Total net book sales in April in the U.S. rose 4.4%, to $887.7 million, compared to April 2025, representing sales of 1,416 publishers and distributed clients as reported to the Association of American Publishers. For the first four months of the year, net book sales rose 1.7%, to $3.774 billion.

In April, trade sales rose 3.6%, to $768.9 million. The biggest categories with sales jumps in April included children's special bindings and children's/YA paperbacks as well as adult, university press, and religious paperbacks. University press and adult hardcovers also had gains. Lagging categories included e-books, adult hardcovers, and mass market.

In terms of format, in April trade hardcover sales fell 3.1%, to $265.8 million, paperbacks rose 10%, to $281.4 million, mass market dropped 77.2%, to $2.4 million, and special bindings jumped 44.4%, to $18.3 million. E-book sales slipped 1.2%, to $84.6 million, digital audio rose 11.9%, to $97.5 million, and physical audio dropped 12.3%, to $400,000.

Sales by category for April 2026:

Bookstore and bar Final Draft will have a soft opening in Wichita, Kan., this coming Saturday, June 27, the Wichita Eagle reported. A grand opening will follow on July 10.

Located at 1029 W. Douglas, Final Draft spans 2,000 square feet and will carry some 4,500 titles at opening. The all-ages, general-interest inventory will include a selection of Spanish-language titles, and alongside books there will be store-branded merchandise, puzzles, candles, and other gifts.

The bar side of the business will serve coffee and espresso drinks, a variety of pastries, and beer, wine, and cocktails. The cocktail menu will include drinks with names inspired by literature, like "Are You There God? It's Me, Margarita" and "In Cold Bloody Mary." 

Natalie Macy, who co-owns Final Draft with her husband, Josh, told the Eagle the soft opening period will be used to "work on the flow of things. We'll spend two weeks really dialing in the coffee and finding out how to work together as a team."

Final Draft will also feature an event space called the Editors Room, which customers and community members will be able to reserve for private events. When not in use, it will serve as overflow seating for the bar.

During the soft opening period, Final Draft's hours will be limited. On July 10, there will be a ribbon cutting and grand opening celebration, and after that, hours will be extended.

518 Romantasy, a mobile bookstore focused on romance, fantasy, and mysteries, debuted last month in upstate N.Y., the Times Union reported.

Built out of a 10'×6' trailer and based near Albany, N.Y., 518 Romantasy made its first appearance on May 5. Alongside romance and fantasy titles, owner Taylor Loccisano carries a selection of YA and children's titles, as well as nonbook items like bookmarks and stickers. Blind dates with a book are a specialty, and Loccisano noted that children can pick up one book per week for free.

Loccisano, who is a chef by trade, told the Times Union that in 2023, Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros introduced her to romantasy and rekindled her love of reading. She delved deeper into the genre in the following years, and in March she purchased the trailer that would become 518 Romantasy. With the help of her husband, it was ready to go by early May.

"I am one of those people that kind of likes to escape," Loccisano explained. "So fantasy is up my alley. The name kind of came about naturally.... I came up with 518 Romantasy because I wanted it to be local and stay local."

Loccisano has taken 518 Romantasy to a variety of markets and festivals near Albany, and she makes weekly appearances at the North Greenbush town offices in Wynantskill, N.Y., for Food Truck Wednesdays.

Suzanne Taylor, publisher and president of Gibbs Smith Book & Gift, is retiring after nearly three decades of leading the company, and Michelle Branson will succeed her and becomes part of the executive leadership team. The transition will take place August 1.

Suzanne Taylor

Taylor joined Gibbs Smith in 1998 after six years with Dark Horse Comics. She has played a pivotal role in the growth and success of the company's publishing business. Under her guidance, the company launched BabyLit, the board book series that became beloved among families and educators. She also developed the concepts of 101 Things cookbook series and PocketDoodles. Her literary-inspired gift and lifestyle line, LoveLit, launched the company into the gift and specialty retail market.

Brad Farmer, president of the Gibbs Smith Group, said that Taylor's "impact on Gibbs Smith has been extraordinary. Her leadership, industry knowledge, and commitment to excellence have shaped the organization and contributed significantly to its growth and reputation. We are deeply grateful for her years of service and the legacy she leaves behind."

