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What is Independent Bookstore Day?
Independent Bookstore Day is a one-day national party that takes place at indie bookstores across the country usually on the last Saturday in April. Every store is unique and independent, and every party is different. In addition to authors, live music, cupcakes, scavenger hunts, kids events, art tables, readings, contests, and other fun stuff, there are exclusive books and literary items that you can only get that day. Not before. Not after. Check out our Indie Bookstore Day exclusive items below.
Independent bookstores are not just stores, we’re community centers and local anchors run by passionate readers. We are entire universes of ideas that contain the possibility of real serendipity. We are lively performance spaces and quiet places where aimless perusal is a day well spent.
In a world of tweets and algorithms and pageless digital downloads, bookstores are not a dying anachronism. We are living, breathing organisms that continue to grow and expand. In fact, there are more of us this year than there were last year. And we are at your service.
Check out our giveaways and exclusive items below!
Citywide Indie Bookstore Crawl!
We are participating in a citywide indie bookstore crawl that will begin on Indie Bookstore Day, Saturday, April 29 and end on Saturday, May 13. That gives you two weeks to visit participating bookstores! Seven local bookstores are participating: Tubby & Coo’s, Baldwin & Co., Blue Cypress Books, Garden District Book Shop, Octavia Books, Frenchmen Street Art & Books, and Community Book Center. Pick up a passport at any of the participating stores during the two week period. If you visit all 7 stores by May 13, you’ll be entered into the Grand Prize raffle to win a $25 gift card to EVERY store on the list (that’s $175 in books!).
Indie Bookstore Day Exclusive Items
*These items will not be available for sale until 10:00AM Saturday, April 29. You can browse and make a wish list before then, but you cannot purchase before that time. Items will ONLY be available in-store (not online), so make sure to come early so you don’t miss out on what you want!*
Little People, Big Dreams Amanda Gorman
An indie bookstores exclusive for IBD: Paperback edition of Little People, BIG DREAMS Amanda Gorman with author signed bookplates provided by publisher.
$8.99, paperback
ONLY 10 AVAILABLE
Banned Books 500-Piece Puzzle
Resist the silencing of important stories with this 500-piece puzzle from the author of the bestselling Bibliophile series, Jane Mount. The book-shaped puzzle box features a puzzle (15.5 in. x 24 in.) with 65 colorfully illustrated books, a handy reading checklist, and information on how to fight book bans. A percentage of the proceeds will be donated to PEN America.
$18.95, puzzle
ONLY 5 AVAILABLE
Tales of the Weird: An Uncanny Introduction
Tales of the Weird: An Uncanny Introduction brings together a chilling collection of stories from across the entire series, offering a brief insight into the abyssal depths of the British Library archives — with offerings by Eleanor Scott, Robert Aickman, William Hope Hodgson, H. P. Lovecraft, and Vernon Lee.
$4.99, paperback
ONLY 5 AVAILABLE
London Seance Society Box
Celebrate the publication of Sarah Penner’s new novel, The London Séance Society, with a designed box featuring the stunning cover artwork. Inside the box will be a branded scarf, pen, candle and other swag to celebrate the newest release from the author of the worldwide bestseller The Lost Apothecary.
$15.99, box, 24x12x12 in.
ONLY 5 AVAILABLE
“She Chose Fire” Tote Bag
Sturdy canvas tote bag with inner pocket
featuring an iconic quote from Celeste Ng’s third novel, Our Missing Hearts: “Instead of silence, she chose fire.”
Made in the USA
$22, tote bag, 15×17 in. (strap is 11 in.)
ONLY 3 AVAILABLE
Bookstore Lover’s Birthday Book
Never forget a birthday, anniversary, milestone, or special occasion in this perpetual calendar book celebrating the best of the indies on every spread.
$11.95, paperback
ONLY 3 AVAILABLE
“Meet Me At the Bookstore” Water Bottle
This silicone foldable sports bottle is a good choice for traveling, outdoor sports, picnic, leisure, and health. It is also light and portable.
$14.99, collapsible travel mug, 17 oz.
ONLY 3 AVAILABLE
Indie Bookstore Day Giveaways
The following incentives are ONLY available in-store on Indie Bookstore Day, Saturday, April 29.
