February 1, 2025: Volume XCIII, No. 3

FEATURING 293 Industry-First Reviews of Fiction, Nonfiction, Children’s, and YA Books

GOING OFF THE GRID WITH CALLAN WINK

In Beartooth he delivers a gripping literary heist novel set in Yellowstone

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

WOMEN IN MUSIC

“WHAT WILL IT TAKE for women in music to get their due?” asks music critic Ann Powers in her introduction to How Women Made Music: A Revolutionary History From NPR Music, edited by Alison Fensterstock (HarperOne, 2024). “And more to the point: Why do we have to keep having to ask that question?”

The volume, which grew out of National Public Radio’s “Turning the Tables” series, highlights the achievements of women in popular music when so many of the received histories of rock ’n’ roll and hip-hop skew heavily male. There’s a list of the “150 Greatest Albums Made by Women,” plus appreciations of seminal artists—from Willie Mae Thornton and Ronnie Spector to Joni Mitchell and Beyoncé—that remind us how women have always

broken barriers in music, whether or not we were paying attention. Last year’s starred review called the book an “indispensable survey of the too-often neglected role of women in creating the music we all listen to.”

Someone who knows a lot about the challenges faced by women in the music industry is Neko Case, a founding member of the New Pornographers and Grammy-nominated solo artist whose albums include Blacklisted and Middle Cyclone. In this issue, we speak with Case about her first book, The Harder I Fight the More I Love You (Grand Central Publishing, Jan. 28), which shares a lineage with such powerful musical memoirs as Patti Smith’s Just Kids (2010), Kristin Hersh’s Rat Girl (2010), Carrie Brownstein’s Hunger Makes Me a Modern

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Girl (2015), and Rickie Lee Jones’ Last Chance Texaco (2021), a book Case cites as an inspiration in her acknowledgments. Our starred review calls Case’s memoir a “sweet-and-sour study of a songwriter’s coming-of-age.”

The Harder I Fight recounts Case’s hardscrabble childhood in the Pacific Northwest, the child of young parents who often left her to her own devices; she recalls seeking refuge in nature, with animals, as well as through music. “I listened to music like it was more important than eating and breathing,” she writes. She formed the band Maow (“we were pure appetite”) with two women friends, and she found an affinity for singing, drums, guitar, and songwriting. The sexism she encountered was, in her words, “so… obvious.” Read her conversation with contributor Kate Tuttle on p. 54.

Few female pop musicians were more misunderstood and underestimated than Sinéad O’Connor, the Irish

singer, songwriter, and activist who topped the charts in 1990 with her cover of Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U,” then gained notoriety in 1992 after tearing up a photo of Pope John Paul II during a live performance on Saturday Night Live (a protest against child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church). O’Connor died in 2023 at the age of 56, and now she’s the subject of Sinéad O’Connor: The Last Interview and Other Conversations (Melville House, 2024), part of a long-running series by the publisher. The book features early interviews with NME and Rolling Stone as well as a transcript of her appearance on The View in 2021 while promoting her own candid memoir, Rememberings Like Case, and so many of the women featured in NPR’s anthology, O’Connor moved to the beat of a different drum.

Illustration by Eric Scott Anderson

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Nada Abdelrahim, Reina Luz Alegre, Autumn Allen, Stephanie Anderson, Jenny Arch, Kent Armstrong, Mark Athitakis, Colette Bancroft, Audrey Barbakoff, Nell Beram, Elizabeth Bird, Ariel Birdoff, Sarah Blackman, Hannah Bonner, Jennifer Brough, Jessica Hoptay Brown, Cliff Burke, Ana Cackley, Kevin Canfield, Charles Cassady, K.W. Colyard, Emma Corngold, Jeannie Coutant, Maya Davis, Michael Deagler, Dave DeChristopher, Elise DeGuiseppi, Suji DeHart, Amanda Diehl, Steve Donoghue, Anna Drake, Jacob Edwards, Gina Elbert, Lisa Elliott, Tanya Enberg, Joshua Farrington, Brooke Faulkner, Eiyana Favers, Margherita Ferrante, Katie Flanagan, Amy Seto Forrester, Cynthia Fox, Mia Franz, Ayn Reyes Frazee, Harvey Freedenberg, Jenna Friebel, Jackie Friedland, Robbin Friedman, Nivair H. Gabriel, Elisa Gall, Laurel Gardner, Chloé Harper Gold, Carol Goldman, Michael Griffith, Vicky Gudelot, Geoff Hamilton, Sean Hammer, Silvia Lin Hanick, Peter Heck, Bridey Heing, Loren Hinton, Zoe Holland, Natalia Holtzman, Julie Hubble, Ariana Hussain, Kathleen T. Isaacs, Darlene Ivy, Kristen Jacobson, Danielle Jones, Betsy Judkins, Marcelle Karp, Ivan Kenneally, Stephanie Klose, Lyneea Kmail, Maggie Knapp, Andrea Kreidler, Megan Dowd Lambert, Carly Lane, Christopher Lassen, Tom Lavoie, Judith Leitch, Seth Lerer, Donald Liebenson, Elsbeth Lindner, Coeur de Lion, Barbara London, Karen Long, Patricia Lothrop, Georgia Lowe, Mikaela W. Luke, Wendy Lukehart, Michael Magras, Joan Malewitz,, Thomas Maluck, Collin Marchiando, Gabriela Martins, Matthew May, Kirby McCurtis, Breanna McDaniel, Jeanne McDermott, Zoe McLaughlin, Kathie Meizner, Carrigan Miller, J. Elizabeth Mills, Clayton Moore, Rebecca Moore, Andrea Moran, Rhett Morgan, Jennifer Nabers, Liza Nelson, Randall Nichols, Therese Purcell Nielsen, Katrina Nye, Tori Ann Ogawa, Connie Ogle, Mike Oppenheim, Emilia Packard, Derek Parker, John Edward Peters, Jim Piechota, William E. Pike, Kristy Raffensberger, Jonah Raskin, Kristen Rasmussen, Maggie Reagan, Darryn Reams, Charles Reichmann, Amy Reiter, Erica Rivera, Kelly Roberts, Sydney Sampson, Bob Sanchez, Caitlin Savage, Meredith Schorr, Nicole Schrag, Jerome Shea, Madeline Shellhouse, Polly Shulman, Linda Simon, Laurie Skinner, Margot E. Spangenberg, Mo Springer, Allison Staley, Allie Stevens, Mathangi Subramanian, Desiree Thomas, Bill Thompson, Lenora Todaro, Bijal Vachharajani, Jenna Varden, Francesca Vultaggio, Elliott Walcroft, Barbara Ward, Caroline Ward, Erica Weidner, Audrey Weinbrecht, Sara Beth West, Angela Wiley, Paul Wilner, Kerry Winfrey, Marion Winik, Jean-Louise Zancanella

ROMANCE FOR THE AGES

IS HISTORICAL ROMANCE in trouble? The romance community on Threads thinks so, with several authors revealing that their publishers have asked them to switch to contemporary settings. I hope it’s not true, or things turn around, because many of the best romances today are historicals. From Liana de la Rosa’s series about the Luna sisters, three Mexican women in Victorian London, to Cat Sebastian’s books about queer men working at a New York City newspaper in the 1950s, historical romances are conquering new territories with intelligence, wit, and warmth. And if you like stories about 19th-century England, we’ve got those, too, often addressing contemporary issues through the lens of history

in a way that’s both revealing and satisfying. Whether you’re a longtime fan or a curious reader looking for a way into the genre, here are some recent histroms that have received starred reviews.

Something Extraordinary by Alexis Hall (Montlake Romance, Dec. 17): Sir Horley Comewithers is gay and Arabella Tarleton isn’t interested in romance at all. But they’re friends, and she wants to save him from a loveless marriage, so she kidnaps him to Gretna Green for an elopement. Hall finds a way to a happily-ever-after for these two, “nudg[ing] romance into new territory,” as our review says. “For example, though the story includes multiple steamy intimate scenes, none of them are between the hero and

heroine, which everyone involved is very happy about.”

A Tempest of Desire by Lorraine Heath (Avon/ HarperCollins, Dec. 24): Heath is known for some out-there setups: Would you believe that in The Earl Takes All , one of a pair of identical twins dies while they’re traveling in Africa, and his brother takes his place at home so the dead man’s pregnant wife won’t be traumatized? Bring it on. In her latest, London’s most notorious courtesan washes up on a private island when her hot air balloon collapses in a storm—and who should be staying on that island but a viscount recovering from a railway accident. Our review calls it “a heartfelt and high-flying Victorian romance.”

A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke by Adriana Herrera (Canary Street, Feb. 4): The first two books in Herrera’s Las Leonas series—about three Caribbean women who head to Paris for the 1889 Exposition Universelle—were

both included in Kirkus’ lists of the best romances of the year. This final installment follows Aurora Montalban Wright, a doctor running a secret women’s clinic in Paris, and Apollo César Sinclair Robles, an Afro-Latine man who’s unexpectedly become the Duke of Annan, as they start with sex and wind up with love. “Bursting with passion,” the book “is a masterclass in romance writing and plotting,” according to our review.

The Beast Takes a Bride by Julie Anne Long (Avon/ HarperCollins, Oct. 22): Long has created the perfect backdrop for romance with her Palace of Rogues series, centering on a highly respectable boardinghouse in London’s less-than-respectable docklands area. All sorts of people have fallen in love there, from aristocrats to opera singers to…Americans (shudder). In this latest volume, a husband and wife who’ve been estranged since he saw her kissing another man on their wedding day find their way back to each other after he returns to London intending to ship her to New York. “A keeper,” says our review, “fusing the beauties of historical romance with present-day ideas of individual happiness.”

Laurie Muchnick is the fiction editor.

LAURIE MUCHNICK

Illustration by Eric Scott Anderson

EDITOR’S PICK

A son of the Black bourgeoisie grapples with the limits of his privilege.

“In the grand scheme of history, it was nothing”: That’s the opening of this smart, scintillating debut novel, as 20-something queer protagonist David Smith pockets 0.7 grams of cocaine—“what might have looked like a matchbook or stick of gum to an unwitting child”—at a Hamptons nightspot. Smith’s arrest by plainclothes officers moments later will set off an intense personal reckoning, coming, as it does, less than a month after the death of his best friend and roommate, Elle England, from what appears to be a drug overdose; the tragedy has been tabloid fodder ever since her body was

discovered in a Bronx park, miles from their Brooklyn apartment. Smith, son of a retired HBCU president, and Elle, daughter of a 1990s neo-soul singer, are in a coterie of bright young things that also includes Carolyn Astley, a wellheeled blond having an affair with a trendy married chef. (The opening of his pretentious restaurant, Inducio, is one of the novel’s many deliciously mordant set pieces.) Carolyn dabbles in AA, and Smith himself harbors a “lingering suspicion…that indeed he had a problem: some unnameable ache that would eat him alive.” As he awaits his court date, he’ll attend a series of perfunctory group treatment sessions on Skype, then

Great Black Hope

head south to Atlanta for Christmas with his family (for whom he is a “liability to be managed,” he thinks) and spend hours driving amid the landmarks of his childhood, reflecting on the “Black kids who’d grown up as he did, with professional mothers and ever-present fathers, lessons in lacrosse

and piano—who’d bottomed out young on some compulsion to selfdestruct.” Subjects that might make for solemn reading are rendered thoroughly absorbing by the author’s radiant prose and razor-sharp observations. A captivating novel of dissolution and redemption.

Family is about more than blood in this tenderhearted and touching novel.

EVERYBODY SAYS IT’S EVERYTHING

Kirkus Star

Everybody Says It’s Everything

Aliu, Xhenet | Random House (320 pp.) $29.00 | March 18, 2025 | 9780593732274

A set of adopted twins have a lot to discover about their Albanian heritage and themselves.

Drita and Petrit “Pete” DiMeo, the brother and sister at the center of Aliu’s perceptive, poignant second novel, couldn’t be more different. She is an academically gifted achiever who made it out of their hard-luck hometown of Waterbury, Connecticut, through work and determination, going first to an in-state university, because it was affordable, and then to graduate school at Columbia University, because she could. Drita has a nursing degree and is studying public health, determined to help the world, but after Jackie, their adoptive mother, suffers a stroke, Drita returns to help her and to work as a visiting nurse in the town she thought she’d left behind. Pete, meanwhile, is a charming ne’er-do-well, a hard-drinking heartbreaker who skipped town with his drug-abusing girlfriend, Shanda, and their sweetspirited young son, Dakota, and then let shame keep him away from his family. When Pete falls in with a group of Albanians in the Bronx organizing on behalf of the Kosovo Liberation Army and Shanda and Dakota turn up on Drita’s proverbial doorstep, each of the twins begins to learn more about their family and identity, each other and themselves, lessons more complex

than they first seemed. As she did in her debut, Brass (2018), also set in Waterbury, Aliu tells us an American story with Albanian inflections, deftly toggles time and perspective, and introduces characters—not only Drita and Pete, but also Jackie, Shanda, and others— the reader will not soon forget. Writing with warmth and sensitivity, compassion and a clear-eyed command of the narrative, she brings empathy and generosity to these characters’ experiences—their disappointments and hopes, the questionable choices they make and the consequences of those decisions that they, and we, may not have predicted.

Family is about more than blood in this tenderhearted and touching novel—a riveting read.

The Unworthy

Bazterrica, Agustina | Trans. by Sarah Moses | Scribner (192 pp.) | $18.99 paper March 4, 2025 | 9781668051887

As the world dies, the remnants of the patriarchy and their minions keep right on terrorizing the weak.

Caustically original in the same fashion as her chilling Tender Is the Flesh (2020), Bazterrica’s latest devises an end-of-the-world scenario with a Handmaid’s Tale vibe. The most palpable tragedy is that no matter how the world dies, women always seem to end up with the same sorry fortune. The story is set in an unknown wasteland where all the animals on Earth have perished, with callouts to a mysterious, poisonous haze and a

collapsed world. Our narrator is a young woman relegated to sheltering in the House of the Sacred Sisterhood, an isolated, fundamentalist order subservient to an unseen, deity-like “He,” and divided into strict castes. Among these are the Enlightened, kept isolated from the rest of the order behind a mysterious black door; the Chosen, divine and devoted prophets who are ritually mutilated; and the servants marked by contamination, who sit just below the narrator’s caste, the unworthy young women. The story is a little tough to follow due to the narrator’s fragmented memory, not to mention lots of interruptions from the old ultraviolence and body horror. Although men are banned from the cloistered stronghold, it’s a relentlessly sadistic and violent society ruled by the Superior Sister, enforcer of His will and the instrument of punishment up to and including torture and death. The narrator is already mourning Helena, a spirited iconoclast who couldn’t survive under such oppression, when a new arrival named Lucía sparks fresh hope that may prove as fruitless as everything else in this bleak testament to suffering. As a subversion of expectations and an indictment of unchecked power, it’s unflinching and provocative, but readers expecting a satisfying denouement may be left wanting.

A somber reflection on an increasingly hostile world.

O Sinners!

Cuffy, Nicole | One World/ Random House (464 pp.) | $28.00 March 18, 2025 | 9780593597446

A journalist struggles to uncover a mysterious sect’s secrets—and his own.

When magazine journalist Faruq Zaidi departs on an immersion project that takes him inside a religious group known only as “the nameless,” the committed atheist thinks he’s leaving

behind his own emotional turmoil following the death of his father, a devout Muslim, a year earlier. Led by Odo, an aging but vital Black Vietnam War veteran, the collective operates from a highly developed base known as the Forbidden City in California’s redwood country. Following a set of principles known as the “18 Utterances,” its members get “hipped” and are urged to remove “distortion” from their lives as they espouse an enigmatic philosophy they say emphasizes “seeing beauty and making beauty,” while believing that “death is a beautiful thing too.” In alternating sections, Cuffy intersperses the story of Faruq’s effort to overcome the increasingly puzzling and ominous obstacles to penetrating the group’s essence with the script of a documentary about the nameless’ bitter, highly publicized clash with a fundamentalist Christian church at its founding site in a small Texas town and vivid scenes of Odo’s terrifying, disillusioning experience as a teenage foot soldier in the jungles of Vietnam. As Faruq’s projected six-week reporting assignment stretches into months, his questions about the nature of the nameless and its leader’s motivations and true beliefs only grow deeper. All the while, he wrestles with his own lack of faith, along with lingering grief over the sudden death of his mother when he was 12 and the way anti-Muslim sentiment in the wake of the 9/11 attack only a week afterward robbed him of the opportunity to mourn her passing properly. In exploring this corner of American religious life, Cuffy follows the recent work of Bret Anthony Johnston (We Burn Daylight, 2024) and Daniel Torday (The 12th Commandment, 2023) that dealt with religious cults, but she approaches the subject with a fresh, multifaceted perspective that makes it uniquely hers.

A well-guided journey along the boundary between faith and doubt.

Kirkus Star

Rosarita

Desai, Anita | Scribner (112 pp.)

$22.00 | Jan. 7, 2025 | 9781668082430

Sometimes, other people can see the secrets hidden right before your eyes.

Bonita, a young Indian woman studying at a language school in Mexico, has a series of unsettling—but ultimately intriguing—encounters with a stranger she meets in a park. Vicky, a flamboyant older woman prone to festive and traditional Mexican attire, insists that Bonita must be the daughter of her lost friend, “Rosarita,” another young Indian woman who had traveled to San Miguel many years before to study art. After initially rebuffing Vicky’s claims as outlandish, Bonita embarks on a series of reconnaissance missions, around San Miguel and onwards to Colima and the bay at La Manzanilla, in an effort to discern if there was any truth to Vicky’s accounts. Forced to make sense of several shadowy aspects of her now-deceased mother’s life story, Bonita comes to refer to Vicky herself as “the Trickster” as her confusion about her mother’s past grows. As Bonita reassesses the circumstances of her own earlier life, she comes to view some details through a more critical lens: Who was the artist behind the sketch hanging unremarked upon on the wall of her childhood bedroom, for example? Desai’s subtle exploration of memory,

Everett exhibits the same rakish charms as a writer that he shows as an actor.

identity, and thwarted aspirations has a ghostly, haunted quality to it (and veers into gothic territory during a visit to Vicky’s ancestral home). This atmospheric and eerie novella is delivered in the second-person voice, adding to the sense of distance between Bonita and the truth and to an ambivalence about the identity of the coolly detached narrator. Desai honors the parallels between art inspired by the Mexican Revolution and the Indian Partition in this tantalizing story of Bonita’s attempt to reconcile layer upon layer of a family’s history.

A haunting meditation on identity and understanding.

The American No

Everett, Rupert | Atria (320 pp.)

$28.99 | Feb. 11, 2025 | 9781668076453

In a book of autobiographical short stories, Everett exhibits the same rakish charms as a writer that he shows as an actor but also reveals a deep streak of romanticism.

The title refers to the way film pitches are rejected in Hollywood: after loud initial enthusiasm, silence. No stranger to the phenomena, Everett blithely announces, via the narrator of “Hare Hare,” that he has turned his rejected ideas “into a book of short stories” and goes on to describe a meeting with director John Schlesinger with precision and fatalistic insouciance. While discussing a film the two were making together (presumably The Next Best Thing, 2000), Schlesinger dismisses Everett’s suggestion for a funeral scene, a tragicomic story Everett now tells to establish his book’s purposeful blurring of memory and invention along with its themes of exile and lost family. Even when Everett struts his signature jaded wit—particularly in a story about a band of Hollywood losers with questionable scruples whose act of creepy desperation inadvertently

Gefen explores a speculative premise in a comic tone.

MRS. LILIENBLUM’S CLOUD FACTORY

turns them into successful entrepreneurs shilling “deals in fertilization”—what resonates is loneliness offset by flickering moments of connection. The longer, less glibly polished stories show more sincere emotional commitment. In “The Last Rites,” based on a fictionalized combination of his great-grandmother and Margaret Wheeler, a woman who mysteriously survived India’s First War of Independence in 1857, Everett writes a poignant almost-ghost story about a British woman stuck in India in a bad marriage. The description of India is haunting, the ending strained. Similarly, Everett’s story of a shipboard romance between a British man and Greek woman emigrating to Australia after World War II combines heart-wrenching characters with an earnest, even sentimental plot. There are stories about the lives and works of two gay literary icons, Oscar Wilde and Marcel Proust. Throughout, though the plots can sometimes feel contrived, Everett renders scenes in vivid, often moving detail. Quirky, uneven, but enchanting.

Casualties of Truth

Francis-Sharma, Lauren Atlantic Monthly (272 pp.) | $27.00 Feb. 11, 2025 | 9780802163783

An unexpected reunion leads a successful Black lawyer to recall the time she spent in South Africa. As Prudence Wright and her husband, Davis Gooden, drive to a Washington restaurant for dinner with his new work colleague, they have an unsettling encounter—an

apparently homeless man throws himself on the hood of their car, then runs away. It sets the tone for what will be a disturbing evening. Davis’ colleague, Matshediso Samuelsson, turns out to be someone Prudence once knew but never expected to see again. She has worked mightily to leave behind both her childhood— marred by poverty, violence and mental illness—and her experiences as a young Harvard-trained lawyer sent as an observer to the Truth and Reconciliation trials in South Africa in 1996. The testimony she heard from enforcers of apartheid was deeply shocking, and she also carries the trauma of a brutal attack by a white police officer that happened to her during that time. Matshediso helped her then, and both of them have been carrying the terrible weight of their revenge against the man ever since. She has no desire to revisit that time and bring its chaos into her carefully constructed present life. But Matshediso has other ideas. The first part of the novel, set during a single strange evening with backstories told through flashbacks, is tautly suspenseful and emotionally wrenching, and it explores the lifelong consequences of violence with insight. But the last portion of the book shifts into a thriller format as Matshediso’s plan unfolds, and unfortunately, it’s more confusing than thrilling. An engrossing story of the complex impacts of trauma stumbles when it pivots to present-day vengeance.

Mrs. Lilienblum’s Cloud Factory

Gefen, Iddo | Trans. by Daniella Zamir | Astra House (288 pp.)

$27.00 | April 1, 2025 | 9781662600876

The precipitous rise of an Israeli tech startup dedicated to making rain in the desert. In a fitting follow-up to his debut story collection, Jerusalem Beach (2021), winner of the Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature, Gefen explores a speculative premise in a mordantly comic tone. As it opens, the middle-aged inventor Sarai Lilienblum is sighted drinking a martini in the Israeli desert after disappearing from her home for several days. One of the reasons this captures media attention is because “home” is a semi-cooperative tourist lodge atop a cliff overlooking a desert crater which primarily draws visitors interested in the case of a long- disappeared Irish hiker named McMurphy. But Mrs. Lilienblum is not out there looking for McMurphy. She’s testing her latest invention—an unplugged vacuum cleaner that sucks up sand and emits a cloud, which forthwith dissolves into rain. As they say at the press conference for Cloudies, the startup her children, Eli and Naomi, co-found to promote their mother’s invention, “Everyone in this room knows that when Ben-Gurion spoke about making the desert bloom, it was the Cliff he had in mind.” The plot gets most of its energy from the siblings’ pursuit of various funding schemes. After a wealthy neighbor’s offer to underwrite the company falls through, Eli and Naomi pursue a very funny, subtly devised phishing scam under the persona of General Luciano Rodríguez Ancelotti III. Meanwhile, a billionaire named Ben Gould has posted online: “If in four months this device brings down rain on an entire town, I’ll make an offer. No lower than twenty million.” And so, things

For more by Lauren Francis-Sharma, visit Kirkus online.

A reporter’s investigation into the death of a friend turns existential.

SEE FRIENDSHIP

kick into high gear. The biggest shortcoming of Gefen’s high-spirited fable is character development, often gestured at but never achieved. For example, Sarai Lilienblum often tells her son that they’re “made from the same stuff.” He wonders if this could be true. So does the reader.

No shortage of promising premises.

Live Fast

Giraud, Brigitte | Trans. by Cory Stockwell | Ecco/HarperCollins (176 pp.)

$28.00 | Feb. 11, 2025 | 9780063346727

A gripping novel about grief and loss. In her autobiographical novel, Giraud chronicles the mundane events leading up to her husband Claude’s accidental death 20 years ago. One afternoon, as he’s running a series of errands, he crashes a borrowed Honda CBR900 Fireblade motorcycle. Though it’s a tragedy of chance and circumstance, Giraud tortures herself, wondering if there’s something she did to contribute to this fateful accident. In elegant but straightforward prose, Giraud’s narrator asks a series of unanswerable questions: Why did he ride that particular motorcycle? Why did he need to make a detour? What could she have done so that he might still be alive? “I’m writing from this remote setting where I’ve landed,” Giraud begins, “and from which I perceive the world as a slightly blurry film that for a long time has been shot

without me.” Though the narrator pores over each and every action her husband took, as if examining a film strip, existing in the past offers no answers. Rather, all the what ifs have “made [her] live [her] life in the past conditional.” “It’s like trying to wring out a dry cloth,” she writes with bemusement. “And yet.” Though we get tidbits of their marriage and work, Giraud is more interested in parsing the day of Claude’s death, not in scenes they shared while he was still alive. Ultimately, Giraud understands that “there’s no chronological or methodological order to any series of events” even as she tries to make sense of this random tragedy. Written with forensic precision and journalistic detail, Giraud’s elegiac novel is about the questions that haunt us no matter how much we may try to rid ourselves of them.

An exhaustive inquiry into an irrevocable loss.

See Friendship

Gordon, Jeremy | Harper Perennial/ HarperCollins (288 pp.) | $17.99 paper March 4, 2025 | 9780063375093

A reporter’s investigation into the death of a friend turns existential in this debut novel. Jacob Goldberg, a “writer for a moderately respected website,” believes that the key to his continued employment will be a podcast about the tragic death of his high school friend Seth Terry. While he’d always believed Seth was killed

by some kind of stomach problem, Jacob is shocked to learn a decade later that Seth had in fact died of a heroin overdose, and that a high school acquaintance had sold him the fatal dose. The novel operates on dual tracks. The first and more interesting thread follows the interviews that Jacob conducts with old friends, forming an outline of Seth’s life through the character studies of others. To get a clearer picture of Seth, a “cherubic wisp of indeterminate racial origin with floppy hair and skinny jeans,” Jacob must interview grown-up punks, former drug users, and a Raytheon employee. The weaker thread follows Jacob’s internal conflict over transforming his friend’s life and death into digital content. Jacob tells himself that the story could “elevate [his] own thoughts and feelings and experiences into something that matters to strangers,” but he increasingly comes to feel that his approach might be “callous.” He’s also turned off by the mercenary approach of podcasting. “It’s still a really gripping story,” an editor says. “Does it matter if it isn’t totally true?”

What keeps the novel tense is Jacob’s attempts to contact Lee, Seth’s drug dealer. Explored throughout are millennial culture, indie rock, and “the psychically fallow Bush years.” Totally of their time, these characters spend a lot of time smoking weed pens, playing video games, and posting on social media.

A frequently funny meditation on memory and loss.

The Story She Left Behind

Henry, Patti Callahan | Atria (352 pp.)

$29.99 | March 4, 2025 | 9781668011874

A woman travels from South Carolina to London to try to translate a book written by her long-lost mother. In 1952, Clara Harrington, a

Kirkus Star

There are as many layers here as in a croissant and it’s just as rich.

THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS

divorcée with a young daughter, is an elementary school art teacher and children’s book illustrator who’s recently won the Caldecott Medal; despite her good life, she’s haunted by the 1927 disappearance of her mother, Bronwyn Newcastle Fordham. Bronwyn, who had written a bestselling book in her own unique language as a child, vanished on the night the family house caught fire, killing a fireman and injuring the 8-year-old Clara. Now Clara receives a call from a man named Charlie Jameson, who, while cleaning out his late father’s library in London, found a set of papers marked “For Clara Harrington only,” with her address and phone number attached, and a note saying they must be delivered in person. They include a dictionary that Clara immediately realizes could be used to translate her mother’s sequel, written in the odd language she had made up. Charlie invites Clara to his family home in London, but upon arriving with her asthmatic daughter, Wynnie, the Great Smog of 1952 forces the trio to the Lake District. There, Clara uncovers connections she didn’t expect: Eliza Walker, the author for whom she has illustrated numerous books without ever meeting, lives in the area and turns out to have adapted her mother’s first book into a play. Clara becomes convinced that the Lake District holds more answers to the mystery of her mother’s disappearance. Though the setup is intriguing, the novel is overly long and meandering and fails to provide satisfying answers to the mysteries at its heart.

This novel will leave readers wishing for more.

Nemesis

Hurwitz, Gregg | Minotaur (464 pp.)

$30.00 | Feb. 11, 2025 | 9781250871749

When the Nowhere Man is betrayed by his closest friend, the fallout is catastrophic.

A dense but concise prologue sets the table for Hurwitz’s 10th crackerjack Orphan X thriller. Fifteen years ago, Evan Smoak, “a throwaway child” trained as a ruthless killer via the top-secret Orphan Program, found an unexpected friend and something of a lifeline in Tommy Stojack, gunrunner and former Green Beret. Evan, once known as Orphan X, has left the program and is now the Nowhere Man, a freelance hunter who’s being hunted himself. Tommy’s complicity in multiple crimes, which violates Evan’s personal code, makes a fatal showdown inevitable but thankfully long in coming. As the narrative jumps between Evan and Tommy, Hurwitz’s snappy dialogue, propulsive prose, and larger-than-life characters consistently delight. In preparation for the culminating moment of truth are multiple episodes that introduce a rogue’s gallery of miscreants, some from previous installments. For the most part, the villains are accompanied by attendant backstories, keeping even new readers in the loop. Notable nasties include the duos Hick and Red and Janus and Sir Rubin and the hulking Delmont Hickenlooper Jr. Hurwitz’s Orphan X world is as sprawling and entertainingly populated as George Miller’s Mad Max universe. Series fans will

especially welcome the return of Orphan handler Jack Johns, wily octogenarian Ida Rosenbaum, and mentor Joey Morales. As it turns out, The Last Orphan (2023) fortunately wasn’t. To quote the iconoclastic Evan, “What a mess intimacy was.”

The Orphan X world thrillingly expands with another wildly inventive episode.

Kirkus Star

The Grand Scheme of Things

Jay, Warona | Washington Square Press/Atria (288 pp.) | $27.99

Feb. 25, 2025 | 9781668062364

A playwright and a toff join forces in an attempt to expose the bias of theater culture in this debut novel. Relebogile Naledi Mpho Moruakgomo goes by “Eddie.”

A Black woman raised in London by her mother, an immigrant from Botswana, she explains, “As I sauntered into my teenage years, social standing and appearance became everything, and I had a name that was practically oral acrobatics…a name that received a predictable scroll of questions about the meaning. A suggestion that ‘Eddie’ might be easier.” Her acquiescence to this suggestion in many ways sets the tone for the book. Eddie is fresh out of university and finishing her latest, best play when she meets Hugo Lawrence Smith, a wealthy white law student and professed theater lover. After rounds and rounds of rejection and a keen understanding of the inherent racism at work, Eddie asks Hugo to submit the play under his name. No surprise that it becomes a huge success. There are as many layers here as in a croissant and it’s just as rich, but beware of enjoying it too much—Jay is always exposing new levels of rancidity in the world.

Eddie’s play is a dystopian fable about immigration and the “myth of meritocracy,” but everyone takes it at face value that Hugo could have written it. Hugo himself seems like a surprisingly stand-up guy—doing exactly as Eddie says at every juncture, studying theater in order to represent her play well—but his streak of selfishness further jeopardizes their already complex and risky entanglement. And Eddie’s awareness of the rigged system is matched only by her penchant for self-sabotage. Jay plays with romantic conventions, employs thriller-esque pacing, and seems to be having fun. Readers will, too. An assured and nimble satire.

Kirkus Star

A Hole in the Story

Kalfus, Ken | Milkweed (208 pp.)

$26.00 | April 1, 2025 | 9781571315755

An edgy, discomfiting look at the alpha males of journalism in the age of #MeToo. Adam Zweig is a successful political writer in Washington, the veteran of a thousand think pieces. He’s in his late 50s, divorced, a man of regular habits. So, when he’s messaged by a young reporter on the trail of a D.C. mediasphere sexual-harassment scandal, the alarm bells tripped aren’t the loud and blaring kind. Mainly, he feels sorrow— the accused is Max Lieberthol, years ago Adam’s editor and mentor at a magazine that resembles the New Republic. Adam, a good progressive, initially hits a morally tutting tone (how could Max have been foolish and vain enough to proposition a staffer?), but there’s sympathy underneath. He’s disappointed, but he wonders: A story like this, about an offense two decades old, committed in a kind of prelapsarian boys-will-be-boys era by an aging lion whose magazine has always had a big reputation, but (after all) a small

readership—even in the age of social media, what legs can such a story have? Then—and Kalfus masterfully persuades us that the withholding is not reader-deception but self-deception— Adam begins to recall and recount the context. The accuser, Valerie Iovine, was his closest friend in the office, and Adam was present, outside Max’s office, when the incident occurred; Valerie told Adam about it immediately afterward, and he helped to console her. Adam feels duty-bound to confirm that Valerie is telling the truth, and this—he wants us and himself and most of all Valerie to believe—is an act of characteristic rectitude. The book’s steadily mounting tension derives from what comes next, as circumstance and Valerie herself require him to excavate more thoroughly his relationship with her, a friendship that grew into a professional intimacy and that then (in Adam’s way of seeing it) turned briefly romantic soon before—this having nothing to do with him!—Valerie withdrew from Washington and disappeared into the exile of small-city journalism. A taut, uncomfortable look at a man forced into a reckoning that’s much more personal than he’d like.

Open Season

Kellerman, Jonathan | Ballantine (288 pp.) $30.00 | Feb. 4, 2025 | 9780593497692

Psychologist Alex Delaware and Lt. Milo Sturgis collaborate for the 40th time to solve a series of puzzling murders in the Los Angeles area. Deep into a Saturday night, a

car pulls up to a hospital and the driver dumps a body and speeds away. Despite first impressions, it’s not an overdose. But then the coroner finds no wounds on the body. Hmm, what’s going on? It’s the first in a cluster of killings that have the two friends working together again. The victim was a photogenic 25-year-old woman with images of herself posted online. It appears she may have hooked up with a fake movie producer. Then, a guy who is shot in the neck appears to have been responsible for the woman’s death. And then another, also shot with precision to hit the jugular and carotid artery at an exact angle. That victim may have been coming onto someone’s daughter a little too strongly. Perhaps these two separate victims were killed for two separate motives, “united in death by one hired killer.” Or “Mr. Sniper’s a knighterrant avenging victims of abuse.” Or he might be helping someone in a custody battle. In one case, a woman is shot in a rowboat in the middle of a lake, leaving her unharmed child wailing and helpless. Author Kellerman, a psychologist himself, applies his professional knowledge with a light touch, mixing in a generous helping of police procedure, so all the readers notice is that they’re being entertained. And speaking of helpings, Milo seems to enjoy helping himself to whatever is in the Delawares’ refrigerator. (What else would you expect? They’ve been friends since 1985.) The two men are the best at what they do and complement each other in cracking open difficult cases. Alex’s wife, Robin, helps him “zero in on a common theme” about the killings. What a great relationship: When she’s not pursuing her own interests, they’re either having thoughtful conversations or joyous sex.

A taut, uncomfortable look at a man forced into a too-personal reckoning.

Meanwhile, Milo admires Alex for his intellect: “I go to sleep and produce night-music, you reinvent the wheel.” The story moves quickly and smoothly, with vivid descriptions such as a woman with “hoop earrings the size of drink coasters.”

A treat for fans of crime fiction.

Delaware and Sturgis are a durable duo.

Paradise Logic

Kemp, Sophie | Simon & Schuster (256 pp.)

$27.99 | March 25, 2025 | 9781668057032

Simon Rich meets Sarah Silverman in this raunchy and farcical debut novel about one young woman’s epic quest for a boyfriend.

Narrator Reality Kahn, a 23-yearold Brooklynite, earns a living by starring in water park commercials (“I had that Hollywood thing”). After Reality’s casual-sex buddy suggests that she get a boyfriend, she becomes consumed by the idea and sets out to find a guy so she can be “the greatest girlfriend of all time.” At a party in Gowanus, she sees boyfriend material in Ariel Koffman, a crack-smoking New York University doctoral candidate who rescues her after she accidentally locks herself in the bathroom. Three months into their relationship, Ariel dodges Reality’s question about whether he considers himself her boyfriend, but she’s undeterred: “He would see in due time that this love was true and that our boyfriend-girlfriend destiny was a factual thing.” Throughout the novel, which contains graphic sex scenes and is periodically interrupted by experimental interludes, Reality has the man-crazed thoughts of a woman for whom the feminist movement and/or steady oxygen flow to the brain never happened. (As someone asks Ariel about Reality, “Is she of, ah, how do you say in English? Very idiotic? She has been kicked in the head by a horse?”)

Reality’s lack of self-awareness seems to be a comment on the havoc wreaked on

A raunchy debut about a woman’s epic quest for a boyfriend.

PARADISE LOGIC

an online generation endlessly fed content designed to erode confidence and critical-thinking skills, especially in women (Reality reliably consults her favorite magazine, Girlfriend Weekly). The novel has some genuinely funny moments, but even fans of social satire may find Reality’s shtick tiresome, and for some readers, being expected to care about the fate of a charmless and irredeemably self-absorbed character may be a Brooklyn Bridge too far. Bawdy, occasionally hilarious, and an acquired taste for sure.

Lucky Night

Kennedy, Eliza | Crown (288 pp.)

$28.00 | March 25, 2025 | 9780593800836

Two lovers must face uncomfortable truths when a tryst places them in the middle of catastrophe.

Until a few years ago, Jenny Parrish was a “stay-at-home mom with two kids, frazzled, exhausted,” doing nothing special with her life. Then, under the influence of a powerful new attraction, she “started to write, fitting it in—before the kids woke up and after they went to bed,” and became a minor celebrity as the bestselling author of a YA supernatural romance series. Nick Holloway is, by his own admission, a “golden boy.” A partner at a law firm whose antitrust cases make the New York Times, Nick is also a doting father, married to a woman who appears to adore him, and blessed with a libido that remains unflagging even under the most dire of circumstances. The subject of Nick’s libido is a central one because he’s been having sex with Jenny regularly for the past six years, and the ghostly lover in

her novels is modeled on him. Now, for the first time, Jenny and Nick have managed to arrange an entire night in each other’s company, holed up on the 42nd floor of Manhattan’s newest luxury hotel. Their plans are interrupted, though, when what at first seems to be a false alarm from the hotel’s fire detection system turns out to be a real, and raging, conflagration. As the flames creep upward, Jenny and Nick find different reasons to delay their escape until the possibility is almost gone. Their night of passion becomes one of revelation as they are forced to investigate the truths they have spent the past six years concealing from each other and themselves. Told in slickly alternating perspectives, each chapter whizzes back and forth between Jenny—tender, insecure, prickly with superficial outrage at some of Nick’s more louche moves—and Nick’s vulnerable self-doubt, which he plasters over with a heavy shellac of lechery. While the looming threat of the fire keeps the book’s tensions high, the almost slapstick reliance on sex as a narrative MacGuffin, used to force the characters into revelatory inner monologues, coupled with Jenny’s baffling vacuity (she’s a bestselling novelist who routinely can’t remember the word “bulkhead”) and Nick’s compulsive horniness prevents the reader from developing an emotional attachment to either character that goes beyond an appreciation for their banter. A great premise—the locked-room romance!—fouled by flimsy characters.

For more by Eliza Kennedy, visit Kirkus online.

Kirkus Star

Audition

Kitamura, Katie | Riverhead (208 pp.)

$28.00 | April 8, 2025 | 9780593852323

An older woman and a younger man struggle to grasp who they are to each other in a slippery and penetrating tale. This elegant knife of a story begins at a mundane restaurant in Manhattan’s financial district, which the narrator hesitates to enter. Inside, she orders two gin and tonics over a strained lunch encounter with Xavier, who has said he believes he might be her son. The narrator is an actress of some renown rehearsing a difficult new play called The Opposite Shore. It isn’t going well, and the actress realizes it falls to her to reconcile two impossible halves in its structure. As she fights through her dread, the novel launches Part II months later in the same restaurant, where Xavier and the actress are joined by her husband, Tomas, who toasts “the extraordinary success of the play.” In this jarring reset, the trio is now a family, the play is now called The Rivers, and the novel is mirroring the irreconcilable halves the narrator sought to resolve on stage with her body and her art. Kitamura rewards close readers of this through-thelooking-glass disruption. So much glints below the surface in her purring, pared-down sentences. When Xavier introduces his girlfriend, “Tomas took her hand in his, his smile already an embarrassment to us both.” Kitamura’s great theme, explored via two other

nameless female narrators in A Separation (2017) and Intimacies (2021), is the unknowability of others. This novel posits that even within a family, each member is constantly auditioning. As the tension mounts, and the narrator’s interpretation of events coils back and multiplies, she wonders “what was a family if not a shared delusion, a mutual construction?” Over the shards of this realization, the shaken narrator and Xavier find “the possibility remained—not of a reconciliation, but of a reconstitution.” The book ends as another play begins. In this searing, chilly, and psychologically profound story lies insight into some harrowing human questions.

A Serial Killer’s Guide To Marriage

Mackay, Asia | Bantam (352 pp.)

$30.00 | Jan. 14, 2025 | 9780593875582

It’s hard to keep the spark going in your marriage when you move to the London suburbs and have to let go of your glamorous, globe-trotting lives. (No more partying, traveling, or murdering!) Hazel and Fox have been married for more than 10 years, and they both adore their little daughter, Bibi. Hazel, an artist, has hung up her paintbrush to become a stay-at-home mom, and Fox is out breadwinning at an investment company every day. So what if they might have sex a little less often than they used to—it all sounds pretty normal, right? Well,

In this searing story lies insight into some harrowing human questions.

MacKay’s novel might cover the kind of bumpy transition that’s familiar to many couples—but there’s a catch: Hazel and Fox are former serial killers, now trying to reform for the sake of their child. But giving up killing has dulled a spark that has them each feeling trapped and resentful. As MacKay switches back and forth between their two perspectives, it becomes clear that Hazel—forged in a difficult childhood and still mourning her best friend from art school, who died by suicide—has always found killing a release from her anger. Now it’s all bottled up, and she can only direct it by snarking at the local moms in her baby-and-me music group and resenting her husband. When she meets Jenny, another mother, they begin an unlikely friendship that offers Hazel a distraction; Jenny’s former partner is a total sleazeball who owes her a lot of money, and Hazel is determined to see that he pays up. Fox, meanwhile, deals with his struggles by attending AA meetings, figuring that an addiction to murder is not so unlike an addiction to alcohol. This is a dark comedy indeed—any ethical concerns over murder are brushed under the rug because it’s something Hazel and Fox do together, and they only kill “bad men.” As a metaphor for modern family life, it’s entertainingly astute. Fans of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, this one’s for you.

The Tokyo Suite

Madalosso, Giovana | Trans. by Bruna Dantas Lobato | Europa Editions (208 pp.) | $17.00 paper | March 4, 2025 | 9781609459802

A child’s abduction highlights the gulf separating the lives of the two women who care for her. In her English-language debut, Brazilian writer Madalosso delivers a story from the alternating perspectives of

CALLAN WINK

The Montana river guide–turned-novelist spins a gripping literary mystery set in the wilds of Yellowstone country.

BY GREGORY MCNAMEE

A NATIVE OF rural Michigan, Callan Wink moved, 20-odd years ago, to more rural country still: Montana’s Yellowstone River valley. The trout-rich river passes by the small town of Livingston, a place where you can’t cast a line without snagging a writer: it’s been home to literary luminaries such as (once upon a befuddled time) Richard Brautigan, Thomas McGuane, Doug Peacock, Russ Chatham, and—especially and everlastingly— Jim Harrison.

Wink found work as a river guide, taking wealthy clients from all over the world down the Yellowstone to catch their quota of cutthroat trout. At night, he hunkered down with fellow outdoors folk in a local watering hole and spun yarns of the people they’d met and the fish that they’d caught or not. (Every fishing tale, as anglers know, comes with a shaker and not just a grain of salt.)

Beartooth Wink, Callan Spiegel & Grau | 256 pp. $27.00 | Feb. 11, 2025 9781954118027

On one such bibulous evening, Callan tells Kirkus by Zoom from his winter hideout in Costa Rica, a friend spun up a yarn of a different sort. “You know, it may be one of those local legends that’s true or not, but it’s a good story all the same, about a guy who floated into Yellowstone National Park on a raft and floated out with a pile of elk and deer antlers. That would be quite the caper—but also very illegal, because you’re not allowed to take anything out of the park. People get busted pretty regularly. But I got to thinking: What if it were true, if it really happened?”

The story stuck with Wink, and it grew. “First came the antler poaching element,” he says. “Then I got the idea to build the story around two brothers. That was about as far as I got when I tried it as a short story, but it didn’t really work. Then I wrote a novel that I thought was really long and boring. I put it away for a couple of years, then came back to it and cut and cut until it was a novella. Of course, novellas are pretty hard to sell, as my agent reminded me, so I made it into a novel again.”

That novel is Beartooth, which earned a Kirkus star for what our reviewer called “impeccable control and unflinching darkness.” The two brothers are Thad and Hazen, 27 and 26, respectively, when we meet them. They live off the grid, with barely two nickels to rub together, and mostly way on the other side of the law: At the start of the novel, they’re hunting black bears out of season—quite illegally—to pack out both meat and “additional bear parts,” commissioned to do so by a shady entrepreneur who sells those parts in turn to the Asian aphrodisiac market.

Bear parts are good for such uses, or so the ultimate purchasers hope. Antlers are better, and before long the middleman comes to Thad and Hazen with an audacious order: They’re to go into Yellowstone National Park, pack out as many antlers as they can carry, and make everyone concerned a pile of money.

Hazen is all in. Thad, slightly older but very much wiser, has his doubts. It’s hard to say no to their buyer, though, a gigantic and violent fellow whom they call the Scot, and for good reason: When he’s not cracking skulls and frightening the townsfolk down below their forest homes, he’s marching about in a kilt and playing the bagpipe, a skill he’s taught a skittish young woman who may or may not be his daughter. The Scot may be a terror, but he’s a philosophical and eloquent one, reminiscent of and nearly as evil as Judge Holden, the villain of Cormac McCarthy’s high-body-count novel Blood Meridian. Recognizing Thad’s reluctance, the Scot tells him, “I’ve noticed a strange thing in those who serve as caretakers. They tend to underestimate the abilities of their charges. The more someone needs your care, the more important your own existence becomes.” The unspoken implication being, one supposes, that existence can be revoked at any moment.

“The Scot is out of place and out of time,” says Wink. “I mean, not many people wear kilts in Montana—it’s too damn cold. He was wilder in earlier drafts, but I toned it down a little. I toned down some of Hazen’s wildness, too. He was a little out there.”

Things go awry, as they will, and by the end of Wink’s mystery, as twisting and turning as the river itself, people are dead, and Thad’s world is overturned, even as he nurses a secret or two of his own.

The central mystery in Wink’s novel turns on Hazen, though, and he’s quite the character, likable if awfully damn dumb sometimes, with trouble drawn to him like wolves to a fawn. Thad—smarter and more centered—and Hazen are utterly unalike except in their connection to one another, a connection broken for reasons that Wink expertly reveals, one small detail after another. In one of the most memorable passages in Beartooth, Wink imagines Thad putting his hand into the Yellowstone and somehow

finding his now wayward sibling through its magical water: “Maybe, if your brother happened to be sticking his hand in that water at the same time, wherever he might be, there’s a chance he might know that it was you, feel you giving him a riverine handshake, telling him he was a crazy son of a bitch.”

The Yellowstone country is having its moment now, thanks to the television series of the same name and a swarm of newcomers to Montana from around the world, and especially California. “It might be a little silver lining for my book,” Wink says, “but it won’t make up for all the bad things that are happening to the place.”

Meanwhile, Wink is pondering his next project—once he returns from Costa Rica, where he’s taken up surfing, and before the next fishing season begins. “I’m trying to write another novel,” he says. “It’s a slow process. I have a couple of other novellas that I like, and they might become novels of their own, like Beartooth. But I really like

the characters of this one.” Does that mean he’d consider a sequel that might tell us whatever happened to the wayward Hazen? “It’d be tricky,” Wink replies, “but it might be cool to revisit them at some point.”

As it happens, one of Callan Wink’s river-guide customers was none other than Jim Harrison, who never missed the opportunity to go fishing and then tell barroom stories about the experience. Asked if Harrison had given him any useful pointers out on the water, Wink thinks for a moment and then replies, “Yes. I told him that my book of short stories [Dog Run Moon, 2016] was about to be published. He said, ‘Well, don’t expect them to throw a parade for you in New York City.’”

Parade or not, Beartooth is a book that would do Harrison proud, and Jim Crumley, for that matter, and Norman Maclean, and all the other laureates of the Big Sky country.

Gregory McNamee is a contributing writer.

The Scot is out of place and out of time.

I mean, not many people wear kilts in Montana—it’s too damn cold.

Book to Screen

Austin Butler To Star in American Psycho Film

The movie will be a new adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’ 1991 novel.

Austin Butler will play Patrick Bateman in a new adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’ American Psycho, Variety reports.

Ellis’ novel, published by Vintage in 1991, is a satirical novel that follows Bateman, a New York investment banker who is also a serial killer.

season, it certainly would be the funniest.”

It was adapted into a 2000 film directed by Mary Harron and starring Christian Bale, Willem Dafoe, Jared Leto, and Josh Lucas; the movie was praised by critics, and is now considered a cult classic.

The new adaptation will be directed by Luca Guadagnino (Call Me by Your Name, Challengers) and written for the screen by Scott Z. Burns (The Bourne Ultimatum, Contagion). Butler, known for his

—MICHAEL SCHAUB

The book was enormously controversial upon its release because of its long and gory descriptions of Bateman’s murders, and it was savaged by critics. In the New York Times, Roger Rosenblatt wrote, “So pointless, so themeless, so everythingless is this novel, except in stupefying details about expensive clothing, food and bath products, that were it not the most loathsome offering of the roles in films including Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Elvis, and Dune: Part Two, is so far the only cast member to be announced.

Austin Butler

For reviews of more books by Bret Easton Ellis, visit Kirkus online.

two women. Maju begins. She’s a maid to Fernanda and Cacá in São Paulo and nanny to their 4-year-old daughter, Cora, and she’s about to kidnap the little girl. Age 44 and childless herself, Maju has spent a lifetime working in the homes of other families; she had a boyfriend for a while, but forfeited that relationship to her work and is essentially alone. Now, she’s taking Cora on a road trip which will go increasingly awry. Fernanda relies on Maju’s labor to pursue her own career in television— which supports the family and its comfortable lifestyle—and also an absorbing affair with a female lover while her marriage seems to be fading. The women’s voices are alternately indulgent and urgent. The novel is short yet it ranges widely, from Amazon forests to love motels, from taking the hallucinogen ayahuasca to filming alligators. But it returns constantly to its central preoccupations, class and womanhood, the latter considered broadly to include sex after childbearing, an anthropological scrutiny of female bonobo monkeys, depilation, and the anxious preoccupations of mothers everywhere. Madalosso’s style is modern, fractured, vivid in its devotion to inner fears and fantasies yet openended. Fernanda and Maju’s standpoints may be far apart, but both love Cora intensely and both are marked by unsatisfied expectations. Nor does the book resolve them—rather it draws a scenic portrait of contemporary lives and leaves its characters to resume after the pages conclude.

An atmospheric, idiosyncratic glimpse of contemporary female lives.

Rooms for Vanishing

Nadler, Stuart | Dutton (464 pp.)

$28.00 | March 18, 2025 | 9780593475461

Vietnamese Americans are sent to concentration camps in this too-plausible novel.

MY DOCUMENTS

A Holocaustinspired saga of a family exploded by grief into the multiverse.

Nadler’s unusual and profoundly sorrowful novel

begins with a section called “Kindertotenlieder” (“Songs on the Death of Children”) set in 1979 London, where Sonja Alterman’s orchestra conductor husband, Franz, has gone missing. He may be on the trail of a woman he believes to be their daughter, Anya, though Anya died years ago at the age of 9. That sort of thing stops no one in this book— Sonja herself died at age 5. Her parents put her on a Kindertransport out of Vienna but received word of her death even before they and her infant brother, Moses, were murdered by the Nazis. All three of them are alive, too, in one or more incarnations—her mother, Fania, works as a masseuse in a hotel in Montreal; her father will celebrate his 100th birthday waiting for the arrival of a different version of Sonja, an 83-year-old pen pal from England; Moses becomes a grandfather himself in the year 2000, haunted by a different set of ghosts who inhabited the non-dead version of his life. Somehow, the rules of this radically splintered world are not firm enough to inspire investment in the unfolding stories. Everything is true at the same time everything is made-up. People are both there and not there, definitely coming and never showing up. DNA testing can confirm your genetic connection to a living person—but maybe that person isn’t so alive after all. As one character comments, “I did not know that the dead could have children.” This beautifully written, rather long book presents an existential question—is death real?—with many answers and no correct one. Give up on figuring things out to best appreciate Nadler’s luxuriant storytelling and emotional intensity.

My Documents

Nguyen, Kevin | One World/Random House (352 pp.) | $27.00 | April 8, 2025 | 9780593731680

Vietnamese Americans are sent to concentration camps in this all-tooplausible novel. The second novel from journalist Nguyen—following New Waves (2020)—starts with an account of Bà Nội, a woman who guides her family out of Vietnam after the fall of Saigon, winding up in the U.S., where her descendants now live. Four of those are the focus of this novel: Jen and Duncan and their older half-siblings, Ursula and Alvin, all of whom share the same absent father. They’re typical young Americans: Jen is an NYU student and Duncan is a teenage football player, while Ursula is a journalist for a BuzzFeed-like news and entertainment site and Alvin is a new Google hire. Their lives are thrown into disarray when a series of airport bombings rocks America; when the people arrested turn out to have Vietnamese surnames, the siblings realize their lives might get much more complicated. The government reacts to the bombings by imprisoning Vietnamese Americans in concentration camps (or “assembly centers,” as the government euphemizes them); Jen and Duncan are taken to one, but Ursula and Alvin get an exemption, possibly because their mother is white. Jen joins an underground resistance movement in the camp, feeding information to Ursula, who gains notice in the journalism world for her reports. This also puts Ursula at odds with some of her colleagues, one of whom writes a

breezy “article” titled “These People Are Review-Bombing Detention Camps on Google Maps—And It’s Giving Us Life.” Nguyen’s hand is a bit heavy here, but it’s hard to argue with his pessimistic, and completely justified, view of the American government as a racist oligarchy deeply influenced by nefarious corporations. His narrative pacing is perfect, his dialogue and character development a bit less so; still, this is a compelling read.

A disturbing page-turner and a powerful look at American racism.

Dengue Boy

Nieva, Michel | Trans. by Rahul Bery Astra House (224 pp.) | $25.00 Feb. 4, 2025 | 9781662602658

A mosquito-borne fever dream that fleshes out the author’s 2022 O. Henry Award–winning short story. Coming from a literary tradition known for magical realism and societal criticism, Argentine writer Nieva’s English-language debut boils both into a hallucinogenic cocktail about the end of one world and the beginnings of another. Earth is in sorry shape in 2272—the polar ice caps have melted away, leaving much of South America underwater with Antarctica the new Patagonia. Meanwhile, the divide between the poor (everyone) and the ultrawealthy is stretched to garish proportions as investors rake in fortunes betting on the emergence of new viruses and enjoy the apocalypse on luxurious cruise ships. This is the future given to the titular antihero, a human/mosquito hybrid with insectlike features, a disdainful mother, and a burgeoning existential crisis. Banished to a torturous summer camp, young Dengue Boy abruptly becomes Dengue Girl, slaughters a classmate, and sets off on a revenge tour, vowing “Mosquitos, reign over this world!” We also meet René Racedo, the daughter of an influential virofinance broker, who’s obsessed with a violent, genocide-themed videogame

that pits “Christians vs. Indians,” and Noah Nuclopio, the time-traveling founder of Ascension Industries and Solutions, whose connections to Dengue Girl are closer than they appear. It’s an otherworldly trip reminiscent of Philip K. Dick’s altered states, complete with telepathic stones and a thriving bootleg trade in both illegal stimulants and “sheepies”—more “sexual organ with autonomy and a life of its own”than electronic sheep. It’s a bit hard to know what to make of the book, whether as an acidic prosecution of colonialism, capitalism, and climate change denial or a hyper-exaggerated back door into identity and body horror. Ultimately, it’s about transformation as an elemental force—of the self, body, or world— delivered as a mighty yelp of defiance from a most unusual prophet.

A hyperkinetic, audacious grotesquerie about metamorphosis and the inevitability of change.

Bingo, Bango, Boingo

Parker, Alan Michael | Dzanc (140 pp.) $20.00 | Feb. 11, 2025 | 9781938603211

A book of microfictions featuring an even more experimental foray into the narrative structures of chance.

This collection, slender on the shelf at 140 pages, contains the hidden heft of no fewer than 47 individual flash fictions. Rarely more than two pages long, the stories are pithy, whimsical, ironic, and poignant by turn. Often, they use the extreme efficiency of their language to poke fun at some absurd exigency of modern society, as in “Ella’s Letter to the Editor of the

Universe,” which whipsaws between peevish acerbity (“Someone has put Beauty in the same aisle as Health Essentials”) and existential complaint (“Someone has used the human penchant for choice to justify hatred”) in almost the same breath. Other stories use their brevity to eschew narrative linkage, as in “How Phil Imagines the Afterlife,” which uses an enigmatic list of non-sequiturs (“17. Did you make the reservation? 18. I guess it’s okay that the lifeguard’s a teenager”) to portray the afterlife as a series of overheard remarks at a crowded resort pool. The whimsy in these stories creates a pleasant, chatty overlay of language that sometimes parts to reveal a startling moment of insight as the largely earnest characters struggle through the narration’s insouciant wit. This conflict—character vs. language—is a fascinating one to follow through its various paces, but Parker’s other project here is less successful. Interspersed between the stories are 26 bingo cards with titles like “Change Your Life Bingo,” “Feti’s Border Crossing Bingo,” and “Don’t Hate Your Daddy Bingo.” These pieces push the experiment of narrative brevity to an extreme, inviting the reader to interact with a single word or brief phrase contained within the standard 25-square grid of a bingo card whose context is provided only by the card’s title. This freewheeling play with story structure—the reader can arrange the story along horizontal, vertical, or diagonal lines as they see fit—is intellectually stimulating the first time it appears, but the pleasure of the form doesn’t hold up to repeat engagement.

A collection that asks the question, “Can a story ever be too brief?” The answer is yes.

A hyperkinetic, audacious grotesquerie about the inevitability of change.

DENGUE BOY

The Rules of Fortune

Prescod, Danielle | Mindy’s Book

Studio (304 pp.) | $28.99

Feb. 1, 2025 | 9781662520129

A Black billionaire’s unexpected death leads his daughter on a quest to uncover ugly truths about his past.

Prescod made her literary debut with the memoir Token Black Girl (2022), about how growing up Black in a mostly white community in Connecticut led to depression, an estrangement from Black culture, and a serious eating disorder. A veteran of the fashion and beauty industries, she offers a unique perspective on both Black and white spaces, and her first novel reflects some of this hard-earned knowledge. Meet the Carter family: There’s patriarch William Carter, Jr., who rose from humble beginnings to become a self-made billionaire; his wife, Jacqueline, a former actress who chose a comfortable role as a wife and mother over the grind of the spotlight; loyal son Asher, who’s quietly flunking out of Harvard Business School; and daughter Kennedy, an aspiring filmmaker. The Carters are preparing to gather at their massive Martha’s Vineyard estate to celebrate William’s 70th birthday, and Kennedy has been working on a video about her father to be shown at the party. But self-made men often harbor secrets, and when William dies unexpectedly before the event can get underway, an uneasy Kennedy finds herself taking a closer look at her father’s past. She’s unable to stop chasing truths better left hidden, especially about William’s relationship with a mysterious friend called Kofi and their tangled ties to a development in Ghana. The setup is promising and story intriguing; readers will find themselves invested in how the Carters weather the storm of revelations. But Prescod spends too much time telling, not showing. Cliches worm their way into the

This love story is witty, bittersweet, surprising, and compellingly readable.

THE HYMN TO DIONYSUS

story—at least two Carters vomit because they’re upset, for example— and the character development never reaches deeper than surface level. An intriguing story about wealth and power undermined by lack of character development.

Kirkus Star

The Hymn to Dionysus

Pulley, Natasha | Bloomsbury (416 pp.) $29.99 | March 18, 2025 | 9781639732364

A fantasy novelist reimagines the myth of Dionysus. Pulley’s intricately plotted fantasy novels have explored the past couple hundred years, the near(ish) future, and alternate versions of both. In her new novel, she goes back millennia further to Bronze Age Thebes. The protagonist, Phaidros, is one of the Sown, an elite fighting force named after knights said to have sprouted from a dragon’s teeth. The Sown are organized in pairs: a commander and his ward, whom he raises and trains, then sometimes marries. (Married couples and devoted family pairs will fight like the gods to keep each other alive, the thinking goes.) Phaidros’ commander is Helios, a royal prince. When Queen Agave, Helios’ sister, tries to kill their other sister’s blue-eyed baby nephew (said to be a son of Zeus, but that’s what people always say about illegitimate children), 5-year-old Phaidros helps Helios whisk the entrancing baby away to safety. Years

later, Phaidros encounters a blue-eyed adolescent who turns sailors into dolphins, and then—years later yet—a blue-eyed man named Dionysus who makes fruit and vines grow in the middle of a drought. Are they the same person? Is this the illegitimate prince come back for revenge? Is his father really Zeus, after all? Is he a god himself, or just an ordinary witch (a magical healer)? Is it safe for Phaidros to love him? Must Phaidros choose between compassion and duty—and will he choose right? Pulley brings out her favorite elements—palace intrigue, gallant lovers, masks, transformations, ambiguity, automata—and twists them into mesmerizing patterns. Though she draws extensively on mythological source material, the novel feels more like fantasy than the myth-come-tolife realism of retellings such as those by Madeline Miller.

This love story is witty, bittersweet, surprising, and compellingly readable.

The Lost Passenger

Quinn, Frances | Ballantine (384 pp.) | $18.00 paper | Feb. 25, 2025 | 9780593973035

A British woman who survives the sinking of the Titanic uses the opportunity to assume a false identity and start a new life in America. When Elinor Hayward, daughter of Britain’s ultra-wealthy, self-made “cotton king,” meets the charming Frederick Coombes, she’s instantly smitten. A marriage proposal follows in short

order, and Elinor’s doting father is quick to consent, as Frederick is heir to a highly respected earldom. They’ve barely left the altar before Elinor realizes what a horrible mistake she’s made. Frederick and his family have duped the Haywards, roping them in simply to extract the enormous dowry that will follow. Frederick’s mother, Lady Storton, is quick to tell Elinor all the ways in which she’s lacking, from her inferior table manners to her abysmal accent. After Elinor does her duty by birthing a son, life only gets worse: The family prevents Elinor from spending more than a few minutes a day with her baby, Teddy, threatening to have her committed if she protests. When Elinor’s father secures tickets for the whole family—but no nanny—for the Titanic’s maiden voyage, Elinor seizes the opportunity to spend time with her child. It will be a short respite in an otherwise miserable existence. Then, when the ship sinks and no one knows what’s become of Elinor or Teddy, she realizes this might be her one chance to escape the life in which she’s landed. Narrated by Elinor, the book is enchanting from the opening scene, when Elinor finds an unexpected invitation to a ball. An Austen-esque novel of manners at the start, the story also hits notes from The Yellow Wallpaper, aptly illustrating the ways in which emotional displays have been used to punish and disenfranchise women. The author manages to keep suspense high during the inevitable sinking of the ship, offering readers a different perspective on the same incident so many have watched in the famous movie. Even better, the storyline that follows the rescue of the lifeboats and moves on to describe life in New York is entirely fresh and engaging. This is an impressively well-executed and fast-paced take on an oft-told story, chock full of drama and emotional heft.

A satisfying historical tale of second chances perfect for fans of Kate Morton and Jennifer Donnelly.

Liquid: A Love Story

Rahmani, Mariam | Algonquin (320 pp.)

$29.00 | March 11, 2025 | 9781643756509

“T he course of true love never did run smooth” according to Shakespeare, and that proves to be the case in this contemporary tale of looking for love in all the wrong places.

Rahmani’s unnamed narrator is a young, queer Muslim woman struggling to cling to the lowest rungs of the academic ladder in Los Angeles two years after she’s earned a Ph.D. in literature. Her thesis examined how the “companionate” model of modern marriage replaced older “contract” arrangements where goods and services (children, money, protection) were exchanged, not affectionate feelings. When she fails to publish her thesis as a book and succeed in the ranks of adjunct appointments, the narrator feels the looming prospect of yet another disappointment: her parents’ perception of her as an “old maid” and the resulting marriage setup her Indian and Iranian immigrant parents will surely attempt. During a dinner liberally lubricated by wine, an old college friend suggests the solution: “Just marry rich.” Rahmani’s sardonic narrator approaches this project—motivated by economic and other desperations—by opening an Excel spreadsheet, creating an online dating profile, and setting a deadline for going on 100 dates and securing an engagement by the beginning of the fall semester. Thus begins an odyssey of bad dates with a variety of

Los Angelenos—male and female— who are themselves looking for love, a hookup, or some company. The story takes a more contemplative tone as the setting switches to Tehran, where Rahmani’s securityseeker and her mother have traveled to attend to her estranged father’s serious illness. Time away from the spreadsheet and in a family setting provides some clarity for an intriguing main character.

A thoroughly modern combination of snark and sincerity on the road to love.

A Girl Within a Girl Within a Girl

Reddy, Nanda | Zibby Books (432 pp.)

$27.99 | March 4, 2025 | 9798989532520

A trafficked woman wrestles with her identity amid her traumatic upbringing. Maya Augustina is a dental hygienist and married mother of two boys in Atlanta when she gets a communication from her past—a letter from her sister, Roshini, explaining that their mother has died from breast cancer, Roshini has it, too, and that Maya should get checked for the gene. This sends Maya into a tailspin—and not just for the obvious reasons. Roshini’s letter is addressed to Sunny, a name Maya hasn’t heard in decades, and includes the line “I never believe the lies about you.” On that intriguing note, the reader is transported back to Maya’s childhood in 1985 Guyana. Sunita

A thoroughly modern combination of snark and sincerity on the road to love.

LIQUID

“Sunny” Kissoon is her sister’s protector, enjoys playing in the cane fields, and adores her snooty friend’s Barbie dolls. Then Sunny’s family sends her to the United States posing as Neena Das, a dead girl whose parents had already arranged to emigrate, and whom she eerily resembles. She could pay off her passage by working for the Dases, and then she could start sending money home, her father says. Sunny is filled with equal parts excitement and dread. For Sunny to safely live in the U.S., she must leave all parts of herself behind, including her name, and fully become Neena. In Miami, she’s forced to work all day as a maid and farm laborer while living with her quasi–foster parents, the real Neena’s callous and unloving mother, Lila, and father, Prem, whose cruelty—immediately suspected by the reader—is slowly revealed to Neena. Neena, under various pseudonyms that she takes on at different life stages, must deal with the run-of-the-mill trials of adolescence, contend with untold trauma, and wrestle with who she is and where she belongs. And while Reddy puts much more care into developing her character’s early years than her adult ones, the story is too important and gripping to put down. A coming-of-age story that is at once shocking and necessary.

