Bookshop Exhibitors
These are the exhibitors participating at the 2021 Malta Book Festival. Follow the link to their online bookshops to buy books, discover their latest titles and avail of any special Festival offers.
In collaboration with the National Book Council, Festival exhibitors have also organised a number of literary activities for audiences of all ages which can viewed in the Events Programme.
Agenda Bookshop operates as the leading books and magazines retailer and is a household name in Malta. Today, the Agenda Bookshop stores are located in high profile, heavy footfall areas such as the Airport, the capital city Valletta and the main shopping malls. Offering the very latest International best sellers and a wide selection of new titles on a daily basis, our offer is as wide and deep as would be expected of leading bookshops in the UK.
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat Malta is a religious organisation. It encourages dialogue, peace, and respect between followers of different beliefs. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community promotes education, knowledge and book reading. For this purpose the community publishes books and a monthly magazine in the local Maltese language, also to serve the national language. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is also known for its active role in charitable and philanthropic work. Its motto is: “Love for All, Hatred For None”.
For over 25 years, BDL Distributors has been the leading publications distributor to all bookshops and retail outlets in Malta and Gozo. BDL Publishing, the second mast holding the company’s sails, specializes in quality books ranging from children’s fiction to prestigious Melitensia literature. The third mast of the company is BDL Retail. Its outlet in San Ġwann is a large depository of quality books where one can browse and shop directly from a selection of over 20,000 titles.
Bookends is a book bargain retail brand offering great value books at prices well below their original prices. We stock a huge range of books on different subjects. In the local book market, Bookends has gained a strong reputation for genuine bargain books and prices
ĊAK (Animation & Communication Centre) belongs to the Franciscan Conventual Friars. Founded in 1998 with the aim of offering religious animation through social communication means, it published various leaflets, magazines and books, and in 2005 it was amalgamated with the already existing publishing house Reliġjon u Ħajja (Religion & Life) (founded in 1967 by Fr Alexander Bonnici), which continued its work in the religious sector and lately became the official publisher of Church and Papal documents with a mutual agreement with the Maltese Episcopal Conference and Libreria Editrice Vaticana. ĊAK has so far published 325 titles.
Carmen J. Schembri is a retired teacher after 24 years teaching religion and other humanitarian subjects. A graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Theology and Religious Studies from the University of Malta, as well as a Master’s in Creativity and Innovation, she has decided to publish her first book, Religiosity Finds its Perfection in Spirituality by which she wants to demonstrate that the concept of spirituality can bring about a change in the way religion is taught in secondary schools.
Creative Europe 2021-2027 is the Eur 2.4 billion EU programme supporting cultural and creative sectors. Creative Europe is there to safeguard, develop and promote European cultural and linguistic diversity and heritage; and increase the competitiveness and economic potential of the cultural and creative sectors.
Daniel Schembri is the author of Nyctophilia, a dark novel written in lyrical Maltese, raw and graphic, yet verging on the poetic. Nyctophilia (noun.) Love of darkness or night; finding relaxation and comfort in the darkness. Copies of the book will be available for purchase.
QUM Publishing House was established in 2012 and is committed to provide distinctively reformed literature, both original and translated works. The purpose is that the gospel in all its beauty is proclaimed so that those who are considering becoming true disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ might learn the way that leads to life, and to Christians that they might mature as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Deer Publications is a small publishing house which has established itself in the particular yet popular niche of books related to lives of saints and their socio-cultural celebrations held locally with great pomp and enthusiasm. Its flagship publication is the festa encyclopaedia Ilwien il-Festi Maltin (each of the ten volumes include over 650 photographs taken by professional photographer and festa enthusiast Mark Micallef Perconte. The series editor is Andrew Borg who also re-introduced in the local book market lives of saints adapted for the young reader. Deer Publications latest project is a major publication of a collection of academic studies about St Joseph, for whom Pope Francis has declared 2021 as his special year.
Dunstan Hamilton, author of over 35 books for children, the most popular being the Xummiemu Stories and L-Avventuri ta’ Xadina Brikkuna, is back with a book for children in English this time round, The Very Naughty Headmistress. With over 50,000 copies of his books in circulation this latest publication shall be on sale together with many other Maltese and English titles by the author, with special offers during the Festival.
Kixott is a co-operative bookshop and event space put together by a variety of artists and creatives, in collaboration with Ede Books. // Ede Books is a small publishing venture which produces short runs of books and periodical publications of predominantly visually-rich content that touches upon art, poetry, photography, and urban culture.
Faraxa Publishing was established in 2011, with the aim of publishing literary and non-literary translations into Maltese of world renowned authors and also lesser-known authors. The Faraxa Translation Series now boasts over 25 European classical works in Maltese translation and will be expanding further. Faraxa has published books of many genres, including academia, classical music, poetry, philosophy, young adult, fantasy and children’s literature.
