The books Southern indie booksellers are recommending to readers everywhere!

Children

All the Blues in the Sky by Renée Watson

Turning thirteen is a milestone filled with exciting possibilities: movies, treats, all-night giggles, and the promise of teenage adventures. For Sage, however, this time is overshadowed by the profound loss of her best friend. The friend who knew all her secrets, shared dreams for the future, and was an irreplaceable part of her life is now gone, leaving Sage to navigate a complex web of emotions. Grief is a deeply personal journey, and for a young teen like Sage, it can be especially confusing and overwhelming. How do you acknowledge Your Feelings? Everyone processes loss differently. She seeks counseling groups, a safe space to share feelings and hear from others who have experienced similar losses. Creating a Memory Box of her and her best friend. Grieving the loss of a best friend is an incredibly challenging experience, especially for someone as young as Sage. However, by acknowledging her feelings, seeking support, practicing self-care, and finding ways to memorialize her friend, Sage can navigate her grief while continuing to grow and learn. Remember, grief is not about forgetting the loved one but learning to live with the loss in a way that honors their memory while moving forward with life.

All the Blues in the Sky by Renée Watson, (List Price: $17.99, Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 9781547605897, February 2025)

Reviewed by VaLinda Payne-Miller, Turning Page Bookshop in Goose Greek, South Carolina

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Toto by Hyewon Yum

I adore Toto: the book as well as the birthmark that bears the name! It’s lovely to encounter a story that focuses on learning to embrace what makes you different without hitting you over the head in case you’d otherwise miss the moral of the story. Yum’s evocative, warm illustrations and gentle prose deserve a place on your shelf.

Toto by Hyewon Yum, (List Price: $18.99, Neal Porter Books, 9780823453894, January 2025)

Reviewed by Janet Geddis, Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia

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To See an Owl by Matthew Cordell

I love a story about a young girl’s perseverance. Young Janie is singularly minded and deeply passionate about owls; all she wants is to see one and witness “magic” that is real, here, and accessible. I loved seeing how supportive her mother was trying to bring this reality; I loved her teacher, who saw all her work and effort and encouraged her not to stop.

To See an Owl by Matthew Cordell, (List Price: $18.99, Random House Studio, 9780593649893, January 2025)

Reviewed by Morgan DePerno, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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To See an Owl by Matthew Cordell

I love a story about a young girl’s perseverance. Young Janie is singularly minded and deeply passionate about owls, all she wants is to see one, to witness “magic” that is real and here and accessible.

To See an Owl by Matthew Cordell, (List Price: $18.99, Random House Studio, 9780593649893, January 2025)

Reviewed by Hannah DeCamp, Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia

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To See an Owl by Matthew Cordell

To hear an owl takes patience, to see one- well, that’s magical. Caldecott winning author/illustrator Cordell brings the magic of the woods to life in this stunning picture book just perfect for those nature lovers in your life.

To See an Owl by Matthew Cordell, (List Price: $18.99, Random House Studio, 9780593649893, January 2025)

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

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All the Blues in the Sky by Renée Watson

The story of a young girl haunted by the grief of losing her best friend. The book permeates with sadness while Sage navigates daily life without her friend and the guilt she feels for her part in her friend’s death. A beautifully written novel in verse showing us it is ok to be sad, and sometimes it’s a long journey to hope and healing.

All the Blues in the Sky by Renée Watson, (List Price: $17.99, Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 9781547605897, February 2025)

Reviewed by Rayna Nielsen, Blue Cypress Books in New Orleans, Louisiana

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On Our Way! What a Day! by JaNay Brown-Wood

A birthday! A gift? Hmmm… A delightful journey ends with a celebration of found things, group effort, and a very happy Gran. A perfect read-together for those families who delight in the joys of nature, music, and time together.

On Our Way! What a Day! by JaNay Brown-Wood, (List Price: $18.99, Nancy Paulsen Books, 9780593110751, January 2025)

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

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Tiana’s Perfect Plan by Anika Noni Rose

So fantastic to be back with Prince Naveen and Tiana after so long! I was expecting to have a book about the restaurant or Tiana and Naveen on their own, but I was so pleasantly surprised with the idea of Tiana having to impress her in-laws. It’s the perfect storytime book for any parents looking for one that can entertain them as well as their children.

