Total net book sales in June in the U.S. rose 11%, to $936.3 million, compared to June 2025, representing sales of 1,416 publishers and distributed clients as reported to the Association of American Publishers. For the full year, net book sales rose 3.9%, to $5.64 billion.

In June, trade sales rose 12.1%, to $765.1 million. The biggest categories with sales jumps in June included adult hardcovers, paperbacks, and mass market; university press hardcovers, paperbacks, and e-books; and religious paperbacks. Lagging categories were children's special bindings and children's/YA e-books; religious mass market and e-books, professional & scholarly books, and physical audio. For the first half of the year, trade sales rose 3.8%, to $4.568 billion. In June, hardcover sales increased 14.5% while paperback increased 18.2%. Together the two formats represented 70% of total trade revenue.

Sales by category for June 2026:

Kids Ink Books & Toys, Indianapolis, Ind., will expand to Carmel, Ind., this fall with the opening of a second location.

Kate Fitgerald (l.) and Wendy Fitzgerald

The new store will reside at 22 N. Rengeline Rd. in Carmel's Arts & Design District. It will carry a curated selection of children's books, along with toys and gifts, and there will be a particular emphasis on baby and young-child gifts. The store will have about 1,000 square feet of retail space, including a storytime area and craft tables, as well as about 1,000 square feet of warehouse space, which will be used for the store's education business, the Kids Ink School Partners program.

"Books are at the center of everything we do," said co-owner Wendy Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald and her daughter Kate Fitzgerald acquired the bookstore in 2025. "Whether we're helping a child discover the book that turns them into a reader, working with a teacher to build a classroom library, or bringing an author into a school, our goal is the same: to put great books into kids’ hands and create meaningful connections around them."

Asked what drew her to the new location, Fitzgerald called Carmel a "gorgeous community," noting that US News & World Report recently ranked it as the best place to live in the United States. "We believe that they are in desperate need of an indie children's bookstore in town!"

Fitzgerald plans to have the Carmel store open by October 15. Given the proximity to the holidays, a grand opening will wait until spring, with a local author festival planned.

Pages & Peonies, a romance-focused bookstore in Grand Rapids, Mich., will be closing its physical storefront and transitioning to an online and event model, WZZM-TV reported.

Owners Sarah Gramza-Howard and Jess Hodges will close the store this fall and "strictly focus on bookish event-planning," they wrote in an announcement posted to social media. They will continue to run the store's Spicy Pages Book Box subscription and monthly book club meetings, and additional event plans include craft nights and a fall book retreat scheduled for the end of October.

"We've discovered our favorite thing about our business is the opportunity for participating in events that encourage inclusivity within the community, exposure and open-mindedness to the romance genre, and collaborations with other local artists and small businesses," the owners explained. "We're also moving into the next phase of life where we're hoping to expand our families, and we'd like more time and flexibility within our work-life balance."

Hodges and Gramza-Howard will close the physical store after selling through their remaining inventory; they hope to do so sometime next month. The pair opened Pages & Peonies in 2025. Located at 2751 Alpine Ave. NW, the store carried a wide range of romance titles with an emphasis on independent authors. 

"It has been a heavy decision to make, but we feel relief knowing the business will continue, we’re just shifting our energies a bit to accommodate ourselves & our families," they wrote. "We’re incredibly grateful to our community and each of our loyal shoppers/visitors/viewers--we love each and every one of you and thank you for the time and support you’ve offered us!"

Barnes & Noble will open new stores next week, in Jenkintown, Pa., and Elk Grove, Calif.

The Elk Grove store will open on Tuesday, September 15, at 8120 Elk Grove Blvd. in the Village shopping center. The store spans 20,000 square feet and includes a B&N Cafe. Local author Tarah DeWitt (Lost and Found) will be on hand Tuesday for a ribbon cutting and signing. The costumed character Biscuit the Dog will also appear.

