Xiri ta’ kotba waqt żjarat ta’ awturi fl-iskejjel

L-ewwel ktieb ta’ fantasija u x-Xwejjaħ għaref (it-tieni parti)

Ftit jiem ilu, Ġorġ Mallia beda jirrakkontalna - fl-ewwel parti ta’ din il-bloggata - kif nibet “Ktieb ix-Xwejjaħ” fl-imbiegħed 1987. Ħallejnieh fir-rakkont meta l-ktieb spiċċa out of print u għal ħafna snin ma kinux jinstabu kopji tiegħu. Hawn, Ġorġ Mallia se jkompli r-rakkont ta’ kif dal-ktieb wasal għat-“tieni twelida” tiegħu … Wara ħafna snin … [...]

L-ewwel ktieb ta’ fantasija u x-Xwejjaħ għaref (l-ewwel parti)

F’dal-jiem ħareġ, f’edizzjoni ġdida, il-klassiku fantasy ta’ Ġorġ Mallia, “Ktieb ix-Xwejjaħ”. It-twelid ta’ dan il-ktieb għandu storja li hi bix-xieraq parti intrinsika mill-istorja tal-ktieb Malti, u għalhekk huwa pjaċir u unur li l-Prof. Mallia aċċetta li jirrakkuntalna fi ftit dettall x’seħħ u kif. Din l-ewwel minn żewġ bloggati dwar din l-istorja li wasslet għal “Ktieb [...]

What to do with the kids on weekends and holidays?!

The just-published “STEPS: walks in central Malta” is a very different book to our usual. So we asked the authors directly about this intriguing project of theirs. Here’s what authors Clinton Cassar and Amanda Zahra had to tell us: If we had to carry out a survey with parents asking them what their worst nightmare [...]

Poetry: Get ready for SEC English Literature — weblinks

Weblinks, Teacher’s Book: Unit 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wY_t7zVIXY   Unit 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25bwiSikRsI   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZJoyUHMmQQ   Unit 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmciuKsBOi0   Unit 7: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0yxXmE6w_4   Unit 8: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UcvJi8klz8   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsPdEgC0wdk   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4Lzo_EXXOQ   Unit 9: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ni31QkTi7Sg   Weblinks, Workbook 1: Unit 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGwz4lpTAJ0   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wY_t7zVIXY

Our biggest online sale is here … don’t miss out!

November is traditionally the time to stock up on Maltese books … whether you’re an early planner who likes to get their Christmas shopping done nice and early, whether you’re after a good bargain (and in these trying times, who isn’t?!), or whether you just love Maltese books and want to get more bang for [...]

The pleasures of geeking out

Did anyone say “geeking out”? Blogger Paul Grech did! Read on … The Malta Comic Con will be back this year. For those who, like me, enjoy graphic novels or the wider fantasy / science fiction genre and who have terribly missed this event that was cancelled twice due to the pandemic, this is fantastic [...]

“Mela darba kien hemm Audrey, Clarissa, Karolina u Ferdi …”

Dal-aħħar ippubblikajna ktieb li naħseb ma nkunux qed nesaġeraw jekk ngħidu li qatt ma kellna wieħed bħalu. “Karolina, Ferdi u s-saħħar il-ħażin” ta’ Audrey Friggieri u Clarissa Sammut Scerri, b’illustrazzjonijiet ta’ Kyle Xuereb Cunningham, huwa ktieb għat-tfal, imma partikolari immens għat-tematiċi li jmiss, u għall-mod kreattiv u uniku li ħadmu l-awturi. Għalhekk, staqsejna lill-awturi direttament [...]

The Art of the Series

Paul Grech talks series, and meets two of Malta’s foremost series-writing authors to chat about what challenges and thrills the format gives them: Angering fans by taking exceedingly long to finish books has become something of a hallmark for George R.R. Martin. Winds of Winter, the latest book in his A Song of Ice and Fire [...]

Here’s what helps me read

Paul Grech shares his tips on where he goes - online and off - to scour for his next read: What should I read next? I don’t know about you but that is a question I often find myself asking. When that happens I find myself going through a number of tools to help me come [...]

Learning from a pro

Regular Merlin blogger Paul Grech has been following a recent record-breaking crowdfunding success. Let’s learn more: A couple of weeks back, author Brandon Sanderson announced that he was going to kickstart four novels he had written whilst stuck at home during COVID lockdowns. Plenty of authors have tried crowdfunding to get their projects off the [...]

