The books Southern indie booksellers are recommending to readers everywhere!

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Loops by Jashar Awan

Loops is such a cute story about a child learning how to become a “big kid” and the importance of not losing their shoe. I loved how the book gently teaches kids how to tie their shoelaces in a fun, simple way. The title is extra funny because the story itself goes into a loop, which kids will enjoy noticing. This is a great, sweet book for toddlers who are growing up, learning new skills, and starting to take on little responsibilities.

Loops by Jashar Awan, (List Price: $19.99, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 9781665974943, March 2026)

Reviewed by Erika, Righton Books in St Simons Island, Georgia

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Shrinking Violet by Laurel Snyder

Gorgeous, and a helpful context for young readers about anxiety and worry. How do we do big things when we feel small? How do we shore ourselves up when the occasion demands it? Snyder, as always, provides gentle, reflective solutions to hard questions.

Shrinking Violet by Laurel Snyder, (List Price: $18.99, Chronicle Books, 9781797200729, April 2026)

Reviewed by Amelia, Long Story Books in Atlanta, Georgia

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Yulu’s Linen by Cao Wenxuan

This is one of those books that will not only make you smile but might even make you believe in a little magic. Yulu’s Linen is a fun and beautiful story about a father whose dream of being an artist was unable to be fulfilled, so he makes that dream a reality for his daughter. When they go to purchase a canvas, they face a hilarious and frustrating problem: they can’t figure out if it’s the canvas or the art that just won’t cooperate! The vibrant illustrations and colors of this illustrator bring the story to life. The father teaches his daughter to never give up, and in the end, everything works out. This book is a true testament to the idea that perseverance and creativity always succeed. It’s a perfect read for any child with a big dream.

Yulu’s Linen by Cao Wenxuan, (List Price: $19.99, Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books, 9781665931199, February 2026)

Reviewed by Kimberly, Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi

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Book Buzz: All the Blues in the Sky by Renée Watson

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Renée Watson, photo credit Shawnte Sims“There’s a moment in the book where Sage learns that grief is like hunger and that she will always be grieving like there’s never going to be a day that we don’t need to eat,…I can have breakfast, and then by dinnertime, I need to eat again, and next week I’m going to need a meal, and three years from now, I’m going to be hungry. That was freeing for me as a person. It wasn’t just a plot point or something to just put in the book. It was really what I needed for myself to understand that I would always miss my mother, or that there will always be some issue that we’re fighting against and standing up for in this nation, and that I can hold all of that. That’s normal and I’m okay.”
  ― Renée Watson, Interview, School Library Journal

All the Blues in the Sky by Renée Watson

What booksellers are saying about All the Blues in the Sky

  • The story follows the main character on her journey towards healing after the tragic and untimely death of her best friend. This book really captures what grief looks like. It’s very poignant and moving. Beautiful!.
      ― Sheri Bancroft, Novel., Memphis, Tennessee | BUY

  • All the Blues in the Sky will break your heart and then show you how to piece it back together. Readers will quickly immerse themselves in Sage’s grief as the novel in verse storytelling guides us along the healing process. Watson’s writing is beautiful, uplifting, and deeply sad. But helps reveal that grief is different for each of us, but together we can figure it out. Be warned: Thirteen-year-old grief will hit you differently. You may need tissues. 
      ― Jenny Gilroy, E. Shaver, Bookseller, Savannah, Georgia | BUY

  • This beautiful book captures the experience of grief in a way that feels real and easy to connect with. Renée Watson does an amazing job of showing the raw and honest emotions of grief while still making it approachable. AS an an adult who struggles with processing loss, this is a book I was I had when I was younger.
      ― Lupe Penn, Bookmarks, Winston-Salem, North Carolina | BUY

