Ask a Bookseller: 'They're Going to Love You'
12 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It's one thing to enjoy a book; it's another to sell it to others. The book that Matt Nixon of A Cap...
Ask a Bookseller: 'The English Understand Wool'
03 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Part of the fun of talking with independent bookstores is hearing about great books from smaller, in...
Ask a Bookseller: 'Wandering Souls'
27 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week's recommendation comes from Emi Lim Morison of Country Bookshelf in Bozeman, Mo. Morison s...
Ask a Bookseller: 'Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club'
12 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Amy Erickson of Bluebird Bookshop in Detroit Lakes, Minn., recommended a novel that she called “ve...
Ask a Bookseller: 'Blood Debts' combines family secrets, political intrigue and magic
01 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Shelby Devitt of BookPeople in Austin, Texas recommends a contemporary fantasy YA novel, “Blood De...
Ask a Bookseller: 'The God of Endings'
23 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Josh Hames opened his bookstore Other Skies Weird Fiction in West St. Paul in 2022 just in time for ...
Ask a Bookseller: 'The Poetics of Wrongness'
15 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We couldn't get through National Poetry Month without featuring the works of at least one poet on As...
Ask a Bookseller: David Copperfield reimagined in Appalachia
08 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Alicia Michielli of Talking Leaves Books in Buffalo, New York recommends the novel “Demon Copperhe...
Ask a Bookseller: A fast-paced thriller dives into Indigenous history, culture
01 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Kate Schlademan of the Learned Owl Bookshop in Hudson, Ohio, says the novel she recently couldn't pu...
Ask a Bookseller: A picture book that makes busy moms feel seen
25 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ashley Valentine is celebrating the one-year anniversary of Rooted MKE, her BIPOC children's booksto...
Ask a Bookseller: 'Here Goes Nothing'
17 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The novel that Emily Bennett has been recommending to her customers at Sundance Books and Music in R...
Ask a Bookseller: A mother-daughter story of travel and art
12 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the week that included International Women's Day, it felt right to focus on a book that centers o...
Ask a Bookseller: 'The Measure'
04 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What’s the most un-put-down-able book you’ve read recently? For Susan Kehoe of Browseabout Books...
Ask A Bookseller: 'Upgrade' blends sci-fi and thriller genres
25 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
An ordinary man, accidentally doused with a mysterious new substance, finds himself gaining new powe...
Ask a Bookseller: 'The Guest Lecture,' a late-night philosophical debate
28 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Riley Rennhack of Deep Vellum Books in Dallas, Texas is a self-proclaimed “book nerd—not an econ...
Ask a Bookseller: Laziness does not exist
12 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We’re solidly into January, which means many of us have had time to follow up on — or perhaps ab...
Ask a Bookseller: 'Ahmed Aziz's Epic Year' from April 2022
07 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
An April 2022 book recommendation traveled full circle from Washington state bookstore back to a Min...
Ask a Bookseller: 'Inheritance'
24 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It only takes a few transformative poems to make an entire collection glow. For Nathan McDowell of T...
Ask a Bookseller: 'Fathers, Sons and the Holy Ghosts of Baseball'
17 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You don’t have to live in a small town or even like baseball to enjoy Tommy Murray’s novel, “F...
Ask a Bookseller: "Another Appalachia"
13 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Part of the fun of connecting with independent bookstores all over the country is that we get to hea...
A YA thriller delves into the post-WWII history of Poland and Ukraine
19 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Natalie Sanford of Bound Booksellers and Gifts in Franklin, Tenn. recommends a WWII thriller that’...
Ask a Bookseller: "Found Audio" is a creepy fall read
11 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Danni Green of Greenlight Bookstore in Brooklyn, NY loves to read and lift up books by small presses...
Ask a Bookseller: An inventive novel maps our spectacular bodies
01 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week’s bookseller recommendation comes from Aubrey Roemmich of Ferguson Books & More in G...
Ask a Bookseller: part memoir, part Ojibwe cultural toolbox
26 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Gwen Danfelt of Drury Lane Books in Grand Marais, Minn. recommends reading “The Cultural Toolbox: ...
Ask a Bookseller: Stay True
22 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Mallory Melton of BookPeople in Austin, Texas recommends a memoir about friendship and grief by New ...
Ask a Bookseller: the poetry of desire
15 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week, Riley Rennhack of Deep Vellum Books in Dallas, Texas recommends Ann Carson’s classic no...
