Total net book sales in March 2019 in the U.S. rose 23.7%, to $733.6 million, compared to March 2018, representing sales of 1,372 publishers and distributed clients as reported to the Association of American Publishers.

Tremendous jumps in higher ed course materials (up 202.3%) and K-12 instructional materials (up 30.8%) helped boost overall sales in March, although adult trade (up 9.6%) and children's & YA books (up 13.6%) had impressive gains, too. Religious presses (up 25.4%) also had substantial gains.

For the year to date, total net book sales have risen 6.7%, to $2.549 billion. At the same time, publisher net revenue for trade books rose 6%, to $1.61 billion.

Sales by category in March 2019 compared to March 2018: 

Paper June children's book and creativity shop will host its grand opening today at 927 N. Kansas Ave. in Topeka, Kan., with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, author event and free art activities throughout the day.

Owned by Angie Grau, Paper June's mission "will be two-fold, with one half being a bookstore and the second half serving as an art studio where classes will be taught. The bookstore will also host birthday parties," the Capital-Journal reported.

Grau said her late mother, for whom the shop is partly named, inspired the reading side while her daughter, Charlotte, spurred the creative side: "My desire for this continued to grow especially when Charlotte started kindergarten in 2017 and I learned she only has art once every two weeks for 30 to 45 minutes. It was really sad because there is so little they can accomplish in that amount of time and so little that she will learn, and it was something that I know she loves and I wanted to nurture that in her and encourage it."

She added: "You can be smart and creative. You can be a good athlete and creative. It's not this mutually exclusive thing where you can only be one or the other." Grau, who selects all of the books that will be sold in the store, said she has learned a lot from her daughter about what kids look for in books.

Grau hopes to help kids build self-esteem through Paper June. "There are a lot of kids who are shy about their talents and things they enjoy because they don't hear other kids talking about it," she said. "It's just not at the forefront of what our society deems to be the most important thing. [I want to be] able to help these kids, encourage them and help them see that art can be a part of who they are."

At the end of the month, Book Passage, which has three stores in the Bay Area, is closing its Sausalito, Calif., location, which opened in late 2016. The store, which has about 1,800 square feet of space, is a block north of the terminal for the ferry to San Francisco. (Steps from the other end of the ferry ride is another Book Passage. The original Book Passage store is in Corte Madera.)

Sales at the Sausalito store were "less than we had hoped, so we decided it was best to concentrate on our other two stores," co-owner Bill Petrocelli said. "The employees from the Sausalito store will be coming over to the other stores. As far as we could see, the customers at the Sausalito store were largely people who had already been customers at our other stores, so we don't expect that will change much."

He added overall business at Book Passages is fine and the company's expanding with several new program. "We think the closure of that store will actually have a positive impact on our overall business."

Elaine Petrocelli founded Book Passage in 1976 in Larkspur in a 900-square-foot space. Ten years later, Book Passage moved to Corte Madera and has grown steadily over the years to more than 12,000 square feet. In 2003, the Petrocellis opened in San Francisco. Book Passage holds an impressive range of author events, workshops, classes and conferences, including the Mystery Writers Conference and the Travel Writers and Photographers Conference.

This summer, 80% of American readers plan to put away their cell phones to focus on reading, according to an independent survey of 1,500 reading adults commissioned by Barnes & Noble, which reported that among those "expressing the desire to make reading a priority, many have vowed not to look at their phones for between 30 minutes and two hours during each reading session."

Conducted in early May by Atomik Research, the survey also showed that nearly 90% of parents with children between 6 and 17 years old plan to ask them not to use electronic devices during certain periods of time this summer. Of those, 44% said they want their kids to be device-free for more than three hours; 21% would be happy if their kids were off phones and videos for one to two hours a day.

"Parents have high hopes for themselves and their kids when it comes to reading habits this summer," said Tim Mantel, executive v-p and chief merchandising officer for B&N. "The desire to impose device-free time on themselves and their children was very strong among survey respondents, an indication of the importance of reading across generations."

