In January, total net book sales fell 7.8%, to $1.06 billion, compared to January 2014, representing sales of 1,210 publishers and distributed clients as reported to the Association of American Publishers.
Among highlights: the main drags on sales were K-12 instructional materials, down 20.7%, to $65.1 million, and higher ed course materials, down 18%, to $377.8 million. The strongest categories were religious presses, up 11.1%, to $47.2 million, and professional books, up 10%, to $59 million.
Total trade sales rose 0.9%, to $543 million, and paperback sales were up 10.3%, to $122.7 million. E-book sales overall fell 10.2%. Children's/YA paperbacks rose 10.9%, to $37.4 million, and board books were up 34.1%, to $10.1 million, but the children's/YA overall fell 1.6%, to $129.2 million because e-book sales fell 37.4%, to $12.9 million.