Michelle Branson brings extensive experience within the organization and a deep understanding of the company's culture, operations, and strategic vision. During her 20-year career at Gibbs Smith, she has served in the roles of contract administrator, managing editor, and senior editorial director.

Taylor said, "Michelle's leadership, collaborative approach, and market insight make her exceptionally well suited to guide Gibbs Smith into its next chapter. We are confident that her vision and experience will continue to strengthen the company's position in the marketplace while building on the core values we champion as a certified B Corp and employee-owned company."

Marty Brown

Marty Brown has been named director of the Oregon State University Press. She has more than 25 years of publishing experience, most recently with the University of Washington Press as director of finance and operations. A board member of the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association, Brown has many ties with publishers, booksellers, and authors. She developed and taught the first business-oriented class in Portland State University's publishing program. She has financial experience, overseeing operations at Timber Press and the University of Washington Press to running a boutique letterpress printing business. She earlier worked at OSU Press as marketing manager 2014-2023.

Anne-Marie Deitering, Delpha and Donald Campbell Dean of Libraries at OSU, said, "Marty's experience positions her perfectly to build on the Press's rich history in a sustainable and forward-looking way. She brings deep experience with book publishing in the Pacific Northwest."

Brown said, "It's a true privilege to be back at Oregon State University Press--the last, best university press in Oregon. I'm looking forward to connecting with past, present, and future authors, shepherding our incredible list of new and forthcoming titles, and collaborating with the smartest and hardest-working publishing staff anywhere, ever. The work that we do to publish peer-reviewed scholarship and regional books is more important than ever and I am humbled to be part of it."

Jill Smokler, "a mother of three who started the blog Scary Mommy as a diversion from bedtime battles and toddler tantrums, only to build it into a juggernaut that drew millions of readers to its warts-and-all look at what she called 'the imperfect side of parenting,' " died June 22, the New York Times reported. She was 48.

In addition to her blog, which she launched in 2008, Smokler wrote three books, including the bestsellers Confessions of a Scary Mommy (2012) and Motherhood Comes Naturally (And Other Vicious Lies) (2013), along with Scary Mommy's Guide to Surviving the Holidays.

Her brother, Matt Epstein, said Smokler "built her life's work on a single, radical idea. That you could love your children more than anything in the world and still say, out loud, that the job" is grindingly difficult.... "Eighteen years ago, there was almost nowhere a mother could admit this without judgment. So Jill made the place."

She was a 30-year-old graphic designer when she started the Scary Mommy blog, assuming "that her audience would be more or less limited to friends and family; perhaps her children, when they were grown, would look back on it as a record of their upbringing, like a baby book," the Times noted.

Motherhood, Smokler told Time magazine in an interview, "was loud, chaotic, messy, and nothing like the magazine pictures I stared at or the families I saw on TV. I was drowning, while all the other moms I interacted with seemed to be blissfully skipping through motherhood. It must be me, I thought--I'm just not a natural mother."

She realized she was not alone after receiving her "first random comment," she said. "That comment led me to that reader's blog, and from there I discovered a whole world of moms. And these moms, unlike any I'd met before, actually understood me! They struggled and shared the same frustrations."

Three years after the debut of Scary Mommy, the Baltimore Sun reported that Smokler "just might be Baltimore's biggest unknown celebrity," with a Twitter following that was greater than the city's mayor, Maryland's governor, and Baltimore Ravens football star linebacker Ray Lewis combined. "Few recognize her tightly coiled curls, her peanut-butter-eating children, her tired dog. But online, thousands upon thousands of mothers grasp onto her every word."

After seven years running Scary Mommy, the strain of running both a family and a high-profile business became too much. "I was probably sleeping an hour or two a night," she told Time. "I was taking conference calls in the car while I was driving my kids to school. I eventually became so burned out that I knew I needed to either sell the company or try to bring investors on, which is a daunting prospect."

Smokler sold the site in 2015 to digital media company Some Spider Studios, which hired dozens of employees who produced up to 20 posts a day, with Smokler staying on as chief content officer, the Times noted.

