From last week's Indie bestseller lists, available at IndieBound.org, here are the recommended titles, which are also Indie Next Great Reads:
Hardcover (Indies Introduce)
It's All River: A Novel by Carla Madeira, trans. by Alison Entrekin (Liveright, $26.99, 9781324098119). "A powerful book that focuses on obsession, tragedy, betrayal and ultimately forgiveness. A trio of unlikely characters work to overcome hardship and heartache to forge a new relationship. Well worth the challenge!" --Jocele Skinner, Shared Stories Books, Caldwell, Idaho
Hardcover
Agnes Lives!: A Novel by Hallie Elizabeth Newton (Bloomsbury, $26.99, 9781639738564). "A non-stop whirlwind 24 hours in which a successful, busy NYC woman seeks someone, anyone, who will do her a really big favor and end her life. This is a sharp, feral, and funny rollercoaster." --Seth Tucker, Carmichael's Bookstore, Louisville, Ky.
Paperback
A Magical Girl Retires: A Novel by Park Seolyeon, trans. by Anton Hur (HarperVia, $17.99, 9780063388277). "A quixotic blend of fantasy and reality. Magical girls are real, but so too are credit card debt, COVID-19, and mass unemployment. This strangely nostalgic, deceptively simple novel taps into both the dreams and anxieties of millenials." --Shay Shortt, Brick & Mortar Books, Redmond, Wash.
Ages 4-8
The Wise Pickle by Sarah Howden, illus. by Sabina Hahn (Tundra Books, 9781774886984). "Brilliant and absurd! A pickle arrives on a street corner, seemingly out of nowhere, and begins to spread its wisdom to the curious creatures around it as it withers in the sun. A hilarious and existential picture book that will spark laughs and pondering in kids and adults alike!" --Julia Lewis, Fountain Bookstore, Richmond, Va.
Ages 8-12 (Indies Introduce)
Just Ask Elsie by Ari Koontz (Feiwel & Friends, $18.99, 9781250410986). "I absolutely adored this delightfully queer book about a girl fighting to educate her peers about puberty and sexuality. This will inspire kids to be the change that they want to see, and to know that they deserve the opportunity to be able to fully know and understand who they are and what is happening to them. I could not love this story more!" --Ava Budavari-Glenn, All She Wrote Books, Somerville, Mass.
Ages 13+
Doe by Rebecca Barrow (Nancy Paulsen Books, $20.99, 9798217006335). Saturated with a haunting atmosphere, ancient spirits ready to deal, and cheerleaders who want it all. Doe is the first novel I've read totally in verse and it will stick with me forever." --Robert Hawthorn, Gallery Bookshop & Bookwinkle's Children's Books, Mendocino, Calif.
[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]
