World Book Night Adds Three Titles

World Book Night U.S. Executive Director Carl Lennertz announced today that three titles have been added to the 2014 offerings, raising the number of books to be given away by volunteers on April 23, 2014, to 550,000.

“Sadly, the call for books for at risk teens across the country is growing, from underfunded schools to foster homes to tutoring programs,” said Lennertz. “We had to move fast and get publisher approval to bump up the printings on the current YA titles.” In addition, since the number of giver applications has been so strong, WBN has added three titles to the 2014 list: Zora and Me, by Victoria Bond & T.S. Simon (Candlewick); Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, by Jesse Andrews (Amulet/Abrams); and The Raven’s Warrior, by Vincent Pratchett (YMAA Publications).

“A store or library that wants to participate next year needs to act quickly,” added Lennertz..“We have more than 1,500 bookstores and libraries already signed up to be host WBN locations, and we welcome more. However, they need to sign up ASAP in order to promote giver applications to their customers and patrons in time to ensure giver turnout for their locations. We have also posted helpful signage at our Resources tab.”

Earlier in the week, Lennertz made several other announcements about activities surrounding WBN 2014:

• The World Book Night social media team, headed by Laura Peraza with three NYU Center for Publishing grad program volunteers, has launched the book-a-day campaign for the WBN 2014 picks, with authors joining in regularly.
• Baker & Taylor is now a WBN partner in support of marketing materials.
• Lanora Haradon, formerly of Next Chapter Bookstore in Wisconsin, is working pro bono for WBN as a data analyst.
• Host bookstore and library sign-up is growing; 87 indie stores that did not participate last year have signed up to be host locations for 2014.
• Ingram Book Company has shipped dozens of 2013 book boxes to each of three prison programs in Texas, Florida, and North Carolina.