For Immediate Release

June 6 , 2006

Contact: Tina Jordan
Ph: (212) 255-0200 x263
Email: tjordan@publishers.org

Adult Paperback and Mass Market Book Sales Rise in April

Monthly Sales Dip; Year To-Date Up

June 6, 2006, New York, NY:  While book sales declined in April for some categories tracked by the Association of American Publishers (AAP), sales for the year were up, with significant rise in Adult Paperback and Mass Market categories. Net sales were down by 3.4 percent for the month, while year-to-date sales were up by 4.3 percent. Adult Paperback sales maintained an upward climb with an increase of 19.3 percent (sales totaled $105.9 million) as well as an increase of 20.2 percent year- to-date.  The Adult Mass-Market category posted a growth of 16.2 percent for April with sales totaling $41.3 million, as well as a 15.3 percent increase for the year.

Sales for the Adult Hardcover category dropped by 10.4 percent in April with sales of $98.9 million; sales were down by 10.5 percent year- to-date.  The Children’s/YA Hardcover category saw a decline of 22.0 percent for the month with sales totaling $28.6 million; sales were down by 11.5 percent year-to-date as well.  The Children’s/YA Paperback publishing sales saw a fall of 18.9 percent (sales totaling $27.4 million); however, this category rose by 3.9 percent increase for the year.

Audio Book sales dipped 13.2 percent in April with sales totaling $10.9 million. This category posted a small decline of 1.1 percent for the year.  E-books declined by 3.0 percent with sales of $1.2 million; however, it increased by 22.9 percent for the year.  Religious Books also dropped by 21.1 percent ($23.6 million) and saw a 21.7 percent decrease for the year. 

Sales of University Press Hardcover books saw an 18.8 percent loss in April with sales of $6.9 million; this category is down 24.2 percent for the year.  University Press Paperback sales rose 3.6 percent with sales totaling $14.1 million; sales were up 86.7 percent for the year.  Sales in the Professional and Scholarly category saw a decline of 17.1 percent for the month, with sales of $36.3 million as well as a 4.5 percent increase for the year.

Higher Education publishing sales saw a 149.0 increase in April with sales totaling $9.0 million; sales were up by 10.3 percent for the year.  Finally, the net El-Hi (elementary/high school) basal and supplemental K-12 category declined slightly by 0.8 percent in April with sales of $214.3 million.  This category declined by 3.2 percent for the year. 

The Association of American Publishers is the national trade association of the U.S. book publishing industry.  AAP’s more than 300 members include most of the major commercial book publishers in the United States, as well as smaller and non-profit publishers, university presses and scholarly societies.  AAP members publish hardcover and paperback books in every field, educational materials for the elementary, secondary, postsecondary and professional markets, scholarly journals, computer software and electronic products and services.  The protection of intellectual property rights in all media, the defense of intellectual freedom and the promotion of reading and literacy are among the Association’s primary concerns.

NOTE: All sales figures cited in this release are domestic net sales

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