January 15, 2020: Volume LXXXVIII, No 2

Featuring 367 Industry-First Reviews of Fiction, Nonfiction, Children's and YA books

KIRKUS VOL. LXXXVIII, NO.

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JANUARY

2020

REVIEWS Jeanine Cummins

The author of American Dirt on her urgent new novel about a Mexican migrant and her 8-year-old son p. 14

Also in the issue: Garth Greenwell, Peggy Orenstein, Anna-Marie McLemore, and more

from the editor’s desk:

Dispatches From Trumpland B Y T O M

Chairman H E R B E RT S I M O N

B EER

President & Publisher M A RC W I N K E L M A N

John Paraskevas

It’s still early in 2020, but the impeachment proceedings and the November presidential election have kept politics front and center in the book world while President Donald Trump continues to make news—and inspire anguished analysis—with every utterance and tweet. You can be sure much more ink will be spilled in the months to come.

This week sees the release of two works of investigative journalism that look at the 45th president and his circle. Announced in mid-December (and embargoed until publication), The Fixers: Bottom-Feeders, Crooked Lawyers, Gossipmongers, and Porn Stars Who Created the 45th President (Random House, Jan. 14) shines a light on the lawyers and media figures who have enabled and protected Trump throughout his career; it’s by Wall Street Tom Beer Journal reporters Joe Palazzolo and Michael Rothfeld, who won the Pulitzer Prize last year.

Meanwhile, Andrea Bernstein, Peabody Award–winning co-host of the Trump, Inc. podcast, delivers American Oligarchs: The Kushners, The Trumps, and the Marriage of Money and Power (Norton, Jan. 14), a close examination of these intertwined real estate clans, joined by the union of Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner. Our review, which, due to an embargo, will only be published online on Jan. 13, calls it a “painstaking documentation of a relentless culture of corruption.”

Not enough for you hardcore news junkies? Here are some other recent releases that dig deep into the world of Donald Trump: Crime in Progress: Inside the Steele Dossier and the Fusion GPS Investigation of Donald Trump by Glenn Simpson and Peter Fritsch (Random House, Nov. 26): Fusion GPS is the Washington, D.C., research and analysis firm helmed by the authors, two former Wall Street Journal reporters. Their reporting led to the notorious Steele Dossier, and here they lay out their findings for the general reader. Kirkus’ reviewer calls it “red meat for Trump foes and a convincing denunciation of the Republicans’ ‘win-at-all-costs electoral strategies.’ ” The Mueller Report Illustrated by the Washington Post, illustrated by Jan Feindt (Scribner, Dec. 3): If you didn’t tackle all 700-plus pages of The Muel­ ler Report when it was published back in April, you can now sprint through what our reviewer calls “a lively, graphic version of the foundational document in the current presidential impeachment process.”

Trump and His Generals: The Cost of Chaos by Peter L. Bergen (Penguin Press, Dec. 10): Though Trump was endorsed by nearly 90 retired generals and military officials during his 2016 campaign, a CNN national security analyst shows that as president he has consistently alienated the Pentagon and staff of the National Security Agency while burning through generals tapped for top posts (Mike Flynn, H.R. McMaster, Jim Mattis, John Kelly).

Kirkus’ review of Trump and His Generals doesn’t mince words: “More hardhitting, abundant documentation of a woefully incapable president’s litany of failures.”

Finally, take your pick of the published results of the impeachment report: The Impeachment Report: The House Intelligence Committee’s Report on Its Investigation Into Donald Trump and Ukraine (Broadway Books, Dec. 17) features an introduction by presidential biographer and former Newsweek editor-in-chief Jon Meacham, and The Trump-Ukraine Impeachment Inquiry Report (Melville House, Dec. 17) is published flip-book style, with the official report on one side (blue cover) and the response of House Republicans (red cover) on the other.

Enjoy your reading—there are just 294 days until Election Day.

Print indexes: www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/print-indexes Kirkus Blog: www.kirkusreviews.com/blog Advertising Opportunities: www.kirkusreviews.com/about/advertising opportunities

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from the editor’s desk

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contents fiction

The Kirkus Star is awarded to books of remarkable merit, as determined by the impartial editors of Kirkus.

INDEX TO STARRED REVIEWS............................................................ 4 REVIEWS................................................................................................ 4 EDITOR’S NOTE..................................................................................... 6 ON THE COVER: JEANINE CUMMINS.............................................. 14 INTERVIEW: GARTH GREENWELL................................................... 18 QUEERIES: CAROLINA DE ROBERTIS.............................................. 24 MYSTERY.............................................................................................. 38 SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY.......................................................... 43 ROMANCE............................................................................................46

nonfiction

INDEX TO STARRED REVIEWS...........................................................51 REVIEWS...............................................................................................51 EDITOR’S NOTE................................................................................... 52 INTERVIEW: PEGGY ORENSTEIN.....................................................58 INTERVIEW: ILAN STAVANS & JOSH LAMBERT............................64

children’s

INDEX TO STARRED REVIEWS.......................................................... 84 REVIEWS.............................................................................................. 84 EDITOR’S NOTE...................................................................................86 INTERVIEW: SCOTT SIMON.............................................................. 92 INTERVIEW: LILY WILLIAMS & KAREN SCHNEEMANN.............. 98 BOARD & NOVELTY BOOKS............................................................. 127 CONTINUING SERIES....................................................................... 135

young adult

INDEX TO STARRED REVIEWS......................................................... 137 REVIEWS............................................................................................. 137 EDITOR’S NOTE..................................................................................138 INTERVIEW: ANNA-MARIE MCLEMORE.......................................142 INTERVIEW: GIBBY HAYNES.......................................................... 146 CONTINUING SERIES.......................................................................154

The death of the oldest Torres daughter leaves her three sisters and widower father grief-stricken; being haunted by her spirit shakes everything up. Read the review of Samantha Mabry’s latest on p. 148.

indie

INDEX TO STARRED REVIEWS.........................................................155 REVIEWS.............................................................................................155 EDITOR’S NOTE................................................................................. 156 INTERVIEW: JERRY CRAFT..............................................................162 INDIE BOOKS OF THE MONTH.........................................................177

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SEEN & HEARD.................................................................................. 178 APPRECIATIONS: ZADIE SMITH’S WHITE TEETH AT 20..............179 |

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fiction ARTFORUM

These titles earned the Kirkus Star:

Aira, César Trans. by Silver, Katherine New Directions (80 pp.) $12.95 paper | Mar. 31, 2020 978-0-8112-2926-5

THEN THE FISH SWALLOWED HIM by Amir Ahmadi Arian............7 CONJURE WOMEN by Afia Atakora................................................... 9 FIEBRE TROPICAL by Juliana Delgado Lopera................................. 13

A collection of stories about one writer’s obsession with, of all things, a magazine, attainable but difficult to find in a way he often finds maddening.

Argentinian writer Aira (Birthday, 2019, etc.) has produced more than 100 books, a good number of which have been translated into English. His works tend to be slim and offbeat—a zombie novel here (Dinner, 2015), a kidnapping there (Ema the Captive, 2016)—but they’re always eminently readable. Even this one, which is, yes, pretty much about hunting down a magazine and then, after having taken out a subscription, waiting for it to come in the mail. Is this fiction, as it’s labeled, or nonfiction? Aira’s work is so personal and frequently peculiar that it doesn’t make much of a difference. He’s spent a couple of decades thinking about Artforum, judging by the dates at the end of each story—not so much about the magazine’s content as his difficult quest to obtain it. Naturally, he turns each interaction into a beautifully crafted experience, even in the most banal circumstances. Take the opener, “The Sacrifice,” written in 1983, in which an issue of Artforum saves the narrator’s other diligently acquired magazines from a particularly vicious rainstorm. Later there are contemplations of the magazine’s price, translated here by Silver as $10, and the personal glory of finally getting a subscription. In 2002, a short-tempered writer goes searching for a trove of Artforums spotted, by happenstance, by a friend. “Conjectures” and “Melancholy” describe the narrator’s state of mind while he waits impatiently for the next issue to arrive in the mail. The writer’s obsession with the magazine is also explained in the context of his life, in which he’s always had “the problem of empty time, of ominous afternoons like the open mouth of an abyss.” This book is a slim affair, but for those who want to understand the mindset of an authentic collector, it comes straight from the heart.

A marvelous little collection about compulsion, obsession, and the extraordinary joy that a simple pleasure can bring.

THE NIGHT WATCHMAN by Louise Erdrich..................................... 17 THE OTHER BENNET SISTER by Janice Hadlow..............................23 LAKE LIKE A MIRROR by Sok Fong Ho; trans. by Natascha Bruce..................................................................... 26 MARGUERITE by Marina Kemp......................................................... 29 NEW WAVES by Kevin Nguyen...........................................................30 THE MOUNTAINS SING by Quê Mai Phan Nguyên.......................... 31 THE KING AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD by Arthur Phillips........32 THE ICE CREAM MAN & OTHER STORIES by Sam Pink..................32 THE MAN WITHOUT TALENT by Yoshiharu Tsuge; trans. by Ryan Holmberg....................................................................... 35 REDHEAD BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD by Anne Tyler.................... 35 SHARKS IN THE TIME OF SAVIORS by Kawai Strong Washburn...36 RUNNING OUT OF ROAD by Daniel Friedman.................................41 THE HONEY-DON’T LIST by Christina Lauren................................ 48 IF I NEVER MET YOU by Mhairi McFarlane.................................... 49 NEW WAVES

Nguyen, Kevin One World/Random House (320 pp.) $27.00 | Mar. 10, 2020 978-1-984855-23-7

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GOLD DUST

Pensive tale of the many things that can go wrong in a supposedly simple life.

The gold dust of Libyan novelist alKoni’s title is just one of the disruptive temptations that confront Ukhayyad, who, like the protagonist of the author’s novel The Bleeding of the Stone (2001), lives in mountainous country deep within the Sahara. As the slender story opens, Ukhayyad is proudly boasting of the piebald Mahri camel that a tribal leader has bestowed upon him. (As the translator notes in an illuminating afterword, “the novel assumes that readers will readily recognize a difference of character between purebred and regular mounts.”) Ukhayyad has reason to be proud of his prize ride, but too much pride leads to disaster. It doesn’t help that the sheikh crows, “Whoever owns a Mahri like this piebald will never complain for want of noble values. You’ve honored our homes, O noble youth descended from noble men!” Sure of himself, Ukhayyad is stunned when the poor camel comes down with a bad case of mange, the cure for which involves his striking out into the remotest stretches of the desert in search of silphium, a fennellike curative plant long since extinct except in one faraway valley. The camel suffers, but then so does Ukhayyad; he finds a bride, but the bride he chooses earns him his father’s disownment, and when it turns out that he has a powerful rival, he has a fight on his hands. The storied piebald camel, meanwhile, looks more and more pathetic. Worse things still will befall him, as they will to Ukhayyad, a blood curse on his head. Al-Koni’s story, simply and elegantly told, has all the inevitability of a Greek tragedy—or, better, all the tribulations of Job, though without the redemptive reward—in a narrative punctuated by hints of pre-Islamic belief mixed in with Quranic admonitions: “Didn’t Sheikh Musa say that it was woman who drove Adam from the garden of paradise?”

If Franz Kafka had lived in the Sahara, this is a story he might have told, bleak but memorable.

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and whose hair is a “rebellious mane.” She makes demoralizing visit after demoralizing visit to these salons, where her hair is “pulled…this way and that,” subjected to treatments “whose abrasive chemicals require the use of latex gloves,” or worked into weaves at “a breakneck speed over four hours” (only to come undone soon after). But in this essayistic novel, Almeida’s first to be translated into English, Mila’s hair isn’t simply a matter of personal anguish. “The truth is that the story of my curly hair intersects with the story of at least two countries and, by extension, the underlying story of the relations among several continents: a geopolitics.” Indeed, interwoven seamlessly throughout are stories and memories of her family: Her Angolan grandfather’s life as a nursing student in Luanda, the smell of her Portuguese grandmother Lúcia’s hair—“Feno de Portugal soap, tobacco, and oiliness”—as a young Mila combs it, her long strolls through Oeiras, in Lisbon, with her often absent mother. What Mila seems to be revolving around with all these shifting reminiscences is the fundamental doubleness of who she is. She introduces a photographic “self-portrait”: the famous 1957 photo of Elizabeth Eckford, one of the Little Rock Nine, walking to school as white people behind her gawk and even bare their teeth. “I am all of the people in that portrait at once,” Mila declares. “The raging girls in the photo are the nervous tremor (which brings me shame) when a black man on the streetcar answers the phone, speaking loudly. ‘Shhh: pipe down,’ they say to me, I say to him, I say to myself. ‘Can’t you see the others?’ ” Almeida writes long, destabilizing, often disorienting paragraphs, where successive sentences can shift radically in time and space. But the reader is pulled along throughout by a sly, evasive humor—where unreliable memory ends, Almeida seems to say, storytelling begins.

Heady and smart, if you can follow the novel’s complex, associative train of thought.

al-Koni, Ibrahim Trans. by Colla, Elliott Hoopoe (139 pp.) $16.95 paper | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-61797-069-6

THE GRINGA

Altschul, Andrew Melville House (432 pp.) $27.99 | Mar. 10, 2020 978-1-61219-822-4 The making of a freedom fighter—or a terrorist, depending on one’s point of view.

Altschul (Lady Lazarus, 2008) takes his storyline pretty much straight from the headlines, offering a fictionalized treatment of the case of Lori Berenson, the American activist who served a 20-year prison term in Peru for her affiliation with a revolutionary group. Just so, Leonora Gelb is a young Jewish woman from New Jersey who, inspired by a professor, travels to Peru to enlist in a revolutionary group headed by philosophers, a group that she insists is not a terrorist organization even if people all around it have a habit of dying. Leo, as everyone calls her (save those who call her “la gringa” or Comrade Linda), is naïve and fervent; a critical point in the narrative comes when she rejects her visiting father’s offer to fly her home: “She won’t

THAT HAIR

Almeida, Djaimilia Pereira de Trans. by Becker, Eric M.B. Tin House (168 pp.) $15.95 paper | Mar. 17, 2020 978-1-947793-41-5 A half-Portuguese, half-Angolan woman uses her hair to interrogate her position between two cultures.

The hair salons in Lisbon don’t know quite what to make of Mila, who moved at 3 years old from Luanda, the capital of Angola, to Portugal |

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does little women hold up to an adult reading?

Little Women was one of the first books I ever read that wasn’t about Nancy Drew or the Bobbsey Twins; I always associate it with my grandmother, an elementary school teacher, who liked to brag that I was reading it in third grade even though it was written on a sixth grade level.

But as time went by, I became more attached to other books about girls who write, and I’ve reread Anne of Green Gables and the Betsy-Tacy books more often than Alcott’s masterpiece.

I dug out my Illustrated Junior Library copy the other day—check it out online, it has the best illustrations— to get ready for the Greta Gerwig movie that’s opening soon. I’ve never managed to watch a film version all the way through because the onscreen March sisters could never live up to the images I had of them, influenced by those Louis Jambor illustrations. But I figured that I’m old enough, and far enough removed from my emotional attachment to Alcott’s characters, to see what Gerwig does with the story. And in the meantime, I reread the book to see how it holds up.

Starting from the first line, it felt like coming home: “ ‘Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents,’ grumbled Jo, lying on the rug.” Even for a girl who doesn’t celebrate Christmas, that’s an enticing opening. I was surprised by how many other scenes and specific lines I remembered, and especially the chapter titles: “Beth Finds the Palace Beautiful,” “Amy’s Valley of Humiliation,” “Meg Goes to Vanity Fair,” “Laurie Makes Mischief, and Jo Makes Peace.” I was also surprised that the sisters were more rounded characters than I remembered, especially Amy. I wasn’t disappointed that the youngest March wound up marrying Laurie—whom I, along with generations of readers, had thought was meant for Jo, not least because he was my namesake—but found myself thinking them perfectly matched, with Amy much more mature and self-aware than I remembered.

This turns out to be an opinion shared by Jane Smiley in March Sisters: On Life, Death, and Little Women, a new book from the Library of America featuring essays by four authors about the four sisters: Kate Bolick on Meg, Jenny Zhang on Jo, Carmen Maria Machado on Beth, and Smiley on Amy. Machado still holds a grudge against Amy for burning Jo’s manuscript, which, she says, “created a lifelong terror of losing the only copy of one’s words,” and thinks it would have been more satisfying if Jo had let Amy drown when she fell through the 6

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ice soon afterward. Smiley sees Amy as Jo’s foil, a character who has to be just as complex and rounded as Jo, “as ready to learn, though in different ways, and ready to do battle so that their conflict will force them to learn from their experiences.”

Reading March Sisters led me to another nonfiction book—Meg, Jo, Beth, Amy: The Story of Little Women and Why It Still Matters by Anne Boyd Rioux (Norton)—an enjoyable overview of Alcott’s life and the influence of her novel over the years. I was glad to be reminded of what can only be called Alcott’s feminist way of looking at the world. While most Little Women fans know that Alcott married Jo to professor Bhaer only because her publisher insisted on it, it’s refreshing to see her skeptical attitude to her own transcendentalist father, who would never compromise his ideals enough to earn a living for his family: “It requires three women to take care of a philosopher, and when the philosopher is old the three women are pretty well used up.” It isn’t surprising that Louisa never got married herself. My 16-year-old son learned about Bronson Alcott in his U.S. history class this year, but the textbook didn’t even mention that he was Louisa’s father, which I found astonishing. Who is the more important figure in American history? I find it hard to imagine anyone not saying Louisa. —L.M. Laurie Muchnick is the fiction editor.

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be who they want her to be, who they’d raised her to be: an investment, they’d no doubt call it, one that’s now in jeopardy.”

Years after her incarceration, writer Andres, another young American, travels to Lima, despairing of his country after 9/11: “I was a castaway, lost in Amurka: a country I didn’t recognize, or didn’t want to recognize.” Tracking down Leo’s story without ever meeting her save at one crucial turn, he concludes that she’s much like him, someone who hates her country for the ill it does in the world. It takes Andres considerable time, as it does Leo, to discover that things are not always what they seem, that some people are to be trusted and others feared. When he does, Andres suffers the sad disillusionment of the one-time true believer, sure that his fate is to return home and take up a despised bourgeois life, his time in Peru “something I told at cocktail parties.” Altschul’s story is psychologically rich and closely observed, though it moves slowly, sometimes grindingly so, odd given the onrushing events he describes.

A sensitive portrayal of the search for meaning in an unforgiving world.

to decipher. In addition to providing a lot of detail about the art of taxidermy, Anthony offers meditations on the interconnectedness of all things. There are also ghosts and Nazis, in case all that isn’t enough.

Weirdly compelling and compellingly weird.

THEN THE FISH SWALLOWED HIM

Arian, Amir Ahmadi HarperVia/HarperCollins (304 pp.) $25.99 | Mar. 24, 2020 978-0-06-294629-4 A Tehran bus driver is arrested during a strike, making him a pawn of Iranian politics and a victim of cruel imprisonment.

Yunus, the narrator of this brisk and piercing protest novel, is a demure middle-aged man

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ENTER THE AARDVARK

Anthony, Jessica Little, Brown and Company (192 pp.) $26.00 | Mar. 24, 2020 978-0-316-53615-8 A story of taxidermy, political intrigue, and love between men from the author of The Convalescent (2009).

The story begins at the beginning—or close enough. It begins with the birth—or close enough—of our planet. Several eons pass over the next few pages until a Victorian naturalist traveling in Africa encounters his first aardvark.

Then another story begins, and in this story, “you”—these sections are narrated in the second person—are an up-and-coming young Republican legislator with a Ronald Reagan fetish. These two stories become intertwined when an aardvark specimen Sir Richard Ostlet sent to his friend and lover Titus Downing, a taxidermist, is delivered to Alexander Paine Wilson’s D.C. town house. As both narratives unfold, it becomes clear that Wilson and Downing have a great deal in common. The taxidermist is compelled to be circumspect about his relationship with Ostlet because what they do together is an actual crime in 19th-century England. For Wilson, coming out is impossible not only because of his political party, but also because he doesn’t even define himself as gay. Yes, he has frequent and very enjoyable sexual encounters with a philanthropist named Greg Tampico, but they’re just two straight guys who happen to enjoy sex with other men. The aardvark serves as a sort of intermediary between these two men and their lovers. Resurrecting this strange beast allows Downing to stay connected with Ostlet even after Ostlet has abandoned him and married a woman. When a FedEx truck dumps this selfsame aardvark on Wilson’s doorstep, he sees it as a message from Greg—one that the congressman will spend most of the novel struggling |

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who’s striven to keep the turmoil of Iranian politics at arm’s length: The 1979 revolution was overshadowed by his father’s death and his mother’s ensuing depression and maybe suicide.

So he’s blithely confident his participation in a 2005 drivers’ strike can only be perceived as a reasonable plea for better treatment, not part of a global insurrection against the Ahmadinejad regime. What’s the harm of reading Foucault and Marx with fellow union members? Plenty, the regime believes, and after Yunus beats a young counterprotester in a fit of anger, he’s arrested, sent to Tehran’s fearsome Evin prison, and told his victim was the son of the transportation minister. Whether the allegation is true or not, Yunus’ prison stint becomes an unjust torment of beatings, forced confessions, and the slow-creeping madness of solitary confinement. (In one wellturned, poignant scene, he pleads with a fly not to abandon him.) This novel, the first in English by the Iranian-born Arian, is scaffolded with familiar tropes of kangaroo courts, false statements, and good-cop, bad-cop routines. But the author writes about Yunus’ plight with a plainspoken, lacerating intensity. Moreover, Yunus is a richly imagined character who

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reckons with the consequences of his political ignorance and an ill-advised affair that’s used as further ammunition against him. A few books and some bad judgment do not an enemy of the state make, but Arian expertly tracks Yunus’ gears’ turning from anger to depression to self-judging. Yunus’ mental disorientation is as punishing as his beatings and, as the closing pages show, leaves lasting harm.

A distressing, smartly interior tale of the horrors sown by oppressive politics.

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Life in the immediate aftermath of slavery is powerfully rendered in this impressive first novel. conjure women

CONJURE WOMEN

The Herd, emphasis on “her,” is the hottest, most soughtafter co-working space in New York City—there’s even a waiting list. Founder Eleanor Walsh prides herself on her exclusive yet inclusive safe space for “women and marginalized genders” and seems genuinely dedicated to nurturing and inspiring creativity and joy. She’s hired her most trusted friends to keep the wheels turning, including publicist Hana Bradley, whom Eleanor has known since their Harvard days. Now Hana’s sister, Katie, a journalist, has come to New York after a failed book deal and a yearlong stint caring for their sick mother. Katie would love to score a spot at the Herd with Hana’s help, but Eleanor won’t hear of Katie jumping the waitlist, and meanwhile someone has been defacing the Herd offices with misogynistic (to say the least) graffiti. While Eleanor and Hana juggle that crisis, Katie sells her agent on a book about Eleanor, but everything blows up when Eleanor disappears. It turns out that Eleanor is hiding a closetful of skeletons which soon come tumbling out. But, of course, Eleanor isn’t the only one with secrets. Katie, who is white, and Hana, who is adopted and is described as having dark skin, have a fraught history, which is revealed via alternating narratives. This

Atakora, Afia Random House (416 pp.) $27.00 | Mar. 17, 2020 978-0-525-51148-9

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An engrossing debut novel explores the lives of emancipated slaves struggling to survive in the years just after the Civil War. Atakora’s historical novel is set on a ruined plantation in the rural South so remote that its black inhabitants have rarely seen white people in the years since the war ended. In some ways, freedom hasn’t yet changed their lives; with few resources and little knowledge of the outside world, most of them have remained on the land they used to work for the late Marse Charles. The book’s protagonist is a young woman named Rue. She is the town’s midwife and healer, having learned her skills from her mother, Miss May Belle, who was beloved and trusted by her neighbors (and occasionally called upon to cast curses).

After her mother’s death and amid the chaos that follows the war, Rue reluctantly takes May Belle’s place. Although Rue has lived among them all her life, the townspeople begin to turn against her after she delivers a baby for a woman named Sarah. Born with a caul, pale skin, and strange black eyes, the boy, called Bean, unnerves them. Then other children fall ill; despite Rue’s herbs and tinctures, some die, and whispers spread—is she a healer or a witch? The townspeople turn for comfort to a charismatic itinerant preacher called Bruh Abel, and Rue must decide whether he’s an adversary or an ally, all while keeping a dangerous secret. Based in part on narratives of formerly enslaved people gathered by the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s, the novel gives its characters complex lives, rendered in well-crafted prose. Although Atakora writes of such horrors as lynchings, beatings, and rapes, most of her story focuses on the intense relationships among people trying to make sense of a world turned upside down.

Mother-child relationships, especially, are at the center of the book. Using frequent flashbacks to “slaverytime” and “wartime” and occasional jumps to the future, Atakora structures a plot with plenty of satisfying twists.

Life in the immediate aftermath of slavery is powerfully rendered in this impressive first novel.

THE HERD

Bartz, Andrea Ballantine (336 pp.) $27.00 | Mar. 24, 2020 978-1-984826-36-7 The enigmatic founder of an exclusive female-only co-working space suddenly disappears, stirring up a maelstrom of secrets in Bartz’s (The Lost Night, 2019, etc.) new thriller. |

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tension fractures them at a time when they need each other the most, adding a heavy dose of angst to the central mystery. Bartz whips up a fast pace and adequate suspense, though character development suffers a bit in the process. However, once the dominoes begin to fall in the twisty finale, readers will likely be turning pages too quickly to mind.

A soapy and fun woman-centric thriller.

debut novel with the introduction of Defense Intelligence Agent Matt Drake. After an op in Syria went sideways and his best friend was maimed, Drake walked away carrying heavy emotional baggage. Haunted by those he couldn’t save and in self-imposed exile from his wife in order to protect her, Matt wants nothing to do with his old life at the Defense Intelligence Agency. But when he’s brought back under duress to help stop terrorists from using an untraceable chemical weapon against Americans, Drake feels a lurking sense of obligation, and before he knows it he’s back on duty. The seeming purity of Drake’s call to serve is contrasted with the petty political infighting within the highest reaches of government. A chief of staff for the president is angling to jam a CIA director who has political ambitions of her own, and Drake’s mission falls right in the middle of this elaborate political scheme. While the flow of the story seems most natural during the shoot’em-up action scenes, this is a novel with an emotional core, and that may be what makes it stand out from other thrillers of a similar ilk.

A page-turner with the kind of small details that lend unquestionable authenticity.

WITHOUT SANCTION

Bentley, Don Berkley (384 pp.) $27.00 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-9848-0511-9

A spy dealing with personal trauma is called back into action to stop the use of a dangerous chemical weapon.

A former Army helicopter pilot and FBI special agent, Bentley delivers his

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The death of an American bicyclist in Vietnam sets off a race to avert further catastrophe. the red lotus

DON’T YOU KNOW I LOVE YOU

as we will learn, is near a rodent research lab. The present action takes place over a countdown clock of 10 days, beginning in Vietnam, where the new couple is on a bike tour. Austin goes for a solo ride, telling Alexis he wants to pay respects by visiting the locations where his uncle was killed and his father wounded during the war. When he doesn’t return, Alexis goes out looking for him, finding a few packets of energy gel that we already know Austin dropped on the road while being abducted—by Douglas. Pressing Austin for information, Douglas drives a dart into Austin’s hand. Vietnamese police discover Austin’s body and a post-mortem concludes that he was killed in a hit-andrun collision. While identifying the body, though, Alexis notices the wound on Austin’s hand and suspects foul play. Back in New York, she hires Ken, a PI, to investigate. Quang, a Vietnamese police captain, suspects that Austin was a smuggler, but of what?

Alexis soon learns that Austin had lied about many things, not least his true mission in Vietnam. What characters learn, and when, is critical. Abetted by shifting points of view, seemingly disparate elements eventually converge to create a burgeoning sense of dread. Italicized, anonymous first-person comments,

Bogart, Laura Dzanc (224 pp.) $16.95 paper | Mar. 10, 2020 978-1-950539-13-0

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An accident sends a young woman back to her broken home in this debut novel.

Angelina Moltisanti went to college intending never to return to her parents in Baltimore. Just weeks after graduation, however, she’s in a car crash that shatters her left hand and wrist and her hopes of becoming a full-time artist. With no other options, she and her recently adopted dog, Valentina, return home to live with her violent father and passive mother. Her father, Jack, becomes obsessed with getting Angelina a large settlement for her arm while her mother, Marie, just wants her to be close again and perhaps to make a friend, something Angelina has never been good at. In low spirits, Angelina takes a part-time job as an assistant at the construction firm where her father works and starts spending time with Janet, a co-worker of her mother’s at Belle’s Beauty Boutique who’s Angelina’s age and a breath of fresh air in her life. Angelina struggles with the specter of trauma that haunts her home life, her attempts to get back into her art, and her burgeoning relationship with Janet, the stress threatening to overwhelm her. With her relationship with her father still volatile, it’s only a matter of time before it all catches fire. Bogart manages to thread the ghost of past violence into every scene so that when things are finally explained, there is no shock but only understanding. Every character is deeply flawed but written with compassion, even Jack. The book is narrated in a close third-person perspective that rotates among Angelina, Marie, and Jack, so the reader understands where they are coming from even if it’s hard to reckon with their choices. Bogart’s prose is exceedingly thoughtful, and the cycle of abuse is deftly explored, though it may touch too close to home for some readers.

A well-crafted tale of domestic abuse and recovery.

THE RED LOTUS

Bohjalian, Chris Doubleday (400 pp.) $27.95 | Mar. 17, 2020 978-0-385-54480-1 In Bohjalian’s (The Flight Attendant, 2018, etc.) breathless thriller, the death of an American bicyclist in Vietnam sets off a race to avert further catastrophe.

Alexis, a doctor at an unnamed university hospital in Manhattan, met Austin six months ago when he came into her ER with a bullet in his arm, fired by a junkie in a bar where Austin and a chance acquaintance, Douglas, were playing darts. Austin works as a fundraiser at the same hospital. In fact, his office, significantly |

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interspersed throughout, cite the long history of rats as quickly evolving plague carriers—most recently, of antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Among many tantalizing questions: Austin’s former boss Sally is Douglas’ lover—where do her loyalties lie? In fact, whose side is Douglas on? And what is in those packets?

Bohjalian manages to keep us guessing and turning pages until the very end.

and educated in America and Morocco, Jeehan Nathaar finds her life upended when she witnesses the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City. After involuntarily abandoning her Ph.D. dissertation in ancient history, she’s working as a corporate temp in an environment where her ethnic and religious identities make her an object of suspicion and even open hostility from co-workers who demand an answer to the question, “Why do you hate us so much?” Seeking an excuse to flee these pressures, Jeehan impulsively accepts an invitation from Ali, a young Moroccan journalist who’s her casual romantic partner, to join him in reporting a story on the plight of migrants fleeing through the Sahara and across the Mediterranean. But from the time she arrives in Casablanca to find that Ali instead has departed for Spain, her life takes a decidedly different turn. Finding her way to a remote desert lodging and suffering from both physical and emotional debilities, she takes up residence with Lahcen, Fatima, and their teenage son, Fareed, in the process discovering the futility of distance as a remedy for her angst. Bouziane’s debut novel subtly explores Jeehan’s malaise in both the fear-filled atmosphere of post–9/11 New York City and the harshly beautiful and unforgiving Moroccan desert, moving smoothly between those settings in terse, mostly alternating, chapters. In the latter locale, she’s especially adept at blending psychological realism with mystical elements that underscore the gulf separating the cultures of West and East. The story’s final third, in which Bouziane injects some thrillerlike elements as Jeehan comes face to face with the evils of human trafficking, feels underdeveloped compared to the rest of the novel, but that shortcoming ultimately doesn’t detract overmuch from the book’s dominant mood or themes.

A sophisticated examination of cross-cultural tension at the dawn of the 21st century.

DUNE SONG

Bouziane, Anissa M. Interlink (368 pp.) $16.00 paper | Feb. 4, 2020 9781623719418 In the wake of 9/11, a Moroccan American woman seeks refuge in the land of her ancestors.

Born in the United States to a Moroccan father and a French mother

THE EIGHTH GIRL

Chung, Maxine Mei-Fung Morrow/HarperCollins (480 pp.) $27.99 | Mar. 17, 2020 978-0-06-293112-2 A young woman with dissociative identity disorder is drawn into a criminal enterprise when her best friend starts working at a London gentlemen’s club.

Each day is a potential struggle for budding photojournalist Alexa Wú, who, as the Host, must juggle the alternate personalities inside her head. She collectively calls them the Flock, which includes 9-yearold Dolly; belligerent and protective Runner; elegant and calm Oneiroi; and the Fouls, who are unpredictable and conniving.

Alexa also has dissociative amnesia: She loses time, often awakening to realize she can’t remember recent events. Her new psychiatrist, Daniel Rosenstein, gives Alexa tentative hope for the future, and she has the support of her beloved best friend, Ella, who is one of only a few people, including Alexa’s stepmother, Anna, who know about Alexa’s disorder. When Ella gets a job at a strip club called Electra, Alexa is horrified, but it doesn’t keep 12

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A rich, deeply felt novel about family ties, immigration, sexual longing, faith, and desire. fiebre tropical

FIEBRE TROPICAL

her from dating Electra’s sexy bartender, Shaun, and hanging out at the club with Ella. It’s soon clear the sleazy Navid, who runs the Electra, has a hand in some decidedly shady activities, and Alexa reluctantly agrees to help Ella bring him down, leading her into a hellish rabbit hole of depravity. Alexa is an overwhelmingly sympathetic protagonist. The motivations of men understandably consume her—she was sexually abused by her father, and her mother killed herself—and she assumes that most are out to use and control her. Alexa and Ella repeatedly take outrageous risks, leaving readers to wonder why Alexa doesn’t just call the police already, and following Alexa’s movements within the narrative is often confusing. Alexa and Daniel both narrate, and while Daniel’s sessions with Alexa are intriguing (if readers can stomach his growing lust for her), the space devoted to his nonprofessional life feels like filler. Where Chung, who is a practicing psychoanalytic psychotherapist, really shines is in the frenetic juggling of Alexa and her Flock, and some significant narrative gaps do come (mostly) into focus after the big twist is revealed.

The well-worn trope of the unreliable narrator soars to new heights in this flawed but often fascinating debut.

Delgado Lopera, Juliana Feminist Press (240 pp.) $17.95 paper | Mar. 4, 2020 978-1-936932-75-7 In U.S.–based Colombian author Delgado Lopera’s coming-of-age novel, a 15-year-old Colombian girl struggles with her identity and her burgeoning sexuality.

Dragged unwillingly from Bogotá to Miami, crammed with her mother and sister into her grandmother’s apartment at the Heather Glen Apartment Complex, Francisca misses her friends and her former life.

But she can’t go home, because “this wasn’t a Choose Your Own Migration multiple-choice adventure.” In a scene early in the book, her mother insists on baptizing a child she miscarried 17 years before, using a plastic doll from a discount store as a stand-in baby.

Manic one moment and sad the next, Mami has joined the Iglesia Cristiana Jesucristo Redentor, an evangelical Colombian church

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COVER STORY

Jeanine Cummins THE AUTHOR OF AMERICAN DIRT HAD TO OVERCOME HER OWN FEARS TO WRITE THE STORY OF A MEXICAN MIGRANT AND HER SON FLEEING CARTEL VIOLENCE

By Megan Labrise Joe Kennedy

County, New York, “because I was resistant to writing from a Mexican migrant woman’s point of view. I was afraid. I was afraid that I didn’t have the right, frankly, to do it.” This, despite years of travel to Mexico and the southern United States to research culture, migration, topography, and life in the borderlands.”

Then, various factors gave her the courage. “The principal one was that my father died the week before Trump was elected,” she says, “very unexpectedly. He was in the prime of his life, he was healthy, and he died at the dinner table. Just fell over and died. And my grief was extraordinary. I’ve had trauma before in my life— I’ve written about it—but that grief incapacitated me for a long time. When I began to emerge from it, I had a painful new perspective on what really mattered to me and what didn’t.”

Cummins is the author of two novels, The Outside Boy and The Crooked Branch, as well as the bestselling memoir A Rip in Heaven, the wrenching account of the rapes and murders of her two teenage cousins, who were thrown off a bridge in St. Louis, Missouri, by a gang of four men in 1991. Her brother, 19 at the time, was beaten and forced to jump. He survived. The pain of touring to promote the book led Cummins to say she’d never write another memoir.

“Four months after my dad died, all my fear went out the window,” she says. “I dragged my laptop into bed with me and wrote the opening scene to American Dirt.

The two drafts I had written before went right into the garbage. I started clean, and I wrote the whole book in about 10 months.”

A palpable grief, sense of urgency, and rage against injustice fuel American Dirt’s electrifying opening scene: a massacre at a backyard barbecue in a placid Acapulco neighborhood.

“One of the very first bullets comes in through the open window above the toilet where Luca is standing,”

In 2013, Jeanine Cummins conceived American Dirt (Flatiron, Jan. 21), a novel about a Mexican mother and son forced to flee for the United States when a local cartel threatens their lives. This fiction would honor the real experiences of the hundreds of thousands of migrants who, for hundreds of thousands of reasons, have attempted the dangerous journey to El Norte.

But four years and two drafts into writing it, she still hadn’t reached solid ground.

“The first two drafts I wrote were terrible,” Cummins, a U.S. citizen, says by phone from her home in Rockland 14

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ly, they are geographically situated so as to be the corridor for our appetite for drugs. But they are a whole people and country and culture with depth and texture and history and beauty and art. A million Lydias and a million Lucas.”

As Kirkus writes in a starred review, “Lydia and Luca are utterly believable characters, and their breathtaking journey moves with the velocity and power of [a] freight train….Intensely suspenseful and deeply humane, this novel makes migrants seeking to cross the southern U.S. border indelibly individual.”

The effect was intentional. “The very first notion that I wanted to turn on its ear, that somehow migrants are Other, that they don’t look like us, they don’t sound like us, they’re not relatable,” Cummins says. “They are.”

the novel begins. “He doesn’t immediately understand that it’s a bullet at all, and it’s only luck that it doesn’t strike him between the eyes. Luca hardly registers the mild noise it makes as it flies past and lodges into the tiled wall behind him. But the wash of bullets that follows is loud, booming, and thudding, clack-clacking with helicopter speed. There is a raft of screams, too, but that noise is short-lived, soon exterminated by the gunfire. Before Luca can zip his pants, lower the lid, climb up to look out, before he has the time to verify the source of that terrible clamor, the bathroom door swings open and Mami is there.”

Lydia Quixano Pérez and her 8-year-old son, Luca, are attending the quinceañera celebration at her mother’s house when three unidentified gunmen open fire on the family. They hide in the bathroom to survive.

Among the 16 dead is Lydia’s husband, an investigative journalist who recently unmasked a drug cartel kingpin. Lydia has cause to believe the gunmen will return when they realize she and Luca are not among the dead.

Cummins’ preternatural ability to conjure this vibrant horror prompted Stephen King to write, by way of recommendation, “I defy anyone to read the first seven pages of this book and not finish it.”

“All of my favorite books,” Cummins says, “beginning when I was 10 years old and read Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, have that magical, transportive quality where they can put you inside the skin of a person whose life experiences are different from your own and really make you see the world in a new way. So I’ve always wanted to write novels that would do that for people, that would provide that kind of portal into a different life experience.”

Cummins draws in readers with cinematic detail— a single drop of blood on a green bathroom tile; a narcotraficante plucking chicken off the family’s grill— and compelling interiority that juxtaposes Lydia and Luca’s profound terror with inevitable intrusions of modern life. As Luca hears bullets whiz by, he notices the radio tuned to “¡La Major 100.1 FM Acapulco!” On the run, they make haste for a commuter railroad station that shares a building with a Sephora and a Panda Express.

“In this country, our notions about what contemporary Mexico looks like are ridiculous,” Cummins says.

“It’s either a beach resort hotel, where everyone is here to serve you, or it’s dusty, dirty poverty. Those are our ideas of contemporary Mexico, when, in fact, Mexico has as many college graduates as the United States does—percentagewise, per capita, they send as many of their citizens to college as we do. They have a burgeoning middle class. They have a tremendous problem with corruption and impunity, and, unfortunate-

Editor at large Megan Labrise hosts Kirkus’ weekly podcast, Fully Booked. American Dirt received a starred review in the Nov. 1, 2019, issue.

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HEX

in “a stinky room in the Hyatt Hotel nobody cared to vacuum.” In the car on their way there, the doll stares at Francisca with a fixed, plastic smile. “Are you happy now, asshole, I wanted to say....You’re still dead, pendejo.” With a whip-smart, unapologetic voice peppered with Colombian slang, Francisca pulls us into her new life in “Yanquilandia.” Trouble arises when she meets Carmen the pastor’s daughter, who wants her to accept Jesus into her heart. Francisca imagines God in “a dentist’s waiting room checking in with the receptionist every so often, Did Francisca receive my son in her heart yet? (said no God ever).” Instead, she finds herself falling in love with Carmen, threatening her family’s tenuous place in the immigrant community. Though the plot revolves around a comingout story, the great strength of Delgado Lopera’s writing lies in its layered portrayals of these characters and their world. “Women in my family possessed a sixth sense...from the close policing of our sadness: Your tristeza wasn’t yours, it was part of the larger collective female sadness jar to which we all contributed.”

A rich, deeply felt novel about family ties, immigration, sexual longing, faith, and desire. Simultaneously raw and luminous.

Dinerstein Knight, Rebecca Viking (224 pp.) $26.00 | Mar. 31, 2020 978-1-9848-7737-6 A tale of poison and obsession set amid the toxic halls of academe.

Expelled from her graduate program in biological science after a lab-mate dies, a victim of the group’s toxicological experiments, Nell Barber is left obsessed and unmoored. Though once she’d been focused on oak trees, she is now consumed by the need to finish the dead girl’s project to “neutralize botanical toxins,” to combine the poison and its antidote. Now it is Nell’s mission, working alone in the exile of her Brooklyn apartment, to build “a poison that undoes itself.”

Yet it is not the work that is at the heart of her obsession but her mentor, Dr. Joan Kallas. The novel itself is a series of journal entries, all addressed to her absent beloved. “As with the old work, the new work is for you, Joan,” Nell writes. “What isn’t for you?”

The rest of Nell’s world is populated with Joan-adjacent players. There is Joan’s husband, Barry, the self-important and useless Associate Director of Columbia Undergraduate Residence Halls—less a threat to Nell than a man-shaped afterthought— and Nell’s two best friends, Tom and Mishti, who, as students in good standing, still have access to the privilege of Joan’s presence, both enrolled as nondepartmental students in her class.

Mishti is a beautiful chemist; Tom is a beautiful medieval and Renaissance historian and also Nell’s ex-boyfriend. Soon, all six of them are intertwined, a web of sex and betrayal, with Joan (always) at the center. It is a lush and brooding novel, over-thetop in its foreboding, with Dinerstein Knight (The Sunlit Night, 2015) walking the delicate line—mostly successfully—between the Grecian and the absurd. As a string of weirdly mannered sentences, it is a joyfully deranged pleasure; as a novel, though, the experience is frustratingly hollow, populated by characters who only come to life in the book’s final third.

Admirably bold if sometimes hard to care about.

THRESHOLD

Doyle, Rob Bloomsbury (336 pp.) $26.00 | Mar. 31, 2020 978-1-63557-414-2 Drug binges, orgies, and techno…oh my!

“For my purposes, a novel is simply a long chunk of prose in which whatever is said to have happened may or may not have actually happened, even if the author doesn’t bother to change his own name.” So, now that we’ve got that straight, we can plunge into the experiences of “Rob Doyle” during a 20-year-long Wanderjahr. Irish autofictionist Doyle’s (This Is the Ritual, 2017, etc.) third book is a series 16

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The efforts of Native Americans to save their lands from being taken away by the U.S. government in the early 1950s come intimately, vividly to life. the night watchman

of vignettes set in Sicily, Paris, Berlin, and beyond, framed by a series of letters to a friend, a woman also writing a book. His Geoff Dyer–esque lack of delusion about himself and his quest makes his report reliably refreshing. In Sicily, surrounded by beautiful women, he is so undone by sexual frustration that he finds relief at the farmers market. “I had the sense, eating those olives that were so plump and juicy that the eating of them was a rapturous, almost a sexual, experience, that I had never really eaten olives before, that the puny, meagre, olive-shaped things I’d bought in jars in Ireland were not so much olives as insults to olives, shameful betrayals of the olive experience.” In Kashmir, he isolates himself on a houseboat in order to scientifically study the effects of ketamine. “I imagined I was conducting important research at the limits of consciousness, but I see now I was just getting fucked up on a boat.” In Berlin, he dances all night at an immense sex club where “every freak in Europe had apparently converged.” As necessary as eating or laughing, dancing gives him “access to a state of unselfconsciousness.

There was always someone older or younger, nakeder or weirder than you….” So is he writing “the great backpacker dropout novel” or “the great Berlin techno novel? he wonders. Whatever it is, it provides one of the wildest experiences you can have without regrets or hangovers.

If you long for your misspent youth—or didn’t have one—here you go.

encounters a vision of beings, “filmy and brightly indistinct,” descending from the stars, including Jesus Christ, who “looked just like the others.” Patrice Paranteau is Thomas’ niece, and she’s saddled with a raging alcoholic father and financial responsibility for her mother and brother. Her sister, Vera, deserts the reservation for Minneapolis; in the novel’s most suspenseful episode, Patrice boldly leaves home for the first time to find her sister, although all signs point to a bad outcome for Vera.

