Hillsborough Bookshop

I've got a slightly different view to this today, but I thought I'd share one of my beach reads from our holiday: What My Mother and I Don't Talk About.

A collection of fifteen brilliant writers explore what we don't talk to our mothers about, and how it affects us, for better or for worse.

An honest and beautifully written selection of experiences. Hidden secrets, pain, things left unsaid... a very humbling and real trip into the writer's lives and their relationships with their mothers.

I'll be ordering it in for the shop, and thanking one of my book club members for introducing me to it!

🎒 Are you ready for school? ✏️

Starting school can seem scary and new so we've got lots of books to help you prepare your little one for the transition.

Whether it's a book to teach children about the routine of a school day, or a set of worry dolls to keep inside their school bag to help keep the worries away, we've got lots of things up our sleeves!

Swipe to see just a small selection!

We've got some brilliant events coming up this August - all free to keep the holidays affordable and to make sure everyone can come and enjoy them!

✨️ Thursday 15th August, 7-8pm - The shop will be open late (in addition to the regular 10-4 opening) for some child-free browsing with a drink in hand! There's no need to book a spot. Just pop by for as long as you'd like.

✨️ Friday 23rd August, 11-11:30am - Join us for a very special Storytime with - award winning author of award winning books! Get your best outfit on and get ready to twirl and whirl as Robert shares his fantastic characters with us! Please let us know if you're coming so we can get enough chairs out 😊

✨️ Thursday 29th August, 2-3pm - Join us for the launch of Andy Evans' new chapter book, The Little Adventures of Erig the Earwig. There'll be a drawalong with illustrator Lucy Fleming, a short snippet reading from the book, and the opportunity to get a copy of the book signed! Perfect for 5-8 year olds (younger ones are welcome to come too!)

More information about these events and how to book free spaces can be found on the events page of our website!

How cute are these books? As well as being a board book story you can read, the books fold out to create a brilliant display of pictures perfect for tummy time!

Sharing some joy because today has been a lot to hold.

Our stunning summer window, completed by the one and only is complete. It's inspired by illustrations from her children's book, 'Becoming Brave' which was recently published in paperback. I love the colour palette and textures, which feel magical.

She was a pleasure to work with and took inspiration from the dreams and hopes within the stories on display in the shop. I think it brings the shop to life ❤️

The most beautiful craft tin kits have landed from my favourites .twist just in time for the holidays. They also make great presents!

The tins aren't in the 20% offer, but they're reasonably priced at just £5.95 for the bracelet kits and £8.95 for the worry doll kit.

We'll be adding to this growing collection - I think they'll make amazing stocking fillers for Christmas!

📚 20% off all activity packs and activity books throughout August 📚

To help make the summer holidays more affordable, we're giving you 20% off all children's activity books and packs!

We've got sticker books, make and do books, plus lots of mazes and colouring books too! Activity packs include the Cotton Twist craft kits, Bizzi activity sets, and Play Press sets - whilst stock lasts!

Writers and Illustrators in the making ✨️

Snippets from Tramlines 🎪

Snippets from Tramlines 🎪

Goodbye Little Hillsborough ❤️

🎪 Tramlines, here we go! 🎪

Who's coming to see us?

🎪 Into the Trees at Tramlines 🎪

Heading to Tramlines next weekend? You'll find us on the Treehouse Stage from 12-12:30 on both Saturday and Sunday for a very fun and interactive Storytime with some brilliant local authors!

On Saturday, we'll be welcoming Carmel Page, and on Sunday, we'll have Dan Waddington! Make sure you stop by! Perfect for little ones (and big ones too!)

Don't forget you can also shop with us at Little Hillsborough where you'll find workshops, activities and plenty of books to keep the kids busy, and our Middlewood Road HQ will be open Friday and Saturday too for regular book browsing!

We're so excited!!

You are always welcome!

From next week onwards, as well as continuing to offer a welcoming and comfortable place to breastfeed, we'll be officially opening our baby changing, located in the back room.

You're more than welcome to use these facilities as and when you need to when you're shopping with us!

P.S. How brilliant is this graphic from our brand pack!

🌼 The Happy News 🌼

Feels like a dream come true to be stocking this bright and cheerful newspaper, which has spread so much joy to the world since Emily first started it. I've had a copy since the very beginning, so it feels magical to be stocking it!

Available in the shop for £4, the perfect pick me up and joy bringer!

New In! 📚

We absolutely love these My Big Playbook books! Perfect touch and feel books for little fingers to explore!

So apparently it's summer... who would have known!

We're switching up our hours from the 17th July until the 7th September - we'll be open 10-4pm instead of our usual 10-5pm during this time.

