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One of the opening events for this year's Children's Institute, being held June 5-7 in Milwaukee, was the “The State of the Children’s Book Market” presentation by data analyst Brenna Connor. Connor manages industry insights at the consumer analytics firm Circana, parent company of BookScan, where she tracks entertainment categories including books, toys, and videogames. She spoke about transformations in the children’s, middle grade, and YA sectors since 2019, and she assessed trouble spots and growth opportunities across the industry.
In terms of the entire book industry, Connor said, as many in the industry do, that while print unit sales fell 6% last year, the 780 million units sold in 2022 was well above the 697 million units sold in 2019. Looking at 2022 figures for print books, Connor found that sales of children’s fiction and nonfiction declined and “[print] YA was essentially flat,” yet audiobooks were popping. “Audio is the fastest growing format in books, gaining five points in a four-year period,” she said, and “audio is the only format gaining share across all supercategories” of print, e-book, and audiobook.
Kids’ digital audio increased 10% from 2021 to 2022, and the YA “segment just posted its highest Q1” ever in 2023. With e-books trending down, Connor predicts audiobooks soon will surpass e-books in popularity.
Connor said there is a bright spot in terms of digital text sales—Webtoon. Noting that “engagement was very high” for Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper series (with 415 million views on Webtoon), Connor said to keep an eye on Webtoon: “We think this is the most important platform to watch in terms of content today.” Although Webtoon represents 2% of the overall market share in comics, it “grew 80 times faster than the rest of the comics and graphic novel space.”
‘The Coral Reefs of the Publishing Industry’
Connor reinforced a key ABA talking point when she encouraged CI2023 attendees to keep making their information available to BookScan in all formats. “You help amplify the indie market’s voice,” she told attendees, because BookScan data shapes bestseller lists and informs market projections. Participants also get access to data tracking tools they can use for their stores.
“We like to think of indie bookstores as the coral reefs of the publishing industry,” Connor said, calling to mind a biodiverse ecosystem as well as a susceptibility to shifting tides. She said indie booksellers command “a higher frontlist share in comparison to the total market” and discover valuable information about consumer behavior both in-store and online. (Looking at the consumer market, Connor noted that in January 2019, 70% of general merchandise, including books, was sold in stores, while 30% was sold online. The in-store to online ratio stood at 50/50 as the pandemic ramped up, and although behavior has shifted “back to normal,” 54% of general merchandise is sold in-store while 46% is sold online.)
According to BookScan projections, bookstores in small to midsize U.S. markets remain likely to see strong growth as the population migrates away from expensive metropolitan centers like the Bay Area. In a time of “shrinkflation,” Connor said, people are being cautious about how they spend earnings on “discretionary retail” like print, e-books, and audiobooks.
Questions for Readers—and for Retailers
When Connor posted a slide proclaiming “#BookTok is not a fluke,” the audience laughed in agreement. She attributed 43 million unit sales in 2022 to BookTok, and said YA titles account for 28% of BookTok-driven sales.
Connor did raise questions about a concerning slump in the middle grade category; sales are down $18.8 million from last year. A quarter of middle grade titles sold are graphic narratives, boosted by Dav Pilkey, Raina Telgemeier, and Tui Sutherland’s mega-sellers.
“Two things stood out” in the BookScan data, Connor said. First, the paperback format in middle grade is driving more than half of the year-over-year declines, which "tells us this is not necessarily a pricing issue,” while “frontlist is driving more than half the losses and declining at four times the rate of backlist paperback" for middle readers.
The mystery is whether the decline is driven by young readers, who may not have access to “peer-to-peer discovery” engines like BookTok and who may be “aging out” of the category, or by big-box retailers that carry a limited frontlist selection of known quantities, Connor suggested. “Some kids are likely ‘reading up’ into manga, webtoons, and YA,” especially since YA posted gains, she said. “There is still a hungry market out there for these books, so look for opportunities to refresh and rediscover middle grade. Think about new voices and new stories.”
Connor also observed “softer sales in the beginner reader and intermediate reader series” meant to help children gain literacy. This is “counterintuitive to what we would expect,” she said. “We know there is a beginning reading crisis in America,” so consecutive YOY declines are puzzling. She wonders whether publishers might adapt their marketing strategies to spotlight these series, or whether bookstores might display the materials in a more discoverable way.
“The middle grade market is down, but we think there is potential here,” Connor said, concluding on the topic of growth opportunities.
While many people and businesses suffered in 2020, book publishers only experienced a minor dip, and actually showed gains in many areas.
Being quarantined indoors had people looking to the old stand-by — books — for a way to beat fear and boredom.
Readers stepped up in 2021, with avid readers significantly increasing their literary intake.
The latest book and reading statistics show how the industry is rebounding after a turbulent year.
While many people and businesses suffered during the global pandemic, book publishers thrived.
Since the start of the pandemic in 2020, print book sales in the US have risen by 8.9%, as reported by Publisher's Weekly.
In 2021, avid readers notably increased their reading.