Fondazzjoni Sagħtar is the professional arm of the Malta Union of Teachers (MUT), which strives to improve the professional qualities of Maltese and Gozitan educators, and assists the educational system through its publications, courses, lectures and other educational resources. Prominent among the Foundation’s publications is the popular magazine Sagħtar, which is issued every month throughout the scholastic year and is 50 years old.
The objective of our organisation is to raise public awareness about the work of the National Archives, and the importance of preserving records of historical value.
The German‐Maltese Circle is a voluntary organisation founded on 18 October 1962 with the aim of “promoting closer understanding between Germany and Malta in all appropriate fields of activity and relationship, excluding political activities”. To this end, the German‐Maltese Circle has been organising various activities since then along with German language courses for adults and schoolchildren. // The Department of German is part of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Malta. It offers the opportunity to study German in a range of courses: full‐time undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses (BA Honours in German, BA General with German, MA and PhD in German), part‐time language courses for all language levels (Certificate/Diploma in Language Proficiency), and part‐time evening courses for the general public (Certificate/Diploma in German).
The Għaqda tal-Malti – Università is a student organisation which strives to represent students of Maltese at post-secondary and tertiary levels, whilst offering a space for all individuals with a passion for Maltese to promote and safeguard the language, in different ways. Every year, the organisation launches its annual publication, Leħen il- Malti, at the Malta Book Festival.
Heritage Malta is the national agency for museums, conservation and cultural heritage. It is appreciably active in the field of publishing as part of its education and outreach endeavours. The range of works produced includes exhibition catalogues, collected papers, conference proceedings, workbooks, project books, reading books and monographs. In autumn 2015 Heritage Malta also launched a bi-annual journal. // On November 14, 1920, the Għaqda tal-Kittieba tal-Malti was founded, which later became known as L-Akkademja tal-Malti. Its main purpose was to set an alphabet that would be used by all Maltese writers. The Akkademja tal-Malti is a member of the European Writers Council and takes part in the European Union Literary Prize every three years. The Akkademja tal-Malti works to promote the position of Maltese as a national language in all areas of life.
Horizons is one of the leading book publishers on the island, winning numerous literary prizes in the different book categories. It has published well-known and established authors such as Mario Azzopardi, Charles Briffa, Lina Brockdorff, Victor Fenech, Charles Flores, Albert Marshall, Gorg Peresso, Giuseppe Schembri Bonaci and Vincent Vella, as well as introducing upcoming authors such as Eman Bonnici, Edgar Formosa, Jacqueline Mizzi, Sergio Grech, Tyrone Grima, Stephen Lughermo, Justin Schembri and André Mangion.
Inizjamed is a voluntary non-governmental cultural organisation founded in 1998 that is committed towards the regeneration of culture and artistic expression in the Maltese Islands and actively promotes a greater awareness of the cultures of the Mediterranean. Inizjamed is a project-based organisation whose lean internal structure reflects its emphasis on concrete action and fruitful collaboration with all those with whom it shares common goals.
The Istituto Italiano di Cultura is a symbol of the Italian heritage in Malta and is part of the Italian Embassy in Malta. Its main goal is the promotion of the Italian language and culture through events – such as exhibitions, concerts and conferences – and an extensive library open to the public.
Creativity, innovation, high quality and interest for readers are among the most important considerations for Kite Group. Through each book, Kite Group aims to create an experience that delights readers. This is true for both the visual seeker and even the reading seeker. Among the books published by this house of publications, winners of various awards, are those on art, culture, biographies, short stories, humor books, photography, architecture, law and the history of our country. Kite Group offers a service to readers and anyone who wants to publish a book. You can buy books published by Kite Group from www.kitegroup.com.mt and get a 25% discount by entering the coupon code BOOKS25.
Kiwi is a dynamic publishing house that is focused on bringing a unique experience to books for children. Kiwi believes that books should provide an opportunity for children to learn and dream. True to its belief, Kiwi publishes high-quality children’s books with a difference, bringing meaningful stories and inspiring young readers to dream.
Lara Bezzina is the author of The Little Island that was no more / Il-Gżira Żgħira li m’għadhiex iżjed, a book aimed at raising awareness with children on the importance of nature. The story is about the small island of Plota, where everyone is living happily until a young man starts building huge buildings everywhere and cutting down trees. The people of Plota become unhappy and ask the King for help.
In 1975, the Society of Christian Doctrine known as M.U.S.E.U.M. developed a well-established bookshop named after its Founder, Preca Library. It specializes in the sale of religious literature and other multimedia resources from several of the main publishing houses in Europe, Asia and North America. In November 1997 the bookshop was moved to a more spacious and specifically designed area, which is incorporated within the Society Central House at Blata l-Bajda, affording easier access to the general public. Apart from the large variety of spiritual books, Preca Library offers a large variety of Christian souvenirs for all occasions: Christmas, Holy Week, Weddings, Baptism, Holy Communion, Confirmation, Birthdays, etc.