Kirkus Star

The Granddaughter

Schlink, Bernhard | Trans. by Charlotte Collins | HarperVia (336 pp.) | $28.99 Jan. 7, 2025 | 9780063295230

Germany is reunited, but a family is starkly divided. Kaspar Wettner, a septuagenarian bookseller in Berlin, has been married for years to Birgit, whom he deeply

The murder of a Black teen during a home invasion resonates through the years.

GOOD DIRT

loves although he can do nothing to ease her depression and addiction to alcohol. She is “a child of East Germany, of the GDR, of the proletarian world that, with Prussian socialist fervor, yearned to be bourgeois and took culture and politics seriously, as the bourgeoisie had once done and had forgotten how to do.” When Birgit dies, Kaspar sorts through her papers, finding reference to a child he knew nothing about. Kaspar is nothing if not diligent, and he hunts down the whereabouts of the father—who understandably isn’t thrilled to meet him, but who points the way to the long-lost daughter all the same. The problem is, Svenja is völkisch: that is to say, having connected long ago with “a skinhead…in a bomber jacket and combat boots,” she once amused herself by “taking drugs, beating up gays and foreigners…[and] doing stuff that people don’t always survive.” Svenja now lives in a cramped house with her husband and daughter, dreaming of the day when they can fulfill the neo-Nazi dream of living on a farm far away from the city. Sigrun, the daughter, takes to her new grandfather, who dotes on her even as he tries to sway her from her hateful views. Sigrun proves a harder case than Kaspar can imagine. Schlink avoids stereotyping while making it clear that his characters’ fascist views can yield nothing but disaster—but also that, in the end, at least some of those characters aren’t hopelessly irredeemable.

A brilliant dissection of a fragmented nation in which a glimmer of hope relieves a somber but wholly memorable tale.

Good Dirt

Wilkerson, Charmaine | Ballantine (368 pp.) $30.00 | Jan. 28, 2025 | 9780593358368

The 2000 murder of a Black teen during a home invasion resonates through the years before and after. Wilkerson’s ambitious follow-up to Black Cake (2022) centers on a wealthy Black family, the Freemans, who have made their home on the Connecticut coast. The family’s prized possession is a 20-gallon stoneware pot they call “Old Mo,” made by an enslaved ancestor. The jar was broken during a horrible, never-solved incident in which masked men broke into their home and shot 15-year-old Baz to death in the presence of his 10-year-old sister, Ebony, called Ebby. As we meet Ebby, she has suffered a second trauma: In 2018, her rich white husband-to-be has ditched her on their wedding day for reasons that take a while to emerge. Wilkerson traces in detail the storylines of preceding generations of Freemans going back to Africa, follows Ebby and her family for the next several years—including an escape to France—and also features chapters focusing on various supporting characters with connections to the murder. With so much ground to cover, the overstuffed narrative loses steam. Furthermore, the reliance on a major improbable coincidence to force Ebby and her ex back together raises an eyebrow that

never quite comes down, and the France section introduces additional characters with questionable claim on our attention. Is there really a reason to care about the trajectory of the woman Ebby’s ex shows up with at his vacation rental? However, Wilkerson’s highly readable writing style and wily withholding of a key secret will keep the pages turning happily enough for many readers.

Much to admire, but half of what’s here might have made for a more successful novel.

The Girl From Greenwich Street: A Novel of Hamilton, Burr, and America’s First Murder Trial

Willig, Lauren | Morrow/HarperCollins (512 pp.) $36.00 paper | March 4, 2025 | 9780063433496

Willig explores a real-life unsolved murder case from early U.S. history. December 1799: Vivacious Elma Sands leaves her cousin Caty Ring’s boardinghouse for a secret assignation; her body is later found in a well. Suspicion immediately falls on Levi Weeks, another boarder, who’s been romantically linked to Elma for several months, and the young man is quickly brought up on charges. His wealthy brother, Ezra, enlists the help of lawyers Aaron Burr and Brockholst Livingston, exhorting them only

to ensure that Levi is acquitted. Enter Alexander Hamilton. Struggling under the weight of recent political disappointments and unable to stop himself from meddling in Burr’s affairs, Hamilton joins the defense team. To his mind, it’s not enough to sow doubt about Levi’s guilt—he must ensure that the young man’s reputation survives the ravages of trial. Hamilton discovers that there is at least one person with a motive for murdering Elma: her cousin Caty’s Quaker husband, Elias Ring. Willig follows the investigation and its immediate effects on Caty and her sister, Hope. As Hamilton uncovers domestic secrets, his counterpart for the prosecution, Cadwallader Colden, is rather buffoonishly preparing his case by racing sleds and racking up an incredible number of possible witnesses. The novel culminates in Levi’s trial, where the lawyers’ battling egos threaten to undo their good work. Willig has clearly done her research; the world of the fledgling 19th century leaps from the page in sensory detail, emphasizing the casual suffering of women, in particular, and the ever present threat of violence—and childbirth. Hamilton and Burr are not reduced to caricature, but held up with a loving eye on the pride and intransigence that would ultimately lead to their legendary downfalls. Above all, we witness the birth of a young nation’s legal system, and are left, perhaps, feeling better about the course of justice in 1800 than in 2025. True

The world of the fledgling 19th century leaps from the page in sensory detail.

THE GIRL FROM GREENWICH STREET

Fundamentally

Younis, Nussaibah | Tiny Reparations (352 pp.) $28.00 | Feb. 25, 2025 | 9780593851388

A comic novel about a U.N. program for ISIS brides.

Nadia Amin is a floundering academic going through a bad breakup and, if that weren’t enough, her relationship with her mother is hanging on by a thread. After she publishes an article about rehabilitating ISIS brides, Nadia is offered a position with the U.N. that she’s wildly unqualified for, heading up a program deradicalizing Islamist women. She jumps at the opportunity. Younis’ ambitious debut traces Nadia’s clumsy attempts to get a grip on her own program. The book is meant to be funny but much of the humor feels strained, and the prose is often clogged with irrelevant details (“my strawberry-infused shampoo,” to take one example) that, at best, slow the momentum and, at worst, are simply boring. The best parts have to do with Nadia’s past: her own break from Islam, and her relationships with her mother and with her ex, Rosy. But the present-tense of the novel, when Nadia heads to Iraq to work with the U.N., is less successful. Younis seems eager to explore the ethical ramifications of Nadia’s work. Nadia asks, “What’s the appropriate punishment for ISIS brides who didn’t commit any violent crimes? Can we detain people just because of their beliefs? Should we try to change their beliefs? Or can we create behavioral change without shifting ideological commitments?” But the book doesn’t really engage these questions adequately. Instead, the questions are simply repeated again and again while Nadia becomes fixated on a particular woman from the refugee camps at the expense of all the others.

An interesting premise is soured by strained humor and failure to engage with the author’s own underlying questions.

crime for Lin-Manuel Miranda fans.

Celebrating Black Fiction

Olukunke Grace Bankole

Nancy Johnson

Shanora Williams

SEEN AND HEARD

Graphic Novel by Alison Bechdel Coming

This Spring

Spent, by the author of Fun Home, will be published by Mariner in May.

Alison Bechdel will revisit the characters from her influential comic strip Dykes To Watch Out For in a new graphic novel coming this year.

Mariner Books will publish Bechdel’s Spent in the spring, the press announced in a news release. It calls the book “a laugh-out-loud, brilliant, and passionately political work of autofiction.”

Bechdel launched Dykes To Watch Out For

in 1983. The comic strip, about a group of mostly lesbian friends, ran for 25 years. In 2006, she published her debut graphic memoir, Fun Home, about her childhood and relationship with her closeted gay father. The novel, a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist, was adapted into a Tony Award–winning musical. She is the author of two other graphic memoirs, Are You My Mother? and The Secret to Super human Strength Spent, Mariner says, follows a character named Alison Bechdel, who runs a pygmy goat sanctuary in Vermont and whose memoir about her father has been adapted into a hit television series, causing envy from her friends— characters from Dykes To Watch Out For. The fictional Alison is herself stricken by jealousy after her partner posts a video about chopping wood that goes viral. Spent is slated for publication on May 20. —M.S.

Alison Bechdel

For a review of Fun Home, visit Kirkus online.

AWARDS

Winner of First Novel Prize Revealed

Joseph Earl Thomas took home the award for God Bless You, Otis Spunkmeyer.

Joseph Earl Thomas won the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize for his novel God Bless You, Otis Spunkmeyer. Thomas’ novel, published last June by Grand Central, follows one hospital shift in the life of Joseph, a Philadelphia emergency department tech, nurse’s aide, and Army veteran. In a starred review, a critic for Kirkus praised the book as “an astonishingly accomplished novel, often funny, often tragic” and “just stunning.”

In an interview with Kirkus, Thomas said, “I’m interested in questioning narrative and critique as forms, rather than purely telling a good story or making a good argument directly about the things we already know to be true. This turned out to be the most rewarding, though, transforming

that into a voice and a style that I can be proud of beyond a particular moment or topic.”

The judging panel for the prize was composed of writers Merve Emre, Raven Leilani, Jonathan Lethem, and Tyriek White. Also shortlisted for the award were Headshot by Rita Bullwinkel, The Fertile Earth by Ruthvika Rao, They Dream in Gold by Mai Sennaar, Ask Me Again by Clare Sestanovich, Fire Exit by Morgan Talty, and Misinterpretation by Ledia Xhoga.

The First Novel Prize was established in 2006. Previous winners have included Hannah Tinti for The Good Thief, Ben Fountain for Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, and Tommy Orange for There There. —M.S.

Joseph Earl Thomas

For a review of God Bless You, Otis Spunkmeyer, visit Kirkus online.

Real-life characters and plenty of moviemaking lore combine in this tiptop cozy.

SILENT AS THE GRAVE

Cold as Hell

Armstrong, Kelley | Minotaur (352 pp.)

$28.00 | Feb. 18, 2025 | 9781250351791

Murder continues to threaten to reduce the population of the Yukon settlement of Haven’s Rock even below the 67 adult inhabitants who’ve been invited there to overcome their criminal pasts and create a better world.

The third installment in the franchise begins when Kendra, a social worker and plumber whose skills in both areas are highly valued, is drugged while having two drinks at the Roc, the town’s one restaurant, and followed by someone who attacks her in the snowy woods. Miraculously escaping, she’s in no shape to identify her assailant. Still less so is Lynn Williams, a general store clerk whose previous experience working with sexual assault cases provides no protection against this one, and she goes missing in the middle of a blizzard. Even though her bickering husband, Grant, tells Sheriff Eric Dalton and Casey Butler—his detective, wife, and co-founder of Haven’s Rock—that Lynn must have spent the night in bed with one of the neighbors, her body is found naked in the woods, the evidence indicating that her sadistic killer forced her to strip, staked her out on the frozen lake, and then sat down and watched her freeze to death. Since Casey herself is heavily pregnant, one of the locals most acutely threatened by the case is the child she’s carrying. She can only hope that the baby doesn’t decide to come into the world at the height of that blizzard, or in the middle

of Casey and Dalton’s climactic pursuit of the killer, or while the killer is capturing Casey and informing her exactly how she’s going to die. So much for the detective’s assurance that “coming to Haven’s Rock makes people much safer.” What would her baby say?

Silent as the Grave

Bowen, Rhys & Clare Broyles

Minotaur (336 pp.) | $28.00

March 11, 2025 | 9781250890818

Getting involved with moviemaking turns out to be a bad idea for a part-time detective in 1909. Although NYPD Captain Daniel Sullivan acknowledges the talents of his wife, former private detective Molly Murphy, he prefers her to stick to mothering. While Daniel’s away in Washington, though, Molly— whose friendship with her feminist neighbors Sid and Gus often gets her in trouble—lets herself be talked into allowing her clever, beautiful adopted daughter, Bridie, to visit a movie studio where her old friend Ryan O’Hare, a playwright, is acting in a new film. Bridie’s excitement peaks when she’s offered a part originally given to a young girl who can’t remember her lines. With a young son, Liam, and baby Mary Kate at home, Molly is less thrilled because she’s not sure she can trust her friends to chaperone. Acceding to Bridie’s pleas anyway, she spends as much time at the studio as she can and meets director DW Griffith, actress Mary Pickford, and

Harry and Arthur Martin, twin brothers who are heavily invested in the studio’s success. They’re constantly battling Thomas Edison, who routinely sues anyone he sees as a competitor. Molly, originally fascinated with filming, comes to realize that some odd occurrences have put the project in jeopardy. Bridie is almost run over by a train, someone is nearly electrocuted in the studio pool, and things keep going wrong. So, Molly dredges up her detective skills and helps Daniel identify a clever killer. Adventure, real-life characters, and plenty of moviemaking lore combine in this tiptop cozy.

High Tea and Misdemeanors

Childs, Laura | Berkley (320 pp.)

$30.00 | March 4, 2025 | 9780593815441

After 28 hairraising adventures, one would expect Theodosia Browning to have developed a sense of caution. One would be wrong. The latest case for Charleston’s Indigo Tea Shop owner and her tea sommelier, Drayton Conneley, is close to home. While they’re catering a wedding high tea at Foxtail Flower farm for Jamie and Bettina, who’s the niece of Theodosia’s ditzy friend Delaine Dish, Theodosia notices maid of honor Celeste slinking toward the greenhouse housing the reception and sends Jamie after her. He arrives just in time for the greenhouse to collapse on both of them. Theodosia and Drayton work frantically to rescue the pair. Jamie is pulled out with some nasty injuries; Celeste does not survive. Theodosia calls her boyfriend, Detective Pete Riley, because she suspects that the greenhouse was tampered with, making this a case of murder. Dragging Pete along on a search for clues, she comes upon a trail camera she thinks might be helpful. The search is especially tempting to Theodosia for

at least two reasons: They can’t be sure who the killer’s intended target was, and the family and her friends are urging her on. A skull added to Jamie’s hospital lunch tray broadly suggests that he’s in the killer’s sights. Digging around, Theodosia unearths previous engagements for both Jamie and Bettina along with several people who hate Jamie for other reasons. Her sleuthing riles the killer, who’s still active enough to put her in danger. A convoluted mystery that includes everything you always wanted to know about tea and putting on a tea party.

The Banker

Colt, Peter | Severn House (240 pp.)

$29.99 | March 4, 2025 | 9781448310715

A Beantown detective unravels an embezzlement scheme that leads to multiple murders.

In 1980s Boston, private detective Andy Roark is hired by bank president Harry Brock of Merrimack Community Bank in suburban Amesbury to discreetly ferret out the identity of an embezzler. So far, the criminal’s made off with $2 million. Brock has three suspects, all apparently faithful employees: his secretary Karen Marti, assistant manager Frank Cosgrove, and manager Mark Lintz, who’s become the likeliest suspect by process of elimination. Roark’s probe is barely underway when a daring robbery at the bank leaves Cosgrove shot dead. Even his death doesn’t exonerate him in the eyes of Roark, who thinks he may have been in cahoots with others. Roark sets about surveilling both Lintz and Marti, chatting up the secretary in a roadhouse. The Cosgrove connection seems confirmed when Roark breaks into the man’s apartment and is knocked out cold by someone who’s apparently been tailing him. A second break-in to the home of one of the remaining suspects also takes an unfortunate turn when Roark discovers a corpse and is arrested on the scene. He uncovers many more

twists and colorful characters on his way to a solution. Like Roark’s earlier cases, including The Judge (2024), this one has a relaxed, expansive feel as it delves into both the procedural particulars of his investigation and the rhythms of his private life, including his shrewd girlfriend Angela Estrella and a circle of fellow Vietnam veterans to whom he often turns for legwork and emotional stability.

An amiable shamus headlines an intricate crime yarn with a classic feel.

Murder of a Recluse

Dams, Jeanne M. | Severn House (208 pp.)

$29.99 | March 4, 2025 | 9781448314775

The good old days weren’t good for everyone. Although she grew up with wealth, Elizabeth Wilkens needed her father and his loving servants to shield her from her cold mother. When her first husband was killed on the last day of World War I, the shock caused her to miscarry. In 1926, she’s begun a new married life with attorney Fred Wilkins. While they await the completion of their new home in Oak Park, Illinois, Elizabeth enjoys the support of Fred’s Aunt Lucy, whose broken arm doesn’t prevent her from giving cooking lessons. Fred, meanwhile, is defending prickly Caroline Dobbs, who’s suspected of murdering her own aunt, with whom she often quarreled. The gossipy neighbor who discovered Aunt Agatha near death is convinced that Caroline is guilty, but Fred’s instincts tell him otherwise. Elizabeth, who hates injustice, is determined to help. Although her habit of keeping people at arm’s length has left her with few friends, she decides to join the Nineteenth Century Woman’s Club, whose members have power in the community. Agatha, who owned a valuable farm, was a miser living in deplorable conditions, and Elizabeth is appalled when she sees her home and

Caroline’s, which is even worse. Inheriting Agatha’s property gives Caroline a strong motive, but Elizabeth, unsatisfied, keeps digging into her family’s past with help from new friends, Al Capone’s minions, and family servants whom she’s dismayed to realize have to be careful, as “colored people,” not to get too involved. An enjoyable period mystery that highlights the bigotry and class differences that are still with us.

I Died for Beauty

Flower, Amanda | Berkley (352 pp.) | $19.00 paper | Feb. 25, 2025 | 9780593816462

The bitterly cold winter of 1857 kills many people, not all of them casualties of the weather. Although Emily Dickinson lives in the family home in Amherst, Massachusetts, with her parents and sister, she prefers to spend her time with second housemaid Willa Noble—who narrates the book— much to her family’s annoyance. As several local groups organize help for less fortunate people, who have little wood or food to get them through the winter, the weather forces Amherst College to cancel classes. But the Dickinsons still host dinner parties, including a welcome reception for new professor Godard Weston and his wife, Verona, whose lovely appearance is very much at odds with her actions. That night a fire consumes the home of an Irish family adjacent to the college, and all the inhabitants are presumed dead until Emily’s dog, Carlo, finds a young girl in the woods. When Mr. Dickinson refuses to take in Norah Rose Doolan, she goes to the home of Emily’s brother, Austin, and his wife, Susan. Emily fears that if no family can be found for her, Norah Rose— who relates most closely to Willa because of their shared experience of impoverished childhoods—will be

sent to an orphanage. The discovery that large rocks were placed in front of the doors to the Doolan home to keep them from opening during the fire marks the family’s deaths as murder. Carrying Willa in her wake, Emily is determined to investigate and will not be deterred. Even though she’s an atheist, Emily shows more Christian charity than most as she and Willa uncover the secrets that lead to a killer.

A delightful series that casts new light on a beloved poet’s life.

Two Weddings and a Murder

Maxwell, Alyssa | Kensington (272 pp.)

$27.00 | Feb. 25, 2025 | 9781496734921

An English aristocrat and her maid make an improbably effective pair of investigators in 1922.

Now that Phoebe Renshaw is about to marry Owen Seabright, no one’s happier than Eva Huntford, her maid, who will be staying on at Foxwood Hall to assist Phoebe’s younger sister, Amelia. Although Phoebe’s vague aunt, Lady Cecily, wandered away for a while, the wedding day goes well except for one hitch: the late arrival of Eva’s boyfriend, Constable Miles Brannock, who’s delayed because his unpleasant boss, Chief Inspector Perkins, has been shot to death with his own gun. Miles promptly begins a search for witnesses who might have seen or heard something, including Lady Cecily. He becomes a suspect himself when Mick Burridge, of the

An

Metropolitan Police, takes over the case—he arrests Miles on suspicion of murder because Perkins never put him up for the promotion whose higher salary would have allowed him to marry Eva. Eva and Phoebe, who have already solved many previous crimes, are furious enough to start their own investigation. One of the other suspects Burridge ignores is Ian McGowan, who was put in prison by Perkins for eight years despite extenuating circumstances and recently released. Phoebe even suspects some of her own relatives of keeping secrets. With Miles under house arrest and Burridge sticking to his theory, the pair must unmask the real killer in order to clear Miles. This series entry is filled with enough red herrings to do any between-thewars mystery proud.

Murder in an Irish Garden

O’Connor, Carlene | Kensington (304 pp.) $27.00 | Feb. 25, 2025 | 9781496744456

A garden competition turns deadly in a bustling Irish village. All of Kilbane is buzzing with excitement, and not only because of the chainsaws and drills working to get ready for the opening of The Six, the new restaurant Eoin O’Sullivan named for himself and his five siblings. The first day of Kilbane’s Top Garden Contest is upon the town, and the contestants are rushing to finish their creations, each of them hidden from eager eyes by a white tent. There’s been no end

aristocrat and her maid make an effective pair of investigators in 1922.

of fuss about whether one of the contestants, professional garden designer Cassidy Ryan, should be allowed to compete in what’s always been an amateur event. Now it’s time to reveal whether Cassidy’s creation can live up to the hype. Well, “live up to” turns out to be exactly wrong, since the centerpiece of Cassidy’s garden turns out to be her own decapitated body. Garda Siobhán O’Sullivan and her handsome husband, DS Macdara Flannery, focus their investigation of Cassidy’s demise on her fellow contestants, with a reporter, her fiance, a bookstore clerk, and the owner of a garden supply shop playing supporting roles. This narrow lens fails to do Kilbane justice. From the beginning, O’Connor shows an eye for the quirky pleasures of Irish country life, but she fails to capitalize on her own sharp vision, wasting her opportunity to make Kilbane a joy to her reader in order to plant a bouquet of red herrings in the service of a silly solution to the puzzle. More local color, please.

The Library Game

Pandian, Gigi | Minotaur (320 pp.) | $28.00 March 18, 2025 | 9781250880239

A theatrical murder mystery turns from entertainment to crime scene when an actor turns up dead and then disappears. Transforming Gray House’s cottagelike structure into the Gray House Library of Classic Detective Fiction is a labor of love for Tempest Raj. It’s exactly the sort of clever and imaginative transformation her family’s San Francisco Bay–area based Secret Staircase Construction company is known for. Gray House’s late owner, Harold Gray, didn’t live long enough to see his dream come to life, but his heir, Cameron, has ably taken his place in guiding the work.

Murder in a quiet Long Island village rips the lid off a series of outrages.

THE RUINS

Though Tempest and her team haven’t fully realized Harold’s plan yet, there’s already a murder mystery play evening in the works to celebrate and take advantage of the space. Written by Tempest’s best friend, Ivy Youngblood, the play, set in the 1930s, is almost derailed from its dress rehearsal when actor Lucas Cruz doesn’t show. Luckily, Sanjay Rai, Tempest’s dear friend from her past career as a magician, willingly steps in to play Lucas’ role. All goes well until the mystery gets a little too real-life (and death), and the reason Lucas couldn’t turn up becomes all too apparent. Except it doesn’t, because almost as soon as he shows up with a bullet hole in his chest, his body vanishes. Now Tempest and her friends aren’t sure whether to call the police, especially since Tempest doubts that Hidden Creek Det. Blackburn will be amused by a case of a vanishing corpse. There’s welcome character development and a plot that ends with a bang, all with a touch of whimsy.

Beast of the North Woods

Ryan, Annelise | Berkley (320 pp.)

$28.00 | Jan. 28, 2025 | 9780593816059

Cryptozoologist

Morgan Carter goes hunting for the world’s most unlikely murder suspect in frigid Door County, Wisconsin. The Rhinelander police have arrested Andy Bosworth for the murder of his old high school frenemy Brandon Kluver. In his

defense, Andy insists that Brandon was already dying when he arrived on the wooded scene, attacked and gutted by a dim presence Andy spotted out of the corner of his eye. It was a Hodag, he tells his aunt, Rita Bosworth, who persuades Morgan, her employer at Odds and Ends, to investigate. Rhinelander police Detective Hoffman isn’t exactly sympathetic to Andy’s plea. And Mayor Corey Michaels and his allies are actively hostile. They descend on Morgan demanding that she cease and desist her attempts to hurt the town’s brand by linking its long-time mascot, a fantasy creature first dreamed up as a hoax over a century ago, to any nefarious real-world doings. But even though Morgan, still haunted by her experience with David Johnson, the ex-fiance who murdered her parents and vanished two years ago, is initially reluctant to head this fishing expedition, which Brandon’s live-in Judith Ingles calls “a fool’s errand,” the case has her name written all over it. After many conversations about murders past and present, endless false leads, and an annoying profusion of had-I-butknown foreshadowings, Morgan succeeds against all odds in tracking down the cryptid at the heart of the mystery, though it’s not the one she had in mind.

Neatly combines the codes of real-world homicide investigation and of tales of beasts from the dark side.

The Ruins

Wick, Steve | Pegasus Crime (320 pp.) $28.95 | Feb. 4, 2025 | 9781639368167

Veteran journalist Wick’s first novel uses a horrific murder in a quiet Long Island village to rip the lid off a series of outrages, fictional and not, in the past.

Most of the locals in Lindenhurst have their eye on the 1954 World Series in the Polo Grounds when new police Chief Paul Beirne—a World War II vet whose panic attacks are rooted in his abandonment by his mother, his hatred of his pro-Nazi father, and intensified by his captivity in a prisoner-of-war camp—gets a call about a woman found dead in a field. The wounds inflicted on Constance McKay eerily echo those found on Carol Berkowitz, who was dumped in nearby Argyle Lake back in 1938. When the husband who reported Constance missing is found murdered in his burning house the next day, Paul knows he’s onto something big and nasty. And when his attempts to question carpenter Rudolf Haase, the obvious suspect, are upended by village mayor Olly Madden, state trooper Schmidt, and Lindenhurst Star editor Jimmy McGregor, who’s taken up with Paul’s ex-wife, he realizes that the stakes are high. So, it’s no great surprise when Paul is placed on leave, then fired from his job just as the pot is coming to a boil. The fact that Carol Berkowitz was a kitchen helper fired by heroic aviator Charles Lindbergh just before his baby was kidnapped in 1932 links the latest murder to eugenics, espionage, and an iconic American crime. Even readers who have trouble following all those links or lose track of everyone present and past who end up implicated will appreciate Wick’s explosive plotting and extensive historical research.

A shattering journey from Lindenhurst to Lindbergh.

For more by Annelise Ryan, visit Kirkus online.

BEST FICTION BOOKS OF 2024

Small Rain by Garth Greenwell (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)

Colored Television by Danzy Senna (Riverhead)

James by Percival Everett (Doubleday)

Entitlement by Rumaan Alam (Riverhead)

Say Hello to My Little Friend by Jennine Capó Crucet (Simon & Schuster)

The Mighty Red by Louise Erdrich (Harper/HarperCollins)

Prophet Song by Paul Lynch (Atlantic Monthly)

Playground by Richard Powers (Norton)

Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe (Morrow/HarperCollins)

Long Island Compromise by Taffy Brodesser-Akner (Random House)

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:

The Jemdar by Gregorio Baca

The Iberian Table by Robin Keuneke

The Curse of Maiden Scars by Nicolette Croft

Echoes of Our Ancestors by Brenda Vicars

Moral Injury by Mhairi Haarsager, M.D.

Fully Booked

An elementary school principal goes AWOL in this delightful adult debut. BY MEGAN LABRISE

EPISODE 399: ELISE BRYANT

On this episode of Fully Booked, Elise Bryant discusses It’s Elementary (Berkley, July 9), one of Kirkus’ best fiction books of 2024.

Bryant is the NAACP Image Award–nominated author of Happily Ever Afters, One True Loves, and Reggie and Delilah’s Year of Falling. A former special education teacher, she now spends her days reading, writing, and eating dessert. She lives in Long Beach, California, with her husband and two children.

The decorated YA novelist’s first book for adults is a fast-paced funny mystery. “When a Southern California elementary school principal vanishes, an overworked single parent suspects a domineering PTA president of foul play,” Kirkus writes in a starred review:

“Between raising 7-year-old Pearl and working full time for a nonprofit that underpays and undervalues her, Mavis Miller already has enough on her plate. When PTA chair Trisha Holbrook asks Mavis—one of the only Black mothers at Knoll Elementary—to head the organization’s DEI committee, Mavis’ instinct is to decline….Mavis doesn’t want to be seen as a Bad Mom, though, which is why she’s present that evening when Trisha and Mr. Smith nearly come to blows during his first PTA meeting as Knoll’s new principal. Hours later, Mavis is walking her dog when she spies a rubber-gloved, profanity-spewing Trisha trailing Clorox bottles while dragging heavy trash bags from the school to her minivan. Mavis doesn’t suspect Trisha was up to anything nefarious until the next morning, when she drops Pearl off and discovers that Mr. Smith has gone missing….Myriad mysteries and an enchanting will-they-or-won’t-they romance work in tandem to maintain tension throughout, while boldly drawn characters help spotlight issues such as racism, gentrification, and the devaluation of female labor.…A smart, funny novel that’s certain to make a splash.”

It’s Elementary Bryant, Elise Berkley | 368 pp. | $19.00 July 9, 2024 | 9780593640784

Bryant and I begin with overworked single-parent protagonist Mavis Miller: the questions she’s asking about her own life, the questions she’s asking about the disappearance of her daughter’s elementary school principal. We take a deep dive into PTA dynamics, and the humor that arises from the differing expectations of people from diverse backgrounds. We talk about cozy mysteries, the mysterious hottie who saves Mavis from a parking ticket at the beginning of the book, how romance keeps the lights on in publishing, and the joy of writing (seriously) funny fiction. We talk about physical descriptions, how punishing parenthood can be on the body, the forthcoming sequel to It’s Elementary, and much more.

Then fiction editor Laurie Muchnick joins us to discuss the making of the 2024 best fiction books list.

Editor-at-large Megan Labrise hosts the Fully Booked podcast

To listen to the episode, visit Kirkus online.

Joseph Sebastia Photography

Book to Screen

Caleb Azumah Nelson To Create Open Water Series

The novelist will write and direct a BBC adaptation of his debut novel.

Caleb Azumah Nelson is bringing his novel Open Water to the small screen,

according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Azumah Nelson’s debut novel, published in the U.S. by Black Cat in 2021, follows two young Black British artists—one a photographer, one a dancer—who meet in a London pub and eventually fall in love. A critic for Kirkus wrote of the novel, which won the Costa First Novel Award, “Written in lyrical and propulsive prose, a searing debut.”

In addition to directing the eight-episode series, Azumah Nelson will serve as its head writer and executive producer. The

show is being developed for BBC iPlayer and BBC One. The BBC is also developing a series based on Azumah Nelson’s second novel, Small Worlds

“I can’t wait for viewers not only to meet Marcus and Effie, but to step into their world: their private, intimate spaces, their communities, their desires,” Azumah Nelson said. “I’m incredibly grateful to be telling this story at this time.” (Marcus and Effie are the two artists

For a review of Open Water, visit Kirkus online.

in the adaptation; they were unnamed in the novel.)

Azumah Nelson shared the news of the adaptation on Instagram, writing, “It’s been a real labour of love. So much work and so much more to come but I’m beyond excited to bring this show to you all.” —M.S.

Caleb Azumah Nelson

A Gentleman’s Gentleman

Alexander, TJ | Vintage (336 pp.) | $18.00 paper | March 11, 2025 | 9780593686201

A valet helps his earl find a love match. Christopher, Lord Eden, doesn’t mind at all that he has a reputation for eccentricity. He’s happy to live far away from London society on his estate, with just a cook and a butler who are more like family than staff. He had decided to live the rest of his life like this, in fact, until his lawyers notified him that he absolutely has to get married before his next birthday, or he’ll lose his inheritance. He’s anxious about this for several reasons, first and foremost because he is a “man of unusual make”—other people would see him as a woman, even though he most decidedly is not. For the sake of the estate, though, Christopher decides to do his best to find a match during the Season that’s already well underway, and, hoping to seem more typical while in town, he asks the lawyers to hire him a valet. When that valet, James Harding, arrives, it seems that the two men couldn’t be more different. Where Christopher prefers to eat breakfast in the kitchen with his staff, James doesn’t even allow himself to joke with his employer. For Christopher, it doesn’t help matters that James is “too perfectly formed to be alive.” As they relocate to London and sort their plans out for the Season, the gentleman and his gentleman start to settle into a tentative friendship, but even though both are working toward finding a match for Christopher, the more they learn about each other, the less either wants to focus on a wife. With Christopher and James’ story, Alexander’s first historical romance takes a daring leap into the Regency, providing a thoughtful, wholehearted exploration of trans life in another era. An agonizing slow burn tumbles

into a quick climax, in more ways than one, the suddenness of which detracts from the tale; in addition, given how well-drawn Lord Eden is, it’s disappointing that the story never shares Harding’s point of view for balance. Alexander’s witty writing and excellent imagining of both the challenges and fierce joys of trans life in 1819 England are enthralling, though, and well worth the time of any historical romance fan. A charming, compelling, and very queer Regency.

My Inconvenient Duke

Chase, Loretta | Avon/HarperCollins (384 pp.)

$9.99 paper | Jan. 21, 2025 | 9780063111387

In Victorian London, a young woman decides she must find a husband, only to fall in love with her brother’s best friend. Lady Alice Ancaster is the younger sister of the Duke of Ripley, who, along with his friends Ashmont and Blackwood, is one of the young, brash, and wealthy dukes known in society as “Their Dis-Graces.” When the latest drunken antics of the Dis-Graces almost get her brother killed, Alice decides she has no choice but to secure a husband for herself. If her brother dies, she will fall into the clutches of his heir, the vile Lord Worbury. When Giles Bouverie Lyon, Duke of Blackwood, learns of Alice’s plan, he follows her to London, determined to protect her interests. When he was 17, Blackwood chose the desultory life of an entitled young aristocrat over a courtship with Alice, but now that he’s nearing 30, he is ready to settle down and make Alice his wife. Chase’s sparkling, witty banter is on fine display, but the plot is almost aggressively disjointed. Alice is courted by an older gentleman considering marriage for the first time; Worbury plots Ripley’s downfall, hoping to inherit the wealthy estate;

Alice asks Blackwood to help her find a young street urchin who’s in trouble; and Alice and Blackwood learn that her brother is missing and search the countryside to find him. The real purpose of these disparate scenes is to show Blackwood in a new light, both to himself and to Alice. He is a mature and competent partner on their adventures, leading Alice to reconsider her opinion of him and agree to marriage. It’s effective until Blackwood decides to risk his marriage to save his friends—a timeline that was established in previous books in the series, but one that leaves this book feeling emotionally hollow.

Fidelity to the timeline of previous books weighs down a long- awaited romance.

The Love Simulation

Easton, Etta | Berkley (320 pp.) | $19.00 paper | March 4, 2025 | 9780593640241

A middle school vice principal joins a six-week Mars simulation for a chance to win $500,000 for her school. Brianna Rogers has been a chronic underachiever compared to her high-powered siblings. She loves kids but drifted through several jobs as a teacher and counselor before finally landing a position as a vice principal at a Houston middle school. She clashes with her principal, a difficult and condescending man. What’s worse is that the most attractive teacher at the school, Roman Major, is the principal’s son. Roman also applied for the vice principal job, and she suspects that’s why their interactions are chilly and adversarial. Then, in the final weeks of the school year, she discovers that the principal redirected the money meant to renovate the library into a football field upgrade. Brianna is outraged but helpless to do anything about it, until she decides to join four of her colleagues, including Roman, on a six-week-long NASA Mars simulation

A diver and swimmer secretly pursue kink together, and risk falling in love.

DEEP END

they’ve been recruited for. There are cash rewards for individual teachers, but Brianna is more interested in the $500,000 grant the school will win if the team successfully completes the simulation. The award could fund the library upgrade without the principal’s interference. Once Brianna and Roman enter the simulation, she begins to suspect that Roman was planted on the team by his father to sabotage their progress and prevent them from saving the library. Brianna’s journey is both professional and personal. She struggles with the expectation that she will keep herself separate from her colleagues since she’s a supervisor. She must learn to trust her own instincts, and eventually decides Roman is not there to ruin their chances of winning the grant. In comparison, Roman is underdeveloped to the point of feeling like an afterthought. There is little tension or conflict outside of the simulation itself, and the resolution is simple and uncomplicated.

One strong main character can’t save the contrived plot or underwhelming love interest.

The Love Lyric

Forest, Kristina | Berkley (400 pp.) | $19.00 paper | Feb. 4, 2025 | 9780593817100

A single mom falls for an R&B singer. Iris Greene never expected to become a widow shortly after getting married and having a baby, but she worked hard to make a life for herself and her daughter, Calla, in her husband’s

absence. Five years after Terry’s death, Iris is the director of partnerships at Save Face Beauty, a makeup and skincare company. Even though she feels lonely sometimes, she can’t imagine letting another man into her life—she doesn’t have the time or the energy to find her perfect match. But then she meets Angel, one of her stylist sister’s clients and an up-and-coming singer. When Angel is named the latest celebrity brand ambassador for Save Face Beauty, Iris has to spend lots of one-on-one time with him as they travel around the country on a meet-and-greet tour. Angel also feels like there’s something missing from his life—even though he’s massively popular, he’s not passionate about the music he’s making and he’d love to be able to share his success with someone special. As he and Iris work together, it’s clear that their chemistry is only growing stronger. But Iris needs her job, and she can’t risk appearing unprofessional by developing a relationship with the company’s ambassador. Both Iris and Angel have to decide if it’s worth the risk to go after what they really want—in their careers and their romantic lives. Forest continues her Greene Sisters series with this charming installment. Iris and Angel’s relationship develops slowly and satisfyingly, with real, adult complications instead of miscommunications. A sweet and sexy romance that hits all the right notes.

Deep End

Hazelwood, Ali | Berkley (464 pp.)

$30.00 | Feb. 4, 2025 | 9780593641057

For more by Kristina Forest, visit Kirkus online.

A collegiate diver and swimmer secretly pursue kink together, and risk falling in love along the way. Scarlett Vandermeer is struggling. Despite a successful recovery from the injury that almost ended her Stanford diving career, she hasn’t been able to get her head together, and it’s affecting her performance. Plus, she’s trying to stay focused on getting into medical school. A relationship would be out of the question. By comparison, Lukas Blomqvist is a swimming idol, a record-breaker who wins medals as easily as breathing, and Scarlett has long been convinced he would never look in her direction— until one fateful night when a mutual friend lets slip that they have something unexpected in common: Scarlett likes to be submissive in the bedroom, while Lukas prefers to take a dominant approach. Now, they both know a big secret about each other, and it’s something neither of them can stop thinking about. It’s Lukas who suggests they have a fling—purely physical, just to take the edge off, so Scarlett can get out of her own head and stop overthinking her dives. Initially, their arrangement is easy to stick to, but the more time they spend together, the more Scarlett starts to realize that what she feels for Lukas is more than physical attraction. Complicating the situation is the fact that Scarlett’s friend Penelope Ross used to go out with Lukas, and the longer Scarlett keeps mum about her true feelings for him, the more difficult it is to keep the situation hidden from another person she really cares about. While Scarlett and Lukas’ relationship does begin as a physical one, their deeper psychological connection takes a little too long to emerge amid all the other storylines, resulting in a somewhat rushed resolution. However, Hazelwood’s latest is proof of the depth and

maturity that has emerged in her writing over the years, and it highlights her embrace of sexier, more emotional elements than were present in her original STEMinist rom-coms. A surprisingly sensual sports romance.

Kirkus Star

A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke

Herrera, Adriana | Canary Street Press (432 pp.) | $18.99 paper | Feb. 4, 2025 9781335476968 | Series: Leonas, 3

A doctor and a duke who continually challenge the rules of society find that embracing love is one of the biggest risks of all.

Aurora Montalban Wright operates a secret, not exactly legal, women’s clinic in the backstreets of Paris, and when her estranged brothers cut off access to her trust, she needs to find other means of funding her operation. Desiring a distraction, she seeks out Apollo César Sinclair Robles, the new duke of Annan, who has frustrated her since they first met, yet also reawakened her long dormant carnal desire. Apollo is captivated by the gutsy doctor and becomes determined to protect her from the dangerous situations she puts herself in for her patients, even if she doesn’t want him—or anyone—to interfere with her independence. As he supports her work and she repeatedly winds up in his bed, she begins to recognize the similarities between them as Afro-Latine people using their power and skills to improve the lives of the disenfranchised and vulnerable; his aunt may be set on finding him a bride, but he’s more concerned with creating better living conditions for those who live on the dukedom’s land. As Aurora and Apollo’s feelings for each other grow, what was meant to be a temporary relationship starts to feel impossible to let go of, even as they face prejudice and confront complicated personal histories. Bursting with passion, the final book in Herrera’s

terrific Las Leonas series is a masterclass in romance writing and plotting. There are heightened yet completely believable emotions and tensions throughout, with Herrera providing just the right amount of fascinating historical detail while still keeping the romance front and center. Conflicts concerning women’s healthcare, particularly regarding reproductive choices, are frighteningly resonant today. This can be enjoyed as a standalone, but is even more powerful alongside the previous books.

An extraordinary finale to a series that deserves to be esteemed as among the best in the genre.

I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I’m Trapped in a Rom-Com

Lemming, Kimberly | Berkley (304 pp.) $19.00 paper | Feb. 18, 2025 | 9780593818633

W hat’s worse: to be killed by a lion or dropped on a strange planet and forced into an alien breeding program? Dorothy Valentine had a happy career in wildlife biology, studying meerkats in their native environment and living on her own terms. That is, until a hungry lion decided to make her into lunchmeat. Abducted from Earth at the moment of her death—along with the lion who attacked her—Dory becomes Subject 4 in an alien research project. The goal: to extend the life of the Sankado species, whose females were left behind on their dying home planet. With “a few modifications,” Dory is a prime candidate for Sankado breeding…except for the secret birth control implant in her arm. To make matters more complicated, she hooks up with two Sankado men, Sol and Lok, while under the influence of an alien love serum, becoming their Zhali—a mate for life. Luckily, they don’t mind sharing Dory or one another. Just when their three-way honeymoon is about to kick off, however, Lok’s old enemy rears his ugly head, putting all of

their lives in peril. Lemming’s characterization really shines here. Sassy Dory, sensitive and whip-smart Sol, and the dominant, flirtatious Lok all feel fully realized, as do Toto and Intern—the lion who tried to eat Dory and the birdlike alien responsible for observing her. The sex scenes are spicy, if perhaps too few and far between, and the dialogue is snappy and realistic.

A laugh-out-loud “why choose?” romance of intergalactic proportions.

Kirkus Star

Unlikely Story

Rosen, Ali | Montlake Romance (318 pp.) | $16.99 paper March 1, 2025 | 9781662527920

A therapist finds herself torn between two men: one too good to be true, and the other who couldn’t be more wrong. Eleanora Fischer is in love with a man she’s never met...technically. For the past seven years, Nora, a New York therapist, has been writing an advice column for a London-based newspaper, and every Tuesday she gets edits for Ask Eleanora via a Google Doc from her copy editor, known only as “J.W.” Though they’ve never chatted outside of a wordprocessing document, Nora feels a deep connection with J and cherishes their witty, often personal banter, though she’s afraid that revealing her feelings would ruin the relationship. When her boss at the Sunday Tribune invites her to London at the end of the summer, Nora will finally have a chance to meet J in person. With a planned meetup on the horizon, all Nora has to do is survive the next few months dealing with her cranky new neighbor, a surly Brit named Eli Whitman. He’s just moved in upstairs and is already wreaking havoc, hammering away and submitting plans to build a rooftop party zone in Nora’s quiet Greenwich Village co-op. And the cherry on top? Eli is a former—

disgruntled— client of Nora’s from a couple’s therapy session that ended up with him getting dumped mid-appointment. He seems hellbent on destroying her peace and quiet, though Nora is up for the challenge. And she can’t help but notice that this prickly Englishman is quite handsome, though, personality-wise, he’s everything J isn’t. Is her connection with J all in her head, and, either way, how could she now be falling for his complete opposite? Rosen’s enemies-to-lovers romance is a delightfully modern take on You’ve Got Mail, mixed with the kind of will-they, won’t-they sort-of love triangle that’s the bread and butter of all rom-coms. Eli is a dashing crankster with a backstory, Nora is a therapist with vulnerabilities, and J is the mysterious perfect man who always knows what to say—and readers will be eating it up happily.

A swoonworthy romance reminiscent of a Nora Ephron movie.

A Lady Would Know Better

Theriault, Emma | Entangled: Amara (352 pp.) | $17.99 paper Jan. 28, 2025 | 9781649377449

An amnesiac woman is rescued by an earl dealing with his own inner turmoil.

Jasper Maycott never expected to be the Earl of Belhaven, but when his parents and older brother died, the responsibility fell to him, including caring for three sisters and two remaining brothers. On his way to visit the graves of his deceased loved ones one wintry day, he discovers an injured, unconscious woman on his grounds. As he rushes her to his estate, she briefly wakes and exclaims, “Don’t let them get me.” When she comes to again, she has no memory of who she is, but they agree to call her Jane. Jasper vows to care for Jane and get her back to health, even if he is suspicious and wonders if this is the ruse of a fortune hunter. Jane is flummoxed by what she can and can’t remember, but as she convalesces, she

This romance taps into the sense of community that comes with fandom.

BOOK BOYFRIEND

develops bonds with the Maycott siblings, although stern Jasper’s hot and cold behavior confuses her nearly as much as her memory loss. Jasper was set on never falling in love again, but he’s captivated by the willful woman. Until she can discover her truth, though, danger lurks and every action feels like a risk. Theriault’s adult debut features lovable characters but suffers from repetitive writing that slows the pace and impedes consistent character growth. Jane’s strong spirit and the mystery of her identity make her a compelling heroine, but the romance feels fairly instantaneous and shallow for much of the book. The depiction of grief is emotionally richer. Even though this romance isn’t entirely successful, Jasper’s siblings are a charming, interesting bunch who could each easily carry their own love stories in the future.

Some elements of this story work beautifully, but the romance at the center feels uninspired.

Book Boyfriend

Wibberley, Emily & Austin Siege mundBroka | Berkley (384 pp.) | $19.00 paper Feb. 25, 2025 | 9780593638668

Two workplace enemies begin to view each other in a different light when they both arrive at the same weeklong fandom event.

Following a breakup she saw coming from miles away, Jennifer Worth books a ticket to a weeklong “immersive experience” for fans of Elytheum Courts, a bestselling romantasy series. She’s gobsmacked to see that Scott Daniels, her nemesis at the

publishing company where she works, is also in attendance, fully decked out in leather armor. Jennifer distinctly remembers Scott saying he was taking time off to attend a friend’s wedding, but when confronted about the lie, Scott tells Jennifer she can leave if his presence is disturbing her. Part of the event is a scavenger hunt, and since Jennifer and Scott are seemingly unable to get out of each other’s way—on the grounds, in the communal bathroom—they finally agree to put aside their differences and work together to solve the trail of clues. Jennifer is sick of experiencing swoony romance only in fiction, but she often feels like she’s asking for too much in the way of courtship and passion in real life. Curiously, she seems to feel sparks when she’s verbally sparring with Scott. This enemies-to-lovers romance taps into the tremendous sense of community that comes with being part of a fandom. Most of the characters are unabashed in their love for Elytheum Courts, and the event gives Jennifer the nudge she needs to walk away from the shame she carries about wanting to be swept off her feet. However, since we only get Jennifer’s point of view, the narrative feels one-sided, especially given the many assumptions she makes about Scott and his motivations for attending the experience. The humor and warmth of fan communities feels carefully crafted here, though that care doesn’t extend to the central romance. This celebration of fandom will appeal to readers passionately entrenched in similar communities.

For more by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka, visit Kirkus online.

New Novel by Kiran Desai Coming This Fall

The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny will be the author’s first book in nearly two decades. Kiran Desai will release her first book in almost two decades later this year, the Associated Press reports.

Hogarth will publish the author’s The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny in the fall. The Penguin Random House imprint describes the book as “the spellbinding story of two young people whose fates will intersect and diverge across continents and years—an epic of love and family, India and America, tradition and modernity.”

Desai made her literary debut in 1998 with Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard, about an Indian man who takes up residence in a fruit tree. She followed that up six years later with The Inheritance of Loss, which won the Booker Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award.

The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny will

For a review of The Inheritance of Loss, visit Kirkus online.

HEARD

follow the two title characters, young people living in Vermont and Brooklyn, respectively, who are dealing with loneliness and alienation.

“Using the comic lens of an endlessly unresolved romance between two modern Indians, The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny examines Western and Eastern notions and manifestations of love and solitude as they play out across the geographical and emotional terrain of today’s globalized world,” Desai said in a statement to the AP. “I think only a novel can get at the raw truth regarding what people are privately thinking and negotiating.”

The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny is slated for publication on Sept. 23. —M.S.

Michael Sharkey

Kiran Desai

Nonfiction

JOHN McMURTRIE

FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND BEYOND

IT WAS JULY 11, 1932 . Angelo Herndon dropped by his local post office in Atlanta to pick up his mail when two police officers handcuffed him, brought him to their station, and proceeded to beat him. Eleven days passed before Herndon was charged with a crime: attempting to incite insurrection. He would remain jailed, in squalid conditions, for close to six months before being released on bail. At Herndon’s trial, the prosecutor urged the jury—all white men—to impose the death penalty. Ultimately, justice prevailed. Five years after his arrest, the U.S. Supreme Court sided with Herndon, overturning the Reconstruction-era insurrection law that had been used against him. Herndon’s supposed crime? A Black Communist, he was in possession of radical literature, including leaflets demanding better treatment of workers.

Although he drew support from, among others, Langston Hughes and Ralph Ellison, Herndon is a largely obscure figure today. A new book seeks to rectify this.

Written by Georgetown Law professor Brad Snyder, You Can’t Kill a Man Because of the Books He Reads: Angelo Herndon’s Fight for Free Speech (Norton, Feb. 4) is, in the words of our starred review, “an inspiring portrait from an appalling chapter in American history.”

Snyder’s account of Herndon’s heroism is one of several books that offer readers fresh perspectives during Black History Month and beyond. Another notable title documents a little-known side of Shirley Chisholm’s attempt, in 1972, to become the first woman to occupy the White House. The book is Juanita Tolliver’s A More Perfect Party: The Night Shirley Chisholm and Diahann Carroll Reshaped Politics (Legacy Lit/Hachette, Jan. 14), which our review describes as “an ebullient and trenchant look at a trailblazing campaign for president.”

Much has been written about Malcolm X, of course, but a recent book focuses on the Black leader’s early life. In Malcolm Before X (Univ.

of Massachusetts, 2024), Patrick Parr delves into rarely seen primary sources to paint, says our starred review, “a rich portrait of a young revolutionary.”

Many came to have a fuller sense of Malcolm X thanks to the landmark PBS documentary series Eyes on the Prize. Juan Williams, who wrote the accompanying book, updates that work with New Prize for These Eyes: The Rise of America’s Second Civil Rights Movement. Our review called it “an important appraisal of the present-day struggle for civil rights.”

Williams’ book makes clear that the fight for equal rights—and respect—is an ongoing battle. Irvin Weathersby Jr. proves as much with In Open Contempt: Confronting White

Supremacy in Art and Public Space (Viking, Jan. 7), in which he speaks out against public monuments that pay tribute to Confederate figures. The book, says our review, is “a spirited and often poetic treatment of an important and timely topic.”

Tamara Lanier, for her part, has taken on no less an institution than Harvard University, challenging its ownership of images that depict her enslaved ancestors. She shares her story in From These Roots: My Fight With Harvard To Reclaim My Legacy (Crown, Jan. 28); our review praises it as “a stirring first-person account of holding powerful institutions responsible for abetting slavery.”

John McMurtrie is the nonfiction editor.

Illustration by Eric Scott Anderson

EDITOR’S PICK

A YA author uses his platform to tell the story of a curable disease that kills over a million people a year. In a postscript that is essentially a sweet apologia, Green explains, “If you’d told me when The Fault in Our Stars was published that a decade later, I’d be writing and thinking almost exclusively about tuberculosis, I would have responded, ‘Is that still a thing?’” Many readers likely remain under the same illusion. But after Green met a very sick boy named Henry Reider on a trip to Sierra Leone in 2019, he decided to put his self-confessed OCD to the task of learning and sharing every single thing there is to know about tuberculosis, ultimately understanding

that the disease still exists due to racism, greed, and the brutal economics of public health, concluding in part that “TB is both a form and expression of injustice.” He parcels out the frightening story of what happened to Henry bit by bit through chapters that also recount the long, strange history of the disease. Once known as consumption and romanticized through association with artists and writers who died of it, for centuries TB was treated with a variety of utterly ineffective approaches in sanatoriums and elsewhere. A young American woman who had been confined in one such institution since the age of 3 was treated with some of the first doses of streptomycin

Everything Is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection

Green, John | Crash Course Books | 208 pages

$28.00 | March 18, 2025 | 9780525426059

when it became available in the 1940s—and emerged back into the world of the living at 16. Along with interesting accounts of historical figures and current patients, Green explores the financial aspects of treatment and the practices of the pharmaceutical industry,

bringing home the shameful truth of the situation. In all, his “curious megaphone”— his phrase for the access he has to a wide audience due to his literary stardom—has been put to good use. This highly readable call to action could not be more timely.

Shadow Work: Loneliness and the Literary Life

Anderson, Emily Hodgson | Columbia Univ. (288 pp.) | $30.00 paper March 4, 2025 | 9780231218504

Reflections on a life of reading. A writer, English professor, and single parent to two young sons, Anderson offers a gentle meditation on loneliness and connection, with books central to her thinking. Her aim, she reveals, is “to weave together my own often contradictory thoughts on labor, literature, and companionship and to explore how books had taught me about solitude and also brought me closer to the people I most love.” She intends, as well, to reconcile the contradictions inherent in being a writer and a mother, both involving “so much work and passion.” Confessing that she’s “someone who believes that the answers to life’s mysteries are to be found in books,” Anderson reflects on what she has learned from a wide array of authors, some of whom wrote for children— Roald Dahl, Lewis Carroll, James M. Barrie, and her beloved Laura Ingalls Wilder—and many others for adults, from Ludwig Wittgenstein to Zadie Smith, John Milton to Toni Morrison. Anderson juxtaposes her own experiences—as a graduate student, competitive runner, mother, teacher— with the books that afforded her insights. “Novels,” she notes, “have long been celebrated as a literary form that offers readers unique access to that illusory and intoxicating kind of ‘knowing’ not otherwise possible in real life.” That access, though, is not particular to novels: Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, for example, makes Anderson uncomfortably aware of the sameness of her days, focused as they are on child care. She feels she is “not living so much as waiting,” and she yearns to move forward. Shakespeare’s ghosts also incite a feeling of recognition. Ghosts and shadows intrigue her, she admits, “because I feel like them in this regard:

not sure if I am really there.” In books, she has traveled paths to self-discovery. A graceful literary memoir.

Dust and Light: On the Art of Fact in Fiction

Barrett, Andrea | Norton (240 pp.)

$26.99 | Feb. 25, 2025 | 9781324036500

“Following the hints of glitter among the heap of rubble.”

Barrett’s bouquet of essays reflects on her craft as a writer of historical fiction. Each essay seeks to get behind the subjects of her work, while at the same time raising questions about how blurry the line may be between fact and fiction in literary narrative. It has been said that anything, once turned into a story, becomes a kind of fiction, and Barrett explores how telling people’s stories turns them into novelistic characters. She surveys a range of subjects whose stories she has tried to tell: 19thcentury Arctic explorers, the Victorian polymath Oliver Lodge, early-20th-century Brooklyn, the history of disease and cure, the ruminations of Virginia Woolf, World War I heroism, and specialists in everything from insects to anatomy to narwhals. This is a highly personal book, rich with lived anecdotes about what it meant to come to books as a child, what it meant to try to write after the terror attacks of 9/11, and what it means, now, to be a professional author. Barrett quotes the scholar Saidiya Hartman, who herself has experimented with fictionalized historical narratives: “How can narrative embody life in words and at the same time respect what we cannot know?” That is the key question of this book. Written in a conversational style, the collection works well on the page; it would likely be even better as an audiobook, with the listener hearing and feeling the writer’s embodied life in words.

Evocative essays on the challenges of writing and reading historical fiction, memoir, and literary biography.

A History of the World in Six Plagues: How Contagion, Class, and Captivity Shaped Us, From Cholera to Covid-19

Bonhomme, Edna | One Signal/Atria (320 pp.) $29.99 | March 11, 2025 | 9781982197834

Beyond catastrophes. Accounts of epidemics are a respectable publishing genre, but journalist and science historian Bonhomme uses them as a springboard for exploring inequality. Cholera, a major 19th-century killer, seems to be the subject of the first chapter, yet in a preview of what follows, Bonhomme opens in 1857 New Orleans, where a white physician lectured a meeting of the New Orleans Academy of Science on the supposed inferiority of the Black race. The audience listened respectfully. Although Bonhomme summarizes the nature of cholera, the purported causes (all wrong), and its treatment (always useless, often harmful) according to antebellum medical science, she describes the unspeakable conditions under which enslaved people lived. Readers will realize that this is not a history of epidemics but a fierce polemic arguing that minorities and the poor suffer when diseases rage because governments and the medical profession give them short shrift. The second chapter focuses on Africa during the colonial period. Sleeping sickness was rampant, and European physicians, eager to apply the latest science to conquer it, forced indigenous victims to undergo experiments without their permission, prescribing toxic drugs forbidden in Europe, and failed. The author’s discussion of Ebola emphasizes the ravages of colonialism, which left African nations with inadequate medical care systems. Readers may be surprised to learn that Ebola, mostly fatal in

“Puritan doomsday beliefs didn’t go away, they became American culture.”

CULTS LIKE US

Africa, is curable when treated in a modern hospital. The 1918 influenza pandemic, meanwhile, plays a modest role in a compelling account of how authors, notably Virginia Woolf, dealt with illness by writing. “In her letters to family and friends,” writes Bonhomme, “she reflected on her pain, noting, ‘My hand shakes no longer, but my mind vibrates uncomfortably, as it always does after an incursion of visitors; unexpected, and slightly unsympathetic.’ Even when she suffered, Woolf’s beautiful prose pulls one to her world.”

A searing attack on historical injustices.

Cults Like Us: Why Doomsday Thinking Drives America

Borden, Jane | One Signal/Atria (288 pp.)

$28.99 | March 25, 2025 | 9781668007808

Falling for it. Consider, Vanity Fair contributor Borden asks, the ideology surrounding the Puritans: A brave people crosses the ocean to gain religious freedom, is saved by friendly Indigenous people whose generosity gives us an annual feast, and bequeaths to us the right to believe what we will. Yet, Borden writes, underlying it all was “their foundational doomsday thought,” the certainty that the Apocalypse is just around the corner. “Puritan doomsday beliefs didn’t go away,” Borden notes, “they became American culture,” yielding the lone hero and other tropes: Cities are full of evil and harm, and rural places are full of good people, “women are either lustful temptresses or weak pacifists,”

and so on. Add to that the idea that the next war is the war to end all wars, which makes fighting them a good thing, and the idea that people are either rich or poor because God wants it that way, and voilà: You’ve got the American cult. It’s not so far a walk to get to QAnon from there, but Borden finds plenty of other cults to skewer along the way, including Mankind United founder Arthur Bell, who made L. Ron Hubbard seem normal, and even more widespread conspiracy theories, which, Borden holds, have three commonalities: The bad guys are “unfathomably powerful and typically world leaders, they’re brainiacs who prey on the less intelligent, and there’s something we can and must do to stop them.” Thus the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Borden writes engagingly and, though her topic is serious, often with tongue in cheek, as when she concludes that, as far as cults go, we could do worse than “taking acid, hugging children, and talking to rocks.” A fresh, provocative view of cults and those who love them.

World Eaters: How Venture Capital Is Cannibalizing the Economy

Bracy, Catherine | Dutton (272 pp.)

$32.00 | March 4, 2025 | 9780593473481

Moving fast and breaking things. At some point, the tech sector became Big Tech, much of it fueled by arrogance, elitism, and greed. A civic technologist and community organizer, Bracy sees the villain in this dynamic as venture

capital firms that invest in companies that rush for “breakneck” growth and market share rather than build a solid structure—a process known as “blitzscaling.” Only a small percentage of startups—and the VC firms that fund them—prosper, but the overall returns can be spectacular. This has led to the VC methodology spreading into business sectors that, says Bracy, are simply not appropriate for them and instead need patient capital to provide a steady growth path. She cites research showing that the VC sector, rather than fostering innovation, destroys more value than it creates. Some entrepreneurs have looked beyond the usual VC providers for funding and have successfully worked with philanthropic foundations and similar organizations. Bracy suggests that corporate regulators should examine the VC sector, which has so far escaped serious attention—while venture capital “might not be as systematically important as investment banking,” she writes, “it certainly holds outsized sway in the economy overall.” Largely free of jargon, Bracy’s study adds up to an important analysis that’s supported by some useful ideas. “For innovation to thrive,” she writes, “we need venture capitalists to prioritize the pursuit of breakthroughs rather than the pursuit of windfalls.” Bracy concludes with some advice for startup entrepreneurs: “Don’t give up,” she writes. “Don’t listen to investors who tell you your ideas aren’t big enough or who try to shake your conviction in the solutions you are building…. We need your ingenuity and bravery now more than ever.”

An informative look at an industry that values “hyper maximalist growth at breakneck pace.”

A Fractured Liberation:

Korea Under US Occupation

Chang, Kornel | Belknap/Harvard Univ. (304 pp.)

$29.95 | March 4, 2025 | 9780674258433

What came before the Korean War. In South Korea’s turbulent history, the three-year occupation by U.S. forces after 1945 stands out. Japan had brutally colonized Korea for nearly 50 years, stripping the country of resources. Chang, a historian of Korean background, notes that little was known about Korea in the West. The U.S. government was unsure about what to do with it after the Japanese surrender but was keenly aware that northern Korea had been occupied by Soviet forces, and stopping them from advancing further became the key rationale for U.S. involvement. The American commander of the occupation forces, a tough military man by the name of John Hodge, did his best to balance the competing demands but was under pressure from all sides. Chang sees Hodge’s reestablishment of the brutal, corrupt colonial police as a crucial error. Syngman Rhee emerged as the most powerful Korean politician, but Chang does not see him as an American puppet. In fact, it often seemed that it was Rhee who manipulated the Americans. Hodge hoped that the 1948 elections, which Rhee won, would provide an exit strategy for the Americans, but the Soviet threat remained, and so did U.S. forces. Chang draws on a range of records to piece the story together but often seems to be speaking with the wisdom of hindsight. Could different and better decisions have been made? Undoubtedly. But looking back after 70 years is far easier than making decisions on the ground, as Hodge had to. Nevertheless, the book fills a historical gap and will be useful to readers with an interest in Asian history and geopolitics. Shining a valuable light on a little-known but important piece of history.

A mother-to-be chronicles a cavernous loss.

FIRSTBORN

Firstborn: A Memoir

Christensen, Lauren | Penguin Press (208 pp.)

$28.00 | March 18, 2025 | 9780593831816

A grieving mother attempts to define, understand, and honor her role.

At 20 weeks pregnant, Christensen learned that Simone, the baby growing within her, was surrounded by and filled with fluid. At 22 weeks, Simone was delivered stillborn and breeched. Christensen’s memoir chronicles the path to this cavernous loss and offers an elegy for the externally recognizable, embodied version of motherhood that was lost along with her daughter. “Simone changed the calculus in every way,” the author writes, as she moves from her gradual, almost unconscious decision to even have a child to her excitement, anticipation, and surrender to her daughter’s anchoring urgency in Christensen’s life and relationship. The author’s history of panic attacks and disordered eating saturates her experience of the fundamental bodiliness of pregnancy, her appraisal of her pregnancy’s actual and potential turning points, and the lack of control she has over its outcome. Christensen’s attachment to her own mother further situates both her pregnancy and Simone within the company and camaraderie of generations of daughters and granddaughters. Some of Christensen’s most eloquent passages are embedded in observations and memories of her mother and the “imperfect symmetry of our motherhoods.” The author appears unready or unwilling—understandably—to wrestle publicly with the full essence and manifestation of her grief and her love; each time she comes close to this more

probing exposition, she seems to recoil, offering instead the minutiae of meals and one-off interactions. In a text permeated with foreboding reminders of the end we know is to come, such details can be tedious and disorienting, but they serve to wrestle order and arc into a “tragedy without a bottom,” thwarting others’ generalized and painfully inadequate efforts to console and comfort.

A frank account of the fine, eerie thread between death and life.

In the Rhododendrons: A Memoir With Appearances by Virginia Woolf

Christle, Heather | Algonquin (288 pp.)

$27.00 | April 15, 2025 | 9781643755922

Making sense of trauma.

Award-winning poet and YA novelist Christle examines her life, her relationship with her mother, and her affinity with Virginia Woolf in a lyrical memoir that circles around an event that occurred when Christle was 14. In the U.K. for her grandfather’s funeral, one of many trips she made with her English mother to visit relatives, she was excited to be staying with a cousin. One night, she went out with him and his girlfriend, first to a pub, where she got drunk, then to a club, where a man led her out to an alleyway and assaulted her. She was so drunk that she wasn’t sure she had been raped, but her cousin’s girlfriend got her a morning-after pill just in case. Shaken by the assault, she felt wounded as well by her mother’s apparent lack of empathy. “Where had she been, I thought, when I was alone in my

cousin’s flat?” Already a rebellious teenager, she became even more volatile: “Anger filled the space where connection could have been.” Christle reprises her distress as she recounts several subsequent journeys to the U.K.: with her mother and sister in 2018, and three on her own in 2019, 2021, and 2023. Each time, she searched for a new understanding of what happened to her. Woolf accompanies her on each trip, as Christle thinks about the young Virginia’s sexual abuse by her halfbrother. Even on trips alone, Christle is accompanied by her mother, whose own disclosure of being “molested” when she was 8 years old complicates Christle’s perspective. Covid-19, a friend’s suicide, motherhood, and a life-threatening medical emergency all factor into her efforts to find meaning and coherence in the “unknowable parts” of the past.

A sensitive chronicle of pain.

Waste Wars: The Wild Afterlife of Your Trash

Clapp, Alexander | Little, Brown (400 pp.) $32.00 | Feb. 25, 2025 | 9780316459020

Uncovering a dirty business. In the 1970s, a self-appointed “garbologist” went through the trash of famous folks like Bob Dylan and published lists of what he found, hoping to reveal dark secrets. In Charles Dickens’ novel Our Mutual Friend, a character known as the Golden Dustman amasses a fortune from rubbish—or “dust” as the Victorians called it. Clapp, a journalist based in Greece, is a literal and figurative muckraker, exploring a slew of astonishing trash-related topics. In one chapter, he focuses on the island of Chios, observing that local residents rank among the world’s “most unethical ship dismantlers.” Clapp unearths trash and waste in Turkey, Ghana, Java, and Guatemala, which, he writes, “boast[s] a bleak history as the serial target of toxic

waste dumping by US cities and corporations.” Not surprisingly, the United States exports much of the world’s trash. “By the early 2000s,” Clapp writes, “America’s biggest export to China was the stuff Americans tossed away.” The European Union doesn’t come off looking too clean, either. “At least as much plastic was getting jettisoned out of the European Union, from self-congratulating environmental stewards like Germany, whose state recycling quotas were often reliant on a filthy secret: much of the plastic that Germans claimed was getting ‘recycled’ was in fact getting shipped to the far side of the world, where its true fate was far from clear.” Clapp is loath to end on a hopeful note, but he tells of Izzettin Akman, a farmer in Turkey whose oranges and lemons are threatened by tons of trash that is dumped—and set on fire—near his crops. Akman takes to pursuing the garbage trucks in his pickup—“a lonesome sheriff against a system of globe-spanning waste mismanagement,” Clapp writes. “I’ll keep following the trucks until they stop coming,” Akman says. “Or until the world stops sending them.”