The recently opened Scarlet Letter Books in Plymouth, N.H., hosted its first event, with Shasta Grant, whose debut novel is When We Were Feral (Regal House Press) and was subject of our "Reading With..." column yesterday. Grant, who is originally from Plymouth, was in conversation with local writer Maundy Mitchell. Pictured: (from left) Shasta Grant; owner Angie Miller; Maundy Mitchell.

"When a customer buys the book you wanted to take home at the end of your shift." Bridgeside Books in Waterbury, Vt., shared a video portraying the familiar bookseller dilemma, noting: "You can ALWAYS take the last copy. We get that question a lot. Don't worry, the books in our bookstore ARE for sale."

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:

12. Stoner by John Williams (NYRB Classics)
13. At the Edge of the Woods: A Novel by Kathryn Bromwich (Two Dollar Radio)
40. Caught Up by Navessa Allen (Slowburn) 

This week's debut nonfiction titles:

26. On Juneteenth by Annette Gordon-Reed (Liveright)
32. Poking the Squid: What We Can Learn from Animal Sex by Perrin Roosevelt Ireland (W. W. Norton)

At Macmillan:

Meg Miguelino has been promoted to v-p, children's sales.

Julia Metzger has been promoted to associate manager, national accounts.

MIND MGMT: New & Improved #1 by Matt Kindt (Oni Press and Flux House).

Today:
Here & Now: Cátia Chien, illustrator of Fireworks, written by Matthew Burgess (Clarion Books, $19.99, 9780063216723), and winner of the Caldecott Medal.

Tomorrow:
Good Morning America: Arash Hashemi, author of Shred Happens: So Easy, So Good: 100+ Protein-Packed Mediterranean Favorites with a Low-Carb Twist (Rodale, $30, 9780593796535).

Sherri Shepherd Show repeat: Brie Larson and Courtney McBroom, author of Party People: A Cookbook for Creative Celebrations (DK, $35, 9780593970027).

Tamron Hall repeat: Nate Berkus, author of Foundations: Timeless Design That Feels Personal (S&S/Simon Element, $45, 9781668026137).

Book TV airs on C-Span 2 this weekend from 8 a.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Monday and focuses on political and historical books as well as the book industry. The following are highlights for this coming weekend. For more information, go to Book TV's website.

Sunday, June 28
8 a.m.  Roy K. Altman, author of Israel on Trial: Examining the History, the Evidence, and the Law (Advantage Books, $32, 9798891886360). (Re-airs Sunday at 8:15 p.m.)

9:40 a.m. Robin Andersen, author of The Complicit Lens: U.S. Media Coverage of Israel’s Genocide in Gaza (OR Books, $22.95, 9781682196267). (Re-airs Sunday at 9:50 p.m.)

1:25 to 7 p.m. Coverage of the 2026 Gaithersburg Book Festival in Gaithersburg, Md., which took place on May 16. Highlights include:

• 1:25 p.m. Stefan Merrill Block, author of Homeschooled: A Memoir.
• 2:10 p.m. Aaron C. Davis, co-author of Injustice: How Politics and Fear Vanquished America's Justice Department.
• 2:57 p.m. Reyna Grande, author of Migrant Heart: Essays About Things I Can't Forget.
• 3:43 p.m. Peter Cozzens, author of Deadwood: Gold, Guns, and Greed in the American West, and Megan Kate Nelson, author of The Westerners: Mythmaking and Belonging on the American Frontier.
• 4:31 p.m. Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson, author of Claire McCardell: The Designer Who Set Women Free.
• 5:16 p.m. Susan Page, author of The Queen and Her Presidents: The Hidden Hand That Shaped History.
• 6:05 p.m. Lois Romano, author of An Inconvenient Widow: The Torment, Trial, and Triumph of Mary Todd Lincoln.

The shortlist has been selected for the 2026 Miles Franklin Literary Award, which "recognise excellence in Australian writing" and is sponsored by the Copyright Agency's Cultural Fund and Perpetual. Each shortlisted author receives A$5,000 (about US$3,445), and the winner, who will be announced August 5, receives A$60,000 (about US$41,345).