Patrice grows up quickly as she navigates the city’s underbelly.

Although the stakes for the residents of Turtle Mountain will be apocalyptic if their tribe is terminated, the novel is more an affectionate sketchbook of the personalities living at Turtle Mountain than a tightly plotted arc that moves from initial desperation to political triumph. Thomas’ boyhood friend Roderick returns as a ghost who troubles Thomas in his night rounds, for example; Patrice sleeps close to a bear and is vastly changed; two young men battle for Patrice’s heart.

A knowing, loving evocation of people trying to survive with their personalities and traditions intact.

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THE NIGHT WATCHMAN

Erdrich, Louise Harper/HarperCollins (448 pp.) $28.99 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-0-06-267118-9

In this unhurried, kaleidoscopic story, the efforts of Native Americans to save their lands from being taken away by the U.S. government in the early 1950s come intimately, vividly to life.

Erdrich’s grandfather Patrick Gourneau was part of the first generation born on the Turtle Mountain Reservation in North Dakota. As the chairman of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa in the mid-1950s, he had to use all the political savvy he could muster to dissuade Utah Sen. Arthur V. Watkins (whom Erdrich calls a “pompous racist” in her afterword) from reneging on long-held treaties between Native Americans and the federal government. Erdrich’s grandfather is the inspiration for her novel’s protagonist, Thomas Wazhushk, the night watchman of the title. He gets his last name from the muskrat, “the lowly, hardworking, water-loving rodent,” and Thomas is a hard worker himself: In between his rounds at a local factory, at first uncertain he can really help his tribe, he organizes its members and writes letters to politicians, “these official men with their satisfied soft faces,” opposing Watkins’ efforts at “terminating” their reservation. Erdrich reveals Thomas’ character at night when he’s alone; still reliable and self-sacrificing, he becomes more human, like the night he locks himself out of the factory, almost freezes to death, and |

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INTERVIEWS & PROFILES

Garth Greenwell

THE AUTHOR OF WHAT BELONGS TO YOU REVISITS THE CENTRAL CHARACTER OF THAT NOVEL. BUT DON’T CALL CLEANNESS A SEQUEL

By Claiborne Smith Oriette D’Angelo

National Book Award. The cover of Cleanness is a close-up of a man’s back so that it’s sinuous and wavy, not noticeably a back at all. “What is this thing? A book about cleanness?” someone new to Greenwell could be excused for wondering. Greenwell says that he and his publisher “went back and forth” about whether to label the book. It’s as if Greenwell and the publisher were saying, You figure out what this book is; we’re not helping you.

The ambiguity of the book’s presentation and the conjecture of categorizing it are endemic to the story it tells.

Cleanness puts center stage something touched on only briefly in What Belongs to You—the narrator’s shifting, conflicted relationship with R., a Portuguese student studying in Sofia.

In the new book, Greenwell abandons any mention of Mitko, the alternately charming and pitiable hustler whom the unnamed narrator of What Belongs to You falls for and then, ultimately, rejects. The fraught and risky dance of desire between those two characters captivated readers.

But Greenwell is still interested in risk: namely, whether the unnamed narrator of Cleanness and R. will jeopardize comfort and their futures to stay together. The possibility (or impossibility) of conducting a long-distance relationship with R. is the perfect Greenwell subject: freighted with emotional guesswork even though the narrator and R. try to be upfront with one another about what they feel and whether their relationship can survive the distance. What is the other person feeling? Will he be loyal in another country? Is physical closeness everything in a relationship? Greenwell’s piercing language feels poetic, vulnerable, honest—even if (especially if?) it’s painful:

There are a few words you might want to avoid in describing Garth Greenwell’s Cleanness (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Jan. 14): “novel,” even though the book follows the stories of several characters over the course of its various chapters, as we like novels to do. Don’t use “sequel,” for although Cleanness features the same protagonist that anchored Greenwell’s hit What Be­ longs to You (2016)—an American from the South who’s teaching English in Sofia, Bulgaria—its author is certain Cleanness is not a sequel (also don’t use “prequel”). The book has a table of contents that lists nine chapters and each chapter has a title, like you’d see in a short story collection, but you can forget about calling it a “short story collection.” How about “book”?

The question of how to categorize Cleanness isn’t academic. Although What Belongs to You garnered many accolades, there are still readers who don’t know his first novel was named one of the best books of the year by more than 50 publications in nine countries; or that the book was a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award and was also longlisted for the 18

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R. dropped his bags and stepped onto the bed, jumping up and down a few times, and I laughed with him, even as I sensed, just past the edges of what we felt, a hovering dread. It was a habit of mine, to rush toward an ending once I thought I could see it, as if the fact of loss were easier to bear than the chance of it. I didn’t want that to happen with R., I struggled against it; he |

was worth struggling for, I thought, as was the person I found I was with him.

There are other kinds of risk that will catch the notice of readers: for example, the threat to both the narrator and one of his students if the narrator pursues sex with that student. There’s also danger in a boundary-pushing experience of BDSM sex, which in Greenwell’s hands is erotic and thrilling but also existential. “I felt with a new fear how little sense of myself I have,” says the narrator, “how there was no end to what I could want or to the punishment I would seek.”

Readers often think about the presence of autobiography in Greenwell’s work, like they do when reading Marcel Proust, Christopher Isherwood, Elena Ferrante, or Karl Ove Knausgaard. Like his narrator, Greenwell taught English in Bulgaria. His partner, Luis Muñoz, teaches in the Spanish and Portuguese department at the University of Iowa and is a noted Spanish poet, inviting comparison with Cleanness’ R. Greenwell would prefer for the guessing game to disappear. “I get so frustrated when people ask me to what extent is it true,” he acknowledges. “I do feel really ferociously that I reject any attempt to collapse invention and autobiography.” Something that might have happened to Greenwell becomes an element in one of his books; but in fiction it’s necessarily not going to be exactly like the writer’s own experience. “Even if I wanted to look at a page and tell you what actually happened, I can’t do it,” he says.

LIKE FLIES FROM AFAR

Ferrari, K. Trans. by West, Adrian Nathan Farrar, Straus and Giroux (224 pp.) $25.00 | Mar. 24, 2020 978-0-374-23994-7

Claiborne Smith is the former editor-in-chief of Kirkus Reviews and the literary director of the San Antonio Book Festival. Cleanness received a starred review in the Oct. 15, 2019, issue.

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A darker shade of absurdist noir featuring an Argentine businessman, as contemptible as he is successful, who finds his life inexplicably falling apart.

The opening of this short novel finds Mr. Machi in the afterglow of a fellatio-induced, cocaine-driven orgasm, luxuriating in his obscenely opulent success, as he prepares to take a drive. “He doesn’t need to wonder what success is, because he can feel it in the potent purr of the accelerator beneath his right foot, in the cushioned upholstery, in the power steering, in the sunlight and the stares of astonishment and envy reflecting off the BMW’s gloss finish,” writes Ferrari, who works as a subway-station janitor in his native Buenos Aires after having been deported from the United States in the 1990s. This is his first work to be translated into English, and it could pass as a madcap mixture of Kafka, Bukowski, and Jim Thompson. In quick order, the corrupt, politically connected Mr. Machi finds his tire sabotaged and his trunk somehow occupied by a corpse whose face has been mutilated beyond recognition. Then more clues seem to link Mr. Machi himself to the murder. He has no idea who the victim is, who the perpetrator was, or why he has been targeted. The book follows his efforts over one day to dispose of the body and the evidence and to discover the motive and culprits. He “feels there’s no bottom to the pit he’s fallen into,” and his attempts to dig himself out find him falling deeper in. He believes he has no enemies, but as he ponders his predicament, it appears to the reader that pretty much everyone he knows could have wished him ill—his wife and their children, his employees and partners, his rivals.

His daughter’s boyfriend is a writer who supports himself with menial work (like the author) and has plans to write a detective novel much like this one, in which Mr. Machi would be the protagonist “and terrible things would happen to him.”

Though ultimately unsatisfying as a mystery, it works as an existential parable, with a protagonist whose character is destiny.

THE COMPANIONS

Flynn, Katie M. Scout Press/Simon & Schuster (272 pp.) $27.00 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-9821-2215-7 In the near future, the dead can choose to return to the world of the living—as something not quite human.

Set in a slightly futuristic, quarantined California, Flynn’s debut novel opens after a devastating virus has decimated |

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huge swaths of people. Borders are closed, cities are highly surveilled, and death is no longer black and white. Metis, a medtech corporation, has ownership of all companions, or machines the dying can upload their consciousness into. Companions can either be wards of their families or sold to strangers—but they are all denied basic human rights. Spanning decades and continents, the novel is told from the perspectives of eight characters (human and humanoid alike) whose lives intersect and overlap because of Lilac, a companion unlike the rest. After having been murdered as a teenager, Lilac has spent decades as a companion— one of the first, in fact. When she discovers she can defy her programming, Lilac begins to search for her murderer. From there, she comes into contact with other characters, including Cam, a former employee at an elder-care facility; Rolly, a teenager living on his family’s diminished farm; and Gabe (short for Gabrielle), a spunky yet wounded 9-year-old orphan. Flynn’s characterization is strong throughout, but Gabe is particularly well-drawn. At first, she’s angry, grief-stricken, stubborn, and unwilling to show weakness. Her emotional journey throughout the novel feels absolutely earned. In the midst of a character-driven narrative, Flynn’s simple and evocative writing shines: “It’s not supposed to be possible for a companion to dream, but I can feel it, like a lozenge on the tongue, both present and disappearing all at once.”

Though the plot sometimes feels too convenient, the novel raises important questions about humanity. If companions have memories and can feel emotions like love, pain, anger, and sadness, are they not human? If not, what makes us human in the first place?

A suspenseful, introspective debut.

he gets inside, and then gives the task force assembled to catch him a description of the UNSUB—unknown subject—and his car that’s just detailed enough to suggest something truly shocking, and readily identifiable, about him. Sheriff ’s Department investigator Gil Alvarez finds the theory Caitlin’s based on Hannah’s evidence too far-out to believe, but Caitlin herself is a true believer. Determined that she won’t be outmaneuvered by a killer who’s dramatically stepped up the pace of his murderous attacks, breached his self-imposed limits, and now threatens her star witness with abduction and worse, she hunkers down to catch a quarry whom she says is “like nothing I’ve ever dealt with”—as if she doesn’t know that descriptions like that just set the bar even higher for the inevitable sequel.

Gardiner has mastered the art of the serial-killer saga without an ounce of fat.

THE PERFECT WORLD OF MIWAKO SUMIDA

Goenawan, Clarissa Soho (288 pp.) $25.00 | Mar. 2, 2020 978-1-64129-119-4

When a Tokyo university student hangs herself in a remote forest, three devastated friends seek to understand why.

Reluctantly attending a group blind date, Waseda University student Ryusei Yanagi is immediately attracted to Miwako Sumida, whose “serious expression behind a pair of old-fashioned thick-rimmed glasses” and blunt manner are at odds with her prettier and flirtier girlfriends. “She seemed sensible,” Ryu thinks. As they bond while browsing in an Englishlanguage bookshop and reading together in the library, Ryu falls in love with Miwako, sensing a softness and compassion behind her hard exterior, but she refuses to date him. Fumi, Ryu’s transgender sister, is also intrigued by the stubborn and standoffish girl, whom she hires as a painting assistant for her studio. Eight months later, Miwako is dead, and a grieving Ryusei travels with Miwako’s close friend Chie Ohno to Kitsuyama, a mountain village where Miwako spent her final days, to find answers. Meanwhile, in Tokyo, Fumi receives an unexpected visitor who might hold a clue to Miwako’s suicide. Set in the same moodily atmospheric Japanese world as her acclaimed debut novel, Rainbirds (2018), Indonesian-born Singaporean writer Goenawan explores via the perspectives of Ryu, Fumi, and Chie how a carefully crafted facade of hardened perfection can crumble under the weight of painful secrets and shame, leading to tragedy. Although the nature of Miwako’s hidden past becomes apparent early on, she is such a compelling protagonist that the reader doesn’t mind the obviousness. Like Japanese brush painting, the author’s simple, clear prose captures Miwako’s vulnerability and complexity.

Also vividly drawn are Fumi and Chie, each having built their own unusual protective personas that are gradually revealed.

An eerie and elegant puzzle.

THE DARK CORNERS OF THE NIGHT

Gardiner, Meg Blackstone (352 pp.) $26.99 | Feb. 18, 2020 978-1-982627-51-5

Los Angeles may not have snow at Christmastime, but it’s got the next best thing: a stone-cold serial killer who provides FBI behavioral analyst Caitlin Hendrix (Into the Black Nowhere, 2018, etc.) with her third, and perhaps most

chilling, adversary.

What kind of person breaks into houses when the whole family is home, executes both parents, but leaves the children alive to live with their nightmares? Only someone, as Caitlin tells her boss, CJ Emmerich, who has “deliberately created surviving witnesses.” The Midnight Man, as he’s soon dubbed, dispatches four married couples, leaving behind such memorabilia as scrawled messages proclaiming “I am the legion of the night” and images of eyes drawn in blood on a baby’s forehead in suburban homes scattered around Los Angeles County before Caitlin, already reeling from the hospital bombing that nearly killed her best friend, ER nurse Michele Ferreira, catches her first real lead. Hannah Guillory, a plucky sixth grader, finds the Midnight Man attempting to break into her house, rouses her parents to call 911 before 20

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GUESTS OF AUGUST

from the French. She’s eager to learn what the novel, which portrays a marriage on the rocks, has to say about her and her husband, Jeff. Grasping Liane Curran sees summering at the inn as a way to experience the ways of old money while her desperate husband, Michael, is hoping for an infusion of that money into his teetering startup. Patrician financier Mark Templeton and his carefully groomed, alcoholic wife, Andrea, return from California to New Hampshire every August to commemorate the loss of their son, Adam, and to offer their condolences to the widow and son he left behind. Wendy and Donny Templeton, who live not far from the inn, dutifully roll up for this mournful ritual of sternly enforced family bonding. Author Goldreich (After Melanie, 2019, etc.) litters the tale with details that read more like 1969 than 2019: A teenager wears Jean Nate perfume; a college student drives a “roadster”; women under 70 wear their hair in “lacquered helmets”; the developer of cutting-edge software has his spreadsheets on paper. Whatever the incidental details, the characters are all seeking an old-fashioned summer: antiquing, kayaking on the lake, piecing together puzzles, and turning to each other for comfort and renewal.

Ambling and impossibly old-fashioned: a melodrama in which nothing much happens.

Goldreich, Gloria Severn House (224 pp.) $28.99 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-0-7278-8972-0

Five families return to a New Hampshire country inn anticipating a long summer idyll. Will the simmering tensions boil over, or will the long, sunny days work their magic?

Novelist Daniel Goldner, who’s been coming to Mount Haven Inn since he was a boy, is seeking solace as his marriage founders. Economist Simon Epstein, his longtime friend, is there for him along with Simon’s free-spirited wife and three teenagers. The Edwards family has also been coming to Mount Haven for years, keeping their family vacation inviolate. But this year, as their teenagers squabble and the marriage has lost its luster, Susan Edwards has smuggled in a golden professional opportunity to translate a much-lauded new novel

THE SHAPE OF FAMILY

Gowda, Shilpi Somaya Custom House/Morrow (352 pp.) $27.99 | Mar. 17, 2020 978-0-06-293322-5 After calamity strikes, the members of the Olander family struggle to find their paths back to each other.

The children of an American father and an Indian mother, Karina and Prem Olander have learned to stick together.

Thirteen-year-old Karina defends Prem, 8, from school bullies and even walks hand in hand with him on the way home, but she wants her time alone, too. Pushing Prem away one afternoon so that she can spend time trying on makeup and talking to her best friend, however, leads to a deadly accident. With each chapter telling the story from a different family member’s perspective, Gowda (The Golden Son, 2016, etc.) traces the fallout lines with compassion and a keen eye for the lies we tell ourselves to avoid facing our own demons. While Prem watches from someplace after death, his and Karina’s parents split up, with their father, Keith, submerging himself in his work in the financial industry and making some ethically questionable decisions. Their mother, Jaya, drifts away from everyone, rediscovering her spirituality, spending hours in ritualized prayer, building a temple in the family’s home, and following the teachings of a prominent Hindu guru. With Prem’s chapters underdeveloped, Gowda focuses primarily on Karina, tracing her spiral first into depression and then into self-destructive behavior.

Once she leaves for college, Karina is primed to fall in love, to be betrayed, and to find solace at the Sanctuary. A communal farm headed by the charismatic Micah, the Sanctuary offers Karina meaningful work surrounded by people who embrace her, bearing 22

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Entertaining and thoroughly engrossing. the other bennet sister

witness to her sense of guilt. But as Karina begins to suspect that Micah may not be quite who he claims to be, Gowda ratchets up the tension, shifting gears into a thriller late in the game, setting in motion the family’s reunion.

A deft, patient portrait of grief.

when she sings poorly at a party and older sister Elizabeth goads their father to cut her off in front of everyone. The sisters’ friend Charlotte, who marries the unctuous Mr. Collins after Elizabeth rejects him, emerges as a pivotal character; her conversations with Mary are even tougher-minded here than those with Elizabeth depicted by Austen. In Part 2, two years later, Mary observes on a visit that Charlotte is deferential but remote with her husband; she forms an intellectual friendship with the neglected and surprisingly nice Mr. Collins that leads to Charlotte’s asking Mary to leave. In Part 3, Mary finds refuge in London with her kindly aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner. Mrs. Gardiner is the second motherly woman, after Longbourn housekeeper Mrs. Hill, to try to undo the psychic damage wrought by Mary’s actual mother, shallow, status-obsessed Mrs. Bennet, by building up her confidence and buying her some nice clothes (funded by guilt-ridden Lizzy). Sure enough, two suitors appear: Tom Hayward, a poetry-loving lawyer who relishes Mary’s intellect but urges her to also express her feelings; and William Ryder, charming but feckless inheritor of a large fortune, whom naturally Mrs. Bennet loudly favors. It takes some

THE OTHER BENNET SISTER

Hadlow, Janice Henry Holt (448 pp.) $28.00 | Mar. 31, 2020 978-1-250-12941-3 Another reboot of Jane Austen?!?

Hadlow pulls it off in a smart, heartfelt novel devoted to bookish Mary, middle of the five sisters in Pride and Prejudice.

Part 1 recaps Pride and Prejudice through Mary’s eyes, climaxing with the humiliating moment

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QUEERIES Carolina De Robertis, Author Of Cantoras

By Karen Schechner Pamela Denise Harris

when their bond began, right in the bleak times. This book is inspired by the lives of real women whose stories I’ve been listening to for 18 years, and I’ve always been stunned at their courage in coming out to each other in an era of terror and silence, the way they forged something gorgeous out of simply seeing each other.

Cantoras is an immersive experience—whether you’re describing a cantora in the surf at Cabo Polonio (a tranquil seaside village) or in a political prison. What goes into creating a rich setting?

I do an enormous amount of research for my novels, including reading all the scholarly texts I can get my hands on, but also what I think of as research through the body. What does a place feel like, smell like, sound like? How about 30 years ago? I strive to use everything I can to offer the reader transport, immersion.

Each cast member feels so fully imagined…

Thank you! They began as composites inspired by real women and gradually became their own unique selves as I wrote.

It was important to me to allow them room to breathe, to be complex and textured people, especially as portrayal of queer women in mainstream culture all too often stays in the realm of two-dimensional sidekick.

Carolina De Robertis’ Kirkus-starred novel, Canto­ ras—about five queer women who create a seaside haven to weather authoritarian rule—was a finalist for this year’s Kirkus Prize and an in-house favorite. It’s easy to see why Cantoras (cantora means singer in Spanish and is slang for lesbian) would have been any fiction judge’s pick. It’s an imaginative, high-stakes story set in Uruguay that considers the sea, queer identity, love, lust, PTSD, bravery, and storytelling. Our reviewer calls it “a stunning novel about queer love, womanhood, and personal and political revolution.” Here we talk with De Robertis about creating her cast, cultural possibilities within Uruguay, and sharing yerba mate.

You’ve said on social media: “The thing is, not too many years ago, the sight of the words lesbian and Uruguayan in the same sentence over in the New York Times could have bowled me over. Even if that sentence had had nothing to do with a book I’d written.” Can you say more about that?

I remember the first time I saw an Uruguayan flag in a Pride parade in San Francisco in 1999—I sobbed right there on the sidewalk. I’d internalized a deep message that I couldn’t be both queer and Uruguayan, from my parents, from society, from lack of representation or access to stories. When we’re told we can’t exist, there is less air for us to breathe.

That’s why seeing a sentence like that stuns me, not only for the book, but for what becomes culturally possible.

The novel begins in 1977 Uruguay with the military dictatorship in full force. Why start there?

This novel places the friendship between five queer women at the center of the story, so I knew the book had to open

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You depict many delightful Uruguayan traditions, like drinking yerba mate, which becomes part of the women’s routine at the seaside shack. What does yerba mate mean to the women?

Everything! There’s a deep, elaborate culture around drinking yerba mate. It’s deeply communal and connective, as it’s enjoyed in a circle, with people taking turns drinking from the same gourd. It’s how I start my day here in California, with my wife, passing the gourd back and forth, talking. I’m supremely lucky that my wife, who is African American and not originally Uruguayan, is a die-hard matera, a drinker of mate.

maneuvering to orchestrate the estrangement of Mary and Tom, so clearly right for each other, but debut novelist Hadlow manages it with aplomb in a bravura passage describing a walking tour of the Lake District rife with seething complications furthered by odious Caroline Bingley. Her comeuppance at Mary’s hands marks the welcome final step in our heroine’s transformation from a self-doubting wallflower to a vibrant, self-assured woman who deserves her happy ending. Hadlow traces that progression with sensitivity, emotional clarity, and a quiet edge of social criticism Austen would have relished.

Entertaining and thoroughly engrossing.

What are you working on now?

I’m delighted to say that my next novel, The President and the Frog, is actually slated for publication in 2021. It’s inspired by José Mujica, former president of Uruguay, and it’s a kind of political parable, a quixotic search for what it takes to fortify one’s spirit in desperate times. Oh, and I’m also about to translate Cantoras into Spanish—so, yes, I’m keeping busy.

THE RETURN

Harrison, Rachel Berkley (304 pp.) $26.00 | Mar. 24, 2020 978-0-593-09866-0

Karen Schechner is the vice president of Kirkus Indie. Cantoras received a starred review in the July 1, 2019, issue.

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Two years ago, Julie disappeared while hiking alone in Acadia National Park. Now she’s back.

Julie’s husband, Tristan, and her best friends, Elise, Mae, and Molly, were devastated when she didn’t return home from her trip. After a year, a funeral was held with no body.

Everyone close to Julie was certain she was dead except for Elise, and on the two-year anniversary of her vanishing, Julie proves Elise right. Tristan finds her sitting on their porch swing with no memory of the time she was gone. With so many questions surrounding Julie’s return, Elise is surprised when Mae arranges a girls’ trip to the Catskills’ eclectic (themed rooms!)

Red Honey Inn over Columbus Day weekend. Julie is the last to arrive, and her emaciated appearance is jarring. She’s not the vibrant woman Elise remembers, but she’s undeniably her beloved friend, and the four look forward to a fun reunion. The weather is frightful, though; Elise’s room is frigid; and Julie is acting very oddly, to say the least. Julie was a vegetarian, but now she has a ravenous hunger for rare meat and smells like an abattoir. Then there’s the shadowy figure Elise keeps glimpsing in her room. Harrison skillfully portrays the bond between the four longtime friends, complete with secrets and tension, but always against a background of palpable affection. As Elise, who narrates, says, “I’m so happy to be with them and to be the version of myself I am when I’m around them.” Unfortunately, though, it’s increasingly obvious to Elise, Mae, and Molly that they need to get to the bottom of what’s happening to Julie, who is deteriorating before their eyes. Harrison successfully sustains a low, visceral dread throughout that eventually builds to a shocking crescendo, and whispers of The Shining haunt the Red Honey Inn’s gloriously gaudy halls. Patient readers who appreciate a slow burn with an explosive payoff will be rewarded. This girls’ trip has teeth.

A stylish and well-crafted horror debut.

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LOVE, DEATH & RARE BOOKS

witness to a suicide that changes her life. But is she stalking the friends of the dead girl, or are they stalking her? It seems to be both, as Hendricks and Pekkanen (An Anonymous Girl, 2019) unfold another one of their intricately plotted, female-focused thrillers. Rage about rape and sexual abuse underlies the plot as Google searches, dating apps, and hacked phones move it forward, making this a thriller of the moment. Here, the evil men are on the sidelines—the women are pitted against each other in a complicated game of cat and mouse. Shay, who is lonely, insecure, and broke, is easily drawn in by the cool and confident Moore sisters, who ply her with beauty makeovers, a “sea-blue leather purse,” “a sugar cookie scented Nest candle, with notes of Tahitian vanilla and bourbon infused caramel,” and, most devastatingly, the illusion of friendship. But socially awkward, highly observant Shay, who makes her way through life by recording statistics and factoids about human nature in a “Data Book,” can only be fooled so long. “Between 73 and 79 percent of homicides during a 15-year period were committed by offenders known to the victim,” she notes. Good thing to know.

The authors dole out clues in a series of interlocking flashbacks; finally we get the detail that makes the pieces come together, with just a few little issues to argue about in your book club.

Lots of frenzied flipping back and forth for readers who like to figure out the puzzle.

Hellenga, Robert Delphinium (350 pp.) $26.95 | Mar. 17, 2020 978-1-883285-85-2

Hellenga’s episodic novel traces the fortunes of a family-owned bookshop and the lives it touches.

Chas. Johnson & Son, Ltd., a purveyor of used and collectible books, is a pillar of its Hyde Park neighborhood, near the University of Chicago. Gabriel, the third generation of the Johnson book dynasty, begins work as a teenager in the shop alongside his grandfather Chaz and father, Charles Jr. Beginning in 1970, in each chapter the action jumps ahead by days, months, or years. We learn about the rare book trade, auctions, the appraisal process, and the escalating price wars as private collectors passionate about books are outbid by billionaires seeking just another trophy. Milestones in American bookselling are checked off. Johnson’s is one of the many bookstores to be bombed for stocking The Satanic Verses. The juggernaut of big-box bookselling rolls over independent stores—and then comes Amazon—but, still, Johnson’s endures. Only the increasing movement of the collectible book trade to online sales deals the death blow. Meanwhile, Gabe grows up and grows older.

His mother deserted the family long before; and his first love, Olivia, deserts Gabe for Yale, where an affair with a professor leaves her pregnant. Olivia will return to give birth to daughter Saskia and, later, to manage the Hyde Park Borders store, but whenever Gabe’s romantic hopes rise, she dashes them. Now in his 50s, Gabe, who has never married, sells everything and buys a house teetering on a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan.

Then Borders’ bankruptcy and Olivia’s own belated maturity take a hand. Partly owing to a supporting cast of colorful eccentrics, including Father Gregory, desperate to unload the library of a defunct Catholic college; Delilah, scion of a funeral home chain; and Augie, a garrulous elderly former gangster, the story ambles along amiably, never failing to instruct and, somewhat less often, entertain. Gabe never fully emerges as a character since his role is principally that of a spectator to the lives of others as well as his own.

A novel with the feel of a rambling memoir.

LAKE LIKE A MIRROR

Ho, Sok Fong Trans. by Bruce, Natascha Two Lines Press (240 pp.) $16.95 paper | Mar. 10, 2020 978-1-931883-98-6

Dreamlike stories about Malaysian women in mysterious circumstances.

The stories in this collection—Ho’s first book to be translated into English— follow a dreamy logic. In “Lake Like a Mirror,” a teacher’s students remind her of a “herd of elk in long grass, nestled meekly against one another.” Later, when a deer leaps out in front of her car, she swerves off the road. In “Aminah,” several women have been detained by Muslim authorities who believe they’ve strayed from their faith. One of the women sleepwalks at night, naked and unchecked—none of the guards want to apprehend her in that state. Ho’s stories, which center almost exclusively on women, have an eerie quality, an otherworldly elegance, many of them with uncanny images: Cats yowl at the edges of that rehab center, and some of the women perform shadowy exorcisms late at night. But as misty-edged as these stories can be, Ho also makes pointed critiques about politics and culture in her native Malaysia. The teacher in “Lake Like a Mirror” fears for her job when one of her students comes out, in a video he posts online, after reciting a sexually explicit e.e. cummings poem she’d taught in class. In “Radio Drama,” a cluster of women gossip at the hairdresser’s. Someone, they hear, has committed suicide, and they speculate about her reasons.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE

Hendricks, Greer & Pekkanen, Sarah St. Martin’s (352 pp.) $27.99 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-250-20203-1 Witnessing a suicide proves almost fatal for the witness herself.

Shay Miller would not have been on that subway platform had she not taken the 22 seconds required to tie up her ponytail. Because she did, she is the sole

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THE GRACE KELLY DRESS

Her husband probably took a mistress, they think. “But a mistress was only natural, once a man made a bit of money!”

They conclude: “For a wife to kill herself over it, well, that was just silly.” Throughout this fine collection, Ho’s touch is only lightly apparent. She has created a world in these stories that is entirely, and uniquely, her own.

Straddling the surreal and the pointedly political, Ho reveals herself to be a writer of immense talent and range.

Janowitz, Brenda Graydon House (336 pp.) $16.99 paper | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-525-80459-5

A wedding dress designed in 1958 Paris is passed along the generations in this three-part story about the women who wore it to walk down the aisle.

This is the tale of one wedding dress. One-third of the story follows its design and construction by Rose, a hardworking seamstress and orphan who creates the dress for Diana Laurent when Madame Michel—the head of the atelier where Rose works—suddenly dies without naming a protégé to take over the business. The daughter and granddaughter of the original woman who wore the dress adapt it in two subsequent generations to make it their own. College-student Joan inherits the dress from her mother, and one-third of the book details her ill-advised engagement in 1982 to a man she doesn’t particularly care for even though she longs for a grand wedding and the inclusion of so-called “Princess Diana sleeves” on the dress. The remaining third of the book details successful video game app developer Rocky’s wedding planning in 2020 as she prepares to marry her love, Drew, a venture capitalist, and her inheritance of the dress, which she does not want to wear. Author Janowitz (The Dinner Party, 2016) has created a frothy story where unlimited money and love flow freely. The tale touches ever so lightly on weighty issues— drug use and overdoses, death, infidelity, a quest to find a birth mother, and gay rights. Joan’s story has the most depth, but it hangs together uneasily with Rose’s and Rocky’s as a result, as it is a much earthier exploration of self, autonomy, and maturity than is offered by the other two stories.

A story for fans of happily-ever-after, where love and acceptance resolve every problem and money is no object.

MADE IN SATURN

Indiana, Rita Trans. by Hutchinson, Sydney And Other Stories (124 pp.) $15.95 paper | Mar. 24, 2020 978-1-911508-60-1 Singer/songwriter Justin Townes Earle, a recovering drug addict, tells audiences that people ask the wrong question of those trying to get clean. Rather than asking why they use, they should ask why they hurt.

This sentiment runs through Indiana’s fifth novel. In it, Argenis Luna has been sent to a Cuban drug detoxification clinic run by Dr. Bengoa. The arrangement took some string pulling from Argenis’ father, a high-ranking bureaucrat in the Dominican Republic’s ruling party, who called in a favor from the physician. The two had once been political comrades, forging a bond during a 1967 Latin American Solidarity Conference. At the time, both were filled with revolutionary fervor. Now, 37 years later, the men are middle-aged and weary. José Alfredo, the dad, has become rich and powerful, and Bengoa has become a hack physician, providing rich junkies with injections of Temgesic to wean them from heroin. José Alfredo, meanwhile, wants to help his 27-year-old son, a once-promising artist, get his life back on course. But it won’t be easy. Argenis hates his negligent and philandering father and is filled with contempt for him. At the same time, he’s grateful to be in Havana, especially after meeting comely Susana. Recovery, however, is never seamless, and as memories of childhood flood back, Argenis has to confront both the love and deprivation that marked his coming-of-age.

Along the way, he is aided by people who include a Cuban drag performer, his aunt Niurka, his mom, Etelvina, and a former art professor. Still, despite their considerable assistance, Argenis remains haunted by the image of Goya’s Saturn Devouring His Son. Will he, like the son in the painting, find rescue, or will he be consumed by an overbearing father?

A deeply nuanced, atmospheric, and graphic depiction of mental illness, drug addiction, and recovery.

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A BOND UNDONE

Jin Yong Trans. by Chang, Gigi St. Martin’s (544 pp.) $18.99 paper | Mar. 24, 2020 978-1-250-25011-7 Second installment in popular Chinese writer Jin Yong’s immensely popular Legends of the Condor Heroes series (A Hero Born, 2019).

Louis Cha Leung-yung, pen name Jin Yong, died in 2018, having sold hundreds of millions of books in Chinese (and Korean and Vietnamese), all in the wuxia, or martial arts, tradition. Imagine Jackie Chan by way of Tolkien and you’ll have some sense of how the books work, their chapters peppered with improbably epic brawls among mythological figures with names such as Apothecary Huang, Hurricane Chen, and Cyclone Mei. This second volume finds hero Guo |

Kemp writes with a careful restraint that makes the emotional explosions all the more powerful when they come. marguerite

Jing and his beloved Lotus Huang battling their way across a countryside in which the bad guys seek the occult knowledge tucked away inside a martial arts manual whose devotees know all kinds of deadly kicks and punches. “You are a disciple of Twice Foul Dark Wind,” growls Tiger Peng the Outlaw by way of an introduction, and Lotus responds, “You promised to let me go if you couldn’t name the school of my kung fu within ten moves.” Ten moves should have been enough, especially since Lotus has already defeated the Three Horned Dragon and the Dragon King of the Daemon Sect, friends of Tiger Peng’s.

It’s not brawn but brains that get Lotus out of that particular pickle. Meanwhile, Guo Jing, who, having grown up among Mongol raiders and who thus “could tell the size of a herd by ear,” has plenty of adventures of his own, including falling into the company of a “sworn brother” who invites him to join him for some merry martial combat in the underworld; resisting the siren song of a magical death-dealing ditty; and embarking on a journey upon the “boundless sea” without telling Lotus of his itinerary—all grist for the next volume. On that score, fans of the series should rejoice that more books await, though their publication will reportedly be spread over a number of years, requiring plenty of patience.

A delightful entertainment, especially for readers versed in Chinese mythology or steeped in the films of Jet Li and company.

the book loses steam in the second half, becoming muddled by several drawn-out plot points and unnecessary scenes that do little to move the story forward. Is Daisy truly dead, or will she find a way to return to the living? Is Violet on her way to suffering a tragic setback? By Daisy’s third ill-advised attempt to reappear to her traumatized family and friends, it’s hard to keep caring either way.

A promising debut that gets bogged down by poor pacing and a too-neat ending.

MARGUERITE

Kemp, Marina Viking (320 pp.) $26.00 | Mar. 24, 2020 978-1-984877-83-3

DAISY COOPER’S RULES FOR LIVING

Keily, Tamsin Park Row Books (336 pp.) $16.99 paper | Mar. 3, 2020 978-0-77-83-0974-1

On a routine evening milk run, 23-year-old Londoner Daisy Cooper slips on the icy pavement, hits her head, and dies.

When Daisy follows the light, she wakes up in an office space that is more clinical than heavenly.

There she meets Death, personified by a handsome man with mesmerizing green eyes and some bad news—there has been a clerical error. Daisy was not meant to die until the ripe old age of 92. Now stuck in limbo until further notice, Daisy kills time by taking on a job as Death’s assistant—where she is both a help and a hindrance—and spying on her boyfriend, Eric, and best friend, Violet, who is struggling with a resurgence in clinical depression following Daisy’s departure. As Daisy and Death process souls, including a murdered woman and plane crash victims, they form a special connection through exploring loss and its inescapable afteraffects—not only on the dead and those they leave behind, but on Death himself. These moments are obviously crafted to make the reader ruminate on their own mortality, but what could be emotionally manipulative or schmaltzy is surprisingly affecting in Keily’s hands. With the intriguing mystery of Daisy’s is-she-isn’t-she death, witty dialogue, and romantic tension, Keily hits all the right notes. But |

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Centering her first novel around a rural French village and the young Parisian who has come there as a traveling nurse, British author Kemp writes about the cost of suppressed passions—love, guilt, revenge—and the risk of secrecy.

Twenty-four-year-old Marguerite Demers is caring for the elderly, gravely ill Jérôme Lanvier at his worn-down estate outside the village of Saint-Sulpice. Marguerite has taken the job to avoid Paris, her well-to-do parents, and guilty memories concerning her sister, Cassandre, four years younger than her, who came down with meningitis when Marguerite was 15. Marguerite’s nursing career is a form of repentance for not having saved her sister. Secretive, obsessively self-blaming Marguerite relishes isolation, but she is sucked into incendiary undercurrents roiling within the village and inside Jérôme’s family. Crises arise from crossed purposes, not simple misunderstandings; Kemp doesn’t let her characters off the hook that easily: They make choices, often unwise, that affect not only themselves, but others. Their opposing needs, desires, and angers tighten like a noose around the characters’ lives. Marguerite allows herself to become a pawn in the hostilities between her difficult patient and his adult sons. Jérôme is no stock literary curmudgeon with a soft heart. Always a bullying tyrant to his three resentful, still needy sons, Jérôme knows they hate him and hates them back.

Meanwhile, Suki Lacourse, a local villager’s Iranian wife, tries to befriend Marguerite as a fellow outsider. Suki harbors deep bitterness toward the local women who never accepted her, in particular Brigitte Brochon, whose husband, Henri, rejected Suki’s sexual advances years before. Desperately in love with Henri, aware she is not his equal in looks or brains, Brigitte feels threatened by attractive, smart women like Suki and now Marguerite. But Henri, the one man in town who has won Jerome’s respect, cannot escape his own secret and accompanying shame.

When he and Marguerite come together, the repercussions are disastrous.

Kemp writes with a careful restraint that makes the emotional explosions all the more powerful when they come.

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Startup culture and science fiction collide in this debut novel about love, loss, and coming-of-age. new waves

HURRICANE SEASON

to miss them, to find them. That someone might be Clara, a teenage dropout who works the Atlantic City strip as a psychic and occasionally has visions. She can tell there’s something dangerous at work, but she has other problems. To pay the rent, she begins selling her company, and then her body, to older men.

One day she meets Lily, another young woman who’d escaped the depressing decay of Atlantic City for New York only to be betrayed by a man. She’s come back to AC because there’s nowhere else to go, and she spends her time working a deadend job and drinking herself into oblivion. Together, Clara and Lily may be able to figure out the truth—but they will each lose something along the way. Mullen’s style is subtle, flowing; she switches the narrative voice with each chapter, giving us Clara and Lily but also each of the victims. At the heart of the novel lies the bitter observation that “Women get humiliated every day, in small stupid ways and in huge, disastrous ones.” Mullen writes about all the moments that women compromise themselves in the face of male desire and male power and how they learn to use sex as commerce because “men are always promised this, no matter who they are.” The other major character in the novel is Atlantic City itself: fading; falling to ruin; promising an old sort of glamour that no longer exists; swindling sad, lonely people out of their money. This backdrop is unexpected and well rendered.

A lyrical, incisive, and haunting debut.

Melchor, Fernanda Trans. by Hughes, Sophie New Directions (224 pp.) $22.95 | Mar. 31, 2020 978-0-8112-2803-9

A dead Witch in a Mexican village prompts a host of locals to share rumors and memories of her checkered life and violent death.

Mexican writer Melchor’s first book published in English is remarkable for the sheer force of its language. Its eight chapters are each one paragraph long, and they’re usually very long paragraphs, often constructed of page- or pages-long sentences. The format gives the impression that we’re occupying the space of a host of characters who’ll brook no interruption, even if their storytelling is lurid, digressive, and/or unreliable. But all agree that a bad thing has happened: The corpse of a local Witch who trades in “curses and cures” has been discovered floating in an irrigation canal, “seething under a myriad of black snakes.” The chapters that follow attempt to fill out the backstory: She allegedly killed her husband and cursed his sons, hexed relationships over money, might actually be a man, delivered abortions, and provided a druggy and boozy safe haven for young gay men. What’s true or not matters less than the Witch’s role as the village scapegoat, the person upon whom everyone places their shames and secrets. Two virtuoso chapters underscore the depth of feeling and disquieting intensity Melchor is capable of, one turning on a girl impregnated by her stepfather and the blame and embarrassment rained upon her, the other about a closeted young man in a Bosch-ian milieu that takes byways into drugs, violence, and bestiality porn. It’s tough stuff but not gratuitously so: The narrative moves so fast the slurs and gross-outs feel less like attempts to shock and more like the infrastructure of a place built on rage and transgression. The place is suffused with “bad vibes, jinxes...bleakness.” Whether the Witch was its creator or firewall is an open question.

Messy yet engrossingly feverish. Melchor has deep reserves of talent and nerve.

NEW WAVES

Nguyen, Kevin One World/Random House (320 pp.) $27.00 | Mar. 10, 2020 978-1-984855-23-7 Startup culture and science fiction collide in this debut novel about love, loss, and coming-of-age.

Lucas and Margo are best friends, or something like it. The two cynical 20-somethings brave the oppressive whiteness of startup culture together, downing beers at the bar around the corner from their office and commiserating about their clueless, immoral bosses. “Being black means you’re merely a body—a fragile body,” confesses Margo, a talented engineer with a penchant for SF, over drinks. “If there was a machine that could do it, I’d change places with you right now, Lucas….I would be an Asian man and I would move through the world unnoticed and nobody would bother me.” In retaliation for being pushed out of their company, Margo decides to steal user data and convinces cautious Lucas to help. But when she is suddenly struck and killed by a car, Lucas is left to navigate their theft—and the emotional roller coaster of working in big tech as a minority—on his own. Nguyen, a former digital deputy editor for GQ and a veteran of Google and Amazon, has a keen eye for satire. He illuminates how “lean” startup companies led by young white men with little management experience manufacture crises only to dodge responsibilities to their users and staff.

“I started Phantom with lofty principles, and I haven’t given up

PLEASE SEE US

Mullen, Caitlin Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster (352 pp.) $26.99 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-9821-2748-0 In Atlantic City, the bodies of several women wait to be discovered and a young psychic begins having visions of terrible violence.

They are known only as Janes 1 through 6, the women who have been strangled and left in the marsh behind the seedy Sunset Motel. They wait for someone 30

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on them,” says one CEO without irony. “But we’ll never achieve those ideals...if we run out of money first.” Running alongside the dystopian horrors of Nguyen’s workplace satire are the warmth and humor, sadness and vulnerability of Lucas’ and Margo’s voices. Using text messages, voicemails, message board posts, and short story snippets, Nguyen’s novel spirals inward to capture the hang-ups, cultural obsessions, and fuzzy ambitions of his characters. “I’d hoped leaving behind all my material possessions would mean leaving behind all the things I’d become: a cruel friend, a workplace creep, an alcoholic,” Lucas muses from his new, nomadic life in Tokyo. “Or maybe I was all those things to begin with.” At last confronted with his own poor romantic and workplace behavior, Lucas must decide how he will honor his friend’s memory and whether he will work to become a better person in the hazy promise—or possible tragedy—of the future.

A blistering sendup of startup culture and a sprawling, ambitious, tender debut.

of love and family. The novel lapses into sentiment at times, but it mainly honors the complexity of its setting.

A richly imagined story of severed bonds amid conflict.

LAST COUPLE STANDING

Norman, Matthew Ballantine (288 pp.) $27.00 | Mar. 17, 2020 978-1-984821-06-5

THE MOUNTAINS SING

Nguyên, Quê Mai Phan Algonquin (352 pp.) $26.95 | Mar. 17, 2020 978-1-61620-818-9

A sweeping tale of one family’s shifting fortunes in Vietnam across half a century.

The first novel in English by the Vietnam-born Nguyên (The Secret of Hoa Sen: Poems, 2014) centers on the Trån family, living in North Vietnam during three conflict-struck generations. Her lens turns to two characters in particular: Dięu Lan, who grew up amid Japanese and French occupations, and her granddaughter Huong, who uses Dięu Lan’s stories to try to piece together what happened during the war. It is a largely grim portrait. Dięu Lan watched as her father was beheaded

by Japanese soldiers and saw the whole region suffer through a long famine; the six children who weren’t killed during the war suffered PTSD or had their own children born dead, deformed from their parents’ exposure to Agent Orange. The novel’s major set piece and most effecting sequence follows Dięu Lan as she is stripped of her livelihood in the midst of Communist North Vietnam’s “Land Reform” policy that demonized traders like herself; she’s forced to abandon her children, one by one, to protect them from retribution. Her daughter (and Huong’s mother) Ngoc, a doctor, survives the war but comes home badly traumatized, and nobody knows where Huong’s father is; the girl’s sole tangible connection to him is a carved bird whose name gives the novel its title. For all the loss Nguyên depicts, though, her story is invitingly and gracefully told. She is particularly adept at weaving in folktales and aphorisms to create a vivid sense of place. Huong’s love for her homeland is complicated by her family’s struggle and her refusal to see Americans as pure evil (“By reading their books, I saw the other side of them”), punctuated by a final twist that challenges her notions

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A couple decides to save their relationship by attempting an open marriage.

