Features Archive - ��VLOG Press

Libraries Week

Benedict Heaton — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 12:35:47 +0000

To celebrate Libraries Week, we’re spotlighting OUP colleagues who help support and champion libraries through their work. Taking inspiration from this year’s theme, Libraries Change Lives through literacy and reading, we want to recognize the many libraries we work with around the world, and the role they play in connecting people with stories, knowledge, and community – particularly pertinent during the National Year of Reading. Here are some of the roles across our organisation that support Libraries.

Michael Spurling

Library Asset Management Specialist

“I’m one of the specialists who run the library in OUP’s Oxford office, looking after the Education section.

“While we are a digital-first business, it’s clear that printed books still have a special place. When children visit the library with their parents, their excitement is unmistakable. We’ve welcomed pupils from small village primary schools touring both the museum and library, sometimes their very first school trip. Their enthusiasm is infectious. They begin by eagerly exploring every section, pulling books from the shelves, until, gradually, a calm silence sets in. Inevitably, they gravitate towards the children’s section, settling down with picture books.

“Libraries are vital spaces that connect people with knowledge, inspiration, and each other, and being part of the OUP library means preserving access to our trusted content and helping colleagues make the most of it every day.”

Kathi Fountain

Head of Business Development, Institutional Sales, Americas

“I joined OUP’s Academics Sales team in 2017 after nearly 20 years working as a librarian. Libraries and publishers really are aligned in their objectives to share knowledge and enable the creation of new knowledge—we are simply approaching these from different perspectives. For my part, I have relished the opportunity to better understand the inner workings of publishing. It has enabled me to serve as a translator between librarians and the Press.

“As part of this work, I have coordinated librarian feedback, and presented alongside librarians, including at a Choice webinar, all to further our mission.”

Anna Shannon

Marketing Manager, Oxford Children’s

“Through our wonderful Children’s books, we love working with libraries, and indeed librarians, in lots of ways: from organizing interactive author and illustrator events (often with an outreach focus), to partnering with key organizations like the Youth Libraries Group and School Library Association, where we exhibit at conferences, champion our creators for panel discussions, and more.

“We also collaborate closely with trusted library suppliers to make sure the right supplies find the right library shelves, and with organizations such as to support initiatives like the popular Summer Reading Challenge, where, this year, four Oxford Children’s titles were selected, including and . We’re always looking for new ways to celebrate reading through libraries, and most recently, our picture book author Donna David () was the keynote speaker at the Power of Libraries Conference and part of the London Book Fair panel on the role of libraries and bookshops in the National Year of Reading.”

Julia Mielish

Discovery Manager

“As the Discovery Manager for OUP, I have the unique ability to apply my experiences as a librarian to��ensure��that we provide exceptional service and support for libraries that��acquire��OUP content. Working with the Discovery Working Group and our mutual library discovery partners, we prioritized setting up a NISO standard for KBART Automation, a service which streamlines and automates tracking of OUP content in library catalogs. This service is updated monthly with little interaction or ongoing maintenance, thanks to an API linking OUP to our discovery partners. In addition, libraries can��purchase��title-by-title content more freely without having to manage collections and activate specific titles within large collections. Librarians report being excited��for��the new offering and that it saves hours of manual work for their library staff.��

“We are the first university press to automate KBART delivery, and work like this cannot be successful without strong collaboration across OUP that ensures that our metadata is accurate and can be delivered in a securely ensuring trustable data for our libraries.”

Kate Dennis

Consortia Manager

“As a Consortia Manager at OUP, I build long-term partnerships with library consortia and work with them to ensure consortia agreements remain workable and sustainable in complex funding and policy environments.”

