Publishers Weekly - May 23, 2022

102 Pages·2022·44.8 MB·English

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A SIMPLE NAME FOR AN
ORGANIZATION WITH A SIMPLE
MISSION.
WE COLLECT, SORT, SHIP, AND
DISTRIBUTE BOOKS TO STUDENTS OF
ALL AGES IN AFRICA.
O U R G O A L : T O E N D T H E B O O K F A M I N E
I N A F R I C A .
Books For Africa remains the largest shipper of donated text and
library books to the African continent, shipping over 45 million
books to all 55 countries on the African continent. Last year alone,
Books For Africa shipped 3.3 million books, and 155 computers and
e-readers containing over 400,000 digital books, to 29 African
countries. More than $2.7 million was raised last year to ship these
books to the students of Africa.
We’dliketogivespecialthankstoourmanypublishingpartnerswhodonatetoBooksForAfrica
includingLernerPublishingGroup,Wiley,Norton,Simon&Schuster,Workman,
Merck,RandMcNally,FoxChapel,Macmillan,Capstone
Celebrating30
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endthebook
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For more information on how you can donate books or contribute to Books For Africa, contact Executive Director Patrick Plonski at
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Put Your
Volume 269 May 23,
Number 22 2022
ISSN 0000-0019 Finger
F
E AT U R E S
23
An Ailing System on the
Forthcoming books examine deep-seated issues in the American
health and fitness industries.
Pulse
31
Death Becomes Her
A woman investigates her friend’s murder in Ruth Ware’s seventh
psychological crime thriller.
65–87
BookLife
We talk with Tanaya Kollipara, winner of the 2021 BookLife Prize in
of Publishing
nonfiction, plus we’ve got reviews and more.
N
E W S
6 Hoping for Better Than 2019
Trade sales seem likely to fall from 2021 levels this year, but how far?
7 Dorothy, a (Successful) Publishing Project
With a new distributor, things are looking up for the tiny St. Louis–
based indie press.
7 Print Sales Down in Early May
Unit sales dropped 6.9% in the week ended May 14 compared to the
similar week last year, with losses in all categories but adult fiction.
10 Archie Navigates the Pandemic
The venerable comics publisher had to pivot quickly to adjust to
Covid-related lockdowns and supply chain issues, but last year was
one of the best in its eight-decade history.
11 Wattpad and Webtoon’s Relationship Evolves
Nearly a year after selling Wattpad to South Korea’s Naver, Wattpad
cofounder Allen Lau is transitioning into a new role: executive adviser
for Naver subsidiary Webtoon, a mobile comics platform.
12 Deals
Hogarth takes two novels from Booker-winning Korean author Han
Kang, Gilmore Girls star Lauren Graham sells an essay collection to
Ballantine, and more.
13 From the Archive
We look back at our coverage of the 2019 BookExpo, which would
turn out to be the last installment of the long-running annual New
York book conference. everything you need to know.
every day.
VISIT US ONLINE FOR ADDITIONAL NEWS,
REVIEWS, BESTSELLERS & FEATURES.
publishersweekly.com
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C o n t e n t s
D & C
E PA R T M E N T S O L U M N S
18 Religion & Spirituality
If You’re
Parenting titles from religion houses aim to strengthen spines and
spirits.
Not Reading
21 Open Book
In his ambitious new novel, Ian McEwan recounts a long and compli-
cated life framed by the historical events of the past 70 years.
Children’s
88 Soapbox by R.S. Mellette
An author argues that publishers and booksellers should make
Bookshelf, room for books that appeal to multiple age groups.
B
E S T S E L L E R S
You Don’t Know
● Adult Hardcovers 15 ● Adult Paperbacks 16
● Children’s 17
What You’re
R
E V I E W S
Missing.
