B&N Names ‘Mona’s Eyes’ Its Book of the Year

Nov 13, 2025

Barnes & Noble has crowned Mona’s Eyes (Europa) by Thomas Schlesser, translated from the French by Hildegarde Serle, as its 2025 Book of the Year. B&N has also named Samin Nosrat’s Good Things (Random House) as its Gift Book of the Year, while Ross Montgomery’s I Am Rebel (Candlewick) and Beth Ferry’s Growing Home (S&S), illustrated by the Fan Brothers, have tied for Children’s Book of the Year. 

Booksellers at more than 700 B&N bookstores nationwide voted for the book that they had been “most proud to sell,” according to the chain. Other finalists for this year’s Book of the Year include Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins (Scholastic), Katabasis by R.F. Kuang (HarperCollins), Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy (Scribner), and Buckeye by Patrick Ryan (Random House), among others.

“Mona’s Eyes is a novel that snuck up on us, catching the eye of booksellers and customers alike in the best tradition of word-of-mouth bestsellers,” James Daunt, CEO of B&N, said. “This is a novel for everyone, a gentle, moving tale about family, beauty, and the fleeting moments that make lasting memories.”

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