Jessica and Mitch Butler have a happy marriage. Well, happy enough.

Married for years with two children, it’s inevitable that they won’t feel the swells of passion every day, right? But when their three best couple friends get divorced around the same time, Jessica and Mitch start to reevaluate things. They thought their friends’ marriages were fine, but something tore them all apart. And, naturally, Jessica and Mitch start to wonder if the same thing could happen to them. So, to stave off the divorce that now seems inevitable, they try something dramatic: an open marriage. More specifically, an “evolved” marriage, one that allows each of them to have sex with other people, with several rules in place (no repeats, no one they know, etc.). Jessica immediately hits it off with a young, sexy bartender who sweeps her off her feet, but Mitch has more trouble connecting with women. And both of them realize, with help from their divorced friends, that dating is a lot different now that apps are on the scene. Although Jessica and Mitch’s plan may be a bit out of the box, their relationship and feelings are believable. Norman (We’re All Damaged, 2016, etc.) also creates a plethora of rounded, quirky side characters, including Jessica’s teenage therapy patient Scarlett and Mitch’s nerdy student Luke. When all of those characters come together in the story’s climax, the result is a scene worthy of a Shakespearean comedy.

A quick-witted and ultimately hopeful look at what it takes to make a marriage last.

AFTER ME COMES THE FLOOD

Perry, Sarah Custom House/Morrow (272 pp.) $16.99 paper | Mar. 17, 2020 978-0-06-266640-6

In this eerie debut novel from Perry (Melmoth, 2018, etc.), now published in the U.S. for the first time, a man becomes lost in the woods only to be welcomed by a household of strange but passionate residents.

Tired of the summer heat, John Cole sets off from his London bookshop to visit his brother, who lives by the sea. But John never arrives. In the dark Thetford forest, his car breaks |

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down, and he loses his way in the woods. At the end of a path, he reaches the door of a grand mansion. The young girl who opens it seems to recognize him. “John Cole! Is that you? It is you, isn’t it—it must be, I’m so glad. I’ve been waiting for you all day!” So begins Perry’s unsettling debut, which shuttles between fairy story and allegory without ever resolving into a single shape or genre. The house is both magnificent and menacing, with “broken chandeliers trailing chipped strings of glass drops,” a glass eye constantly changing hands, and empty meat hooks dangling in the kitchen. Consumed with dread and guilt about being an imposter, John chronicles his days with the residents in a journal that reads like a fever dream. There’s Hester, a fiercely protective matron and former actress; Elijah, a former preacher who has lost his faith and fears going outside; Walker, a chain-smoking, card-playing devil in a rumpled tuxedo; Eve, a coquettish pianist who longs for attention; and the siblings Clare and Alex, otherworldly changelings who seem at once capable of complete innocence and total guile. Unlike Perry’s following two novels, plot matters less than mood here—confusion, uncertainty, and endless possibility unfold over the week of John’s stay. Even the sundial in the garden tells “two times at once.” What connects this fragile household together? Who is sending Alex cruel poison-pen letters? Why does Eve make John feel “pain set up very low in his stomach…as if hooks had been pushed through his flesh”? And whose place has John actually taken? Like Shirley Jackson, Carmen Maria Machado, and other evocative masters of the gothic, Perry circles closer to answers without ever dispelling the magic that holds her narrative in breathless suspense.

A mysterious fable about honesty and deceit, love and self-loathing, and our sometimes-doomed quests for inner peace.

a nobleman who suffers a public seizure, he is passed along— regifted—to the epileptic. Ten years pass; Ezzedine, now “Matthew Thatcher,” has adapted to his fate by converting to Christianity and by expunging—to the greatest extent possible— all memory of his homeland and former happiness. Meanwhile, Queen Elizabeth is dying, heirless, and the leading candidate for the throne is King James VI of Scotland. But James’ bona fides as a Protestant—his parents were Catholic, as is his wife, and rumors abound of his secret papism—are in doubt, which could reignite the long sectarian bloodbath recently ended. Who better to peel the theological onion that is James, thinks the cunning spymaster Geoffrey Belloc, than the only Muslim in the empire? And so Ezzedine/Thatcher is regifted again, this time to the Scottish king. Phillips’ incorporation of history—including an entertaining side plot about Elizabethan theater—shows the sure hand and psychological acuity he is known for. One is reminded of Hilary Mantel’s magisterial Wolf Hall but perhaps more pointedly of Graham Greene’s novels, which also often center on theology and spycraft and often feature a protagonist exiled, like Ezzedine, to some seedy outpost of foreignness and amorality.

A rare combination of literary finesse and quick-paced plot—and another triumph from the versatile Phillips.

THE ICE CREAM MAN & OTHER STORIES

Pink, Sam Soft Skull Press (288 pp.) $16.95 paper | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-59376-593-4

Pink’s (The Garbage Times/White Ibis: Two Novellas, 2018, etc.) latest book continues his eyes-wide-open exploration of the many underbellies of modern life.

It’s almost impossible to describe one of Pink’s books without relying on adjectives chronically overused to evoke a certain type of 21st-century voice-driven urban realism. His books are gritty, it’s true; also cynical, often vicious, funny in a wry, despairing sort of way. The characters that populate Pink’s world are junkies and drunks, homeless veterans and runaways, people laboring at brutally absurd jobs, people lost in the overwhelming trash of their lives. Yet the feeling one leaves a Pink novel with is less world-weariness or disgust than the recognition of a tremulous, wavering kind of belief in tenderness, beauty, and hope. Expressing itself in Pink’s signature single-sentence paragraphs, and replete with onomatopoetic belches, squelches, slurps, and titters, the voice that narrates this book is no exception to this rule. Pink splits the stories into three geographically defined sections and proceeds to follow his frequently unnamed narrators through the frozen alleys of Chicago to the blazing cul-de-sacs of Florida and back up north to the stark fields of Michigan. Along the way readers look through the eyes of a murderous dishwasher who hates you (every you) more even than the ramekins he washes; a novice ice cream man finding a species of the sublime

THE KING AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD

Phillips, Arthur Random House (288 pp.) $27.00 | Feb. 11, 2020 978-0-8129-9548-0

The first novel in nine years from Phillips (The Tragedy of Arthur, 2011, etc.) is another bravura performance: a tale of espionage and theological intrigue set in Elizabethan England.

The book begins with a Turkish expedition in 1591 to England, “a far-off, sunless, primitive, sodden, heathen kingdom at the far cliffside edge of the civilized earth.” One of the delegation’s reluctant conscripts is Mahmoud Ezzedine, the sultan’s personal physician, who leaves behind a comfortable life and a beloved wife and son. But at sojourn’s end, Ezzedine—who’s become friendly with a British physician/naturalist and familiar with British irony and raillery—makes a remark that, overheard, allows a conniving rival to trap him; if reported to the sultan, the jest would result in the doctor’s execution. So Ezzedine is left in England as a “gift” to Elizabeth’s court, and when he saves 32

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A fast-paced blast from the past. westwind

WESTWIND

in doing “maybe the first job [he] ever had where people were happy to see [him]”; a wedding caterer, awash in the beauty of the banal, who comes to an unlikely tête-à-tête with a magnificent, and dangerous, stag. There are young women who have stomped the guts out of rats, friendly meth addicts willing to guide the narrator to the best local tattoo shop, many beloved animal companions, and many beloved, if often unsalvageable, human friends. Pink, who is also a visual artist and a musician, continues exploring a world of the relentlessly profane with the kind of tender humanity usually reserved for stories more interested in the redemption of their characters. Pink is far too honest to fall into this trap. His characters don’t need redemption so much as they need a sandwich, or a blanket, or someone to talk with in order to pass the time, and herein lies the collection’s greatest, and most surprising, strength.

A voice like none other writing today—Pink is riveting.

Rankin, Ian Little, Brown and Company (272 pp.) $27.00 | Jan. 7, 2020 978-0-316-49792-3

HOUR OF THE ASSASSIN

Quirk, Matthew Morrow/HarperCollins (352 pp.) $27.99 | Mar. 31, 2020 978-0-06-287549-5

Former Secret Service man Nick Averose becomes a pawn in a deadly political conspiracy in the nation’s capital when he is framed for the murder of a former CIA director.

Twenty-five years ago, a young woman was found dead at a summer gathering attended by future senator and current presidential hopeful Sam MacDonough. The wealthy power broker looking to plant him in the White House will do anything to keep secret what happened that night. A month before the killing of the CIA director, a one-time flame of Nick’s who had been at that summer party came to him seeking protection and then disappeared with her secrets. Nick, who, as part of his two-person security business, stages mock home invasions for potential targets to identify potential security weaknesses, escapes the scene of the CIA director’s killing but not the crosshairs of the killers. Nick holds them off with the help of his trusty female tech assistant and a one-time Marine buddy who is now a successful contractor in Washington. Quirk is good at describing fancy trappings.

A rich man’s suit boasts “Milanese stitches and a silk latch hidden behind the lapel.” Another fat cat drinks Dujac premier cru, a French pinot noir. But the characters themselves are lacking in the details and dimensions that would make them interesting. And the plot, usually the strong point for the author of The Night Agent (2019), is predictable.

A formulaic thriller that ranks with Quirk’s lesser efforts.

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Rankin fans ready for a break from Inspector John Rebus’ inimitably dour Edinburgh (In a House of Lies, 2019, etc.) will welcome this reprinting of a state-ofthe-art high-tech international thriller from 1990.

As the U.S. prepares to pull all its troops from Europe in a prophetic “America First” move, two apparently unrelated incidents provoke panic among the Brits who face abandonment by their partners in the historic special relationship. One is the period of 3 minutes and 40 seconds during which the satellite Zephyr goes dark, losing all contact with its monitors on the ground. Although it soon returns from the blackness, controller Paul Vincent is deeply shaken by the interruption. He shares his fears with fellow monitor Martin Hepton, and soon both of them are up to their floppy drives in danger. The other problem is more serious from the get-go: The space shuttle Argos crashes to Earth in the middle of a heretofore routine flight, killing all five members of the American crew and leaving only Maj. Michael Dreyfuss, the sole British participant, alive. Like Vincent, Dreyfuss instantly senses that the failure of the craft on which he’s hitched a ride is only the tip of a much larger iceberg.

And as subsequent events will quickly show, the two incidents are indeed only the most obvious nodes of an international—or, more precisely, post-national—web of intrigue. Picking out the leading malefactors from a cast that includes military officers, career diplomats, agents of the American and British secret services, and the odd professional assassin who all look equally untrustworthy is less rewarding than uncovering the deep-laid and remarkably simple plan behind all the shenanigans. A bonus in this new edition is Rankin’s refreshingly candid Introduction, which emphasizes the vicissitudes of his early career in a way that will either inspire wannabe writers or lead them to despair.

A fast-paced blast from the past…and (who knows?) maybe the immediate future as well.

LITTLE WONDERS

Rorick, Kate Morrow/HarperCollins (384 pp.) $15.99 paper | Mar. 17, 2020 978-0-06-287721-5 Two mothers struggle with the hypercompetitive world of their children’s elite New England preschool.

Quinn Barrett just wants everything to be perfect—her house, her job, her marriage, and, most importantly, her son’s preschool. That’s why she’s the Parent Association president, aka the person who gets everything done. But when her |

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son refuses to wear his (homemade, of course) costume in the school Halloween parade, Quinn has an adult-size tantrum— and, unfortunately, it’s caught on video. Now Quinn is known as “Halloween Mom” on the internet and in the preschool halls.

Daisy McGulch Stone, who just moved to town with her husband and daughter, was the one who took the video. She didn’t mean for it to go viral and ruin Quinn’s perfect image, but she can’t tell anyone that now. As a blue-haired, tattooed, D&D– loving geek, she already doesn’t fit in, and she doesn’t want everyone to know she’s the reason their school is in the headlines; all she did was send the video to her best friend in California, who passed it along. However, Quinn and Daisy have more in common than they think, and they form an unlikely friendship that makes both of them feel more at home in their homogeneous surroundings. But as Quinn’s life keeps blowing up and Daisy attempts to be herself, both women must figure out how to make the best of circumstances they never expected.

Rorick (The Baby Plan, 2018), who is also a television writer and producer, includes plenty of nerdy pop-culture references, and her chatty, slightly snarky voice makes the pages fly by. Daisy’s and Quinn’s struggles to fit into their roles as mothers while following their career dreams are relatable and often hilarious.

Refreshingly, Rorick resists the catty mom dynamic and makes even the meanest moms appear both sympathetic and human.

A funny, highly readable look at modern mom culture and the dangers of parenting in the age of viral videos.

to suspect that his mysterious client is actually North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un. Fortunately, Chu has some backup from his mother, who’s a member of a secretive antiterrorist task force called Zero Day, and an absent father who pulls his weight when he needs to. It’s a pretty good thriller, but it’s also very much a book for gamers by gamers. If acronyms like MMORPG, PvP, or PPML throw you for a loop, this might not be the ride for you. Gamers for life who can pry themselves off the controller will certainly dig this digital-era whodunit.

Good characters, keen social commentary, and propulsive action sequences with a bit too much tech jargon.

WOLF

Stern, Herbert J. & Winter, Alan A. Skyhorse Publishing (576 pp.) $27.99 | Feb. 11, 2020 978-1-5107-5108-8 A deeply researched novel about Hitler’s rise to power, co-authored by Stern, a former federal judge, and Winter, a novelist (Island Bluffs, 2015. etc.).

In a German army hospital in 1918, two soldiers meet. One, the narrator, has lost all memory of his past, even his identity, so a doctor assigns him the name of a dead soldier, Friedrich Richard. Richard shows kindness to the man suffering from hysterical blindness in the bed next to him. The blind man calls himself Wolf, but his real name is Adolf Hitler. They form a strong friendship, and Richard later follows Hitler into the Nazi Party. Richard is a not-entirely-sympathetic narrator who stands 6-foot-7 and “doesn’t shy away from a fight,” willingly bashing heads to defend his friend. But he shies away from talking about his past, especially when he learns he’s inadvertently been given the name of “a dead Jew.” Meanwhile, Hitler “demanded total loyalty, but he also gave it…even to friends who disappointed him.” “Friedrich,” he says, “you must stay close to me. Always.

You are the only one I really trust.” Even knowing that Richard defended a bearded Jew against three thugs, Hitler promotes him to SS Obergruppenführer. “Our Friedrich is well known for his tender heart,” he says. The fictional narrator proves a great tool to show Hitler up close, based on the authors’ research.

For example, historians often portray Hitler as pathologically afraid of women. Richard tells a woman that “Hitler’s romance is with Germany,” not with fräuleins, but Hitler is attracted to young women and girls, including his niece Geli, who commits suicide after ol’ Uncle Adolf leaves her for another woman. In 1934, Richard visits a dying man in Dachau but is long since hopelessly ensnared in the Nazi juggernaut. As the novel ends, the horrors are only beginning.

An engrossing look at a monster.

88 NAMES

Ruff, Matt Harper/HarperCollins (320 pp.) $26.99 | Mar. 17, 2020 978-0-06-285467-4 An extreme gamer who has concocted a scheme to monetize his expertise gets into trouble navigating a virtual world that starts to intrude on his real life.

Following in the footsteps of Ernie Cline, who hit the geek gold mine with Ready Player One (2011), Ruff (Lovecraft Country, 2016, etc.) takes his shot at a near-future gaming world that’s more grounded than most virtual-reality universes but also more complex. Our main protagonist is John Chu, the founder of Sherpa, Inc., a consulting firm that guides new gamers through a variety of mostly VR–based video games.

He has good partners in Jolene, a more mature African American gamer who won’t take any of his shit, and Anja, a brilliant young player whose permanent injury has left her on life support, albeit with thought-controlled access to the VR world.

Unfortunately, he also has a nemesis in Darla Jean Covington, his virtual ex-girlfriend, who is clearly holding a grudge. The kicker comes when Chu is approached by a man named Smith on behalf of a pseudonymous client named Mr. Jones, who wishes to pay him an astonishing $100,000 per week for his exclusive services. Lurking in the background is Ms. Pang, an enigmatic Chinese woman who might be a spy. Soon Chu begins 34

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Suffused with feeling and very moving. redhead by the side of the road

THE MAN WITHOUT TALENT

Tsuge, Yoshiharu Trans. by Holmberg, Ryan New York Review Comics (240 pp.) $22.95 paper | Feb. 11, 2020 978-1-68137-443-7 This first English-language edition of a work by influential Japanese comicbook artist Tsuge follows an impoverished, embittered comic-book artist whose unconventional search for riches keeps him in league with schemers at the fringes of society—much to his wife’s angst and young son’s distress.

Whether it’s selling stones he finds near his home, repairing and reselling cameras bought from a junk store, or even carrying people on his back across a shallow river, Sukezö Sukegawa will do just about anything for money—except create the comic books for which he has received critical acclaim. He pridefully resents the lack of money in comic books, though he fails to sell any stones either. Sukezö’s pursuits introduce him to shady characters, such as the alcoholic head of an “art stone” association and the man’s libidinous wife, and to outsiders such as a homeless man whose uncanny connection to birds allows him to effortlessly gather exquisite specimens for sale. Though Sukezö’s wife resents his inability to make money—and the costs associated with his offbeat vocations—Sukezö provides for the family in his own, unbalanced way, as when he combines a stone-hunting trip to the countryside with a hiking trip for wife and son. The trip is a disaster: Sukezö’s asthmatic son melts down over the train schedule, fecal matter likely slips into the family’s noodles, and the three of them lie by a river and wryly contemplate suicide. Tsuge’s raw and profound work is equal parts pathos and poetry, streaked with irony and ribaldry. His lines are beautifully clean and wonderfully expressive, the pages sometimes presenting expertly cartoonish simplicity and other times almost photorealistic detail. Tsuge has a soft spot for outsiders yet is acutely aware of how they can end up dead in a field somewhere, covered in their own filth.

Humanity stunningly observed—a treasure.

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afternoons deals with tasks in the apartment building where he is the live-in super. He’s the kind of person, brother-in-law Dave mockingly notes, who has an assigned chore for each day: “vacuuming day…dusting day….Your kitchen has a day all its own” (Thursday). Dave’s comments are uttered at a hilarious, chaotic family get-together that demonstrates the origins of Micah’s persnickety behavior and offers a welcome note of comedy in what is otherwise quite a sad tale. Micah thinks of himself as a good guy with a good life. It’s something of a shock when the son of his college girlfriend turns up wondering if Micah might be his father (not possible, it’s quickly established), and it’s really a shock when his casual agreement to let 18-year-old Brink crash in his apartment for a night leads Micah’s “woman friend,” Cass, to break up with him. “There I was, on the verge of losing my apartment,” she says. “What did you do? Quickly invite the nearest stranger into your spare room.” Indignant at first, Micah slowly begins to see the pattern that has kept him warily distant from other people, particularly the girlfriends who were only briefly good enough for him. (They were always the ones who left, once they figured it out.) The title flags a lovely metaphor for Micah’s lifelong ability to delude himself about the nature of his relationships. Once he realizes it, agonizing examples of the human connections he has unconsciously avoided are everywhere visible, his loneliness palpable.

These chapters are painfully poignant—thank goodness Tyler is too warmhearted an artist not to give her sad-sack hero at least the possibility of a happy ending.

Suffused with feeling and very moving.

THE COLDEST WARRIOR

Vidich, Paul Pegasus Crime (224 pp.) $25.95 | Feb. 4, 2020 978-1-64313-335-5

A CIA coverup slowly unravels.

In 1953, Dr. Charles Wilson either jumped or fell from a window of the Hotel Harrington. In 1975, at a Senate hearing, it was publicly revealed that he had been subjected to a CIA experiment involving LSD, but the fact that he had been a CIA employee and the details of his work for the agency went undiscovered.

Internal records of the death were missing, and the director, himself unaware of the actual circumstances of Wilson’s death, asks Jack Gabriel to investigate and report the real story if he can. Gabriel knew Wilson and that he worked in the germ warfare laboratories, and from that starting point he begins to explore the questions surrounding Wilson’s death. As he works, potential witnesses die “accidentally,” avenues of inquiry dry up, and a substantial coverup becomes apparent. Then an anonymous source offers a few tips, and Gabriel begins to understand the true extent of the CIA’s crime: They murdered one of their own. There remain questions, though, and in the process of trying to assess who and why, Gabriel’s own life becomes perilous. Overall, the novel’s pace is a little slow and the plot

REDHEAD BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD

Tyler, Anne Knopf (192 pp.) $25.95 | Apr. 7, 2020 978-0-525-65841-2

A man straitjacketed in routine blinks when his emotional blinders are removed in Tyler’s characteristically tender and rueful latest (Clock Dance, 2018, etc.).

Micah’s existence is entirely organized to his liking. Each morning he goes for a run at 7:15; starts his work as a freelance tech consultant around 10; and in the |

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By turns lyrical and gritty, a moving family story focuses on the aftermath of miracles. sharks in the time of saviors

SHARKS IN THE TIME OF SAVIORS

one-dimensional, but the characters of Gabriel and his family and of Wilson’s surviving family are vivid and sympathetic. Vidich (The Good Assassin, 2017, etc.) acknowledges that his novel is based on the story of Frank Olson, who “fell or jumped” from a New York City hotel room in November 1953, and fidelity to historical fact may account for the pace and plotting. But this fidelity also reveals a shameful instance of postwar conduct and the arrogance of the powerful.

A worthwhile thriller and a valuable exposé.

Washburn, Kawai Strong MCD/Farrar, Straus and Giroux (384 pp.) $27.00 | Mar. 31, 2020 978-0-374-27208-1 By turns lyrical and gritty, a moving family story focuses on the aftermath of miracles.

From its opening pages, this debut novel juxtaposes the realities of life for a working-class Hawaiian family and the mysticism of the Native culture that shapes them, with surprising results. Augie and Malia and their children—sons Dean and Nainoa and daughter Kaui—find their lives forever changed when, during a boat tour, little Noa falls overboard and is rescued by sharks, unharmed, as witnessed by a boatload of passengers. It’s an echo of old legends that is reinforced a few years later when the boy heals an accident victim’s injuries (although his mother offers an origin story that suggests he was marked by the old gods from conception).

Noa’s gift is a source of both wonder and cold hard cash, not to mention a baffling burden for a kid. In chapters narrated in turn by each member of the family, the siblings grow up, Dean and Kaui always feeling they are in their brother’s shadow, all of them balancing on the edge of poverty. Dean is a talented athlete, Noa and Kaui top students, and Augie and Malia manage to send all three to the mainland for college. But with the family fractured, all of them struggle, and only some find redemption.

Washburn’s prose is lush and inventive; a native of Hawai’i, he portrays the islands and their people with insight and love. He skillfully creates distinct voices for each of his narrators: resentful Dean, wisecracking Kaui, happy-go-lucky Augie, and Malia the true believer: “The kingdom of Hawai’i had long been broken—the hot rain forests and breathing green reefs crushed under the haole commerce of beach resorts, skyscrapers—and that was when the land had begun calling. I know this now because of you.” That “you” is Noa, sweet and bighearted and wrecked by his unasked-for powers. Their stories go in unexpected directions, from hilarious to heartbreaking.

Striking style, memorable characters, and a believably miraculous premise add up to a beautifully crafted first novel.

MICHAEL KOHLHAAS

Von Kleist, Heinrich Trans. by Hofmann, Michael New Directions (144 pp.) $14.95 paper | Mar. 31, 2020 978-0-8112-2834-3

Foundational novella of the German romantic era, celebrating a folk hero of the 1530s.

First published in 1810, the year before von Kleist committed suicide at 34, this short, elegant novel is well known to students of German literature. It’s easy to see why Franz Kafka should have esteemed it so much, drawing on it for books like The Castle and The Trial: The hero of the piece is a law-abiding man who confronts an obdurate bureaucracy and loses—though not without a fight, for, as von Kleist writes, “his sense of justice led him to robbery and murder.” The eponymous horse trader travels a well-worn path to market only to find a new tollbooth blocking his way. It seems that Wenzel von Tronka, heir to the newly deceased lord of the territory, is exercising his royal privilege to issue visas to cross it for a fee, and although Kohlhaas protests that “he had passed this frontier seventeen times in the course of his life without any such document,” he is forced to leave two horses from his string as security. Arriving in Dresden, the regional capital, Kohlhaas learns both that this demand for collateral was imposed arbitrarily and that his captive horses have been ill treated, though the lawsuit he files is eventually dismissed as a “baseless fuss” thanks to von Tronka’s influence.

That’s reason enough for him to become a fierce avenger who sets out in fury to reclaim what’s his—and, in the orderly realm of the Electorate of Saxony, such outlaw acts, no matter how well justified, are enough to earn a person a death penalty. Von Kleist complicates the story, which he relates as a matter-of-fact chronicle, with a few neat twists toward the end, quietly satirizing both the legal system and the imperial order of his day while suggesting that the quest for justice is more likely to backfire on the petitioner than be rewarded with anything other than “near-universal mourning.”

A masterwork that, 220 years on, holds up well thanks to this fluent translation.

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UNIVERSAL LOVE

Weinstein, Alexander Henry Holt (240 pp.) $26.00 | Jan. 21, 2020 978-1-250-14435-5

Eleven new stories about our potentially weird future.

Weinstein (Children of the New World, 2016) made a big splash in SF with his debut collection and follows it up with nearly a dozen stories that are just as |

creepy and will fit right in if you’re watching Black Mirror. The opener, “The Year of Nostalgia,” comes especially close to that particular flavor; it concerns a family trying to deal with grief by interacting with their hologram relatives. In “Beijing,” we find people living in the last days of the climate crisis erasing unpleasant memories of the things that hurt them most. “Comfort Porn” takes the concept of Tinder and similar apps to an unpleasant destination. Really, it’s all a prescient warning about technology, not that we really need a warning at this point. In “We Only Wanted Their Happiness,” indulgent parents give their kids access to information that turns them into little monsters. “True Love Testimonials” is, yes, a little weird, with its post-Tinder confessions about how to hook up with, say, a guy you can make look like your ex, or hosting “morphing orgies.”

Things get stranger. In “Childhood,” the kids...malfunction, and we’ll leave it at that. Inevitably, in “Sanctuary,” we discover aliens, but in the most unusual and dangerous place imaginable.

Time travel? Sure, why not? In “Infinite Realities,” we meet someone trying to find the version where they get it right, for once. We’re running out of time, so to speak, but there’s something to say about abandonment in “Mountain Song” and, finally, another dry look at the end times in “Islanders.”

In dark times, we get entertainment that reflects the world we’ve made. Welcome home.

is a lieutenant with the Nassau customs agency, and Doc’s only hope of thwarting his search for Lydia Johnson, the treasure hunter’s widow Doc helped to disappear, may be to assume the role of Morris Berg, the informant Ray wants to engage to get information that will sink Doc—unless of course he discovers that Morris and Doc are one and the same.

The plot, like so many of Doc’s recent adventures, tends to wind down rather than up, but a good time is had by all.

DARLING ROSE GOLD

Wrobel, Stephanie Berkley (320 pp.) $26.00 | Mar. 17, 2020 978-0-593-10006-6

SALT RIVER

White, Randy Wayne Putnam (384 pp.) $27.00 | Feb. 11, 2020 978-0-735-21272-5 Two distinct sets of chickens come home to roost for Sanibel Island marine biologist Dr. Marion Ford and his improbably wealthy beach-bum pal Tomlinson (Caribbean Rim, 2018, etc.).

Delia Carapoulos is a beautiful young woman, a recent graduate of Eckerd College, a starry-eyed fan of Tomlinson’s, and also, according to her, his biological daughter, a revelation that shocks him out of his desultory amatory fantasies about the nubile visitor. In fact, she’s only the advance guard of a tidal wave of offspring made possible by Tomlinson’s endless sperm donations a generation ago. Now the anythingbut-proud papa’s data has been released to several of the children looking to track him down, not all of them happy about the news of their paternity. One reputed son, Jayden F. Griffin, makes such an impression on his arrival at Sanibel that he’s hauled off by the feds and charged with terrorism and murder.

By the time Tomlinson finally appeals to Doc Ford for help, his buddy is awash in an equally unwelcome reprise of his own past: the appearance of several variously threatening characters convinced that he can lead them to late, legendary treasure hunter Jimmy Jones’ lost millions. All right, Leo Alomar, the first of these latest intruders into Doc’s life, isn’t really a special investigator with the IRS’s Whistleblower Program. But Rayvon Darwin, the lover of Alomar’s estranged wife, Nanette, really |

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The daughter testified, the mother went to prison, and their small town hoped that would be the end of it. But old habits—and old grudges—die hard in Wrobel’s debut novel.

Rose Gold Watts was never sick, but her mother, Patty, with her bottle of ipecac syrup, was. After discovering that her mother had spent the better part of two decades poisoning and starving her, the then-teenage Rose Gold testified in the trial that sent Patty to prison for aggravated child abuse. Five years later, with the support of her hometown, Rose Gold has purchased the house where her mother grew up and begun renovating it to create a safe place to raise her infant son, Adam. She leaves everyone in her tightknit community reeling when she reconciles with the newly released Patty and offers her a place to stay. With this framework in place, the novel alternates between the two women as first-person narrators in the past and present. The obviously manipulative Patty guides readers through her attempts to get back on former friends’ and neighbors’ good sides, all the while waffling over whether and when she should exact her revenge via her daughter’s greatest weakness: Adam. Meanwhile, Rose Gold pitches the narration into the past, covering the five years her mother spent in prison, which the former victim of neglect spent trying to forcibly connect with family members she had long believed were dead. Wrobel builds tension by tearing down and knocking away everything the audience believes they know, leaving a mountain of questions regarding Rose Gold’s present-day life and her relationship with Patty. This thriller speeds toward its conclusion in true page-turner fashion, without feeling rushed.

A taut tale that will keep you guessing until the very end.

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m ys t e r y

CHAMPAGNE COWBOYS

Banks, Leo W. Brash Books (267 pp.) $18.99 paper | Mar. 2, 2020 978-1-73242-264-3

SHE LOVER OF DEATH

Akunin, Boris Mysterious Press (272 pp.) $26.00 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-0-8021-4814-8

Prospero “Whip” Stark, the ex–baseball pitcher who owns Arizona’s Double Wide trailer park, juggles three murder cases, two of them with uncomfortably personal connections.

Whip’s girlfriend, KPIN-TV reporter Roxanne Santa Cruz, calls him one morning to ask him to check up on Ash Sterling, the mortally ill Afghan war hero and admitted leader of the Champagne Cowboys, a highly successful gang of thieves, whom Roxy’s been interviewing in what looks like his final days. And so they are. Accompanied by his buddy Cashmere Miller, Double Wide tenant and convicted felon, Whip finds Sterling shot to death, presumably before he could spill the beans about the Foothills murders, whose victims, attorney Paul Morton and his wife, Donna, were good friends of Whip’s. Evidence placed the Cowboys at the murder scene, and although Sterling insists that he and his buddies would never kill anybody, he hinted the night before his death that he knew more about the case than he’d told anyone. Prompted by the discovery that the Cowboys included Sterling’s fellow vets Pvt. Titus Ortega and Lance Cpl. Vincent Strong, Whip (Double Wide, 2018) is eager to pursue Sterling’s killer and even more eager to discover who shot the Mortons. But there’s a third case that will always be first in his heart: the fatal stabbing of Cristy Carlyle, for which Whip’s father, Sam Houston Stark, a beloved professor at Arizona State before he got dragged down by heroin, was arrested, tried, and imprisoned. It’s bad enough that leads in this cold case are scant; what’s even worse is that Wanda Dietz, the Tempe Police Department detective who arrested Sam, shows absolutely no interest in following them up. Whip’s adventures bring him up against a broad spectrum of variously untrustworthy and clueless types, from a priest with an eye for the dollar to a “food court twerp” whose hilariously demented dialogue seems copied verbatim from a comic strip.

As the heroine aptly says: “It’s a Hallmark movie except for all the dead people.”

Akunin returns to 1900 Moscow, where a suicide club’s numbers threaten to diminish to the vanishing point unless evergreen investigator Erast Petrovich Fandorin (The Coronation, 2019, etc.) can put an end to its distressing trend.

Masha Mironova arrives in Moscow with a modest inheritance, a strong aversion to her native Irkutsk, and a starryeyed determination to be reunited with Petya Lileiko, a carelessly attractive swain from the big city who’d wooed her as Harlequin during his visit to her hometown. What she finds is a little different from what she’d expected. At first the suitor who’d effortlessly pried her away from her designated fiance seems hardly to recall her; when he does, he whisks her off to a club hosting the Lovers of Death, where the cultish leader Blagovolsky, who’s dubbed himself Prospero, lords it over an ill-assorted gathering that includes Prospero’s assistant, Ophelia; noted poet Lorelei Rubinstein; seductive Kriton; medical dissector Horatio; accountant Caliban; twins Rosencrantz and Guildenstern; grammar school student Gdlevsky; Petya’s fellow university student Avaddon; and Petya himself, who’s known to the group as Cherubino. All of them share a consuming interest in suicide. Ophelia, a medium, calls on the spirits of the group’s late members to inform the group which among them has been nominated for self-slaughter. But soon after Masha, who adopts the sobriquet Columbine, is admitted to the Lovers of Death, Ophelia’s demise leaves the group casting about for an alternative way to decide which candidates should be moved to the head of the queue. Meantime, alarmed by the rash of suicides and suspecting that the club may be linked to anti-czarist terrorists, Lt. Col. Besikov arranges for Fandorin, operating under his own pseudonym, to infiltrate the group. The results, including the alter ego that conceals Fandorin, are creepily entertaining though never exactly mysterious in the ways you might expect.

Akunin continues to notch the most consistently varied approaches to the adventures of the Great Detective on record.

MURDER MAKES SCENTS

Breecher, Christin Kensington (272 pp.) $7.99 paper | Feb. 25, 2020 978-1-4967-2141-9

Die-hard Yankee candle maker Stella Wright (Murder’s No Votive Confidence, 2018) gets caught up in a trans-Atlantic murder plot.

Stella thoroughly enjoys her trip to Paris even though her mother, perfume expert Millie Wright, who’s scheduled 38

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Both darker and more absurd than previous romps, the latest Montalbano is a bracing cautionary tale. the safety net

to speak on a panel entitled “The Art of Scent Extractions” at the World Perfumery Conference, gets preempted by a murder.

Sadly, once they’re back home in Nantucket, things get even weirder. Stella receives an anonymous note threatening her mom if Stella doesn’t turn over a secret formula hidden in Millie’s bag.

Her mom can’t help because she’s in the hospital courtesy of an overenthusiastic attempt by Stella’s cat, Tinker, to befriend her. While trespassing on a suspicious sailboat, Stella meets U.S. Agent Sarah Hill, who warns her that well-known anarchist Rex Laruam plans to disrupt the upcoming Peace Jubilee using a stolen formula he secreted in Millie’s bag after he stabbed the agent guarding it back in Paris. Ignoring the advice of her friend Andy Southerland, a Nantucket cop, to leave detection to the professionals, Stella tries to unmask the elusive Laruam. As she spies on a bevy of unlikely suspects, the plot spirals further and further out of control: There’s a Canadian couple staying at an Airbnb run by Stella’s cousin Chris who whisper sweet but suspicious nothings in the dark, a shovel-wielding schoolmarm, a gang of old geezers who have a collective crush on Millie, a surprise 30th-birthday party planned by Stella’s beau, Peter Bailey, and an even more surprising impromptu airplane ride.

Utter non-scents.

incident at a school is added to his crowded plate. When disaffected teens emerge as the prime suspects, Montalbano fears for the state of the world.

Both darker and more absurd than previous romps, the latest Montalbano is a bracing cautionary tale.

MIMI LEE GETS A CLUE

Chow, Jennifer J. Berkley Prime Crime (336 pp.) $16.00 paper | Mar. 10, 2020 978-1-9848-0499-0

THE SAFETY NET

Camilleri, Andrea Penguin (272 pp.) $16.00 paper | Mar. 17, 2020 978-0-14-313-496-1 Murder, meltdowns, and a boisterous Swedish film crew bring chaos to a veteran police chief and his Sicilian community in this 25th mystery by Camilleri, who died in July.

Inspector Montalbano has his hands full when a television crew from Sweden invades his bailiwick.

To celebrate the linking of Vigàta with its sister city, Kalmar, Swedish TV is filming a movie about a romance between a Swedish girl and a “youth from Vigàta.” All this bustle is a nuisance to the world-weary Montalbano (The Other End of the Line, 2019, etc.), who coincidentally finds himself investigating an odd case that involves the cinema. Ernesto Sabatello has discovered a reel of film from decades ago: a collection of shots taken by his father, Francesco, once a year over a series of years. The boring film shows just a patch of wall, apparently unchanged year after year. Montalbano is intrigued, but it takes him quite a while to focus on this puzzle when distractions come in the form of a melee between Swedes and Sicilians and the need to referee the marital battle between his quirky detective, Mimì, and Mimì’s wife, Beba. This last becomes unexpectedly serious when Mimì attempts suicide. The discovery that Francesco had a twin brother named Emanuele, who apparently committed suicide in 1957, makes the case even curiouser. Montalbano’s attentiveness to Swedish visitor Ingrid and her blond bear sidekick, the director Gustav, puts a new wrinkle in his relationship with girlfriend Livia. Then another investigation concerning an |

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The death of a questionable dog breeder implicates a pet groomer who’s forced to depend on her telepathic cat for help.

To celebrate the opening of Mimi Lee’s LA pet grooming business, Hollywoof, her sister, Alice, gives her a ball of white fluff, a cat Mimi promptly dubs Marshmallow. While her personal and business interests focus mainly on dogs, Mimi can’t help but be charmed

by Marshmallow, who objects to his name and his characterization as anything other than sleek and elegant. And Mimi is all too aware of Marshmallow’s reluctance to take on the cuddly pet role because he’s somehow able to telegraph his thoughts into her head. Before Mimi can think too much about whether her conversations with her cat mean that she’s losing her mind, she has to rely on her connection to Marshmallow to solve a crime. After store benefactor Pixie St. James has sent several high-end clients to Hollywoof, Mimi realizes that their expensive Chihuahuas are the victims of health issues traceable to cut-rate breeder Russ Nolan’s shady practices. After confronting Russ, Mimi learns that he’s been killed and that the lead detective on the case is sure Mimi is to blame. As if this weren’t trouble enough, Alice’s new principal is determined to cut her position as a kindergarten teacher, and Mimi and Alice’s Ma, a fiercely opinionated Malaysian woman, calls on Mimi to save Alice’s job. The stress of Russ’ death and Alice’s predicament makes Mimi unable to concentrate on her romantic interest, neighbor Josh Akana, until she realizes that maybe his new job as an attorney can help keep her on the right side of the law. But Mimi’s number one hope is Marshmallow, who can communicate with the pups Russ was raising and possibly figure out the real killer before Mimi is arrested.

A frothy, fun series debut with little reliance on mystery to keep things interesting; insert your own cat pun here.

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THE BOY FROM THE WOODS

Did the handsome osteopath and police doctor from suburban Ohio really kill his wife, Marilyn, in their bedroom while she was pregnant with their second child? Bay Village mayor Marsh Dodge, Cuyahoga County coroner Dr. Samuel Gerber, and Cleveland Press editor Louis Seltzer all think so, and county prosecutor Frank Cullitan has persuaded 12 jurors to agree. Three years after the 1954 murder, though, Erle Stanley Gardner, the creator of both the fictional Perry Mason and the real-life Court of Last Resort, wants Nate’s A-1 Detective Agency to review the evidence. Nate’s job isn’t to exonerate Sheppard: “I’m just an unbiased investigator making sure justice was done,” he assures Gerber. His inquiries, notable for their noncommittal thoroughness in scattering suspicion, end when a Florida inmate confesses to the murder, raising reasonable doubt for Nate and Gardner but not for the county, which refuses to reopen the case. So Sheppard continues to languish in prison, garnering a new German fiancee, until 1966, when his new defense attorney, F. Lee Bailey (one of the very few characters here to appear under his own name), engages Nate once more to review the evidence in search of new leads and ultimately succeeds in getting his conviction thrown out and a new trial ordered. Readers who peek ahead to the closing note by Collins (Girl Can’t Help It, 2020, etc.), which acknowledges that “I changed my mind about the identity of the killer or killers half a dozen times during the research for this novel,” will know better than to expect a definitive, or even a definitive-sounding, solution.

A sober, bracing time machine, more fiction than history, that ends on an authentically inconclusive note.

Coben, Harlan Grand Central Publishing (432 pp.) $29.00 | Mar. 17, 2020 978-1-5387-4814-5

Coben’s latest darkest-suburbs thriller sets a decidedly offbeat detective on the trail of a crime with overtones unmistakably redolent of once and future presidential elections.

Wilde is called Wilde because nobody’s known his real name from the moment a pair of hikers found him foraging for himself in Ramapo Mountain State Forest 24 years ago. Now over 40, he’s had experience as both a lost boy and a private investigator. That makes him an obvious person to help when his godson, Sweet Water High School student Matthew Crimstein, expresses concern to his grandmother, attorney Hester Crimstein, that his bullied classmate Naomi Pine has gone missing.

Matthew doesn’t really want anyone to help. He doesn’t even want anyone to notice his agitation. But Hester, taking the time from her criminal defense of financial consultant Simon Greene (Run Away, 2019) to worm the details out of him, asks Wilde to lend a hand, and sure enough, Wilde, unearthing an unsavory backstory that links Naomi to bullying classmate Crash Maynard, whose TV producer father, Dash Maynard, is close friends with reality TV star–turned–presidential hopeful Rusty Eggers, finds Naomi hale and hearty. Everything’s hunky-dory for one week, and then she disappears again.

And this time, so does Crash after a brief visit to Matthew in which he tearfully confesses his guilt about the bad stuff he did to Naomi. This second disappearance veers into more obviously criminal territory with the arrival of a ransom note that demands, not money, but the allegedly incriminating videotapes of Rusty Eggers that Dash and Delia Maynard have had squirreled away for 30 years. The tapes link Rusty to a forgotten and forgettable homicide and add a paranoid new ripped-from-the-headlines dimension to the author’s formidable range. Readers who can tune out all the subplots will find the kidnappers easy to spot, but Coben finds room for three climactic surprises, one of them a honey.

Now that Coben’s added politics to his heady brew, expect sex and religion to join the mix.

ALL KINDS OF UGLY

Dennis, Ralph Brash Books (176 pp.) $16.99 paper | Feb. 3, 2020 978-1-941298-20-6 Former Atlanta cop and sometime investigator Jim Hardman doesn’t realize how his own life will change when he agrees to look for the grandson of a wealthy Georgia family.

Powerful, wealthy, and politically connected Harrison Gault’s grandson, also Harrison, is supposedly in London, but no one has heard from him. The Gault family lawyer asks Hardman to fly over and see what he can find out. (This being the 1970s, cellphones aren’t an option.) Once there, Hardman discovers several hints and also meets Anna, a mysterious young Polish woman. But when both Hardman and Anna are back in Atlanta, things go from bad to worse, with lies, drugs, and money complicating everything. This novel is the 13th and final book in a series that was published in the 1970s (The Buy Back Blues, 1977, etc.). The author died in 1988, and thriller writer Lee Goldberg, a fan, found, edited, and published this current volume through Brash Books, a small press he initially co-founded expressly to bring Dennis’ work back into print. Considering the excellent prose and Chandler-esque dialogue, it’s surprising that Dennis never found acclaim.

DO NO HARM

Collins, Max Allan Forge (304 pp.) $27.99 | Mar. 10, 2020 978-0-7653-7829-3 Nathan Heller (Better Dead, 2016, etc.) broadens his portfolio of real-life investigations by reopening the Sam Sheppard murder case on behalf of two different clients who engage him nine years apart.

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Screamingly funny and achingly sad. running out of road

RUNNING OUT OF ROAD

Tight plotting and a hero resembling Philip Marlowe; readers will want to discover the earlier books in this lost series.

Friedman, Daniel Minotaur (288 pp.) $26.99 | Mar. 24, 2020 978-1-250-05848-5

THE LAST PASSENGER

Finch, Charles Minotaur (304 pp.) $27.99 | Feb. 18, 2020 978-1-250-31220-4

When a violent murder scene yields no obvious evidence, private detective Charles Lenox must solve one of his most complex cases yet.

In this third prequel to the series (The Vanishing Man, 2019, etc.), Lenox is deep in a chess match with Lord Deere, neighbor and husband to close friend Lady Jane, when Inspector Hemstock from Scotland Yard knocks on his door with news of a murder. Lenox arrives at Paddington Station soon after and meets Joseph Stanley, the stationmaster on duty, as well as the conductor of the train where the body was found. When searching the victim’s pockets reveals no form of identification, Lenox discovers that the only real clue is the lack of evidence: The murderer has gone so far as to remove the label from the victim’s suit jacket. Commissioner Sir Richard Mayne gives Lenox permission to assist with the case—an unpopular decision with most of the force. Eager to prove his value, Lenox and his butler, Graham, go in search of passengers on the train from Manchester to London and scan the papers for word of a missing person. While the Yard suspects gang involvement linked to Manchester, Lenox’s investigation places this murder on a global scale when the first person connected to the victim turns out to be American. Politics across the pond are at a boiling point, with the Abolitionist movement gaining strength and whispers of civil war growing louder by the day.

The commentary around this is sobering, as it seems so farfetched to Lenox that civil war could be a possibility, and yet….