Molly Hansen

Marketing Manager

“I’ve always been a massive fan of libraries and librarians and am so grateful that my work at OUP intersects with them. Three years ago I completed a Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) degree at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro which gave me key insights into the ever-evolving world of libraries, archives, and more.��

“My role at OUP recently expanded to include work on Library Community Initiatives which includes collaboration with librarians on conference sessions, webinars, and other content exploring changes in the industry and the evolving needs of library professionals.��I’m��thrilled to be stepping into this work and look forward to working with librarians around the world.”��

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Connecting with scholarly society partners at the Oxford Journals Executive Summit

Benedict Heaton — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 09:03:57 +0000

In April 2026, we hosted the Oxford Journals Executive Summit at the Blavatnik School of Government in Oxford.

The event brought together senior leaders from scholarly partner societies and OUP journals colleagues for open, strategic discussion about the future of journal publishing. The Executive Summit provided a dedicated forum to explore shared challenges and opportunities in scholarly publishing, strengthen partnerships, and support long-term, sustainable decision-making in an increasingly complex research environment.

Previously run as Oxford Journals Day from regional locations, the Executive Summit has evolved into a re-imagined global event that aligns our journals strategy with informed insight into the real challenges facing our society partners. By bringing our community together in one location, the Summit reinforces our leadership role within the scholarly publishing sector.

This year’s event provided a platform for us to share our strategic direction and convene more than 125 society leaders around their shared responsibility to steward exceptional scholarly content. Through open dialogue and transparency, we aim to help shape the future of mission-driven publishing.

Creating space for strategic conversation

A central aim of the Executive Summit is to move beyond operational updates and provide space for candid, forward-looking discussion. Sessions focused on the challenges societies face as they seek to balance mission, quality, and sustainability in the context of shifting research behaviours, financial pressures, and technological changes—many as a result of rapidly-changing AI.

Participants attended a variety of session formats and explored questions around data-driven journal growth potential, portfolio stewardship, and how editorial, production, and publishing models may need to evolve. The Summit encouraged peer-to-peer exchange across disciplines, allowing society leaders to learn from one another’s experiences while engaging directly with OUP colleagues on shared priorities.

As one society delegate noted:

“I learned something new from each session and valued the opportunity to hear how OUP is approaching the most important issues facing the field of scholarly publishing today.”

Partnering through change: technology, integrity, and trust

Another key theme of the event was navigating change together, particularly in areas where publishers and societies must work in close partnership. Sessions addressed the impact of emerging technologies, including AI, on editorial processes and researcher expectations, alongside ongoing commitments to research integrity, trust, and transparency.

Discussions emphasized that no single organization can address these challenges in isolation. Instead, long-term success depends on strong relationships, shared understanding, and an honest assessment of trade-offs.

Feedback from the Executive Summit continues to shape how we engage with society partners, informs follow-up conversations, and influences the design of future events. By reinforcing shared goals and encouraging thoughtful, strategic dialogue, the Executive Summit plays an important role in supporting the sustainability and evolution of society journals within our broader mission.

“That was the best conference ever. It was very well organized, and there was a lot of development and lessons learnt on the part of OUP. The topics were highly topical, the opportunities to ask questions were much better, and the exchange with other societies was also much better.”

Feedback from a society delegate

Find out more about our journals publishing .

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Earth Day: how we are moving climate literacy and education forward

Benedict Heaton — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Publishing plays a key role in educating future generations on social and environmental issues, promoting critical thinking, and increasing the impact of research.

At ��VLOG Press, we publish for all ages, from children to adults, helping to build climate literacy and strengthen education at every stage of learning. Many of the titles and content we publish address some of the world’s most pressing sustainable development challenges, as well as inspire action.

As a signatory to the , we actively promote and acquire content that advocates for themes represented by the SDGs, such as equality, sustainability, justice, and safeguarding and strengthening the environment.

This , hear from some of our colleagues about how we’re supporting climate literacy and education in our publishing.

Alexandra Kanovsky

Acquisitions Editor

“Oxford Intersections, an interdisciplinary resource aimed at addressing key global challenges, is proud to present several upcoming climate-focused topics including��,��,��, and��.