The shortlist:

Discipline by Randa Abel-Fattah
First Name Second Name by Steve MinOn
My Heart at Evening by Konrad Muller
Fierceland by Omar Musa
Little World by Josephine Rowe
You Must Remember This by Sean Wilson

Selected new titles appearing next Tuesday, June 30:

The Princess Diaries: The Graphic Novel by Meg Cabot, illus. by Bethany Crandall (HarperAlley, $15.99, 9780063459175) is a full-color graphic novel adaptation of the 2000 bestseller.

On Courage: How to Be a Dissident in an Age of Fear by Julia Angwin and Ami Fields-Meyer (Mariner Books, $28.99, 9780063491946) is based on 100 interviews with activists and political theorists from around the world.

Esther's Army by Katie Gaddini (W.W. Norton, $29.99, 9781324123767) explores the motivations behind right-wing women campaigning against their own freedom.

Not Built in a Day: How Slavery Made the Roman Empire by Emma Southon (Simon & Schuster, $31, 9781668089552) chronicles the millions of enslaved people who made Ancient Rome possible. 

The Shampoo Effect: A Novel by Jenny Jackson (Pamela Dorman, $30, 9798217059959) follows a young woman and her new social circle in a seaside Massachusetts town. 

Dead but Dreaming of Electric Sheep: A Novel by Paul Tremblay (Morrow, $30, 9780063398467) blends horror and sci-fi in the story of a vegetative man with AI in his head and the woman escorting him across the U.S.

Storm Tide by Paul Doiron (Minotaur, $29, 9781250864451) is the 16th thriller with game warden Mike Bowditch.

The Top of the World by Ethan Joella (Scribner, $28, 9781668024621) takes place in 1975 and follows a recent high school graduate looking for information about her brother's death at a resort in the Poconos.

The Au Pair by Teddy Wayne (Harper, $30, 9780063457232) is a literary thriller about a formerly successful writer and his children's Norwegian au pair.

Monkeypig by Huw Aaron (Viking, $18.99, 9798217039159) is a picture book about a monkey who is definitely a pig--or is she a pig who is definitely a monkey? 

Paperbacks:
Medicine River: A Story of Survival and the Legacy of Indian Boarding Schools by Mary Annette Pember (Vintage, $20, 9780593470466).

Bone Horn: A Novel by Prudence Bussey-Chamberlain (Soft Skull, $17.95, 9781593768218).

The Housewife by Natalie Barelli (Poisoned Pen Press, $18.99, 9781464247552).

The Neighbors Are Watching: A Novel by Aggie Blum Thompson (Minotaur, $18.99, 9781250412553).

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

Hardcover
The Last Human Bear by Greg Sarris (Heyday Books, $30, 9781597147071). "The Last Human Bear has as its center the life of Mary Hatcher from age 17 to mid-90s (nearly present day) as she learns to navigate her Pomo heritage in an environment unwelcoming to non-white people. This novel is so much richer than a few words can express. It is so very worth it to discover." --Sheryl Cotleur, Copperfield's Books, Sebastopol, Calif.

Voyagers: A Novel by Meg Charlton (Harper, $28, 9780063441217). "I love Voyagers' exploration of memory, friendship, and the way a single day in childhood can define us. The complex family relationships and the narrator's willingness to interrogate his own flawed memory make for a page-turning read!" --Kara Balcerzak, Bonfire Bookstore & Yarnery, Woodstock, Va.

Paperback
What We Can Know: A Novel by Ian McEwan (Vintage, $20, 9798217007943). "The world has been greatly reduced in both size of dry land and population, and an academic in 2130 feels nostalgia for our era through his search for a lost poem. I love McEwan's eternal ability to find beauty in the most mundane moments." --Anne Peck, Righton Books, St. Simons Island, Ga.

Ages 4-8
The Underwearwolf by Gideon Sterer, illus. by Charles Santoso (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, $19.99, 9781665955584). "In an age of morality tales, Sterer unleashes a furry menace of a boy upon his small town. A joyful celebration of childhood mischief, inviting kids to run amok in their imaginations." --Jamie Kovacs, Flyleaf Books, Chapel Hill, N.C.

