Wellesley Books Newsletter | April 13th, 2022
Keen-eyed repeat visitors to Wellesley Books will have noticed our new display next to the front counter. Thought of, by booksellers, as the Diverse Voices display, it will spotlight diverse and/or marginalized authors we have read and love. Sometimes the display will speak to themes like Earth Month--currently, we're featuring climate fiction and nature writing--and, at other times, it will feature subjects near and dear to booksellers' hearts, such as mental health and neurodiversity. We would love to hear your thoughts the next time you visit and hope that our suggestions spark discussion!
Upcoming Events
Thursday, April 14th at 7:00 PM (in-person)
Mary Laura Philpott, author of I Miss You When I Blink, joins us in-person at Wellesley Books to discuss Bomb Shelter, her poignant and powerful memoir-in-essays that tackles the big questions of life, death, and existential fear with humor and hope.

"Mary Laura Philpott puts words to the human condition in a life-affirming, joyful, and surprisingly funny way—even as she leaves readers in tears. I'm blown away."
–Lori Gottlieb, author

Mary Laura will be in conversation with Joanna Rakoff, author of My Salinger Year.
Saturday, April 16th at 2:00 PM (in-person)
Kids and parents, join us for a meet-and-greet in front of the store with these two wonderful picture book authors. Fingers crossed for some lovely spring weather!

Charlotte Offsay, author of How to Return a Monster and The Big Beach Clean Up, presents her latest, A Grandma's Magic. Filled with adorable scenes featuring a diversity of grandmas and their grandkids, this is a book that families can enjoy together. Grandmas will love snuggling with their grandchildren as they share their love and "magic" through cuddles, kisses, and many repeat readings.

Jennifer Frank's hilarious 2021 debut, The Worm Family Has Its Picture Taken, was named a Junior Library Guild Selection and received excellent reviews. Kirkus calls it "a warm, witty, wonderful worm tale.... Sure to worm its way into readers’ hearts."

This is a free in-person event. No need to RSVP; we look forward to seeing you there!
Tuesday, April 19th at 4:30 PM (in-person)
April is National Poetry Month and we're thrilled to host a gaggle of authors and author/illustrators from The Writers' Loft for a special event to discuss their collections for children, Friends and Anemones and An Assortment of Animals. The event will feature poetry, crafts, art demos, and more!

Joining us are Josh Funk, Lisa Rogers, Nancy Tupper Ling, Robert Thibeault, Kristen Wixted, Leanne Leutkemeyer, Liz Kehrli, and Heather Kelly.
Thursday, May 5th at 7:00 PM (in-person)
Coinneach MacLeod, Scottish baker and TikTok sensation, joins us in-person at Wellesley Books to discuss his charming and informative cookbook, The Hebridean Baker: Recipes and Wee Stories from the Scottish Islands. Focusing on small bakes that use a simple set of ingredients, these recipes will unleash your inner Scottish baker—it's all about rustic home baking and old family favorites because, as the Hebridean Baker always says, "Homemade is always best!"
Bookseller Recommendations
Jane recommends:
Easy Beauty by Chloé Cooper Jones
I love memoir, and this is a great one. Chloé Cooper Jones writes about living with a congenital condition that affects her ability to walk. Not only does she discuss the difficulties of her daily life, but she also writes about how society values those who are handicapped, and what it feels like to be examined in that way. I was awed by her bravery and honesty – this would be a fantastic book club selection.
Sally recommends:
Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart
Booker Prize winner Douglas Stuart (Shuggie Bain) revisits the working class confines of Glasgow, Scotland. Fifteen-year-old Mungo lives with a drunken, often absent mother, a hooligan brother and a sister trying to hold their family tragedy together. When he meets James who is Catholic opposite his Protestantism, he finds another soft soul to bring love into his life. This is a beautiful depiction of this love which unfortunately brings with it danger and violence against those that don’t fit in.
Lucy recommends:
Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
At once expansive and compact, this century-spanning story of time travel, space colonization, and simulated reality sings with quiet but startling humanity. An exiled English aristocrat considers the overwhelming indifference of the Canadian wilderness. An author born on the moon goes on a book tour of Earth at the beginning of a deadly pandemic and misses her distant family. A time traveling investigator grapples with the ethics of his position and the nature of reality. All of these characters – and more – are joined together by an inexplicable anomaly of time and space that shapes their lives in large and small ways. Mandel proved she was a master of the literary dystopian with Station Eleven, and this next entry into her canon is equally arresting.
Cassie recommends:
Cosmoknights by Hannah Templer
Space gays. Found family. A patriarchal "battle for the princess" game show that our beloved characters have infiltrated to take down from the inside. The narrative arc is just perfection. The art is gorgeous. And the ending will have you cursing Hannah Templer’s name because Vol. 2 is not out yet. I could follow a fully fleshed out spin-off for every character. For fans of Saga, Lore Olympus, and The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet.
New In Hardcover
Jennifer Egan
Sara Novic
Bonnie Garmus
Rachel Barenbaum
Tara M. Stringfellow
Jane Green
Annie Hartnett
Ocean Vuong
Susan Cain
Bill Browder
Samantha Hunt
Ben McGrath

