The Indie Bestsellers List

 

Published Wednesday, May 27, 2026 (for the sales week ended Sunday, May 24, 2026). Based on reporting from hundreds of independent bookstores across the United States. For information on more titles, please visit IndieBound.org.

 

Debuts for the week:

Hardcover Fiction

#4-The Ballad of Falling Dragons (Deluxe Limited Edition), by Sarah A. Parker (9780063415898)

#14-Ironwood, by Michael Connelly (9780316595384)

 

Hardcover Nonfiction

#6-Liar’s Kingdom, by Andrew Weissmann (9780316601306)

#15-On Witness and Respair, by Jesmyn Ward (9781668064269)

 

Paperback Fiction

#5-The Knight and the Moth (Indie Exclusive Edition), by Rachel Gillig (9780316608503)

#6-Great Big Beautiful Life, by Emily Henry (9780593441237)

#10-Fever Dream, by Elsie Silver (9781668099575)

#11-Score (Indie Exclusive Edition), by Kennedy Ryan (9781538785263) Paperback Nonfiction

#3-Empire of AI, by Karen Hao (9780593657522)

#7-Things in Nature Merely Grow, by Yiyun Li (9781250437976)

#15-Communion, by bell hooks (9780060938291)

 

Early & Middle Grade Readers

#6-Renegades #1: The Magic Awakens, by Erin Hunter (9780063449534)

 

Children’s Illustrated

#5-We Are Mighty, by Sharon McMahon, Susanna Chapman (Illus.) (9798217033331)

#14-Tiny T. Rex Tries Soccer, by Jonathan Stutzman, Jay Fleck (Illus.) (9781797233857)

 

 

HARDCOVER FICTION

  1. Yesteryear (Indies Introduce) Caro Claire Burke, Knopf, $30, 9780593804216
  2. The Correspondent Virginia Evans, Crown, $28, 9780593798430
  3. The Calamity Club Kathryn Stockett, Spiegel & Grau, $35, 9781954118812
  4. The Ballad of Falling Dragons (Deluxe Limited Edition)- Debut Sarah A. Parker, Avon, $34, 9780063415898
  5. The Things We Never Say Elizabeth Strout, Random House, $29, 9798217154746
  6. Our Perfect Storm Carley Fortune, Berkley, $30, 9780593953242
  7. John of John Douglas Stuart, Grove Press, $28, 9780802167194
  8. A Parade of Horribles Matt Dinniman, Ace, $32, 9798217190065
  9. Carl’s Doomsday Scenario Matt Dinniman, Ace, $30, 9780593820261
  10. Heart the Lover Lily King, Grove Press, $28, 9780802165176
  11. Kin Tayari Jones, Knopf, $32, 9780525659181
  12. Between Two Fires Christopher Buehlman, Tor Nightfire, $29.99, 9781250439208
  13. The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook Matt Dinniman, Ace, $30, 9780593820285
  14. Ironwood- Debut Michael Connelly, Little, Brown and Company, $32, 9780316595384
  15. Platform Decay Martha Wells, Tor Books, $24.99, 9781250827005

 

On the Rise

  1. The Shippers Katherine Center, St. Martin’s Press, $30, 9781250408051

 

 