A fascinating and darkly revealing dive into the world’s garbage.

Love, Rita: An American Story of Sisterhood, Joy, Loss, and Legacy

Davis, Bridgett M. | Harper/ HarperCollins (384 pp.) | $29.99 March 11, 2025 | 9780063322080

Reflecting on the deep bond with a beloved elder sister. Davis grew up sensing that her role as the youngest child of five was to always let Rita, the sister closest to her in age, “shine.” But deference did not spare the two from fights that stemmed from sibling rivalry and persisted into young adulthood. When their drug-addicted elder sister Deborah died, their relationship suddenly changed: Davis writes,

“We stopped bickering…[and] refused to take each other for granted.” As the pair moved in and out of schools, jobs, and relationships, they watched with mounting shock and horror as chronic disease, homicide, and domestic violence claimed each member of their family over the next two decades. Rita’s own periodic struggles with lupus took her away from corporate life in the South to a teaching job in Detroit. Meanwhile, Davis’ life in New York as a filmmaker, writer, and professor flourished. Their different life trajectories caused occasional friction between them, especially as Rita’s condition worsened. Her tragic death at 44 marked the emergence of Davis’ own awareness—which she demonstrates throughout this memoir— about ways in which white supremacy had worked against her loved ones’ survival. The author’s loved ones hadn’t simply suffered individual misfortunes; they had been “weathered” into early deaths by a society hostile to black existence. Poignant and intense, this book not only explores the complexity of sister bonds but also brings to the fore how living in a racist society can destroy the health and well-being of non-white individuals and families.

A powerful tribute to sisterhood and the complex fragility of Black lives.

Kirkus Star

Unshrunk: A Story of Psychiatric Treatment Resistance

Delano,

Finding herself— off of meds. At 13, Delano was put on her first too-potent psychiatric drug because she was experiencing what was (to her, in hindsight) mere teen angst. What followed were decades of psychiatric drugs that were given, at length, to counteract effects of other drugs, which were given to

counteract effects of still other drugs: the classic “cascade of prescriptions.” She quickly became one of the 80% of 59 million Americans on psychiatric meds long-term. Only after years of brain-fogging drugs-upon-drugs, punctuated by years of hospitalizations, did she stumble into an Alcoholics Anonymous group, which focused on taking responsibility for one’s own life. That simple notion, along with the common fellowship of people helping each other without professionals—and without pharmaceuticals—led her to wonder if her worsening mental health was due not to her lack of response to drugs, but to the drugs themselves. Against advice, she began tapering off all of them. As she did, she researched. She read Robert Whitaker’s Anatomy of an Epidemic, Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning, John L. McKnight’s The Careless Society, and Rainer Maria Rilke’s poetry. “The words of these men ignited a fire in me to feel , to just sit and feel , for how beautifully they articulated the art of leaning into the darkness of being alive.” She also began mentoring others. Off all drugs, she had a “holy shit” realization: Her problem really was “the meds” all along. She founded a nonprofit organization and now runs a psychiatric drug withdrawal consultancy. She concludes: “I don’t need to ‘figure myself out,’ to force a change in my day-to-day reality. I trust fully in my own process—in this intelligence within me, within each and every one of us…that sits deeper than thought, that knows where to take us each from here….We’re built for tribes and villages and neighborhoods and potluck dinners. We’re meant to feel it all, and bear it all, together.”

A courageous, insightful, beautifully written book challenging major tenets of Big Pharma and mainstream psychiatry.

Murder the Truth: Fear, the First Amendment, and a Secret Campaign To Protect the Powerful

Enrich, David | Mariner Books (336 pp.)

$32.99 | March 11, 2025 | 9780063372900

A searching account of the modern rightwing push to silence criticism by suing for libel. Wrote jurist Robert Bork in 1984, libel suits “may threaten the public and constitutional interest in free, and frequently rough, discussion.” That rough discussion, notes New York Times business investigative reporter Enrich, has lately included revelations that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is the recipient of hundreds of thousands of dollars in unreported gifts and that Justice Samuel Alito’s home was flying “a flag associated with the January 6 uprising…just as he was poised to hear a high-stakes case about the attempted insurrection.” Knowing of both scandals, Enrich holds, is most definitely in the public interest—and precisely the sort of thing that Alito and Thomas’ fellow ideologues are trying to suppress through libel lawsuits that may or may not be mere nuisances but that would drain the resources of most small publications, dissuading investigation. Enrich reminds us that current libel laws require proof that a defending party had “actually malicious” intent, a requirement that dates only to a Supreme Court ruling in 1964; in Britain the standard of proof is much lower, which explains why so much “libel tourism” takes place there, even as New York Times v. Sullivan provided a bulwark protecting the press. As

When the prescriptions themselves are the problem.

recently as 2010, Congress unanimously passed a law “celebrating the country’s commitment to defending Americans from weaponized libel claims.” But then came a “freshening stream,” as Bork put it, of claims funded by wealthy right-wing sponsors that, in one notable instance, crushed the anti-establishment Gawker website. That stream is quickening with the resurgence of Donald Trump, who has promised to alter libel laws “so when they [i.e., journalists] write purposely negative and horrible and false articles, we can sue them and win lots of money.”

A revealing look at a campaign intended to stifle the First Amendment in favor of those in power.

Queer Lasting: Ecologies of Care for a Dying World

Ensor, Sarah | New York Univ. (280 pp.) $30.00 paper | Feb. 4, 2025 | 9781479829477

Learning from queer history. Ensor, a scholar at the University of Wisconsin, examines the correlation between climate degradation and environmental futures and how the enduring qualities of the queer community have enabled its resistance and survival across decades of turmoil and demonization. Her primary concern is the future and the sustainability of humankind amid environmental deterioration beneath an increasing limitation of critical resources. With an academic’s eye, Ensor juxtaposes dire “futurelessness” scenarios encountered and eventually surmounted by the queer community and contrasts them against deteriorating conditions within our modern world in order to gain a deeper understanding into methods of repair. She focuses on two particular historical periods and their inherent literature: the 1890s, which saw “the birth of the homosexual ‘as a species,’” and the 1980s, when the global LGBTQ+ population confronted “extinction events” and was

threatened and then decimated to great degrees. Yet, she notes, as patchworked communities, they became resilient enough to overcome terminal circumstances and, somehow, thrive. To Ensor, these lessons can be applied to more modern and troubling instances with regard to environmental cataclysms such as nuclear disasters or when considering the “futurelessness” of a global pandemic. The author draws inspiration from exploring the intricate choreography and “urban intimacies” of gay cruising and from “queer extinction” texts by Willa Cather, Samuel R. Delany, Paul Monette, poet Melvin Dixon, and many others, and she is consistently and dramatically informed by vast archives of AIDS literature. Ensor’s prose is scholarly, so much of the text is best suited to a more academic readership. Despite this, her message remains vivid as she effectively speculates on how the future of environmentalism and humanity in general can benefit from intensively and thoughtfully probing episodes of queer pain, struggle, resistance, and resurgence. A provocative and insightful look to the past for solutions to enhance and survive the future.

Kirkus Star

The Prosecutor: One Man’s Battle To Bring Nazis to Justice

Fairweather, Jack | Crown (496 pp.) $35.00 | Feb. 25, 2025 | 9780593238943

Disturbing insights into a bygone era. Fritz Bauer (1903-1968) was a judge in 1933 when Hitler came to power. Dismissed and imprisoned—he was Jewish—he fled the country and survived. Journalist Fairweather, author of The Volunteer: One Man, an Underground Army, and the Secret Mission to Destroy Auschwitz , writes that Bauer returned to the new national government in 1948 as the

attorney general of the city of Braunschweig. West Germany’s first leader, Konrad Adenauer, disliked Nazis but, like many Germans, had no interest in exploring their crimes. His priority was rebuilding his nation, restoring it to respected status as a free-world power. The legal system included many former Nazis. Fairweather reminds readers that full details of the Holocaust did not emerge until the 1950s, but Bauer knew. Unfortunately, with no laws against mass murder, murder in Germany remained a crime against an individual that required witnesses and hard evidence. His department prosecuted many former Nazis for loathsome crimes, with spotty success. Learning of Adolf Eichmann’s address in Argentina in 1957 and aware that telling his government would be pointless, he informed the Israelis. Perhaps his major effort was the 1963-64 trial of 24 midlevel Auschwitz workers who had returned to respectable employment after the war. As usual, Bauer’s goal of demonstrating that horrific atrocities were the work of ordinary, patriotic German citizens did not turn out as planned. Some defendants were convicted of murder, some of lesser offenses; five were acquitted. None showed remorse. On the plus side, horrific testimony from victims made an impression, and by his death German schools and scholars were paying more attention to Nazi crimes. Bauer’s other crusade—opposing laws against homosexuality—succeeded. This century, however, has seen Nazism revive in the form of hypernationalistic, authoritarian, right-wing movements in Germany and across the world.

Stirring revelations of an unsung hero of postwar Germany.

Potomac Fever: Reflections on the Nation’s River

Fryar, Charlotte Taylor | Bellevue Literary Press (272 pp.) | $17.99 paper March 11, 2025 | 9781954276345

Singing the praises of the Potomac. Like Paris, Cairo, and Shanghai, Washington, D.C., boasts a river that runs through it. Fryar describes the nation’s capital as a “place that represents and contains every other place, and therefore has no particular locality or regionality unto itself. Washington, D.C., is the nation’s geographic void.” She adds that to live in Washington is to be in a “constant state of disorientation.” In this, her first book, she offers a bittersweet love letter to a polluted but beautiful river that provides a sense of place. The descendant of enslavers and Klansmen, and with a Ph.D. in American studies, Fryar lives near the banks of the Potomac and considers herself a “citizen of the Potomac River.” For her, the Potomac—named after the Algonquin village of Patawomeck—mirrors “the national mood,” and so her book is about American history and culture as well as a particular body of water.

Written with verve and a profound understanding of the contradictions of American democracy, her book explores life in the river, in the subterranean streams that feed it, and along its shores. Divided into 11 lyrical chapters with titles including “Sycamore,” “Honeysuckle,” and “Bones,” it traces topics such as the wilderness, private property, and public lands. It also sings the praises of nature in the tradition of Henry David Thoreau. Quotations from James Baldwin, Zora Neale Hurston, and Abigail Adams—who described the “fledgling cityscape” as “the very dirtiest Hole I ever saw”—amplify Fryar’s moral invective and cry for human and environmental justice. Readers might curl up with her book in the comfort of home or, after visiting the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument,

For more books on Nazi Germany, visit Kirkus online.

take it with them on a stroll along a river that, as Fryar points out, is not yet safe enough to swim in and drink from, though it is cleaner than it has been in a hundred years.

A lovely ode to an oft-neglected river.

The Decline and Fall of the Human Empire: Why Our Species Is on the Edge of Extinction

Gee, Henry | St. Martin’s (288 pp.)

$29.00 | March 18, 2025 | 9781250325587

A wide-ranging look at the human past and the possibility of our species’ extinction. Gee, an author and a senior editor at Nature magazine, begins his book with a survey of human evolution, emphasizing the fact that humanity is the sole survivor of a number of hominid species. Our cousins include the Neanderthals, the Denisovans, and several other species, some of whom our ancestors interbred with before driving them to extinction. Moreover, we have gone through several population bottlenecks, resulting in a lack of genetic diversity—Gee says that a single tribe of chimpanzees has more genetic diversity than the entire human race. This affects, for example, our susceptibility to inherited and epidemic diseases. Another factor in our vulnerability is our dependence on agriculture, which has allowed our population to grow dramatically but also makes us highly dependent on an extremely narrow range of food sources. The Irish potato famine is just one example of what can go wrong. The “Green Revolution” that began in the 1960s increased the productivity of food crops, but at the same time it spurred an even greater surge in the number of people consuming those crops. Recently, however, there has been a drop in fertility—partly a result of more women becoming educated and deciding to opt out of motherhood. Is this a harbinger of a drastic worldwide drop in

population? Is extinction—ultimately the fate of all species—closer than we suspect? The author suggests that one way, possibly the only way, to avoid short-term extinction is for humanity to expand beyond the single planet it has so far called home. Gee takes a surprisingly lighthearted approach, with frequent quips and allusions to pop culture. Given the seriousness of the subject, this makes for a more enjoyable read than one might expect. A serious but nonetheless entertaining look at the human race’s long-term prospects.

The Fifteen: Murder, Retribution, and the Forgotten Story of Nazi POWs in America

Geroux, William | Crown (400 pp.)

$44.00 | March 18, 2025 | 9780593594254

When Germans were imprisoned in America. Nearly 400,000 German POWs spent WWII in America.

Journalist Geroux delivers an expert, unsettling story

of this little-known aspect of the war.

Author of The Mathews Men: Seven Brothers and the War Against Hitler’s U-boats , Geroux adds that the POWs were better fed and housed than their families in Germany; many yearned to remain in the U.S. after the war.

Senior German officers set the tone in every camp. A minority were fanatic Nazis, certain that Germany would win the war, despising flabby, undisciplined Americans, and determined to enforce fierce loyalty to the Fuhrer. Most POWs went along, but there were always a few who expressed unflattering opinions on Hitler or made themselves obnoxious to their companions. Warnings or beatings were the usual response, but Geroux recounts several cases where guards found prisoners beaten to death or strangled in clumsy attempts to fake their suicides. Suspects

underwent investigations and trials, and 15 of those convicted received the death penalty. Following the Geneva Convention, the Germans were informed of it. Geroux then describes conditions of over 70,000 American POWs in Axis camps, focusing on a group tried for trivial offenses such as disobeying guards and sentenced to death in an effort to force a prisoner exchange. Using Swiss diplomats as intermediaries, the Roosevelt administration began negotiations, but these extended into 1945, when the Nazi regime was crumbling and messages were delayed and sometimes lost. In the end, no American was executed; in July 1945, two months after Germany’s surrender, the U.S. hanged 14 of the condemned Germans. There is no lesson, but readers will have no doubt that America, despite its warts—many German defendants were badly roughed up, but on the other hand, the POWs were often treated better than Black American soldiers— deserved to win.

Good, unfamiliar World War II history.

The Book of Flaco: The World’s Most Famous Bird

Gessner, David | Blair (228 pp.)

$24.95 | Feb. 11, 2025 | 9781958888476

The story of the owl that escaped from a New York zoo and fascinated the city.

Flaco, a Eurasian eagleowl, escaped from the Central Park Zoo in February 2023 after someone cut open his enclosure. He lived free in and around Central Park—with forays to other parts of the city—eating rats, pigeons, and other small game that he caught. The zoo tried to recapture him but ceased its efforts after public opinion began to swing in favor of letting the bird remain free. During his year of freedom, Flaco became a sort of avian celebrity, fascinating people in the city and beyond; many

followed his adventures online, thanks to bird-watchers who spent their nights tracking him. Those bird-watchers are the primary sources for Gessner, an author and journalist who never actually saw Flaco in the flesh. The responses of the birding community are as much the focus of the book as Flaco himself. Two factions emerged: One wanted to spread news of Flaco as widely as possible, and the other looked to shield the bird from public scrutiny. Gessner gives both sides a sympathetic portrayal, along with those whose interest in birds was much more casual until Flaco appeared. Drawing on his own experience of observing ospreys in the wild while researching an earlier book, the author also puts Flaco’s story in the wider context of the ecological movement and looks at whether we can justly make parallels between humans and wild animals. A well-told story of the bird that captured the imagination of New York and much of the world.

Exit Wounds: A Story of Love, Loss, and Occasional Wars

Godwin, Peter | Summit (288 pp.)

$28.99 | April 8, 2025 | 9781668074534

A courageous journalist faces hard truths at home.

The author, born in what is now Zimbabwe, was “a teenage combatant drafted into the Rhodesian civil war” and, later, a war correspondent. Godwin still has shrapnel in his face and back, but his battlefield experiences were well behind him when he recognized, with a therapist’s help, that he seems to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. Godwin’s vivid sentences about “choking on…the gristle of grief” are powerfully relatable. Meanwhile, he recounts fundamental

Gainfully employed—but unable to afford a place to live.

THERE IS NO PLACE FOR US

shifts elsewhere in his life. After decades as a doctor in Zimbabwe, Godwin’s mother, Helen, is dying in an English hospital. Godwin deftly blends sorrow and humor, sharing his amusement at Helen’s late-in-life adoption of an upper-crust accent and his fear that she felt “the wrong child” died when his sister, Jain, was killed. His mother had long been one of Godwin’s “twin pillars.” The other: his wife, Joanna Coles, the former editor of Cosmopolitan , who chides Godwin for writing about relative unknowns instead of George Clooney’s charitable work in Darfur. One day, “apropos of nothing,” Godwin recalls, Coles says she wants to end the marriage. In part, their eventual split happened because “she feels more successful than me.” He adds, “She may be right.” Godwin writes evocatively about the “ineffable sense of loss” he feels as a white African living in England and the U.S. Though his fixation on alliterative cuteness gets old—out walking his dog, he searches for “a pristine poop port”—he has lots of memorable anecdotes. He once wrote what he thought “was a rave review” of a J.M. Coetzee book. The Nobel Prize winner might have disagreed; a later Coetzee novel, Godwin writes, features a “dull, defensive, illinformed and pompous” character. His name? Peter Godwin. A buoyant memoir about death, divorce, and war’s psychological toll.

For more by Peter Godwin, visit Kirkus online.

There Is No Place for Us: Working and Homeless in America

Goldstone, Brian | Crown (448 pp.)

$30.00 | March 25, 2025 | 9780593237144

Down and out in Atlanta. Pete Hamill, one of the last great tabloid journalists, practiced what he preached. In News Is a Verb, he argued that reporters ought to write about ordinary people—not celebrities—and live among them. Goldstone, a veteran journalist, does both and does them well in this labor of love. While there are trenchant observations about the U.S. in this book, Goldstone focuses on the homeless crisis in Atlanta, where he lives. The “Silicon Valley of the South,” as it’s often called, is the nation’s third-fastest-growing metropolitan area. Goldstone seems to know every neighborhood and street and a great many of the down-and-out citizens he writes about who sleep on the streets, in shelters, and in hotels unfit for human habitation. Against the odds, these people hold down jobs—but, he writes, their “paychecks are not enough to keep a roof over their heads.” A map of Atlanta—with roads, highways, hotels, and motels—appears at the front of the book, so no reader can get lost, and there are ample notes and an eye-opening epilogue. Goldstone explains that he did not pay any of his sources for information. In a profession that’s increasingly lax when it comes to ethics, Goldstone is a model of ethical journalism. To protect the privacy of the people he writes about, he doesn’t use real names. With a Ph.D. in anthropology, he trains an empathetic

eye on families that are struggling in an increasingly gentrified city that prizes property above people. “Families are not ‘falling’ into homelessness,” he writes. “They’re being pushed.” Make a place for this book alongside Jane Jacobs’ classic Death and Life of Great American Cities.

The

Kirkus Star

Man Nobody Killed: Life,

Death, and

Art in Michael Stewart’s New York Green, Elon | Celadon Books (272 pp.) $29.99 | March 11, 2025 | 9781250898234

A Black man dies after the police brutally beat him in public, but no one is held accountable.

This smart, no-stone-unturned investigation into the horrific encounter between police and a young man of color doubles as a perceptive portrait of 1980s New York City, where, then as now, cynicism and corruption so often ran roughshod over the relatively powerless. Michael Stewart, a 25-yearold artist whose social circles overlapped with a who’s who of downtown bohemia, was arrested on Sept. 15, 1983, for allegedly writing on a subway station wall. Police say he resisted, requiring numerous officers to control him. Stewart was unconscious, with “bruises all over,” Green writes, when police took him to Bellevue Hospital, where he died later that month. Green, a dogged journalist and the author of Last Call: A True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York, uses court documents and news accounts, along with his own interviews, to craft a damning portrait of violence without consequences. Twelve witnesses testified that “multiple officers kicked or beat” Stewart, Green writes, and doctors found choke marks on his neck. But against a backdrop that suggested city officials didn’t care— police brutality, Mayor Ed Koch said, was “a phony, false issue”—the six

An artist was beaten to death, and no one was found guilty.

THE MAN NOBODY KILLED

officers facing charges were found not guilty. Perversely, they seem to have beaten the charges in part because with more than one officer hitting Stewart, it was impossible to determine who inflicted which injuries. Those who knew Stewart remember him as a sensitive soul, and Green’s reporting places him in a fertile creative milieu, an acquaintance of graffiti artist Keith Haring, a crowd-scene reveler in an early Madonna video, and one of the inspirations for a character murdered by police in Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing. Incisively probing the violent death of a Black artist in police custody.

Kirkus Star

Robert Wedderburn: British Insurrectionary, Jamaican Abolitionist

Hanley, Ryan | Yale Univ. (248 pp.)

$28.00 | Feb. 25, 2025 | 9780300272352

A little-known Jamaica-born antislavery activist at the radical edge of the British abolitionist movement.

Arriving in England as a teenager, “just one of thousands of Black men, many of them survivors of slavery in the Americas, who had settled in London following service in the British military,” Robert Wedderburn declared that he was the son of a prominent British colonist and an enslaved woman. Raised by a grandmother who vocally and vigorously resisted colonial authority, he emerged as a firebrand in the growing antislavery movement. As University of Exeter historian Hanley writes in this spirited biography, one of Wedderburn’s notable

moments came when he loudly denounced reformer Robert Owen, whose social engineering projects amounted to slavery by another name whereby “the urban unemployed would be whisked away and engaged in wholesome, highly disciplined labor in the country, rendering them economically productive and removing them from the temptations of the big cities.” Wedderburn hated slavery, Hanley observes, but he also despised the “respectable” British establishment that slavery enriched and supported; in time he joined his abolitionist activism with the proto-Marxist revolutionary support of the demands of the working class writ large. Yet, Hanley observes, Wedderburn was a problematic figure in numerous ways, a sometimes violent criminal who was imprisoned several times, a seditionist who claimed as his motto, as he wrote, “assassinate stab in the dark.” Although he was largely written out of history, Wedderburn made significant contributions to the proletarian struggle as a polemicist and activist, championing the rights of sex workers and the indigent, carefully chronicling the fate of the Haitian Revolution and promising that it would one day arrive in the British colonies. In the end, Hanley holds in this swift-moving biography, Wedderburn “faced and overcame terrible material hardship to rise to a position of extraordinary prominence, an achievement that few other people could claim.”

A significant contribution to British working-class, abolitionist, and Atlantic history.

For more on abolitionism, visit Kirkus online.

Carbon: The Book of Life

Hawken, Paul | Viking (256 pp.)

$28.00 | March 18, 2025 | 9780525427445

An impassioned call for a return to traditional environmental stewardship. It is hard to overestimate how the accelerating collapse of ecosystems and species is related to how modern societies and their increasingly homogenized languages are losing the deep sense of place critical to protecting the land. So argues environmental activist Hawken, who says we ignore the knowledge embedded in Indigenous languages and customs at our peril. These marginalized or endangered cultures whose languages guided traditional guardianship of the land possess the ages-old understanding of how to avoid the calamities of environmental decline in the first place. In a scathing, if familiar, indictment of the denatured Western food industry, industrial farming, chemical companies, and ruinous logging and mining—among other depredations— Hawken marshals indisputable evidence that continuing on our current path is suicidal. He knows full well how entrenched the “overwhelming array of industrial forces lined up against the living world” can be and that most people simply do not understand the planetary and social risks we confront. It is the real subject of a book whose scaffolding is the pervasiveness and functions of the element of carbon in planetary life, as well as the challenges it presents. Hawken’s survey of the science involved is as cogent as it is extensive, from the macro to the micro, and it’s often a fascinating journey. There’s a very fine book of popular science here that sometimes struggles with its own ideological noise. Were it not for this, the book would be in the same class as Zoë Schlanger’s recent The Light Eaters, with which it shares broad similarities. But for all the depressing realities, Hawken sees reasons for hope

that we will reverse our heedlessly destructive ways, even in the current political climate.

Profound cultural scope deepens Hawken’s exceptional science writing.

William Blake and the Sea Monsters of Love: Art, Poetry, and the Imagining of a New World

Hoare, Philip | Pegasus (304 pp.)

$28.95 | April 1, 2025 | 9781639368471

The life and legacy of a wild man. Hoare, the author of Albert and the Whale (2021), captures the singular genius of poet, artist, and visionary William Blake (1757-1827) in an exuberant romp through Blake’s life, times, and afterlife. An ardent admirer of Blake’s “fantastical ideas,” Hoare praises him as “the Willy Wonka of art, your golden ticket to other worlds.” Blake, Hoare exults, “gave voice to spirits waiting to be released from a tree or a cave. Fertile, sensual, tactile, tortured exalted bodies, unabashed by their disinclination to wear anything other than their own skin. They become entire continents, universes, micro-macrocosms, uttering outrageous messages in speech bubbles edited for the beginning or ending of time.” Hoare’s well-populated volume includes Blake’s devoted wife, Kate; his brother Robert; writers and artists who were inspired by him, from Mary Shelley to the pre-Raphaelites, Aubrey Beardsley to Patti Smith. “The voice of modernity before it began,” Blake anticipated James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, T.S. Eliot, surrealist artists—Paul Nash and Eileen Agar, for example—as well as Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. Albert Durer and Oscar Wilde, subjects of Hoare’s previous books, make appearances, as does riding master and circus inventor Philip Astley, the Blakes’ neighbor in South London, where Blake and Kate happily sat naked in their garden. To Blake, the advent of factories, railroads, and engines felt like an “industrial leviathan” of burgeoning

Kirkus Star

Trauma Plot: A Life

Hood, Jamie | Pantheon (272 pp.)

$28.00 | March 25, 2025 | 9780593700976

A memoir of sexual violence told in four parts. Between 2012 and 2014, Hood was raped three times, a devastatingly condensed succession of assaults connected only by their victim. Each of these incidents anchors a section of Hood’s text, which shifts from third to first to second person as the author tries to make sense of the before, during, and after of these cuts of trauma. With bracing detail, a practiced poetic consciousness, and something like foreboding mysticism, she excavates the layers of both her personal experience and what it reflects about sexualized violence against women generally and transwomen in particular. Hood leans into both the horror of the acts and the chaos of the fallout between them, marked with excessive drinking and drug use, starvation, and casual and risky sex—and by increasing dissociation and despair. The specific, palpable darkness of her telling holds the reader’s gaze on Hood’s individual story even as she pitches these details against a broader social inquiry that acknowledges the ubiquity and dailiness of rape and trauma. Her fourth, final section gathers around her work to

>>> mechanization. “What did all this mean for the soul?” he wondered. “Who asked questions about the wisdom of progress and its stealth?” Hoare foregrounds these concerns as he examines a Blakean universe replete with fairies and spirits, butterflies and stars, sacred monsters and hermaphrodites. Sometimes maddeningly digressive, Hoare’s history is, nonetheless, endearingly intimate. Abundantly illustrated. An imaginative response to an enigmatic artist.

THE KIRKUS Q&A: NEKO CASE

The indie musician comes to terms with a difficult childhood in her powerful new memoir.

BY KATE TUTTLE

As a singer and songwriter, Neko Case is known for her piercing honesty and a powerful voice that can deliver achingly vulnerable lyrics. With her new memoir, The Harder I Fight the More I Love You, the indie icon invites readers into the life stories behind the music. Writing in a voice as authentic and startling as her lyrics, Case describes a childhood a few notches below hardscrabble, much of it spent in poverty and neglect in small-town Washington state.

Case was born in 1970 to teenage parents whose accidental pregnancy with her forced them into a grudging marriage. In the memoir, she describes trying to escape the loneliness of her childhood through her love of fairy tales and nature, especially animals; growing up, she thought of herself as a sort of beast, a creature built of anger and need, not entirely domesticated and unable to find a place in the roles society offered her. She dropped out of high school and later art school but began an education in music, joining multiple bands in Seattle, Chicago, and Canada. Case’s first album was released in 1997; her 2014 album, The Worse Things Get, the Harder I Fight, the Harder I Fight, the More I Love You, was nominated for a Grammy for best alternative music album. She spoke to us from her hotel room in New York, where she’s working on a Broadway musical. Our conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

I’m glad that I didn’t quite understand that that wasn’t everybody’s normal. Because I think it would have made me a lot sadder.

During the school year, you lived with your dad, where poverty and neglect were constants. In junior high, you experienced a lot of cruelty from other kids. But you were also waking up to the outside world, including boys and music.

started with. I just wasn’t very good at guitar—my hands are really tiny. I wasn’t making progress on a six-string guitar. I always was a singer first, but it’s not something I would admit to myself.

You write about not liking your voice at first. Do you like your voice now?

One of the most striking elements in your childhood was your connection to nature, especially animals.  I’ve always been really close with nature. There have been times when I didn’t have access to it as much—the years living in Chicago or in Tacoma—but it was always there. I was always noticing it, even if it was little bits and pieces,

like a tree growing through a sidewalk.

The happiest period you describe is when you were living in Vermont with your mother and stepfather and got to spend time with a family that showed horses. Then you had to move back to the Northwest with your dad. Do you get sad for the kid that you were then?

It was very confusing. I was more sad that I didn’t think about horses anymore. I was like, I don’t want to like boys. I wanted to like music, for sure. But I didn’t want to like boys in bands. I resented it.

When you began making music, you started as a drummer, then took up guitar, then began singing and songwriting. Do you have a favorite?

I really wanted to be a drummer so that’s what I

I’ve had a lot of ups and downs in my relationship with my voice. In the beginning I just [sang] because it felt physically and emotionally really good. And then people started telling me I had a good voice. But there was a lot I couldn’t do, so the evidence wasn’t there. My voice wasn’t pretty either; it was very nasal.

I don’t agree—I think your voice is pretty!

It’s very nasal and very straight-ahead, which I’m not complaining about. I don’t want to have anybody else’s voice. I just had to figure out what was interesting about my voice and where it fit.

Emily Shur

Would you say music saved you from your difficult childhood?

It was music and my will. I don’t know where my will came from, or why I have the will I do. I think being a neurodivergent kid probably helped. ADHD helped a lot because I have hyperfocus, and hyperfocus took me to places and pulled the rest of me with it.

Your father died several years ago. Do you have any contact with your mother?

No. When you’re not wanted, why stick around? It just makes you feel worse. And you’re just in this weird eddying cycle of like, Oh God, what do I do to get them to like me? It’s like, Why would you want somebody like that to like you?

And there’s a lot of pressure to forgive. You don’t have to forgive anyone that was horrible to you. If they made

some genuine effort and you accepted their whatever, that’s fine. But forgiveness is not the holy grail.

With my father, I have a lot of empathy for him. I forgive him for being messed up and not wanting a kid. He was a Christian, so he figured if he just drank himself to death it wouldn’t be suicide. Well, drinking yourself to death is still suicide. It really devastated a large part of our family. I don’t really forgive him for that.

Do you think that writing about all this stuff will make people mad at you, like the family members you are still in touch with?

I don’t care. People are always mad at me anyway! Nothing I do is going to change anyone’s love for me, or how they feel about me. I don’t feel bad about it.

One thing that can be hard

I just had to figure out what was interesting about my voice and where it fit.

for people who had a very difficult childhood is to accept love and to trust it. Have you gotten to a point where you can?

I didn’t have a romantic partner that was an adultstyle relationship until I was probably 45. It took me a long time to trust it, yeah. I definitely was not easy to love, because I’m sure I was always testing everything. I didn’t like myself, either.

Another thing that finally happened in your 40s was finally getting a horse of your own. Is that as magical as it sounds? It’s really that magical. It’s like if you were able to lose weight by eating birthday cake. It’s a really good way to learn how to put down anxiety. You’re able to set it down for a second, which eventually teaches you that you don’t have to live in a constant

state of anxiety. Horses can’t lie. So if they engage with you in a certain way, you know that you’ve put down your anxiety.

Do you think that having gone deep into your memory and writing about it in this book will have an impact on your music?

I don’t know yet—I’m not sure what’ll happen. It felt like writing this book was taking all the memories and putting them in a folder and knowing where they are, which is a comfort. I know where they all are, I know what chapter they’re in. It’s a very Virgo thing. I’m very excited about the newness of the book and about going on a book tour. That’s the most exciting, because I’m going on a tour and I don’t have to play music!

Kate Tuttle is a writer and editor in New Jersey.

The Harder I Fight the More I Love You Case, Neko Grand Central Publishing | 288 pp. $30.00 | Jan. 28, 2025 | 9781538710500

process and name what happened to her as rape, synthesizing and situating these most recent experiences of sexual violence within her history and identity. Here, the artistic intentionality of Hood’s narration meets the genius of her project. She is strikingly aware of the landscape of literary confessional, regarding rape in particular, into which she is preparing to release her story and sits on a plane of meta-analysis that not only considers womanhood, sensuality, and victimization, but also closely inspects how these things are spoken and written about. She deftly carves into the tensions between particularity and exceptionality, arc and causality, how we tell stories of suffering and why we tell them to reimagine her personhood and reorient readers toward empathy. A magnificent, norm-shattering work.

The Book of Alchemy: A Creative Practice for an Inspired Life

Jaouad, Suleika | Random House (336 pp.)

$30.00 | April 22, 2025 | 9780593734636

How to find inspiration. Memoirist Jaouad gathers advice from 100 contributors who, like her, see journaling as a “life-altering and even life-saving practice” that can help “tap into that mystical trait that exists in every human: creativity.” Grouped into 10 sections—beginning, memory, fear, seeing, love, the body, rebuilding, ego, purpose, and alchemy—each brief contribution ends with a writing prompt designed to spur ideas. Novelist and memoirist Dani Shapiro asks, “What would you write if you weren’t afraid? Set a timer for ten minutes. Don’t worry. No one’s going to read a word. You can shred it. You can burn it. You can keep it. It’s entirely up to you.”

Journalist Noor Tagouri asks readers to complete the sentence, “If you really knew me….” Responses can be one or several statements, she adds. “Then sit

with them. Ask yourself: What would your life be like if people knew these things about you? How would your circle of friends change? What about your job?” Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pay, Love and Big Magic, advises, “Write a letter from love. Begin your letter with this question: ‘Dear Love, What would you have me know today?’ And then let love itself write a letter to you. Trust that you are worthy of this compassion and affection. And trust—please trust, my friend—that every word of your letter is true.”

Contributors include some well-known names (Lena Dunham, Ann Patchett, Salmon Rushdie) as well as a wide range of less familiar creative souls: a social worker, nurse, Olympic speed skater, cartoonist, many journalists, and a death row inmate who was executed in 2021 despite Jaouad’s efforts to get him clemency. His prompt for readers: “When was the last time you really noticed your inner strength?”

A warmly encouraging writing companion.

The Ride: Paul Revere and the Night That Saved America

Kennedy, Kostya | St. Martin’s (304 pp.)

$29.00 | March 25, 2025 | 9781250341372

A brisk trot through Paul Revere’s famous ride and the many traces of history surrounding it. That April night in 1775 wasn’t Paul Revere’s first ride nor his last. But, observes Kennedy, shifting from his sportswriting beat to history, it was central to both Revere’s legend and the

American Revolution: If the British had successfully marched, surprised their foe, fulfilled their aim of seizing the Massachusetts rebels’ store of gunpowder and ammunition, and seized Samuel Adams and other leaders, the colonies might still be British today. It’s emblematic of the tightness of the colonial world that British commander Thomas Gage and Continental commander George Washington fought the French together—and that Revere was right there beside them. (Daniel Boone was on hand, too.) It’s also the case that the Revolution was really a civil war. Kennedy ably illuminates the background while also carefully examining Revere’s legend against documented reality: the fact, for instance, that 40-odd riders spread the word alongside Revere, figuring not a bit in the received wisdom but there all the same. Still, Kennedy adds, “It was Revere, booted and spurred, who raised the resistance, who helped to deliver the first, fateful stand.” Revere, as Kennedy shows, was a man of parts: an engraver whose views of the Boston Massacre were instrumental in raising that resistance, a horseman, an entrepreneur, a metalsmith, even a dentist who could hold his own against the colonial elite “while never having to suffer the indignity of being so privileged himself.” Kennedy’s side notes are fascinating, including the conjecture that the person who revealed the planned British march on Lexington and Concord in the first place was none other than Gage’s wife. The set pieces—including Revere’s arrest by British officers—are suitably dramatic as well, and the book makes for engaging reading overall.

A skillful separation of truth, legend, and what lies between in a canonical American story.

Journaling as a “life-altering and even life-saving practice.”

THE BOOK OF ALCHEMY

Lost at Sea: Poverty and Paradise Collide at the Edge of America

Kloc, Joe | Dey Street/HarperCollins (272 pp.)

$32.50 | April 15, 2025 | 9780063061699

In too deep. A sweeping overview of the “anchor-outs” living on abandoned vessels in Richardson Bay, on the outskirts of the wealthy Bay Area city of Sausalito, Kloc’s book unites personal narrative with historical context. A reporter and senior editor at Harper’s magazine, Kloc tells of the denizens of this latter-day Cannery Row who include “retired mariners, single mothers, runaways, addicts, and many others who have caught a bad break from which they haven’t yet recovered.” He is befriended by the self-dubbed “Innate Thought,” a fixture on the scene who uses his “encyclopedic knowledge of American maritime jurisprudence” to help fight the city’s attempts to remove these sailors from the sea. The author eats, drinks, and shares stories but resists the traps of condescension and false familiarity as he paints a portrait of inequities of “Chinatown”-like proportions that date back to the Gold Rush. Befitting Sausalito’s bohemian past, the raffish crew bait the powers that be, reminding them of broken promises to build a homeless shelter. However convivial, the largely white anchor-outs represent an unrepresentative sample, in keeping with Marin County’s history of de facto segregation, relegating Black shipbuilders in World War II to Marin City, a comfortable distance from wealthier neighbors. Their trials, while undeniably real, seem less dire than those of their compatriots in San Francisco’s Tenderloin District and other urban redoubts. But the book fulfills the author’s purpose of documenting this community “when they were under the greatest threat of their one-hundred-year existence. It is the story of what we all stand to destroy when unhoused and low-income

communities are allowed to be flattened out of their humanity and…torn apart by ill-considered, profit-driven policies that ask them to pick up and move along, as if, in tearing down camp and scattering in all directions, they have nothing left to lose.”

This magisterial but unsentimental journey reminds us of what else has been lost at sea.

Entangled Worlds: 600–1350

König, Daniel G., ed. | Belknap/ Harvard Univ. (1328 pp.) | $55.00 March 4, 2025 | 9780674047181

How the world began to be connected. This sizable book is the last of Harvard’s massive six-volume History of the World that largely eschews politics, war, and technology to emphasize global connectivity. Aimed at an educated readership, the work concentrates on the movement of people, goods, religions, and ideas during a premodern era in a world that, if not united, was certainly “entangled.” Editor König, professor at the University of Konstanz, contributes one of the book’s six regional chapters, “The Emergence of an Islamic Commonwealth.” The chapter delivers perhaps more than readers want to know about Islamic doctrines, sects, governance, and legal systems, but clearly outlines Muslim expansion; fascinatingly, he notes, for instance, that “abundant evidence proves that Muslim diaspora groups and specific Islamic regional cultures had developed on the Malabar coast and in southern Chinese port cities. The architectural style of mosques in the region bears witness both to the cultural integration and the maritime networking of these Muslim groups.” During this period, the Americas were almost but not entirely isolated from other continents but thrived in the centuries before the catastrophic arrival of Europeans. Despite distance, jungles, absence of

pack animals and the wheel, people filled both continents and did not lose touch. Although careful to avoid the conventional preoccupation with Europe, the book’s Eastern Eurasia chapter’s author deplores focusing on medieval China, admittedly the world’s largest, most prosperous empire during this period, preferring to treat it as a single region, with “Sinitic” languages, political relationships, and Mahāyāna Buddhism in common. This volume and series should not be anyone’s introduction to world history, but learned readers as well as scholars will find an insightful exploration of the era leading to today’s more or less global culture by authors who mostly avoid the traditional turgid academic prose. A deep historical inquiry into the background of the modern world.

Kirkus Star

Edgar Allan Poe: A Life

Kopley, Richard | Univ. of Virginia (608 pp.)

$49.95 | March 18, 2025 | 9780813952239

Poe’s challenges. Poe scholar Kopley brings authoritative insight to a critical biography of Edgar Allan Poe (1809-49) that can well be called definitive.

Drawing on abundant sources, including newly available correspondence of a stepdaughter of Poe’s best friend, Kopley offers informative close readings of Poe’s poetry, reviews, and fiction, as he recounts his life, loves, aspirations, and travails. Recalled by his schoolmaster as a 12-year-old “cheerful, brimful of mirth,” Poe, according to a classmate, could be “self-willed, capricious,” and imperious; others found him sad and melancholy. Until he left for college, he lived with foster parents, enduring a vexed relationship with his foster father, John Allan. Frequently in financial trouble, Allan took out his frustrations on his young ward, providing such paltry financial support

for college, for example, that Poe spent only 10 months at the University of Virginia. Drinking, gambling, fighting, and defying authority also factored into his aborted college career. Later, he enrolled at West Point, where he ended up arrested and court-martialed for dereliction of duty. A hardworking writer who dreamed of editing a literary magazine, his productivity was undermined by alcoholism. Still, as Kopley amply shows, he published a prodigious body of work: reviews, poems, and stories. In 1836, he married his 13-year-old cousin Virginia, an apparently charming young girl, fond of puppies and kittens. Evidence suggests that they had no sex for two years, and Poe, basking in his wife’s love, gave up drinking for a while. Virginia, diagnosed with tuberculosis in 1842, died in 1847, plunging her husband into deep mourning. Although Poe became a literary lion after the publication of “The Raven” in 1845, Kopley depicts a man dogged by darkness.

A richly detailed, sympathetic portrait.

Marginlands: A Journey Into India’s Vanishing Landscapes

Kumar-Rao, Arati | Milkweed (280 pp.)

$28.00 | Feb. 11, 2025 | 9781571315984

A n Indian writer documents troubling ecological conditions throughout the subcontinent. Kumar-Rao grew up in 1980s Mumbai at a time when investment in economic growth tended to eclipse all other interests. Bucking this trend, her father was an environmentalist. Years

later, while suffering through a bout of paratyphoid, Kumar-Rao recalled her father’s convictions and realized that she needed to change the direction of her life. She writes, “I asked myself over and over: ‘When will you stop doing what you can do and start doing what you really want to do?’” Once recovered, she quit her “well-paying corporate job [to] venture into the uncertain world of environmental storytelling.” Her decision leads to fantastic adventures in which she accompanies fishermen who “hunt” fish alongside Gangetic river dolphins, watches the southwestern monsoon land on Kerala’s shores, searches for traditional water sources while hiking the sand dunes bordering India and Pakistan, and is overcome with emotion on a mountain peak near the Yamne river valley. Her lyrical prose and accompanying illustrations capture the pathos and beauty of some of India’s most stunning landscapes. Kumar-Rao also offers thoughtful profiles of indigenous people, telling of ecological devastation brought on by shortsighted government policies focused on immediate economic growth rather than long-term environmental sustainability. The peril ahead is palpable: “By some projections,” she writes, “over 200 million people are on the move in South Asia, displaced from their traditional lands, pinballing from one city to the next. Imagine their progeny, our future generations, growing up with no knowledge of the traditional livelihoods that have sustained their ancestors, nor suited for any meaningful urban employment. We are on the cusp of a humanitarian disaster of colossal proportions.”

A heartfelt, observant chronicle of India’s wilderness.

“On the cusp of a humanitarian disaster” in South Asia.

MARGINLANDS

I’ll Love You Forever: Notes From a K-Pop Fan

Kwon, Giaae | Henry Holt (336 pp.)

$28.99 | March 18, 2025 | 9781250886231

A front-seat look at K-pop fandom. The surfboard on top of the Korean wave that has swept the world in the past two decades has been K-pop, a mix of sugary tunes, precise choreography, handsome boys, and impossibly pretty girls. Kwon, an American-born Korean who was listening to it before it went global, provides an account of her relationship with K-pop, delving into its cultural roots and artistic development. For Kwon, as a teenager, the music was a way to escape the oppressive discipline of her family and to bond with her friends. But the intensity of K-pop fandom could be almost frightening. One Korean boy-band idol’s fans broke into his house to steal his underwear. Kwon never went that far, but she admits that dedication could easily turn into obsession. Behind the scenes, it was a grueling life for the entertainers, with management companies ruthlessly controlling every aspect of their lives, including savage diets and cosmetic surgery. Exploitation, especially of young women desperate for a shot at stardom, was rife. Kwon, who often felt caught between cultures, went through a series of battles with depression and believes that K-pop helped her cope. By the time BTS— the boy band known in Korea as Bantang (which translates to “bulletproof”)—became a worldwide craze, Kwon was no longer obsessive, although she found she could enjoy the music for its own sake. She sometimes loses the narrative thread in the second half of the book, but there’s still a lot—including Kwon’s willingness to laugh at herself—that makes it an enjoyable read. A fun, colorful memoir of a global phenomenon.

Death Is Our Business: Russian Mercenaries and the New Era of Private Warfare

Lechner, John | Bloomsbury (320 pp.)

$29.99 | March 4, 2025 | 9781639733361

Account of the rise of the Wagner Group and other private armies fighting Russia’s war in Ukraine— and many other conflicts.

Lechner, a journalist specializing in Africa, notes that Russian proxies have been popping up all over the continent in places like Mali, the Central African Republic, and Niger, propping up strongmen here and overthrowing them there. These private armies, he writes, are hardly new, having been a fixture of the medieval battlefield and enjoying a resurgence “when European powers competed to carve up the world.” During World War II, Stalin freed prisoners from the Gulag and placed them in the worst sectors of the front to redeem themselves by dying for the motherland. Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of the Wagner Group of mercenaries, borrowed a page from Stalin, using the same promise: “Prigozhin, or one of his representatives, visited every minimum- and maximum-security colony except for those in Chechnya and the far-eastern region of Kamchatka.” Survive six months of the Ukrainian war, Wagner promised the prisoners, and you’d be sprung with a clean record and a pocketful of cash—and so it is that the ranks of Russia’s fighters in Ukraine have swelled with soldiers who have no stake in the war except to survive. Prigozhin fell afoul of Vladimir Putin and died in a mysterious 2023 plane crash that was no mystery at all: “Every member of Wagner, every Russian citizen, and the rest of the world were convinced the Russian state had assassinated Prigozhin.” Though largely absorbed within the regular Russian army, Wagner fights on, and it’s not alone; as Lechner writes in this

eye-opening exposé, “the world is filled with Prigozhins.”

For those who want to know the ugly truth of war fought for rubles—or dollars.

Reel Freedom: Black Film Culture in Early TwentiethCentury New York City

Lopez, Alyssa | Temple Univ. Press (250 pp.) $32.95 paper | April 4, 2025 | 9781439924136

Black life in New York, a century ago, as seen through its cinema culture.

In 1926, a man named Robert Thomas and a male friend, both Black, had to fight off a white female usher, white manager, and six riot officers to be allowed to take the orchestra seats they had purchased rather than be banished to the balcony at Harlem’s Loew’s Victoria Theatre. This was just one of many incidents in the early 20th century in which Black New Yorkers, no strangers to racist treatment, endured discrimination and violence while trying to attend one of the city’s theaters. In this well-written work, Lopez “traces Black film culture in New York City from its origins in the early twentieth century to its firm establishment in the 1930s,” defining Black film culture as “Black New Yorkers’ interactions with cinema and surrounding institutions, not necessarily the cinematic output itself.” In illuminating chapters, she describes the alternative venues Black audiences had to locate when established theaters proved inhospitable; the “young Black girls’ and women’s moviegoing experiences” and the fear that their attendance led to “promiscuity, criminality, and incorrigibility”; the battles that Oscar Micheaux, “the most successful Black filmmaker in the first half of the twentieth century,” had to wage to get his “racially charged” films approved by censors; the attempts by film operators to unionize; and the pioneering reporting of Black journalists, particularly at the New York Age, to call

attention to the “connections between racist cinema and its proprietors and the debilitating effects of racism on Black New Yorkers.” The writing is sometimes dry, but Lopez brings this sorry period to life by recounting memorable moments, as when she notes the 1930 incident of the projection booth at the Renaissance Theatre crashing down onto the patrons below, a tragedy that would have been worse if the projectionists hadn’t turned off the projector first and prevented a fire.

A fascinating tribute to Black New Yorkers and the quest for representation in film.

Meltdown: Greed, Scandal, and the Collapse of Credit Suisse

Mavin, Duncan | Pegasus (352 pp.)

$29.95 | March 4, 2025 | 9781639368693

A top business reporter unravels the failure of Credit Suisse. When the once-mighty topple with a thundering crash, there are inevitably questions about how it happened. In the case of the fall of Credit Suisse, Mavin, a respected financial journalist, pulls together evidence from official documents, media reports, and personal interviews to piece together the story. He traces many of the problems to Credit Suisse’s 1988 decision to move into the U.S. through the acquisition of investment bank First Boston. But the American banking market is far different from the starchy, conservative Swiss culture. In the early years, a lot of money came in, but Credit Suisse was working in a high-risk business without proper mechanisms for risk evaluation and mitigation. Even more, the move triggered a period of overexpansion and dubious deals, including tawdry secret transfers of funds for dictators and criminal kingpins. This led to a string of scandals. “From 2010 onwards, the bank paid fines of more than $15 billion in relation to

misconduct by its own employees,” Mavin writes. As operational losses due to bad investments mounted, there was a large turnover of senior executives. In one seven-year period, the bank churned through four CEOs. All this led to a collapse of reputational trust, and in 2023 Swiss regulators declared the bank unviable. A takeover by long-standing rival UBS was hurriedly put together. “Credit Suisse usually had plenty of capital,” Mavin writes, “but, in the end, it ran out of trust.”

A remarkable account of a complex story.

Firstborn Girls: A Memoir

McFadden, Bernice L. | Dutton (400 pp.)

$30.00 | March 4, 2025 | 9780593184974

A distinguished novelist explores the history that shaped her and the women in her family.

In 1967, a year that saw almost 160 race riots across the United States, 2-year-old McFadden and her mother, Vivian, survived a fiery car crash that marked them for life. Both were survivors; in this memoir, McFadden reveals how both were scarred, not only by race and gender, but by a family history of “festering wounds.” Like Vivian, the author witnessed violence— brought about through her father’s alcoholism—and disarray at home. She contemplated taking her “exit” at age 7, until her paternal grandmother offered her summer stays at her home in Barbados. McFadden observes that when she was a teenager, Vivian made her a “fully indentured third parent” to more children she had with the husband who abused her. McFadden temporarily escaped from family “servitude” to a boarding school, graduated, then reluctantly returned home. Yet it was in that chaotic space that she also began writing personal stories and reading Alice Walker’s The Color Purple. That novel helped her embrace the beauty of being a young Black woman—and also her childhood dream of becoming a writer.

What makes McFadden’s book so absorbing is the way it quietly demonstrates how history is “a hard thing to shake.” Patterns—like out-of-wedlock pregnancies and interfamilial or social violence—are repeated. But they need not determine outcomes: once they are accepted and honored, they can forge fulfilling paths forward. A powerful, richly tapestried book about race, history, love, and the healing power of the written word.

Safe Havens for Hate: The Challenge of Moderating Online Extremism

Mitts, Tamar | Princeton Univ. (272 pp.)

$29.95 | March 4, 2025 | 9780691258522

A scholarly analysis of the ways that social media platforms can—and cannot—moderate extremism and misinformation. Writing in often labored academic prose, Mitts observes, repeatedly, that because social media lack any consistent cross-platform moderation policies, extremist groups such as QAnon and the Islamic State set up shop on one, such as Facebook, and then when charged with policy violations simply migrate to more lenient platforms such as Telegram. By the time they do, the harm is often done: As Mitts calculates, by the time Facebook began to take down Proud Boys pages in 2018, the group had attracted some 50,000 followers. Censorship can be a double-edged sword, Mitts notes: Setting firm policies against, say, hate speech and threats of violence can sometimes steer users away from extremist outlets, but just as often “being subject to content moderation motivates individuals to further seek out the banned information, either on the moderating platform or in less-regulated spaces.” Moreover, any suggestion of censorship can radicalize users, as a case study of a Twitter

user who “experienced moderation” and later turned up at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, indicates, if in a roundabout way. Mitts suggests that heightened diligence is called for: The shooter in Christchurch, New Zealand, who targeted Muslims there managed to post video that, though deplatformed by Facebook, was up long enough to be replicated on many other sites, so that moderators on sites such as YouTube now have to play whack-a-mole to keep up with taking it down. Allowing that the landscape has changed now that Elon Musk’s X, one of the largest of the platforms, has welcomed previously banned hate groups, Mitts closes with the hopeful if unlikely thought that getting social media users to accept that moderation is a socially good thing will make them “less vulnerable to extremism.” Repetitive and arid, but with points of interest for policymakers.

Inside the Stargazer’s Palace: The Transformation of Science in 16th Century Europe

Moller, Violet | Pegasus (304 pp.)

$29.95 | March 4, 2025 | 9781639368372

At the dawn of modern science. Historians agree that the Renaissance and the Scientific Revolution jump-started today’s science with pioneering geniuses like Isaac Newton, Galileo Galilei, Francis Bacon, and René Descartes. Award-winning historian Moller, author of The Map of Knowledge, focuses on the 1500s, delivering a riveting account of that century by focusing on pioneers who are unknown to many readers. Astronomy led the way. Scholars had been measuring heavenly movements throughout history to determine time, the calendar, and religious celebrations as well as the future; astrology remained a respectable practice for an

astronomer for another century. Even before the telescope (invented after 1600), scholars used complex instruments to improve their calculations of stellar movements, a major goal of 16th-century observers. The century’s greatest astronomer, Tycho Brahe, discovered little, but his precise calculations supported later breakthroughs from Johannes Kepler and Newton. Moller emphasizes that Nicolaus Copernicus’ 1543 announcement that planets orbit the sun was interesting but not a bombshell. Like the ancient, clunky, Ptolemaic system, Copernicus assumed that planets orbited in perfect circles, which they don’t, so his calculations were no more accurate than Ptolemy’s. This golden age of instrument making benefited mapmaking, geography, and navigation in addition to astronomy, energized by Columbus’ discoveries, which revealed—to everyone’s amazement—that the earth contained vast unknown lands. These lands fascinated scholars of the era, but their fascination also encompassed astrology, alchemy, angels, spirits, mythical beasts, and omens, with only a hint of skepticism that did not take hold until later.

The run-up to the Scientific Revolution in expert hands.

To Save and To Destroy: Writing as an Other

Nguyen, Viet Thanh | Belknap/ Harvard Univ. (144 pp.) | $26.95 April 8, 2025 | 9780674298170

A noted novelist and essayist writes of his life as an “other.”

In this contribution to the noted Harvard lecture series, Nguyen—best known for his novel The Sympathizer —writes of the contradictions that come with being an immigrant who has not just mastered the English language but also worked his way through the corpus of English

Writing of the contradictions that come with being an immigrant.

TO

SAVE AND TO DESTROY

literature and teaches it at a top-tier university. Some of these contradictions are subtle, some even humorous, as when he finds his books, in a Paris bookstore, shelved under “Anglo-Saxon Literature.” As an Asian American and, as Nguyen notes, often the only one in the room, he still finds himself pulling away from the label “minority”: “I am not a minority if I think of myself as being part of a world, a globe, where white people are the minority. I am also not a minority if, when I am writing, I write first of all to myself, because I contain multitudes.” So, too, do his lectures contain multitudinous voices, with quotations from writers who have stood in a critical relationship with the dominant society: Aimé Césaire, Alice Walker, Derek Walcott, Edward Said. As an other, Nguyen rejects being a standard-bearer for the “voiceless,” citing Arundhati Roy’s observation that the voiceless are really “only the deliberately silenced, or the preferably unheard.” For all that, he declares, he stands among “the Vietnamese, the Asian, the minoritized, the racialized, the colonized, the hybrid, the hyphenated, the refugee, the displaced, the artist, the writer, the smart ass, the bastard, the sympathizer, and the committed— all those out of step, out of tune, out of focus, even to themselves”—and who have in his stories an able interpreter.

A provocative exploration of the writer as storyteller, anthropologist, and knowing outsider.

The Silicon Shrink: How Artificial Intelligence Made the World an Asylum

Oberhaus, Daniel | MIT Press (264 pp.) $29.95 | Feb. 4, 2025 | 9780262049351

The computer will see you now. Science journalist Oberhaus opens with a tragedy that illuminated a dark corner of medicine: in this case, the suicide of his sister, which prompted him to explore the use of PAI—psychiatric artificial intelligence—in mental health interventions and treatment. This “revolutionary New Thing,” as he calls it, has distinct advantages, at least in theory, over human practitioners: It can absorb huge quantities of information, discern patterns of behavior across populations, and perhaps detect when a psychic alarm bell is about to sound. On the other hand, as Oberhaus notes, there are 227 ways to be diagnosed with depression, while there are “more than 600,000 possible symptom combinations that could yield a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder.” These are not the hard-and-fast results of scientific discovery, but instead the product of consensus built on “the ability to map these symptoms to internal dysfunction.” Given that AI, so far, has not been a reliable interpreter of emotional states or indeed of the meaning of phrases such as a teenager’s saying “I’m going to kill myself” after failing an exam, which may be serious but may also be hyperbole, it has obvious shortcomings. Yet, as Oberhaus observes, given the huge number of people who are suffering from mental disorders, with

For more by Viet Thanh Nguyen, visit Kirkus online.

20% of Americans experiencing anxiety requiring treatment, PAI is increasingly employed, with all its “potential for harm.” Oberhaus examines the history of PAI, with manifestations such as the popular echoic program ELIZA and newer technologies such as Facebook’s suicide prevention AI. He doesn’t entirely dismiss the possibility of machine intelligence being put to good use in the future, but this extended cautionary tale suggests that there’s still much work to be done before hailing PAI as “a new miracle cure.”

An eye-opening exposé of how machines are replacing people in a sphere they probably shouldn’t be.

Rain of Ruin: Tokyo, Hiroshima, and the Surrender of Japan

Overy, Richard | Norton (224 pp.)

$29.99 | March 4, 2025 | 9781324105305

Historical account of the policies and strategies underlying the air war over Japan.

Overy, a British historian of World War II, does good service straightaway by showing that Britain, though “often overlooked in accounts of Japanese defeat,” was active in it: Winston Churchill approved the use of the atomic bomb, and, freed after Germany’s surrender, British bomber squadrons were on their way to join the Americans in the last months of the war in the Pacific. That war was long foreseen: For decades before Pearl Harbor, American and British war planners had gamed out numerous scenarios about fighting Japan, including the use of warplanes well before such warplanes even existed: “The doctrinal shape of the future bombing campaign against Japan was already developed long before there was any capability of achieving it.” It wasn’t until 1943, writes Overy, that the possibility began to emerge of land-based air facilities capable of

Wrestling with “the astonishing persistence of Jesus.”

MIRACLES AND WONDER

putting planes in the sky over Japan. Once that became a reality with the capture of Saipan and other islands in 1944, America was ready to engage in a campaign of terror bombing that specifically targeted civilian populations—to which Overy attaches racist views of the Japanese as less than human. (Quoth Life magazine in May 1945: “hating Japs comes natural— as natural as fighting Indians once was”). By Overy’s view, the atomic bombings were an extension of the firebombing of Japan’s cities—and even those two bombs were not the foremost causes for Japan to finally capitulate. Interestingly, Overy notes in closing that the German and Japanese bombings of civilians earlier in the war were not raised in war crimes trials “because British and American air forces had done exactly that, and deliberately, in the last years of war, abandoning the restrictions on targeting civilians in force when the war began.”

A fresh and persuasive outlook on one of the great moral crossroads in world history.

Miracles and Wonder: The Historical Mystery of Jesus

Pagels, Elaine | Doubleday (320 pp.)

$30.00 | April 1, 2025 | 9780385547468

The enduring power of the Gospels, explored. Renowned historian and writer Pagels returns to the study of Jesus’ life and teachings with a career-capping question: “What makes the

stories of Jesus so powerful that countless people…continue to read and engage them, even stake their lives on what they find there?” In this latest work, Pagels struggles with this mystery but provides only halfhearted answers to her readers. Through parts of this book, Pagels goes back over the well-traveled ground of modern biblical critics. For instance, she sees the Gospels of Matthew and Luke as “propaganda” meant to quiet ancient rumors about Jesus (such as stories that he was born illegitimately). However, Pagels takes a nuanced approach to such critiques. She admirably relinquishes the search for the historical Jesus, which scholars have been engaged in for over two centuries, and instead wrestles with “the astonishing persistence of Jesus, both rediscovered and reinvented.” Recognizing that the Gospels were not meant as pure history, and cannot be judged as such, Pagels delves into the power of their stories and the timelessness of their morals. Jesus “envisions this world turned upside down, its values shattered, the status quo abruptly reversed,” and this acts, in a distinct way, as a signpost for marginalized people from one generation to the next. The stories of Jesus are renewed continually because they offer hope in a way no other religious leader has been able to offer. Pagels sees in the stories of Jesus a consistently paradigm-breaking message, the “gospel,” or “good news,” for lack of a better term, which has appealed to believers and even nonbelievers alike across time and geography. However, Pagels hesitates to distill her conclusions much further.

Intellectually mature, but demands a more well-crafted conclusion.

Medicine River: A Story of Survival and the Legacy of Indian Boarding Schools

Pember, Mary Annette | Pantheon (304 pp.)

$29.00 | April 22, 2025 | 9780553387315

A concise history of Native American boarding schools and their enduring consequences.

The daughter of a boarding school survivor, the author explores a highly personal subject while tracing out its broader historical dimensions. As she notes, her aim is to understand more clearly her own Ojibwe identity, the ramifying consequences of intergenerational trauma, and “Indian people’s unparalleled ability to survive.” Elegantly weaving together her mother’s stories, those of other boarding school students, and concise accounts of federal assimilationist policies and common institutional practices, she provides an informed and unsettling perspective on the schools’ individual and collective impact. The origins and evolution of assimilationist policies are convincingly framed in relation to long-standing assumptions about what the Christian faith sanctioned in encounters with pagan lands and peoples, and we gain a striking sense of how an ethic of righteous domination shaped institutions meant to accelerate the destruction of indigeneity. Particularly compelling are the accounts of the schools’ coercive religious authority, myriad forms of physical and psychological abuse, and insistent shaming, all of which aimed at, and often succeeded in, destroying the self-esteem of vulnerable children. As we come to understand, routine cruelties coexisted with the self-professed benevolence of the pedagogical bureaucracy. Indigenous resistance is also carefully charted, especially in relation to the “sense of common purpose and pan-Indian identity” that many students managed to establish in the face of crushing assimilative pressures. Less effective is the author’s reckoning with the complex motivations of the

influential school administrator Richard Henry Pratt, whose ambitions and techniques are sometimes unjustly simplified. Nevertheless, this book provides a cogent summation of the significance of boarding schools and movingly represents the resilience of the author’s family over generations.

A gripping, often harrowing account of the personal and communal toll of cultural genocide.

The Jewish South: An American History

Rabin, Shari | Princeton Univ. (288 pp.) $29.95 | April 1, 2025 | 9780691208763

The children of Israel, down in Dixie.

In an 1899 essay, “Concerning the Jews,” Mark Twain wrote of the “immense Jewish population” of the United States— “down to the least little village.” Rabin’s engaging study confirms Twain’s assessment by documenting throughout the South the breadth of Jewish settlement, from the colonial era to modern times. Rabin is a scholar at Oberlin College, but her prose is light on theory and mostly free of academic jargon, and her deep archival research reveals how Jews participated in and were shaped by a dominant culture in which their status could be uncertain. Jews began to arrive in the South by the early 18th century and were usually afforded the same political rights as white Protestants. This privileged status enabled Jews to hold enslaved people, and they did so in roughly the same proportion as the rest of the white population. Cultural norms could disadvantage Jews (e.g., Sunday closing laws), but the fact that Charleston’s Hebrew Benevolent Society and Hebrew Orphan Society marched in the funeral cortege of pro-slavery Sen. John C. Calhoun shows that Jews were often eager to be seen as “proud white South Carolinians.” Reflecting Enlightenment values, Jewish synagogues and religious

A rich account of how the Jewish minority claimed its place in Southern culture even as it retained its identity.

Dimming the Sun: The Urgent Case for Geoengineering

Ramge, Thomas | The Experiment (208 pp.)

$24.95 | March 4, 2025 | 9798893030549

A thoughtful look at a high-tech effort at delaying global warming. Technology writer Ramge, author of Who’s Afraid of AI?, points out that 2023 was the warmest year in 120,000 years, and even if greenhouse gas emissions stopped increasing today, worldwide temperatures would still rise a disastrous 5 degrees before 2100. In 1991, the Philippine Mount Pinatubo volcanic eruption spewed clouds of sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere, where it reacted with water to form a milky mist. The following year saw the earth cool by almost 1 degree Fahrenheit before the mist dissipated over the next few years. The eruption was mild by geological standards; more powerful outbursts probably triggered ice ages. A coterie of serious scientists and tech entrepreneurs are promoting the idea of geoengineering similar artificial clouds, claiming that “by spending a few billion dollars annually on sulfur

>>> practice transformed to reflect the culture Jews hoped to join. Support for the Civil War and later the Lost Cause narrative, though not universal, ran deep. Indeed, during the Wilmington, North Carolina, massacre of 1898, a coup d’etat that forcibly removed the elected biracial government, former Mayor Solomon Fishblate declared, “The choice in this election is between white rule and Negro rule. And I am with the white man, every time!” Yet as the gathering antisemitism of the early 20th century made abundantly clear, Jews could never rest easy. In Rabin’s words, they “were privileged and vulnerable, political powerbrokers and targets of hate crimes.”

Exploring a World of Colors

Jack Lohmann

Alexandra Loske

Imani Perry

Michel Pastoureau

Philip Nel

SEEN AND HEARD

Memoir by Jonathan Capehart Coming This Year

The MSNBC host will tell the story of his life and career in Yet Here I Am.

Jonathan Capehart will tell the story of his life and career in a new memoir. Grand Central will publish the MSNBC host’s Yet Here I Am: Lessons From a Black Man’s Search for Home this year. The press says that in the book, Capehart

“recounts powerful stories from his life about embracing identity, picking battles, seizing opportunity and finding his voice to speak up for others—and himself.”

Capehart, a New Jersey native, began his journalism career with stints at the Today show, the New York Daily News, and Bloomberg News. He is currently a staffer for the Washington Post and the host of MSNBC’s The Saturday/ Sunday Show With Jonathan Capehart

His memoir, Grand Central says, will cover his childhood, his education at Carleton College, “where he [learned] to embrace his identity as a gay, Black man surrounded by a like-minded community,” and his career as a journalist.

“Honest and endearing, Yet Here I Am is an inspirational memoir of identity, opportunity, and of finding one’s voice and purpose along the way,” Grand Central says. Capehart announced his memoir on his show, saying, “Y’all are going to learn the backstory of how I got here, as well as some hilarious things about me that I might never live down.”

Yet Here I Am is slated for publication on May 20. —M.S.

Arturo Holmes/Getty

Jonathan Capehart

For the best memoirs of 2024, visit Kirkus online.

AWARDS

Kate Beaton Wins Jan Michalski Prize

The Canadian author and artist was honored for her graphic memoir, Ducks.

Kate Beaton won the Jan Michalski Prize, a Swiss award for world literature, for her graphic memoir, Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands Beaton’s book, published in the United States in 2022 by Drawn & Quarterly, is the account of her time working in the oil sands of Alberta, Canada, a job she took to pay off student loans. In a starred review, a critic for Kirkus praised the memoir as “a fascinating, harrowing, unforgettable book about a place few outsiders can comprehend.”

