Last week I overheard someone say that she spent an hour googling, trying to find a story she had heard about "some lady doesn't own her own blood". The bookseller in me took over and I interrupted to say, It's Henrietta Lacks and tell them about the book. Later in the evening, I heard the woman say to a friend, "Just ask Katherine. She's kind of like Google."
This has sparked an idea in my head that makes me wish I was better with computers and video editing...
If I could make a commercial celebrating booksellers, it would go like this...
That google commercial where you see them auto-completing all the searches. But it would be all searches going wrong for all those customer questions we get.... "The Crystal Palace" "Something about a cherry at the bottom of a cupcake" "On NPR last week, some lady didn't own her own blood".
Then it would show the bookseller version of google... when it gets typed in, it gets translated to what a bookseller hears... "The Glass Castle" "Sweetness At the Bottom of the Pie" "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks".
Because sometimes, the fact of the matter is, you need a real live person with a brain. (Sorry, EMERAC... you know I love you, but it's truth.)
Monday, November 1, 2010
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Of Course Picture Books Aren't Dead, But Why Aren't They Selling?
Apparently, Peewee's secret word yesterday was "picture books" thanks to a New York Times article about their languishing sales.
Seeing as I follow a bunch of bookish types and librarians, my twitter stream was full of NOT IN MY HOUSE! NOT IN MY LIBRARY! PICTURE BOOKS LIVE!
I'm thrilled that picture books are still important in your family's life. They are important in mine too. This is why we are friends. We have a similar appreciation for great books and great art.
But I tell you truth: picture book sales are down. They were down in my store. I've talked to dozens of other booksellers who say the same of their stores. If sales were keeping pace, do you really think B&N would be shrinking their sections? I may have doubts about their ability to properly sell books, but they can sure as heck read sales figures.
And it's not just a slumping economy, although I'm sure that plays a part. But the drop in picture book sales is out of proportion with the rest of the children's department.
So instead of proclaiming to each other how important picture books are (OF COURSE they are!), why do we think sales are down & how do we go about changing the sales trends?
(All of my evidence here is anecdotal. Sorry, statisticians, but what can you do?)
It seems that over the past couple years, the picture book section has been treated more and more like a library. Even our good customers, who would buy a stack of YAs and MGs for their older kids, would read picture books with their kids, then not buy. They would point out books that they checked out over and over from the library, but still not buy.
Why not? Yes, I think price is a factor. No matter how many times these books are going to be read, people see an $18 + price tag on a 32 page book and they balk.
So the first impulse is, how do the prices get lowered? Again, can only report what I've heard here, but... Dust jacket. Dust jacket is one of the things that adds to the cost, and is one of the first things discarded in a house with a toddler. It's also the first thing to get damaged at a bookstore. But the funny thing is, even for people who immediately take the dust jacket off, they often see the absence of a dust jacket as a sign that it's a lower quality book, so it's suddenly not even worth that new lower price. This makes no sense to me. It's frustrating as hell. But I've seen it so many times and I don't know how to change that perception.
So what about paperback originals? Or board books? (I see soooo many hardcover picture books that are really meant to be board books). I gather that this is similar to the trade paperback original vs hardcover in the adult world. I don't know the economics of it, but I've been told by publishing folks that it's very hard to make money on a tp original. I'll just have to trust them on that.
So, unless someone else has some genius ideas, I'm tapped on the lower-the-prices front. But I'm not a publisher.
So how do we change people's minds to convince them that these books are worth the money?
Right now, the hardcover picture books we do sell, are often sold as gifts. Grandmas like to buy books for Christmas. So how do we get those people already buying them to buy more?
I think one genius idea that a few indie bookstores have started are book subscriptions. Instead of buying a few books at Christmas, why not a subscription for a hand selected book to be sent each month throughout the year?
For those people who think that Christmas isn't Christmas without a bunch of toys under the tree... could local bookstores make a deal with their local toy store? Ask them to do a joint promotion... anyone who buys (whatever big flashy toy they are trying to promote) can get a picture book discount coupon. Can you do a shelf swap? Offer to devote a shelf in your store to their products and they will do the same for yours.
Those people who value picture books and are borrowing them at libraries, how do we get them to purchase?