HARDCOVER NONFICTION

  1. Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage Belle Burden, The Dial Press, $30, 9780593733318
  2. London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family’s Search for Truth, Patrick Radden Keefe, Doubleday, $35, 9780385548533
  1. Famesick: A Memoir Lena Dunham, Random House, $32, 9780593129326
  2. Make Believe: On Telling Stories to Children Mac Barnett, Little, Brown and Company, $20, 9780316601122
  3. Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I’ve Cried About: A Memoir Isabel Klee, William Morrow, $28, 9780063451070
  4. Liar’s Kingdom: How to Stop Trump’s Deceit and Save America- Debut Andrew Weissmann, Little, Brown and Company, $29, 9780316601306
  5. Take Me to Your Leader: Perspectives on Your First Alien Encounter Neil deGrasse Tyson, Simon Six, $26, 9781668249970
  6. A World Appears: A Journey into Consciousness Michael Pollan, Penguin Press, $32, 9781984881991
  7. The Best Dog in the World: Essays on Love Alice Hoffman (Ed.), Scribner, $22, 9781668209028
  8. The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World Robin Wall Kimmerer, John Burgoyne (Illus.), Scribner, $20, 9781668072240
  9. One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This Omar El Akkad, Knopf, $28, 9780593804148
  10. Here Where We Live Is Our Country: The Story of the Jewish Bund, Molly Crabapple, One World, $32, 9780593229453
  1. Everything Is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection, John Green, Crash Course Books, $28, 9780525556572
  1. Lessons from Cats for Surviving Fascism Stewart Reynolds, Grand Central Publishing, $13, 9781538778005
  2. On Witness and Respair: Essays- Debut Jesmyn Ward, Scribner, $29.99, 9781668064269

 

On the Rise:

  1. Dangerous, Dirty, Violent, and Young: A Fugitive Family in the Revolutionary Underground, Zayd Ayers Dohrn, W. W. Norton & Company, $32.99, 9781324089315

 

 

PAPERBACK FICTION

  1. Theo of Golden Allen Levi, Atria Books, $20, 9781668236512
  2. Project Hail Mary Andy Weir, Ballantine Books, $22, 9798217299461
  3. Dungeon Crawler Carl Matt Dinniman, Ace, $20, 9780593820254
  4. Remarkably Bright Creatures Shelby Van Pelt, Ecco, $19.99, 9780063204164
  5. The Knight and the Moth (Indie Exclusive Edition)- Debut Rachel Gillig, Orbit, $19.99, 9780316608503
  6. Great Big Beautiful Life- Debut Emily Henry, Berkley, $20, 9780593441237
  7. I Who Have Never Known Men Jacqueline Harpman, Transit Books, $16.95, 9781945492600
  8. The God of the Woods Liz Moore, Riverhead Books, $19, 9780593418925
  9. James Percival Everett, Vintage, $20, 9780593686867
  10. Fever Dream- Debut Elsie Silver, Atria Books, $19, 9781668099575
  11. Score (Indie Exclusive Edition)- Debut Kennedy Ryan, Forever, $18.99, 9781538785263
  12. The Road to Tender Hearts Annie Hartnett, Ballantine Books, $20, 9780593873465
  13. Angel Down Daniel Kraus, Atria Books, $18, 9781668068519
  14. The Lion Women of Tehran Marjan Kamali, Gallery Books, $18.99, 9781668036594
  15. Martyr! Kaveh Akbar, Vintage, $20, 9780593685778

 

PAPERBACK NONFICTION

  1. Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants, Robin Wall Kimmerer, Milkweed Editions, $22, 9781571313560
  1. Raising Hare: A Memoir Chloe Dalton, Vintage, $21, 9780593689004
  2. Empire of AI: Dreams and Nightmares in Sam Altman’s OpenAI- Debut Karen Hao, Penguin Books, $20, 9780593657522
  3. The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War Erik Larson, Crown, $22, 9780385348768
  4. The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession Michael Finkel, Vintage, $18, 9781984898456
  5. All About Love: New Visions bell hooks, William Morrow Paperbacks, $17.99, 9780060959470
  6. Things in Nature Merely Grow- Debut Yiyun Li, Picador, $18, 9781250437976
  7. On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century Timothy Snyder, Crown, $14, 9780804190114
  8. The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate—Discoveries from a Secret World Peter Wohlleben, Greystone Books, $18.95, 9781771643771
  9. A Walk in the Park: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon, Kevin Fedarko, Scribner, $22, 9781501183065
  1. The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma Bessel van der Kolk, M.D., Penguin Books, $19, 9780143127741
  2. Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland Patrick Radden Keefe, Vintage, $22, 9780307279286
  3. The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder David Grann, Vintage, $21, 9780307742490
  4. Be Ready When the Luck Happens: A Memoir Ina Garten, Crown, $22, 9780593800027
  5. Communion: The Female Search for Love- Debut bell hooks, William Morrow Paperbacks, $17.99, 9780060938291

