Total net book sales in February in the U.S. slipped 1.9%, to $971.5 million, compared to February 2024, representing sales of 1,325 publishers and distributed clients as reported to the Association of American Publishers. For the year to date, net book sales were down 1.7%, to $2.2 billion.

Trade revenues in February fell 4.9%, to $683.7 million. Adult book net sales fell 2.2% in February, and year to date adult fiction sales fell 4.3% and adult nonfiction dropped 2.7%. Children's/YA net sales fell 13.3% in February, and year to date children's/YA fiction sales are down 6.7%, but children's/YA nonfiction sales have risen 5.8%.

In terms of format, trade hardcover revenues dropped 4.9%, to $231.4 million; paperbacks dropped 11.4%, to $226 million; mass market dropped 29.3%, to $6.5 million; and special bindings fell 8%, to $14.4 million. E-book sales in February rose 7.8%, to $102.7 million, and digital audio rose 6.8%, to $83.3 million.

Sales by category for February 2025:

The Library of Congress

The White House fired Shira Perlmutter, the register of copyrights and director of the Copyright Office, by e-mail on Saturday. The Washington Post reported that acting librarian of Congress Robert Newlen sent an e-mail to his staff about the termination just two days after Donald Trump fired the Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden, who appointed Perlmutter in October 2020.

Perlmutter's office had recently released a report on artificial intelligence "that raised concerns about using copyrighted materials to train AI systems, which some employees suspected may have influenced Perlmutter's termination," the Post noted. 

"Several stages in the development of generative AI involve using copyrighted works in ways that implicate the owners' exclusive rights," the report said. "The key question, as most commenters agreed, is whether those acts of prima facie infringement can be excused as fair use."

In a statement, Rep. Joseph Morelle (N.Y.), the top Democrat on the Committee on House Administration, said it was "no coincidence" the register of copyrights position was terminated shortly after the office released its AI report, calling the White House's decision "a brazen, unprecedented power grab with no legal basis."

On Monday, Trump appointed Todd Blanche, deputy Attorney General of the U.S., to be the acting Librarian of Congress, according to a Justice Department spokesperson. NPR noted that the permanent post of Librarian of Congress must be confirmed by the Senate, adding: "Blanche has no experience working in libraries or archives, according to his public profile. Now he will be running the largest one in the world. As a lawyer, he has focused on investigations and criminal litigation, including work for the President. Blanche served as one of Trump's personal lawyers, leading the defense in last year's criminal trial in which the President was found guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to conceal a payment to an adult film star."

A Library of Congress employee, who asked not to be identified for fear of retribution, told NPR that two men showed up at the Library building on Monday with a letter saying that in addition to Blanche's appointment, Brian Nieves had been named acting assistant librarian and Paul Perkins acting register of copyrights and director of the Copyright Office. 

"The men were not allowed into offices and left soon after, the employee said, adding that the Library of Congress is a legislative branch agency, and has not yet received direction from Congress on how to move forward," NPR wrote.

There is also concern that the administration and Elon Musk's DOGE will have access to a variety of confidential information at the Library of Congress, such as research questions from members.

Boss Lady Books, a mobile bookstore, and CJ's Cookie Counter, have teamed up "to create a space for local avid readers where books, cookies and coffee come together" at 506 N. Main St. in Lumberton, Tex., the Beaumont Enterprise reported. The new location opened April 11.

Amy Isbell, owner of Boss Lady Books, and CJ's Cookie Counter owner Ashley Moss said the idea to bring their businesses together came after a seasonal event last November, but "before beginning to work together officially, they redesigned the pink 'kids-centered place' to a hybrid cafe-bakery with cool blue tones," the Enterprise wrote.

"I loved (Isbell's) bookmobile, and I just thought this collaboration needed to happen," Moss said. "I'm an avid reader, and so this is the best ever. I love it. Every reader wants a snack and a place to hang out."

