With most categories posting increases, sales at the 1,158 publishers that report results to the Association of American Publishers’ StatShot program rose 6.9% in July over July 2020.
In the trade categories, sales of adult books increased 6.6%, while sales in the children’s/young adult category rose 16%. The K-12 instructional materials segment had the largest increase, with sales up 25.7% as it rebounds from a pandemic-induced slump last year. The religion segment had a 16.2% increase in July, and professional book sales rose 15.1%.
Monthly declines came in the higher educational course material and university press categories, where sales fell 12.7% and 2.7%, respectively.
Trade paperbacks had a good month in the adult book segment, with sales up 26.7%. Hardcover sales had a small decline of 1.8%. Digital audiobook sales increased 9.8%, but e-book sales fell 15.2%.
Paperback sales led the gains in children’s/YA, up 37.7%. Sales fell in both the digital audio and e-book formats.
For the first seven months of 2021, total sales were up 15.6%, with all categories posting increases over 2020. Adult book sales were up 16.8% in the year-to-date period ,and rose 14.9% in children’s/YA. The K-12 segment had the largest increase, with sales up 31.6%.
