TORONTO -- As the pandemic interferes with summer travel plans, it seems there’s never been a better time to plan another kind of getaway: getting lost in a good book.

Whether it’s looking for something to read with your kids or trying out a new seasonal recipe, there’s a book out there for everyone, according to Heather Reisman, the CEO of Indigo Books and Music. 

Here are a few of Reisman’s top picks that she shared during an interview with CTV News Channel on Thursday. A complete list of her book recommendations broken down by category can be found at the end of this story.

Standing out in the fiction category for Reisman is "The Book of Longings," a novel written by American author Sue Monk Kidd, who also brought to life the bestselling fiction book “The Secret Life of Bees.” Monk Kidd’s latest work imagines the life Jesus would have had before becoming the leader of the Apostles and follows the life of the young woman he married. 

“This is the story of a young woman around the 1st century B.C.,” said Reisman. “A determined and quite brilliant woman who falls in love with a young man named Jesus. Essentially, this imagines what would Jesus’ life have been before he became the Jesus that we know,” she added.

Reisman also spotlighted "A Long Petal of the Sea," a fiction novel from the New York Times bestselling author Isabel Allende. Reisman described it as being inspired by a real-life moment when the famous Chilean poet Pablo Neruda helped a group of Spaniards who were escaping the Spanish Civil War of the late 1930s to relocate and live in South America.

“It is a beautifully written story and it just is… the intermixing of real-life events with the narrative of the love stories are quite wonderful,” said Reisman.

In the non-fiction category, Reisman pointed out a timely and relevant read on the racial unrest currently gripping the world called "Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America." Written by American author Ibram X. Kendi and first published in 2016, Reisman said the book traces the real story of racism all the way to the time of Aristotle.

Kendi teamed up with young adult writer Jason Reynolds to publish "Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You," a remixed and more current version of his original book geared towards a younger audience that came out in March. 

“It’s a great book to have a discussion with if you’ve got a teenager. And adults, you can read together as a book club,” Reisman said.

For kids aged four to seven, Reisman suggested "The Word Collector," written by Toronto-born children’s book author and illustrator Peter H. Reynolds. Reisman said she was inspired to read the story when she heard former U.S. President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle read it live on social media last month from their home for an online daily kids story time series for the Chicago Public Library.

The story focuses on a young boy named Jerome who has a passion for collecting words in the same way another person might collect stamps or rocks. 

“It’s about the beauty of words and how words help us communicate,” she added.

For those looking to add some summer flair to their kitchen routines, Reisman recommended a cookbook by Montreal-based sisters Mandy and Rebecca Wolfe, known for their elevated, gourmet salads. "Mandy’s Gourmet Salads: Recipes for Lettuce and Life" guides readers on how to create a leafy masterpiece, and also offers chapters dedicated to smoothies, grain bowls and baked treats. 

“I don’t cook that much, and I actually have done some of the cooking in this book. Absolutely delightful summer cooking,” Reisman added. The book is scheduled for release on July 7.

TOP FICTION PICKS

"The Book of Longings" by Sue Monk Kidd

"A Long Petal of the Sea" by Isabel Allende

"Washington Black" by Esi Edugyan

"Homegoing" by Yaa Gyasi

TOP NON-FICTION PICKS

"The Splendid and the Vile" by Erik Larson

"Shame on Me: An Anatomy of Race and Belonging" by Tessa McWatt

"Stamped from the Beginning" by Ibram X. Kendi

TOP KIDS/TEENS PICKS

"The Word Collector" by Peter H. Reynolds

"Firebird" by Misty Copeland

"Becoming Brianna" by Terri Libenson

"Stamped Racism, Antiracism and You" by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds

TOP COOKBOOK PICKS

"Mandy’s Gourmet Salads: Recipes for Lettuce and Life" by Mandy Wolfe

"Falastin" by Sami Tamimi