There would need to be an added value to owning a physical copy. I've seen so many offers from pubs for opening orders of x number of books get author signatures, but for the most part, this has been on the adult side. Why not picture books? Why not author & illustrator signature with a small drawing, as illustrators often do at signings? I know it's a lot of work, but we're trying to sell books here.
If we had a signed first edition club, as more and more stores are doing, could we submit name lists, so they are personalized & signed? Again, lots of work, I know, but I think people would be willing to pay even more for that service.
The other category of picture books we continued to sell in huge bundles was our local books. If a book named our town on the cover, it didn't matter how bad it was, the sucker sold. So as we enter the brave new world of print on demand and smaller batch publishing, why not books that are linked to place? Why not, when I purchase my copy of the next Pigeon book, couldn't it have a page after the title page that says "Purchased at the Bunch of Grapes" with a store-specific message/logo etc? (okay, so I know this is financially impossible now, but why not in the coming years?) So this book is not just the story and art being purchased, but a souvenir of place and the experience of purchasing it...
And since we are thinking of the book as it is connected to the experience, what if bookstores who do a story time had their own story time bookplates? You could have a bookplate that is only available for the book being read at story time... with your store logo and a space for the child's name, the date of the story time, who was the reader, what grown up brought them... You know, "My mommy brought me to story time with Katherine. We made pink piggy noses and I got this book!" Whatever... and with how easy it is to print these type of things on a color printer these days, you could even do an official-looking printed out one while they wait at the store. (More time at the store is always a good thing.)
What I wish I had from publishers to help sell individual books... More flexible electronic tools... by that I mean that publishers often send us pre-made shelf talkers or bookmarks. I wish what I got was easy access to a jpeg of an illustration from the book, so that I could use the artwork in making shelf talkers or bookmarks that had my own staff's or customers' comments. If publishers had a site that we could easily find and download a little chunk of artwork instead of just the whole cover, that'd be fantastic.
Many publishers send posters, coloring and activity sheets for their big books. Those are nice, but I more often wished for an idea for an easy construction paper project. On your website, or even in your catalogs, with each book, say, "Story time craft: Fold paper plates in half, cut teeth along the edge, color the outside green and add google eyes for your very own Hungry Dinosaur", then suggest two other books from the list or your backlist that would complement the book for story time. And then it wouldn't just be the big books that get pushed for story times.
Perhaps the most important thing for picture book sales is already happening... fewer picture books are being published. I know that sounds like a negative, but long term, it will be a good thing. The fact is, there have been picture books coming out that shouldn't have. I'm not even talking about those bad celebrity books or the not-so-hot books from adult authors trying their hand at kid books (because, hey, even if they never sold at my store, apparently they sold somewhere, and it's those books that foot the bill for the amazing ones that don't sell so well). But there are books by unknown authors that have come out... overly precious, or obvious morals, or lacking any cleverness, you name it. Weeding out those lesser efforts can only be good for picture books as a whole, as customers realize that publishers are actually being gatekeepers, booksellers are being curators, and that customers can trust that gems are the norm and not the exception even among the non-classics.
How can librarians and teachers help? If it really is a problem that parents are steering away from picture books because they are perceived as "too easy", librarians and teachers can work to remind parents of the value of picture books, even to kids who are reading for themselves at this point.
Could libraries and bookstores hold story times at non-school hours specifically aimed at the 6+ crowd? Read the more sophisticated books and have more sophisticated activities. Use the books as leaping off points for writing and drawing their own stories. Create backstories to the one you're reading. Or sequels, alternate endings. Encourage the kids to read the books to each other... if you have a group of regulars, you could even have a long-term project. Have them turn the book into a performance. Once a month, they could put on a show for their parents.
Can we help by shelving differently? Instead of having one huge picture book section, can we pull out a shelf of books that are better suited to the elementary school crowd? Perhaps even locate the shelf with the chapter books so that they are more easily stumbled upon? Or if you want to go really nuts (and have magical shelves), alphabetize them in with the chapter books.
This is such a long, rambling post. But I think it's important for there to be a discussion of what we can do to improve sales, not just the repeated claims that picture books are awesome. Which they are.
