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Re: A Paucity of Picture Books
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From: Jones, Caroline E <cj24_at_txstate.edu>
Date: Fri, 05 Nov 2010 10:38:22 -0500
I understand what Leonard is saying, and agree. As a former bookseller, it breaks my heart to see the dearth of chain store booksellers who know the stock, are given the time to really read the new books, and have the oppor tunities and resources to hand-sell, merchandise, and promote in-store the books they love. So much of the promotion now is publisher funded. Book s tores employ fewer and fewer people who know and love books and want to con nect them with readers. Caroline
-- Dr. Caroline E. Jones Department of English 601 University Dr. Texas State University-San Marcos San Marcos, TX 78666 512-245-3785
On 11/5/10 7:59 AM, "leonardsma_at_aol.com" wrote:
Of course the thing about really good picture books is that you DON'T read them just once. You read them again and again, GOODNIGHT MOON being the ult imate example. If you "amortize" a picture book purchase on that basis, it turns out to be quite a bargain. The real problem for adult shoppers is not having enough guidance as they make their selections in stores. The defaul t options are (1) to buy a remembered and loved book, and there is certainl y nothing wrong with that--except it does nothing to encourage the chains t o stock a wide variety of newer books and thus ultimately results in more l imited stock selections and to more muddled articles like the one in the Ti mes; and (2) to reach for a celebrity book (because it's "author" is funny on television or whatever). The latter is unfortunate only because those bo oks are rarely good and do make the person who paid the $17 wonder whether it was worth the price, which in fact it was not.
Leonard
Leonard S. Marcus 54 Willow Street, #2A Brooklyn, NY 11201 USA
T 718 596-1897 E leonardsma_at_aol.com W www.leonardmarcus.com
Received on Fri 05 Nov 2010 10:38:22 AM CDT
Date: Fri, 05 Nov 2010 10:38:22 -0500
I understand what Leonard is saying, and agree. As a former bookseller, it breaks my heart to see the dearth of chain store booksellers who know the stock, are given the time to really read the new books, and have the oppor tunities and resources to hand-sell, merchandise, and promote in-store the books they love. So much of the promotion now is publisher funded. Book s tores employ fewer and fewer people who know and love books and want to con nect them with readers. Caroline
-- Dr. Caroline E. Jones Department of English 601 University Dr. Texas State University-San Marcos San Marcos, TX 78666 512-245-3785
On 11/5/10 7:59 AM, "leonardsma_at_aol.com" wrote:
Of course the thing about really good picture books is that you DON'T read them just once. You read them again and again, GOODNIGHT MOON being the ult imate example. If you "amortize" a picture book purchase on that basis, it turns out to be quite a bargain. The real problem for adult shoppers is not having enough guidance as they make their selections in stores. The defaul t options are (1) to buy a remembered and loved book, and there is certainl y nothing wrong with that--except it does nothing to encourage the chains t o stock a wide variety of newer books and thus ultimately results in more l imited stock selections and to more muddled articles like the one in the Ti mes; and (2) to reach for a celebrity book (because it's "author" is funny on television or whatever). The latter is unfortunate only because those bo oks are rarely good and do make the person who paid the $17 wonder whether it was worth the price, which in fact it was not.
Leonard
Leonard S. Marcus 54 Willow Street, #2A Brooklyn, NY 11201 USA
T 718 596-1897 E leonardsma_at_aol.com W www.leonardmarcus.com
Received on Fri 05 Nov 2010 10:38:22 AM CDT
