Book List

20 Best Books To Read in May

FICTION

CHAIN-GANG ALL-STARS

by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

Imagine "The Hunger Games" refashioned into a rowdy, profane, and indignant blues shout at full blast. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

FICTION

GOOD NIGHT, IRENE

by Luis Alberto Urrea

Top-shelf historical fiction delivered with wit and compassion. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

ROMANCE

THE DISENCHANTMENT

by Celia Bell

An astonishingly accomplished debut that brings a past full of intrigue and ardor to life on the page. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

NONFICTION

WHY FATHERS CRY AT NIGHT

by Kwame Alexander

This magnanimous hybrid-form memoir is rich with solace and wisdom. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

NONFICTION

OUR MIGRANT SOULS

by Héctor Tobar

A powerful look at what it means to be a member of a community that, though large, remains marginalized. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

NONFICTION

KING

by Jonathan Eig

An extraordinary achievement and an essential life of the iconic warrior for social justice. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

HISTORY

FATHERLAND

by Burkhard Bilger

A moving, humane biography of a minor Nazi official who did his job without the usual horrors. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

TEENS & YOUNG ADULT

AMERICA REDUX

by Ariel Aberg-Riger ; illustrated by Ariel Aberg-Riger

Beautifully illustrated, riveting, enraging, and empowering: a must-read. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

TEENS & YOUNG ADULT

WARRIOR GIRL UNEARTHED

by Angeline Boulley

A page-turning heist grounded in a nuanced exploration of critical issues of cultural integrity. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

CHILDREN'S

HEROES OF THE WATER MONSTER

by Brian Young

Thought-provoking and full of heart; a genuinely pleasurable read. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

CHILDREN'S

IN THE TUNNEL

by Julie Lee

A gripping story about family, war, mourning, and resilience told with emotion and heart. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

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