“T�� Intersections will publish timely and critical research from across humanities and social sciences disciplines to explore complex global issues, including how humanity and nature adapt and respond to climate change and other societally induced environmental challenges.

”An interdisciplinary approach to commissioning allows Oxford Intersections to explore concerns from a litany of perspectives, both throughout history and with a forward focus, such as in the sections “New Frontiers” (Environmental Change and Human Experience), “Waste Futures” (Cultures of Waste), and “Narratives of the Future” (Climate Adaptation). These topics will provide an important outlet for researchers and practitioner experts to share their scholarship in concert, creating a kaleidoscopic resource of interlinked material that will be of interest to a variety of audiences.”

Maxine Spence

Senior Product Manager,

“Our goal was simple, but ambitious: to introduce sustainability��to young readers��through engaging storytelling, rich non-fiction, and��age‑appropriate concepts.��What makes this��series unique is��the alignment��of��its��42��carefully levelled books��with the��.��All the books are��dedicated to helping children understand and care about their world.

”At OUP, we have decades of experience��creating levelled readers that build reading confidence. With��Green Sparks, we wanted to harness that��expertise��to��address��one of the biggest themes in education today: sustainability.”

Lou John

Head of Children’s and Primary IP

“T�� opens the door to big ideas for readers who are just beginning to explore the world around them. Each book distils complex topics into clear, engaging explanations that spark curiosity, helping young people build confidence as independent thinkers.

” VSI is a particularly important example: it gives children the tools to understand not only what climate change is, but why it matters, and how their choices can shape a more sustainable future. Our hope is that climate literacy empowers young readers to feel informed rather than anxious, and to see themselves as part of a global story of care and responsibility. Across the series, that’s our aim—to nurture curiosity, inspire questions, and make knowledge feel accessible to every young mind.”

Matt Davidson

Head of International Primary and Curriculum

“At every stage of creating the , we’ve had to ask how learning can encourage active exploration and inspire learners to see how they can contribute to solutions—large and small—that make our planet more sustainable. This is an international curriculum, and we’ve ensured place-based learning, which engages students in their community—including their physical environment, local history, people, or culture.”

Alicia Smith and Fiona Simmons

Portfolio Product Manager��and��Managing Editor

“T�� central message of�� is that the young learners of today are the changemakers of tomorrow.

“By employing a concept-based inquiry methodology in conjunction with English language learning methodologies, we aim to develop students’ metacognitive skills to better understand the world around them. When students can see how conceptual ideas are transferable across different situations, they are better equipped to think critically and approach the challenges we all face in the context of how to deal with a rapidly changing climate.

”Students using��Blue Dot will explore a rich variety of content that is aligned to concepts such as sustainability, energy, and cooperation. Through this, they will discuss and debate the challenges and potential solutions to some of our biggest environmental issues both today and in the future. We hope students using Blue Dot feel as inspired using it as we felt making it.”

Our book recommendations for Earth Day

The Wild

by Yuval Zommer

Stella and the Seagull

by Georgina Stevens and Izzy Burton

Who Ate All the Bugs?

by Matty Long

Into The Wild

by Thomas Docherty

Maya’s Walk

by Moira Butterfield and Kim Geyer

Marv and the Killer Plants

by Alex Falase-Koya and Paula Bowles

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Where music meets learning with Song Pals

Benedict Heaton — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 12:34:40 +0000

Song Pals is a new Pre-Primary course created in collaboration with , designed to make learning English fun, musical, and engaging for young learners in Spain. Launched in early 2025, the course brings together Super Simple’s catchy songs and characters with our expertise.

Built with extensive teacher input, Song Pals offers age-appropriate topics, flexible teaching pathways, and a wide range of resources to support diverse classroom needs.

We spoke to Louise Philip, ELT & CLIL Primary Product Manager, and Celia Garcia, Assistant Product Manager, about the creation of the course.