Isbell and Moss envision their venture hosting community gatherings and events. "We serve coffee now, in addition to cookies and books," Moss said. "And now, we're offering for people to host their book club meeting here, so it's just a great fun space."

Isbell added: "You don't really see this around Southeast Texas. All we really have is Barnes & Noble, and they're great, but it's not really local.... [The] majority of small business owners want to give to see other small businesses thrive. I know that (tariffs) are probably coming. Right now it hasn't affected us yet, like with the bookmobile, a lot of that is used books. But a lot of my newer books do come from overseas. I know it's been hard for a lot of people, and we've all been molded by all the changes over the last few years. But we'll continue to push forward and see how it goes."

Ingram Content Group has named Dr. Rajen Bhatt to the newly created role of director of AI, "designed to further drive innovation across Ingram." Bhatt will head Ingram's efforts to integrate AI across the company while developing uses for publishers, retailers, libraries and authors, Ingram said.

Rajen Bhatt

Bhatt has previously held roles at HP Inc., Bosch, Samsung, and Qeexo, where he spearheaded AI-powered initiatives and led teams developing machine learning products. 

"Ingram has long been at the forefront of innovation in publishing, and AI presents an incredible opportunity to further enhance our global operations," said CIO Steve Marshall. "With Dr. Bhatt's leadership, we are well-positioned to drive AI-powered growth, ensuring efficiency and security remain core to our initiatives, and thereby strengthening our position in the industry."

Marilyn Hasbrouck, co-owner of architecture-themed Prairie Avenue Bookshop in Chicago, Ill., died March 21. She was 91. The Chicago Sun-Times reported she created a space that, throughout its 35-year existence, "was much more than an architectural book retailer. It was a meeting ground for architects and design devotees, where buyers could find rare works or the latest ones--then kick back in furniture designed or inspired by the likes of Mies van der Rohe, or Charles Rennie Mackintosh." The bookstore closed in 2009.

With her husband, the architect and preservationist Wilbert R. Hasbrouck (who died in 2018), the couple turned what began as a book collection in the basement of their Palos Park home in the late 1960s into what the Financial Times called "the best architectural bookstore in the world."

"That was her thing," architect Charles Hasbrouck, one of the couple's two sons, said of the bookstore. "A lot of people thought that was my dad's bookstore. In fact, while they were partners on all [of their endeavors, the bookstore] was always my mother's. She was the proprietor.
 She ran the bookstore."

Marilyn Hasbrouck earned a degree from Iowa State Teachers College (now University of Northern Iowa), then moved to Mapleton, Iowa, where she met and married her husband.

"She was always interested in the arts," said Charles Hasbrouck. "Painting and music and architecture and all those various arts. And that's one of the things that brought them together."

By 1959, the couple had relocated to Chicago. Wilbert Hasbrouck collected architecture books, including rare titles, and the couple formed Prairie School Press to reprint books that were out-of-print and hard-to-find. By 1964, they started the publication Prairie School Review, which "profiled the works of architects Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Sullivan and lesser-known Midwestern Prairie School architects," the Sun-Times noted.

Wilbert Hasbrouck was eventually hired to assemble libraries for architecture schools. The books and magazines stored in their basement were ultimately used to open the Prairie Avenue Bookshop in 1974, which moved twice before settling at its final location on Wabash Ave. in 1995. It "became globally known for its huge selection and also its backlist of vintage books that were still in publication. Noted for its three levels and 14,000 volumes, the Wabash Avenue store was also celebrated for its classy, welcoming décor," the Sun-Times wrote.

"She arranged the furniture, arranged the objects, arranged the books," Charles Hasbrouck said. "She worked cash register; she ordered the books. When you came in, pretty much everything you saw was what she wanted you to see."

Oprah Winfrey has chosen Ocean Vuong's The Emperor of Gladness (Penguin Press) as the latest Oprah's Book Club Pick. Winfrey said, "Those of you who are Ocean Vuong fans or have read his previous book or his poetry understand that he is an extraordinary writer, one of the best of our time and for the ages. I am thrilled and I feel privileged to tell you about this new Book Club selection."