28.01.22

Kienet l-ewwel pubblikazzjoni Merlin għall-2022 u kienet - onestament, bla mistenni - suċċess lil hinn minn kull previżjoni. kollox jeħel magħna, id-debutt ta’ Francesco Grech, fi ftit jiem seraq il-qlub ta’ ħafna qarrejja. U l-kelma qed tiġri minn wieħed għall-oħra, “Aqrah, mhux se jiddispjaċik” Illum, l-awtur qed jaqsam magħna kif ħassu dakinhar tat-tnedija tal-ktieb: 28.01.22 Għal [...]

On being intentional in January

It’s new year, new intentions - at least in his book habits - for blogger Paul Grech. Here, he sets out his best reading intentions for 2022: Most Saturdays, people don’t wake up determined that they’re going to fix their most pressing bad habits. But when a Saturday happens to also be the first day of [...]

L-2021 u l-kotba li qrajtu

Xi tkun l-aħħar tas-sena mingħajr lista tal-aktar popolari? U fil-każ tagħna, ħtafna l-opportunità biex naraw ftit l-aktar 10 kotba Merlin li nbigħu dis-sena. Fl-istess waqt, nirringrazzjaw lill-qarrejja kollha talli anki f’din is-sena pjuttost “differenti” ssapportjajtu lill-ktieb Malti, lill-awturi, illustraturi, edituri, qarrejja tal-provi … u lil kull min ikun involut biex isir ktieb Malti! Intant, hawn [...]

Christmas-themed reads

This has become something of a tradition: regular blogger Paul Grech shares his Christmas-themed TBR pile recommendations with us. So, for some Christmas cheer and good old cozy reading, here’s Paul’s list this Christmas: It seems that I say it on here every year but it is something of a tradition of mine to read A Christmas [...]

Il-kitba, iż-żfin u Toni Morrison …

Wara l-interess qawwi li qajmet l-ewwel bloggata tagħha, Nadia Mifsud tissokta bil-konverżazzjoni mal-qarrejja fl-okkażjoni tal-pubblikazzjoni ta’ Żifna f’xifer irdum: Fl-aħħar bloggata għalaqt bl-idea li r-relazzjoni mal-qarrejja nħossha tieħu xejra ta’ żifna ladarba ktieb minn tiegħi jkun wasal f’idejhom. L-istess ħsieb jinsab fir-riċensjoni li kiteb m’ilux Jean Paul Borg fuq Żifna f’xifer irdum. U minkejja li ili snin naf [...]

Black Friday offer 2021

Black Friday week is here, and this year we’ve selected some of our best, most striking gift books and boxes on which we’re offering a whopping 35% OFF! So get your Christmas shopping done with the best that contemporary Maltese publishing has to offer! And what’s more, we’re offering FREE local postage on all our [...]

Il-kitba bħat-tqala … jew meta ħassejtni qisni Chlamydoselachus anguineus 😉

Iżjed ma jmur, iżjed dan l-ispazju fis-sit tal-Merlin qed jilqa’ - bi pjaċir kbir - il-vuċijiet tal-awturi li qed joħolqu forma ta’ djalogu mal-qarrejja tagħhom. U hekk ukoll Nadia Mifsud, li mal-Merlin ġa kienet ippubblikat ir-rumanz Ir-rota daret dawra (kważi) sħiħa, qed tiftaħ konverżazzjoni mal-qarrejja fl-okkażjoni tal-pubblikazzjoni tal-ġabra ġdida ta’ stejjer qosra, Żifna f’xifer irdum. F’idejk, Nadia [...]

Frammenti ta’ vjaġġ: l-aħħar framment

Illum jaslu fi tmiemhom il-frammenti tal-vjaġġ ta’ Tyrone Grima, il-bloggati li kitbilna dwar il-vjaġġ li wassal għall-pubblikazzjoni tar-rumanz tiegħu Frammenti. L-ewwel, it-tieni u t-tielet frammenti ssibuhom hawn. Ir-raba’ u l-aħħar framment, jagħlaq hawn taħt. Grazzi Tyrone! L-editur li nħatar biex jaħdem fuq il-manuskritt tiegħi kien Noel Tanti. Noel kont ilni nafu ’l fuq minn għoxrin [...]

Twissija mingħand il-Gawgaw

Novembru miexi ġmielu u miegħu jibdew l-ewwel għanjiet tal-Milied u l-ewwel tiżjin. U jibdew ħerġin ukoll il-presepji. Ernest Vella ħa spunt minn hekk biex jikteb rumanz ambjentat proprju f’jiem il-Milied — Wasal il-Milied — fejn madwar ġurnalist u l-presepju antik fid-dar tal-ġenituri tiegħu jibdew jiġru affarijiet mhux tas-soltu … Tajba wkoll, ġie f’idejja l-ktieb Wasal il-Milied, [...]

Some random thoughts on the Malta Book Festival

The Malta Book Festival 2021 - the Bookshop Edition, has come and gone. And of course, avid reader, book buyer and regular blogger Paul Grech has his thoughts on this first covid-era live Festival. Needless to say, opinions expressed here belong to the author and not necessarily to Merlin :) Here goes Paul: For those who love [...]

