The month of July sees more online searches for “addiction” than other times of year, so it may be a good time for booksellers to stock that section more heavily, or even remove books from the section to make them more findable for customers.

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 growth of the manga subcategory (series-driven Japanese comic books and graphic novels) over the past years has been staggering. It is currently one of the fastest growing areas of comic books and narrative fiction, according to global information company The NPD Group, far outpacing growth in the total adult-comic/graphic-novel category.

The reasons for giving back are too numerous to elucidate, but we can start with the basics: it connects us to the community by improving it, helps people gain experience and skills required for career advancement, and it makes you feel good. Volunteer work, donations, philanthropy of all kinds feed our need to give back.

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.

“The flowers are blooming, the birds are serenading, and the house still feels like it’s stuck with winter blues. Spring cleaning is a tradition that allows us to freshen up our homes and get a head start on the often hectic seasons of spring and summer. It can feel like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be difficult.” (The Spruce)

Bring on the celebration!

Each June in the USA and around the world, celebrations of LGBTQ Month include parades, picnics, parties, workshops, symposia and concerts, and Pride Month events attract millions of participants. As ever, PRH and its distributed clients have a multitude of books to recognize the impact that LGBTQ individuals have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally, including Fiction and Non-Fiction.

One in five Americans listens to audiobooks, with those numbers increasing significantly during the pandemic. Audiobook consumers listen to relax, to be entertained, to escape, and to learn new things. Families listen together on car trips. People listen while working out, doing nothing, taking a quiet walk, cleaning the house.

Summer is just around the corner and people are thinking about and planning road trips. Help them get even more inspired with these classic and contemporary narratives that involve road trips.

In May, Americans pay tribute to generations of Asian and Pacific Islanders who have enriched America’s history and are instrumental in its future success. At no time have these Americans needed to see the country acknowledge and celebrate the rich heritages thousands of years old and the people who have shaped United States history. 

Asian-Americans are the nation’s fastest-growing racial group, and for the last year have suffered considerably in an ever-present racist atmosphere. Encourage booksellers to show their support more than ever with a variety of ideas for promotion during this holiday.

“On June 19, 1865, Union Army Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger rode into Galveston, Texas, and told slaves of their emancipation. That day came more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. While the holiday was informally commemorated in later years, Texas became the first state to make it a state holiday in 1980. Last year, numerous states, cities and colleges across the US moved to recognize it as an official holiday.” (CNN)

As more companies designate Juneteenth an official work holiday, and the work of racial reckoning is at the forefront of our national priorities, Juneteenth becomes a more recognized historical celebration. Help booksellers help their customers understand this holiday with fiction and non-fiction that shines a light on the past and present.

Illustration: news.crunchbase.com