Our Discover Prize Winner 2023
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Our 2023 Discover Award winner, The Berry Pickers, is the story of a Mi’kmaq girl gone missing and the lasting effect it has on her family. Already one of the most highly anticipated debuts of the season, it is a profoundly moving novel told from the alternating point of view of two siblings, inspired by family stories and written in exacting prose. This novel is a gorgeous narrative that will stay with readers.
Our 2023 Discover Award winner, The Berry Pickers, is the story of a Mi’kmaq girl gone missing and the lasting effect it has on her family. Already one of the most highly anticipated debuts of the season, it is a profoundly moving novel told from the alternating point of view of two siblings, inspired by family stories and written in exacting prose. This novel is a gorgeous narrative that will stay with readers.
This is what I told the crowd who joined us at our store on the Upper West Side of New York City on Monday night, when we announced The Berry Pickers as the 2023 winner of our Discover Prize: “A testament to hope as an act of love in the face of unimaginable loss, its’ no wonder that this novel inspired such a passionate response from our booksellers. For weeks, the question on everyone’s mind was, Have you read The Berry Pickers yet? I have no doubt that this will soon be question readers everywhere will be asking, too.” —Lexie Smyth
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Here is just some of the praise those Barnes & Noble booksellers have bestowed upon The Berry Pickers:
“The Berry Pickers immerses you in a story between two families, whose feelings of grief and guilt surround years-long secrets and repercussions of a missing child. The ending was heartening and so satisfying.” — Tara S., Nashville, TN
“A family mystery spanning 50 years sets the stage for an exploration of loss and tragedy, truth and identity. A powerfully heartbreaking, yet ultimately hopeful debut.” — Kevin R., Houston, TX
“This poignant debut reaches deep into your emotional core as you follow a family and their unimaginable heartbreak and another family’s secret.” — Alicia G., Indianapolis, IN
“This begins as a tragic mystery and blossoms into a story of resilient hope. I couldn’t put it down.” — Carly R., Green Bay, WI
Each month, Barnes & Noble selects a debut novel to feature as their Discover Monthly Pick. Booksellers read and deliberate to deliver a shortlist from these selections and other debuts, and ultimately select an overall Discover Prize winner. This long-standing program is outstandingly successful in identifying new talent in the literary landscape and has been instrumental in launching the careers of many acclaimed writers. The winner also receives a $10,000 cash prize.
Competition for this year’s Discover Prize was fierce and B&N booksellers across the country have also fallen for the following five finalists, representing some of the best and freshest writing today.
- Chain Gang All Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
- Where There Was Fire by John Manuel Arias
- The East Indian by Brinda Charry
- Open Throat by Henry Hoke
- In Memoriam by Alice Winn
Customers can find Amanda Peters’ The Berry Pickers along with the other Discover Award Finalists at their local Barnes & Noble and on bn.com. They can also gush about their favorites on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter, using the hashtag #bndiscoverprize.