Shelf Talkers #1: What Books Are Booksellers Recommending?
Often a book you've never heard of, a must read debut, or an under the radar gem- the possibilities are endless, but one thing's for sure- we all want to know what booksellers are recommending!
I have a feeling I’m not alone in saying one of the first things I do when I walk into a bookstore is start browsing for shelf talkers. What are shelf talkers you might be wondering? They are small (often handwritten) signs in front of books used to grab our attention and tell us why we need to buy that book. The best shelf talkers are written by booksellers and, in just a few words, let us know what kind of book it is, why they loved it, and who would love this type of book.
When we go to a bookstore, or visit a bookstore’s website (there’s tons of shelf talkers to be found online as well!), shelf talkers are so fun and useful to find because they are personalized recommendations from booksellers themselves. Booksellers are often reading those diamond in the rough books that may not be on bestseller lists or splashed all over Bookstagram, Goodreads, etc., but they should be and I for one want to know about all of these types of books!
According to Stephanie Schindhelm in The Art of the Shelf Talker,
The best shelf talkers always include something personal from the bookseller – it lets your customers know that this is a real person writing a real review for a book they really loved (not someone just trying to market to them).
Which brings me to why I’m so excited about this ongoing Shelf Talker series I’m going to be doing. I LOVE research, especially book research, and I’ve been scouring bookstores, both in person and online, searching for shelf talkers to bring to you! I’ve also talked to booksellers and bookstore managers themselves to get some of their favorite shelf talkers that have helped them sell books in their stores and I’m planning on sharing those with you in the coming weeks. And since there are so many amazing bookstores in the United Kingdom, I plan on expanding my research to bookstores there as well.
My goal with this series
My goal with this regular series is to find fantastic shelf talkers of books I haven’t heard of which will not only expand my own tbr, but hopefully yours as well. Plus, I’ll be linking to bookstores that are often new to me (and hopefully you) that can be additional sources for you to find even more book recommendations.
This Shelf Talker series will highlight 3-5 shelf talkers in an easy to read format that highlights the book cover and just the shelf talker, no long marketing synopsis from publishers. Along the way, I may even add my own bonus “under the radar” shelf talker of a book I’ve read and loved.
Today’s Shelf Talkers include two books I’d never heard of and come from three US bookstores….