About Renée Watson

Renée Watson is a #1 New York Times bestselling author. Her novel All the Blues in the Sky won the Newbery Medal, and Piecing Me Together received a Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King AwardHer books include the Ryan Hart series, Some Places More Than OthersThis Side of HomeWhat Momma Left Me, Betty Before X, cowritten with Ilyasah Shabazz, Watch Us Rise, cowritten with Ellen Hagan, and Love Is a Revolution, as well as acclaimed picture books: Summer Is HereMaya’s SongThe 1619 Project: Born on the Water, written with Nikole Hannah-Jones, A Place Where Hurricanes Happen, and Harlem’s Little Blackbird, which was nominated for an NAACP Image Award. Renée splits her time between Portland, Oregon and New York City. http://www.reneewatson.net • @reneewauthor

 

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The Coziest Place on the Moon by Maria Popova

An adorable, imaginative escapist read for children and adults alike. Written by poet and essayist Maria Popova, this little book about a lonely creature who seeks solace in a cozy spot in space does not condescend to its young readers but gently introduces them to new words and themes. Perfect for ages 5 to 8, this book supposes that the cure to loneliness is the happiness and creativity found in solitude. Enchanting, otherworldly, and so beautifully illustrated!

The Coziest Place on the Moon by Maria Popova, (List Price: $19.99, Enchanted Lion, 9781592704378, November 2025)

Reviewed by Julia Lewis, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

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Book Buzz: Winging It by Megan Wagner Lloyd

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Megan Wagner Lloyd, photo credit Seth Lloyd“I’ve moved a lot, including back and forth across the country three times! When I moved to the Washington, DC, area, I learned about luna moths—beautiful and short-lived moths who can only be found on the eastern side of the country. This helped me realize that there would be special and unique things about my new home. Since so many kids deal with the difficult experience of moving, I thought this might be the beginning of a new story idea.”
  ― Megan Wagner Lloyd, Creator Q & A, Discussion Guide

Winging It by Megan Wagner Lloyd

What booksellers are saying about Winging It

  • Luna is twelve and moving across the country with her dad to live with the grandmother she barely knows, where she has to make new friends and face the legacy of her late mother. Winging It is a beautiful story about family, friendship, and discovering what makes you who you are. I was especially touched by the way Luna slowly connected with her grandmother.
      ― Beth Seufer Buss, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina | BUY

  • Winging It was a very good book with a plot that kept me on my toes! It always had me wondering what would happen next. The book is relatable to what some people are going through in life right now. Overall, I found the book to be amazing. I would recommend it for kids and even young adults!
      ― Mandy Harris, Angel Wings Bookstore in Oxford, North Carolina | BUY
  • Go on Luna’s journey of self-growth as she navigates a life-changing move across the country with her father, surviving a new middle school while still mourning her long deceased mother and getting to know her seemingly aloof grandmother along with her very rigid rules. I devoured Winging It by Megan Wagner Lloyd and Michelle Mee Nutter in one sitting because the character development was so good that I was instantly invested in Luna’s well-being, relationships and her nature hunting ways. Beautiful illustrations, great story line and satisfying feel good ending! Now I’m off to search for the ever elusive Luna Moth…
      ― Barb Rascon, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, North Carolina | BUY

About Megan Wagner Lloyd

Megan Wagner Lloyd is the co-creator, with Michelle Mee Nutter, of Allergic and Squished, both instant bestsellers. Megan is also the co-creator, with Abhi Alwar, of the Super Pancake graphic novel series and is the author of Haven, a novel, and several picture books. She lives in the Washington, DC, area. Visit her online at meganwagnerlloyd.com.

Michelle Mee Nutter is the co-creator, with Megan Wagner Lloyd, of Allergic and Squished, both instant bestsellers. Michelle graduated with a degree in illustration from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Her work has been recognized by the Society of Illustrators, 3×3, Creative Quarterly, and more. Michelle lives in Boston. Visit her online at michellemee.com.

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The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze by Derrick Barnes

Being the star athlete and leading your team towards an undefeated season is a dream. But when one of your biggest fans is brutally attacked by the police, your focus shifts. You want to be there for him and not just under the Friday night lights. What you don’t expect is for the town to turn on you, treating you like you’re “just a football player” and nothing more. This story feels so real and so now, especially with the way athletes, young and old, are standing up against injustice and police brutality. Powerful story and an on-time read.