Waħda fuq naħa u l-oħra fuq in-naħa l-oħra

L-ewwel rumanz ta’ Lon Kirkop - Mitt Elf Isem Ieħor: Happy Vegan Girl Jules - ħasad lil kulħadd b’kemm hu frisk, mexxej u provokattiv fl-istess waqt. Kien bla dubju s-sorpriża tal-Festival tal-Ktieb li għadu kif għalaq. Staqsejna lil Lon ikellimna dwar kif u fejn twieled dar-rumanz. Hawn hu Lon, fi kliemu: Kilt kmieni dakinhar, kienu xi l-ħamsa [...]

Frammenti ta’ vjaġġ: it-tielet framment

Tkompli s-sensiela ta’ bloggati ta’ Tyrone Grima dwar il-vjaġġ li wassal għall-pubblikazzjoni tar-rumanz tiegħu Frammenti. Hawn it-tielet framment: Skużawni li ma smajtu xejn mingħandi għal dawn l-aħħar ħmistax. Kif avżajtkom fl-aħħar blogg, kont imsiefer, u minkejja l-fatt li nħobb naħdem ħafna, forsi anki wisq, meta tkun imsiefer ma tantx ikollok moħħ il-bloggati! Mela fejn ħallejna? [...]

Qed infittex avukat tajjeb li ma jarax kbir

Ninsab inkwetat u rrabjat ħafna għal persuna li qed tagħmel ħsara kbira lill-familja tiegħi, u lili b’mod partikolari. Nixtieq insib avukat tajjeb (imma li ma jiħux ħafna flus) li jkun jista’ jgħidli x’inhuma d-drittijiet tiegħi skont il-liġi u jekk hemmx każ li ntella’ lil din il-persuna l-qorti biex forsi tirtira dak li għamlet, jew tħallas [...]

Frammenti ta’ vjaġġ: it-tieni framment

Il-ġimgħa li għaddiet, fl-okkażjoni tal-pubblikazzjoni tar-rumanz tiegħu Frammenti, Tyrone Grima beda jikteb sensiela ta’ bloggati dwar dan il-vjaġġ li wassal għal Frammenti. Ir-reazzjoni tidher li kienet pożittiva immens, u ħafna minna kurjużi nkomplu nsegwu l-frammenti ta’ dan il-vjaġġ. Hawn it-tieni framment: Mela, fejn konna wasalna l-ġimgħa l-oħra? Eh, iva, meta spiċċajt nikteb il-ktieb. Jew proprjament, meta [...]

Frammenti ta’ vjaġġ

Fl-okkażjoni tal-pubblikazzjoni tar-rumanz tiegħu Frammenti, Tyrone Grima beda jikteb sensiela ta’ bloggati dwar dan il-vjaġġ li wassal għal Frammenti. Il-vjaġġ jibda hawn: Lanqas naf meta bdew dawn il-frammenti … żgur li billejl … imma meta ma nafx. Waħda mill-bosta stramberiji li għandi hija li meta ma nkunx nista’ norqod, nibda nhewden fuq xi problema jew inkella [...]

Ode to writing

Big congrats to our regular blogger Paul Grech whose published novel The Forgotten Genius of Italian Football has just been published in Italy in Italian translation. Prosit! Paul himself tells us more about the experience: A couple of years back I heard of man called Carlo Carcano for the first time and immediately wondered why I’d never done so [...]

“Jintrigawni l-ispazji vojta bejn il-fili ta’ dak li hu reali u dak li mhux”

Issa li ħareġ Il-Parabboli tal-Imġienen, ħsibna li nagħtu l-mikrofonu lil Keith Borg għax aħna kurjużi dwar il-minn fejn, l-għaliex u l-kif ta’ dawn l-istejjer li saħħruna. Hawn hi l-bloggata ta’ Keith: L-istramberiji, dak li hu differenti, dak li hu surreali, l-oskur aktar milli l-bjuda: dawn huma kollha temi li dejjem affaxinawni. Moħħi dejjem jimtela b’mistoqsijiet [...]

“Xtaqt nesperimenta”

Ghadu kif ħareġ ir-rumanz il-ġdid ta’ Kirsten Spiteri, Perfettament Imperfetta — rumanz frisk, provokattiv, senswali, inkwetanti. Rumanz li fl-ewwel ftit jiem ġa qajjem kurżità KBIRA u għagħa bil-fomm fost il-ħafna gruppi ta’ qari online. Staqsejna lill-awtur stess għall-ħsibijiet tiegħu li wasslu għal dan il-ktieb: Wara li ħarġu l-ewwel tliet kotba tiegħi fi żmien qasir, bdejt niġi [...]

