Total net book sales in April in the U.S. fell 4.0%, to $931.7 million, compared to April 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 0.2%, to $4.1 billion.
There were several unusual changes in April results. Adult mass market, which has trended downward for years, had the highest sales growth in April, at 31.9%, while digital audio, the fastest-growing category most months for the past years, saw sales drop 12.5%. Special bindings sales have also dropped significantly, by 14.5% in April.
Overall trade net revenue in April dropped 2.7%, and net sales of adult books were down 4.7% while net sales of children's/YA titles rose 5.7%. For the year to date, adult fiction net sales are down 4% while adult nonfiction has slipped 0.4%. For the year to date, children's/YA fiction net sales are flat while children's/YA nonfiction net sales have risen 6%.
In April, trade hardcover revenues rose 2.6%, to $273.5 million, and trade paperbacks were down 3.8%, to $251.9 million.
Sales by category for April 2025:
