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James by Percival Everett (Doubleday) has been selected as the 2024 Barnes & Noble Book of the Year. In addition, two new awards were made: Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell (Knopf Books for Young Readers) has been named B&N's first Children's Book of the Year, and The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan (Knopf) was named B&N's first Gift Book of the Year.
Concerning James, Shannon DeVito, B&N's senior director of books, said in part, "Of all of the books we booksellers have read this year, this is the one that we have not been able to stop talking about... If you read one novel this year, let it be this one."
About Impossible Creatures, Jackie DeLeo, B&N's chief merchandising officer, said in part: "Booksellers are always on the hunt for the next big series. As soon as I read the first chapter, I knew this would be a hit, and our booksellers--and customers--agreed whole-heartedly."
For The Backyard Bird Chronicles, B&N CEO James Daunt commented: "Amy Tan has been long been celebrated for her excellent novels, and rightly so. Now, with this lovely book she has proven her prowess once again--a memoir as compelling as her best work of fiction; a celebration of nature by a master storyteller. This book defies categorization--you need not be interested in birds to thoroughly enjoy it, as the author's own interest is infectious. This truly makes for an excellent gift."