Staff Picks + Upcoming Titles: May

By Kat La Mantia | April 9 2026 | AdultsAllBlogChildren'sGeneralGiftPop Culture

🐝 May 2026 Staff Picks

May is all about fresh starts, thoughtful gifting, and getting ready for warm weather adventures. For May’s staff picks list, we’re spotlighting books that tap into this season’s biggest moments: Mother’s and Father’s Day, graduation, and summer’s big marquee events—the FIFA World Cup and America 250! Ease into summer with cozy coloring books and hands-on crafts that offer a screen-free reset, or introduce kids to nature with cleverly designed pop-up books perfect for long days spent outdoors. Get ready for cookouts and pool parties with grilling guides, or celebrate love with a temporary pride tattoo!

Whether your customers are shopping for someone special or indulging in a little treat for themselves, May’s staff picks offer plenty of summer-ready titles for your next seasonal display. Explore the links below to dive into everything publishing in May!

More Moments in May

Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

AANHPI Month – Non-Fiction & Gift
AANHPI Month – Children’s
AANHPI Month – Food & Drink

Jewish American Heritage Month

Jewish American Heritage Month – Adult
Jewish American Heritage Month – Children’s & YA
Jewish American Heritage Month – Food & Drink

Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day – Just for Mom Gifts
Mother’s Day – Self-Care & Relaxation Gifts
Mother’s Day – Flowers, Birds & More Nature Gifts
Mother’s Day – Hostess & Entertaining Gifts
Mother’s Day – Popular Fiction, Poetry & Memoir
Mother’s Day – Children’s Books
Books to Celebrate All Parents & Families

Graduation

Gifts for Grads
Books for Children’s Graduations
Adulting Starter Pack
Giftable Commencement Speeches

Teacher Appreciation Week

Gifts for Teachers
Children’s Teacher Appreciation Books
Teacher Appreciation Collection – Out of Print

Cinco de Mayo

Food & Drink for Cinco de Mayo Celebrations

National Barbecue Month

Browse All BBQ & Grilling Titles

The FIFA World Cup Pop-Up Book
The FIFA World Cup Pop-Up Book
9780789346650
A gloriously fun, interactive pop-up journey through the FIFA World Cup—bringing to life the drama, players, and unforgettable moments of the world’s most popular sporting event.
$50.00 US
May 19, 2026
11 x 11
Pop-Up
12 Pages
Rizzoli Universe
The Taste of Country Cooking
The Taste of Country Cooking
50th Anniversary Edition: A Cookbook
Edna Lewis
9780593804957
A stunning 50th-anniversary edition of one of the most beloved cookbooks of all time, by “the empress of Southern cooking” (The New Yorker). Beautifully repackaged and redesigned, with a new foreword by Toni Tipton-Martin.
$40.00 US
May 05, 2026
7 x 9
Hardcover
288 Pages
Knopf
My First Cowboy Boots
My First Cowboy Boots
Denise Holmes, Daria Harper
9780593840405
Hey y’all! Give babies and toddlers a boot-stomping good time with this uniquely shaped board book that's all about having fun, being yourself, and, of course, rocking a great pair of cowboy boots.
$8.99 US
May 19, 2026
6-5/8 x 8
Board Book
20 Pages
Ten Speed Young Readers
Age 1-3 years
'Tis Thee, Not Me
'Tis Thee, Not Me
A Modern Medieval Guide to Bad Dates and Worse Decisions
Clarice Tudor
9798217034499
An acerbic, savagely funny illustrated guide to the pitfalls of dating, in medieval and modern times, by viral sensation Clarice Tudor.
$18.99 US
May 05, 2026
7 x 7
Hardcover
144 Pages
Clarkson Potter
Every Salad Ever
Every Salad Ever
From Grains to Greens and Pasta to Beans Plus Every Salad in Betweens
Greta Podleski
9798217036790
Upgrade your salad game with 100 fresh and fabulous recipes from bestselling cookbook author Greta Podleski—perfect for weeknight dinners, meal-prep lunches, holiday sides and Sunday brunches, with plenty of gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan options.
$35.00 US
May 12, 2026
8-3/8 x 10-7/8
Hardcover
288 Pages
Clarkson Potter
Guess How Much I Love You, Dad!: Fathers Day Gift Edition
Guess How Much I Love You, Dad!: Fathers Day Gift Edition
Sam McBratney, Anita Jeram
9781536251845
The perfect gift for Father’s Day, with the beloved book, a card, and gift wrap all in one elegant package!
$16.99 US
May 05, 2026
8-7/16 x 9-5/8
Hardcover
32 Pages
Candlewick
Age 2-5 years
Small Towns U.S.A.
Small Towns U.S.A.
100 Must-See Getaways Across the United States
Brenna Darling
9781426223891
Discover charming destinations across the U.S. with expert travel recommendations for 100 small-town getaways, from Salida, Colorado, to Solvang, California, and from Hudson, New York, to Ocean Springs, Mississippi.
$40.00 US
May 05, 2026
8-1/2 x 8-1/2
Hardcover
400 Pages
National Geographic
The Mocktail Playbook
The Mocktail Playbook
Delicious Sips to Celebrate Every Day
9781958395707
A fresh, flavor-packed mocktail recipe book with 50+ bartender-crafted drinks and expert wellness guidance—your go-to playbook for vibrant, alcohol-free living and effortless entertaining.
$25.00 US
May 19, 2026
7 x 9
Hardcover
144 Pages
Hearst Home
Where's the Soccer Player?
Where's the Soccer Player?
Ingela P Arrhenius
9781536251432

Talented and prolific illustrator Ingela P. Arrhenius’s artwork pops in this new addition to the best-selling felt flaps series, which has sold over two million copies! Publishing just in time for the 2026 World Cup, this edition features five stylishly illustrated spreads that depict the whole soccer team: the goalkeeper, the referee, the coach, and the soccer player are all hidden beneath bright felt flaps. With a mirror on the final page, this is the perfect book to share with little ones this summer—and in every soccer season that follows!Where’s The…? is a delightful collection of interactive baby books designed to spark curiosity and build early language skills through a simple game of hide-and-seek.

