With bookshops now open (woo hoo!) and Christmas sales picking up, remember SHOP LOCAL if you can – keeping your hard earned money within the country and with small businesses has a knock on effect right across the economy.
Huge congratulations to Doireann Ni Ghriofa and Tramp Press at the superb news that A Ghost in the Throat is the An Post Book Awards Irish Book of the Year 2020 – we have a feeling we’ll be seeing it climb the charts in the coming weeks!
This week’s featured book is one for children – Sinead Burke’s Break the Mould: How to Take Your Place in the World. As Sinead explains: There are so many people in this world – 7.53 billion to be exact. But there is only one of me and one of you. It’s easy to think we are not good enough, or that our nose is too big, or wish we could be more like our friends. But the world would be different without you. You are enough just as you are.. .
Sometimes it can seem like the world isn’t built for you or like you don’t belong. But why should you change who you are for the sake of others? Sinéad Burke is an advocate, activist, teacher, writer and British vogue cover model. She also happens to be a little person at three and a half feet tall. Reflecting on her experiences growing up, Sinéad offers a heartfelt and inspiring guide to young readers on believing in themselves and finding comfort and pride in their own skin.
From the power of being different and discovering things you love about yourself, to using your voice to be an ally and show friendship to others, it’s time to break the mould and find your place in the world.
Order before Sunday 13th from Eason online to guarantee arrival for Christmas, or pop into your local bookshop. This is a book every child should have.
Here’s the overall top 20. Data Supplied by Nielsen BookScan taken from the Irish Consumer Market week ending 5th December 2020
| Title | Author | Imprint | Sales | |
| 1 | Code Name Bananas | Walliams, David | HarperCollins | 7,206 |
| 2 | Promised Land, A | Obama, Barack | Viking | 4,905 |
| 3 | Old Ireland in Colour | Breslin, John & Buckley, Sarah-Anne | Merrion Press | 4,841 |
| 4 | Guinness World Records 2021 | Guinness World Records | Guinness World Records | 4,311 |
| 5 | Thursday Murder Club,The | Osman, Richard | Viking | 4,169 |
| 6 | Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse,The | Mackesy, Charlie | Ebury Press | 3,905 |
| 7 | Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Deep End (Book 15) | Kinney, Jeff | Puffin | 3,850 |
| 8 | Home Stretch | Norton, Graham | Coronet Books | 3,841 |
| 9 | Beyond the Tape:The Life and Many Deaths of a State Pathologist | Cassidy, Marie | Hachette Books Ireland | 3,831 |
| 10 | Never Mind the B#ll*cks, Here’s the Science:A scientist’s guide | O’Neill, Luke | Gill Books | 3,455 |
| 11 | Champagne Football:John Delaney and the Betrayal of Irish Football | Tighe, Mark & Rowan, Paul | Penguin Ireland | 2,884 |
| 12 | Ickabog,The:A warm and witty fairy-tale adventure | Rowling, J.K. | Little, Brown Books for Young Readers | 2,344 |
| 13 | Code Name Bananas | Walliams, David | HarperCollins | 2,230 |
| 14 | Light That Never Goes Out,A:A Memoir | Shanley, Keelin | Gill Books | 2,126 |
| 15 | Snow | Banville, John | Faber & Faber | 1,999 |
| 16 | Cat Kid Comic Club: the new blockbusting bestseller | Pilkey, Dav | Scholastic U.S. | 1,944 |
| 17 | Great Irish Farm Book,The | McCullough, Darragh | Gill Books | 1,919 |
| 18 | What is Beautiful in the Sky:A book about endings and beginnings | Harding, Michael | Hachette Books Ireland | 1,822 |
| 19 | Page from My Life,A:A Selection of Stories from Ray D’Arcy Show | HarperCollins | 1,792 | |
| 20 | Sentinel,The:(Jack Reacher 25) | Child, Lee & Child, Andrew | Bantam Press | 1,712 |
And here’s the top 10 in each category:
| Mass Market Fiction | ||||
| Title | Author | Imprint | Sales | |
| 1 | Where the Crawdads Sing | Owens, Delia | Corsair | 1,608 |
| 2 | Guest List,The | Foley, Lucy | HarperCollins Publishers | 725 |
| 3 | Family Gift,The:A heartwarming comfort read for Autumn 2020 | Kelly, Cathy | Orion | 537 |
| 4 | Girl, Woman, Other:WINNER OF THE BOOKER PRIZE 2019 | Evaristo, Bernardine | Penguin Books Ltd | 461 |
| 5 | Beekeeper of Aleppo,The: The Sunday Times Bestseller | Lefteri, Christy | Manilla Press | 457 |