Ask a Bookseller: A Spoonful of Frogs
24 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
All September, Ask a Bookseller has featured recommendations for kids, and we wrap up this series wi...
Ask a Bookseller: an award-winning graphic novel, soon to be a series
17 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jennifer Murvin of Pagination Bookshop in Springfield, Missouri loves the YA graphic novel "American...
Ask a Bookseller: a portal into a fantastical world
09 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Think about it: how often do you find a book that has both magical creatures and modern technology? ...
Ask a Bookseller: Middle grades novel examines how history is written, and who gets left out
03 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
All this month, to celebrate the start of school, Ask a Bookseller will focus on great reads for kid...
Ask a Bookseller: Innovative novel explores one 'nuclear' family
24 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This feature was originally published on June 3, 2022.Ginger Kautz of Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh, ...
Ask a Bookseller: Dorothy Hughes’ classic noir fiction
21 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Sarah Brown of Zenith Bookstore in Duluth recommends that fans of literary fiction, mystery, and noi...
Ask a Bookseller: 'Nettle and Bone' is a twisted fairy tale with horror and humor
12 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Angie Tally of The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, N.C., has been on the lookout for interesting...
Ask a Bookseller: 'Book Lovers'
31 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Angela Kircher of River Lights Bookstore in Dubuque, Iowa, loved immersing herself in the New York b...
Ask a Bookseller: Little Rabbit is a steamy debut
16 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Bookseller Jason Hong didn't expect to like "Little Rabbit" by Alyssa Songsiridej as much as he did,...
Ask a Bookseller: 'The Lying Life of Adults'
12 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jean Anne Pugh of Four Seasons Books in Shepardstown, West Virginia, just loves the title of Elena F...
Ask a Bookseller: 'The Overnight Guest' is a suspenseful ride
01 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Part of the fun of the Ask a Bookseller series is getting the local scoop from bookstores across the...
Ask a Bookseller: A summer thriller debut by a Twin Cities author
24 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jennifer Jubenville of the Bookstore at Fitger’s in Duluth says there’s nothing like a good thr...
Ask a Bookseller: a sci-fi romance that steers clear of gender
11 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Brooklyn Lindsey of Crash Books in Lakeland, Florida calls “This is How You Lose the Time War” a...
Ask a Bookseller: Groundhog’s Day meets freshman year of college
23 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jenny Chou of Boswell Book Company in Milwaukee, Wis., recommends the new YA novel “See You Yester...
Ask a Bookseller: "Brown Girls" is a poetic chorus of voices
14 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Mika Tuzon of Scrawl Books in Reston, Virginia recommends the novel “Brown Girls” by Daphne Pala...
Ask a Bookseller: 'Vigil Harbor'
07 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Alden Graves of Northshire Bookstore in Manchester Center, Vt., recommends "Vigil Harbor," a new nov...
Ask a Bookseller: 'The Ogress and the Orphans' leaves you filled with hope
01 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Saturday, April 30, was National Independent Bookstore Day. Many bookstores across the state and the...
Ask a Bookseller: 'The Verifiers'
24 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
How do you make sure the person you met through a matchmaking app is who they say they are? In Jane ...
Ask a Bookseller: 'Lessons in Chemistry'
10 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Emily Crowe of "An Unlikely Story" in Plainville, Massachusetts was excited to recommend the novel "...
Ask a Bookseller: 'Island Queen' celebrates an ambitious Black woman entrepreneur from history
02 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you like the energy and ambition of the musical "Hamilton," Lelia Nebeker of One More Page Books ...
Ask a Bookseller: 'American War,' set in the future, reflects aspects of today
19 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes setting a novel in a different time or place gives an author permission to reflect our con...
Ask a Bookseller: 'One for the Blackbird and One for the Crow'
16 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We're continuing our Women's History Month theme on "Ask a Bookseller." This week, Jessica Bohnsack ...
Ask a Bookseller: 'The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek'
05 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever had a book call to you from the shelf? Emily Peterson of Page 42 Bookstore in Spokane,...
Ask a Bookseller: 'Civilizations' imagines a Europe colonized by Incas and Aztecs
26 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Sarah Brown of Zenith Bookstore in Duluth has a revisionist history to recommend. "Civilizations: a ...
Ask a Bookseller: 'Unfamiliar Fishes' is delightful and informative
19 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re a history lover with a desire to escape the Minnesota winter weather, Pat Banning of Boo...
