Because of Independence Day, we are skipping tomorrow's issue and will see you again on Monday, July 6. Enjoy the holiday!

Hachette Book Group is going live with Batch for Books this coming Tuesday, July 7. HBG agreed last year to join Batch, which streamlines invoice management and payment processes for both booksellers and publishers, and now joins Batch's other U.S. partners--Penguin Random House, Macmillan, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, W.W. Norton & Company, Independent Publishers Group, Microcosm Publishing, Arcadia Publishing, Blackstone Publishing, and Gardner's US. More than 650 bookstores in the U.S. use Batch, which was founded in 2000 by the Booksellers Association of the U.K. and Ireland and is used in more than 80 countries.

Mike Shoults, CEO of HBG US Distribution, said, "At HBG US Distribution, one of our top priorities is empowering independent bookstores to thrive. We're excited to partner with Batch for Books and their intuitive, paperless platform, which streamlines invoice management and payments so booksellers can spend less time on paperwork and more time serving their communities and connecting readers with great books. I look forward to this collaboration and the real difference it will make for our bookstore partners."

Fraser Tanner, CEO of Batch for Books, said, "Hachette Books Group going live is an exciting milestone for Batch for Books and all Batch users. The partnerships that we've established with Hachette, and all our publisher partners, show their continued commitment to the independent bookselling community. They know improved workflows and greater efficiency through Batch support a healthier and more sustainable bookselling ecosystem and creates value for both booksellers and publishers. We're positive our indie bookstore partners will be ecstatic to see HBG on their Batch portals starting next month."

Allison Hill, CEO of the American Booksellers Association, said, "We're thrilled that Hachette is going live with Batch this July. We know the Hachette team has worked hard to move this project forward over the last year, and indie booksellers will be thrilled that the time has finally come. ABA is grateful to Hachette for their commitment, leadership, and follow through with Batch, and we're grateful, as always, to the Batch team for all they do to help independent bookstores thrive."

"I think it is the golden age of board books," said Meg Howe, owner of Alice, Ever After Books, Buffalo, N.Y., at an education session on the rise of board and activity books during Children's Institute 2026 in Schaumburg, Ill.

Tegan Tegani, Zsamé Morgan, Meg Howe, Rae Ann Parker

On the panel with Howe were Zsamé Morgan, owner of Babycake's Book Stack, in Minnesota's Twin Cities, and Rae Ann Parker, children's & YA book buyer at Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tenn. Tegan Tigani, children's book buyer at Queen Anne Book Company in Seattle, Wash., moderated the discussion.

In recent years the panelists have experienced rising sales of both board books and activity books, with Parker reporting that her store saw an "exponential rise" in the sale of activity books during the pandemic. Considering the factors that might be responsible, Morgan pointed out that board and activity books often have a lower price point that picture books. There is also an ongoing "analog movement" that seems fueled both by nostalgia and by people being over-screened, with Howe adding that there are "so many families" who are "just over it."

Board book adaptations of picture books have become increasingly popular, with Morgan noting that along with having a lower price point, they are easier to read and easier to give to a child. Howe mentioned that she now uses the "lap edition" of board books whenever the store does a storytime, as the pages are sturdier and the pictures are bigger. Touching on the durability of board books, Tigani noted that they are less likely to be damaged upon arrival.

On the subject of bestselling categories, the panelists agreed that locally themed books do very well, with Parker saying "anything Tennessee-related" goes quickly. Howe said the city of Buffalo "loves nothing more" than talking about Buffalo, and Morgan said she stocks plenty of books about Prince. Holiday-themed board books are "perennial," Tigani said, and "touch and feel" titles are also popular, though the unusual textures and sizes can make shelving slightly tricky. 

Board books in Spanish and other languages are seeing brisk sales, with Morgan saying that dual-language titles tend to sell better than single-language titles. Howe called Barefoot Books a great source for books in different languages. Licensed board and activity books, featuring characters from properties like Bluey, Paw Patrol, or Peppa Pig, can serve as a "great gateway" for getting families into bookstores, Tigani said.

Regarding activity books specifically, Parker said how-to-draw books and "anything art related" were must-haves, with Tigani mentioning "really great" seek-and-find books, particularly an Agatha Christie seek-and-find book. Howe, meanwhile, said she was "obsessed" with a seek-and-find series called All Around Bustletown by Rotraut Susanne Berner. 

The panelists noted that activity books can pose some challenges, particularly when it comes to displaying them, as they fall over easily and often don't have titles on their spines. Morgan said she keeps activity books and coloring books in their own sections. The panelists agreed that while something like a magazine spinner would be ideal, finding space for one can be challenging.