| 6 | Silent Patient,The | Michaelides, Alex | Orion | 419 |
| 7 | Giver of Stars,The | Moyes, Jojo | Penguin Books Ltd | 324 |
| 8 | Milkman | Burns, Anna | Faber & Faber | 290 |
| 9 | Normal People | Rooney, Sally | Faber & Faber | 268 |
| 10 | Fifty-Fifty:The Number One Ebook Bestseller, Sunday Times Bestseller | Cavanagh, Steve | Orion | 260 |
| Original Fiction | ||||
| Title | Author | Imprint | Sales | |
| 1 | Thursday Murder Club,The:The Record-Breaking Sunday Times Number One Besteller | Osman, Richard | Viking | 4,169 |
| 2 | Home Stretch | Norton, Graham | Coronet Books | 3,841 |
| 3 | Snow | Banville, John | Faber & Faber | 1,999 |
| 4 | Sentinel,The:(Jack Reacher 25):Jack Reacher | Child, Lee & Child, Andrew | Bantam Press | 1,712 |
| 5 | Law of Innocence,The:The Brand New Lincoln Lawyer Thriller:Mickey Hall | Connelly, Michael | Orion | 1,378 |
| 6 | Braywatch | O’Carroll-Kelly, Ross | Penguin Ireland | 1,376 |
| 7 | Strange Flowers:The Number One Bestseller | Ryan, Donal | Doubleday Ireland | 1,350 |
| 8 | Shuggie Bain:Winner of the Booker Prize 2020 | Stuart, Douglas | Picador | 1,193 |
| 9 | Love | Doyle, Roddy | Jonathan Cape | 1,114 |
| 10 | After the Silence | O’Neill, Louise | riverrun | 1,080 |
| Paperback Non Fiction | ||||
| Title | Author | Imprint | Sales | |
| 1 | Beyond the Tape:The Life and Many Deaths of a State Pathologist | Cassidy, Marie | Hachette Books Ireland | 3,831 |
| 2 | Champagne Football:John Delaney and the Betrayal of Irish Football | Tighe, Mark & Rowan, Paul | Penguin Ireland | 2,884 |
| 3 | How Animals Saved My Life: Being the Supervet | Fitzpatrick, Professor Noel | Trapeze | 1,404 |
| 4 | Waterford Whispers News 2020 | Williamson, Colm | Gill Books | 1,299 |
| 5 | Monk,The:The Life and Crimes of Ireland’s Most Enigmatic Gang Boss | Williams, Paul | Allen & Unwin | 1,222 |
| 6 | Life on Our Planet,A:My Witness Statement and a Vision for the Future | Attenborough, David | Ebury Press | 1,109 |
| 7 | Rory’s Story:My Unexpected Journey to Self Belief | O’Connor, Rory & Crowe, Dermot | Gill Books | 961 |
| 8 | 30 Day Kick Start Plan:100 Delicious Recipes with Energy Boosting Work | Wicks, Joe | Bluebird | 957 |
| 9 | Irish Get Up and Go Diary 2021,The | Get Up and Go Publications | 938 | |
| 10 | Ghost In The Throat,A | Ni Ghriofa, Doireann | Tramp Press | 934 |
| Hardback Non Fiction | ||||
| Title | Author | Imprint | Sales | |
| 1 | Promised Land,A | Obama, Barack | Viking | 4,905 |
| 2 | Old Ireland in Colour | Breslin, John & Buckley, Sarah-Anne | Merrion Press | 4,841 |
| 3 | Guinness World Records 2021 | Guinness World Records | Guinness World Records | 4,311 |
| 4 | Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse,The | Mackesy, Charlie | Ebury Press | 3,905 |
| 5 | Never Mind the B#ll*cks, Here’s the Science:A scientist’s guide to the | O’Neill, Luke | Gill Books | 3,455 |
| 6 | Light That Never Goes Out,A:A Memoir | Shanley, Keelin | Gill Books | 2,126 |
| 7 | What is Beautiful in the Sky:A book about endings and beginnings | Harding, Michael | Hachette Books Ireland | 1,822 |
| 8 | Page from My Life,A:A Selection of Stories from Ray D’Arcy Show Listen | HarperCollins | 1,792 | |
| 9 | Here’s the Story:A Memoir | McAleese, Mary | Penguin Ireland | 1,667 |
| 10 | That Place We Call Home:A journey through the place names of Ireland | Creedon, John | Gill Books | 1,612 |
| Childrens | ||||
| Title | Author | Imprint | Sales | |
| 1 | Code Name Bananas | Walliams, David | HarperCollins | 7,206 |
| 2 | Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Deep End (Book 15):Diary of a Wimpy Kid | Kinney, Jeff | Puffin | 3,850 |
| 3 | Ickabog,The:A warm and witty fairy-tale adventure to entertain the who | Rowling, J.K. | Little, Brown Books for Young Readers | 2,344 |
| 4 | Code Name Bananas | Walliams, David | HarperCollins | 2,230 |
| 5 | Cat Kid Comic Club: the new blockbusting bestseller | Pilkey, Dav | Scholastic U.S. | 1,944 |
| 6 | Great Irish Farm Book,The | McCullough, Darragh | Gill Books | 1,919 |
| 7 | Break the Mould:How to Take Your Place in the World | Burke, Sinéad | Wren & Rook | 1,392 |
| 8 | Beano Annual:2021 | D.C. Thomson & Co., | 1,244 | |
| 9 | Dog Man 9: Grime and Punishment:Dog Man | Pilkey, Dav | Scholastic U.S. | 1,066 |
| 10 | Is There Anybody Out There? | O Briain, Dara | Scholastic | 901 |
