Cowell, Barr and Hannah to take part in Independent Bookshop Week

Authors including Cressida Cowell, Damian Barr and Sophie Hannah will take part in Independent Bookshop Week (IBW).

Taking place from 20th to 27th June, the annual celebration of indie bookshops across the UK and Ireland will see Waterstones Children’s Laureate Cowell tour bookshops across the country and design this year's IBW children's bag, which features the slogan "Reading is magic, and magic is for everyone". Authors Barr, Hannah, M John Harrison and Jennifer Hodgson are also lined up to take part.

National Book Tokens is also bringing back its eGift card giveaway for independent bookshops' most loyal customers. This year each shop will receive 100 vouchers to give out as they choose during IBW, with a hamper of bubbles given to the bookshop with the most voucher redemptions. National Book Tokens has confirmed that its High Five for Bookshops giveaway will be returning for the second time in 2020 following the success of last year, with indies participating in IBW being sent £225,000 worth of free book tokens to gift to customers. Stores taking part will receive 100 leaflets, each offering a customer a £5/‚Ǩ5 National Book Tokens eGift cards.

Events themed around summer reading, a partnership with the Romantic Novelists' Association to tie-in with the organisation’s 60th anniversary, a live podcast tour, bookshop “lates”, film screenings, bookshops being “twinned” with an international counterpart to promote bookshop tourism, a “Find Wally” campaign by Walker Books and bookshop crawls are also in the works.

Emma Bradshaw, head of campaigns at the Bookseller's Association, said: “It’s thrilling to see the enthusiasm from publishers, authors and bookshops for the 2020 campaign, including many who are taking part in Independent Bookshop Week for the first time this year. Book lovers are in for a treat this summer.”

Publishers are invited to work together with independent bookshops to plan all manner of events, including: author tours, bookshop signings, readings, exclusives, and beyond, while also joining the conversation on social media, via @booksaremybag and #IndieBookshopWeek. Publishers and bookshops are invited to share their plans with the BA by contacting Bradshaw, to confirm their plans, via: emma.bradshaw@booksellers.org.uk.