Ages 8-12 (Indies Introduce)
Casting April by Wendy Lu (Knopf Books for Young Readers, $17.99, 9798217030286). "Casting April is one of the best surprises of 2026! I thought I was picking up another book about kids putting on a school play. Instead, I found myself mesmerized by this 6th grade girl with a tracheostomy trying to navigate middle school. Casting April will grab readers both with its representation of an experience almost completely ignored in literature and with its heartwarming story about friends and family." --Chris Abouzeid, Belmont Books, Belmont, Mass.

Ages 13+
The Secret World of Briar Rose by Cindy Pham (Kokila, $21.99, 9798217113026). "In this richly detailed and emotional retelling of 'Sleeping Beauty,' two sisters jump through a magical portal and enter the dream world of the iconic princess. There, they must confront what it truly means to escape, and whether or not dealing with pain and grief makes life worth living in the first place. This book will leave readers with a small but important burst of hope that they may need." --Jason Mills, The Book Bungalow, St. George, Utah

[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]

A majestic, elusive big cat is as loved and threatened by humans as its life is entwined with theirs in the nonfiction narrative The Ghost of the Mountains: Unraveling the Secrets of the Snow Leopard by conservationist and snow leopard biologist Kulbhushansingh Suryawanshi. Suryawanshi details 20 years of a journey that continually teaches him that even with observation, research, and radio collars, "snow leopards [are] like the mountains they inhabit--there is something forever unknowable about them."

Suryawanshi was drawn to climbing and mountaineering from a young age, and when he proposed his master's degree research project, he knew he wanted to focus on snow leopards in the Himalayas. A faculty member warned him that a student from the hot climate of Maharashtra heading up to a wintry elevation to study an animal nicknamed "the ghost of the mountains" for its seemingly supernatural gift of concealment would prove a tough sell. Suryawanshi cleverly proposed instead that he would study the blue sheep, another Himalayan denizen, which happens to be the snow leopard's preferred prey species. So began a career examining the snow leopard directly and indirectly, through the landscape, species, and people of its homeland.

Readers who want to learn more about the cat itself will find plenty of knowledge here about its habits, including stories of specimens Suryawanshi has followed through the years. His enthusiasm for his subject shines as he lionizes their beauty while explaining how their coat patterns give them the power of invisibility among the mountain rocks and cliffs. Researchers must rely on technology and luck to lay eyes on snow leopards, and Suryawanshi celebrates every sighting for the small miracle it is. He details the lifestyle of the villagers whose livestock face threats from these predators and explores how their attitudes toward the leopard can shape its survival. Climate change, commercial ventures, and politics also impact the animal's habitat and future, and Suryawanshi presents these issues with a sober though hopeful outlook.

Elements of travelogue, mystery, and scientific narrative combine here as Suryawanshi beautifully articulates the charm and singularity of this near-mystical animal, offers portraits of the people who are committed to protecting it, and shines a light on the work required to safeguard this iconic species. Readers wary of dry science should instead expect to find outdoor adventure, moments of danger, and plenty of magical and adorable snow leopard encounters. --Jaclyn Fulwood, blogger at Infinite Reads

Shelf Talker: A snow leopard biologist and conservationist details 20 years of danger, camaraderie, and wonder experienced while studying one of the planet's most elusive big cats.

The planet is currently immersed in the soccer frenzy that is the FIFA Men's World Cup, in all its sporting glory and political murkiness. Pollster YouGov estimates that 42% of adults worldwide--about 2.6 billion people--will follow this year's tournament. 

Even Monty Python legend John Cleese got some game time with an Instagram post: "Enjoying the World Cup so far? Here is one of my favorite football matches of all time, 'The Philosophers' Football Match.' EUREKA!!"

Indie booksellers are also playing the beautiful game in their bookish ways. The London Review Bookshop reenacted, sort of, "THE GOALIE'S ANXIETY AT THE PENALTY KICK (Peter Handke, 1970)," though I'm not sure it would have been author-approved.

Newtonville Books in Newton, Mass., is featuring a "Read the World (Cup!) together series," recommending titles relevant to the countries playing in each day's matches. 

