From last week's Indie bestseller lists, available at IndieBound.org, here are the recommended titles, which are also Indie Next Great Reads:
Hardcover
Under Water: A Novel by Tara Menon (Riverhead, $29, 9798217048311). "With graceful yet sparse prose, Tara Menon has given us a wholly unique story of friendship, loss, and grief, all while artfully weaving in our interconnectedness with nature." --Pat Rudebusch, Orinda Books, Orinda, Calif.
Outsider Animals: How the Creatures at the Margins of Our Lives Have the Most to Teach Us by Marlene Zuk, illus. by David J. Tuss (Princeton University Press, $29.95, 9780691264240). "Marlene Zuk takes us on a journey through the lives and behaviors of nine species often assigned labels like 'pest' and 'disgusting.' Zuk introduces new ways to look at these creatures and what they teach us about pollution, adaptation, and evolution." --Ariel Hardee, Ruby's Books, Folsom, Calif.
Paperback
The Creek, the Crone, and the Crow: A Novel by Leah Weiss (Sourcebooks Landmark, $17.99, 9781464250590). "Set in 1980s Appalachia in a very small dying mountain town. A young teacher meets the varied characters that inhabit the back country, discovers the region's folklore, and questions her beliefs in the supernatural." --Fran Ziegler, Titcomb's Bookshop, East Sandwich, Mass.
Ages 6-8
The God of Sleep by Lev Grossman, illus. by Huynh Kim Liên (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, $18.99, 9780316570961). "As the god of sun is taking her leave for the night, the god of sleep is nowhere to be found! The sun god journeys near and far to find the god and runs into several others along the way. A rhyming story perfect for bedtime paired with beautiful illustrations!" --McKenna Moran-Jones, Boswell Book Company, Milwaukee, Wis.
Ages 10-12
When Tomorrow Burns by Tae Keller (Random House Books for Young Readers, $17.99, 9780593485583). "When Tomorrow Burns is a powerful story that follows three 7th graders as they learn to navigate the challenges of middle school life, pressures of the world, family, and school relationships. It's magical, heartfelt, and so real--reminding us how important family and true friendships are." --Annell Schmerfeld, Changing Hands, Tempe, Ariz.
Ages 12+: An Indies Introduce Title
Her Hidden Fire by Cliodhna O'Sullivan (Viking Books for Young Readers, $22.99, 9798217040506). "A romantasy set in a fantasy-Ireland full of magic, betrayals, and battles for power. A young man set out to save his family from a future that forces them to give up their place and home. Unknown to him, his childhood friend sets out to protect him, but at what cost? I loved this!" --Shannon Alden, Literati Bookstore, Ann Arbor, Mich.
[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]
