The books Southern indie booksellers are recommending to readers everywhere!

Children

There Was a Party for Langston by Jason Reynolds

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There Was a Party for Langston by Jason Reynolds
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An October Read This Next! Book

This is a stunning picture book — Jason Reynolds has a way with words that maybe no one has had SINCE Langston Hughes. Poetic yet approachable; his style is unique. The illustrations by Pumphrey make Reynolds’ words dance, jump, and soar on the pages as you go through a story that is in part bio, part resistance, part celebration of a man whose contributions to literature are still reverberating all these years later.

There Was a Party for Langston by Jason Reynolds, (List Price: 18.99, Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books, 9781534439443, October 2023)

Reviewed by Jamie Southern, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Dogtown by Katherine Applegate

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Dogtown by Katherine Applegate
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My eight-year-old daughter and I are savoring this sweet book. What a lovely tale of friendship triumphing in the face of competition for scarce resources. Very short chapters, and adorable characters, make this a great confidence booster for a reluctant reader. Wonderful messages about adopting animals into family for life as well.

Dogtown by Katherine Applegate, (List Price: 17.99, Feiwel & Friends, 9781250811608, September 2023)

Reviewed by Alissa Redmond, South Main Book Company in Salisbury, North Carolina

Empanadas for Everyone by Jackie Azúa Kramer

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Empanadas for Everyone by Jackie Azúa Kramer
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This could just as easily be called "Empanadas from Everyone" — doesn’t every culture have some form of dumpling or meat (or meatless) pastry? Hubs once had a coworker describe what I would call potstickers as "Chinese ravioli", and frankly, they’re not wrong! I love how the community came together to share the secrets of their cultures’ empanadas, samosas, patties, pierogies, & jiaozi. Food shared builds love and community.

Empanadas for Everyone by Jackie Azúa Kramer, (List Price: $18.99, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 9781665914581, August 2023)

Reviewed by Lisa Yee Swope, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

When Moon Became the Moon by Rob Hodgson

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When Moon Became the Moon by Rob Hodgson
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The moon, as a "work in progress". Love this. A sweet and simple way to teach any young astronomer about the lunar body’s history, relationship to the sun, the earth, and us too. (All ages)

When Moon Became the Moon by Rob Hodgson, (List Price: 18.99, Rise x Penguin Workshop, 9780593523629, August 2023)

Reviewed by Jilleen Moore, Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi

There’s Always Room for One More by Robyn McGrath

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Curious Tides by Pascale Lacelle
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This picture book is so sweet. It would make the perfect book for a child whose family is going through same changes (in this case, making room for a grandfather coming to live with them). I love the message that it is ok to feel a sense of loss for the parts of life that will be different, but that making space for those we love sometimes requires us to give up things we loved in the past and replace them with things we can learn to like even more. Both the story and the pictures are filled with heart!

There’s Always Room for One More by Robyn McGrath, (List Price: $18.99, Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, 9781665925372, August 2023)

Reviewed by Kate Storhoff, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Julián Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love

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Julián Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love
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A beautiful and light-hearted story for every kind of fanciful and imaginative kid! Jessica Love’s illustrations are absolutely gorgeous and so easily portray Julian’s wish to be a magical creature. This is a delightfully simple story that explores gender expression and individuality. Careful details also help communicate Julian’s fear of revealing his identity to his Abuela, an important representation that kids need for all kinds of situations.

Julián Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love, (List Price: $17.99, Candlewick, 9780763690458, April 2018)

Reviewed by Johanna Albrecht, McIntyre’s Books in Pittsboro, North Carolina

Stuff Kids Should Know by Chuck Bryant

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Stuff Kids Should Know by Chuck Bryant
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Long gone are the days of perusing encyclopedias for fun random information, but Information Junkies unite! Now we have Stuff Kids Should Know, a spin off from the wildly popular podcast of the same name that provides curious kids a place to discover amazing random information. Stack them up. These make the perfect holiday gift.