Seeing as I follow a bunch of bookish types and librarians, my twitter stream was full of NOT IN MY HOUSE! NOT IN MY LIBRARY! PICTURE BOOKS LIVE!
I'm thrilled that picture books are still important in your family's life. They are important in mine too. This is why we are friends. We have a similar appreciation for great books and great art.
But I tell you truth: picture book sales are down. They were down in my store. I've talked to dozens of other booksellers who say the same of their stores. If sales were keeping pace, do you really think B&N would be shrinking their sections? I may have doubts about their ability to properly sell books, but they can sure as heck read sales figures.
And it's not just a slumping economy, although I'm sure that plays a part. But the drop in picture book sales is out of proportion with the rest of the children's department.
So instead of proclaiming to each other how important picture books are (OF COURSE they are!), why do we think sales are down & how do we go about changing the sales trends?
(All of my evidence here is anecdotal. Sorry, statisticians, but what can you do?)
It seems that over the past couple years, the picture book section has been treated more and more like a library. Even our good customers, who would buy a stack of YAs and MGs for their older kids, would read picture books with their kids, then not buy. They would point out books that they checked out over and over from the library, but still not buy.
Why not? Yes, I think price is a factor. No matter how many times these books are going to be read, people see an $18 + price tag on a 32 page book and they balk.
So the first impulse is, how do the prices get lowered? Again, can only report what I've heard here, but... Dust jacket. Dust jacket is one of the things that adds to the cost, and is one of the first things discarded in a house with a toddler. It's also the first thing to get damaged at a bookstore. But the funny thing is, even for people who immediately take the dust jacket off, they often see the absence of a dust jacket as a sign that it's a lower quality book, so it's suddenly not even worth that new lower price. This makes no sense to me. It's frustrating as hell. But I've seen it so many times and I don't know how to change that perception.
So what about paperback originals? Or board books? (I see soooo many hardcover picture books that are really meant to be board books). I gather that this is similar to the trade paperback original vs hardcover in the adult world. I don't know the economics of it, but I've been told by publishing folks that it's very hard to make money on a tp original. I'll just have to trust them on that.
So, unless someone else has some genius ideas, I'm tapped on the lower-the-prices front. But I'm not a publisher.
So how do we change people's minds to convince them that these books are worth the money?
Right now, the hardcover picture books we do sell, are often sold as gifts. Grandmas like to buy books for Christmas. So how do we get those people already buying them to buy more?
I think one genius idea that a few indie bookstores have started are book subscriptions. Instead of buying a few books at Christmas, why not a subscription for a hand selected book to be sent each month throughout the year?
For those people who think that Christmas isn't Christmas without a bunch of toys under the tree... could local bookstores make a deal with their local toy store? Ask them to do a joint promotion... anyone who buys (whatever big flashy toy they are trying to promote) can get a picture book discount coupon. Can you do a shelf swap? Offer to devote a shelf in your store to their products and they will do the same for yours.
Those people who value picture books and are borrowing them at libraries, how do we get them to purchase?
There would need to be an added value to owning a physical copy. I've seen so many offers from pubs for opening orders of x number of books get author signatures, but for the most part, this has been on the adult side. Why not picture books? Why not author & illustrator signature with a small drawing, as illustrators often do at signings? I know it's a lot of work, but we're trying to sell books here.
If we had a signed first edition club, as more and more stores are doing, could we submit name lists, so they are personalized & signed? Again, lots of work, I know, but I think people would be willing to pay even more for that service.
The other category of picture books we continued to sell in huge bundles was our local books. If a book named our town on the cover, it didn't matter how bad it was, the sucker sold. So as we enter the brave new world of print on demand and smaller batch publishing, why not books that are linked to place? Why not, when I purchase my copy of the next Pigeon book, couldn't it have a page after the title page that says "Purchased at the Bunch of Grapes" with a store-specific message/logo etc? (okay, so I know this is financially impossible now, but why not in the coming years?) So this book is not just the story and art being purchased, but a souvenir of place and the experience of purchasing it...
