Di-Di gets the nod from China

Noddy is to become the first Enid Blyton character to be published in China, with the launch of a 24-book series into the People's Republic. Noddy has been renamed Di-Di by its publisher, Beijing Publishing House.

The decision to go ahead with the publishing programme follows the successful trailing of the series at trade fairs in China during 2000. At the same time, a significant Noddy merchandising and publishing launch is taking place in Taiwan.

Author pays tribute to Damilola

Beverley Naidoo's Smarties Silver Award novel, The Other Side of Truth (Puffin, £4.99, 0141304766), is being dedicated to the memory of Damilola Taylor, the murdered south London schoolboy.

The news of his death came on the same day that Ms Naidoo received the Smarties award. "She was incredibly saddened by the similarities between this event and the plot of her novel," says Yvonne Hooker, Ms Naidoo's editor at Puffin.

"We sent a copy of The Other Side of Truth to Damilola's parents, and his father Richard Taylor rang me up to say how much he had enjoyed the story and that they were very touched by the idea of the dedication." Puffin will be making a donation to the Refugee Council for every copy sold.