Indies Introduce Winter / Spring 2024

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Independent Booksellers’ Debut Picks of the Season

 

Do what indies do best—find and showcase undiscovered authors and compelling books. Two panels of booksellers chose the Indies Introduce titles—10 adult and 10 children’s—as the best of the Winter/Spring 2024 debuts. Read the full announcement.

Publishers offer special terms on these books just for participating indie booksellers.

For stores that have taken part in past Indies Introduce promotions, there’s no need to sign up to take advantage of publishers’ offers; stores that are
new to the program must complete the form below (viewable to logged in member booksellers only) by October 15, 2023 in order to participate.

By signing up, booksellers agree to:

  • Promote at least 8 of 20 titles (adult and kids combined).
  • Order at least 3 copies of hardcover adult and kids’ titles or 5 copies of paperback titles (display allowance titles may have different order requirements).
  • Promote the debut titles through social media, staff picks, and the like.

 

Marketing Assets:

Promotional terms are visible to logged-in ABA Bookseller Members only.

Fiction

  • The Storm We Made, Vanessa Chan
    Marysue Rucci Books, 9781668015148, January 2, 2024 (Fiction)

    “A unique and wholly engaging perspective on a little-known aspect of World War II. Through a few key characters that make up an unforgettable Malayan family, The Storm We Made shines a light on the brutality of war, the pain of occupation and the resilience of survivors. Chan delivers a fresh and necessary voice on the literary landscape.”

    —Paula Farmer, Book Passage, Corte Madera, CA
    Additional blurb(s) available here


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  • The Other Valley, Scott Alexander Howard
    Atria Books, 9781668015476, February 27, 2024 (Fiction)

    “Scott Alexander Howard presents us with a heartbreaking commentary on predetermination and how one person can alter the course of history to create an entirely new present. Filled with raw emotion and expert prose, The Other Valley leaves a lasting impression on how precarious our futures can be.”

    —Devon Overley, Loganberry Books, Shaker Heights, OH
    Additional blurb(s) available here


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  • Nearly All the Men in Lagos are Mad, Damilare Kuku
    HarperVia, 9780063316362, March 19, 2024 (Fiction)

    “An anthem for strong-willed women of the 21st century, these stories will burrow under your skin and light your blood on fire. The women of Lagos have been put down by men for too long, and they’re reclaiming their power in force. Sharp-witted and fierce, Damilare Kuku speaks directly to the heart and compels you to unveil your inner bad*ss.”

    —Melissa Sagendorph, Harvard Book Store, Cambridge, MA
    Additional blurb(s) available here


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  • The Emperor and the Endless Palace, Justinian Huang
    Mira, 9780778305231, March 26, 2024 (Fiction)

    “An intricately woven tale of star-crossed lovers, The Emperor and the Endless Palace is a masterful combination of Chinese folklore, queer history, and romance. From an ancient Chinese dynasty to the gay party scene of LA, Justinian Huang transports us through three different eras of Chinese culture.”

    —Devon Overley, Loganberry Books, Shaker Heights, OH
    Additional blurb(s) available here


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  • Women! In! Peril!, Jessie Ren Marshall
    Bloomsbury, 9781639732272, April 2, 2024 (Fiction)

    “As the title would suggest, Women! In! Peril! Is a fun and funny take on feminist and societal situations and issues. With distinct wit and charm, Jessie Ren Marshall’s impressive debut will have you laughing out loud, re-reading passages and shaking your head with disbelief. (Yes, she went there!) This distinctive collection is a literary experience not to be missed.”

    —Paula Farmer, Book Passage, Corte Madera, CA
    Additional blurb(s) available here


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  • A Letter to the Luminous Deep, Sylvie Cathrall
    Orbit, 9780316565530, April 23, 2024 (Fiction)

    “If I had to sum up this book in one word, it would be ‘delightful.’ An oceanic universe is the setting for this fantasy with a heart. Sophy and Vyerin examine correspondence between their mutual siblings, E. and Henerey, to solve the mystery of their sudden disappearance. A Letter to the Luminous Deep explores how the power of connection can help us face the knowns and unknowns of life. I’m anxiously awaiting the next book in the series!”

