Children’s Bookselling

Publishers have banded together to encourage booksellers to get involved in the May 12^th celebration of Doodle Day to raise awareness of Neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder affecting one in 3,000 children.

Since the merger of the Association of Booksellers for Children into ABA in fall 2010, the resulting ABC Children’s Group at ABA has been bustling with activity that will continue and enhance programming for children’s booksellers and other book industry professionals.

Next month’s BEA will feature three Editors Buzz Forums, offering booksellers and representatives of the media insights on publishers’ picks for the upcoming season.

To help ensure booksellers have registered and reserved tickets for all of the programs and special events they want to attend at BEA, we’ve put together a list of important links and deadlines.

Booksellers at ABA member stores across the country have chosen the winners of the 2011 Indies Choice Book Awards and the E.B. White Read-Aloud Awards.

On April 5, Little Shop of Stories participated in One Day Without Shoes, sponsored by TOMS Shoes, to raise awareness about the millions of children forced to go barefoot.

Reservations are now being accepted for the ABC Children’s Group Silent Auction and Reception at BEA to benefit the new ABFFE Fund for Free Speech in Children’s Books. A preview of this year’s Silent Auction artwork is available online.

Booksellers and librarians can now reserve a spot for the Tea With Children’s Authors, to be held on Wednesday afternoon, May 25, at BookExpo America. Tickets for the event are $15 each.

This week BTW launches “Booksellers Diary,” an occasional feature of first-person accounts of bookseller’s experiences on the frontlines. The first entry is from Carol Chittenden of Eight Cousins in Falmouth, Massachusetts.

Registration is open to ABA member booksellers for “Speed Dating With Children’s Authors and Illustrators” at this year’s BEA.

Owners and staff at all ABA member stores in good standing can now vote via electronic ballot for the 2011 Indies Choice Book Awards, and, for the first time, the E.B. White Read-Aloud Awards, formerly administered by the Association of Booksellers for Children.

Kristen McLean, former ABC executive director, now a consultant to ABA, offers insights and action points for booksellers based on the “The Children’s Book Consumer in the Digital Age,” a joint study by Bowker Pubtrack and ABC.

Stores currently renewing their ABA dues will receive a new “Eat Sleep Read Local” poster. For those also signing up for the new ABA ABC Children’s Group, there’s an additional “Snack Nap Read” poster.

The Winter Institute will feature programming for children’s booksellers on Thursday, January 20, in Salon A/B.

On Monday, January 10, at its Midwinter Meeting in San Diego, the American Library Association announced the winners of its Caldecott and Newbery medals and other awards for the best children’s and young adult literature.