Malta Libraries is the entity responsible for the National Library of Malta, the National Library (Gozo), the Central Public Library, the Gozo Public Library, all Regional and Branch Public Libraries in the Maltese Islands as well as the National Bibliographic Office. As an entity, Malta Libraries was established by the Malta Libraries Act (Act VII of 2011), replacing the former Libraries Department.
Malta University Press is the small but prestigious scholarly publisher of the University of Malta, the national university of the Maltese islands. The Press is specialised in producing high quality and rigorously peer reviewed works on Malta and the Mediterranean with particular interest in the humanities and social sciences.
Mario Saliba is a family physician and researcher in Hyperbaric Medicine. He has researched the history of medicine and has written numerous articles in various journals and journals on social, cultural, and social history of medicine and health. In 2004 he published a booklet on walks in Nadur. The second edition of this booklet was published in 2007. Saliba is a member of the Maltese Academy.
Marvellous Malta publishes books celebrating the natural wonders of Malta. With masterful photography, their first book – Where Wild Orchids Grow – beautifully reveals the fascinating world of our wild orchids. Their ambition is to release a new collectable episode of this aesthetic journey in good time before Christmas every year.
Matthew Schembri is a visual artist and an author based in Malta. Schembri won Divergent Thinkers 04 (2015), The Literary Contest of Novels for Youth (2016), Shifting Contexts (2019,) and was named The NBC Young Artist of the Year in 2017 by Arts Council Malta. His debut novel, Stessi, was published in 2018 by Merlin Publishers and each page of the novel was partially erased by the author himself as part of the Ħassartek project in 2021.
The Mellieħa Local Council is selling mainly books from the Hannieqa Kulturali published by the Mellieħa Local Council and written from various authors, mainly related to the heritage, lifestyle and story of the village of Mellieha.
Merlin Library has supplied Primary and Secondary textbooks as well as Sixth Form textbooks to customers since 1978. Our book shop in Blata L-Bajda is the only bookshop in Malta to stock text books all year round. A good selection of revision and self study material for most subjects can also be found in stock. We are a specialist children’s bookshop and consequently stock thousands of titles suitable for children from 3 months to young adults. We stock a good selection of fiction, nonfiction, and general interest books for adults too. We often have special offers running at the bookshop and special discounts for children that are members of the Wizzies Club. Merlin Library was the first to have introduced children’s authors to Malta to talk to children in schools hence supporting schools in their quest to instil the importance of reading among students. In 2003 Lynne Reid Banks was the ‘first author’ and many since have followed.
Set up in 1964, Merlin has grown into Malta’s most innovative and exciting publisher. Home to most of Malta’s key authors, Merlin prides itself on its backlist of Maltese literature, as well as on its nurturing of new authors with innovative styles and expression. Winner of the Best Publishing House Award for multiple years, Merlin has been at the forefront of production, design, packaging and marketing. Merlin’s books have been exhibited at Frankfurt, London and Bologna Book Fairs.
Midsea Books Ltd and Klabb Kotba Maltin are considered to be Malta’s leading publisher. It was set up in 1969 by Pawlu Mizzi. This year KKM is celebrating its 50th anniversary from the publishing of its first book Il-Gaġġa in 1971. Midsea Books with its subsidiaries Klabb Kotba Maltin, and Heritage Books, have become a household name in producing children’s titles, novels and fiction, reference and fine art books about Malta. A number of books published are award winners or have been short-listed for awards both in Malta and overseas.
Paul Fenech Gonzi is the author of Judas: The Malta Revelations, the story in which Joshua Sacco dies while in possession of a Secret, potentially destroying one of mankind’s greatest myths and rocking the very foundations of the Catholic Church. The story reads to the revelations secreted for millennia within the shores of the Maltese islands and its deeply ingrained Pauline traditions. Copies of the book will be available for purchase at the Malta Book Festival.
SKS is a publishing house based in Malta specialising mainly in the genres of history, literature, political theory, culture and biography. SKS strives to inform and educate the general public by publishing high-quality books based on a liberal understanding of life, history and literature, to provide writers and researchers of a similar persuasion the opportunity to publish their works, and to contribute towards the social, cultural, intellectual and national enrichment.
Founded in 2017 we are a project-led theatre making company, travelling from location to location across Malta and Gozo one venue at a time, making theatre that counts for every kind of audience. It was imperative that we didn’t create theatre in one space for the same audience, we wanted to create theatre everywhere for everyone, outdoors and indoors and travel everywhere from schools to band clubs, homing clubs, parish theatres, national theatres and streets – and that’s precisely what we did.
Wirt iż-Żejtun is a local non-government organization (NGO) working in the heritage sector. It was launched upon the initiative of a group of people, mostly hailing from Zejtun, through a resolution approved during a formal meeting held on the 3rd October 2010. Our vision is that in the shortest possible time we motivate the people of Żejtun to understand the need of appreciating, respecting and taking care of the natural, cultural, environmental, historical, ethnographical and archaeological heritage of iż-Żejtun and its people.