Latest News

Starred Review

Seasons of Glass and Iron

by Amal El-Mohtar

Amal El-Mohtar (The River Has Roots) collects her acclaimed prose and poetry for the first time in Seasons of Glass and Iron, a volume packed with fantastic worlds, profound yearning, and gorgeous imagery.

The collection opens with the titular story, which won Hugo, Nebula, and Locus Awards in 2016 and follows two women who meet at the top of a glass mountain and find a love that will free them both. The pieces here are not organized by genre or chronology, but with an eye to variety and flow. This isn't a

Read More »

Screen People: How We Entertained Ourselves into a State of Emergency

by Megan Garber

Anyone who has felt a twinge of regret when their smartphone reminds them how much time they've spent looking at a screen the previous week will appreciate Screen People, Megan Garber's well-informed account of how electronic devices have come to dominate modern lives.

Garber, a staff writer for the Atlantic, acknowledges at the outset her considerable debt to '60s media theorist Marshall McLuhan and his aphorism "the medium is the message," and to scholar and cultural critic Neil Postman and his 1985 book,

Read More »

Madelaine Before the Dawn

by Sandrine Collette, trans. by Alison Anderson

Madelaine arrives as a child, starving and alone, to steal eggs from the villagers of Les Montées. Instead of casting her out, they adopt her as one of their own, swayed by her fiery spirit and beauty. Madelaine Before the Dawn, winner of the 2024 Prix Goncourt des Lycéens, is an incandescent novel of rebellion written in poetic prose by Sandrine Collette and translated from the French by Alison Anderson.

Collette vividly renders life in the village, where rain at the wrong moment means wrecked

Read More »

A Fishboy Named... Sashimi

by Dan Santat

National Book Award-winner Dan Santat (A First Time for Everything) reels in readers with this hilarious, literal fish-out-of-water middle-grade graphic novel about a rambunctious fishboy attempting to keep his identity a secret while attending human school.

On a dark and stormy Tuesday night in Barnacle Bay, a pirate chases a "creature" through town until it gives him the slip. The next morning, a new student notice is handed to the sixth-grade teacher announcing "Sashimi" will be joining "Barnukll Bae Elmmentree"

Read More »

Life on the Moon

by Matthew Swanson, illus. by Robbi Behr

A mission to the Moon reveals unexpected lessons (and life forms) in this fast-paced, comical, and profound illustrated middle-grade novel by author/illustrator duo Matthew Swanson and Robbi Behr (Cookie Chronicles series).

Twelve-year-old Leo Brightstar, his dad, and several others arrive on the moon to start the first Moon colony. Leo's father says they are "bold pioneers on a top-secret mission" but, immediately upon touchdown, he leaves on a task that specifically states, "DON'T BRING THE KID." Leo is

Read More »

Welcome

Shelf Awareness offers free e-newsletters about books and the book industry. We also partner with hundreds of indie booksellers across the country.

For Readers: Every Friday, discover the 25 best books published that week as selected by our industry insiders. Sign up now.

For Book Trade Professionals: Receive daily enlightenment with our FREE weekday trade newsletter. Sign up now.

Free indie partner newsletters: Customizable and turnkey options supporting bookstore marketing. Learn more.

Shelf Discovery

Thistlemarsh

by Moorea Corrigan

Corrigan sets the Faerie magic of Thistlemarsh in a familiar world firmly rooted in history, its fantastical atmosphere allowing for easy entry without ever feeling oversimplified.

Read Full Review »

The Night We Met

by Abby Jimenez

The Night We Met explores the nuance of small decisions with big consequences through Abby Jimenez's exceptional ability to showcase sincere emotions and authentic connection.

Read Full Review »

The Delta Codex

by Deva Fagan

The Delta Codex is a nimble middle-grade science fiction bildungsroman featuring a charismatic lead who navigates danger to save her planet.

Read Full Review »

The Book Witch

by Meg Shaffer

In Meg Shaffer's romp of an adventure, a literature-loving heroine goes rogue in the pursuit of love across dimensions and stories.

Read Full Review »

This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me

by Ilona Andrews

Author duo Ilona Andrews kicks off a series with this thrilling novel about a woman transported to the ruthless world of her favorite fantasy books, where she must try to prevent a war.

Read Full Review »

Mrs. Shim Is a Killer

by Kang Jiyoung, trans. by Paige Morris

In this bloody but cheerful novel, a middle-aged widow and mother of two becomes a contract killer to support her family, reinventing herself along the way.

Read Full Review »

Hyperion Avenue: Thrall by Rebecca Mahoney
Shelf Awareness

Media Heat

Thursday, April 23, 2026

Fresh Air: Steven J. Ross, author of The Secret War Against Hate: American Resistance to Antisemitism and White Supremacy (Bloomsbury, $32.99, 9781635578003).

Today: Percival Everett, author of James: A Novel (Vintage, $20, 9780593686867).

Wednesday, April 22, 2026

CBS Mornings: Katie Sturino, author of Sunny Side Up: A Novel (Celadon Books, $17.99, 9781250344229).

Today: Sissy Goff and David Thomas, authors of Capable: How to Teach Your Kids the Strengths, Skills, and Strategies to Build Resilience (Baker Publishing, $24.99, 9780764245329).

Tuesday, April 21, 2026

CBS Mornings: Jodi Kantor, author of How to Start: Discovering Your Life's Work (Little, Brown, $25, 9780316609555).

Good Morning America: Rob Shuter, author of It Started with a Whisper: A Novel (Post Hill Press, $18.99, 9798895655092).

Today: Deborah Kenny, author of The Well-Educated Child: How the Principles and Practices of Quality Thinking, Agency, and Ethical Purpose Cultivate Deeper Learning (Get Lifted Books, $28, 9781638933328).

Also on Today: Melissa Ben-Ishay, author of Come Eat: 100 Nourishing Recipes to Eat Every Day (Harper Influence, $35, 9780063451636).

Jennifer Hudson Show: Mychal Threets, host of Reading Rainbow and author of I'm So Happy You're Here: A Celebration of Library Joy (Random House Books for Young Readers, $18.99, 9798217026029).

Late Show with Stephen Colbert: Neil deGrasse Tyson, author of Take Me to Your Leader: Perspectives on Your First Alien Encounter (Simon Six, $26, 9781668249970).

Monday, April 20, 2026

Good Morning America: Rachel Goldberg-Polin, author of When We See You Again (Random House,  $30, 9798217198009).

Fresh Air: Malala Yousafzai, author of Finding My Way: A Memoir (Atria, $30, 9781668054277).

Sherri Shepherd Show: Blair Underwood, author of A Soldier's Wife: My Mother, the Marvelous Mrs. Marilyn A. Underwood (Amistad, $28, 9780063211872).

Thursday, April 16, 2026

Jennifer Hudson Show: Brandy Norwood, author of Phases: A Memoir (Hanover Square Press, $32.50, 9781335013279).

Powered by: Xtenit