RESTRICTED STOCK AGREEMENT

     THIS RESTRICTED  STOCK AGREEMENT (the  "Agreement") is made effective as of
[__________   __,   ________]   (the   "Effective   Date"),   by   and   between
Books-A-Million,   Inc.,   a   Delaware   corporation   (the   "Company"),   and
__________________, an employee of the Company (the "Participant"):

     WHEREAS, the Company adopted the Books-A-Million,  Inc. Executive Incentive
Plan (as it may be amended  from time to time,  the "Plan")  (the terms of which
are hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of this Agreement) in order
to provide  selected key  management  employees  with  incentives  to assist the
Company in reaching its financial and strategic objectives;

     WHEREAS,  the  Committee  (as  defined  in  Section  2(f) of the  Plan) has
determined  that it would be to the  advantage  and in the best  interest of the
Company  and its  stockholders  to assign  certain  shares  of Common  Stock (as
defined herein) subject to certain restrictions thereon to the Participant as an
incentive for the Participant's  future services to the Company,  subject to the
restrictions set forth herein, and has advised the Company thereof;

     NOW,  THEREFORE,  in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained
and  other  good  and  valuable  consideration,   receipt  of  which  is  hereby
acknowledged, the parties hereto do hereby agree as follows:

                                   ARTICLE I.
                                  DEFINITIONS

     Wherever the following  terms are used in this  Agreement,  they shall have
the  meaning  specified  below  unless  the  context  clearly  indicates  to the
contrary.  Capitalized  terms used in this Agreement and not defined below shall
have the  meaning  given  such terms in the Plan.  The  singular  pronoun  shall
include the plural, where the context so indicates.

     Section 1.1 "Affiliate" shall mean any entity which directly or indirectly
controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with the Company.

     Section 1.2 "Board" shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.

     Section 1.3 "Cause" shall mean a felony  conviction of the  Participant  or
the  failure  of the  Participant  to  contest  prosecution  for a  felony,  the
Participant's  willful  misconduct  or  dishonesty,  the  Participant's  willful
neglect of duties, or breach of  confidentiality  and  nondisclosure  agreements
between the Participant and the Company, any of which is directly and materially
harmful to the  business  or  reputation  of the  Company or any  Subsidiary  or
Affiliate.

     Section 1.4 "Change in Control" shall mean (a) the acquisition of the power
to direct, or cause the direction of, the management and policies of the Company
by a  person  (not  previously  possessing  such  power),  acting  alone  or  in
conjunction  with others,  whether  through the  ownership of Common  Stock,  by
contract or otherwise,  or (b) the acquisition,  directly or indirectly,  of the
power to vote more than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding  Common Stock by
any person or by two or more  persons  acting  together.  For  purposes  of this
definition,  (i)  the  term  "person"  means  a  natural  person,   corporation,
partnership,   joint  venture,   trust,   government  or  instrumentality  of  a
government,  and (ii)  customary  agreements  with or between  underwriters  and
selling  group  members  with  respect to a bona fide public  offering of Common
Stock shall be disregarded.

     Section  1.5  "Code"  shall  mean the  Internal  Revenue  Code of 1986,  as
amended.

     Section 1.6  "Committee"  shall have the meaning set forth in the  Recitals
hereto.

     Section 1.7 "Common Stock" shall mean, as  applicable,  the common stock of
the Company, par value $.01 per share.

     Section  1.8  "Company"  shall  mean  Books-A-Million,   Inc.,  a  Delaware
corporation, and any successors to such corporation.

     Section 1.9  "Disability"  shall mean a permanent  and total  disability as
determined  under  procedures  established  by the Committee for purposes of the
Plan and this  Agreement.  The  determination  of disability for purposes of the
Plan and this Agreement  shall not be construed to be an admission of disability
for any other purpose.

     Section  1.10 "DRO"  shall mean a  qualified  domestic  relations  order as
defined by the Code or Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of
1974, as amended, or the rules thereunder.

     Section 1.11 "Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended.