The jury for the award called the book “a piercing and daring graphic memoir that sheds light on the hidden side of working conditions in the oil industry through the eyes of a young woman and recent

graduate who is thrown into a toxic world because of economic hardship” and “a profoundly moving masterpiece thanks to the courage it embodies.”

Peggy Burns, the publisher of Drawn & Quarterly, said in a statement, “It is so fitting to see Kate Beaton’s Ducks recognized by this visionary prize open to literature of all genres the world over because her cartooning in this memoir shows what the comics medium is capable of. Ducks could never have been anything other than a comic.”

The Jan Michalski Prize, established in 2009, is open to “works of all literary genres, fiction or non-fiction, irrespective of the language in which [they are] written.” Previous winners include Aleksandar Hemon for The Lazarus Project and Olga Tokarczuk for The Books of Jacob. —M.S.

Kate Beaton

For a review of Ducks, visit Kirkus online.

in the stratosphere, human suffering… can be drastically reduced in the short term.” This doesn’t help in the long term, but may provide time to enact a permanent solution. Activists and many scientists denounce geoengineering as a pie-in-the-sky quick fix that is possibly dangerous and certain to be embraced by the fossil fuel industry to allow them to continue poisoning the atmosphere. So far, the industry has successfully discouraged research and even blocked individual ad hoc experiments. Ramge considers this shortsighted; a temporary fix may give lumbering governments time to get their act together. The author makes a sensible case for investigating geoengineering’s safety and efficacy. He defines its limited role and suggests guidelines for overseeing the project that mimic other successful international agreements. He concludes with a fictional scenario describing a miserably overheated world in 2038, when an international referendum approves a project to inject sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere that proceeds with mildly encouraging results. Sober arguments for a stillcontroversial approach.

Tamed: From Wild to Domesticated, the Ten Animals and Plants That Changed Human History

Roberts, Alice | The Experiment (400 pp.)

$17.95 paper | Feb. 26, 2025 | 9798893030488

A wide-ranging look at the species that have become our partners in creating human society. Roberts, an academic and

author, draws on insights from the fields of history, archaeology, and genetics to trace the stories of her chosen animals and plants and their effect on our lives. Dogs, wheat, cattle, corn, rice, chickens, horses, potatoes, and apples—she tracks each to their geographical origin and traces how they evolved as they became part of the human world. Evidence from archaeology and genetics is supplemented by lively anecdotes, often from the author’s personal experience. Along the way, she shares fascinating bits of lore from all over the scientific and historical maps. The rapid spread of corn into the Old World after Columbus’ first voyage, the discovery of Neolithic cheese strainers, the presence of a distinctive strain of rice in West Africa, and the possible effect of the last Ice Age on the extinction of horses in the Americas—these are just a few of the stories the book explores. The focus isn’t strictly historical, though—for example, the chapter on rice looks at the impact of genetic modification on food crops and its possible role in feeding the poorest parts of the world. The relationships between these species and the humans who domesticated them, and continue to depend on them, are always at the forefront of the discussion. The final chapter looks at the evolution of Homo sapiens and its spread across the globe, along with some of our adaptations to the different environments we inhabit, such as lighter skin color to enhance vitamin D absorption in high latitudes. Best of all, the book is thoroughly readable, even when exploring the details of genetics. Popular science at its best.

A lively exploration of how human culture depends on partnerships with the plants and animals we have domesticated.

How many animals and plants evolved to become part of the human world.

Integrated: How American Schools Failed Black Children

Rooks, Noliwe | Pantheon (240 pp.)

$28.00 | March 18, 2025 | 9780553387391

Far from the dream of educational equality. Rooks eloquently begins: “I believe a morning will come when we as a nation will collectively toast our wrestled defeat of inequitable education….Before that future can find us, we who believe that educational equality is a requirement for healthy democracy will need to fully acknowledge the failure of the dream of shared access to resources and institution governance that was to have been complete integration.” The book charts the history of that failure, from the founding of the republic to the present day. It offers individual stories of segregation and—after the Brown v. Board of Education decision outlawing segregation in public schools—resistance to integration. These historical narratives intertwine with personal accounts of the author’s own family during these times. Taken together, they create a vivid account of the emotional and economic damage done to generations of children of color. They sustain the position that systemic racism, rather than individually focused discrimination, often motivates institutional inequality. But, in the end, this is a book of people rather than laws and institutions. It shows that Black families were not, in fact, unanimous in their support of the Brown decision; there was dissent and disagreement about how best to serve communities and allocate resources. While the author does not support a pre-Brown world, she does celebrate the older, Black structures of belonging—the church, the school, and the community. The goal of this book is, as the author concludes, to “find another way” beyond our present systems to make education available with equal resources and equal impact to children of all socioeconomic and ethnic groups in America. Rich with statistics and historical narrative, the book comes fully

alive when the author writes about her son’s struggles as a Black child in an exclusive white school system and about her challenges as a Black professor in the Ivy League.

A powerful and uncompromising indictment of the public school system.

Rebel Angel: The Life and Times of Annemarie Schwarzenbach

Rooney, Padraig | Polity (348 pp.)

$29.95 | April 14, 2025 | 9781509566297

A defiant life.

Irish poet and novelist Rooney creates a well-researched account of the eventful, peripatetic life of journalist, photographer, and fiction writer Annemarie Schwarzenbach (1908-42). The strong-willed, glamorous daughter of a wealthy Swiss silk-manufacturing family, Schwarzenbach grew from a young tomboy into a daring, ambitious, yet troubled woman. To Thomas Mann, the restless Annemarie seemed a “rebel angel.” In a family that supported the Nazis, she was violently opposed. Her controlling mother, who had a 30-year relationship with a prominent female opera singer, could not countenance Annemarie’s lesbian liaisons. Distancing herself from her mother, Rooney asserts, became her life’s work. Rooney chronicles Schwarzenbach’s love affairs; her marriage of convenience to a French diplomat, which afforded her a coveted diplomatic passport; and her friendships, the most enduring of which was with Mann’s children Klaus and Erika. Klaus, a frequent travel companion, introduced her to the gay underworld of Berlin, rife with drugs. By 1932, she was a morphine addict. Psychologically fragile, she was in and out of psychiatric clinics, attempted suicide, and taxed the patience of friends with her overwhelming neediness, as she spiraled deeper into addiction and alcoholism. Writing and traveling, Rooney asserts, served her as “lodestones in time of crisis”: reporting,

photojournalism, and even archaeological digs took her through Europe—Paris, Venice, Zurich, Nice—and the Middle East, Persia, Afghanistan, the Soviet Union, and the Balkans; she traveled to the U.S. three times. During her last trip there, in 1940, she met the newly hailed young novelist Carson McCullers, who became besotted with her, an attraction that was not reciprocated. Despite her mother’s burning her letters and diaries, Rooney mines ample German, French, and English sources to inform a thorough biography.

An empathetic portrait of an audacious woman.

We’ve Decided To Go in a Different Direction: Essays

Sanchez, Tess | Gallery Books/ Simon & Schuster (256 pp.) | $28.99 April 1, 2025 | 9781668060858

The life and times of a casting director in pre- and post-pandemic Hollywood. Reading this book will involve recognizing a great many names from the entertainment industry, but the key one is this: Max Greenfield. The debut author’s husband, Greenfield was the star of New Girl , a popular 2010s sitcom that became an obsession for many during lockdown. As he writes in his introduction to his wife’s book, “Tess has found humor, irony, and emotional resonance in the messiness of her life, while simultaneously being able to expose her vulnerability, because that’s who she is.” He’s got that right: The essays touch on her rise to success as an obsessively box-checking beginning casting director (this section is very detailed and would be useful for those with similar aspirations); the blip in the early days of her relationship with Greenfield when he had to confront addiction; the much later period, after their marriage, when she literally

pooped her pants at a children’s sporting event; the emotional complexities she faced in her relationship with her aging parents. Another essay describes her indignation when, after the pandemic, the workers at a resort instantly recognized and fawned over Greenfield but assumed she, perhaps because she is of Mexican descent, must be the nanny. This essay has a “do you know who I am” vibe that is almost endearing— considering that she was a casting director. (It’s not fully clear what happened to her work life during the pandemic, but it wasn’t good.)

Perhaps the biggest drawback of the book is the shtick of introducing every character by naming an actor they resemble, and then calling them that name. It works well enough with Reese Witherspoon or John Mulaney, but the suggestion that you “think” Vanessa Bayer, Jared Hess, Topher Grace, Meagan Good, Merritt Wever, etc.—in order to imagine the people she’s writing about—ends up being a limiting shortcut.

Very TV-literate readers who also love memoir—this book is for you.

Rot: An Imperial History of the Irish Famine

Scanlan, Padraic X. | Basic Books (368 pp.) $32.00 | March 11, 2025 | 9781541601543

What was the true cause of Ireland’s deadly disaster?

Scanlan, author of Slave Empire: How Slavery Made Modern Britain, turns his attention to Ireland’s infamous potato blight, or “apocalypse.” Between 1845 and 1851, at least a million people died and more than 1.5 million migrated. The famine, a “complex, ecological, economic, logistical, and political disaster,” he argues, “was a consequence of colonialism.” The newly formed United Kingdom’s press on the Irish economy and its people, which they looked down on, made the potato a

precious subsistence staple along with pigs, which were usually sold, and peat. Ireland became a “casualty of modern capitalism at its most corrosive and destructive.” Scanlan neatly chronicles the history of England’s ever-growing Protestant financial exploitation over the “uncivilized” Catholic Ireland’s poor and their tenant farms. Grain, dairy, and meat were exported at very low U.K.-set prices. The country had been subjugated by conquest, colonialism, and capitalism even before the famine made it a nation of debtors and beggars susceptible to subsistence crises and epidemic disease. The potato blight— Phytophthora infestans —struck in 1845 in North America, Canada, Belgium, and the Netherlands before striking Ireland in August due to excess moisture and quickly turning into a famine. Scanlan goes into detail discussing the famine’s effect on British politics and its relief measures for Ireland, including offering them maize to buy. By winter 1846-1847, “rural Ireland became a hellscape, shocking and incomprehensible.” The bonds of social life “dissolved.” England’s “public works were shambolic as well as bureaucratic.” The last years of the blight, 1848-1849, were the worst. Starvation and disease surged. Organizations around the world raised funds. Soup kitchens and workhouses proliferated while evictions soared. For England, the Great Famine proved that Ireland was still a “half-civilised colony.”

Shelve this fine history next to Tim Pat Coogan’s The Famine Plot.

How To Feed the World: The History and Future of Food

Smil, Vaclav | Viking (336 pp.) | $30.00 March 4, 2025 | 9780593834510

Population —as this book does—is to invite pessimism. Malthus famously wrote that “the power of population is infinitely greater than the power in the earth to produce subsistence for man.” Now in the wake of global climate change and soaring world population, Malthus’ words seem more prescient than ever. “Inevitably,” Smil writes, “rising temperatures and increasing CO2 concentrations will have substantial plant-specific and regional differences,” possibly cutting corn and rice yields in Asia and Latin America. The author of dozens of books and a professor emeritus at the University of Manitoba, Smil aims to be fair. Indeed, he insists that he’s “agnostic about long-term prospects of the global food supply.” But when push comes to shove, he chooses optimism and insists that “it is rational to argue that, barring mass-scale conflict and unprecedented social breakdown, the world will be able to feed its growing population beyond the middle of the 21st century.” Malthus would disagree. So would recent authors who have written books that sound alarms about food insecurity and famine. Pessimists point to deforestation, the erosion of democratic institutions, and war. Smil, though, offers a quantitative approach. “Many books about agriculture and food do not contain many numbers, but this book is teeming with them,” he writes. “Numbers are the antidote to wishful thinking and are the only way to get a solid grasp of the modalities and limits of modern crop cultivation, food, and nutrition. With this foundation it is far less likely you will make incorrect interpretations or misunderstand the basic realities of food.”

On This Holy Island: A Modern Pilgrimage Across Britain

Smith, Oliver | Pegasus (256 pp.)

$28.95 | March 4, 2025 | 9781639368419

Food for thought.

To begin a book about food with the word “Catastrophism” and a quotation from Thomas Robert Malthus’ 1798 Essay on the Principle of

A sensible vision of the future that calls for “incremental changes.”

A travel writer explores ancient paths. The author of The Atlas of Abandoned Places, Smith opens his latest book at Lindisfarne, a small island off north Britain, home to an abbey from the 7th to the 16th century. Its ruins and traditions make it a major tourist attraction, but Smith gives local color no less attention than history, so sea rescues figure prominently because tides flood the island’s causeway twice a day, and walkers and cars regularly require assistance. In 1823 an isolated sea cave on the Wales coast revealed relics and human bones, 34,000 years old, perhaps the oldest found in Britain. Evidence that it was a holy site is minimal, but the author joins a few climbers who have signed on. He walks the Ridgeway, perhaps the oldest trail in Europe, traveled long before Britain was an island. Its greatest extent links the channel to the North Sea and passes many Neolithic sites, terminating near the world’s largest stone circle, Avebury, considered by some superior to Stonehenge. Stonehenge itself is a sad story. By the 1970s, thousands assembled for its Summer Solstice Festival, but in 1985 the local police announced that no further festivals would be allowed. When this had no noticeable effect, the police attacked the crowd violently with beatings and mass arrests. Britain’s most famous path connects London and Canterbury. Geoffrey Chaucer famously described it in The Canterbury Tales, but the centuries have taken their toll. Many churches that welcomed Chaucer’s pilgrims are locked, some permanently, but even those that remain must pay attention to security. As he walks, Smith quotes archeologists and historians, chats with locals, describes New Age and traditional religious figures attracted to

For more by Vaclav Smil, visit Kirkus online.

sites, sleeps in wet and chilly barrows, cares for his sore feet, and writes well. An entertaining spiritual stroll across Britain.

Making Sense of Slavery: America’s Long Reckoning, From the Founding Era to Today

Spillman, Scott | Basic Books (448 pp.) $35.00 | March 4, 2025 | 9781541602090

Survey of the various ways in which slavery has been defended and rebuked by historians over the years. In this historiographical study, Spillman proposes that the “tradition of Western intellectual engagement with slavery” has been especially active in American historical writing. This American tradition dates to the colonial era, when Anthony Benezet, an early abolitionist, assembled documents and statistics to show, as he wrote, “how by various perfidious, and cruel Methods, the unhappy Negroes are inslaved.” Among other things, Benezet extrapolated a death toll of at least 30,000 on slaving ships plying the Middle Passage. Other historians of early America were more kindly disposed toward slavery, drawing inspiration from Montesquieu’s assurance that there was a “natural slavery” that “is to be limited to some particular parts of the word.” One of Benezet’s peers, David Ramsay, wrote that slavery impoverished the slave states by decreasing the initiative of free workers, an argument countered by appeals to Thomas Malthus’ economic theories: Though supposedly economically inefficient, argued some pro-slavery writers, “slavery insulated slaves from the

destructive laws of supply and demand, and provided them with the kind of comfort and security denied wageworkers.” In the mid-20th century, historians began to see slavery as America’s original sin, sometimes with a Marxist edge: C. Vann Woodward, the eminent Southern historian, considered slavery’s founders as “corrupt capitalists.” Although studies of slavery dwindled late in that century, they have since come to the fore among historians, with influence on public interpretations: Tours of Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello plantation once referred to slaves as “servants” or “workers,” but they now acknowledge forced labor. In this broad-ranging study, Spillman closes with the 1619 Project, which has excited attention among historians for presumed inaccuracies and among right-wingers for daring to raise the issue of institutional racism in the first place.

A valuable addition to the literature of slavery.

On the Hippie Trail: Istanbul to Kathmandu and the Making of a Travel Writer

Steves, Rick | Avalon Travel (256 pp.) $27.00 | Feb. 4, 2025 | 9781641716437

The well-known TV traveler recounts a sentimental education.

Born a few years too late to have been a classic hippie, Steves nonetheless threw his backpack on and, with an old friend, hit the “Hippie Trail”—a congeries of roads and railroad lines leading across Europe to India—in 1978. This book is built on a journal he kept along the way, one that he forgot

Revisiting a long-ago trip from Europe to India.

until, “stuck at home during the pandemic, I stumbled across it.”

Known for decades for amiable PBS travelogues, Steves shows that the young longhair is the father of the man: All of his evenhandedness, generosity, and curiosity are in evidence from the minute he jumps his first train from Frankfurt to Yugoslavia. That’s to say nothing of his resourcefulness, which sometimes involves finessing the rules: In then-Communist Bulgaria, he buys a ticket as far as Sofia but travels on to Plovdiv, convincing the annoyed conductor that he missed his stop.

“Relishing my role as the stupid American tourist,” Steves writes, “I really played it up.” The pals brave Turkish highways with a driver they call the Pirate, cross into Iran and Afghanistan, and make it to India, having survived sketchy lodgings and any number of questionable foods.

“What did the people think as we waltzed in and out of their lives?” he wonders. The answers are many: One old gentleman whom Steves meets in Kabul observes that a third of the world eats with forks, a third with chopsticks, and a third with their hands, “and we’re all civilized just the same.” It’s a perfect sentiment for this gentle book, which is very much a young man’s, with little bits of purple if not purple-haze prose (“Following this magical procession, we wandered through a timeless village floating in a wonderworld”) punctuating the narrative.

A pleasure for travel buffs, especially those who once plied the Hippie Trail—or wish they had.

The Celts: A Modern History

Stewart, Ian | Princeton Univ. (576 pp.) | $39.95 | March 4, 2025 9780691222516

A n iconic people receive a scholar’s attention. Stewart, a scholar at the University of Edinburgh, reminds readers that ancient

“The oaks on my street are a fair measurement of our collective progress on global warming.”

THE LOST TREES OF WILLOW AVENUE

writers (Caesar, Tacitus) recorded Celts as fearless warriors who rampaged across Europe and even sacked Rome. Vanishing from the record for a thousand years, they were rediscovered by Renaissance humanists. Although nowadays associated with Ireland, Wales, and Scotland, the original Celts cast a broader shadow. Never happy with their German ancestry, French academics worked to promote a Gaulish alternative, and British opposition to Anglo-Saxons flourished. The Renaissance was the period when modern European nations took shape, and these humanists, patriots and Christians all, disliked the Roman conviction that all people north of Italy were barbarians. Poring over fragmentary ancient manuscripts but speculating generously, many concluded that their nations’ founders were civilized migrants from ancient Egypt, Phoenicia, or Troy; their religious leaders (druids) were precursors of Christianity, and their language a direct descendant of Europe’s mother tongue—Hebrew. Much of this was nonsense, or deliberately faked, but Stewart is a dedicated scholar, not a popular historian, so he leaves no stone unturned, and readers will encounter a steady stream of unfamiliar savants, obscure texts, and raging controversies often wacky to modern ears but now forgotten. Persistent readers may perk up as he reaches the 19th century, when history became scientific, although that included the abortive sciences of racism and phrenology, which mostly reinforced English dislike of the Irish. French, English, and German Celtic claims receded, and Stewart’s focus narrows to familiar Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, plus a touch of Brittany. Over the last century, Ireland’s independence and

the elimination of scholarly nonsense have made Celtic studies a respectable academic field. Popular Celticism persists, mostly in Wales and Scotland, as a minority movement more successful in culture than politics. Definitive and encyclopedic.

The Lost Trees of Willow Avenue: A Story of Climate and Hope on One American Street

Tidwell, Mike | St. Martin’s (288 pp.) $29.00 | March 25, 2025 | 9781250362261

Fighting for the giants among us. Tidwell, an author and climate activist, does not think that any one single action, machine, or plant will save the earth from environmental disaster. But if he had to put his faith in one living thing, it would be trees, and probably the kinds of majestic oaks that graced his own street in Takoma Park, Maryland, until many of them died and left him and his neighbors in shock and grief. “The oaks on my street are a fair measurement of our collective progress on global warming,” he writes. “Wherever mature oak trees are found, in urban forests or wilderness settings, they are a keystone species, indicating ecological health.” Tidwell’s absorbing book pays tribute to the oaks that provided canopy, cool shade, enduring beauty, and homes for birds, squirrels, and insects. It also honors Tidwell’s family members and fellow citizens, including his wife, Beth, and his climate scientist friend Ning Zeng—a doctor born in

China during the Cultural Revolution—who buries the dead trees in the ground, hoping that others will take their spot. Tidwell also pays homage to Jamie Raskin; the crusading Democratic Maryland congressman emerges as a genuine hero who loves trees and has defended American democracy fiercely, especially in the wake of Jan. 6, 2021. Other heroes: the Kilbys, two resilient farmers who recycle and renew their pastures. There are also heartwarming moments in the book, as when the author heralds the thousands of acorns that fall from an ancient oak, burrow into the ground, take root, and begin the cycle of life all over again. An impassioned book that might well inspire readers to think globally and act locally—maybe planting a tree or two.

Kirkus Star

Ghosts of Iron Mountain: The Hoax of the Century, Its Enduring Impact, and What It Reveals About America Today

Tinline, Phil | Scribner (304 pp.) | $29.99 March 25, 2025 | 9781668050491

In which a zany ’60s leftist hoax becomes a progenitor of Trumpism. In 1967, Victor Navasky of the Nation , with fellow pranksters that included publisher-cum-novelist E.L. Doctorow, concocted a fake government report that, among other things, revealed that the rationale for the Vietnam War and indeed all war was to keep the economy humming. The ground was fertile for such a revelation: As British journalist Tinline chronicles, a decade earlier sociologist C. Wright Mills had persuasively argued that the “power elite” were bent on creating a “dreamworld…in which war had ‘become seemingly total and seemingly permanent’ and was ‘the only reality.’” When Dwight

Eisenhower left office warning of the unchecked power of the military-industrial complex, when John F. Kennedy was assassinated by an improbable lone shooter, and when it dawned on Robert S. McNamara “that it’s not the anti-war movement that is lost in a cloudland of illusion but the administration itself,” the course was well laid for a Strangelovian conspiracy theory that held that the rich didn’t much care if the planet was consumed by nuclear bombs as long as their bottom line held. The problem, as the report’s true author, Leonard Lewin, soon came to realize, was that people took the hoax seriously, and even after the pranksters revealed that their left-wing hoax was just that, the report took its place in the dogmatic “deep state” literature of the far right. One enthusiastic adopter became a conspiracy unto himself, recruiting a right-wing cabal to spread the word. His “secretive mission,” writes Tinline, “has something to tell us about how American politics got into its current state,” where truth is meaningless thanks to what he calls “a resolute refusal to distinguish fact from metaphor.”

An account of a jest gone terribly wrong makes for fascinating— and eye-opening—reading.

Living With Jane Austen

Todd, Janet | Cambridge Univ. (246 pp.) $25.95 | March 20, 2025 | 9781009569316

Celebrating a beloved writer. British biographer, novelist, memoirist, and literary scholar Todd admits that she was late in discovering Jane Austen. “She wasn’t my childhood passion,” she writes, but certainly Austen has become a significant focus of her scholarship: Todd edited the Cambridge edition of Austen’s works and is deeply knowledgeable about her life

and times. In an engaging melding of memoir and literary analysis, Todd offers a close reading and personal response to Austen’s most indelible characters, including Emma Woodhouse, Anne Elliot, Elizabeth Bennet, Fanny Price, and the Dashwood sisters, Marianne and Elinor, as well as the men, relatives, friends, and neighbors with whom they interacted. As she reflects on Austen, Todd charts her own path as a scholar, first in England and then in the U.S., where she studied and taught at a time when women’s studies and French critical theory were shaping English departments. Both perspectives informed Women’s Friendship in Literature, her book about intimate relationships in women’s fiction and in their authors’ real lives. Austen appeared in that book, as did Mary Wollstonecraft, the subject of another of Todd’s biographies, who also features significantly in this current volume. Besides responding to Austen’s fiction, Todd takes a discerning—and admiring— look at her letters: “mischievous portmanteau accounts of a life filled with people—some too fat, some too short-necked, some just too nondescript for comment—and random things, from muslins and sofas to honey, cakes and wine.” Although Todd finds the letters captivating, the novels have proven most revelatory for her, spreading “out and round me like rich material, a shot silk of rippling ambivalence, of passion and affection, temperamental undercurrents, neediness and intellectual solitude, confusions clarified, resilience, exertion and stillness—and love (however ironised).”

A gift for Austen’s devoted readers on the 250th anniversary of her birth.

The Pardon: The Politics of Presidential Mercy

Toobin, Jeffrey | Simon & Schuster (304 pp.) $29.99 | Feb. 25, 2025 | 9781668084946

L egal commentator Toobin examines the power of presidents to pardon others— and perhaps themselves.

For more on Jane Austen,

“There is…no check or balance on the president’s power to pardon. It is the provision of the Constitution most directly descended from the authority of kings of England,” writes Toobin. His exemplar throughout is Richard Nixon, who might have pardoned those whose work led to his downfall but instead sought precedent that would allow him to pardon himself. Some of his advisers, especially Al Haig, argued that whatever the Constitution does not specifically prohibit is permitted, while a legal opinion from the Justice Department likened self-pardon to a judge conducting his own trial. Nixon negotiated a pardon from Gerald Ford, who had earlier promised the public that he would not grant one; what swayed Ford were documents that Nixon had squirreled away, much as Donald Trump did at the end of his first term. “Seen in this way,” writes Toobin, “Nixon used his papers as a form of extortion—and it worked.” Trump, too, has studied self-pardon, tweeting with characteristic bombast, “As has been stated by numerous legal scholars, I have the absolute right to PARDON myself, but why would I do that when I have done nothing wrong?” Ford took a shellacking for pardoning Nixon, although Toobin persuasively argues that the pardon wasn’t the make-orbreak reason for his defeat in the 1976 election that it has been made out to be. Interestingly, too, Toobin observes that had Nixon looked beyond his close circle of advisers, he would have discovered that the Justice Department “had no intention of prosecuting Nixon,” just as, it seems, the department is walking away from Trump.

visit Kirkus online.

A sharp-edged work of legal journalism that will fascinate politics junkies.

Kirkus Star

America, Let Me In: A Choose Your Immigration Story

Torres Medina, Felipe | Abrams Image (208 pp.)

$24.99 | March 11, 2025 | 9781419776397

Finding the comedy in coming to America. Torres Medina, a writer for The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, describes his book as “the ultimate guide for any person who is curious about what it’s like to be an immigrant who dares take on the daunting task of leaving it all behind and moving to a country they picked.” Written as a choose-your-ownadventure gamebook, it introduces characters ranging from a tortured French heiress of a jam fortune, to an immigrant who discovers they’ve been an “elite-level athlete” their whole life and never known it, to a student who, when faced with the cost of American tuition, decides to fund their education less than legally, to a semi-autobiographical character who is an improv student with comedy dreams. Using the combination of choices these characters make and the resources available to them, Torres Medina introduces readers to a variety of immigration visas they can apply for, not only articulating their costs, but also the obstacles associated with each type. Although the author lightens the content with well-placed jokes that include footnotes written by an anxious and awkward lawyer named Kevin, his empathy for those attempting to navigate America’s daunting bureaucracy remains the emotional heart of these stories. Torres Medina writes, “That’s the gist of immigrants, by and large. They chose this place. And I believe there is no bigger act of love than willingly choosing something.” This hilarious and heartfelt book is a

compassionate ode to those who risk it all to live in America.

A funny, empathetic, and formally inventive guide to the U.S. immigration system.

A Fire in His Soul: Van Gogh, Paris, and the Making of an Artist

Unger, Miles J. | Pegasus (672 pp.)

$39.95 | March 4, 2025 | 9781639368457

Six hundred pages on two years in his life might seem excessive, until one starts reading. Van Gogh (1853-1890) may be the only artist whose work is recognized by people with no interest in art. Biographies are plentiful, and journalist and art historian Unger, author of Picasso and the Painting That Shocked the World, insists that this is not another. Instead, it’s a close examination of 1886-88, the years that the artist spent in Paris with his brother after arriving as an obscure painter of drab scenes of peasant life. Unger delivers an account of the young artist that may unnerve readers accustomed to the colorful media portraits. His van Gogh is a cripplingly neurotic, perhaps mentally ill, figure who “found relief from his own pain by inflicting it on those closest to him” and who leeched unmercifully off his younger brother. Unger includes an expert history of France’s art scene over the previous century, dominated by the early struggle and later triumph of the avant-garde. Despite the traditional depiction of van Gogh as a solitary genius, he quickly joined a coterie of like-minded painters (Paul Gauguin, Henri Toulouse-Lautrec, Georges Seurat, Paul Signac), and his work began to take on the vivid color and imagery he is known for. It didn’t hurt that his brother was an art dealer more willing than colleagues to patronize new work. By the time van Gogh left for the south of France, his work seethed with the nervous energy that attracted praise even during his

lifetime. Despite abbreviated attention to the two years before his death, Unger delivers valuable insights into van Gogh’s person as well as his art. An incisive inquiry into an immortal artist’s life.

Kirkus Star

Lincoln’s Peace: The Struggle To End the American Civil War

Vorenberg, Michael | Knopf (480 pp.)

$35.00 | March 18, 2025 | 9781524733179

A bold book challenges what we think we know about how and when the Civil War really ended. Anyone who has paid remote attention in a civics class knows that the amicable April 9, 1865, meeting between Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee at Appomattox ended the American Civil War. Not so, argues distinguished Brown University historian Vorenberg, who refreshingly admits his own culpability in perpetuating the myth that Appomattox concluded the Civil War and examines in this fascinating book when exactly—or whether—the just peace that Abraham Lincoln desired came about. Vorenberg does not merely analyze Lincoln’s attempts to forge and outline peace and examine the many candidates for the military and legal “last” battles of war that were fought well after Lincoln’s assassination, deep into the disastrous presidency of Andrew Johnson and beyond. He reevaluates the concept of founding myths such as the fixed end of the Civil War emblematic in George P.A. Healy’s painting The Peacemakers (1868), which is on the book’s cover. “The painting shows storm clouds giving way to sunshine,” Vorenberg writes. “Nothing in the painting suggests the reality of months of warring that followed the historic meeting.” The author contends that casting a critical eye on such founding myths is an important aspect of rethinking the notion of

Peeling back The Onion to uncover the secrets of its success.

FUNNY BECAUSE IT’S TRUE

American exceptionalism. Along this line, the book concludes with a thought-provoking comparison to the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Vorenberg exhibits scholarship of the first order. The history is vividly written and thoroughly researched. His reasoned questioning, skepticism, and analysis of accepted tropes and conclusions about the Civil War will prove meaningful to those who study the philosophy and psychology of war, peace, and American culture and identity.

A brilliant work and a vital contribution to the canon.

Funny Because It’s True: How The Onion Created Modern American News Satire

Wenc, Christine | Running Press (336 pp.)

$30.00 | March 18, 2025 | 9780762484430

The unlikely tale of America’s funniest publication. Just about anybody with an internet connection has seen a headline from the satirical newspaper The Onion, which specializes in deadpan parodies of traditional news stories (“Call Ignored in the Order It Was Received”) and op-eds (“It’s Not a Crack House, It’s a Crack Home”). But as Wenc shows in this thorough and thoughtful history, the publication needed time to find its footing and often struggled despite its cultural ubiquity. Founded in 1988 by a group of University of Wisconsin students, it was initially a casual, try-anything Gen X affair. (Explaining its name, an editor says, “We ate onion sandwiches a lot.”) But by the mid-1990s,

after honing its editorial voice and (crucially) getting online early, it was effectively printing money, prompting various, often ill-fated expansion efforts. It moved operations to New York just before 9/11; investments in video often went sideways (a big-budget Onion movie went straight to video); and writers often tangled with ownership, most prominently in 2012 when operations were moved back to Chicago despite vociferous protests by staff, who attempted a failed end-run around the owners. Wenc, an editor during the paper’s earliest days, spoke with nearly all the major players, sometimes getting deep in the weeds of the publication’s ever-shifting business strategy. But she consistently returns to a central irony in the Onion story: A publication designed to critique a cold-hearted, corporatized America had become an example of what it was attacking. “The Onion had long fought… ever-expanding media pollution and stupidity through courage, locality, and iconoclasm,” Wenc writes, but ownership and Trumpism’s own approach to fake news has often undermined its mission. To that end, the book is not just newspaper history, but an obituary for a generation’s countercultural principles. Serious reading about funny business.

Care and Feeding: A Memoir

Woolever, Laurie | Ecco/HarperCollins (336 pp.)

$28.99 | March 11, 2025 | 9780063327603

A tale of celebrity kitchen mayhem. Woolever came onto the high-end New York restaurant scene at 22, “the correct age to eat shit at a poverty-wage job

that I hated, while living in a wet hole in the ground.” The first wet hole belonged to Mario Batali, the once-eminent empire-building chef who fell afoul of the dawning #MeToo culture with behavior that would make even the most unapologetic horndog blush: “His handsiness and constant dirty jokes and innuendo signified that it was OK, even encouraged, to squeeze and flirt with and grope each other,” Woolever recounts, and in the end, it brought him down. To her good fortune, Woolever wasn’t there for that end, having since—at Batali’s engineering—gone to work for Anthony Bourdain, the angel on Woolever’s shoulder to Batali’s devil. Much of what Woolever has to say about Bourdain is available, in one voice or another, in the oral biography Bourdain that she assembled after his death, just as much of what she has to say about restaurant work is told, and far better, in Bourdain’s own breakthrough book, Kitchen Confidential What is not available elsewhere is an enumeration—that eventually becomes tedious and then numbing— of Woolever’s own bad behavior: pickup sex and numerous affairs while married and raising a child, abundant drugs and an endless flow of alcohol, lies and evasions and missed days of work, and all the rest. It’s noteworthy, and a detriment, that Woolever is harshly judgmental of just about everyone but herself (and, for the most part, Bourdain), cutting herself innumerable breaks for decades of infidelities and addictions until finally allowing that sobriety works better. “If Tony were still alive,” she writes, “I’d almost certainly still be working for him, maybe collaborating on a new book, instead of having written this one.” Yes, and more’s the pity. This is one meal you can skip.

For more nonfiction reviews, visit Kirkus online.

BEST NONFICTION BOOKS OF 2024:

The Achilles Trap: Saddam Hussein, the CIA, and the Origins of America’s Invasion of Iraq by Steve Coll (Penguin Press)

Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space by Adam Higginbotham (Avid Reader Press)

Feeding Ghosts: A Graphic Memoir by Tessa Hulls (MCD/ Farrar, Straus and Giroux)

The Garden Against Time: In Search of a Common Paradise by Olivia Laing (Norton)

Undue Burden: Life and Death Decisions in Post-Roe America by Shefali Luthra (Doubleday)

Another Word for Love: A Memoir by Carvell Wallace (MCD/ Farrar, Straus and Giroux)

John Lewis: A Life by David Greenberg (Simon & Schuster)

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:

Zibby Books, publisher of Here After by Amy Lin

In the Trackless Wild by Sean Gates

The Long Journey Out by Ronald Okuaki Lieber

Russian Nonsensical by Edward D. Webster

Purpose-Driven Innovation: Lessons From Managing Change in the United Nations by Jens P. Flanding and Genevieve M. Grabman

Fully Booked

Nell Irvin Painter offers astute perspectives on America, past and present. BY

MEGAN LABRISE

EPISODE 400: NELL IRVIN PAINTER

On the 400th episode of Fully Booked, Nell Irvin Painter—award-winning author, artist, and emerita professor of American history at Princeton University—joins us to discuss I Just Keep Talking: A Life in Essays (Doubleday, April 23), one of Kirkus’ best nonfiction books of 2024.

Painter is the author of the New York Times bestseller The History of White People, National Book Critics Circle Award finalist Old in Art School, and the biography Sojourner Truth: A Life, A Symbol. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; has received honorary degrees from Yale, Wesleyan, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Dartmouth; and currently serves as Madam Chairman of MacDowell. She lives and works in East Orange, New Jersey.

Here’s a bit from our starred review of I Just Keep Talking: “[The] author of Old in Art School and The History of White People gathers more than 40 previously published essays, framed by a new introduction and coda, reflecting her shrewd analyses of issues including race, class, and gender; history and historiography; police brutality and poverty; art, education, and politics. Painter, who grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area in a family of ‘proud progressives,’ was part of a diverse student body at UC Berkeley. ‘My Blackness isn’t broken,’ she writes. ‘It faces a different way. Mine is a Blackness of solidarity, a community, a connectedness to other people who aren’t known personally, of seeing myself as part of other people, other Black people.’ Her connectedness has led her to reveal ‘real hurt, real blood, real trauma’ in her writing, whether debunking the mythology surrounding Sojourner Truth, examining the way Spike Lee reinvented Malcolm X for his movie, or uncovering the stereotypes that undermined Anita Hill.…Throughout, Painter confronts divisive questions, such as affirmative action and reparations….The author has many significant thoughts about

I Just Keep Talking: A Life in Essays

Painter, Nell Irvin

Doubleday | 464 pp. | $35.00 April 23, 2024 | 9780385548908

the 2016 election, which colorized voting as Black, and about the future of democracy.” Painter and I begin by discussing the exceptional beauty of the book itself— from the bold cover, featuring her colorful original artwork, to its thick glossy paper—and its reception since publication in April. We talk about how an essay collection presents the life of a specific mind over time and experience, the specificity of Sojourner Truth, and an exhibit at the National Museum of African American History and Culture that allows museumgoers to record their reactions. We talk about structuring an essay collection and how she chose to group selected essays, how the meaning of whiteness has changed over time, whether she’s optimistic about the future of our democracy, and much more. Then nonfiction editor John McMurtrie joins us to discuss the making of the best nonfiction books list for 2024.

To listen to the episode, visit Kirkus online.

LGBTQ+ Groups Get Support From Two New Book Clubs

Dylan Mulvaney and Gus Kenworthy are partnering with RuPaul’s online bookstore.

Dylan Mulvaney and Gus Kenworthy are teaming up with RuPaul to get banned books into the hands of readers via two

new book clubs, People magazine reports.

Mulvaney, the actor and social media influencer, will launch the Dylan Mulvaney Book Club, which will focus on pop culture and entertainment books. Her first book club pick is The Age of Magical Overthinking by Amanda Montell, which the actor described as “light selfhelp meets new ideas.”

Kenworthy, the freestyle skier and actor, is set to start Gus Kenworthy’s Coffee Table Book Club, which will “challenge conventional thinking about beauty and culture.”

Both clubs will partner with Allstora, the online bookstore founded by drag queen and television producer RuPaul, historian

Eric Cervini, and actor Adam Powell last year. The store launched with the Rainbow Book Bus, a brightly colored vehicle that gave away free books in cities across America.

Subscriptions to Mulvaney and Kenworthy’s book club will support the Rainbow Book Bus as it continues to give away banned books to LGBTQ+ organizations.

“I love what The Rainbow Book Bus is doing, and would have loved to have these books when I was going up,”

Kenworthy told People. “Everyone should have

SEEN AND HEARD

access to books that make them feel seen, loved and supported.”

—M.S.

From left, Dylan Mulvaney and Gus Kenworthy

For a review of The Age of Magical Overthinking, visit Kirkus online.

Children's

ROUSING READS FOR TROUBLED TIMES

ON NOV. 6, millions of Americans awoke to the news that Donald Trump had been elected president— again. As reality set in, my thoughts turned to teachers and parents, who have the unenviable task of fielding questions from curious youngsters. This was a difficult enough undertaking in 2016—remember the Access Hollywood tape on which Trump was heard bragging about grabbing women’s genitalia? Or the promises of a wall dividing the U.S. from Mexico?

The political climate feels even more charged now. The xenophobic rhetoric has reached a fever pitch; during the campaign, both Trump and Vice President JD Vance repeated baseless rumors about Haitian immigrants eating pets, and Trump has promised to carry out mass deportations. Meanwhile, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s pick for the head of the Health and Human Services Department as of press time, has questioned the safety of vaccinations— news that feels especially disturbing in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In times of crisis, I turn to literature, and I urge educators and caregivers to do

so, too. The following titles speak to issues that arose during Trump’s first presidency— and have lingered long since he left office. They’ll give middlegrade readers a solid grounding in relevant historical topics as they attempt to make sense of the senseless.

Misinformation about Covid-19 has proliferated from the get-go, largely thanks to Trump’s dismis sive attitude toward mask-wearing, and mistrust in vaccinations across the board has only grown since then. Amy Cherrix’s Virus Hunters: How Science Protects People When Outbreaks and Pandemics Strike (Harper/ HarperCollins, 2024) serves as a much-needed counternarrative. This gripping volume ramps up the suspense as Cherrix describes scientists’ tireless efforts to decipher medical

mysteries; her sound explanations will leave readers with an appreciation for the work of scientists and doctors.

Debbie Levy’s A Dangerous Idea: The Scopes Trial, the Original Fight Over Science in Schools (Bloomsbury, Jan. 14) is an insightful account of the pivotal 1925 court case in which a high school teacher was prosecuted for teaching evolution. It culminated in a clash of the titans between attorneys William Jennings Bryan and Clarence Darrow. While direct references to recent events—Trump’s skepticism of climate change, for instance—are limited to the epilogue, readers will draw even more parallels. The Butler Act, which outlawed the teaching of evolution in Tennessee public schools, feels like a precursor to the recent rise in book bannings, especially those targeting titles related to

race or LGBTQ+ themes, while the cultlike devotion that Bryan engendered during his three unsuccessful presidential runs seems eerily prescient.

Unprecedented was a word that many applied to Trump’s first presidency, but as Adam Gidwitz makes clear with his spellbinding new novel, Max in the Land of Lies: A Tale of World War II (Dutton, Feb. 25), the phrasing is sadly inaccurate; history repeats itself far too often. Following a 12-yearold German Jewish spy for the British who infiltrates Germany’s Ministry of Propaganda, the book offers chillingly relevant truths about how demagogues maintain power: through insidious lies that appeal to the dominant group’s sense of superiority and demonize marginalized populations.

Mahnaz Dar is a young readers’ editor.

Illustration by Eric Scott Anderson

EDITOR’S PICK

In San Antonio, Texas, in 1937, a 13-year-old must drop out of school to shell pecans to help support her family. Nothing has been the same since Petra’s father suddenly died. First her distraught stepmother, Amá, couldn’t get out of bed. Now Amá is forcing Petra to quit the school she loves and go to work with her in a pecan-shelling factory to keep them from losing their home. Still dealing with her own grief, Petra struggles to hold on to her dream of returning to school and becoming a writer when hope feels futile. The factory conditions are terrible. Many of the workers

become sick with lung conditions linked to inhaling pecan dust in the poorly ventilated space. Workers labor for mere pennies under an uncaring boss. Some of her older co-workers resent Petra for even landing the job, upset that she may be displacing them. Readers’ hearts will go out to smart, kind Petra, who’s forced to bear intense adult pressures while still a child. When tragedy strikes, and the boss threatens to cut their already meager wages, Petra and her co-workers risk everything to fight for their rights and unionize. Petra also learns more about her Mexican

The Pecan Sheller

Ruiz-Flores, Lupe | Carolrhoda | 256 pp. April 1, 2025 | $18.99 | 9798765610527

American community and the horrors they endured during the Mexican Revolution. The story deftly explores the nuances of both Petra’s and Amá’s relationship and traumas, as

well as the strength and hope to be found in family and community.

A poignant, beautifully written tale. (author’s note, discussion questions) (Historical fiction. 10-14)

A Thank You Letter to My Homeschool

Adamson, Deb | Illus. by Airin O’Callaghan

Sourcebooks eXplore (40 pp.) | $14.99 April 1, 2025 | 9781464216183

Two children extol the virtues of homeschooling. From hands-on activities to field trips galore, the young people in this tale are always learning. Sometimes that happens outside the home: at the beach, at a museum, on a hike, or on a farm. At other times, it happens inside: at the kitchen table, at a keyboard, or cuddled up on the couch. Children can learn with siblings, parents, or friends. Homeschooling can even take place on a road trip! Regardless of location, these kids have the opportunity to grow and explore at their own pace, whether they’re devoting extra time to passion projects or slowing down to focus on challenging subjects. No matter when, where, or how it happens, the children celebrate the freedom to be themselves. This cheerful offering will serve as a solid mirror for homeschooled children, who seldom see themselves depicted in picture books; it’s also a good introduction for those unfamiliar with the subject. Rather than a story, the narrative is made up of a brief, sunny prose list of statements expressing gratitude for homeschooling. Bright and softly rounded illustrations depict light-skinned children amid a diverse community. A loving reminder that learning can happen anywhere, at any time. (Picture book. 3-7)

A notably inclusive look at the great American pastime.

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME!

The Case of the Bloody Statue: Book 2

Ahn, Chi-hyeon | Illus. by Gyung-hyo Kang

Lerner (144 pp.) | $16.99 paper

Feb. 4, 2025 | 9798765627532

Series: Mystery Science Detectives, 2

The Mystery Science Detectives investigate a haunted mansion. Picking up after the events of The Case of the Forest Fingers (2024), this graphic novel finds Kihan, Hannah, and Terry and their black-and-white cat, Kkami, working to solve another mystery. Rumors spread about a girl at school named Seori. Though the detectives offer to help, she coldly turns them down. They question one of Seori’s classmates, who followed her to a strange house with bizarre graffiti on its walls and a hedge maze. An online search reveals footage from various streamers. They’ve deemed the mansion one of the scariest places in the country and have documented even more eerie occurrences: Statues outside the house weep bloody tears, while blood pours from the faucets in the bathroom. As in the previous volume, the kids realize that there are rational explanations for the odd happenings. Related activities and more in-depth information on concepts such as matter and energy are interspersed between chapters. This creepy story skillfully balances science with an intriguing plot, brought to life by expressive, manga-style illustrations. Engaging layouts and tense moments— more playful than truly scary—make for a satisfying read. Character names imply Asian ancestry. The book ends with a teaser for the third volume in the series. A gratifying mystery bound to delight young skeptics. (character guide, map, answer key) (Graphic mystery. 9-12)

Take Me Out to the Ball Game!

Alonso, Nathalie | Illus. by Naida Mazzenga | Barefoot Books (32 pp.)

$16.99 | March 11, 2025 | 9798888593707

Series: Barefoot Singalongs

A rhyming primer on baseball history, mashed up with the classic song. Set against abstract backdrops of storied ballfields over the decades, stylized illustrations feature players striking dynamic poses as they pitch, bat, and slide. Beginning in the 1920s, the rhyming text breezes through milestones and big names in baseball, including Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier and the sport’s growing popularity in Latin America and Asia. This macro-level view compresses onto a single page the wartime All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, which didn’t accept Black women, and the few female players in the Negro Leagues in the 1950s; readers will need to pay careful attention to the backmatter to parse this era. The vibrant illustrations evoke the excitement of a sporting audience, though fans may deflate upon reading the book aloud. The text repeats the lyrics of the traditional ballpark ditty twice, but neither the meter nor the rhyme scheme of the new copy conforms to the song’s pattern, leaving readers caught between multiple scansions. Backmatter includes a QR code linked to an audio singalong, a timeline, a basic explanation of the game, instructions for playing catch, and brief biographies of 10 significant players, such as Jim Abbott, born without a right hand, who pitched a no-hitter in 1993. The fans and players depicted are racially diverse. A notably inclusive look at the great American pastime, let down by inelegant text. (Informational picture book. 5-9)

For more by Deb Adamson, visit Kirkus online.

Kirkus Star

The Littlest Drop

Alper, Sascha | Illus. by Jerry Pinkney & Brian Pinkney | Anne Schwartz/Random (40 pp.) | $18.99 | April 1, 2025 | 9780593309124

Can one tiny hummingbird douse a woodland fire by herself?

The story opens on an idyllic African plains setting dotted with acacia trees. The hummingbird is building a nest in anticipation of eggs soon to come when a spark ignites a full-blown fire. She rushes to the river and attempts to fight the blaze, flying back and forth, holding just one drop of water in her beak on each trip. When an elephant expresses incredulity at her efforts, she replies, “I am doing what I can.” In an illustrator’s note, Brian Pinkney describes how he painted on top of his late father Jerry’s unfinished sketches to create dynamic acrylic and ink scenes. This poignant duet has produced gorgeous compositions. Jerry’s skill in capturing an animal’s essence is on full display, while Brian’s signature swirls add energy to his exciting palette. In her author’s note, Alper explains that the tale originated with the Quechua people of South America, though she first heard it from Kenyan environmentalist Wangari Maathai. The text has a melodic flow and cadence. Alper has embellished the narrative, adding a collective response to the bird’s actions. After the elephant joins the fight, a cluster of ants lift leaves containing small puddles above their heads; a chimpanzee carries a vessel of water. The drop that finally

extinguishes the flames comes from the protagonist. An inspiring example of the good that can result from one act, no matter how small. (Picture book. 4-7)

Tori and the Muses

Amos, Tori | Illus. by Demelsa Haughton Penguin Workshop (40 pp.) | $19.99

March 4, 2025 | 9780593750346

Singer/songwriter

Amos makes her picture-book debut with this tale of a youngster seeking inspiration.

Tori is an uncommon talent on the piano. She longs to play what she desires—“what the Muses want me to play”—but her stern father instructs her to buckle down before her upcoming recital. Soon after, 11 ethereal, personified Muses, who have been visiting her and offering her inspiration since she was a baby, arrive with a surprise: a magical pink piano, carried by golden faeries. The Muses give Tori a mission—learn what inspires others, and find out what types of Muses they hear. Tori floats through town trailed by her piano, greeting her friends, playing them songs, and learning about their passions, which include everything from bugs to baking. She rushes home to play one more song for her father. Finally opening his heart and realizing that numbers are his Muses, Dad appreciates the mathematical rhythm of her music for the first time. Fantastical, at times surreal illustrations depict doll-like characters as they move through an oceanside town. Amos’ narrative is somewhat weighed down by a winding plotline, but the uplifting message about the importance of following one’s passion shines through.

An inspiring example of the good that can result from one act.

Tori and her father read white; hairstyle, clothing, and skin tone cue the Muses as racially and ethnically diverse. A meandering but heartfelt tale of imagination from a real-life musical master. (Picture book. 4-8)

Rebellion 1776

Anderson, Laurie Halse | Caitlyn Dlouhy/ Atheneum (224 pp.) | $18.99 April 1, 2025 | 9781416968269

A girl fends for herself in Revolutionary War–era Boston. Boston, 1776: 13-year-old Elsbeth Culpepper, a kitchen maid for a British loyalist judge, hunkers down during the chaos of George Washington’s violent siege on Boston. When the British are driven out and Elspeth’s sailmaker father—her only surviving family member after her mother and siblings died from smallpox—goes missing, Elsbeth is left to navigate an uncertain future on her own. She finds employment with former Patriot spy Mister Pike and his family, who have moved into the judge’s vacated home. Elsbeth is once more a maid, this time to the six Pike children and Hannah Sparhawk, the family’s sharp-witted, highborn charge. With the help of best friend Shubel Kent, Elsbeth searches for Pappa even as the city is ravaged by an explosion in smallpox numbers and a new government forms amid talk of independence. As she cares for the Pike family during their recovery from smallpox inoculation, Elsbeth must protect her own interests against outside forces, including the Pikes’ bitter housekeeper and a disreputable acquaintance of her father’s, all the while forming a friendship with Hannah and staying true to herself. Told through Elsbeth’s clever, feminist, often-humorous perspective, this original and timely story immerses readers in her observations on an epidemic and vaccination, early American politics and society, and

the meaning of family. The main characters are white; the book contains references to enslaved people.

Engrossing, entertaining, and heartfelt. (map, bibliography, sources and references) (Historical fiction. 10-14)

Elsa’s Chessboard

Andrus, Jenny | Illus. by Julie Downing Neal Porter/Holiday House (48 pp.)

$18.99 | April 29, 2025 | 9780823454082

Chess becomes a lifelong source of connection in this biography of the author’s grandmother.

Growing up in early-20th-century Vienna, Elsa loves chess, though she encounters many who assume a young girl can’t possibly play the game. The portable chess set she carries everywhere becomes her way of building relationships with others, including her future husband. When World War II breaks out, Elsa and her family, who are Jewish, are forced to flee Europe for the United States. Elsa finds work in a San Francisco dress factory, where playing chess helps her develop friendships that transcend language barriers. Eventually, an elderly Elsa moves in with her daughter and granddaughters. The chess set is lost, and Elsa stops playing. Many years later, her great-grandson finds the small box in the garage. His request for a game reconnects Elsa to her past as she passes on her love of chess to a new generation. Adults will find many opportunities to introduce age-appropriate lessons on topics such as immigration, discrimination, and World War II. The pacing is strained by the chronological progression through Elsa’s long lifespan, resulting in abrupt time hops that leave awkward gaps in her story. Tenderly illustrated vignettes of Elsa’s family life fill some, but not all, of these spaces. The book concludes with an author’s note about her grandmother, accompanied by family photographs. A lovingly layered, if oddly paced, ode to a matriarch and the universal language of chess. (chess resources) (Picture-book biography. 4-8)

Ghost Scout’s Honor

Blankenship-Kramer, Carey

Scholastic (272 pp.) | $18.99

April 1, 2025 | 9781546128793

A n angry, lonely seventh grader joins a prestigious phantom-fighting group and stumbles on a mystery.

Only kids can see the ghosts that roam the streets and haunt the houses of Savannah, Georgia; once you turn 16, the ability diminishes, leaving you vulnerable to attacks. Kids can volunteer with the Ghost Scouts, an organization created to freeze and relocate spirits. Twelve-year-old Evey has no intention of joining, especially since the Ghost Scouts’ president is Laura, her former best friend who dumped her. But when the principal makes volunteering a requirement for the student of the year award, which Laura won last year and which Evey’s now gunning for, she’s determined to become the best Ghost Scout ever and show Laura “she’s not that special.” Teamwork is hard for Evey, who struggles with anxiety, ADHD, and anger management; she wishes she could handle everything on her own. But as the ghostly activity increases, Laura begins acting strangely, and Evey learns about the mysterious and powerful Ghost X. Facing the upcoming fight and untangling the mystery will require all Evey’s stubbornness—and trust in her new friends. The interesting premise is somewhat weakened by plot holes and inconsistent worldbuilding, but the portrayal of Evey’s neurodivergence and experiences with therapy is

skillfully done. Evey presents white; there’s a broad range of diversity among her peers.

A spooky tale that will please readers who appreciate strong characterization. (Paranormal. 8-12)

The Playdate

Brandelius, Uje | Illus. by Clara Dackenberg Trans. by Nichola Smalley | Lantana (32 pp.) $18.99 | April 8, 2025 | 9781836290148

A youngster contends with complicated emotions while visiting a friend. A mother and an unnamed child, who narrates, leave their cozy, humble apartment and set off for Henry Henriksson’s sprawling house. They take two buses and a subway and then must walk. Once they arrive, the protagonist and Henry play hide-and-seek and chase Henry’s dog. In the background, the child’s mother, apparently employed as a housekeeper for Henry’s family, hauls the vacuum up the stairs and squeezes soap into a bucket. On the way home, the protagonist regretfully pulls out a little robot, stolen from Henry’s house and resembling one the young narrator had longingly gazed at in a toy store. The theft has likely put Mom in a bind; she says that they’ll take it back to Henry’s next week, but she seems to understand the feelings of envy that these visits inspire in the child. This Swedish import considers how children make sense of the unspoken differences that arise due to socioeconomic disparities; one scene finds Henry and the narrator playing king and servant, with Henry kissing the protagonist’s feet. Brandelius’ straightforward and direct

A lovingly layered ode to a matriarch and the universal language of chess.

ELSA’S CHESSBOARD

first-person text pairs well with Dackenberg’s spare watercolor, gouache, and paper cutout illustrations, with their washed-out palette. The story approaches the child’s and mother’s lives with empathy, imbuing both with dignity. The characters are pale-skinned.

A frankly told, child’s-eye view of the intersection of friendship and socioeconomic status. (Picture book. 4-7)

Rabbit Rabbit

Butler, Dori Hillestad & Sunshine Bacon Holiday House (336 pp.) | $18.99 April 15, 2025 | 9780823456970

Years after a fundamental disagreement tears their family in half, it’s up to 12-year-old cousins Alice and Bee to clean up a mess that’s too big for the grown-ups.

Alice and Bee are finally allowed the opportunity to get to know one another when they gather in Minnesota for their grandparents’ anniversary party. Though they couldn’t be more different, their friendship is immediate and electric. Alice has green hair, lives in liberal Seattle, loves roller derby, and is involved in social justice activism. Bee is a bookworm living in a conservative Minnesota town; her values lean on those of her Lutheran church. Their precious visit is cut short after yet another explosive family argument. This co-authored story is told from the cousins’ dual perspectives. Alice and Bee uncover a painful family secret, and they have to stand up to the stubborn adults in their family and face the prospect of reopening complex wounds in order to maintain their relationship. When the Covid-19 pandemic shuts down the United States, the girls must face their differences in values head-on amid tragedies that hit both worldwide and close to home. The girls tenderly share their innermost selves with one

another in conversational text message threads that deftly and realistically explore themes of sexuality, abortion, race, and identity with a light touch. Alice and Bee are white; Alice’s best friend is Black, and Bee’s best friend is a transracially adopted Vietnamese American girl. Relatable, age-appropriate, and more important now than ever. (Fiction. 10-14)

Whales in the City

Castaldo, Nancy F. | Illus. by Chuck Groenink | Farrar, Straus and Giroux (40 pp.) $18.99 | March 18, 2025 | 9780374308568

Driven from the waters around New York by pollution and overfishing, whales have come back in the wake of a concerted clean-up campaign. In a somewhat disjointed yet heartening narrative that abruptly switches collective voice midstream from a cetacean “we” to a human one, Castaldo describes how New York (“A great BIG city. Bigger than us great BIG whales”) grew to became a hostile place for marine life, its waters “sickly sweet with smelly, stinky waste.” So away the whales went, until people began cleaning up the trash. “We protested, marched, and voted.” Thanks to concerted efforts and the 1972 Clean Water Act, aquatic populations began to grow again. “We marveled at our river with pride,” and the whales, too, returned. In Groenink’s art, humpbacks arc with sinuous grace through sludgy (later sparkling) waters, poking their heads up to peer back at boatloads of whale watchers. As noted in a dense afterword—which also includes a timeline to 2022 and tributes to some of the activists who led the Hudson River cleanup—sei, North Atlantic fin, and right whales have recently been spotted, too. The groups and crowds of (human) New Yorkers in the illustrations are realistically diverse. A sincere record of an environmental success story. (source list, suggested activities) (Informational picture book. 6-9)

Storm Singer

Chadda, Sarwat | Illus. by Virginia Allyn Simon & Schuster (368 pp.) | $17.99

April 15, 2025 | 9781665962445

A fierce girl finds her voice in order to fight for justice in a droughtravaged kingdom. This full-speedahead fantasy pits 12-year-old Nargis against the garudas, half-human, half-bird rulers of the magical kingdom of Bharat. After her parents are killed and she’s banished from her home in Lalpani, Nargis and her best friend, Arjuna, rescue a young injured garuda, an act that ensnares them in an epic battle against the evil usurper of the throne: Shamshir, brutal vulture garuda and traitor to the maharajah. The crutch Nargis uses (due to a leg injury sustained when she was 6) proves to be more than a physical mobility aid as she seeks the gift of her family lineage, mastering the powers of spirit singing to join deposed prince Mistral in saving their world from political and environmental dangers. Nargis and Arjuna fall in with sky pirates, rocs, and a mysterious palace singer named Chand-ka-Roshni, adding to Chadda’s central message that when united, a populace may prevail even over a totalitarian ruler who’s hellbent on returning to oligarchic ways. Snappy dialogue, fabulous beasts, moments of tenderness, and nonstop action make this a page-turning delight, especially for readers interested in Indian culture and history. The final pages suggest a sequel.

A gripping tale that’s ideal for lovers of mythological fantasies. (map) (Fantasy. 8-12)

A compellingly told story of a quietly brilliant feminist figure.

JELLYFISH SCIENTIST

Unboxing Libby

Cherrywell, Steph | Little, Brown (320 pp.)

$17.99 | $8.99 paper | April 1, 2025

9780316577090 | 9780316577106 paper

In the distant future, humans are preparing to settle on Mars. In order to test the feasibility of the new Martian communities, Minerva Social Computing has populated the planet with intelligent, humanoid robots, who have a variety of physical appearances. Many of their robots are based on characters from popular shows, such as A.I.Cademy Girls. One of them, the Libby model, is programmed to be cheerful, peppy, and upbeat. But Libby “Max” Maxwell, who has “Cornsilk” skin and “bright lemon yellow” hair, notices that she seems different from the other Libbies in Community 14. Max wants to befriend Roxanne, who’s programmed to be mean—“like the designated alpha mean girl that everyone hates”—someone who’d never be friends with a Libby. And, although Libby behaviors should be innate in her code, she has to try hard to be a Libby. She’s confused, frustrated, and angry—everything a Libby shouldn’t be. But in seeking fundamental truths about herself, she just might uncover a deeper truth about robot life on Mars that could threaten everything she knows. This charming, feel-good work turns the concept of robots resembling sentient American Girl–style dolls into a heartfelt exploration of self. Cherrywell’s debut thoughtfully delves into themes of self-exploration, bullying, friendship, and individuality. The strength of this

novel lies in its character building, where initially cookie-cutter characters slowly become unique individuals with their own compelling narratives. An endearing story about being true to oneself. (Science fiction. 9-13)

Abeni and the Kingdom of Gold

Clark, P. Djèlí | Starscape/Tor (368 pp.) | $19.99 | April 29, 2025 9781250825858 | Series: Abeni’s Song, 2

In this sequel to Abeni’s Song (2023), two teen girls’ paths cross: one who’s bound to the work of a spirit of destruction and one who’s dedicated to protecting a spirit of creation.

Fulan is the 16-year-old adopted daughter of the Witch Priest, who’s amassing a massive, unrelenting army to remake the world. Fulan has the shape of a teardrop on her forehead—her father’s mark, which connects her to his power and his voice. She wants to lead one of his armies, but the Witch Priest instead sends her off, accompanied by a man called the Huntsman, to capture reborn spirit Asha and her guardian, Abeni. Thirteen-year-old Abeni, whom readers met in the series opener, is looking for both the Storm Women who ravaged her village and the elder spirits who can protect Asha, who was her village’s local witch and now, in the form of a little girl, must relearn her powers. Asha and Abeni are accompanied by flutist Songu, a traumatized nonspeaking boy, Zaneeya, a shape-shifting panther girl, and Nyomi, a porcupine spirit. A dramatic encounter

with the Gold Weavers forces them to change their plans, and their original quest is made even more complicated by detours and complicated bargains. Clark’s worldbuilding connects readers even more deeply to this mythical African-inspired world. The strong character development combined with the humorous elements will resonate with a broad range of readers. Strong storytelling unfolds in a vivid fantasy world. (Fantasy. 9-13)

Marabella’s Moment

Cocca-Leffler, Maryann | Whitman (32 pp.) $18.99 | April 10, 2025 | 9780807549759

No one seems to see Marabella, who’s practically invisible to her classmates. It’s easy for others to ignore the soft-spoken Marabella. But she has a gift: She notices things that others don’t. She even finds beauty in the tiny flowers that are almost choked out by weeds. To bring attention to their plight, she uses chalk to draw a larger-than-life flower on the outdoor wall before school starts. Her classmates call her out for breaking the rules, but her teacher, Miss Tin, recognizes her hidden talent and provides additional colors so she can draw more objects and moments she considers noteworthy. Inspired by her creativity, others join Marabella, and together, they turn a dull, ordinary wall into something beautiful. Even when rain washes away the lovely garden the youngsters have created over the course of a week, Marabella remains hopeful, pointing out other special images in the rain’s aftermath. Her keen sense of observation is rivaled only by her optimistic heart. Delicate, softly colored illustrations perfect for a child’s eyes enhance this charming story with an important message. Marabella has light tan skin and a perky ribbon in her hair; her class is diverse in terms of race and physical ability.

A gentle reminder that small, quiet moments—and individuals—matter. (Picture book. 5-7)

Fairy Walk

Cornwall, Gaia | Candlewick (40 pp.)

$17.99 | April 1, 2025 | 9781536230710

Kids encounter magical surprises on a nature walk. Dressed in bright rain gear, three racially diverse friends search for fairies. Are those sweet-smelling honey snowdrops fairies? One child is convinced that fairies lurk under a heavy rock, so the pals turn it over. No fairy. Instead…“A dragon!” (Actually a lizard.) Not to be deterred, another youngster points to a spot: “A cozy, snug table? For a fairy feast!” (It turns out to be “puff belly mushrooms.”) Though the kids have discovered numerous marvels, they persist with their hunt. Soon, they encounter burrowing bugs! Their disappointment’s keen: “No fairies at all! …No imps. No sprites. Not even an enchanted woodland spirit.” Are they shy? The children hear whispers with a passing breeze. “Feel the ground! It hums. It thrums!” They gasp, touching the earth; below, readers catch a glimpse of burrowing animals slumbering (among them, unbeknownst to the children, fairies snuggle). The friends, now wearing leafy garlands, happily deem the passing butterflies “fairy wings” and acknowledge the gifts left by the fairies: flowers, leaves, and stones. They leave behind a treasure of their own—items collected on their walk—then return home, bidding the fairies farewell. This magical story employs lovely language. Like music to the ear, the text dances, fairylike, off the tongue, demanding to be read aloud. Delicate, lush illustrations emphasize nature’s beauty. Different typefaces are incorporated, often set against soft-blue backgrounds. Nature appreciation for the youngest set. (Picture book. 4-7)

Jellyfish Scientist: Maude Delap and Her Mesmerizing Medusas

Cusolito, Michelle | Illus. by Ellen Rooney Charlesbridge (32 pp.) | $18.99 April 22, 2025 | 9781623545819

Off the craggy coast of Ireland in 1899, self-taught scientist Maude Delap captures a jellyfish from her rowboat and embarks on an unprecedented scientific journey.

Like most girls and women in her community, Maude has never attended school. But her intrinsic curiosity ignites an interest in marine life on Valentia, the island where she lives. Jellyfish are difficult to raise in captivity, which makes studying them a challenge, but Maude isn’t deterred. She brings a worthy specimen to her makeshift home laboratory. Over the course of 10 months, the medusa—the term for an adult jellyfish— produces larvae, which become tiny polyps, then transform into pulsing ephyrae, fed and nurtured by Maude until one reaches adulthood (even devouring all the others!). Maude becomes the first person to raise a jellyfish in captivity, studying it throughout a complete life cycle. Detailed backmatter notes that Maude was well respected in the field, despite gender discrimination and her lack of education. Illustrations have a cut-paper feel, lending a cozy depth to each scene with overlapping colors and textures. Calming, muted oceanic hues evoke a foggy Irish coastline. Each unique jellyfish floats in delicate, translucent layers of creamy pink. Maude and her family are light-skinned. The captivating narrative occasionally addresses readers (“Whoa! Did you see that?”), balancing unfamiliar scientific terminology with an easy, conversational tone.

A compellingly told story of a quietly brilliant feminist figure. (more on jellyfish, author’s and illustrator’s

notes, further reading, photo) (Picture-book biography. 5-8)

Kirkus Star

Night Light

Emberley, Michael | Holiday House (40 pp.)

$14.99 | April 15, 2025 | 9780823458165

Series: I Like To Read Comics

What to do when the lights go out?