What specific needs or challenges did teachers express that led us to rethink traditional Pre-Primary course formats?

We did extensive market research, including classroom observations in several regions in Spain, interviews and an in-person focus group in Madrid with teachers using both course books and their own material. We discovered that all teachers shared similar challenges and had similar needs. What stood out most was that all teachers wanted flexibility—to choose topics in the order they wanted, and to be able to teach what they wanted in any order.

Also, many teachers told us that the pre-primary context is becoming increasingly fragmented: rotating teachers, very limited timetables, and the need to align with Spanish-language content, which leaves little room for more traditional, linear ELT courses.

How are children responding to��Song Pals, especially the music-based learning approach?

Teachers told us how much their students already loved Super Simple’s songs and characters, and they were used to using the songs in class to present and practice language. Children are also fascinated with the Noodle puppet which helps bring Song Pals to life!

In your view, what makes��Song Pals unique—either in terms of pedagogy, format, or its collaboration with Super Simple?

There are so many things that make it unique! The fact that the topics are a result of teacher collaboration, the Fun Book format which really engaged students and teachers, the iterative content added termly to the Song Pals website to ensure engagement, and, of course, the fantastic songs.��Song Pals also includes customizable resources and innovative and digitized stories designed to interact directly with all the content in the pages.

Celia Garcia, Assistant Product Manager

What were the biggest considerations in balancing pedagogical integrity with flexibility?

We worked extensively to ensure that Song Pals aligns with local educational legislation while still providing the flexibility that teachers need. The��Song Pals stories strand (available with Super Fun Books) have themes relating to social and emotional development through the��Song Pals characters, which is an important area within the Spanish curriculum. We also ensured that each topic includes a wide range of graded resources in multiple formats, with clearly mapped targets and extension language. Many of these materials are even customizable. The goal was to give teachers everything they need in one place, so they don’t have to search for additional resources or spend extra time adapting materials.

We also provide learning situations, assessment material, and a Teacher’s Toolkit with teaching notes and a guide to make the most of the materials.

What was the rationale behind developing three different product formats?

The Pre-Primary market varies in terms of timetables across regions and school types, from one session a week to five, and in methodology, with some teachers requiring more extensive print formats for students and others requiring less so that they can also use their own resources in class. We also detected a need for a resource bank, leading to the creation of the Simple and Super Fun Books and the website-only option.

Louise Philip, ELT & CLIL Primary Product Manager

Find out more about Song Pals .

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Emphasizing our expertise and community at London Book Fair 2026

Benedict Heaton — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 13:55:03 +0000

Last week, we attended the London Book Fair to celebrate the vital role that publishing plays in our society, emphasize our support for authors, and come together with fellow publishers to mark the National Year of Reading.

London Book Fair is an international trade fair that brings together the publishing community in one place, providing the opportunity for us to connect with contributors and partners, share our insights as a leading voice in the industry, and celebrate the power of publishing.

During the three days of the fair, colleagues from across OUP met with customers and partners from around the world, exploring new opportunities and strengthening relationships during wide-ranging discussions.

Standing with authors and fellow publishers

We are proud to support the , which launched on the opening day of the fair.

Nearly 10,000 authors added their names to a book titled Don’t Steal This Book, protesting against mass copyright infringement by tech companies to train AI models. 1,000 copies of the book were published and appeared across publisher stands throughout the fair to raise awareness and visibility.

The initiative delivers a clear message: the UK government must not legalize book theft to benefit AI companies.

We stand with the publishing community in urging the government to reconsider their position of copyright exception. We need to harness the power of AI in a way that supports and sustains the researchers and educators whose work we publish and disseminate—something that can be achieved effectively and fairly through negotiated licensing arrangements.

