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 Instrumentalist: A Novel by Harriet Constable (Simon & Schuster, $28.99, 9781668035825). "Inspired by a true story, The Instrumentalist immediately pulled me into 18th-century Venice. Anna Maria's journey to find love, meaning, and purpose in life kept me turning pages. It's so satisfying watching her learn to use her gift for good." --Michelle Ratto, A Thousand Stories, Herndon, Va.
Becoming Little Shell: A Landless Indian's Journey Home by Chris La Tray (Milkweed Editions, $28, 9781571313980). "With Becoming Little Shell, Chris La Tray takes a very personal journey of introspection and familiar heritage and connects it to the larger social issues of the Métis and other Indigenous peoples. This book is an accomplishment." --Mara Panich-Crouch, Fact & Fiction Downtown, Missoula, Mont.
Paperback
Bluff: Poems by Danez Smith (Graywolf Press, $18, 9781644452981). "Danez Smith is an artist grappling with the role of art at the end of the world. These poems shine a soft light into the darkest tunnels of our history, into the precise cuts they made into your soul, and leave you with something better than hope." --Michelle Carroll, Powell's Books, Portland, Ore.
Ages 4-8
What Can a Mess Make? by Bee Johnson (Holt, $18.99, 9781250900241). "A sweet and thoughtful story reminding us that not all messes are bad. They are often the result of joyful creative moments that bring us together--a wonderful lesson for children and parents alike." --Kaitlyn Reed, Read Between the Lynes, Woodstock, Ill.
Ages 8+
How It All Ends by Emma Hunsinger (Greenwillow Books, $15.99, 9780063158146). "A sweet graphic novel. Watching Tara learn to navigate high school and experience her first crush was a complete joy. Hunsinger does an amazing job depicting the all-encompassing feeling of a first crush and all of the anxiety that comes with it." --Izzy Zox, Back Cove Books, Portland, Me.
Teen Readers: An Indies Introduce Title
Looking for Smoke by K.A. Cobell (Heartdrum, $19.99, 9780063318670). "This book is a powerful and thought-provoking story about the importance of community, the search for belonging, and the heart-wrenching realities of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW). This book will leave you on the edge of your seat, challenging you to see through the smoke and discover the killer." --Kromeklia Bryant, Solid State Books, Washington, D.C.
[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]
