The books Southern indie booksellers are recommending to readers everywhere!

Neurodiversity

This Moth Saw Brightness by A. A. Vacharat

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This Moth Saw Brightness by A. A. Vacharat
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This wild ride of a YA novel follows (D)Wayne, a high school student invited as a participant in a bizarre experiment that may or may not be part of an undercover government plot. Sort of a Mysterious Benedict Society meets the Tuskegee experiment, this quirky tale tosses together a mix of family dynamics, neurodivergent challenges, and teen drama with some Andrew Smith-ish humor thrown in for spice. I couldn’t put this one down.

This Moth Saw Brightness by A. A. Vacharat, (List Price: $20.99, Dutton Books for Young Readers, 9780593698600, May 2025)

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

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All About Brains by Lake Bell

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All About Brains by Lake Bell
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This is another of what we call “conversation starters” in our bookstore. It’s a great entry point for kids — and their grown-ups, too — to learn about differences. Each portrait of a child is explained in facts and straight language, making what could be sensitive topics into approachable conversations. I love how this book normalizes difference and helps give kids (and adults) language to use and grow in their own understanding.

All About Brains by Lake Bell, (List Price: $19.99, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 9781665906753, April 2025)

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

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