The Booksellers Association has today announced The Book of Beginnings by Sally Page as Fiction Book of the Month, and Poetry Prompts by Joseph Coelho, illustrated by Georgie Birkett, Grasya Oliyko, Amanda Quartey and Viola Wang as Children’s Book of the Month for October. The release of Poetry Prompts also coincides with National Poetry Day which takes place on Thursday 5 October.
 
Independent bookshops around the UK and Ireland will be promoting The Book of Beginnings and Poetry Prompts throughout October on social media and in-store. The Booksellers Association will be supporting the promotion of the Indie Books of the Month through social media and promotional material.

The Book of Beginnings follows the story of Jo Sorsby. Jo knows she is hiding from her past when she agrees to look after her uncle’s stationery shop. Spending her days glimpsing the lives of her customers as they experiment with what’s on offer is a welcome distraction from the life she has left behind. Yet far from home, Jo feels adrift… But when she meets Ruth, a vicar running from a secret, and Malcolm, a septuagenarian struggling to write his first book, she realises that she isn’t alone. It’s the beginning of a friendship that can transform Jo’s life… if only she can let them in. The Book of Beginnings is published by Harper Collins on 28 September and is available to buy in bookshops now.
 
Sally Page said: “I have loved bookshops all of my life and run small businesses for much of it. So, for me, indie bookshops feel like home. There is no better feeling than to see your book in an indie bookshop where you know readers are getting great advice about what to try next.”
 
Joseph Coelho is on a mission: to make poetry accessible to everyone! In Poetry Prompts he shares a life's work of tips, tricks and guides on STARTING to write, perform and enjoy poetry. In this fantastically illustrated compendium, each prompt contains a poem and writing guide, with accompanying video resources created by Joseph Coelho and charity BookTrust. Fun, simple and accessible. The perfect introductory guide to creating poetry. Poetry Prompts is published by Wide Eyed Editions on 12 October and is available to pre-order now.
 
The Indie Book of the Month titles are selected by panels of booksellers from publisher submissions. The Children’s panel for October comprised members from Kibworth Books, The Little Bookshop Leeds, The Alligator’s Mouth, Little Box of Books, The Edinburgh Bookshop and Through the Wardrobe Books. The Fiction panel were from DRAKE – The Bookshop, Bridge Books, Dromore and The Book Warren and Café.
 
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