Imma x’ġara? Ktieb li mess il-qlub?

Tant qed ikun suċċess bla mistenni l-ktieb ġdid ta’ Sergio Grech, U tisbaħ missier …, li morna nistaqsu direttament lil Sergio għar-reazzjonijiet tiegħu dwar dan is-suċċess. U hawn il-kummenti tiegħu: Mhux f’sens ta’ ftaħir imma U tisbaħ missier … li qed nippubblika mal-Merlin Publishers mhux l-ewwel ktieb tiegħi. Għalkemm, ngħidha mill-ewwel, l-eċitament ta’ ktieb ġdid [...]

Summer reading … so many books, so little time

Summer is here, and so are Paul Grech’s summer reading suggestions. As always, he’s one to follow so take note :) Last weekend I devoted every spare moment to reading Alias, Mark Camilleri’s latest addition to his Inspector Gallo series. I’m a recent convert to these books but it is fair to say that I’ve fallen [...]

Il-kitba salvatni

Kburin immens li l-Premju tal-Unjoni Ewropea għal-Letteratura, għall-aħjar awtur emerġenti, dis-sena ntrebaħ minn awtriċi li tippubblika mal-Merlin. U onorati li Lara Calleja aċċettat li tibbloggja hawn dwar dil-esperjenza li qed tgħix: Il-ġimgħa l-oħra rbaħt il-Premju. Ma kontx qed nistennieha; la n-nomina u lanqas ir-rebħa. Imma wara li għaddew naqa ġranet ta’ estasi u inkredulità, iddeċidejt li [...]

Queer literature and representation: the Maltese reality

Paul Grech flexes his excellent journalism chops this week, as he delves into the reality of queer literature and representation in Maltese books. He spoke to Kitba Queer about this and the situation past, present and future: Often, I make the mistake of thinking that problems afflicting others do not have the same relevance in Malta. It [...]

A letter to new superheroes!

We have a very special guest blogger today. None other than Aunty Sab, whose new superheroes will be returning to the bookshelves with a brand new book, later this week. Hello again new superheroes, it’s Aunty Sab! I’m so happy to be back! I’ve been exploring feelings and oh wow - what an adventure I’ve had! [...]

Where have all the books gone?

Are books disappearing from our daily lives? Paul Grech picks a thorny, very topical, issue … I recently needed to visit a stationery, something that I had not done for quite some time. Not much seemed to have changed since I was a more frequent visitor (that is, when I used to rely on newspaper [...]

“The Crime Books of Malta”

Illum mistieden ieħor mill-familja kbira Merlin, l-awtur tal-polizjeski tal-Ispettur Gallo: Mark Camilleri “Prosit sieħbi!” Għajnejja mċajprin mad-daqq imxajtan tal-iżveljarin. Saru l-ħamsa ta’ filgħodu, xbin, ċaqlaq minn hemm. Bħal dejjem l-ewwel aptit ikun li nixħet il-mowbajl mal-ħajt. Minflok, għaliex il-bniedem jispiċċa jsegwi l-istess ritwal, xgħelt mill-ġdid il-wifi. L-ewwel messaġġ li daħal, mibgħut il-lejl ta’ qabel, kienu [...]

Want to earn more money? Read before you sleep

Yes, you read that title right. Guest blogger Paul Grech has been reading up on some really fascinating research … There aren’t many better ways of ending a day than by curling up in bed in the company of a good book. Any reader will tell you as much. However explaining why, especially to those [...]

The Zany Inventor and his Intelligent Tortoise

A very special blog post today - by none other than Ġorġ Mallia, author of the brand new Il-Professur Għasfur fl-Ispazju I don’t think it’ll come as a surprise to anyone who knows me that, as a young boy, I was an avid bookworm. I devoured books, not read them. Sometimes I’d visit the juvenile [...]

New year book resolutions, anyone?

Happy new year! We welcome in 2021 with resident guest blogger Paul Grech, who’s prepared a list of new year book-related resolutions to tick off! Although I’m not one for making resolutions at the start of the year, I do find that it is the ideal time to look ahead and identify what I would [...]

Aaaaaand the year’s favourites are …

Guest blogger Paul Grech sits down to prepare a treasured end-of-year tradition: the “Favourites of the year” list. Of course, it being Paul and it being Merlin, it’s a book-flavoured favourites list! 2020 is, thankfully, coming to a close. Reading-wise it has been a good year for me with some sixty books read, which I [...]

Reading Christmas

Guest blogger Paul Grech is busy preparing his Christmas reading pile … It is, I think, pretty clear that we won’t be celebrating Christmas as usual this year round. There will be none of the usual social and cultural events that normally make this period such a special one. Those who, like me, find themselves [...]