And since we are thinking of the book as it is connected to the experience, what if bookstores who do a story time had their own story time bookplates? You could have a bookplate that is only available for the book being read at story time... with your store logo and a space for the child's name, the date of the story time, who was the reader, what grown up brought them... You know, "My mommy brought me to story time with Katherine. We made pink piggy noses and I got this book!" Whatever... and with how easy it is to print these type of things on a color printer these days, you could even do an official-looking printed out one while they wait at the store. (More time at the store is always a good thing.)
What I wish I had from publishers to help sell individual books... More flexible electronic tools... by that I mean that publishers often send us pre-made shelf talkers or bookmarks. I wish what I got was easy access to a jpeg of an illustration from the book, so that I could use the artwork in making shelf talkers or bookmarks that had my own staff's or customers' comments. If publishers had a site that we could easily find and download a little chunk of artwork instead of just the whole cover, that'd be fantastic.
Many publishers send posters, coloring and activity sheets for their big books. Those are nice, but I more often wished for an idea for an easy construction paper project. On your website, or even in your catalogs, with each book, say, "Story time craft: Fold paper plates in half, cut teeth along the edge, color the outside green and add google eyes for your very own Hungry Dinosaur", then suggest two other books from the list or your backlist that would complement the book for story time. And then it wouldn't just be the big books that get pushed for story times.
Perhaps the most important thing for picture book sales is already happening... fewer picture books are being published. I know that sounds like a negative, but long term, it will be a good thing. The fact is, there have been picture books coming out that shouldn't have. I'm not even talking about those bad celebrity books or the not-so-hot books from adult authors trying their hand at kid books (because, hey, even if they never sold at my store, apparently they sold somewhere, and it's those books that foot the bill for the amazing ones that don't sell so well). But there are books by unknown authors that have come out... overly precious, or obvious morals, or lacking any cleverness, you name it. Weeding out those lesser efforts can only be good for picture books as a whole, as customers realize that publishers are actually being gatekeepers, booksellers are being curators, and that customers can trust that gems are the norm and not the exception even among the non-classics.
How can librarians and teachers help? If it really is a problem that parents are steering away from picture books because they are perceived as "too easy", librarians and teachers can work to remind parents of the value of picture books, even to kids who are reading for themselves at this point.
Could libraries and bookstores hold story times at non-school hours specifically aimed at the 6+ crowd? Read the more sophisticated books and have more sophisticated activities. Use the books as leaping off points for writing and drawing their own stories. Create backstories to the one you're reading. Or sequels, alternate endings. Encourage the kids to read the books to each other... if you have a group of regulars, you could even have a long-term project. Have them turn the book into a performance. Once a month, they could put on a show for their parents.
Can we help by shelving differently? Instead of having one huge picture book section, can we pull out a shelf of books that are better suited to the elementary school crowd? Perhaps even locate the shelf with the chapter books so that they are more easily stumbled upon? Or if you want to go really nuts (and have magical shelves), alphabetize them in with the chapter books.
This is such a long, rambling post. But I think it's important for there to be a discussion of what we can do to improve sales, not just the repeated claims that picture books are awesome. Which they are.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Speak Loudly, Laugh Loudly, Grieve Loudly
Two weeks ago, a school board in Missouri upheld a decision to ban ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN from a school curriculum and its library.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Mmmm... pudding...
I just made the easiest bread pudding ever... then it turned out it was also among the best I'd ever tasted... can't let that recipe go unshared! Would be a great one to bring to potlucks...
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
MOCKINGJAY epilogue
Some of my reactions as I read the epilogue... I'll come back later to talk more seriously about things. Please feel free to read along with me and share your reactions and start some discussions. And only read this if you've finished the book!
MOCKINGJAY chapter 27
Some of my reactions as I read chapter 27... I'll come back later to talk more seriously about things. Please feel free to read along with me and share your reactions and start some discussions, but please NOTHING that happens after Chapter 27. And only read this if you've finished Chapter 27!
MOCKINGJAY chapter 26
Some of my reactions as I read chapter 26... I'll come back later to talk more seriously about things. Please feel free to read along with me and share your reactions and start some discussions, but please NOTHING that happens after Chapter 26. And only read this if you've finished Chapter 26!
MOCKINGJAY chapter 25
Some of my reactions as I read chapter 25... I'll come back later to talk more seriously about things. Please feel free to read along with me and share your reactions and start some discussions, but please NOTHING that happens after Chapter 25. And only read this if you've finished Chapter 25!