     Section 1.12 "Fair Market Value" means,  as of any specified  date, (a) the
mean of the high and low  sales  prices  of the  Common  Stock  reported  by the
NASDAQ-National Market System on that date, (b) if the Common Stock is listed on
a national stock  exchange,  the price reported on the stock exchange  composite
tape for that date, or (c) if no such price  quotation is  available,  the price
which the  Committee  acting in good faith  determines  through  any  reasonable
valuation  method that a share of Common  Stock  might  change  hands  between a
willing buyer and a willing seller, neither being under any compulsion to buy or
to sell and both having reasonable knowledge of the relevant facts.

     Section 1.13 "Restricted  Stock" shall mean Common Stock awarded under this
Agreement, subject to certain restrictions set forth herein.

     Section 1.14  "Restrictions"  shall mean the  restrictions on sale or other
transfer  set forth in Section 4.2 and the exposure to  forfeiture  set forth in
Section 3.1.

     Section  1.15 "Rule  16b-3"  shall mean that  certain  Rule 16b-3 under the
Exchange Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time.

     Section 1.16  "Securities  Act" shall mean the  Securities  Act of 1933, as
amended.

     Section 1.17  "Subsidiary"  shall mean any corporation in an unbroken chain
of  corporations  beginning with the Company if each of the  corporations  other
than the last corporation in the unbroken chain then owns stock possessing fifty
percent (50%) or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock
in one of the other corporations in such chain.

                                  ARTICLE II.
                         ASSIGNMENT OF RESTRICTED STOCK

     Section 2.1 Assignment of Restricted Stock

     In consideration of Participant's  agreement to remain in the employ of the
Company and for other good and valuable  consideration  which the  Committee has
determined  to  equal  or  exceed  the par  value of the  Common  Stock,  on the
Effective Date the Company hereby assigns to the Participant [__________] shares
of Restricted Stock.

      Section 2.2  Not a Contract of Employment

     Nothing in this Agreement  shall confer upon the  Participant  any right to
continue in the employ of the Company or any Subsidiary, or shall interfere with
or  restrict  in any way any  otherwise  existing  rights of the Company and any
Subsidiary, which are hereby expressly reserved, to discharge the Participant at
any time for any reason whatsoever, with or without cause.

                                  ARTICLE III.
                                  RESTRICTIONS

      Section 3.1  Vesting and Lapse of Restrictions; Forfeiture

     (a) Subject to subsection  (b) and Sections 3.3, 3.4 and 3.5, the shares of
Restricted Stock shall vest, and the restrictions set forth in Section 4.2 shall
cease to apply, on the first of the following events to occur:

     (i) The  third  anniversary  of the  Effective  Date;  (ii)  The  death  or
Disability of the Participant; (iii) The Participant's termination of employment
by  the  Company  for  any  reason  (including  without  limitation  due  to the
expiration of Participant's employment contract, without renewal) other than for
Cause; or (iv) A Change in Control.

     (b)  Notwithstanding  anything herein to the contrary,  in the event of the
Participant's  termination  of employment for any reason other than as described
in  Section  3.1(a)  (including  without  limitation  due to  the  Participant's
resignation) prior to the third anniversary of the Effective Date, all shares of
Restricted  Stock  shall  be  forfeited  as of the date of such  termination  of
employment.

     Section 3.2 Legend

     Certificates  representing  shares of Restricted Stock assigned pursuant to
this Agreement shall,  until all  Restrictions  lapse or shall have been removed
and new  certificates  are assigned  pursuant to Section  3.3,  bear a legend in
substantially   the  following  form:

