It’s a very important time to be paying attention to children’s books. Today’s children’s book market is a bright spot in a quickly evolving market—offering comparative stability in format and sales even as the industry grapples with the future. Even in a down economy, adults still invest in quality children’s books. But will this be true in five years from now? Ten? What place will books and reading have in an increasingly technological future? By looking at the children’s market now, perhaps we can understand what the future holds for the rest of the industry. After all, the attitudes of future book consumers are being formed right now—in the children’s market. The Children’s Book Consumer in the Digital Age is the first ever deep-dive study of children’s book consumers. It asked more than 75 questions to 1,500 consumers in three groups: adults who bought a book for 0-6, adults who bought a book for 7-12, and teens living in a household where books have been bought. This presentation shares the results form the survey which covered a wide range of questions about attitudes, behavior, and awareness. The results were startling, and have a lot to say about the future of books and reading. As the publishing industry has been looking for a crystal ball to help see the future—we’re happy to report that we just found one.

1. 2010-2011

3. 1,500 consumers in 3 groups
◦ Adult consumers – books 0-6
◦ Adult consumers – books 7-12
◦ Teens 13-17 in consumer households
75+ questions
Core questions about influences & activities

4. Women buy kid’s books more than 2-to-1
80%
70%
60%
50%
All Genres
40%
Kids books
30%
20%
10%
0%
Men Women

5. People between 18-44 buy 61% of kid’s books
35%
30%
25%
20%
All genres
15% Kids
10%
5%
0%
13-17 18-29 30-44 45-55 55-64 65+

6. Majority of kid’s book consumers are middle class
>$150K
$100-$149K
$75-$99K
$50-$74K
$35-$49K
$25-$34K
<$25K
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25%
Purchaser's Income

7. They are better educated & value learning
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
Education
5%
0%

8. What is the source of Children’s books in a typical household?
Borrowed from
library
11.0% other
6%
Hand-me-downs
Gifts/purchased 33%
by others
17%
Newly Purchased
33%

9. They are more likely to…..
 6% more likely to play online games
 7% more likely to use social
networks
 8% more likely to use online blogs &
boards
 10% more likely to listen to digital
music
 11% more likely to download a TV
show to a PC
…than adult book consumers

11. Kids are omnivorous consumers of media

12. Very/Fairly often
Read a book not required for school (for fun) 58%
Read a book required for school 58%
Go online 57%
Read a print magazine or magazine 27%
Read comic books/graphic novels 18%
Read online newspapers/magazines 12%
Read eBooks 9%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

13. To a large Not at all, 7%
extent, 12%
To a small
To a extent, 43%
moderate
extent, 38%

14. Activities of Young Adults done "Often"
Send/receive text messages 67%
Visit your page on Facebook, MySpace, etc. 58%
Read books for fun 39%
View others profiles on social networking sites 38%
Discuss books with my parents 19%
Discuss books with friends 17%
Discuss books with my siblings or other relatives 15%
Swap books to read with your friends 14%
Regularly read others' personal blogs 12%
Watch TV shows online 10%
Follow celebrities on Facebook, Twitter or other social network… 8%
Write/update a personal blog 8%
Post videos online 5%
Regularly visit celebrity/gossip web sites (like TMZ) 5%
Discuss books online 3%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

15. Extent to which their child age 7 – 12 has…..
Gone to the website to find out about other books they
42% 15% 19% 15% 10%
can read in the series or by the same author
Visited a fan website 40% 17% 21% 15% 6%
Gone to the book's website or author's website 41% 20% 22% 10% 7%
Read a sample chapter of the book online 42% 24% 20% 9% 6%
Read online reviews about the book 47% 18% 19% 12% 4%
Wrote a review about the book 56% 15% 17% 8% 5%
Participated in a blog or chat about the book or author 58% 17% 16% 6% 3%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Definitely not Probably not Maybe / Unsure Probably Have Definitely Have

16. Teens are not universal adopters of technology

17. Read eBooks
100%
5% 5% 4% 4% 4%
6% 5% 8%
9% 7% 11% 6%
9% 9% 13% 9%
80% Very often
Fairly often
60% Once or twice
Not at All
84% 85% 88% 84% 87%
40% 82% 79% 81%
20%
0%
Total Male Female 13 14 15 16 17

18. Preference: ebooks vs. Print Books Don't know
100%
13%
I strongly prefer ebooks
15% 17%
18% 19% 19%
23% 23%
1%
0%
0% 0%
80% 1% 1%
16%
17%
0% 13% 19% 17% 2% I generally prefer
18%
18% ebooks
18%
60%
23% 23%
22% 16% I have no preference
21% 26%
19%
20%
40%
I generally prefer print,
47% 46% 46%
books but am open to
20% 42% 44%
38% 40% 36% ebooks
I strongly prefer print
books over eBooks
0%
Total Male Female 13 14 15 16 17

19. How often do you shop for books online?
100% 2% 2% 2% 4% 2% 2% 2% 2% Very often
10% 8% 5% 6%
11% 14% 11% 12%
80% 25%
28% 33% Often
30% 32% 31% 27%
33%
60%
15% 20% 11% Sometimes
18% 18%
20% 18% 23%
40%
Rarely
46% 46% 49%
20% 41% 41%
35% 33% 33%
Not at all
0%
Total Male Female 13 14 15 16 17