Moving knowledge and learning forward with our communities

Across the three days of the fair, our exhibition stand was a hive of activity and showcased the breadth and depth of our publishing across academic, research, education, English language teaching, and assessment. Colleagues across OUP—from Sales, Marketing, Rights, Translation, and Editorial teams—hosted hundreds of meetings with contributors and potential partners, many of whom had travelled from abroad to experience the fair.

Jurgen Verhaegen, Director – Core Markets in our English Language Teaching division, shared his takeaway from the fair:

“It was great to reconnect with several of our key existing partners, strengthening our ongoing collaborations and aligning on priorities for the coming year. The level of interest and the quality of conversations were encouraging.”

We presented a selection of exciting new Oxford Children’s titles to a room of independent booksellers, including a range of picture books and two exciting new fiction titles: Gordon Saves the Day by Alex Latimer and The Diary of Wiska Wildflower: The Crystal Cave by Harriet Muncaster. We also unveiled the first books in our new , publishing in May and inspired by the Sky Kids TV show.

Eleonora Cavalli, Key Account Manager in our Education division, reflected on the presentation: “It is always quite energizing to be in a room full of booksellers ready to champion reading and excited to know what is publishing next!”

Celebrating the National Year of Reading

London Book Fair was also a major opportunity to come together with the publishing community to discuss and celebrate the in the UK.

Donna David, author of , joined a panel discussion on the Main Stage on Championing books locally: The role of libraries and bookshops in the National Year of Reading. The panel explored how libraries and bookshops help to inspire a lifelong love of reading among children within local communities. At a time when screens and digital distractions increasingly compete for attention, the panel emphasized the importance of reading for pleasure in building empathy, confidence, language skills, and imagination.

Grace Carruthers, Senior News and PR Manager, joined booksellers, publishers, and reading-focused organizations and charities for a celebratory reception, marking a key moment in the National Year of Reading. It was a great opportunity to connect with partners and reaffirm our shared commitment to encouraging reading across all communities.

“It was amazing to hear the organizers reflect on everything that the National Year of Reading has already achieved in just three months and get a glimpse of the exciting milestones that are yet to come.��

As a proud partner of the campaign, OUP has some fantastic plans lined up to champion the power of reading throughout the year. I left the reception feeling more inspired than ever to shine a light on all the wonderful work we already do in this area and keep amplifying why reading matters so much!”

Joining key discussions and sharing our expertise

John Campbell, Product Strategy Director in our Academic division, joined a session at the Academic Conference confronting the core challenge facing scholarly communication: how to successfully transition to new models in an environment of shrinking library budgets, shifting institutional priorities, and technological change.

John shared some of the key trends and opportunities we’re seeing and responding to as AI impacts content delivery channels and traditional business models, as well as how changing researcher discovery and consumption habits are shaping our strategies.

“It was great to be back at London Book Fair representing OUP for a second year at the Academic & Professional Conference discussing fast-moving change in our industry. The conversation focused on the need for dynamic solutions that meet user need wherever research is happening with scholarly publishing values at the forefront; how we support the role of educational institutions and librarians as��trust enablers; and business models where value and outcomes converge for human or machine. The sessions were well-attended and well-covered, and the conference organizers delivered an insightful programme.”

Karen Sambrook, Senior HR Business Partner, joined a session organized by the aimed at sharing advice for those looking to move roles or at the start of their careers. In addition to her own experience, Karen shared what an employer like OUP can offer for early-career applicants to succeed and thrive.

We thank our colleagues, partners, and customers who travelled to join us for another productive and energizing London Book Fair, with so many important discussions taking place across the three days. We look forward to our continuing work together and next year’s fair.

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The people behind the publishing

Alicia Perkins — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 10:03:29 +0000

How does a book go from a manuscript to being published?

As one of the world’s largest university presses—publishing across academic journals and research books, educational content, children’s fiction, English language learning and more—we know that the work we do today will shape human knowledge and learning in the future. We’re proud of our publishing, which has never been more important, innovative, and collaborative. ��

We believe that books, high-quality research, and learning materials developed with experts can expand horizons, foster learning, and unlock potential. That’s why our people go beyond definition every day to further our publishing mission.

