The Booksellers Association has today announced Black Butterflies by Priscilla Morris as Fiction Book of the Month for May, and Wilder than Midnight by Cerrie Burnell as Children’s Book of the Month.  
   
Black Butterflies, the debut novel by Priscilla Morris, is published to mark the thirtieth anniversary of the Siege of Sarajevo, transporting readers to the streets of the city, where nationalists erect barricades by night, splitting the residents into ethnic enclaves which they have to push aside by day. When violence spills over, Zora sends her husband and elderly mother to safety in England with her daughter, but stays behind herself, reluctant to leave her work and confident that hostilities will not last long. As the home they love falls apart, Zora and her friends must rebuild themselves, over and over again. Black Butterflies is published by Duckworth on 5^th May 2022, and is available to pre-order in bookshops now.
 
Priscilla Morris said of her book’s selection, “Spending time in an independent bookshop is one of the most healing, life-affirming things I know of. Nothing compares to the thrill of discovering a new independent bookshop: the senses come alive as you enter, keen to detect the unique soul of the place, the particular tastes of the owner. I want to look everywhere at once, hungry to take in all the titles, the beautiful covers, the artful displays, the smiles of the staff, the intriguing specialisms, the notices for upcoming readings and events. You leave with an unexpected book or two under your arm and a rekindled love of life.”
 
Paul Sweetman, City Books, Hove and member of the Selection Panel commented: “Black Butterflies tells the story of Zora who, living in constant fear, witnesses increasing violence and the destruction of her home city. Set thirty years ago, at the start of the Siege of Sarajevo, it is a timely reminder that peace should not be taken for granted.”
 
The Fiction Book of the Month submissions from publishers are read by a panel of booksellers who vote on each title. The BA then collates the votes and the title with the most votes becomes the Book of the Month. The panel for this time comprised members of Red Lion Books, City Books, Hewson Books and Neverland Bookshop.
 
Wilder than Midnight by author, actor and former Cbeebies presenter Cerrie Burnell is an evocative adventure set deep in an enchanted forest, following three very different girls – one tired of being good and staying to the path, one dreaming of escaping her prison, and another, raised by wolves and full of spells. Inspired by Burnell’s own experience of limb difference, the book celebrates individuality and found family. Wilder than Midnight is published by Puffin on 28^th April 2022 and is available to buy in bookshops now.
 
Cerrie Burnell said, “All bookshops have a special place in my heart, but independent bookshops have their own unique enchantment, as if an extra layer of love has been poured over every shelf. Each story so carefully selected, each book positioned perfectly to find its reader. They are a treasure trove of adventures just waiting to be discovered, and I find them so welcoming and bright. A sparkling star of their individual communities. A place where imagination and dreams can soar. I could spend hours in independent bookshops, just browsing and reading and letting myself fall under their spell. So I could not be more excited that Wilder than Midnight is Children’s Indie Book of the Month for May. What a glorious honour.”
 
The Children’s Book of the Month submissions from publishers are read by a panel of booksellers who vote on each title. The BA then collates the votes and the title with the most votes becomes the Book of the Month. The panel for this time comprised members of Moon Lane Books, The Bookshop, Bridport, Steyning Bookshop, Owl & Pyramid and Four Bears Bookshop.
 
Independent bookshops around the UK and Ireland will be promoting Black Butterflies and Wilder than Midnight throughout May on social media and instore. The Booksellers Association will be supporting the promotion of the Indie Books of the Month through social media and promotional material.
 
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