As part of the #IndiesGiveBack campaign, Indies First is giving away nearly 20,000 special-edition copies of Ghost by Jason Reynolds to young readers. Books & Books @ The Studios gave copies of Ghost to The Boys and Girls Club of the Keys Area, Inc. Across the country, 490 independent bookstores participated in the giveaway campaign, sponsored by the American Booksellers Association, American Express and Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing.
Reynolds is a New York Times bestselling author, as well as a recipient of the Newbery, Printz and National Book Awards, among many others. Ghost, the first book in a four-book series about a middle school track team, was a National Book Award finalist for Young People’s Literature. Reynolds, who is serving his second term as Indies First spokesperson, officially launched the at Miami Book Fair on November 15.
Saturday, November 24, also known as Small Business Saturday, marked the sixth annual celebration of Indies First. Indies First, a collaboration among publishers, retailers, and authors, is an annual campaign launched by the American Booksellers Association to celebrate independent bookstores. Small Business Saturday, founded by American Express in 2010 is dedicated to supporting local businesses that make communities special, as well as helping local economies thrive.
This special edition of Ghost includes a personal letter from Reynolds to his readers. Read it on the American Booksellers Association website at https://bit.ly/2Bv3dSb.