Subject spotlight: Family & Relationships

@BookNet_Canada shares insights into buying and borrowing of Family & Relationships titles during the second quarter of 2023.
CLICK TO TWEET

Welcome back to Subject spotlight, the blog series where we give you quarterly data-driven insights into a specific corner of the Canadian book market.

In our previous post, we shared sales and library circulation data for the Non-Fiction / Games & Activities BISAC subject. This time, we’ll be focusing on the performance of the Non-Fiction / Family & Relationships subject during the second quarter of 2023, with the help of our SalesData and LibraryData services.

Buying Non-Fiction / Family & Relationships

As shown in the graph below, the sales of Non-Fiction / Family & Relationships titles were slightly higher during the second quarter of 2022 compared to 2023, with year-over-year sales dropping by 4% in April, staying flat in May, and decreasing by 5% in June.

In 2022, sales increased by 20% from April to June. This is also true for 2023 where sales from April to June increased by 18%.

In 2023, sales increased by 1% from April to May and continued to increase from May to June (18%).

In 2022, sales decreased by 3% from April to May and went back up by 25% from May to June.

Line graph comparing book sales between April, May, and June 2022 and 2023 in the Non-Fiction / Family & Relationships BISAC category.

These are the BISAC subcategories with the highest year-over-year increase in sales:

  • Non-Fiction / Family & Relationships / Multiracial Families — up 1,000%;

  • Non-Fiction / Family & Relationships / Prejudice — up 836%; and

  • Non-Fiction / Family & Relationships / Education — up 387%.

From April to June 2023, the most purchased Non-Fiction / Family & Relationships subcategories were:

  • Non-Fiction / Family & Relationships / Parenting — 31% of all Non-Fiction / Family & Relationships sales;

  • Non-Fiction / Family & Relationships / Love & Romance — 25% of all Non-Fiction / Family & Relationships sales; and

  • Non-Fiction / Family & Relationships / Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD-ADHD) — 5% of all Non-Fiction / Family & Relationships sales.

Borrowing Non-Fiction / Family & Relationships

In terms of library circulation, as shown in the graph below, the second quarter of 2023 outperformed 2022.

Year-over-year loans increased by 63% in April, 64% in May, and 50% in June. Overall, the loans of Non-Fiction / Family & Relationships saw an increase of 15% in the second quarter of 2023. A fairly significant change compared to the 26% increase in loans from April to June 2022.

Year-over-year renewals saw an increase of 68% in April, 79% in May, and 72% in June. In the second quarter of 2023, the renewals of Non-Fiction / Family & Relationships increased by 20%. In 2022, the increase in renewals for this quarter was 18%.

Line graph comparing book loans and renewals between April, May, and June 2022 and 2023 in the Non-Fiction / Family & Relationships BISAC category.

Which Non-Fiction / Family & Relationships subcategories were the most popular in Canadian libraries? From April to June 2023, these subcategories saw the greatest increases in library circulation compared to 2022:

  • Non-Fiction / Family & Relationships / Military Families — loans up 900% and renewals down 50%;

  • Non-Fiction / Family & Relationships / Family History & Genealogy — loans up 800% and renewals up 400%; and

  • Non-Fiction / Family & Relationships / Prejudice — loans up 425% and renewals up 255%.

During the second quarter of 2023, the most circulated Non-Fiction / Family & Relationships subcategories were:

  • Non-Fiction / Family & Relationships / Parenting — 37% of all Non-Fiction / Family & Relationships loans and 41% of all Non-Fiction / Family & Relationships renewals;

  • Non-Fiction / Family & Relationships / Life Stages — 11% of all Non-Fiction / Family & Relationships loans and 13% of all Non-Fiction / Family & Relationships renewals; and

  • Non-Fiction / Family & Relationships / Love & Romance — 11% of all Non-Fiction / Family & Relationships loans and 8% of all Non-Fiction / Family & Relationships renewals.

Reading Non-Fiction / Family & Relationships

Here are the top selling and top borrowed Non-Fiction / Family & Relationships titles from the second quarter of 2023.

 
Cover of 8 Rules of Love by Jay Shetty
 

Top borrowed

  1. 8 Rules of Love by Jay Shetty

  2. Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb

  3. The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson

  4. Scattered Minds by Gabor Maté 🍁

  5. Everything I Know about Love by Dolly Alderton

Top selling

  1. 8 Rules of Love by Jay Shetty

  2. Attached by Amir Levine and Rachel Heller

  3. Scattered Minds by Gabor Maté 🍁

  4. Everything I Know about Love by Dolly Alderton

  5. The Daily Dad by Ryan Holiday

Stay tuned for future instalments of this series or sign up to our eNews for more digestible data on the Canadian book market.

Until next time!