To celebrate the people behind our publishing during , we asked colleagues from across OUP to share their role within the publishing process.

Editorial

Rachael Wass, Editor, and Catherine Blom-Smith, Development Editor

“As Primary Literacy Editors, we receive manuscripts from authors in their raw state and develop them into the best text possible. Using editorial judgement and with the help of external experts, we shape a product that serves our readers.

Along the way, we collaborate closely with colleagues in Design and Production to bring the vision to life, as well as illustrators, who adorn our books with beautiful artwork.”

Production

Joyson Kolenchery, Head of Manufacturing, OUP India

“In collaboration with internal and external stakeholders, the manufacturing team plays a key role in the publishing process. Through thoughtful paper selection, and high-quality printing and binding, we ensure a book’s uniqueness and value are upheld. While manufacturing a book, it is most critical to recognize that cost, quality, and speed are the key parameters that determine its affordability and sustainability. Keeping the end customer in mind throughout the publishing journey is vital.

I’m deeply mindful of the fact that any type of manufacturing has an environmental impact. Therefore, when partnering with external suppliers and selecting raw materials such as paper, it is important to ensure they carry the required certifications for their intended use. Encouraging suppliers to adopt renewable energy and eliminate plastics from the manufacturing value chain can significantly reduce the overall carbon footprint.

A well-produced book brings immense satisfaction to everyone involved in its creation. The arrival of a book from printer is a moment of joy and celebration for those who contributed to its journey.”

Debbie Harvey-Evans, Media Lead – Video, Animation, and Audio

“I manage and guide a highly talented team of video and audio specialists to create engaging, learner-focused digital content for English Language Teaching courses. Through strategy, nurturing strong supplier partnerships, and supporting cross-functional teamwork, I help ensure our team delivers inclusive, accessible, high-quality video, animation, and audio content that inspires learners and supports teachers.”

Design

Gemma Wakefield, Senior Cover Designer

“As a cover designer for Academic books, my role is to creatively interpret a brief to create a cover that reflects the heart of the content and appeals to the target market. I explore creative solutions from selections of carefully curated images, and combine this with typography that will perfectly fit and enhance the aesthetic of the book. I aim to create an identity in my cover design which I can then apply across marketing materials to build a unique and strong product brand.”

Right: Penning Poison by Emily Cockayne – one of Gemma’s cover designs

Marketing

Aleena Waseem, Marketing Manager

“As the Fiction Marketing Manager in the Oxford Children’s team, I bring our stories to life through creating thoughtful marketing campaigns with compelling narratives to resonate with young readers, parents, and booksellers. Working closely with our talented sales, editorial, and design teams, alongside our wonderful authors and illustrators, I champion each book from concept to post-publication. It’s a joyful, collaborative journey that celebrates imagination, elevates creators’ voices, and ensures every story reaches the audience it deserves.”

Rights

Emma Gier, Director of Translations and Reprints

“I head up the Translations team which licenses Academic book content to reach readers throughout the world in their own language. Working with international publishers—from large trade houses to niche publishers, and everything in between—we are corresponding daily with publishing professionals, translators, and agents across the globe. We celebrate our deals and enjoy sharing the news with authors and editors. Our job is to take all the hard work that has gone in to creating a book for sale in the English language and to find licensees to bring the book to life for their local readers. The cherry on the top!”

Sales

Jurgen Verhaegen, Director – Core Markets, English Language Teaching

“I’m proud to work with dedicated teams across the world who help bring our courses and materials to life in the classroom. Together, we advise but also listen to teachers and learners, gather meaningful insights from classrooms, and share them with our Product Development colleagues so every resource is shaped with care and purpose. It’s a shared journey grounded in collaboration, expertise, and a commitment to empowering learning everywhere.”