 

 

MASS MARKET

  1. 1984 George Orwell, Signet, $12, 9780451524935
  2. Animal Farm George Orwell, Signet, $12, 9780451526342
  3. Lord of the Flies William Golding, Penguin, $12, 9780399501487
  4. Mistborn: The Final Empire Brandon Sanderson, Tor, $10.99, 9781250318541
  5. The Diary of a Young Girl Anne Frank, Bantam, $9.99, 9780553577129
  6. Hyperion Dan Simmons, Spectra, $11, 9780553283686
  7. The Left Hand of Darkness Ursula K. Le Guin, Ace, $10.99, 9780441478125
  8. Slaughterhouse-Five Kurt Vonnegut, Dell, $9.99, 9780440180296
  9. The Catcher in the Rye J. D. Salinger, Little, Brown, $9.99, 9780316769488
  10. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Douglas Adams, Del Rey, $9.99, 9780345391803

 

 

EARLY & MIDDLE GRADE

  1. The New Girl: First Crush: A Graphic Novel Cassandra Calin, Graphix, $14.99, 9781338762488
  2. Wombat Waiting Katherine Applegate, Storytide, $19.99, 9780063221178
  3. Captain Underpants: The First Epic Manga Dav Pilkey, Motojiro (Illus.), Graphix, $14.99, 9781546151210
  4. Spy School Secret Service the Graphic Novel Stuart Gibbs, Anjan Sarkar (Illus.), Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, $14.99, 9781665956635
  5. Odder: The Novel Katherine Applegate, Charles Santoso (Illus.), Square Fish, $8.99, 9781250423429
  6. Renegades #1: The Magic Awakens- Debut Erin Hunter, HarperCollins, $9.99, 9780063449534
  7. The New Girl: A Graphic Novel Cassandra Calin, Graphix, $12.99, 9781338762457
  8. Impossible Creatures Katherine Rundell, Ashley Mackenzie (Illus.), Yearling, $11.99, 9780593809891
  9. KPop Demon Hunters: The Movie in Comics: The Official Retelling in Comic Form, Random House Books for Young Readers, $14.99, 9798217234301
  1. The One and Only Bob Katherine Applegate, Patricia Castelao (Illus.), Storytide, $10.99, 9780062991324
  2. A Wolf Called Fire Rosanne Parry, Mónica Armiño (Illus.), Greenwillow Books, $9.99, 9780063415140
  3. Super Duper Extra Deluxe Essential Handbook (Pokémon) Scholastic, $16.99, 9781339028019
  4. Hatchet Gary Paulsen, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, $9.99, 9781481486293
  5. National Geographic Kids Almanac 2027 National Geographic Kids, $17.99, 9781426224560
  6. A Fishboy Named…Sashimi Dan Santat, Roaring Brook Press, $8.99, 9781250360007

 

 