The survey also found that 61% of parents said summer reading is very important to their families, while 70% said summer reading for their kids is just as important as reading during the school year. In addition, 69% of parents said their families read together during the summer, with 55% planning to read the same books as their children so they can have a bonding experience.

Of the readers surveyed, 38% hope to read one to three books this summer, while 37% hope to read four to six books. Among parents, 35% want their child/children to read four to six books this summer, 26% want them to read 10 or more books, and 25% want them to read one to three books.

In terms of genre breakdown, 48% plan to read mysteries, 37% history, 34% fantasy and 33% science fiction. Fifteen percent said they plan to join a book club this summer, with 7% saying they are already in a book club.

Among the respondents, 69% will most often read a print book, 24% a book on an electronic device, and 7% an audiobook. Of those reading or listening on a device, 34% will use an e-reader, 34% a cell phone and 32% a tablet.

When it comes to storytelling, the survey found that when a TV show or movie is based on a book, 77% of both summer readers and parents said the book is usually better than television show or movie.

"Even with the amazing technology in modern film-making and the broad variety of television programming, respondents still enjoy the reading experience more in terms of storytelling," Mantel said. "The idea of curling up with a good book never loses its appeal."

Ray Hillenbrand

Ray Hillenbrand, who opened Mitzi's Books, Rapid City, S.D., in 2011 to fill the gap left by the closing of Borders and to fulfill the dream of his late sister Mitzi Hillenbrand Lally--who had bought the building wanting to create a community bookstore--died May 31. He was 84.

"He was an advocate of arts, books, and our community," bookseller Heather Herbaugh observed, sharing a photo of the bookshop's chalkboard tribute to Hillenbrand. "He revitalized our downtown area, opened our store when the Borders closed so our town wouldn't be left without a bookstore, and was responsible for countless projects that made our community better. We will miss him very much."

Prairie Edge, which is "dedicated to preserving traditions" and was owned by Hillenbrand, posted on Facebook that he "was a different kind of man, he came to Rapid City and noticed a great many things needed to change but that there was also a lot that needed to be preserved. He was a champion of the arts, specifically the art of the local Native Americans. His vision to uplift the lives of the local artists came to fruition when he began the long journey with Prairie Edge. He admired the natural talent of the Lakota artists and that quality of work deserved a fair price. He never wavered on that point.... We are sad that our friend passed away, but we are happy to have known someone who did so much good for his community and fellow man. Our hearts are with his family."

Rapid City "lost one of its great boosters," KOTA reported. "The man had an out-sized impact on many aspects of life in town and most people never knew it. And that's just the way he wanted it. It's hard to overestimate the impact Hillenbrand had on Rapid City."

Kristen Arnett visited Books & Books in Coral Gables, Fla., to present her new novel, Mostly Dead Things (Tin House). Pictured: (l.-r.) Noah Littenberg-Weisberg, Gael LeLamer, Chris Alonso, Kristen Arnett, Cristina Lebron, Katherine Wakefield, Dana De Greff, Eden Sherman and Cristina Nosti.

Posted on Facebook yesterday by Joelle Herr, owner of the Bookshop, East Nashville, Tenn.: "I may or may not be listening to yacht rock in an attempt to hold onto any lingering vacation vibes on this my first day back in the shop. I missed this little nook--and y'all! Swing by. Til 6 today."

Blue Manatee Literacy Project and Bookstore in Cincinnati, Ohio, is celebrating National Martini Day, which is tomorrow, by offering its own signature cocktail called a Blue Manatini, Local12 reported. The store will have a tasting for the cocktail, which was created by Molly Wellmann, co-owner of several local bars, an award-winning bartender and mixologist, and author of Handcrafted Cocktails: The Mixologist's Guide to Classic Drinks for Morning, Noon & Night (Betterway Home).