Dawk il-ħsejjes li ġejjin minn isfel

Kitba ta’ Noel Tanti Ritratt tal-paġna ta’ Matt Stroud It-tokki tal-arloġġ idoqqu l-ħdax ta’ billejl stħajjilhom xi ħadd qed iħabbatlu mal-bieb tal-kamra tas-sodda biex ma jħallihx jorqod. BUMM! BUMM! BUMM! Imma ma kinux it-tokki li ma ħallewhx jagħlaq għajn m’għajn. Stiefnu kien inkwetat. Ħafna. Moħħu kien għaddej iberren qisu rota bla brejkijiet għan-niżla. Xi dwejjaq. Apparti minn hekk ried iqum fit-tlieta ta’ [...]

GUEST POST: The Ripple Effect

Over to guest blogger Paul Grech during this unprecedented Book Festival week: I have recently been reading Emily St John Mandel’s book Station Eleven. Perhaps not the best choice in the current situation (dealing as it does with the aftermath of a deadly pandemic, it is a little bit too close to home) but I have [...]

GUEST POST: What on earth do I read next?

Guest blogger Paul Grech is back this week … Now, what should I read next? For book lovers, that seems to be a constant dilemma. Or at least it is for me. I swear that I waste an hour each week trying to identify what to pick up next, going through lists in search of that [...]

GUEST POST: Reading in a time of Corona

We’re thrilled to welcome back to our blog, booklover and guest blogger Paul Grech I don’t think I will win any originality points for saying that 2020 has been a write-off of a year. The matter-that-shall-not-be-mentioned upended all of our lives in March and, despite occasional signs of normality returning, the situation is still pretty much [...]

Prosit lill-finalisti kollha!

Drum roll … U jitħabbru l-finalisti għall-Premju Nazzjonali tal-Ktieb … Dejjem wieħed mill-iżjed mumenti eċitanti ta’ kull sena għal kull min jaħdem fid-dinja tal-ktieb Malti. Ngħidu x’ngħidu, li ktieb jintgħażel bħala finalist għall-Premju huwa rikonoxximent għall-ammont enormi ta’ ħin u riżorsi li l-awtur, l-editur, l-illustratur, il-qarrej tal-provi, id-disinjatur u l-pubblikatur (u ħafna nies oħra, fil-verità) [...]

X’hemm ġdid fil-borma?

Dax-xhur ta’ pandemija, hawnhekk il-Merlin ma qattajnihomx biss naħmu l-ħobż u naraw Netflix. Qattajniehom - kulħadd f’daru, konnessi bit-teknoloġija u b’laqgħat virtwali kuljum - naħmu għadd ġmielu ta’ kotba ġodda. Uħud se tarawhom u, nittamaw, taqrawhom, fix-xhur li ġejjin. Intant però, fil-bidu ta’ Lulju ħerġin mill-forn 7 kotba kollha stejjer, kulur u innovazzjoni. Qed nitkellem [...]

Ħafna ħafna Tikka

Is-sensiela Tikka ġiet maħsuba u maħduma apposta biex toffri lill-istudenti u ’l-għalliema tal-klassijiet tal-primarja programm sħiħ fl-erba' ħiliet tal-lingwa — il-kitba, il-qari, is-smigħ u t-taħdit — kif ukoll fil-grammatika u l-kultura Maltija. Is-sensiela hija mfassla fil-kuntest tal-Qafas tal-Kisbiet mit-Tagħlim (LOF) u timxi pass pass mal-Kurrikulu Nazzjonali. Hija wkoll l-ewwel sensiela bil-Malti li permezz tagħha l-qari [...]

Mela darba faqqgħet pandemija, u … Xpatapumm!

Tfaqqa’ pandemija. Żewġt iħbieb antiki, ejja nsemmuhom Clare u Chris, jibdew jibagħtu messaġġi lil xulxin fuq WhatsApp b’suġġerimenti ta’ kotba x’jaqraw, sensiliet x’jaraw fuq Netflix, eċċ. Minħabba li t-tnejn dejjem qishom imġienen, għaddejjin minn ħaġa għall-oħra, flok messaġġi text jirrekordjawhom messaġġi awdjo. Chris jidħol fid-drawwa li jisma’ l-messaġġi awdjo ta’ Clare fi triqtu lura d-dar [...]

Allura, xi qrajna l-iżjed fl-ewwel xahar-COVID?

Dax-xahar, xahar il-COVID, kelli kurżità tberren f’moħħi jien u nippakkja u nimposta l-ordnijiet online tagħkom: intom x’qed taqraw f’dal-jiem ta’ kriżi, ta’ biża’, ta’ inċertezza, u ta’ ħafna u ħafna ħin magħluqin id-dar? Allura approfittajt ftit mill-fatt li għandi aċċess għar-rekords tal-bejgħ tagħna - ħeqq, xi perk irid ikun hemm li taħdem hawn :) - [...]