However, in the first six months of 2023, print book sales in the US declined by 2.7% compared to the same period in 2022, decreasing from 363.4 million to 353.5 million.
US Print Book Sales Growth Rate Since the Start of the Pandemic
People are cracking spines and flipping pages as book sales increase!
Books publishing statistics show increases across the board.
A look at the publishing industry reveals a disparity between authors and consumers.
Although there is obviously a positive trend in the book market after the pandemic, the overall trend is a little complicated.
A look at US book sales statistics by year and book sales figures by year shows how sales have dipped.
Book sales over time statistics show that reading is losing ground to other forms of entertainment year after year — unit sales are increasing but overall revenue is dropping.
(Source: Statista)
The biggest worldwide players in the field of publishing include Pearson PLC, Hachette Livre, Bertelsmann, Grupo Planeta, and the China South Publishing and Media Group.
Asia and North America are the leaders when it comes to production, with both holding a 34% share of the publishing industry.
Book publishing has shrunk but remains a cornerstone of American business.
The pandemic drove an increase in book sales that hopefully will continue into the post-pandemic economy.
Book store sales have gone up in 2021 due to the lockdowns and the COVID epidemic.
Estimated growth of the North American book market (2018-2028).
When Jeff Bezos started Amazon out of his garage is 1994, he sold books and only books.
Amazon’s first tagline was “The World’s Largest Bookstore.”
While book sales are a fraction of its overall revenue today, Amazon is still the biggest seller of books online. Amazon remains guarded about its exact book sales statistics, but from what we could find:
Readers of all ages love a good story, especially if it’s true!
Below we compare 2021 book sales with 2020 numbers.
Comic books — and their more distinguish counterpart, graphic novels — saw a massive increase during the pandemic, especially in anime comic books.
The beginning of the pandemic meant record number of comics sold, same trend continued in 2021.
Poetry was always a slow-selling book category until the rise of social media.
The short format and immediacy of social media platforms are ideal for online poets, and poet books have enjoyed a sales boost in recent years.
Children’s book publishing sales show modest gains in recent years.
Books used to be one of the most popular pastimes in the world.
Then came films and television, followed by video games, the Internet, LARPing, etc.
Competing for consumers’ dwindling attention spans is a tricky business!
But books aren’t going anywhere.
However, the way they’re being formatted and distributed has radically changed over the last few decades.
Introduced over a decade ago, eReaders offered consumers a new digital format for reading books. These digital readers allowed book lovers to:
The popularity of eReaders seems to have leveled off in recent years, but Statista still projects the number of eReader users to grow from 950.5 million in 2019 to 1.11 billion by next year.
Readers can store thousands of eBooks in their eReaders and mobile devices.
Another big change in the publishing industry is the growth of print-on-demand technology.
The technology avoids the big production runs of off-set printing and in favor of books printed one copy at a time.
This technology has allowed authors around the world to publish their own books without the need of traditional publishing houses.
As a result of print-on-demand technology, the number of book titles has increased from 2.3 million book titles published in 2013 to approximately 4 million new books being published in 2021, with nearly half of those titles coming from self-published authors.
Book publishers have jumped on the digital bandwagon, publisher statistics show, embracing e-books and audiobooks as emerging technologies for storytelling. But traditional “dead tree” editions of printed books are still the most popular format with readers.
Everybody loves a good story well told, but certain types of books have a larger readership than others.
Nonfiction outsells fiction by a margin of nearly 3-to-2. In 2017, nonfiction revenues totaled $6.18 billion compared to $4.3 billion in fiction sales, according to Penguin Random House.
The Bestselling Nonfiction Title of 2022
The bestselling children’s book of last year was Dav Pilkey’s “Dog Man: Mothering Heights.
In fact, USA TODAY reported “Dog Man: Mothering Heights” was the bestselling book in all categories.
The second bestselling book last year was Kristin Hannah's epic love story, “The Four Winds.” Coming in third was “American Marxism,” Mark Levin’s political tome.
One thing is certain; diehard readers have their favorite genres and they stick to them.
Romance novels enjoy an audience of voracious readers; they buy a lot of books and they read a lot!
Last year, romance novels raked in $1.44 billion.
According to Query Tracker, young adult is the most popular fiction category, followed by:
Romance placed 9 out of 10 on the list.
QT’s most popular nonfiction genres are:
Proactive Writer says the bestselling print book categories on Amazon are:
The bestselling eBook categories on Amazon are:
The genre fiction categories that generate the most sales are:
The bestselling audiobook genres are:
Quick fact: thrillers are the bestselling genre of audiobooks.
Comprehensive overview of the most popular book genres in 2021.
Reading is fundamental and the latest book reading statistics in the world bear this out.
Even though reading habits have changed drastically over the years, the joy and benefits of reading remain constant.
A statistic on reading from Gallup suggests reading is losing popularity as an American pastime. But benefits of reading statistics show the power and importance of reading.
According to book reading statistics in the US compiled by Expert Editor suggest reading 30 pages — or for 30 minutes — per day can:
Information and statistics provided by researchers at Pew Research and Publisher’s Weekly confirm that people are reading more than ever.
