Book Sales Up in December

Despite the poor November showing and fears about holiday sales, book sales for the month of December increased by 9.7% to $1.5 billion, according to the the Association of American Publishers, though still down by 2.4% for the year-to-date. Books may well have been the affordable holiday gift after all.

Adult hardcovers were down 10.3% for the month at $113.3 million; down 13.0% YTD. Paperbacks increased 12.5% and 3.6% for the year. Mass markets dropped 8.3%, down 3.0% YTD. YA hardcovers jumped 124.6% to $115.1 million in sales, down 12.4% YTD. YA paperbacks increased 37.0; 6.4% YTD.