Temporary licence for reading aloud Merlin books online (COVID-19)

In this fraught climate due to the COVID-19 virus, with the unprecedented climate teachers and schools are encountering, and the thirst of children for that most soothing of activities – storytelling – we at Merlin Publishers are keen to do our bit to assist. As most of you are aware, we are currently releasing our […]

Short stories for children to shorten the distance

adapted from the Casals blog, with permission. Images © Editorial Casals With schools closed, many parents are struggling with juggling children at home, work and chores, without knowing how long this is going to last. Flexibility and empathy can help us all through this period. But the virus also gives us the opportunity to spend [...]

Pre-order your copy of Amazing Maltese Women!

Sometimes it feels like only men have shaped the history of Malta. Is it possible that over the centuries there were no women who were brave, talented and who left a mark on Malta? Of course there were! Right from the very beginning till today! All the women in this book have one thing in [...]

The Perfect Gift for Christmas

This guest post was written by author Ġorġ Mallia Milied Imħawwad (in the original Swedish En Klurig Jul), written by Ingelin Angerborn and illustrated by Per Gustavsson, is all about Christmas, and, more particularly, Christmas in Sweden.            The Swedes are very big on Christmas, and decorate their windows with stars and candles (both electric […]

It’s RAINING discounts this Black Friday week!

35% off on ALL books from Monday 25th November till Sunday 1st December At Merlin Publishers we always want to share our love of books and so we thought, why not offer the Black Friday deals for a whole week instead of just on Friday? And so it is. As of today, Monday 25th November […]

The Book Festival is here!

As I’m typing this, I’m eying a majestic pile of books towering on my desk. Oh, the happiness, the joy! They all landed here on Friday morning, straight off the press. Don’t you just love that fresh smell of printer ink and paper? I look at the books – some are beautifully illustrated children’s stories, […]

Belt mimlija kontradizzjonijiet

kitba ta’ Ramona Depares Li tkun Belti għandha tifsira partikolari. Ħa tgħiduli biex ġejja? Mhux anke tkun Ħamruniż, jew Karkariż jew Slimiż għandha tifsira partikolari? Jista’ jkun, mela. Imma żgur li mhux bħall-Beltin, emmnuni. Li tkun Beltija tfisser tkun qattajt tfulitek timraħ qalb l-istorja, qalb arkitettura li ġġib għira ’l-Ewropa u lil hinn. Li tilgħab […]

Arlekkin Isfar

test ta’ Roberta Bajada Qrajt, jew qed taqra, ir-rumanz Arlekkin Isfar, u tixtieq tkun taf aktar dwar din il-pittura, dwar Pablo Picasso u dwar serqa ta’ pitturi imprezzabbli li seħħet tassew f’Rotterdam l-Olanda? Kompli aqra hawn taħt: Pablo Picasso –  Harlequin Head (1971) Fil-ġrajja tal-arloġġ, dan ir-ritratt tpitter fl-1921, imma fil-verità tlesta ħafna aktar tard mill-pittur Picasso, […]

It’s that time of the year …

September and October are exciting times for us Merlini! It’s the time when after months of nurturing, we give one last hug to books we’d have been polishing for months and then pack them off to the printers’. It’s that time when we realise that our babies have finally become teenagers ready to find new […]

Save Our Trees!

The boy wakes up one morning to the wrecking sound of demolition. Gone is the large garden opposite, gone are the trees, gone are the fields. Instead they will be replaced by ‘progress’: cranes and concrete, tarmac and towers. Doesn’t this sound just so very familiar? It could be your story or mine, but it’s […]

Read an extract from “Innuendo”

Anthony Portelli, Antoinette Borg Innuendo (2019) Sparali jekk jogħġbok 1990. Mejju. Għal James, l-isbaħ xahar tas-sena. Is-sema bellezza u t-temperatura diġà bdiet tixxabbat ’il fuq bil-mod il-mod. Għandu l-gazzetta f’idejh, tazza te ħdejh, u qiegħed imxaħxaħ fuq id-deckchair li rama fil-ġnien, għall-kwiet u biż-żiffa friska tmellislu wiċċu. Xi jrid iktar? Ta’ tmienja u sittin, James […]

Ir-rivoluzzjoni tal-Immarkati

L-2007. Fil-posta tal-Merlin jasal manuskritt differenti ħafna mit-tip ta’ kotba għat-tfal li kienu joħorġu dak iż-żmien. Ktieb ta’ fantasija, b’sieq fid-dinja reali u kontemporanja - ambjentat il-Mosta, bit-tfal jilagħbu bil-PlayStation u jgħixu kif ngħixu lkoll - u sieq oħra f’dinja maġika, straordinarji tal-Immarkati - kreaturi nofshom umani nofshom annimali. Dan ir-rumanz għadda biex sar l-ewwel [...]

