Booksellers provide recommendations for books they have enjoyed reading and look forward to handselling in their stores. In turn, ABA produces three types of Next Lists at different intervals throughout the year. Member stores receive a quantity of the physical Indie Next List fliers printed in four-color. For participating e-newsletter stores, the lists are distributed electronically to their customers as store-branded e-newsletters with buy buttons linking back to the stores’ websites. Lists are also featured on IndieBound.org and IndieCommerce stores have the option of featuring the lists on their websites.
Indie Next List
This monthly list features the top adult picks from independent booksellers across the country, showcasing the best of the best new releases in all categories and genres. Bookseller nominations are collected and tabulated, with a #1 Pick and the next 24 titles receiving the most nominations designated as “Indie Next List Great Reads.” Titles are presented with a jacket image and a bookseller quote.
An additional 6 titles are selected for the flier to be featured as “Now in Paperback.” These are titles that had been featured as Great Reads as hardcovers and continue to be hand-selling favorites in bookstores. A PDF with jacket image and bookseller quote as well as a shelf-talker for each “Now in Paperback” title is available for download.
Kids’ Next List
This bi-monthly list features the top picks from independent booksellers across the country, showcasing the best of the best new releases in all categories and genres for young readers. Bookseller nominations are collected and tabulated, with an overall #1 Pick and the next 10 titles in each age range (picture book, middle grade, and young adult) receiving the most nominations appearing with a jacket image and a bookseller quote.
Indie Gift Guide for Genre Lovers
Created in response to bookseller calls to better support genre titles, this annual list generally features books publishing the last half of the year with a focus on specific genre categories (Mystery/Thriller, Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Graphic Works, Poetry). While the number of nominations is taken into consideration, the goal is to surprise and delight genre readers with titles they may not be aware of and include a diverse range of authors, storylines, subgenres, and publishers.
| Nomination Deadlines | |
|---|---|
| OCTOBER 2025 LIST | July 28, 2025 |
| NOVEMBER 2025 LIST | August 25, 2025 |
| NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2025 KIDS’ LIST | September 3, 2025 |
| DECEMBER 2025 LIST | September 22, 2025 |
| JANUARY 2026 LIST | October 27, 2025 |
| JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2026 KIDS’ LIST | November 3, 2025 |
| FEBRUARY 2026 LIST | November 24, 2025 |
| MARCH/APRIL 2026 KIDS’ LIST | January 5, 2026 |
| MARCH 2026 LIST | January 12, 2026 |
| APRIL 2026 LIST | February 2, 2026 |
| MAY 2026 LIST | March 2, 2026 |
| MAY/JUNE 2026 KIDS’ LIST | March 16, 2026 |
| JUNE 2026 LIST | March 23, 2026 |
| JULY 2026 LIST | April 27, 2026 |
| JULY/AUGUST 2026 KIDS’ LIST | May 4, 2026 |
| AUGUST 2026 LIST | June 8, 2026 |
| SEPTEMBER 2026 LIST | July 13, 2026 |
| SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026 KIDS’ LIST | July 6, 2026 |
| OCTOBER 2026 LIST | July 27, 2026 |
| NOVEMBER 2026 LIST | August 24, 2026 |
| NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026 KIDS’ LIST | August 31, 2026 |
| DECEMBER 2026 LIST | September 21, 2026 |
| JANUARY 2027 LIST | October 26, 2026 |
| JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2027 KIDS’ LIST | November 2, 2026 |
| FEBRUARY 2027 LIST | November 23, 2026 |
2027 nomination deadlines to come
Rates
All charges include design, printing and distribution costs for both printed fliers and electronic version. Rates subject to change without notice.
Please contact Jessica Stauffer at [email protected] for further information.
| Indie Next List Rate Card (Starting with January 2026 list) | |
| #1 Pick | $5,408 |
| Includes cover placement in paper; author interview in electronic | |
| Top 25 Titles (other than #1 Title) | $3,780 |
| Includes printing and distribution costs for fliers and production and distribution costs of the electronic version. | |
| “Now in Paperback” (6 titles per month) | $1,602 |
| Featuring books that that were previously INL picks in hardcover and appear with original bookseller quote | |
| Kids' Indie Next List Rate Card (Starting with January/February 2026 list) | |
| #1 Pick | $3,150 |
| Includes cover placement in paper; author interview in electronic | |
| Regular listing | $1,943 |
| Includes placement in appropriate section of picks for Picture Books, Middle Grade, or Young Adult | |
| The Indie Gift Guide for Genre Lovers | |
| Regular listing | $1,983 |
| The Indie Gift Guide for Genre Lovers is published once per year in the Fall and includes categories for Romance, Mystery & Thriller, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Graphic Works, and Poetry. | |