Readers, as part of our 2021 Christmas Gift Lists, we’re featuring favorite Christian publishers and booksellers. Amazon is a great option for many things, but shopping directly from Christian booksellers and publishers is a great way to support fellow Christians in an industry increasingly hostile to Christians. More of your dollars stay in their pockets, and you are showing that these businesses are important and needed! Shopping directly from the source may involve extra shipping costs, but most of the companies we’re featuring offer very competitive pricing (and, often, better sales and discounts).
Note: some of our Christmas Gift List posts contain affiliate links. Read our full disclosure.
Who Are Indie Publishers and Booksellers?
“Indie Publishers” now often refers to independent publishers (who we formerly labeled “self publishers”). Some are well known by now, such as S. D. Smith. Some are just getting started, such as our own Megan E. Saben. Some started as independent and then got scooped up by bigger publishers. Some offer their books on amazon, and some simply sell through their own storefronts.
“Indie Booksellers” are small, local bookstores that are trying to serve their communities. Their biggest competition is amazon. We think local booksellers offer valuable service to their communities. If you’re unavailable to shop in person, you can shop online through Bookshop and some of your dollars will go to benefit those small, local stores.
What to Buy at Indie Publishers and Booksellers??
Well, that depends a lot on what you want! Our favorites, though, are these:
- Something Better Coming by Megan E. Saben available through Literaritea Press; Betsy is giving this to all her nieces and nephews! Read more about Megan’s experience here.
- The Green Ember Series by S. D. Smith Sam also has a new writing course out for those who’ve loved his books and want to craft their own new stories with an old soul; another bonus on his website: fan merch.
- Bandersnatch Books: “a publisher of treasures found off the beaten path.” We’ve not read Rosefire yet, but several of us supported their kickstarter earlier this year! We’re excited to see where Bandersnatch Books goes.
- Bookshop: Check out our list of picture books, classics, Advent devotionals, and more (but you’re not limited to our lists; once on the Bookshop site, you can search for tons of other books!)
Stay Up to Date!
Get the information you need to make wise choices about books for your children and teens.
Our weekly newsletter includes our latest reviews, related links from around the web, a featured book list, book trivia, and more. We never sell your information. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Support our writers and help keep Redeemed Reader ad-free by joining the Redeemed Reader Fellowship.
Stay Up to Date!
Get the information you need to make wise choices about books for your children and teens.
Our weekly newsletter includes our latest reviews, related links from around the web, a featured book list, book trivia, and more. We never sell your information. You may unsubscribe at any time.
We'd love to hear from you!
Our comments are now limited to our members (both Silver and Golden Key). Members, you just need to log in with your normal log-in credentials!
Not a member yet? You can join the Silver Key ($2.99/month) for a free 2-week trial. Cancel at any time. Find out more about membership here.
2 Comments
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.
So, not sure how or why, but I wanted to let you know that when I clicked on the Bookshop link above, I got a pop-up asking me to “help us donate” a book on the 1619 project to schools. (Not sure of the wording, but it was close to that.)
Bookshop is a mainstream hub for independent booksellers, so they are often promoting books that are trendy, popular, or in keeping with current national movements. You can certainly ignore their pop-ups! I haven’t seen that pop-up yet. I believe you can select a particular local store to benefit if/when you shop there. (Or, you might try calling a local store and simply ask them to order a book for you.)