     "THE  SECURITIES  REPRESENTED  BY THIS  CERTIFICATE  ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN
VESTING  REQUIREMENTS  AND MAY BE SUBJECT TO  REACQUISITION BY THE COMPANY UNDER
THE TERMS OF A RESTRICTED STOCK AGREEMENT BY AND BETWEEN  BOOKS-A-MILLION,  INC.
(THE "COMPANY") AND THE REGISTERED  OWNER OF SUCH SHARES (THE  "AGREEMENT")  AND
THE  BOOKS-A-MILLION,  INC. EXECUTIVE INCENTIVE PLAN (THE "PLAN") (COPIES OF THE
PLAN AND THE AGREEMENT ARE ON FILE IN THE OFFICES OF THE COMPANY, 402 INDUSTRIAL
LANE, POST OFFICE BOX 19768, BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA 35219), AND SUCH SHARES MAY NOT
BE,  DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY,  OFFERED,  TRANSFERRED,  SOLD,  ASSIGNED,  PLEDGED,
HYPOTHECATED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF UNDER ANY  CIRCUMSTANCES,  EXCEPT PURSUANT
TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE PLAN AND THE AGREEMENT."

     Section 3.3 Assignment of Certificates for Vested Shares

     Upon the vesting of the shares of  Restricted  Stock as provided in Section
3.1 and subject to Section 4.3, the Company shall cause new  certificates  to be
assigned with respect to such vested shares and delivered to the  Participant or
his legal representative, free from any Restrictions hereunder and free from the
legend  provided  for in Section  3.2.  Such  vested  shares  shall  cease to be
considered  Restricted  Stock  subject  to the  terms  and  conditions  of  this
Agreement.  Notwithstanding  the  foregoing,  no such new  certificate  shall be
delivered to the  Participant or his legal  representative  unless and until the
Participant or his legal  representative  shall have paid to the Company in cash
or made provisions for payment  through  withholding  against  income,  the full
amount of all federal and state (or  applicable  foreign)  withholding  or other
employment taxes  applicable to the taxable income of the Participant  resulting
from the grant of Restricted Stock or the lapse or removal of the Restrictions.

     Section 3.4 Removal of Restrictions; Acceleration of Lapse of Restrictions,
Etc.

     (a) By  resolution,  the Committee  may, on such terms and conditions as it
deems appropriate,  remove any or all of the Restrictions  (including accelerate
vesting) at any time or from time to time.

     (b) Subject to Section 3.5, if the shares of the Company's  Common Stock as
a whole are  increased,  decreased,  changed into or  exchanged  for a different
number or kind of shares or securities of the Company,  whether  through merger,
consolidation,   reorganization,   recapitalization,   reclassification,   stock
dividend,  stock split,  combination  of shares,  exchange of shares,  change in
corporate  structure or the like, the Committee,  in its sole discretion,  shall
have the discretion  and power to determine and to make effective  provision for
acceleration  of the time or times at which any  Restrictions  shall lapse or be
removed.  In addition,  in the case of the occurrence of any event  described in
this Section 3.4(b), the Committee, subject to the provisions of this Agreement,
shall make an appropriate and proportionate adjustment in the number and kind of
shares of Restricted  Stock, to the end that after such event the  Participant's
proportionate  interest  shall be  maintained  as before the  occurrence of such
event. Any such adjustment made by the Committee shall be final and binding upon
the Participant, the Company and all other interested persons.

     Section 3.5 Restrictions On New Shares

     In the  event  that  the  Participant  receives  any new or  additional  or
different  shares or securities by reason of any  transaction or event described
in Section  3.4(b),  such new or  additional  or different  shares or securities
which are  attributable  to the  Participant  in his capacity as the  registered
owner of the Restricted Stock then subject to Restrictions,  shall be considered
to be Restricted Stock and shall be subject to all of the  Restrictions,  unless
the Committee provides, pursuant to Section 3.4, for the removal or lapse of the
Restrictions on the shares of Restricted  Stock  underlying the  distribution of
the new or additional shares or securities.

                                  ARTICLE IV.
                                 MISCELLANEOUS

     Section 4.1 Administration

     The  Committee  shall have the power to interpret  this  Agreement  and all
other  documents  relating to  Restricted  Stock and to adopt such rules for the
administration,   interpretation  and  application  of  this  Agreement  as  are
consistent  therewith  and to  interpret,  amend or revoke any such  rules.  All
actions taken and all  interpretations  and determinations made by the Committee
in good faith shall be final and binding upon the  Participant,  the Company and
all other  interested  persons.  No member of the Committee  shall be personally
liable for any action,  determination or interpretation  made in good faith with
respect to the Restricted  Stock and all members of the Committee shall be fully
protected  by the  Company  in  respect  to any such  action,  determination  or
interpretation.

