As part of his Holiday Bookstore Bonus Program, James Patterson, in partnership with the American Booksellers Association, is distributing grants to 500 booksellers, including 100 children's booksellers, each of whom will receive $500, the Associated Press reported. A complete list of recipients is available here.
The winners were chosen from a pool of more than 2,500 nominations, with applications based on one question: "Why does this bookseller deserve a holiday bonus?"
In a statement, Patterson observed: "I've said this many times before, but I can't say it enough: booksellers save lives. Children's booksellers especially--they guide children to books they'll genuinely enjoy and in turn create a new generation of readers. I'm happy to be able to acknowledge them and the important work they do in any way that I can this holiday season."