When the discussion turned to making their spaces accessible and child-friendly, Howe brought up something her store has called the "maybe later shelf," which is located behind the front desk. If there is an item a child wants but the parent or guardian does not want to buy, the child can write their name on a sticky note of a color of their choice, put it on the item, and leave the item on the shelf. The shelf has "thwarted many a tantrum," Howe said, and parents often make it quite clear whether they intend to come back for the item eventually or if the staff can re-shelve it right away.

To give families more accessible options without fully going to used books, Howe and her team created a "barter for a book" shelf, which features titles that came damaged as well as books that staff members have donated. Instead of paying full price, customers can choose one of several options, including telling a joke or simply paying what they can.

Morgan said she sets up a free coloring table whenever her mobile bookstore makes a stop. There are crayons for kids to use as well as the coloring sheets provided by publishers.

The panelists also discussed the notion some parents have that activity books aren't really books and reading them doesn't count as real reading. Morgan emphasized that "any reading actively supports literacy," and recalled that she used to read the liner notes on cassette tapes when she was a child. Even cookbooks, Morgan said, promote family literacy and can help math skills, while Howe mentioned a line of family cookbooks from America's Test Kitchen. 

Parker said she encounters similar pushback sometimes with graphic novels, and it becomes necessary for booksellers to explain to parents that "graphic novels count." Activity and board books, Tigani emphasized, are "gateways to reading." --Alex Mutter

TG Jones at White Rose Centre, Leeds (photo: Mtaylor88)

A court has approved a restructuring plan that will allow Modella Capital to close up to 150 of the high street bookshops it bought from WH Smith last year, the Bookseller reported. The plan also includes the bookseller paying no rent to 120 landlords for up to the three years and major cuts in rent to other landlords. Modella renamed the stores TG Jones, and there are now 450 in operation, employing nearly 5,000 people.

TG Jones told the court that if the plan was not approved, it would have a cash shortfall of £8 million (about $10.6 million) by this week. Earlier this year it received a £10 million (about $13.3 million) loan from Modella.

Alex Willson, TG Jones CEO, said that the court approval "allows us to move ahead with our turnaround strategy. The plan protects the substantial core of the store estate and makes TG Jones a stronger, more sustainable business."

The Bookseller added that Modella attributed the problems "in part due to serious uninvestment by WH Smith, with long-term sales declining. It also blamed its poor trading on 'challenging retail conditions' and being unable to keep the brand name."

The Guardian quoted a Debtwire reporter who said that the approved plan is known as a "cram down" model that "allows courts, in certain circumstances, to impose a restructuring on dissenting classes of creditors [and] 'has made it easier for companies to pursue faster and more aggressive restructurings, particularly when renegotiating retail leases.' "

Various groups of creditors recently voted on the plan. More than 80% of landlords and less than a third of general creditors approved. Landlords that might receive no rent were against the plan. Small suppliers such as toy makers and greeting card companies will likely lose "at least half the money owed them." 

The Book Nook, a used and new bookstore, opened in May in Hilmar, Calif., the Turlock Journal reported. The bookstore is located at 19704 Bloss Ave., in what was formerly the office of a self-storage facility. While its inventory predominantly consists of used books, there are new titles, with an emphasis on local authors.

"I've always wanted to open up a bookstore, because I absolutely love, love books," Bivens told the Turlock Journal. Prior to opening the Book Nook, she and her husband operated the storage unit business in the building. After it became a biotech facility, the office was no longer in use, and she and her husband decided to open a bookstore in that space.

Bivens noted that opening the bookstore was a way to make use of the substantial collection she and her husband had accrued, as well as to honor their late daughter, who died suddenly last year and was also a book lover.

"She loved books, and she loved to read too," Bivens said. "She always picked on me about how many books I had, and was I ever going to get to the point where I could read them all. So, I think she would very much have approved and loved it."

The Book Nook has hosted a number of events so far, including a signing with local children's author Marisa Silva Rocha. In the fall, Bivens plans to expand the store's event offerings with a book club and paint-and-sip nights, among other programming. She also intends to start offering blind dates with a book.

So far, she said, the response to the store has been "wonderful, absolutely fabulous."

This past week, Shelf Awareness sent our monthly pre-order e-blast to more than 935,000 of the country's best book readers. The e-blast went to 936,547 customers of 280 participating independent bookstores.

