Easy Bake
The success of several new cookbooks on our list may reflect readers’ kitchen fatigue and a desire to make meal prep easier and more enjoyable, per the publishers’ descriptions.
#1 Hardcover Nonfiction, #2 overall: Half Homemade, Fully Delicious by QVC’s David Venable. “110 simple, time-saving recipes that will change the way you shop, cook, and enjoy homemade meals.”
#7 Hardcover Nonfiction: Cravings: All Together by Chrissy Teigen. The book reflects Teigen’s “world as it is now—as a mom of two who’s often cooking for her kids (and getting them to help!).”
#11 Hardcover Nonfiction: Rise and Run by Shalane Flanagan and Elyse Kopecky. “This book will teach athletes how to spend more time chasing the sunrise—without sacrificing the most important meal of the day.”
#18 Hardcover Nonfiction: Cooking at Home by David Chang and Priya Krishna. Momofuku chef Chang “shares the kitchen hacks and culinary tricks he uses as a new home cook for a growing family—and shows the rest of us how to make the most of our cooking skills.”
Deep Roots
Percy Jackson creator Rick Riordan’s first work of science fiction, Daughter of the Deep, debuts at #4 on our children’s fiction list. His protagonist, Ana Dakkar, is a contemporary Indian American teen descended from the Jules Verne character Captain Nemo, introduced in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Verne later revealed, in The Mysterious Island, that Nemo was the son of an Indian raja. “Something I felt merited updating is talking about Nemo as Prince Dakkar, an anti-colonialist Indian noble,” Riordan told PW in a pre-pub interview. “He fought oppression and was ostracized and branded a rebel and a terrorist by the powers that be. That legacy made me wonder what his descendants would be dealing with today.”
Simply the Best
Best Wishes, Warmest Regards by Daniel and Eugene Levy, the father-and-son creators and costars of Schitt’s Creek, paddles its way to #6 on our hardcover nonfiction list. The Levys take readers behind the scenes of the show, which swept the comedy slate at the 2020 Emmys after its final season, in a photo-packed volume that includes stills from each episode plus cast interviews, fan art, and ephemera: for instance, seven pages of thumbnail illustrations depict fashion worn by Daniel’s character, “The Complete Collection of David’s Knits.” Another spread, a crowdsourced tournament bracket, determines the best outfit worn over the seasons by Catherine O’Hara’s eccentrically styled character.
NEW & NOTABLE
Big Shot
Jeff Kinney
#1 Children’s Fiction, #1 overall
In its first week on sale, book 16 in the Wimpy Kid series—which follows hapless Greg Heffley to the basketball court—bested the debut week of its immediate predecessor, 2020’s The Deep End, by 16K print copies.
Better Off Dead
Lee Child and Andrew Child
#2 Hardcover Fiction, #4 overall
“The Child brothers’ superb second collaboration (after 2020’s The Sentinel) opens one night at a remote spot on the U.S.-Mexico border,” per our starred review, setting the stage for another action-packed Jack Reacher thriller. “Smart writing, vivid action scenes, and dramatic twists mark this seamless effort.”
