Marvelous nature poems, sentences that ground you in the world of growth, life, and abundance. Read these outside, with your lungs full of fresh air and your ears full of birdsong.
Wickerwork by Christian Lehnert, (List Price: $18, Archipelago, 9781962770248, April 2026)
Reviewed by Emily, Thank You Books in Birmingham, AL
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A love letter to a people and place we see far too little of in books and media. It is time for more books like Hannah’s to teach us about Palestinians and their beautiful culture. I fell in love with the family in this book and the stories they share, and I know the littles in your world will too. This book is not just a teaching tool; it is an entertaining and heartwarming story.
Homeland by Hannah Moushabeck, (List Price: $18.99, Chronicle Books, 9781797202051, March 2023)
Reviewed by Rayna, Blue Cypress Books in New Orleans, LA
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To call this an essential text when it comes to explaining and educating people on the present Palestine conflict would be an understatement. Isabella Hammad’s impeccably done Recognizing the Stranger takes the issue head-on but in a much more nuanced, and possibly more effective way than most. The first half of the book is the commencement speech Hammad gave at Columbia a week before the October 7th attacks, with the last 20 pages being an afterword titled On Gaza. Hammad’s crisp, concise, and accessible writing gives any reader a better understanding of tragedy as a whole. I will be thinking about this afterword and Hammad’s voice for many, many years to come, absolutely breathtaking and essential for our time.
Recognizing the Stranger by Isabella Hammad, (List Price: $18, Grove Press, Black Cat, 9780802163929, September 2024)
Reviewed by Grace, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, VA
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An unforgettable memoir of a woman who grew up in Pakistan under terrible conditions and now lives in Britain; she has a way of looking at places and nature and, through talking about them, finding a way to heal and feel whole.
A Flat Place by Noreen Masud, (List Price: $19.99, Melville House, 9781685890247, June 2023)
Reviewed by Jamie, Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, NC
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Haleh Liza Fafori’s translation of 57 poems from Rumi, a poet from the 13th century. The themes are very timely, focusing on materialism versus love, spiritual, and moral growth. I think a few excepts show the depth that is available in this book…. “Criminal to let clouds hide you. Unveil your face and brighten our dim world”…. “If Love’s wine hasn’t seeped into your skull by then, go to the kitchen in Love’s house and lick the plates lovers left behind”.
Water by Rumi, (List Price: $14.95, NYRB Classics, 9781681379166, April 2025)
Reviewed by Jim, Sundog Books in Santa Rosa Beach, FL
Where I Grew is a love letter and celebration of the immigrant story, and how we come to the places we call home for generations. Poetry-esque writing dances across the pages, coupled with illustrations of the sunsets, seas, and plains you may cross to find yourself at your new home. Deeply tender and gentle, and absolutely essential for our current time and for years to come.
Where I Grew by Jashar Awan, (List Price: $18.99, Norton Young Readers, 9781324016618, March 2026)
Reviewed by Grace, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, VA
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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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British poet laureate Armitage took years to research and perfect his retelling of this millennia-old ur-poem, and it was worth the wait. Told in a driving tetrameter rhythm, his free-flowing translation may not please purists, but we are treated to both an introduction AND a translator’s note, which are as accessible and interesting as the text itself, explaining his choices and setting the work in historic context. Hypnotic heroic feats mingle with proto-bromance, featuring the earliest known account of the Great Flood, in this classic myth which is as mesmerizing today as it must have been thousands of years ago.
Gilgamesh by Simon Armitage, (List Price: $25, Liveright, 9781631496684, April 2026)
Reviewed by Doron, Octavia Books in New Orleans, LA
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Dystopian young adult thrillers are so back! I was immediately hooked when I started this one, and the ending was even more shocking! This village is already somewhat secluded, and you can sense that when you’re reading this, but you don’t know the full extent of what’s to come, making the revelation even more shocking – in the best way possible. Rose is someone who follows the rules because she knows what it’s like to lose someone you love. Because she’s someone who follows every strict rule imaginable, her peers grow to resent her and exclude her from things. As she grows up, she relies heavily on her family, especially her twin brother, and becomes a strong and resilient character. Yes, there’s a love interest, but it wasn’t the main focus of this novel (which I loved!!!) because it demonstrates how strong a character Rose is and has to be in order to uncover the lies and treachery that have been brewing in the community. The lore that goes into this community is absolutely unmatched. There are 45 houses that each contribute something specific to the community, whether it be leather goods, baked goods, healing practices, and so on. Members of a certain age eventually get assigned someone to marry, and one of the individuals goes into their spouse’s house to learn their practices, where they will also be expected to contribute to societal expectations regarding their family. And this information isn’t thrust upon the reader but gradually becomes available, making it seem much more realistic and easier to understand. The more you read, the more you’ll start to wonder what is real and who you can trust. I truly was on the edge of my seat the whole time because I had so many theories, but when the truth came out, I was so shocked!!! I never would’ve expected that!
