From last week's Indie bestseller lists, available at IndieBound.org, here are the recommended titles, which are also Indie Next Great Reads:
Hardcover
Jackie & Me: A Novel by Louis Bayard (Algonquin, $28, 9781643750354). "Lem Billings befriends Jackie Bouvier as she is sized up by the Kennedy family to become the wife of the up-and-coming politician. Told by an older Lem, it's an insightful story of friendship, love, and sacrifice. Book clubs will love it!" --Beth Carpenter, The Country Bookshop, Southern Pines, N.C.
Also a Poet: Frank O'Hara, My Father, and Me by Ada Calhoun (Grove Press, $27, 9780802159786). "Ada Calhoun has given us a poised, magnificent memoir on family, her father, and of huge emotional and personal exploration. She delivers an unveiled perspective on capital 'L' literary New York. This one shines brilliantly for all to see." --Scott Abel, Solid State Books, Washington, D.C.
Paperback: An Indies Introduce Title
Grown Ups: A Novel by By Marie Aubert, trans. by Rosie Hedger (Pushkin Press, $14.95, 9781782277088). "I was hooked from the first line of Grown Ups, a wickedly fun novel about people behaving badly: 'Other people's children, always, everywhere.' Sibling rivalry, midlife crises, and unease play out in this delicious train wreck of a book." --Jhoanna Belfer, Bel Canto Books, Long Beach, Calif.
For Ages 2 to 5
I Am a Baby by Bob Shea (Candlewick, $17.99, 9781536218329). "This is the ultimate gift for new parents--if they can stay awake long enough to read it. Hilarious and oh so true, the mid-century modern vibe is colorful and cool. I adore this book!" --Nancy Baenen, Arcadia Books, Spring Green, Wis.
For Ages 8 to 12
The Civil War of Amos Abernathy by Michael Leali (HarperCollins, $16.99, 9780063119864). "When Amos and his friends discover that stories of BIPOC and queer people just weren't being told, they set out to change the narrative of their local living history. Amos' courage will inspire readers like him to be completely themselves." --Kelly Barth, Raven Book Store, Lawrence, Kan.
For Teen Readers
Slip by Marika McCoola, illus. by Aatmaja Pandya (Algonquin Young Readers, $24.95, 9781643752495). "Teens will connect with this story about a teenage artist's attempts to navigate her work and friendships after her best friend attempts suicide. Great for a teen book club--there's much to analyze and discuss in this short graphic novel." --Amanda Grell, Pearl's Books, Fayetteville, Ark.
[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]
