The Bookshop on the Green is hosting a very special outdoor Story Time on Bournville Village Green with local storyteller Anna O’Brien and The Gruffalo from 10:00-10:45am on Friday, June 16. Bournville Hub are running a free book swap at the shop on Saturday, June 17 from 9:00-11:00am, and you can discover the rich history of two of Birmingham’s oldest buildings in a fun-packed event at Selly Manor Museum on the same day. There will be performances, costumes, music, dance and so much more. The bookmark trail will end at the bookshop where there will be further creative activities for children. Award-winning writer and head gardener Ben Dark will be in conversation with Sarah Mullen on Sunday, June 18. A talk by Winterbourne curator Henrietta Lockhart will take place at Selly Manor Museum on Monday, June 19 from 7:30-8:30pm. The Bookshop on the Green, Chapter Restaurant and Lux Art Gallery jointly host a delicious Literary Lunch on Wednesday, June 21 with bestselling authors Jo Browning-Wroe, who wrote A Terrible Kindness, and Ned Palmer, cheesemonger and author of A Cheesemonger’s History of the British Isles and A Cheesemonger’s Compendium of British & Irish Cheese. Natalie Haynes will be in conversation with Robert Douglas-Fairhurst on Thursday, June 22 from 7:30-9:00pm. The bookshop is hosting an Afternoon Tea on Friday, June 23 at 3:00pm with bestselling author and all-round great guy Mike Gayle as they celebrate 25 years of Mike publishing wonderful books.placeholder image
The Bookshop on the Green is hosting a very special outdoor Story Time on Bournville Village Green with local storyteller Anna O’Brien and The Gruffalo from 10:00-10:45am on Friday, June 16. Bournville Hub are running a free book swap at the shop on Saturday, June 17 from 9:00-11:00am, and you can discover the rich history of two of Birmingham’s oldest buildings in a fun-packed event at Selly Manor Museum on the same day. There will be performances, costumes, music, dance and so much more. The bookmark trail will end at the bookshop where there will be further creative activities for children. Award-winning writer and head gardener Ben Dark will be in conversation with Sarah Mullen on Sunday, June 18. A talk by Winterbourne curator Henrietta Lockhart will take place at Selly Manor Museum on Monday, June 19 from 7:30-8:30pm. The Bookshop on the Green, Chapter Restaurant and Lux Art Gallery jointly host a delicious Literary Lunch on Wednesday, June 21 with bestselling authors Jo Browning-Wroe, who wrote A Terrible Kindness, and Ned Palmer, cheesemonger and author of A Cheesemonger’s History of the British Isles and A Cheesemonger’s Compendium of British & Irish Cheese. Natalie Haynes will be in conversation with Robert Douglas-Fairhurst on Thursday, June 22 from 7:30-9:00pm. The bookshop is hosting an Afternoon Tea on Friday, June 23 at 3:00pm with bestselling author and all-round great guy Mike Gayle as they celebrate 25 years of Mike publishing wonderful books. | Bookshop on the Green

Nine best Birmingham bookshops & events for Independent Bookshop Week

Asmita Sarkar
By Asmita Sarkar

Digital Journalist

Published 15th Jun 2023, 11:59 GMT

Birmingham bookshops have some amazing events lined up for Independent Bookshop Week - which is from June 17-24 June 2023 across the UK and Ireland

Birmingham has been home to some of the world’s best writers like J.R.R. Tolkein, Steven Knight, Lee Child, Kit de Waal - and of course William Shakespeare lived just up the road in Stratford-Upon-Avon.

And it’s also home to some amazing independent bookshops - along with the huge Waterstones in the city centre - which are like cornerstones of their community.

And, whether you are a reader or not - it’s always great to support the local businesses around us. In exchange, the bookshops provide us with creative nourishment.

For Independent Bookshop Week - which is from June 17-24 June 2023 across the UK and Ireland - bookshops around Birmingham have some amazing events lined up, including workshops and meets and greets with famous authors.

So, here are the nine independent bookshops in Birmingham that are a must-visit and the events they are hosting for Independent Bookshop Week:

Bear Bookshop (Birmingham) will be running a prize draw for all their customers during IBW – a bag of books for one lucky winner! At 11:00am on Thursday, June 22 they are hosting acclaimed actor and author Clive Mantle for an informal Q&A session on everything from Casualty to Game of Thrones, Vicar of Dibley to Thomas the Tank Engine! He will also be reading from his fabulous series of children’s books The Adventures of Freddie Malone and signing copies. (Photo - Google Maps)

5. Bear Bookshop, Smethwick

Bear Bookshop (Birmingham) will be running a prize draw for all their customers during IBW – a bag of books for one lucky winner! At 11:00am on Thursday, June 22 they are hosting acclaimed actor and author Clive Mantle for an informal Q&A session on everything from Casualty to Game of Thrones, Vicar of Dibley to Thomas the Tank Engine! He will also be reading from his fabulous series of children’s books The Adventures of Freddie Malone and signing copies. (Photo - Google Maps) | Google Maps

Mybookbasket on Potters Lane in Aston has a large collection of diverse books for children. Their collection mostly covers the African diaspora in Britain, America, the Caribbean, Africa, and beyond. They also have a book club you can join. (Photo - Google Maps)

6. Mybookbasket, Aston

Mybookbasket on Potters Lane in Aston has a large collection of diverse books for children. Their collection mostly covers the African diaspora in Britain, America, the Caribbean, Africa, and beyond. They also have a book club you can join. (Photo - Google Maps) | Google Maps

This book is located inside The Ikon Gallery and it’s a specialist book shop where you can find the latest titles on design, art theory, and more. (Photo - West Midlands Growth Company)

7. Ikon bookshop, Brindleyplace

This book is located inside The Ikon Gallery and it’s a specialist book shop where you can find the latest titles on design, art theory, and more. (Photo - West Midlands Growth Company) | West Midlands Growth Company

The Back to Backs is a carefully restored, atmospheric 19th-century courtyard of working people’s houses. It has a second-hand bookstore - Court 15 Books - as well. The second-hand bookshop at the Birmingham Back to Backs stocks a wide range of both new and used books. Including fiction, non-fiction, children’s, young adult and a variety of local history books, you’re bound to find your next read at Court 15 Books. (Photo - NotFromUtrecht / Wikimedia Commons)

8. Court 15 Books, Birmingham Back to Backs

The Back to Backs is a carefully restored, atmospheric 19th-century courtyard of working people’s houses. It has a second-hand bookstore - Court 15 Books - as well. The second-hand bookshop at the Birmingham Back to Backs stocks a wide range of both new and used books. Including fiction, non-fiction, children’s, young adult and a variety of local history books, you’re bound to find your next read at Court 15 Books. (Photo - NotFromUtrecht / Wikimedia Commons) | NotFromUtrecht / Wikimedia Commons

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