Page 16 - Toy&Hobby Magazine Aug-Oct 2020

BOOK LICENSING
BY JAMES DOHNERT
Books: a fundamental
As millions face the challenges of social distancing, books are fast becoming a valued necessity. License Global digital editor James Dohnert discusses.
READING is fundamental. It’s a saying that has taken on a whole new meaning as millions of people around the world hunker down at home to help flatten the curve of the COVID-19 pandemic. As nearly everyone is spending more time in isolation, many have turned to books to help stave off boredom and stay engaged.
Online sales of books are up globally. In the UK, British book retailer Waterstones told The BBC that it had seen a 400 per cent rise in week- over-week online sales. Bookshop.org, an online retailer that lets consumers buy print books directly from independent shops, also told The Financial Times that it has seen sales jump from $4,000 to $140,000 a day during the lockdown.
One of the most popular book categories during the lockdown has been educational
kids’ books. The rapid rise in school closures around the world has led families to pick out informative books to keep their children engaged while stuck at home.
In mid-March, the NPD Group found that sales of juvenile non-fiction education, reference and language books in the US had risen 12 per cent year-to-date versus the same period in 2019. Bestsellers for the category included books that cover the topics such as maths, language arts, puzzles, sticker books, word games, geometry and study aids.
The trend continued into the licensed book industry. NPD reported that juvenile licensed book sales were up 7 per cent over the four weeks ending March 28. In total, the vertical scored 5.1 million-unit sales throughout that period. Top
16 TOY & HOBBY RETAILER AUGUST / SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2020