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 Hidden Life of Cecily Larson: A Novel by Ellen Baker (Mariner, $28, 9780063351196). "Rich, vibrant and full of atmosphere, The Hidden Life of Cecily Larson drew me in from the first page. An intricately layered portrait of family, identity, and survival. Cecily will steal your heart!" --Maxwell Gregory, Madison Street Books, Chicago, Ill.
Sun of Blood and Ruin by Mariely Lares (Harper Voyager, $30, 9780063254312). "A fast-paced fantasy filled with shapeshifting, sorcery, and epic battles. Lares weaves together a rich world from Mesoamerican history and mythology, alongside a thoughtful exploration of mestiza identity and finding a place in the world." --Elena Jove, Left Bank Books, St. Louis, Mo.
Paperback
Time's Undoing: A Novel by Cheryl A. Head (Dutton, $18, 9780593471845). "Time's Undoing is a first-rate story of racial injustice and redemption. Based on the author's family history, this dual timeline story chronicles a Black man's death in 1929 and his great-granddaughter's efforts to uncover the truth in 2019." --Trish Brown, One More Page Books, Arlington, Va.
Ages 3 to 7
The Wild by Yuval Zommer (Doubleday, $18.99, 9780593708989). "This curious tale personifies earth as a living being resembling a coyote--first appreciated by the people who live on it, and then has too much taken from it until it is sick. A tale of child activism that offers a hopeful ending." --Jess Iverson, Booked, Evanston, Ill.
Ages 8 to 12
Free Period by Ali Terese (Scholastic, $17.99, 9781338835830). "Two goofy pranksters broke the final straw with the principal, who assigns them to a school improvement group run by their enemy! They notice that there are no period products in the school. Can the group change the school board's mind? Read to find out!" --Julie Beckers, Loganberry Books, Shaker Heights, Ohio
Teen Readers
Skater Boy by Anthony Nerada (Soho Teen, $18.99, 9781641295345). "Skater Boy is a thoughtful and honest coming-of-age romance, centering a lot on the idea of who we are, and who we want to be--and how to navigate it, as simple and complicated as it can all be." --Andrew King, Secret Garden Bookshop, Seattle, Wash.
[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]