Elizabeth Alexander
Frans de Waal
Molly Shannon


Wil Wheaton
Jonathan Van Ness
New In Paperback
Flynn Berry
Maggie Shipstead
Paula McLain
Stacey Abrams
Haruki Murakami
Chris Whittaker
Elly Griffiths
Stephen Rowley
Jennifer Weiner
Jennifer Saint
Mark Synnott
Michael Lewis
Brandi Carlile
Bookseller Recommendations for Young Readers
Colleen L. recommends:
Cress Watercress by Gregory Maguire
This is vibrant novel is so pleasing to the ear and the eyes! So colorful are the gorgeous illustrations by David Litchfield! Maguire crafts this story with beauty and heart. There are sentences that make one stop and pause as they resonate truthfully and cleverly with facts of life, growing up and dealing with change. This book is filled with adventure, action and thrills. While there are also moments of fear and grief, plenty of wit and wisdom are shared as well. Cress and all of her woodland family are endearing critters who form a community built on honesty and kindness. Lady Cabbage, Big 'ol Mr. Tunk along with Monsieur Reynard, stir things up and create trouble around The Broken Arms tree trunk. Read this book to learn how Cress gets good life lessons and avoids "the final drainpipe"! Note: Parents will love this story just as much as the kids. A great read-aloud! A great pick for those that remember and loved The Cricket in Times Square, Gooseberry Park, The One and Only Ivan and Charlotte's Web, to name a few.
Middle-Grade Monthly: A Subscription Club
Middle-Grade Monthly is our subscription service for kids ages 8-12! Each month our children's book buyer Lauren and school liaison Cassie select a newly-released chapter book. Get your hands on the newest and soon-to-be coveted books of the year. We offer monthly and yearly subscriptions, and you can pick up your book at the store or have it mailed to you. Click on the link below for FAQs about the program.

The April 2022 pick is Karthik Delivers by Sheela Chari. To find out more about our subscription service, click here.
Picture Book Subscription Club: A Perfect Gift!
A Child's Library is our subscription service for children ages 0-5! Lauren and Cassie select one newly-released picture book each month to be sent or picked-up from the store. The goal of A Child's Library is to help foster a love for books within the child's home. It makes a great baby shower gift!

The April 2022 pick is I Color Myself Different by Colin Kaepernick (exclusive signed copies). To find out more about our subscription service, click here.
New Books for Kids
Claribel A. Ortega
Christina Soontornvat
Zetta Elliott & Lyn Miller-Lachman
Karina Yan Glaser
New Books For Teens
Emily X.R. Pan
Emily J. Taylor
Mayra Cuevas & Marie Marquardt
Kit Frick
Katherine Locke
Kaitlyn Hill
Camille Gomera-Tavarez
In the Gift Department
We're your one-stop shop for all things Easter basket. Whether you have kids or adults in mind, we have sweet and savory treats, toys and fidgets, soft-and-cuddlies, and SO many bunnies.
What We're Reading Now...
Gillian
Lorna
(publishes April 19th)
Ashleigh
(publishes April 19th)
Pete
Dog of the Week
Kona
Kona is a three-year-old miniature Labradoodle with the most wonderfully soft and scritchable chin! She loves to play b-a-l-l (and knows the word, so it needs to be spelled out to avoid exciting her), long walks with her family members, and to chase critters outdoors. Come back anytime, Kona!
Thank you for supporting your community independent bookstore!
Sincerely,
Rebecca Stimpson
82 Central Street
Wellesley, MA 02482
781-431-1160