Publishing Tidbits 6/13/13

Adult ebook sales of $110.1 million were up only 10.1 percent compared to January 2012, but were just $7 million off the month's reported trade paperback sales, now comprising the second-largest segment for adult books. The small ebook increase also confirms there was a much smaller post-holiday boost in digital sales as compared to the same time a year ago.

Children's/YA sales suffered a downturn, however. Sales of $100.3 million represented a 23.6 percent decline from the same period a year ago, largely due to a big drop in hardcover sales (down 29.3 percent to $44.7 million.) And ebook sales also declined a significant 36 percent in January, at $14.4 million, continuing to reflect the difference between rising Hunger Games sales in late 2011 and declining sales in the second part of 2012.

In all, ebooks comprised 27.3 percent of sales in January, as they rose less than $2 million compared to December.

(excerpted from Publisher's Lunch)