The highlight of indie bookstores from coast to coast each year – a day celebrating indie stores and our incredible readers! As always, we’ll have exclusive products on the big day, author appearances, and more, beginning with Storytime for our young readers at 9 a.m. and continuing right on through the day with treats, specials, appearances by favorite local authors and more!

AUTHOR LINEUP!

At 9:00 a.m., local children’s book authors Jewel Sweeney (at left) and Marybeth Wishart (right) will be reading Bugaboo Adventures (Jewel) and Parker the Purple Penguin (Marybeth) out loud to young fans. Like our usual storytime adventures, complimentary juice boxes and fruit snacks will be available. Jewel and Marybeth will also be signing copies of their books.

At 11 a.m., we’re treating readers to two wonderful local authors, Angie Mizzell (left) and Marissa Hale (right). Angie will be signing copies of her recent and wonderfully insightful memoir release, Girl in the Spotlight. Marissa will be signing American Wild, the historical novel that has been steadily growing a historical fiction fan base!

At noon, we’re delighted to have Regina Williams (at left) join us with her popular short story collection, Promise. And at 1:00 p.m., southern fiction prize winner Bren McClain (at right) will join us to sign copies of the stunning One Good Mama Bone!

Then, at 2 p.m., Jewel Sweeney will be back to sign copies of her young adult and adult titles!

GIFTS AND GOODIES:

When you visit Main Street Reads on April 27th, Everyone Gets:

• An Independent Bookstore Day Bookmark
• An “I Visited An Independent Bookstore” Sticker
• A Free Book Buck To Use On Any In-Store Purchase

PLUS – we’ll be sending you to favorite local eateries to try their literary-themed item for the big day. (HINT: Coastal Coffee will once again regail readers with its famed Hemingway blend, crafted specifically for the day. Frothy Beard next door has promised something delightful, as has Eva’s on Main… watch our socials for these!

And NOW… drum roll please! Here’s a look at items you won’t find before Indie Bookstore Day – and quantities are limited, so once they’re gone, they’re gone! Free items shown below will be offered as gifts w/purchase on a first-come/first-served basis. Meaning, you can take your pick of one of the freebies when you check out… earlier you get there, the better chance you’ll get your choice!

See you on Main Street, April 27th…

Indie Bookstore Day Exclusive Items:

BLACKWING PENCILS: Six Sets Available
Blackwing & Independent Bookstore Day have teamed up for the third consecutive year to create a new setof pencils exclusively for independent bookstores. Each year the interest and popularity of these limited edition pencils continues to grow. The pencils feature a design inspired by independent bookstores and the printed word. $30.00

EAT SLEEP READ LOCAL MAGNET: Five Available
Inspired by the popular IndieBound posters (you’ve seen one in our store), readers can show their support for independent bookstores in their community on their refrigerator, shelf, or other magnetic surfaces. $3.99

“READ TO ME” ONESIE: Five Available
This adorable striped baby bodysuit is the perfect gift for any book-loving parent. It fits most 6–12-month-olds and was designed exclusively for Indie Bookstore Day by Out of Print. $24.00

“BANS OFF OUR BOOKS!” POUCH:
Six Available
Take a stand against censorship with this gorgeous, retro zippered pouch designed by Ash + Chess for Out of Print. Keep your pencils and post-its handy, or use it as a cosmetic bag or catch-all bag in your book tote. $16.00

 “THE FUTURE IS INDIE” MUG:
Eight Available
Sip from this “The Future is Indie” mug as a reminder of championing individuality and celebrating the boundless possibilities of independent creativity with every brew. This glossy exterior mug with glossy white interior, black rim, and speckles is microwave-safe. $15.99

Indie Bookstore Day Exclusive BOOKS:

PAPERBACK EDITION OF A STROKE OF THE PEN: Eight Available
A delightfully funny, fantastically inventive collection of twenty newly unearthed short stories by Sir Terry Pratchett, the award-winning and bestselling author of the phenomenally successful Discworld fantasy series. This special trove — featuring charming woodcut illustrations and a new cover — is a must-have for Pratchett fans of all ages and includes a foreword by Neil Gaiman. These rediscovered tales were written by Terry Pratchett under a pseudonym for British newspapers during the 1970s and 1980s. The stories have never been attributed to him until now, and might never have been found — were it not for the efforts of a few dedicated fans. $18.99

BECOMING WHO WE ARE GRAPHIC NOVEL: Three Available
Real Stories About Growing Up Trans. Nine members of the trans community share their real-life childhood experiences, which include much more than just their gender journeys. Their courageous yet relatable stories will inspire readers as they see these musicians, teachers, scientists and activists overcome the various challenges of growing up to discover who they truly are. This Independent Bookstore Day exclusive edition comes with a foil logo and a fold in poster of the cover art. Lilah Sturges is the writer of numerous comics, including the PRISM Award-winning Lumberjanes: The Infernal Compass and The Magicians and Legendary Comics’ upcoming The Science of Ghosts, as well as many other titles from DC, Marvel, IDW, and others. $16.99

SIGNED 5-YEAR ANNIVERSARY EDITION OF THE FIELD GUIDE TO DUMB BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA: Ten Available
This exclusive signed edition also includes a dumb birds sticker sheet and a letter from the author, Matt Kracht, to the readers that made this book a bestseller for the past five years. Matt Kracht is the author of the bestselling The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America and its sequel, The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of the Whole Stupid World. Based in Seattle, he enjoys gazing out the window at the beautiful waters of Puget Sound and making fun of birds. He also likes bees. Like, a lot. $15.95

