Welcome to Read this Book, where I recommend one book that needs to jump onto your TBR pile! Sometimes these books are brand new releases that I don’t want you to miss, while others are some of my backlist favorites. This week, I’m sharing the perfect pop social science book that’s ideal for anyone who loves a funny, informative book.

Here in the American South, May often feels like a never-ending battle with your allergies as you dodge tumble-pollens while moving down the sidewalk. But the days are beautiful as more and more people venture outside. At the park, I spot other book nerds sitting around fountains or on wooden benches pouring over page after page. The days are warm and the sun is shining, making for the perfect atmosphere for reading outside. On rainy days, I huddle indoors and open up a hefty tome, which probably weighs more than one of my Corgis, and I become fully engrossed until late into the night.

Of course, true stories are my jam and the love of my book-obsessed life. There’s nothing like opening up a new-to-me cookbook and selecting what recipes I’m going to make next. Or maybe, I’ll dive into a biography of a favorite Southern Gothic writer. Or perhaps I’ll fall headlong into microhistory about the origins of hot dogs and their impact on society. The possibilities are endless.

In celebration of true stories, I’ve collected ten of some of the most exciting nonfiction titles hitting shelves in May. You might be new to nonfiction or a true stories pro, but whatever the case, there’s sure to be something on this list that catches your eye.

All publication dates are subject to change.

Happy May, kidlit readers! May and October are my two favorite months of the year. In May, the flowers are blooming, the birds are singing, the weather is warming, and I’ll likely be taking my daughter on our first creek hikes of the year. It’s also my birthday month! It feels like winter is truly over, and it’s time for new things, and new books, of course. As always, May children’s book releases are phenomenal and I’ve so enjoyed reading them. There’s something for every type of reader.

May children’s book releases explore many diverse experiences. In May picture book releases, a Cherokee girl moves, a Moroccan library tells its story, an anxious child learns to love a pet, Muslim children become friends, and a young girl experiences persecution during the Chinese Cultural Revolution. In May middle grade releases, a Chinese American girl discovers a magic paintbrush, a Pakistani American experiences harassment, a nonbinary kid has their first romance, a Hindu boy discovers what it means to be brave during the British Partition of India, and a girl learns to value beauty from within. All of May children’s book releases were fantastic, and I can’t wait for everyone to get a chance to read them, too.

To read reviews of even more of May children’s book releases, make sure to subscribe and follow my reviews on Book Riot’s kidlit newsletter.

February 10 – May 4, 2024

April 18 – May 18, 2024

There had been concern when Jean and Emma got together that he was too serious, macho. I perhaps had it wrong that he had in art school driven to Chernobyl, uprooted a tree, and brought it back to France—a foreigner, I was capable of wild misunderstandings—but this was the story that had come to seem defining. Now he made a dance out of crumpling a wrapper, hopping up to throw it in the trash. He snapped his fingers to the music. It was cheerful music, music from my country though not from my era. In a city famous for ways of living developed, cultivated to exquisiteness, over centuries, we were engaged, that night, in a rare shabby tradition, that of the apéro dînatoire. Emma was throwing one ahead of moving in with Jean.

Possibly the tradition was not exclusively Parisian. “They do it systematically in Greece,” Jean said.

On a cutting board were resting chocolate bread from Chambelland, a slab of Comté, a “beautiful” radish Jean had brought, and chips: “I have chips because you said there must be chips for the feuilleton,” Emma said to me, referring to my plan to write about the evening. Having touched down that morning I was making such demands on top of being welcomed back. Stefania, who came late, brought sticks of crabmeat, olives, and a two-liter bottle of Coke.

Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt's new action film celebrates them as true artists

The road to Euro 2024 starts TODAY! Marcus and Luke are back with their third ever series of Lions Watch, where you’ll find everything you need to know about the England men’s national team – and plenty you don’t.

Today, England are officially favourites: so, how do we feel about it? Plus, Luke argues why it’s time to fire the Eric Dier signal and Marcus shares his worries about a robot serving the squad at their resort in Germany. Could be espionage, could be Sammy Lee inside a metal box.

Plus, the Take Thermometer returns with ol’ Fabio and we hear your questions!

We're back on stage and tickets are out NOW! Join us at London Palladium on Friday September 20th 2024 for 'Football Ramble: Time Tunnel', a journey through football history like no other. Expect loads of laughs, all your Ramble favourites, and absolutely everything on Pete's USB stick. Get your tickets at footballramblelive.com!

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November 17, 2023 – May 5, 2024

April 6 – May 4, 2024