Parnassus Books

John of John by Douglas Stuart

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John of John by Douglas Stuart
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In the weeks since I finished John of John, I keep thinking back to the experience as if I actually traveled to the Western Isles of Scotland, stayed in a croft on the water, gossiped and cried with all the inhabitants of this island–except I didn’t do any of those things, that’s just the power of Douglas Stuart. John of John isn’t a book you read inasmuch as you live it, achingly real and vulnerable. I loved it.

John of John by Douglas Stuart, (List Price: $28, Grove Press, 9780802167194, May 2026)

Reviewed by Lindsay, Parnassus Books in Nashville, TN

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The Weedy Garden by Margaret Renkl, Billy Renkl (illus)

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The Weedy Garden by Margaret Renkl, Billy Renkl (illus)
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This book is a delightful visit to the weedy garden, from birds, butterflies, and bumblebees flying about to animals hopping, scurrying, and slithering through. The playful text paired with the gorgeous collage illustrations will make the reader hope for a visit.

The Weedy Garden by Margaret Renkl, Billy Renkl (illus), (List Price: $19.99, Greenwillow Books, 9780063432819, February 2026)

Reviewed by Rae Ann Parker, Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee

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Serafina Makes Waves by Matthew Burgess

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Serafina Makes Waves by Matthew Burgess
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Serafina does NOT like water. She doesn’t like running faucets, bathtubs, or the sea. When the powers that be decide she must take swimming lessons, she refuses to enter the pool. But when a friend is in danger, she leaps into action and, to her shock, finds she actually loves the water. This is a sweet book about looking beyond yourself and helping others.

Serafina Makes Waves by Matthew Burgess, (List Price: $18.99, Dial Books, 9780593699638, March 2026)

Reviewed by Rae Ann, Parnassus Books in Nashville, TN

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Life on the Moon by Matthew Swanson

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Life on the Moon by Matthew Swanson
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12 year-old Leo joins the first moon colony. Exciting! Until his father disappears and Leo sets out to find him, encountering shocking surprises on the way. What if everything he’s been told about the moon is a lie?

Life on the Moon by Matthew Swanson, (List Price: $17.99, Knopf Books for Young Readers, 9780593704721, April 2026)

Reviewed by Rae Ann Parker, Parnassus Books in Nashville, TN

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The Unlikely Tale of Chase and Finnegan by Jasmine Warga

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The Unlikely Tale of Chase and Finnegan by Jasmine Warga
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A delightful tale of rescue dog Finnegan and cheetah cub Chase. Finnegan’s new family includes zookeeper Basma. When she needs a friend for the cheetah cub she’s training, Finnegan accompanies her to the zoo, finding friendship in an unlikely place. This is a story of soaring hope and kindness.

The Unlikely Tale of Chase and Finnegan by Jasmine Warga, (List Price: $18.99, Balzer + Bray, 9781250387189, March 2026)

Reviewed by Rae Ann, Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee

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If We Were Dogs by Sophie Blackall

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If We Were Dogs by Sophie Blackall
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This book is a celebration of creativity when the narrator imagines what life would be like as a dog. It’s a delightful romp as well as a display of acceptance of other ideas.

If We Were Dogs by Sophie Blackall, (List Price: $18.99, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 9780316581721, September 2025)

Reviewed by Rae Ann Parker, Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee

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The Wildest Thing by Emily Winfield Martin

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The Wildest Thing by Emily Winfield Martin
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Eleanor loves the wild outdoors. When she invites the wild inside, she spins and leaps like the animals outside. This beautiful picture book inspires imagination.

The Wildest Thing by Emily Winfield Martin, (List Price: $19.99, Random House Books for Young Readers, 9798217023981, January 2026)

Reviewed by Rae Ann Parker, Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee

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Beth Is Dead by Katie Bernet

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Beth Is Dead by Katie Bernet
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Little Women is reimagined in a modern-day family and unfortunately, Beth is dead in chapter one. But who is responsible? Is it one of her famous sisters or someone else close to them? The answer unravels through twists and turns in this compelling novel.