The Elk Grove store is the fourth B&N location to open in California this year, following openings in Turlock, Clovis, and Costa Mesa. Four more stores will open in California before the end of the year, in Ontario, Fremont, San Marcos, and Cupertino.

The Jenkintown store will open on Wednesday, September 16, in the Noble Town Center at 905 Old York Rd. It spans more than 20,000 square feet and is located across the street from where B&N operated a store from 1993 to 2013. The grand opening will feature a ribbon cutting and signing with K.L. Walther, author of The Summer of Second Chances, as well as an appearance by Biscuit the Dog. 

B&N will open 60 stores in 2026 and has opened 180 over the last three years.

Fred Ciporen, former head of Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and School Library Journal for many years, died September 4. He was 87. 

Fred Ciporen

As noted in PW's obituary, Fred "taught history at three different universities before getting into the publishing business at Fairchild Publications. Immediately prior to joining Cahners, he was publisher of Computer Decisions magazine." In 1988, he was named publisher of LJ and SLJ, and then a few years later became publisher of PW, too.

Fred was unusually creative and challenging, changing much about the magazines and how they covered the book world. He became a major advocate for libraries, emphasizing their importance to publishers. At PW, he expanded coverage beyond the publishing world to include bookselling, wholesaling, and distribution in deeper ways. He was a fierce supporter of free speech.

Some of us at Shelf Awareness worked at PW when Fred was in charge and were forever changed by the experience. He had a way of lighting up when hearing or telling about new ideas and new ways of looking at things. He often did and said the unexpected, which sometimes got him in trouble. Still, he was a breath of fresh air in what was a small part of a huge international conglomerate. He encouraged many of the staff to be more creative, to improve their work, look at their jobs as more than just jobs. He was also very supportive of Shelf Awareness in our early years.

Fred's funeral will take place today at 11:30 a.m. at Plaza Jewish Community Chapel at 630 Amsterdam Ave. in New York City. The family suggests that in his memory plant trees in Israel, donate to the Brooklyn Public Library, or donate to a favorite charity in his name. --John Mutter

Poet and historian Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz celebrated the release of her book The Ballad of the Fugitive William Parker (Simon & Schuster) at Powerhouse Arena Dumbo, Brooklyn, N.Y., where she was in conversation with Amber Tamblyn, with performances by poets Jon Sands, Sarah Kay, and Shawn Randall. Pictured: (front row, l.-r.): bookseller Amanda Nava; Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz; Amber Tamblyn; Elena Stokes and Tanya Farrell, Wunderkind PR; (back row) Jon Sands, Sarah Kay, Shawn Randall.

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:

4. The Birthing Tree by Amanda Peters (Catapult)
22. The Nudge by Joseph Fink (Podium Publishing)
29. The Eye of Goliath by Diego Muzzio (Pushkin Press)

This week's debut nonfiction titles:

2. Crossing the Wine-Dark Sea: Journeys Through Ancient Literature by Emily Wilson (Liveright)
6. Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy by Mary Roach (W. W. Norton)
11. Notes to New Mothers edited by Rebecca Knight (W. W. Norton)
18. Dark Renaissance: The Dangerous Times and Fatal Genius of Shakespeare's Greatest Rival by Stephen Greenblatt (W. W. Norton)
24. Stay Calm: Learn to Embrace Uncertainty in Investing and Life by David Booth (Authors Equity)
26. The Functional Home: A Practical Guide to Planning Intentional Living Spaces by Julie Jones (Cool Springs Press)
29. 53 Days: How Hitler Dismantled a Democracy by Timothy W. Ryback (Atlantic Monthly Press)
31. Morning in Marin: Zen, Drugs, and Ewoks on the California Coast by David Perlis (Heyday Books)
38. Less Achieves More: How to Focus on What Truly Matters by Cyril Peupion (Bard Press)

Ingram's Two Rivers Distribution will handle sales and distribution for Wordsworth Editions, effective in January.