"It was the honor of my life to receive 'the call' from Oprah," said Vuong. "Beyond the immense pride this moment instills in me, Oprah's Book Club has made reading accessible and approachable to the working-class communities of my childhood." 

As Vuong was growing up, The Oprah Winfrey Show played every day in his mother's nail salon, and when a Book Club author was featured, Vuong recalled watching the salon workers "literally rise from their seats with poise and confidence, saying they're gonna walk to the Barnes & Noble across the street and buy a book, suddenly armed with access to the discourse, and thereby in possession of the cultural center." 

Knowing that his own book is part of this lineage is truly "awe-inspiring," he added. Vuong's only wish is that his mother, who died in 2019, were alive to share in the celebration: "Among all the literary achievements in an author's life, this would be the one she truly recognizes."

Oprah interviewed Vuong for the latest episode of Oprah's Book Club: Presented by Starbucks, available here.

"Despite the dreary and soggy weather, our Grand Opening turned out to be amazing, and the only thing that made it even better was THIS moment right here. The absolute cherry on top of a really wonderful day was having our night end with a surprise engagement happen inside our new book shop!!!" Red Stick Reads, Baton Rouge, La., posted on Instagram. 

"To look over at the end of a very long and exhausting day, and see two people deciding to take the next step in their love story under our roof was nothing short of magical. It instantly washed away how tired we had been feeling, and replaced it with so much love and good energy.

"We are incredibly grateful for the warm welcome we received from our Red Stick Reader community over the weekend, and we are beyond honored that Jake & Sarah will always be a very special part of our bookshop's story. Thank you to everyone that made our Grand Opening weekend so unforgettable, and to Jake & Sarah... cheers to new beginnings!!"

"Morning Nash. Morning Hoomans. Morning Kitten Treats." Cupboard Maker Books, Enola, Pa., shared a video of the shop's bookseller cat Nash on the hunt for breakfast.

Something Between Us: The Everyday Walls of American Life and How to Take Them Down by Anand Pandian (Redwood Press/Stanford University Press).

Tomorrow:
CBS Mornings: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, co-author of We All Want to Change the World: My Journey Through Social Justice Movements from the 1960s to Today (Crown, $30, 9780593735107).

Also on CBS Mornings: John B. King Jr., author of Teacher by Teacher: The People Who Change Our Lives (Legacy Lit, $29, 9781538757772).

The View: Matteo Lane, author of Your Pasta Sucks: A "Cookbook" (Chronicle, $29.95, 9781797229560).

David Hoberman (Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers, Wonder) of Hobie Films and Caroline Fraser of HarperCollins Productions (Carmen Sandiego, The Oregon Trail) will produce an animated movie based on E.B. White's book, The Trumpet of the Swan, with David Guion and Michael Handelman attached to write. Julie Meschko of Hobie Films is executive producing. The book has sold 10 million copies worldwide and has never gone out of print.

"The Trumpet of the Swan is one of the most powerful stories ever written about a character with a disability who learns that what makes them different makes them extraordinary," said Fraser. "The story will take audiences on a breathtaking visual and musical journey as this beloved character finds his voice."
 
Hoberman added: "I'm delighted to partner with HarperCollins Productions and Guion and Handelman in bringing E.B. White's beautiful, elegant, and touching story to the screen."

Winners of the 2025 Age Book of the Year Awards were named at the opening night of the recent Melbourne Writers Festival. The winning authors received  A$10,000 (about US$6,370) each.

Vortex by Rodney Hall won the Age Book of the Year award for fiction. The fiction judges described the book as a late-career marvel "that sticks with you... often surprisingly funny and sad all at once.... At a time when many will feel caught up in the vortex of global events, this novel feels both particular to its time and place and yet universal."

Lech Blaine's memoir Australian Gospel won the Age Book of the Year nonfiction award. Calling the book "an enriching experience," the judges said Blaine is "an exceptionally gifted storyteller, alive to all the nuances of character and the circumstances that shape the lives of people."

photo: Katie Heiner Photography

Joanna Ho is the author of We Who Produce Pearls, Eyes That Kiss in the Corners, and The Silence That Binds Us. She earned her master's in educational leadership at the University of California, Berkeley, and her passion for equity in books and education is matched only by her love of homemade chocolate chip cookies, outdoor adventures, and dance parties with her kids. Becoming Boba (Orchard Books, $18.99), illustrated by Amber Ren, is a picture book about a nontraditional boba tea.

Handsell readers your book in 25 words or less:

Becoming Boba explores nuanced questions about identity and belonging in a sweet story told through the most adorable pictures of a beloved beverage.

On your nightstand now:

Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar. I just started reading this and am already in awe of the character building in the first few pages. I can't wait to see where the story goes; the writing is masterful.

Everything We Never Had by Randy Ribay. Randy is a genius. I like to say I helped write this book because when he was working through some of the deeper emotional scenes he had been avoiding, I sat across from him at a coffee shop doing my darndest to distract him from his work. I admire Randy as a human and an author, and I have this on my nightstand because I want to go back and study how he creates such emotional resonance with such economy of language and such powerful, true to life scenes.

Favorite book when you were a child:

When I was a child, the only times I saw Asian characters in books were in very stereotypical and racist depictions. More often I didn't see any Asian characters at all. The one exception to this was when I discovered books by Laurence Yep. I read and reread his Dragon series, which begins with a dragon named Shimmer who has been wandering in exile for hundreds of years after stealing a dream pearl. It was the first time I saw my culture reflected in a book and I was amazed.

Favorite book to read to a child:

Du Iz Tak by Carson Ellis. It's a picture book written entirely in a made-up language. The brilliance is that the combination of made-up words plus illustrations creates a story that readers of all ages can understand. My kids and I still laugh every time we read it, and it's even funnier when we ask someone who has never read it before to read it aloud for the first time!

Your top five authors:

Jacqueline Woodson, Margarita Engle, Randy Ribay, Aida Salazar, Ellen Oh.

Each of these authors has made a tremendous impact on me as a human and as an author. Jacqueline Woodson and Margarita Engle's poetic, lyrical, and layered picture books helped me find and hone my own writing style when I was just starting out. I mentioned Randy above because he writes with nuance and emotional power in books that pull readers in with their connection to characters. Aida also writes world-changing, revolutionary stories that speak to readers of all ages; she and Ellen live what they write on the page. I admire them for their creative genius and their fearless activism on behalf of humanity.

Book you've faked reading:

I've never faked reading a book. For better or worse, I feel like I need to read everything I'm assigned, even textbooks. The book I do wish I had skipped was The Jungle by Upton Sinclair. To this day, I am still traumatized by the scene where the rats eat the toes of one of the characters!

Book you're an evangelist for:

The Making of Asian America by Erika Lee. This book taught me so much about the history of Asians in America, none of which I had ever learned before in or outside of school. It was eye-opening, rage-inducing, and ultimately empowering to understand that Asians in our ancestral homelands--and Asians here in America--have always stood up and fought back against injustice. We have always worked in solidarity with other marginalized groups. It not only heavily influenced the book I'm most proud of, We Who Produce Pearls, but it also connected me with both those who paved the way for me and those who will follow after.

Book you've bought for the cover:

The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan. It's such a beautiful cover--and the book is even better! It is a heartbreaking story of grief, love, and family and it's also one of the first books I've ever read that reflects my own Taiwanese roots.

Book you hid from your parents:

Call me boring, but I never hid books from my parents! I think my mom was too busy reading her own murder mysteries to care what I was reading. I think she was just happy she made a bookworm like her.

Book that changed your life:

There are so many! I used to think there was something wrong with me until I read Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain. I am outgoing when I'm comfortable, but more often I'm a quiet observer in large groups. I'm terrible at small talk, I'm not the life of the party.... I prefer one-on-one interaction where I can go really deep with another person. This book helped me better understand myself and my introversion--where I draw energy--in a way that empowered me and helped me to embrace this little understood quality!

