The Status of the Children’s Book Market: Digital Book World, Day 1

Digital Book World 2015

I’m speaking at Digital Book World (DBW) this year, and even though I missed the first day events, I followed closely on Twitter. One of the big themes on Tuesday was the children’s market, with a full day of sessions presented by Publishers Launch in partnership with DBW.

Jonathan Nowell from Nielsen presented some fascinating charts and trends in a morning session. This one was my favorite.

US Children's Book Market - Nielsen

Other takeaways from Nowell’s presentation:

  • Print juvenile books experienced 12.8% unit sales growth from 2013 to 2014.
  • Juvenile bestsellers are taking up a bigger percentage of the overall bestseller list—its growth is driving the industry.
  • Children are starting to read e-books at a younger age, and the e-book format is growing as a percentage share of all books purchased. (It increased to 21% in 2014, up from 14% in 2013.)
  • 80% of YA books are bought by adults for themselves.
  • Nowell concluded by saying the greatest challenge is expressed by the chart above.

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jeffo

Very interesting presentation. I have to ask: what is CAGR? I couldn’t quite figure that one out. I’d be curious to see how that chart changes in the adult age groups. I also found it interesting, the teens general preference for print books over ebooks. Finally, a comment on the % of teens who read for fun: I have two girls, and while one of them is no longer a teen, there’s almost no time to read for pleasure. Granted, if you want to do it, you’ll make the time, carve it out somewhere, but by the time a lot of kids are done with schoolwork and other obligations, they no longer really want to think a whole lot. Thanks for sharing that, Jane.

jeffo

Thanks, I believe you are correct.

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[…] print book sales in 2014: 37% juvenile, 23% adult fiction, and 40% adult nonfiction. If you read the day 1 recap, then you know that 80% of YA purchases are by adult readers, for adult readers. I had a […]

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[…] print book sales in 2014: 37% juvenile, 23% adult fiction, and 40% adult nonfiction. If you read the day 1 recap, then you know that 80% of YA purchases are by adult readers, for adult readers. I had a […]

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[…] Status of the Children’s Book Market (2014) | Jane Friedman […]

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[…] Digital Book World 2015 also reported that children are starting to read e-books at a younger age, and the e-book format is growing as a percentage share of all books purchased. (It increased to 21% in 2014, up from 14% in 2013.) […]

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[…] then, to add insult to mortal injury, I found this dreadful little pictograph at Jane Friedman’s blog (it’s at the top of the post, so you can click over to view it); it shows how books rate in […]

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[…] Jane Friedman also reported that “Children are starting to read e-books at a younger age, and the e-book format is growing as a percentage share of all books purchased. (It increased to 21% in 2014, up from 14% in 2013.)” She shared a great chart from Nielsen on where books rank for different age groups. You can see it here. […]

P.D. Workman

My teen doesn’t read either. But like yours, he has learning disabilities and it is difficult for him. I am happy for his gaming and chatting because he is required to read a lot of information on the screen, sharpening his skills.

He did recently listen to an audiobook for fun. The first time he’s read a book on his own initiative. But then the movie was released, and, well…

However, take a look at Wattpad. The audience is overwhelmingly teen. My reader demographics over there are 35% teen, and 35% undisclosed. If you assume that 1/3 of the undisclosed are also teen (probably it’s more like 90% of them!) then 47% of my readers on Wattpad are teens. Wattpad claims they have 40 million readers. I have other teen fans who have e-mailed me, and I have teen or nearly teen nieces and nephews who read for enjoyment. They are out there! They’re just too busy reading to respond to surveys.

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[…] industria editorial en Gran Bretaña.” La tendencia se aceleró rápidamente y nunca ha ceased- libros para adultos jóvenes de los niños y ahora impulsar las ventas en la industria editorial (con un 80% de los libros yA comprados por los adultos por sí […]

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[…] part of the publishing industry in Britain.” The trend accelerated rapidly and has never ceased—children’s and young adult books now drive sales in publishing (with 80% of YA books bought by grown-ups for […]