Boxes That Make a Difference

This story originally appeared in Children's Bookshelf on November 2, 2006 Sign up now!

by Joy Bean, Children's Bookshelf -- Publishers Weekly, 11/2/2006

The popular Book Sense White Box mailing, now in its sixth year, is about to become even more popular in the children's book world. Book Sense has announced that a new Children's White Box will be sent out four times a year, beginning in February 2007.

Just as it sounds, the new White Box program will contain information just about children's books and will be a combination of the kinds of materials included in the White Boxes and Red Boxes that are presently sent out monthly to booksellers. In the current program, White Boxes contain a mixture of galleys, ARCs, f&gs and other reading materials. Red Boxes contain "actionable marketing materials," according to Mark Nichols, director of Book Sense Marketing, including catalogues, special offers and sell sheets. As with the existing program, booksellers interested in receiving the boxes must opt in to get them.

Kristen McLean, executive director of the Association of Booksellers for Children, says that the idea for a Children's White Box had been floating around for a long time because "for children's-only bookstores, the [White Box] program wasn't as effective as it could be." When the ABA and the ABC had a retreat this past June, the possibility of a Children's White Box was raised. "The ABA said they would take the idea back with them and see how they could do it," McLean says. "I had hoped for a few children's boxes a year, so the fact that they will be sending out four really pleases me."

In her position at the ABC, McLean says she is looking out for the interests of both booksellers and publishers. "I keep hearing from publishers that they want a way to talk to booksellers. It's all an issue of access. From the publishers' point of view, this program is a way of fine-tuning their opportunity to reach booksellers. Publishers are trying to put things that matter into the hands that count."

Nichols at Book Sense has already heard from a number of publishers and booksellers about the children's box, and calls the feedback "very, very positive. It's a win-win for publishers and booksellers. It's especially effective for booksellers who are off the beaten path—those stores who don't see a sales rep or a telephone rep. It's a great way for publishers to get the word out."

The children's boxes are due out in February, May, August and November each year. In addition, the current White Box and Red Box mailings will still go out every month. "[Children's] publishers can still choose to put their items in the regular box in the months when there is no children's mailing, but I don't know if they will need to," McLean says.

Elizabeth Bluemle, co-owner of The Flying Pig Bookstore in Shelburne, Vt., says she hopes the books that come in the new box are "the less-hyped gems. If the publishers put in their best stuff, it's going to be amazing." She also believes that popularity could eventually compel expansion of the program. "It's only going to be quarterly," she says, "but I suspect that it could increase due to demand."

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