MOCKINGJAY chapter 24
Some of my reactions as I read chapter 24... I'll come back later to talk more seriously about things. Please feel free to read along with me and share your reactions and start some discussions, but please NOTHING that happens after Chapter 24. And only read this if you've finished Chapter 24!
MOCKINGJAY chapter 23
Some of my reactions as I read chapter 23... I'll come back later to talk more seriously about things. Please feel free to read along with me and share your reactions and start some discussions, but please NOTHING that happens after Chapter 23. And only read this if you've finished Chapter 23!
MOCKINGJAY chapter 22
Some of my reactions as I read chapter 22... I'll come back later to talk more seriously about things. Please feel free to read along with me and share your reactions and start some discussions, but please NOTHING that happens after Chapter 22. And only read this if you've finished Chapter 22!
MOCKINGJAY chapter 21
Some of my reactions as I read chapter 21... I'll come back later to talk more seriously about things. Please feel free to read along with me and share your reactions and start some discussions, but please NOTHING that happens after Chapter 21. And only read this if you've finished Chapter 21!
MOCKINGJAY chapter 20
Some of my reactions as I read chapter 20... I'll come back later to talk more seriously about things. Please feel free to read along with me and share your reactions and start some discussions, but please NOTHING that happens after Chapter 20. And only read this if you've finished Chapter 20!
MOCKINGJAY chapter 19
Some of my reactions as I read chapter 19... I'll come back later to talk more seriously about things. Please feel free to read along with me and share your reactions and start some discussions, but please NOTHING that happens after Chapter 19. And only read this if you've finished Chapter 19!
MOCKINGJAY chapter 18
Some of my reactions as I read chapter 18... I'll come back later to talk more seriously about things. Please feel free to read along with me and share your reactions and start some discussions, but please NOTHING that happens after Chapter 18. And only read this if you've finished Chapter 18!
MOCKINGJAY chapter 17
Some of my reactions as I read chapter 17... I'll come back later to talk more seriously about things. Please feel free to read along with me and share your reactions and start some discussions, but please NOTHING that happens after Chapter 17. And only read this if you've finished Chapter 17!
MOCKINGJAY chapter 16
Some of my reactions as I read chapter 16... I'll come back later to talk more seriously about things. Please feel free to read along with me and share your reactions and start some discussions, but please NOTHING that happens after Chapter 16. And only read this if you've finished Chapter 16!
MOCKINGJAY chapter 15
Some of my reactions as I read chapter 15... I'll come back later to talk more seriously about things. Please feel free to read along with me and share your reactions and start some discussions, but please NOTHING that happens after Chapter 15. And only read this if you've finished Chapter 15!
MOCKINGJAY chapter 14
Some of my reactions as I read chapter 14... I'll come back later to talk more seriously about things. Please feel free to read along with me and share your reactions and start some discussions, but please NOTHING that happens after Chapter 14. And only read this if you've finished Chapter 14!
MOCKINGJAY chapter 13
Some of my reactions as I read chapter 13... I'll come back later to talk more seriously about things. Please feel free to read along with me and share your reactions and start some discussions, but please NOTHING that happens after Chapter 13. And only read this if you've finished Chapter 13!
MOCKINGJAY chapter 12
Some of my reactions as I read chapter 12... I'll come back later to talk more seriously about things. Please feel free to read along with me and share your reactions and start some discussions, but please NOTHING that happens after Chapter 12. And only read this if you've finished Chapter 12!
MOCKINGJAY chapter 11
Some of my reactions as I read chapter 11... I'll come back later to talk more seriously about things. Please feel free to read along with me and share your reactions and start some discussions, but please NOTHING that happens after Chapter 11. And only read this if you've finished Chapter 11!
MOCKINGJAY chapter 10
Some of my reactions as I read chapter 10... I'll come back later to talk more seriously about things. Please feel free to read along with me and share your reactions and start some discussions, but please NOTHING that happens after Chapter 10. And only read this if you've finished Chapter 10!