Founded in 1987, Wordsworth Editions is a U.K. publisher dedicated to making classic literature accessible and affordable to readers around the world. In 1992, it launched the £1 Classics paperback series, developed by the late Michael Trayler. Wordsworth Editions has an extensive catalog of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, children's classics, and reference titles at affordable prices and beautifully produced.

Nichola Trayler, director of Wordsworth Editions, said, "Partnering with Two Rivers Distribution marks an exciting new chapter for Wordsworth Editions as we expand our presence in North America. Their expertise, market reach, and commitment to independent publishing make them an ideal partner for bringing our books to even more readers across the United States and Canada."

Nick Parker, v-p of Ingram Publisher Services, said, "We're delighted to welcome Wordsworth Editions to Two Rivers, and we look forward to expanding their reach across North America and connecting more readers with their extraordinary catalog. Wordsworth has earned a remarkable reputation among readers and booksellers for bringing the world's greatest classics to life. From iconic paperbacks to beautifully produced collector hardbacks, their publishing program offers something for every reader and every price point."

The two most popular books in August at Reading Group Choices were Meet Me in the Garden by Nina LaCour (Flatiron Books) and The Watersmith by Yance Wyatt (Regal House).

Today:
Here & Now: R.F. Kuang, author of Taipei Story (Morrow, $32, 9780063473744).

Tomorrow:
Tamron Hall repeat: Arthur C. Brooks, author of The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness (Portfolio, $30, 9780593545423).

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.

Saturday, September 12
8:15 a.m. Garrett Graff, author of The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 (Avid Reader Press, $22, 9781501182211).

4 p.m. Tom McMillan, author of Flight 93: The Story, the Aftermath, and the Legacy of American Courage on 9/11 (Lyons Press, $16.95, 9781493009343).

8:38 p.m. Tim Brown, author of The Greatest Love: Lessons for Living with Extraordinary Courage--Even After the Worst Day of Your Life (Convergent Books, $28, 9780593981399). (Re-airs Sunday at 10:05 p.m.)

9:53 p.m. Jeffrey Robinson, author of Ash and Honor: The Untold 368 Minutes of 9/11 (St. Martin's Press, $28, 9781250465191). (Re-airs Sunday at 7:45 p.m.)

Sunday, September 13
2:15 p.m. Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn, authors of 102 Minutes: The Unforgettable Story of the Fight to Survive Inside the Twin Towers (Times Books, $25.99, 9780805094213).

The shortlist has been selected for the €25,000 (about $29,000) 2026 German Book Prize. The winner will be named October 5 in Frankfurt on the eve of the Frankfurt Book Fair. The shortlist:

Shida Bazyar for Die Lücken (Kiepenheuer & Witsch)
Franziska Gänsler for Orca (Kein & Aber)
Valeria Gordeev for Die Zikade entschlüpft ihrer goldglänzenden Hülle (S. Fischer)
Elias Hirschl for Schleifen (Paul Zsolnay)
Peggy Mädler for Selbstregulierung des Herzens (Galiani Berlin)
Dana Vowinckel for Anton und Alma (Suhrkamp)

Selected new titles appearing next Tuesday, September 15:

Exit Party: A Novel by Emily St. John Mandel (Knopf, $32, 9780593321461) takes place in the aftermath of the collapse of the United States and revolves around the disappearance of a party host.

Our Noble Selves: A Novel by Kate Atkinson (Doubleday, $32, 9780385551168) follows a journalist in postwar London suspected of murder.

Dead Beat by Leigh Bardugo (Flatiron, $29.99, 9781250884312) concludes the Ninth House horror trilogy.

Hollow Bones: A Novel by Jodi Picoult (Ballantine, $34, 9780593726259) follows a disaster response planner whose mother died on 9/11.

The Rouse by China Miéville (Del Rey, $40, 9780399181092) combines historical and supernatural fiction spanning the second half of the 20th century.

