News of note for readers: January 5, 2026

Catch up quick with the bookish news of the past few days ... or take a deeper dive into each story. Your choice!  

• Here are the literary figures we said goodbye to in 2025 (Literary Hub).

• And here are the books whose screen adaptations come out in 2026 (The New York Times). 

• Kelly Jensen takes a deep dive into the YouGov poll that captured Americans' reading — or lack thereof — in 2025 (Book Riot).

• California's anti-book-banning law is now in effect (San Jose Inside).