MOCKINGJAY chapter 9
Some of my reactions as I read chapter 9... I'll come back later to talk more seriously about things. Please feel free to read along with me and share your reactions and start some discussions, but please NOTHING that happens after Chapter 9. And only read this if you've finished Chapter 9!
MOCKINGJAY chapter 8
Some of my reactions as I read chapter 8... I'll come back later to talk more seriously about things. Please feel free to read along with me and share your reactions and start some discussions, but please NOTHING that happens after Chapter 8. And only read this if you've finished Chapter 8!
MOCKINGJAY chapter 7
Some of my reactions as I read chapter 7... I'll come back later to talk more seriously about things. Please feel free to read along with me and share your reactions and start some discussions, but please NOTHING that happens after Chapter 7. And only read this if you've finished Chapter 7!
MOCKINGJAY chapter 6
Some of my reactions as I read chapter 6... I'll come back later to talk more seriously about things. Please feel free to read along with me and share your reactions and start some discussions, but please NOTHING that happens after Chapter 6. And only read this if you've finished Chapter 6!
MOCKINGJAY chapter 5
Some of my reactions as I read chapter 5... I'll come back later to talk more seriously about things. Please feel free to read along with me and share your reactions and start some discussions, but please NOTHING that happens after Chapter 5. And only read this if you've finished Chapter 5!
MOCKINGJAY chapter 4
Some of my reactions as I read chapter 4... I'll come back later to talk more seriously about things. Please feel free to read along with me and share your reactions and start some discussions, but please NOTHING that happens after Chapter 4. And only read this if you've finished Chapter 4!
MOCKINGJAY chapter 3
Some of my reactions as I read chapter 3... I'll come back later to talk more seriously about things. Please feel free to read along with me and share your reactions and start some discussions, but please NOTHING that happens after Chapter 3. And only read this if you've finished Chapter 3!
MOCKINGJAY chapter 2
Some of my reactions as I read chapter 2... I'll come back later to talk more seriously about things. Please feel free to read along with me and share your reactions and start some discussions, but please NOTHING that happens after Chapter 2. And only read this if you've finished Chapter 2!
MOCKINGJAY chapter 1
Some of my reactions as I read chapter 1... I'll come back later to talk more seriously about things. Please feel free to read along with me and share your reactions and start some discussions, but please NOTHING that happens after Chapter 1. And only read this if you've finished Chapter 1!
Woohoo! Let's get going!
Woohoo! Let's get going!
Monday, August 23, 2010
Finished CATCHING FIRE; Haven't started MOCKINGJAY
If you haven't finished reading CATCHING FIRE, do not click the "read more".
If you have, click through to see some of my final thoughts as we get ready to read MOCKINGJAY.
And if you haven't, what's wrong with you?!? These are the BEST books! The kind where each chapter ends with a gasp that has you "just one more chapter"ing until 5 am! Read HUNGER GAMES! Read HUNGER GAMES! Read HUNGER GAMES!
Tomorrow is MOCKINGJAY day!
A couple months back, I promised some folks on twitter a place to have a chapter by chapter discussion of MOCKINGJAY. As I left my bookstore just a few days back, I don't have the planned space, but I'm happy to have it here...
As I'm reading each chapter, I'll stream of conscious some reactions (as long as I can keep tearing my eyes away from the book...) Feel free to comment as you read the book.
Please do not read a chapter's post before you've finished that chapter (I don't want to spoil it for you!) and extra PLEASE do not post any spoilers in the comments that give away things that happen after that chapter.
Anyone who gives away spoilers where they are not allowed will be tied up in President Snow's personal torture chamber, where tracker jackers will be released one at a time to sting you until your painful insanity makes you beg for fanged monkeys to tear out your heart.
Let the Games Begin!
As I'm reading each chapter, I'll stream of conscious some reactions (as long as I can keep tearing my eyes away from the book...) Feel free to comment as you read the book.
Please do not read a chapter's post before you've finished that chapter (I don't want to spoil it for you!) and extra PLEASE do not post any spoilers in the comments that give away things that happen after that chapter.
Anyone who gives away spoilers where they are not allowed will be tied up in President Snow's personal torture chamber, where tracker jackers will be released one at a time to sting you until your painful insanity makes you beg for fanged monkeys to tear out your heart.
Let the Games Begin!
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