Fiction Children’s/YA
33 General Fiction 59 Picture Books
37 Mystery/Thriller 62 Fiction
The biggest stories 40 SF/Fantasy/Horror 64 Comics
43 Romance/Erotica
43 Inspirational
The latest trends
45 Comics 48
Nonfiction Q&A with
The broadest coverage of
Jonathan Lemire
47 General Nonfiction
U.S. children’s 57 Religion/Spirituality
51
36
& YA publishing
Q&A with
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Wolf in the
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Shadows
Reviews Roundup
Picture books celebrate dads
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The Week in Publishing
Educational Development Corp.
reported a 30% decline in sales in President George Slowik Jr.
CEO & Publisher Cevin Bryerman
the fi scal year ended February 28, Senior V-P, Editorial Director Jim Milliot
COO Carl Pritzkat
Senior V-P, Children’s Book Editor Diane Roback
after revenue hit a record high of
Senior V-P, Executive Editor Jonathan Segura
V-P, Sales & Associate Publisher Joe Murray
$204.6 million in the prior fi scal year. Net earnings declined 34.1%, to
V-P, Operations Ryk Hsieh
Art Director Clive Chiu
$8.3 million. Managing Editor Daniel Berchenko
News Director Rachel Deahl
Senior News Editor Calvin Reid
News & Digital Editor John Maher
Atlantic Editions is a new a book Andy Ventris, director of Features Editor Carolyn Juris
Senior Writer Andrew R. Albanese
imprint developed by the the London Book Fair, will Bookselling & International Editor Ed Nawotka
SeniorReviews Editor Peter Cannon
Atlanticmagazine in part- step down this summer. Senior Reviews Editor, Children’s Amanda Bruns
Reviews Editors: David Adams, Stephanie Buschardt,
Phoebe Cramer, Meg Lemke, Maya C. Popa,
nership with independent Ventris was appointed as
Amanda Ramirez, Carliann Rittman, David Varno
Associate Reviews Editor Marc Greenawalt
publisher Zando. Its fi rst director in November Religion Editor Emma Koonse Wenner
Deputy Children’s Book Editor Emma Kantor
titles, penned by Atlantic 2020, succeeding Jacks Editorial Assistant, Children’s Books Iyana Jones
Assistant Editor Drucilla Shultz
writers, will appear in Thomas, who retired earlier Associate Editor, News Sophia Stewart
Associate Art Director Nicole Cadavid
January 2023. that year following the can- Copy Chief Robby Ritacco
Director of Marketing Krista Rafanello
cellation of the fair due to Marketing Manager Stacey Gill
DirectorofSpecialEditorialProjects Adam Boretz
BookLife Editor Matia Madrona Query
Random HouseWorlds is Covid-19. A search is
BookLife Reviews Editor Alan Scherstuhl
Director of Digital Operations Michael Morris
a new imprint that will be underway for Ventris’s
Digital Editorial Coordinator Marian Amo
Digital Department Assistant Nathalie Mairena
home to all of Random replacement. Digital Advertising Assistant Beatrice Viri
HR Generalist Nathaly Rivas
House’s adult licensed Accounts Receivable Cynthia Flaim
Accounts Payable Sylvia Joanne Slowik
titles starting in 2023. Assistant Office Manager Catherine Hosch
Correspondents:
The dedicated division West Coast Nathalie op de Beeck 253-306-3793
Midwest Claire Kirch 218-310-1867
will be under the direction Asia Teri Tan ([email protected])
Editor at Large Louisa Ermelino
Contributing Editors: Michael Coffey, Sari Feldman,
of Keith Clayton, v-p,
Liz Hartman, Brian Kenney, Daniel Lefferts, Sally Lodge,
Heidi MacDonald, Shannon Maughan, Marcia Z. Nelson, Diane
deputy publisher of Del
Patrick, Karen Raugust, Sonia Jaffe Robbins,
Judith Rosen
Rey, who will also serve as Regional Sales Team: Deena Ali, Ian Littauer, Julia Molino
Sales Coordinator Monique Vieu
publishing director of Circulation Next Steps Marketing
Collections Alan Kula, AK Collections
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News
Hoping for Better Than 2019
Trade unit sales seem likely to fall from 2021 levels, but how far?