As the private detective continues to contemplate motive, he’s often distracted by Lady Jane’s attempts to find him a suitable match and end his reign as most-eligible bachelor. This subplot almost takes the spotlight away from the mystery while it provides satisfying backstory for key relationships in the series. Avid mystery readers will enjoy Lenox’s thorough review of his sleuthing process, not in the sense of “this is how I solved this” but rather “this is how I could have done better.”

Overall, a bit more history than mystery. Choose this if you revel in atmosphere.

y o u n g a d u lt

Facing the inevitable decline of old age, a feisty detective is forced to assess his past.

Buck Schatz (Don’t Ever Look Back, 2014, etc.) stared down a formidable array of adversaries during his career on the Memphis police force, from low-level grifters to escaped Nazi commandants. And not all the bad guys were on the other side. Stuck-up supervisors and kkklannish colleagues let Buck know that as a Jewish cop in the South, he’d need to be twice as good to be considered even half as good. Still, he’s never had an adversary as ruthless as his latest nemesis: his own body. He and his wife, Rose, consult a cavalcade of doctors: a neurologist to help befuddled Buck manage his moderate dementia, a cardiologist, an audiologist, a gastroenterologist, and an ENT. Now Dr. Feingold, an oncologist, has been snuck into the mix. Overwhelmed by medical decisions he can barely understand, much less participate in, Buck takes refuge in something he finds much simpler and clearer: the battle between good and evil. Carlos Watkins, an NPR reporter, wants to rehash an old case of Buck’s. Chester March, who was convicted for killing a bunch of women in the 1950s, is finally slated to be executed for his crimes, and Watkins wants to use him to make a public case against capital punishment. Buck’s lawyer grandson, Tequila, warns him to steer clear, but when has Buck avoided a fight? Should you, will you, and how can you fight the reaper are questions Friedman handles with amazing grace.

Screamingly funny and achingly sad.

A CONSPIRACY OF BONES

Reichs, Kathy Scribner (352 pp.) $27.00 | Mar. 17, 2020 978-1-9821-3888-2

Another sweltering month in Charlotte, another boatload of mysteries past and present for overworked, overstressed forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan.

A week after the night she chases but fails to catch a mysterious trespasser outside her town house, some unknown party texts Tempe four images of a corpse that looks as if it’s been chewed by wild hogs, because it has been.

Showboat Medical Examiner Margot Heavner makes it clear that, breaking with her department’s earlier practice (The Bone Collection, 2016, etc.), she has no intention of calling in Tempe as a consultant and promptly identifies the faceless body herself as that of a young Asian man. Nettled by several errors in Heavner’s analysis, and even more by her willingness to share |

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the gory details at a press conference, Tempe launches her own investigation, which is not so much off the books as against the books. Heavner isn’t exactly mollified when Tempe, aided by retired police detective Skinny Slidell and a host of experts, puts a name to the dead man. But the hints of other crimes Tempe’s identification uncovers, particularly crimes against children, spur her on to redouble her efforts despite the new M.E.’s splenetic outbursts. Before he died, it seems, Felix Vodyanov was linked to a passenger ferry that sank in 1994, an even earlier U.S. government project to research biological agents that could control human behavior, the hinky spiritual retreat Sparkling Waters, the dark web site DeepUnder, and the disappearances of at least four schoolchildren, two of whom have also turned up dead. And why on earth was Vodyanov carrying Tempe’s own contact information? The mounting evidence of ever more and ever worse skulduggery will pull Tempe deeper and deeper down what even she sees as a rabbit hole before she confronts a ringleader implicated in “Drugs. Fraud. Breaking and entering.

Arson. Kidnapping. How does attempted murder sound?”

Forget about solving all these crimes; the signal triumph here is (spoiler) the heroine’s survival.

behind all their criminal activity is appealingly simple. Through it all, Corey serves as an investigator and narrator every bit as ebullient as Andy and a lot more diligent. In fact, longtime fans may wonder why Rosenfelt saw the need to create a new series that follows the pattern of Andy’s 20 successful cases so closely.

If he thought Paterson needed more wiseacre crime fighters, he was undoubtedly right.

Don’t be fooled by the brand-new packaging. If you liked Rosenfelt’s rollicking previous series, you’ll like this one too.

MRS. MOHR GOES MISSING

Szymiczkowa, Maryla Trans. by Lloyd-Jones, Antonia Mariner/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (368 pp.) $25.00 | Mar. 17, 2020 978-0-358-27424-7 An affluent 19th-century wife and aspiring sleuth perseveres in the face of police skepticism to probe a series of suspicious deaths in Cracow.

A provocative prologue introduces an anonymous killer sneaking away after examining a frail corpse. The year is 1893, and restless Zofia Turbotyńska struggles, because of her provincial roots, to be accepted in Cracow high society. Keeping an efficient household for her husband, esteemed medical professor Ignacy Turbotyński doesn’t satisfy her. So she undertakes various projects to occupy her time and prove her worth.

When her cook, Franciszka, asks for time off to visit her grandmother at Helcel House, Zofia decides to solicit the residents for donations to a charity raffle she’s organizing for the benefit of scrofulous children. The benevolent nuns who run the house are receptive. On her initial visit, Zofia notices a bit of a stir over Mrs. Mohr, a resident who’s gone missing. Her reading of Poe surely has an effect on her, for when she visits Helcel House again, Zofia takes the initiative to question the staff about the still-missing resident. Strangely invigorated, she undertakes a search of the premises and discovers Mrs. Mohr’s body hidden under a blanket in the attic. The consensus is a fatal fall while wandering. Zofia is not so sure. When another Helcel resident is found murdered, Zofia alone links the two deaths and doggedly proceeds to investigate. In a nod to Victorian convention, Szymiczkowa (the pseudonym of partners Jacek Dehnel and Piotr Tarczysńki) begins each chapter with a wry summary of what’s to come.

A delightful debut whodunit written with abundant wit and flair. Pray for a series to follow.

THE K TEAM

Rosenfelt, David Minotaur (304 pp.) $27.99 | Mar. 24, 2020 978-1-250-25719-2 The creator of Paterson attorney Andy Carpenter’s dog-friendly mysteries launches a new series starring several of Andy’s friends and enemies, including the canine client he represented in Dachshund Through the Snow (2019), with a supporting role for Andy himself.

Judge Henry “Hatchet” Henderson, whose courtroom has provided the arena for so many of Andy’s shenanigans, is threatened with blackmail, and he wants the newly formed K Team— retired cop Corey Douglas; his canine partner, Simon Garfunkel; Andy’s fearsome investigator, Marcus Clark; and Andy’s wife, Laurie Collins—to identify and neutralize the threat, which he plans to keep confidential by paying Andy a dollar to take the case as his lawyer. At first the team’s inquiries into which of Henderson’s recent cases (the manslaughter conviction of ex-boxer John Lowry? The freeing of self-confessed embezzler Nina Williams on a legal technicality? The acquittal of Ponzischeming broker Drew Lockman?) provoked the blackmail lead nowhere. Then they lead to hints of a financial manipulation conspiracy on a grand scale. By the time they lead to Equi-net, an electronic communications network that handles securities trades for people who’d like to keep them private, five people have been murdered, with more slated to follow. The one place they don’t lead is to continued confidentiality, as Henderson learns to his sorrow. The net of deceptions, double-crosses, and professional assassinations gets pretty knotty, but although the conspiracy involves an awful lot of guilty parties, the gimmick 42

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Victorian atmosphere abounds in a twisty, exciting tale of danger and lost love. the death of me

THE DEATH OF ME

Tjia, M.J. Legend Press (288 pp.) $15.95 paper | Mar. 1, 2020 978-1-78955-048-1

THE MARSHAL AND THE MYSTICAL MOUNTAIN

Wendelboe, C.M. Five Star (234 pp.) $25.95 | Mar. 18, 2020 978-1-4328-6836-9

Retired lawman Wendelboe’s second tale of an introspective Depression-era U.S. Marshal trying to keep the peace in Wyoming.

Nelson Lane (The Marshal and the Moonshiner, 2018) isn’t much interested in catching bootleggers or foreclosing on ranchers down on their luck. But he does |

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A Victorian courtesan with a sideline in detection faces danger while her mother is plunged into even deeper trouble.

Heloise Chancey (A Necessary Murder, 2018, etc.) is visiting Paris with her current lover, Lord Hatterleigh, and Violette, a French-speaking maid she’s borrowed for the trip in lieu of her usual personal servant, Amah Li Leen, a Chinese woman who’s actually her mother—a secret they keep between themselves. Sir Simon Somerscale has asked Heloise to visit him in debtors prison, where, knowing of her detective skills, he asks her to travel to a sordid part of town to meet someone who may be involved in a sinister and murderous plot the government has recently uncovered. Back in London, Amah returns from a walk to discover that their house has been ransacked, but nothing seems to be missing, including the item she most prizes, an earring that was her mother’s and whose mate is in the possession of Heloise’s absent father. Made up as a man with Violette as her date, Heloise arrives at a raffish bar, where she meets an American named Ripley, barely escapes a brawl, and realizes that Hatterleigh’s pistol has been stolen from her pocket, where a booklet has been left in its place. As for Amah, first she’s blackmailed by a mysterious couple who’ve come into possession of the other earring and then she’s kidnapped while carrying jewels she planned to pawn for the money to buy the earring back. After Violette is mistaken for her temporary mistress and murdered, Heloise returns to London, where the government asks her to search for a possible bomber. Posing as a governess and hiring a room in a dicey neighborhood, she meets Ripley again and mingles with revolutionaries while Amah desperately tries to escape her captors and discover where they found the earring that offers a clue to the whereabouts of Heloise’s father.

Victorian atmosphere abounds in a twisty, exciting tale of danger and lost love.

agree to look for a missing man at the behest of his friend Yancy Stands Close. Yancy’s current squeeze, Sally Maddis, has misplaced her brother, Jesse, a freelance journalist who went to the Mystical Mountain Hunting Lodge in search of a story. The lodge, which provides prime hunting parties for rich and famous men from movie stars to gangsters, could presumably supply plenty of fodder for a muckraker like Jesse. Lane’s attempt to interview manager Weston Myers is disrupted by lodge security, a nasty group of toughs that includes May Doherty, who admits tossing Jesse off the property but claims not to have seen him since. Sally reveals that she works up at the lodge almost every weekend entertaining wealthy men who have little interest in hunting and fishing. Although fearful of flying, Lane gets Henry Banks to take him up in his plane so he can search the property for Jesse. Sure enough, he spots Jesse’s jacket and, after landing, finds his badly beaten body and picks up a few rolls of film before security shows up. When Weston arrives, he seems shocked to see the body. Sheriff Clements enjoys so many perks from Weston that he has zero interest in helping Lane, who must also contend with Dan Dan Uster, a wanted killer hiding on the property. The discovery that several women have been murdered and buried on the property prompts Lane to risk his life and that of his deputy, who poses as a good-time girl, and uncover the truth.

Thrills aplenty as the cunning Marshal displays the survival skills he learned in the trenches of the Great War.

science fiction and fantasy PROVIDENCE

Barry, Max Putnam (320 pp.) $27.00 | Mar. 31, 2020 978-0-593-08517-2 A heavily armed starship heads into deep space to combat a race of alien invaders.

Australian author Barry (Lexicon, 2013, etc.) made his bones on satires of corporate life before diverging into fastpaced fantasy with his last offering. Seven years later, he swerves yet again into hard science fiction that bears influences from everything from Ender’s Game to The Martian to 2001: A Space Odyssey with a dash of Starship Troopers and the Alien franchise here and there. The title refers to a massive starship, the fifth of its kind, which has been dispatched to find and kill an invasive alien species known to most earthlings simply as “salamanders.” This follows a first-contact skirmish seven years earlier science fiction & fantasy

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that left its survivors devastated and led Earth’s leadership to develop massive AI–driven ships designed for zero-casualty warfare. While Providence is a big ship, it has a small crew, consisting of commander Jolene Jackson, weapons specialist Paul Anders, life manager Talia Beanfield, and intelligence officer Isiah “Gilly” Gilligan, the civilian tasked to the starship by the Surplex corporation. They’re a diverse bunch, representing a lot of character tropes, from the square-jawed captain to the secretive madman to an unlikely survivor. Their current mission is to go into what the military terms the “Violet Zone,” a communications dead zone akin to Star Trek’s intergalactic nebulas.

After a series of successful raids on the salamanders, things go awry when the ship’s AI starts malfunctioning and the enemy grows more tactical, ultimately forcing the crew to the surface of a planet where they’re forced not only to struggle to survive, but also to face their enemy instead of simply nuking them from orbit. (It’s the only way to be sure). Yes, the plot and the technology are lightly derivative of other works in the SF canon, but at least Barry is pinching all the cool stuff from the best influences.

Something for everyone: space combat, interpersonal tension, and aliens, ultimately leading to a story about survival.

behind it, preferring to focus on the much less interesting Aspirin. As taking care of his supernatural “daughter” increasingly interferes with Aspirin’s hard-drinking, womanizing routines, the relationship slowly (and not very convincingly) transforms him into a responsible man who’s ready for love and parenthood.

The authors bring a refreshing perspective that avoids the genre’s clichés, but this is not the best example of their work.

THE FORTRESS

Jones, S.A. Erewhon (288 pp.) $16.95 paper | Mar. 17, 2020 978-1-64566-002-6 Misandry replaces misogyny in this pseudo-feminist revenge fantasy.

Jonathon Bridge was born into money, and his success as an executive has only increased his wealth and power.

Cocaine binges and sexual harassment are, as far as he is concerned, perks of privilege. His one saving grace is his wife, a free spirit and dedicated journalist. When Adalia learns what her husband has been getting up to at the office, she offers him one chance to win her back: He can spend a year as a supplicant in The Fortress, a colony ruled by a society of women called the Vaik. It is her hope that this experience will cure him of his narcissism. “You need to learn insignificance, Jonathon.” The best science-fiction authors invent new worlds to use as laboratories in which to interrogate real-world problems, either to test out solutions or issue a warning. Jones (Isa­ belle of the Moon and Stars, 2014, etc.) does not do this. What she does instead is create a fictional universe in which it’s acceptable to delight in the degradation of men. What’s in store for Jonathon becomes clear as soon as he enters The Fortress, when he is stripped and subjected to a body-cavity search. His clothes are replaced with a form-fitting tunic that barely covers his genitals. Over the course of a few hundred pages, Jonathon will endure forced labor and sexual servitude. He will be compelled to have sex with a child. He will be penetrated by a man without his consent. The Vaik, inscrutable and lascivious, are cartoon women crafted from tired patriarchal tropes. The sex scenes— of which there are several—range from ludicrously appalling to bizarrely gruesome. The alien trappings—the strange ways of the Vaik, the imaginary plants and animals—are gewgaws, apparently intended to distract the reader from the fact that this is, in essence, nothing more than sadomasochistic porn.

Wildly unimaginative and just generally gross.

DAUGHTER FROM THE DARK

Dyachenko, Marina & Dyachenko, Sergey Trans. by Hersey, Julia Meitov Harper Voyager (304 pp.) $25.99 | Feb. 11, 2020 978-0-06-291621-1

A playboy learns a life lesson from a supernatural waif in the latest fantasy from a prolific, Ukrainian-born husbandand-wife writing team.

When Alexey Igorevitch Grimalsky— DJ Aspirin to fans of his radio show and disco nights—finds a 10-year-old being menaced by bullies in a dark alley, he thinks he can rescue her, turn her over to her parents or the authorities, and go on his way. But the Dyachenkos (Vita Nostra, 2018, etc.) have other plans for their protagonist. Willful Alonya insists on staying with Aspirin, offering two different stories to account for herself. Is she Aspirin’s daughter, the product of a long-forgotten love affair? Or is she an immortal being from another plane who has come to Earth looking for her missing brother? Neither sounds especially plausible to Aspirin, but there’s evidence to back up both. A mysterious visitor produces a birth certificate listing Aspirin as Alonya’s father; and Alonya’s teddy bear comes to life when the little girl is menaced, tearing her attackers to pieces. Alonya’s brother, she explains, is an artist, but true art is impossible in their perfect home, so he has come to imperfect Earth, taken on human form, and forgotten his true self. To rescue him she must learn to play a magical tune on enchanted violin strings; when her brother hears it, he will remember himself. This reverse-Orpheus setup is intriguing, but the Dyachenkos offer only glimpses of the mythology 44

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THE LAST HUMAN

Jordan, Zack Del Rey (448 pp.) $27.00 | Mar. 24, 2020 978-0-451-49981-3

Jordan’s ambitious debut novel is an epic science-fiction adventure that chronicles the journey of an orphaned Human girl—believed to be the last member of an extinct species—from interstellar pariah to potential savior of

DOCILE

Szpara, K.M. Tor (496 pp.) $27.99 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-250-21615-1 The relationship between a young debtor and the trillionaire who owns him serves as a parable for the ills of capitalism.

Debut novelist Szpara imagines an only slightly more dystopian United States than the one that exists today, in which the wealth gap has grown so large that the country is |

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her infamous race.

Sarya the Daughter lives with her adopted mother, Shenya the Widow—a giant, spiderlike “apex predator…wrapped in lightning and darkness”—on an orbital water-mining station in the rings of a giant gaseous planet. As a citizen of the Network, a vast accumulation of intelligence consisting of millions of species that has enabled faster-than-light travel and prevented conflict for a half-billion years, Shenya has protected Sarya and lied about her true identity: She is a Human, the one race destroyed by the Network because of its destructive tendencies. But when a bounty hunter attempts to abduct Sarya and her home is destroyed, the little Human finds herself on the run and all alone in a universe inhabited by godlike intelligences who may be using her as a pawn in a much deeper game. As she learns more about her race’s tumultuous relationship with the Network, she begins to realize that even one small, moderately intelligent bipedal being can make a difference, even when it involves conflicts with godlike entities. The sheer scope of the story is noteworthy, from the various intelligence tiers, which include groupminds and sentient planets, to the colossal settings (orbital stations, spaceships, the end of the universe, etc.).

The theme of free will also packs a powerful punch. But while the grand-scale premise of the narrative is laudable, the story gets unwieldy in places, and the momentum suffers. Additionally, Sarya—while an intriguing character—never becomes fully three-dimensional, and the emotional impact of her journey feels muted and detached, overshadowed by the massiveness of the story unfolding around her.

A flawed but satisfying SF adventure that is, at times, mind-blowing.

more or less split into trillionaires and debtors. Debtors inherit their family’s debt, increasing it exponentially over time. To pay it off, many sign up to become slaves for a predetermined amount of time, with the “choice” to inject a drug called Dociline that turns them into a kind of blissful zombie who has no memory, pain, or agency for the duration of their term. The drug is supposed to wear off within two weeks, but when Elisha Wilder’s mother returned from her debt-paying term, it never did, leaving her docile indefinitely. To resolve the rest of his family’s debt, Elisha becomes a Docile to none other than Alex Bishop, the CEO of the company that manufactures Dociline.

He invokes his right to refuse the drug, one of the only Dociles ever to do so. Alex enacts a horrifying period of brainwashing in order to modify Elisha’s behavior to mimic that of an “onmed.” The resulting relationship between them is disturbing.

As Alex wakes up to his complicity in a broken system—“I am Dr. Frankenstein and I’ve fallen in love with my own monster”— he becomes more sympathetic, for better or worse. As Elisha suffers not only brainwashing, rape, and abuse, but the recovery that must come after, his love for—fixation with, dependence on—Alex poses interesting questions about consent: “Being my own person hurts too much….Why should an opportunity hurt so much?” However, despite excellent pacing and a gripping narrative, Szpara fails to address the history of slavery in America—a history that is race-based and continues to shape the nation. This is a story with fully realized queer characters that is unafraid to ask complicated questions; as a parable, it functions well. But without addressing this important aspect of the nation and economic structures within which it takes place, it cannot succeed in its takedown of oppressive systems.

An engrossing and fast-paced read that doesn’t hit the mark it aims for.

THE SISTERS GRIMM

van Praag, Menna Harper Voyager (448 pp.) $26.99 | Mar. 31, 2020 978-0-06-293246-4

On their shared 18th birthday, four half sisters, who’ve only met in a dream world, must fight to the death to appease their demonic father, the nefarious Wilhelm Grimm.

Cambridge residents Goldie, Scarlet, Bea, and Liyana don’t remember meeting each other in their childhood dreams of visiting Everwhere. They don’t remember the immense powers they possessed there—powers of earth, air, water, and fire. Indeed, they have no idea they have sisters or who their father really is. But as their 18th birthday fast approaches, their powers begin to manifest in the real world. Their father’s soldiers, fallen stars disguised as men forever destined to hunt “Grimm Girls,” soon close in on their quarries. Only Leo, who inexplicably finds himself falling for Goldie, questions the point of this battle between good and evil and if he can bring himself to kill Goldie, thereby sacrificing himself. As each girl is drawn science fiction & fantasy

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to one another, to their hunters, and to Everwhere, they must choose a path of light or darkness. The winner of the battle, as far as Grimm is concerned, will help him shape the dark fate of the mortal world. This tale is van Praag’s (The Dress Shop of Dreams, 2014, etc.) first attempt at a fantasy epic and, unlike her previous work, suffers from a muddled premise, vague stakes that don’t become clear until halfway through the book, and narration-induced whiplash. She jumps too quickly between several out-of-sequence chronologies and many different characters’ points of view. Meanwhile, the reader can’t be sure who is actually telling this story—Goldie, who narrates some sections in first person, an omniscient narrator who sometimes talks to “you,” or whomever is telling the other characters’ sections from a third-person-limited perspective. On worldbuilding alone, van Praag’s atmospheric prose, intriguing premise, and diverse cast of characters receive high marks, but fantasy isn’t just about worldbuilding. There simply isn’t enough time spent with each character for readers to connect with them. Being cagey about key story elements does this plot a disservice as well. And while it’s admirable that van Praag tackles themes of surviving child abuse, violence, and sexual assault, along with caring for grandparents and parents with mental illnesses, they sadly often get lost in the meandering narrative.

This is a fantasy premise with great potential, but too much experimentation doesn’t allow it to thrive.

begins attempting to kill off Zuma’s Ghost crew members, Carmichael must figure out if the attacks are connected to the upcoming Games, her investigation into the LifeEx mystery, or both. While the multidimensional character of Carmichael— who happens to be asexual—and other female characters (like butt-kicking Petty Officer 1st Class Altandai “Jenks” Khan) are the story’s obvious strength, there are noticeable flaws. Carmichael’s complicated relationship with Jenks at times strains the bounds of believability. Additionally, the pacing and fluidity are erratic, particularly in the later Games sequences, which come across as rushed and don’t fit organically with the overall narrative flow.

A military sea novel set largely in space: Patrick O’Brian meets Elizabeth Moon.

r om a n c e UNDERCOVER BROMANCE

Adams, Lyssa Kay Jove/Penguin (352 pp.) $16.00 paper | Mar. 10, 2020 978-1-9848-0611-6

A PALE LIGHT IN THE BLACK

A local club owner helps a recently fired sous-chef get revenge on her boss.

Liv Papandreas puts up with a lot from her boss at Nashville’s hottest restaurant—Royce is verbally abusive and takes credit for his staff ’s recipes—but the final straw is when she witnesses him sexually harassing and groping a hostess in his office. After Liv is fired, she vows to bring his abuse to light. Her unlikely ally is Braden Mack, her brother-in-law’s charmingly smarmy friend. Mack is outraged when he hears about Royce’s actions; he wonders why he never noticed the man’s predatory behavior, and he enlists the other men in his romance-reading book club to help Liv bring Royce to justice. Their shock at Royce’s actions might strike readers as naïve; on the other hand, Liv and Mack’s decision to go after Royce without consulting lawyers or the police is both inexplicable and reckless. After an overly long setup, the revenge plot is put on hold to develop the wan romance between Liv and Mack. Neither of them trust emotional entanglements, so they agree to a no-strings affair while they use Mack’s superficial knowledge of romantic suspense to figure out how to bring Royce’s misdeeds to light. Adams (The Bromance Book Club, 2019, etc.) clearly intends for Royce to be a Harvey Weinstein–like figure: He threatens to end Liv’s career, orders his thugs to follow Liv and Mack, and pays off the many women he has harassed. Unfortunately, the tone of the novel reduces #MeToo to a madcap caper, including fart jokes, traffic jams, and macho posturing. The victims of Royce’s sexual harassment are used as a plot device, allowing

Wagers, K.B. Harper Voyager (432 pp.) $25.99 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-0-06-288778-8

Character-driven military science fiction, the first installment in Wagers’ NeoG series revolves around Maxine Carmichael, a lieutenant in the NearEarth Orbital Guard who has spurned the influence of her powerful family and followed her own path into space.

Set in the year 2435—centuries after the nebulous Collapse— the narrative begins with Carmichael’s being assigned to Zuma’s Ghost, a NeoG ship with a close-knit crew that has done well in the Boarding Games, an annual competition that pits various military infiltration teams against one another for bragging rights. As if being the person to replace a beloved crew member (who got promoted) wasn’t bad enough, the perception of her dynastic family name (her parents are both Navy admirals) makes her assimilation even more difficult. With four months until the next Games, Carmichael has the added pressure of not only doing her high-pressure job, but of performing well in the hypercompetitive matches. Her life quickly becomes even more complicated when the salvagers they apprehend onboard a missing system jumper turn up dead shortly after being taken into custody. Traces of a substance link the dead to LifeEx, a company that produces a life-extending serum and that Carmichael’s sister coincidentally heads as its CEO. When someone 46

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Graceful, lyrical, and charming. engaged to the earl

MY WAY TO YOU

Liv, Mack, and the other book club members to swoop in and save the day.

A romance attempting to tackle #MeToo misses the mark.

Bybee, Catherine Montlake Romance (368 pp.) $12.95 paper | Mar. 10, 2020 978-1-5420-0980-5

ENGAGED TO THE EARL

After landing one of Regency London’s most eligible bachelors, a debutante begins to question her decision when a childhood friend returns to England after years of self-imposed exile.

Years ago, when she was 14 and her family was frightfully poor, Gwendolyn Penhallow asked her 17-year-old neighbor, Christopher Beck—who’d inherited a fortune from his uncle—to run away and marry her, saving her family financially and helping Christopher escape his complicated relationship with his father. Unfortunately, he wouldn’t come into the money until he was 21, so the plan wouldn’t work. Instead, Gwendolyn’s older brother Hugo married an heiress (The Bride Takes a Groom, 2018), and Christopher ran away to make his way in the world. He returns to London just as Gwendolyn is enjoying her first season and has accepted the hand of the Earl of Westenbury after they saw each other from across the room at Almack’s and fell in love at first sight. Gwendolyn is blissfully happy until Christopher comes back to town, and then she meets her future mother-in-law. Christopher is composed and comfortable in his own skin. Meanwhile, the more time Gwendolyn spends with her fiance, the more she realizes they won’t suit: “Perhaps that might sustain him for a lifetime—that kind of superficial adoration—but it wouldn’t me.” Berne’s latest Penhallow title is another sophisticated, elegantly written study on character and love, slightly undermined by a romantic misunderstanding with a secondary character that feels far-fetched given the otherwise exemplary intelligence and insight of the main couple. Nevertheless, the subtle comparison of the quick “love at first sight” romance versus the slow-building, deep-rooted love between characters is lovely and satisfying.

Graceful, lyrical, and charming.

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A young woman trying to keep her siblings together in their California home contends with a series of natural disasters and is thankful for help from a chivalrous Public Works supervisor who tempts her to relinquish some of her control.

Two years after her parents died in an accident, Parker Sinclair is fighting to keep her family’s home and make sure her younger sister stays in college and her brother finishes high school. She’s not prepared to deal with a Santa Clarita Valley wildfire in her backyard. While the house barely survives, the forest around them is destroyed, leaving them vulnerable to mudslides. Enter Colin Hudson, a recently promoted supervisor in the LA County Public Works Department, who oversees an enormous, monthslong project engineered to channel water around existing homes.

Colin and his crew create a command post on Parker’s property, and he comes to admire her tenacity and intelligence.

The two inch into a relationship, but his protective nature clashes with her independence and need to control her environment as much as possible. Yet when the Sinclair home is threatened again by unrelenting rain, Colin and his family offer Parker and her siblings a circle of people they can trust and lean on. Author Bybee (Faking Forever, 2019, etc.) draws on her own dramatic experience with fires and mudslides to create a satisfying love story between two people who would never have met if not for disaster. The personal romantic conflicts are slightly weak, but the sheer force of Mother Nature’s meddling makes for fascinating reading, and the gradual weaving together of Colin’s and Parker’s families, along with an emotionally wounded tenant—whose attraction to Colin’s brother sets up a second book in the series, presumably—gives additional emotional weight and texture to the story.

A fascinating novel that aptly balances disastrous circumstances and healing romance.

Berne, Lisa Avon/HarperCollins (384 pp.) $7.99 paper | Feb. 25, 2020 978-0-06-285235-9

THE EARL TAKES A FANCY

Heath, Lorraine Avon/HarperCollins (384 pp.) $7.99 paper | Mar. 31, 2020 978-0-06-295190-8

A bookstore owner whose family has high expectations for her marriage prospects falls in love with a neighbor who could undermine those plans—or not.

Fancy is the youngest sibling in the lowborn Trewlove crew, who have taken the Victorian London town by storm. |

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Her older siblings have all made fortunes, and all but one has married well, but she’s well aware that they intend for her to marry best. “The man had to be titled. Not the second son or the third, but the first.” She is determined not to disappoint them but also wants to be happy. She loves running her bookstore, using it as a community outreach center with an ad hoc lending library, children’s storytime, and adult literacy classes.

As her introduction to society approaches, she meets her new neighbor, Matthew Sommersby, and what she doesn’t know is that he’s actually the Earl of Rosemont, just coming out of mourning for his wife and hiding from society since every eligible lady wants to marry him. When he first meets Fancy, he believes she’s a scheming debutante, yet as the two share a variety of adventures across London and she convinces him to tutor literacy students, Sommersby begins to look at the world through new eyes and is confused by Fancy’s open nature and generous spirit. Fancy is falling in love with Matthew but feels obligated to marry well, and Matthew waits too long to tell her his true identity, causing a rift between them and risking their happiness. Heath continues her charming Sins for All Seasons series with two captivating main characters and the regular cast of fascinating Trewloves, though Matthew’s continued conviction that Fancy is conniving wears thin.

Slightly shaky for the usually impeccable Heath but still a lively, heartfelt, entertaining read.

readers to identify with the feelings of the characters. The villain does double duty as both Gwyn’s ex and the major’s professional antagonist but feels like a plot device without substance.

A related subplot about espionage is an unnecessary addition meant to pad out the story’s drama. The novel also relies a little too much on the reader’s prior knowledge of the family—it is the second in Jeffries’ Duke Dynasty series (Project Duchess, 2019, etc.)—and some details require a rereading to register.

Standard Regency fare with a cast of gentry who are fairly indistinguishable from many such characters.

THE HONEY-DON’T LIST

Lauren, Christina Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster (320 pp.) $16.00 paper | Mar. 24, 2020 978-1-9821-3864-6 A toxic workplace nurtures an intoxicating romance in Lauren’s (The Unhoney­ mooners, 2019, etc.) latest.

Rusty and Melissa Tripp are the married co-hosts of a successful homemakeover show and have even published a book on marriage.

After catching Rusty cheating on Melissa, their assistants, James McCann and Carey Duncan, are forced to give up longscheduled vacations to go along on their employers’ book tour to make sure their marriage doesn’t implode. And the awkwardness is just getting started. Stuck in close quarters with no one to complain to but each other, James and Carey find that the life they dreamed of having might be found at work after all. James learns that Carey has worked for the Tripps since they owned a humble home décor shop in Jackson, Wyoming. Now that the couple is successful, Carey has no time for herself, and she doesn’t get nearly enough credit for her creative contribution to their media empire. Carey also has regular doctor’s appointments for dystonia, a movement disorder, which motivates her to keep her job but doesn’t stop her from doing it well. James was hired to work on engineering and design for the show, but Rusty treats him like his personal assistant. He’d quit, too, but it’s the only job he can get since his former employer was shut down in a scandal. Using a framing device similar to that of Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies, the story flashes forward to interview transcripts with the police that hint at a dramatic ending to come, and the chapters often end with gossip in the form of online comments, adding intrigue. Bonding over bad bosses allows James and Carey to stick up for each other while supplying readers with all the drama and wit of the enemies-tolovers trope.

When a book has such great comic timing, it’s easy to finish the story in one sitting.

THE BACHELOR

Jeffries, Sabrina Zebra/Kensington (288 pp.) $7.99 paper | Feb. 25, 2020 978-1-4201-4856-5 A war veteran and a woman who has suffered a personal betrayal are thrown together during her debut London season in 1809.

Gwyn Drake is a 30-year-old heiress who’s been avoiding marriage because of a past liaison that threatens to cloud her future prospects. When her brother asks their cousin by marriage, estate gamekeeper Maj. Joshua Wolfe, to be her bodyguard in London, she worries about keeping her secrets from both and avoiding infamy. Seriously wounded and left with a disability after a naval battle, Joshua just wants to serve his country again, but being forced to spend time with Gwyn is tempting him to risk intimacy and marriage. The novel is concerned with representing veterans’ issues, notably PTSD, and with highlighting the unfair and unequal consequences, physical and emotional, that women face in sexual relationships, especially with predatory men. Gwyn’s wariness also comes from her wealth (and Joshua’s lack thereof) while his stems from his leg impairment and scarring. Though the themes are worthwhile, the romance is uneven in tone, with sudden bouts of passion between the couple interspersed with arguments, doubts, and dishonesty. Most of the episodes, whether in parks, ballrooms, or London streets, feel wooden, never quite allowing 48

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McFarlane has created a very funny, very romantic story with deep emotional impact. if i never met you

IF I NEVER MET YOU

A jilted British attorney gets more than she bargained for when she agrees to a fauxmance with the office playboy.

Laurie Watkinson has a corporate law job she loves, dear friends, and Dan, her dependable live-in boyfriend who works in the same firm. When Dan sits her down one evening, Laurie expects anything but to hear him say he’s moving out; and then to hear soon after that he has a new girlfriend. Hoping for a bit of revenge, newly single Laurie agrees to pose as “Phony Goddess” to “Greek God” Jamie Carter, her new colleague and a known “soulless womanizer.” Jamie is gorgeous and charming but needs to appear settled to secure a promotion, and he thinks earning the affection of Laurie, the firm’s “golden girl,” is the surest route.

Jamie and Laurie are attracted to one another, make each other laugh, and, they learn, have childhood trauma in common. Jamie is a classic playboy felled by love who’s written endearingly and convincingly: “I scoffed at the idea anyone could make you see your life through new eyes and I’m so, so glad to be wrong.” Laurie’s intelligence and acerbic wit—especially as they relate to navigating English society as a woman of color—are strengths that can obscure uncomfortable feelings. Thanks to a selfish, absentee father, an unconventional mother, and, she now realizes, a partner who never encouraged her to grow as a person, Laurie puts her own desires last. Giving the novel an expanded palette beyond the romance, Laurie’s friendship with Jamie is just one of several changes in behavior and attitude that help her to regain a sense of her own agency and importance. McFarlane’s gift is writing romantic comedy that depicts a recognizable world—in this case, the culturally diverse world of young professionals in Manchester, England—without dimming the luster of shining moments of humor, love, and connection.

McFarlane has created a very funny, very romantic story with deep emotional impact.

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department manager at Goodwin’s Emporium, the department store her family owned”—to marry an English duke, which turned out to be a disaster. When she returns, Goodwin’s is a pale shadow of its former glory, thanks to her brother’s mismanagement, while the store across the street, Dalton’s, is the reigning retail palace, a success fueled by her first love’s business sense and a desire for revenge against the family who made him feel less than. Beatrice maneuvers her brother out of the picture, then proceeds to turn Goodwin’s around, creating a destination store for women. Meanwhile, Dalton and Beatrice enter into a secretive “rivals by day, lovers by night” relationship. However, as their emotional and professional stakes rise, Beatrice’s success and moxie make her the target of a menacing enemy, threatening her and the store, and the couple must face what their true feelings are for each other. Rodale continues her Gilded Age Girls Club with another empowered heroine getting things done and the dashing hero who loves her exactly the way she is, though it takes him a while to realize it. The romance has texture and intensity, including a peek into Beatrice’s mother’s backstory that adds depth to the characters’ journeys, and the book’s generally lighthearted tone is tempered by historically accurate details reflective of the backlash aspiring women often faced.

An entertaining, thought-provoking addition to this captivating series.

McFarlane, Mhairi Morrow/HarperCollins (432 pp.) $15.99 paper | Mar. 24, 2020 978-0-06-295850-1

HOW TO LOVE YOUR ELF

Sparks, Kerrelyn Kensington (416 pp.) $15.95 paper | Mar. 1, 2020 978-1-4967-3004-6

A mysterious woodsman joins forces with an earnest princess to stop a plot that could ruin both of their kingdoms in this fantasy romance.

Princess Sorcha keeps a close eye on her loved ones, constantly living in fear that her brother and adopted sisters will be taken away from her. When she uncovers a plan to murder her brother and steal his queen, Sorcha throws herself (quite literally) into ruining the enemy’s coldhearted scheme. In the fray, she is taken prisoner to be used as leverage. Her freedom comes at the hands of a man known only as the Woodsman. A Robin Hood–esque hero, he leads a secret rebellion to overthrow the corrupt family in power in his woodland country. With Sorcha’s ability to harness fire and the Woodsman’s talent for communing with nature, they realize their combined magical strength is the key to protecting those they love. Sorcha’s close circle of friends and family rely heavily on previously established relationships from prior books, and the setup is a direct relation to past events. Newcomers to Sparks’ (Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon, 2018, etc.) Embraced by Magic series will undoubtedly be lost when attempting to understand character connections and references to previous skirmishes and battles. The relationship between the hero and heroine is background noise to the

AN HEIRESS TO REMEMBER

Rodale, Maya Avon/HarperCollins (384 pp.) $7.99 paper | Mar. 31, 2020 978-0-06-283884-1

A Gilded Age heiress returns home after her disastrous marriage just in time to save her family’s failing department store from the clutches of her first love, who’s become Manhattan’s premier retailer and has sworn to ruin her family yet still makes her heart pound.

Sixteen years ago, 20-year-old Beatrice Goodwin walked away from the boy she loved—“Wes Dalton, a mere associate |

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tangled web of political machinations by cartoonish villains, but the inventive setting and depth of worldbuilding prevent this from feeling too much like a paint-by-numbers, cookie-cutter fantasy romance. But while Sparks’ crafting of distinct kingdoms and fantasy races is the strongest part of the series, this installment carries on the earlier tradition of middling, glacially slow romances.

An adventurous fantasy romp only for the die-hard fan.

FORBIDDEN PROMISES

Williams, Synithia Harlequin HQN (352 pp.) $7.99 paper | Jan. 25, 2020 978-1-335-01324-8

A violinist tries to ignore the attraction she feels toward her sister’s ex-husband.

Years earlier, India Robidoux suppressed her feelings of attraction toward her sister Elaina’s on-again, off-again boyfriend, Travis Strickland. India and Travis shared an incendiary kiss on the night of her 22nd birthday while he and Elaina were on a break. India hoped it would be her chance with Travis, but she was devastated when Travis instead proposed to her sister two weeks later. Unable to cope with her feelings, India fled and spent the next six years in Europe playing violin with an international orchestra. India finally returns home to Jackson Falls, North Carolina, intending only a brief stopover before an audition with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, but she’s immediately pulled into the family orbit to support her brother’s Senate campaign. The romance between India and Travis is on the back burner as Williams (His Pick for Passion, 2019, etc.) introduces the Robidoux family and many substantive but soapy subplots, most of which center on the machinations of India’s father, Grant. As the CEO of Robidoux Tobacco, Grant has meddled in his children’s lives to shore up the respectability of the family and the company. India loves her father but is determined not to let him decide her fate. As she and Travis reconnect, they find it impossible to ignore their simmering attraction. Travis is less hesitant about his feelings for India, not willing to make the mistake of letting her go again.

Even though the romance gets off to a slow start, this is a pleasingly angst-y novel about forbidden lovers finding each other.

A romance for readers looking for equal parts passion and family drama.

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nonfiction THE ONES WE’VE BEEN WAITING FOR How a New Generation of Leaders Will Transform America

These titles earned the Kirkus Star: THE LOST FAMILY by Libby Copeland................................................54 I’VE BEEN WRONG BEFORE by Evan James................................... 66

Alter, Charlotte Viking (320 pp.) $27.00 | Feb. 18, 2020 978-0-525-56150-7

WHY WE’RE POLARIZED by Ezra Klein...........................................67 HIDDEN VALLEY ROAD by Robert Kolker.........................................67 THE GREAT RIFT by James Mann.......................................................70

OAK FLAT by Lauren Redniss..............................................................76 WHAT WE INHERIT by Jessica Pearce Rotondi..................................76 UNWORTHY REPUBLIC by Claudio Saunt........................................ 77 VIGIL by Jeffrey Wasserstrom...............................................................79 CALIFORNIA EXPOSURES by Richard White; photos by Jesse Amble White................................................................81 CAPITAL AND IDEOLOGY

Piketty, Thomas Trans. by Goldhammer, Arthur Belknap/Harvard Univ.

(976 pp.) $39.95 | Mar. 10, 2020 978-0-674-98082-2

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CAPITAL AND IDEOLOGY by Thomas Piketty; trans. by Arthur Goldhammer.............................................................. 75

Time magazine correspondent Alter’s debut looks beyond the stereotypes of millennials as “entitled” and “snowflakes” in a surprising group portrait of a new generation of political leaders.

Millennial voters lean left by a 2-to-1 margin, and they are unlikely to bear out the popular wisdom that people grow more conservative as they age, the author argues, backing up her conclusion with persuasive statistics and other hard data. Decades of social science research have shown that political views are formed in early adulthood, and “once young people pick a side, they usually stay there.” So America must come to grips with millennials’ priorities—such as climate change, student debt relief, and affordable health care—and Alter aims to help by combining a wide-angle view of her generation with close-ups of young elected officials. Along with a few Republicans, she profiles Democrats including Pete Buttigieg, the presidential candidate and South Bend, Indiana, mayor; Alexandria OcasioCortez, the New York congresswoman; and Braxton Winston, a Charlotte city council member and veteran of street protests who decided to change the system from within after returning from a demonstration unable to “pick up his baby daughter because his dreadlocks had so much tear gas in them.” Alter can be glib (Afghan war veteran Buttigieg wasn’t a natural for the military because he “sucked at sports” and “hated fighting”) and, when writing about millennials’ parents, patronizing and cutesy: “The boomers were defined by a sense of individualism, so when they had kids, they weren’t just any kids: the boomers’ kids must be super-duper special.” However, the author’s spirited narrative offers much solid reporting on how millennials’ views have been shaped by forces like Instagram, the Harry Potter books, and the Occupy movement. Her young politicians emerge as less entitled than enthusiastic against the odds: Whatever their differences, most succeeded not by bowing to their parties’ tribal elders but by bushwhacking trails, often driven mainly by “instinct and grit.”

A trove of facts about millennial voters and politicians that gives off a whiff of condescension to their elders.

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launching 2020 with activism in mind Leah Overstreet

As the Donald Trump impeachment process continues to dominate the headlines, I thought it would be useful to highlight a few January books that focus on activism and calling out injustice in a variety of forms, from racism to sexism to corruption.

Full Dissidence (Beacon, Jan. 21), the latest from ESPN The Magazine senior writer Howard Bryant (author of The Heritage and The Last Hero, among other books), is a collection of “forceful, justifiably angry essays connected by the theme of white supremacy negating the full citizenship of black Americans,” as our reviewer writes. In lesser hands, the tone of these pieces could have come across as merely caustic, but Bryant is a consummate professional, and his insights on sports, politics, and their intersections with race and class are consistently insightful.

Fight of the Century, edited by the all-star husband-and-wife team of Michael Chabon and Ayelet Waldman (Avid Reader Press, Jan. 21), celebrates the American Civil Liberties Union and its 100-year battle against civil injustice. The roster of contributors is impressive—Neil Gaiman, Jesmyn Ward, George Saunders, Marlon James, Salman Rushdie, Meg Wolitzer, Liyun Li, Elizabeth Strout, Jacqueline Woodson, Viet Thanh Nguyen, Aleksandar Hemon, and Lauren Groff—and the editors do a fine job of curation.

As our reviewer writes, “this is not solely a book about controversial decisions so much as one that traces the ACLU’s efforts at attending to the importance of the rule of law, the role of the courts, and the significance of legal reform.” #MeToo in the Corporate World (Harper Business, Jan. 28), by Sylvia Ann Hewlett, views the #MeToo movement through a corporate lens, showing the pervasiveness of sexual harassment in the workplace. Significantly, writes our reviewer, the author demonstrates “that sexual harassment is all about power, and when it occurs at work, the entire workforce can suffer demoralization. More52

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over, the legal expenses and enormous corporate settlements—for example, at Fox News, Google, and Goldman Sachs—along with the loss of key leaders and even bankruptcy are slamming the corporate world’s bottom line, forcing a change in culture.” This book should serve as a solid steppingstone for that muchneeded culture shift.

A Collective Bargain (Ecco/ HarperCollins, Jan. 7), by Jane McAlevey, is a welcome “battle cry for union rights in a time hostile to labor organizations,” according to our reviewer. The author is a forceful voice for labor, but she is not just a tough talker (though she is undoubtedly that). She combines historical data with telling anecdotes to provide an often disturbing yet necessary portrait of laborers constantly battling corporate interests for basic rights, and, importantly, she shows how “women and people of color fare better economically with unions than without them.”