    —Kathy Baum, Tattered Cover Book Store, Denver, CO
    Additional blurb(s) available here


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  • Ocean's Godori, Elaine U. Cho
    Hillman Grad Books, 9781638930594, April 23, 2024 (Fiction)

    “Taking everything you love about the genre and crafting it into her own wholly original story, Cho has burst onto the sci-fi scene with this story of a Korean space pilot navigating murder, love, and tech politics. As you’re immersed into a journey that explores the themes of colonialism, familial duty and racial identity; you will find yourself endlessly rooting for these characters.”

    —Stephanie Skees, The Novel Neighbor, Webster Groves, MO
    Additional blurb(s) available here


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Non-Fiction

  • Cactus Country, Zoë Bossiere
    Abrams Press, 9781419773181, May 14, 2024 (Non-Fiction)

    Cactus Country is all about landscape: of Arizona and the hot desert, of childhood and its constant developments, of gender and its fluidity. Zoë Bossiere is sharing a much-needed story of a childhood outside of the gender binary in a world built to misunderstand. Bossiere astutely and tenderly dives into hard to talk about topics — masculinity, assault, mental health, poverty, transphobia, and so much more. You'll fall so easily into Bossiere’s writing and you won't turn away when things get hard — Zoë is there to gently guide you through the path forward.”

    —Frances Metzger, Country Bookshelf, Bozeman, MT
    Additional blurb(s) available here


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  • Out of the Sierra, Victoria Blanco
    Coffee House Press, 9781566896535, June 11, 2024 (Non-Fiction)

    “Blanco writes an unparalleled work of narrative nonfiction that intricately captures a chronicle of everyday resistance in this story of the Rarámuri people, as social and environmental factors force them away from their communal society in the Sierra Madre mountains and into a different life in Chihuahua City.”

    —Stephanie Skees, The Novel Neighbor, Webster Groves, MO
    Additional blurb(s) available here


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Poetry

  • The Blue Mimes, Sara Daniele Rivera
    Graywolf, 9781644452790, April 2, 2024 (Poetry)

    “A bilingual and elegiac collection that explores transnational sorrow with an openness to delving into the gulfs loss creates, rather than succumbing to them. Memories of family and political histories intertwine with cultural unrest and the sensorially intimate to form poems with a sketchy quality — much like the drawings in the book — with deep feeling and sense of possibility. Disarmingly beautiful.”

    —Luis Correa, Avid Bookshop, Athens, GA
    Additional blurb(s) available here


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Middle Grade

  • Alterations, Ray Xu
    Union Square Kids, 9781454945840 / 9781454945857, January 30, 2024 (Middle Grade)

    "This is at once a tenderly portrayed immigrant story, as well as a hilarious kid’s graphic novel about the kid who keeps winding up in the wrong place at the wrong time, right up until that reverses in the most glorious way. I loved every page.”

    —Paul Swydan, The Silver Unicorn Bookstore, Acton, MA
    Additional blurb(s) available here


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  • Daughters of the Lamp, Nedda Lewers
    G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, 9780593619308, February 20, 2024 (Middle Grade)

    “Lewers’ debut is a magical tale of what happens when a logical science-minded kid encounters things she can’t explain. Mysterious glowing jewelry, a questionable bride, and a magical chamber of hidden treasure will open her mind to things she never thought possible. This was an adorable book full of family love and Arabian traditions!”

    —Andi Richardson, Fountain Bookstore, Richmond, VA
    Additional blurb(s) available here


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  • City Girls, Loretta Lopez
    Triangle Square, 9781644213421, March 12, 2024 (Middle Grade)

    “This is a rare story where three young girls all battle through their own heartbreaking problems, and their parents’ & caregivers’ (immigration, divorce, cancer) and are still able to find joy in each other’s friendship. There is more than meets the eye with each of them, and the three stories come together tenderly and beautifully.”

