WBD to repeat flip books after sales increase

World Book Day 2010 will repeat the use of £1 flip books after the six titles published for this year's event showed a 16% increase in sales per title over last year's totals. The figures come in an evaluation of the Day, held on 5th March, by Nielsen BookScan and Book Marketing Limited.

Measured over the seven weeks from 9th February to 29th March the six flip books, which combine two stories in one volume, had an average sale per title of over 120,000. Total sales of 722,000 copies, were down 23% from the 935,000 copies sold by the nine £1 tie-in books the previous year. But this year's sales contributed to what was a 1.1% year-on-year growth during the children's market over the same period, according to Nielsen BookScan.

Over 3,000 retail outlets participated in this year's event, on a par with last year. There was increased participation from schools, with 94% of primary schools and 97% of secondary schools taking part, while library participation was at 100%, up from 95% last year.

Visitors of the World Book Day website more than doubled, with over 225,600 unique visits. Awareness of World Book Day among children was at its highest ever level this year, with 89% of children recalling the day, up from 83% last year, according to analysis carried out by Book Marketing Limited.

Neil Jewsbury, chair of World Book Day 2009, said: "We are all aware of the difficulties the market is facing this year, which makes it all the more heartening that World Book Day can make a difference at the tills, as well as increasing engagement with schools, libraries, the media and readers."

World Book Day 2010 will take place on Thursday 4th March, with Harpercollins UK c.e.o. and publisher Vicky Barnsley as chair.