Running Against the Devil (Crown Forum, Jan. 14),

by Rick Wilson, is, in the words of our reviewer, a “strident excoriation of [Donald] Trump with a hard-hitting assessment of Democrats’ chances of winning the next presidential election—a victory that is crucial for saving the country.” In the same angry, often hilariously vitriolic tone that characterized his previous book, Everything Trump Touches Dies, the former Republican strategist takes on all aspects of the president’s corrupt empire, relentlessly dissecting his many lies and the countless ways he is damaging the process of democracy. Some readers may find the author to be overly acerbic, but considering his nefarious target, his acidic attacks seem justified, and the book makes a suitable reading companion for the impeachment proceedings. —E.L. Eric Liebetrau is the nonfiction and managing editor.

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THE CATALYST How To Change Anyone’s Mind

HOW TO EAT All Your Food and Diet Questions Answered

Berger, Jonah Simon & Schuster (288 pp.) $26.99 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-9821-0860-1

Bittman, Mark & Katz, David L. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (256 pp.) $17.99 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-0-358-12882-3

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Anything you want to know about what, when, and how to eat.

Food gurus Bittman (How To Cook Everything: Completely Revised 20th Anni­ versary Edition, 2019, etc.), special adviser on Food Policy at Columbia’s Mailman School of Public Health, and Katz (The Truth About Food: Why Pandas Eat Bamboo and People Get Bamboozled, 2018, etc.), founding director of the YaleGriffin Prevention Research Center, bring their expertise and common sense to answering myriad questions about diet and nutrition. “The artful (or at least competent!) blend of science and sense is what we believe to be our signature contribution,”

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The way to change someone’s mind— about anything—is not to be more persuasive; instead, find out what is preventing change.

Time and again, Berger (Marketing/Wharton, Univ. of Pennsylvania; Invisible Influence: The Hidden Forces That Shape Behavior, 2016, etc.) has discovered in his research that “pushing harder” does not sell a car, change someone’s vote, or get a child to eat spinach. It is not more information, facts, or reasons that are needed. You change minds, he writes, by “removing roadblocks and lowering the barriers that keep people from taking action.” Indeed, “the more we hear about what is preventing someone from changing, the easier it is to help.” In each chapter, the author focuses on the key forces that encourage inertia: the tendency to push back when someone is trying to convince you, attachment to the status quo, reluctance to make big changes, uncertainty, and the need for more corroboration.

Berger draws on research and case studies and offers intriguing anecdotes. He shows how a Florida anti-smoking effort built trust with teenagers, asking them what they wanted and encouraging their own decision-making rather than telling them what to do; and how a rabbi befriended a harassing Ku Klux Klan member and convinced him to abandon his extremist views. The author describes how people shed their “status quo bias” when they realize the cost of doing nothing and why identifying and exploiting a “movable middle” can win over swing voters. Uncertainty can be overcome by making new things easier to try by offering free samples. A reluctant boss’s mind can be changed by enabling her to personally experience a novel approach to customer service. Detailed case studies include the story of how Americans abandoned their considerable reluctance to eat less desirable cuts of meat during World War II (with better cuts going to the military) when given recipes for using liver in meatloaf.

A well-written guide that can be useful in both business and personal life.

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Up-to-the-minute science meets the philosophy of identity in a poignant, engaging debut book. the lost family

write the authors, as they impart their views on various diets, whether it’s advisable to always eat breakfast (“there is nothing holy about breakfast,” they assert), what makes a good snack (apples, walnuts, bananas, carrots, hummus, bean dip, salad are fine), whether dairy is good or bad (it depends on what you’re eating and what dairy replaces), and whether there are any true superfoods (the idea of a superfood “is a marketing ploy”). They ring in on how much protein an average person needs, the difference between complete and incomplete proteins, the difference between saturated and unsaturated fats and between fructose (the natural sugar found in plants) and high-fructose corn syrup, which is processed in factories and contains about 45% glucose. Overall, the authors advocate eating unprocessed foods from local sources, which leads to “reducing carbon footprint, supporting local economies, eating seasonally (and fresh), knowing where your food comes from and how it was raised…all these are inarguably positive attributes.” They deal with debates over questions such as eating eggs, avoiding foods that cause inflammation, adding probiotics to one’s diet, using artificial sweeteners, getting enough antioxidants, and whether to take vitamin and mineral supplements, which “should be supplements to a good diet, not substitutes for one.” The authors are straightforward when they can’t resolve a controversy (such as the health benefits of taking a multivitamin mineral mix) and cite scientific studies.

A sensible guide to health from two genial experts.

MIDWEST FUTURES

Christman, Phil Belt Publishing (150 pp.) $26.00 | Apr. 7, 2020 978-1-948742-61-0

A Midwestern author surveys an amorphous region that resists easy categorization.

According to Christman (English/ Univ. of Michigan), everything you think you know about the Midwest is wrong.

It isn’t as flat as you think, nor as normal and nice. It isn’t as white, or as boring, and it isn’t as hopeless as its Rust Belt corrosion would seem to indicate. The boundaries of this multistate region are also murky, described with an “antiquated nickname that stuck.” As the author notes, the name “Middle West” was initially used to describe Tennessee. In fact, there is no universal agreement on any single state as Midwestern, though Illinois comes closest in consensus. (Even there, those in Chicago tend to consider themselves Chicagoans rather than Midwesterners.)

Christman assembles the narrative to resemble a grid, an organization of “six rows containing six prose ‘plats,’ each approximately 1,000 words long.” Within this orderly construction, there is plenty of disorder, or at least ambiguity, as the author surveys the territory along historical, political, moral, and economic lines. He looks at the Jeffersonian era of the first survey, when the area was the Western frontier, and the transformations wrought by the railroad (and the Underground Railroad), 54

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automobile, assembly line, and labor movement. Christman’s text is pointed and often very funny as he ponders a subject that has been hiding in plain sight: “The Midwest is, in fact, constantly written about, often in a way that weirdly disclaims the possibility that it has ever been written about before,” as writers describe with wonder their “discovery” of great museums, restaurants, literature, and deep cultural resources. Though much of the tone is dark and acerbic, the author finds glimmers of hope in the region as “a moral frontier,” where Americans might best face the considerable challenges of capitalism and climate change.

A provocative analysis. You’ll never think of Peoria in the same way again.

THE LOST FAMILY How DNA Testing Is Upending Who We Are

Copeland, Libby Abrams (304 pp.) $27.00 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-4197-4300-9

A fascinating account of consumer genetic testing’s “fundamental reshaping of the American family” over the past two decades.

Swabbing your cheek and sending off for personal DNA results is increasingly common, for the curious as well as for family historians and those in the dark about their parentage. In her impeccably researched debut, journalist Copeland traces the development of “genetic genealogy,” a field created by citizen scientists. Whereas 1970s genealogists relied on microfilm archives and in-person interviews with relatives, their yearslong searches only shortened by lucky discoveries, today’s genetic “seekers” can get answers within days. In 2000, FamilyTreeDNA became the first company to offer at-home DNA testing, followed by Ancestry.com and 23andMe. The author chronicles her meeting with the founder of FamilyTreeDNA, her visit to the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, and her correspondence with 400 DNA testers. Many received shocking results but agree it’s better to know the truth, even about abandonment, rape, or incest.

Copeland highlights a few representative cases—e.g., a father who had a second family and a woman who didn’t learn she was adopted until age 51. Foundlings and children of sperm donors often meet (half-)siblings they never knew existed.

But the anchoring storyline is that of Alice Collins Plebuch, who was surprised when her saliva sample indicated that she was half Eastern European Jewish instead of 100% British/ Irish. Copeland presents her quest for her late father’s true heritage as a riveting mystery with as many false leads as any crime novel. Along the way, the author thoughtfully probes the ethical dangers of genetic testing, including conflicting privacy rights, an essentialist view of race, unexpected medical results, and DNA databases being used in crime-solving. As she notes, it’s a fast-moving field in need of regulation, and |

she engrossingly examines the many questions that arise, both practical and rhetorical: “What makes us who we are? Blood?

Family? Culture?”

Up-to-the-minute science meets the philosophy of identity in a poignant, engaging debut book.

WHY WRITING MATTERS

Delbanco, Nicholas Yale Univ. (296 pp.) $26.00 | Mar. 17, 2020 978-0-300-24597-4

A veteran novelist and teacher of creative writing offers a salmagundi of ideas for the latest volume in the publisher’s “Why x Matters” series.

The author of numerous novels and works of nonfiction, Delbanco (Curiouser and Curiouser: Essays, 2017, etc.), who has taught at Williams

College, the University of Michigan, Columbia, and the University of Iowa, among others, returns with a series of diverse arguments to support the title. He begins with a section about teachers who influenced him (both on and off the page), focusing on John Updike, John Gardner, and James Baldwin, and he later notes the popular decline of the Johns and the rise of Baldwin. Delbanco then examines five texts that, he argues, have been enduring influences on “our daily behavior,” including The Com­munist Manifesto, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, and Lady Chatterley’s Lover, and he explores the concepts of originality, plagiarism, and imitation. Among the most original writers, he writes, are Flannery O’Connor and Virginia Woolf. Throughout, Delbanco offers comments about the history of writing and why it is so significant, and he laments the decline of truth in language (Donald Trump receives stern words). Interwoven into the narrative are playful and instructive moments for readers, and the author makes frequent use of famous quotations to support his arguments. In fact, the text is chockablock with quotations— some identified, some not (among the latter, “world enough and time” from Andrew Marvell’s “To His Coy Mistress”).

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Doyle offers another lucid, inspiring chronicle of female empowerment and the rewards of self-awareness and renewal. untamed

Delbanco has a lot to say about teaching and offers some long— sometimes overlong—sequences about a writing seminar (with lengthy offerings by students) and eight pages devoted to the reproduction of a course syllabus he used for many years with his creative writing students.

Playfulness and gravity mix with quotations and creation in this mélange of styles, tones, and textures.

WHAT IS THE GRASS Walt Whitman in My Life

Doty, Mark Norton (272 pp.) $25.95 | Apr. 14, 2020 978-0-393-07022-4

A renowned poet uses Walt Whitman’s poetry to mirror his own life and to demonstrate the power of words.

Doty, who has won the National Book Award for Poetry (2008) and numerous other prizes, is the author of 10 poetry collections (Deep Lane, 2015, etc.) and three memoirs (Dog Years, 2007, etc.).

In this new volume, the author combines biography and poetical analysis of Whitman (whom he’s greatly admired for most of his life) with autobiographical material, much of which details his romantic and domestic relationships with men. Throughout, Doty displays a number of his gifts and writing techniques. He chronicles his visits to sites relevant to Whitman’s story, including Brooklyn; Manhattan (“New York pulls me up out of myself, just as it must have done for Whitman”); his final home in Camden, New Jersey; and his impressive tomb in Camden, which, Doty writes, Whitman visited while it was under construction.

He reveals a profound understanding of Whitman’s life and poetry, paying close attention to “Song of Myself,” “Calamus,” “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry,” and others. Doty also alludes periodically to other poets (especially Hart Crane and Emily Dickinson as well as some contemporary colleagues) and discusses Whitman’s friendships with Bram Stoker and Oscar Wilde. Through Doty’s eyes, we see Whitman not only as the writer who transformed American poetry (Doty credits him for inventing free verse), but as a tireless self-promoter (he reviewed himself from time to time) and as a man of many passions. Fans of Whitman will surely enjoy Doty’s extensive passages of exegesis, and many readers will admire the author’s occasional descriptions of his own revisions of his ideas about Whitman’s diction and poetic design. Throughout, the author exudes an exuberance about life and words that rivals that of his subject. Also informative (and necessary) are Doty’s evocations of 19th-century Brooklyn and New York City.

A captivating paean to Whitman combined with an unblinking self-examination.

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UNTAMED

Doyle, Glennon Dial (352 pp.) $28.00 | Mar. 10, 2020 978-1-9848-0125-8 More life reflections from the bestselling author on themes of societal captivity and the catharsis of personal freedom.

In her third book, Doyle (Love War­ rior, 2016, etc.) begins with a life-changing event. “Four years ago,” she writes, “married to the father of my three children, I fell in love with a woman.” That woman, Abby Wambach, would become her wife. Emblematically arranged into three sections—“Caged,” “Keys,” “Freedom”— the narrative offers, among other elements, vignettes about the soulful author’s girlhood, when she was bulimic and felt like a zoo animal, a “caged girl made for wide-open skies.” She followed the path that seemed right and appropriate based on her Catholic upbringing and adolescent conditioning. After a downward spiral into “drinking, drugging, and purging,” Doyle found sobriety and the authentic self she’d been suppressing.

Still, there was trouble: Straining an already troubled marriage was her husband’s infidelity, which eventually led to life-altering choices and the discovery of a love she’d never experienced before. Throughout the book, Doyle remains open and candid, whether she’s admitting to rigging a high school homecoming court election or denouncing the doting perfectionism of “cream cheese parenting,” which is about “giving your children the best of everything.” The author’s fears and concerns are often mirrored by real-world issues: gender roles and bias, white privilege, racism, and religion-fueled homophobia and hypocrisy. Some stories merely skim the surface of larger issues, but Doyle revisits them in later sections and digs deeper, using friends and familial references to personify their impact on her life, both past and present. Shorter pieces, some only a page in length, manage to effectively translate an emotional gut punch, as when Doyle’s therapist called her blooming extramarital lesbian love a “dangerous distraction.” Ultimately, the narrative is an in-depth look at a courageous woman eager to share the wealth of her experiences by embracing vulnerability and reclaiming her inner strength and resiliency.

Doyle offers another lucid, inspiring chronicle of female empowerment and the rewards of self-awareness and renewal.

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DARK TOWERS Deutsche Bank, Donald Trump, and an Epic Trail of Destruction

FRANCI’S WAR A Woman’s Story of Survival Epstein, Franci Rabinek Penguin (272 pp.) $17.00 paper | Mar. 17, 2020 978-0-14-313557-9

Enrich, David Custom House/Morrow (416 pp.) $29.99 | Feb. 18, 2020 978-0-06-287881-6

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A deep-reaching look at the inner workings of Deutsche Bank, Donald Trump’s lender of choice.

At the heart of this aptly titled book is the suicide of a Deutsche executive in 2014 and the subsequent quest of his son to find out the reasons for it. That story, well rendered by New York Times finance editor Enrich (The Spider Network: How a Math Genius and Gang of Scheming Bankers Pulled Off One of the Greatest Scams in History, 2017), takes many twists and turns, but its outlines are familiar: A corporation with a dodgy history (including financing the construction of Nazi death camps) goes straight for a time, guided by people of conscience who are eventually overwhelmed by executives willing to let ethics slide in the quest for profit. The latter category includes a banker who sat onstage at Trump’s inauguration—and without whose legally problematic help, Enrich suggests, Trump would never have attained office. While many financial institutions refused to lend to Trump because of his habit of reneging, Deutsche was “the only mainstream bank consistently willing to do business” with him—and at the time of the presidential election, he owed the bank $350 million. But did he really, or was the bank merely a front for funding from other sources headquartered in Moscow? The author works his way through a spaghetti tangle of leads with all sorts of unsavory connections, including the family of Trump’s son-in-law, members of whom “were moving money to the Russians at the same time that Russia was interfering in the American presidential election.” The implications are more than suggestive. What is inarguable, by Enrich’s account, is that Deutsche suffered through a clash of corporate cultures by which one side strived to comply with such things as financial stress tests while worrying that a newly elected Trump would default, leaving it “the ugly choice between seizing the president’s personal assets or not enforcing the loan terms,” even as the other continued corrupt practices for nearly two decades.

Following the money becomes easier in this thoroughly researched, if dispiriting, work of investigative journalism.

A Holocaust memoir by a secular Czechoslovakian Jew who was 22 when she was rounded up with her family to be deported to Terezín in 1942—only the first step of her wartime misery.

Epstein (1920-1989) wrote this brief, striking memoir in the mid-1970s, largely for the benefit of her children. Her daughter, Helen Epstein (The Long Half-Lives of Love and Trauma, 2017, etc.), a writer who struggled her entire life to grasp her mother’s awful wartime experiences and her own trauma as the child of Holocaust survivors, could not face returning to it until recently. Here, she does a fine job of clarifying some of the detail and characters. A youthful zest for life

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INTERVIEWS & PROFILES

Peggy Orenstein

FOR BOYS & SEX, THE AUTHOR SPENT MORE THAN TWO YEARS INTERVIEWING TEENS AND YOUNG MEN ABOUT THEIR SEXUALITY AND ATTITUDES. IT’S AN EYE-OPENER.

By Marion Winik Tia & Claire Studio

Back in the day, parents of boys would tell Peggy Orenstein how relieved they were—everybody knew boys were easier. That got no argument from Orenstein, the author of Girls & Sex (2016) and Cinderella Ate My Daughter (2012) and the mother of a daughter herself.

Then a few years back, she realized that parents of boys were in swiftly rising waters.

“It’s a combination of awareness of sexual assault on campus, the rise of the #MeToo movement, and the sheer breadth and depth of sexual misconduct across every sector of society,” she said in a recent phone interview. At the same time, as she documents in eye-opening detail in her latest book, the internet has made porn a daily habit for a vast sector of the young male population.

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Boys & Sex: Young Men on Hookups, Love, Porn, Consent, and Navigating the New Masculinity (Harper, Jan. 7) is the result of more than two years of surprisingly raw and poignant conversations with young men ages 16 to 22. “Most of what they said to me, they had never told anybody,” says Orenstein, “whether it was the need to appear invulnerable and never cry (how they operate in hookup culture), or gay boys talking about going on Grindr and having sex with adult men, or boys feeling they’d been sexually abused or coerced by a partner.”

The liveliness and variety of these discussions is indicated by a few chapter titles: “Welcome to Dick School,” “Get Used to It: Gay, Trans, and Queer Guys,” “Heads You Lose, Tails I Win: Boys of Color in a White World,” “If It Exists, There Is Porn of It.” This reader, a mother of two boys and a girl, found the latter chapter a shocking education. “Regardless of your child’s gender or sexual orientation,” she says, “you need to spend some time looking at PornHub. If you’re imagining they’re looking at Playboy, or porn from 20 years ago, you’re just wrong. Anything you can imagine—and many things you’d rather not imagine—are on there, for free.

According to Orenstein, young male porn users report less satisfaction with their sex lives, with their performance in bed, with their female partners’ bodies. “What porn tells you is that you can have hot sex with a cold heart, and that’s what hookup culture also tells you.”

Hookup culture is the prevalent approach to sexuality on college campuses, and according to Orenstein, it has now “drifted down” to high school. Its rules: Physical intimacy is the precursor to emotional intimacy, not the other way around. Everyone has to be wasted when the interaction occurs. Afterward, the participants must affirm that the encounter was meaningless by behaving less friendly to one another than they did before.

“They use the phrase ‘catching feelings’—as if feelings are a disease,” says Orenstein. “I have never had a conversation with young people about hookup culture that doesn’t devolve into their unhappiness about hookup culture.” |

Her conclusion? “Not just for the sake of their partners, but for their own health and well-being, we have to help boys develop a counternarrative….We have an opportunity to bring boys into the conversation about gender dynamics, sexual ethics, pleasure, emotional connection, and vulnerability, to allow them to develop a more expansive vision of masculinity.”

Boys & Sex is fascinating reading, and just handing it to a boy is a great way to start the conversation—even if you have to have the talk from opposite sides of a cracked-open bedroom door, as one parent reported. What does your son think of Wyatt, the one-time king of hook-up culture? Or Dylan, who was molested by a female friend at a party? Devon, a college athlete who used to be a girl?

For those unlikely to read a book, Orenstein recommends Chanel Miller’s victim statement and the apology of Dan Harmon, creator of the popular animated show Rick and Morty, to the writer he sexually harassed for years. Both are on YouTube.

“The conversation about sex and intimacy—it’s not just one talk, and it’s not in a silo,” says Orenstein. “It’s part of a larger idea of what kind of human you’re raising, what kind of citizen.”

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Marion Winik is the author of The Big Book of the Dead and a regular reviewer for Kirkus, the Washington Post, and other publications. Boys & Sex received a starred review in the Nov. 15, 2019, issue.

comes through despite “Franci’s” many travails. She demonstrates a fierce determination to adapt and prevail amid the harshest conditions. First, she watched as her parents, middleclass members of the German-speaking community in Prague, were brutally separated from her at Terezín to be sent to the Nazi death camps. Life in the barracks of Terezín was fraught but bearable, and Franci keenly observes the hierarchy of survival, where the well-connected enjoyed benefits not available to all, and “a whole new standard of behavior evolved, much of it self-sacrificing and noble, but also frequently selfish and amoral.” Married hastily to a young man from home who was able to help them survive by his canny trading instincts, until he was caught and disappeared, Franci was herded into the cattle cars for transport to Auschwitz in May 1944. There, her cousin made her aware of what was burning in the chimneys; she “became conscious of a peculiar odor in the air, like burning hair or bones.” From then on, the author refers to herself by her camp tattoo number, A-4116, and she chronicles how she endured the brutal conditions and disease at several women’s camps by using her sewing and electrical skills.

Further useful testimony from an unspeakably terrifying era. (b/w photos; map)

LEGENDARY CHILDREN The First Decade of RuPaul’s Drag Race and the Last Century of Queer Life Fitzgerald, Tom & Marquez, Lorenzo Penguin (288 pp.) $17.00 paper | Mar. 3, 2020 978-0-14-313462-6

How the reality TV show RuPaul’s Drag Race both draws on and influences ideas and inspiration from the LGBTQ

community at large.

The LGBTQ community has come a long way, write married bloggers Fitzgerald and Marquez (Everyone Wants To Be Me or Do Me, 2014). It is no longer bound by outdated laws restricting men’s clothing choices or being declared mentally ill. Here, the authors focus on a unique, historically defiant subculture of gay life: drag queens. They spotlight liberators and “street queens” like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, who, when faced with the “attempted social genocide” of their demographic, openly confronted and defied designated societal norms and demanded their rights. Elsewhere, the authors celebrate the pivotal personalities who have impacted LGBTQ life through outreach, activism, or within their own personal devotion to drag culture—e.g., Charles Pierce, Jim Bailey, Divine, Leigh Bowery, Lypsinka, and José Sarria, among many others.

The authors consistently cross-reference a host of LGBTQ cultural touchstones (“Herstory” lessons) with Drag Race and how it continues to represent queer culture. Fitzgerald and Marquez are generous with show references, sketch and lip-syncing challenge analyses, and how contestants on the show have drawn either acclaim or derision (or both) through their on-air |

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Daring readers will be inspired to overcome similar challenges— and armchair travelers won’t be disappointed. amazon woman

interactions. A description of the show’s Speedo-clad “Pit Crew” dovetails with a discussion on desire and male physique, and the authors compare queens mastering the “art of shade” with the “reading” performers in the 1991 drag documentary Paris Is Burning. Informative, entertaining, melodramatic in its obsessiveness, and written with equal amounts of insight and wit, the book serves as a commemorative archive of drag in American life. Younger LGBTQ readers and RuPaul devotees will most appreciate the authors’ dedication to accurately chronicling the movement, detailing how race and gender blend harmoniously within the drag culture, and the minute details of a colorful and often controversial show that continues to mature.

Part history lesson, part appreciation for the LGBTQ movement and a show that continues to thrive because of it.

THE STORM BEFORE THE CALM America’s Discord, the Coming Crisis of the 2020s, and the Triumph Beyond Friedman, George Doubleday (256 pp.) $30.00 | Feb. 25, 2020 978-0-385-54049-0

The Austin-based forecaster argues that “impersonal forces” will drive events in the 2020s, “one of the more difficult periods” in American history, but prosperity will follow.

Friedman (Flashpoints: The Emerging Crisis in Europe, 2015, etc.), an adviser to corporations and government and the founder of Geopolitical Futures, has a cyclical view of American history, which argues that predictable cycles of “crises, order, and reinvention” have shaped outcomes since the birth of the nation.

We are “simply passengers on the American roller coaster,” he writes matter-of-factly. Two major cycles control “actors and events”: an institutional cycle occurring every 80 years (marked in the past by the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and World War II) and guiding the relationship between the federal government and other parts of the nation; and a socio-economic cycle, which changes the dynamic of the U.S. economy and society at 50-year intervals and has produced the industrial class, baby boomers, and the middle class. Friedman predicts these complex forces will converge in the 2020s to “destabilize” American life and begin a “period of failures” marked by indifference to politics, low growth in productivity, and increasing unemployment. The 2030s will be a murkily described “period of creation” that will “redefine” the social landscape and ameliorate the problem of dysfunctional federal government by introducing military governing principles (subordinates do not deviate from the commander’s intent). Many readers will balk at the author’s too-neat cycles and the notion that leaders do not play a major role in shaping events. In support of his theorizing, he offers a sharp analysis of American life, especially the roots of the knack for reinvention that allows the nation to start over after crises.

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history and culture, “invented themselves.” Friedman also discusses the nation’s reluctance to accept its responsibilities as the “sole world power” and the tensions between its technocratic and industrial working classes.

A provocative, idea-filled burst of prognostication.

AMAZON WOMAN Facing Fears, Chasing Dreams, and My Quest to Kayak the Largest River from Source to Sea

Gaechter, Darcy Pegasus (304 pp.) $27.95 | March 3, 2020 978-1-64313-314-0

A well-paced tale of outdoor adventure.

“We are all, I suppose, confined to specific destinies and mine seems to be chasing rivers.” So writes Gaechter, who decided to mark her 35th birthday—making her ancient, by competitive kayaking standards—by traveling the length of the Amazon River from source to outlet. Why do such a thing? Because it’s there, of course, and no woman had been known to do it before, and there’s no time like the present. Still, in the company of her longtime partner and a likeminded Brit, she tackled the project, emerging 148 days later after crossing South America from the Andes to the Atlantic. The physical challenges were extraordinary, although, the author notes, “keeping a cool head is the most important skill in kayaking, though by far the most difficult to master.” There were plenty of opportunities to exercise that skill, for on top of the churning whitewater rapids and odd critters were the more dangerous denizens of the rainforest, including illegal loggers, Shining Path guerrillas whose “primary operations…now happen in remote jungle areas and involve the lucrative drug trade,” and soldiers of fortune who could be quick with the trigger finger. Then there were the more quotidian culture clashes, for, as Gaechter patiently notes, “time is a point of contention between North Americans and Peruvians,” making an important rendezvous all the more difficult to schedule. Was it worth dying in that jungle war zone in order to exercise her coveted freedom, she asks? The answer was no—but then again, as she writes, “I’d invested a lot of time and suffering already,” reason enough to press on to the next canyon, rapid, anaconda, sulk, argument, and bad feeling (“I didn’t want the person I loved acting like an asshole and lunatic, and that’s what I often felt Don was doing”) while vanquishing inner doubts.

The author includes a glossary of kayak terms.

Daring readers will be inspired to overcome similar challenges—and armchair travelers won’t be disappointed.

(16 pages of color photos)

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MASTERING THE PROCESS From Idea to Novel

George, Elizabeth Viking (336 pp.) $28.00 | Apr. 7, 2020 978-1-9848-7831-1

An up-close and personal class in writing a novel.

Most authors of how-to-write books provide numerous excerpts and samples of work from successful, published authors in order to show aspiring writers how it’s done. Hot on the heels of her last Inspector Lynley mystery, The Punish­ ment She Deserves (2018), the award-winning George breaks this tradition by analyzing a single novel, Careless in Red (2008), one of her Lynley mysteries. The excerpts are extensive and sometimes quite lengthy, so expect spoilers. Throughout, the author calmly teaches by example, pragmatically walking readers through numerous sections of the lengthy novel. “What I

actually want to do,” she writes, “is show you how a particular process that I’ve developed over time works for me.” Before George begins a novel, she conducts extensive research. Here, she includes photographs she took of the seaside in Cornwall where the novel is set and discusses how she was looking for a location to establish tone and atmosphere. What she discovered “ended up giving me an entrée into my novel.” Once she has found a “plot kernel” and the settings, “everything else rises from the characters: the subplots, conflicts, theme, motifs, agendas, and the shape of the through line of the story.”

The author creates elaborate prompt sheets from which a character “rises up and tells me who he is.” In other chapters, George explores dialogue, voice, point of view, and plot development. A key to the George method of writing is the “THAD,” or “Talking Heads Avoidance Device,” which is an “action that accompanies dialogue.” Writers must “avoid writing a scene that comprises only dialogue and taglines.” The author concludes with a detailed discussion of the importance of revising.

“I’m a perfectionist,” she writes, but she doesn’t include much on language or style. Each chapter includes optional exercises.

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Sharp, provocative, timely reading. after the last border

AFTER THE LAST BORDER Two Families and the Story of Refuge in America

The author’s nuts-and-bolts approach may be a tad too dry for some fledgling writers.

“Take what you like and leave the rest,” writes George early on. It’s good advice for approaching this book. (b/w images)

THE UPSIDE OF BEING DOWN How Mental Health Struggles Led to My Greatest Successes in Work and Life

Gotch, Jen with Bertsche, Rachel Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster (288 pp.) $27.00 | Mar. 24, 2020 978-1-9821-0881-6

A heartfelt memoir from the founder and chief creative officer of ban.do, a “bright, optimistic multimillion-dollar lifestyle company.”

In this humorous tour behind the happy brand, Gotch explores her challenges balancing her mental health, her personal life, and a startup company—and it’s not all polka dots and glitter. The author addresses the hurdles of finding proper care, support, diagnosis, and medication for mental health concerns and augments this narrative with personal tools and tips that will resonate with readers struggling with similar issues. A more explicit acknowledgment of how barriers of access affect people may have broadened the book’s reach, but the bright tone and candid effort to destigmatize the topic are refreshing. At times, the interjected one-liners detract from the author’s story, grabbing punchlines at moments of emotional height and overshadowing deeper themes. However, this lighthearted, relaxed style has endeared Gotch to her many fans and followers, who will enjoy the close-up tour of her career and personal life. Some of the more reflective insights stem from her business experiences. As she writes, she stayed open to learning within every role, from temporary work all the way up to CCO. Chronicling how she has found and nurtured mentoring relationships and attended to the ongoing work of managing a staff, growing a business, building a brand, and cultivating creative partnerships, Gotch offers a candid glimpse at the balance of stamina and passion required to be a successful entrepreneur. “There’s a very real risk of losing yourself, your health, and your life outside of work if you aren’t careful,” she writes. At its best, the narrative captures the energy and enthusiasm required to build a startup company and provides strategies for maintaining an optimistic outlook. Ultimately, Gotch’s feel-good focus conveys a positive message about a long journey toward emotional stability.

An upbeat look at dealing with life’s curveballs.

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Goudeau, Jessica Viking (368 pp.) $27.00 | Apr. 28, 2020 978-0-525-55913-9

An Austin-based journalist and immigrant activist interweaves narratives of two refugees with a history of modern American refugee resettlement policies.

World War II transformed the United States into a global leader in refugee resettlement. However, as former Catapult columnist Goudeau shows in her moving debut, the American dream has since become out of reach—both within and without U.S. borders—to immigrant asylum-seekers. Drawing on extensive interviews with two refugees she helped to resettle as well as historical research, the author draws attention to a resettlement problem that has reached crisis proportions. She centers the narrative on two women: Mu Naw, a member of a persecuted minority in Myanmar, and Hasna, a refugee from the Syrian civil war. Both were granted a chance to resettle in the U.S. in the first and second decades, respectively, of the 21st century, a time when the number of refugees globally had reached alltime highs but the number of refugees offered resettlement in the U.S. had reached historic lows. Yet because Mu Naw was Christian and Hasna was Muslim, the two had distinctly different experiences. Mu Naw faced the inevitable discrimination that came with immigrant status. Nevertheless, many white Americans offered the social and financial support that allowed her and her family to leave poverty behind and become middle class within the span of a decade. Hasna, who arrived in the U.S. just a few months before the election of Donald Trump in 2016, found herself facing a far more hostile atmosphere and uncertain future. Most of the people who helped her and her family were Syrian American. When American travel bans against Muslims, including Syrian refugees, went into effect in 2017, her hopes of reuniting the members of her war-fractured family faded. In a detailed text that moves smoothly around in time, Goudeau effectively humanizes the worldwide refugee crisis while calling much-needed attention to a badly broken American immigration system.

Sharp, provocative, timely reading.

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ON VANISHING Mortality, Dementia, and What It Means To Disappear

UPSTREAM The Quest To Solve Problems Before They Happen

Harper, Lynn Casteel Catapult (240 pp.) $26.00 | Apr. 14, 2020 978-1-948226-28-8

Heath, Dan Avid Reader Press (320 pp.) $30.00 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-9821-3472-3

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Psychology meets neuroscience and self-help in this engaging study by business writer Heath (co-author: The Power of Moments: Why Certain Moments Have Extraordinary Impact, 2017, etc.).

If the fish floating down a river have three heads, then it behooves any curious-minded person to travel upstream and find out why. Just so, if half of high school students are failing in a certain district, then one can either try to throw money and words at the problem (“Stay in school, kids!”) or venture into the alien territory outside the classroom to find out how to keep them going. That’s just what happened in Chicago, writes Heath, where teachers formed interdisciplinary teams offering support to legions of at-risk students, determining that if first-year students can be kept on track, they’re likely to stay in school to the end—and wind up making at least $500,000 more over a lifetime as compared to their dropout peers. The author examines numerous turning-point moments when finding “upstream” things to fix might have led to better and different results. For example, when, in 1974, a scientific paper was published describing a disappearing ozone layer, that was the time to do something about it—not now. “Creating urgency” is one task the would-be problem-solver must address. Another is getting the right people on board to create desired effects, such as lowering teen drug use by making it outré: “What if drug and alcohol use came to feel abnormal in their world rather than normal?” A change of mindsets is rarely easy, but it can be done, and best so, by Heath’s account, by looking farther along at the chain of events than the problem itself. That habit of mind, he writes, helps explain why the incidence of death by thyroid cancer is so low in South Korea, and it also points to a central truth: “Systems have great power and permanence; that’s why upstream efforts must culminate in systems change.”

A smart, provocative book that guides readers to better decision-making when confronting seemingly intractable problems.

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A compassionate collection of essays examining dementia from an unusually hopeful point of view.

As a Christian minister and chaplain, first-time author Harper has spent considerable time working in assisted living and memory loss facilities with those experiencing varying degrees of dementia. Initially reluctant, like many of us, to deal with older people experiencing the disease, she gradually began to understand those she worked with as complicated people and to think about the many ways in which our misunderstanding of dementia leads us to stop paying attention to those affected by it—to see them as “vanishing” before they actually die. In fact, argues the author, they are vividly alive and sensitive to the presence of others and often capable of increased “compassion, honesty, humility.” In these essays, some of which were published in various journals, Harper explores with an open mind and empathetic imagination the question of why “we—those whom the dementia activist Morris Friedell termed the ‘temporarily able-brained’—need them to vanish. Why are we so eager to view them as disappearing or disappeared?” She explores how our often unconscious biases lead us to assume that people are “gone” when they are actually right in front of us, longing for connection. She ponders the possible link between Shakespeare’s King Lear and dementia, considers Ralph Waldo Emerson’s relatively peaceful encounter with the state, and reflects on her own experience of sleepwalking and the ways it helps her understand dementia. “While I do not presume I can or should know in full the experiences of another,” she writes, “I wondered if sleepwalking might be one point of correspondence.” Harper moves smoothly between abstract reflections and concrete experiences, reflecting often on the effects of dementia on her grandfather and on her relationship with him, her fears that a genetic link to the disease may have been passed down to her, and her encounters with many individuals, all described in strikingly specific terms, surviving dementia in their own ways.

Helpful, sometimes moving insights into a situation many will face.

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Ilan Stavans & Josh Lambert WITH A NEW ANTHOLOGY, TWO SCHOLARS CELEBRATE THE LONG AND RICH HISTORY OF THE YIDDISH LANGUAGE IN AMERICA

By Donald Liebenson Kevin Gutting

that this is an immigrant language that compares to other immigrant languages. There are many in the audience who do not know Yiddish who are reading the subtitles and connecting with the play.”

The two spoke with Kirkus on a conference call about how Yiddish is trending. Who nu?

What is your relationship to Yiddish?

Ilan Stavans

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Michael Grinley

Ilan Stavans, who, with Josh Lambert, co-edited How Yid­ dish Changed America and How America Changed Yiddish (Restless Books, Jan. 21), can’t help but be amused that an anthology charting the relationship between Yiddish and America was done by a Mexican and a Canadian.

The impetus for the anthology was to mark the 40th anniversary of the Yiddish Book Center, says Lambert, who serves as its academic director. “It’s an amazing moment for this scrappy institution that Aaron Lansky basically started in the back seat of a car,” he says. “He was trying to convince people that Yiddish is interesting. This anthology really celebrates that.”

The anthology spans more than a century of essays, fiction, play excerpts, cartoons, memoir, good old-fashioned wordplay, and more. There are even Crisco recipes for Jewish housewives from Proctor & Gamble.

Stavans, publisher of Restless Books and a Lewis-Sebring professor of Humanities, Latin American, and Latino Culture at Amherst College, echoes that Yiddish is far from a dead language. How else to explain the box-office smash that is the all-Yiddish revival of Fiddler on the Roof that opened off-Broadway last February. “I am fascinated by this phenomenon,” Stavans says. “People connect with Yiddish sometimes through nostalgia, sometimes through a sense

Josh Lambert: I grew up in a Jewish community in Toronto, Canada. My grandfather was an immigrant from Poland. My mother understood Yiddish but never spoke it. My grandparents never spoke Yiddish to me. In grade school and high school, Yiddish was never mentioned. But then in my undergrad studies at Harvard, a professor taught me some Yiddish literature in translation. As I moved on to grad school, my professors suggested it was time to stop reading translations and learn the language. By that point my grandfather had passed, and I had lost that link to the last native Yiddish speaker in my family. I studied the language with teachers and academics.

Ilan Stavans: Yiddish was my first language. I am a grandchild of Eastern European Jews from Ukraine and Poland.

Some of them couldn’t make it to the U.S. because of immigration quotas. They ended up in the Caribbean and eventually in Mexico. Yiddish for me has always been the roots, the

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grounding. It connects me to a long chain of generations who have come before. Yiddish has not perished but is thriving in all sorts of ways. It is resilient and passionate; there are things you can say in Yiddish that you can’t say in any other language. New generations are taking to it. It’s a thrill.

THE ANGEL AND THE ASSASSIN The Tiny Brain Cell That Changed the Course of Medicine

What is the most rewarding thing for you about putting together this anthology?

IS: An anthology is a portal that opens to a new world, as if to say, “If you go through this door or turn this page, you will discover a world that will be your own.” You want readers to become searchers so that after sampling an author in the anthology, they will go to the library and ask for that author’s books.

What Yiddish expression or proverb most resonates with you?

There is truly something for everyone in this anthology.

Do you have to be Jewish to enjoy it?

JL: I certainly hope not. No one thinks you have to be British to enjoy Shakespeare. Yiddish culture is exciting and surprising and totally compelling for anyone who’s interested.

IS: In regard to Shakespeare, if you’re British you have a sense that this is a history that touches you. I would say you don’t have to be Jewish, but if you are Jewish it does help.

Donald Liebenson is a Chicago-based writer for the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, VanityFair.com, and Vulture.com.

How Yiddish Changed America and How America Changed Yiddish received a starred review in the Nov. 1, 2019, issue.

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How the brain’s microglial cells affect the body and the mind.

From 2001 to 2006, science journalist Jackson Nakazawa (Childhood Disrupted: How Your Biography Becomes Your Biology and How You Can Heal, 2015, etc.) was stricken, for the second time, with Guillain-Barré syndrome, an autoimmune disease that attacks nerves, causing paralysis. As she recovered, she experienced cognitive and psychological changes that urged her to question the connection between physical immune dysfunction and brain-related and psychiatric illness, a connection that went against the prevailing medical belief that the brain could not be affected by immune disorders. The author’s investigations led her to the work of scientists across many disciplines— neurobiology, genetics, psychology, psychiatry, medicine, and immunology—several of whom she profiles in lively detail: the caffeine-fueled Beth Stevens, for one, a MacArthur fellow who directs a laboratory, and Jonathan Kipnis, whose graduate school professors, decades ago, did not encourage his experiments in the immune system–brain connection. Translating scientific research into brisk, readable prose, Jackson Nakazawa reports on breakthrough discoveries regarding microglial cells, which function as the brain’s white blood cells, with “enormous power to protect, repair, and repopulate the brain’s billions of neurons and trillions of synapses, or to cripple and destroy them.” But besides functioning as helpful “angels,” they also can spin into overdrive in response to stressors such as infection, environmental toxins, trauma, physical or emotional abuse, and chronic mental stress. When these stressors appear to microglia as if they are biological pathogens, the resulting “frenzied” microglial activity can lead to depression, anxiety, cognitive impairment, forgetfulness, lethargy, and similar symptoms. The author follows three autoimmune sufferers whose psychological symptoms were significantly improved by one of the new therapies resulting from microglial research: transcranial magnetic stimulation, neurofeedback, gamma light therapy, and fasting diets. Scientists in many fields, writes the author, are looking into a microglial connection to Alzheimer’s disease, with the hope that if the cells can be rebooted and reprogrammed, they can “help reverse the ravages” of the disease.

A fascinating look at cutting-edge research with profound implications.

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JL: Az men est khazer, zol shoyn rinen iber der bord—If you’re going to eat pork, you might as well let the juices soak your beard. It means that if you’re going to do something you shouldn’t, you might as well enjoy it.

IS: It’s Isaac Bashevis Singer’s epigram that opens the book: “We have to believe in free will. We have no choice.” It’s a statement of Jews going against the current that is often tragic, but we move forward and have to believe we will survive in the ways and the language we have been carrying on for some time.

Jackson Nakazawa, Donna Ballantine (320 pp.) $28.00 | Jan. 21, 2020 978-1-5247-9917-5

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A remarkably insightful and entertaining collection from a talented voice. i’ ve been wrong before

I’VE BEEN WRONG BEFORE Essays

FRONT ROW AT THE TRUMP SHOW

Karl, Jonathan Dutton (368 pp.) $28.00 | Mar. 31, 2020 978-1-5247-4562-2

James, Evan Atria (256 pp.) $17.00 paper | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-5011-9964-6 Wry, contemplative personal essays reflecting on travel, intimate connections, and the pursuit of a writing life.

In this debut collection, James (Cheer Up, Mr. Widdicombe, 2019) memorably revisits experiences from his past, whether random encounters or more significant lifechanging events. In each case, he reveals impressive candor and depth of thought about his formative years and his development as a writer. The journey wasn’t always smooth, and the author is forthcoming about some of the many jobs he has had over the years, including answering phones at the San Francisco Ballet during Nutcracker season, a brief summer interlude at a gelato stand in Seattle, and an extended writing sabbatical (“writing aside, the primary gift of a residency is ample time half-free from the expectations of the world”) and stint at the Carson McCullers house in Columbus, Georgia. Frequent travel to both familiar and remote locations throughout the world allowed James to chronicle complicated and occasionally awkward interactions with foreign cultures. Throughout, he reflects on the nuanced challenges of personal interaction in any form, from bonding with job associates to investing in more enduring friendships, or from navigating the challenges of finding enduring love to casual hookups with strangers. “The pursuit of sex, which at times feels like it’s all masks, all theater, can demand so little real exposure,” writes James. “What petrified me was that I wanted more than sex from Karim: I longed to fall fully in love with him, which is much more frightening— love demands that you rest in place offstage, endure heroic passages of time together, time in which one must confront, continually, the tired, the ridiculous, the warty actor behind the role.” Cutting gay cultural clichés, the author skillfully reveals his complex inner life. Attuned to the broad expectations or struggles of being a contemporary gay male, he is also deft in his exploration of the personal and financial difficulties of anyone living in our current era.

A remarkably insightful and entertaining collection from a talented voice.

The chief White House and Washington correspondent for ABC provides a ringside seat to a disaster-ridden Oval Office.

It is Karl to whom we owe the current popularity of a learned Latin term. Questioning chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, he followed up a perhaps inadvertently honest response on the matter of Ukrainian intervention in the electoral campaign by saying, “What you just described is a quid pro quo.” Mulvaney’s reply: “Get over it.” Karl, who has been covering Trump for decades and knows which buttons to push and which to avoid, is not inclined to get over it: He rightly points out that a reporter today “faces a president who seems to have no appreciation or understanding of the First Amendment and the role of a free press in American democracy.” Yet even against a bellicose, untruthful leader, he adds, the press “is not the opposition party.” The author, who keeps his eye on the subject and not in the mirror, writes of Trump’s ability to stage situations, as when he once called Trump out, at an event, for misrepresenting poll results and Trump waited until the camera was off before exploding, “Fucking nasty guy!”—then finished up the interview as if nothing had happened. Trump and his inner circle are also, by Karl’s account, masters of timing, matching negative news such as the revelation that Russia had interfered in the 2016 election with distractions away from Trump—in this case, by pushing hard on the WikiLeaks emails from the Democratic campaign, news of which arrived at the same time. That isn’t to say that they manage people or the nation well; one of the more damning stories in a book full of them concerns former Homeland Security head Kirstjen Nielsen, cut off at the knees even while trying to do Trump’s bidding.