The mailing features 11 upcoming titles selected by Shelf Awareness editors and a sponsored title. Customers can buy these books via "pre-order" buttons that lead directly to the purchase page for the title on each sending store's website. A key feature is that bookstore partners can easily change title selections to best reflect the tastes of their customers and can customize the mailing with links, images, and promotional copy of their own.

The pre-order e-blasts are sent the last Wednesday of each month; the next will go out on Wednesday, July 29. Stores interested in learning more can visit our program registration page or contact our partner program team via e-mail.

For a sample of the June pre-order e-blast, see this one from Handcrafts & Hardbacks, a California mobile pop-up bookstore.

The titles highlighted in the pre-order e-blast were:

A Tender Age by Chang-Rae Lee (Riverhead)
Under the Falls by Richard Russo (Knopf)
Big Little Truths by Liane Moriarty (Crown)
Sunrise by Téa Obreht (Random House)
Dreamland by Olivie Blake (Tor)
Etna by Paul Yoon (Scribner)
The Wild Beneath by Kelly Anderson (Park Row)
Great and Unfortunate Things by Jason Arday (37 Ink/S&S)
Time to Play by Erin Ampersand (Tor)
Hometown by Shaun Tan (Levine Querido)
Kiki and the New Magic by Eiko Kadono (Delacorte)

Barrett Bookstore, Darien, Conn., hosted its 11th annual Ladies of Summer event at the Wee Burn Country Club. Guests enjoyed wine and light bites, then the authors spoke about their books, followed by a q&a and book signing. Pictured: (from left) Emma Straub (American Fantasy, Riverhead); Kimberly McCreight (Someone Else's Husband, Knopf), Hannah McKinnon (The Wash-Ashores, Emily Bestler/Atria),with Barrett marketing director Mallory Moyer.

Titcomb's Bookshop, East Sandwich, Mass., shared photos of its July Fourth book display: "Get ready for Fourth of July weekend at Titcomb's! Our front table is stocked with books, gifts, and goodies to celebrate the 250th!"

Yellow Dog Bookshop, Columbia, Mo., is a sponsor of the Columbia Art League's Art in the Park project, and the bookstore's front window is displaying "School of Fish," featuring hand-painted Missouri River fish made by fourth graders from Columbia Public Schools.

Click here to see the latest Independent Press Top 40, the weekly bestseller list celebrating the bestselling 40 fiction and 40 nonfiction titles from independent publishers, as sold by independent bookstores across the country. The list is sponsored by the Independent Publishers Caucus and the American Booksellers Association.

This week's debut fiction titles:

9. The Very Definition of Love (The Bancroft Sisters) by Sophia Benoit (Slowburn)
25. Nebraska by Monica Datta (Astra House)
30. Down to Earth: An 831 Stories Romance by Julia Turshen (831 Stories)
40. Tata by Valérie Perrin (Europa Editions)

This week's debut nonfiction titles:

8. Too L.A.: Letters Never Sent (But Some Were) by Eve Babitz (New York Review Books)
19. Building Great Businesses by Scott Becker (Forefront Books)
22. The Veiled Prophet: Secret Societies, White Supremacy, and the Struggle for St. Louis by Devin Thomas O'Shea (Haymarket Books)
26. Forest Euphoria: The Abounding Queerness of Nature by Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian (Spiegel & Grau)
36. Elledge's Nontrivial Trivia: The Seriously Enlightening Stories Behind Supposedly Simple Facts by Jonn Elledge (The Experiment)
40. The Shortest History of Soccer by Brian D. Bunk (The Experiment)

At Thames & Hudson:

Julia Marcantonio has been promoted to publicist.

Rachel Chrystie has been named marketing, publicity, and communications associate.

Today:
Here & Now: Patrick Raddon Keefe, author of London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family's Search for Truth (Doubleday, $35, 9780385548533).

Fresh Air: Kennedy Ryan, author of Score (Forever, $18.99, 9781538769652).

Tomorrow:
CBS Mornings: José Andrés, co-author of Spain My Way: Eat, Drink, and Cook Like a Spaniard (Ecco, $45, 9780063328068).

Selected new titles appearing next Tuesday, July 7:

Country People: A Novel by Daniel Mason (Random House, $30, 9798217197453) follows a family moving for a job at a rural Vermont college.

Shadow Lands by Stacey Marie Brown (Blackstone, $29.99, 9798228587243) concludes the Savage Lands romantasy series.

Love You More: A Novel by Emily Giffin (Ballantine, $32, 9780593600320) follows a woman returning to her hometown to reconnect with her former high school sweetheart.

Perfect Life: A Novel by Meredith Lavender and Kendall Shores (Bantam, $30, 9780593974407) is a thriller about a woman trying to escape her past.

Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt by Ben Reeves (Avid Reader Press, $28, 9781668216361) imagines a modern Grim Reaper going by the name Travis.

Fabulous Bodies by Chuck Tingle (Tor Nightfire, $27.99, 9781250398567) follows a fashion influencer moonlighting as a grave robber.

A Day Off School by Oliver Jeffers, illus. by Kevin Waldron (Philomel, $18.99, 9798217039999) is a picture book in which a sick child stays home from school and wonders what incredible things might be happening without them.

Vampurr by Justin Colón, illus. by Lenny Wen (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, $18.99, 9780374392802) is a picture book featuring a vampire kitty looking for a good home.

How to Kill a Language: Power, Resistance, and the Race to Save Our Words by Sophia Smith Galer (Crown, $33, 9798217086979) explores the causes and consequences of linguicide. 

American Alt: A True Story of Madness and Friendship in a Fractured Country by Chris Lockhart (Bloomsbury, $29.99, 9781639735785) chronicles a man whose undiagnosed schizophrenia and obsession with conspiracy theories nearly led to violence.

Hotel Exile: Paris in the Shadow of War by Jane Rogoyska (W.W. Norton, $31.99, 9781324089902) looks at the Hotel Lutetia in Paris before, during and after World War II. 

Paperbacks:
The MASH Up by Laura Marie Meyers (Putnam, $20, 9798217181810).

We Were Forbidden by Jacqueline Harpman, trans. by Ros Schwartz (Transit Books, $18.99). 

The Final Score by Lana Ferguson (Berkley, $19, 9780593953716).

From last week's Indie bestseller lists, available at IndieBound.org, here are the recommended titles, which are also Indie Next Great Reads:

Hardcover (Indies Introduce)
It's All River: A Novel by Carla Madeira, trans. by Alison Entrekin (Liveright, $26.99, 9781324098119). "A powerful book that focuses on obsession, tragedy, betrayal and ultimately forgiveness. A trio of unlikely characters work to overcome hardship and heartache to forge a new relationship. Well worth the challenge!" --Jocele Skinner, Shared Stories Books, Caldwell, Idaho

Hardcover
Agnes Lives!: A Novel by Hallie Elizabeth Newton (Bloomsbury, $26.99, 9781639738564). "A non-stop whirlwind 24 hours in which a successful, busy NYC woman seeks someone, anyone, who will do her a really big favor and end her life. This is a sharp, feral, and funny rollercoaster." --Seth Tucker, Carmichael's Bookstore, Louisville, Ky.

Paperback
A Magical Girl Retires: A Novel by Park Seolyeon, trans. by Anton Hur (HarperVia, $17.99, 9780063388277). "A quixotic blend of fantasy and reality. Magical girls are real, but so too are credit card debt, COVID-19, and mass unemployment. This strangely nostalgic, deceptively simple novel taps into both the dreams and anxieties of millenials." --Shay Shortt, Brick & Mortar Books, Redmond, Wash.

Ages 4-8
The Wise Pickle by Sarah Howden, illus. by Sabina Hahn (Tundra Books, 9781774886984). "Brilliant and absurd! A pickle arrives on a street corner, seemingly out of nowhere, and begins to spread its wisdom to the curious creatures around it as it withers in the sun. A hilarious and existential picture book that will spark laughs and pondering in kids and adults alike!" --Julia Lewis, Fountain Bookstore, Richmond, Va.

Ages 8-12 (Indies Introduce)
Just Ask Elsie by Ari Koontz (Feiwel & Friends, $18.99, 9781250410986). "I absolutely adored this delightfully queer book about a girl fighting to educate her peers about puberty and sexuality. This will inspire kids to be the change that they want to see, and to know that they deserve the opportunity to be able to fully know and understand who they are and what is happening to them. I could not love this story more!" --Ava Budavari-Glenn, All She Wrote Books, Somerville, Mass.

Ages 13+
Doe by Rebecca Barrow (Nancy Paulsen Books, $20.99, 9798217006335). Saturated with a haunting atmosphere, ancient spirits ready to deal, and cheerleaders who want it all. Doe is the first novel I've read totally in verse and it will stick with me forever." --Robert Hawthorn, Gallery Bookshop & Bookwinkle's Children's Books, Mendocino, Calif.