Ġawhra ċkejkna

Martina kellha ħolma - il-ħolma ta’ ħajjitha - li tiftaħ lukanda fil-villaġġ ċkejken fejn toqgħod. U baqgħet sa ma bnietha, il-lukanda. Imma … ma ġie ħadd. Turisti baqgħu ma ġewx. Lukanda vojta. U hekk Martina rat il-ħolma ta’ ħajjitha tisfaxxa fix-xejn, tant sagrifiċċji, tant ħolm … kollu għalxejn. Imma meta tmur issejjaħ lil Twanny tat-Twaqqigħ [...]

“I love you mamà!” Psst! It’s Mother’s Day on May 12!

One of the strongest connections in nature “A mother’s love for her child is like nothing else in the world,” the English novelist Agatha Christie once said. But what of a child’s love for the mother? And what happens when the love of the two, meets? The answer lies in Inħobbok! a special book about [...]

Happy Easter!

Just before we start tucking into our figolli, we thought it would better to wish you all a Happy Easter! There’s nothing better than enjoying your figolla while reading a good book – and we have just the right one for the occasion: Paskal u t-tellieqa għall-bajd tal-Għid. Paskal the Easter Bunny, wakes up to [...]

The philosophical underpinnings of Audrey Friggieri’s stories for children

The philosophical  underpinnings of Audrey Friggieri’s stories for children: Avventuri mill-Klassi ta’ Miss Ambrożja Pulis Kiftaranipenġini and Stejjer ma Jitwemmnux mill-Klassi ta’ Miss Ambrożja Pulis Kiftaranipenġini (Merlin Publishers). Now that the third book in the series has just been published – Qabża f’Dinja Oħra mill-Klassi ta’ Miss Ambrożja Pulis Kiftaranipenġini - I got to think [...]

Il-libsa l-ġdida ta’ Fra Mudest

Jekk hemm karattru ikoniku ma’ ġenerazzjonijiet sħaħ ta’ tfal Maltin, żgur huwa Fra Mudest. Min minna ma jiftakrux jaqra xi storja minn tiegħu, meta konna żgħar l-iskola jew id-dar? Biss biss, il-Fra “twieled” fl-1967 mill-pinna ta’ Charles Casha, u fl-1971 kien l-ewwel ktieb bil-Malti għat-tfal li qatt ġie ppubblikat. Imma s’issa, bejn minħabba li l-istejjer [...]

Vjaġġi, rokits u premjijiet

Bloggata mingħand ir-rebbieħa tal-Premju Nazzjonali tal-Ktieb ta’ din is-sena bir-rumanz tagħha Rokit, Loranne Vella Il-vjaġġ li bdejt ma’ Petrel fl-2012 kellu bidu deċiż, sod u preċiż. Iżda wara dan il-bidu, jien, bħal Petrel, kelli niskopri kull pass li kien imiss ma’ kull pass li nieħu. Għal ħames snin sħaħ issarajt mal-istorja ta’ Petrel, hekk kif [...]

Proġett Amina

Bloggata speċjali, din tal-lum, mingħand l-awtriċi Antoinette Borg: Meta ktieb ikun wasalli biex jiġi ppubblikat, nibda naħseb biex niżbarazza l-karti, taħżiż, ritratti, artikli, dokumenti u emails relatati miegħu, li jkolli mxerrdin ’l hawn u ’l hemm fiżikament jew fuq il-kompjuter. Hekk qed nagħmel bħalissa, indur u norganizza dak kollu li għandu x’jaqsam max-xogħol fuq Amina, [...]

GUEST POST: What I learnt from reading 100 books in a year

Guest blogger Paul Grech has been recapping his year in reading … Target: 100 books in one year When a few years back I realised that I wasn’t reading as much as I used to, I resolved to start tracking my book consumption in order to better gauge my reading. This proved to be wise, [...]

Hot Off The Press! AMINA is Out!

The ideal gift for children aged 11+ Amina is a 12-year-old girl who is a Maths prodigy. She lives on patterns, rules, diagrams. She sees life in figures. If you’re standing next to her, her mind is calculating how far away you are in meters and centimetres. If you’re meeting her in the evening, she’ll [...]

Stocking Filler? Here’s the perfect one!

This story of Mrs Christmas is the perfect stocking filler Stocking Filler? Here’s the perfect one!   It so happened that last Christmas eve, Father Christmas was running a very high fever and lay sick in bed, coughing. There was no way he could have even have climbed up his sleigh, let alone drive his [...]