20. The bottom line?
Teens adopt SOCIAL technology
E-books are not social
Paper books ARE social

22. Majority of kids’ purchases are impulsive

23. How impulsive was the purchase (0-7)?
100% Other, please specify
10% 10% 11% 10% 7%
11%
9% 9% 9% 7% 8%
80% 21% Planned the book and the
time
60% 39% 36% 42% 40%
43% 28% Planned the book, not time
40%
Intended to buy a book, but
not specific one
20% 40% 43% 39% 40% 43%
35%
Pure Impulse
0%
Total Male Female 18 - 37 38 - 57 58 - 77

24. Influence in picking up/buying a book
Sequel/the next book in a series you've read 61%
Familiarity with author 57%
Description on the back/flap 51%
Title 32%
Cover 31%
On a Table or Other Special Placement in Stores 16%
Award sticker 14%
Praise quotes on cover or inside 14%
Celebrity endorsements 8%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 7

26. The inner circle of friends & family rules

27. websites, advertising
friend, relative
teacher, librarian
Influence declines
parent
significantly with
child
each layer
Local bookseller
favorite author
mass media, the world

28. Where do you go for recommendations for a book for a child under 7 ?
Friend/family 35%
Bookstore - browsing the shelf 31%
I make my own decision with no other input 21%
Teacher 20%
On-line research 18%
Book Fairs 17%
Parenting Magazine 13%
Public Librarian 11%
Bookstore - asking the sales clerk 11%
Mommy/Parenting blog 7%
School Librarian 7%
Advertisement 3%
General interest magazines 3%
A publisher's website 3%
Other, please specify 3%
Author blogs 2%
I don't know where to look 1%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

29. Who has major influence on what a child reads for 7-12?
Mom 37%
Teachers 24%
Dad 19%
Close friends 11%
Siblings 8%
Classmates (other than friends) 7%
Larger circle of friends 6%
What's mentioned/shown on a child's favorite TV shows 7%
Librarians 8%
Grandparents 11%
Other influential adults (clergy, mentors, etc.) 4%
Online sites 3%
Magazine articles 2%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

30. Relative influence on books read...(moderate plus high)
Parents 55%
Teachers 53%
Close friends 52%
Your larger circle of friends 36%
People you study with 30%
Classmates (other than friends) 28%
Other influential adults (clergy, mentors, etc.) 28%
Articles in magazines you like to read 24%
Library staff 24%
Sister (s) 22%
Brother (s) 20%
What's mentioned/shown on your favorite TV shows 18%
What you read in blogs and websites you visit 13%
What your favorite sports players do or say 11%
What your favorite celebrities do or say 11%
People you work with 10%
Recommendations from celebrities you follow on Twitter,… 9%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

32. Bookstores and libraries still VERY important

33. Where do you go to buy books for your child?
100%
24% 23% 22% 19%
25% 26%
80% online
60%
40%
76% 77% 78% 81%
75% 74%
20% in a store
0%
Total Male Female 18 - 37 38 - 57 58 - 77
But….

34. Where do you find out about titles for a child under 7?
Browsing the bookstore 53%
The child tells me 39%
Public libraries 35%
Teachers 28%
Other parents 26%
School fairs 24%
Amazon.com 19%
School libraries 16%
Bestseller lists 13%
The child's friends 8%
Other online book seller 7%
Book award news 7%
Online source (aside from Amazon or other online book seller) 6%
Talking to the sales clerk 6%
Ads/posters 5%
Newsletters 4%
Magazines (which specific ones?) 3%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

35. Where do you find out about the books you buy for the older child?
The child tells me 73%
Browsing the bookstore 50%
Teachers 45%
School fairs 44%
Public libraries 43%
School libraries 30%
Other parents 22%
Amazon.com 17%
The child's friends 15%
Bestseller lists 13%
Book award news 9%
online retailer (other than Amazon) 7%
Talking to the sales clerk 7%
Newsletters 6%
Ads/posters 4%
Online source (other than Amazon.com) 4%
Magazines 2%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

37. Where do they get the books they read for fun?
School Library 68%
Public Library 64%
I/We buy them for them 40%
Barnes & Noble bookstore 28%
WalMart or Sams Club 22%
Amazon.com 21%
Borders bookstore 19%
Garage sale/sidewalk sale/secondhabd shop 17%
Swap them among friends 12%
Used bookstore 12%
Independent / local Bookshop 6%
other Big Box store (Target, Costco, etc.) 6%
Half-Price Books 5%
Books-a-Million bookstore 5%
Supermarket 3%
other online retailer (B&N.com, Borders.com, etc.) 3%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

38. Books & reading are still very important

39. How important are the following media on your child’s life?
Books 7.8
Children's DVDs 6.5
Television 6.0
Educational Websites 5.5
Board games 5.3
Children's magazines 5.0
Video game systems 4.3
Handheld games 4.2
Online games 4.2
0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0

40. Compared to other media you use for fun, what role do books play?
Less important Equal or more important
48% 51% 52%
57% 63% 60% 58%
67%
52% 49% 48%
43% 37% 40% 42%
33%
Total ^ Boys Girls ^^ 13 14 15 16 17

41.  Books & reading are still very important
 The inner circle rules—friends & family biggest influence
 Bookstores and libraries still play a VERY important role
 Majority of children’s book purchases are impulsive
 It’s not an ―either-or‖ between digital & reading
 Teens are not universal adopters of technology