[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]

Theoretical physicist Carlo Rovelli (Seven Brief Lessons on Physics; The Order of Time) is known for his ability to elucidate obscure concepts that would normally be considered out of reach for those not trained in physics. On the Equality of All Things demonstrates this skill while also highlighting his willingness to embrace unconventional or even counterintuitive views. In exploring the strong links between the hard facts of science and the ambiguities of philosophical meditations, Rovelli maintains that both fields--physics and philosophy--have been at times trapped by limited perspectives.

Through a series of six lessons, Rovelli moves easily between accessible descriptions and complex mathematics. He admits that parts of the book may be "a bit more turbulent" than others and gives readers full permission to just skip the densest material. These lessons focus on time and space, free will and existence, each one threaded with his theory of relational quantum mechanics and an argument against the search for one fundamental or foundational theory; instead, he argues for uncertainty and curiosity. "We do not need absolute certainty," he insists. "We need the nimble lightness of circularity, complexity, ambiguity, metaphors, emotions, the acceptance of uncertainty and change."

Tremendously well read, Rovelli speaks of John Milton and Fyodor Dostoevsky with the same ease as he engages the work of Søren Kierkegaard and Isaac Newton. He toggles between Aristotle and Albert Einstein with astounding facility. Though the material is demanding, the writer does not condescend. He is a gentle teacher, urging readers to "pay attention" as he guides them with patience and a quiet confidence that they will understand even "the most dizzying of the implications."

From the time of Galileo forward, new scientific understanding has forced humanity to realize they have been mistaking "local peculiarities for universal truths" and believing that "the world must be exactly as it appears to us." Decentering the human experience can be profoundly unsettling, and Rovelli acknowledges the challenges it may pose to move beyond the idea of time as a linear and causal construction, for example. But new information demands a new way of seeing the world. "Our entire life is full of surprises and discoveries. Science is no different," he insists, before reminding readers that "learning, changing our minds, is part of what we are." Perfect for readers of Robin Wall Kimmerer, On the Equality of All Things offers a strong argument for remaining open to the mysterious and wondrous aspects of the world yet to be discovered. --Sara Beth West, freelance reviewer and librarian

Shelf Talker: Theoretical physicist Carlo Rovelli pushes readers to embrace ambiguity as he probes history, philosophy, and science to show how all knowledge is interconnected and relational.

The following were the most popular book club books during June based on votes from book club readers in more than 94,000 book clubs registered at Bookmovement.com: 

1. Theo of Golden by Allen Levi (Atria)
2. The Correspondent: A Novel by Virginia Evans (Crown)
3. The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett (Spiegel & Grau)
4. Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke (Knopf)
5. Wild Dark Shore: A Novel by Charlotte McConaghy (Flatiron)
6. The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick (Harper Muse)
7. Culpability: A Novel by Bruce Holsinger (Spiegel & Grau)
8. Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth (St. Martin's Press)
9. The Wedding People by Alison Espach (Holt)
10. Atmosphere: A Love Story by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Ballantine)

Rising Stars:
1. A Founding Mother: A Novel of Abigail Adams by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie (William Morrow Paperbacks). Bookmovement noted that this title was one of its Rising Stars "BEFORE REESE!!! Stephanie Dray has been a book club favorite for years now. Her other book about another extraordinary American, Becoming Madam Secretary, is also on our Top 100 List."
2. Strangers in Time: A World War II Novel by David Baldacci (Grand Central Publishing)

The bestselling Libro.fm audiobooks at independent bookstores during June:

Fiction
1. Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke (Penguin Random House Audio)
2. Whistler by Ann Patchett (Harper)
3. The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett (Spiegel & Grau by Spotify Audiobooks)
4. Land by Maggie O'Farrell (Penguin Random House Audio)
5. Theo of Golden by Allen Levi (Simon Maverick)
6. This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum (Macmillan Audio)
7. Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan (Penguin Random House Audio)
8. Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth (Macmillan Audio)
9. Harvest Season by Brynne Weaver (Penguin Random House Audio)
10. The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (Penguin Random House Audio)

Nonfiction
1. Regime Change by Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan (Simon & Schuster Audio)
2. The Land and Its People by David Sedaris (Hachette Audio)
3. Strangers by Belle Burden (Penguin Random House Audio)
4. London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe (Penguin Random House Audio)
5. Famesick by Lena Dunham (Penguin Random House Audio)
6. The Reverse Centaur's Guide to Life After AI by Cory Doctorow (Macmillan Audio)
7. Everything Is Tuberculosis by John Green (Penguin Random House Audio)
8. View from the East Wing by Jill Biden (Simon & Schuster Audio)
9. Communion by bell hooks (William Morrow Paperbacks)
10. Enshittification by Cory Doctorow (Macmillan Audio)