Ask a Bookseller: 2020 captured in words and images
12 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jason Reynolds is the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, and Donna Garban of Littl...
Ask a Bookseller: 'See Me in the Wonder' is an affirmation of life after loss
05 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Kathy Gray is the primary bookbuyer for Lark Toys in Kellogg, Minn., and she recommends a picture bo...
Ask a Bookseller: A new exploration of America's last slave ship and its legacy
23 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jake Reiss of The Alabama Booksmith near Birmingham, Ala., is looking forward to the publication of ...
Ask a Bookseller: Loved the movie? Try reading 'Dune'
24 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Isaac Frankel of Peregrine Book Company in Prescott, Ariz., has fond memories of picking his father'...
Ask a Bookseller: What does it mean to leave a mark on the world?
18 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Freya Shrestha of Old Harbor Books in Sitka, Alaska, can’t forget a novel called “The Invisible ...
Ask a Student: Book series elementary school kids love
09 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Usually every week for Ask a Bookseller, I check in with indie booksellers all over the country for ...
Ask a Bookseller: What does it mean to be a monster?
27 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Emil Ferris's graphic novel "My Favorite Thing is Monsters" made a splash when came out in 2017, and...
Ask a Bookseller: 'Tiny Americans' follows one family over 40 years
20 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
"I always recommend this book as — if you are from or are aware of dysfunctional families, you wil...
Ask a Bookseller: ‘I Love You but I've Chosen Darkness’
14 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Stef Schmidt of Water Street Books in Exeter, N.H., recommends a novel whose title is sure to draw s...
Ask a Bookseller: A unique murder mystery
16 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Leading up to Halloween, Jordyn Stocks of Piragis Northwoods Company in Ely, Minn., recommended the ...
Ask a Bookseller: A climate-change driven YA sci-fi
18 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Lauren Abesames of Wind City Books in Casper, Wyo., loves young adult fiction, and first on her list...
Ask a Bookseller: Crime-solving, ghost-hunting pet capers
11 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week’s recommendation for kid readers has a “Secret Life of Pets” vibe, and it comes from...
Ask a Bookseller: A picture book for when it’s hard to get the words out
04 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
All September, Ask a Bookseller will be featuring recommendations for kids and teens. First up: Har...
Ask a Bookseller re-sings the tales of Ovid from the women’s points of view
28 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Autumn Siders of The Country Bookseller in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, recommends a re-telling of Ovid...
Ask a Bookseller: 'Hola Papi' offers comical memoir in essays
11 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Katharine Otis of House of Books in Kent, Conn., recommends the comical memoir-in-essays “Hola Pap...
Ask a Bookseller: 'Skunk and Badger'
01 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Linda Crowder of Russell Specialty Books and Gifts in Russell, Kan., recommends the kids’ chapter ...
Ask a Bookseller: 'The House in the Cerulean Sea' is a feel-good read
10 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Jolie Hughes of Morgan Hill Bookstore in New London, N.H. has a recommendation for people who want a...
Ask a Bookseller: 'The Netanyahus'
19 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Hal Hlavinka of Community Bookstore in Brooklyn, N.Y., says he's been telling everyone about a new n...
Ask a bookseller: 'Honey Girl,' a charming story about finding the love you deserve
12 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Lauren Nopenz Fairley has seen a surging interest in romance novels during the pandemic at her books...
Ask a Bookseller: 'Bubblegum' offers a 'wonderous slog'
06 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Bookseller Dan Carlisle was intrigued the moment he unpacked the box containing new copies of Adam L...
Ask a Bookseller: A novel celebrating everyday beauty
22 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Stephanie Hochschild of The Book Stall in Winnetka, Illinois, knows the book that she is recommendin...
Ask a bookseller recommends very short stories — all about ghosts
15 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Lia Lent of WordsWorth Books in Little Rock, Ark., recommended “The Ghost Variations,” a flash f...
Ask a Bookseller: Read this 'totally gripping' novel set in Nazi-occupied Norway
08 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week’s Ask a Bookseller pick is a historical novel set during World War II in Nazi-occupied N...
Ask a Bookseller: ‘Solutions and Other Problems’
01 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week, Ask a Bookseller called closer to home, with a recommendation from Charlie Aldrich of Buf...
Ask a Bookseller: A mystery without the procedure in 'Picnic in the Ruins'
27 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Dana Welshans of Snowbound Books in Marquette, Mich., found herself surprised and delighted by the t...
