Handselling Favorites Wanted ... for Book Sense Book of the Year

The American Booksellers Association is currently accepting nominations of booksellers' handselling favorites for the 2004 Book Sense Book of the Year Awards (BSBY). All ABA member stores are eligible to nominate titles in the categories of Adult Fiction, Adult Nonfiction, Children's Literature, Children's Illustrated, and Paperback. Only one nomination form per store is allowed; the first form received will be the official ballot.

A nomination form is being sent to stores with Book Sense in the February White Box mailing. In addition, all ABA member bookstores may access the form online at www.bookweb.org/read/6785.

The form includes titles drawn from the Top Ten Book Sense 76 picks of 2003 as well as space for write-in nominations in each category. Only books published in the preceding year are eligible. Because booksellers recently had the opportunity to select their favorite titles of the past five years for the Best of Book Sense, there is no Rediscovery category this year.

The top five finalists in each category will be announced in mid-March, and ballots for the 2004 Book Sense Book of the Year Awards will be mailed to all ABA bookstore members in early April. Winning titles will be announced on Friday, June 4, at ABA's Celebration of Bookselling at BookExpo America in Chicago.

The deadline for nominations is March 8. Nomination forms that are mailed must be postmarked by March 1 and sent to BSBY at Book Sense, 828 South Broadway, Tarrytown, New York, 10591. Ballots may also be sent by fax to (914) 591-2720.