A lanky, striped creature with short dark hair, two thick stripy horns, a slender tail, and a carrot-stub nose begins to read a monster book to a small striped Mini-Me, who appeared in Emberley’s I Did It! (2022) and Let’s Go! (2023). Suddenly the characters are plunged into darkness. It’s a blackout. “Too dark!” says the little creature. The big one gropes for the flashlight, but its batteries are failing. Outside the window, the moon and stars shine. The big critter climbs an endless ladder, harvests stars in a bag, and releases them to light the room. “Too bright!” Sunglasses do the trick—but after the bedtime book is finished and the door closed, the sounds of sobbing wake the small sleeper: It’s the moon, mourning a too-dark sky. The little one insists on putting the stars back, so the caregiver and child fling them out the window, keeping just one for the room. Still too dark! Finally, the pair climb to the roof and sleep under a million night lights. Devoid of streetlights, their cityscape seems like a fantasyland. This graphic novel for the youngest set features minimal text that’s nevertheless steeped in meaning. Emberley balances relatable moments and adorable interactions with themes of problem-solving and appropriation versus sharing, while his deliciously quirky illustrations feature rich colors that elevate the cartoon-style characters.

A truly stellar nighttime adventure. (Graphic early reader. 5-8)

For more by Gaia Cornwall, visit Kirkus online.

A Universe of Rainbows: Multicolored Poems for a Multicolored World

Ed. by Esenwine, Matt Forrest | Illus. by Jamey Christoph | Eerdmans (56 pp.) | $18.99 April 1, 2025 | 9780802855718 | Series: Spectacular STEAM for Curious Readers

Augmented by sidebars with science facts, 22 poems explore rainbows in nature.

Esenwine contributes five poems, while veteran writers including Janet Wong and Nikki Grimes deliver others. The entries are organized into five sections. “Rainbows of Light” covers several examples of refraction, from a post-storm rainbow to a child’s collection of prismatic crystals. Another section, “Rainbow Waters,” examines four bodies of water and the reasons for their unique colors. Three of them—two of Yellowstone National Park’s hot springs and the Fly Geyser in Nevada—are examples of nature’s response to the often-devastating impact of human interference. David L. Harrison eulogizes the captivating blue of Yellowstone’s Morning Glory Pool as it yields to bacterial damage from human-tossed coins, rocks, and garbage. The section “Living Rainbows” collects nine poems focusing on plants and animals whose plumage, petals, exoskeletons, scales, wings, and peeling bark variously exhibit brilliant, surprising colors. The entries in the fourth section, “Rainbows of Rock,” examine mountains and caves, while a single, lovely poem by Georgia Heard comprises the concluding “Rainbows Beyond.” Heard marvels at the “celestial nursery” forming within Betelgeuse’s brilliantly hued swirl of dust and gases, “a blooming bouquet / light years away.” The information in the insightful sidebars is well explained, while Christoph’s illustrations deftly capture actual and imagined landscapes, depicting diverse humans and alternating

pastel compositions with saturated color-scapes.

Appealing poetry and cogent science writing combine for a unique take on the ever-captivating rainbow. (recommended resources, glossary) (Informational picture book/poetry. 6-10)

This Is the Crew That Builds Our School

Fellores, Sherry | Illus. by Sam Caldwell Sleeping Bear Press (32 pp.) | $18.99

March 15, 2025 | 9781534113190

Kids know all about the teachers who make learning possible—but what about those responsible for constructing the school building itself?

Set to the familiar, bouncy tune of “Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush,” this perky tale of an energetic, all-animal crew who erect a school from the ground up can be sung by or to an appreciative group of youngsters. Children will be captivated by the sights and sounds of the skilled team carrying out their specialized tasks. They’ll practically hear the heavy clangs of the machinery and equipment; truck mavens will have a field day watching the crew’s vehicles digging and hauling dirt. Most readers may not know exactly what their own school’s construction entailed: laying the foundation and roof, painting the walls, placing power lines and pipes, and even landscaping the playground and garden spaces. They certainly will after poring over this spirited book that captures the essence of teamwork at its finest. Fellores describes the many specific steps with strong, active, rhyming verbs typeset in large capitals: “DIG and SCRAPE, / EXCAVATE!” “CLING and CLANG / THWACK and BANG!” Finally, the grateful students offer the builders a well-deserved thanks for their terrific efforts. Caldwell’s wonderful, dynamic illustrations burst with energy and color. This winner will build a crew of readers and listeners—and singers— who’ll want to revisit again and again. (author’s note) (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Star

The Peddler of Puddles

Ferry, Beth | Illus. by Tom Lichtenheld Clarion/HarperCollins (48 pp.)

$19.99 | April 8, 2025 | 9780063318342

A turtle peddler slowly moves through the countryside with his ingenious apparatus full of all the bells and whistles needed to make puddles for a variety of creatures and children, too.

A tiny tug on the turtle’s balloonlike rain cloud produces just the right size puddle for a thirsty hummingbird. With a twist and a turn, funnels, pipes, and levers generate a puddle for a child to splash in. No money changes hands; the kind and generous peddler gets satisfaction out of creating just the right puddle for all. He makes “hundreds of frogs euphoric,” and often a carrot or even a smile is payment enough. The spare yet ebullient text works harmoniously with the charming, light-infused cartoon-style art. The book is filled with details to pore over, like the “Puddle Menu,” and the language has an enticing cadence—“dawdling ducks.” The tempo of art and storytelling is perfectly matched with the many dramatic page turns; for example, when cresting a rise, the astonished turtle experiences the largest puddle of all—the ocean. When his cart gets stuck in the sand, it is his animal friends who rescue him. Once back on dry land, in modern “maker” fashion, he produces one last puddle and then dismantles his cart to construct a cozy home.

Sure to win over gadget enthusiasts, this enchanting tale also offers an understated message of kindness reciprocated. (Picture book. 3-8)

Lily the Pond Mermaid

Fleming, Lucy | Candlewick (32 pp.)

$18.99 | April 15, 2025 | 9781536235562

Lily the mermaid tends to the pond and its inhabitants, but her worries threaten to overwhelm her.

Alongside her tadpole pal Bobble, Lily cares for the plants, obtains algae for the snails, and cleans up garbage thrown into the water. She frets about her freshwater friends, and her worries peak after a storm ravages the pond. Finding her inner courage, Lily talks through her fears with her friends, and together they restore the pond. Fleming offers a child-friendly representation of anxiety, touching on experiences that will be familiar to many: repressing one’s emotions, feeling overburdened and turning inward, and, finally, asking for help. The story ends with the necessary reassurance that readers, too, can eventually resolve complex emotions. Children will be captivated by Fleming’s luscious illustrations. Round-eyed, sweet-faced Lily has striking white hair and a burnt-orange tail. Her skin is light tan, and she appears to have vitiligo. An especially eye-catching full-page image depicts an uncertain Lily floating on the water’s surface, too worried to sleep; on another, Lily is blown about by the raging storm. Eagle-eyed readers will notice the darling Bobble transforming from tadpole to frog as the book progresses.

A meaningful, beautifully illustrated portrayal of anxiety. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Star

The Rehearsal Club

Fodor, Kate & Laurie Petrou Groundwood (352 pp.) | $17.99 paper Feb. 4, 2025 | 9781773069913

New York City’s Rehearsal Club is the setting for a tale spanning 70 years. In the present day, 12-year-old white-presenting Paloma Gallagher is new to the city, moving with her librarian parents from Arizona to be near her half sister, Naomi, an aspiring actor and resident of the boardinghouse. Pal is an impulsive jokester, often shy in new situations and longing for a tighter relationship with 19-year-old Naomi. Her voice volleys between bravado and fear as she has grand

ideas with often disastrous outcomes. Along the way she finds a quirky and diverse set of friends and co-conspirators and develops some insights into her own feelings. Amid the third-person narration focusing on Pal, readers will find strategic and informative chapters narrated by Olive, a resident of the club in 1954, whose roommate Posy’s larger-than-life personality becomes the focal point of the drama in both eras (both women are white). When Pal finds intriguing hidden material connected to Posy, it leads her and her friends to follow clues to solve mysteries within mysteries with twists and turns galore—and even confront a threat to the club itself. Readers who pay close attention to small details will enjoy the reveals. Theatrical New York City appears as an important character in the work; the authors’ descriptions of its sights, sounds, and people add much to the tale. Readers will cheer for Pal and sigh with relief at the satisfying outcomes. Inventive, humorous, and delightful. (authors’ note) (Mystery. 9-13)

Bug Snacks: How Eating Insects Can Change the World

French, Jess | Illus. by Zoë Ingram duopress/Sourcebooks (48 pp.) | $12.99 paper | April 1, 2025 | 9781464220937

Yum, some delicious grub… yes, literally. After defining bugs as “the tiny creatures that are also known as arthropods,” French explains their important roles in the ecosystem, discusses the most commonly eaten bugs (and how they are farmed), and includes a recipe for cricket brownies (she suggests readers try a taste test against a boxed

The Green Kingdom

Funke, Cornelia & Tammi Hartung | Illus. by Melissa Castrillón | Trans. by Anna Schmitt Funke | DK Publishing (224 pp.) | $16.99 April 1, 2025 | 9780593959305

>>> mix). The author makes a solid case for chowing down on creepy-crawlies. She compares the efficiency of farming bugs vs. larger livestock, noting that cows and pigs require more food and space relative to the meat they yield; these larger animals also produce far more greenhouse gases. While many readers may be grossed out at the book’s premise, a map indicates countries where they are relished, and the author notes that farming insects might be a good option for astronauts colonizing other planets. Bugs can even be added discreetly to some recipes. French covers their nutritional value and explores sustainability issues in accessible detail. Experts might contest a graph that shows the projected world population continuing to rise past the year 2110; the United Nations anticipates that growth will peak in the 2080s. And nowhere in the book does French cite an average human’s basic required protein-consumption level—a need that could also be met by a vegetarian diet (or ovo/pescatarian variations). Still, the bright, colorful, well-designed graphics effectively convey complex information, and the text is clear and reader-friendly. Attractively presented information that could make dining on bugs more palatable. (Nonfiction. 5-9)

Old riddles provide a modern girl with a summer adventure. Caspia Turkel would rather stay in her small Maine town than spend 11 weeks (the whole summer!)

Offers an understated message of kindness reciprocated.

PEDDLER OF PUDDLES

THE KIRKUS Q&A: ANDREA BEATRIZ ARANGO

The middle-grade author talks about disability, queerness, book banning, and self-love.

BY MATHANGI SUBRAMANIAN

WHO DO YOU BECOME when you can no longer do what you love? This is the central question animating Newbery Honor author Andrea Beatriz Arango’s new middle-grade verse novel, It’s All or Nothing, Vale, which our starred review calls “moving and insightful.” All or Nothing is the story of queer Puerto Rican fencing champion Valentina Marí Camacho, who must reshape her identity after a bike accident seriously affects her athletic abilities. We recently spoke to Arango about the book on a video call; our conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

I’ve never read a book about fencing before! Why did you make this Vale’s sport of choice?

My sister was actually a competitive fencer. We grew up in Puerto Rico, and one day my sister had nothing better to do, so she went with my mom and my brother to this fencing gym. She ended up being really gifted and within, like, a year was on the Puerto Rico national youth team. When I was thinking about what I wanted my next book to be [about], I thought it would be really cool to do fencing, because I don’t see a lot of Latinas in fencing in general. Also, when I was a kid, I wasn’t as supportive [of my sister] as I could have been.

I hated having to go to her competitions, and I thought the whole thing was so violent. So I thought, What a great way apologize to her years later. To say, “Look, I’m showcasing your sport!”

That sounds like Vale’s family. Her sibling and her parents are trying so hard to be supportive, but they keep falling short.

I was a public school teacher for 10 years, and I’ve been a foster parent, so I’ve always been interested in the dynamics of family and friends who love you but don’t always know how to support you. I like characters that are fundamentally good people who have good intentions but are

flawed. None of us are perfect, and none of us can be perfectly supportive of the people we love every single day. Everyone’s going to mess up in big or small ways. I like for kids to see conversations where both parties are able to say, “This is what I need. I’m not getting this from you.” I’m a big believer that if you’re exposed to things, then later you might remember, OK, this worked for this other person. So maybe I can try opening a conversation up in a similar way

Why were you interested in exploring Vale’s perfectionism?

Every year we put more and more pressure on kids. We tell them they have to do certain things in order to be successful, and the bar keeps getting higher and higher. It could be about grades, it could

be about sports, it could be about anything. And of course, there’s the whole social media angle, too, where now you’re not even just getting that pressure from your teachers and your parents, but from total strangers on the internet, too.

I feel like every kid has, at some point, felt, This is the only thing I’m good at. I can’t stop doing it or I’ll have nothing I’m good at, and how will I ever get anywhere? I’m very much a perfectionist, so I felt like I could personally relate to Vale. Because it’s hard if you think, This is who I am, and this is what makes me me , and for whatever reason you are forced to change that. Like for me, probably my most recent experience with that was when I stopped teaching, because teaching was my entire

identity. I was like, Who am I if I’m not a teacher ?

You taught middle school? Yeah, I did. I was a teacher in Puerto Rico, and then I came to the [mainland] United States and was an English language learner [ELL] teacher working with immigrants and refugees. Teaching has definitely helped me understand the range of experiences that are out there. I was able to meet such a wide variety of children.

Speaking of different experiences, Vale has complex feelings about calling her injury a disability. Why did this feel important to include? I think we’re at the point now where it’s not a shock to find out that someone has a chronic condition, but there’s still a stigma around, like, Does this count as a disability? Am I disabled enough if my symptoms are only X, Y, and Z, versus these symptoms that I see someone else having? That’s a conversation that’s happening with adults that should be happening with kids, too. It’s why, in some of my other books, I have a lot of conversations about mental health. [Today] I see adults talking about all these things, but as a teacher, I never saw the kids talking about them. I have some chronic stuff going on, so that’s something I was thinking a lot about in my life leading up to this book. When I had the idea for a fencer, it just kind of all fit together. I love that Vale has a romance! What is it like to

write a queer romance in this political climate?

My other two books have really strong boy-girl friendships, but I knew from the beginning that I wanted this book to have romance: a girl crushing on a girl. I think we’re at a place in publishing where we see queer relation -

ships a lot in YA, but not as much in middle grade. Banning was definitely a concern with this book. Middle grade is extra tricky because of where it’s being marketed. The younger the kids are, the more people protest the books, and middle grade is technically marketed starting at eight years old.

Every year we put more and more pressure on kids. We tell them they have to do certain things in order to be successful.

Arango,

Andrea Beatriz

I don’t know if you noticed, but the book’s back description doesn’t mention that there’s a queer romance. That was definitely a choice on the part of my publisher, because I feel—and I think they would agree with me—that a lot of books are banned just based on the description. It could be the sweetest, most G-rated romance ever, as it is in my book, but it would still get banned just because of that description.

Is there anything readers can do to support authors who are in danger of having their books banned? It’s so tricky, because I want to say that you as an individual can support me just by buying a copy. But the reality is that schools and library systems are the bulk of my book sales. It feels to me like YA gets bought a lot by individuals and also by adults, but middle grade is very much in that school and library market. So, I think, continuing to advocate in your local school districts and in local library districts against book banning is so important.

I’m so appreciative of the teachers and the librarians who push for my books to be available and who have always really championed my work. The teachers and librarians who are doing this work really deserve medals! As individuals, what we can do is support them. Because when people speak up, they never know who else they’re inspiring to speak up, too.

Mathangi Subramanian is a novelist, essayist, and founder of Moon Rabbit Writing Studio.

in Brooklyn, even though her parents are excited about the opportunities awaiting them. Within a hand-painted dresser in their rented apartment, Caspia finds a stack of pale-green linen envelopes, tied with a velvet ribbon. The letters inside were sent in the 1950s and ’60s to a girl named Minna from her loving sister, Rosalind, and they contain a series of riddles about plants. Even though she’s never given much thought to growing things before, Caspia dives into this scavenger hunt and learns unexpected things about what Rosalind dubbed the “Green Kingdom.” She also meets amazing people on her journeys around her urban neighborhood, which includes the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. The broad range of featured plants includes many that are likely to be familiar to readers. Co-authors Hartung, who has botanical expertise, and Funke, whose original German text was translated by Anna Schmitt Funke, add magic to the mundane, collaborating to create a realistic story that nevertheless feels wonderfully fantastical. Castrillón’s delicate illustrations have an old-fashioned feel and provide marvelous atmosphere as well as effectively highlighting the various plant species. Caspia, who’s white, makes a diverse group of friends in Brooklyn, but many of their portrayals feel exoticizing and othering, marring the attempt to celebrate diversity. A verdant, enchanting read let down by poorly executed diverse representation. (Fiction. 8-12)

Sand Cakes

George, Kallie | Illus. by Devon Holzwarth | Tundra Books (48 pp.) $18.99 | April 22, 2025 | 9781774882474

A trip to the seashore becomes a day of toil for a little baker loaded with imagination. As this rhythmic picture book begins, a tot is hard at work creating sand cakes sprinkled with rocks. Clad in a seafoam green swimsuit with scalloped edges on the shoulders, the protagonist has long brown hair that mimics the curls in the waves. The child makes sand pies and tarts, trimming the innovative treats

A compelling thriller that promises more chilling drama to come.

A RISKY GAME

with sea-glass berries and seaweed. But no one wants to try these amazing creations. Not the child’s older siblings or dog, not even the seagulls. Each rejection makes the protagonist more determined to whip up something better, and the youngster makes a smorgasbord of delightfully named, tongue-twisting delicacies. The illustrations match the child’s creativity, with a dizzying display of ocean creatures and treasures atop baking extravagances. Who wouldn’t want to pretend to gobble up such amazing riches? The repeating text pattern is clear and effective, perfect for reading aloud. Though the child leaves the beach satisfied at last, readers may hope that next time the youngster will be joined by friends with stronger imaginations. The protagonist is tan-skinned; other characters, including the little one’s family, vary in skin tone.

An ebullient read-aloud filled with beachy and bakery delights.

(Picture book. 3-8)

A Risky Game

Gerber, Alyson | Scholastic (304 pp.)

$14.99 | April 1, 2025 | 9781338859249

Series: The Liars Society, 2

A group of friends compete for membership in their school’s secret society, Last Heir—but they’re playing by their own rules.

School chums Weatherby, Jack, and their pals learned that the raison d’être of the Boston School’s most exclusive society seemed to be keeping atrocious acts buried: “Last Heir. Rearrange the letters and you get The Liars.” As a corrective, the kids formed the Liars Society. Readers

need to be familiar with the series opener to fully appreciate this entry; in Volume 1, the Liars Society exposed Hunt International, run by Jack’s dad, Charlie, for illegally dumping chemicals. They also discovered that Weatherby’s estranged father is Yates, Charlie’s brother who moved away after their falling-out. Because the Hunts founded Last Heir, Weatherby and Jack desperately seek membership, hoping to locate Weatherby’s dad and learn how deep the family’s secrets go. Weatherby and Jack turn the group’s initiation process—the path to being admitted—on its head by working as a team. Their cohesion amid a toxic environment is heartening. After solving gambits and following clues, the Liars Society members explore hidden tombs, secret bunkers, and Hart Isle. The tension heightens as they uncover a past crime and realize that someone’s trying to kill Weatherby. Is history repeating itself? And how are Charlie and Yates involved? Jack and Weatherby read white; contextual clues point to some diversity in the supporting cast. A compelling thriller that promises more chilling drama to come. (Mystery. 9-13)

A Cup of Quiet

Grimes, Nikki | Illus. by Cathy Ann Johnson | Bloomsbury (40 pp.)

$18.99 | April 15, 2025 | 9781547610730

A grandmother and grandchild find refuge in their garden when the noise of life gets to be too much. Every June, the lively young narrator spends two weeks at Grandma’s house. Together, they play make-believe, bake, have tea parties with

dolls, and act out stories. But today, Grandma covers her ears to block the sound of Grandpa’s hammering and the music he plays while working. Announcing that she’s “thirsty for / a cup of quiet,” Grandma first seeks it on the front porch, but the street noise is overwhelming. So they flee to the backyard garden, where Grandma sits perfectly still. She instructs the child to walk around and fill an imaginary cup with sounds. The child collects the buzz of a bee, the whistle of wind, the hum of a hummingbird’s wings, and raindrops on the roof; the last sends the two running back inside. Before Grandma can get irritated by the cacophony, the child hands her the cup of soothing sounds, which Grandma finds “very refreshing.” Grimes’ simple, lyrical text depicts a sweet, relationship-based mini-adventure with a victory both adults and children will appreciate. Johnson’s whimsical illustrations, which make use of engaging compositions in pastel colors, are as poetic as Grimes’ verse. Both characters present Black; the child is darker-skinned with braids and beads, while Grandma has a short, gray Afro. Playful, soothing, and beautiful. (Picture book. 3-8)

Great Apes: Protecting Our Animal Cousins

Gudgeon, Christopher | Orca (88 pp.) | $24.95 | Feb. 11, 2025 9781459838109 | Series: Orca Wild

Introductions to the four types of great apes, all of which are classed as endangered or even critically endangered.

Gudgeon lays on the charm with a trowel, characterizing the peaceable bonobos as “happy hippies” with “supercute” babies, chimpanzees as the “cool kids” on the ape family tree, orangutans as “our high-flying rainforest friends,” and gorillas as “gentle giants.” The many stock photos strongly follow suit—perhaps going overboard by kitting out some bonobos with images of party hats and captioning one photo of a baby

orangutan with “as cute and fuzzy as you can get.” Elsewhere, appealing full-face close-ups mingle with views of cozy family groups or offspring with nurturing parents. The author expands his topic with a quick look at the species of gibbons classed as “lesser apes”; he goes on to briefly describe his chosen quartet’s general habits, ranges, and diets while carefully distinguishing each one’s regional variants or biological subspecies and discussing the devastating population drops caused by habitat loss and poaching. Gudgeon points to the use of tools in the wild and the language-learning abilities of individuals like Kanzi the bonobo and Koko the gorilla as signs of their rich intellectual and emotional intelligence. And, along with side profiles of Dian Fossey, Jane Goodall, and other great-ape advocates, he lauds a game preserve and other conservation efforts before closing with ways for concerned readers to add their support.

A justly earnest call for concern. (glossary, resource list, index) (Nonfiction. 7-10)

Ramadan on Rahma Road: A Recipe Storybook

Gutta, Razeena Omar & Faaiza Osman Illus. by Atieh Sohrabi | Barefoot Books (40 pp.) $17.99 | Feb. 4, 2025 | 9798888593646

A diverse group of Muslim neighbors prepare for their annual community meal.

It’s Ramadan, and the inhabitants of Rahma Road can’t wait for their iftar, the breaking of the fast. Everyone’s working hard to prepare their most delicious dishes to share. Great for reading straight through or skipping around, this cookbook covers Ramadan basics (What happens during Ramdan? Why is the iftar so significant?), highlights its importance for Muslims, and shows the care that goes into iftar, all while sharing recipes representative of the global Muslim community. The recipes are thoughtfully curated—from Nigerian jollof rice to Pakistani chicken tikka to Mexican elotes—and range in

difficulty. The book alludes to the level of supervision required by noting which character is completing each step. The recipes are clearly written, with ingredient lists in metric and imperial units. Each includes a description of the dish, serving size, and preparation and cooking times. Community iftars are much-anticipated events for many Muslims during Ramadan, and Sohrabi’s brightly colored digital illustrations warmly capture that spirit. Some specialty ingredients are required, but backmatter advises readers to check the international aisles of local grocery stores; also included are important definitions, additional recipes, and an authors’ note.

A tasty Ramadan treat. (Picture book. 5-11)

Punch!: A Story About Kindness

Hall, Michael | Greenwillow Books (40 pp.) $19.99 | April 22, 2025 | 9780062866219

A group of friends react to Badger’s bad mood. The book opens with a series of photos featuring Badger and his pet, Snaily. On the following page, an angry Badger appears, alone. On his way to the forest with a shovel and a wagon, he trips Frog, pushes Moose, kicks Elephant, and pokes Bear. So his friends devise a plan to deal with him, starting with a “Punch!” A “Belt!” and a “Sock!” soon follow. But Hall cleverly upends expectations. Badger’s pals are in fact offering him support as he buries the deceased Snaily. The word punch refers to the drink, while belt and sock are gifts of clothing from Frog and Moose. Elephant gives Badger a “Slug!” (a new pet) and gets a “Smack!” in return: a kiss on the nose. The next day, Badger reciprocates when Bear is stung by a bee and needs comfort. Though the wordplay feels a little forced, the message that friends dealing with grief require patience and understanding rings true. Some adults may wish that

Hall had unpacked Badger’s behavior a bit more, making clear that big emotions don’t excuse violence; still, the story could serve as a good jumping-off point for discussing how to process complex feelings. Spare, blocky illustrations allow the animals’ changing moods to take center stage and succinctly convey the tale’s takeaway. A somewhat simplified though easily digestible lesson in compassion. (Picture book. 3-6)

How To Win the Gruesome Games

Hammond, Ryan | Simon & Schuster (256 pp.) | $18.99 | March 18, 2025 9781665950107 | Series: Villains Academy, 3

Villainous cliques continue to clash as an annual school competition brings a fresh slew of pranks and personal growth.

In this third episode, Bram the werewolf and his coterie of close and loyal misfits, the Weirdoughs, square off against the more conventionally evil Overlords as the no-rules Gruesome Games come round again, with the Trouble Trophy and a note in The Book of Bad as prizes. Bram’s dads and other parents will be watching, along with the academy’s long-dead founders, which adds extra pressure. Still, the Weirdoughs’ brand of villainy looks a lot like virtuous behavior: Although the Overlords, who excel at cheating, do better in the (severed) Head-and-Spoon Race and other events, they’re not the ones who loyally support one another through thick and thin, pull off the most glorious prank of all on the entire school, and ultimately wangle invitations to join the secret League of Losers (or LOL) in their posh lair. If all the nice behavior and pep talks (“You have serious main-character syndrome,” a friend tells Bram after he confesses to feeling like a loser) sometimes weigh heavily, Hammond shows a knack for amusing tweaks that lighten the

A thrilling, thoughtful, and layered adventure with fantastical elements.

CINCINNATI LEE, CURSE BREAKER

load—from his cheeky illustrations to the composition of the multispecies cast, which, along with some racially diverse humanoids, includes a lion given to massive, toxic farts and immortal prankster Master Masonnaise, a sentient flying sandwich.

Entertaining enough to give villainy a good name. (drawing instructions) (Paranormal. 7-10)

If God Were a Great Big Bear

Harbridge, Paul | Illus. by Marta Dorado | Beaming Books (32 pp.)

$18.99 | April 1, 2025 | 9781506496450

What if God were a bear? A lilac bush? A star? Harbridge imagines God as a series of different creatures and even objects, in each incarnation assigning a different pronoun—He, She, or They—and describing in rhymes what God would bring forth or become in the world. A squirrel would “surround Himself with beauty / That He’d see from His tall tree.” A worm would cultivate rich earth, rotting leaves, and trees. “If God were a little child, / And She very well may be, / She’d make secret paths and summer fields / And puppies, wouldn’t She? // For Creator God made all that is, / that was, and will ever be. // Which means God’s in the great big bear, / And God’s in you and me.” The rhythm of the verses is solid, and Harbridge relies on near rhymes (bottom/autumn, dinner/ winter, friends/weekends) to make a lofty idea feel accessible to a young audience. Dorado’s brilliant colors and a point of view that changes from page to page will keep little listeners poring over the pages.

And if the words and pictures inspire the next generation to protect the environment fashioned for the enjoyment and well-being of all God’s creations? All the better. Two tan-skinned youngsters appear alongside the animals.

Harbridge brings the difficult concept of an invisible creator down to a kid level by putting God in the creations. (Picture book. 3-8)

The Teeny-Weeny Unicorn’s Great Big Wish

Harris, Shawn | Knopf (40 pp.) | $18.99 March 4, 2025 | 9780593571910

Ever wondered where unicorns come from?

The titular character—introduced in The Teeny-Weeny Unicorn (2024)— has always wanted to make a wish to become big, but he’s missed every opportunity; he was sleeping when a shooting star flew by, and he was too small to throw a lucky penny into the wishing well. One day, his parents have an important announcement, but the unicorn is too busy to pay attention— he’s just accidentally summoned a brown-skinned fairy princess. She invites the unicorn to “find for me something that grows teeny-weeny-er than you.” He fails repeatedly in this quest, until a tree drops a small bud. But by the time the unicorn meets the fairy again, the bud has burst wide open. Is all lost? No! Inside is an even smaller unicorn, and our hero learns that he’s going to be a big sibling (that was his parents’ news). Wielding deft chalk pastels, Harris evokes incredible emotions from his minuscule

protagonist. The text reads aloud so well that it brings to mind classic stories such as Paul Galdone’s The Teeny-Tiny Woman. Though charming, Harris’ storytelling yields some confusion: How did the parents know a baby unicorn was coming before our protagonist even found the bud? Even so, one would be hard-pressed to resist this little unicorn’s adorable exploits.

No need to wish for another delightful unicorn tale. It’s already been granted. (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Star

Cincinnati Lee,

Curse Breaker

Heilig, Heidi | Greenwillow Books (304 pp.)

$18.99 | March 25, 2025 | 9780063348363

A spirited 12-year-old embarks on an action-packed globe-trekking adventure to collect and repatriate stolen artifacts.

After Cincinnati Lee, an American girl who has some Chinese heritage, snags her ailing 135-year-old archaeologist great-greatgreat-grandfather’s diary, she learns about a clay idol from Peru that he looted (and which has cursed the family) and the legendary Spear of Destiny (a relic rumored to grant immense power, but at great peril). Determined to right past wrongs, Cincinnati works to recover the idol. In doing so she unravels an international web of secrets involving corporate art smugglers, curse-bearing relics, and her own family history. Along the way, Cincinnati is supported by friends: Parsley, a Black classmate at her posh private school and the daughter of a celebrity musician, and Felix, who presents Latine and is an amateur forger whose father works with Cin’s mom at the Cosmopolitan Museum of New York. The settings and characters are well developed, and laugh-out-loud dialogue accompanies the bold, fast-

paced narrative. References to other adventure stories, real places, and true-to-life political controversies (such as the Hobby Lobby smuggling scandal) abound, adding depth and inviting readers to reflect on questions of cultural heritage and museum ethics. As Heilig writes in her author’s note, “When the treasure we put on display is evidence of a crime, what will future generations believe about our values?” This story is hilarious, smart, and respectfully rendered, and the writing is accessible while still feeling literary.

A thrilling, thoughtful, and layered adventure story with fantastical elements. (Adventure. 8-12)

Kirkus Star

A Book of Maps for You

Heuer, Lourdes | Illus. by Maxwell Eaton III Neal Porter/Holiday House (40 pp.) $18.99 | April 8, 2025 | 9780823455706

A small community is lovingly mapped. “I made a book of maps,” says an unseen narrator. First, readers glimpse the map of a town, then one of a specific street. The narrator presents maps of a school, a library, and an art supply store. Along the way, readers learn about the kindly, diverse people who inhabit this idyllic neighborhood. There’s even a map of “our house,” with special attention drawn to the leaky bathroom sink and the pipes that “sound like a ghost” and a suggestion “to put your bed under the skylight for the best view of the stars.” Then, all at once, everything in the book is turned entirely on its head as the narrator reveals that these maps are “for you…so you’ll find your way in your new home.” Clever kids will realize that the person who made the book is moving away from all these beloved people and places yet still wants to help the next resident feel truly at home. A wide variety of maps are presented from different angles, offering

readers inspiration for creating their own (aerial views, street maps, mazes, etc.). Eaton’s cartoon artwork deftly homes in on humorous details, then steps back for a concluding shot of a youngster reading this book, seen from behind, bringing this original take on moving to a simple yet touching finale. A bittersweet tribute that makes a poignant connection between maps and the concept of home. (Picture book. 4-7)

Otis & Peanut Find a Way

Hrab, Naseem | Illus. by Kelly Collier Owlkids Books (80 pp.) | $18.95

April 15, 2025 | 9781771476119

Series: Otis & Peanut, 3

Two friends embrace uncertainty and melancholy. Otis, an anthropomorphic long-haired guinea pig, is uncomfortable and sad across all three stories in this graphic novel as he confronts travel anxieties, deals with long-term grief, and prepares to visit his sister Marion. An opening visual of him staring forlornly across a hilly road sums up his worldview pretty well. Fortunately, he continues to have a friend in Peanut, a naked mole rat whose joie de vivre is always on full display, whether he’s waxing rhapsodic about the prospect of travel, snacks, or presents. Most importantly, he’s a reassuring presence for Otis, supporting him as he reminisces about Pearl, Peanut’s late sister. Notably, while Otis’ worries about traveling and making the most of his brief visit with Marion are resolved, his grief isn’t treated as a problem to be solved. Peanut’s exuberance never crosses the line into crass or obnoxious territory. Marion is a ray of sunshine to both boys as she invites them on a new adventure. The art style renders characters in black, white, and gray, with touches of magenta for nose, ears, and tongue. Backgrounds are frequently yellow, teal, or magenta,

always in contrasting yet soothing configurations that, much like Otis’ and Peanut’s divergent personalities, make for comforting reading. Emotionally honest conversations that figuratively and literally send these heroes to new places. (Graphic fiction. 6-8)

Big City Buns

Humphrey, Anna | Illus. by Irma Kniivila Tundra Books (164 pp.) | $13.99

April 15, 2025 | 9781774881286

Series: Fluffle Bunnies, 2

Bunnies bent on conquering the world set their sights beyond their local park. The Fluffle Bunnies have bested a crew of raccoons and made a neighborhood playground their paradise, but they don’t want to stop there. When a carnival sets up across the street, the bunnies bounce over and buddy up with a rat pack who are busy munching fair food. Claiming to run the entire town, the entitled rodents offer a rejoinder to the bunnies’ softer way of life that intrigues them. The rats teach them about traveling by sewer, making city dwellers squirm, and scouring dumpsters for snacks. Unfortunately, the bunnies can’t keep up; they may not be able to hack urban life. When all seems lost, the cotton-tailed creatures dramatically deploy their true secret weapon— cuteness—and find a path to triumph. The action in this volume spreads out beyond the park’s narrow confines; this installment feels more loosely conceived than the first, but when the bunnies bring their gifts to bear in the final act, their far-flung antics reach a satisfying, dramatic conclusion. For fans of silly shenanigans and clever central characters, this bid for world domination will prove a familiar and enjoyable read. The human characters are diverse. Cute and lightly snarky, with jokes and jaunts galore. (Graphic fiction. 6-9)

Pee and Poo. The Do’s and Don’ts To Avoid Mishaps

Isern, Susanna | Illus. by Mar Ferrero Trans. by Cecilia Ross | NubeOcho (40 pp.) | $18.99 | April 22, 2025 9788410074545 | Series: Somos8

A nthropomorphic young animals demonstrate every possible way to err when it comes to bathroom etiquette. Koala is throwing a birthday party. The day is sure to be fun. “But sometimes, certain needs pop up… and it’s helpful to keep in mind some tips to avoid any mishaps when you need to go to the bathroom.” As guests arrive and make faux pas, an ever-present snail summarizes lessons to be learned. Toucan rushes straight to the bathroom; he forgot to pee before leaving home. Elephant doesn’t make it to the restroom in time; she was having too much fun playing cards. Squirrel forgets to knock before entering; Cat, who’s standing at the toilet, is startled and splashes pee onto the floor. After Lioness uses up all the toilet paper to dress like a mummy, there’s none left for Panda, who’s left with an itchy bottom. When Daddy Koala notices brown marks on Giraffe’s hands, he asks if Giraffe accidentally smeared chocolate icing on himself after eating cake. (“Maybe I forgot to wash my hands,” Giraffe replies.) Oddly, Daddy Koala seems more disgusted by Shrew’s furtive fart than by Giraffe’s nasty health violation. The humorous and adorable colored pencil art depicts animals gingerly holding it in or blushing in embarrassment. The narration, however, translated from Spanish, is didactic and wordy; it may make for a useful one-time read, but cleverer, less preachy options abound.

Earnest but awkward. (Picture book. 4-6)

Some Bunny Loves You

James, Helen Foster | Illus. by Petra Brown | Sleeping Bear Press (32 pp.)

$18.99 | Jan. 15, 2025 | 9781534112988

Series: Loves You!

A sweet Valentine’s Day–themed tale for every bunny out there.

A grown-up rabbit and a young bunny head into nature for a day “packed with play.” They draw, jump, run, sail toy boats, build a fort, and make necklaces out of berries. Other animal pairs join them for picnic-party fun and games. The bunnies bake cupcakes for their neighbors, which sends a lovely message about the importance of honoring community. That evening, after the others bid them farewell, the adult sings “silly songs” while rocking the child to sleep. Proffering a Valentine’s Day card, the grown-up whispers those words all children, bunny or otherwise, want to hear most: “I love you.” Receiving a tender kiss, the young rabbit snuggles up with a stuffed bunny toy and drifts off. The delightful final scene depicts the pair flying a heart-shaped kite. This warm story, expressed in gentle though at times treacly verse, is well suited for young audiences on Valentine’s Day or any occasion when adults want to assure little ones they’re much loved—and that’s at any time. The inclusion of pages to write on (and an invitation to affix a photograph) makes this book better suited as a personal purchase rather than for schools and libraries. The colorful illustrations are as lushly delicate as bunny fur.

Earnest and heartfelt. (Picture book. 3-6)

An entertaining read-aloud that will encourage kids to dig even deeper. SO TORTOISE DUG

Bree Boyd Is a Legend

Johnson, Leah | Disney-Hyperion (256 pp.) | $18.99 | March 4, 2025

9781368090100 | Series: Ellie Engle, 2

A middle school girl struggles under pressure from her father in this follow-up to Ellie Engle Saves Herself (2023).

Thirteen-year-old Breonna “Bree” Boyd is stuck trying to live up to her dad’s expectations of Boyd Black Excellence. That’s her only option, considering her sister Christian is in law school, her sister Lex is the state debate champion, and her professor father is running for Senate. In the Boyd household, overachieving is the norm, whether you like it or not. Instead of spending most afternoons hanging with her closest friends, Sammy, Ellie, and Abby, Bree studies for spelling bees with her tutor. But when the power goes out at home and Bree flips a switch on the breaker, she gets a shock that gives her telekinetic powers. Using her new ability, Bree helps her friends out. She’s finally having fun, but with the district spelling bee around the corner, her dad is putting even more pressure on her to be perfect and win. Stuck between loyalty to her dad and her friends, Bree has to decide whether to follow the family plan or chart her own path. Johnson accurately displays the inner turmoil of young people who are burdened by adult expectations. The gut-twisting anxiety and dread of disappointing others is balanced with the exhilarating freedom of choosing personal happiness and figuring out what “being the best” really entails, making the story wholly relatable. A charming tale of personal growth. (Fiction. 9-13)

Cute and lightly snarky, with jokes and jaunts galore.

BIG CITY BUNS

Firebred

Kagawa, Julie | Disney-Hyperion (336 pp.) | $17.99 | April 1, 2025

9781368090315 | Series: Storm Dragons, 2

Two young adventurers and their dragons continue their search for a way to save their world. Aboard the sky ship the Queen’s Blade, orphan Remy and his friend Gem, princess and heir to the kingdom, are in hiding. The magic crystals that power their airborne world are failing, and Remy’s connection to the depressed, often-intoxicated Sir Bartello Axtell seems to be their best shot at locating the True Dragon who holds the answers to what’s happening to their world. Gem, meanwhile, is working with the ship’s grumpy mage, Lysander, on honing her magical skills so that she can defend Remy and herself against Jhaeros, the bloodthirsty wizard who’s still hunting them and is intent on taking Remy’s dragon, Storm, for his own. Gem’s father has every knight in the kingdom looking for her, too—and even if the crew can evade everyone who’s hunting them, it will be a treacherous journey to the island where the only known True Dragon is believed to dwell. Well-timed flashbacks fill in gaps in the backstory without breaking the flow of the narrative, adding depth to Sir Bart’s current problems while also creating hopeful space for redemption and change. Variations among the dragons’ abilities give them dimensionality within the story, and the sky-dwelling kingdom of Gallecia remains an enchanting world, portrayed with a strong balance of heart and action. Gem is cued white; other characters aren’t physically described. An adventurous and emotional sequel. (Fantasy. 8-12)

So Tortoise Dug

Kastner, Emmy | Simon & Schuster (48 pp.) $18.99 | March 18, 2025 | 9781665931359

When the home of BFFs Tortoise and Mouse springs a leak, Tortoise decides to dig a new burrow. Mouse agrees that the two will play after Tortoise is done. But when Tortoise completes the job, Mouse is nowhere to be found. Other animals show up, each asking if there might be room for them, too. Tortoise obliges but continues to wonder: Where is Mouse? And where have all the other animals gone? Finally, Tortoise discovers Mouse has gone to visit Armadillo. Frustrated, Tortoise explodes at Mouse—only to discover that she and all the other grateful animals have a wonderful surprise. Reminiscent of Jan Brett’s classic tale The Mitten, the story deftly employs repetition as Tortoise digs: “a room for Rabbit, / a room for Tortoise, and a room for Mouse… / if she ever came back.” An author’s note explains that the protagonists are based on the real-life gopher tortoise and the Florida mouse; the former is a keystone species that creates homes for many other creatures. Readers curious about the habits of the other animals mentioned in the book will be spurred on to further research. Kastner’s gouache, watercolor, and pastel illustrations rely on warm natural shades and textures. The characters are deeply expressive, particularly Tortoise, whose enthusiasm, fatigue, and eventual anger are palpable. Cross-sectional views of the extensive burrow will suck in kids who enjoy maps or schematics. An entertaining read-aloud that will encourage kids to dig even deeper. (Picture book. 4-8)

For an interview with Leah Johnson, visit Kirkus online.

No Huddles for Heloise

Kerbel, Deborah | Illus. by Udayana Lugo | Orca (32 pp.) | $21.95

March 11, 2025 | 9781459839106

A penguin’s preference for personal space makes community life tricky. Heloise likes a lot of things: eating fish Popsicles, sledding, and exchanging rocks with friends. She’s not a fan of leopard seals or crowds. But penguins need huddles (tight groupings of many birds) to keep warm and to protect themselves from predators. Heloise always makes up an excuse to avoid huddles; she doesn’t want to tell her friends the truth. Eventually her friends stop asking her to join them, but she worries that she doesn’t fit in. She leaves the Antarctic and tries unsuccessfully to find a new home. When she returns, her friends have a marvelous surprise for her at the next huddle. The book offers a sympathetic portrayal of a character who’s eager to maintain personal boundaries yet still wants to embrace her friends in her own way. Kerbel draws parallels between Heloise and many introverted humans, though the analogy feels a bit strained: People have the option of staying home when they feel overwhelmed, while refusing to huddle could spell death for a penguin. At times, the pacing is awkward or abrupt, such as the transition from Heloise’s search for a place to belong to her return home. Lugo’s gouache and colored-pencil illustrations are handsomely rendered and darling, particularly all the penguins with their cold-weather accessories and eyewear. A sweet attempt to explore boundaries that doesn’t come together. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Star

In-Between Places

Killian, Alex | Illus. by Grady McFerrin Chronicle Books (40 pp.) | $17.99 April 8, 2025 | 9781452172798

Killian and McFerrin lean into the possibilities that live in every transition. Though fully accessible to the youngest of readers and their caregivers, this picture book will be equally appreciated by adults (young or otherwise) who find themselves “in the place between where you’re going and where you’ve been.” Playing with images of seesaws, bridges, and tunnels, McFerrin fills each fullbleed spread with saturated color and intricate details. The artwork enlivens the simple text, which begins with confident declaratives—“In-between places are not up or down, not in or out”—before transitioning to a rhythmic sequence of lines focusing on uncertainties, each beginning with “Sometimes” or “You might be.” Though each page features a riot of color and patterns, the palette is unified across the book. Relying on elegant yet child-friendly metaphors (“You might be drifting shore to shore on a cool blue sea. A gap between two mountains. A pause between two steps”), Killian acknowledges the difficulty and darkness that might accompany these in-between places but ends on an optimistic note, insisting that “sometimes they lead…somewhere unexpected but bright with possibility.” The characters vary in skin tone and family structure.

A hopeful book for readers of all ages, perfect for those graduating, moving away, or starting over. (Picture book. 4-8)

Dreamslinger

Kim, Graci | Disney-Hyperion (304 pp.)

$17.99 | April 29, 2025 | 9781368104777

Series: The Slinger Series, 1

An American teen’s powers make her dangerous—to some, anyway. Ever since the Great Outburst 10 years ago that killed Aria Loveridge’s mother, the world has known that dreamslingers are a threat. Fourteen-year-old Aria has learned to control her dreamslinger powers by keeping her emotions in check, demonstrating her father’s argument that those who share this genetic mutation might be dangerous but are “patients who [deserve] society’s care.” When the secretive Kingdom of Royal Hanguk, located on an island in Seoul, announces that its Annual Royal Slinger Trials will for the first time be open to teenagers from every nation, Aria, who’s cued Korean and white, agrees to participate. She’s on a secret assignment for the governor of Texas, who wants her to find out what threats Royal Hanguk might be planning to unleash on the world. But when she arrives, Aria finds a place that accepts dreamslingers, and she begins to make friends. As she learns about her abilities, she discovers more about her past and what it means to be a dreamslinger, secrets that tie her both to her father’s philosophies

A deliciously effervescent celebration of resilience.

MISTACO

For more by Deborah Kerbel, visit Kirkus online.

and to Royal Hanguk. As she becomes more invested in the training, Aria must decide where her loyalties lie. The worldbuilding is fun but contains emotional depth, and the perennially appealing magic school setting contains a healthy dash of familial and political drama. This deftly executed work successfully addresses serious coming-of-age themes with optimism. An intriguing series opener that explores emotional themes through a magical lens. (Fantasy. 10-14)

Mistaco

Kinkz, Eliza | Kokila (40 pp.) | $18.99 April 1, 2025 | 9780593700235

A fter enduring a humiliating incident, Izzy just wants to be left alone. Izzy’s “the PRESIDENT of mistakes.” She dribbles queso on her homework, steps in dog poo, and knocks her sibling’s toothbrush into the toilet. After making an especially embarrassing gaffe at school one day, Izzy’s in no mood for a family get-together, but it’s tortilla night! Izzy and her Abuelito (Lito) start rolling dough in the kitchen, but frustrated Izzy keeps messing up. Lito eats her ill-shapen tortillas and lends a sympathetic ear as she reveals what happened earlier. Lito rolls a fresh tortilla and encourages Izzy to “fill” it by retelling her story. Together, they create a mistake taco, or “mistaco,” as Izzy dubs it, and munch on the results. The exercise in openness proves to be tasty, and other family members share past blunders and craft their own mistacos. With her authorial debut, Pura Belpré Honor winning–illustrator Kinkz conveys a message all kids need to hear: Everyone makes mistakes, and owning them can bring relief and even joy. Her

signature, scribbly cartoons brim with chaos, capturing the energy of a boisterous, tightknit Latine family. In Izzy, Kinkz has created a fully realized youngster who’s equal parts goofy exuberance and vulnerable insecurity. Izzy’s family members vary in skin tone and speak a mix of Spanish and English; an author’s note offers insight into this blend of languages, known as Spanglish. A deliciously effervescent celebration of family and resilience. (suggestions for making mistacos) (Picture book. 6-9)

The Greedy Wolf

Knapman, Timothy | Illus. by Jean Jullien Candlewick (40 pp.) | $18.99

Jan. 21, 2025 | 9781536240696

In this retelling of “The Wolf and the Seven Young Goats,” a hungry predator gets his comeuppance. A mother goat leaves her children home alone just as the wolf is passing by. He attempts to gain entrance, first pretending to be a mailman, then telling them he’s selling ice cream. Each time, the young goats refuse to let him in. But maybe they’ll open up for a “talking rosebush with a flowerpot on my head.” Once the kids finally welcome him in, the wolf is sure he’ll obtain a full meal. But as it turns out, he’s not the only one with ulterior motives. This updated version fails to capture the spirit of the more elegantly constructed original, which saw both the wolf and the goats attempting to outwit each other, nor is it funny or clever enough to stand on its own. The storyline veers from one absurd notion to another without any sense of intention; it’s unclear why the wolf decides to dress up as a rosebush, for instance. Relying mostly on shock value, the conclusion doesn’t make much sense; it’s a subversive take on the original, but that will likely go over the heads of young readers unfamiliar with the source material.

The scraggly, flat illustrations feel a bit sloppy but might elicit some giggles. A lackluster, unfocused adaptation. (Picture book. 3-7)

Earhart: The Incredible Flight of a Field Mouse Around the World

Kuhlmann, Torben | Trans. by David Henry Wilson | NorthSouth (128 pp.)

$21.95 | May 13, 2025 | 9780735845794

Series: Mouse Adventures

In this Swiss import, translated from German, a field mouse with a gift for gadgetry anticipates Amelia Earhart’s ill-fated final venture. The narrative is decidedly sketchy next to the ultrarealistic, lavishly detailed illustrations, but it tells an inspiring story. Electrified to discover through international postage stamps that the world is far larger than she had supposed, the never-named mouse intrepidly braves dangers and obstacles aplenty to construct an airplane and set out in search of African lions and further wonders beyond. In letters to an older mouse aviator and inventor who will be familiar to fans of Kuhlmann’s Lindbergh, she reports on her experiences, including how she survived when her plane was destroyed in a storm over the Pacific and how she went on to meet a human aviator named Amelia with a similar desire to fly around the world. Montages and larger images depict the flight’s highlights, along with engrossing views of meticulous mechanical drawings and working spaces strewn with tools and gear. Closing notes on Earhart as “Pilot and Champion of Women’s Rights” and other early world-circlers are accompanied by period photographs. Budding makers with dreams of their own will take heart from the pink-eared engineer’s declaration that “even for the tiniest of creatures, nothing is impossible!” The art and the exploit both soar. (map) (Illustrated fiction. 8-11)

Kirkus Star

Bighearted Tales for Valentine’s Day

SEEN AND HEARD

New Children’s Book by Bush Sisters Coming in March

Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush’s I Loved You First will be published in the spring.

Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush are collaborating on another children’s book.

ed gift for baby showers and new parents.”

The book will be the third collaboration between the Bush sisters and Kaulitzki, following Sisters First and Love Comes First Bush and Hager co-wrote an adult memoir, also called Sisters First, and another children’s book, The Superpower Sisterhood, illustrated by Cyndi Wojciechowski.

I Loved You First, says publisher Little, Brown, is “inspired by the majesty of nature all around us” and is “an expansive and gently whimsical celebration of parental love.”

The twin sisters— daughters of former President George W. Bush and literacy advocate Laura Bush— will publish I Loved You First, illustrated by Ramona Kaulitzki, in the spring. A critic for Kirkus calls the book “an affecting offering that will make a much-appreciatFor

Hager announced the new book on the Today show, saying, “It kind of reminds me of a Mary Oliver poem. It’s all about what it feels like to know your child from the very first moment. I wrote it with my sister after she had just had her little babe, Edward Finn, so it kind of is an ode to what it feels like to be a mom.”

I Loved You First is scheduled for publication on March 25. —M.S.

From left, Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush

a review of Love Comes First, visit Kirkus online.

Picture Book by Geena Davis Coming This Spring

The actor will publish The Girl Who Was Too Big for the Page in April.

Geena Davis will make her kid lit debut this year, People magazine reports.

Philomel will publish The Girl Who Was Too Big for the Page, written and illustrated by the Oscar-winning actor, in the spring. The press describes the book as “a beautiful and humorous book about using your voice, taking up space, and being true to yourself.”

Davis was a model before making her film debut in the 1982 film Tootsie. She won the Academy Award for best supporting actress for her role in the 1998 film adaptation of Anne Tyler’s The Accidental Tourist

She is the author of a previous book for adults, Dying of Politeness, which a critic for Kirkus

For a review of Dying of Politeness, visit Kirkus online.

called “an entertaining and ebullient memoir.”

The Girl Who Was Too Big for the Page follows Sheila, a girl who is aware that she is the subject of a book and who soon grows too big to fit inside it.

“I’ve always been tall—I was a tall baby,” Davis told People. “As a kid, my fondest wish was to take up less space in the world. It was only as an adult I realized I could be all of who I was, unapologetically. So I wrote this book for all of the ‘too big’ children—including children with big personalities and big dreams—who need reassurance that they can be their true selves and make their own space in the world.”

The Girl Who Was Too Big for the Page is slated for publication on April 29. —M.S.

Geena Davis

An informative, buoyant, and wildly original look at some marine marvels.

I’M A DUMBO OCTOPUS!

Ella Josephine: Resident in Charge: Book 2

LaCour, Nina | Illus. by Sònia Albert Chronicle Books (148 pp.) | $14.99 June 10, 2025 | 9781797213743

Series: Ella Josephine, 2

In this brisk follow-up to The Apartment House on Poppy Hill (2023), a young girl aspires to be a good neighbor. Nine-year-old Ella Josephine Norwood, who lives with her two moms in a pink apartment building, discovers a hidden, empty room on the premises. Earlier, neighbor Cleo had wistfully confided that she’d like to open a record shop. Ella—whose own ambition is to be the building’s “Resident in Charge”—decides to convene and preside over a tenants’ meeting so everyone can choose how to use the space. With her moms’ assistance, invitations go out; neighbors attend. Everyone contributes ideas about how to use the room. No one agrees on what’s best, but after considering all suggestions, Ella determines that the ideas reflect the emptiness in the tenants’ own lives. But together, they all reach compromises and find solutions to make everyone happy. (This, from a 9-year-old without a psychology degree.) All comes to a satisfying and festive ending, and everyone agrees Ella will always be Resident in Charge. Young readers will delight in Ella’s portrayal: She’s a smart, feisty, competent child with an adult sensibility who’s accustomed to putting things right. Cheery black-and-white illustrations throughout depict residents who are diverse in terms of age and race; Ella and her moms are pale-skinned.

Fans of this community-minded series will gladly return for another visit. (Chapter book. 7-10)

special, several cousins gather around to soothingly lay out the unique adaptations that allow dumbos to live at depths of over 23,000 feet, more than twice as deep as any of them. A visual glossary and a photo of the adorably ungainly narrator round off this look at some of the ocean’s more exotic residents. An informative, buoyant, and wildly original look at some marine marvels. (selected bibliography, further reading) (Graphic nonfiction. 8-10)

Dungeon Runners: Level 2: Sky Battles

I’m a Dumbo Octopus!: A Graphic Guide to Cephalopods

Lambelet, Anne | Graphic Universe (72 pp.) $12.99 paper | March 4, 2025 | 9798765661376

Series: Anne Lambelet’s Marine Life

In this work of graphic nonfiction, a stubby pink host introduces readers to the other members of a remarkably diverse taxonomic class. Those who don’t already appreciate the special talents of the four types of cephalopods—octopuses, nautiluses, cuttlefish, and squids—will get both an earful and an eyeful from chatty, pink-cheeked Grimpy (“That’s short for Grimpoteuthis”). The utterly appealing narrator undulates up from the benthic depths to point blunt limbs at various smiling but otherwise accurately rendered relatives while fondly highlighting their intelligence and abilities to disguise themselves by changing shapes and colors, to ooze through the narrowest of gaps, and to escape predators amid billowing inky clouds. Lambelet offers an enchanting blend of whimsy and well-chosen, creatively expressed facts. She covers multiple species, from the Japanese flying squid, which can glide through the air for short distances, to the giant Pacific octopus, which can weigh 100 pounds. And when Grimpy, who can’t fly, glow, change shape, or shoot ink, feels less than

Larwood, Kieran | Illus. by Joe Todd-Stanton | Nosy Crow (224 pp.)

$17.99 | April 8, 2025 | 9798887771236

Series: Dungeon Runners, 2

Internal struggles—and a hindersome imp—complicate our heroes’ chances in the Dungeon Run. Forming the team Triple Trouble, Grotville’s underdogs Kit, Sandy, and Thorne have leveled up and are ready to compete in the next challenge. As in the trial that came before, they’ll have to battle beasts and outwit their competitors in a dungeon race. They’re part of “an actual league with actual teams and actual dungeons”—who cares if it’s the Bottom Feeder League? With a flapping of dragon wings, the team is on their way. Only this time, Kit, who’s a gnorf (part gnome, part dwarf), is feeling less confident. He’s painfully aware of the team’s ragtag appearance, subpar weaponry, and mismatched, hand-knitted tunics. When the team arrives in Cloudroost to find that their only sponsor is Troll Boogers, makers of a glue made of…well, troll boogers, and their hotel room is actually the boiler room, Kit can’t help but feel defeated. It’s soon clear that, aside from the actual foes in the game, Kit’s toughest challenges are his own self-doubt and attitude. As in the first book, the fast-moving plot, relatable characters, and interactive elements will captivate young

Kirkus Star

readers. Todd-Stanton’s plentiful and delightful illustrations add much to the story, inviting in kids who are less confident about reading chapter books and fans of graphic novels alike. A well-executed sequel that will leave fans howling for the next episode. (map, puzzle) (Fantasy. 7-10)

The Jellyfish Bus

Lee, Suhyeon | Trans. by Ha Young Kim Owlkids Books (52 pp.) | $18.95 April 15, 2025 | 9781771476911

In this South Korean import, an unhurried jellyfish finds just the right occupation. In the upper reaches of an ocean where jellyfish serve as speedy buses for other sea creatures, the aptly named Slowpoke loses his job. Quickly bored by his “vacation,” he spends his days traveling. Down, down he goes to the darkest depths of the sea. There, he meets strange creatures who are eager to visit the Ocean Night Bazaar, a marine amusement park. Soon Slowpoke’s working as a bus again, ferrying new friends to their destination and having adventures along the way. The bottom dwellers are grateful for the opportunity to explore new settings, while Slowpoke’s happy to have a renewed sense of purpose. Though the story is fantastical, the creatures of the deep are recognizable and intriguing. They behave just as any child would, screeching with glee on the sea swing and pouting when it’s time to go home. Alternating between comic book–like panels and full-bleed pages, Lee’s lively illustrations emphasize the variety of creatures in the ocean, most of them engagingly cheerful. The spreads are filled with details to pore over; the bazaar is especially eye-catching, depicted over three spreads. Much of the text is in speech bubbles as passengers comment on what’s going on; the basic facts of Slowpoke’s journey are rendered in a sentence or two in a different font. An imaginative exploration of ocean depths. (Picture book. 5-8)

Queenie in Seven Moves

Louise, Zanni | Candlewick (240 pp.)

$18.99 | April 22, 2025 | 9781536235838

An inspiring tale about finding home and having meaningful experiences along the way. Twelve-year-old Queenie Anderson of Curlew Point, Australia, just found out that her family’s landlady is selling her beloved home. The timing is bad: Queenie, who reads white, had summoned the courage to play guitar and sing at her school’s end-of-year concert. But after her former-bestie-turned-archrival, Sparrow Hawkins, who presents Black, performed Queenie’s chosen song, “Ocean Eyes,” right before Queenie’s turn, she lost her nerve and fled. Queenie and her widowed mum temporarily relocate to an empty unit at Diamond Sands Senior Village, her mother’s workplace. But Queenie’s spirits are lifted after she meets purple-haired, 93-year-old Audrey, becomes the choir leader, and oversees the community Christmas concert. Inspired by Audrey, Queenie decides to perform at the show, but unfortunately, Sparrow, who’s visiting her grandfather, a Diamond Sands resident, also takes the stage—and she chooses “Silent Night,” the same song Queenie planned on singing. When their unit is needed for someone else, Queenie and Mum become renters, living with the family of Dory, a boy from school who’s a chess whiz and a bit of a loner. Readers will relate to Queenie’s mixed emotions over the upheaval in her life as well as her journey to building real friendships with Sparrow and Dory. The motherdaughter bond and other relationships forged through Queenie’s moves are winning elements in this heartfelt story of silver linings. Charming and uplifting, and a touching example of perseverance during uncertain times. (QR code for songs) (Fiction. 9-13)

Kirkus Star

Rainbow Fair

Ma, Diana | Clarion/HarperCollins (224 pp.) $19.99 | April 8, 2025 | 9780063339521

A seventh grader’s Chinese and Muslim identities take center stage as she navigates friendship tensions and self-acceptance. Sophie Hu grapples with the meaning of embracing her faith when her family members, who are Hui, follow only minimal Islamic practices: “Other than not eating pork, what does it mean that I’m Muslim?” She struggles when her bisexual best friend, Katie, forms new friendships in the school’s LGBTQ+ club. Their bond is further tested during the Rainbow Fair, a major middle school cultural event. Katie’s organizing an LGBTQ+ booth, and a teacher unexpectedly tasks Sophie with creating a Muslim one: “The only thing worse than being the school’s only Muslim is being the school’s inauthentic Muslim.” The arrival of Turkish American transfer student Anna Demir, a fellow Muslim, helps Sophie see that there isn’t just one way to embody one’s faith, sparking a journey of self-discovery. Ultimately, Sophie embraces her layered heritage, opens conversations about her family’s history (her parents were born in Taiwan), and helps others celebrate their authentic selves. Ma deftly examines the intersectionality of identity with nuance and authenticity. Sophie’s growth—recognizing that her family’s approach to Islam doesn’t invalidate their faith— adds depth to the narrative. Meanwhile, her evolving friendship with Katie reflects the natural growing pains of middle school relationships. Ma offers a rich, relatable, and inclusive story that’s perfect for young readers grappling with their own questions of belonging. Accessible and engaging, this novel shines as an exceptional tale of self-acceptance and understanding. (Fiction. 8-12)

A grandmother shows a little girl how to let go of her grumpy attitude.

GRUMBLE BOATS

The

Great Narwhal Rescue: Saving the Arctic Ocean’s Narwhals

Markle, Sandra | Millbrook/Lerner (40 pp.)

$33.32 PLB | April 1, 2025 | 9798765610169

Series: Sandra Markle’s Science Discoveries

Between 2010 and 2018, scientists tested the hypothesis that noise pollution is disturbing narwhals, a keystone species. Although narwhals aren’t considered endangered, a pod that summers in Scoresby Sound, near East Greenland, seemed to be shrinking in number. Was increased noise in those waters to blame? To find out, scientists from Greenland and Denmark monitored the captured whales using instruments that measured their reactions to the sounds humans have inflicted upon the increasingly accessible Arctic Ocean. In her customary clear prose, Markle weaves details of their investigation into a larger account of the lives and unique adaptations of the narwhals, as well as factors that affect these marine mammals’ migratory patterns: warming waters, the opening of the Northwest Passage to ships, and underwater drilling for resources. This research project showed that these whales were sensitive even to faraway engine noises; scientists concluded that we need to take steps to make the ocean quieter. The informatively captioned photographs that fill the pages depict the ships that now make their way through a once ice-bound ocean, the scientists at work, and the narwhals themselves. Helpful maps are included, along with information on protecting narwhals. Titled to match some of her previous books, this is more precisely an account

of an experiment that could help accomplish a rescue. Another cogently explained example of environmental work from a master nonfiction writer. (author’s note, additional facts, glossary, source notes, find out more, photo credits) (Nonfiction. 9-12)

Chidori: A Story of One Thousand Birds

Maruno, Jennifer | Illus. by Miki Sato Pajama Press (36 pp.) | $18.95 March 11, 2025 | 9781772783162

In this tale inspired by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan, a young girl finds hope amid the darkness.

Hana gazes out her classroom window toward the sea and the plovers flying above her village. In front of her school sits the rock where she and her mother meet each day before walking home together. Suddenly, the ground shakes, and Hana’s teachers lead the students to safety. They watch the sea rise and overtake the village, “tossing cars and trucks like toys.” When Hana reunites with her father and Obaasan (Grandmother), she learns that her mother didn’t survive. “A wave, darker than the one that had taken their village, washed over Hana’s heart.” Maruno’s simple yet poignant prose gently carries young readers through Hana’s grief as, with Obaasan’s guidance, she discovers her mother’s paintbrush in the rubble and decides to paint images of plovers throughout the village, imbuing her frightening new world with a sense of hope. An author’s note explains that the book’s title is a Japanese word meaning

“one thousand birds” and that it also refers to the plover, which represents resolve in the face of hardship; information on sumi-e painting is included. Featuring soft lines and a warm palette, Sato’s signature mixed-media artwork has a three-dimensional feel, well suited for young readers; it deftly evokes the power of the earthquake and subsequent tsunami on the town, as well as the people’s quiet sadness and recovery. A moving introduction to a tragic event. (Picture book. 4-8)

Grumble Boats

McFarlane, Susannah | Illus. by Tamsin Ainslie | Charlesbridge (40 pp.)

$17.99 | April 15, 2025 | 9781623546175

In this Australian import, a grandmother shows a little girl how to let go of her grumpy attitude. Emma’s brother is attending a pirate party, but Emma is too young to go with him. Instead, her parents drop her off at Grandma’s house. With her arms tightly crossed and her mouth set in a frown, Emma makes her feelings abundantly clear. Grandma takes Emma and Bella the dog to the beach. Pulling out paper and pens, Grandma says, “We’re going to draw our grumbles.” As she sketches zigzag lines and pointy corners, Grandma explains that she’s expressing her irritation about breaking her favorite teacup this morning. Emma is initially reluctant but then scribbles her frustrations onto the paper. With the tide rolling in, Grandma helps Emma fold the papers into boats. They both run to the water’s edge and toss their “grumble boats” in, waving their grumbles goodbye. Soft, smudgy watercolor-and-pen illustrations imbue the narrative with a gentleness reminiscent of a grandparent’s hug; the artistic medium feels especially apt given the aquatic setting. This quiet lesson on art therapy may help youngsters deal with their own grumbly feelings. Instructions on folding a grumble boat are appended, along with a brief statement noting that paper is biodegradable, but readers should avoid littering. The characters are light-skinned.

Cheery guidance on cultivating a more positive outlook. (Picture book. 3-6)

Maple’s Formula for Victory

McMillan, Kate & Ruthie Prillaman

Aladdin (320 pp.) | $14.99 | March 4, 2025

9781665941051 | Series: Maple, 2

Sixth grade wannabe astronaut Maple McNutt explores athletics. In this second installment of Maple’s confessional, doodlefilled journals, much remains the same: Maple continues to idolize astronaut Jackie Grand (a woman who ran a marathon “IN SPACE!”), Maple’s mother still does PR for NASA, her father travels a lot for his job, and her sister, Juniper, displays a mean streak. Other things have changed, though: Lada and Maple are now not only research partners, but also best friends. The two of them have started to spend more time with Mahogany (“probably the smartest kid in our grade”), and they’re newly obsessed with running a mile fast enough to rank at the sixth grade level. Maple’s familiar cheeky tone, relatable vulnerability, and charmingly informal sketches pair well with the new storylines. Maple’s favorite teacher is now also her coach on the cross-country team, and his affable equanimity is an enjoyable foil for the energetic intensity of Maple and Lada. In pursuit of Operation Victory, the girls brave the adolescent indignities of public locker rooms, a first period, and a first pimple, all the while sharing their deepest, purest fears: “IS LIFE JUST A CONSTANT PERIOD THAT NOBODY EVER WARNS YOU ABOUT???”

STEM-oriented readers will appreciate the ways in which these subjects are woven into the story. Lada, Maple, and their families appear to be white; there’s racial diversity among the supporting cast. Amusing and satisfying. (Fiction. 8-12)

I Want It!

