The Booksellers Association has today revealed Case Study by Graeme Macrae Burnet as its Fiction Book of the Month for October, while The Story of Afro Hair by K.N. Chimbiri and Joelle Avelino is Children’s Book of the Month.
 
Case Study by Booker shortlisted novelist Graeme Macrae Burnet takes readers to London in 1956, where a young woman believes a charismatic psychotherapist has driven her sister to suicide. In order to confirm her suspicions, she adopts a false identity and pretends to be a client, only to be drawn into a world where she can no longer be certain of anything. Case Study is published by Saraband and is available to buy in bookshops from 7^th October 2021.
 
Author Graeme Macrae Burnet commented: “There can be no greater pleasure than whiling away an afternoon in a well-curated indie bookshop populated by passionate and knowledgeable staff. Indies are an ever more important part of the literary and cultural scene in the UK and if we want them to survive, it's vital that we support them.”

John Garrad, Book-ish bookseller and member of the Selection Panel added: “Case Study is a wry, self-aware interrogation of mental illness and mental health, of therapy and therapists and the people who need them, two handshakes removed from plausibility by its uncovered-document framing. A very clever machine of a book, which I can see myself rereading several times.” 

The booksellers on the Fiction Book of the Month selection panel for October and November were from Book-ish; Darling Reads; Max Minerva’s; DRAKE – The Bookshop and Warwick Books.

The Story of Afro Hair by K.N. Chimbiri, illustrated by Joelle Avelino, is the ultimate guide to Afros, diving into the history, fashion and styles of Afro hair over the last 5,000 years, from the Kingdom of Benin to Henry VIII’s court, the Harlem Renaissance to 1980s Britain. The Story of Afro Hair is published by Scholastic and is available in bookshops from 7^th October 2021.

Author K.N. Chimbiri said, “I love indies because of the diversity they bring to our retail landscape. I enjoy their individuality, uniqueness, and character. They support and serve their communities in a very personal way. I think it’s important that we support our indies so they can continue to support us!”

Natasha Radford, Chicken & Frog bookseller and member of the Selection Panel commented: “The Story of Afro Hair is a joyous celebration. From the first glance at its sparkling gold foil cover, the reader knows that they are in for a real treat. With beautiful illustrations from Joelle Avelino, the   book covers 5,000 years of Afro hair history, from Ancient Egypt to modern day and all that's in between. This is an essential guide, not only for children, but adults too, of the fashion, politics and key people within the Afro beauty industry.”

The booksellers on the Children’s Book of the Month selection panel for October and November were from Chicken & Frog; Burway Books and The Bookshop, Bridport.

Independent bookshops around the UK and Ireland will be promoting Case Study and The Story of Afro Hair throughout October 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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