The Perilous Fight by Colin Kaepernick (Legacy Lit, $32.50, 9781538777879) is the memoir of the athlete whose football career was cut short by his civil rights activism.

End Times Fascism: And the Fight for the Living World by Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, $32, 9780374621384) looks at Christian nationalists, tech reactionaries and other far right groups seeking to destroy the world while protecting themselves from the consequences.

Story Telling: A Writing Life by Isabel Allende (Ballantine, $26, 9798217094639) delves into the creative process of the bestselling author.

Never Say Die: A Memoir by Ke Huy Quan (Grand Central, $32.50, 9781538776995) is the memoir of the Asian American child actor who unexpectedly found success again decades later.

How to Do Consent (without Sounding Like a Robot): Learning Boundaries, Navigating Discomfort, and Getting to Know What You Really Want by Mia Schachter (North Atlantic Books, $21.95, 9798889843665) is part practical guide, part cultural critique, and offers braver, more creative, and more empowered visions of what sex can (and should) be.

Be the Acorn by Jason Douglas Griffin (Roaring Brook, $19.99, 9781250417220) is the Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator's first picture book.

Sashimi and the Field Trip of Doom by Dan Santat (Roaring Brook, $8.99, 9781250359957) is a graphic novel for six- to 10-year-olds featuring the continued adventures of a fish boy pretending to be human. 

Paperbacks:
Desperate Bodies by Lydia Mathis (Roxane Gay Books, $18, 9780802166708).

Grim Tidings by B.K. Borison (Avon, $18.99, 9780063430464).

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 Oxford Guide to Scandal and Lies: A Novel by Kate Westbury (Minotaur Books, $29, 9781250424105). "Post-WWII Oxford has never been this fun to get lost in. Give me a reluctant partnership and a slow burn any day. The thrill of discovery and uncovering kept driving this forward and the romance was the cherry on top." --Mackenzie Cooper, Ballast Book Company, Bremerton, Wash.

Daggerbound (Swordheart #2) by T. Kingfisher (Bramble, $29.99, 9781250400086). "What an absolute delight of a fantasy adventure! Kingfisher has a way of capturing what it feels like to play Dungeons and Dragons with your friends, but in novel form. The perfect balance of humor, romance, and edge of your seat action." --Emma Lucore, East City Bookshop, Washington, D.C.

Paperback
Ship Happens: A Novel by Mason Deaver (Avon, $18.99, 9780063394346). "I'm not exaggerating when I say that this book has everything I've wanted in any piece of media ever. Transgender AND disability rep, and a diverse found family of characters that makes your stomach hurt from laughter and your heart ache all at once? Heaven." --Joey Santo Domingo, Black Garnet Books, Saint Paul, Minn.

Ages 4-8
I Am Murphy and I Am Waiting by Dan Yaccarino (Holt BYR, $18.99, 9781250424280). "Murphy has very big feelings about that big yellow thing that took his boy away. Hilarity ensues as Murphy finds all sorts of ways to pass the time until the best reunion ever." --Jennifer Carney, Sidetrack Bookshop, Royal Oak, Mich.

Ages 8-12
Fatal Glitch: Camp Zero by Erin Entrada Kelly and Eliot Schrefer, illus. by Jeannette Arroyo (Stonefruit Studio, $14.99, 9781464241048). "Sonia, narrator and avid Sandbox gamer, is sent to bare-bones Camp Forestjaw with six other kids. Part high-tech, part horror story, one camper is 'eliminated' each day of their camp week. Where do they go? Who'll remain and win the prize? Amazing! I'm already watching for the next installment." --Susan Posch, The Book Shoppe, Boone, Iowa

Ages 13+ (Indies Introduce)
72 Hours of You by Darianne Schramm (Disney Hyperion, $19.99, 9781368116077). "Sydney Hoffman has a problem: she sees clocks that appear over people's heads 72 hours before they die. And no, she can't prevent their deaths. She has strict rules about what to do when these clocks appear, and she is determined to keep their existence a secret. But Peter, a sweet, attractive boy in her class, challenges all her safeguards. This page-turner has a pitch-perfect young adult voice, twists upon twists, and a killer, swoony romance." --Michael Leali, Mrs. Dalloway's Literary & Garden Arts, Berkeley, Calif.

