From last week's Indie bestseller lists, available at IndieBound.org, here are the recommended titles, which are also Indie Next Great Reads:
Hardcover: An Indies Introduce Title
The Original Daughter: A Novel by Jemimah Wei (Doubleday, $30, 9780385551014). "It's 1996 and Genevieve's family lives in a tiny apartment in Singapore. Her grandfather had a secret family, and her family is saddled with an unwanted daughter to raise, changing Genevieve's world. An accomplished and absorbing debut." --Robin Glossner, Odyssey Bookshop, South Hadley, Mass.
Hardcover
The Dad Rock That Made Me a Woman by Niko Stratis (University of Texas Press, $27.95, 9781477331484). "Muddled by memory and alcohol, a picture of Niko's life forms: she's made you a mixtape in the form of an essay collection. The stories that make up her life gently remind us it's never too late to recover or rebuild yourself." --Kitri Madera, Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park, Wash.
Paperback
Don't Swipe Right: A Novel by L.M. Chilton (Gallery/Scout Press, $17.99, 9781668045718). "Twisty, smart, and kept me guessing until the very end--and the absolute skewering of dating apps is so entertaining. I felt breathless page after page as Gwen races around town to find a serial killer. Loved it!" --Carolyn Hutton, Mrs. Dalloway's Literary & Garden Arts, Berkeley, Calif.
Ages 4-8
Little Big Man by Varian Johnson, illus. by Reggie Brown (Orchard Books, $18.99, 9781338807431). "Varian Johnson's picture book debut is a delight! A poignant story about learning how to balance work and play, all young readers (and their grown ups) can benefit from Little Big Man's message." --Lorie Barber, The Silver Unicorn Bookstore, Acton, Mass.
Ages 8-12: An Indies Introduce Title
The Queen Bees of Tybee County by Kyle Casey Chu (Quill Tree Books, $19.99, 9780063326958). "Follow young basketball champion Derrick Chan as he spends the summer with his grandmother and journeys to discover a whole new understanding of self. This exploration of family, culture, and identity is unique and powerful. This book is right on time." --Jonathan Pope, Prologue Bookshop, Columbus, Ohio
Teen Readers
Eliza, from Scratch by Sophia Lee (Quill Tree Books, $19.99, 9780063372634). "The fall after her grandmother's death, an ambitious student is unexpectedly assigned a cooking class in school, helping her reconnect with her Korean heritage. A poignant, heartwarming debut on grief and family expectations." --Matilda McNeely, Little Shop of Stories, Decatur, Ga.
[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]