Research

Tamsin Chamberlain, Head of Market and User Research, Academic

“My role is to collect survey feedback from academic authors through their publishing journey with OUP. This research is designed to complement and expand upon the deep and valued relationships that authors already have with members of the publishing teams, enabling us to systematically monitor authors’ experience and make improvements based on statistically relevant evidence, rather than anecdote.”

At ��VLOG Press, we are thousands of brilliant minds, leading with learning, publishing research that illuminates, and unlocking potential that furthers our mission worldwide.

Want to work with us? Find out more about the roles we are recruiting for .

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Oxford Children’s uncovers creative writing trends in BBC 500 Words report

Alicia Perkins — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 09:00:00 +0000

This week, Oxford Children’s published exploring how young writers across the UK are using language, drawing on thousands of stories submitted to the BBC 500 Words competition. Released ahead of World Book Day and during the UK’s National Year of Reading, the findings reveal that, despite technology’s expanding role, libraries, printed books, and traditional stories continue to spark children’s imaginations.��

For over ten years, Oxford Children’s has partnered with to analyse children’s writing and understand how their language��and��interests��evolve. Each story��submitted��contributes to the Oxford Children’s Corpus, one of the world’s largest databases of children’s written English.��This year’s findings respond to ongoing conversations about children’s reading habits, digital engagement, and the future of literacy, providing a snapshot of the changing ways young people express themselves.��

Our latest analysis examines more than 46,500 stories written by UK children aged 5-11.��Lexicographers, researchers, and editors from OUP explored emerging vocabulary, cultural references, and thematic trends to understand how children interpret the world around them.��

Andrea Quincey

Director of Early Years and Primary Publishing

“It’s been fascinating to analyse the brilliant stories children have submitted over the decade and track the creative ways they are using language.”

How children are writing about artificial intelligence

One of the notable shifts in this year’s stories is in how young writers engage with AI, with mentions increasing 50% in the last year. In 2020,��AI appeared mostly in children’s stories in relation to an assistant or robot, and by 2023 it was often associated with a dangerous entity. In 2025, whilst children still express concern, there is an increase in��AI becoming an everyday feature in daily life or an imagine future, with examples of ChatGPT appearing as a character or narrator in stories.

Children also continue to reflect anxieties about screen time.��Doomscrolling appears for the first time in writing, and references to��brain rot, Oxford’s 2024 Word of the Year, jumped from one to 210 in the past year.

How gaming is shaping vocabulary

Gaming and social media are influencing children’s word choices. Mentions of��dandy, inspired by the Roblox virtual universe, increased by over seven times, while the viral��six-seven trend appears in stories more than 400 times. References to��tablet increased by 33% in the last year.

Libraries continue to inspire young writers

Despite the rise of technology, children’s fascination with libraries��remains��strong.��Over the��past decade,��mentions of��library��in children’s writing��have��more than doubled, while��mentions��of��librarian��increased by over 80%.��

Since 2015, references to��book��have risen��25%,��comic��16%, and��novel 15% in the last year. Most��of��these refer��to��printed books, with��digital formats mentioned��far less—mentions of��kindle��dropped more than 70% over the decade. Traditional stories continued to capture children’s imagination with��Cinderella��and Snow White in the top ten fictional characters children wrote about.��

Sarah Mears, Programmes Director at Libraries Connected, said:��“We are so excited to know that children are increasingly mentioning libraries and librarians in their 500 Words stories. Reading sparks children’s creativity and nurtures their empathy, both crucial life skills.”��

Celebrating the finalists

The winners of BBC 500 Words will be announced in a special programme with The One Show (BBC One, 7pm GMT) on Friday 6 March 2026, with further broadcasts on CBBC and BBC iPlayer across the weekend. Stories from the 50 finalists will also be available on the , and we have published the BBC 500 Words Winner’s Book, featuring the six winning stories illustrated by OUP’s own artists.