E
arlier this month, Harper- higher gas and food prices have
Unit Sales of Print Books
Collins, Hachette Book historically had a short-term nega-
(in millions)
Group, and Simon & Schus- tive impact on company sales, and,
2019 2020 2021 2022
ter all reported sales gains as such, EDC has a conservative out-
Total 700 757 827 ?
in the first quarter of 2022 over the look for the current fiscal year.
SOURCE: NPD BOOKSCAN
same period last year, but predic- Consumer cutbacks were not
Bookstore Sales
tions for the remainder of the year reflected in AAP’s monthly StatShot
(in millions)
were muted. Publishing executives, sales report for the first two months
2019 2020 2021 2022
or executives at their parent com- of 2022, which showed total trade
Total $8,931 $6,163 $8,470 ?
panies, said higher costs are likely sales up 7.6% at reporting compa-
SOURCE: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU
to squeeze profits, and sales are nies. Adult sales rose 3.6% over
expected to be flat or post small gains. Executives at Harper- 2021, while children’s/YA sales increased 17.9%. The
Collins parent company News Corp said that while sales in increase was led by print gains, as e-book and download-
2022 will show little or no growth, they will still be above able audio sales were down in the children’s/YA category,
those of 2019, the last pre-pandemic year—a line that’s while on the adult side e-book sales fell 7.4% and download-
increasingly being used in publishing circles. News CEO able audio had only a 2.8% sales increase.
Robert Thomson said that though growth will slow, he Bookstore sales are also being analyzed on a 2022 vs. 2021
expects sales to be “significantly higher” than before the basis, as well as a 2022 vs. 2019 basis. While sales in the first
pandemic, and CFO Susan Panuccio said that though earn- quarter were above those of 2021, they were down compared
ings fell at HC in the first quarter, “consumption levels” to 2019. In preliminary estimates released last week by the
remain higher than they were in 2019. U.S. Census Bureau, first-quarter bookstore sales saw an
That is a theme NPD BookScan has been pointing to since increase of 16% over the first quarter of 2021, rising to $1.99
the beginning of 2022. Kristen McLean, executive director billion from $1.71 billion. Compared to the first quarter of
and industry analyst for NPD/BookScan Books Group, pre- 2019, however, sales declined 8.5%, and it is not clear if
dicted in January that unit sales of print books will likely bookstore sales will return to 2019 levels.
fall this year compared to 2021, when they were about One thing that has kept book sales down is the lackluster
827 million at outlets that report to BookScan. McLean performance of frontlist titles. According to BookScan, back-
said she expects unit sales to be above those of 2019 (700 list accounted for 68% of unit sales in 2021, a record high.
million units), and possibly even with 2020 (757 million Through early May, frontlist sales were down almost 11%
units). For the year to date through May 7, print unit sales from the comparable period in 2021, while backlist sales
reported to BookScan were down 6.4% (35 million units) were off about 4%. Earlier this year, Barnes & Noble CEO
from the comparable period last year but were 16% higher James Daunt said what the market could really use is a big
than in 2019. new book to get customers back into stores, but so far no
Discussion with a number of independent publishers also surprise hit has emerged. The top print book published in
revealed that owners and managers tend to be budgeting 2022 to date is Run, Rose, Run by James Patterson and Dolly
for flat or declining sales compared to what was for many a Parton, which has sold just under 350,000 copies since its
record 2021. As has been true since the pandemic started, March 7 release. Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover is
market conditions are in flux. Inflation, for one, could cut into the #2 new book this year, with about 312,000 copies sold.
consumers’ discretionary spending while causing publishers Hoover has, of course, racked up huge BookTok-driven
to raise prices on some books, which will likely cut into unit backlist sales for It Ends with Us (the overall top-selling
sales if not dollar sales. In prepared remarks accompanying book of the year to date, with about 512,000 copies sold),
the release of Educational Development Corp.’s fiscal 2022 Verity (429,000 copies sold), and Ugly Love (280,000
results, CEO Craig White made just that point, observing that copies sold). —Jim Milliot
6 PUBLISHERS WEEKLY ■ MAY 23, 2022