- Spend at least $25 and receive a free mystery prize (while supplies last).
- Spend at least $50 and receive a free mystery prize AND a free ARC (selected by us) with your order.
- Spend at least $100 and receive a free mystery prize, a free ARC (selected by us) AND a free tote bag with your order.
Indie Bookstore Day Exclusive Gifts with Purchase
The following giveaways are ONLY available in-store with a purchase of at least $15 on Indie Bookstore Day while supplies last.
Heartstopper Laptop Sticker
Sticker your laptop with Heartstopper art featuring beloved characters Nick and Charlie!
LIMIT 1 PER CUSTOMER
FREE, sticker, 3×5 in.
ONLY 9 AVAILABLE
House in the Cerulean Sea Sticker Sheet
A pack of 10 vinyl sticker sheets featuring the characters from TJ Klune’s best selling The House in the Cerulean Sea. Each sheet includes 8 stickers. Perfect for laptops, water bottles, notebooks, and more, this sticker sheet is sure to be a fan-favorite item! Each sheet will have 8 stickers.
LIMIT 1 PER CUSTOMER
FREE, sticker sheet, 10×5 in.
ONLY 9 AVAILABLE
“I Visited an Independent Bookstore Today” Sticker
Just like the I VOTED stickers, but for indie shoppers and supporters. Show off your indie pride!
FREE, sticker
Pete the Cat Pin
A die-cut pin featuring everybody’s favorite groovy cat, Pete!
LIMIT 1 PER CUSTOMER
FREE, button/pin, 1.25X.75 inch
ONLY 10 AVAILABLE
Princess in Black Temporary Tattoos
5 tattoos per sheet featuring characters from the bestselling and beloved series.
LIMIT 1 PER CUSTOMER
FREE, temporary tattoos
ONLY 25 AVAILABLE
Jonathan Van Ness “Love That Story” Bookmark
Save your page and be delighted with this 3 in. x 6 in. custom Jonathan Van Ness-shaped bookmark celebrating his New York Times bestselling book, Love That Story: Observations From a Gorgeously Queer Life, now available in paperback. The bookmark features a QR code, which grants access to a free chapter of the Love That Story audiobook.
LIMIT 1 PER CUSTOMER
FREE, bookmark
ONLY 10 AVAILABLE
Climate Change & Your Garden: Expert Tips and Information
It’s no longer gardening as usual. Heat waves, droughts, flooding, violent storms…the long predicted extremes of weather caused by climate change are now on our doorstep, and gardeners everywhere have been impacted. Certain pests are staying active until much later in the season, many plants are blooming earlier, soils are eroding and degrading at a rapid pace, unpredictable rainfall is water-logging our gardens, and fiercer storms are uprooting trees and snapping branches. Not to mention the effects of prolonged drought in many parts of the world and the water rationing that comes with it. What’s a gardener to do?
Climate Change & Your Garden: Expert Tips and Information will help you protect your garden against different climate extremes and challenges. The expert tips and information by authors Sally Morgan and Kim Stoddart (The Climate Change Garden) and Noelle Johnson (Dry Climate Gardening) will better help you adapt your garden to cope with the effects of a rapidly changing climate.
LIMIT 1 PER CUSTOMER
FREE, paperback
ONLY 10 AVAILABLE
Warrior Girl Unearthed Metal Bookmark
An exclusive designed and etched metal bookmark inspired by award winning
and bestselling author Angeline Boulley’s upcoming sophomore novel, Warrior Girl Unearthed, publishing on May 2, 2023. Set in the same community as Boulley’s #1 New York Times bestseller Firekeeper’s Daughter, Warrior Girl Unearthed is a thrilling YA mystery about a Native teen who must find a way to bring an ancestor home to her tribe. The bookmark incorporates design elements from the book’s cover.
LIMIT 1 PER CUSTOMER
FREE, bookmark
ONLY 8 AVAILABLE
We Love Indies Coloring Book
We asked our favorite Quarto authors and artists to submit coloring pages of their favorite local, independent bookstores, and they delivered! Includes a short quote from each author on what they LOVE best about their favorite Indie bookstore and a coloring page inspired by each store.
LIMIT 1 PER CUSTOMER
FREE, paperback
ONLY 5 AVAILABLE