From last week's Indie bestseller lists, available at IndieBound.org, here are the recommended titles, which are also Indie Next Great Reads:
Hardcover
The Last Ballad: A Novel by Wiley Cash (Morrow, $26.99, 9780062313119). "Ella May has never had much of anything. She labors long hours in a textile mill in North Carolina trying to feed her four young children on nine dollars a week. When Ella sings one of her songs at a meeting of workers who are hoping to form a union, she finds herself something of a local celebrity. Written in beautifully evocative prose, this novel about bigotry and labor unrest in the 1930s exerts a powerful impact that pulls the reader into the vortex of the struggle for social justice. It deserves a place of honor in the canon of great Southern literature." --Alden Graves, Northshire Bookstore, Manchester Center, Vt.
Going Into Town: A Love Letter to New York by Roz Chast (Bloomsbury, $28, 9781620403211). "Having grown up in Mark Twain country on the Mississippi River, New York City was as foreign to me as Cairo, Egypt. Due to the dumb luck of having a very intelligent and ambitious relative, I was able to go to New York City when I was a very impressionable and enthusiastic 14-year-old. The experience changed my life. Roz Chast's Going Into Town reminds me, in one nostalgic and thoroughly entertaining sitting, of the most endearing aspects of the city. From moments of, 'Wait, is this an entire block of stores that sell ribbons?' to 'Humanity is both supremely lovely and frightening,' Going Into Town is a love letter to New York City for natives, newcomers, and wannabes alike." --Nicole Sullivan, BookBar, Denver, Colo.
Paperback
The Second Mrs. Hockaday: A Novel by Susan Rivers (Algonquin, $15.95, 9781616207366). "When Major Gryffth Hockaday returns home after years fighting in the Civil War, he discovers that his wife had given birth to a child who later died, both events occurring under mysterious circumstances. Knowing he cannot be the father of the child, he has murder charges brought against his wife. The trial and the story of what happened unfold through letters and diary entries written by Placidia Hockaday and other family members, culminating in a shocking truth. Inspired by actual events, the characters and story that Rivers has created are truly memorable and The Second Mrs. Hockaday is a unique and fascinating read." --Sherri Gallentine, Vroman's Bookstore, Pasadena, Calif.
For Ages 4 to 8
Fort-Building Time by Megan Wagner Lloyd, illustrated by Abigail Halpin (Knopf, $16.99, 9780399556555). "Fort-Building Time is a darling, delightfully fanciful look at the four seasons and the fun kids can have together during them! The fort concept is well-executed and the diverse cast and their varied interests make this book a winner. I've read it with my one-year-old several times, and he loves the bright colors and the detailed art." --Gretchen Treu, A Room of One's Own Bookstore, Madison, Wis.
For Ages 9 to 12: An Indies Introduce Title
Sidetracked by Diana Harmon Asher (Amulet, $16.99, 9781419726019). "Sidetracked is the story of two outsiders connecting. Heather and Joseph are complete opposites: she is tall, strong, and an excellent student, while he is puny, has severe attention deficit disorder, and sees every school day as a struggle to survive. Diana Harmon Asher has crafted a highly satisfying underdog story about the power of trying to do your personal best." --Laura Delaney, Rediscovered Books, Boise, Idaho.
For Teen Readers: An Indies Introduce Title
All Rights Reserved by Gregory Scott Katsoulis (Harlequin Teen, $18.99, 9780373212446). "In a dystopian future in which almost all words and gestures have been copyrighted and citizens are charged for even the most basic forms of communication, the ultimate act of resistance may be to choose silence. In this richly imagined novel, Katsoulis explores ideas of free speech and the consequences of intellectual property law through characters that are sympathetic, tough, and thoroughly believable. All Rights Reserved is an excellent sci-fi thriller (with some of the best world-building I've seen in ages) with a great sense of humor and a political conscience. For anyone who feels the need for a little bit of revolution in their fiction, this book is just the thing." --Annie Farrell, Labyrinth Books, Princeton, N.J.
[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]
