News

“We're in dark times, and the light is shining out of the windows of bookstores, and that gives hope.”

ABA’s former Senior Strategy Officer, Dan Cullen, said these words last year in an interview in Bookselling This Week on the occasion of ABA’s 125th anniversary. His words ring true right now. We see you, booksellers... You are not alone in these dark times. 

“Raw, heartbreaking, and unflinching — A Clean Hell exposes the hidden torment inside America’s supermax prisons. Eric’s story is more than survival; it’s a wake-up call. Gripping and timely, this book is a powerful reminder of the hidden truths within our justice system and a must-read for today’s world,” said Ambir Moore of The Book Lovers Era in Hill Air Force Base, Utah.

“I have never been as in awe of a book as I am after I finished reading A Beast Slinks Towards Beijing! Alice Evelyn Yang weaves generational trauma with the mystical in this sweeping family saga, told over three generations from Japanese-occupied Manchuria to modern day New York City. An absolutely heartbreaking novel that I will never get over, this debut is not one to miss,” said Haley Calvin of The Novel Neighbor in St. Louis, Missouri.

Punchkins is a new brand of collectible plushies that are STUFFED with personality. We offer a wide range of plush to appeal to anyone and our all new book-adjacent plush gifts and bookmarks are the perfect complement to any bookstore.

Bookselling This Week met with Dante Trasatti, Punchkins’ VP of Sales, to learn more. 

“A thoughtful reflection on whether we are due absolution for our misdeeds in life, delivered in Saunders’ classic voice, with humor, twists, and a deeper look at the impact of corporate greed on our world,” said Christine Bell of Roundabout Books in Bend, Oregon.

The minutes for the October 2025 ABA Board Meeting.

A ballot for the 2026 Board elections will be sent to ABA members via email in March.

Here is the Indie Healthy Living Bestseller List, based on sales at independent bookstores nationwide for the eight-week period ending January 18, 2026.