable energies, at the time of the depletion of fossil fuel resources and the dramatic consequences of these for the environment. The French Language Enrichment Commission is interested in the subject, and more specifically in wind power.

AI use in cultural sector

Use of AI in the cultural sector: the European Commission consults. Since July 26, the European Commission has collected contributions around a burning topic, the use of artificial intelligence tools and large language models in the sectors of culture and creation. The Commission highlights "new perspectives" for these last ones, but also "difficulties."

Pass Culture and family quotient

Pass Culture: 50 € additional for a family quotient below 700 €. Since February 2025, the credit granted to beneficiaries of the Pass Culture amounts to 150 €, a sum much lower than the 300 € offered when it was generalized, in 2021. The Ministry of Culture had, however, planned situations in which a 50 € bonus would be added for 18-year-olds, with a threshold of the family quotient of the household.

Crowdfunding and cinema books

Crowdfunding: from Jamie Lee Curtis to Georges Lautner, four cinema books to discover. For nearly 10 years, Carlotta Films has published books on directors, actors, actresses, editors, films, interviews. You are not unaware of the enormous difficulties, the crisis that the bookstores, publishers, bookstores in recovery or closure, chains and independents are going through.

Ana Klajman's book rental

At 83 years old, this Brazilian woman rents out 12,000 books without a return date or algorithm. In Rio de Janeiro, Ana Klajman has run a book rental business for thirty years without setting any return deadlines. Her small address in Ipanema houses about 12,000 titles, accessible by subscription. At 83, this retired librarian continues to personally choose the readings for her clients.

Hachette Livre sales

Hachette Livre: sales decline by 4% in France, international supports growth. Lagardère Publishing has achieved 836 million euros in revenue for the third quarter of 2026, an increase of 0.9% at comparable data. The growth of Hachette Livre relies on its international activities, while the French market experiences a decline of 4%. For nine months, the editorial branch of Louis Hachette Group reaches 2,179 billion euros in revenue.

Legal AI and author involvement

Legal AI: Lefebvre Dalloz wants to involve its authors more in its tools. Lefebvre Dalloz announced on October 12, 2026, several measures aimed at strengthening the role of its authors in the development of its digital services. Among them, the creation of a user club, new spaces for promotion, and the elaboration of a charter governing artificial intelligence. These commitments come as the group accelerates the deployment of its legal AI solutions, based on its editorial content.

Tache Papier printing workshop

Tache Papier passes the second to develop its printing workshop in Dijon. In Dijon, Tache Papier has been running a Print Club association dedicated to graphic arts and artisanal printing techniques since 2015. Screen printing, engraving, risography, but also publishing: the association supports artists and develops its own editorial projects, from printing to binding.

Books in Africa

The world of books in Africa: between changes, innovations and new dynamics. The book sector in Francophone Africa is undergoing rapid change in recent years. Deep transformations are changing the game in many areas, while the landscape is reconfiguring with the emergence of a multitude of new players. Each market follows its own dynamic, driven by initiatives, practices, and professionals with increasingly diverse profiles.

US publishing growth

United States: publishing gains 8.9% in August, paper in the forefront. Following the increases in June and July, publishing in the United States continues to gain ground in August 2026. Publishers followed by the Association of American Publishers (AAP) report 1.2 billion dollars in net revenue, up 8.9% year-on-year. Trade books for the general public are growing even faster (+12.5%), thanks in part to paper. Ebooks are declining, while audio digital continues its growth.

World record reading attempt

Ten minutes of reading to try to set a world record? Ten minutes to read, twelve hours to try a world record. On October 8, the National Literacy Trust and the British Council invited readers from around the world to gather online around a book, a comic book, or a magazine. The objective was to gather as many participants as possible and thus enter the Guinness Book of Records. The result remains to be confirmed.

Marguerite Duras library

In Paris, will the Marguerite Duras media library pay homage to Christine Péclard? Within the Marguerite Duras media library, in the 20th arrondissement of Paris, a collective is trying to pay homage to the conservator Christine Péclard, a precursor to the establishment before becoming its director until 2015, a year before her death. The project to name the auditorium of the media library after her has not yet received a favorable response from the administration. A petition to address Aurélie Filippetti, director of cultural affairs for the city of Paris, is open.

New fantasy saga

A new fantasy saga comes to life thanks to its readers. A wolf who wants her death. An army ready to massacre villages to get their hands on him. With What Will Remain of the World - Volume 1: The Wolf and the Targhar, Cindy C. Teston opens a dark and immersive fantasy saga in other volumes, at the heart of the Lands of Vallère. Launched on September 25 on Ulule, the pre-order campaign reached its goal in less than two hours and is already at 241%, unlocking several enhancements for the different editions of the novel.

Argentina bookstores in crisis

Argentina: the real turnover of independent bookstores falls by 41.5%. In Argentina, independent bookstores sell fewer books and face rising costs. Their federation, the FALPA, declared the sector in a state of emergency in September and is calling for government intervention. According to its survey, the real turnover, adjusted for inflation, has declined by 41.5% between the first eight months of 2023 and those of 2026.