Molly Koecher has been named operations manager of Longleaf Services, the University of North Carolina Press subsidiary that provides fulfillment and general publishing services to 18 university presses. She was formerly v-p and general manager of Sunrise River Press, Specialty Press, and CarTech Auto Books. She replaces B.J. Smith, who is retiring.

Let Your Fears Make You Fierce: How to Turn Common Obstacles into Seeds for Growth by Koya Webb (Hay House).

Today:
Fresh Air: Michael Kranish, author of The World's Fastest Man: The Extraordinary Life of Cyclist Major Taylor, America's First Black Sports Hero (Scribner, $30, 9781501192593).

Tomorrow:
Live with Kelly and Ryan: Jorge Cruise, author of The Cruise Control Diet: Automate Your Diet and Conquer Weight Loss Forever (Ballantine, $28, 9780525618690).

CBS This Morning: Elin Hilderbrand, author of Summer of '69 (Little, Brown, $28, 9780316420013).

Matthew Aldrich will oversee the development and creative live-action adaptation of C.S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia series for Netflix. Deadline reported that Aldrich "will work across both series and film and serve as a creative architect on all projects under the rights deal inked last year." Most recently he co-wrote Coco for Disney and Pixar Animation Studios, the Oscar-winning film that grossed more than $800 million worldwide.

Netflix and The C.S. Lewis Company entered a multi-year deal last fall through which Netflix will develop stories from across the Narnia universe into series and films for its members worldwide.

Dionne Brand's The Blue Clerk won the CA$20,000 (about US$14,920) English-language fiction Trillium Book Award, which is given to "recognize excellence, support marketing and foster increased public awareness of the quality and diversity of Ontario writers and writing." The jury praised the winner as "an impassioned, masterfully crafted interrogation of language, process and representation that test both the boundaries and boundlessness of the creative process."

Robin Richardson's Sit How You Want took the CA$10,000 (US$7,460) prize in the poetry category. The winner of the CA$20,000 French-language Trillium Book Award was Lisa L'Heureux for Et si un soir. The $10,000 French-language children's literature prize went to Diya Lim for La marchande, la sorcière, la lune et moi.

For attendees of the American Library Association annual conference and exhibition in Washington, D.C., June 20-25, Lonely Planet offers tips from its regional guides, which provide the extra depth and detail needed to help visitors get to the heart of some of the world's most popular places. Following the same format and style as Lonely Planet's country guides, they help users understand the most defining characteristics of a region--like its cuisine, markets, culture and festivals.

Among the Top Experiences found in Lonely Planet's Eastern USA guide is a trip to the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Nearly two miles long and lined with iconic monuments and hallowed marble buildings, the National Mall is the epicenter of Washington, D.C.'s political and cultural life. In the summer, massive music and food festivals are staged here, while year-round visitors wander the halls of America's finest museums lining the green. For exploring American history, there's no better place to ruminate, whether tracing your hand along the Vietnam Veterans Memorial or ascending the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, where Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech.

If you're only visiting D.C. for a short time, here's Lonely Planet's recommendation for how to make the most of your trip.

Washington, D.C., in Two Days

Day One
You might as well dive right into the good stuff, and the Lincoln Memorial is about as iconically D.C. as it gets. It's also a convenient starting point, since Abe sits at the far end of the Mall. Next up as you walk east is the powerful Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Then comes the Washington Monument , which is pretty hard to miss, being D.C.'s tallest structure and all. For lunch you can munch sandwiches by an artsy waterfall at Cascade Cafe in the National Gallery of Art before exploring the gallery. Then it's time to explore the National Museum of African American History and Culture, assuming you've procured a ticket. Pick a side: East, for modern; or West, for Impressionists and other classics. Afterward, mosey across the lawn to the National Air and Space Museum and gape at the stuff hanging from the ceiling. The missiles and Wright Brothers' original plane are incomparably cool. Have a hearty, low-key dinner at Duke's Grocery; 1513 17th St. NW.