No one’s mind will be changed by Karl’s book, but it’s a valuable report from the scene of an ongoing train wreck.

THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE ANDREA DORIA The Sinking of the World’s Most Glamorous Ship King, Greg & Wilson, Penny St. Martin’s (352 pp.) $29.99 | Apr. 7, 2020 978-1-250-19453-4

The history of an infamous shipwreck.

In 1956, in dense fog, the Italian ship Andrea Doria sank off the coast of Nantucket, within miles of its destination at the port of New York. King and Wilson (Twilight 66

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WHY WE’RE POLARIZED

Klein, Ezra Avid Reader Press (336 pp.) $28.00 | Jan. 28, 2020 978-1-4767-0032-8 A sharp explanation of how American politics has become so discordant.

Journalist Klein, co-founder of Vox, formerly of the Washington Post, MSNBC, and Bloomberg, reminds readers that political commentators in the 1950s and ’60s denounced Republicans and Democrats as “tweedledum and tweedledee.” With liberals and conservatives in both parties, they complained, voters lacked a true choice. The author suspects that race played a role, and he capably shows us why and how. For a century after the Civil War, former Confederate states, obsessed with keeping blacks powerless, elected a congressional bloc that “kept the Democratic party less liberal than it otherwise would’ve been, the Republican Party congressionally weaker than it otherwise would’ve been, and stopped the parties from sorting themselves |

around the deepest political cleavage of the age.” Following the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, many white Southern Democrats became Republicans, and the parties turned consistently liberal and conservative. Given a “true choice,” Klein maintains, voters discarded ideology in favor of “identity politics.” Americans, like all humans, cherish their “tribe” and distrust outsiders. Identity was once a preoccupation of minorities, but it has recently attracted white activists and poisoned the national discourse. The author deplores the decline of mass media (network TV, daily newspapers), which could not offend a large audience, and the rise of niche media and internet sites, which tell a small audience only what they want to hear. American observers often joke about European nations that have many parties who vote in lock step. In fact, such parties cooperate to pass legislation. America is the sole system with only two parties, both of which are convinced that the other is not only incompetent (a traditional accusation), but a danger to the nation. So far, calls for drastic action to prevent the apocalypse are confined to social media, fringe activists, and the rhetoric of Trump supporters. Fortunately—according to Klein—Trump is lazy, but future presidents may be more savvy. The author does not conclude this deeply insightful, if dispiriting, analysis by proposing a solution.

A clear, useful guide through the current chaotic political landscape.

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of Empire: The Tragedy of Mayerling and the End of the Habsburgs, 2017, etc.) bring to their brisk, vivid narrative the prodigious research that marked their history of another maritime disaster, Lusitania (2015). But where the 1915 attack on a British liner by a German U-boat, killing all aboard, affected international hostilities, the sinking of the Andrea Doria did not even dent the fortunes of the liner industry. Most passengers and crew were rescued; later, many took other ocean voyages. Nor did the ship itself, which boasted beauty, modernity, and a special brand of Italian glamour, have the significance of the Titanic, which seemed a microcosm of social strata and aristocratic hubris.

Passengers on the Andrea Doria included a few hugely wealthy Americans, traveling first class, returning from extended European holidays, while some Italians who boarded in Naples found themselves in claustrophobic accommodations. Most, though, were simply well-off. There were several clergymen and two actresses, one the wife of Cary Grant. The authors offer lively biographies of select passengers and crew, setting the stage for the drama that occurred at 11:11 p.m. on July 25, 1956, when the Swedish liner Stockholm, with an inexperienced seaman at its helm, smashed into the Andrea Doria’s starboard side, “demolishing all in its path” and causing “a horrible cacophony of death and destruction.” The authors masterfully evoke the anguish that ensued as passengers—panicked parents and frightened children, among them—crawled across the dangerously listing ship and perilously descended into lifeboats. Within hours, several rescue vessels arrived, including another luxury liner. The authors’ recounting of the aftermath of the disaster—investigation, litigation, and the lives of many survivors—though informative, seems anticlimactic in comparison to the tense drama of the event.

An assured, absorbing history of a disaster. (8-page color photo insert; 8-page b/w photo insert)

HIDDEN VALLEY ROAD Inside the Mind of an American Family Kolker, Robert Doubleday (416 pp.) $29.95 | Apr. 7, 2020 978-0-385-54376-7

One family’s history reveals the mystery of schizophrenia.

In a riveting and disquieting narrative, Kolker (Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery, 2013) interweaves a biography of the Galvin family with a chronicle of medicine’s treatment of, and research into, schizophrenia. Don and Mimi Galvin had 12 children—10 boys and two girls—born between 1945 and 1965. Religious beliefs—both parents were Catholic—were not the only reason for their fecundity. Mimi seemed to crave the distinction of “being known as a mother who could easily accomplish such a thing.” In addition, Kolker speculates, the children may have assuaged an abiding feeling of abandonment, including by a husband more focused on his career than his family. Mimi was a perfectionist who controlled every aspect of the children’s lives: chores, enriching afterschool activities, and feelings, which she believed should best be repressed. Insisting that they were raising a model family, the Galvins refused to acknowledge problems, such as violent fights among the older brothers, which the parents dismissed as merely roughhousing. The other brothers felt lost, ignored, “less than safe, treated like a number and not a person.” The eldest, Donald, was the first to exhibit signs of schizophrenia, with bizarre kirkus.com

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A compelling history that brings forgotten heroes back in the spotlight. the women with silver wings

behavior that repeatedly landed him in mental hospitals; soon, five brothers followed, all with the same diagnosis, manifested somewhat differently, including sibling sexual abuse. Meanwhile, Mimi pretended everything was normal—until she could not hide the family’s suffering. With each diagnosis, “she became more of a prisoner—confined by secrets, paralyzed by the power that the stigma of mental illness held over her.” Kolker deftly follows the psychiatric, chemical, and biological theories proposed to explain schizophrenia and the various treatments foisted upon the brothers. Most poignantly, he portrays the impact on the unafflicted children of the brothers’ illness, an oppressive emotional atmosphere, and the family’s festering secrets. By the 1980s, the Galvins became subjects of researchers investigating a genetic basis for the illness; those extensive medical records inform this compelling tale.

A family portrait of astounding depth and empathy.

IN THE WAVES My Quest To Solve the Mystery of a Civil War Submarine

Lance, Rachel Dutton (400 pp.) $28.00 | Apr. 7, 2020 978-1-5247-4415-1

Surprising new facts about the first submarine to destroy an enemy ship.

The culmination of years of development by Confederate designers led by marine engineer Horace Lawson Hunley, the Hunley killed two crew teams during testing (Hunley was among those killed) and a third on Feb. 17, 1864, when it sank a Union blockader in Charleston Harbor with a bomb at the end of a 20-foot pole. Ironically, since submerging had proved a death sentence, the submarine traveled on the surface during its successful attack. This dramatic feat gained it mythical status, and great excitement followed the exhumation of the wreck in 2000. An engineer working for the Navy, Lance was studying at Duke University for a doctorate in biomedical engineering, and her thesis research concerned the effect of underwater explosions on humans. Most occurred during World War II, so these occupied her until a thesis adviser suggested that she give thought to the Hunley. She complied and turned up an intriguing puzzle, which she delivers to readers. When recovered, the submarine was intact with little visible damage. “All eight men inside were found resting at their battle stations,” she writes. “None showed any signs of skeletal trauma. None appeared to have made any attempt to escape the vessel.” The narrative combines description of the author’s research into what happened after the explosion with a detailed history of events on that night in 1864, including biographies of those involved and careful examinations of the eight victims.

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the spot. Lance delivers a lively, if often technical, description of the many experiments, models, calculations, and explosions that persuaded her and her doctoral committee that this is what happened to the Hunley.

An entertaining account of research that solved a historical mystery.

THE WOMEN WITH SILVER WINGS The Inspiring True Story of the Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II Landdeck, Katherine Sharp Crown (416 pp.) $28.00 | Apr. 21, 2020 978-1-5247-6281-0

A pilot and aviation historian makes her book debut with a deeply researched history of the Women Airforce Service Pilots, a group of more than 1,100 civilian fliers who, during World War II, made a valiant contribution to the military.

In 1942, writes Landdeck (History/Texas Woman’s Univ.), Eleanor Roosevelt called women pilots “a weapon waiting to be used,” spurring the project of recruiting members for the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron, led by a “coolheaded and personable” young woman, Nancy Love. Competing with Love for leadership was another acclaimed flier, ambitious, outspoken Jacqueline Cochran, who lobbied for her own position; as a compromise, she was put in charge of the Women’s Flying Training Detachment, with her graduates moving on to Love’s ferrying group. In 1943, the Army Air Force merged the groups into the WASP. Chosen from more than 25,000 skilled applicants who already had considerable flying hours, the members of the WASP underwent rigorous additional training to earn their coveted silver wings. Freeing male pilots to fly bombing missions, the WASP ferried more than 12,000 military planes and engaged in training exercises with gunners. Landdeck reveals racism, anti-Semitism, and homophobia within both programs.

When two women were reported to be dating, they were immediately dismissed. The media portrayed the women pilots with glowing articles in the first months of their service, but as the war wound down and the Allies were increasingly successful, male flight instructors in the War Training Service complained that the women were trying to steal their jobs. Cochran’s efforts to bring the WASP into the military, ensuring them benefits and pay equal to male service members, inflamed the protests.

Congressional bills failed, and the WASP was described as an “experiment” that was no longer needed. Drawing on memoirs, archives, and interviews with surviving WASP members, Landdeck creates palpable portraits of many women’s experiences and their lives after the program was disbanded.

A compelling history that brings forgotten heroes back in the spotlight. (30 b/w photos)

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FACEBOOK The Inside Story

MY SISTER How One Sibling’s Transition Changed Us Both

Levy, Steven Blue Rider Press (592 pp.) $30.00 | Feb. 25, 2020 978-0-7352-1315-9

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An award-winning TV actress and her trans sister tell the story of how they learned to navigate the difficult, often troubled waters of gender transition.

A year after Selenis’ mother and father became foster parents, they took in—and later adopted—a child named Jose.

Immediately, Selenis noticed he was different. As a baby, “his cry was desperate,” as though he was already “struggl[ing] with his existence.” In a three-part narrative that moves between Selenis and her adopted sibling, the pair offer an intimate, often moving account of their journey toward loving acceptance of each other. Part I deals with the years before that sibling’s transition into Marizol. Using masculine pronouns and Marizol’s male deadname, Selenis recalls how Jose loved to play with hair and makeup. Despite Selenis’ support, he still faced pressure from his adopted family to conform to a masculine gender identity.

Seeking answers and support from social media and elsewhere, Jose first identified as gay before coming out to Selenis. But a question she posed—“did [he] want to be a woman?”—catapulted Jose into the period of transition and self-acceptance, which the authors cover in parts II and III. Moving beyond the confines of his Bronx Latinx community, contact with other trans individuals proved liberating. However, transitioning into Marizol meant facing often painful, sometimes dangerous circumstances. In and out of Selenis’ life, Marizol turned to sex work to support herself and later experienced abuse at the hands of a sadistic boyfriend. Meanwhile, Selenis’ work as a TV actress (most notably on Orange Is the New Black) brought her into contact with trans actor and activist Laverne Cox, who helped her better understand Marizol’s struggles. Determined to help her sister, Selenis brought her sister to a New York LGBTQ center where Marizol could safely come into her own.

Fiercely honest, this book not only chronicles a harrowing journey to self-acceptance; it also celebrates an interpersonal love that transcends the bounds of blood and family.

Bold, raw, and courageous.

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Wired editor at large and longtime tech reporter Levy (In the Plex: How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes Our Lives, 2011, etc.) explores the inner workings of the social media giant.

While attending Harvard, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg “took a laissez-faire attitude toward classes” while deep within projects such as Course Match, which allowed students to see who was signed up for which classes—good for those seeking candidates for a winning study group, one might say, but also a fine tool for a stalker. Levy explores the morally neutral world that Zuckerberg built with Facebook, an enterprise whose every technological feature disguises means to gather salable data on the user’s movements, preferences, political leanings, and the like. Those features, of course, have put Facebook very much in the news as a vehicle for delivering “fake news.”

As one advertising executive noted, looking at the growth of “ruble-denominated accounts” surrounding the 2016 presidential election, “it was one hundred percent knowable that [the Russians] would use social media in this way.” Defending himself in the wake of the massive data mining undertaken by companies such as Cambridge Analytica, Zuckerberg has retreated behind the shield of free expression, though belatedly acknowledging that consumers might not want their private data to be so easily accessed. “For the past twelve years,” writes Levy of the choice between more or less privacy, “Zuckerberg had been ranking those values incorrectly.” For all his criticisms, the author, who enjoyed free access to Zuckerberg, is less dismissive of Facebook and its intentions than Roger McNamee, whose book Zucked (2019) condemns the company’s demonstrated disregard for its users’ rights. If changes for the better come, they’ll likely be grudging. Levy makes it clear that Zuckerberg believes in the essential benefit to the world of his mission even if he is “the man who some think has done as much destruction to that world as anyone in the business realm.”

Of considerable interest to followers of technological trends, futurists, and investors.

Leyva, Selenis & Leyva, Marizol with Chammah, Emily Bold Type Books (256 pp.) $28.00 | Mar. 24, 2020 978-1-5417-6295-4

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A significant work of American history. the great rift

DON’T GO CRAZY WITHOUT ME

THE GREAT RIFT Dick Cheney, Colin Powell, and the Broken Friendship That Defined an Era

Lott, Deborah A. Red Hen Press (256 pp.) $16.95 paper | Apr. 7, 2020 978-1-59709-815-1 A daughter grows up in the whirlwind of her overbearing father.

Once misdiagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic, Lott (Creative Writing/ Antioch Univ., Los Angeles; In Session: The Bond Between Women and Their Therapists, 1999) recounts growing up with a father whose craziness seemed infectious. “My father and I were not ordinary,” writes the author; “oh no, we had formed an alliance around being extraordinary.” In Lott’s noisily dysfunctional family, she and her father, Ira, bonded against her mother and brothers, who thought Ira was irritating, infuriating, and more than a little eccentric. Ira coveted his daughter’s attentions, making her his confidante, flattering her looks and talent. She was a genius, he insisted, and he would gain fame and fortune as the genius father of a child prodigy. Lott adored him, even when he treated her “like an adult playmate, like a collaborator.” She refused to see him as others did: a bizarre neurotic.

Usually wearing nothing but underwear, Ira was a jokester, an exhibitionist, and a narcissist who hogged the center of attention. He was also a hypochondriac, intensely focused on what he thought were symptoms of dire diseases and hypersensitive “to any minor shift in the environment.” While Ira complained with “operatic intensity” about various physical ailments, the children strived to get their mother’s attention by complaining even more loudly: of severe allergic reactions, mysterious rashes, and rare strains of salmonella, despite Ira’s “relentless attempts to protect us from food poisoning.” Ira did have some serious health problems, including asthma, borderline diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity; through the years, he became addicted to painkillers and sleeping pills, supplied by “a sympathetic and equally addicted local pharmacist.” After his mother died, Ira descended into depression, refusing to shower, shave, get dressed, work, or eat anything but “soft foods suitable to a toddler’s palate.” He became obsessed with death and dying, and since Lott was viscerally in tune to his needs, she became obsessed, too, pushed almost to the brink of sanity.

A candid, unsettling family portrait of madness and enduring love.

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Mann, James Henry Holt (432 pp.) $32.00 | Jan. 15, 2020 978-1-62779-755-9

A useful review of the hard-right shift of U.S. foreign policy since the end of the Cold War, delivered via a comparative study of two of the seminal players.

As Mann (George W. Bush, 2015, etc.) shows in this illuminating dual biography and history lesson, early on in their careers, Colin Powell and Dick Cheney both hitched their stars to top government insiders who helped propel them to the highest levels of power. Powell, the amiable, popular soldier, was an aide to both Frank Carlucci and Casper Weinberger at the Defense Department and National Security Council—before becoming national security adviser in 1987. Cheney, “the quiet conservative,” became Donald Rumsfeld’s aide during Gerald Ford’s brief administration before assuming the role of White House chief of staff. Both men, notes the author, achieved stellar appointments during George H.W. Bush’s administration and led a “good war” that expelled Iraq from Kuwait while agreeing, prudently, not to extend the war into Baghdad. Yet it was in George W. Bush’s administration that the two—Cheney as VP, Powell as secretary of state—began to diverge in thinking and action. Cheney’s “blueprint” was essentially to keep the U.S. as the world’s dominant military superpower after the collapse of the Soviet Union and actively “block” any hostile rival. Powell maintained a centrist position and urged caution and restraint, especially regarding another war with Iraq. Cheney pushed for aggressive “antiterrorist measures,” including the controversial and ultimately self-defeating “black sites” and “enhanced interrogation” measures, while Powell emphasized working with U.S. allies. Both men would develop their own “tribes” of followers.

Yet, tragically, it was Powell who became the poster child for the invasion of Iraq, duped by U.S. intelligence into making a false casus belli of Iraq’s possession of weapons of mass destruction.

The friendship was over, and the split caused deep rifts in the country at large. Still, as Mann demonstrates thoroughly in his insightful dissection of their relationship, Powell was as complicit and eager a participant in the nation’s disastrous ventures as Cheney.

A significant work of American history.

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KING OF THE WORLD The Life of Louis XIV

SOMEBODY’S GOTTA DO IT Why Cursing at the News Won’t Save the Nation, but Your Name on a Local Ballot Can

Mansel, Philip Univ. of Chicago (608 pp.) $35.00 | Mar. 1, 2020 978-0-226-69089-6

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A fresh and funny memoir by a progressive wife, mother, and writer/editor who ran for local office for the first time in middle age—and won—on a shoestring budget.

After the 2016 presidential election, Martini (Sweater Quest: My Year of Knitting Dangerously, 2010, etc.) channeled her rage into knitting pink pussyhats for the #Resist movement from her home in Oneonta, New York. When that didn’t banish her anger, she asked a locally active Democrat how else she might help, and he urged her to run against the Republican incumbent for the District 12 seat on the Otsego County Board of Representatives. As a political newbie, Martini was skeptical, but she signed on after learning that she could keep out-of-pocket costs low (“in the hundreds, not…thousands” of dollars) and continue to work for the alumni magazine for SUNY Oneonta. Local officials’ decisions, she realized, could affect people’s daily lives more than state or federal politics: “North Korea is important,” but it won’t matter “if everyone in your neighborhood has rabies because the county Board of Health has no money.” In this entertaining memoir, the author describes the highs and lows of her successful campaign and first two years of representing a rural area with about 800 voters in a “deep, deep red” county. She also chronicles her interviews with officials in other states, including Liz Walters, a member of the Summit County (Ohio) Council, who warned the author, “you go in expecting The West Wing. What you really get is a combination of Parks and Recreation and Veep.” With self-deprecating wit, Martini recalls the victories of the Otsego board, such as getting smartphones for social services workers who, until 2017, used “county-issued flip phones,” and problems like the “dark money” that floods even into small-town races. She doesn’t sugarcoat the challenges, from five-hour meetings to family time lost to doorbellringing, but she frequently offers strategies for meeting them, and her overall message is hopeful: Democracy works—at least at the local level.

Comic relief—and lots of useful tips—from a journalist with a side hustle as a county official.

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A wonderfully meticulous look at Louis XIV (1638-1715) from a leading historian of France.

“Even by royal standards,” writes Mansel (Aleppo: The Rise and Fall of Syria’s Greatest Merchant City, 2016, etc.), “the family into which the future Louis XIV was born…was a nest of vipers.” He ascended to the throne at age 4, and during more than three decades of the king’s 72-year reign, France was at war. Louis nurtured a lifelong fascination with the army and fighting as well as dancing. After the death of Cardinal Mazarin in 1661, Jean-Baptiste Colbert became Louis’ minister and proved to be one of the ablest in the history of France. He economized, kept accurate accounts, reformed taxes, and introduced a new code of law while expanding trade and France’s colonies. “Louis was a man in pursuit of glory,” writes the author, “a king devoted to dynastic aggrandizement and a leader bent on national expansion.”

He introduced a postal system, street lights, and boulevards.

His finest creation, of course, was Versailles, to which Mansel, who displays an expansive knowledge of French history, devotes significant attention. Louis controlled every aspect of construction and effectively deserted Paris in its favor. He was famously a micromanager, particularly in wartime, though he lacked the talent of diplomacy and often listened to poor advice. France was involved in wars on all sides, fighting to expand her borders at the Rhine, drawing away imperial forces from the Ottomans, invading the Netherlands, and trying to infiltrate the Spanish throne. Louis also fiddled in English politics, accepting James II in exile and supporting invasions. He used the Stuarts to try to break up Scotland, Ireland, and England and forestall his nemesis, William of Orange. Louis’ revocation of the Edict of Nantes brought about a devastating diaspora, which was only slightly offset by the influx of Jacobites into France. Throughout, the narrative is dense but readable, and the 110-page notes and bibliography section attests to Mansel’s prodigious research.

An impressive, comprehensive biography of the Sun King—a must-add to any Francophile’s library. (illustrations; maps; family trees)

Martini, Adrienne Henry Holt (240 pp.) $25.00 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-250-24763-6

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A heartening narrative of family, transformation, and courage. the rumi prescription

THE HOPE OF GLORY Reflections on the Last Words of Jesus From the Cross

THIS IS BIG How the Founder of Weight Watchers Changed the World—And Me

Meacham, Jon Convergent/Crown (144 pp.) $22.00 | Feb. 18, 2020 978-0-593-23666-6

A new approach to an old Christian subject.

Time contributing editor Meacham (Chair, American Presidency/Vanderbilt Univ.; The Soul of Amer­ ica: The Battle for Our Better Angels, 2018, etc.) is best known for his political and biographical writing. He won a Pulitzer Prize for his biography of Andrew Jackson and has written biographies of George W. Bush, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin. In this brief book, the author takes a detour to examine the last seven phrases Jesus spoke from the cross. Because those words have been the subject of endless writings over hundreds of years, readers may question the necessity of exploring them again. Meacham’s answer is not to explain what the words mean but rather use them as a springboard for sermons to Episcopalian audiences on Good Friday and the origins of the Christian faith. The author claims that the words cannot be taken literally because the Bible was written centuries ago, either in Greek or in Hebrew that was translated into Greek and then translated into English. All of this can be notoriously difficult to track because the languages are so different and the meanings of words change with time. Still, Meacham approaches his subject from what he calls “Christianity’s foundational belief… that Jesus was in fact the ‘Christ’—in Greek, the ‘anointed one’—who died and rose again to redeem and restore a fallen world that is to be reborn as what John the Divine called ‘a new heaven and a new earth.’ ” On Jesus’ apparently forgiving his murderers, the author asks: If Jesus’ crucifixion was foreordained by God, why should those who carried out God’s wishes be punished? Meacham’s answer: Luke included those words so that any Jew or gentile hearing them could feel exculpated from responsibility in his murder. Originally written as sermons and featuring Episcopalian imagery, this book will be most appreciated by devout Episcopalians.

A middling contribution to Christian studies. (b/w illustrations)

Meltzer, Marisa Little, Brown (304 pp.) $28.00 | Apr. 14, 2020 978-0-316-41400-5

Parallel stories of a woman on Weight Watchers and the life of the woman who created the diet program.

When New Yorker and New York Times contributor Meltzer (Girl Power: The Nineties Revolution in Music, 2010, etc.) came across the obituary for Jean Nidetch (1923-2015), the housewife who invented Weight Watchers, she decided she wanted to join the program and to learn more about Nidetch. As the author writes, she has struggled with her weight since she was a small child, and she was intrigued to learn how Nidetch overcame her own issues and created the internationally known diet program.

Meltzer interweaves her story of weight gain and loss with that of Nidetch. The combination creates an informative picture of what life is like for obese women who constantly obsess about food. Nidetch’s biggest downfall was eating boxes of chocolatecovered marshmallow cookies in the bathroom where no one could see her. It took an incident at the grocery store, when she was mistakenly identified as pregnant, to set her on the track to creating Weight Watchers. “To say that it was a moment that she would never forget,” writes Meltzer, “that would define and transform the rest of her life, is an understatement.” The author followed the program for a year and offers details about each month.

She tried out various meetings but quickly got bored with her meals and eating only her allocated points for the day. Meltzer also discusses other diet plans, her struggles with finding men in her life who accepted her without judgment, and the frustrations she felt that her weight often defined her in other people’s eyes before they got to know her. Her story will resonate with readers who have struggled with weight and body image issues.

A straightforward memoir of struggling with obesity and finding inspiration from the founder of Weight Watchers.

THE RUMI PRESCRIPTION How an Ancient Mystic Poet Changed My Modern Manic Life

Moezzi, Melody TarcherPerigee (272 pp.) $27.00 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-0-525-53776-2

In a book that is more memoir than how-to manual, Moezzi (Haldol and Hyacinths: A Bipolar Life, 2014, etc.) chronicles her effort to apply Rumi’s 13th-century poetry to her 21st-century life.

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WHEN TIME STOPPED A Memoir of My Father’s War and What Remains Neumann, Ariana Scribner (336 pp.) $28.00 | Feb. 4, 2020 978-1-982106-37-9

A London-based former foreign correspondent for Venezuela’s Daily Journal uncovers the true story of her Jewish father’s double life during World War II. When he learned that he was scheduled to be deported from Nazi-occupied Prague to a concentration camp, Hans Neumann took a brazen step: He hid in plain sight, assuming a false identity and going to work as a chemist for a supplier of the German war machine in Berlin. That daring feat alone might make his story unique, but there is much more to it.

After the war—during which his parents and 23 other relatives were murdered by the Nazis—Neumann settled in Caracas, and he and his brother founded a paint company that became an international conglomerate. He and his glamorous second wife attained an enviable position in Venezuela: rich, cultured, well respected, and socially prominent. Neumann hid his Jewish roots, but the author, the couple’s only daughter, found an early clue to his erstwhile double identity when she stumbled as a girl on the fake ID card that had enabled him to work in |

Germany. Even then, she had no idea he was Jewish—“I was absolutely oblivious as a child”—and remained largely in the dark until her father died and left her a box of papers that held a memoir of his bold escape to Berlin. In this elegantly structured debut, the author reconstructs with considerable literary finesse the life of her father, who owned 297 pocket watches—a unifying motif and organizing metaphor that readers may see as his metaphorical attempt to replace time stolen by Hitler. She also offers vivid images of Terezín (renamed Theresienstadt by the Nazis), where her grandparents were interned before they died in Auschwitz. Because Terezín was nominally a transit and labor camp rather than a death camp, prisoners could send and receive letters and packages, and the author includes poignant excerpts of some of the letters.

A multilayered memoir written from the unusual perspective of a Holocaust survivor’s daughter who grew up in Latin America. (b/w photos; map; family tree)

WAR DOCTOR Surgery on the Front Line

Nott, David Abrams (368 pp.) $26.00 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-4197-4424-2

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Some readers may be surprised that the bestselling poet in the United States is a Muslim mystic who died nearly 750 years ago. Moezzi, however, isn’t the least bit stunned that Rumi’s words resonate with contemporary Western readers; it just took her a while to embrace them herself. She grew up in Ohio “dodging dead Persian poets” because her father “is a tried-andtrue Rumi addict, and like most children of addicts, I grew up resenting the object of my father’s addiction.” But as an adult, the author decided to mine the Sufi mystic’s poetry to seek remedies for some of her own modern maladies—e.g. anxiety, fear, etc.—and found his words life-changing. Each of the chapters begins with a diagnosis and ends with a prescription, featuring stanzas of Rumi’s work that Moezzi translated and studied with her father. Though Rumi’s poetry and its impact on her life are noteworthy, there are two narrative elements that stand out more. First, the author’s prose offers an intimate, endearing look at her relationship with her father. Second, Moezzi weaves throughout the narrative discussions of her interminable efforts to destigmatize both Islam and mental illness—not in a selfpromoting way but as an advocate for herself and others; the book could shatter a variety of prejudices and stereotypes. Furthermore, the author’s translation of Rumi’s poetry will appeal to many readers because it’s well distilled and reads much like a series of aphorisms. Moezzi doesn’t claim to fully understand or precisely apply Rumi’s ancient wisdom; she’s simply telling the story of how his body of work has influenced her life.

A heartening narrative of family, transformation, and courage.

A physician’s memoir of service in war zones around the world.

Even during training, British surgeon Nott thrilled to hear stories of colleagues who delivered care in poor, often wartorn nations. After receiving a post at Charing Cross Hospital in London in 1992, he proceeded to do the same. Many international charities, such as the Red Cross, require a substantial commitment, so they often attract retirees or the wealthy. Like many physicians in their prime, Nott chose to work with Doctors Without Borders, founded in France, which accepts volunteers for as little as a few weeks. Almost immediately, the author was sent to Sarajevo, under siege during the vicious civil war in the former Yugoslavia. There followed tours in Africa, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Haiti, Palestine, and, more recently, Syria, where he encountered countless heartbreaking examples of the enormous suffering humans inflict on each other in times of political violence and war. Quickly learning that dealing with the catastrophic injuries from explosives and high-velocity bullets required skills not taught during surgical training, he found himself making lifesaving decisions under primitive conditions, often without technical aids. Most readers will know what to expect, and Nott does not disappoint, delivering riveting, generally gruesome stories of victims who came under his care and the professionals, mostly admirable, who worked with him. He is not shy about discussing his work, so readers will learn much about how battle surgeons go about their job. Nott soon discovered that this was knowledge other volunteers and nearly all local doctors were also lacking, so he began to teach a course entitled “Surgical Techniques in Austere Environments,” which caught on. The author’s efforts to publicize these horrors made kirkus.com

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A brutally sublime tale of derring-do that transports as well as teaches. the impossible first

THE IMPOSSIBLE FIRST From Fire to Ice—Crossing Antarctica Alone

him well known—and this book was a No. 1 bestseller in Britain—but unfortunately persuaded no Western governments to take action to end them, which they (unlike the humanitarian organizations) had the power to accomplish.

A series of gripping and fascinating medical stories.

STEALING HOME Los Angeles, the Dodgers, and the Lives Caught in Between

Nusbaum, Eric PublicAffairs (352 pp.) $28.00 | Mar. 24, 2020 978-1-5417-4221-5

A well-known tale of racial injustice given a fresh look by sportswriter Nusbaum.

The construction of Dodger Stadium is an epic well known in the history of Southern California. The author digs deep to find stories from the canyon where the stadium was built, a place made by Mexican and Mexican American families who were covenanted out of other neighborhoods in Los Angeles.

The early residents could climb the hill above the canyon and see the skyline of a growing metropolis whose new City Hall appeared “like an arrow pointing upwards to the infinite possibilities of Southern California—or perhaps like a giant middle finger aimed directly at [them].” When the 101, a multilane major highway, was built, the isolation was complete—until, when the Brooklyn Dodgers moved across the country, the three neighborhoods of Chavez Ravine were deemed an ideal spot for a stadium. Nusbaum charts the course of what happened next, as neighbors banded together and activists set about agitating for their rights, all to no avail, and with jail sentences for some.

One aspect of the story is that, a decade before the Dodgers arrived, the area was slated for modernist public housing, but the project was shelved in a Cold War era in which such utopian enterprises smacked of communism. Instead, capitalism won out: Deeds were bought and sold, properties condemned, construction companies and developers enriched. A nice twist, as Nusbaum writes toward the end of his illuminating narrative, is that barely anything seemed to go right as the stadium was going up. With the passage of time, the communities of Palo Verde, La Loma, and Bishop faded from memory. “Baseball may have mystical powers, but it cannot erase the past,” writes the author near the end. “It cannot redeem us.” That’s just right, and Nusbaum does good work by reminding readers of what was lost in the name of municipal bragging rights.

Provocative, essential reading for students of California history.

O’Brady, Colin Scribner (304 pp.) $28.00 | Jan. 28, 2020 978-1-9821-3311-5

The tale of a solo trip across Antarctica, on skis and pulling a sled of supplies.

It had never been done before: to make a crossing of Antarctica alone, unsupported and unassisted, via the South Pole, a 930-mile trek in temperatures substantially below zero and wind chills doubling the cold. Undaunted, O’Brady, who experiences a “ferocious, uncontainable optimism that boils over inside me at the beginning of almost any new challenge or adventure,” has set a number of speed records in such events as climbing the tallest peaks on all seven of the continents and climbing to the highest ground in each of the 50 states. He is also a triathlete of note, so there was little doubt about his physical preparedness to take on the Antarctic adventure. When he writes about the “inspirational path of the polar pioneers before me, and what they’d taught the world about endurance, strength, and perseverance,” you know he is on solid ground. However, this adventure would take more than two months in a formidable, monotonous landscape. As we see, the mental challenges in dealing with such an environment occupied much of his time.

O’Brady is a confident, crafty storyteller, and he has plenty of captivating stories to tell about his exploits and his family life, which he intertwines with his voyage. Many of his tales have an underlying theme of audacity accomplished through “grit, purpose, and a growth mindset.” He also has a charming partner in his wife, Jenna, and it is a pleasure to see them working together to get through the rough spots, whether winning over a new sponsor or talking the author through especially difficult moments. She helps to humanize O’Brady, so he is not simply a robotic master of control and discipline. This inner saga works hand in hand with the physical challenges to make for a full tapestry of remarkable experience.

A brutally sublime tale of derring-do that transports as well as teaches.

NOTES FROM AN APOCALYPSE A Personal Journey to the End of the World and Back O’Connell, Mark Doubleday (272 pp.) $26.95 | Apr. 14, 2020 978-0-385-54300-2

An around-the-end-of-the-world tour in the company of a smart, funny, and thoughtful guide.

Near the beginning, O’Connell (To Be a Machine: Adventures Among Cyborgs, Utopians, Hackers, and 74

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CAPITAL AND IDEOLOGY

Piketty, Thomas Trans. by Goldhammer, Arthur Belknap/Harvard Univ. (976 pp.) $39.95 | Mar. 10, 2020 978-0-674-98082-2 A massive investigation of economic history in the service of proposing a political order to overcome inequality.

Readers who like their political manifestoes in manageable sizes, à la Common Sense or The Commu­ nist Manifesto, may be overwhelmed by the latest from famed French economist Piketty (Top Incomes in France in the Twentieth Century: Inequality and Redistribution, 1901-1998, 2014, etc.), but it’s a significant work. The author interrogates the principal forms of economic organization over time, from slavery to “non-European trifunctional societies,” Chinese-style communism, and “hypercapitalist” orders, in order to examine relative levels of inequality and its evolution. Each system is founded on an ideology, and “every ideology, no matter how extreme it may seem in its defense of inequality, expresses a certain idea of social justice.” In the present era, at least in the U.S., that |

idea of social justice would seem to be only that the big ones eat the little ones, the principal justification being that the wealthiest people became rich because they are “the most enterprising, deserving, and useful.” In fact, as Piketty demonstrates, there’s more to inequality than the mere “size of the income gap.” Contrary to hypercapitalist ideology and its defenders, the playing field is not level, the market is not self-regulating, and access is not evenly distributed. Against this, Piketty arrives at a proposed system that, among other things, would redistribute wealth across societies by heavy taxation, especially of inheritances, to create a “participatory socialism” in which power is widely shared and trade across nations is truly free. The word “socialism,” he allows, is a kind of Pandora’s box that can scare people off—and, he further acknowledges, “the Russian and Czech oligarchs who buy athletic teams and newspapers may not be the most savory characters, but the Soviet system was a nightmare and had to go.” Yet so, too, writes the author, is a capitalism that rewards so few at the expense of so many.

A deftly argued case for a new kind of socialism that, while sure to inspire controversy, bears widespread discussion. (158 illustrations; 11 tables)

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the Futurists Solving the Modest Problem of Death, 2016) describes watching a video of an “emaciated polar bear” struggling to find food. “It occurred to me then that the disgust I felt was a symptom of a kind of moral vertigo,” he writes, “resulting from the fact that the very technology that allowed me to witness the final pathetic tribulations of this emaciated beast was in fact a cause of the animal’s suffering in the first place.” To live in the modern world is to be complicit in its decline; nothing new there. But what can/should/will we do about it? The author makes no attempt to persuade us to drive electric cars and sequester carbon. Whether visiting underground shelters in South Dakota, billionaire refuges in New Zealand, or the exclusion zone around Chernobyl, he studies the end of the world from a decidedly detached perspective. About a retreat he attended in Scotland, he writes, “this was not the sort of explicitly romantic endeavor I would ordinarily involve myself in, what with the unwieldy carapace of cynicism I had allowed to grow around me over the course of my adult life.” This kind of self-awareness around his project enables the humor O’Connell uses to cope with horror. His wry tone is effective in exposing the ridiculousness of many of the survivalists and technolibertarians he encountered. “If my portrayal of him [the owner of a luxury underground shelter] seems to be verging on the mode of caricature, even of outright grotesquerie, it is only because this was how he presented himself to me in fact.” It might be a bit much if O’Connell weren’t able to offer a sincere and lifeaffirming response to all the grimness: Things have always been bad and about to get worse. Nihilism can follow from that, but it doesn’t have to.

A contribution to the doom-and-gloom genre that might actually cheer you up.

THE BETTER ANGELS Five Women Who Changed Civil War America

Plumb, Robert C. Potomac Books (272 pp.) $32.95 | Mar. 1, 2020 978-1-64012-223-9

Portraits of five women who leaped into action during the Civil War—and whose contributions have proven essential and lasting.

Writer and marketing consultant Plumb (Your Brother in Arms: A Union Soldier’s Odyssey, 2011) chronicles the Civil War contributions of five women who moved into active roles that men had normally filled. A young Clara Barton, a teacher from North Oxford, Massachusetts, who had been working as a clerk in the U.S. Patent Office in Washington, D.C., was horrified by the conditions of the military camps around the city and was motivated to begin a campaign to mobilize supplies for them.

Her tireless efforts and advocacy eventually led to the establishment of the American Red Cross. Harriet Tubman, having made her way to freedom before the war along the Underground Railroad from Maryland to upstate New York, along with her family, became an active nurse and scout for the troops in South Carolina, operating behind enemy lines. She was known as “Moses of her people” and “General Tubman” for her work on behalf of black refugees, though she was never properly acknowledged or compensated by the military. Harriet Beecher Stowe, an ardent abolitionist, was outraged by the alarming national developments of the Compromise of 1850 and the Fugitive Slave Act and wrote the hugely influential Uncle Tom’s Cabin in a righteous fury. Despite a suffocating marriage, Julia Ward Howe made a literary name for herself, spurred by the spectacle kirkus.com

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As a work of advocacy, the book is compelling and convincing; as a work of art, it is masterful. oak flat

of troops marching to write the war’s anthem, “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” in 1861. Sarah Josepha Hale, editor of the popular women’s magazine Godey’s Lady’s Book, had been tenaciously advocating for a national Thanksgiving Day, though it was ultimately President Abraham Lincoln who proclaimed the day on Nov. 26, 1863. In addition to his straightforward biographies, the author also looks at the women’s postwar years and offers extracts from their writings.

An inspirational work of history that touts such character traits as persistence, courage, faith, and compassion.

OAK FLAT A Fight for Sacred Land in the American West Redniss, Lauren Illus. by the author Random House (288 pp.) $30.00 | Apr. 21, 2020 978-0-399-58972-0

This artistically and thematically profound account of a controversial mining initiative on land that the Apaches of Arizona consider sacred suggests a culture clash of irreconcilable differences.

As she has demonstrated in previous books, MacArthur fellow Redniss (Illustration/Parsons School of Design; Thunder & Lightning: Weather Past, Present and Future, 2015, etc.) has a scope that extends well beyond the conventional limits of the graphic novel. Here, she frames her provocative narrative with artistry that evokes the awe and wonder of Native origin stories and the timelessness of eternity. Against this majestic artistic backdrop, Redniss chronicles the machinations of a mining company boasting massive profits as they battle the Natives of the region, who “consider themselves to be at war with the United States.”

As one activist notes, “we were kicked out of these holy places.

The Apache religion survived…with the hope of returning one day to the ancestral homelands. There was always that prophecy: that the final fight between the Apache and America would be for our religion.” On one side are jobs and millions of dollars, though within the context that mining operations have an expiration date, in this case likely four decades, and that the Arizona landscape is littered with ghost towns, examples of what happens after the boom goes bust. On the other side are ancient spiritual values and traditions that long predate the intrusion of white settlers and their mistreatment of those who had preceded them. Amid the gorgeous illustrations, Redniss provides plenty of historical context about how the American government has violated its own agreements with those tribes—and how it continues to do so. Yet the author refuses to oversimplify, giving voice to those who feel that standing in the way of progress simply perpetuates so many of the problems endemic to communities who have suffered such abuse.

As a work of advocacy, the book is compelling and convincing; as a work of art, it is masterful.

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THE POWER NOTEBOOKS

Roiphe, Katie Free Press (256 pp.) $27.00 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-9821-2801-2

A collection of personal journal entries from the feminist writer that explores power dynamics and “a subject [she] kept coming back to: women strong in public, weak in private.”

Cultural critic and essayist Roiphe (Cultural Reporting and Criticism/New York Univ.; The Violet Hour: Great Writers at the End, 2016, etc.), perhaps best known for the views she expressed on victimization in The Morning After: Sex, Fear, and Feminism (1994), is used to being at the center of controversy. In her latest work, the author uses her personal journals to examine the contradictions that often exist between the public and private lives of women, including her own. At first, the fragmented notebook entries seem overly scattered, but they soon evolve into a cohesive analysis of the complex power dynamics facing women on a daily basis. As Roiphe shares details from her own life, she weaves in quotes from the writings of other seemingly powerful female writers who had similar experiences, including Sylvia Plath, Simone de Beauvoir, Virginia Woolf, and Hillary Clinton. In one entry, Roiphe theorizes that her early published writings were an attempt to “control and tame the narrative,” further explaining that she has “so long and so passionately resisted the victim role” because she does not view herself as “purely a victim” and not “purely powerless.” However, she adds, that does not mean she “was not facing a man who was twisting or distorting his power; it does not mean that the wrongness, the overwhelmed feeling was not there.” Throughout the book, the author probes the question of why women so often subjugate their power in their private lives, but she never quite finds a satisfying answer. The final entry, however, answers the question of why she chose to share these personal journal entries with the public: “To be so exposed feels dangerous, but having done it, I also feel free.”

An intriguing examination of the complexity of female power in a variety of relationships.

WHAT WE INHERIT A Secret War and a Family’s Search for Answers Rotondi, Jessica Pearce Unnamed Press (288 pp.) $26.00 | Apr. 21, 2020 978-1-951213-07-7

A debut memoir about a family who searched for their loved one for decades.

Until her mother’s death, Brooklynbased writer and editor Rotondi knew very little about Uncle Jack, who disappeared in Laos in 1972 and “stayed missing” for 36 years. The author discovered boxes |

SYNTHESIZING GRAVITY Selected Prose

Ryan, Kay Grove (208 pp.) $25.00 | Apr. 14, 2020 978-0-8021-4818-6

The Pulitzer Prize–winning former U.S. poet laureate considers her craft and inspirations with a smirk and the occasional dash of snark.

The essays and reviews in Ryan’s (Erratic Facts, 2015, etc.) first prose collection reveal a careful poet who’s also careful not to take her job too seriously. Quite often, she responds with bemusement—if not outright laughter—at the confusions and ironies in work she admires, laughter being “one of the body’s natural responses to shock.” Marianne Moore’s abstracted verse is “at once ridiculous and immensely cheering”; Wallace Stevens’ poems “have a hilarity that isn’t funny, a joie without the vivre”; Annie Dillard is “hilarious...the terrible child experimenting upon the innocent parental flesh.” Reading the puckish Stevie Smith, Ryan declares, “it gives me so much hope, to see language get pantsed.” None of which is to say that the author is dismissive of understanding poetry in sophisticated ways; the book is rich in close readings of works by Smith, Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, and Philip Larkin. Plus, her choices of metaphor are delicious: Moore’s inscrutable lines land “in one’s lap like |

inedible melons,” and she herself is a “pig for pleasure.” However, she also cultivates a sensibility of not wanting to delve too deeply into poems lest their magic be spoiled. That’s reasonable, up to the point where she takes it out on other writers, from a gentle chastisement of those who keep notebooks to a more aggressive field report from a writers’ conference, in which she felt an “abstract contempt for everyone in attendance.” Ryan’s love of poetry is palpable and intense, but she approaches writing about it as if it were, well, a bit of a joke. When it comes to poetry, she writes that “in order to listen we must be a little bit relieved of the intention to understand.”

An impassioned, sometimes prickly tribute to the poet’s art.

UNWORTHY REPUBLIC The Dispossession of Native Americans and the Road to Indian Territory Saunt, Claudio Norton (416 pp.) $26.95 | Mar. 24, 2020 978-0-393-60984-4

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of letters and declassified documents that showed decades of research into his whereabouts, much of it conducted by her grandparents, Ed and Rosemary. Ed, who had been a POW during World War II, was not convinced when the American government told him his son had died in a plane crash over Laos, so he spent the rest of his life digging for the truth. Eventually, Rotondi’s mother took up the search, followed by the author.

As part of their search, Ed and Rosemary requested packets of information under the Freedom of Information Act, attended hearings, protested the lack of government concern about the POWs and MIAs in Southeast Asia, and clung to the belief that their son was still alive. Ed even visited Laos but was unable to access the crash site. Years later, Rotondi and a friend followed his footsteps, gathering shreds of information from the locals, many of whom were nervous about talking openly with Americans. The author’s precise attention to detail conjures up the jungle heat and humidity as well as the pervasive poverty that plagues Laos, and she effectively captures her family’s daily struggle and the toll their quest took on their personal health.

