The Booksellers Association has today announced The Christmas Appeal by Janice Hallett as Fiction Book of the Month, and Winter Tales by Dawn Casey, illustrated by Zanna Goldhawk as Children’s Book of the Month for December.  
 
Independent bookshops around the UK and Ireland will be promoting The Christmas Appeal and Winter Tales throughout December on social media and in-store. The Booksellers Association will be supporting the promotion of the Indie Books of the Month through social media and promotional material.

The Christmas Appeal follows Christmas in Lower Lockwood, where the Fairway Players are busy rehearsing their festive pantomime, ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’, to raise money for the church roof appeal. But despite the season, goodwill is distinctly lacking amongst the amateur dramatics enthusiasts. Sarah-Jane is fending off threats to her new position as Chair, the fibreglass beanstalk might be full of asbestos, and a someone is intent on ruining the panto even before the curtain goes up. Of course, there’s also the matter of the dead body. Who could possibly have had the victim on their naughty list? Lawyers Femi and Charlotte read the round robins, examine the emails and pore over the police transcripts. Will the show go on? The Christmas Appeal is published by Viper and is available to buy in bookshops now.
 
Janice Hallett said: “For a life-long reader, book lover and now author, I walk through the door of an indie and it’s like coming home. To have The Christmas Appeal selected for the Fiction Book of the Month is a huge honour and the ultimate endorsement. No one knows books like an independent bookseller.”
 
Winter Tales is a stunning treasury of stories celebrating the wonders of winter, and the qualities within that warm our hearts through the long cold. This brilliant book brings together a selection of wintery tales from all over the world – from North America to Siberia, Scotland, France, Russia and Norway. With classic tales like The Nutcracker and The Snow Queen as well as some lesser-known tales like The Mitten and The Silver Pinecones, there is a wintery tale for everyone. Winter Tales is a magical book to be treasured for generations to come. Winter Tales is published by Templar Books and is available to buy in bookshops now.
 
Dawn Casey said: “I choose independent bookshops because I savour the feel of a cloth-bound cover and the smell of once-upon-a-time. I enjoy conversations, not transactions. I like browsing. And I value the cosy nook, where a child can curl up with a book. I love that independent bookshops champion authors, connect readers and celebrate books in creative ways. To me, an independent bookshop is a joy, and a true treasure-house.”
 
Zanna Goldhawk said: “I live in a small village in Cornwall where independent shops are the lifeblood of our community. Bookshops have always been some of my favourite places – they are the portals to endless different worlds.”
 
The Indie Book of the Month titles are selected by panels of booksellers from publisher submissions. The Children’s panel for December comprised members from Kibworth Books, The Little Bookshop Leeds, The Alligator’s Mouth, Little Box of Books, The Edinburgh Bookshop and Through the Wardrobe Books. The Fiction panel were from DRAKE – The Bookshop, Bridge Books, Dromore and The Book Warren and Café.
 
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