In Melbourne, Australia, Hill of Content FC issued a challenge to Real Paperback (Paperback Bookshop): "We have long enjoyed our quiet and friendly rivalry on the hill but in our heart of hearts we understand that it's time we take this rivalry to the pitch. We challenge you to a match." I haven't seen a reply yet.

Other indies coming off the bench to get in on the World Cup action include: 

At Prologue Bookshop

Prologue Bookshop, Columbus, Ohio: "The World Cup officially starts today across North America. Like literature, soccer connects people from all across the world. This year, the World Cup is getting local--Columbus is serving as base camp for the Ecuador national team!"

Groundwood Books, Toronto, Canada: "Welcome to Toronto #FIFAWorldCup! Learn how players, clubs, and organizations are taking action to reduce soccer's environment footprint in ONE GOAL by Heather Camlot and Drew Shannon! This book is a hopeful look for kids at how, by working together, we can all create a better future."

BookPeople, Austin, Tex.: "Wave your flag--IT'S WORLD CUP TIME!⁠ In celebration of the world converging in celebration across the United States, Mexico, and Canada, we've put together some of our favorite books about the beautiful game.... Drop a flag below of which team(s) you're rooting for this World Cup!⁠

Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore, Middletown, Conn.: "It's time for the FIFA World Cup! Whether you call it 'soccer' or 'football,' everyone has a place here at the bookstore. Stop in and shop our selection of soccer books, gifts, and more!"

Arundel Books, Seattle, Wash.: "The World Cup is bringing the world to our doorstep today. We love watching the parade of fans, families, and visitors stream past the bookstore, filling the streets with excitement, color, and incredible energy."

Book Ferret, Winston-Salem, N.C.: "The beautiful game has officially taken over our shelves. Whether you're looking for World Cup history, soccer strategy, legendary players, or the story behind Messi's rise to greatness, we've got a book for every kind of fan."

Back Alley Books, Bournemouth, England: "It's the biggest celebration of the beautiful game. And comes around once every four years so it's important to enjoy it. Despite FIFA's attempts to ruin it! Over the next month we'll have a replica of the most beautiful trophy in football in the shop. Feel free to drop by and get a picture with it! Hope to see you there!"

Off the Beaten Path Bookstore, Steamboat Springs, Colo.: "World Cup fever is in full swing at the bookstore! From rooting for our chosen teams, to the lucky bookseller who got to see a game in person, to our Drinks of the Day, we're enjoying every bit of the rivalries and matchups. Don't forget, you can catch every match that's playing while we're open in the Used Book loft!"

Book Soup, Los Angeles, Calif.: "Los Angeles is honored to be one of the host cities for the World Cup and we are feeling the excitement even in our quiet little store! Our team put together a list of some of our favorite books about the elusive sport known as soccer and fútbol! Check 'em out."

Next Chapter Booksellers, Saint Paul, Minn.: "To quote Dani Rojas (from the hit show Ted Lasso), 'Fútbol is Life!' At least, it is during the World Cup. Whether you call it soccer or fútbol, stop in to the bookstore and get the winning goal of a great read!"

Dorothy Butler Books, Auckland, New Zealand: "The World Cup has begun and here at the bookshop we're taking it seriously!"

Noe Valley Books, San Francisco, Calif.: "Meet your reading GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOALs [IYKYK} with these new releases. We're excited about the World Cup and we're NOT sorry about it."

At Roundabout Books

Roundabout Books, Bend, Ore.: "Stop in to see our World Cup fever! Flags, books for kiddos and adults, squishy soccer balls, and a colorful display of Emiliano's coveted jerseys!"

The Maynooth Bookshop, Maynooth, Ireland: "We're having a ball here at the Maynooth Bookshop with World Cup fever! We have a cracking range of sports books for all sporting enthusiasts and fans! To make sure you're onside, come and take aim at our sports section today!"

This Is a Bookstore & Bookbug, Kalamazoo, Mich.: "alright futbol fans, jersey-wearing gets you 10% off any fantastic soccer book in-store. LET'S GO."

Here's to a very bookish 2026 World Cup. As Albert Camus, author and former goalie for the Racing Universitaire Algerios (RUA) junior team, once observed: "After many years in which the world has afforded me many experiences, what I know most surely in the long run about morality and obligations, I owe to football."