With the notable exceptions of audio downloads and children’s/YA, sales were down through May compared to the first five months of 2013, based on figures supplied to the AAP by 1,209 publishers for its StatShot program. The 30.5% increase in sales in the five-month period in the children’s/YA category was driven by double-digit gains in all formats, led by a 53.3% increase in e-book sales. Despite the jump in e-book revenue, the format still accounted for only 15.8% of children’s/YA sales in the 2014 period, compared to 13.5% through May 2013. In the adult trade category, sales were down in all print formats and slipped 0.2% for e-books. With its small decline, e-book was the top-selling format in the adult segment in the January–May period and accounted for 30.8% of sales, up from 29.8% of sales at the same point last year.

Category Change May YTD
Adult Hard -19.2% -9.5%
Adult Paper -2.9% -1.9%
Mass Market -10.1% -8.4%
Physical Audio -35.5% -22.8%
Audio Download 11.9% 24.2%
Adult E-book -6.3% -0.2%
Children’s/YA 34.1% 30.5%
Religious Presses -13.1% -0.1%
Professional 4.3% -2.2%
K–12 Materials 5.9% -1.6%
Higher Ed. -20.3% 3.4%
University Presses -13.9% -1.2%

(Comparisons of $ sales against same periods in 2013)