Day Two
Do the government thing today. Start in the Capitol and tour the statue-cluttered halls. Then walk across the street and up the grand steps to the Supreme Court; hopefully you'll get to hear a case argument. The Library of Congress and its 500 miles of books blow minds next door. For lunch, have a burger amid politicos at Old Ebbitt Grill; 675 15th St. NW. Hopefully you planned ahead and booked a White House tour. If not, make do at the White House Visitor Center. Pop into the Round Robin to see if any big wigs and lobbyists are clinking glasses. Zip over to the Kennedy Center to watch the free 6 p.m. show. Afterwards go for French in laid-back elegance at Chez Billy Sud in Georgetown, then sink a pint in a friendly pub like the Tombs. On warm nights the outdoor cafes and boating action make Georgetown Waterfront Park a hot spot. And check if anyone groovy is playing at iconic jazz club Blues Alley.

In her well-received first book, Pushed: The Painful Truth About Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care, feminist journalist Jennifer Block exposed the concerning aspects of maternity care in the United States. With Everything Below the Waist, she sounds an alarm about the condition of women's healthcare in America, where women run greater risks of reproductive system surgery than in any other developed nation. Partly supported by a Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant, Block's chilling exposé unveils a broken medical system and the patients who suffer its inadequacies and abuses.

Block delves deeply into the history of women's reproductive health and its practitioners, contrasting her findings against interviews with modern practitioners, researchers, nonprofit service providers and feminist thinkers. The emergent picture is one evocative of a science-fiction dystopia, a world where medicine ignores the basic fundamentals of female biology while seeking to control and shape it into a more convenient package. Women take hormonal birth control without full understanding of the poorly disclosed risks and side effects, while corporations offer egg-freezing parties to help their female employees put off parenthood. Years later, would-be mothers face painful fertility treatments with no guarantee of success.

Decrying a system that encourages women to sacrifice their most fertile years, Block laments, "We are running a race designed by and for men and literally taking steroids to compete." Meanwhile, matters do not improve in the delivery room, where a full third of women give birth via C-section, often against their wishes. "Childbearing may be the most dramatic display of how our culture has distanced itself from physiology," Block says, looking back over the ways in which the political arena has sidelined midwives, a profession that exists to support biologically appropriate childbirth. She highlights the lack of medical knowledge about pelvic floor dysfunction, gynecology's drift from a surgical profession toward general practice and the influence of Big Pharma on women's treatment options.

Frequently returning to the feminist revolution of the 1970s as a reference point, Block takes a frank and unflinching look at how far the U.S. hasn't come in treating half its population, emphasizing the disproportionate negative effects on women of color and low socioeconomic status. Filled with appalling stories of malpractice and marginalization, her report will galvanize readers to ask how women can demand better care. Everything Below the Waist is a call to action, insisting "[w]e need clinicians who focus less on controlling women's fertility and more on enhancing our health." Women of childbearing age in particular should not skip this important and well-researched analysis of a field that holds their lives in its hands. --Jaclyn Fulwood, blogger at Infinite Reads

Shelf Talker: Feminist journalist Block received a Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant to complete this jaw-dropping investigation into the women's health industry.

The bestselling self-published books last week as compiled by IndieReader.com:

1. The Two-Week Arrangement by Kendall Ryan
2. The Skull Ruler by Penelope Sky
3. Always With Me by Barbara Freethy
4. The Nantucket Inn by Vi Keeland
5. Fated Mates by Various
6. Because I Had a Teacher by Kobi Yamada and Natalie Russell
7. A Single Touch by W. Winters
8. Protecting Piper by Cynthia Eden
9. Shadowspell Academy (Culling Trials Book 3) by K.F. Breene and Shannon Mayer
10. Accidental Knight by Nicole Snow
 
[Many thanks to IndieReader.com!]