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Stay up to date with the world of independent bookselling.
Wednesday, April 15, 2026
Check out this week's Independent Press Top 40 Bestsellers.
Vote now in the ABA Board of Directors election!
Check out this newest BLK Bestsellers List!
TLDR: This Week's Action Items:
 
 
Children's Institute 2026
Lois Lowry to Keynote at Ci2026!
 

We’re thrilled to announce that Lois Lowry will be joining us at Children's Institute 2026 as our closing keynote speaker!

Lois Lowry is the author of more than fifty books for children and young adults, including the New York Times bestselling Giver Quartet and the popular Anastasia Krupnik series. She has received countless honors, among them the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award, the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award, the California Young Reader Medal, and the Mark Twain Award. She received Newbery Medals for two of her novels, Number the Stars and The Giver.

Lowry will be joined by Cathy Berner, the Children’s/YA Specialist and Event Coordinator at Blue Willow Bookshop in Houston, TX!

Don’t miss what’s sure to be a memorable conversation. If you have not already, register now to join us in Schaumburg!

Visit the Ci2026 website to see more of what we have planned for Children’s Institute 2026. 
 
Register Now
The Ci2026 Hotel Block Opens Tomorrow!
 

Reservations for the Children’s Institute 2026 (Ci2026) hotel block will open tomorrow, Thursday, April 16, at 1:00 pm ET/10:00 am PT!

The ABA group rate is $209 per night plus tax.

Registered attendees will receive an email with the unique booking link on April 16. Please book through the provided link to get the special ABA rate!

If you have any questions, you can reach out to [email protected].
 
Indie Bookstore Day Is Next Week! 
 

We're just days away from Independent Bookstore Day! With over 2,000 stores participating, this will be our biggest Independent Bookstore Day ever!

You (and your customers!) can now find all participating Indie Bookstore Day stores on the IndieBound Indie Bookstore Day Map. 
Submit Your Store Events!
 

There’s still time to tell us about your store’s Indie Bookstore Day plans. Submit your plans to ABA (including crawls and passport programs) and we’ll add them to our IndieBound article. 

The deadline to submit plans is April 17.
Send Us Your Display Photos!
 

Leading up to Indie Bookstore Day, we’ll be sharing store photos across social media! 

Email your Indie Bookstore Day display photos to [email protected]! 
Get Ready for Spirit Week!
 

Starting Monday, April 20, join fellow booksellers for Independent Bookstore Day Spirit Week!

Feel free to share the digital assets, use the hashtag #BookstoreSpiritWeek, and take part in the daily themes leading up to Indie Bookstore Day on April 25. Here are the Spirit Week holidays:
Order Indie Bookstore Day Overstock
 

Ingram has some remaining inventory available for stores to place orders before Indie Bookstore Day!

Here are the remaining items: 

Quantities are limited! Contact your Ingram rep to place your order. (If you don’t have an Ingram rep, you can reach out to the membership team at [email protected] for more information.)

You can also still order the exclusive Independent Bookstore Day 2026 shirt, designed by Tom Gauld, from Bonfire!
 
Save the date for these upcoming events:
 
 
Visit Events Calendar
 
Black megaphone on white and red background
National Book Ban Bill

The American Booksellers Association proudly joined a coalition of other 100 organizations — including many ABA member stores — to oppose HR 7661, a national book ban bill that would impose one of the strictest book censorship regimes yet on schools nationwide. It specifically targets books dealing with “gender dysphoria and transgenderism” and limits every community’s right to make its own decisions about book curation.

We have created assets for anyone who would like to have flyers in their store or share on social media.
Download Assets
Indie Beacon Book Light
Indie Beacon Book Light Offers Discounts for ABA Members

Indie Beacon Book Light has partnered with ABA to offer discounts to member stores!

After years of trying to find the perfect book light, two independent bookstore owners made their own! Deb (The Book Oasis) and Mike (The Book Rack) worked with a manufacturer to make an affordable, feature-packed, rechargeable book light. 

A portion of every book light sold is donated to the Book Industry Charitable Foundation (Binc), a non-profit dedicated to supporting booksellers and comic book shops nationwide. 

Visit the BookWeb Business Services page to learn more!
Learn More
Abstract by Rabrams
Partner Spotlight: AbstractbyRabrams

Partner Spotlight is a series designed to highlight the vendors that partner with ABA to offer discounted products, services, and business opportunities to ABA members.

AbstractbyRabrams is a woman- and queer-owned stationery and gift brand that focuses on dopamine-core, subtle pride, and positive affirmations. Owner Rachel Abrams designs all of the products from greeting cards to stickers, notebooks to magnetic bookmarks, reading journals, sticker books and more.

Bookselling This Week met with Rachel Abrams to learn more about AbstractbyRabrams.
Read Interview
Indies Introduce author Sandy Bigna
Indies Introduce Q&A with Sandy Bigna

Sandy Bigna is the author of Little Bones, a Winter/Spring 2026 Indies Introduce selection.

Here, Bigna and Sydne Conant of Ink Cap Books in Stoughton, WI, discuss Little Bones.

You can also visit the ABA podcast, BookED, to listen to this interview.
Read Interview
Indies Introduce author Bar Fridman-Tell
Indies Introduce Q&A with Bar Fridman-Tell

Bar Fridman-Tell is the author of Honeysuckle, a Winter/Spring 2026 Indies Introduce selection.

Here, Fridman-Tell and Emily Russo of PRINT: A Bookstore in Portland, ME, discuss Honeysuckle.

You can also visit the ABA podcast, BookED, to listen to this interview.
Read Interview
Indie Cooking Bestseller List
Indie Cooking Bestseller List

Here is the Indie Cooking Bestseller List, based on sales at independent bookstores nationwide for the eight-week period ending April 12.
See Bestsellers
Advocacy Updates
Advocacy Updates
 

Trademark Issue: “Blind Date with a Book” 

ABA is aware that a trademark has been filed for the phrase “Blind Date With a Book,” and we are grateful for those of you who reached out with evidence of prior use.

We have submitted a Letter of Protest on behalf of our members and will follow up as we have more information.

If you are interested in doing so, you may also file a Letter of Protest. (Please note that you are required to pay a fee when submitting a Letter of Protest.)
 
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