Latest News from The Bookseller

Exam boards 'may be scrapped' The government is considering scrapping four exam boards and replacing them with a single body which would set questions for GCSEs and A-levels, it has been reported. Ministers are said to be considering getting rid of the England and Wales exam boards – AQA, OCR, Pearson-owned Edexcel, and WJEC – and having the government produce papers instead, said the Mail on Sunday.

Donaldson bemoans school library closures Bestselling picture book author Julia Donaldson has said the UK government is letting children down by closing libraries in schools.

White moves to Bonnier in six figure deal Bonnier Publishing's fiction c.e.o. Mark Smith has paid six figures to acquire UK, Europe and Commonwealth rights in three new novels from Neil White, currently published by Little, Brown. The deal was done with Sonia Land at Sheil Land Associates. White, a senior crown prosecutor by day, is to start a new mystery series in which he "will draw on his experiences as a barrister to add more of a legal thriller dimension than his previous work", his agent said. Publication of the first book in the new series will be in autumn 2016.

Saltaire Bookshop to close after takings drop to £2 a day Saltaire Bookshop will close in six months unless local customers rally to support it, its owner has said. The independent, based in the World Heritage site of Saltaire in West Yorkshire, tweeted last week: “Six month countdown begins today - unless we start getting more customers x.” Owner David Ford told The Bookseller takings had averaged out at £2 a day which was “unviable.” He said even though he “loved” bookselling, “I would earn more money sitting on the street with a cap in my hand.”

Peter James and Pan Mac sign new five-book deal Peter James has signed a new five-book deal with Pan Macmillan, which includes three more novels in his Roy Grace series. Publishing director Wayne Brooks acquired UK and Commonwealth rights, including Canada, to the five books from Carole Blake at Blake Friedmann Literary Agency. As well as the Roy Grace novels, there will be two standalone thrillers.

Clare Hall-Craggs joins Book Trust as Woodfine leaves Former publicist Clare Hall-Craggs is joining Book Trust to look after laureate Chris Riddell, as Katherine Woodfine is leaving her role as arts project manager at the charity. Hall-Craggs is joining Book Trust on an “ongoing basis” and will take on responsibility for looking after Riddell, who took on the laureateship in June.

Astrid Lindgren diaries to Pushkin Pushkin Press has acquired diaries written by Pippi Longstocking author Astrid Lindgren during the Second World War. Publisher Adam Freudenheim bought UK and Commonwealth rights to the diaries from Saltkråkan AB, the family owned company that handles all of Lindgren’s rights. The diaries were published this year in Sweden for the first time, and run from 1st September 1939 through to December 1945.

Midnight opening for final Discworld novel Waterstones Piccadilly will later this month host a midnight opening to mark the publication of Terry Pratchett’s final Discworld novel, The Shepherd’s Crown (Penguin Random House). During the event, which will take place on the evening of 26th August (leading into publication on the 27th) fans will be able to get a copy of the new book as well as hear a reading from Pratchett’s friend and business manager Rob Wilkins.