     Section 4.2 Restricted Stock Not Transferable

     No Restricted  Stock or any interest or right therein or part thereof shall
be liable for the debts,  contracts or  engagements  of the  Participant  or his
successors  in  interest  or  shall  be  subject  to  disposition  by  transfer,
alienation,  anticipation,  pledge,  encumbrance,  assignment or any other means
whether such  disposition  be voluntary or involuntary or by operation of law by
judgment,  levy,  attachment,  garnishment  or  any  other  legal  or  equitable
proceedings (including bankruptcy),  and any attempted disposition thereof shall
be null and void and of no effect;  provided,  however,  that this  Section  4.2
shall  not  prevent  transfers  by will or by  applicable  laws of  descent  and
distribution or, subject to the consent of the committee, pursuant to a DRO.

     Section 4.3 Conditions to Delivery of Stock Certificates

     The  Company  shall  not  be  required  to  deliver  any   certificate   or
certificates for shares of stock pursuant to this Agreement prior to fulfillment
of all of the following conditions:

     (a) The  obtaining  of any  approval or other  clearance  from any state or
federal  governmental  agency which the Committee shall, in its sole discretion,
determine to be necessary or advisable; and

     (b) The payment by the Participant of all amounts  required to be withheld,
under federal, state and local (or applicable foreign) tax laws, with respect to
the issuance or assignment  of  Restricted  Stock and/or the lapse or removal of
any of the Restrictions; and

     (c) The lapse of such  reasonable  period of time as the Committee may from
time to time establish for reasons of administrative convenience.

     Section 4.4 Escrow

     The  Secretary of the Company or such other escrow  holder as the Committee
may appoint  shall  retain  physical  custody of the  certificates  representing
Restricted Stock (but not any cash dividends or other distributions paid thereon
which dividends or distributions  shall be paid by the escrow holder, as soon as
practicable, to the Participant of the applicable Restricted Stock) until all of
the Restrictions lapse or shall have been removed; provided, however, that in no
event  shall  the  Participant  retain  physical  custody  of  any  certificates
representing   unvested   Restricted   Stock   assigned   to  the   Participant.
Additionally,  the  Participant  shall,  in  connection  with  the  award of the
Restricted  Shares,  deliver to the  Company a stock  power,  endorsed in blank,
relating to the Restricted Shares.

     Section 4.5 Notices

     Any notice required by this Agreement will be deemed provided and delivered
to the intended  recipient  when (a)  delivered in person by hand;  or (b) three
days after being sent via U.S. certified mail, return receipt requested;  or (c)
the day after  being sent via  overnight  courier,  in each case  provided  such
notice is properly addressed to the following address and enclosed in a properly
sealed  envelope or wrapper,  and with all postage and similar  fees having been
paid in advance.

If to the Company:              Books-A-Million, Inc.
                                402 Industrial Lane
                                Post Office Box 19768
                                Birmingham, Alabama 35219
                                Attn: Rick Wallington

And if to the  Participant:     To the  address  given  beneath  Participant's
                                signature hereto.




     By a notice given pursuant to this Section 4.5,  either party may hereafter
designate a  different  address  for  notices to be given.  Any notice  which is
required  to be given  to the  Participant  shall,  if the  Participant  is then
deceased,  be  given  to  the  Participant's  personal  representative  if  such
representative has previously  informed the Company of  representative's  status
and address by written notice under this Section 4.5.

     Section 4.6 Rights as Stockholder

     Except  as  otherwise  provided  herein,  upon  delivery  of the  shares of
Restricted  Stock to the escrow holder  pursuant to Section 4.4, the Participant
shall have all the rights of a stockholder with respect to said shares,  subject
to the  Restrictions  herein,  including  the  right to vote the  shares  and to
receive all  dividends or other  distributions  paid or made with respect to the
shares of Restricted Stock; provided, however, that any and all shares of Common
Stock received by the  Participant  with respect to such  Restricted  Stock as a
result of stock  dividends,  stock splits or any other form of  recapitalization
shall  also  be  subject  to the  Restrictions  until  the  Restrictions  on the
underlying  shares of  Restricted  Stock lapse or are  removed  pursuant to this
Agreement.