Lupu Lupettu goes Christmas

Merry Christmas Lupu Lupettu! Merlin Publishers’ very own star - Lupu Lupettu – has just wandered into our Christmas Kaxxa Rigal! He’s still in his pajamas but he looks like he’s thinking hard about whether to put on the jeans and striped-tee combo or his superhero outfit for the occasion! PS. A Kaxxa Rigal containing [...]

GUEST POST: “Il-kelma tqanqal iżda l-eżempju jkaxkar.”

‘Actions speaking louder than words’ goes the Maltese saying. Somehow, it always comes to mind whenever I happen to be in a public library, which as a parent is quite a regular thing. We’re often trawling the book isles of the children’s section in the public library – especially during the Christmas holidays - and [...]

Step by step: How to create your own Kaxxa Rigal

Merlin Publishers' Christmas Kaxxa Rigal 1. Sit down at your kitchen table and write your gift list. 2. Think: Books! 3. But not just any book, earn lots of love points by making a truly personalised gift box 4. Wotsdat? It’s the special Merlin Publishers’ custom-made Kaxxa Rigal 5. If you want to surprise a [...]

Kaxxa Rigal: Christmas Book Gift Boxes!

The Kaxxa Rigal, an instant success over the Black Friday weekend, will from today, till December 20 come at a seasonal 30% discount and it may be quite the surprise you’d want to give to win the hearts of your loved ones this Christmas. Kaxxa Rigal comes in different options: there’s a box with a [...]

We’re celebrating Cyber Monday too!

What better way to cure your Black Friday weekend hangover than by celebrating Cyber Monday? The Merlin Publishers’ Kaxxa Rigal has been a total runaway success over the Black Friday weekend, and by way of saying a big thank you, we're extending the 50% off offer on all Kaxxi Rigal for Cyber Monday - November [...]

Read a story from “365”

Trevor Żahra Il-ħares ta’ ommi (6 ta’ Mejju) Ommi kienet waħħlet f’rasha li fid-dar kellna l-ħares. Ħadd qatt ma ra jew sema’ xejn, imma skont ommi, dan il-ħares kien imqabbad magħha. Dejjem jaħbilha l-affarijiet. Kellna xalata biha, għax wara li tkun għamlet ġimgħa trodd is- slaleb u tgerger li ma tistax issib l-imsielet tal-ġawhra … […]

Attivitajiet għat-tfal waqt il-Festival tal-Ktieb 2018

Wasal Festival tal-Ktieb ieħor. Ħudu nota tad-dati: bejn is-7 u l-11 ta’ Novembru, ġewwa Dar il-Mediterran għall-Konferenzi (MCC), il-Belt Valletta. U bħas-soltu, fuq l-istand tal-Merlin Publishers se jkun hemm l-akbar u l-aqwa għażla ta’ attivitajiet għal tfal ta’ kull età. L-attivitajiet huma kollha bla ħlas imma l-postijiet huma limitati allura tinsewx tibbukkjaw għall-attivitajiet li tixtiequ [...]

Halloween mimli mostri!

Ġa t-toroq qed jimtlew b’qargħa ħamra, xemgħat, ħajt tal-brimb u fatati … u dak ifisser biss ħaġa waħda: li qed toqrob Halloween. Min jaf għaliex festa “tal-biża’” tagħtina tant gost - probabbli għall-istess raġuni li nħobbu naraw il-films tal-orrur jew naqraw xi storja tal-biża’. Speċjalment mat-tfal, il-faxxinu tal-biża’ hu xi ħaġa primordjali. Imma naturalment mat-tfal [...]

“He’s Crawling! She’s Walking!”

You blink, and all of sudden your baby is a teenager. Where has your little cherub gone? This is where baby’s albums come in. It is important to cherish the exciting moments of a baby’s first year, because they are incredibly special. Of course, there are many lovely baby albums to choose from but here [...]

Dreaming of Paris

Yesterday one of my fellow editors and I were having a chat with a soon-to-be author over a new project, and we got musing over how lucky we are to be spending our days doing what we enjoy: creating books. And surely one of the most visually exciting areas of creating books is picture books [...]

Kif tuża l-kotba “Nitgħallem Nikkonċentra”?

Claudine Slater L-ewwel ktieb Nitgħallem Nikkonċentra 1, hu maħsub għat-tfal bejn is-5 u 8 snin, u t-tieni ktieb Nitgħallem Nikkonċentra 2, hu addattat għat-tfal bejn id-9 u 11-il sena. Huwa importanti li dawn l-eżerċizzji jsiru mal-adulti fejn hu possibbli, u li jsiru ta’ spiss, bħala xi ħaġa normali li nagħmlu ta’ kuljum. Li tieqaf tisma’, […]