    —Paul Swydan, The Silver Unicorn Bookstore, Acton, MA
    Additional blurb(s) available here


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  • Olivetti, Allie Millington
    Feiwel & Friends, 9781250326935, March 26, 2024 (Middle Grade)

    Olivetti is my favorite new middle grade novel in years. A lovable introvert, a typewriter with a lot to say, and an irresistible mystery come together to create a one of a kind reading experience. This book weaves together themes of mental health, family, and magic in ways that are deeply thoughtful and unique. I cannot wait to get this book into the hands of every 10-year-old I know.”

    —Molly Olivo, Child’s Play, Washington, D.C.
    Additional blurb(s) available here


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  • Continental Drifter, Kathy MacLeod
    First Second, 9781250813749, April 2, 2024 (Middle Grade)

    “I love this book with my whole heart. Kathy’s memoir is tender and touching, filled with the hopes and disappointments of looking for a place to belong. There is so much heart in these pages! A true gem of a book.”

    —Ann Branson, Beach Books, Seaside, OR
    Additional blurb(s) available here


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  • The Wishkeeper's Apprentice, Rachel Chivers Khoo
    Candlewick Press, 9781536231205, April 2, 2024 (Middle Grade)

    “All Felix wants is for his older sister to like him again, but when he makes a wish in the town fountain, he gets much more than he bargained for. One wish opens up a world that Felix never knew was all around him, and he becomes the apprentice of the local Wishkeeper. Together they join the fight against the Wishsnatchers to save the joy of their little town. This is an adorable story of the magic of wishes and family that will delight young readers.”

    —Andi Richardson, Fountain Bookstore, Richmond, VA
    Additional blurb(s) available here


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Young Adult

  • That's Not My Name, Megan Lally
    Sourcebooks Fire, 9781728270111, January 2, 2024 (Young Adult)

    “I love it when a good thriller drops me into characters’ lives with a story already in progress. And waking up on the side of a desolate road late at night not knowing your identity or how you got there is the perfect way to do that. An exciting and nerve-racking tale of figuring out who you are and who you can trust.”

    —Erin Rivera, The Frugal Frigate, Redlands, CA
    Additional blurb(s) available here


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  • Shut Up, This Is Serious, Carolina Ixta
    Quill Tree Books, 9780063287860, January 9, 2024 (Young Adult)

    "A stunning debut novel that explores family (both biological and chosen), racism and the idea of what a young girl presents to the world as opposed to what she offers the world. Carolina Ixta has written a book that I wish I could have read when I was 18 years old. This book shook me to the core."

    —Teresa Steele, Old Firehouse Books, Fort Collins, CO
    Additional blurb(s) available here


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  • Snowglobe, Soyoung Park, Joungmin Lee Comfort (transl.)
    Delacorte Press, 9780593484975, February 27, 2024 (Young Adult)

    “Are you a lover of upsetting dystopian thrillers? Are you looking for dark and wild adventures with cinematic twists? Snowglobe has intriguing climate themes and inequity combined with riveting action and characters. Reserve a whole night to read this one cover to cover in one sitting — you will need it!”

    —Molly Olivo, Child’s Play, Washington, D.C.
    Additional blurb(s) available here


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Young Adult Non-Fiction

  • How the Boogeyman Became a Poet, Tony Keith, Jr.
    Katherine Tegen Books, 9780063296008, February 6, 2024 (Young Adult Non-Fiction)

    How the Boogeyman Became a Poet, in my opinion, is required reading. I could spend days analyzing Tony’s writing style and choice of words. This affirming memoir, written in verse, walks the reader through the beautiful journey of being honest with yourself and fostering community. This book is for anyone trying to put the puzzle pieces of their life together, but feel like they are missing just one piece.”

    —Maryan Liban, Cover to Cover Books for Young Readers, Columbus, OH
    Additional blurb(s) available here


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