Favorite line from a book:

"I wanted to toss them." --Drew Beckmeyer, I Am a Tornado

This is yet another example of a brilliant picture book. It tells an engaging and hilarious story about a tornado and is easily understood, even by the youngest readers, to really be about big feelings, tantrums, and mindfulness.

When I read this book with my two kids, we all laugh hysterically at this line, spoken by a grumpy tornado who is reluctantly talking through his feelings with a very patient cow. And, when I asked my children who this reminded them of, both immediately made personal connections to times they'd wanted to (or actually did!) toss things during big emotions. I love the simplicity and power of picture books!

Five books you'll never part with:

What Do You Do with a Problem? by Kobi Yamada

We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom, illustrated by Michaela Goade

Drawn Together by Minh Lê, illustrated by Dan Santat

Dreamers by Yuyi Morales

Drum Dream Girl by Margarita Engle

Each of these books was pivotal in my own writing journey. They showed me how art can be activism, especially for young people--that great picture books can be complex and layered and nuanced in ways that invite questions and dialogue about social and human issues. I love the lyrical writing and the ways each of these books combine text with art so masterfully.

Book you most want to read again for the first time:

All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir. Phew! This book absolutely blew my mind. I wish I could read it again and soak in the story while also dissecting how Sabaa created such complex characters, the intergenerational impact of choices and trauma, and somehow tied the story together with healing and love.

In their nearly flawless first co-written YA novel, Olivia A. Cole (Ariel Crashes a Train) and Ashley Woodfolk (The Beauty That Remains) reveal that revenge isn't always a dish best served cold; in their talented hands, it's actually heartwarming.

Beautiful, biracial Maia Moon is a makeup influencer, captain of the debate team, the marching band drum major, and newly single. Well, sort of. She has broken up with Tatum Westbrook three times in the last six months. In that time, she's been kissing badass white lesbian Beau Carl in the supply closet at Beau's job and flirting with Charm Montgomery, her Black trigonometry tutor. But when Maia accepts Tatum's elaborate promposal, Beau and Charm learn that Maia's been playing them both. The teens form a plan to "make her feel what [they] feel." Charm, who has only kissed one girl, will take "Lesbian Lessons" from Beau to ensure that Maia will say yes when Charm asks Maia to prom--where Charm will dump her. To cement the plan's success, Beau and Charm also create a few rules, including, of course, "don't fall in love." Readers will likely know what's coming: as Beau teaches Charm the skills she'll need to win Maia's heart, they realize that seeing their plan through will be a lot harder than expected.

Call Your Boyfriend is a smart, buoyant YA romance. Cole and Woodfolk clearly respect rom-com formulas and tropes, and expertly demonstrate how to deploy them with skill, using formulas (the revenge plot, the unlikely allies) as narrative scaffolding to firmly ground a novel that becomes satisfying, even reassuring, in its predictability. Beau, Charm, and Maia are all types (the cool tough girl, the shy brainy girl, the perfect popular girl), but Cole and Woodfolk's most clever technique is to not try to subvert them. Instead, they adopt a "yes and" approach, employing subplots and secondary characters to add dimension and complexity to their central characters. Beau is in a garage band--the epitome of cool--but readers see her grapple with writer's block; Charm enthusiastically supports her best friend's attempted romantic conquests, though she is too shy to admit her feelings for Beau. What's better, Cole and Woodfolk make it all look utterly effortless.

Call Your Boyfriend easily fits on a shelf--alongside Becky Albertalli's Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, Jenny Han's To All the Boys I've Loved Before, and Alice Oseman's Heartstopper series--of the 21st century's most beloved contemporary rom-coms for teen readers. --Stephanie Appell, freelance reviewer

Shelf Talker: This smart, buoyant YA romance offers an expert demonstration of deploying rom-com formulas as two girls team up to get revenge on the popular girl who broke both their hearts.