Barnes & Noble Announces Its Books of the Year

Just last month, Barnes & Noble announced the books that were in the running for its coveted title of Book of the Year, which is decidedly different from its list of the Best Books of the Year, as Rebecca Schinsky points out:

“The Book of the Year award, introduced in 2019, is selected by booksellers and tends to go to widely recommendable titles that are as close as the book world comes to four-quadrant hits.”

The books up for the title this year included everything from kids’ books to Southern noir (King of Ashes by S. A. Cosby) to hell-set fantasy (Katabasis by R.F. Kuang).

But which of them deserves to be labeled as “Book of the Year”?According to B&N’s booksellers from more than 700 stores, the art-filled Mona’s Eyes by Thomas Schlesser, translated by Hildegarde Serle, does.

The book, originally written in French, is as touching as it is full of art history. In it, Mona has 52 weeks before she loses her eyesight. In that time, her grandfather sets out to show her the beauty of art throughout Paris’ many museums.

But wait, there’s more.

The booksellers over at B&N felt like they couldn’t leave out some of this year’s other bangers, and have expanded the Book of the Year category a bit to include Gift Book of the Year and Children’s Books of the Year.

Gift Book of the Year

Good Things: Recipes and Rituals to Share with People You Love

What a B&N bookseller had to say:

“Samin’s joy is felt on every page. These are beloved and tested recipes you will want to make again and again.” — Kat S.

Children’s Books of the Year

I Am Rebel by Ross Montgomery

What a B&N bookseller had to say:

“Animal lovers of all ages will root for Rebel every step of the way as he demonstrates the truly unbreakable bond between dogs and their favorite people.” — Stephanie P.