YOUNG ADULT

  1. Better Than the Movies Lynn Painter, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, $12.99, 9781534467637
  2. The Summer of Second Chances (Deluxe Edition) K. L. Walther, Sourcebooks Fire, $14.99, 9781464219177
  3. The Outsiders S. E. Hinton, Viking Books for Young Readers, $14.99, 9780142407332
  4. The Faraway Inn Sarah Beth Durst, Delacorte Press, $14.99, 9798217024308
  5. Nothing Like the Movies Lynn Painter, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, $13.99, 9781665947145
  6. The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Special Edition) Stephen Chbosky, Simon Pulse, $15.99, 9781665982412
  7. Change of Plans Sarah Dessen, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, $21.99, 9798347108770
  1. Young World Soman Chainani, Random House Books for Young Readers, $21.99, 9780593905180
  1. Betting on You Lynn Painter, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, $12.99, 9781665921244
  2. Fake Skating Lynn Painter, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, $21.99, 9781665921268
  3. The Book Thief Markus Zusak, Knopf Books for Young Readers, $16.99, 9780375842207
  4. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before the Graphic Novel Jenny Han, Akimaro (Illus.), Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, $15.99, 9781665983105
  5. The Escape Game Marissa Meyer, Tamara Moss, G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, $22.99, 9798217006120
  6. Rolls and Rivalry Kristy Boyce, Delacorte Romance, $13.99, 9780593899229
  7. Last Night at the Telegraph Club Malinda Lo, Dutton Books for Young Readers, $13.99, 9780525555278

 

 

CHILDREN’S ILLUSTRATED

  1. Oh, the Places You’ll Go! Dr. Seuss, Random House Books for Young Readers, $18.99, 9780679805274
  2. Dad Christian Robinson, Balzer + Bray, $19.99, 9781250397041
  3. Goodnight Moon Margaret Wise Brown, Clement Hurd (Illus.), Harper, $10.99, 9780694003617
  4. It’s My Bird-Day! Mo Willems, Union Square Kids, $18.99, 9781454999621
  5. We Are Mighty: 12 Ordinary Americans Who Did the Next Needed Thing- Debut. Sharon McMahon, Susanna Chapman (Illus.), Knopf Books for Young Readers, $19.99, 9798217033331
  1. The Very Hungry Caterpillar Eric Carle, World of Eric Carle, $10.99, 9780399226908
  2. Construction Site: Firefight! Sherri Duskey Rinker, AG Ford (Illus.), Chronicle Books, $18.99, 9781797226590
  3. Where the Wild Things Are Maurice Sendak, Harper, $21.99, 9780060254926
  4. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?: Stamped Edges Special Edition Bill Martin, Jr., Eric Carle (Illus.), Henry Holt and Co. BYR, $10.99, 9781250445506
  5. Good Night, Little Blue Truck Alice Schertle, Jill McElmurry (Illus.), Clarion Books, $10.99, 9780358229278
  6. Don’t Trust Fish Neil Sharpson, Dan Santat (Illus.), Dial Books, $18.99, 9780593616673
  7. Will the Pigeon Graduate? Mo Willems, Union Square Kids, $18.99, 9781454960430
  8. Good Night, Gorilla Peggy Rathmann, G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, $8.99, 9780399230035
  9. Tiny T. Rex Tries Soccer- Debut Jonathan Stutzman, Jay Fleck (Illus.), Chronicle Books, $12.99, 9781797233857
  10. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Bill Martin, Jr., John Archambault, Lois Ehlert (Illus.), Little Simon, $7.99, 9781442450707

 

 

CHILDREN’S SERIES

  1. Wings of Fire (hardcover and paperback) Tui T. Sutherland, Scholastic
  2. Dog Man (hardcover) Dav Pilkey, Graphix
  3. Diary of a Wimpy Kid (hardcover) Jeff Kinney, Harry N. Abrams
  4. The Hunger Games (hardcover and paperback) Suzanne Collins, Scholastic Press
  5. I Survived (hardcover and paperback) Lauren Tarshis, Cassie Anderson (Illus.), Scholastic
  6. Baby-Sitters Club Graphix (hardcover and paperback) Ann M. Martin, Arley Nopra (Illus.), Scholastic
  7. InvestiGators (hardcover) John Patrick Green, Christopher Hastings, Pat Lewis (Illus.), First Second
  8. Magic Tree House (hardcover and paperback) Mary Pope Osborne, Sal Murdocca (Illus.), Random House Books for Young Readers
  9. Elephant & Piggie (hardcover) Mo Willems, Hyperion
  10. Dragon Masters (paperback) Tracey West, Matt Loveridge (Illus.), Scholastic