At this year’s grand final at Windsor Castle, six OUP illustrators—Korky Paul, Harriet Muncaster, Paula Bowles, Rochelle Falconer, Ken Wilson-Max, and Leigh Hodgkinson—joined us to celebrate young writers from across the UK at a reception hosted by Her Majesty The Queen.

You can find out more about the research and read the full report .

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Celebrating a decade of magic with Isadora Moon Day 2026

Alicia Perkins — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 12:13:16 +0000

On Saturday 14 February, we marked a major milestone in truly enchanting style with Isadora Moon Day 2026, a nationwide celebration of 10 magical years of Harriet Muncaster’s much-loved half vampire, half fairy heroine.

In this , the celebration also offered a wonderful opportunity to champion reading for pleasure in all its forms. We’re proud to encourage children to read in whatever format excites them most, helping them discover stories that spark imagination and create lasting connections.

Reading can have a transformative impact on young people’s development and wellbeing: it opens minds to new ideas, cultures, and perspectives, and provides joy, motivation, and comfort, especially in uncertain times.

At OUP, we strive to create content for all levels and abilities that encourages reflection and helps every reader feel inspired by what they’re discovering. , with her charm, humour, and heartfelt adventures, continues to do exactly that.

The highlight of the celebratory weekend was our birthday event with Kibworth Books at the Sue Townsend Theatre in Leicester.

The 250-capacity event featured a read-along and draw-along with author Harriet Muncaster, audience interaction, and birthday-themed fun, followed by a signing session both at the theatre and later at Kibworth Bookshop.

The event is supported by a wider programme of appearances by Harriet Muncaster over the next few weeks, including the Stepping into Stories Festival with Paper Cat Bookshop in London, a virtual multi-school event with Read Holmfirth Bookshop, and an upcoming appearance at the in Reading on 14 March.

At the heart of the celebration was the publication of the , a beautiful hardback reedition of the first Isadora Moon book, published in 2016. With sprayed edges, a foil cover, bonus activities, and an exclusive new Pink Rabbit short story, the edition is a standout moment in our anniversary programme.

Isadora Moon Day was only the beginning, with many more moments to come throughout the year that will celebrate the 10th anniversary. With its joyful blend of reading, creativity, and celebration, Isadora Moon Day made for a perfect start to this National Year of Reading and an enchanting beginning to a landmark year for the much-loved series.

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The importance of young people and education for global development

Benedict Heaton — Fri, 23 Jan 2026 10:48:38 +0000

This Saturday (24 January) marks UNESCO International Day of Education, a day that celebrates the role of education in promoting peace and development.

This year, has a special focus on the incredible power young people have to drive change and shape the future of learning.

At ��VLOG Press, we support lifelong learning for all, from helping children develop the skills they need to thrive in a rapidly changing world to supporting teachers in some of the most remote corners of the world.

As we reflect on Oxford Children’s Word of the Year for 2025, peace, chosen by young people themselves, we’re reminded of the vital role education and literacy play in helping children understand the world, express their hopes, and build a more peaceful future.

Explore some of our stories from the past year, including how we reach learners and educators across rural Africa, and help to strengthen education for communities worldwide.

Another successful milestone on the Road to Literacy in South Africa

We celebrated a significant expansion of the Road to Literacy campaign in association with AVBOB, in which we announced the next 1,000 recipients of mobile trolley libraries, each stocked with 500 curriculum aligned books in all 11 written languages in South Africa.

Karen Simpson, Managing Director of OUP Southern Africa, said: “A�� to books in a learner’s mother tongue has a profound impact on their ability to grasp foundational concepts, stay engaged in the classroom, and remain in the education system.��We are steadfast on publishing our books in all of South Africa’s official written languages, and the AVBOB Road to Literacy campaign enables us to place these resources directly in the hands of the learners who need them most.”

Features Archive - ����VLOG Press