Stuff Kids Should Know by Chuck Bryant, (List Price: 19.99, Henry Holt and Co. (BYR), 9781250622440, August 2023)

Reviewed by Angie Tally, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina

Elves Are the Worst! by Alex Willan

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Elves Are the Worst! by Alex Willan
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Super cute picture book for the holidays that is laugh-out-loud funny for kids and their grown-ups. Written in the style of a graphic novel, younger kids will gravitate towards this format that makes them feel like they’re reading a big kid book. Behind all the humor, this book has a great message of appearances aren’t everything.

Elves Are the Worst! by Alex Willan, (List Price: 18.99, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 9781665921794, September 2023)

Reviewed by Jamie Southern, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

The Truth About Dragons by Julie Leung

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The Truth About Dragons by Julie Leung
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I picked up this book based purely on the gorgeous cover. The lyrical story told by the mother to the child at bedtime is just so sweet, and each page is full of beautiful detail. I really loved how the differences between the two dragons are celebrated, but their similarities are also highlighted. An enriching celebration of multicultural identity.

The Truth About Dragons by Julie Leung, (List Price: 18.99, Henry Holt and Co. (BYR), 9781250820587, August 2023)

Reviewed by Chelsea Stringfield, Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee

One Smart Cookie by Mika Song

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One Smart Cookie by Mika Song
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Fortunately, one of the adorable squirrels was learning to read and write. Their futures were bright, and cookies were just a few words away. If only they could think their way into the fortune cookie writer’s block. Darling and silly, this graphic novel is perfect for beginning readers of all ages.

One Smart Cookie by Mika Song, (List Price: 12.99, Random House Graphic, 9780593479759, August 2023)

Reviewed by Jilleen Moore, Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi

You Stole My Name by Dennis Mcgregor

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You Stole My Name by Dennis Mcgregor
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Absolutely astoundingly gorgeous illustrations in this charming picture book that celebrates the natural world. A Kangaroo Rat meets a Kangaroo, a Spider Monkey greets a monkey; each of these mini poems and paintings celebrates the vibrancy and diversity of life on our planet and is a perfect gift for kids obsessed with animals.

You Stole My Name by Dennis Mcgregor, (List Price: 18.99, Blue Star Press, 9781941325988, August 2023)

Reviewed by Caleb Masters, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Two Tribes by Emily Bowen Cohen

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Two Tribes by Emily Bowen Cohen
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Artwork was good but a bit simplistic. I enjoyed following Mia’s story as she tries to reconnect with her father and learn to balance her Hebrew and Native American heritages. Anyone dealing with divorced parents and different cultural backgrounds will enjoy this book.

Two Tribes by Emily Bowen Cohen, (List Price: 15.99, Heartdrum, 9780062983589, August 2023)

Reviewed by Krista Roach, E. Shaver Bookseller in Savannah, Georgia

The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead

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The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead
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An August 2023 Read This Next! Book

The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass is a middle grade mystery that celebrates the power of a good book. Evan has grown up in a town without a library and none of the adults talk about the fire that destroyed such a beloved place. A librarian, a cat, a few ghosts, and a handful of mice put in motion an unraveling of a collective puzzle that may make you gasp! Highly recommend.

The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead, (List Price: 17.99, Feiwel & Friends, 9781250838810, August 2023)

Reviewed by Rachel Watkins, Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia

Misfit Mansion by Kay Davault

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Misfit Mansion by Kay Davault
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This graphic novel was such a delight to read. It acknowledges the importance of being able to see the many different make ups of family. Family is so much more than the people we are related to, it can be friends, community and sometimes we find it in the most unexpected places. I love how it shows that sometimes we are afraid of things we do not understand and once we take the step to look a little deeper our fear begins to diminish.

Misfit Mansion by Kay Davault, (List Price: 14.99, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 9781665903073, July 2023)

Reviewed by Keeshia Jacklitch, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes

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Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes
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In the end, and in the beginning, all we really have are our stories. In Ghost Boys, Jerome’s story, Sarah’s story, Grandma’s and Kim’s and Emmett’s stories are all one: The story that only the living can make the world better. This story, their story will haunt the reader long long long past the final page. Sure to be a winner this award season, Ghost Boys is an absolute must-read.

Ghost Boys by Jewel Parker Rhodes, (List Price: 7.99, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 9780316262262, September 2019)

Reviewed by Angie Tally, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina

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