Ask a Bookseller: 'Witches Steeped in Gold' is a Jamaican-inspired YA fantasy
27 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Kalima Desuze of Café con Libros in Brooklyn, N.Y., was a self-described nonfiction reader until 20...
Ask a Bookseller: 'The Copenhagen Trilogy' introduces Danish poet Tove Ditlevsen to English readers
19 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We couldn't let April pass by without some focus on poetry, and this week’s recommendation checks ...
Ask a Bookseller: Part memoir, part home redecorating saga
27 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The book Sandy Koropp of Prairie Path Books in Wheaton, Ill., is "crazy about right now" is part mem...
Ask a bookseller: A picture book about recognizing value where others don’t
20 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Zsamé Morgan travels across Minneapolis and St. Paul with her bookmobile, Babycake’s Book Stack....
Ask a Bookseller: 'Milk Fed,' a novel about self-discovery — and frozen yogurt
13 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week’s recommendation comes from Montpelier, Vt., where Claire Benedict is co-owner of Bear P...
Ask a Bookseller: 'Saint X' is not your typical thriller
27 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Maya Aurichio of Maria’s Bookshop in Durango, Colo., recommends "Saint X" by Alexis Schaitkin. Aur...
Ask a Bookseller: A northern Minn. author explores the aftermath of a shooting
20 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Sally Wizik Wills of Beagle and Wolf Books and Bindery in Park Rapids, Minn., recommends a new book ...
Ask a bookseller: 'The Magical Language of Others' gives a compassionate look at mother-daughter relationships
16 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Amanda Toronto of Word Bookstore in Brooklyn, N.Y., says she can’t stop thinking about a memoir sh...
Ask a Bookseller: A master class on writing, reading — and life
09 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Cat Bock of Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tenn., recommended a brand-new work of literary criticism ...
Ask a Bookseller: 'Gods of the Upper Air'
02 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Joy Vogelgesang of Kona Stories in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, recommended the nonfiction read "Gods of th...
Ask a Bookseller: Let’s talk about money
18 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Chuck Neal of Chapters Bookstore in Miami, Okla., recommended a nonfiction title on a ubiquitous top...
Ask a Bookseller: 'Fresh Water for Flowers'
12 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Maureen Palmer of Redbery Books in Cable, Wis., recommends the novel “Fresh Water for Flowers” b...
Ask a Bookseller: 'Mercy Falls'
05 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Often Ask a Bookseller is a place to discover brand new books for your must-read list, but sometimes...
Ask a Bookseller: 'The Most Spectacular Mistake'
21 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Bookseller Sarah Rafael Garcia of LibroMobile in Santa Ana California recommended a poetry collectio...
Ask a Bookseller: 'A heaping helping of joy'
14 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Dionne Sims, owner of the new pop-up store Black Garnet Books in Minneapolis, recommended a book tha...
Ask a Bookseller: The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires
07 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Yes, we know Halloween was last week, but vampires are an any-time-of-year kind of story, right? Esp...
Ask a bookseller, Halloween edition: An apocalyptic read keeps you asking 'what else could happen?'
30 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This Halloween, Gretchen West of Valley Bookseller in Stillwater, Minn., recommends the novel “Lea...
'Piranesi,' a perfect fall read leading up to Halloween
17 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Chloe Deblois of Sherman’s Maine Coast Book Shop in Damariscotta, Maine, recommended the novel “...
A bookseller recommends 'The City in the Middle of the Night'
10 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Bookseller Julie Goodrich of Beaverdale Books in Des Moines, Iowa, recommends a character-driven sci...
Ask a Bookseller: 'Sharks in the Time of Saviors'
03 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Bookseller Christine Reed of Basically Books in Hilo, Hawaii recommends a debut novel by Kawai Str...
'Vote for Our Future' answers kids' questions about elections
26 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ask a Bookseller wraps up its monthlong focus on books for young readers with a recommendation for a...
A book that gives you 'Some Kind of Happiness' on lonely, blue days
19 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We're continuing our September focus on great books for kids and teens. This week, Britt Margit of S...
A West African fantasy with enveloping world-building
12 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In the month of September, Ask a Bookseller is featuring recommendations for kids and teens. This we...
A bookseller recommends 'I Am Every Good Thing' for back to school
05 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Throughout September, MPR News’ Ask a Bookseller will feature recommendations for children and tee...