November is Native American Heritage Month. The month is a time to celebrate rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories and to acknowledge the important contributions of Native people. Heritage Month is also an opportune time to educate the general public about tribes, to raise a general awareness about the unique challenges Native people have faced both historically and in the present, and the ways in which tribal citizens have worked to conquer these challenges. (NCAI.org)

Millions of people in the U.S. are affected by mental illness each year. It’s important to measure how common mental illness is, so we can understand its physical, social and financial impact — and so we can show that no one is alone. These numbers are also powerful tools for raising public awareness, stigma-busting and advocating for better health care. (National Alliance on Mental Illness)

It’s time for another celebration of the right to read! Join the ongoing and imperative mission by working with booksellers to feature titles whose value has been contested at local and national levels. 

This year’s honorary (and inaugural) chair of Banned Books Week, Jason Reynolds: “To censor a book is to damage the framework in which we live,” adds Reynolds. “Any time we eliminate or wall off certain narratives, we are not getting a whole picture of the world in which we live. And navigating the world in a way that is closed-off, closed-minded, is poisonous. It means that we limit our vocabulary, which complicates how we communicate with one another. We have to celebrate stories and ensure that all books have a space on the shelves and the opportunity to live in the psyches of our children, as they grow into the human beings who will inherit this wonderful place.” 

White Elephant and Secret Santa gift exchanges have become more popular, and certain books and merch from PRH see massive sales increases during the fourth quarter as a result. Titles on this list outsell Q1 – 3 by as much as 16 times in Q4. Tis the season to sell backlist! 

Between 9/15 and 10/15, we celebrate the history and countless contributions that Latinos have made to the US over the years. This month we also honor the cultural richness of Hispanics from Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean.

This year Americans will commemorate the life-changing events of September 11, 2001, twenty years ago. In addition to tributes to those who lost their lives, including the traditional reading of names, and honoring the heroes of that day, many will ruminate about the ongoing war on terror that’s since taken place. The expected complete withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan by 9/11 of this year as ordered by President Biden will have readers refocused on all that has transpired over the past 20 years. 

Bookstore Romance Day is a day designed to give independent bookstores an opportunity to celebrate Romance fiction—its books, readers, and writers—and to strengthen the relationships between bookstores and the Romance community. (https://bookstoreromanceday.org/) 2021 marks the third year of this annual celebration.

The start of a new school year can be a source of stress for both parents and kids. But research shows that it’s moms who have the hardest time emotionally when school starts. (healthline.com) Schedules, meal-planning, and helping to manage their children’s anxieties contribute to a tough re-entry for some parents. 

After decades of public denial, the Pentagon now grudgingly acknowledges unidentified aerial phenomena (UFOs) exist. CBS’s “Sixty Minutes” reports that a U.S. Senate intelligence committee has ordered the director of national intelligence and the secretary of defense to deliver a report on the mysterious sightings by next month.

As consumers grapple with a potential fourth wave of COVID-19 and vaccinations ramp up *just* faster than variants are overtaking certain parts of the country, it’s also time for market to begin to see books on the subject. Larry Wright’s A PLAGUE YEAR goes on sale in early June, and Nina Burleigh’s VIRUS hits shelves even sooner. Other books about epidemics, pandemics, and diseases may see sales increases as they did early in the COVID-19 pandemic.

The number of cyclists/bike riders in the U.S. has increased over the past three years from around 43 million to 47.5 million in 2017 (statista.com). With the Tour de France coming up in late June, cyclists may be more enthusiastic than ever. This title collection includes practical, inspirational, and historical titles about the sport. 

At a time when all Americans are looking for a better America, it’s useful to look to the past to remind ourselves of what earlier Americans thought about, fought for, and were motivated to accomplish. Several title lists can help booksellers curate thoughtful and enlightening title collections for promotions.