[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]

Gemma Tizzard's gripping second novel, The Nightingales of Boston, plunges readers into the devastating 1942 fire at Boston's Cocoanut Grove nightclub, and follows the stories of three women whose lives overlap as a result of the disaster.

On a chilly wartime Thanksgiving weekend, aspiring Boston Globe reporter Inez Reyes heads to the Grove hoping to capture a story but soon finds herself providing assistance as badly burned victims claw their way to safety. One of those victims, Alice Corrigan, is determined to reunite with her fiancé, George, after getting separated from him in the blaze. Both women end up at Boston City Hospital, where capable nurse Nina Jackson is already exhausted from a weekend shift and totally unprepared for the hundreds of burn victims that will flood the hospital. As the fire's horrific impact becomes clear, all three women dig deep into their reserves of courage and grit to help where they can and, in Inez's case, bring some uncomfortable truths to light.

Tizzard (Grace of the Empire State) tells their story in alternating chapters, giving readers a sense of each woman's fears and priorities in the wake of the fire. Alice is primarily focused on searching for George but also ends up aiding families trying to locate their loved ones at the hospital. Nina, struggling to maintain her professional demeanor, becomes horrified and exhausted by the injuries and the massive efforts required to triage and treat. And Inez, though she's itching to write a front-page story, also recognizes that reconnecting victims with their families--and holding the club's owner accountable for the fire's cause--matters far more than a byline.

Tizzard's narrative brims with details of 1940s Boston: the North End's narrow streets filled with Italian restaurants; the presence of young, newly minted military recruits; and the complicated balancing act required of young women striving to build their own lives. She explores each woman's motivations and hesitations, including (particularly in Alice's case) the difficulty of acting independently from parents and other authority figures. Inez must walk a tricky line of being respectful to her editor, cultivating her own story sources, and insisting on the truth, even when no one wants to hear it from a young Latina woman.

Fast-paced and packed with medical details (the fire proved to be a landmark moment for advances in burn care), Tizzard's novel puts a human face on the fire's nearly 500 victims and shines a light on the strength of women who choose courage and compassion under pressure. --Katie Noah Gibson, blogger at Cakes, Tea and Dreams

Shelf Talker: Gemma Tizzard's gripping second novel follows the intertwined stories of three young women in the aftermath of Boston's devastating Cocoanut Grove nightclub fire.

In case you didn't get the memo, last weekend was not just the annual lead-in to Labor Day, but for book lovers it also happened to be--as if bookish planets were aligning--Read a Book Day (Sept. 6) and Buy a Book Day (Sept. 7). Personally, I would have switched the order, but that's just the bookseller in me talking. 

At Gramercy Books

As might be expected, independent booksellers celebrated all the days. On Labor Day, Left on Read, Wichita, Kan., posted: "Yesterday was National Read a Book Day. Today is National Buy a Book Day. Left on Read might be closed, but you don't have to miss out!... Purchase your next great read and celebrate with us wherever you are." 

Other indies mixing and matching book days included Bookworks, Albuquerque, N.Mex., which noted another imminent day for reading: "Happy National Buy-A-Book Day, Y'all! We are *indeed* open on Labor Day! Drop by, say 'hi,' and grab a book or ten. (You wouldn't want to be empty handed for International Literacy Day tomorrow, would you?) We can't wait to see you!" 