The narrative is moving and dramatic as the author shares the alternately heartbreaking and triumphant moments of this intergenerational search for the truth. At intervals in the wellwritten text, Rotondi also shares details about the CIA’s “Secret War” in Laos, where, “between 1964 and 1973, the United States dropped two million tons of cluster bombs…a planeload of bombs every 8 minutes, 24 hours a day, for nine years.”

An inspiring and revealing story of one family’s pursuit of the truth about their son.

A powerful, moving argument that the state-sponsored expulsion of the 1830s was a horrendous turning point for the Indigenous peoples in the United States.

The systematic expulsion of Native Americans—Saunt (American History/Univ. of Georgia; West of the Revolution: An Uncommon History of 1776, 2014, etc.) uses “deportation,” “expulsion,” and “extermination” as more accurate terms than “removal”—would not have happened without a law passed

by Congress and approved by the executive branch, which occurred at the end of May 1830. The largely Southern-backed measure eagerly endorsed by President Andrew Jackson, who had made the “voluntary” movement of Native peoples west of the Mississippi a defining point of his candidacy, began implementation with money to remove the largely prosperous farming Choctaw of the South westward. These were the first peoples to be expelled under the 1830 law, which allowed their land to be appropriated by whites. It was an expensive and chaotic operation, not to mention horrendously inhumane, as those forced off their land endured miserable conditions, as observed and documented by Alexis de Tocqueville in late 1831.

Other expelled peoples included the Senecas of Ohio and the Sauk and Meskwaki on the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers, and Saunt poignantly chronicles the movements of the dispossessed. When cholera broke out, it decimated these Indigenous communities on the move. The author incisively examines the various fictions propagated at the time to assuage the national conscience about the dispossession—e.g., that Native peoples were a desperate people dying out (many were quite prosperous) and that they were leaving their homes voluntarily. Moreover, the lands west of the Mississippi were not known or mapped, and the conditions were barren and uninhabitable. Saunt estimates the enormous wealth lost by the Indigenous families, the kirkus.com

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Both veteran and budding storytellers will learn a great deal from Storr’s pages, which themselves add up to a meaty yarn. the science of storytelling

THE SCIENCE OF STORYTELLING Why Stories Make Us Human and How To Tell Them Better

millions expended by the government, and the hideous wealth in land and resources gained by the speculators, colonizers, and cotton barons. The author also notes how these systematic mass deportations “became something of a model for colonial empires around the world.”

A significant, well-rendered study of a disturbing period in American history. (37 illustrations)

Storr, Will Abrams (304 pp.) $25.00 | Mar. 10, 2020 978-1-4197-4303-0

THIS IS SHAKESPEARE

British novelist and science journalist Storr (Selfie: How We Became So SelfObsessed and What It’s Doing to Us, 2018, etc.) peels back the neuroscience of what

Smith, Emma Pantheon (368 pp.) $28.95 | Apr. 21, 2020 978-1-5247-4854-8

A brisk study of 20 of the Bard’s plays, focused on stripping off four centuries of overcooked analysis and tangled reinterpretations.

“I don’t really care what he might have meant, nor should you,” writes Smith (Shakespeare Studies/Oxford Univ.; Shakespeare’s First Folio: Four Centuries of an Iconic Book, 2016, etc.) in the introduction to this collection. Noting the “gappy” quality of many of his plays—i.e., the dearth of stage directions, the odd tonal and plot twists—the author strives to fill those gaps not with psychological analyses but rather historical context for the ambiguities. She’s less concerned, for instance, with whether Hamlet represents the first flower of the modern mind and instead keys into how the melancholy Dane and his father share a name, making it a study of “cumulative nostalgia” and our difficulty in escaping our pasts. Falstaff ’s repeated appearances in multiple plays speak to Shakespeare’s crowd-pleasing tendencies. A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a bawdier and darker exploration of marriage than its teen-friendly interpretations suggest. Smith’s strict-constructionist analyses of the plays can be illuminating: Her understanding of British mores and theater culture in the Elizabethan era explains why Richard III only half-heartedly abandons its charismatic title character, and she is insightful in her discussion of how Twelfth Night labors to return to heterosexual convention after introducing a host of queer tropes. Smith’s Shakespeare is eminently fallible, collaborative, and innovative, deliberately warping play structures and then sorting out how much he needs to un-warp them. Yet the book is neither scholarly nor as patiently introductory as works by experts like Stephen Greenblatt. Attempts to goose the language with hipper references—Much Ado About Nothing highlights the “ ‘bros before hoes’ ethic of the military,” and Falstaff is likened to Homer Simpson—mostly fall flat.

A brief but sometimes knotty and earnest set of studies best suited for Shakespeare enthusiasts.

makes stories work.

A good story—Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, say, or Drac­ ula—operates on rules that its makers may have internalized but may not be able to enumerate. One is that the creator of a story builds a model world that readers then colonize and rebuild. In one study, subjects “watched” stories as they were being related by casting their eyes upward when events occurred above the line of horizon, and “when they heard ‘downward’ stories, that’s where their eyes went too.” Tracking saccades when stories land on a person is one thing, but there are fundamental observations that storytellers have long known: Character is more important than plot, for instance, and, as Storr puts it, “every story you’ll ever hear amounts to ‘something changed.’ ” A skillful storyteller will then build the promise of change close to the beginning, as with E.B. White’s opening to Charlotte’s Web: “Where’s Papa going with that ax?” Humans being self-centered if social critters, another fundamental element is that we all like to be the hero of our own epics—our lives, that is—which helps explain our attraction to other such heroes and the journeys they face, which involve at least a couple of failures before getting it right. Moreover, we like the vicarious experience of chaos while yearning for stability in our own lives, which explains the value of a good tale full of reversals. As for that old rule about avoiding clichés like the plague? It turns out that the brain doesn’t fire quite so blazingly when it hears a familiar phrase as when it hears a fresh new metaphor, reason enough for the careful writer to try to find a new way of turning a phrase.

Both veteran and budding storytellers will learn a great deal from Storr’s pages, which themselves add up to a meaty yarn.

FIGHTING FOR SPACE Two Pilots and Their Historic Battle for Female Spaceflight Teitel, Amy Shira Grand Central Publishing (432 pp.) $30.00 | Feb. 18, 2020 978-1-5387-1604-5

A dual biography reveals women’s trailblazing roles in aviation.

Spaceflight historian Teitel (Break­ ing the Chains of Gravity: The Story of 78

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ON ALL FRONTS The Education of a Journalist

Ward, Clarissa Penguin Press (336 pp.) $28.00 | Apr. 14, 2020 978-0-525-56147-7

A London-based foreign correspondent looks back on a career covering life in war zones.

Now chief international correspondent for CNN, Ward, who has won an Emmy and two Peabody Awards, was the only child of a wealthy American mother and a British investment banker father who separated when she was young. Raised first in New York and then in London, the author studied comparative literature at Yale until 9/11 inspired her to seek a career in journalism. Beginning with an overnight desk assistant’s job at Fox News, where she experienced the “pervasive sexism” others have reported there, she worked her way up in journalism, adding Arabic to |

the five languages she already knew. Along the way, she spent time in Moscow, Baghdad, and Beirut, sometimes embedded with troops and sometimes hanging out in hotels with other journalists waiting for a story to break. Her descriptions of her experiences at all the sites are vivid and precise. Among the assignments that clearly meant the most to Ward were her several stints in Syria, where several sources to whom she became close disappeared, leaving her both bereft and conscious of her own privilege as a foreign journalist able to leave the country.

Even more than her other jobs, the time in Syria taught her that “the idea of ‘making a difference’ in journalism is as seductive as it is dangerous….The reality is that we are not there to solve the problem, we are there to illuminate it.” Although Ward focuses more on her assignments than her inner life, it’s obvious that as her time on the job continued, she suffered physical and emotional tolls, and the risk of “burning out amid one high-pressure trip after another” became higher. At the end of the book, she writes about how, after a brief respite for a marriage and the birth of a baby following a pregnancy that placed her at risk of contracting malaria in Bangladesh, she was back in the field in Afghanistan.

A thoughtful account of the excitement and pitfalls of war reporting. (8-page color insert)

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Spaceflight Before NASA, 2016), who was an embedded journalist with the New Horizons mission to Pluto team in 2015, brings considerable excitement and knowledge about U.S. space programs to her close look at the life and career of two pioneering women pilots: Jackie Cochran (1906-1980) and Jerrie Cobb (1931-2019). At the start of her career, Cochran fought to be taken seriously, facing down men who tried to discourage her.

The winner of multiple awards for her flying prowess, she was the only female entrant in the 1937 Bendix race, which added “a new women’s cross-country speed record” to her accomplishments. In 1938, she was named “First Lady of the Air Lanes.” At the start of World War II, she established the Women’s Flying Training Detachment, a precursor to the Women Airforce Service Pilots program, instituted at 120 Air Force bases, where women pilots tested planes, flew simulated operations, and flew cargo, weapons, and personnel around the country. Cochran directed the WASP program and flew bomber planes during the war. She also became a war correspondent for a magazine that her wealthy and doting husband bought to facilitate her overseas assignments. In 1956, Cochran lost a congressional bid, but she used her celebrity and money to support women’s training as aviators. Cobb, a generation younger, confronted the same prejudice against women pilots that Cochran faced. A NASA administrator who opposed a female astronaut program once described himself as “one of the old school” in favor of keeping women “barefoot and pregnant.” Nevertheless, Cobb proved as ardent as Cochran, submitting herself as a test subject for astronaut training, recruiting other women pilots, and lobbying with NASA director James Webb to admit women as astronauts. Cobb faced opposition not only from NASA, but also from Cochran, who adamantly opposed women’s astronaut training; wielding her high-level political connections (Lyndon Johnson was a friend), she saw Cobb’s efforts quashed.

A well-researched contribution to women’s and aviation history.

VIGIL Hong Kong on the Brink

Wasserstrom, Jeffrey Columbia Global Reports (120 pp.) $15.99 paper | Feb. 11, 2020 978-1-73362-374-2 A longtime observer of Hong Kong protest movements argues that the autonomy of the region is being eroded

by Beijing authority—not gradually and probably irreparably.

In this well-organized, strikingly relevant work, Wasserstrom (History/Univ. of California, Irvine; Chinese Characters: Profiles of Fast-Changing Lives in a Fast-Changing Land, 2012, etc.) argues that the designation of Hong Kong by China and Britain in the handover of 1997 as a Special Administrative Region enjoying “a high degree of autonomy” is being threatened. While originally the Western assumption was that Hong Kong, as the region bringing much of the economic boom to China, would be too valuable to Beijing to disrupt by its repressive measures, the reality seems to be that Beijing’s tentacles are pervasive and continue to tighten. Disappearances of protestors, forced confessions, the threat of extradition law, the installation of puppet legislators, the resistance to universal suffrage—these are just a few of the familiar “screws” that mainland officials are implementing. The author provides a penetrating review of the situation through on-the-ground reporting and interviews with protest leaders like Joshua Wong and Chris Patten, the last British governor of Hong Kong. Wasserstrom works through the history of the region as a British colonial hub of trade in the mid-1800s and its subsequent enormous economic kirkus.com

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No surprises here—just vintage Watts. just so

growth, overtaking even Shanghai after World War II. “Shanghai, after falling in 1949,” writes the author, “was an example of a Golden Goose that the Communists killed not long after taking control of it.” While there have been many victories for the democratic movement since renewed protests this year—e.g., pushing back against a new “moral and national education plan,” which smacked of censorship—the protest movement’s other demands—directly electing the chief executive, the release of prisoners, investigation of police brutality, and immediate universal suffrage, among them—have not been met. Without civil disobedience and international pressure, Wasserstrom fears that Hong Kong will become a “captive colony of Beijing.”

A passionate, important study of the current affairs of a volatile region.

JUST SO Money, Materialism, and the Ineffable, Intelligent Universe Watts, Alan Sounds True (216 pp.) $17.99 paper | Feb. 25, 2020 978-1-68364-294-7

Playful and prophetic dispatches from the intersection of philosophy and spirituality.

Watts (Out of Your Mind: Tricksters, Interdependence, and the Cosmic Game of Hide-and-Seek, 2017, etc.), who died in 1973, loved to startle his readers by exposing their erroneous assumptions about themselves and the world. Nothing in his latest posthumous publication will shock Watts initiates more than his assertion that, “ideally, you only attend one seminar or read just one book and never have to come back to me again. It’s not the best business model, but as far as my livelihood is concerned, there are always more people out there foolish enough to pay attention to me.” With Just So, Watts is closing in on 50 books to his name, most of which cover Zen, Taoism, Vedanta, and Christianity mixed with British and American cultural criticism. That the author is witty and insightful on these themes is why readers return again and again to only slight variations on them.

To adapt one of his best-known sayings, “the point of reading Watts is not to learn something from him; the point of reading Watts is to enjoy it.” So his son, Mark, has a solid platform to keep turning out these volumes assembled from archived lectures (the number of posthumous volumes has now surpassed those Watts himself saw through to publication). The challenge for such a project is to get the lecture segments to cohere into something that feels like a book—and hopefully one that offers something that lectures themselves, which are readily available online, do not. On this count, this latest mostly falls short, but the author’s charming style is enough to overcome the book’s structural shortcomings. He’s as good as he ever was on ecology, the self, and what does and does not make for a good life.

No surprises here—just vintage Watts.

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BLOODY OKINAWA The Last Great Battle of World War II

Wheelan, Joseph Da Capo (368 pp.) $30.00 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-0-306-90322-9

The final campaign against Japan receives expert handling.

Former AP reporter and veteran military historian Wheelan (Midnight in the Pacific: Guadalcanal—The World War II Battle That Turned the Tide of War, 2017, etc.) reminds readers that by the time an immense armada descended on the island of Okinawa on April 1, 1945, Japanese leaders knew the war was lost. With victory out of the question, defenders concentrated on the mountainous south, where they dug massive underground shelters and tunnels, producing a huge interconnected complex largely immune to Allied firepower. It was also invisible from the air, so the invaders did not know what they were getting into. Taking lessons from earlier landings where resistance survived intense bombing, American ships and planes delivered the greatest bombardment of the war, which devastated Okinawans and their cities but barely touched the defenses. American forces met little opposition at first, but the Japanese had also learned from earlier battles that defending beaches was impossible in the face of superior naval firepower. Wheelan describes the brutal fighting that seized northern Okinawa and the surrounding islands over the next few weeks before turning to the main resistance in the south which soldiers encountered a week after landing. The campaign that followed featured heroism on both sides, horrendous casualties and suffering as well as atrocities— mostly but not entirely by the Japanese—as U.S. forces slowly battled south. “The battle of Okinawa,” writes the author, “was neither the climax nor the resolution of the Pacific war, but its battle royale—fought by the United States with crushing power and ferocity, and by Japanese forces with calculation, abandon, and fatalism.” Wheelan delivers excellent analyses and anecdotes and biographies of individuals from both sides, but the narrative is mostly a long series of unit-level actions down to the company and platoon level. Military buffs will eat them up, but general readers may skim.

For World War II enthusiasts, a fine history of an iconic battle.

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CALIFORNIA EXPOSURES Envisioning Myth and History

THE INFORMATION TRADE How Big Tech Conquers Countries, Challenges Our Rights, and Transforms Our World

White, Richard Photos by White, Jesse Amble Norton (320 pp.) $45.00 | Mar. 17, 2020 978-0-393-24306-2

Wichowski, Alexis HarperOne (304 pp.) $28.99 | Feb. 11, 2020 978-0-06-288898-3

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Media analyst and New York City government official Wichowski examines the evolving relationships of nation-states and technology firms in the modern world.

Building on a 2017 Wired article, the author proposes that tech giants such as Facebook, Apple, and Microsoft are “net states,” battlefields and weapons alike in the political and martial realm. “Net states are entities that act like countries,” she writes, as with Silk Road, which, though manifestly engaged in illegal activities, also had a kind of sovereign right over private data entrusted to it by its users. In that case, when two governments wrestled over legal access to that data, a tech company, Microsoft, sheltered it—a precarious situation, to be sure, inasmuch as tech companies such as Google and Amazon are in the business of selling cloud storage to both government agencies and private individuals who might rightly object to their data being sold. Wichowski examines the behavior of net states IRL—in real life, that is—in such places as hurricane-damaged Puerto Rico, where Tesla and Google turned out to be more helpful than the federal government. She looks deeply into issues of privacy and the rights of technology users, whom so many of the net states seem to regard as mere troves of data.

Wichowski notes that infrastructure improvements are likelier to be made by net states than “real” ones, all with a clear eye toward a future in which they are truly sovereign. She concludes her eminently accessible, deeply researched exploration by proposing that business models change so that consumers can more easily protect their data—but for a price, for “if our data, privacy, and sense of power are precious to us, then we need to offer something else that’s valuable. And just about everyone values money.” That may strike some as blackmail, but it seems eminently sensible given how much of it is afloat in the world, especially in the hands of nefarious actors.

Civil libertarians as well as geopolitics buffs and tech geeks will find much of value here.

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Masterful explorations of the Golden State by a leading historian of the American West.

White (American History/Stanford Univ.; The Republic for Which It Stands: The United States During Reconstruction and the Gilded Age, 1865-1896, 2017, etc.) teams with his photographer son, Jesse, in a fruitful, highly illuminating collaboration born of a dare to shape a historical text out of an assemblage of images.

The result is, the author admits, incomplete: The story of Watts is absent, that of Silicon Valley hinted at, and “the state’s frequently peculiar politics sometimes enter the story, but more often do not.” Nonetheless, White dismantles and builds at the same time, interrogating the well-worn story of Sir Francis Drake’s landing at Point Reyes and complicating the subsequent enshrinement by Episcopalian monument builders with the fact that their hero was a pirate, which “made the celebration of his religious faith incongruous.” The author returns to Point Reyes to recount the working-class immigrants who made a living there, a narrative of Japanese and Italian households that picnicked together but were subjected to different fates when World War II arrived; that narrative is braced by historical photographs and Jesse’s sweeping landscapes. White’s principal interest lies precisely with those working people who made California, among them the Native peoples who labored in the irrigated orchards and vegetable beds outside the main mission compound at San Fernando: “Gardens were for contemplation and relaxation; in the huertas, people worked.” At Point Reyes again, he examines the lives of the men, women, and children at the “alphabet ranches” (named D Ranch, F Ranch, and so on) who worked as tenants in places where the ranchers hoped “that good years would outnumber bad.” Sometimes they were right, a fact that has kept people coming to California in endless numbers for generations. White gives them voice, writing thoughtfully of the many cultures and ethnicities that have contributed to building the state.

Necessary reading for students of California history and a model for place-based historical studies to come. (109 color illustrations; 9 maps)

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THE WATERGATE GIRL My Fight for Truth and Justice Against a Criminal President Wine-Banks, Jill Henry Holt (272 pp.) $27.99 | Feb. 25, 2020 978-1-250-24432-1

A timely reminder of a notorious scandal that resulted in a president’s impeachment.

In 1973, Wine-Banks, now a legal analyst for MSNBC and formerly Illinois solicitor general and deputy attorney general, joined a government task force assigned to investigate the Nixon administration’s burglary of the Democratic National Committee headquarters in the Watergate building. In her absorbing debut memoir, the author recalls her experiences as a young lawyer participating in what was then “the biggest political scandal in US history”: questioning witnesses, wresting tapes from the White House, dealing with blatant sexism from some of her male colleagues and superiors, and, at the same time, facing the deterioration of her marriage. Among the witnesses, Nixon’s secretary Rose Mary Woods proved frustrating for Wine-Banks, who worried that her demeanor in confronting the stalwart Woods reflected her “youth and vulnerability.”

Repeatedly questioned about the erasure of 18 minutes from a crucial White House tape, Woods maintained that she had done it accidentally. Also frustrating was the wily Jeb Magruder, whom the author characterizes as a consummate liar, whose testimony was vital for the case. “Often, when I questioned Magruder,” Wine-Banks writes, “I could feel my chest tightening and my voice turning harsh and scolding.” Despite Nixon’s refusal to hand over the key tapes, claiming that no court could “compel a president to any action,” a grand jury, comprised of ordinary Americans, did just that, “unafraid to challenge the president of the United States, the most powerful man in the world.” The author’s portrayal makes the impeachment process, which received bipartisan support, seem almost quaint. Today, she sees history repeating itself in a “more complicated political, social, and cultural landscape than existed in the 1970s.” “Like Nixon,” she writes, “Trump is corrupt, amoral, vindictive, paranoid, ruthless, and narcissistic.” But he is more dangerous, she believes, “because he exceeds Nixon in hatefulness and venality” and “puts in peril the fundamental principles on which our nation was founded.”

A penetrating, firsthand view of history.

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ODETTA A Life in Music and Protest Zack, Ian Beacon (288 pp.) $28.95 | Apr. 14, 2020 978-0-8070-3532-0

One of the leading voices of the mid-20th-century folk revival receives her biographical due.

In a narrative that is both effectively researched and engagingly readable, Zack (Say No to the Devil: The Life and Musical Genius of Rev. Gary Davis, 2015) is convincing in his argument that Odetta Holmes (1930-2008) has been underappreciated for too long, and he shows how and why her reign as the “Queen of Folk” was over before folk music hit its commercial peak. When folk music, progressive politics, and the civil rights movement were forging a unity of conviction in the 1950s, the young Odetta was clearly the right artist at the right time, with a moral fervor in her powerful lower register that could bring audiences to their knees. She wasn’t threatening in the manner of ex-convict Lead Belly, and she hadn’t suffered the blacklisting taint of Pete Seeger and other more overtly leftist singers. With her regal bearing and impressive vocal talents, Odetta proved inspirational to audiences and fellow artists alike. “When I first heard her…my knees went to jelly,” said Joan Baez, who then rose to fame as younger white performers began to find the commercial success that had eclipsed anything Odetta had achieved— and deserved. Their success made her bitter, and she felt that even her longtime manager, Albert Grossman, had betrayed her.

Odetta charged that as the first client managed by the man who would become a legend with a stable including Bob Dylan and Peter, Paul, and Mary, he “built his business on my back and I never benefited from it.” Stronger management might well have nurtured her potential as an actress and helped her to navigate the sea changes of the 1970s through the end of the century, when her performing draw diminished and her recording career stalled. She also battled alcohol addiction and was often branded as difficult offstage. Regardless of her struggles, Zack brings her back into the spotlight.

An effective biography that demonstrates Odetta’s wide, deep legacy. (photo insert)

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A searing account of how the author came to terms with her ex-husband’s unexpected death from a hidden drug addiction. smacked

SMACKED A Story of White-Collar Ambition, Addiction, and Tragedy Zimmerman, Eilene Random House (272 pp.) $27.00 | Feb. 4, 2020 978-0-525-51100-7

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A searing account of how the author came to terms with her ex-husband’s unexpected death from a hidden drug addiction.

A few years after their divorce, New York Times contributor Zimmerman found her ex-husband, Peter, dead in his Del Mar, California, home. She knew he had been struggling for more than a year with “weight loss, chronic flu, sleepiness, ‘nodding’ (falling asleep suddenly), bruises, sores, [and] scratching.” He was also missing family get-togethers and outings with their two teenage children. A couple months before his death, Peter had told her that doctors had diagnosed him with an autoimmune disorder called Hashimoto’s disease. But his autopsy told a different story: Peter had died from “some combination of infection and heart failure” brought on by “injection drug abuse.” In her candid reflections on their marriage and the months leading up to his death, Zimmerman revisits her interactions with Peter to understand how and why the man who seemed to have everything—a partnership in a respected law firm, a beautiful home, and more money than he ever dreamed possible—would succumb to cocaine and opioid addiction. As she recounts, Peter had displayed many signs of drug abuse, including forgetfulness and increased hostility, and their son had even reported seeing him unpack an Amazon box full of “cotton balls and Band Aids and needles and alcohol pads.” Yet Zimmerman had missed them all because her upper-middle-class ex-husband did not fit the stereotype of an addict. Her subsequent research into white-collar drug abuse revealed that while genetics had likely played a role in Peter’s death; so had the brutal demands of the modern working world. Many of the young professionals she interviewed reported the need to turn to performance-enhancing psycho-stimulants like Adderall and LSD to manage those demands. Intimate and disturbing, the narrative chronicles the tragic impact of drug addiction on a family and lays bare truths about a success-at-all-costs capitalist society in which many social relationships are becoming fractured.

A timely reading experience in these hectic times.

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children’s JUDAH TOURO DIDN’T WANT TO BE FAMOUS

These titles earned the Kirkus Star:

Ades, Audrey Illus. by Mildenberger, Vivien Kar-Ben (32 pp.) $17.99 | Apr. 7, 2020 978-1-5415-4561-8

WINDOW by Marion Arbona..............................................................85 LIKE NOTHING AMAZING EVER HAPPENED

by Emily Blejwas..................................................................................87 ONE LITTLE BAG by Henry Cole........................................................ 89 MADAME BADOBEDAH by Sophie Dahl; illus. by Lauren O’Hara....................................................................... 94 A STOPWATCH FROM GRAMPA by Loretta Garbutt; illus. by Carmen Mok..........................................................................100 SUMMER SONG by Kevin Henkes; illus. by Laura Dronzek...........102 CHILD OF THE UNIVERSE by Ray Jayawardhana; illus. by Raúl Colón............................................................................ 104 WHEN MY BROTHER GETS HOME by Tom Lichtenheld.................106 IN THE ROLE OF BRIE HUTCHENS... by Nicole Melleby...............109 THE GHOUL by Taghreed Najjar; illus. by Hassan Manasra; trans. by Michel Moushabeck.............................................................. 111 THE LONELY HEART OF MAYBELLE LANE

by Kate O’Shaughnessy....................................................................... 112 HIKE by Pete Oswald.......................................................................... 113 PRAIRIE LOTUS by Linda Sue Park.................................................. 113 ¡VAMOS! LET’S GO EAT by Raúl the Third; illus. by the author with Elaine Bay..................................................................................116

The successful business life and subsequent philanthropy of one of early America’s wealthiest and most pious Jews are recounted in a picture-book biography.

Raised by his uncle, Isaac Hays, a founder of Boston’s first bank, Judah learned much about shipping, real estate, and trade before setting off on his own at the dawn of the 19th century.

A quiet, private man, Judah made his fortune in New Orleans trading New England products. After being wounded during the War of 1812, Judah began to concentrate on putting his wealth toward charitable causes. Simply drawn illustrations in muted brown, gray, and blue hues have both a childlike feel and the look of crayons or colored pencil in combination with watercolor; this results in a humble view not often seen in representations of New Orleans and appropriately reflects the story’s themes. The easy-flowing narrative tells how this son of a rabbi in a Sephardic immigrant family adhered to the Jewish tradition of giving inconspicuously, to causes both local and all over the world, hoping to avoid recognition for his good deeds.

Some of these were paying for the freedom of enslaved African Americans, a few of whom are included in one illustration alongside the pale-skinned Judah. The author’s notes provide some added information about the benefactor’s family and his legacy.

A candid introduction to a little-known figure in Jewish American history. (Picture book/biography. 7-9)

YOU CALL THIS DEMOCRACY? by Elizabeth Rusch...................... 118

LITTLE ONE

THE BEAR IN MY FAMILY by Maya Tatsukawa..............................120

Almada, Ariel Andrés Illus. by Wimmer, Sonja Trans. by Brokenbrow, Jon Cuento de Luz (32 pp.) $16.95 | Feb. 1, 2020 978-84-16733-72-9

TRENDING by Kira Vermond; illus. by Clayton Hanmer.................122 THE WEATHER’S BET adapt. by Ed Young with Steven Cowan; illus. by Ed Young................................................................................126 IN THE GARDEN by Emma Giuliani................................................ 131 A POTATO ON A BIKE by Elise Gravel............................................. 131

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A precious paean to a beloved child.

Two parents’ gentle welcome to their young child lovingly explains what to expect of the world. This introduction to the wonders and adventures all around and that lie ahead is matched by colorful, whimsical illustrations |

Arbona’s teeming scenes should inspire both close observation and new compositions by young readers/artists. window

featuring flowers, foods, animals, diverse people and landscapes, toys, and more. There’s so much to see and explore, little one!

And guess what? As the adults help the child to grow, their offspring will, in turn, “through the eyes of a child,” help them “discover the world once again.” This Spanish import expresses sweet sentiments, and even though the book enters an alreadycrowded field of similar titles, it will make a fine gift at a baby shower or just after a child’s birth; further, it provides vocabulary to help new parents tell their child what the world has to offer and how they can navigate it together as a loving, supportive family. Whether the book works equally successfully as a read-aloud to a young child is open to question, however, as some concepts may confuse very little ones. The delightful illustrations lift this above many others of its ilk; the captivating opening spread shows the sleeping face of a brown-haired white infant surrounded by birds, butterflies, and flowers as the adults tell the child that “Everything around you has been created for you.”

A charming if adult-centric ode. (Picture book. 3-5)

Braids flying, bespectacled Martha heads home from school, vividly imagining what’s behind the windows lining an urban street.

While Martha, looking up, traverses each otherwise blank, white verso page by degrees, each recto’s deceptively staid, delicately rendered window “opens” along a centered gatefold, revealing multifarious black-and-white scenes with decidedly surreal touches. Behind a ledge with drooping potted plants, a veritable torrid zone thrives as a gardener tends its elaborate flora and fauna. A shuttered window hides vampires playing badminton among a colony of bats. A dainty fringed shade obscures a woman straight from Grimm, reading 101 Ways To Cook a Child as her cauldron bubbles. (Her intended victim, ostensibly having consumed the conspicuously included How To Escape, bolts right out of the picture.) French Canadian author/illustrator Arbona’s wordless tableaux include magical mushrooms, bioluminescent sea creatures, a sleeping giant, and a cozy library full of reading animals. Kids will appreciate the use of “almost 20” felt pens for these pictures, whose fine lines, crosshatching, and infinitesimal dots evoke Edward Gorey. The visual mayhem, meanwhile, channels Jon Agee, Fernando Krahn, and even Mad magazine. The 13th gatefold lands Martha at home in a cozy bedroom surrounded by objects that were transmogrified in earlier illustrations and where, flopped on the floor, the child draws. Most humans are as white as the page; people of color are tinted gray.

Arbona’s teeming scenes should inspire both close observation and new compositions by young readers/artists. (Picture book. 4-8) |

Adapt. by Atwater, Barbara J. & Atwater, Ethan J. Illus. by Dwyer, Mindy Alaska Northwest Books (32 pp.) $16.99 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-5132-6267-3

Chia, an orphaned boy, is used to going to bed unloved and hungry until the night he hears an unusual noise.

Alone and with no one to care for him, Chia seeks refuge in the house of a rich man of the village, as is the custom. This winter, however, life is rough for everyone: Hunters and fishermen work hard, but they return home at night empty-handed.

Still, Chia, like all the villagers, has chores to be done: cutting firewood, hauling water, feeding the dogs. One night, a fierce wind blasts open the door, and the rich man shouts for him to latch it. Chia will, but first he has a hunch. Going into the storm, he discovers Fox Man chopping at a glacier with a duguli. Spontaneously, Chia seizes the axe, reasoning that without it, Fox Man cannot continue causing the wind and snow. Chia narrates his story in the first person, describing his distress when Fox Man confronts him back in the rich man’s house, demanding his duguli back; he needs it for his work. Chia understands he’s done wrong and returns the tool—and the villagers’ fortunes improve. The Atwaters retell this Alaskan Dena’ina teaching story, learned from their great uncle, folding Dena’ina words in where appropriate. (Phonetic pronunciations are provided on the page, and there is a glossary in the backmatter.) Dwyer’s muted but lively use of color and line brings the story to life.

Gracefully teaches a critical life lesson. (Picture book/folk tale. 4-8)

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WINDOW

Arbona, Marion Illus. by the author Kids Can (32 pp.) $17.99 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-5253-0136-0

CHIA AND THE FOX MAN An Alaskan Dena’ina Fable

WHO GOT GAME? Baseball: Amazing but True Stories!

Barnes, Derrick Illus. by Bajet, John John Workman (176 pp.) $12.95 paper | Mar. 17, 2020 978-1-5235-0553-1

A fizzy compendium of baseball feats, firsts, and lore from Newbery Honoree and Kirkus Prize winner Barnes (Crown, illustrated by Gordon C. James, 2017).

Although Barnes doesn’t really stick to the “unheralded figures and untold stories” he says he’ll highlight, still he does tuck some less-heralded hijinks and heroes into an anecdotal rush that captures the “joy and wonderment that is baseball.”

So, along with tributes to the likes of Satchel Paige and Negro Leagues founder Rube Foster, he tips a cap to Ozzie Vergil, the first Dominican major leaguer; slugger Hank Greenberg, the “Hebrew Hammer”; “Tommy John” surgeon Dr. Frank Jobe; and four African Americans who played professionally before kirkus.com

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period power 50 years after margaret Leah Overstreet

“We must—we must—we must increase our bust!”

2020 is a big anniversary year: the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment; the 200th anniversaries of the launch of the Beagle and Maine’s statehood; the 400th anniversary of the descent of English colonialists on the Wampanoag—or the landing of the Mayflow­ er at Plymouth Rock, if you prefer.

But there’s another anniversary that may not get quite so much attention, and that’s the 50th anniversary of the publication of Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.

Since 1970, Judy Blume’s classic novel has ushered countless girls through puberty despite the persistent actions of prudish adults to keep it out of their hands.

I remember when it made the rounds of my fifth grade classroom, revealing to us the mysteries to come. I don’t recall anyone ever doing the bust-building exercise 35 times, as Margaret’s friend Nancy instructs, “if you ever want to get out of those baby bras.” Nor did my friends and I keep a Boy Book. But we all waited on tenterhooks, just like Margaret, for our periods to start.

Kirkus’ reviewer did not seem to love the book.

Though they felt that Margaret’s quest for a faith identity was “promising,” they found “danger in the preoccupation with the physical signs of puberty.” They are downright disappointed that, after a brief cessation of communication with the divine, Margaret “resumes talking to God…to thank him for that telltale sign of womanhood,” her period. Kirkus’ disapproval did nothing to keep Blume’s book from rooting itself in the adolescent experiences of millions of readers.

Flash-forward 50 years to Go With the Flow (First Second, Jan. 14), written by Lily Williams and Karen Schneeman and illustrated by Williams. (An interview with the authors appears on page 98.) This graphic novel ages its protagonists a few years; Abby, Brit, and Christine are high school sophomores who come to the rescue of new classmate Sasha when her first period arrives on the day she wears white jeans to school, an act that turns this trio of fast friends into a quartet. For these cis girls, their 86

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period is not a magical threshold to cross from girlhood to womanhood but a natural, often messy and uncomfortable, regular occurrence that is just part of their lives.

Abby, Brit, and Christine give Sasha tips on how to use the supplies her mother wordlessly leaves on her bed following discovery of her daughter’s stained jeans, their frank, friendly wisdom reaching young readers effortlessly. “I don’t wear [tampons] on my painful cramp days,” says Brit, who struggles with endometriosis. “Have you ever taken out a dry tampon?” asks Christine, with a grimace that communicates everything Sasha needs to know to allow her to conclude, “I don’t think I’m ready for tampons just yet.” Abby provides validation: “It’s whatever floats your boat.”

Their story includes more than periods, encompassing academics, extracurriculars, and nascent physical attraction to both boys and other girls—just like those of so many adolescents who have periods. But the deepred duotone art makes sure menstruation’s on readers’ minds, and threading through the girls’ daily lives is Abby’s activism to get their school to keep the feminine-hygiene vending machines stocked—or better yet, provide supplies for free. Her cleareyed understanding of the casual misogyny that underlies the so-called “pink tax” is bracing, framing menstruation as one front in a fight for gender equity.

It’s not a totally inclusive book; Abby’s reflection that “obviously, women aren’t the only ones who menstruate” may have readers wishing for a prominent trans or nonbinary character to add real-world complexity. But in its feminist reexamination of Margaret’s “preoccupation,” it is, as our reviewer said, “just bloody perfect”—for cis girls teetering on the edges of their periods in our times and maybe for the next 50 years. —V.S. Vicky Smith is the children’s editor.

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Jackie Robinson. Not to mention a nine-inning, 49-run game and another that went 33 innings. In formal, neatly drawn cartoons, Bajet tones down some of the wilder incidents, giving his subjects—even mascots—dignified presences and, usually, welcoming smiles. Fans budding or confirmed will need to look elsewhere for an organized baseball history or highlights reel, but they will come away feeling as if they’d sat in the bleachers with a true enthusiast who’s helped them earn “some idea of how much of a challenge it was for players of color, players from outside the United States, and for women to be part of this beautiful game.”

An ebullient collection of stunning comebacks, awesome athletes, and achievements both grand and dubious. (bibliography, glossary) (Nonfiction. 9-11)

LIKE NOTHING AMAZING EVER HAPPENED

Justin and his family are struggling to adjust to life now that his father has died in an accident—or was it suicide?

One winter day in 1989, Justin’s father, a Vietnam War veteran who was obviously struggling with the aftereffects of his military service, stepped out for a moment. A little while later he was killed by a trolley in their Minnesota town. Justin is haunted by the loss of his father and the way it has twisted their lives. To keep them afloat, his older brother, Murphy, has selflessly given up baseball to work at the KFC, and his mother, too, is working long hours. At school, Justin can feel everyone’s eyes following him, making it hard to regain any sense of normalcy.

But there are many bright moments. Cute girl Jenni has taken a deep interest in him, and she’s not the only one. Justin’s best friend, Phuc, bus driver Rodney, and an almost-homeless man named Benny H. also gently provide needed support. With delicious, evocative writing, each character is lovingly depicted, and even a brash classmate that Justin misjudges has an illuminating backstory. As he navigates the days that follow his father’s death, it’s the goodness in all of these caring people that fills his heart. History—both his father’s and the Dakota nation’s, on whose land their town is built—becomes a way for Justin to make sense of the present. Phuc is the only Vietnamese kid at their school; other characters assume a white default.

Filled to the brim with optimism, friendship, and the joyous wonder of innate goodness—fabulous. (Historical fiction. 10-14)

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Dancing is one of the most universal elements of cultures the world over.

In onomatopoeic, rhyming text, Bolling encourages readers to dance in styles including folk dance, classical ballet, breakdancing, and line dancing. Read aloud, the zippy text will engage young children: “Tappity Tap / Fingers Snap,” reads the rhyme on the double-page spread for flamenco; “Jiggity-Jig / Zig-zag-zig” describes Irish step dancing. The ballet pages stereotypically include only children in dresses or tutus, but one of these dancers wears hijab. Overall, children included are racially diverse and vary in gender presentation. Diaz’s illustrations show her background in animated films; her active child dancers generally have the large-eyed sameness of cartoon characters. The endpapers, with shoes and musical instruments, could become a matching game with pages in the book. The dances depicted are described at the end, including kathak from India and kuku from Guinea, West Africa. Unfortunately, these explanations are quite rudimentary. Kathak dancers use their facial expressions extensively in addition to the “movements of their hands and their jingling feet,” as described in the book. Although today kuku is danced at all types of celebrations in several countries, it was once done after fishing, an activity acknowledged in the illustrations but not mentioned in the explanatory text.

The snappy text will get toes tapping, but the information it carries is limited. (Informational picture book. 4-6)

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Blejwas, Emily Delacorte (224 pp.) $16.99 | $19.99 PLB | Apr. 14, 2020 978-1-9848-4848-2 978-1-9848-4849-9 PLB

LET’S DANCE!

Bolling, Valerie Illus. by Diaz, Maine Boyds Mills (32 pp.) $17.99 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-63592-142-7

FINN AND THE INTERGALACTIC LUNCHBOX

Buckley, Michael Delacorte (288 pp.) $16.99 | $19.99 PLB | Apr. 28, 2020 978-0-525-64687-7 978-0-525-64688-4 PLB

Can the fate of the universe depend on a unicorn lunchbox?

Eleven-year-old Finn Foley, his mother, and his younger sister, Kate, moved to Cold Spring near the Hudson River when his dad walked out. He hates it. Every day since school started, bully Lincoln Sidana has made his life miserable. Their most recent dust-up lands them in the principal’s office, locked in until they become friends.

Totally unlikely…but then so is a wormhole opening in Kate’s lunchbox, brought by Finn to school by mistake. The wormhole sucks Finn in and spits out a high-tech robot named Highbeam.

Finn is quickly sucked back to Earth, but a strange piece of alien technology has grafted itself onto his chest—and every time he touches the lunchbox, he zips through space. Highbeam’s from a part of the universe where a race called the Plague—they look kirkus.com

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like giant locusts—has conquered and laid waste to countless civilizations. The Plague wants the wormhole generator, and now they know about Earth. Can Finn and friends defeat an intergalactic scourge? Buckley kicks off his new SF/adventure series with this high-energy, slightly sarcastic opener. Realistic kids, wild aliens, and unicorns sure to surprise readers add to the fun. Finn presents white, but the supporting cast is multiethnic, mostly cued by naming convention (Lincoln’s implied South Asian). The whizz-bang, globe-threatening finish has closure but sets up Book 2 nicely.

If the laughs don’t keep the pages turning, the action will. (Science fiction. 8-12)

NAZI PRISON CAMP ESCAPE

Burgan, Michael Harper/HarperCollins (112 pp.) $15.99 | Apr. 28, 2020 978-0-06-286036-1 Series: Great Escapes

The tale of a real-life pilot’s many attempts to escape from German prisoner-of-war camps in World War II. Bill Ash, a poor, white Texas man, is so eager to fight Nazis that he can’t wait for America. Instead, more than a year before the United States joins the war, Bill goes to Canada and enlists in the Royal Air Force. He loves being a Spitfire pilot, but he’s soon shot down in France and, after some time in hiding, is sent to Stalag Luft III, a POW camp. Protected by the Geneva Conventions, the POWs are treated much better than Nazi prisoners in concentration camps or death camps (explained in one of several historical sidebars). That doesn’t mean Bill is content to stay safely imprisoned, however. Desperate to get back to the fighting, he unsuccessfully attempts to escape from imprisonment time and time again even as the Nazis punish him with time in “the cooler.”

Some of his attempts are merely opportunistic, such as dashing from a work detail for freedom. Others are elaborate, such as a pleasantly gross tale of digging a tunnel underneath the latrines, complete with ingenious contraptions jury-rigged from Red Cross relief parcels. With the POWs’ (historically accurate) insulation from the war’s atrocities, this becomes a mostly lowstakes, exciting tale of wartime derring-do. Invented dialogue tips this story over into fiction.

A soldier’s stubborn persistence in a sanitized but still interesting adventure. (author’s note, bibliography) (Hi­storical fiction. 8-10)

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NOT PLAYING BY THE RULES 21 Female Athletes Who Changed Sports

Cline-Ransome, Lesa Knopf (48 pp.) $18.99 | $21.99 PLB | Apr. 21, 2020 978-1-5247-6453-1 978-1-5247-6454-8 PLB

Focusing on mostly U.S. athletes, Cline-Ransome offers snapshots of some revolutionary athletes who brought change to the gender makeup of sports.

Organized by date of birth, starting with Constance Applebee, a British immigrant who, in the early 1900s, brought field hockey to U.S. college campuses as a women’s sport, and ending with present-day baseball star Mo’ne Davis, this showcases a small selection of women athletes in successive double-page spreads. The design is flashy, but it also gets in the way of the book’s effectiveness. Each bio includes a full-page photo with an inspirational quote printed over it in cursive type; these are unreferenced, often decontextualized, and sometimes confusing. Within the bios, the writing is engaging, with ample use of direct quotes by and about athletes, capturing their personalities and achievements. There is no introduction, however, and with no statement of scope or mission, it leaves readers to wonder why these specific athletes and facts were chosen. The hardto-read white text on brightly colored backgrounds is at times anecdotal, and with no source notes or any kind of bibliographic references, readers cannot follow up or verify details. Each bio ends midcareer, but a backmatter section titled “After the Whistle” gives a wrap-up of each athlete’s life. Unfortunately, the absence of pagination will make it hard for young readers to cross-reference these with the main bios, and it is only here where the athletes’ more controversial sides come to light.

Multiple design flaws make this a hard pass. (Collective biography. 10-14)

CROCODILES NEED KISSES TOO

Colby, Rebecca Illus. by Dullaghan, Penelope Viking (40 pp.) $17.99 | Apr. 7, 2020 978-0-451-48007-1 Even rough animals need affection.

Rhyming verses with bang-on scansion declare that animals who are considered noncuddly still need cuddles: “Despite their lumpy, bumpy hide, / toothy mouths stretched open wide, // just like me and just like you, / crocodiles need kisses too.” These porcupines, rattlesnakes, vultures, sharks, tigers, tarantulas, and gorillas also need squeezes, nuzzles, smooches, and tickles. The animals’ textually described dangerousness juxtaposes with the art, which shows gentle creatures: A rattlesnake’s “pointy fangs” are too rounded to puncture anything; tigers evoke mischievous toddlers; a |

Meticulous attention to composition, textures, and period detail makes each page a delight. one little bag

porcupine’s “prickly spines, / sharpened quills raised up in lines,” far from being raised, actually angle downward as the critter peers meekly out from behind a tree. A shark fin is daunting, and a tarantula’s huge legs crawling out toward readers may startle them, but both sharks and tarantulas have affable smiles and harmless, curved bodies after each page turn reveals the whole creature. An ending twist changes the crocodile into a (brown-skinned) child in a crocodile suit, receiving hugs from a (lighter-skinned) adult. Dullaghan’s illustrations use acrylic paint texture well. However, they have a casual air and a lack of punch that, instead of creating meaningful juxtaposition with the verses, dilute the text’s hardiness and specificity. Sometimes the art leans toward the saccharine—rattlesnake bodies forming a heart—and Colby’s cloying ultimate moral that “children need affection too” isn’t particularly useful to child or adult readers.

