Ereaders, Tablets Spur Growth in Children's Book Publishing Sales
RSSBy SLJ Staff
January 24, 2012 With their ease of use and ability to store texts, ereaders—and ebooks boasting animation and other appealing features—are one reason why the industry is scoring increased revenue, according to a recent study by research firm IBISWorld. Another factor at play is that parents understand the importance of reading when it comes to their kids' overall educational achievement. "Although ebooks are resulting in additional costs for publishers, they are also helping publishers establish and strengthen their online presence," explains IBISWorld industry analyst Agata Kaczanowska. In the five-year period ending in 2012, revenue from the sales of children's and young adult books is expected to inch up .7 percent, the firm forecasted. That's the case despite a dip in demand in 2009, a year after the start of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. Though household budgets have felt the impact of the sour economy, parents have managed to scrape together enough money to purchase books for their kids, the report said. During the five-year period, industry revenue will grow at a 0.7 percent annualized rate to $2.6 billion, including a nearly 2 percent jump in 2012. What's more, the future looks promising for the children's book publishing sector. Growth in the number of K-12 students is estimated to surpass the overall population growth rate in Still, potential obstacles remain for the industry. One is the reluctance among some parents to trade print books for ebooks. "[S]ome parents have publicly stated that they are hesitant to read ebooks to children because they prefer a tangible print book and because it is yet another screen for them to look at," Kaczanowska says.
Despite the lingering recession, the emergence of ereaders, smart phones, and tablets is helping to fuel the growth in children's book publishing.
2013 for the first time in a decade. That increase, in turn, will expand the market for kids' books, according to IBISWorld. In fact, the firm's researchers forecast even greater increases in revenue in the years ahead, predicting 3.2 percent annual revenue growth to 2017.
