by Allison Andres

For years, our iPub Picks shelf has celebrated the stories that move us, challenge us, and reflect the diverse world we live in. Now, we’re bringing that tradition online with a new blog series written by our very own team members. Each week, one staffer will share three books—one children’s, one nonfiction, and one fiction—that embody iPub’s mission to amplify underrepresented voices and celebrate powerful storytelling.

We invite you to follow along, discover something new, and maybe even find your next favorite read!

This week’s iPub Picks are provided by Allison Andres, iPub’s Publishing Volunteer.

Allison is a digital marketer and social media manager from Louisville, Kentucky, with a lifelong passion for reading and writing. In her volunteer role at iPub, she assists with proofreading, SEO, and other marketing tasks. She loves reading, cooking, going to concerts, and hanging out with her three cats in her free time. 

Here are Allison’s book picks:

Fiction: Small Beauty by Jia Qing Wilson-Yang

Small Beauty by Jia Qing Wilson-Yang. The title of this novel perfectly encapsulates its essence. It’s small, and it’s beautiful. In less than 200 pages, Wilson-Yang tells one of the simplest yet most powerful stories of family, community, and queerness I’ve read. 

Nonfiction: From the Hood to the Holler by Charles Booker

From the Hood to the Holler: A Story of Separate Worlds, Shared Dreams, and the Fight for America’s Future by Charles Booker. As a Louisville native, this memoir from Kentucky’s youngest Black state legislator filled me with much-needed hope for my home state and the South. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants a reminder that it’s possible to work across partisan divides to fight for equity and social justice.