$9.99 US
May 05, 2026
7-1/16 x 7-1/16
Board Book
10 Pages
Candlewick Press
Age 0-2 years
Cozy Cottage
Cozy Cottage
Cute and Relaxing Coloring Book
Cherry Lam
9798217275243
Color over 40 adorable illustrations from artist Cherry Lam in this cozy adult coloring book.
$9.99 US
May 05, 2026
8-11/16 x 8-11/16
Adult Coloring Book
96 Pages
Watson-Guptill
The New Vegetarian
The New Vegetarian
500+ Recipes for a Lifetime of Great Meals
America's Test Kitchen
9781966027027
Here is the next generation vegetarian cookbook from America's Test Kitchen 500+ creative recipes that define vegetarian cooking today—fresher, fiberful, fantastic
$45.00 US
May 05, 2026
8-1/12 x 10
Hardcover
640 Pages
America's Test Kitchen
My Little Golden Book About K-pop
My Little Golden Book About K-pop
Jessica Yoon, Suji Park
9798217233144
Hunting for a book all about KPop? Look no further! Read all about the music, the movies, the fandoms, and the history that made KPop a global sensation in this beautifully illustrated, star-studded Little Golden Book!
$5.99 US
May 05, 2026
6-5/8 x 8
Hardcover
24 Pages
Golden Books
Age 4-8 years
Pride Tattoos
Pride Tattoos
Temporary tattoos that celebrate LGBTQIA+ pride
Diego Blanco
9781923239951
Celebrate your pride with bold, empowering temporary tattoos that make a statement.
$19.95 US
May 05, 2026
6-2/7 x 7-7/8
Paperback
16 Pages
Smith Street Gift
The Great Book of Chocolate, Revised
The Great Book of Chocolate, Revised
The Chocolate Lover's Guide with More Than 50 Recipes [A Baking Cookbook]
David Lebovitz
9780593836958
A completely revised edition of David Lebovitz's comprehensive guide to everything chocolate, featuring more than fifty rich and decadent recipes—including fifteen that are brand new—for chocolatey cookies, brownies, cakes, truffles, ice cream, and more.
$24.99 US
May 05, 2026
7 x 9
Hardcover
192 Pages
Ten Speed Press
Weird But True! USA: Expanded Edition
Weird But True! USA: Expanded Edition
350 Fascinating Facts About the Fifty States
National Geographic Kids
9798217226733
It's weird. It's true. And now, it's red, white, and blue! Explore the wonderfully wacky side of the United States of America in Weird But True! style—updated with 50 new facts to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence!
$11.99 US
May 05, 2026
6-1/2 x 6-1/2
Paperback
216 Pages
National Geographic Kids
Age 8-12 years
Turning to Birds
Turning to Birds
The Power and Beauty of Noticing
Lili Taylor
9780593728598
“By turns introspective, inquisitive, and funny, the book is a love letter to nature and the solace it can provide.”—The New Yorker Now in paperback and featuring a new afterword, eye-opening essays about searching for peace in the cacophony of birds and discovering a world of meaning in small moments—from award-winning actor Lili Taylor.
$20.00 US
May 05, 2026
5-3/16 x 8
Paperback
208 Pages
Crown
Grill Time!
Grill Time!
Why You Should Be Grilling for Better, Healthier, Easier, and More Delicious Meals: A Cookbook
Noah Galuten
9780593804278
Your new go-to grilling guide, perfect for newbies and grill masters alike, from the James Beard Award–winning writer and chef and author of The Don’t Panic Pantry Cookbook
$35.00 US
May 26, 2026
8 x 10
Hardcover
256 Pages
Knopf
Pop-Up Peekaboo! Seashore
Pop-Up Peekaboo! Seashore
DK
9798217138470
Take a trip to the beach and find pop-up sea creatures hiding under flaps in this delightful book for preschoolers.
$14.99 US
May 05, 2026
8-1/4 x 8-1/4
Board Book
12 Pages
DK Children
Age 0-3 years
The Odyssey (Gilded) Tote Bag
The Odyssey (Gilded) Tote Bag
Out of Print
9798217433551
The Odyssey tote bag
$22.00 US
May 26, 2026
Merchandise
Out of Print
The LORAfied Cookbook
The LORAfied Cookbook
Easy Recipes and Budget-Friendly Hacks to Feed the Whole Family
Lora McLaughlin Peterson
9780593965030
Make every mealtime a breeze with over 100 simple, "fancy yet frugal” recipes and household hacks from LORAfied’s Lora McLaughlin Peterson
$35.00 US
May 05, 2026
8 x 10
Hardcover
272 Pages
DK
Disney Stitch Glow in the Dark Ultimate Sticker Book
Disney Stitch Glow in the Dark Ultimate Sticker Book
DK
9798217310142
Meet fan favorites; Stitch, Angel, Leroy, and Scrump in this awesome Lilo & Stitch, glow-in-the-dark sticker book.
$7.99 US
May 05, 2026
8-1/2 x 11
Paperback
16 Pages
DK Children
Age 5-7 years
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