Pocket Jeunesse new hire

Pocket Jeunesse: Lina Fiaschi becomes marketing digital and media officer. Lina Fiaschi has taken up her position as marketing digital and media officer at Pocket Jeunesse (PKJ), a publishing house of the Editis group, in October 2026. She continues her path after a year of internship as a marketing and communication assistant.

Academy of Fine Arts vacancies

Academy of Fine Arts: two vacancies in the staging section. The Academy of Fine Arts has announced the vacancy of the VII seat in the staging section, previously occupied by Frédéric Mitterrand (1947-2024) and the VIII seat in the staging section, a newly created seat in 2026.

Wandering Grimoire

The Wandering Grimoire: a traveling coffee-bookstore. The Wandering Grimoire is a traveling coffee-bookstore installed in a fully transformed bus with an imperial compartment. Born in Alsace, the project aims to travel with books, coffee, and encounters even to villages, markets, and events. More than a mobile business, it imagines a warm, curious, and lively place where one comes to read, exchange, discover, and take time. After nearly two years of work, the bus is now in the final phase of renovation before taking the road, with the ambition to make culture more mobile, closer, and more convivial.

Cooperative bookstores network

56 cooperative bookstores in France: towards the creation of a national network? On October 25 and 26, 2026, Montpellier will host the first National Meetings of Cooperative Bookstores. Organized by the bookstore La Cavale, this meeting will gather professionals and volunteers from all over France, with the aim of preparing the creation of a national network.

Sally Rooney books no longer distributed

Sally Rooney: her books will no longer be distributed in the UK. Sally Rooney's books will no longer be distributed in the UK by her publisher Faber. The decision, announced on Wednesday, October 13, 2026, with the agreement of the Irish writer, stems from her financial support for Palestine Action, an organization banned by British authorities.

Affair of Metamorphosis

The Affair of Metamorphosis: the court rejects the authors' requests against Delcourt. Exclusively - The Paris court of first instance has rejected the essential requests of three authors who wanted to terminate their publishing contracts with the Delcourt group after the departure of the directors of the Metamorphosis collection in 2022. In a judgment rendered on September 25, 2026, the judges consider that the departure of the collection directors does not justify the termination of the contractual commitments of the authors.

From stage to page

From the stage to the page: when the book becomes the prolongation of the conference. An hour on stage, a few hundred pages in the bookstore. More and more conference speakers extend their speech through writing. For them, the book is not a derivative product: it is the place where a thought is posed, structured, and lasts. Portrait of two of them, and an ecosystem that brings the stage closer to publishing.

League of Extraordinary Women Writers

The League of Extraordinary Women Writers: a feminist series where reality confronts fiction. The League of Extraordinary Women Writers is a literary project: to stage, in a short novel, the confrontation between a real author and a monster from the fantasy literature. Project led by Les éditions Askabak.

Romance Action

The Romance Action: when romance meets action. And if romance no longer only makes hearts beat? An independent author, Caro M. has made "Romance Action" her signature: stories where feelings, action, and suspense intertwine. Her novels explore very different universes, from romantic suspense to dark romance, with the same red thread: atypical intrigues, marked characters, and this desire to surprise the reader until the last page. Project led by Caro M.

New York Comic Con 2026

New York Comic Con 2026: Marvel reveals its program for 2027. From August 8 to 11, the New York Comic Con (NYCC) gathered at the Javits Center in New York, fans of comics, cinema, series, anime, video games, and cosplay. Marvel used the opportunity to present several comics expected at the beginning of 2027. On the program: a new mini-series dedicated to the character of Magneto, the continuation of the Hulk saga, but also announcements around the X-Men, the Avengers, and the crossover with Star Wars.

Naruto court case

Naruto: in court, a duel between Mediatoon and the game publisher Topi Games. Exclusively - Seized by Mediatoon, the judge of the Paris court of first instance expressed himself on October 30, 2026, on a dispute opposing the Mediatoon subsidiary to the game publisher Topi Games. The exploitation of the Naruto, Naruto Shippûden, and Boruto licenses are in question. Until the final judgment, Mediatoon has been dismissed from the entirety of its requests, but has appealed the decision.

Thélyson Orélien controversy

Accused of having used AI to write his novel, Thélyson Orélien denounces a "calumny." Caught in an intense controversy, the Quebec author Thélyson Orélien has come out of silence in a text returning to the accusations against him. If he admits to "youthful mistakes" and has "attributed texts that are not mine," he denies the use of a generative AI tool for the writing of It Was That or Die (Grasset).

LirandCo opens new bookstore

The LirandCo store opens a new bookstore in Montélimar. Installed in the Ardèche, in the Teil, since 2021, the LirandCo bookstore is moving to the Drôme, in Montélimar. The opening of this new address is imminent, with nearly 25,000 references at hand, on a total area of 140 m². The bookstore will also be a tea room, offering delicacies and beverages.