SIGNED COPY OF BUBBLY BEAUTIFUL KITTY-CORN: Three Available
From bestselling Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn creators Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham comes another heartwarming and hilarious Kitty and Unicorn story about big dreams, self-esteem, the enduring magic of true friendship…and mermaids! Each book will come with a signed bookplate affixed to the title page and a tattoo sheet. LeUyen Pham and Shannon Hale are the team behind the bestselling picture books Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn and Pretty Perfect Kitty-Corn, the bestselling graphic novels Real Friends, Best Friends, and Friends Forever, and, with Dean Hale, the early chapter book series, The Princess in Black. $19.99

AN EXCELLENT HOST SIGNED PAPERBACK: Six Available
In An Excellent Host, modern dating goes wildly awry (at least when Chelsea G. Summers is in charge of the Airbnb booking). Somewhere in Brooklyn, a feast awaits its guests, a man cannot believe his great good luck, and ancient gods get ready to receive their due in this horror-fantasy updating of Greek myths. Chelsea G. Summers is a writer whose work focuses on sex, politics, tech, fashion and culture. She is a former academic and professor with Ph.D. training in eighteenth-century British literature, a discipline that has proven to be shockingly useful when writing about contemporary culture. $14.95

2024 INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE DAY TOTE BAG: 20 Available
The 2024 Independent Bookstore Day tote bag has a gusseted bottom. The tote bags are made available to Independent Bookstore Day stores and sold individually. 10 oz natural-color cotton canvas 18 in. x 14.5 in. flat-cut bag with 9 in. natural handles. $14.99 or FREE w/purchase of $75 or more.

Indie Bookstore Day Exclusive FREEBIES:

Pick one of these with your purchases, ’til they run out!

REBEL GIRLS EXCLUSIVE STICKER SHEET – Three Available
An exclusive sticker sheet with over 15 stickers, featuring fun illustrations and empowering sayings in the signature Rebel Girls style. Rebel Girls is a global empowerment brand dedicated to raising the most inspired and confident generation of girls. We believe in empowering girls to dream big, that amplifying stories of real-life women can lead to a more equal world, and that girls can and should do everything!

THE FIRST CAT IN SPACE MOON COMIX: One Available
Exclusively for Independent Bookstore Day 2024, an 8-page, full-color comic by award winning creators Mac Barnett and Shawn Harris, based on their massively popular, action-packed and hysterical graphic novel series, The First Cat in Space! Mac Barnett is a New York Times bestselling author whose books have been translated into more than thirty languages. His picture books include two Caldecott Honor-winning collaborations with Jon Klassen: Sam & Dave Dig a Hole and Extra Yarn.  Shawn Harris’ first illustrated book, Her Right Foot by Dave Eggers, received seven starred reviews, was an Orbis Pictus Award Honor Book, an ALA Notable, and a PW Best Book of the Year.

CHILDREN OF BLOOD & BONE INDIE METAL BOOKMARK: Six Available
An exclusive designed and etched metal bookmark inspired by bestselling author Tomi Adeyemi’s upcoming novel, Children of Anguish and Anarchy, publishing on June 25, 2024. The earth-shaking conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Children of Orisha Series (Children of Blood and Bone, Children of Virtue and Vengeance) is the final installment of the thrilling YA fantasy series that became a global phenomenon. The bookmark incorporates design elements from the book’s cover. Named one of TIME magazine’s 100 most influential people, Tomi Adeyemi is a Hugo and Nebula Awardwinning Nigerian-American writer and storyteller based in Los Angeles, California. In 2020, she was named one of Forbes 30 Under 30 in Media.

THAT’S NOT MY® COLORING BOOKLET: Four Available
2024 marks 25 years of Usborne’s globally bestselling touchy-feely series, THAT’S NOT MY®. To celebrate the occasion, a limited edition 8-page THAT’S NOT MY® coloring book, made up of popular characters from the series. Fiona Watt is an Editorial Director and writer at Usborne Publishing.  She is the sixth biggest-selling UK children’s author, with over 10 million of her books sold in the UK since records began. Rachel Wells is a successful illustrator and author, best known for illustrating all of the THAT’S NOT MY® books.

HAND-SIGNED PRINT FROM MILK AND HONEY: Ten Available
In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the publication of the New York Times bestselling milk and honey by Rupi Kaur: an exclusive signed print of a poem from the book, packaged in a protective envelope. Rupi Kaur is a poet, artist, and performer. As a 21-year-old university student, Rupi wrote, illustrated, and self-published her first poetry collection, milk and honey. Next came its artistic siblings, the sun and her flowers and home body. These collections have sold over 11 million copies and have been translated into over 43 languages.

WE LOVE INDIES COLORING BOOK: Five Available
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 the author on what they LOVE best about their favorite Indie bookstore and a coloring page inspired by each store.

SET OF 3 GREETING CARDS FROM BE YOU!: Fifty Available
A set of three greeting cards with envelopes, designed to be an inspiring message to new graduates! Using art and messaging from the picture book Be You! By Peter H. Reynolds. One pack is 3 cards with envelopes, belly banded together. Peter H. Reynolds is a New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of many books for children, including Happy Dreamer, The Word Collector, Say Something!, Be You!, and Our Table. He is also the illustrator of When Things Aren’t Going Right, Go Left by Marc Colagiovanni. His books have been translated into over 25 languages around the globe and are celebrated worldwide. In 1996, he founded FableVision with his brother, Paul, as a social change agency to help create “stories that matter, stories that move.”