Meisel, Paul | Holiday House (32 pp.) | $15.99 | April 15, 2025

9780823458882 | Series: I Like To Read

Learning to play together is a challenge. A short-haired child in blue jeans and a striped shirt happily plays with toys from a red box. The child has plenty to say about all the items: “Mine!” The car: “Go.” A miniature figure with a soccer ball: “Goal.” A plane: “I can fly.” The child is surrounded by toys but… “What?” A smaller, younger-looking child with pigtails in ribbons and a pink polka-dot shirt is playing with a small blue car: “Beep.” The bigger child wrestles the car away: “I want it.” “Wah!” wails the smaller child. This tale of a familiar domestic conflict uses only a handful of words, all in dialogue balloons, accompanied by artwork that offers plenty of clues to what’s happening. As they tackle this simple text that perfectly punctuates the drama, young listeners and emerging readers will recognize the complex feelings of both characters—and will be happy to see things come to a satisfying resolution. When the littler one picks up one last toy, the older child’s claim of “Mine!” is countered with an emphatic, repeated, “I WANT IT.” The words escalate in size, and the surprise on the older child’s face signals a win for the little one: “Okay.” “Let’s play!” The unadorned background keeps the focus on the action and emotion—and the words. Both children are light-skinned.

Salutary for big kids and encouraging for little ones. (Early reader. 4-6)

the house, Nevin has some big decisions to make. He must select the right footwear and the perfect accessory. Next, the two have to figure out how to get to their destination. At the park, Nevin chooses where to play. Before the pair return home, Nevin picks out the perfect bouquet of flowers for Nana. Throughout, an unseen narrator poses a series of questions for Nevin to answer. “Winter boots? NO! Sandals? NO! Slippers? NO! Sneakers? YES! YES! YES!” “Nevin knows which flowers Nana likes the best. These? NO. These? NO. These? NO. THESE!” This repetitive pattern puts Nevin, and readers, in charge of the day’s activities—an empowering choice sure to please the toddler set. Messier also exposes youngsters to positional words such as under and behind and introduces the concept that appropriate clothing varies, depending on the season and weather. Featuring basic shapes and bold colors, Comte’s geometric artwork pairs well with the simple text. Nevin and Grandpa Frank’s bond is clearly a strong one; Grandpa Frank gives Nevin the space to explore while remaining a steady, calming presence. Nevin has short brown hair and beige skin and wears yellow overalls; Grandpa Frank and Nana are brown-skinned and white-haired. A delightful day in the life of a curious tot. (Picture book. 1-4)

Hazel the Handful

Michalak, Jamie | Illus. by Matt Myers

Candlewick (40 pp.) | $17.99

April 1, 2025 | 9781536231199

Nevin Knows

Messier, Mireille | Illus. by Elena Comte | Orca (32 pp.) | $21.95 | Feb. 11, 2025 | 9781459836846

A toddler heads to the park with his grandfather. Before Nevin and Grandpa Frank even leave

Family dynamics change when a new baby enters the picture in this story narrated by a jealous pooch. Hazel, a miniature breed, is clearly the center of her universe. That she is a handful is also obvious from the bite-size pieces missing from the remote control and the couch. But she’s beloved by her family, especially young Bea, who’s also a handful. Hazel offers a hilarious dog’s-eye view of her day: “First, I go on my business trip” (behind a fire hydrant).

When the family goes on walks (with Hazel peering out of a stroller), passersby exclaim over Hazel, “What a cutie patootie!” An irritated Hazel chafes at the label: “I’m a Very Important Business Dog.” Michalak’s text is accompanied by witty, exuberant watercolor-and-ink illustrations; an especially clever spread sees the protagonist on her side, snoring, with one leg in the air (“I take maybe twenty-four naps” a day, Hazel informs us). Girl and dog clearly love each other and aren’t afraid to show it…until the baby arrives. The daily routines continue, but the focus shifts. Now when Mom, Dad, and Bea go on walks, the infant lies in the stroller instead of Hazel. Admiring passersby coo at the new “cutie patootie.” The annoyed pup embraces the nickname she once denounced: “Is it not clear? I am the patootie!” But Michalak and Myers bring the narrative to a happy ending as Hazel is reminded that though things may have changed, she still belongs. Hazel’s family is Black. A fun-filled, high-energy romp with a satisfying outcome. (Picture book. 4-6)

The Night We Got Stuck in a Story

Miller, Ben | Illus. by Christopher Naylor Aladdin (288 pp.) | $17.99 April 22, 2025 | 9781665951128

A tree becomes a portal to a magical land for 9-year-old Lana and her stodgy big brother, Harrison, in this second series entry. Miller weaves a multistranded plotline containing multiple resemblances between characters and events in this world and the one the children discover when they climb inside the trunk of the Hollow Tree behind their grandparents’ house. On one side, a developer is threatening to demolish the beloved old tree and obliterate the population of rare spiders that dwell around it; on the other, the shape-shifting Spider Queen is out to destroy a

human village that’s unwittingly menacing her own eight-legged subjects. Lana turns out to play a pivotal role in resolving both threats— though not before lots of adventures ensue, including spending a night in a beast-haunted meeting hall (she’s been listening to Nana read Beowulf ), solving a riddle, and rescuing her brother from the queen’s sticky clutches. If the disparate elements don’t quite mesh into a coherent whole, the simply written narrative still offers plenty of action, a villain who’s not a nice person but not really evil, a talking bear, a unicorn, and a quiffed spider who’s aptly named Elvis. The intrepid, young, white-presenting hero appears at the head of a cast containing at least two characters who present Black. A few spider facts are appended. Naylor’s illustrations have a charming and comfortingly old-fashioned feel. Untidy but uncomplicated, with eco-themes and occasional sly notes. (Fantasy. 7-11)

Ant Party

Montgomery, Ross | Illus. by Sarah Warburton | Walker US/Candlewick (32 pp.) $17.99 | April 29, 2025 | 9781536239539

Andy the ant decides to throw himself a birthday party, but the invite list grows beyond his expectations.

The anthill is a busy and crowded place, and word travels far. Andy’s plans for an intimate gathering with just his neighbors are dashed as more and more guests are invited: the farmer, worker, and soldier ants; the queen; and even residents from

nearby anthills. Thousands of ants arrive, and the festivities grow raucous until an anteater crashes the party—literally! Together everyone forms a conga line, marching the invader right out of there. They continue to party into the late-night hours, and though it’s not what Andy had envisioned, he’s delighted. Andy is a darling little bug, depicted in a vibrant teal. The other ants are rendered in different shades of bright colors, with wide eyes and unique features: a pair of glasses, a flower behind an antenna, a thick moustache. The illustrations include thoughtfully detailed layouts, such as the “Handy Map of the Ant Hills,” which provides an aerial view of Andy’s world. Montgomery and Warburton have created an unlikely hero in the endearing Andy. Kid-friendly touches, such as Andy’s leafy apron, keep the tone playful, while scenes of Andy leading the party guests in an effort to oust the anteater will have youngsters cheering.

A celebration that readers will eagerly attend—over and over.

(Picture book. 3-6)

The Classified Catnapping

Nelson, Colleen | Illus. by Peggy Collins

Pajama Press (136 pp.) | $18.95

April 29, 2025 | 9781772783360

Series: Mystery at the Biltmore, 2

Using dogged detective work, an intrepid young New Yorker solves a feline felony.

Readers will be hooked from the first page, when Elodie LaRue, her friend Oscar Delgado, and her terrier, Carnegie,

Using dogged detective work, an intrepid New Yorker solves a feline felony. THE CLASSIFIED

CATNAPPING

witness an apparent murder from Elodie’s apartment window. Luckily, it’s just a scene from a movie being filmed in the courtyard of Elodie’s building, the storied Biltmore, based on the real-life Apthorp on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. But Elodie and Oscar soon have an actual mystery on their hands when 10-year-old Tiya Benson reports that Bijou, a cat starring in the film, has been stolen. Tiya’s mother works as Bijou’s nanny; the cat belonged to a now-deceased fashion designer who willed his apartment to his pet. Tiya blames herself; she arrived late to pick Bijou up from a grooming appointment, only to find her gone. The need for secrecy (Tiya hasn’t told her mother what’s going on) and other complications make the case increasingly complex. Short chapters, a fast-paced plot, and a broad, diverse cast of quirky characters (some new, others who appeared in Elodie’s first outing) will entice readers. Psychology proves just as important as physical evidence; sensitive, insightful Elodie picks up on clues while also paying close attention to character motivation. Collins’ sparkling, stylish color illustrations add verve. Elodie is light-skinned, while Tiya and Oscar are brown-skinned. Suspense, a winsome cast and setting, and an admirable lead make this sequel a cat-egorical success. (Mystery. 7-11)

Sharks Unhooked: The Adventures of Cristina Zenato, Underwater Ranger

Newman, Patricia | Illus. by Becca Hall Millbrook/Lerner (32 pp.) | $19.99 April 1, 2025 | 9798765627235

Meet a shark whisperer!

The book opens with a scene of a shark being hooked by fishermen. “What will ease her pain?” asks an unseen narrator. Perhaps who is the better question, for this is the story of a woman who did just that. Cristina Zenato grew up in what was then Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the

Congo) but summered by the sea in Italy, where she was born. She loved snorkeling and dreamed of one day protecting the ocean she adored. As an adult, she moved to the Bahamas, where she honed her diving skills and got her first thrilling glimpse of sharks. Wearing a protective suit, Cristina began attracting large sharks with treats. Eventually one swam into her lap as she sat on the seafloor. Another, with a fishing hook in its fin, came to her for help. Soon she had amassed a large collection of hooks she’d removed. She used them in her campaign—powerful visual reminders of the dangers sharks face. Through Newman’s sparkling, alliterative verse, a portrait of Cristina emerges—a dreamy wonderer who felt out of place growing up yet found a sense of belonging beneath the waves. Hall’s delightful cartoon illustrations avoid anthropomorphism as they depict a more vulnerable side of sharks. Above all, readers will emerge with a strong grasp of sharks’ crucial role in ecosystems.

A conservation tale that’s sure to hook readers. (more about sharks and about Cristina Zenato, how to help sharks, note from Cristina, source notes, more shark books) (Informational picture book. 5-9)

Seven: A Most Remarkable Pigeon

Nickel, Sandra | Illus. by Aimée Sicuro Candlewick (40 pp.) | $17.99 April 15, 2025 | 9781536235197

A young pigeon defies his flock by being himself.

The meaning of home is twofold for pigeons; it’s a noun referring to family and flock but also a verb: to home, or find one’s way back. Home becomes a fraught situation for Seven, who’s seen as different from the beginning. Though pigeons usually hatch in pairs, Seven’s mother lays only a single egg. The catty flock gossips about him: “There is only one!” The other pigeons stick together, eating crumbs, but Seven prefers to dine on fragrant grains of rice. And while other

pigeons build nests out of twigs and straw, Seven relies on rose petals; he loves their scent. When his father tries to teach him homing skills—and to make a mental map of the roads below—Seven’s strong sense of smell leads him off-course; his mother scolds him. The flock’s inevitable comeuppance arrives during the “Big Flight,” their annual 7,000-mile journey together. Fog scrambles the flock’s mental maps, while Seven sniffs his way over trees and toward their city. As Seven leads them home, his unique abilities are finally appreciated. Seven, a charming pigeon with a nose for beauty, appears dapper in Sicuro’s gentle, digitally assembled watercolor, gouache, and ink spreads. The other pigeons’ scraggly feet and big eyes convey both haughtiness and exuberance as they perch or fly through the gentle pastels of an unnamed vintage-styled, racially diverse European-esque city. An uplifting tale that celebrates difference. (about pigeons) (Picture book. 3-7)

No One Is Home

Pa, Mikolaj | Illus. by Gosia Herba | Trans. by Scotia Gilroy | Greystone Kids (48 pp.) $18.95 | April 15, 2025 | 9781778402180

In this Polish import, Leo the lion visits Kimbo the butterfly, who’s celebrating his birthday. Leo wakes up excited to see Kimbo, but the day proves challenging. The annual Bug Parade has caused a traffic jam, so Leo decides to walk. Stopping at the bakery for cream puffs, Leo gets stuck in line behind Ladybug and Beetle as they debate the merits of different desserts. Leo leaves without the cream puffs. What to get Kimbo instead? Leo will write a birthday poem! Attempting to find a rhyme for oranges, the lion gets stuck and must visit the penguins at the rhyme shop. When Leo finally makes it to Kimbo’s house, Kimbo isn’t there! Over a phone call, Kimbo tells Leo about all the adventures

he’s been having on his own quest to get to Leo’s house, which involve a closed diner, a run-in with a robotic dog in need of a repair, and his own encounter with Ladybug and Beetle. Bright, engaging illustrations of animals going about their business around town bring to mind Richard Scarry’s cozy yet busy metropolitan settings. But their charm wears thin as the story veers from one development to the next, turning what could have been a cute, intersecting romp into a clunky series of randomized tangents. The book ends with an invitation to search the pages for the various frog characters; hints are included. Colorful but scattered.

(Picture book. 3-6)

And There Was Music

Pantaleo, Marta | Trans. by Debbie Bibo Eerdmans (52 pp.) | $18.99

April 22, 2025 | 9780802856401

A loving tribute to the ways music shapes and reflects our cultures and to the unique way it binds humanity. There’s an old maxim that “writing about music is like dancing about architecture.” Yet Pantaleo admirably manages the daunting task of capturing music’s complexity through word and image. The author starts with small, personal experiences, describing in brief, straightforward language how music allows one to “relive a memory.” It can elicit tears or soothe anxious hearts. Pantaleo then widens her perspective to consider music that holds important cultural meaning. Occasional overly broad statements feel a tad discordant, but pages showing Maori hakas or Hawaiian people blowing conch shell trumpets nicely demonstrate that music can play both symbolic and utilitarian roles. Pantaleo closes by urging readers to “follow its rhythm. Can you hear it?” Raucous, wildly colorful images accompanying the text, translated from Italian, are as exuberant as a rock concert. Dark lines emanating from instruments and mouths feel like sound bursting

Sweeping and thought-provoking. Readers will agree: “Music is magical.”

AND THERE WAS MUSIC

forth; readers will readily sing the praises of the chunky, high-contrast portraits of diverse musicians from around the world and beyond—one image depicts astronaut Wang Yaping performing “Jasmine Flower” on the International Space Station. Brief but comprehensive backmatter provides further information on the culture, instrument, or musical element on each page. Sweeping and thought-provoking. Readers will agree: “Music is magical.” (glossary) (Picture book. 4-8)

MK’s Detective Club: The Double Trouble Puzzle

Patterson, James & Keir Graff | Illus. by Alan Brown | Little, Brown (384 pp.) $17.99 | $8.99 paper | April 7, 2025 9780316412537 | 9780316412636 paper | Series: MK’s Detective Club, 2

Investigating a teacher’s sudden personality change leads a set of sixth grade sleuths into serious danger in this second series caper. A relentless bully who posts popular videos of his humiliating attacks, and a bossy new classmate aiming to replace her as leader of the Detective Club, may seem like tough challenges for Minerva Keen, but what really gets her attention is how her once-friendly language arts teacher, Claire Voyant, has abruptly turned harsh and dismissive—almost (could it be possible?) as if she were a different person. Ever alert for mysteries to solve—even if a bit of illegal surveillance or breaking and entering is required— Minerva forges ahead. Her outrageously

reckless little brother, Heck, is a willing ally, shy best friend and schoolmate

Silent Santos is a reluctant one, and (surprise!) even Zoe Quick, a rival overachiever with serious hacking skills, eventually comes on board. Catering equally to readers who relish their crime capers on the comical or scary sides, the co-authors again dish up a rousing combo platter with awkward mishaps, frequent barfing and belching, and sloppy food fights as well as a juicy round of robbery, kidnapping, and attempted murder. Once just deserts have been dealt out all round, the caper leaves Minerva and Heck with just one tantalizing question: Are their enigmatic, often-absent parents actually secret agents? Stay tuned. Minerva presents white, and Santos and Zoe read Black. Final art not seen.

More expertly crafted chills and thrills, leavened with laughs. (Mystery. 9-13)

The Time Travel Twins

Patterson, James & Tad Safran | Illus. by Chris Schweizer | Jimmy Patterson/ Little, Brown (432 pp.) | $16.99 Sept. 9, 2024 | 9780316447010

Series: The Time Travel Twins, 1 Twins Pew and Basket Church find clues to their pasts and a dangerous foe in a literally Revolutionary setting. Upon leaping through a time portal to escape 12 years of misery in the misleadingly named Sweet Loveliness Home for the Nurturing Development of De-Parented Children, the intrepid foundlings land back in 1777—not far from where

George Washington, in the wake of the disastrous Battle of Brooklyn Heights, is on the verge of throwing in the towel. Can they convince him to change his mind? Their efforts are complicated by a hidden treasure lying at the end of a trail of riddles, a megalomaniacal fellow time traveler out to manipulate history rather than preserve it, and the fact that Pew is a Black boy and Basket is a white girl. A second, ill-managed time jaunt results in their hands being swapped on their bodies. Although this mishap leads to sibling strife—“Stop picking your nose with my fingers!”—the course of history is righted by the end of an expertly crafted whirl of chases, betrayals, escapes, and revelations. A flimsy rationale for not asking a grateful Washington to abolish slavery in return for the twins’ game-changing help sounds a sour note, but the parade of (more or less) accurately rendered historical persons and events, several tantalizing mysteries, and the smart and resourceful protagonists will be enough to carry readers through multiple sequels. Schweizer’s occasional illustrations add humor and liveliness.

A promising, fast-paced series opener. (historical notes, bibliography) (Adventure. 9-13)

Windy Creek Stables: Presley and the Impossible Dream

Patterson, Kaitlyn Sage | Feiwel & Friends (176 pp.) | $17.99 | $8.99 paper | Feb. 4, 2025 | 9781250331366 | 9781250331359 paper | Series: Windy Creek Stables, 1

Presley has never even touched a horse—does she have what it takes to be an equestrian?

Presley adores reading books about her favorite animals and watching riding events on TV. But her mother, who’s afraid of horses, has forbidden her from learning to ride—plus, the sport is too expensive. One day Presley tags along with her veterinarian stepfather when

he examines a horse at Windy Creek Stables. Her wildest dreams begin to materialize when the owner of the stables lets her take riding lessons in exchange for cleaning stalls. Though Mom’s still reluctant, she eventually caves. Presley’s thrilled but nervous; she’s self-conscious about being a Black girl in a sport dominated by wealthy white people—a feeling that’s amplified when snobby Amy dubs her a “charity case.” But she forms a tight bond with a girl from school, Harper, who cheers her on even as Presley worries about attending her first lesson. This fast-moving, accessible read balances more serious moments—such as Mom revealing the heartbreaking reason she’s been so opposed to Presley learning to ride—with scenes of Presley reveling in her love for all things equine. Riding lingo and other details make this a surefire hit for horse lovers, but anyone seeking an absorbing read will be pleased.

An upbeat tale of an intrepid young horse lover. (Fiction. 8-12)

Wonder Why

Perron, Lisa Varchol | Illus. by Nik Henderson | HarperCollins (32 pp.)

$19.99 | April 15, 2025 | 9780063310421

Questions and answers in prose and verse about clouds, rainbows, and other atmospheric phenomena.

Perron poses queries about why the sky is blue, what makes winds blow, and other meteorological topics. Quick explanations are provided in the next verse, and somewhat fuller ones are included toward the end. Throughout,

the refrain “How I wonder, wonder why” anchors the text. Some rationales are clear enough: Winds arise when cool air rushes in to replace warmer air that has risen; lightning’s heat creates atmospheric shock waves that we hear as thunder. But Perron throws in terms such as wavelength and Coriolis effect without defining them. She states that rainbows appear “when sunlight hits a water droplet” but that clouds, made up of water droplets, “usually look white because they scatter all colors of lights equally”—which may leave readers more confused than enlightened. Still, the author’s invitation to marvel at the wonders overhead is compelling. Henderson’s vividly hued illustrations add drama as well as detail as they track a thunderstorm’s progress from sunny skies to darkening clouds, jagged lightning bolts amid heavy rain, arcing rainbows afterward, and at last a shimmering nightscape. When not portrayed as silhouettes, tiny human figures peering quizzically up at the sky’s natural beauties vary in skin tone. Strong visuals, but the topic gets, at best, a hasty once-over.

(Informational poetry picture book. 6-8)

How To Talk to Your Succulent

Persico, Zoe | Tundra Books (224 pp.) $21.99 | April 1, 2025 | 9781774883129

Freshly grieving the death of her mother, 11-year-old Adara finds herself transplanted from California to her father’s Michigan hometown.

Worse, Dad keeps going quiet instead of talking about their shared loss. All Adara

Questions and answers about clouds, rainbows, and other phenomena. WONDER WHY

wants is to “feel normal again,” but she doesn’t know how to even begin talking about the intensity of her feelings. What she has is Grandma, Mom’s many plants, and a tentative, blossoming new friendship. One day, a Perle von Nurnberg, a variety of purple succulent that was special to her mother, suddenly comes alive and talks to her. That’s when she discovers the real reason Mom was called the “plant whisperer”—and that she, too, has a special, wild power. But like her beloved Perle, Adara needs care and attention. Poignant moments are embedded throughout this graphic novel, as when Adara suddenly finds herself grief-stricken when she has to introduce herself to a class of staring students in her new school. Precious scenes include ones in which she cooks with her grandmother, forging a deeper connection with her. Although the luminous illustrations are a delight, the fantastical plants sometimes feel too cute and young for the story’s overall tone and audience. This lightly magical exploration of grief will appeal to fans of Eventown by Corey Ann Haydu and Savi and the Memory Keeper by Bijal Vachharajani. Adara presents biracial, her father reads white, and her mother had brown skin.

A touching story rooted in grief and healing. (author’s note, photos, succulent information, sketches) (Graphic fiction. 8-12)

Monty and the Mushrooms

Petty, Dev | Illus. by Jared Chapman

Simon & Schuster (40 pp.) | $19.99

March 18, 2025 | 9781665932592

great it is to be a mushroom.” And when some mushroom spores blow over to Monty the marmot’s home, they annoy the heck out of him. Delightful details in the illustrations show Monty’s dedication to a quiet lifestyle: When readers first meet him, he’s curled up with a blanket, reading The Art of Putting Boats in Things, and later he works on a model boat. The friendly, oblivious mushrooms test his patience by putting on a raucous puppet show under the light of a full moon. Monty tries to talk to them (“Nature is all about communication”), but they’re unable to provide even 10 seconds of respite. So Monty decides to move out…and in a laugh-out-loud twist ending, some new creatures move in. The layout includes full-bleed page spreads as well as comiclike panels, and one inventive 90-degree page turn. The noisy mushrooms are varied in appearance, with cartoonishly large grins; Monty’s mounting frustration is evidenced by expressive eyebrows and motion lines. The rhyming song that the mushrooms sing is an especially funny touch, and readers will cheer as the fungi get their comeuppance at last.

Certain to deliver giggles aplenty.

(Picture book. 4-8)

Big Jim Begins

Pilkey, Dav | Colors by Jose Garibaldi & Wes Dzioba | Graphix/Scholastic (224 pp.) | $24.99

$14.99 paper | Dec. 3, 2024 | 9781338896497 9781338896459 paper | Series: Dog Man, 13

baby, a UFO dropped a note declaring Big Jim a chosen one, who would grow up to “fulfill SUPA ANCIENT prophecies.” (Readers will note that Grampa’s origin story reveals some gaps in Big Jim’s.) After deputizing Grampa as sidekick Sprinkles, Big Jim leads them out the Cupcake Exit to “save the world” (Big Jim) and “get out of jail” (Grampa). Mayhem ensues, involving a band of evil Space Cuties From Space and Dog Man in his Scarlet Shedder persona. Punctuated by flashbacks filling out Big Jim’s story and Flip-O-Ramas aplenty, and referencing both Mr. Rogers and Monty Python, this outing is characterized by both Pilkey’s trademark frantic pace and his gentle philosophizing. Big Jim’s life hasn’t been an easy one, which gives his sunny outlook resonance. Even at the story’s close, it “has more loose ends than a spaghetti dinner,” as Grampa complains. Fortunately, a sequel beckons. Human characters display a range of skin tones. Full of laffs and food for thought, in equal measure. (cast of characters, notes, drawing tips) (Graphic fiction. 8-12)

My Dad Is the Best

Pintadera, Fran | Illus. by Joan Turu Charlesbridge (40 pp.) | $17.99 April 22, 2025 | 9781623544911

A boisterous bunch of fungi drive a peaceful marmot from his underground home.

“As everyone knows, mushrooms are LOUD.” Mushrooms “gossip all day and argue all night.” They tell jokes and long stories and “sing long, loud songs about how

An endearing new character joins the Pilkeyverse.

Big Jim is a large, cheerful purple cat. He shares a cell in Cat Jail with the irascible Grampa, greeting every new day with a song, much to his cellmate’s annoyance. By night, Big Jim “fight[s] for Liberty…and Cupcakes” as Commander Cupcake. Every superhero needs an origin story, and Big Jim’s is this: When he was a

Two youngsters one-up each other, exaggerating at every turn. In this Spanish import, a tot with oversize glasses and scribbly red hair boasts, “My dad is the best.” Another, brown-haired child indignantly retorts: “My dad is better!” Warming to the argument, the first child declares, “My dad can pick up…a truck!” The accompanying image depicts Dad wielding a large truck with ease. Not to be outdone, the other youngster replies, “My dad is stronger! He can pick up a truck…filled with elephants!” (The elephants look mildly concerned.) As the back-and-forth continues, each page turn

reveals an even sillier addition to the feats that the dads are capable of. “My dad can pick up a truck filled with elephants that are pregnant…with triplets!” “My dad is even stronger! He can pick up a truck filled with elephants who are pregnant with triplets…on top of a skyscraper!” The two youngsters squarely face off on each spread, with one on the left page and the other on the right. A surprising climax leaves the two families closer than they ever were before. Turu sets the humorous scenes against an uncluttered white backdrop, letting readers fully explore the zany expressions and exploits of the competing families. Both children and fathers have light skin.

A fiercely sweet look at familial pride. (Picture book. 3-6)

Always, Your Sister

Prentice, Frances | Wombat Books (224 pp.) | $12.99 paper March 11, 2025 | 9781761112065

A melia Walker, newly turned 11, begins a series of letters to the baby brother who was stillborn at 28 weeks four years before.

Millie narrates this account over the course of several months when her mother is pregnant again and the family waits in anticipation. She’s anxious about both her mother and this new sibling, whom she thinks of as their “rainbow baby,” following Noah, their “angel baby.” Glimpses of life on their Queensland, Australia, farm, where Millie’s dad raises sheep, are interspersed with accounts of school, friends, summer holidays camping out

on the lawn, making a tire swing, and meeting the new baby born to a friend’s teenage brother and his girlfriend. A persistent drought accompanies the family’s anxieties about the pregnancy, and a lamb born late in the year dies from the heat. References to God, church, and saying grace are quiet indicators of the importance of faith to the Walker family. They rely on each other for help and advice, and Millie has also learned to visit the school chaplain for counseling when her worries become too intense. Prentice deftly conveys Millie’s coming to terms with grief along with a reassuring sense of the many resources, especially her family members, who support her. Millie is a temperate, likable narrator. Characters read white. Warmhearted and optimistic. (Fiction. 9-13)

My Mom

Quinn, Susan | Illus. by Sarah Mathew Words & Pictures (32 pp.) | $18.99 Feb. 25, 2025 | 9780711296695

The motherchild bond is unbreakable. In gentle, lyrical prose, a youngster pays tribute to Mom. The narrator’s mother says that the little one’s arrival “was like a star drifting down from the sky and into her life.” Mom had long dreamed of that day, though she feared it might never happen. That’s the day the two of them “started our amazing adventure, together.” Since then, life’s gotten even better. The pair push their imaginations to the limit, navigating a ship around

their garden, riding a rocket into space, and having a picnic on the moon. No worries if a toy breaks: “Mom can fix anything!” Mom boosts her child’s self-esteem and helps the youngster feel “safe and strong,” capable of meeting the world confidently. The two explore the outdoors, delighting in nature’s wonders. Indoors, they enjoy creative endeavors such as drawing. Their whole day is one grand, loving adventure. Nighttime brings hugs and stories— and Mom’s reaffirmation that she loved her child even when the youngster “was just a dream.” The delicate, childlike, very appealing illustrations, which occasionally incorporate what seem to be an actual youngster’s drawings, suit the graceful text. Many caregivers will especially relate to Mom’s uncertainty that she’ll ever have a child; the ambiguity about the child’s arrival will allow a variety of families, including adoptive ones, to see themselves reflected. Mom and her child are light-skinned. Though it’s never mentioned, Mom has a limb difference. A lovely tale to snuggle up with. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Star

The Story of Gumluck and the Heroes: Book Three

Rex, Adam | Chronicle Books (144 pp.) $14.99 | April 29, 2025 | 9781797214528

Series: Gumluck the Wizard, 3

Gumluck the wizard joins three fledgling adventurers on a quest and finds it difficult to protect them from themselves. At the request of the majestic Qamar, the lovely and Very Wise Wizard Who Lives in the Moon, smitten Gumluck supervises three avid would-be heroes: gung-ho warrior Gora, elven archer/balladeer Frindlefoot, and cloaked thief Walnut. The last, perhaps in a wink to the Guardians of the Galaxy films, is a raccoon. Keeping them from doing anything

they or anyone else might regret turns out to be a tall order as the trio make alarming plans to capture a unicorn for its horn and then brave the armies of the Goblin King to steal a huge diamond. Narrated by Gumluck’s raven friend Helvetica, the story is simply yet elegantly phrased and laced with endearing asides as Helvetica tends lovingly to her offspring. Rex explores notions about what heroism, real and otherwise, looks like. Without harping on his message, the author makes the differences clear enough. Though Gumluck may look like a small, pie-faced simpleton in Rex’s comical pencil drawings, he devises quick, clever stratagems each time to avoid violence. Better yet, with his actions, he leaves his charges (and readers, perhaps) a little wiser about making good choices. That’s true wizardry. Qamar is darkskinned; other characters have skin the white of the page. Funny, smart, and shot through with truly admirable exploits. (Fantasy. 8-10)

Survive This Safari

Richards, Natalie D. | Delacorte (384 pp.) $17.99 | April 8, 2025 | 9780593644164

W hen 12-year-old Lucy Q. Spagnola receives an invitation to participate in the Wildlands Safari Escape Challenge, it’s a second chance to fulfill her dream of joining a group of student wildlife experts. Lucy loves animals deeply, and she’s both scared and elated when she’s selected to take part in an experimental game with Ohio’s Columbus Zoo that comes with a chance to join the Wildlands Ambassadors. She applied to join them before but wasn’t selected due to a panic attack. Her teammates are two boys named Trey and Harrison, and Jemma, her ultra-competitive classmate. They need to solve a series of puzzles, competing against the current Wildland Ambassadors. When the

A solemn yet loving tribute to an important tradition.

CLEAR AND BRIGHT

walkie-talkies stop working, the gates they’re supposed to be unlocking malfunction, and the team of Ambassadors don’t seem to be completing their challenges, things start to feel amiss. Even more concerning, the zoo’s baby elephant is in distress. The story is propelled by high stakes, fun animal facts (often presented via conversational footnotes), and challenges that are presented in a way that allows readers to try to solve them alongside the characters. The characterization of the dynamic between Lucy and the entitled Jemma is strong; the presentation of Harrison’s ADHD feels superficial, though, and Trey often fades into the background. Trey is Black, and the other major characters present white.

An entertaining, puzzle-filled adventure for animal lovers. (Adventure. 8-12)

The Great Pollinator Count

Richmond, Susan Edwards | Illus. by Stephanie Fizer Coleman | Margaret Quinlin Books/Peachtree (32 pp.)

$18.99 | April 15, 2025 | 9781682636084 Series: Community Science Counts!

Bug enthusiast Mellie helps new kid Jason feel the excitement when Science Club takes part in the titular community-science event.

Jason is dubious about spending the afternoon looking for stinging insects, and Mellie would really rather be paired with best friend Sylvie instead of Jason. But as Mellie explains the differences among the pollinating insects that they spot and marks their tally card, Jason warms to the activity and Mellie warms to Jason. Between Ms. Bombus’ gentle instruction and eager Mellie’s contributions, young listeners will learn a lot

about both the Great Pollinator Count and many of the plants and insects that make up a healthy North American pollinator ecosystem. Coleman’s bright illustrations feature stylized but recognizable blooms; the bugs that visit them are depicted out of scale for visibility but are otherwise rendered accurately. Mellie’s descriptions include mnemonics: A carpenter bee has a “shiny hiney,” and wasps and hornets have “skinny-mini” waists. While the story’s focus is educational, Richmond takes care to develop narrator Mellie’s character fully; the youngster is a know-it-all with depth. Mellie has parchment-colored skin and bushy blond hair, Jason has light-brown skin and curly brown hair, and Sylvie presents East Asian. Ms. Bombus has dark-brown skin and dark hair, and the Science Club members are racially diverse. Backmatter offers more information on pollination and pollinators. Should get young entomologists buzzing. (Picture book. 5-8)

The Dragon’s Apprentice

Riley, James | Labyrinth Road (240 pp.)

$18.99 | April 1, 2025 | 9780593813171

Series: The Dragon’s Apprentice, 1

Can a 12-year-old girl and a dragon awakened from a 1,000-year nap save the world?

In the Draconic Empire, magic is forbidden outside the imperial bloodline. Any other magic use will summon the Revenants, who killed the dragons and the mighty Dragon Mage a millennium ago. Or will it? Five years ago, Ciara found Dragon Mage apprentice Bianca’s magical journal. Bianca’s exuberant, irreverent

entries describe a warm (“She’s a hugger”), generous mage with “tawny-brown skin” who wanted dragons to teach all humans to use magic. Living in a mining village that’s been devastated by its cruel Warden’s greed and the Skael Cough that killed her father, Ciara yearns for magical assistance. Then, with the journal’s help, she accidentally wakens a long-sleeping dragon. Can Scorch, who was Bianca’s magister, teach Ciara magic so she can save both her town and her ailing mother? With the Warden willing to ravage and kill for the journal, the cliffhanger ending promises more peril to come. This fast-paced adventure’s hilariously dry humor may not prepare readers for the utter despair of other elements of the story. The characters are memorable and sympathetic, especially impulsive, brave Ciara, who’s cued white, and snarky, protective Scorch, both of whom are guilt-ridden for different reasons. They share the main narration, sometimes confusingly switching viewpoints within scenes. Avid fantasy readers will appreciate the complex magic system. Alternately humorous and heartrending, this lively fantasy will have wide appeal. (Draconic spells) (Fantasy. 9-12)

Clear and Bright: A Ching Ming Festival Story

Robeson, Teresa | Illus. by William Low Astra Young Readers (40 pp.) | $18.99 March 4, 2025 | 9781662620317

A Chinese American family celebrates Ching Ming, a festival dedicated to honoring deceased ancestors.

It’s spring, and an unnamed child helps ready the house for visitors. As members of the extended family arrive, the young narrator explains that everyone is returning to “the city where Great-great-grandpa Fong arrived long, long ago when people like us were not welcomed.”

Traditional Chinese characters are deftly interspersed throughout the gently paced narrative as the family gathers, prepares food, plays games, and finally piles into their cars. Low’s realistic portrayals of the characters feature blurred borders of color that exude warmth. Eventually they reach the cemetery. As rain falls, they sweep the graves of Great-great-grandpa and Great-great-grandma Fong, while the protagonist’s grandparents tell stories of the ancestors. An offering of food is placed on the grave, and family members bow to the headstones and share things that bring them joy—as Robeson notes in the backmatter, Ching Ming isn’t “a mournful time, but one of reverence combined with happiness.” As everyone feasts, the narrative cleverly notes that now the sky is “clear and bright”—a reference to the literal translation of Ching Ming. Backmatter offers further information on the festival and the U.S.’s Chinese Exclusion Act (subtly referenced in the story itself). A solemn yet loving tribute to an important tradition. (glossary) (Picture book. 5-8)

Warm and Fuzzy

Rothman, Scott | Illus. by Brian Won Tundra Books (44 pp.) | $18.99 April 15, 2025 | 9781774884423

Two friends deal with pre-adventure jitters. An applecheeked, Sasquatch- esque creature named Warm proposes taking a trip. Fuzzy, who’s smaller, with similar features and mouselike ears, responds with a list of what ifs. “What if it’s really cold? Or super hot? What if it’s scary? What if there are no bathrooms? Or worse, no toilet paper?!” As the two pack and begin the journey, Fuzzy asks where they’re going, but Warm keeps that a secret. Warm reassures Fuzzy: “Everything really will be fine.” But Fuzzy’s worries come to a head on a page filled with the little

creature’s worries, expressed in stream-of-consciousness ramblings. Depending on how anxious the audience is, Fuzzy’s concerns will either be all too relatable or lovably laughable. Warm responds with a pep talk, reminding the little one that the two of them are intelligent, resilient, and imaginative—words sure to fuel any uncertain youngster’s foray into the unknown. The pair surefootedly step through a magical door; wordless scenes depict them thriving. Comfy pinks and browns anchor the images of the two sweet-faced protagonists. Fuzzy’s frequent queries about toilet paper—and the lack thereof—keep the narrative from becoming too heavy. This tale will please anyone in the mood for a lighthearted adventure, though grown-ups will also want to share it with the young worrywarts in their lives.

Brimming with positivity and camaraderie, a cozy story to help dispel anxieties. (Picture book. 4-6)

The Last Seed Keeper

Russell, Paul | EK Books (232 pp.) | $12.99 paper | March 11, 2025 | 9781922539939 Series: The Last Seed Keeper, 1

Two girls with radically different life experiences work together to restart life on Earth. In a destroyed world, poor Pickers sift through Piles of trash and sell their finds to Sorters, while Sky Folk live in pristine pods above the brown clouds. Ivy Hutchings is a Groundling who dreams of life above; Skyler Blackwell lives in a luxurious, high-tech pod and dreams of the past, despite the fact that “lots of things about the past [have] been deleted. No one [cares] about history.” But when Ivy sells a bean from a plant she’s nurtured, she sets major events in motion. If Earth is no longer toxic, people could return, but Eden Valentina, the businesswoman who started

A sandy slice-of-life

treat, rich in feeling and insight from dawn to dark.

A DAY AT THE BEACH

powerful XyleCorp (“one company to save us all”), wants to maintain control. Skyler’s scientist parents have secret plans, though, along with a Picker called Hutch who’s looked out for Ivy all her life. In an action-packed climax, Ivy, Skyler, and another Picker named Durie take the “fate of the world” into their hands to “save the planet.” The stakes are high, and the worldbuilding is fully realized in this environmental dystopian tale that has plenty of characters to root for and an evil corporate villain to root against. A swift denouement acknowledges an unanswered question, setting up for the next entry in this trilogy. Characters present white.

A powerful, well-paced dystopia that examines themes of inequality, environment, and access to information. (Dystopian. 9-13)

A Day at the Beach

Schmidt, Gary D. & Ron Koertge Illus. by Yaoyao Ma Van As | Clarion/ HarperCollins (224 pp.) | $18.99 April 1, 2025 | 9780063380929

Two veteran novelists chronicle life-altering moments and meetings for an ensemble cast of young visitors to a New Jersey beach. Twenty-eight named children and two dogs may seem like a lot, but each one is so individually distinct that readers should have little trouble keeping them straight. The entries are arranged from dawn to dark, with Ma Van As’ grayscale art, which is reminiscent of animated features, offering occasional

views of people lounging on blankets and similar emblematic beach scenes as visual breaks. The co-authors relate the incidents in an understated way that infuses even the seemingly minor or common ones with special “kid magic.” An impromptu group pretends that a stray dog can talk, for example. Events take a dramatic turn when a father yelling at his small son draws a flash mob of young people who circle him and stare silently until he stops. Meanwhile, in a lighter vein, Octavio’s secret crush offers help (along with some gentle mockery) when he loses his trunks, and Leslie forgets to be bored when an elderly beachcomber teaches her how to look closely at a wondrous queen conch shell. Young people take steps toward promising futures by laughing together, dealing with anxieties, and showing insight or compassion; their stories are individually entertaining and uplifting, with a cumulative effect. Names, references to food and homelands, and illustrations cue ethnic and racial diversity in the cast.

A sandy slice-of-life treat, rich in feeling and insight from dawn to dark. (Fiction. 9-13)

Sharing Shalom

Sharkan, Danielle | Illus. by Selina Alko | Holiday House (32 pp.) | $18.99 Sept. 17, 2024 | 9780823455560

A young girl heals as her community comes together following an anti semitic incident. Attending Hebrew school helps Leila feel connected to her family and heritage, but after the synagogue’s

window is broken, being Jewish suddenly doesn’t feel good or safe. Wondering if her classmates hate her for being different, she tries to hide signs of her Judaism, from her Star of David necklace to the bagel with lox she brings to school for lunch. But when Leila’s diverse classmates help repair the window, she’s reminded that she still belongs and that being Jewish is something to be proud of. Hebrew letters and prayers and Jewish symbols are beautifully woven into both the text and the collage-style illustrations, reinforcing the tale’s unique Jewishness alongside its universal message about the importance of allyship. With sensitivity and candor, Sharkan demonstrates how pride in one’s identity can lead to shame and fear in the wake of a hate crime. In an author’s note, she mentions that her story was based on a real-life childhood experience and speaks to the rise in antisemitic incidents around the world; books like these will help young people process complex emotions. Although hate takes forms that can’t be as easily addressed as a broken window, this is nevertheless a lovingly crafted, age-appropriate doorway into a difficult topic. Leila and her family are light-skinned, while their neighborhood is diverse.

An especially important book for the current moment that will empower children to stand up in the face of bigotry. (glossary, bibliography) (Picture book. 4-8)

Plant Attack!: The Fascinating Ways Flora Defends Itself

Silver, Erin | Illus. by Julie McLaughlin Orca (32 pp.) | $21.95 | March 11, 2025 9781459837973

When danger looms, plants get tough. Silver offers a companion book to Mighty Scared: The Amazing Ways Animals Defend Themselves (2024), introducing

readers to plant defenses, the fiercer the better. From roses with sharp prickles (distinguished from thorns in the glossary) to invasive hydrillas, aquatic plants that keep sunlight from the fish beneath, she highlights 13 species whose defenses she finds “cool and courageous.” She covers stinking corpse flowers, exploding pods on touch-me-not balsams, and Venus flytraps, with their snapping jaws. On each spread, she examines a different plant, providing a short expository paragraph describing its defense, a “fierce fact,” and a slangy “Get To Know Me” section narrated by the plant. The actual information is rather skimpy and occasionally inaccurate. Silver doesn’t always note where these plants can be found. She notes that poison ivy vines grow between one and four feet tall, when in fact they can grow up into the tree canopy. And while a diagram refers to the clear liquid in coconuts as milk, it’s in fact water (milk is made from the flesh). McLaughlin’s bright and lively digital illustrations depict all the plants on the opening spread. At times, the artwork personifies both flora and fauna, to readers’ delight. Diverse humans can be seen interacting with the plants. A final spread compares some of these defenses with ways that humans protect themselves, though the examples are a bit of a stretch. Entertaining and modestly informative. (Informational picture book. 5-8)

Behold the Chameleon

Slade, Suzanne | Illus. by Thomas Gonzalez | Peachtree (32 pp.) | $18.99 April 8, 2025 | 9781682637340

T he ins and outs of chameleon behavior. Slade and Gonzalez’s third book in a series that began with Behold the Octopus (2023), followed by Behold the Hummingbird (2024), carries on with a peek into the life of chameleons, of which there are more than 220 individual species. Slade uses a similar

structure to her previous books. She introduces the reptile with two-level text: One word—usually a verb or adjective—appears on the left-hand side of the spread, while a longer paragraph appears on the right. All the text is set against Gonzalez’s gloriously illustrated full spreads. The word stalking is paired with text describing the chameleon’s ability to use its eyes independently so that “it may fix one eye on its tasty prey, while the other looks out for predators.” Each paragraph includes a mention of one species of chameleon, in the latter case, the African chameleon. On another page, clinging introduces the arboreal nature of the chameleon and the way it “curves its prehensile tail around a branch” to hold on to its home in the trees. For this entry, the jewel chameleon of Madagascar serves as an example, and the reptile appears almost beaded in the dazzling accompanying image. Featuring pastels, colored pencils, and airbrush, Gonzalez’s art is stupendous in comparison to the text, which is rich in facts but somewhat dry. Strangely, a lovely description about baby chameleons appears at the conclusion rather than at the beginning.

Resplendent illustrations accompany solid text. (photographs, selected bibliography, websites) (Informational picture book. 5-9)

Black Diamond Kings: Heroes of Negro League Baseball

Smith Jr., Charles R. | Illus. by Adrian Brandon | Candlewick (32 pp.)

$18.99 | May 6, 2025 | 9781536225358

Series: Sports Royalty

the hot corner / moving like a cat, / pouncing and leaping / at the crack of the bat.” Most of the rhythms are quick and urgent, though some entries offer a change of pace, like the sonnet for Willie Wells—“So long as hands can clap and eyes can see, / Willie, the Shakespeare of shortstops, is thee”—and a series of riffs on the legendary speed of “Cool Papa” Bell, “so fast, he scored from first off a sacrifice bunt.” Echoing the visual gravity of the illustrations in Kadir Nelson’s classic We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball (2008), Brandon follows suit with on-field images of long-limbed, sometimes exaggeratedly lanky athletes in balletic poses interspersed with close-ups of chiseled figures with imposing game faces. Closing player notes underscore the greatness of each of these players; Smith acknowledges that these Negro League career statistics were finally and properly, in 2024, added to Major League records.

Strong words and pictures add up to a sweet double play. (Picture-book poetry. 6-9)

Kirkus Star

Anything

Stead, Rebecca | Illus. by Gracey Zhang Chronicle Books (56 pp.) | $17.99 April 29, 2025 | 9781797215150

From Satchel Paige to Norman “Turkey” Stearnes, a dozen stars who spent all or most of their careers in the Negro Leagues strut their stuff.

Smith’s verse tributes catch his subjects in action. Here’s third baseman Ray Dandridge, for example: “Hooks on

Newbery Medalist Stead makes her picture-book debut with the tale of a youngster dealing with that most turbulent of childhood upheavals: moving.

A father and child mark the occasion with a birthday cake for their new apartment. Daddy encourages the youngster to blow out the candle.

“What should I wish for?” “Anything.” Permitted to wish for three “Anythings,” the protagonist requests “a rainbow in my new room,” a big slice of pizza, and to put off bath time. Daddy obliges, but later, the child is awakened in the night by frightening

An encouraging story about positivity even

in the darkest of times.

HUGS STILL FEEL THE SAME

noises. “I wish I had one more Anything,” the child tells Daddy. “Because I want to go home.” Daddy hoists the little one onto his back: “All aboard the train to home!” After several lengthy trips around the apartment and a good night’s sleep, the child awakens with a newfound appreciation for the family’s abode. Stead traces a believably earned journey from fear and uncertainty to acceptance. Though spare, her first-person narration is steeped in emotion and laced with realistically childlike musings. The text pairs seamlessly with Zhang’s expressive gouache and ballpoint pen artwork. As the two (both with skin the white of the page) settle in, their surroundings gradually go from scenes with just a few items, rendered with soft lines against a stark white background, to highly detailed spreads brimming with warm colors—a compelling visual representation of the child’s trajectory. A sensitive, beautifully wrought meditation on change. (Picture book. 4-8)

Don’t Eat the Cleaners!: Tiny Fish With a Big Job

Stockdale, Susan | Peachtree (32 pp.)

$18.99 | Feb. 18, 2025 | 9781682637296

An introduction to a most unusual cleaning service. In Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and other coral reefs around the world, tiny cleaner fish and shrimp play a vital role, removing parasites and dead skin from bigger fish, which line up for the privilege. Stockdale, who mentioned

this behavior in her picture book Line Up! (2022), now devotes a whole book to this example of symbiosis. She uses exposition rather than the rhymed couplets characteristic of her many previous titles—an appropriate choice, given that this topic requires a bit of explanation, deftly provided. Stockdale describes the need for cleaning, notes how the cleaners let bigger fish know they’re open for business, and tells readers about the benefits this mutually helpful activity provides both cleaners and cleanees. Youngsters may be shocked to learn that even hungry sharks get their teeth cleaned this way. Even more surprisingly, tiny cleaner fish will readily clean scuba divers’ mouths if they remove their mouthpieces. In Stockdale’s clean, stylized, digitally rendered illustrations, the fish are easily recognizable, shown in a coral reef on a solid blue background (except for the moray eel in its brown den). She closes with a page of marine life, labeled by name, and an invitation for readers to go back and find each within the various scenes. A striking demonstration of cooperation in the natural world. (Informational picture book. 4-8)

Hugs Still Feel the Same

Strong, Kiralee | Illus. by Jenni Barrand

EK Books (32 pp.) | $19.99

March 11, 2025 | 9781922539960

Some things are constant. The word flood isn’t used in the terse yet soothing rhyming text; instead, the young, pale-skinned, red-haired

narrator uses stark phrases such as “The rain doesn’t take a break” and “The water’s rising higher.” Throughout these difficult circumstances, the protagonist receives loving hugs that “still feel the same”—from Mama and Daddy and from the child’s brownskinned best friend at school, which has surprisingly remained open. Then…“The river’s at our doorstep. Our street is now a lake.” Mama and Daddy explain that they must evacuate and advise the child to take a favorite toy. “Family hugs still feel the same.” The trio snuggle closely as a “rough and wobbly” rescue boat steers them to a shelter, where neighbors and the narrator’s schoolmates welcome them. The child spots and embraces Grandma, whose hugs, of course, “feel the same.” Though the child has lost toys and books to the flood, the final refrain has an upbeat tone accompanied by the image of a rainbow: “One thing hasn’t changed…Hugs still feel the same.” Readers will come away reassured by the text and the calming illustrations. Rendered in a mostly warm palette, the art focuses on bright colors suggesting optimism. The narrator’s family is pale-skinned; background figures are diverse. An encouraging story about hope and positivity even in the darkest of times. (Picture book. 4-7)

Today Is a Wacky Wow, Squiggle Giggle, Noodle Caboodle Day!

Sutton, Layla | Illus. by Kenneth Anderson

Sourcebooks Wonderland (40 pp.)

$12.99 | Feb. 4, 2025 | 9781464222894

Need a boost today? Look no further! A lightskinned child with a shock of red hair awakens in a purple bed, smiling from ear to ear, casting the covers aside, and flinging arms and legs akimbo, sending a purple teddy bear flying. There’s no missing this message: It’s

a brand-new day—greet it with a “great big WOW!” As the child dresses and trots outside, a beaming tortoise pal tries to keep up: “Wait for me!” An unseen narrator lays out a list of possibilities. “You could ride a pink pony or dance with a pig! Talk with a noodle! Discover a zig!”

Even the more realistic options veer into the fantastic. Readers are invited to ride a bike to the moon or teach a kitten to moo. Anything goes, so long as you “don’t sit on your bum!”

The illustrations are appropriately candy-colored, marshmallow-soft, and brimming with sweetness. A map filled with fantastic opportunities includes the Donut Forest, Chocolate Chip Cliffs, and Ice Cream Island; while bicycling in the sky, the child grabs “cloud candy.” The bouncy, four-beat lines include a cascade of commands— hop, grab, set , lead , make, cook , sparkle —and the final page offers the ultimate upbeat mantra: “Today will be here… again tomorrow!”

Relentlessly euphoric encouragement to make the most out of each day. (Picture book. 4-7)

I Need Pants!

Sweet, Susan | Illus. by Cailin Doherty Owlkids Books (24 pp.) | $18.95 April 15, 2025 | 9781771476690

A sea dweller muses on the wonders of clothing. Deep on the ocean floor, a golden fish definitively declares, “I need pants.” A wise octopus friend rebuffs the idea: “You do not have legs. You do not need pants.” So the fish considers other possibilities: “Then I need slippers—fuzzy bunny slippers to keep me warm at night.” Or “a pretty pink tutu. I cannot possibly do ballet without one.” The octopus says no to each option, with increasingly frenetic tentacle waving. “You do not have feet. You do not need slippers.” “Fish swim. They do not do ballet.” After the octopus rejects rainbow hair ribbons

(“You know you don’t have hair, right?”), mittens (“You have fins, not hands”), diamond rings (“No fingers, no ring”), and even underwear, the exasperated fish cries: “Well, I must need a raincoat! It is very wet around here!!!” Sweet’s quick, staccato text could spark an intriguing discussion of wants versus needs and will encourage readers to embrace their own individual styles. The thickly lined undersea world is full of bright, saturated color, and the expressive protagonists are utterly endearing. Happily, the octopus comes around and even partakes in some fashionable fun.

A fin-tastic look at individuality. (Picture book. 3-6)

My Mummy vs. Your Ghost

Tobin, Paul | Bloomsbury (272 pp.)

$17.99 | March 25, 2025 | 9781619639034

Series: The Versus Series, 2

Trainers Gabe and Hayden are back, ready to battle with a new monster.

Ten-year-old Trainers Gabe Basuldua and Hayden Fracasso find monsters to enter in battle against other Trainers. Using special medallions designed by the Crafters Guild, a secret society that conducts events to help monsters socialize, Trainers can stay safe while working with the dangerous creatures. In this second series entry, Gabe and Hayden face Lilly Concannon and Amos Funada, 12-year-old Trainers who have found a Brazilian ghost named Marta Lucélia Pêra, who died decades ago, to fight in the Versus battle against their ancient mummy, Ptahhotep. With one win under their

belts, Gabe and Hayden hope that Ptahhotep will be successful in taking on a ghost as powerful as Marta. While Ptahhotep is more than 4,000 years old and extremely strong, can he stand up to Marta’s ghostly chill? Or will Ptahhotep fail when faced with a beautiful ghost who matches him in ways no one else has for millennia? This action-packed and humorous novel brings beloved characters Gabe and Hayden back to yet again elevate the monster-battle genre. With perspectives that change from chapter to chapter, excellent character building, and fast pacing, this romp will appeal even to reluctant readers: It’s a fun and fantastical read that’s ideal for fans of classic monsters and Pokémon battles. Hayden and Lilly are white, Gabe is Black, and Amos is Japanese American.

A sequel that’s just as fun and funny as the first book. (Paranormal. 8-12)

You Are Home

Tobin Fine, Bex | Illus. by Andrés Landazábal | Chronicle Books (36 pp.) $17.99 | April 8, 2025 | 9781797221663

Three children confronting uncertainty find friendship—and belonging. One child’s house succumbs to a fire, another lives out of an RV, and a third moves out of an apartment. All three meet at school, where their friendship grows tentatively at first as they bond over books and artwork. Ensuing scenes depict the trio nestled in a tree fort and playing on the shoreline as they find home with each other. Told in the second person, the contemplative text relies on description and metaphor as

A sequel that’s just as fun and funny as the first book.

MY MUMMY VS. YOUR GHOST

Tobin Fine ponders the meanings of home and friendship. Ultimately, the author defines home as something that transcends the physical: “Home is…a memory. / Home is a…dream. / Home is right here, right now.” Landazábal takes care with the depictions of the three protagonists; each is rendered with specificity. One is brown-skinned with short puffy black hair. Another is pale-skinned with long red hair and sports a neon pink beanie, while the third presents East Asian, with short choppy black hair. The watercolor and gouache illustrations include some stunning images, including a scene of the RV in the desert by night; the sky is a blend of blues and greens with a touch of pink, and a long glow of light emanates from the vehicle. From landscapes to cityscapes and apartments to schools, each page offers readers plenty to linger over. Eye-catching and meditative. (Picture book. 5-7)

The Greatest Stuff on Earth: The Amazing Science of Sunlight, Smartphones, Microphones, Mushrooms & Everything In-Between

Tomecek, Steve | Illus. by John Devolle What on Earth Books (128 pp.)

$19.99 | March 4, 2025 | 9781804661420

A wide-angled view of matter— what it is, and some of the things we make with it. Tomecek begins with pithy overviews of such basics as atomic structure, elements, and electricity before recapping watershed events in our planet’s history from the Big Bang to the successive appearances of rocks, water, air, dirt, and life (“The Coolest Feat”). From there, it’s on to a history of technology, with nods to a handful of crucial inventions such as cooking, clothing, paper (“The Write Stuff”), disinfectants, and modern audio equipment.

A Martian gets more than he bargained for when he abducts some animals.

E-I-UFO

When it comes to the chemistry of soap, cell biology, and some of Tomecek’s other “favorite” things (as he puts it), he takes relatively deep dives into the finer details. More often, though, he makes do with superficial once-overs—particularly in a final chapter headed “Problems With Stuff,” where he offers glib solutions to issues with microplastics, nuclear waste, and sustainability. Still, rather than pretend to offer a systematic treatise, he invites readers to dive in where they will and folds in frequent cross-references to give his arbitrary entries at least a semblance of linkage. A racially diverse cast of humans figure prominently in the mix of stock photos and cartoon diagrams and spot art.

A genial, if overly ambitious, catalog of… some stuff. (glossary, note on the research, source notes, index) (Nonfiction. 7-10)

Mommy Love: A Mindfulness Exercise for Mothers and Babies

Verde, Susan | Illus. by Naoko Stoop Viking (32 pp.) | $18.99 April 1, 2025 | 9780593464977

A lesson in mindfulness for new mommies (and their babies). While this may appear to be a typical picture book, it quickly becomes apparent that the primary target audience is not children, but parents— particularly mothers of newborns. Mommy addresses her baby with words that read like soothing affirmations as she

adjusts to parenthood. “There is a voice saying: / You should. / But I am discovering how to pause / and sit with what is and quiet that voice. / Making space to connect, / to be present, / to show you Mommy Love.” Stoop’s accompanying detailed, warm illustrations seem like a throwback to earlier works by Jane Dyer, or Betty Fraser’s artwork for Mary Ann Hoberman’s books. Stoop presents Mommy as slightly unkempt, with mussed wavy brown hair and dark circles under her eyes. She has tan skin, while the baby is pale-skinned, and there doesn’t appear to be another parent in the household. Their brownstone home is cozy and well appointed; the illustrations show full laundry baskets, a sink stacked with dishes, and a bit of clutter about— visual reassurance for other parents struggling to stay on top of housework. In an author’s note, Verde reveals that her own experience with postpartum depression motivated her to write this encouraging title, which should provide solace to new mothers.

Words of wisdom for harried parents— this one will make an ideal baby shower gift. (Picture book. 0-4)

E-I-UFO: Old MacDonald Had a Farm

von Zonk, Zach | Illus. by Benjamin Chaud Chronicle Books (32 pp.) | $17.99 March 4, 2025 | 9781797223896

A Martian gets more than he bargained for when he abducts some farm animals. Written to the tune of “Old MacDonald Had a Farm,” this frolicsome ditty follows a curious

alien as he wonders about the animals that he sees on Earth. “With a ZERP ZAP here, / and a ZERP ZAP there,” the sheep, cat, cow, and pig all go flying up into the spaceship; the light-skinned farmer stays behind, but the alien zaps up the farmer’s overalls and boots and happily dons them. With three eyes and a bulbous pink head, Old MacMartian attempts to run some experiments on the animals, but the livestock have other ideas. The cow munches on everything in sight (including the Martian’s prized marshmallows), the pig splatters mud everywhere, and the sheep and cat run amok. Old MacMartian and his three-eyed dog are overwhelmed. To put a stop to the mayhem, he returns the barnyard animals to the farmer (“BACK TO EARTH YOU GO!”). Storytime audiences will delight in the repeated titular refrain (“E-IUFO”), and space enthusiasts will enjoy seeing the intricate mechanisms and control panel inside the spaceship. The rollicking narrative may take some practice to avoid falling back into the familiar lyrics of the original, but it’s easy enough to grasp. Lively, playful, singalong fun. (Picture book. 3-6)

Be My Yummy ABC

Wan, Joyce | Hippo Park/Astra Books for Young Readers (40 pp.) | $14.99 Jan. 14, 2025 | 9781662640766

From the sweet to the savory, delicacies from various cultures introduce letters of the alphabet. “I could just eat you up!” With this tasty treat, Wan offers caregivers a litany of creative ways to convey that familiar message. A different anthropomorphized food takes center stage on each page, paired with loving affirmations addressed to little ones. A is for “my warm APPLE PIE, / just you and me,” while B is for “My BURRITO baby, / snug as can be.” Other dishes include a “swirly, whirly

DOSA dream,” a “cutie-patootie / potatoey KNISH,” a “squishy MANDU,” and a “WONTON wonder.” This alphabetically arranged feast is followed up with backmatter that lists each food’s pronunciation, its country of origin, and a brief description. The eyecatching, apple-cheeked, emojilike foods beam up at readers, while details in the art occasionally reference the dishes’ ingredients or cultural origins. The empanada stands in front of a tomato, a hunk of cheese, and a pepper, while the gyoza is depicted with a pair of chopsticks. Though some may find the illustrations saccharine, with their abundance of hearts, rainbows, and sparkles, the sentiments expressed are lovely, conveyed in simple rhymes with some downright delicious wordplay. A foldout poster featuring all the letters and corresponding foods is included.

A scrumptious, intensely adorable look at the ABCs. (Picture book. 0-3)

Rap It Up!

Weatherford, Carole Boston & Jeffery Boston Weatherford | Illus. by Ernel Martinez | Henry Holt (32 pp.) | $18.99 March 18, 2025 | 9781250833570

A talented youngster schools readers in this rhyming introduction to hip-hop.

Prolific author Carole Boston

Weatherford and her son, spoken word poet Jeffery Boston Weatherford, have teamed up for a tutorial on composing and performing rap lyrics. The narrator, a swaggering Black child who was “born holding a mic, pad, and pen,” is the perfect

teacher. As the setting shifts from a living room to the child’s neighborhood, the park, and the train station, the text introduces many poetic devices and rap-specific terminology (defined in a glossary at the end), starting with hyperbole: “Once I took the mic, I rapped for five years straight.” The authors encourage readers to write about what matters to them, to practice, and to perform. Reading the lively text aloud is an accessible and fun way to practice rapping. Martinez’s joyful illustrations employ both primary and pastel colors, shading, collagelike layers, and words to create a child’s creative world with an irresistible sense of depth and mood. Pieces of lined yellow paper are woven throughout the spreads to hold text and remind readers of the tools of the creative process. Old-school hip-hop gets a shoutout with depictions of records, boom boxes, and cassette tapes.

A thrilling ode to rap and the creative process. (note from Jeffery Boston Weatherford, glossary) (Informational picture book. 4-8)

Good Golden Sun

Wenzel, Brendan | Little, Brown (40 pp.) $19.99 | Feb. 18, 2025 | 9780316512633

A paean to that huge globe in the sky.

“Good golden sun, / where have you been? / We’ve been waiting in the dark, / eager for your glow again.” Relying on gentle soft rhymes, an unseen narrator poses a series of questions to the sun. “Do you think about the scary things that sometimes lie in wait?” “Won’t you lend me some

A scrumptious, intensely adorable look at the ABCs.

BE MY YUMMY ABC

milk or meat? / Won’t you help to pull the plow?” Wenzel’s signature art, constructed out of cut paper, watercolor, acrylic, colored pencil, and crayon and digitally rendered, fits his text perfectly. The pop of the golden sun on each page serves as a distinct reminder about what lies in store. Though this isn’t an informational science tale, Wenzel’s art nevertheless highlights how energy from the sun passes from creature to creature. It might begin with a bee taking sustenance from flowers (which, notably, grow thanks to the energy of the sun). That bee then creates honey, which is eaten by a bear. After biting the bear, a mosquito is devoured by a bird, who in turn drops an egg, which is eaten by a mouse. The path of the sun’s energy—conveyed through a golden glow bathing one animal or another—never truly ceases. Readers will delight in tracing the sun’s path and all that it’s sure to contain. Contains a glow entirely of its own making. Catch it! (Picture book. 4-6)

Mermaids Are the Worst!

Willan, Alex | Simon & Schuster (40 pp.) | $19.99 | March 4, 2025 9781665962599 | Series: The Worst!

Will mermaids ruin Goblin’s first vacation in centuries?

In this latest in the series, Goblin is exhausted (check out our hero’s extensive and humorous To Do List if you have any doubts) and decides to take a much-needed break. Goblin heads to the beach, only to make a horrible discovery: The seashore is the site of the 105th Annual Mermaid Tournament of Awesomeness. Most people think mermaids are amazing, but Goblin begs to differ. Mermaids are loud! They ruin Goblin’s search for inner peace, and the shadows cast by their sand castles keep Goblin from

getting a tan. Forget about snorkeling—an arm-wrestling competition between an octopus and several mermaids makes the experience “less than serene.” Cranky Goblin’s first-person narration is delightfully understated at times. “What was supposed to be a lazy trip down the river turned out to be anything but,” complains Goblin as the mermaids swim by, nearly knocking Goblin off an inner tube and sending our hero down a waterfall. Just as things are looking dangerous, Goblin finds a way to triumph. As with previous installments, Willan has crafted an enticing setting filled with saucer- eyed characters and rendered in a candy-colored palette; big-eared, exasperated Goblin’s particularly endearing, and readers will love spotting the protagonist’s slug sidekick on each page, as well as a crab who’s magically been turned into a taco. Readers will eagerly line up to join these mermaid games. (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Star

Me and Other Bunnies

Willems, Mo | Union Square Kids (32 pp.) $17.99 | Feb. 4, 2025 | 9781454951490

With a perfect (bunny) ear for what kids want, Willems employs his signature style as he encourages readers to forge connections.

Each spread is made up of two pages with different yet equally bright, solidly colored backdrops—a clever way to hint at divisions in our society. The opening pages show a

bunny on the left-facing page and the words “i am ME” on the right. The next spread shows a second bunny, this time on the right-facing page, with the text “you are YOU” on the left. The page turn reveals the two creatures together on the left-facing page, accompanied by the text “we are US.” Each spread thereafter introduces new bunnies on the right-facing page who join the existing characters, affirming a unifying message: “whoa! More US!” While the bunnies do express apprehension about the newcomers, some of whom have obvious different (such as the use of mobility aids or varied fur colors or styles of dress), everyone is welcome. Though this title explores a complex topic—the importance of cultivating bonds even with those who appear different—it’s amazingly attuned to its audience. The text is minimal, but the consistently uncluttered art design makes the message clear. Hinting at P.D. Eastman’s classic Go, Dog. Go! or the busy pages of Richard Scarry’s work, this tale blends whimsy and delight with a thoughtful but never preachy takeaway. Turns “us against them” on its head to celebrate the transformative joy found in diverse communities. (Picture book. 3-7)

Bear Feels Sad

Wilson, Karma | Illus. by Jane Chapman McElderry (40 pp.) | $19.99 | May 6, 2025 9781665936576 | Series: The Bear Books

Friends can brighten one’s disposition. Deep in his lair, Bear’s lonely because no one’s around to play with him. Mouse,

Sure to banish melancholy feelings once and for all.

BEAR FEELS SAD

A child finds creative ways to teach her immigrant parents English.

LITTLE BIRD LAILA

Wren, and Owl are foraging, while Hare’s helping his sister dig weeds. Badger’s fishing, and Gopher and Mole are digging tunnels. Raven, writing poetry, can’t be disturbed. “I’m bored!” sighs Bear. “I don’t want to be alone!” “And the bear feels sad”—a refrain the rhyming text repeats frequently. Bear’s carrot snack isn’t so tasty when there’s no one to share it with. Building a blanket fort passes the time, but it isn’t nearly as much fun on his own. Even the discovery of a field filled with beautiful flowers is cause for unhappiness—his buddies can’t see them. Bear fashions bouquets uniquely suited to each friend. Thinking about his pals gladdens him somewhat, and he heads home. Near his den, Bear hears voices: His friends have returned, bearing gifts for him from their exploits. Raven reads his poem, and Bear distributes his bouquets. Everyone plays and chats. Bear’s mood now? “GLAD!” This sweet tale, expressed in well-constructed verse, makes keen observations about how the warmth of camaraderie can swiftly turn sadness to joy. The sunshine-bright acrylic illustrations, featuring endearing animal characters, will lift readers’ spirits as the kindness of Bear’s companions boosts his own. A read sure to banish melancholy feelings once and for all.