David Willer's new book

The Ogre, the Tree, and the Child, David Willer's new book. Plunge into the dark and poetic universe of The Ogre, the Tree, and the Child, a gothic tale with distinctly Burtonian accents. Originally conceived as an ambitious animated short film in stop-motion, this project is now revealed to the public through its original form: the beautifully illustrated book by François Aubin. A crowdfunding campaign is currently underway on the Ulule platform to publish this unique graphic work. This is a unique opportunity to support an independent creation, discover illustrations in chiaroscuro of rare intensity, and participate in the birth of a visual work unlike any other. Project led by David Willer.

Elf Library in financial restructuring

In Aixe-Sur-Vienne, the Elf Library is in financial restructuring. Opened at the end of 2021, the Elf Library in Aixe-Sur-Vienne (Haute-Vienne) is in difficulty. The business has been placed in financial restructuring, learned ActuaLitté. The store offers for sale manga, Warhammer figurines, stationery, and handmade objects.

HexaTrek book launch

HexaTrek — The Book and Topoguide Official. Traverse France on foot through its mountains, along a route linking the most beautiful mountain ranges of the Hexagon... This idea has been making progress since the creation of the HexaTrek in 2021! Today, to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the project, we are launching the official book of the trail. A book conceived to allow future HexaTrekeurs as well as finishers to dream, to set off, or to remember. After having seen thousands of hikers set off on this long and initiatory journey, we wanted to offer this great crossing the guide it deserves. Project led by HexaTrek.

The Horde of the Counterwind

Refused by publishers, become cult: The Horde of the Counterwind lands in the United States. It took creating a publishing house to publish The Horde of the Counterwind in France. 22 years later, the cult novel by Alain Damasio arrives in the United States. Its first English translation, signed Alexander Dickow, is published on October 13 by Abrams Press.

Keith Jarrett's 50th anniversary

In 1976, Keith Jarrett shook Japan: 50 years later, an investigation. The Shinkansen heads to Tokyo. I came back from Kansai, where I photographed the architectures of Tadao Ando. In my headphones, Keith Jarrett improvises. For a long time, his Sun Bear Concerts have accompanied my Japanese travels. One day, I wanted to know what remained of the places where this music was born. This book, Keith Jarrett, Japan 1976, was born from this desire: to go in search of a work through the cities, the halls, and the memories that preserve its trace.

Fear of the Dark manga

Fear of the dark, a horror manga by Raion Éditions. With Fear of the Dark, Raion Éditions invites you to discover a Hong Kong horror manga signed Wai On, unpublished in France. This complete story in one volume mixes fascination with the paranormal, culture of the direct and vertiginous question: how far can one go to obtain images that no one has ever seen? Project led by WAI ON and Raion Éditions.

Festivals and book fairs

Festivals and book fairs in danger: two days in Paris to change the game. More than just literary events, festivals and book fairs play an essential role in the meeting between authors, publishers, and readers, as well as in the cultural life of territories. But how to preserve their future and strengthen their influence? On November 3 and 4, 2026, in Paris, the Sofia, an organization managing collective rights that supports nearly 300 events each year, brings together professionals for the Act III of the General Assembly. Registrations are open.

Literary Launch 2026

Literary Launch 2026: the ten favorite novels of independent bookstores. The Deforestation of the Literary Launch has revealed its 2026 selection. Ten books were selected after a vote bringing together 470 librarians from 250 independent bookstores. Organized by the Edelweiss platform, with the French Bookstore Syndicate (SLF) and leslibraires.fr, this fifth edition received 1904 votes.

Chacha and Zali

Chacha and Zali: two deaf heroes make their entry into children's literature. Atama Éditions launches Chacha and Zali, a children's collection aimed at children aged 2 to 6 years, whose two heroes are deaf. The first album, Chacha wears hearing aids, tells the story of a child who discovers his deafness and his hearing aids. Written by two professionals who support deaf children and their families, the album combines story, illustrations, and French sign language (LSF). Project led by Stéphanie Trémeau and Cécile Rousse.

Agatha Christie's properties for sale

Agatha Christie: her Chelsea apartment and her sister's manor are for sale. The Chelsea apartment where Agatha Christie worked for nearly three decades and Abney Hall, a manor in Greater Manchester linked to her childhood and several novels, are up for sale. It will cost 1.95 million pounds for the first, more than 3.75 million for the second. Behind this immovable coincidence, two very different chapters of the life of the queen of crime.

Éditions Cercle d'Art moves

The Éditions Cercle d'Art leave Les Belles Lettres to join Madrigall. Starting January 1, 2027, the Éditions Cercle d'Art, a publishing house specializing in art books and belonging to the Richard Mille group, will entrust its distribution to the Sofédis and its distribution to the Sodis, two subsidiaries of Madrigall. The agreement also includes the support of the export teams of the group, a particularly important issue for this house, which achieved nearly 80% of its turnover abroad in 2024.