We'll also be pausing our regular daily Storytime, and moving to Fridays only. No need to book, just pop down at 11am if and when you're able.

Keep an eye out for some craft workshops, writing workshops, and other exciting events to keep the kids busy over summer!

New in for adults 📚

A total mix of political, nature, mystery, romance, and translated fiction (and nonfiction) hitting the shelves today... lots perfect for 'summer' (aka reading under a cosy blanket to distract from this weather!)

Some absolutely beautiful cover art, too 😍

This book series is brilliant! Whether you want to learn about a career in robotics, how to work with animals, or even things you can do from space, these books are a great introduction to lots of exciting jobs!

✨️ N E W ✨️

Another new addition to the shop... these beautiful reading log journals! Perfect for keeping track of your favourites and the perfect gift for a booklover ❤️

📚 N E W 📚

Absolutely in LOVE with these enamel bookish pins, now available to buy in the shop! Run don't walk if you'd like one - I bought a trial run to see how they do, but I'm looking to stock them long term!

We'll be open reduced hours of 10-12:30 today because Dan and I are off to London for an exciting bookish afternoon 👀

Back open as normal for the rest of the week from tomorrow!

This has gone straight to the top of by tbr pile!

"The captivating true story of an underdog business - a feminist bookshop founded in Thatcher's Britain - from a woman at the heart of the women's liberation movement. What was it like to start a feminist bookshop, in an industry dominated by men? How could a le***an thrive in Thatcher's time, with the government legislating to restrict her rights? How do you run a business when your real aim is to change the world? Silver Moon was the dream of three women - a bookshop with the mission to promote the work of female writers and create a much-needed safe space for any woman. Founded in 1980s London against a backdrop of homophobia and misogyny, it was a testament to the power of community, growing into Europe's biggest women's bookshop and hosting a constellation of literary stars from Margaret Atwood and Maya Angelou to Angela Carter.

"While contending with day-to-day struggles common to other booksellers, plus the additional burdens of misogyny and the occasional hate crime, Jane Cholmeley and her booksellers created a thriving business. But they also played a crucial and relatively unsung part in one the biggest social movements of our time. A Bookshop of One's Own is a fascinating slice of social history from the heart of the women's liberation movement, from a true feminist and le***an icon.

"Written with heart and humour, it reveals the struggle and joy that comes with starting an underdog business, while being a celebration of the power women have to change the narrative when they are the ones holding the pen."

Lots of new books have landed in the non-fiction section upstairs. We're still growing our stock, but don't forget we're happy to order books in too if there's a specific title you're after!

Have you seen our latest window display yet? It is a stunner! Created by local paper artist it really is the magic beanstalk of dreams! Come down and see what you can spot hiding in it 👀

We're always looking to work with local artists and illustrators on our window displays, so do drop me a message if you're interested!

Plenty of books in at the minute for the football fans ⚽️ perfect for this sunny weather!

Our upstairs may be getting lots of love, but that doesn't mean we've neglected the downstairs. We've got lots of new books in for children, as well as our growing stock of stationery and non book stock! More stationery is incoming, too... keep your eyes peeled 👀

A whopping 48 books were donated to Jude and the Book Factory as part of our Independent Bookshop Week donations last week! Thank you so much to everyone who rounded up a spend, donated more, or chose a book from the shelves to gift. These books will be shared with children throughout July as 'July for Jude' 🌟

Here are a few of the 48 books we collected from Hillsborough Bookshop this weekend! Thank you for all your brilliant donations through buying books from there and rounding orders up by £1 to allow more books to be bought. It’s incredible what can happen when people come together.

By shopping with Hillsborough Bookshop for donations to the Book Factory you are supporting a small, independent business too. These books will all be making their way to one of the nine charities and teams that we are donating to for .

These were the first books we have collected from there since “notes” have been included and they didn’t disappoint. As well as some wonderful messages about why people had chosen books and how much they loved the Book Factory we had three notes from bereaved parents. It is a community you don’t ever want to be in, it’s incredibly lonely at times and no two journeys are the same and no one has it right or wrong but I am thankful for all of you who show up to support us (and the other parents out there) and know how much it means to have your child remembered.

We will never stop shouting their names from the rooftops!

💜✨

📚 The difference a year makes 📚

One whole year of having the keys to the shop. My hair now comes through grey at the root, my to-do list has never been longer, and my body and brain are really quite tired. But golly gosh, it's been an absolutely epic ride.

We've hosted some absolutely incredible events, worked closely with some fantastic local schools, and sold thousands of books to our Hillsborough community. And now we've expanded into our upstairs too!

If you're around Hillsborough this afternoon, there'll be fizz and cake in the shop from 3-5pm! I'd love to celebrate with you all, and thank you for loving books just as much as me ❤️