Tiana’s Perfect Plan by Anika Noni Rose, (List Price: $18.99, Disney Hyperion, 9781368081603, October 2024)

Reviewed by Anna Trevathan, The Bottom in Knoxville, Tennessee

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The Hotel Balzaar by Kate DiCamillo

Deep in the land of Norendy is the Hotel Balzaar where Marta and her mother live, waiting for Marta’s father to return from the war. Marta’s life is quiet and dull until the day that a mysterious Countess and her parrot arrive. The Countess says she has come to tell Marta seven tales. The tales teach Marta about hope and light, and take her on a fabulous journey of the imagination. A delightful read for anyone who enjoys being swept away by a dreamlike story!

The Hotel Balzaar by Kate DiCamillo, (List Price: $17.99, Candlewick, 9781536223316, October 2024)

Reviewed by Monie Henderson, Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi

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We Celebrate the Light by Jane Yolen

An astonishingly gorgeous rendering of the significance of light in the cultural lives of communities around the world. It is a celebration of the natural rhythms that unite us all and the cultural practices that make us unique.

We Celebrate the Light by Jane Yolen, (List Price: $18.99, Rise x Penguin Workshop, 9780593752296, October 2024)

Reviewed by Damarius Johnson, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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Santa’s First Christmas by Mac Barnett

I never thought about how Santa celebrated Christmas Day. Well for years he couldn’t, he had to start to make the toys for the next year. One year, the elves decide to change all that and create a special day just for Santa. This is my new favorite book. So funny and creative

Santa’s First Christmas by Mac Barnett, (List Price: $18.99, Viking Books for Young Readers, 9780593524978, October 2024)

Reviewed by Suzanne Lucey, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, North Carolina

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A Stickler Christmas by Lane Smith

There’s always that one book that’s so weird it’s wonderful. If that’s your holiday jam, Stickler will definitely stick with you. And yeah, we all know that one kid who really might just love a really cool stick for Christmas.

A Stickler Christmas by Lane Smith, (List Price: $18.99, Random House Studio, 9780593815281, October 2024)

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

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The Café at the Edge of the Woods by Mikey Please

Rene and Glumfoot have a fine dining establishment in an enchanted wooded area. An ogre comes for a meal, and they get more than they bargained for. Teamwork saves the day! If you like books about ogres, this book has it all!

The Café at the Edge of the Woods by Mikey Please, (List Price: $19.99, HarperCollins, 9780063345492, October 2024)

Reviewed by Sheri Bancroft, Novel. in Memphis, Tennessee

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When You Find the Right Rock by Mary Lyn Ray

Somewhere, sometime, you may come across a rock. When you do, remember that it’s not just a rock. It holds memories. And like memories, rocks come in all shapes and sizes. Some happy, some blue, some too big to understand. So, if you see a cool rock, take it, I won’t tell.

When You Find the Right Rock by Mary Lyn Ray, (List Price: $18.99, Chronicle Books, 9781797214580, September 2024)

Reviewed by Jamie Kovacs, Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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The Hotel Balzaar by Kate DiCamillo

The Hotel Balzaar reminds me a bit of a Wes Anderson film. The story plays out as collection of highly stylized scenes, gathered into Acts, with the artifice on full display alongside the narrative. Not unlike watching a play unfolding upon a stage, and all to a very pleasing effect! The Hotel Balzaar brings an experienced reader a familiar setting and a familiar character in Marta, a curious young girl living out of sight in an old but posh hotel where her mother is a maid and her father is away at war. The hotel and its denizens are described in just enough rich detail to make it real but not so much as to get in the way of its magical story. Marta and the mysterious Countess, who arrives one day with a glorious parrot upon her shoulder and stories to share, are quite dynamic and engaging characters for a novella-length book.A great companion piece to the first of the Norendy Tales, The Puppets of Spellhorst.

The Hotel Balzaar by Kate DiCamillo, (List Price: $17.99, Candlewick, 9781536223316, October 2024)

Reviewed by Tracy Billing, Carmichael’s Bookstore in Louisville, Kentucky

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