This year is off to a fast start with bookselling, with print unit sales up 9% in the week ended Jan. 10, 2016, compared to the similar week last year, according to outlets that report to Nielsen BookScan. A portion of this increase can be attributed to the addition of Family Christian Stores, which as of this week now reports to BookScan. Sales from its 259 locations are counted in the Retail & Club strata. Every category saw respectable gains over last year, with juvenile nonfiction posting a 19% increase thanks to strong sales of Star Wars: The Force Awakens Visual Dictionary and several coloring books. Coloring books had a big impact on other categories as well, with Harry Potter Coloring Book ranking at #1 in children’s fiction, and three coloring books placing in the adult nonfiction top 10. Audio was the only format to post a loss from 2015, with unit sales down 15% from the similar week last year. Board books, meanwhile, started 2016 strong with a 22% increase over last year, and hardcover is also up double digits, 11%, with the top 5 slots of the format being occupied by publishing powerhouses: Marie Kondo at #1 and #2, Jeff Kinney at #3, and Star Wars titles occupying #4 and #5.

Unit Sales of Print Books by Channel

Jan. 11, 2015 Jan. 10, 2016 % Chge Week
Total 11,797 13,022 9%
Mass Merch./Other 1,439 1,521 5
Retail & Club 10,357 11,502 10

Unit Sales of Print Books by Category

Jan. 11, 2015 Jan. 10, 2016 % Chge Week
Adult Nonfiction 5,537 6,099 9%
Adult Fiction 2,511 2,700 7
Juvenile Nonfiction 682 841 19
Juvenile Fiction 2,277 2,519 10

Unit Sales of Print Books by Format

Jan. 11, 2015 Jan. 10, 2016 % Chge Week
Hardcover 2,845 3,184 11%
Trade Paperback 6,756 7,376 8
Mass Market Paperback 1,159 1,239 6
Board Books 329 423 22
Audio 78 68 -15