Land O’Lakes

William Kent Krueger debuts at #6 in hardcover fiction with This Tender Land, an “enjoyable riff on The Odyssey,” our review said, that “follows four orphans as they search for safety in Depression-era Minnesota.” Krueger launched his tour in Minneapolis, and the book was ranked #1 in BookScan’s West North Central division (which includes Minnesota), where 39% of sales were recorded.

(See all of this week's bestselling books.)

In Clubland

The September celebrity book club picks are out, and a pair of debut novels nabbed spots on our list.

Reese’s Book Club: The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott, a new release, lands at #9 in hardcover fiction.

Read with Jenna: The Dearly Beloved by Cara Wall, in its fourth week on sale, debuts at #19 in hardcover fiction.

Triple Crown

Given how difficult it can be for a picture book to break onto a list packed with perennial favorites, it’s notable that three new picture books have landed at the top of that list.

The #1 picture book, and #9 book in the country overall, is Dr. Seuss’s Horse Museum, which credits Seuss as author and Andrew Joyner as illustrator. “Constructed from a manuscript and sketches found by the author’s widow,” our review said, “this lively excursion into the world of art explores the artist’s vision by focusing on works that take the horse as their subject.”

At #2 in picture books, Hey Grandude by Paul McCartney, illustrated by Kathryn Durst, sees a grandfather take the grandkids on what might be described as a magical mystery tour. And at #3, Just Ask! by Sonia Sotomayor, illustrated by Rafael López, is, our review said, a “meditation on the idea that we’re all different,” related in “a compassionate, forthright tone.”

New & Notable

Call Sign Chaos
James Mattis and Bing West
#1 Hardcover Nonfiction, #2 overall
Our review answers the obvious question: former defense secretary Mattis, in this memoir and leadership guide, “lets his resignation letter serve as his only direct comment on serving in President Trump’s cabinet.”

How To
Randall Munroe
#2 Hardcover Nonfiction, #4 overall
Cartoonist Munroe “explores scientific problems with often Rube Goldbergian solutions,” our starred review said, in a “witty, educational” title that follows his popular What If and Thing Explainer.

Top 10 Overall

Rank Title Author Imprint Units
1 For Whom the Ball Rolls Dav Pilkey Graphix 54,771
2 Call Sign Chaos Mattis/West Random House 51,100
3 Where the Crawdads Sing Delia Owens Putnam 41,141
4 How To Randall Munroe Riverhead 28,604
5 The Oracle Jonathan Cahn Frontline 28,155
6 Boy-Crazy Stacey (Baby-Sitters Club #7) Martin/Galligan Graphix 26,863
7 Vendetta in Death J.D. Robb St. Martin’s 24,969
8 Educated Tara Westover Random House 18,941
9 Dr. Seuss’s Horse Museum Seuss/Joyner Random House 16,226
10 The Goldfinch Donna Tartt Back Bay 14,375

All unit sales per NPD BookScan except where noted.