     Section 4.7 Titles

     Titles are provided herein for  convenience  only and are not to serve as a
basis for interpretation or construction of this Agreement.

     Section 4.8 Conformity to Securities Laws

     The Participant  acknowledges that this Agreement is intended to conform to
the extent  necessary with all  provisions of all  applicable  federal and state
(and applicable foreign) laws, rules and regulations  (including but not limited
to,  the  Securities  Act and the  Exchange  Act  and to such  approvals  by any
listing,  regulatory or other  governmental  authority as may, in the opinion of
counsel for the Company,  be necessary  or  advisable in  connection  therewith.
Notwithstanding  anything  herein  to the  contrary,  this  Agreement  shall  be
administered,  and the Restricted Stock shall be assigned, only in such a manner
as to conform to such laws, rules and regulations including, without limitation,
Rule 16b-3.  To the extent  permitted by applicable  law, this Agreement and the
Restricted  Stock  assigned  hereunder  shall be deemed  amended  to the  extent
necessary to conform to such laws, rules and regulations.

     Section 4.9 Amendment

     This  Agreement  may be amended  without  the  consent  of the  Participant
provided  that such  amendment  would not impair  any rights of the  Participant
under this Agreement.  No amendment of this Agreement shall, without the consent
of the Participant, impair any rights of the Participant under this Agreement.

     Section 4.10 Governing Law

     The  laws  of the  State  of  Delaware  shall  govern  the  interpretation,
validity,  administration,  enforcement  and  performance  of the  terms of this
Agreement  regardless  of the law that  might be  applied  under  principles  of
conflicts of laws.

     Section 4.11 Section 83(b) Election

     If the  Participant  makes an election  under Section 83(b) of the Code, or
any successor section thereto,  to be taxed with respect to the Restricted Stock
as of the date of transfer of the Restricted Stock rather than as of the date or
dates upon which the Participant  would otherwise be taxable under Section 83(a)
of the  Code,  the  Participant  shall  deliver a copy of such  election  to the
Company  immediately  after  filing  such  election  with the  Internal  Revenue
Service. A sample copy of such election is set forth in Annex A hereto.

[signature page follows]

     IN WITNESS  HEREOF,  this  Agreement has been executed and delivered by the
parties hereto.

                                        BOOKS-A-MILLION, INC.,
                                        a Delaware Corporation

                                        By:  -----------------
                                             Name
                                             Title, Books-A-Million, Inc.
- --------------------------
Name
Address





                                    ANNEX A

                  ELECTION TO INCLUDE THE VALUE OF RESTRICTED
                PROPERTY IN GROSS INCOME IN THE YEAR OF TRANSFER

     This  statement is being made under Section  83(b) of the Internal  Revenue
Code, pursuant to Treas. Reg. Section 1.83-2.

     1) The person who performed the service is:

        Name:
        Address:
        Taxpayer I.D. Number:
        Taxable Year:

     2) The  property  with  respect to which the election is being made is ____
shares of the common stock of Books-A-Million, Inc.

     3) The property  was granted on  ________________.  This  election is being
made for the ___________ tax year.

     4) The  property  is  subject  to a  restriction  period  during  which the
property will be forfeited upon the  termination  of the  taxpayer's  employment
with the issuer under  certain  circumstances.  The  restriction  period  lapses
describe time-based vesting schedule and/or performance-based vesting criteria.

     5) The fair market value at the time of grant (determined without regard to
any restriction other than a restriction which by its terms will never lapse) is
$_______ per share.

     6) The amount paid for such property is $_____ per share.

     7) A copy of this statement was furnished to Books-A-Million, Inc. for whom
the taxpayer rendered the service underlying the transfer of property.

     8) This statement is executed as of ________________________________.

                                        ----------------------------------
                                        Name
                                        Address