The Verdant Cage by Jess, (List Price: $22.99, Entangled: Mayhem Books, 9781682816455, April 2026)
Reviewed by Itzy Morales, M. Judson Booksellers in Greenville, South Carolina
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Charmed and Dangerous is a well-paced, cute romcom with a great blend of magic and fantasy. I loved the film and culture references throughout the story and was very fond of Monroe’s journey to understanding love and all the things that come with it.
Charmed and Dangerous by Shelly Page, (List Price: $12.99, Joy Revolution, 9780593897645, March 2026)
Reviewed by Faith, Resist Booksellers in Petersburg, Virginia
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The Viking Age, a period marked by Norsemen raids and trade, serves as the backdrop for a compelling narrative of survival, faith, and redemption. Three distinct characters emerge from the shadows of this tumultuous era, each bearing their own burdens and stories. Brother Martin, a young monk, is one of the few survivors of a brutal massacre at a monastery. This experience challenges his faith and spirituality, and as you read it, you will witness his internal struggles. Una, a beekeeper, gets the opportunity to escape her brute of a husband due to the raid, and after years of enduring brutality, she is determined to find a new path. It’s not easy, but a better life is ahead. Then there is Griuir, who was a Norse raider left for dead. He struggles with guilt over his participation in the violent raid, the Viking legacy, and he looks to reconcile his violent actions with a desire for atonement. With the emotional journey through the beautiful landscapes of Scotland, the author does an exceptional job of writing these characters’ personal growth and redemption. I did some additional research on the Viking age to understand more, and it did not disappoint me. It reminds me of other books I have read on enduring the power of redemption and the capacity for change in all of us. Beautiful!
The Book of I by David Greig, (List Price: $17.95, Europa Editions, 9798889661979, March 2026)
Reviewed by VaLinda, Turning Page Bookshop in Charleston, South Carolina
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In a time where influencers are more prominent now than ever, you will love this novel that goes behind the scenes of a tradwife named Natalie who finds herself thrust from her Instagramable life into an alternate timeline (pun intended) where she does not fully recognize her family or any aspect of her farmlife. Her carefully curated life is uprooted very suddenly, and you will #lol at Natalie’s plight. This debut novel has a lot of heart, humor, and social commentary, and I expect it to be big. Don’t miss out!
Yesteryear by Caro, (List Price: $30, Knopf, 9780593804216, April 2026)
Reviewed by Annastasia Williams, The Bottom in Knoxville, TN
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Readers, brace yourself for a journey 13,000 years into the future, where the destiny of the world rests upon the shoulders of a young boy called to fulfill his destiny, but ultimately takes matters into his own hands. Moonbound feels both timeless and completely new in a way that only Robin Sloan could deliver.
Moonbound by Robin Sloan, (List Price: $19, Picador, 9781250390509, June 2025)
Reviewed by Beth, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, NC
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Opening with the death of almost 200 horses, this collection doesn’t pull any punches. Skeets explores the beauty of living in the Navajo Nation without ignoring the grief. The tragedy is even made an active participant in the pleasures that are still found. He finds a way to reflect these things in the layout of the text and use of punctuation as well, demonstrating an impressive understanding of poetry both as a visual and oral tradition. Everything is purposeful and heartfelt. An important read for everyone, these poems are a striking meditation on the end of the world as we know it and the creation of a new one in the process.
Horses by Jake Skeets, (List Price: $18, Milkweed Editions, 9781639551521, March 2026)
Reviewed by Oliver, Epilogue: Books Chocolate Brews in Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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With this essay collection, Rachel Knox invites us to her reunion – a family reunion where our warmest childhood memories pass a beer to freshly unearthed secrets; a high school reunion where the fragile but brave new identity of an escapee seeks the glance of an old crush. These essays are by turns inquisitive, piercing, and funny – but you don’t have to be from Florida, or even want to go there, to be moved by this book. You just have to have a hometown and know what it feels like to leave it, only to discover it’ll never leave you.
Anywhere Else by Rachel Knox, (List Price: $28, University Press of Florida, 9780813081519, March 2026)
Reviewed by Candice, Tombolo Books in St. Petersburg, Florida
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