(Picture book. 4-7)

Candle Island

Wolk, Lauren | Dutton (352 pp.)

$18.99 | April 22, 2025 | 9780593698549

In Wolk’s latest, a self-contained girl finds companionship in one of the most notoriously unfriendly of places: a Maine island. Twelve-yearold Lucretia and her mother, both artists, have moved to fictional Candle Island for the isolation; grieving the recent loss of Lucretia’s father and with a big secret to keep, they need to be where, as her mother says, “they’ll let us be who we are.” Lucretia soon draws the ire of prickly Murdock and the tentative friendship of Bastian, her cousin, two townies with secrets of their own. Among the island’s summer people are a nosy art critic and three young sociopaths, who all complicate life for Lucretia and her mother, though in very different ways. At a sentence level, this work glows. Lucretia hears sounds as colors (although synesthesia goes unmentioned), layering them onto her narration the way she applies her oils to canvas. Wolk’s characterization and plotting, however, waver. The children too often speak with a formality that’s not attributable to the late 1960s / early ’70s setting, and Lucretia’s self-possession frequently makes her feel far older than 12. The tense cultural backdrop would be an effective one for the exploration of Wolk’s themes were it not for the three summer kids’ flagrant evil, which leaches the story of its subtlety. Most characters present white.

The exquisite writing can’t compensate for the story’s overwrought elements. (Historical fiction. 10-13)

Little Bird Laila

Yang, Kelly | Illus. by Xindi Yan | Dial Books (40 pp.) | $18.99

April 15, 2025 | 9780593407110

A child of Chinese descent finds creative ways to teach her immigrant parents English. Laila’s Mama and Baba don’t speak or read English. Fortunately, Laila can help. Like a little bird, she whispers translations into their ears. Still, she feels upset when she hears other children mock her parents. Though Laila’s parents want to learn English, classes are expensive. Then, Laila has an idea! She’ll teach them! Admittedly, Laila’s still mystified by some English phrases herself—what does “don’t beat around the bush” even mean? But she’s willing to “spread [her] wings” and attempt to teach “these old birds new tricks.” As her parents do household chores, Laila teaches them the English terms for their activities. They debate the pronunciation of tricky words like ballet , and Laila ambushes Mama and Baba with pop quizzes in bed. Over time, as her parents’ English improves, so does Laila’s Chinese. This exploration of the immigrant experience is notable for its depiction of a kind, diverse community that supports Laila’s family as they develop their language skills. Chinese culture is subtly referenced in ways that will speak to readers who share Laila’s background, while the message of perseverance will speak to all. In Yan’s sunny digital art, characters’ emotions come through clearly through both facial expressions and body language. Speech bubbles include text in simplified Chinese characters and English. An immigrant story imbued with sweetness and hope. (Picture book. 4-8)

For more in the Bear Books series, visit Kirkus online.

Young Adult

LAURA SIMEON

FIVE ESSENTIAL READS FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH

ONCE AGAIN, we enter Black History Month at a pivotal and uncertain time. In our divided society, where misinformation and disinformation proliferate, too few people have a full understanding of the larger forces that have brought us to this point. Although Black history is American history and should be fully integrated into our national narrative as such, a month of paying deep attention to specific events, themes, and concerns is valuable given our reality in which voices from the dominant culture still receive excessive attention. This pause to focus is healing for Black kids, whose communities’ stories and perspectives are too often erased. It’s also enlightening for others, fostering connections among marginalized communities and offering a corrective for young people

who, as eminent Black scholar Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop so astutely observed, “grow up with an exaggerated sense of their own importance and value in the world” because they encounter a disproportionate number of narratives that center people like them. The following books add pieces to the rich mosaic of Black Americans’ lives, both historical and contemporary.

My Fairy God Somebody by Charlene Allen (Harper/ HarperCollins, 2024): A ring from her uncle and the address of a mysterious benefactor in Brooklyn offer clues to a compelling family mystery that’s more complicated than 16-year-old Clae had imagined. Her research (helped by a scholarship to a summer journalism program in New York City) leads to answers that

are entwined with Black history and education.

King: A Life (Young Adult Edition) by Jonathan Eig with Yohuru Williams and Michael G. Long (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Jan. 7): While Martin Luther King Jr.’s name will be familiar to teens, many accounts fail to convey his full humanity or the complexity of his life, leaving him a somewhat flattened figure and diminishing his achievements. This work fills in many gaps, leaving readers with a more nuanced awareness.

Knucklehead: Poems by Tony Keith Jr., illustrated by Julian Adon Alexander (Quill Tree Books/HarperCollins, Feb. 25): A gay Black spoken-word poet and educator guides and comforts readers, offering solace to those moving through a world that’s “afraid to recognize that the size of your body / and the width, depth, girth, length, / and strength of your tongue / ain’t something God made to threaten anyone.”

The Davenports: More Than This by Krystal Marquis (Dial Books, 2024): This sequel

reunites readers with an ensemble cast of characters living in pre–World War I Chicago’s Black high society and navigating family, politics, business—and romance. Readers who enjoy well-drawn character-driven stories will appreciate the interpersonal dramas taking place against a backdrop of bigger societal changes affecting their community.

The Swans of Harlem (Adapted for Young Adults): Five Black Ballerinas, a Legacy of Sisterhood, and Their Reclamation of a Groundbreaking History by Karen Valby (Delacorte, Jan. 14): While the Dance Theater of Harlem is legendary, the achievements of some of its early members have been overlooked. This thorough and accessible work, which will appeal to dancers and nondancers alike, explores the intense and exclusionary world of professional ballet and the profound impact of DTH founder Arthur Mitchell and his dancers.

Laura Simeon is a young readers’ editor.

Illustration by Eric Scott Anderson

EDITOR’S PICK

A skateboarder in Limerick contends with his long-absent mother’s return to town with her new partner and young daughter. The narrative moves between present and past, punctuated by entries from the Gone Book, the secret journal 15-year-old Matt Lynch kept for five years: “Today in school we made Mothers Day cards and they all looked at me… Johnny Tolan even laughed…They never looked at Tara Hayes and her Mam is dead. So it’s ok to be dead is it? Dead is better than gone? ” The tension-filled scenes between Matt’s tightly controlled father, a former alcoholic who attends

Alcoholics Anonymous and runs marathons, and his older brother, Jamie, who’s gone from excelling at school to spiraling into disordered alcohol and drug use, have a visceral charge, always threatening to veer into violence.

Matt’s relationship with his best friend, Mikey Chung, who’s Chinese Irish (and subtly cued as biracial), has also become strained. Matt, who presents white, has found an escape in skateboarding and has lost a lot of weight; his unkind frustration with Mikey, whom he frequently describes as “fat,” is ongoing. Polish immigrant Anna Novak, a fellow

The Gone Book

skater for whom Matt is clearly falling, is struggling with her mother’s health issues. This tinderbox is ignited by Matt’s mam’s return; her apparent desire to be part of her sons’ lives again seems destined for tragedy. This taut,

emotionally authentic story told from Matt’s naturally flowing first-person perspective features raw, sometimes uncomfortable, language and complex characterization and offers no easy answers. Powerful. (Fiction. 14-18)

Debut author Baker evokes dystopian despair reminiscent of classic titles.

CALM

Kirkus Star

The Corruption of Hollis Brown

Ancrum, K. | Harper/HarperCollins (384 pp.)

$19.99 | April 22, 2025 | 9780063285835

A boy falls in love with the ghost that’s possessing him. Lonely high school senior Hollis Brown feels trapped. He has two close friends, Annie Watanabe and Yulia Ambibola, but his rural town is similar to many others—a dark, forgotten American dreamscape, devoid of industry and government investment. No one can afford to leave, but staying is slowly killing them. Hollis anticipates factory or construction work will be in his future, but near the woods he meets Walt, a strange teenage boy, who like Hollis presents white. In exchange for food and shelter, Walt will help Hollis get his life on track. Walt possesses Hollis’ body but allows him space inside their shared mind. Some of the small changes Walt makes do indeed make Hollis’s life better, but it quickly becomes clear that Walt has violent secrets and unfinished business. Nevertheless, the two fall for each other and begin to work to free Walt. But as their bond grows stronger, Hollis’ friends become suspicious of his strangely distracted behavior and “weirdly happy” mood, and the pair must figure out how to preserve their relationship. Ancrum’s tight writing style is perfect for this gritty thriller: simultaneously clipped and lyrical. Both boys are flawed and broken, but their caring connection for each other and themselves is beautiful. The novel’s rich tenderness

for the town, its residents, and their ghosts makes it a must-read. Queer resilience at its finest. (recipe resources) (Romantic thriller. 14-18)

older man observes that “life free of the calmasprings has its drawbacks.” Although using the drug means experiencing “no passion, no joy, no delight,” it also results in “no hate, no anger.…No fear of difference.” In her page-turner, debut author Baker evokes dystopian despair reminiscent of classic titles. Morally ambiguous characters give the story depth; readers will not know whom to trust.

A gripping examination of our human need to feel. (discussion questions) (Dystopian. 12-17)

What Comes After

Bayerl, Katie | Nancy Paulsen Books (416 pp.) $20.00 | April 29, 2025 | 9780399545283

Baker, S.J. | Neem Tree Press (384 pp.) $14.95 paper | April 22, 2025 | 9781911107934

In a near-future Britain, a drug flows through the water supply, keeping people passive and emotionless. The calmadrug, administered by the Servants via calmasprings to keep the populace docile, doesn’t work on everyone. The immune are called Resistors; Abstainers are those who choose to avoid it. Like many others whose parents died during the societal collapse called the Great Calm, 16-year-old Resistor Owyn Caldwell lives in a state residential school. Warned by a teacher that he’s in danger when the calmadrug stops working on him, Owyn goes on the run. Meanwhile, 14-year-old Tiegan Archer and her 8-year-old brother, Joel, who are white, witness their Resistor parents’ abductions by the Servants. After being sheltered by neighbor Mr. Khan, they flee too, hiding in safe houses and trusting precious few adults. The journey is dangerous, but there are rumors of Resistor strongholds in the north, and eventually the three young people’s paths cross. Still, going unnoticed in a society of the emotionless presents unique challenges. After Owyn, who’s Black, experiences racism for the first time, an

A teenage girl who’s used to fending for herself dies on her way to the SATs and realizes that her life has only just begun. Mari Novak can’t remember a thing about how she died. She’s landed in a nondenominational purgatory called Paradise Gate, where she’s tasked with resolving her unfinished business before she can “ascend” to whatever lies beyond. Unfortunately, Mari’s sharing an apartment with her unfinished business: her flighty mother, Faye, who predeceased her by only a few weeks. There’s a lot about Paradise Gate that seems off—it’s packed with influenceresque “soul models,” who are trying to get fast-tracked to ascension, and Mari has to pay rent with the points she earns by doing homework assignments—but she’s determined to keep her head down and move on as quickly as possible. That’s easier said than done, however, as she struggles to confront the truth of her death and the deep pain she and Faye caused each other in life. Mari’s tentative romance with loner Jethro is less compelling than the thorny motherdaughter dynamic and accompanying slow road to forgiveness that give the narrative most of its heft. Everything wraps up a little hastily, but the twin

Kirkus Star Calm

mysteries of Mari’s death and the truth of Paradise Gate will keep readers invested. Faye and Jethro are implied white; Mari, who knows nothing about her father, is racially ambiguous. An intriguing examination of the things that keep us trapped—postmortem or otherwise. (Fiction. 13-17)

Lovely Dark and Deep

Bonnin, Elisa A. | Feiwel & Friends (400 pp.)

$20.99 | March 25, 2025 | 9781250888570

A senior must discover the truth behind dark magic afflicting her magic academy. Born with magic into a non-magical family, Faith Castillo found comfort in attending the Ellery Academy of Magic, West Campus, in Washington’s San Juan Islands. That is, until she and best friend Sydney entered the forbidden forest during junior year, and only Faith made it out alive. As punishment, Faith is placed on probation and given a curfew, becoming a social pariah. Close to being expelled and losing her magic, Faith is desperate to lie low until graduation. She’s plagued by nightmares about Sydney and the forest—and when the nightmares become a reality and other students get hurt, she realizes the forest isn’t done with her yet. Along with her fellow Red Stripes—so called for the red edging on their school blazers that marks them as the probationary class—Faith investigates the dangerous forces at work while trying not to get expelled. While dark academia at its core, this thrilling contemporary fantasy balances the darkness with a charming group of misfits who form a found family. Flashbacks from Faith and Sydney’s friendship provide further context about their relationship, the fatal incident, and Faith’s emotions. While the pacing is sometimes uneven, the characters’ growth and development are exceptional. Filipino immigrant Faith struggles with her sexual orientation; the other Red

Stripes are diverse in race, sexuality, gender identity, and neurodiversity. Dark and thrilling, yet lovely and endearing. (Fantasy. 14-18)

Give Up the Night

Cast, P.C. & Kristin Cast | Wednesday Books (304 pp.) | $20.00 | April 1, 2025 9781250865182 | Series: Moonstruck, 2

Picking up where she left off in Draw Down the Moon (2024), Wren sets off on a quest with two friends, trying to prove her innocence and reveal the true source of evil on Moon Isle.

On the same night her best friend was killed, Wren Nightingale barely escaped Academia de la Luna with her faithful Air Elemental. She was accused of being changed by “evil Magicks,” and now she’s deemed a traitor and a murderer by Celeste, the Lunar Council’s manipulative leader. Worse, Lee Young, her most trusted friend and the boy she loves, is standing with Celeste. Wren embarks on a journey through the Realm of Elementals with her friends, Lily Weatherford (a wealthy Leo moon whose power lies in understanding and shaping others’ emotions) and Ruby Nakamura (a nonbinary Scorpio moon who’s “super strong” and “super fast”), along with her Elemental, Viento, who’s tried to protect her since her first day on Moon Isle. Wren’s friends’ belief in and willingness to help her, despite rumors spread by those in power, ground the book’s themes of loyalty and standing up against evil. Told in Wren’s and Lee’s alternating first-person points of view, this slow-moving story with limited emotional depth and an incomplete ending takes the form of an archetypal hero’s journey, with plenty of obstacles and several unexpected helpers. The earlier volume established Wren as white and Lee as Black.

A creative but meandering duology closer that leaves too many loose ends. (Fantasy. 12-18)

Wish Upon a K-Star

Cho, Kat | Disney-Hyperion (336 pp.)

$18.99 | April 29, 2025 | 9781368103015

A former K-pop star seeking a fresh start in the K-drama world gets involved in a fake relationship with a fellow celebrity in order to help both their careers.

Shin Hyeri is a Korean American actor living in Seoul whose star is on the rise, although online she’s been dubbed the “scandal princess” due to the rumors swirling around her (including that she bullied a fellow member of her former band, Hellowglow). Her relationship with her mother, who “loves having famous kids,” is difficult, adding to her stress. But a backstage encounter with K-pop boy-band sensation Moon “Moonster” Minseok ends up turning him and Hyeri into more tabloid fodder. To save her career, Hyeri must do what she hates most: lie. She enters a fake-dating scheme with Moonster, whose own band, WDB, is struggling with a dating scandal. Soon Hyeri finds their complicated history and feelings hard to ignore—and she wrestles with her attitude toward an industry that loves a good story, even if it’s false. This entertaining novel calls out gender double standards and the brutality of critical anti-fans, highlighting the less glamorous sides of the K-pop world. Interspersed amid the prose, readers will find celebrity profiles, news articles, and a transcript of video footage, all of which enrich the narrative. Even though the romance doesn’t deliver when it comes to chemistry, Hyeri is a charming and relatable lead, and her journey is thoroughly enjoyable. An entertaining peek behind the scenes of Korean pop culture. (Romance. 13-18)

For another Korean entertainment world story, visit Kirkus online.

All the Noise at Once

Davis, DeAndra | Atheneum (384 pp.)

$19.99 | April 15, 2025 | 9781665952651

An autistic Black teen in Florida battles on and off the field to define his own destiny and come to his brother’s aid.

Sixteen-year-old Aiden Wright wants to play football with his older brother during their last school year together before Brandon goes to college. But sensory stress during Aiden’s team tryout leads to a meltdown, and he’s only invited to play when two other athletes leave. Meanwhile, Aiden is placed in a life skills class that’s typically reserved for kids who have challenges. There he’s partnered for a project involving getting a part-time job with friendly new girl Isabella, who got in trouble at her old school. When a teammate who’s long been cruel to Aiden because of his autism instigates a fight that escalates, Aiden becomes a victim of police violence. Brandon intervenes, trying to protect him, and is arrested and charged with assaulting an officer. Now Aiden battles complicated team dynamics while he tries to get Brandon exonerated. Aiden is a nuanced character with a well-developed inner life. The brothers’ realistically drawn relationship is both flawed and vulnerable, showing the different facets of their personalities. The coaches and about half the football players are white, and the Wrights live in a wealthy, predominantly white area of town; Davis’ debut explores the intersections of race and socioeconomic differences.

An atmospheric gridiron tale that highlights the complexities of team sports, friendship, and bias. (Fiction. 14-18)

Home and Away: Poetry, Stories & Art

Ed. by Friedman, Amy | Out of the Woods Press (256 pp.) | $21.95 paper April 8, 2025 | 9781952197161

An anthology of poems, essays, and illustrations by young people (and some adults) explores themes of growing up, family, and dreaming of brighter futures. Divided into 12 thematic chapters, the work’s varied contents—from photographs to acrostic poems—showcase the nearly 100 different creators’ emotional and intimate deep dives into their motivations, hopes, and goals. A common theme running through their work is the experience of being affected by the U.S. carceral system; all the contributors participated in clubs run by a nonprofit dedicated to supporting teens whose lives have been touched by “incarceration, detention, and deportation.” The individual sections vary in length and the selections feel inconsistently curated, however. Some of the work feels especially inorganic: It’s clear that these writers have been given specific “prompts designed to lead them to their truths” while other pieces provide broader and more insightful context for the creators’ lives. It’s gratifying to see multiple pieces by the same creators appear, highlighting their introspection and providing a roundness to their contributions that would not be

In this truly refreshing read, each story delivers on its titular promise.

FIRST

TIMES

present if readers had only one opportunity to interact with their works. The poetry of Genalyn Guerrero, from Venice High School in Los Angeles, is particularly strong and threads throughout the text in a way that allows readers to feel they are following the writer’s journey.

A positive if uneven effort to boost complex stories through diverse media. (editor’s note, contributor bios) (Anthology. 14-18)

Kirkus Star

First Times: Short Stories About Sex

Ed. by Glorieux, Karine | Trans. by Shelley Tanaka | Groundwood (176 pp.) | $18.99 paper | April 1, 2025 | 9781779460349

As this collection of nine Canadian stories translated from French clearly shows, the awkwardness of sexual exploration is frequently comical and, at the same time, complicated.

There are few moments in one’s life that imprint as deeply as one’s first sexual experience—and these fictional reflections are often funny, sometimes traumatic, and almost always memorable. Not every first time involves another person: In “The Great Fat Bird Migration” by Olivier Semard, the family shower is designated as his “Masturbodrome.” The narrator of Schelby Jean-Baptiste’s story, who’s Québécoise and of Haitian descent, tries to have her first orgasm in a Christian home where privacy is nearly nonexistent. She gives her pleasure zone the nickname “Chouchounette.” In “Hugo Nguyen,” Edith Chouinard’s 17-year-old protagonist, Nadine, is so nervous that she readies herself for the big event with self-motivational talk: “And tonight I need to feel brave.…Tonight I’m going to have sex for the first time.” The collection’s standout story, “This Ain’t Your Grandpa’s Pipe” by Nicolas Michon,

features a hilarious and graphic play-byplay as 16-year-old Jung-Woo gives his first blow job to a boy from school. This entry is a reminder that self-doubt can lurk even when all you want is to be sexy: “Why did I say that? What’s the matter with me? Maybe he was just trying to tell me to keep going?” In this truly refreshing and worthwhile read, each story delivers on its titular promise: exploring the first time I did that A must-have, a must-read. (Anthology. 16-adult)

The Notorious Virtues

Hamilton, Alwyn | Viking (512 pp.)

$21.99 | April 1, 2025 | 9780451479662

The magic flows as easily as the champagne as cousins strive to best one another to earn the title of Holtzfall Heiress by winning the sometimes-deadly Veritaz Trials.

When Verity Holtzfall turns up dead—and her bodyguard knight, Alaric Rydder, is missing—everyone in Walstad knows that a new heiress must be chosen according to the centuries-old Veritaz, which tests the virtues of eligible candidates. Along with teenage cousins Nora (Verity’s daughter), Modesty, Constance, and Clemency, a fifth cousin, Lotte, appears, released from the convent where she’s been living, until recently unaware of her Holtzfall bloodline. The trials are always different, testing “bravery, or honesty, or temperance, or any of a dozen other virtues” in unexpected ways. The winner receives all the entrants’ magic. In Walstad, a society whose worldbuilding features Scandinavian cultural influences, the self-congratulatory upper crust lives in luxury, while activists called Grims agitate for reform. This sprawling story’s multiple narrators never lose their footing, even as they race along the twisty pathways of forbidden love and shocking alliances and reveals. Darkhaired Nora’s father was a “desert-born” Mirajin; references to his Arab-coded

culture evoke some Orientalist tropes. Other major characters read white. The cliffhanger conclusion of this riveting series opener that explores themes of trust and growth will leave readers eager for the next installment. Strong young women lead in this atmospheric tale that’s oozing with magic, secrets, and temptation. (family tree) (Fantasy thriller. 14-18)

Nahia

Jones, Emily | Holiday House (304 pp.) $18.99 | April 15, 2025 | 9780823458356

In a world inspired by prehistoric Europe, a teen girl is stripped of her status when she insists that her people must change their traditions in order to survive.

Nahia, who’s proud of her “first daughter” status in the Sea People’s matriarchal culture, struggles to remain silent as food grows scarce and people repeat tales of violent bands of strangers. Despite her twin sister Izara’s pleas, Nahia questions their mother the headwoman’s leadership and is sent to live with shaman Eneko on the camp’s fringes. Heartbroken Nahia grows to admire Eneko and travels with him to his home in a mountain valley. Eneko and Hodei, a woman shaman from the Salamander People, teach Nahia to use vision-inducing plants. When one of her visions reveals that the Sea People may have been taken by marauders, Nahia knows she must return to the coast even though she’ll desperately miss Eneko. But upon finding her band, Nahia is astonished to discover her sister is happy living among the agricultural invaders, and she must reassess her judgment of what’s best for the Sea People’s survival. Archaeologist Jones’ fiction debut incorporates details about the material culture and practices of the peoples of the European Mesolithic–Neolithic transition. Nahia’s first-person narration brings immediacy to the narrative although some dialogue feels

calculated to educate readers, slowing the pace. Nahia’s people typically have brown skin, blue eyes, and dark hair. An interesting story unfolding in an unusual setting. (family tree, historical notes) (Fiction. 13-18)

Under the Fading Sky

Kadohata, Cynthia | Caitlyn Dlouhy/ Atheneum (352 pp.) | $19.99 April 22, 2025 | 9781534482395

An unflinching account of a teenager’s descent into drug addiction. Elijah Jensen, who’s Japanese and white and identifies as hapa, is a stellar older brother and an award-winning history buff who’s obsessed with mountain biking. His sunny California existence is pretty tranquil, and he’s on track for success, but everything changes once he becomes friends with Lee Young Fang, proficient mountain biker and “the smartest kid at the high school”—Richard Feynman is his hero. Elijah is in awe of Lee; they bond over commonalities, including being the sons of Asian moms who place intense pressure on them to excel. When Lee breaks his leg while doing a trick on his bike in a rural area with no cell service, Elijah runs for help and finds classmate Banker, an older kid who has a bad reputation at school. Elijah picks up the vape pen that falls out of Banker’s pocket when he’s helping Lee and later takes a puff—the proverbial gateway drug. It’s a pivotal moment in the narrative; soon after, both Elijah’s and Lee’s lives spiral terribly out of control under the influence of Banker. Kadohata writes the intimate moments of friendship between Lee and Elijah with sensitivity and critiques the toll the pursuit of perfection takes on young people. Unfortunately, many passages that follow Elijah’s spinning thoughts fail to move the story forward and require patience from readers. An unevenly paced work that’s harrowing, relentless, and so very heartbreaking. (Fiction. 14-18)

THE KIRKUS Q&A: LIBBA BRAY

The bestselling YA novelist talks about truth, change, and the power of stories.

BY LAURA SIMEON

LIBBA BRAY, THE BESTSELLING, award-winning author of many utterly original YA novels, returns this month with Under the Same Stars , a devastating yet empowering tale of young people navigating life in Germany during World War II, West Berlin during the Cold War, and New York City during the Covid-19 lockdowns. The three storylines (interspersed with fairy tales about a hare and a deer) intertwine around a central mystery that’s connected to the Bridegroom’s Oak, a real tree in Germany whose knothole has long been used by people seeking love to exchange letters. Bray explores evergreen themes of trust and betrayal, oppression and rebellion, and grace and redemption in this powerful tale that transcends time but is deeply rooted in its well-realized settings. Bray spoke with us over the phone from her home in Brooklyn; the conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

We were isolated and so desperate for connection. That brought some things into sharp relief.

The heart of Stars feels universal and timeless; how did you choose its specific time periods and locales?

[Editor] Grace Kendall sent me this article from The Atlantic about the Bridegroom’s Oak, which I’d never heard of before. I thought, This is fascinating, there’s this analog Tinder that has existed for quite some time. This reads like a fairy tale, but it’s real. Because it was in the Dodauer Forest in northern Germany, I immediately went to What happened during the war? What if the resistance was

using it to move documents or send coded messages? And then, because we were in 2020, and we’d had four years of Trump, I’d been thinking about fascism and authoritarianism. I leapt forward and thought about divided Berlin—we’ve got this other form of authoritarianism with the Stasi. I knew that I wanted there to be connections between these stories, so where does that timeline lead? That brought me to the present: We were living through Covid-19, and the world was still, and yet so frantic at the same time.

How did you track everything as you wrote? All the moving parts meshed so beautifully! Well, first of all, I love to hear that it all came together, because I am so free-range. I refer to my ADHD mind as “the symphonic mind”; it makes it sound prettier. But linear thought escapes me. [Even with] the Diviners, which was this sprawling four-book series, I could not do an outline. I had to write my way through. But with this one, because I knew that there needed to be these connections, I did a 25,000-word synopsis; I told myself the story. I always quote that e.e. cummings poem: “since feeling is first / who pays

any attention / to the syntax of things.” That’s very much the way that I write: What’s going on emotionally in the lives of these characters? There was a lot of cleanup, because I don’t write sequentially—it’s just a big old junk drawer, and then I have to stitch it together. It was a lot of trial and error—and I was lucky to have a terrific editor in Grace and assistant editor in Asia Harden, which helped tremendously.

I’m sure there were many rounds of revision!

Oh my gosh. And I love revision—to me, that’s when it really starts to cook. But yes, revision upon revision upon revision.

When I was a school librarian, I loved asking visiting authors how many revisions they did on each

Simon Joseph

book. It blew the kids’ minds! I remember that so vividly when I was a young writer. Like, What do you mean, “do it over”? You see, I wrote THE END! It really is one of those things that one learns as one goes: Here we go! Time to make the donuts!

Did you have a certain sort of reader in mind as you were writing?

I don’t generally think about a particular reader. I’m always questioning myself; it’s about hoping to make connections, wanting to bring history to life and show that it ripples.

Barbara Kingsolver said: “Close the door. Write with nobody looking over your shoulder. Don’t try to figure out what other people want to hear from you.” That holds true for me. I’m always trying to dig and find who these characters are, and I hope, view them with all the lovely little complications that make us human. I’m not thinking about trying to appeal to someone; I’m thinking about trying to share with someone and also reveal [things] for myself. I interrogate myself: What are the myths that I’ve wanted to buy into? When have I chosen comfort and complacency over having to make a choice that might make me less comfortable? Honestly, the more I get into something, the more I realize I don’t know.

Stars encourages readers to consider the bigger arc of history and how any one person can have a positive impact.

I have a dodgy relationship with the word hope, because it can be a

bromide, and it can be toothless. The best kind of hope is the kind that’s combined with action, and that is, to me, about a sense of faith in something better that you’re willing to work for, even if you yourself may not see that day. We’re having to fight against nihilism and cynicism. Especially young

people who, I think, often have a certain kind of optimism—it can feel overwhelming. You look at everything and think, I am one tiny person, and it’s easy to shut down. Find something good you can do—sometimes that’s as simple as helping someone who’s struggling with their groceries, and sometimes

I have a dodgy relationship with the word hope, because it can be a bromide.

Under the Same Stars Bray, Libba Farrar, Straus and Giroux | 480

it’s volunteering at Planned Parenthood. It’s anything that reinforces not tribalism but human connection.

I appreciate how you highlight the power of stories for both good and bad. We Americans seem very invested in this idea of the shining city on the hill, to the point of creating our own mythology. It’s not that other nations haven’t done this, but I think about the difference between story as a means of denial—and sometimes collective delusion to keep us in a place of comfort rather than change—and story as a means of pulling us toward hope, of being able to give us truth that might be hard in a way that allows us to sit with it. That was also one of the reasons I wanted to bring in fairy tales. We give children fairy tales so that we can prepare them for some of life’s harsher, darker truths. But they also give children the means to recognize, fight, and defeat the monster— and usually that’s the monster within. Story can be propagandized, obviously—Hitler did it, Donald Trump is a master at it; but there has to be a willing audience that wants to identify with the aggressor. Fiction allows one to enter into an almost sacred space, in the same way that you can sit in a church or something and feel away from the world. Stories offer us that sacred, safe place in which to wrestle with truths and start asking ourselves questions. I would say stories are how we human.

Swoony Reads for Valentine’s Day

By Marie Arnold

Kristy Boyce

Adiba Jaigirdar

By Vanessa L. Torres

By Gloria Chao

You Belong to Me

Krischer, Hayley | Putnam (320 pp.)

$19.99 | April 15, 2025 | 9780593698389

Girls like Bean don’t get invited to Deep gatherings.

Faculty kid Frances Bean Ellis stands out from the crowd at her elite Manhattanarea private high school, Talentum. Bean is shocked when she’s invited to an event put on by Deep, a global wellness company run by the mother of her crush, Julia Patterson. This party, for Deep’s Femme line for girls, is exclusive and secretive, requiring attendees to wear all white—a drastic change for Bean, who prefers a Victorian goth look. But Bean yearns to spend time with Julia, so she accepts. The gatherings allow Bean to step into the world of Deep, immersing herself in subjects like spiritual emanation, clean skin care products, and life force energy. But is everything really as holistic and wonderful as it appears on Instagram? What secrets are hidden in the depths of the Pattersons’ mansion? Intrigue abounds in this story that’s full of thrills and atmosphere—the Deep parties feel ethereal and mystical. Bean’s character arc stands out: from her painfully insecure attempts at asserting individualism at the beginning of the novel, she eventually finds new confidence in herself. Unfortunately, the romance that develops between Bean and Julia is disappointingly shallow, and lackluster prose holds back the otherwise interesting story. Bean and Julia present white. A dizzying if unevenly developed trip into the depths of wellness culture. (Fiction. 14-18)

Discussions of generational violence add a grim reality to the fantastical plot.

THE COVEN TENDENCY

Murder Between Friends

Lawson, Liz | Delacorte (384 pp.)

$19.99 | April 22, 2025 | 9780593301036

The Coven Tendency

Mikuta, Zoe Hana | Disney-Hyperion (384 pp.) $18.99 | April 1, 2025 | 9781368099196

For another elite private school drama, visit Kirkus online.

Former friends reunite to exonerate a convicted murderer.

Two years ago, Grace Topham testified that she saw Jake Hanson going into high school English teacher Miriam Appelbaum’s backyard the night Ms. Appelbaum was killed. The person she saw was wearing Jake’s unusually decorated jean jacket, but now Grace is wondering whether she might have made a mistake. Jake has just been released from prison on a technicality, and the prospect of another trial looms. Grace approaches her former best friends, Ally Copeland and Henry Hanson (Jake’s brother), both of whom have shunned her since she told the police about seeing Jake. The three of them form an uneasy alliance as they try to figure out who the real culprit is. Ally wants to be a journalist like her late father, who was killed in a car accident two months before Ms. Appelbaum’s murder, and her investigative skills help the trio uncover other crimes at school and in their community before the final, shocking reveal. Lawson’s latest, which is as much about the friendship dynamics among Ally, Grace, and Henry as it is a whodunit, will keep teen mystery fans up into the wee hours, eager to see how the various threads come together. Central characters present white.

A twisty and fast-paced mystery. (Mystery. 12-18)

A lonely teen witch longs for true connection. For the witches kept like zoo animals in the Museum, on display for the City tourists who can afford entry to the lavish weekly Parties, life feels hopeless. Monroe Athalia, the Museum’s Curator, owns three witch families—the Adamses, the Kims, and the Raos. The adults are Spectacles, performing rites for patrons. Meanwhile, their children’s magical powers are stripped away by the Machine to avoid any dangerous mishaps due to their unbalanced teenage natures. Other witches are taken to the Sanatorium, where they’re kept comatose—their magic harvested to make the drug World, which is popular in the City, a setting with a European feeling. Despite a ban on fraternizing, Vanity Adams spends her days seeking Ellis Kim and Clover Rao, the other young witches, commiserating over each failure with her vicious twin sister, Ro. When Vanity and Ellis finally do connect, Vanity’s reality spirals in terrifying ways. The story’s time skips and Vanity’s rambling narration make for a difficult reading experience that requires readers to suspend disbelief; however, Vanity’s sense of self and her dramatic depiction of love and toxic relationships are multifaceted and grounding. Similarly, the discussions of drugs, addiction, death, and generational cycles of violence add a grim reality to the fantastical plot. Monroe and Vanity are from the country of Miyeon, which reads

fantasy–East Asian; biracial Vanity is half Clara (fantasy-white). Ellis and Clover are cued fantasy-Asian. A disturbingly compelling fever dream. (content warning) (Fantasy. 14-18)

Pride or Die

Montblanc, CL | Wednesday Books (336 pp.) $20.00 | April 15, 2025 | 9781250340474

Eleanora Finkel has only one goal for her senior year at Hillview High: save the LGBTQ+ Club. Unfortunately, the attempted murder of head cheerleader and supreme bully Kenley Stevens completely derails Eleanora’s plans. When the four diverse members of the LGBTQ+ Club—Eleanora, Tyler Fuentes, Salim Ali, and Noah King—discover Kenley, lying bloody and unconscious in a hallway, their bigoted principal is all too happy to ban the tiny club and put the students on academic probation. With all eyes on Eleanora and her fellow queers as the main suspects, it’s up to the club members to solve the mystery on their own—regardless of the danger. This dark and comedic mystery by debut author Montblanc deftly explores the gray areas between right and wrong, successfully addressing the complexity of people’s characters. However, readers will wish for more detailed backstories for and a deeper focus on the four leads, and most of the adults display a staggering ineptitude that’s frequently used as a convenient plot device. These elements may at times take readers out of the story, but the fast-paced plot and delicious mystery more than carry the narrative. A delicate queer romance that slowly blossoms throughout the story is the icing on the cake.

A solid and overall engaging queer not-so-murder mystery with a touch of humor and a splash of romance. (Mystery. 14-18)

The Kiss Bet: Volume 1 Ochoa, Ingrid | WEBTOON Unscrolled (288 pp.) | $18.99 paper | Feb. 25, 2025 9781998341146 | Series: The Kiss Bet, 1

A boy dares his friend to kiss a stranger—and it leads somewhere interesting.

Rosy-cheeked, redheaded Sara Lin’s 18th birthday comes with a bet: Since she’s never been kissed, Patrick, one of her best friends, dares her to kiss a stranger they see on the subway. The guy is cute, with a shock of blond hair, but he rejects her, calling her a weirdo. That was embarrassing enough, but Sara Lin later sees him entering her apartment building, and because she’s failing calculus, her teacher arranges for a student to tutor her—and it’s Oliver Yang, the guy who rejected her. At least he doesn’t seem to recognize her, which makes the situation a tiny bit less mortifying. It’s not like she’s into him, anyway; Sara Lin likes new classmate Joe, enough that she agrees to more bets in order to get closer to him. As the bets pile up, Sara Lin has to face the boys in her life and all the things they’re keeping from her. With humor and lively banter, these believable teens navigate their emotions with authenticity. This graphic novel is illustrated in a soft color palette using a style that’s both adorable and expressive, at times making characters resemble emojis. Sara Lin is an extremely likable main character, and the ending will leave readers excited for Volume 2. The ethnically ambiguous characters, most of whom are light-skinned, live in an unspecified urban setting. Sweet and engaging. (Graphic romance. 12-18)

Strange Bedfellows

Ries, Ariel Slamet | HarperAlley (288 pp.) | $18.99 paper March 4, 2025 | 9780063158085

On the interstellar settlement of Pangaea Ultima, trans first-year university student Oberon Afolayan is taking a leave of absence after a debilitating panic attack. Oberon avoids friends and treads lightly with family, anxious about disappointing them further, especially as the only one of his siblings who seemingly isn’t a Ghost. Old crush Kon appears—first in Oberon’s dreams and then in the waking world along with other dream creatures—and reveals that Oberon has developed the power to manifest dreams. He offers to help Oberon learn to control his abilities, get his life back in order, and avoid the Ghost Authority, a government entity that surveils Ghosts with extraordinary capabilities. Initially overwhelmed, Oberon becomes comfortable controlling his manifestations and spending time with Kon, who also maneuvers him to reconnect with friends. But Oberon worries about his growing affection for Kon; intellectually, he believes Kon to be a false apparition born from his subconscious feelings and insecurities. When Oberon’s powers seemingly grow beyond his control, the truth about Kon threatens to break the feelings between them. Ries’ narrative, which relies on readers to interpret contextual clues, weaves in literary references and science-fiction lore. The work features stunningly surreal illustrations and explores forgiveness, love, and family in a futuristic, racially and culturally diverse world that’s body positive and inclusive of queer folks. Oberon is

Believable teens navigate their emotions with authenticity.

THE KISS BET

cued as having Javanese Indonesian and Nigerian heritage. Dreamy. (Graphic science fiction. 13-18)

Madame Eldridge’s Wayward Home for Unruly Boys

Ryan, Benjamin | Conquest Publishing (330 pp.) | $17.99 paper March 18, 2025 | 9781962739405

A rehab program takes sinister twists for 10 temporary residents with supposed behavioral problems. Consigned to the titular Victorianstyle mansion (which is “wayward” in no known sense of the term) by his parents for falsely accusing them of being abusive, Elliot is immediately redubbed “Fibbsy” by its enigmatic, extravagantly costumed headmistress, Fighteria Eldridge, who, confusingly, “gave the impression she always knew more than one ever assumed she did.” White-presenting Fibbsy is surrounded by a racially diverse group of fellow renamed miscreants, like Slob, who’s repeatedly described as “chubby,” and Cheater, who has dyslexia (“The stereotype of Asians being booksmart was prevalent, but Cheater always dismantled that typecast”). The boys soon uncover numerous dark secrets about both the house and its owner while undertaking a regimen of quirky team-building exercises and being attacked by a violent apparition capable of “draining the very essence from their bones.” Most of the mysteries are left unsolved, and though the teens do bond at last, contradictory evidence at different points confusingly suggests that the exercises are designed to control, totally suppress, or conversely enhance their antisocial tendencies. Mystified readers will be left wondering what they missed in this wandering plotline that’s replete with absurd, illogical turns and maladroit prose (“His heavy Brooklyn accent reiterated he was tough”). A bewildering, half-baked, thoroughly insensitive mess. (Fantasy. 12-14)

A gentle friends-to-lovers romance.

MEET ME AT BLUE HOUR

How To Tell a True Story

Springstubb, Tricia | Margaret Ferguson/ Holiday House (304 pp.) | $17.99 April 1, 2025 | 9780823458486

A middle schooler survives a house fire but struggles in the aftermath. Amber Price loves her older brother, Gage, even though he’s growing apart from her and keeps getting into trouble. Her dad’s anger over Gage’s behavior “is a rolling snowball” that affects the whole family, however. After a fire destroys their house, the stress amplifies the Prices’ lack of unity; Amber’s parents subsequently separate. The only silver lining is Gage, who rescued Amber from the fire. A middle school club hosts a fundraiser to help the family, focusing particularly on shy Gage’s heroism. Amber, who feels “basically invisible,” benefits socially from the attention. She also hopes that the fundraiser might bring her family back together, but she’s shocked to make a terrible discovery that could cost her the respect of her classmates. In this third-person narrative, Amber’s voice reads mature yet authentic for her age, the dialogue is natural-sounding, and the figurative language enhances the literary tone. The foreshadowing lessens the shock value of the big reveal, but the gradual unfolding of the truth works well in the story. Messages of care and empathy permeate the work even as Amber connects with other students whose struggles remain invisible to others: “Kindness is a gift…Everybody deserves it, no matter what.” Most characters read white.

A sincere and humane narrative that probes human complexity. (Fiction. 12-14)

Night Swimming

Starmer, Aaron | Penguin Workshop (240 pp.)

$18.99 | April 29, 2025 | 9780525555643

Summer adventures lead a group of teens to a liminal space in the woods.

It’s 1994, and Trevor and Sarah have just finished their last high school classes.

One muggy June evening, Sarah drags Trevor away from a party and cajoles him into sneaking a swim in a neighbor’s pool. Over the course of the summer, they become determined to swim in every pool in their small hometown of Sutton. Their friends find out and join them, but before long, they’re caught by a homeowner, a purple-haired woman in her 50s. Instead of admonishing them, she suggests they complete their list by swimming in a natural pool in the woods that none of them has heard of. At first, the swimming hole seems magical, but the friends realize that something is amiss—it feels like they’ve either been there for ages, or no time has passed at all. Will they ever be able to leave the forest, and do they even want to? Starmer’s writing is beautifully lyrical, creating an atmospheric tone and weaving a nontraditional comingof-age story about self, friendship, and first love. The dual narrative structure proves utterly absorbing: The main narrative is punctuated by single-page interludes from an unidentified narrator who tells an urgent tale of escape, printed in white type on a black background. While the bulk of the novel flows languidly, the last few chapters feel hurried, and the story concludes abruptly. Central characters present white.

An evocative and otherworldly tale. (Speculative fiction. 13-18)

Meet Me at Blue Hour

Suk, Sarah | Quill Tree Books/ HarperCollins (288 pp.) | $19.99

April 1, 2025 | 9780063255180

In a world where memory tampering is possible, two Korean Canadian teens deal with the repercussions of memory loss.

Seventeen-yearold Yena Bae is in Busan, South Korea, for the summer, working at her divorced mother’s memory erasure clinic. When she runs into her childhood best friend, Lucas Pak, who left Vancouver for Alberta without a word, she’s shocked—they’re halfway around the world and, having discovered his memory tape at the clinic, she knows he had his memories of her erased. Lucas is in Busan visiting his grandfather, who was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Lucas hopes to enroll Harabeoji in the clinic’s new memory restoration trial. As Lucas enlists Yena’s help, she struggles with questions around his motivations while having to keep their old friendship a secret to protect him from complications of the erasure procedure. At the same time, Lucas can’t shake the feeling that people are hiding something. This story explores the grief of carrying formerly shared memories alone, while also offering readers an earnest budding romance. The narrative alternates between the leads’ perspectives and includes a rich tapestry of settings (a bamboo forest, a fish market) as well as flashback vignettes from the points of view of various inanimate objects (a popcorn machine, a lawn mower) whose sounds were captured on cassette tapes used for the memory erasure procedures. The novel’s speculative premise offers musings on the social consequences of technology as an intriguing backdrop for a gentle friends-to-lovers romance. Thought-provoking and comforting. (Speculative romance. 13-18)

The Payback Girls

Travis, Alex | Sourcebooks Fire (352 pp.) | $12.99 paper April 1, 2025 | 9781464217715

After their cheating boyfriend ends up in a coma, three girls team up to avoid an attempted murder rap. Scholarship student Meghan Landry hoped senior year at a new school would be different, but even as star basketball player Nate Walker’s girlfriend, she’s friendless and a target of racist attacks. Meghan is happy with Nate, however, until a pep rally brawl reveals that he’s three-timing her with his supposed exes, the only other Black girls in their class, Robin Ellison and Bria Kelly (Nate is “half-Black” and identifies as biracial). After an attack leaves Nate in a coma, the three girls, initially wary of each other, must work together when they become the investigation’s prime suspects. But the appearance of a new Gossip Girl -esque Instagram account leaves all three doubtful whom they can trust. Travis prioritizes drama to the detriment of plot, characterization, logic, and the exploration of the heavy and important topics the story introduces. Meghan and Robin explore a potential relationship with one another while Meghan weighs staying with Nate, but both these threads are underdeveloped. Themes of PTSD, intimate partner violence, gender, and race are also underexplored in this unevenly paced work that crosses several genres. The author attempts to shine a critical light on the racism Black women experience, but she does so with a heavy hand, flattening Black and white characters alike into stereotypes and missing nuances within the spectrum of Blackness. Well-intentioned but undermined by a lack of depth and focus. (Thriller. 14-18)

The Flip Side

Walz, Jason | Rocky Pond Books/ Penguin (304 pp.) | $25.99 | $17.99 paper | April 22, 2025 | 9780593617991 9780593618011 paper

Theo, reeling from his best friend Evan’s recent death from cancer, finds the world literally flipped upside down. Amid the chaos of a topsy-turvy world, with his phone battery at 1%, Theo receives a mysterious warning text: “Don’t let it in.” He’s utterly alone until he finds Emma, a fellow survivor who’s living with multiple mental and physical health diagnoses. She’s named this world, where she’s been isolated for a long time, the Flip Side. Emma is determined to help Theo escape from the monster that’s chasing them. She asserts that “the only way to survive is to give up hope,” but nevertheless, the young people’s friendship brings hope to them both. The Flip Side is a truly sinister place, with labyrinthine cityscapes and apocalyptic colors. Details, such as the grotesque body of the shape-shifting monster, which is born of negative emotions, effectively convey the nightmarish tone, and bold black lines enhance the well-paced action. The intriguing premise and striking visual representation convey lessons about depression and grief. Evan, who appears in flashback scenes, feels less like his own person than an impetus for Theo’s growth, however. Elements such as the struggle for people to acknowledge grief over a friend and Theo’s relationship with Emma (who has a difficult personality and problems too profound for him to understand) add interest. Theo is cued Latine, Emma reads white, and Evan has brown skin and Afro-textured hair.

Imaginative horror meets honesty about emotional pain. (content note, author’s note) (Graphic supernatural. 12-18)

BEST YOUNG ADULT BOOKS OF 2024:

Bright Red Fruit by Safia Elhillo (Make Me a World)

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Ukraine: Remember Also Me: Testimonies From the War by George Butler (Candlewick Studio)

Ash’s Cabin by Jen Wang (First Second)

Leap by Simina Popescu (Roaring Brook Press)

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Dame Alice Hits Hollywood by Allie Mahoney

Children of Ever After by Avery Yearwood

Fully Booked is produced by Cabel Adkins Audio and Megan Labrise.

Fully Booked

49 Days profoundly depicts a soul’s journey from death to rebirth. BY MEGAN LABRISE

EPISODE 403: AGNES LEE

On this episode of Fully Booked, Agnes Lee discusses 49 Days (Levine Querido, March 5), a stunning graphic novel portraying the Buddhist concept of bardo—one of Kirkus’ best young adult books of 2024.

Lee is a graduate of ArtCenter College of Design and is the illustrator of the New York Times’ Metropolitan Diary column. She is a former Chronicle Books fellow and was an art director at the New York Times for several years. She lives in Portland, Oregon, with her partner and their cat.

Here’s a bit from Kirkus’ starred review of 49 Days: “A young woman embarks on a journey to an unknown destination in this debut about grief and life after loss.

“‘There’s some weird shit happening out here,’ Kit thinks as she finds herself alive after experiencing yet another seemingly fatal accident. Each morning, Kit checks her watch and her map and walks, until something—a rushing tide, slippery boulders, a falling branch—halts her progress. She wakes up unharmed the following day, and the routine repeats itself. Kit’s happy-go-lucky demeanor matches the pleasant childhood memories that punctuate her days, but as time passes, her frustration grows, and the memories increasingly become tinged with regret. In a concurrent storyline, grieving family members surrounded by reminders of the one they lost try to resume normal life. Readers will piece together the clues before Kit realizes what’s happening, but that knowledge won’t diminish the impact of the reveal, which is dramatic in its visual simplicity.…The depth of emotion portrayed here will resonate with any reader who has experienced loss.”

49 Days Lee, Agnes Levine Querido | 352 pp. | $24.99 March 5, 2024 | 9781646143757

In conversation, Lee discusses her experience of publishing 49 Days : the shock of having the book out in the world, its enthusiastic critical reception, and the connections she made with readers. She tells me about the unusual genesis of the project and how the story was inspired by the experience of grieving her high school best friend. We talk about the Buddhist concept of bardo; what 49 Days’ protagonist, Kit, makes of her strange circumstances at the beginning of the book; how supporting characters may represent different aspects of grief; and the role of food in the book— specifically kimchi—and the richness of sensory memories. Lee describes her creative process and what it was like to work on the book’s design. We wrap up with an exchange of some of the best books we read in 2024.

Then young readers’ editor Laura Simeon and I explore more of the year’s best YA.

Indie

KIDDING ON THE SQUARE

GEORGE S. KAUFMAN, a titan of American theater in the early 20th century, famously stated “satire is what closes on Saturday night”; in other words, the subversive, comical puncturing of sacred cows, political posturing, and social mores has always been a dicey commercial proposition. Satire makes audiences uncomfortable—people can never be sure the barbs aren’t aimed at them, and no one wants to be on the outside of an inside joke. But in our current cultural moment, the lines between reality and savage takedowns of same have seemingly irrevocably blurred. As Art Buchwald, another great American humorist, observed, “You can’t make up anything anymore. The world itself is a satire. All you’re doing is recording it.”

A recent selection of titles from intrepid Indieland authors suggests the form is alive and well—the following recommendations take big narrative swings, risk censure for demonstrating “bad taste,” and bravely lay bare the hypocrisies and absurdities of the way (shudder) we live now.

In The Bulgarian Training Manual (2024), novelist Ruth Bonapace mercilessly lampoons physical- and

mental-wellness culture. Tina Bontempi (there’s a good time right in her name!), a hapless pothead realtor barely scraping by, finds her life transformed by the titular guide, which outlines, among other self-improvement protocols, various body-building meal plans, including a feeding-tube diet, a baby-food diet, and a virtual diet (which involves imaginary food). As Tina works her way through the manual, Bonapace deftly limns the narcissistic vapidity that characterizes the dark side of self-serious “self-care”— Goop subscribers will squirm. Our reviewer writes, “it’s a wild ride that’s most fun when readers put their assumptions aside” and praises its “disarmingly appealing protagonist.”

Douglas Robinson’s Insecticide (2024) takes aim at American politics—this is a bit

akin to shooting fish in a barrel, but when it’s done this entertainingly only churls will complain. In the novel, Texas has formed an independent right-wing racist police state under the control of the Bush family—yes, those Bushes; George W. is considered a disappointing clone. (So where does the satire come in? We kid, we kid.) The premise only gets weirder: The Bushes (and all of the Earth’s elite ruling families) are under the thrall of extraterrestrial insects (which would explain a lot). Our reviewer highlights the novel’s depiction of the government as “encompassing amoral power blocs and game players, treating the common folk as so many insects as they scheme outrageously for control and privilege.” Certainly, normal, decent human beings would never stoop so low.

It’s only fair that corporations come in for a similar drubbing; that job is handily accomplished by So You Want To Be an Oligarch (2023), C.T. Jackson’s faux guidebook for the aspiring capitalist monster. The spoof functions as a history of institutional greed as Jackson outlines such vile power moves as Henry J. Heinz influencing food regulations that eliminated his competition and Sanford Dole’s lobbying of Grover Cleveland to annex Hawaii using military force. The book is also formally playful, with pop-up ads interrupting the text and an appendix saluting “The Great Exploiters of Earth.” Our reviewer calls the work “a nihilistically hilarious commentary on the corporate world”; we laugh that we may not cry.

Arthur Smith is an Indie editor.

ARTHUR SMITH

EDITOR’S PICK

Rainfall is but a forlorn memory in a world ravaged by climate change in these plangent poems.

Carney, a Utah Valley University English professor and winner of the 2023 X. J. Kennedy Poetry Prize, here envisions a near future in which global warming has led to eternal drought. Rivers and lakes dry up, forests wither away, land animals die of thirst, and high temperatures in the Bering Sea kill off nine billion crabs; power plants impose blackouts to conserve trickles of cooling water, and bathtub and sink faucets have nothing coming out (the toilet situation goes mercifully unexplored). A narrator called “the Listener and Reservoir and Scribe” records people’s

impressions of the parched hellscape and their memories of the wet, lush world they once enjoyed. Some voice outrage at the new normal (“What kind of bullshit God / wouldn’t already know?” seethes a girl when the governor asks citizens to pray for rain); some wallow in moisturerelated reveries (“Say, the sound of a lake / against a boat dock: like tucking in a child, / or like slosh / whenever wakes come rolling”); some console themselves with wan simulacra (“We paint the rocks blue / so they look less like tombstones. / So the riverbeds—dry now, / just paths for deer to walk— / seem less like ghosts”). Rendered in vivid, impressionistic verses, Carney’s scenario

The Book of Drought

Carney, Rob | Texas Review Press | 86 pp.

$21.95 paper | Nov. 29, 2024 | 9781680033922

frames a set of captivating hymns to the forces of nature, ably conveying the sense of longing for a vibrant planet and sorrow over its degradation. In his richest flights, Carney’s ravishing lyricism articulates a divine communion with the land: “For the wedding of the forest and the moon, / everyone was

there, / even wolves / stepping out from the treeline….the river and falls / to add music, / and the rain coming down / to be a witness, / and the sky gave the Future as a gift.”

A terrific collection that grounds an anguished ecological sensibility in gorgeous writing and deep emotion.

Sizzling, sharp, and hilarious.

HAPPY HOUR

Architects of a Cleaner Financial System

Akinyemi, Tolu’ A. | The Roaring Lion Newcastle (84 pp.) | $10.99 paper June 22, 2023 | 9781913636449

A kinyemi explores risk, corruption, and accountability in this book, which blends financial crime investigation, sociopolitical commentary, and poetry. In this unusual collection, Akinyemi opens with a refrain of “Know Your Customer,” a poem that weaves personal identity (e.g., a mother’s maiden name) with financial industry regulatory standards, such as “identify and verify.” In “Holes,” the speaker looks for red flags indicating money laundering. These illicit funds seek shelter and erasure of their origins. Next, the speaker must untangle the “ownership chain” to reveal the person benefitting from unlawful transactions. “Risk Appetite” considers variable risk tolerance thresholds; at its extreme, risk tolerance “hits imaginary roofs / and catapults into sinking sands.” The work notes that mitigating risk is crucial for companies, lest they face losing their reputations or going broke paying regulatory fines. Sanctions are mocked as ineffective, “a comedy show.” In “Slave of the Tax Master,” the speaker calls out the hypocrisy of a system that taxes everyday people “to the bones” while policymakers take advantage of offshore tax havens. Akinyemi likens “dirty money” to a river that crosses borders before merging with “clean money.” The poet concludes with “Compliance Poet,” which reflects on the convergence of his professional paths as an anti-money laundering specialist and author. Akinyemi’s unconventional, intriguing collection combines technical subject matter with poetic style in lines

like, “Come to this compliance table cleaner / than sparkling water. / We are tilling the soil / for suspicious activity.” Most poems also include helpful footnotes. However, industry-specific acronyms (FATF, AML, and CFT) and financial regulation lingo—for example, “The three lines of defence (or 3LOD) model is an accepted regulated framework designed to facilitate an effective risk management system”—may lose readers. An incisive, expert-level analysis of financial crime in free verse.

A Little Shelf Love

Altman, Mara | Illus. by Reesa Baxter Three Plus One Publishing (36 pp.) $18.99 | March 11, 2025 | 9781960492234

A houseplant learns to embrace her own qualities in Altman’s picture book. Pothos plant Poe is new to the kitchen shelf and is content to soak in the sun’s rays…until she notices the other plants. Annie the Anthurium has lovely blooms; try as she might, Poe can’t grow her own. Likewise, she copies Rose the rosemary plant by dropping her leaves on a pizza, and Tilly the Tillandsia by trying to live in open air. Poe works her way through imitating every single other plant, but she always fails due to her natural features. Her wake-up call comes when her pot ends up on the floor after she takes a dive straight off the ledge in an attempt to act like the Venus flytrap. Cactus Kenneth tells her, “Root into your own way of being,” and this inspires her to make the most of her existing traits to find a permanent, comfortable place on the shelf. Altman effectively teaches the importance of accepting yourself as you are. Young plant lovers will enjoy the inclusion of phonetic pronunciations of the plants’ species, as well as the different

characteristics of each that Poe’s misadventures highlight. Baxter’s illustrations set the story in a bright, 1970s-style kitchen and provide each plant with a visible personality that readers might otherwise miss from the text.

A cute but meaningful picture book delivering a classic message in an original way.

Happy Hour

Bass, Elissa | Archway Publishing (306 pp.) | $41.99 | $21.99 paper April 12, 2024 | 9781665756761 9781665756747 paper

In Bass’ debut novel, a woman sinks into a pit of despair when her 25-year marriage collapses. Fifty-five-yearold Katherine “KK” Rhinehart’s self-esteem is a mess; she’s grappling with menopausal hot flashes and weight gain, hiding from the world at her family’s Cape Cod beach house in the off-season. Since childhood, KK, her siblings—sister Elizabeth (“Bitty”) and brother Harley—and her best friends, the endearing Matty and down-to-earth local resident Chickie, have spent summers together at the Cape. When Bitty and Harley find KK there miserable and alone, they shower her with love, hire a cleaner, and set her up with groceries and steamy romance novels. Matty arrives from Boston with margarita supplies and a makeover plan for KK, and eventually Chickie convinces KK to come to Dockside, the restaurant she owns, for happy hour. There, KK meets Jay, a gorgeous 34-year-old surf-loving bartender with hidden depth. They start spending time together—and falling for each other. KK unlocks an earlier, happier version of herself, though nagging insecurities regularly creep up. After a TikTok video of the pair goes viral, sparking ugly comments about their age gap, KK’s progress is swiftly derailed. Will the humiliation destroy her newfound happiness? Moving fluidly between narrators and timelines, readers will feel

they’re a part of this crew’s journey, swept up in a playlist that includes Madonna, Sam Smith, and Taylor Swift. Bass’ characters are lovable, complicated and flawed…which is to say, deeply human. Snappy prose and cleverly crafted plotlines elevate the rom-com tropes, striking the perfect balance between the laugh-outloud funny and the heart-wrenchingly sad. “I might explode,” KK thinks when Jay touches her arm. “Or die. Or have an orgasm, which would be embarrassing. I think I’d rather die.” In this heartfelt tribute to love and loss, Bass vividly captures aging, fresh starts, and the sort of ride-or-die friendships everyone wishes they had. Readers looking for a good laugh or cry (or both) in this fizzy page-turner won’t be disappointed. Sizzling, sharp, and hilarious.

Shot: A Dictionary of the Lost

Berman, Jude | She Writes Press (256 pp.) $17.99 paper | July 15, 2025 | 9781647429287

Berman presents a collection of short stories tracing the emotional impact of gun violence in the United States. In an opening note, the author tells readers that her motivation for writing these tales is “to give voice to those who did not survive” the “epidemic of gun violence in this country.” The collection is arranged into 26 short stories, alphabetically ordered by victims’ first names. Each begins with some background details and the phrase, “I am a statistic.” Some stories are clearly inspired by recent events, such as the story of an elderly man killed in a temple on Rosh Hashanah, a teenager killed in Buffalo, and several others set in schools around the country. Although many stories explore similar themes, Berman is careful to avoid repetition, often building scenes in which characters (and readers) anticipate gun violence, only to have expectations subverted. For example, in “Ginger,” a climate activist fears an attack at a protest, only for violence to unfold at her daughter’s soccer match.

There’s also variety among the author’s choice of subjects, which include children, teens, middle-aged and elderly people, and a range of ethnicities, sexualities, and lifestyles. One notably surprising story, “Kylor,” features a pro-gun activist who’s excited to visit a gun show and purchase a new rifle. That said, with so many vignettes circling toward similar endings, occasional overlap and repetition are inevitable. The first time Berman describes a shooter at a middle-school end-of-year assembly (“a young man wearing a bandana that covers half his face, standing on the stairs at the far-left of the stage. He is holding a large rifle and pointing it at all the winners, then quickly flashing it around the hall”), it’s shocking, but when readers begin to anticipate a killer’s eventual emergence, the suspense wanes. This may, of course, be intentional, but it’s a point that could have been made in fewer than 26 stories. Nonetheless, the individual and cumulative impact of these works remains striking. A potent and emotionally stirring depiction of how violence shapes everyday life.

The Halloween in Me

Bills, E. R. | Fawkes Press (272 pp.)

$24.95 | $17.95 paper | Oct. 4, 2024 9781957529431 | 9781957529394 paper

A collection of spooky short stories centered on classic Halloween themes. In Bills’ newest book of short fiction, the prolific author and expert on all things Texas returns with 13 tales that frighten and entertain. The subjects range from the ghosts of Vietnam vets killed in action to half-nude fortune cookie prognosticators and murderous, insane former judges. In the title story, an otherwise normal suburban father, Bryan Nichols, finds himself despondent at his neighborhood’s lack of enthusiasm for Halloween, especially considering his neighbor—who also happens to be the father of his

childhood best friend who was killed in Operation Desert Storm—used to be well-known for his life-size (and lifelike) spooky lawn figures. Soon, Bryan discovers these statues are actually the ghosts of former townspeople. The reader wonders if Bryan will soon join them in the afterlife. Next, Bills switches to the tale of a woman with a second sight who dispenses prescient wisdom through fortune cookies at a Chinese restaurant. When a reporter comes knocking, the two fall into a brief love affair spurred by her insistence that the world will end any moment. The stories shine most brightly in their shorter form, such as “The Judge,” a well-crafted tale in which a young police officer begins interrogating a man who murdered his own wife, only to quickly realize that he has seen this man before, and he holds a dark secret from the officer’s childhood.

Paths cross and recross over time in this collection, and Bills does well to amplify the inherent friction between competing lives in a small (or even large) town. While certain pieces verge on the saccharine—a common pitfall in any work dealing with love and loss, as horror fiction often does—the general sense while reading is that Bills is a confident, competent storyteller with tales to spin and the requisite command of language to keep readers turning pages. The author does well, too, to capture the essence and nostalgia of Halloween from the outset: “As I walked, I felt like a kid again, fourteen, ten—eight. I smiled and laughed. Halloween had always been our night.” While some pieces drag a bit and could have used a lighter hand (“Nature Calls” slows the pace, for example) readers will garner enough thrills and chills to keep moving through the entirety of Bills’ collection. The blurbs at the beginning of each story are an odd touch that probably could have been eschewed, but otherwise, Bills displays an innate sense for the reader’s experience, in particular by dropping in just enough backstory for each cast member to give the necessary context for the emotional freight to be delivered without bogging down plot with extraneous personal history. Readers looking for a spooky Halloween ride without gore

overflowing from its pages will find a lot to enjoy here.

A fun, imaginative story collection with solid horror and writing.

Rhythms of Change: Reflections on the Regent Park Revitalization

Cohen, Mitchell | Page Two (264 pp.) $35.00 | Nov. 12, 2024 | 9781774585054

Cohen’s debut nonfiction work chronicles a Toronto housing project’s makeover. At the beginning of the 20th century, Cabbagetown South was home to some of Toronto’s poorest slums. In the 1940s, these slums were razed and replaced by a 69-acre public housing complex named Regent Park. The crime and poverty that afflicted the original site soon came to affect the new housing project, and in the early 21st century, a new plan was created to redevelop Regent Park as a mixed-use, mixed-income community. Cohen, a real estate developer and musician, was part of the team tasked with reenvisioning the neighborhood in a way that would work for both newcomers and long-time residents—who, temporarily displaced by the plan, were promised the right to return. “There were moments when we had no idea where the music would take us,” writes Cohen. “There were others in which the notes resonated in perfect harmony, reflecting hope, potential, and personal growth. Darker tones often took centre stage, reflecting anger, resentment, and a deep sadness for what had been lost.” This book records Cohen’s memories of the project, which spanned 18 years and three phases of revitalization. From creating pedestrian-friendly streets and new green spaces to fostering new economic and cultural energy, all while collaborating with residents and preserving the century-old history of the neighborhood, Cohen and his colleagues had their work cut out for them. The author writes in bubbly, problem-solving prose, outlining the peculiar challenges

of designing a neighborhood to meet the needs of its many residents. Here, he describes when two locals wanted to start a cricket team: “There was, however, one small problem: there was no place to play cricket in Regent Park. Their practices and games were in eastern Scarborough—three bus and streetcar transfers away.” (Athletic fields were eventually installed.) Fans of urban planning and social housing policy will particularly enjoy this work, which includes many wonderful architectural illustrations and photographs. Given the length and the success of the project, this accessible in-depth account of how it came about is a great resource.

A fascinating, well-researched tale of 21st-century urbanism set in Toronto.

Four Ruined Realms

Corland, Mai | Entangled: Red Tower Books (432 pp.)

$23.09 | Jan. 7, 2025 | 9781649377500

In Corland’s fantasy sequel, a group of royals, spies, and other skilled adventurers work through their differences as they pursue a plan to overthrow an evil king.

A failed attempt to murder the tyrannical King Joon of Yusan has revealed secrets that rattle the group of five would-be assassins. One of them, the gem thief Aeri, is the king’s daughter, and it turns out that it was King Joon who brought her, Strongman Royo, “poison maiden” Sora, former royal spymaster Mikail, and Yusan’s banished Crown Prince Euyn together—not to kill the king, but to murder his sister, Queen Quilimar. Now, Aeri has lost the trust of her cohort—especially Royo, with whom she shares a mutual, albeit hesitant, attraction. Sora is more determined than ever to free her beloved sister, Daysum, from indentured servitude; she also needs to break her former traveling companion, Tiyung, out of the horrific Idle Prison. Mikail, meanwhile, seeks to liberate his

homeland of Gaya, which King Joon subjugated decades earlier, by helping Euyn—his former lover—usurp the throne. Despite interpersonal conflicts and differing motivations, the group journeys to the kingdom of Khitan, hoping to forge an alliance with Queen Quilimar to overthrow King Joon. As they contend with enemy spies, villainous dignitaries, and megafauna such as zaybears, they try to repair their former bond. In this second installment of a fantasy series that began with Five Broken Blades (2024), Corland presents a thoroughly entertaining dark fantasy that’s filled with palace intrigue, adventure, and chaos. Aeri, Sora, Royo, Mikail, Euyn, and Tiyung take turns narrating the story, giving readers multiple perspectives on the myriad conflicts that the characters face. The detailed, highly developed worldbuilding also brings the book to life, enthusiastically exploring such topics as gender roles (“Mercy is seen as weakness when it’s doled out by a feminine hand”), equality, oppression, and folklore in ways that are sure to engage readers. The numerous perspectives may be difficult to keep straight at times, but this doesn’t detract from the well-constructed story. A compelling fantasy tale with a memorable ensemble.