But that doesn’t mean more people were reading.
It means people who were already readers read more.
One of the prime reasons was the rise of homeschooling.
Parents needed to read to children, from board books for pre-readers to content for first readers attempting to sound out words. With school libraries on lockdown, caregivers searched online for what they needed to promote literacy skills in their children.
But there are other factors to consider when looking at the recent years book market. People simply had more free time to read. They also had more access via e-readers and eBooks.
In addition, there was an increasing desire among American families for words of comfort and understanding. Regardless of age, race, or household income, people across the nation sought information, entertainment, or distraction last year.
Books had what they needed.
Are books still popular? Regardless of age or country of origin, readers around the globe sought to enrich their lives through reading stats, data, facts, and diverse topics. Stats on reading suggest people are returning to the simple pleasure of reading.
Asians are among the most passionate readers on the planet.
America is great … except for reading.
According to Pew Research, one of the prime reasons children in the United States hover near the middle of the pack in global literacy skills is that there are not enough adult readers enkindling that love of words in the next generation.
The often-cited — yet sketchy — NOP World Culture Score Index is a global survey that places the U.S. in 22nd place in reading statistics.
According to the NOP, the average U.S. adult reads approximately five hours a week, while top readers in India, Thailand, China, Philippines, and Egypt clock between 7.5 - 10.5 hours per week reading.
In 2017, Americans read an average of 16.8 minutes per day (not including work and school materials). This is a 26% decrease from 2005 when Americans read an average of 22.8 minutes per day.
The average American reads 12 books a year, according to Pew Research, but that number is deceiving.
The median number of books read per year in the United States is four, meaning half the country reads less than 4 books per year.
It’s a fact — reading makes you smart and keeps your mind sharp regardless of age.
There are a number of life benefits that stem from reading! Improve your life by reading something more challenging than a restaurant menu!
Reading statistics and reading habits in America
Reading skills and reading gains develop at all grade levels and ages.
Reading acquisition is one of the more important life skills children must learn.
The latest reading statistics show younger children reading more.
First-through-fifth graders weren’t the only young students reading more in 2020. Middle graders and high schoolers read more during the pandemic as well!
2020 was the year U.S. middle-grade students and high schoolers dusted off the reference books and “worked from home”.
Reading acquisition is one of the more important life skills children must learn, according to the latest reading in America statistics.
While the benefits of reading to young children are well documented, a deeper look at the benefits of reading to children statistics shows how reading continues to benefit children well into adulthood.
As schools closed and parents taught from home, demand for juvenile nonfiction titles rose.
Reading to kids before they can read on their own helps young readers navigate the parts of a book, like the table of contents, index, and copyright page.
More than one child education study suggests a child with access to age-appropriate content shows achievement in all areas of course work.
A look at statistics about reading shows how the pandemic lockdown helped boost overall reading behaviors among children.
According to Publisher’s Weekly, two of the best-selling books of last year were Big Preschool Work (790,000 copies) and My First Learn-to-Write Workbook (703,000 copies), underscoring just how much homeschooling of young children was undertaken by parents or a family member last year.
Getting kids into books while they’re young — even before they can read — is an essential part of early childhood development. Mothers and fathers who read to their children inspire a lifelong love of reading. In turn, these children will pass the reading bug on to their own children when they’re grown.
Exposing kids to data and facts can prompt questions in children of any age. This is an often overlooked aspect of reading. Think about content for kids. One fact read by a third-grade child can spark a lifelong love of education!
Reading to young children is vital for improving literacy skills. Listening to parents talk can help improve comprehension skills, word association, and overall childhood literacy.
Reading and success in life statistics suggest children develop better reading skills and reading comprehension as adults when they are read to as kids. Students that develop good reading habits have an easier time hitting education-level goals as they move through grade school.
Here are some numbers about reading to your child:
It’s a fact — reading makes you smart and keeps your mind sharp regardless of age. There are a number of life benefits that stem from reading! Improve your life by reading something more challenging than a restaurant menu!
Crack a book and you might just avoid a trip to the doctor’s office! Reader statistics show that readers are healthier in both body and mind.
While it may seem old-fashioned compared to modern entertainments like virtual reality gaming, reading still offers the most immersive and intimate entertainment experience.
Authors put emotions and ideas that exist solely in their minds into words. Readers consume those words and experience the same thoughts and emotions.
You’re inside the brain of another person! It doesn’t get more intimate or immersive than that!
Readers find what they need on printed pages!
Reading is fundamental and the latest book statistics bear this out. Even though reading habits have changed drastically over the years, the joy and benefits of reading remain constant.
Check out these interesting facts about reading! Reading facts is where it’s at!
Reading brings generations of families together!
Further Reading:
Rob Errera
Rob Errera is an award-winning journalist embedded in the world of printers and printing supplies. Rob has nearly two decades of experience writing about cutting edge technology, business trends, and the ever-evolving industry of printing.
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