The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze by Derrick Barnes, (List Price: $17.99, Viking Books for Young Readers, 9781984836755, September 2025)

Reviewed by Morgan Gayles, The Book Worm Bookstore in Powder Springs, Georgia

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Scarlet Morning, Book 1: Scarlet Morning by ND Stevenson

This story is beautiful and worth reading for many reasons. What I love most is it feels like a fulfilled promise to our younger selves, quite literally being a story ND Stevenson began writing at the age of 12 years old. They would set it down, forget about it, but eventually come back to it. And you can feel that sense of being young, a bit fearless, a bit brave, and hopeful. I had so much fun with these characters, with this epic adventure of a story, of found family, and mystery, of pirates, and so much more.

Scarlet Morning, Book 1: Scarlet Morning by ND Stevenson, (List Price: $19.99, Quill Tree Books, 9780063210349, September 2025)

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

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Fox and the Mystery Letter by Alex Griffiths

I love the illustrations in this story, and getting to follow Fox as he tries to solve a puzzle with clues along the way was so fun! At its heart, this story is one about forgiveness. It is easy to get angry and have disagreements with friends and those we care about. Sometimes these things pull us apart, and it is a huge loss! This book shows us how to come back together and continue the journey.

Fox and the Mystery Letter by Alex Griffiths, (List Price: $18.99, Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, 9781836001102, September 2025)

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

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Aggie and the Ghost by Matthew Forsythe

Lovely illustrations and wonderful tale of a girl’s trials living in a haunted house with a ghost who never follows her rules.

Aggie and the Ghost by Matthew Forsythe, (List Price: $19.99, Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, 9781534478206, August 2025)

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

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The Yellow Bus by Loren Long

Trucks, tractors, yellow buses, they all have jobs to do, and they just might have stories to tell. In the hands of the amazing Loren Long, those stories just might surprise you! Perfect for back-to-school tables and for an anytime read-together, The Yellow Bus might just leave readers wondering just what other vehicles have surprising stories to share.

The Yellow Bus by Loren Long, (List Price: $19.99, Roaring Brook Press, 9781250903136, June 2024)

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

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The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (10th Anniversary Edition) by Sherman Alexie

Simultaneously heartbreaking and humorous. A fictionalized tale of the author’s life as a young teen, chronicling his battle with being loyal to his home and breaking away to meet who he was destined to be.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (10th Anniversary Edition) by Sherman Alexie, (List Price: $20.99, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 9780316504041, September 2017)

Reviewed by Mallory Sutton, Bards Alley in Vienna, Virginia

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Millie Fleur Saves the Night by Christy Mandin

The dark might seem scary, but the dark is full of wonderful, magical, important things, from night-blooming plants to nocturnal creatures. Millie Fleur La Fae loves them all, but her town of Garden Glen isn’t as keen as she is on inviting the dark into town. But, what might happen if we turn off our lanterns and join Millie Fleur in the dark of her moon garden? Millie Fleur Saves the Night is a gorgeously written and illustrated tale of embracing the wonders of the dark, from the moon to the stars, from raccoons to bats. A perfect book to pair with a full moon hike at a local park or preserve!

Millie Fleur Saves the Night by Christy Mandin, (List Price: $18.99, Orchard Books, 9781339023373, July 2025)

Reviewed by Mikey LaFave, Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia

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The Wish Switch by Lynn Painter

The Wish Switch is a sweet transition by Lynn Painter into books meant for a younger audience than her popular YA novels. The story follows Emma Rockford and her friends as they rely on her late grandmother’s instructions to gain four wishes, while following her very specific instructions. However, something happens to make Emma’s wish become seemingly switched with her brother’s best friend’s, leading them to form an alliance to figure out what had happened. A sweet tale that will entertain young readers for a pleasant afternoon.

The Wish Switch by Lynn Painter, (List Price: $18.99, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 9780316578585, May 2025)

Reviewed by Molly Reinhardt, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina

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