Jade Reflections: Decoding the Western Zhou Dynasty Intersections of Power, Society, and Philosophy in Early Chinese Civilization

Crisci, Kako | Self (132 pp.) | $35.00 paper June 8, 2024 | 9798986702865

Art historian Crisci discusses the development of a prized art form during China’s ancient past. While the ancient Mediterranean world was in the midst of its late Bronze Age collapse, China was enjoying a period of cultural proliferation under the rule of the Western Zhou. Among the greatest legacies of the

era is its impressive jade work, which provides a unique look into China’s remote past; as Crisci asserts in in an introduction, one can, through empirical observation of these pieces, “gain profound insights into the foundational elements of Chinese culture and the evolution of its beliefs and values over time.” In this book, the author decodes more than 40 jade artifacts, from ceremonial vessels that denoted the owner’s social rank to fish- and pig-shaped funerary ornaments carved for the tombs of Zhou nobility. After providing a brief overview of Zhou contributions to Chinese art and philosophy—including the development of the so-called “Mandate of Heaven,” which new rulers used to claim legitimacy into the modern period—Crisci moves on to the artifacts themselves, supplementing her commentary with the inclusion of full-color photographs of the objects in question. The highlights are surely the ornate wine vessels, which were carved to look like conjoined sheep, humanoid deities, and horned dragons. Crisci’s prose is as smooth as the jade itself, and she demonstrates a deep knowledge of her subject, such as when she breaks down the shifting meaning of owls during the Han dynasty: “No longer revered as protective deities, owls were demonized and depicted as malevolent creatures. This change in perception led to widespread persecution of owls, with the imperial court even encouraging their extermination and consumption.” This is perhaps a book best suited to jade specialists, who will be most interested to learn about how, for instance, the depiction of sheep horns changed from the Shang period to the early Zhou. However, anyone with an appreciation for fine craftsmanship is sure to enjoy these works.

An authoritative and informative guide to jade from the Western Zhou era.

A Quest for God and Spices

Cycon, Dean | Koehler Books (314 pp.)

$30.95 | $22.95 paper | Jan. 21, 2025

9798888245170 | 9798888245156 paper

Two unlikely candidates are sent on a dangerous mission by the Pope to Constantinople at the dawn of the 13th century in Cycon’s historical novel.

Pope Innocent

III, obsessed with recapturing Jerusalem from Muslim rule and unifying a schismatic church, sees an opportunity to do both: A mysterious and powerful king, Presbyter John, offers to commit his considerable forces to a new round of Crusades, but emissaries must be sent to find him. Cardinal Orisini recommends two men for the job: Brother Mauro, a bookish and borderline-heretical scholar who teaches logic and rhetoric at the new university in Bologna, and Nicolo diCarlo, a young and ambitious Genoese merchant looking to make his mark. (Both characters are memorably drawn in this action-packed drama.) The Pope can’t help but wonder what Cardinal Orsini’s angle his—he is a master manipulator, and his “unctuousness and humility mask sinister intent.” Orsini strikes a side deal with Nicolo—anxious to grab his own cut, he encourages him to find the source of the spices so highly prized in Rome, stoking the ambitions of the young man. The Pope reluctantly agrees with Orsini’s recommendations, and the unlikely pair head to Constantinople in search of Presbyter John, but the journey is a perilous one, made more so by Nicolo’s foolhardy imprudence, which is reliably exacerbated by greed, beautiful women, and an excess of drink (“How could he be

A captivating adventure filled with both danger and astute theological inquiry.

so stupid and brash? Too much wine”). In this historically rigorous and dramatically absorbing tale, Brother Mauro, the quintessential intellectual, turns out to be surprisingly resourceful, and Nicolo, for all his worldly intelligence, callowly gullible. The author’s writing is consistently clear (if absent sparkling style), and the plot is gripping and brimming with suspense. An inconclusive ending suggests a sequel, one the reader is likely to anticipate enthusiastically. A captivating adventure filled with both danger and astute theological inquiry.

Foghorn: The Nearly True Story of a Small Publishing Empire

DeArmon, Vicki | Sibylline Press (320 pp.) | $20.00 paper | April 1, 2025 9781960573926

This novelistic memoir focuses on the publishing business in the San Francisco Bay Area. In this book, publishing executive DeArmon delves into her tenure leading Foghorn Press and its impact on her personal and business relationships. Foghorn started as a vehicle for publishing the sports books of her husband, Sully. In 1987, the author kept the business as part of their divorce settlement. Her brother, Dave, also dealing with the end of a long-term relationship, joined her. Making Foghorn Press profitable became their mission. She recalls that their renewed closeness allowed her to reflect and heal from her difficult relationship with Sully. Over 10 years, Foghorn became a respected publisher of outdoor guides. DeArmon became heavily involved in the book publishing trade, especially in the Bay Area. Her expansive marketing ideas, along with some naïveté on her part about business partners, sapped energy and resources from both herself and her company, with Foghorn often not delivering the projected

promotional and bottom-line results. The author’s dominance over the company’s direction left Dave feeling less like a partner and more like a cog in a machine, and he left Foghorn in 1992: “The recurring theme was that I thought my ideas were the best. I was the big sister, ultimately, and that title meant I was right.” After embracing sobriety and starting a fulfilling relationship, she realized how overextended she was, physically and fiscally. In the midst of the author seeking a buyer for Foghorn, several medical emergencies, including ovarian cancer, brought Dave back to the company, although there was an acrimonious split when the enterprise was sold. DeArmon is upfront that many of the characters, especially the “good ol’ boys” who usually behave badly, are mashups of people she has met along the way, although they are fully believable. Conversations, also fictional, are convincing and fun to read. The family dynamics have the ring of truth, and she is unsparing in portraying the flaws and changes occurring in her clan and herself. The descriptions of the inner workings of book publishing, especially in the Bay Area, will captivate bibliophiles. A publishing executive’s unsparing and compelling look at the impact of a small press.

The Suspension Bridge

Dowdall, Anna | Radiant Press (343 pp.) | $20.00 paper Oct. 15, 2024 | 9781998926121

Dowdall offers a literary mystery set against the backdrop of a Canadian river town in 1962, where ambition and tragedy collide in the construction of a monumental suspension bridge.

The story opens with the arrival of Sister Harriet, a nun in her late 20s, in Bothonville, Ontario (pronounced “Buttonville”), to teach science at

A poignant and often lyrical account of one man’s search for purpose.

UNTIL I CAME HOME

Saint Reginald’s, a prestigious all-girls Catholic high school. The young nun is already struggling to reconcile her religious calling with the increasingly secular influences of her surroundings. She also learns that she’ll have two additional duties at the school: to supervise and judge a miniature bridge-building competition for the girls (along with handsome fellow teacher, Mr. Monserrat) and to sit on a design committee for a full-sized bridge, set to span from Bothonville to the United States. However, over the course of the school year, three different senior girls vanish from the school, and the investigation into the tragic circumstances of their disappearances—by law enforcement and by Harriet herself—are a major storyline. However, Dowdall retains a focus on the girls’ lives and the ripple effects of their disappearances, always refraining from straying into lurid crime-fiction territory. In addition, because Harriet spent several formative years in Bothonville, her perspective offers an illuminating look at changes in the town amid increasing industrialization; her participation on the bridge committee results in her being caught up in this tumult. There’s also intrigue involving plans for a bridge in a neighboring town. Harriet’s inner turmoil and the town’s ambitions create a compelling tension, as her doubts about her faith and the church’s role in the modern world mirror Bothonville’s difficulties reconciling tradition and progress. Despite the mounting tragedies, the novel concludes on a bittersweet but satisfying note. Not all the plot threads are neatly tied up, leaving room for the messiness of reality—a

fitting choice for a story so concerned with humankind’s imperfections. A profound meditation on humanity and faith in a story of a small town with big dreams.

Until I Came Home: A Sunset’s Journal

Earle Jr., Russell J. | Bending Corners Publishing (311 pp.) April 15, 2025 | 9798991372909

A young computer programmer goes on a six-month journey through South America in this memoir about finding spiritual freedom and fulfillment in the modern world. Earle begins his memoir six months after he quit his coding job at the South Carolina Department of Corrections in 2015 and left for a backpacking trip through South America. He regards the colorful bracelets on his wrists, and the flags attached to his backpack, and reflects on his experiences. His decision to quit his job and travel through the continent was systematic, with him carefully drafting a resignation letter and informing his family of his travel plans. Despite his family members’ trepidation, he was committed to the idea, hoping to broaden his worldview in an act that many in his community couldn’t easily do. Complications arose immediately in Caracas, Venezuela, when he was stranded by his hosts and targeted by corrupt officials. The Black American author encountered culture shock, language barriers, and rampant colorism, which persisted throughout most of his journey, he says; of his time in Peru, he

writes: “being mocked because of my dark skin in a country full of people with different shades baffled me.” However, he also experienced moments of camaraderie, finding friendship among locals and fellow backpackers. Throughout this memoir, Earle presents his experiences as an emotional and spiritual process from manifestation to reflection and acceptance. His story documents what he learns about others’ attitudes toward difference, and also highlights similarities between cultures. Earle expertly juxtaposes his experiences of racism during his journey with memories of similar incidents back home. His prose is at once poetic and colloquial, describing scenery and various encounters in a painterly way, peppering in bits of contemporary slang and entertaining, humorous moments. Poems at the start of each section provide fine backdrops to the memories.

A poignant and often lyrical account of one man’s search for purpose in an age of discontent.

Finding Flaco: Our Year With New York City’s Beloved Owl

Emery, Jacqueline & David Lei Owls of New York (224 pp.) | $50.00 Dec. 15, 2024 | 9798991510509

Wildlife photographers Emery and Lei tell the true story of a Eurasian eagle-owl that escaped from New York City’s Central Park Zoo and became a local celebrity. Flaco hatched in a South Carolina bird park in March 2010. Two months later, when he was barely a fledgling, he was transferred to the Central Park Zoo, where he would spend almost 13 years. On the night of February 2, 2023, Flaco’s enclosure was vandalized by an unknown perpetrator who cut open the protective wire mesh, allowing Flaco to leave the zoo behind. Although he’d never had a chance to hone his flying skills in his small housing (he had a six-foot wingspan),

he made his way to a sidewalk at 60th Street and Fifth Avenue. Pedestrians gathered to look at him, and police were called in case the bird was injured. Officers placed a pet carrier near him, but Flaco flew off to a tree by the nearby Plaza Hotel and evaded rescue. New Yorkers largely broke into two camps: those who felt that Flaco should be captured to ensure his safety, and those who believed that he should roam free: “Some saw him as an underdog, others, as an immigrant, still others saw an outlaw. More than a few, I imagine, saw him as all those things rolled into one.” Meanwhile, the bird strengthened his flying skills and learned to hunt New York’s abundant rat population. He also won the hearts of birders, wildlife photographers, and many others. Emery and Lei document Flaco’s remarkable adventures in text and in many magnificent photos, taken by the authors and other enthusiastic followers. It’s packed with details about the physiology and habits of owls, as well as delightful vignettes of Flaco’s antics (including fun images of him peering into apartment windows). This ode to Flaco is also effectively a tribute to the community he brought together—a diverse collection of city folk who shared real-time sightings and formed new friendships. Despite Flaco’s eventual sad demise, this is an inspirational tale of a valiant, curious escapee. Charming, informative, touching, and full of riveting photographs.

The Flickering Bridge: Time Alleys: Book Two

Enfield, J.A. | Wayzgoose Press (292 pp.) | $14.99 paper Nov. 15, 2024 | 9781961953246

In the second book in the YA SF series, 11-year-old Mick Conway time-travels to 1853 London, where his ability to see “time alleys” helps the Forsyth

Institute monitor a potentially cataclysmic phenomenon. Mick is under the care of the Forsyth Institute, a powerful organization that employs numerous adults and kids for its mysterious Project. He’s one of a cohort of “alley rat[s] who had dropped from distant futures into the past as babies or as terrified, confused children.” The Institute trains them to avoid inadvertently changing the future. However, when repeated sightings of “time lightning” begin, a ragtag group of gifted alley rats recruit Mick, who can see the details of time alleys better than most, to uncover who’s behind it. Meanwhile, Mick must manage his grief and his desire to return to modern-day Chicago. In the first book, An Ambush of Years (2024), he was still reeling from the death of his mother; his father remained emotionally distant as he and his younger sister, Emilia, were shuttled between various family members. Now that Mick knows that there’s “absolutely, one hundred percent no way for him to go back home,” his focus shifts to rallying around his found family. That is, until a new discovery suggests that people he trusted may be keeping secrets about the alleys’ possibilities. Enfield excels at fantastical, grounded worldbuilding, presenting a historically accurate London populated with rich, diverse characters. He trusts readers to parse a complex cat-andmouse game and doesn’t shy away from the violence that underpins both the Institute and historical England. The novel boldly tackles themes of imperialism, colonialism, and racism in its story of Mick, the child of a Mexican mother and a white American father; he faces challenges when navigating London’s hard streets, and in an expositional discussion with Lady Penbrook, who runs the Institute, he comes to understand “that triumph can grow even out of the soil of violence and loss.” Overall, Enfield offers his readers a considerate protagonist, whose growth is aided by self-reflection and empathy. A dynamic and intriguing SF mystery that explores the complex circumstances of lost and found families.

Kirkus Star

Kirkus Star

Industrial Policy for the United States: Winning the Competition for Good Jobs and High-Value Industries

Fasteau, Marc & Ian Fletcher

Cambridge University Press (836 pp.)

$49.99 | Jan. 2, 2025 | 9781009243070

It’s time for the government to reenergize American manufacturing and other industries with a determined program of subsidies and trade barriers, argues this sweeping economic manifesto.

Investment banker Fasteau and economist Fletcher, both members of the Coalition for a Prosperous America, present a wide-ranging critique of the economic orthodoxy that holds unfettered free trade as always a blessing. In reality, they argue, America’s pro-free trade policies have led to the offshoring of crucial industries, including the production of military equipment and medical supplies that are critical to national well-being, and the replacement of stable, well-paying manufacturing jobs with low-wage service and retail jobs. They call for a comprehensive, protectionist industrial policy that would nurture “advantageous industries” that underlie an innovative, high-tech, high-wage economy, and for a monetary policy that would end the overvaluation of the dollar that produces trade deficits by making American products artificially more expensive than those of foreign competitors. The authors flesh out these ideas in intricate case studies of industrial policies around the world; they discuss China’s ruthlessly effective program of boosting exports through unfair trade practices as well as the evolution of various American industries, like the decades-long saga of the Big Three automakers’ loss of market share. They conclude with

A thought-provoking metaphysical adventure.

WAKING MAYA

detailed policy proposals, which include leaving the World Trade Organization, raising tariffs on imports, and providing manufacturing companies with a raft of government loans and tax breaks. Fasteau and Fletcher synthesize a wealth of data and economic history into an incisive analysis of the workings and pitfalls of free trade. They convey all of this in lucid, accessible prose that manages to turn complex technical arguments into pithy, down-to-earth aphorisms. (“Growth is about turning Burkina Faso into South Korea, not about being the most efficient possible Burkina Faso forever,” they write in a tour-de-force debunking of the theory of comparative advantage.) The result is a lucid diagnosis of America’s economic decline and an ambitious, hopeful program for reversing it. A stimulating call for government action to restore America’s standing as an industrial powerhouse.

Waking Maya

Goldie, Warren | CreateSpace (308 pp.)

$12.99 paper | Jan. 2, 2014 | 9781493625239

In Goldie’s novel, a young woman embarks on a mysterious journey that may have world-changing consequences. While burying her beloved cat, Maya Burke unearths a journal containing mysterious messages from her long-missing father, Ben Ambrose. His writings warn her of “a global change…of such magnitude that

every human system—nations, governments, cultures—will be transformed. Societies will be rocked…But this is not what you may think, Maya. The change will be internal . It will come from the inside of man, not from without.” She sets out to find her father and the answers to the questions his warning raised. Along the way, she meets various people who knew (or knew of) Ben and slowly introduce her to a new way of thinking. Maya learns to identify “energy vortex[es]” that help her channel her strange visions; meets a man who explains the metaphysics behind cultural change; and speaks with a woman who used the collective unconscious to help transform the medical field through mind-body healing. Meanwhile, a mysterious group known as the Mandala has its own agenda for the upcoming global changes—and Maya just may be the missing piece of the puzzle. Goldie crafts a compelling, trippy story that could stand on its own as a “young woman finding herself” narrative—it just so happens to also tackle heady topics like the nature of space, time, and the unconscious energy that flows through all of humanity. The author mostly avoids proselytizing to his audience, instead doling out bits and pieces of his theories in the course of a genuinely good mystery. While some moments come across as a bit trite (such as when a young boy suddenly “glimpses new worlds within his reach”), the prose remains clear and accessible. The book ultimately provides a plethora of intriguing ideas through which readers can parse, even if they don’t completely buy into Goldie’s philosophies. A thought-provoking metaphysical adventure.

The Harmless Necessary Cat: A World War II Family Saga in Allied-Occupied Iran

Haddad, Sepehr | Appleyard & Sons Publishing (313 pp.) | $23.95 | $14.95 paper | Oct. 18, 2024 | 9781732594357 9781732594333 paper

In Haddad’s historical novel, a young Iranian boy comes of age during World War II, a very turbulent time for his Middle Eastern homeland.

Sohrab Ahangar is born into a prosperous family in Tehran. His early childhood is idyllic, but Russia and Britain have staked out spheres of influence, north and south, in a country that’s favored by natural resources but defenseless. Then comes the Second World War: Iran declares neutrality, but as the conflict escalates and Germany invades Russia, Allied soldiers arrive to protect the Trans-Iranian railroad—a key strategic artery that Russia needs (along with Iranian grain) to beat back Adolf Hitler’s assault. Meanwhile, Sohrab’s father dies and his older brother, Arash, comes home with his German wife, Krista, to take over the family business. Then things get very murky indeed: One of the local “good Germans” is anti-Nazi engineer Franz Mayer and has a teenage son, Karl, who becomes good friends with fellow teen Sohrab. Arash has a plan to rescue the family fortune, but it goes awry as the Russians suspect him of being a German spy. Afterward, the Ahangar family scrambles to survive. There are many surprising twists that follow before the Ahangars finally discover who their allies are, and who are not. Along the way, Sohrab comes of age, which is a small, poignant part of the larger story. Readers last see him on a ship sailing to America to begin his studies at New York University, thanks to the largesse of a man he took a long time to trust. He reflects sadly and wistfully on the passengers he meets and on the new challenges the world faces, already on the horizon.

Haddad, who is Iranian, is a consummate writer, and many readers are likely to learn a lot about his country’s history from this novel, which is set in a time before it became a theocracy. One of the greatest tensions in the book, in fact, is between a past of oppressive piety and superstition and a present, signified by the Pahlavi Dynasty, which tries to pull Iran into a secular modern age; the author shows the struggle to be a wrenching one. Haddad also reverentially includes passages from classic Persian poets. The book, though fiction, is inspired by true events, and the use of photographs and photocopied documents gives it a strong sense of verisimilitude, which makes for a more effective story overall. Haddad also helpfully prefaces the work with a timeline of 20th-century Iranian history and an author’s note that further explains it. Some readers will consider his prose to be richly detailed and absorbing; others may think it somewhat over the top, as in this passage about a British officer: “Spencer’s fingers danced across the lock with a finesse forged in the dark arts of espionage.” Still, the characters are memorable and subtly drawn, and several scenes, including accounts of brutal interrogations and thrilling car chases, are truly gripping. A satisfying adventure and, for some readers, a primer on timely history.

Nothing Ever Happens on Main Street

Hatfield, Daren | Self (274 pp.) | $12.99 paper | Oct. 6, 2024 | 9798218517922

In Hatfield’s YA novel, a smalltown newspaper publisher’s son learns the incredible secret of the town eccentric: He can reverse time, and thus avert tragedies. Harding Springs, in 1910, embodies the classic small-town America of yesteryear that some people call “the good old days.” Very little danger and very few crises ever seem to strike the

>>> place, except for one strange train wreck—the significance of which becomes clear much later. Bright 13-year-old Parker Riley, whose father is the publisher, editor, and sole reporter for The Village Piper newspaper, had a largely idyllic childhood in Harding Springs. Roughly the same week that his family receives new boarders—widow Cora Swanson and her daughter, Cassandra—the teen witnesses a strange incident involving secretive local oddball Edison Doyle, who seems to have knowledge of everybody else’s affairs. When a deadly house fire breaks out, only Parker notices when events suddenly shift into reverse: The flames dwindle, ashes re-form into intact house decor, and, perhaps most notably, Edison walks through the backwards conflagration to keep a lit candle, dropped by the once-doomed occupant, from causing the blaze. Edison knows that Parker saw him do this, so he confides his secret: He once apprenticed with the late inventor of the Von Pelier Diametric Regulator—a pocket-sized electrical device that uses a rare local mineral, retrozyte, to reverse the flow of time for short periods. Now, Edison takes it upon himself to visit all of Harding Springs’ worst events and prevent them from occurring. He engages Parker as his apprentice, but the secret they share soon begins to leak out—and some not-so-ethical characters covet the power that Edison possesses. Hatfield’s compact but well-developed historical fantasy tale seems perfectly calibrated for a YA readership. The material approaches, but doesn’t quite enter, the realm of the steampunk subgenre as it evokes an idyllic milieu in which horse-drawn carriages are just starting to give way to motorcars (a black Packard Model 30 gets plenty of attention). Indeed, the story’s ambiance is nearer to the works of Thornton Wilder than those of H.G. Wells, Jules Verne, or more modern SF practitioners, such as Kelly Link; there’s a sweet sense of innocence and just a dab of outdated vernacular to take readers back to days of yore—although the 1960s-vintage term “humongous” is hardly a period-correct adjective. The tale’s fanciful technological jargon should not particularly

COLIN C. CAMPBELL describes himself as a “serial entrepreneur.” He’s started, scaled, and exited more than a dozen companies, so it makes sense that he titled his book Start. Scale. Exit. Repeat After building up companies that are collectively worth close to a billion dollars and creating a community of entrepreneurs, Startup Club, on the social media platform Clubhouse, his book distills his years of experience and wisdom into advice any entrepreneur can implement for themselves.

The idea for the book came about when Campbell was invited to speak at the Entrepreneurial Masters Program at MIT. Planning his talk inspired Campbell to ask himself what exactly he was doing that led to his string of successes. He looked back on both his achievements and his failures, hunting for patterns he could share onstage at MIT:

“In trying to figure this out, I started having conversations with other serial entrepreneurs about whether they had observed similar patterns in their own successes. Through Startup Club on Clubhouse, I also found myself learning from our members and

THE KIRKUS PROFILE: COLIN C. CAMPBELL

A successful entrepreneur shares his business insights in a practical new guidebook.

BY CHELSEA ENNEN

discovering new ingredients that needed to be added to the recipe, things I had never noticed or experienced before.

“In the journey of serial entrepreneurship, you’re going to need others around you for counsel, whether in vetting your idea, getting legal or financial advice, or negotiating the sale of your company. This book is a guide to point you in the right direction on your unique journey and to help you answer the questions you’ll encounter.

“All this is to say that I’m not here to proclaim, ‘I have all the answers’ or ‘I am the expert at everything in this book’; rather, it’s to share what I have experienced in life starting, scaling, exiting, and repeating—both the right way and the wrong way. I present not only my experiences but also what I’ve learned from the dozens of serial entrepreneurs and experts we have spoken with in over hundreds of Startup Club interviews in the hopes that it will help you and other entrepreneurs find and accelerate your success—with fewer mistakes along the way.”

Kirkus Reviews says that “useful info and a readable structure make for a top-notch how-to for business owners,” and awarded Start. Scale. Exit. Repeat. with a starred review, naming it one of the Best Indie Books of 2024. It has also won 14 international awards, is an Amazon bestseller, and, according to Campbell, has made a difference in his readers’ lives, even after being on the shelves for only a year.

Campbell, who lives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, says there are a few segments of the population who can most benefit from Start. Scale. Exit. Repeat.: aspiring entrepreneurs, established entrepreneurs, and exiting entrepreneurs. “This is a how-to book on how to start a business,” he says, but as the title suggests, Campbell takes entrepreneurs through the process all the way to the exit point.

After losing exorbitant amounts of money in the early 2000s dot-com crash, Campbell got a lot of experience from failure. After building himself back up from that disaster, he had to learn a different way of not just growing a company but growing it sustainably, so that he could leave and

Eric Campbell/Eric Campbell Photography

start a successful process all over again. “You can spend your entire life building a company and then blow it,” he says. “You have to learn how to scale properly, and how to exit at the right time.”

As you’d expect, a book that covers that much ground has to be pretty big, and Campbell says that Forbes told him the physical copy was “double the size of any of their other books.” But Campbell is particularly proud of the physical copy, which was designed to be easily digestible despite its vast wealth of information, with color-coded pages to visibly separate each section.

When embarking on the project of writing a book, Campbell noticed that it was very similar to starting a business, in that everyone around him told him he couldn’t do it. But he worked on Start. Scale. Exit. Repeat. for 10 years, writing his drafts on airplanes and making sure that he was doing the best work he possibly could. “I applied a lot of the theories in the book to writing the book itself.”

Kirkus writes that Start. Scale. Exit. Repeat. earns its hefty page count with “pithy pullout quotes that actually seem helpful,” as well as “attention to detail” that “helps to elevate this business guide above the many competing books in the genre.”

Even so, there are a lot of business books on the market. And like the business owners they speak to, they’re often not very successful. Discerning entrepreneurs know better than most of us that there is no such thing as a quick fix, and a book that promises to solve all their problems is likely just looking to sell itself. But skeptical readers should note that the Kirkus starred review says that Campbell’s “wonderful ability to write for his audience,” is what sets Start. Scale. Exit. Repeat. apart:

“The book is a breezy read—Campbell can be blunt, but he’s funny and engaging, too. His entertaining guide is filled with all sorts of useful tidbits and insights; unlike some how-to books, filled with ego-driven anecdotes and not much useful information, this is a must-read for those starting their first business as

well as more seasoned professionals looking for a quick reminder of some of the keys to business success.”

Campbell adds to that glowing description, emphasizing that Start. Scale. Exit. Repeat. “breaks new ground and breaks convention. You can create great wealth through the trade of entrepreneurship. And if you think differently about it, you can create meaningful wealth instead of always going for that long-shot ‘unicorn’ company mentality.” Campbell acknowledges that the wild success of famous Silicon Valley companies seems compelling but wants to share with his readers that there’s a more sustainable, repeatable alternative.

When asked if he has plans for future books, Campbell brings up the fact that this one did take an entire decade to finish. And on top of that, he’s still in the midst of his own entrepreneurship journey. “I’m not a consultant; I don’t do master classes. The reality is that I still run a great portfolio of companies, I run a family office with 10 companies,

[and] I’m a significant shareholder in 20 investments.…That’s how I spend most of my time! I’m still starting, scaling, and repeating.”

In the book he calls his drive an “addiction,” but he is also grateful for the opportunity to give back by sharing his methods with others. Despite the lengthy track record of his successes, he finds deep meaning in exposing the lessons he learned from failure. “I’ve already had so many people come up to me and tell me how it’s impacted them,” he says. “It’s incredible what it’s doing to wake people up. I’m trying to reset the mentality that everyone needs venture capital, everyone needs to achieve ‘unicorn’ status. Bad things do happen, but this book would never have been written had I never experienced failure, and I want to help people face the mental challenges of entrepreneurship, and to embrace the human side of business.”

Chelsea Ennen is a writer living in Brooklyn.

This book would never have been written had I never experienced failure.

intimidate readers who have at least a mild familiarity with, say, the BBC TV series Doctor Who; the query “How do you implement the need for the time resonation asynchronization?” is about as severe as it gets. As the perils of these short-term chrononauts become more resonant of silent-film shenanigans, one may be inclined to forget that Parker is narrating all of this as an adult memoirist, despite an upfront giveaway that all ends well—or will end well, or has already ended well. It’s too bad that past practitioners of this sort of adventure aren’t around to appreciate Hatfield’s homey touch.

A fun time-travel caper that has more of the quaint ambiance of a cozy mystery than an epic SF adventure.

The Adventures of Israel St. James: Historically Epic Short Stories

Hicklin, Nathaniel | Illus. by Jason Belden Sic Semper Serpent (510 pp.) | $26.58 paper | Oct. 28, 2019 | 9781543981353

Hicklin presents a collection of linked magical adventure stories starring a bowler-hatwearing hero.

Israel St. James, the narrator and protagonist of these tales, was born in New York City in 1840. At the age of 18, he journeys to England to study archeology at Cambridge. A university expedition to Baghdad in 1863 ends up changing his life forever; there, he and others from the university find the Apothecary of Archimedes, a “kind of vault,” as St. James’ professor puts it, that contains invaluable items from the ancient world. After the group opens the Apothecary, it becomes apparent that it contains not just immense knowledge, but magical items, as well. One important find is the healing Rod of Asclepius, which can heal any wound—even one that might otherwise be fatal. It’s just the beginning of St. James’ ongoing journey to seek similar artifacts throughout the world. He earns his doctorate from Cambridge and becomes the institution’s “curator of the

A whimsical, spirited jaunt with an intrepid supernatural investigator.

THE ADVENTURES OF ISRAEL ST. JAMES

Abnormal Relics Collection.” Although he eventually leaves the university, the next several decades see him tackling adventures in which he encounters famous real-life figures, such as Nikola Tesla. At another point, St. James finds a sextant from the ill-fated ship Mary Celeste that gives its user the power to see ghosts and living people’s auras. Hicklin organizes St. James’ escapades in straightforward, chronological chapters, with occasional grayscale images from illustrator Belden featuring tableaux such as St. James dancing in the moonlight. Readers accompany him to many a legendary place; he’s never idle long, but he appealingly has time for some humor, as when, in Chicago, he releases cattle to slow a pursuer, reflecting on how cows are “immune to Authority.” Not every tale has an equal amount of zing, but each its share of intrigue as St. James attempts to slake his unending thirst for adventure.

A whimsical, spirited jaunt with an intrepid supernatural investigator.

The Business of Philanthropy: Perspective & Insights From Global Thought Leaders on How to Change the World

Jafar, Badr | HarperCollins (336 pp.)

$29.99 | $22.61 paper | Jan. 21, 2025

9780008620950 | 9780008740702 paper

Jafar presents a collection of experts’ and pundits’ reflections on the commerce of philanthropy. In his nonfiction debut, the author paints a wide-range portrait of the current state of the world

and the challenges that it poses to contemporary philanthropic institutions: “The geopolitical fractures that constitute the headlines every day—regional conflicts, political extremism, and the resulting refugee and humanitarian crises,” he writes, “are compounded by environmental challenges, including climate change, biodiversity loss, energy and food shortages, and global health crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.” Wealth is being created at unprecedented rates everywhere in the emerging markets of Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, he notes, and whether motivated by an urge to give back to communities, religious obligations, or government incentives, “strategic philanthropy,” as Jafar calls it, has likewise been on the rise. But in many of these countries, as the author points out, “next-generation donors are demanding more hands-on and evidence-based approaches to giving, and higher standards of accountability and transparency.” In this book, he collects many detailed interviews he’s conducted with CEOs and industry leaders, young and old, and the perspectives range over many aspects of philanthropy. Naina Subberwal Batra, CEO of Singapore-based AVPN, points out that although Southeast Asian countries have been involved in philanthropic causes for centuries, it needs much more “institutional” philanthropy to meet the needs of the modern world, and Wamda Group Chairman Fadi Ghandour reflects on the connection between business and philosophy: “This story of ‘the business of business is only business’ doesn’t work anymore,” he warns. “There is a social responsibility for business, not only in the PR sense.”

Jafar’s collection of reflections on “strategic philanthropy” must contend with the common criticism that some wealthy philanthropists pursue their activities not only to help humankind,

but also, as Ghandour notes, for good PR. Cynical readers are likely to find some fuel for such criticism in these pages, which feature reflections by princes, sheiks, sultans, and at least one baroness. Certainly, there are questionable moments, as when readers are told of an annual roundtable that has “welcomed nearly 40 philanthropists from around the world”—a not-inconsiderable outlay of air-traffic carbon emissions for an event that aims to address sustainable carbon emissions. However, there are also a great many earnest, heartfelt sentiments in this book about the urgent need for giving, especially in the modern moment: “We are not human beings anymore, because the word ‘human’ doesn’t exist in economic jargon,” says the well-known professor Muhammad Yunus, founder of Grameen Bank in Bangladesh. Jafar also proves himself to be a skilled interviewer, highlighting conversations that are uniformly engaging, particularly when multiple subjects bring up common concerns. For instance, Jacqueline Novogratz, the CEO of the award-winning not-for-profit Acumen, is not the only interviewee to mention how the new interconnectedness of the modern world affects philanthropic activities. Overall, this balance makes the book a compelling read throughout. A highly readable and thought-provoking set of interviews about leveraging wealth to make the world a better place.

The English Trip of 1910: Toronto, Sir Henry Pellatt, the Queen’s Own Rifles and the Press Gang

Kapches, Mima Brown | FriesenPress (252 pp.)

$27.49 | $20.99 paper | Oct. 24, 2024 9781038310583 | 9781038310576 paper

K apches relates a notable event in the history of the longest-serving regiment in the Canadian Army in this nonfiction debut.

The Queen’s Own Rifles, active since 1860, celebrated its 50th

anniversary in 1910, not only with the usual parades, but also with a special junket in which 600 reservists were sent to England to train for a few weeks with the British Army, accompanied by a press contingent to publicize the whole thing. The QOR, as they were known, participated in military exercises and war games, were presented to the king himself, and, in their off time, enjoyed what London had to offer: “London was a large, exciting city and appetites of all sorts could be explored with anonymity and probably were.” Kapches is the daughter of J.N.M. Brown, one of the original press reporters, and in these pages, she does groundbreaking research to flesh out all the details of this moment in the QOR’s history. The main character of the story, as told here, is the regiment’s commanding officer (and the trip’s sponsor), Sir Henry Pellatt. It was a year of change for the English monarchy in 1910, with King Edward VII dying in May and King George V succeeding him, and in these chapters Kapches includes not only all these broader atmospheric details, but also many archival photographs from the press coverage of the day. The result is a priceless work of micro-reporting that’s also an involving reading experience. Kapches is skilled at teasing the nuances of personalities out of yellowed old newspaper columns, particularly in the case of Sir Henry, who comes across in this telling as a fascinating blend of touchy and pompous (“We are not undertaking this trip to England as a mere picnic,” he testily tells a Toronto newspaper at one point). In 1939, Sir Henry commented that “far too much tribute has been said about that 1910 trip,” but those echoes have long since faded. Kapches does a wonderful service in reviving the story so entertainingly.

An energetically readable history of a Canadian regiment’s working vacation.

The Lights Around the Shore

Lewis, Steven | Codhill Press (240 pp.)

$22.00 paper | Jan. 1, 2024 | 9781949933239

A grumpy senior goes on an irreverent spiritual journey following a near-death experience. Charlie Messina, 75 and called a curmudgeon by his family “when they’re being nice,” is tired of feeling like he sees the world through a veil, which he attributes to being born with a caul. When a heart arrhythmia lands him in the hospital, Charlie wakes up claiming he had a vision of Saint Augustine; his deceased daughter, Joni; and a fat dog named Dumbass. Shortly thereafter, his wife, Sarah, dies, and Charlie embarks on a journey to Florida with his best frenemy, Mason. After several months of life in the Sunshine State, he awakens in the hospital to discover that none of this happened, and he has been in a coma for two and a half days. While trying to reassure his family that he isn’t crazy, Charlie now believes he’s in a parallel time, and he uses this new understanding to break through the veils of anger and aloofness holding him back. Along the way, he bonds with Manny, a teenager working at a gas station, Joey, a young boy on Cape Cod, Sarah, his sons, grandchildren, and his fat dog, Dumbass, who’s only visible to children. This is a vivid, life-affirming story, but the character of Charlie provides enough salt to keep it from being too saccharine. The entire tale relies on Charlie, and Lewis characterizes him brilliantly. The protagonist is deeply sad, but vibrant, with a distinctive voice that lifts off the page, providing much needed humor. (“What the hell is a Buckyfest? An orthodontist convention?”) The point of view shifts as Charlie steps through more veils to fully connect with the people he loves—an effective storytelling device.

A soulful, satisfying book perfect for readers who enjoy charming old cranks.

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Kirkus Star

The Light Doctor: Using Light to Boost Health, Improve Sleep, and Live Longer

Moore-Ede, Martin | Circadian Books (282 pp.) | $19.98 paper June 17, 2024 | 9798990686908

Moore-Ede, an MD and professor at Harvard Medical School, examines the ways we illuminate our lives in this nonfiction debut.

In these pages, the author takes up a subject that will be relevant to virtually anybody who’s ever shopped for a laptop, smart tablet, or e-reader of any kind: the nature of artificial light, specifically the ways in which conventional fluorescent lighting and LED illumination can be harmful to human health, and what can be done to mitigate that harm or avoid it altogether. Moore-Ede outlines the ubiquity of the problem in our tech-saturated world: “Despite more than 20 years of scientific evidence showing that blue-rich light in the evening disrupts our circadian clocks, sleep, and health,” he writes, “we have created a world where virtually the only illumination you can buy is unchanging blue-rich light.” A good deal of the text is dedicated to explaining the nature of light and the particulars of modern lighting, but the author is also concerned with raising the profile of the problem itself, suggesting that a healthy “light diet” is “as essential for your health as the food you eat, the water you drink and the air you breathe.” Moore-Ede’s tone is clear and urgently pragmatic; readers are coached not only on making better choices about the lighting in every area of their lives, but also on determining what steps to take to guarantee better, more natural lighting. “You must be proactive,” he writes, “in asking for healthy circadian lighting in the spaces where you and your family spend significant time.” The book itself is visually inviting, full of

colorful insets illustrating crisply summarized points, and includes copious resources for readers who want to follow up on the topic. A passionate and practical overview of the importance of healthy lighting and how to achieve it.

A New America: The State of Independence

Morell, Aaron | Unconscious Will Publishing (312 pp.) | $29.00 | $19.00 paper | Oct. 30, 2024 | 9798218988111 9798218539757 paper

A reporter chases after broken dreams in Morell’s alternative history of secession from the United States. Covering the “secessionism beat” for the Atlantic magazine, Roman Wolfe has traveled around the world and seen the anger and frustration driving people to try to create new nations and divorce themselves from the political status quo. After 17 fraught months of fighting and tension, one movement has succeeded, resulting in Independence, a new country within the Great Plains of the United States that covers parts of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Roman successfully enters the blockaded country, where general instability has left people with dwindling resources, notably fuel. Tensions only continue to mount when a man is found dead—Independence’s first homicide—sparking heated debates about security and illegal immigration. A decimated police force has opened the way for violent local militias and misinformation campaigns about Mexican cartels funneling their smuggling operations into the new nation. (“We didn’t secede from the most powerful country ever to get our rear ends kicked and chased away,” a local tells Roman, justifying his contempt for migrants arriving from Mexico and Central America.) Roman drifts through towns observing and writing about what he sees, but his real motivations for

coming to Independence are revealed when he reconnects with Kat Taylor, a veterinarian that he had met by chance in Texas years earlier. Kat has consumed his thoughts ever since their passionate encounter, and he has been desperate to see her again, even desperate enough to come to Independence to try to build a life there. While Kat seems uneasy around Roman, the two decide to fix up an old farm together, struggling to find their way as a new couple in a country that is also laboring to find its footing. Elections bring more political instability as mayor Albert Gonzalez rises to power, further destabilizing the allocation of resources and igniting the fiery rhetoric around freedom and community.

Morell successfully builds an expansive and immersive world out of a “what if” scenario. From Roman’s first summaries of various uprisings and populist movements to his struggle to get a money transfer into an embargoed country, Morell’s alternate history feels dense with realistic detail. Independence becomes a strange microcosm of the real world, with debates about immigration and government overreach. It’s a fascinating thought experiment exploring notions of selfdetermination and freedom; readers will encounter the same infuriating problems and political theater they see on the news.

(“It seemed everyone harbored their own propriety blend of reality,” Roman reflects as revolutionary rebels turn against the government they supposedly chose.)

Roman’s bittersweet romance with Kat should be a source of more interpersonal and emotional drama, but her sudden appearance feels inorganic and forced.

(“In part two of this book, she’s inextricably intertwined with my experiences,” Roman announces abruptly to readers.)

The protagonist’s disconnected, sparse, first-person narration works well when he is drifting aimlessly through desolate landscapes, but it does not feel appropriate to the troubled romance central to the book’s latter half. Readers curious about political science and visions of the future will nonetheless find it compellingly troubling how strangely familiar Morell’s fantasy world feels.

Despite an uneven story, Morell delivers an unsettling, thought-provoking perspective on political realities.

Kirkus Star

Joyous Longevity: The A-Z Field Guide

Othmer, Sieglinde | Joyous Longevity Books (146 pp.) | $13.99 paper Sept. 3, 2024 | 9781737602804

Othmer presents an alphabetical guide to the many joys and challenges of getting older. In the face of an aging population and increasing anxiety about old-age years, the author here offers a collection of thoughts, inspirations, and encouragements arranged around an alphabetical structure (from “Awake” to “Zen”). Othmer’s advice isn’t concerned with practicalities like navigating health or finances; rather, she concentrates on the emotional and behavioral sides of getting older, always with the aim of helping readers age “intentionally with wisdom, grace, and fun.” Each of the book’s brief chapters takes its alphabetical cue, ruminates for a bit on the topic, and ends by offering some suggestions as to how readers might pursue the cue further on their own. Noting that “N” is for “Nature,” Othmer discusses the Japanese concept of shinrin-yoku (“forestbathing”) and encourages readers to get in touch with the wild world: “Being in nature for two or three hours a week is proven to boost mental health, reducing the stress hormone cortisol,” she writes. Warning against the personal isolation that can be so damaging to the elderly, she consistently emphasizes the need for community (“S is for Socializing”). “Cooking, eating, and cleaning up together, sharing ideas, learning from each other, teasing, and relying on each other,” the author asserts, creates a “forcefield of care” that takes some of the sting out of being older. On every page of this slim volume, Othmer is encouraging and optimistic, highlighting the joys and opportunities of getting older and always reminding her readers (whether they’re getting older themselves or know someone who is) that they can change their own attitudes. “Make joy your habit,”

she urges. “It is your good fortune to be alive on this day.”

A bright-minded and very winning call to look on the bright side of aging.

Revitalizing Christianity: The Theology of Peter Lewis: A Collection of Short Articles Edited by Shane St Reynolds

Reynolds, Shane St | Self (88 pp.) | $16.80 paper | Sept. 5, 2024 | 9798334716773

A prominent progressive Christian calls for a renewal and reconceptualization of the faith in this anthology.

“Have you ever felt your faith could use a refresh?” asks editor St Reynolds in his introduction, emphasizing the legacy of author Lewis’ “transformative perspective on Christian thought.” A former surgeon who’s done postgraduate work in Biblical studies, Lewis has spent years as a globally recognized voice of progressive Christianity. From page one, which includes statements on queer sexuality and environmental sustainability, readers are offered a perspective that is profoundly Christian yet stands in stark contrast to the proliferation of conservative voices in the genre. The author is ecumenical in his approach as he explores a core message of Christianity: “I must try to love like Jesus.” This is not to say the book offers a milquetoast brand of Christianity void of theological arguments—Lewis challenges fundamentalist interpretations of the Bible and questions orthodox assumptions about the nature of Jesus. Lewis’ boldest assertion, perhaps, is the “reasonable” assumption that Jesus was gay. Though this claim (based on Jesus’s unmarried status as a rabbi and his personal demeanor) may not be entirely convincing, it does make for a fruitful thought experiment, reframing Jesus as a “young man who is gay, looks different and feels different, yet is steeped in the Jewish culture of his time.” The author’s

probing analysis is accompanied by a robust bibliography, but the text is written in an accessible style that includes pop-culture references (like Star Trek) and full-color images. While numbering fewer than 70 total pages (most of the essays are under five pages long), this is not a book designed to be read in a single sitting; it’s to be meditated upon as readers examine assumptions often left unquestioned. Curated under the watchful editorial eye of St Reynolds, himself a leading voice in progressive Christian scholarship, this anthology is a well-crafted introduction to a branch of Christianity often overshadowed by the religion’s more boisterous (and orthodox) brethren. A thought-provoking rethinking of Christianity.

The Dark Road

Rhodes, Kathleen | Type Eighteen Books (335 pp.) | $16.99 paper Sept. 12, 2024 | 9798990803008

In Rhodes’ debut thriller, two emotionally wounded people thrown together by a random accident must rely on each other to survive a strange and terrifying world. Shelly can’t remember her past, but she knows something terrible happened, something so awful that she’s become detached from her loved ones and disassociates from her body. She loves her daughter Josie, but thinking about her fills her with anxiety over her well-being. Her husband Paul doesn’t understand what she’s dealing with and is frustrated by Shelly never being fully present with him. Beleaguered by the growing strain of his dead marriage and his extremely stressful job as hospital operations manager, Paul makes a reckless decision. In the wake of this action, Shelly leaves—driving with Josie in the car, she loses control of the vehicle and crashes into a biker named John. He has his own tragic history with a physically abusive father and an

emotionally abusive mother; John’s internal issues and anger reached a boiling point when his girlfriend left him for his best friend. In the aftermath of the crash, Shelly and John wake up on dark road and must bravely navigate a strange place—a kind of purgatory—if they hope to find the way back to their lives. Rhodes creates a compelling world full of danger and tragedy, replete with well-wrought plot twists and shocking details. Shelly’s and John’s histories of abuse are especially complex and provide an emotional core to the story’s themes of survival and healing. The character development is outstanding, with Shelly’s arc standing out as particularly enthralling and grounded. Well-crafted imagery and descriptions render the story vivid and realistic: “By the time Shelly regained consciousness, the grass and the glow of emergency vehicles had disappeared, leaving only the long, yellow line of the highway. Her brain felt heavy, like the ache of a hangover.” An excellent thriller.

The Serpent Bearer

Rosenthal, Jane | She Writes Press (328 pp.) | $17.99 paper March 11, 2025 | 9781647428501

Rosenthal presents a World War II–era adventure novel, set mostly in the Yucatán jungle in the 1940s. Early on, a frame story introduces an elderly Solly Meisner living in North Carolina in 2008, exasperating both his daughter, Izzy, and his full-time caregiver with his stubborn independence. During an

episode of dementia, he begins to reveal long-kept secrets about his past that lead Izzy, a retired archaeologist, to question everything she think she knows about her family. Most of the story, however, takes place in 1941, in the months before the invasion of Pearl Harbor and shortly after Solly has, by chance, survived a bombing that targeted his band of brigadistas fighting in the Spanish Civil War. A U.S. government agent with the Office of the Coordinator of Information sends Solly to spy on suspected Nazi activity in Mexico, blackmailing him into doing so by threatening to expose Solly’s record as a Communist Party member and revolutionary fighter in Spain. The young lawyer accepts, but he’s certain that the mission will end with his death. In a dilapidated hacienda in the Yucatán, he meets three other Jewish exiles who’ve fled horrors in Europe, some bored expats, and, eventually, Nazi operatives. In addition to chapters from the perspectives of Solly and Izzy, readers get scenes in diary entries of Solly’s aristocratic ex-lover, Estelle, and from the point of view of Grace Weintraub, a Hollywood script doctor. Each narrative voice is distinctive, and the characters and settings throughout are beautifully drawn, from care facilities to remote hotels: “The first-floor patio was abuzz with chatter, a flurry of waiters running around like mad, supplying distraught guests with mineral water or spirits.” The various mysteries unfold at a gratifying pace, and the frame story generates tension between the past and present; readers get action sequences worthy of 1940s Hollywood, as well as an examination of the lingering effects of past choices.

A consistently compelling war story that expertly balances multiple plotlines and perspectives.

A world-beater of a boy detective brings film noir’s legacy to a younger audience.

A Reasonable Amount of Trouble: The Gum Chews

Rowe, JoAnna | BookBaby (156 pp.) | $12.99 paper | Oct. 31, 2024 | 9798350972610

In Rowe’s middle-grade novel, a Sam Spade–obsessed 11-year-old pursues his own Maltese Falcon.

On his fifth birthday, Frank Plum’s dad leaves his mom and disappears from his life. The same day, his grandpa introduces him to a new hero, the hard-nosed Sam Spade, as played by the legendary Humphrey Bogart in The Maltese Falcon By 11, Frank has reimagined himself as Icabum Plum, a middle-school detective always decked out in a three-piece suit and fedora—styling himself after noir movies from the 1950s and ’60s—and proficient in every skill of investigation and observation. Though there aren’t too many crimes in his small neighborhood, an out-of-town classic film festival held during spring break offers a unique mystery for its attendees, along with a $1,000 prize and a Maltese Falcon trophy to whoever solves it. Icabum needs to claim the Falcon; he knows his mom could use the money, even if she won’t tell him why the phone and electricity have been cut off. But his father has sent a bus ticket for him to come and stay with him and his new family in Savannah during the break, along with instructions to “dress normal.” Icabum turns to his fellow “Gum Chews,” a team of close friends and fellow investigators, to help flim-flam his nosy bus-route chaperone, give his father the slip, and hot-foot it to the convention. Rowe’s boy detective is a wonderful protagonist: Icabum values knowledge and friendship, is anxious to share his interests, and willing to dress and act radically different from his classmates, despite any confrontation or criticism this draws. The book’s first-person narration employs a distinctly noir tone, even in moments that seem more soft-boiled than hard—the initially jarring conceit quickly becomes charming. The story is

full of engaging trivia about film and history, and Rowe uses an impressive but never daunting vocabulary (just wait until young readers start using “ennui” and “phlegm” in their daily conversations), delivering a narrative with clear goals and just a little bit of danger…not enough to ever scare, but definitely enough to dial up the excitement. A world-beater of a boy detective brings film noir’s legacy to a younger audience.

Kirkus Star

Jump! Jump! Jump! Stacey

Silva, Candelaria Norma | Illus. by Justin Aquidado | Self (50 pp.) | $11.99

$12.99 paper | Dec. 1, 2021 9781735138534 | 9781735138541 paper

A young girl plays in the backyard and negotiates with her mother about nap time. Stacey, a young African American girl resplendent in her red jacket and beaded braids, is allowed outside by Mom to burn off some energy before naptime. Stacey’s zest for life is immediately evident: “Wheee! / I’m going to jump, jump, JUMP. / I’m going to jump, jump, JUMP! / On and off the tree stump.” This pattern is repeated throughout: a reaction (“Wheee!”) in a gleeful purple font, followed by a chanted (and enchanting!) repetition and rhyme. Stacey hops and skips and dances and twirls. She also frets about—and rebels against—having to come back inside. Mom remains good-humored but assertive, and by the end of story, she’s been proven correct: Stacey really does need a nap! Silva, whose last book was Stacey Became a Frog One Day, portrays a warm family rooted in day-to-day routine, highlighting both the joy of childhood and the love and challenges associated with parenting. The book’s double-page spreads afford plenty of white space for the text to breathe. Aquidado’s digital illustrations imbue Stacey and her mom with genuine, expressive personalities, and motion lines and blurred autumnal colors convey the

vitality of Stacey (and her dog!) at play. A sweet, memorable read that children will enjoy many times over.

An exuberant portrayal of the mother-daughter dynamic.

The Hammer: Tales Of Edward I

Smith, Courtney Soling | Self (562 pp.)

$20.00 paper | Aug. 10, 2024 | 9798324489366

In this collection of stories, an older King Edward I of England reminisces about the tragedies, loves, and battles that hardened him over the years. The year is 1307, and the once formidable King Edward I is near death. He visits Marjory, the 11-year-old daughter of Scottish freedom fighter Robert the Bruce, in her cage at the Outer Court of Lanercost Priory in northern England. He has imprisoned her there as punishment for her father’s rebellion, but the two quickly form an odd sort of bond as he spends days regaling her with stories of his youth. Each of the collection’s 27 tales—beginning with the boyhood of the king’s father, Henry Plantagenet, in 1216 and concluding with a friend’s dire warning that Edward’s legacy is at stake if he continues pursuing the Scottish rebels—fills in pieces of the monarch’s personal and public life. From his deep love for Queen Eleanor to the brutal murder of his cousin Hal and Edward’s fatal flaw at the Battle of Lewes that resulted in a major setback in the bloody civil war led by Simon de Montfort, readers slowly discover what led to the king’s descent into cruelty—as well as Marjory’s eventual fate. Smith readily admits that her stories, while historically based, are largely fictional. This creative freedom results in a book that examines a dense swathe of history in an approachable way, sparking a mixture of both sympathy and repulsion for Edward. And even with the limited plot given to her in the frame story, the plucky Marjory manages to shine. While the prose can become dense in places, its vividness consistently

brings history alive (“At night, the streets of London were extremely dangerous. Only rats, mongrels, and madmen dared to venture out alone”). The volume also includes helpful footnotes to explain unfamiliar terms. Smith ultimately presents a thoughtful examination of love, loyalty, and the legacies that mortals leave behind. An engaging, elegantly narrated collection of tales that manages to make history feel personal.

The Vengeance of Amelia Earhart

Snee, Matt | Venus Comics (204 pp.)

$10.00 paper | July 31, 2024 | 9798330257362

Snee’s collection of novellas offers glimpses into the imagined lives of several famous writers. The book opens with the title novella, set in 1932 Paris and depicting a chance encounter between a young Simone de Beauvoir and Amelia Earhart. In this alternate history, the two feminist icons are immediately drawn to each other—much to the pleasure of de Beauvoir’s libertine partner, Jean-Paul Sartre—but their relationship can never become the true romance Earhart desires. Snee offers similar fictional tales of other well-known authors: W. Somerset Maugham questions the meaning of love while working as a spy in Geneva in “The Imperial Frost of Somerset Maugham”; the titular author in “The Last Wish of Gustave Flaubert” reflects on the differences between men and women and the legacy of his complicated protagonist Emma Bovary; and a certain horror author confronts a werewolf straight out of his own imagination in “The Festering Wound of Stephen King.” In these and other tales, Snee takes a fact or idea from the writers’ true histories and expands upon it, playing with its narrative potential while paying homage. Readers will also find less familiar but hauntingly tragic figures as characters here, such as American SF author Alice Sheldon

(better known by her pseudonym, James Tiptree Jr.) and British SF novelist Anna Kavan. A few works struggle to condense decades of life into too little space, rushing through too much backstory. The overall experiment of the book works best in Snee’s more playful takes on Earhart, Maugham, and King, in which he focuses on one aspect or specific period in his subjects’ lives. These stories also stand out for some of the collection’s most memorable moments, such as Earhart referring to Sartre as “a fine cook—for an ape,” or Maugham regarding his lover’s lips: “What is hidden in the silences of those same lips, what do they refuse to say?” he wonders in fine prose that mimics the master stylist himself.

Readers who share Snee’s clear curiosity about writers’ lives are sure to find something, or someone, to love.

An often successful set of works that will intrigue lovers of literature.

Under the Orange Tree

Thurman, Lilo | Self (390 pp.) | $25.20 paper | Nov. 13, 2024| 9798345947371

A Finnish biotech firm may be hiding sinister secrets in Thurman’s thriller, the first in a series. After Chairman of the Finnish Democrats JukkaPekka Ansakoski is tortured and killed, a photo of his nude body is posted online. Tackling the case is stressed-out Detective Chief Inspector Markku Penttilä. He’s a recent widower with a son facing imprisonment for drug possession. Katariina, a live-casting journalist, and her twin Liina, a psychiatrist and eco-activist, get caught up in the investigation when Liina’s DNA is found at the crime scene and Katariina tries to help clear her sister. Katariina learns that Saint Angot, a biotech company, may be involved in the crime after seeing an online photo of the CEO with Anaskoski, which suddenly vanishes. While conducting an interview at Saint Angot, Katariina notices Ebrima, a young Nigerian wearing a hospital gown. Fleeing from Boko Haram terrorists who

murdered his sister and aunt, Ebrima applies for Finnish asylum but is rejected. Needing money to bring his grandmother to Finland, he takes part in a shadowy drug trial conducted by Saint Angot; the company is seemingly unconcerned by Ebrima’s undocumented status. When three dead Africans are found in a landfill, the situation grows even more dangerous for everyone involved. Thurman states in the introduction that her book’s theme is racism, and she does a good job of weaving this into the mystery plot. Ebrima feels safe “in a country that has the world’s happiest people,” yet he’s given an untested drug, and there are threats of ethnic attacks at the daycare where Liina brings her mixed-race son Tumppi. The author keeps readers engaged with complex characters who experience little downtime: Katariina loves a now-married former boyfriend and has mental health issues; Penttilä worries about a pregnant colleague and his weak heart; and Ebrima suffers flashbacks to his harrowing prior life. The book’s thriller elements are effective, switching rapidly between different characters’ viewpoints and using simple language for descriptions and conversations.

A swift, pared-down, and thoughtprovoking thriller.

The Homeowner’s Association

Verheyden, Miriam | Self (294 pp.) | $12.43 paper | Sept. 10, 2024 | 9798325751066

In Verheyden’s thriller, when a free-spirited woman settles in a small Canadian town, horrifying secrets soon emerge. On the outside, Pleasant Hill in Summerfield looks picture-perfect—but behind the charming veneer lurks a nightmare. Under the oppressive scrutiny of Holly and Homer Kent, the despicable founders of the local homeowner’s association (HOA), the residents of Pleasant Hill are anxious and suspicious. And that’s just how the

Kents like it: For 30 years, the Kents have enforced the meticulous upkeep of lawns and houses and rigid rules about pets, noise, decorations, and vehicles. Their tactics of intimidation—including spying, inspections, and fines—usually keep the residents in check. But when Clementine Harrison, a 52-year-old photographer recovering from a breakup with her girlfriend, moves to town with her dog, George, and converted bus “Matilda,” the Kents may have finally met their match. The gregarious Clementine quickly finds her tribe, including no-nonsense senior Marjorie Burns and Valerie Park, who is relentlessly hounded by the HOA over her rewilded yard and whose late husband (who was of Korean descent) was the target of the Kents’ racism. Together, they vow to take down the Kents and unearth shocking truths. While the author introduces a huge cast to follow, the characters are well-crafted and sharply distinguished by their unique struggles. Though the plot relies on a few improbable coincidences, and the over-emphasized “you’ve got this” attitude among the women grows tiresome, Verheyden showcases her talent as a storyteller by skillfully dropping in clues that keep readers guessing, with prose that is punchy and sometimes darkly humorous. (“Didn’t they see that all of them would benefit if they’d just go along with what she wanted?” Holly thinks. “Why would anyone settle for staying ordinary if they could become extraordinary?”)

Lighter moments are sharply contrasted with a compelling critique of power dynamics and timely explorations of addiction, sexual assault, and prejudice, resulting in a tale that oscillates between uplifting and sobering. A promising debut packed with malevolent neighbors, juicy scandals, and cozy friendships.

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An educational and wellillustrated magical exploration.

THE TALES OF CHARLIE WAGS: LONDON

Why Is My Bra Still On?

Wasyliszyn, Kristen | Self (315 pp.) | $17.99 paper | Oct. 4, 2024 | 9798990911000

A sick woman asks her friends to help her die in Wasyliszyn’s debut novel. Opal Slepecki has pancreatic cancer. Though she is not yet 55, Opal’s pancreas is “gold-star jacked up,” as she phrases it to her three best friends when they come over for drinks and macaroons in her gazebo. Having already exhausted all of her treatment options, Opal has decided the only course left for her is euthanasia—a serious crime in Minnesota—and she needs her friends’ help to do the deed. Her friends are understandably horrified, both by the revelation of her prognosis and by the requests Opal has written on cards and given to them. Luna, the beautiful, cake-baking neck model, has been tasked with collecting brown recluse spiders. Urse, the brash friend with a traumatic childhood and a burgeoning Adderall dependency, must find poison mushrooms. The loyal, possibly depressed Ruby is responsible for the most dramatic ingredient of all: heroin. The friends are worried that Opal has broken with reality—she seems unable to grasp the fact that her husband, Oliver, died six months ago—but they are willing to do whatever they can to help. (Well, almost anything.) As the pals begin their morbid scavenger hunt, a lifetime’s worth of traumas, hang-ups, missed opportunities, and unfulfilled dreams come bubbling to the surface. Shot through with penetrating insights on aging and loss, the novel is ultimately about friendships,

particularly long ones. Wasyliszyn wrings plenty of humor out of her wonderfully human characters, particularly the ailing Opal: “Opal woke to the smell of flowers. I must be at my own funeral.” (When she realizes she is merely in a hospital bed, her visiting friends presenting her with a vase of lilacs, she shuts her eyes again, lamenting, “Aw, man, a hospital. The opposite of my funeral.”) In Opal’s case, the end of life is equal parts heist machinations and wry retrospective, with little time for treacly sentimentality. A surprising and enjoyable novel about camaraderie and letting go.

The Afterlife Project

Weed, Tim | Podium Publishing (272 pp.) $19.99 paper | June 3, 2025 | 9781039480452

A small group of pandemic survivors takes extreme measures to save humanity from extinction in this SF novel.

In the mid-21st century, a hyperpandemic wipes out most of a climatically devastated Earth’s population. Many of those who survive become infertile as a result of the disease. Some members of the New Hampshire–based Centauri Project, whose goal is saving the human species, aim to find a solution. They sail a yacht to Stromboli, an island off the coast of Sicily with reputedly fertile inhabitants. Along the way, they brave treacherous storms and, when going ashore for food, potential confrontations with dangerous people thriving in the ravaged world. Meanwhile, another team member, biologist Dr. Nick Hindman, travels 10,000 years

into the future in a Time Dilation Sphere. He searches for any sign of humans, for whom he can bring a cautionary tale of how “Humanity 1.0” failed. But Nick also awaits fellow Centauri members in other spheres, namely his lover, physicist Dr. Natalie Quist. Weed’s story oscillates between Nick in the “deep future” and the sailing crew, whose narration comes courtesy of physician Alejandra Morgan-Ochoa’s journal. Each subplot is deliberately paced but wholly absorbing. For example, Alejandra delivers a slew of curious tidbits, from Natalie’s “famous tech wizard” billionaire father to the Centauri Project’s original intent of interstellar colonization. Similarly, Nick fights off loneliness and hopelessness, seeing no trace of humans in dense wilderness or footprints on sandy beaches. Settings atop the vast sea or ostensibly deserted lands generate a lyrically descriptive narrative: “The fiery reds and oranges of autumn, beginning in the high country, creep down into the lowlands day by day. Great vees of migrating geese fill the air with their throaty honking.” The final act takes a noticeable but not entirely drastic turn, culminating in an extraordinary and befitting denouement.

This engaging dystopian tale deftly blends enthralling fiction with real-life fears.

The Tales of Charlie Wags: London

Wells, Sofie & Ali Barclay | Illus. by Sanna Sjöström | Kendam Press (40 pp.)

$14.02 | March 24, 2025 | 9798990005020

Wells and Barclay’s canine tour guide introduces readers to London, England, in the second installment of a picture-book series. Although Charlie Wags may seem like an ordinary little dog, he has an extraordinary secret: By wagging his tail, he can take flight and explore different places all over the globe. In his latest

adventure, he’s off to explore the capital of the United Kingdom. Beginning at Buckingham Palace and ending atop the London Eye, the mystical pup takes the readers on a tour through the city’s major tourist attractions, learning about the history and the local customs as he goes. At the end, Wells and Barclay invite readers to “paws and learn” with additional fun facts about every monument that Charlie visited. They deliver a cozy, clever, and informative little story, complete with a map of London and questions to get the young readers involved with the tale. Sjöström’s full-color artwork brings Charlie’s travels to life with her stunning watercolor renditions of the city. The vibrant artwork offers young readers a way to experience a new land without leaving the couch, but the adorable little dog’s journey is sure to spark interest in travel abroad.

An educational and well-illustrated magical exploration of a major world city.

The Journal of the Center For Applied Hopelessness

Whitlow, Wilson | James Perry (209 pp.) $11.99 paper | Dec. 9, 2024 | 9781734909845

With essays that plumb the depths of despair, Whitlow’s fictional journal presents the voices of those grappling with loss, failure, and the existential weight of hopelessness. These poignant, reflective essays by various fictional characters offer personal, often painful accounts of moments when the world feels bleak. They explore intensely personal struggles—such as that of a woman processing her nephew’s suicide (“How much can an aunt do for her nephew, anyway? What would I have been able to tell him that would have overcome everything else in his world?”) and a lawyer struggling with debilitating anxiety in social spaces— and offer raw, vulnerable reflections that reveal the depths of despair.

Whitlow’s editorial voice introduces each entry, grounding the collection in a mix of solemn insight and sometimes dark humor, presenting shared suffering as both an isolating and a connecting force. The narrative resonates with authenticity, making each story an unfiltered mix of pain and introspection, while inviting readers to recognize the delicate line between melancholy and resilience. Whitlow’s editorial voice frames each essay in a way that respects the gravity of the topic while subtly hinting at the absurdity and complexity of human suffering, as when, early on, Whitlow answers a letter to the journal that attempts to ask big questions about how humans spend their lives: “I’m asking these questions because I want an answer. So, what about it, Mr. Whitlow?” (Whitlow bluntly answers, in a footnote, “Sorry, no clue.”) The collection creates a community of voices that feel individual yet interwoven, as if the pain connects them in unseen ways. In examining what it means to live with unresolved sorrow, each essay guides readers to confront, and even appreciate, the contradictions between resilience and vulnerability. A thought-provoking metafictional work that navigates life’s harder moments with clarity and empathy.

Lost in the Crush

Yocum, Keith | Self (326 pp.) Feb. 4, 2025 | 979898553453 Series: A Cape Cod Mystery, 3

In Yocum’s mystery, “stop the presses” becomes “stop the wedding” when a former reporter’s fiance mysteriously disappears on the day of their nuptials. The author’s third installment of his Cape Cod Mystery series begins with a scream; it is a scream of joy, expressed when Stacie Davis accepts her boyfriend Carl Lane’s proposal on

Lighthouse Beach. But, as a police captain observes, “Wedding season on Cape Cod can be unpredictable.” Sure enough, six months later on their wedding day, Carl is not to be found. The situation grows curiouser when security footage captures an image of Carl in the early morning hours after the rehearsal dinner walking down the street holding an unseen woman’s hand. Adding even more tension and intrigue, police officer—and former flame of Stacie—Dan Yellen reaches out to the would-be bride on Facebook with an offer to track down Carl. The bits of news she receives are not encouraging: The night before the wedding, Carl sold his truck and his boat and announced he was getting out of the charter boat business. Desperate for an explanation, she reaches out to Carl’s ex-wife and to his 12-year-old daughter; one restraining order later, she accepts Dan’s offer, and together they head to Florida, where a confrontation will yield more questions than answers, including a confession about involvement in a presumed murder. The narrative takes several hard left turns as Stacie seeks closure for her wedding day devastation. Yocum is as interested in exploring the interpersonal relationships between Stacie and her family, co-workers, friends, and Carl’s perplexed loved ones as he is in teasing out the secrets and lies driving the plot. Still, the twists come fast and furious as this mystery careens to its conclusion and the “brilliant” Stacie proves herself willing to step over some lines that readers may not have thought her capable of crossing. They’ll end this book eager to see what she does next.

A mystery and character study that satisfies and surprises right to the final page.

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