Beth Is Dead by Katie Bernet, (List Price: $19.99, Sarah Barley Books, Simon & Schuster Books for Yo, 9781665988698, January 2026)

Reviewed by Rae Ann, Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee

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The Old Sleigh by Jarrett Pumphrey

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The Old Sleigh by Jarrett Pumphrey
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The Old Sleigh is a tale of family, a celebration of movement, a story of changing and staying the same. Beautiful illustrations highlight a delightfully cozy tale.

The Old Sleigh by Jarrett Pumphrey, (List Price: $18.99, Norton Young Readers, 9781324054122, November 2025)

Reviewed by Rae Ann Parker, Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee

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Gateaux by Mori Yoshida

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Gateaux by Mori Yoshida
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There are different types of cookbooks. Some focus on the science…others on weeknight meals…but this one focuses on beauty, gorgeous pictures make this cookbook an adult picture book that you want to look at over and over. The recipes are not simple but works of art that will take your time and reward you with all things beautiful, beautiful to look at and pop in your mouth.

Gateaux by Mori Yoshida, (List Price: $40, Tra Publishing, 9781962098120, April 2025)

Reviewed by Ashby Rushing, Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee

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The Great Misfortune of Stella Sedgwick by S. Isabelle

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The Great Misfortune of Stella Sedgwick by S. Isabelle
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Stella Sedgwick is a young black woman in late 19th-century England. She wants to be a writer and an independent woman. When a surprise inheritance brings her into London society, she resurrects her mother’s newspaper advice column anonymously in this fun YA historical romance.

The Great Misfortune of Stella Sedgwick by S. Isabelle, (List Price: $19.99, Isabelle, S., 9781335006967, July 2025)

Reviewed by Rae Ann Parker, Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee

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Forts by Katie Venit

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Forts by Katie Venit
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I love this celebration of forts, the ones found in nature, to the ones you can build for yourself. Forts are for gathering with friends or being alone in this delightful picture book.

Forts by Katie Venit, (List Price: $18.99, Viking Books for Young Readers, 9780593466155, July 2025)

Reviewed by Rae Ann Parker, Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee

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You Gotta Eat by Margaret Eby

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You Gotta Eat by Margaret Eby
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I loved this book. I never learned how to cook and have spent most of my life struggling with feeding myself. What I would give to go back in time and hand this book to younger versions of myself. I’m also someone with a history of disordered eating and depression, and this book speaks so kindly to those parts of me. If you struggle with feeding yourself, either because you didn’t learn how to cook, or you’re depressed or low-energy, or you just have a demanding job and can’t deal with making yourself an involved, multi-step dinner, this book is the answer. It helped me so much that I told the registered dietitian I work with about it, and she bought one for her office. I’m also obsessed with one of the meals in the book: potstickers, broccoli, and ramen. And not for nothing, this is one of the funniest books I’ve ever read. Three cheers for Margaret!

You Gotta Eat by Margaret Eby, (List Price: $19.99, Quirk Books, 9781683694427, November 2024)

Reviewed by Kim Baldwin, Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee

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Free Piano (Not Haunted) by Whitney Gardner

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Free Piano (Not Haunted) by Whitney Gardner
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Margot is determined to become a real songwriter. If she does, her dad may come home. When she finds an abandoned synthesizer, she’s sure her songs will sound better with it than her ukulele. But the instrument may be haunted by a pop star from the 1980s!

Free Piano (Not Haunted) by Whitney Gardner, (List Price: $23.99, Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, 9781665938136, July 2025)

Reviewed by Rae Ann Parker, Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee

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The Floating World by Axie Oh

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The Floating World by Axie Oh
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Ren lives in hiding with her adopted family in the mountains, performing as an acrobat in their traveling caravan. When danger strikes, she releases her magical power of light. Sunho lives in the Under World, his memories erased. He is one of many sent to find Ren and capture her. When they meet, he doesn’t realize she is the girl he’s looking for as they begin their journey together.. This immersive fantasy world is very cinematic with an intriguing story.

The Floating World by Axie Oh, (List Price: $19.99, Feiwel & Friends, 9781250853080, April 2025)

Reviewed by Rae Ann Parker, Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee

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