Report: YA in the UK, France

Written by Grant Goodman, 3/2/2015

Today I was wondering what the YA sales charts for Amazon look like in other countries.

I found the best seller page for teen Science Fiction and Fantasy on the Amazon US site, the Amazon UK site and the French site, too.

Let’s check out how they differ.

First, the US site:

It appears that people are really interested in finding out more about this mermaid’s sister. It’s a title I’m not familiar with…and, actually, I don’t recognize two, three, or four. Looks like I have some catching up to do.

My guess is that with the Insurgent movie only three weeks away, those books will all find their way into the top five.

Let’s look at what’s happening in the UK:

It seems that in his native land, Harry Potter is still the king of YA literature. And it seems that they also have taken a shine to the mermaid and her sister. The Hunger Games is selling well and James Dashner has his Maze Runner finale in the top six. The UK site, however, also mixes in children’s books, which is why book number five seems very much out of place.

Finally, to France:

Suzanne Collins is dominating the charts, no question about it. In fifth place is Alain Grousset, a French sci-fi author with a novel about a boy who lives on a tower that is one hundred floors high. In sixth is Christian Grenier, whose book is about two warring clans: one that believes in screens while the other believes in reading and writing. (I hope both of these will make their way to American shelves!)

Seal of Approval – THE MAZE RUNNER by James Dashner

Seal of Approval – THE MAZE RUNNER by James Dashner

Written by Grant Goodman, 9/23/2014

A boy wakes up in an elevator, he can’t remember his full name, and he has no idea where he is. When the elevator grinds to a halt, he’s pulled out by a group of boys and he finds himself in the center of a deadly maze.

It has your attention, doesn’t it?

THE MAZE RUNNER is a pressure-cooker of a story that is built on the unknown. Thomas has no idea who he is (literally and figuratively), no one knows how the maze works, and no one knows if there’s any way out. What they do know? Someone keeps sending them food, someone keeps sending them new recruits, and no one has seen a girl in years.

The village at the center of the maze is a creepy mess, full of hidden corners and missing names. There’s an overwhelming sense of shadow and danger that lingers on every page.

Plus, there’s a movie version in theatres right now.

Trust me, once you start reading, you won’t stop. This is the kind of book that will destroy your sleep schedule, and it’s completely worth it. (Especially because you have THE SCORCH TRIALS and THE DEATH CURE to read, too.)