ATTENTION BOOKSTORES: LA GABI IS IN A SCHOOL NEAR YOU!

Gabi, A Girl in Pieces

by Isabel Quintero

Makes Three State Reading Lists for 2016. 

Isabel Quintero’s debut young adult novel, Gabi, A Girl in Pieces, is on three state reading lists in 2016. Originally published in 2014, the book won the American Library Association’s prestigious Morris Award for debut young adult novel and earned starred reviews from each of the major trade
review outlets.

These state reading lists create backlist sales opportunities for independent bookstores. The four state reading lists are:

• Abraham Lincoln High School Book Award in Illinois.
• Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award. 
• Virginia Reader’s Choice Award. 

What State Reading Lists Are and How to Make Money from Them

State reading lists are literacy programs disguised as competitions. Their goal is to create excitement and turn kids into lifelong readers. A committee of librarians and teachers chooses a master list of ten to twenty books in a specific age range that were published in the previous two years. The committees try to select books that will appeal to a broad range of interests. Students then read books on the list over the course of a year and vote for their favorite book at the end of the year. To be eligible to cast a vote, students need to have read a certain number of books from that year’s master list.

In order to generate excitement for the programs in the schools, libraries and teachers invest time and money into promoting the books to students. They create posters and bookmarks. Participating schools typically buy multiple copies of each book on the master list and prominently display them in the school or library. Teachers and librarians continue marketing the books to students throughout the year. All this marketing work creates a high level of awareness and interest in students. Bookstores
can capitalize on this interest by:

• Creating master list table displays

• Conducting reading groups

• Holding mock voting events

Highlighting the availability of books on the state reading lists matches students’ awareness of the
books to create sales. And always remember: ADULTS LIKE YOUNG ADULT BOOKS TOO!

For more information, contact John Byrd

johnbyrd@cincopuntos.com
915-­838-­1625