Ordering Opens for ABC Best Books for Children Catalog

Today, the American Booksellers Association begins accepting orders for this year’s ABC Best Books for Children Catalog via an online order form on BookWeb.org [1].

The full-color, 20-page consumer circular, slated to be in stores in early October, will feature more than 250 fully vetted frontlist and backlist titles, including award winners and critically acclaimed titles, all suggested by ABA member booksellers. The catalog carries no fourth quarter branding to provide flexibility and enable booksellers to use it throughout the year. The catalog cover, which was chosen by the ABC Advisory Council, features artwork by Judy Schachner from her new book, Skippyjon Jones: Class Action (Dutton Children’s Books).

All members of the ABC Children’s Group at ABA (ABC Group) will automatically receive 250 free catalogs with no imprinting; all other ABA member stores will automatically receive 50 free catalogs with no imprinting.  The online order form is for purchasing additional catalogs, either imprinted or plain.

Additional catalogs are available in units of 500 copies. The cost for each additional 500-unit is $20 for ABC Group members and $30 for non-members, shipping included. The plate cost for imprinting, if desired, is $75 for ABC Group members and $125 for non-members.  (Full details are available on the order form. [1]) The deadline for orders is September 1.

Orders up to 5,000 copies may be placed via the online form. For larger orders, stores should contact ABA Industry Relations Assistant Carolyn Bennett via e-mail [2] or at (800) 637-0037, ext. 6645. ABA members interested in joining the ABC Group should contact Membership Relations Manager Kaitlin Pitcher via e-mail [3] or at (800) 637-0037, ext. 6666.

This year’s catalog will be the 19^th edition of the ABC Best Books for Children Catalog and the first since the merger of the Association of Booksellers for Children with ABA in fall 2010 [4]. The catalog began as a marketing tool to promote backlist, but nine years ago the move was made to frontlist in order to make the catalog fresher and more timely and expand its reach through stronger partnerships with publishers.

Because the catalog is not branded exclusively for the holiday season, it’s a great promotional tool throughout the year. Stores use the catalog in a variety of ways, including book fairs, direct mail, in-store displays, teacher nights, newspaper inserts, school giveaways, and more.  The catalog can also be used as a tool for training general bookselling staff on the newest children’s recommendations for the fourth quarter.

A survey by ABC in summer 2009, before the group’s merger with ABA, found that the catalog was the number one benefit of ABC membership (82.3 percent), and continuation of the catalog was the number-one priority under any future merger scenario.

“Expanding the access to the ABC catalog for the entire independent bookselling community was one of the biggest potential benefits in any merger between ABC and ABA, and it’s wonderful to see that come to pass,” said former ABC Executive Director Kristen Mclean, now a consultant to ABA. “The ABC Catalog is one of the highest-quality consumer catalogs in the country, and I hope it lands in the hands of every parent and child in each one of our local communities.”