American Booksellers Association

Jun 24 2026 Indies Introduce Q&A with Wendy Lu Printer-friendly version Wendy Lu is the author of Casting Alice, a Summer/Fall 2026 Indies Introduce selection. Angela Whited of Red Balloon Bookshop in St. Paul, Minnesota, served on the panel that selected Lu's book for Indies Introduce. “After totally nailing her audition for the middle school play, April Xue learns she wasn’t cast because of her tracheostomy tube.

Congratulations and thank you to the New Hampshire independent bookstores who banded together to ask Governor Ayotte to veto SB 434, the latest New Hampshire book ban bill, in an open letter in The Concord Monitor. We think a high volume of messages to the governor’s office could make a difference in encouraging her to veto the bill, as she has for similar bills in the past. Will you add your voice in the ask for a veto?

Ari Koontz is the author of Just Ask Elsie, a Summer/Fall 2026 Indies Introduce selection. Allie Cesmat of Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe, Arizona, served on the panel that selected Koontz' book for Indies Introduce. “Elsie is who I want to be when I grow up! She may be eleven, but she is also wise beyond her years, an advocate for change, surrounded by supportive adults, and an open book for all things puberty with no shame attached.

Jun 17 2026 The Indie SciFi/Fantasy Bestseller List Printer-friendly version The American Booksellers Association’s specialty bestseller lists provide a current snapshot of what’s selling in indie bookstores nationwide. Here is the Indie SciFi/Fantasy Bestseller List, based on sales at independent bookstores nationwide for the eight-week period ending June 14, 2026. 1. Project Hail Mary Andy Weir, Ballantine Books, $22.00, 9798217299461 2.

Joanna Thurlow is the author of Forever is the Sweetest Con, a Summer/Fall 2026 Indies Introduce selection. Coco Zephir of An Unlikely Story in Plainville, Massachusetts, served on the panel that selected Thurlow's book for Indies Introduce. “Cleo needs cash. Fast. What better way to solve her problem than join the cast of a reality dating show? Cynical Cleo has been burned in love one too many times… so there’s no chance of catching feelings, right?

Jun 17 2026 Indies Introduce Q&A with P.C. Verrone Printer-friendly version P.C. Verrone is the author of Rabbit, Fox, Tar, a Summer/Fall 2026 Indies Introduce selection. Amani Jackson of The Ivy Bookshop in Baltimore, Maryland, served on the panel that selected Verrone’s book for Indies Introduce. “Rabbit, Fox, Tar may be one of many retellings of the fable of the Tar Baby, but it is, in a way, completely original.

Last Call: Banned Books Week Kits This year, Banned Books Week will be held October 4–10, 2026. Sign up now to receive a free Banned Books Week kit! Our 2026 kits include indie-exclusive materials including our new “CENSORED” tape to bring the free expression message home to your customers. Banned Books Week kits are sent annually to participating stores and include materials to decorate your store and educate customers about the freedom to read.

New York: You Did It! Great news! Your calls, emails, postcards, and legislative meetings worked: the Freedom to Read Act passed! Thank you to everyone who mobilized, shared links, and made their voice heard. But here’s the thing. We’ve been here before. Last year, the bill passed, only to be vetoed at the final hurdle. When the time is right, we will ask you to write to Governor Hochul to urge her to sign this essential legislation.

At ABA's May Community Forum, there was a brief discussion specifically about small bookstores. To follow up on this, we sat down with ABA Board member Talia Whyte from Rozzie Bound Co-op in Roslindale, Massachusetts. Whyte shared some of the advantages of running a small store, some of the resources Rozzie Bound has found most helpful, and her advice for other small bookstores! Bookselling This Week: To start, why don't you give us a little overview of your store, Rozzie Bound Co-op?

As healthcare costs continue to rise and workforce needs evolve, many organizations are exploring alternatives to traditional group health insurance. One increasingly popular option is the Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement (ICHRA) — a flexible, employer-funded benefit that empowers employees while giving organizations greater cost control. What Is an ICHRA?