On Sunday, Blacksburg Books, Blacksburg, Va., posted: "It's Labor Day, but it's also National Buy A Book Day--so of course we're open. Come see us!" And Park Books, Severna Park, Md., marked the mid-point of the long weekend with a staff shoutout: "Today is National Read a Book Day! Be like the Park Books of Maryland staff--find a good book, disconnect and enjoy a quiet afternoon with your book. What are you reading today?"

At Serendipity Books

Gramercy Books, Bexley, Ohio, offered sound advice ("Now time to get off Instagram and go read your book! That is what we will be doing all day!"), while One More Page Books, Arlington, Va., noted: "Today is National Read a Book Day! Here is what the staff is currently reading. What are you going to read today?" And Serendipity Books, Chelsea, Mich., added: "You don't need to tell us twice. Celebrate with a cozy reading session or a trip to the bookstore (or both)! We're open regular hours today and tomorrow to make sure you have plenty of options to read all holiday weekend long!"

On Monday, Grit City Books, Tacoma, Wash., posted: "SEPTEMBER 7th IS NATIONAL BUY A BOOK DAY! We know it's also Labor Day, so treat your hardworking self to a little reading.... Whether you're treating yourself or someone else, we can't wait to help you find the right book!"

At Bridge Street Books, Humboldt, Kan., the store's goal was "to see if we can sell 100 books this weekend. We're drawing 100 books on the windows today, and we'll paint them in one by one throughout the weekend as you buy them." The bookshop sold 60 titles.

Bridge Street Books

Bookstore responses to and strategies for Labor Day itself were varied and interesting. Lovestruck Books & Cafe, Cambridge, Mass., offered a "little appreciation post for the people behind the books, the recommendations, the events, the coffee, and all the romance. Happy Labor Day to our Lovestruck Books & Cafe crew, you're the heart of it all."

Among the the questions to be addressed were whether to open and serve as a community space or close and give staff the day off. Bookstores opted for different strategies, and all seemed valid to me. Here's a sampling:

Montgomery & Taggert, Chester, Conn.: "Happy Labor Day! If we had staff, we'd give them the day off, but since we're an owner-operated bookstore, we're celebrating with a Flash Sale instead."

Daisy Chain Book Co., Edmonton, Alb., Canada: "We work so you can have more reading choices.... We fight for freedom of expression in literature, contrary opinions to popular ideas, access to all books, and a diverse narrative in our lives. We work so we can invest back into your community. Those things do not get a day off. We work for YOU. Thank you to our incredible team of booksellers who strive for the best each time you visit."

Wheatberry Books, Chillicothe, Ohio: "We'll be closed today for Labor Day! Our staff works incredibly hard to keep the shop running, and we're so grateful for everything they do--from unpacking boxes to recommending the perfect book and making Wheatberry feel like home. They've earned a day to rest, recharge, and enjoy some well-deserved time off."

Pearl Street Books, La Crosse, Wis.: "In honor of Labor Day tomorrow and working class movements, we wanted to share some Wisconsin history on the matter.... We'll be open regular hours on Labor Day at the request of those working. Stop in and say hello!"

Kepler's Books and Magazines, Menlo Park, Calif.: "Thank a union worker today! We aren't working 10 hours a day, 6 days a week, starting at age 9 because union workers fought for all of us. Thank you to my niece, Kim, a fierce union organizer! You go girl!!!"

For some bookselling folk, Labor Day meant... labor: "Oh, you're supposed to take Labor Day off?" Saffron & Co. Bookstore, Kingman, Ariz., posted. "I thought it was a day to work your ass off. We've had quite the weekend, and to say we're exhausted is an understatement. But Saffron & Co. can officially open its doors tomorrow. Just don't mind the dust. A huge thank you to the men in my life who worked their asses off right alongside me to make this bookstore expansion happen. I couldn't have done it without you."

I'll leave it to Wicked Good Books, Salem, Mass., to do the summing up with fine bookselling spirit: "Happy Labor Day!... We hope you have today off and that you will make time to visit your local bookstore. If you're nearby, come visit us!"