Genial but forgettable. (Picture book. 2-5)

ONE LITTLE BAG An Amazing Journey

THE WONDROUS DINOSAURIUM

Condon, John Illus. by Brown, Steve Maverick Publishing (32 pp.) $17.99 | Apr. 7, 2020 978-1-84886-474-0 Yet another child learns that dinosaurs make exciting, if chancy, pets.

On the prowl for a pet, Danny walks past shop windows displaying puppies and kittens to enter the titular storefront… where “Mr. Ree, purveyor of prehistoric pets,” offers him any dino he might desire. Unfortunately his first pick, Diplodocus lon­ gus, eats half a ton of veggies per day; his second, Tyrannosaurus rex (“Ooh, brave choice”), is too, well, “drooly”; and later ones— unnamed but brightly patterned, smiling, and recognizably depicted in Brown’s cartoon scenes—prove likewise impractical or unsatisfactory. (Confirmed dinophiles might be able to tag the unidentified beasts, but there is no key for paleontological

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Cole, Henry Illus. by the author Scholastic (48 pp.) $18.99 | Apr. 7, 2020 978-1-338-35997-8

This wordless picture book traces one brown paper bag’s journey: from timber and manufacturing through the hands of a small, white boy and his single father to those of the next generation.

The skilled black-ink drawings lend a look of pleasant harmony to all the characters that populate the pages, from woodland creatures to humans of various ages and gender and racial presentations. Meticulous attention to composition, textures, and period detail—starting around the 1960s—makes each page a delight. The common feature of each scene is a brown paper bag, which the protagonist’s father decorates with a red heart on his son’s first day of school—the book’s only pops of color. After its first use for the boy’s lunch, the bag becomes a never-ending vessel-of-all-trades. As the boy grows up, the bag serves as, among other things, a de facto lampshade over a flashlight to quell nightmares; a bag for automotive tools; receptacle for an engagement ring when the protagonist, now a young man, proposes to his girlfriend, a black woman; a petal container for the wedding’s flower girl; and a collection bag when the protagonist’s child gathers seashells with grandpa. Because there are no words, children are left to draw their own conclusions from an eventual drawing of the grandfather’s empty chair. (Is he wintering in some warm place? The planting of a pine seedling, its roots protected by that paper bag, offers an alternative interpretation.) The subtitle will disappoint those who equate “amazing” with narratives outside a common, middle-class, heteronormative life. However, the bag’s durability is amazing— and, according to the author’s fascinating note, not impossible.

Beautifully effective as both nostalgia trip and lesson in conservation. (Picture book. 3- 7) |

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Beautiful, realistic paintings show refugee children and adults working, playing, sharing, and making the best out of what they have. wherever i go

newbies.) Condon works the well-worn premise to a happy resolution, as the pet Danny finally brings home in a box turns out to be not an ordinary tortoise, as his mother thinks at first sight, but a spiky-tailed, tortoiselike Meiolania from the Middle Miocene, small enough to pick up…at first, anyway. Aside from a background figure in one scene, the human cast is uniformly white. José Carlos Andrés and Ana Sanfelippo’s Adopting a Dino­ saur (2019), Jason Cockcroft’s How To Take Care of Your Dinosaur (2019), and Diego Vaisberg’s Dino (2018) are but three recent examples of the superior treatments available.

A bland but amiable iteration. (Picture book. 6-8)

ANIMOLOGY The Big Book of Letter Art Alphabeasts

Coote, Maree Illus. by he author Melbournestyle Books/Trafalgar (72 pp.) $24.99 | Feb. 1, 2020 978-0-9924917-9-6

A large-format letter-art menagerie from the Australian creator of Spellbound: Making Pictures With the A-B-C (2016).

Coote freely mixes typefaces, sizes, weights, and orientations but uses only the letters in the names of her animals (often repeatedly) to create 36 portraits—each on its own spread and rendered in a different, vivid color scheme. Presented in no discernible order, the animals, ranging from frog to koala, with elk, crab, and Afghan hound, among others, in between, are all composed of elaborate swirls and cascades, from which viewers are invited to pick out the letters with help from typographically consonant captions. While the pictures alone are an eyeful, the rhymed quatrains that accompany each add not only further letter-related prompts, but fresh washes of wit: “The hues of a chameleon / Depend on what she’s kneeling on.” (The emu’s reference to being on a “coat-of-arms” may confuse readers on this end of the Pacific, but a closing page of typographical and natural-history notes, in very tiny type, includes an explanation.)

Budding letter detectives who’ve honed their skills on similarly themed outings such as Roberto de Vicq de Cumptich’s magisterial Bembo’s Zoo (2000) or Michael Arndt’s clever Cat Says Meow (2014) will still find their work cut out for them here.

A fresh tribute to the creative possibilities of letterform art: stylish and sophisticated. (Picture book/poetry. 6-9)

WHEREVER I GO

Copp, Mary Wagley Illus. by Mohammed, Munir D. Atheneum (32 pp.) $17.99 | Apr. 21, 2020 978-1-5344-1919-3 pian refugee camp.

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As Abia moves through Shimelba Camp, she is full of pride and hides neither her skills nor her vibrant imagination. She plays pretend with her friends on the fields, sings while pumping water from the well, and soothes her baby cousin to sleep.

Abia shares her story as a self-described queen in the camp, bearing a crown fashioned from acacia twigs by her father.

Beautiful, realistic paintings portray the challenging everyday lives of refugees in the northern Ethiopian camp and, notably, show refugee children and adults working, playing, sharing, and making the best out of what they have. Their life is difficult but not pitiable, and although Abia’s father longs to move on, Abia is dubious about leaving the only life she’s known. Queen Abia listens to her mother narrating how they ran away from their village when she was a baby, escaping fighters and then lions and hyenas. She is proud of her story and takes it with her as her family gets resettled in a developed country and adjusts to life there after over seven years of living as a refugee. She is Queen Abia wherever she goes. The book is enriched with an informative note by the author about refugees and lists of additional children’s books about the topic.

A fine addition to children’s literature about refugees, resettlement, and resilience. (Picture book. 6-9)

FINALLY, SOMETHING MYSTERIOUS

Cornett, Doug Knopf (256 pp.) $16.99 | $19.99 PLB | Apr. 14, 2020 978-1-9848-3003-6 978-1-9848-3004-3 PLB Only children, rejoice! A cozy mystery just for you! (People with siblings will probably enjoy it too.)

Debut novelist Cornett introduces the One and Onlys, a trio of mystery-solving only kids: Gloria Longshanks “Shanks” Hill, Alexander “Peephole” Calloway, and narrator Paul (alas, no nickname) Marconi. The trio has a knack for finding and solving low-level mysteries, but they come up against a true head-scratcher when the yard of a resident of their small town is covered in rubber ducks overnight. Working ahead of Officer Portnoy, who’s a little on the slow side, can Paul, Shanks, and Peephole solve the mystery? Cornett has a lot of fun with this adventure, dropping additional side mysteries, a subplot about small businesses, big corporations, and economics, and a town’s love of bratwurst into the mix. Most importantly, he plays fair with the clues throughout, allowing astute readers to potentially solve the case ahead of the trio. The tone and mystery are perfect for younger readers who want to test their detective skills but are put off by anything scary or gory.

The pacing would serve well for chapter-by-chapter read-alouds.

If there are any quibbles, it’s the lack of diversity of the cast, as it defaults white. Diversity exists in small towns, and this one is crying out for more. Hopefully a sequel will introduce additional faces.

Delightful fun for budding mystery fans. (Mystery. 8-12) |

MACCA THE ALPACA

Cosgrove, Matt Illus. by the author Scholastic (24 pp.) $14.99 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-338-60282-1

Macca, an uber-cuddly alpaca, lives a carefree life until he crosses paths with a

llama bully.

The llama, not-so-subtly named Harmer, is downright awful.

He kicks, yells, taunts, and steals in a single page of illustration.

An allegorical story ensues in which Macca and Harmer face off in what turns out to be a battle of wits. With each challenge presented, Macca bests Harmer not through brute strength but through the clever use of a tool. At the final challenge, racing up a mountain, Macca’s lithe physicality proves an asset, as his nimble body easily navigates the rocks. There is much in this book that readers will surely enjoy. The illustrations are emotive and humorous. The rhyming text is enjoyable to read aloud. It is

an anti-bullying tale with a satisfying comeuppance. The presentation of Macca as totally good and Harmer as totally bad, however, feels like a missed opportunity, as the lack of nuance renders the narrative patently pedantic. There is also a cringeworthy use of the term “karma” that appears when the llama bully plummets down the mountain. The inaccurate application of a spiritually significant term to imply that bad actors get what is coming to them simply because it rhymes conveniently with “llama” is dismissive and borderline offensive to adherents of Hinduism and Buddhism.

This moralizing modern fable favoring brains over brawn missteps. (Picture book. 4-8)

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INTERVIEWS & PROFILES

Scott Simon

THE NPR HOST BASED HIS MIDDLE-GRADE NOVEL, SUNNYSIDE PLAZA, ON A REAL-LIFE GROUP HOME IN CHICAGO WHERE HE ONCE WORKED

By Kathie Meizner Marcos Galvany

experiences in my life…and I hadn’t expected it to be. I just took it as a job to make ends meet. Working there you began to understand [the residents] as people with really rich, full lives. Pity was replaced with real admiration and even friendship. The experience affected my view of life, what it means to be a human being, a writer, a reporter, a father. I’ve always wanted to write something set in a home like that. Our daughter Elise, who’s now 16, told me, “You ought to make it a novel for young readers, because you always said the stuff you read when you’re my age really stays with you.” I studied the language with teachers and academics.

At the Seder the guests tell about their own pharaohs, about freedom and liberation, just as Sal and her fellow residents of Sunnyside Plaza begin to recognize and embrace their own agency.

Scott Simon is an award-winning journalist, NPR host, Chicago Cubs fan, father, and author of nine books. His most recent, Sunnyside Plaza (Little, Brown, Jan. 21), is a novel for middle-grade readers. Simon spoke with Kirkus about the story and its inspiration.

Your author’s note says that Sunnyside Plaza is a thank you to the people who knew you when you were a young man working in a halfway house.

Yes. It wasn’t called a halfway house. It was the Approved Home at 909 West Wilson Ave. in Chicago. The residents called it a hotel. Working there was one of the transformative 92

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Yes, and I think that was why the scene was there. I wanted to come up with something that would get them in Esther’s home and with Lon and his fiancee. I wanted to surround them with respectful and even loving outsiders but in a circumstance where they could be a part of things. Both of our daughters are adopted, and I remembered the first Seder dinner that we went to with our now 16-year-old in our arms. You get to the part about the little baby left in the bulrushes—it’s hard not to think of the little girl in your arms who was left on the street in China. I wanted to bring those people together to note that one way or another we all in this country have that kind of story. For Sal and for Mary it’s also an understanding that they fit into the world—the world can open its arms for them.

The scene where Sally and her friends go out to solve a crime is a bit scary, but they’re so immersed in it.

I wanted there to be that combination of trepidation on behalf of the reader yet excitement in the hearts of Sally and her friends. They were testing their wings in the greater world and found they could do it. There’s the woman who yells at them in the restaurant, but other than that they run into people who |

are either very considerate or at the worst maybe a little indifferent….I thought it was important to put them on their own outside of the confines of Sunnyside Plaza. I enjoyed doing that and walking those steps on the North Side, as a matter of fact.

Were there things you had to leave on the cutting room floor?

As always, there’s something that’s interesting but doesn’t quite fit. The advice that Elise, our oldest daughter, and her best friend Adelaide gave me was “don’t make the book any longer than The Old Man and the Sea.” They thought it was the perfect length for a book!

Were there parts of Sally’s character that surprised you?

Kathie Meizner manages a public library in Maryland and reviews children’s books for Kirkus Reviews and the Washington Post.

Sunnyside Plaza received a starred review in the Oct. 1, 2019, issue.

A new student at Mermaid School is bullied.

Marnie’s levelheaded mother assures her Mermaid School’s lovely while Christabel, her vivacious celebrity aunt, recalls getting into loads of trouble—mostly earned, as she was a rule-averse prankster. In an often seen trope, Marnie’s first encounter with a fellow student is with bully Orla. The teachers, remembering the chaos Christabel left in her wake, aren’t inclined to give Marnie the benefit of the doubt when she falls victim to someone else’s prank—obviously Orla’s. But when Orla’s meanness is noticed by other students, who then shun her, Marnie sympathizes with her, learning the rather convoluted root of Orla’s hostility. Evidently Christabel promised to play Orla’s sister’s song on the radio but didn’t, depriving Orla’s sister of a showbiz career and forcing her to go and work in the dangerous Gulf of Mexico, where she’s gone missing after a hurricane. Following formula to a T, Orla runs off and gets in trouble, and Marnie follows after to save her, and then everyone becomes friends. From a character-development standpoint, Marnie’s goodness is undermined by her lack of personality. Marnie, her family, her best friend, and Orla are white; mermaids of color are present as second-tier characters. Readers who notice a throwaway line about Marnie’s absentee father’s career mining natural gas may hope for further exploration in sequels.

Unless mermaids really float your boat, toss this one back out to sea. (Fantasy. 7-11)

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I think that’s why you write a novel—for the characters to take over, isn’t it? I found that she was developing her own sense of humor and insight. In the home, people would come in from the outside to repair or deliver something.

They would look around with curiosity. Some people were good and wonderful, but some would say things like, “Well, are the people here nuts or something?” as if [the residents] were deaf and their feelings, to be disregarded. When we see that happen to Sally and understand implicitly that this is not the first time, she has strength and pride in how she addresses it. By the time she delivers that last speech, it’s a character teaching me things. I was so glad for that. As I was just telling our family the other night, I miss her already.

MERMAID SCHOOL

Courtenay, Lucy Illus. by Dempsey, Sheena Amulet/Abrams (128 pp.) $14.99 | Feb. 18, 2020 978-1-4197-4518-8 Series: Mermaid School, 1

THE BIGGEST STORY

Coyle, Sarah Illus. by Taylor, Dan Kane/Miller (32 pp.) $12.99 | Mar. 1, 2020 978-1-68464-045-4

When Errol’s mother is too busy to tell him a story, she convinces him that he can make up and tell one himself.

After a few jumping jacks and a headstand in the garden, Errol’s big story begins. Word quickly spreads about his project, and soon Errol, with brown skin and cottony black hair like his mom’s, finds himself surrounded by talking ants and cats, sheep who perform aerial stunts, animals escaped from a wildlife park, and even two time-traveling dinosaurs—all eager to be included as characters in his story. After she finishes her work with the plumbing, Errol’s mom comes to the garden to listen to the story he’s been working on, which includes all of the animals in the backyard—but she doesn’t seem to be able |

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O’Hara’s watercolor illustrations have a retro feel, with lighthearted views of the seaside hotel, Mabel and Madame—and some mermaids. madame badobedah

to see them. While Errol is telling the story, the illustrations move from full-page, fairly soft-focus bleeds to sequentially paneled cartoons with dialogue balloons and sound effects like those found in comic books. (Readers in the U.S. will note that a cat character in Errol’s story wields what it calls a “catapult”—the British term for a slingshot, which may require a bit of explanation from adults.) After the story ends, prompts are provided to encourage readers to make up their own stories.

A nifty way to encourage imaginative play and storytelling. (Picture book. 4- 7)

ALL ABOARD THE MOONLIGHT TRAIN

Crow, Kristyn Illus. by Won, Annie Doubleday (32 pp.) $17.99 | $20.99 PLB | Mar. 31, 2020 978-0-525-64543-6 978-0-525-64544-3 PLB Not sleepy? Then grab your ticket to the ride of a lifetime.

Young railroad enthusiasts with a reluctance for bedtime will heartily embrace this gentle trip on the ultimate animal train line. A small, Asian-presenting child reaches from a locomotive-shaped bed to snatch a ticket from the air, which spirits them to a train where “wild things await,” quite literally.

Whether it’s the toucan ticket taker, the elephant working the engines, or the warthog waiters in the dining car, there’s something to enjoy around every corner. And after all the delights have been sampled, the train drops the child off, safe and sound, at home with a final “Good night, good night, Moonlight Train!”

Won infuses her art with lighthearted, luminous energy. There is the titular moonlight, certainly, but also starlight, the light of hot coals, and cozy interior lamplight. Sharp-eyed spotters will enjoy finding the animals strewn about the child’s bedroom that show up on the train and its line at various times. Rhyming text maintains a regular rhythm in keeping with a chugging nighttime train. Every four-line stanza, with the exception of the last, ends with the call “All aboard the Moonlight Train!”—and sleepytime readers will be hankering to obey.

Part zoo, part train, all bedtime. (Picture book. 2-5)

MADAME BADOBEDAH

Dahl, Sophie Illus. by O’Hara, Lauren Walker US/Candlewick (56 pp.) $18.99 | Apr. 14, 2020 978-1-5362-1022-4 Is the newest resident of the Mermaid Hotel “an ancient supervillain on the run”?

Mabel, the young narrator, is an adventurer who likes to go barefoot, pockets full of small packets of marmalade and butter for snacks. When an imperious old 94

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woman, hair “red and crunchy, like a candy apple without the stickiness,” arrives with a great deal of baggage, two dogs, two cats, and a tortoise who skitters “along the floor like a man on a mission,” Mabel dubs her “Madame Badobedah (rhymes with ooooh la la).” Mabel is certain that the new occupant of Room 32 is a fugitive criminal, perhaps “an international jewel thief.”

Mabel peeks in through the keyhole. But, invited in for tea, Mabel tells Madame Badobedah about the pirate Anne Bonny, and the two imagine a wild escapade on the high seas. Mabel learns that Madame Badobedah had been a ballerina and had “crossed the sea on a big ship, because there was a war.” Dahl’s voice for Mabel is young and amusingly opinionated. O’Hara’s watercolor illustrations have a retro feel, with lighthearted views of the seaside hotel, Mabel and Madame—and some mermaids. All the characters are white. The appeal of Mabel’s fanciful take on the older woman’s past grows along with their friendship, transforming the poignancy and losses of old age into something sweetly adventuresome and glamorous.

A warmhearted tale of intergenerational connection.

(Picture book. 4-9)

AWESOME DOG 5000 VS. MAYOR BOSSYPANTS

Dean, Justin Illus. by the author Random House (224 pp.) $13.99 | $16.99 PLB | Mar. 3, 2020 978-0-525-64485-9 978-0-525-64487-3 PLB Series: Awesome Dog 5000, 2 Awesome Dog 5000 and the Zeroes Club return for another wacky adventure.

After an advertisement for the sequel of the kids’ favorite video game—starring Sheriff Turbo-Karate, who attacks with “infinity farts”—the story provides readers an explicit recap of series opener Awesome Dog 5000 (2019), reintroducing new kid Marty Fontana, daredevil Skyler Kwon, and trivia-spouting Ralph Rogers. Soon a threat emerges in the form of Mayor Manny Bossypants, a Napoleonic megalomaniac. When the unveiling of a giant statue of the mayor goes badly and Awesome Dog 5000 saves the day, he declares war on the heroes so that the spotlight will be his alone. Meanwhile, the heroes learn that the new video game’s affordable version, the “meh edition,” isn’t worth buying— but if they win the school science fair, they’ll be able to afford the “gold deluxe” version. When their early science-invention attempts fail, they gamble on concealing Awesome Dog in their machine, which leads to chaos as the mayor’s forces zero in on them. Along the way there’s a quickly resolved friendship plot and a message about responsibility that meshes surprisingly well with the silliness. The ending reveals a secret message hidden in the illustrations, which depict the characters rather as though they were cartoon Legos. Diversity among main characters is primarily conveyed through naming convention; Skyler’s implied Asian while Marty and Ralph present white.

A silly sugar rush of a story. (Science fiction. 7-11) |

WHEN GRANDPA GIVES YOU A TOOLBOX

Deenihan, Jamie L.B. Illus. by Rocha, Lorraine Sterling (32 pp.) $16.95 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-4549-3232-1

MALO AND THE MERRY-GO-ROUND

Dek, Maria Illus. by the author Princeton Architectual Press (34 pp.) $17.95 | Mar. 24, 2020 978-1-61689-875-5 In this French import, Malo the rodent has promised his best friend, Poto, that he will help make pickles, but Malo would much rather chase beetles instead.

Poto suggests a compromise: After Malo helps him make pickles, he says, they can both go play at a new merry-go-round at the pond in the forest. Poto gets no response, as Malo has already sneaked away in search of the merry-go-round. Along the way, a wild boar approaches Malo and asks for his help removing a tick that is biting him. Malo refuses, as he’s in a hurry to get to the merry-go-round. Malo also lies to a group of forest turtles who ask if they can join him, and he is rude to a cuckoo whom he initially asks for help. Things grow progressively worse for Malo, who slips on a dung beetle’s ball of dung |

EVERYONE LOVES A PARADE!*

Denish, Andrea Illus. by Franco, Guilherme Boyds Mills (32 pp.) $17.99 | Apr. 28, 2020 978-1-63592-140-3

Doesn’t everyone love a parade?

Beginning with Veteran’s Day, generally the first parade in the school year, and progressing chronologically, Denish and Franco capture the joyful chaos of long-standing parades like Thanksgiving, Chinese New Year, and Fourth of July as well as more recent or localized parades such as Pride Mardi Gras or the celebration of a sports championship. Most events are recognizable from illustrative or textual clues, but an informational paragraph about each parade in the backmatter clearly identifies each parade and its history. Vibrant, full-bleed illustrations show a diverse, multigenerational community participating in and enjoying each parade. Four lines of rhyming text describe each parade’s distinctive sights (“Friendly faces floating high. / Unicycles whizzing by. / Jazzy kickers, / Candy lickers”) and sounds (“Ladies clogging, clicks and claps”; “Firecrackers!

Boom. Fizz. BAM”). The book’s title acts as a refrain for each spread. But wait! There’s an asterisk at the end of the title— why? There are two reasons. Readers will discover the first at the end of the main text and will want to carefully review the illustrations in Where’s Waldo? fashion now that they know the one sort of person who does not love a parade. A careful read of the author’s bio provides the second reason, in the description of her preferred way to enjoy a parade.

A festive celebration of America’s more common parades. (Picture book. 4-8)

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A child changes their mind about a previously unwanted gift through a humorous and unexpected course of events.

“You wanted a special house for your dolls. But, surprise! It’s a…toolbox.” So begins this playful story, featuring a nameless young protagonist with straight black hair and brown skin. After a severe disappointment on their birthday when Grandpa offers an unwelcome present, the second-person narration offers helpful suggestions on how to accept the off-base gift with grace: be polite, patient, and appreciative. But “do not: launch it into outer space, feed it to a T. rex, or tie it to a wrecking ball.”

The main character promptly puts the spurned present out of mind until a sad bird with a windblown nest motivates them to dig out the toolbox and try their hand at a birdhouse. Soon, an intergenerational construction team is born, to the delight of neighbors in need of a new doghouse and a repair for their mailbox. All the hard work and learning pay off, both for the young woodworker’s community and for the child. Encouraged by their successful projects, the protagonist decides to “buil[d] exactly what [they] wanted: a special house for [their] dolls.”

Fans of When Grandma Gives You a Lemon Tree (2019) will love Deenihan and Rocha’s second effort, with its familiar message about perseverance and open-mindedness.

A lighthearted look at surviving disappointment and the secret joy of learning new things. (Picture book. 5-10)

just as he spots the merry-go-round. Finally, Malo reaches the ride, but he is not at all happy. Instead, he goes back to Poto in the hope that he might make things right. Dek’s fablelike text offers enough detail that readers will be a step or two ahead of Malo as he learns his lesson (and they will love the slapstick).

Its moral clarity, coupled with vibrant watercolor images against white space, makes this picture book a good text to use with groups.

A warm story about the importance of companionship and forgiveness. (Picture book. 3- 7)

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PETER’S WAR A Boy’s True Story of Survival in World War II Europe DeSaix, Deborah Durland & Ruelle, Karen Gray Illus. by DeSaix, Deborah Durland Holiday House (40 pp.) $18.99 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-0-8234-2416-0

Sympathetic and brave French citizens help a Jewish boy survive World War II. Born in Germany to comfortable and nonobservant Jewish parents, Peter Feigl has a good life. When Hitler comes to power, however, they move to Czechoslovakia, Austria, Belgium, and finally France in search of safety. When, ultimately, Peter’s parents are deported to Auschwitz, Peter finds shelter with French families on La Montagne Protestante, among a community of Huguenots. What follows is a harrowing time of hiding, tricking German soldiers, and finally being spirited to safety in Switzerland. Peter kept two diaries in which he recorded his feelings and activities, excerpts from which appear throughout. In an epilogue and notes, the authors provide more detailed and very accessible background information on French Resistance activities, the diaries, and the Holocaust as it affected one Jewish child who was in fact baptized. The account of their interviews with Peter should fascinate readers and perhaps encourage them to undertake similar projects. Graphiteand-watercolor illustrations complement the inclusion of many black-and-white photographs. This is a valuable addition to the shelves of Holocaust literature, highlighting both the singleminded determination of the Germans and the heroic efforts of one French community. Peter, who is multilingual, worked with the French Resistance and eventually moved to America, where he frequently speaks to groups about his wartime experiences.

An important, well-written account of survival against overwhelming odds. (map, bibliography, recommended resources) (Biography. 8-12)

LITTLE CHEETAH’S SHADOW

Dubuc, Marianne Illus. by the author Princeton Architectual Press (32 pp.) $17.95 | Apr. 7, 2020 978-1-61689-840-3

A shadowy revelation makes for a gentle story about friendship and understanding.

Little Cheetah’s shadow (fittingly named Little Shadow) has abandoned him. When Little Cheetah finally finds his companion, he learns that Little Shadow has felt neglected. Little Cheetah, his shadow says, is always in the lead and gets to choose where they go. Rather than respond defensively (“That doesn’t sound very nice at all,” he says instead), Little Cheetah quite literally lets his shadow take 96

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the lead (the laws of physics need not apply). Both get a sense of how it feels to walk in each other’s shoes, especially when Little Shadow inadvertently lets a door close on Little Cheetah’s tail, something about which Little Shadow had previously complained. The pair decides that walking side by side is best— until they reach a dark tunnel. Darkness erases the gray, transparent Little Shadow, so the solid, vividly orange Little Cheetah takes the lead, flashlight in hand. These empathetic characters make thoughtful efforts to gain perspective and understand each other in this earnest and sweet (but never cloying) story from the author of Otto and Pio (2019) and The Lion and the Bird (2014), two other tender tales of friendship. Dubuc’s colored pencil–and-watercolor illustrations on spacious, uncluttered spreads depict a tiny, intimate village of anthropomorphized creatures; Little Cheetah’s home is particularly cozy.

What compassion looks like—without a shadow of a doubt. (Picture book. 4- 7)

RED RED RED

Dunbar, Polly Illus. by the author Kane/Miller (32 pp.) $14.99 | Mar. 1, 2020 978-1-68464-026-3 This British import serves up lessons in emotional regulation, with a side of biscuits.

The young protagonist of this picture book has light brown skin, curly dark hair, and a taste for biscuits. (This British term for what Americans call cookies is preserved in the American edition.) Via first-person narration, the child thinks out loud while climbing a stool to reach a cookie jar high on the shelf— until “CRASH! BANG! BUMP!” Mum (who shares the child’s coloring) comes running to provide comfort, but she can’t head off her little one’s ensuing fit. Upset about the fall, the child rages, “My socks are down. My pants are twisted. / I want...I want...I WANT A BISCUIT!” A climactic spread gives the protagonist of Molly Bang’s When Sophie Gets Angry—Really Really Angry (1999) a run for her money. It depicts the child in a fullblown tantrum, spiky red lines emanating forth to dominate the page and bold, block letters filling one half of the spread to evoke furious yelling. Patient Mum intercedes and helps her child count to 10 to calm down while Dunbar’s art, typography, and symbolic scribbly lines combine to depict the child eventually relaxing. A scene of deep breathing precedes the final reward of a biscuit, and then another to stave off any risk of additional tantrums.

Help for coping when the cookie crumbles. (Picture book.

2-5)

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Dunklee writes a story that will feel familiar to readers who have younger siblings and sometimes need a little alone time. william’s getaway

WILLIAM’S GETAWAY

Dunklee, Annika Illus. by Kang, Yong Ling Owlkids Books (32 pp.) $16.95 | Mar. 15, 2020 978-1-77147-337-8

BAD BROWS

Eaton, Jason Carter Illus. by Petrik, Mike Abrams (40 pp.) $16.99 | Mar. 24, 2020 978-1-4197-2537-1 Eyebrows run amok.

Bernard wakes up one morning to discover that his normally reasonable eyebrows have gone “BAD.” His dad asks, “What’s with the goofy face?” and his mom warns him to stop “making funny faces.”

Bernard assures everyone that it’s not him, it’s the strangely assertive eyebrows. Throughout the day, the brows morph into different zany shapes, expressing emotions that mask Bernard’s actual feelings. His frustrated principal explains that “your eyebrows are your face’s way of telling other people how you feel.” The barber and the doctor can’t help even as the eyebrows become dangerous, growing so long that they trip people and make mischief. A knock on his bedroom door signals the return of his “real” eyebrows, back from vacation. He vows to never again take them for granted, practicing “many exciting expressions that night.” This frankly weird book requires readers willing to go with the outlandish premise. The eyebrows’ eventual |

HAPPY A Beginner’s Book of Mindfulness Edwards, Nicola Illus. by the author Rodale Kids (32 pp.) $17.99 | Apr. 21, 2020 978-0-593-12119-1

Young readers are encouraged to stop and “smell life’s sweet roses” in order to find happiness.

Despite the saccharine opening, this title provides a mostly solid collection of mindfulness minipractices. Each spread features one sensory or emotional focal point, such as listening, feeling, and appreciating. Irregular lines of rhyming text set atop lush illustration provide context for how to practice; a question or statement encouraging reflection provides direct instruction. For example, five diverse children snuggle up near a fire in a room tinted red for the spread that focuses on love.

The text prompts readers to consider that happiness grows from acts of kindness. The concluding question asks, “Have you given someone a smile or a hug today?” Though giving smiles and hugs isn’t necessarily a mindfulness practice, it is a way to encourage kindness and compassion. Connection with the natural world is emphasized through the illustrations’ idyllic rural setting. Though it falls into many of the same traps as others in the growing genre—conflating mindfulness with happiness, lumping multiple social-emotional learning strategies together under the name of “mindfulness,” and romanticizing isolation from day-to-day city and suburban life—the overall utility of this book is strong.

A fine resource for sharing moments of mindfulness, empathy, and reflection with young children. (Picture book.

4-8)

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William needs a break from his younger brother.

William’s younger brother, Edgar, loves to play with him. And sometimes William likes to play with him too. But today, Edgar is too loud and destructive, and William wants to be alone. The only place he can be alone is up high in his hot air balloon. Edgar is usually too afraid to climb up, but today he wants to come along. William is disappointed but doesn’t refuse. On his approach to the ladder, Edgar freezes, with queries about what if he gets hungry, thirsty, or cold, grabbing snacks and toys for comfort. William finally stops Edgar from frantically assembling these items and helps him to be brave. Dunklee writes a story that will feel familiar to readers who have younger siblings and sometimes need a little alone time. William is a great role model, demonstrating how kindness can overcome annoyance and create a fun shared adventure. The watercolor-and–colored-pencil illustrations are adorable, capturing a child’s vast imagination with a light touch.

Kang transforms their suburban house into a beautiful outdoor world to explore. The tiniest details give hints to the truth of William’s hot air balloon. William and Edgar have peach skin, black hair, and rosy cheeks, and they negotiate their play without adult intervention.

A sweet sibling story. (Picture book. 3-8)

tentaclelike movement and ensuing chaos are, as the narrator says, “downright disgusting.” The cartoon illustrations, like the odd premise, are reminiscent of an animated show on commercial TV—one can imagine sound effects. Bernard is biracial, and his family is interracial; his dad and grandpa present white while his mom has brown skin, as do many figures at Bernard’s school.

For readers with a taste for the bizarre. (Picture book. 3- 7)

THE PRINCESS AND THE PETRI DISH

Fliess, Sue Illus. by Bouloubasis, Petros Whitman (32 pp.) $16.99 | Apr. 1, 2020 978-0-8075-6644-2

After numerous setbacks, Princess Pippa achieves her dream of becoming a groundbreaking scientist and inventor.

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INTERVIEWS & PROFILES Lily Williams & Karen Schneeman THEIR GRAPHIC NOVEL, GO WITH THE FLOW, IS AN EMPOWERING TAKE ON HIGH SCHOOL FEMALE FRIENDSHIPS, ACTIVISM, AND MENSTRUATION

By Kate Scelsa

How did the idea of friendship factor into your idea to write about menstrual periods?

Lily Williams: When we started talking with each other about periods, a big component of it was the idea that when you’re friends with people who have periods, you get to this safe space where you can talk about it.

Karen Schneeman: The age that we’re targeting with this book is such an awkward phase where a lot of girls and boys stop talking to their parents as much about stuff. So we wanted to emphasize that, yeah, everyone’s going through this, and it’s OK to talk about it with friends and share that experience and normalize it.

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This seems especially important for Brit, whose painful periods have started interfering with her life. Her situation is something that people don’t necessarily understand if it’s not something they’re personally going through.

aige Billings

Grey Hawkins

In Go With the Flow (First Second, Jan. 14), a new middle-grade graphic novel by Lily Williams and Karen Schneeman, with illustrations by Williams, menstruation is presented as an integral part of a story about high school, friendship, and standing up for what you believe in. New girl Sasha meets sophomores Abby, Brit, and Christine when Lily Williams she gets her first period at school and finds herself without a pad or tampon. The girls come to her rescue, but Abby is outraged by the fact that the pad and tampon dispenser in the girls’ bathroom is perpetually empty. What follows is Abby’s crusade for menstrual equity, in which her activist methods test the limits of her friendships. Here, Williams and Schneeman, who became friends while studying at California College of the Arts, answer some questions about the book and their goal to fight the stigma around talking about periods.

Karen Schneeman

LW: I have endometriosis and fibroids, so my periods have been very much like Brit’s. We didn’t wrap Brit’s story up with a bow, because there’s no cure for these issues. In the book they talk about the possibility of seeing a specialist and getting a diagnosis, and we actually had to adjust that because I got a diagnosis right when we were going into the inking phase. And then I had a surgery in the middle of the deadline, so I was kind of going through it with Brit.

Who do you hope buys the book and where would you like to see it end up?

KS: I would really hope that parents use it as a point to start a conversation. And all of the “know your body” teen guides get stolen from libraries consistently because kids are too embarrassed to check them out, or they want to keep them as a reference. So libraries are a big one for us, just to get that information out there.

LW: I really hope a lot of boys read it too. It’s so important for everyone to be talking about this.

The book is such a fun read, I imagine that it wouldn’t be as intimidating as picking up some kind of health guide.

KS: We didn’t want it to feel like we were trying to teach someone something. We wanted to say, this is just part of life and each of our characters have other things going on with each other and with their families. |

It’s such an interesting moment to be putting out a book like this, especially when the conversations about reproductive health are…

KS: …so depressing.

Do you feel like the conversation is changing at all?

LW: The conversation about periods is definitely more out in the open than it ever has been. I don’t know that it’s always as geared toward kids, so I am interested to hear how our book goes over in that way. But it’s hard to be working on a project and to be hearing in the news where things are going backward when we need to be going so much further forward.

Do you have messages about activism that you want readers to take away?

KS: I do think one of the things that we’re trying to do is to show that you have power regardless of how people might respond to you. Abby does get kind of beaten down a little bit initially, and it’s easy to give up. So I think we’re giving a message of, if it’s important to you, keep trying.

LW: You can find a way to speak up for things that you feel are unjust or unfair. Giving kids that agency allows them to feel like they’re not just like a hopeless cog in the machine.

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Kate Scelsa is a playwright and the author of Fans of the Impossible Life. Go With the Flow received a starred review in the Nov. 15, 2019, issue.

spends hours in her laboratory, dreaming of making discoveries that will win her prizes. Lofty ambitions notwithstanding, the majority of Pippa’s chemical forays have been disastrous: In the past, she’s invented brittle bubble gum, soap that turns fingers blue, and bad-smelling mouthwash. Finally, one night at dinner, inspiration strikes. After much experimentation— using a pea, a cocoa bean, and the titular petri dish—Pippa creates peas that tastes like chocolate, so tasty that everyone in the entire kingdom takes to sprinkling them on all of their food at every meal. But just when Pippa is about to celebrate, the pea vines grow faster and faster, spreading beyond the castle walls. Pippa’s scientific prowess is put to the test one more time, when she must invent something to slow down the plants’ growth—and still preserve the delicious peas the kingdom has come to love. Fleiss’ lilting, rhyming abcb verse is a delight to read, and Pippa’s quirky perseverance stands as an endearing example for young budding scientists of all genders.

Bouloubasis’ fantastical illustrations are vibrant with movement, color, and detail, but few characters in this kingdom are diverse. The royal family is white.

A silly, inspiring story of a princess who makes her scientific dreams come true. (Picture book. 3- 7)

BATMAN Overdrive

Fontana, Shea Illus. by DiChiara, Marcelo DC (136 pp.) $9.99 paper | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-4012-8356-8 A teen Bruce Wayne fixes up an old car.

Obsessed with finding the answers to the mystery behind his parents’ murders, Bruce Wayne doesn’t have many friends. He spends his days brooding and being waited upon by his butler, Alfred. The one thing Bruce looks forward to is getting his driver’s license on his 16th birthday. Inspired by a picture of his father standing beside a (fictional) 1966 Crusader, Bruce decides to restore the vehicle after finding it in storage. In doing so he meets Latinx teen mechanic Mateo Diaz and the mysterious Selina Kyle, who seems to be white, like Bruce. As the trio works to repair Bruce’s Crusader the teens develop a friendship and uncover startling revelations about the Wayne murders. This middlegrade graphic novel is the latest in DC’s run of colorfully illustrated attempts to draw young readers into the world of DC Comics. While the action is crisp and the characterization is strong, there’s a problem here that other DC heroes don’t have: Teenage Bruce Wayne is pretty hard to like. Moody and spoiled, Bruce Wayne is a real drag. The authors seem to know this; Bruce starts to moonlight as a masked vigilante pretty quickly, and the bat motif shows up faster than expected. This is one character who doesn’t benefit from the “this is what they were like when they were a teen!” lens.

A decent piece of graphic storytelling with a bad headliner. (Graphic adventure. 9-12) |

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FLIGHT FOR FREEDOM The Wetzel Family’s Daring Escape From East Germany Fulton, Kristen Illus. by Kuhlmann, Torben Chronicle (56 pp.) $17.99 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-4521-4960-8

An East German family escapes to the West in a homemade hot air balloon.

This account of a family’s clever escape from the German Democratic Republic opens by painting a picture of young Peter Wetzel’s East German world. From the beginning, Fulton does not show much confidence in her young readers, eschewing meaningful age-appropriate discussion of government suppression and violence for complaints of “scratchy uniforms” and the baffling suggestion that East Germany did not have children’s television programming. Readers watch through Peter’s eyes as his parents slowly and secretly build a hot air balloon to take them to the West. This surprising true story is accompanied by warm, accomplished illustrations that conjure a strong sense of place and time. There is some evocative description in the text, such as the shocking loudness of a car door when one is trying to be quiet. However, the overall tone feels affected and never quite climbs to a level of tension suitable for the subject. The author even leaves a potentially nail-biting moment— the Wetzels give up on the balloon only to be forced to make a final attempt under threat of discovery by the secret police—to the backmatter. Also hidden in the backmatter is the dubious implication that Ronald Reagan was ultimately responsible for the fall of the wall.

Despite the cozy illustrations and interesting source material, this tale doesn’t thrill. (historical notes, author’s note) (Informational picture book. 5-10)

USHA AND THE STOLEN SUN

Galbraith, Bree Illus. by Bisaillon, Josée Owlkids Books (32 pp.) $17.95 | Mar. 15, 2020 978-1-77147-276-0

After years of darkness, Usha is determined to recover the sun.

The only one in Usha’s town who remembers sunshine at all is her grandfather, and even he is starting to forget what it was like. The only thing he can tell Usha is that when he was a child, someone—he isn’t sure who—built a giant wall that blocked out the light. Determined to help her grandfather remember the feeling of sunshine on his skin, Usha sets out to find the wall. When she arrives at it, she unleashes her rage, commanding the bricks to come down.

She remembers, then, that her grandfather said that yelling hadn’t stopped it from going up. She therefore tries whispering and singing. Voices on the other side of the wall respond, and 100

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eventually the wall comes down to reveal that the other side is full of children just like her. The book has a promising beginning, centering a brave, dark-skinned, South Asian girl determined to right an injustice, all in simple and appealing prose.

Unfortunately, though, the plot implies that real, valid anger at injustices must be shaped into arguments that are quiet and gentle to actually make a change. This is particularly troubling given that Usha is a girl of color, possibly from the global south, and therefore already at risk of being socialized to ignore her very understandable rage.

Well meaning but flawed. (Picture book. 3-6)

A STOPWATCH FROM GRAMPA

Garbutt, Loretta Illus. by Mok, Carmen Kids Can (32 pp.) $17.99 | Apr. 7, 2020 978-1-5253-0144-5

Something as simple as a stopwatch can start, stop, and restart a lifetime of memories.

A young child with pale skin and dark hair holds a stopwatch and slumps, despondent, on a porch. Grampa has recently passed away, and the child is in the throes of sadness and loneliness. Together, they had used the stopwatch to record various activities in minutes and seconds, like the child’s eating bubblegum ice cream, Grampa’s snoring on the couch, both eating oatmeal-raisin cookies, and more. Those seconds and minutes represented a deep, intergenerational friendship, the absence of which is keenly felt by the young child. Unable to bear this loss, the child buries the stopwatch in a drawer and experiences anger, bargaining, denial, even depression—rarely so clearly characterized in picture books for young readers. Time heals most wounds, and, as the seasons pass, the time comes at last when new memories can be made using Grampa’s favorite stopwatch. Told in honest, first-person prose, this story gently confronts this first journey through loss, offering sensitive conversation starters for families. Muted, poignant illustrations rendered in paint and both colored and graphite pencils effectively depict this difficult yet all too common experience. The child’s face in particular, though simply drawn, evokes a range of emotions—at once poignant and comprehensible.

An excellent and understated portrayal of grief from a child’s perspective. (Picture book. 4- 7)

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Gianferrari plays with words, especially action verbs, to introduce an unusual array of animals. play like an animal!

MR. TIGER, BETSY, AND THE BLUE MOON

Gardner, Sally Illus. by Maland, Nick Penguin Workshop (192 pp.) $16.99 | Apr. 7, 2020 978-0-593-09516-4

PLAY LIKE AN ANIMAL! Why Critters Splash, Race, Twirl, and Chase Gianferrari, Maria Illus. by Powell, Mia Millbrook/Lerner (32 pp.) $19.99 | Apr. 7, 2020 978-1-5415-5771-0

Just like human children, animals love to play, both to practice adult skills and to have fun.

Gianferrari plays with words, especially action verbs, to introduce an unusual array of animals. “Plonk, dig, slide” and “rub, plop, blow” are the sounds of collared peccaries and rhinos in the mud. “Nibble-fumble, hurdle-tumble, ready to rumble” describes wrestling rats. These playful words and phrases appear in large uppercase letters set at a slight angle to represent movement on the page. A straightforward short sentence identifies the animal and its actions. Boxed explanations add information—ungulates are mammals with hooves, for example—and |

A PERSIAN PRINCESS

Goldin, Barbara Diamond Illus. by Doneva, Steliyana Apples & Honey Press (32 pp.) $17.95 | Apr. 1, 2020 978-1-68115-553-1

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A fantasy series opener from the author of Carnegie Medal winner Maggot Moon (2013).

Betsy K. Glory lives on a small island with her ice-cream–making dad, who owns a cafe; her oceandwelling mermaid mum pays them weekly visits. When Betsy and Mr. Glory deliver his latest concoction to an ice-cream– fancying toad, the amphibian reveals that she is Princess Albee, self-exiled from her home on Gongalong Island after her giantess half sister, Princess Olaf, made a wish that turned her into a toad, a wish Albee is unable to overturn. While confirming Mum’s assertion that Gongalong Island’s berries, when made into ice cream, grant wishes, Albee says they must be picked during a blue moon. Sadly, no one knows how to turn the moon blue. Worse, Princess Olaf has fenced off most of their island for her own use, making it nearly impossible for the remaining resident Gongalongs (tiny humanoids) to escape. When Mr. Tiger and his oceangoing circus, which features Gongalong acrobats, arrive on Betsy’s island, he hatches a plan to free the Gongalongs and Princess Albee. With an elaborately silly plot and flimsy characterization, the story feels rudderless; it lacks thematic heft. A few moments sparkle, though, and the abundant, imaginative illustrations (executed in blue, to match the blue type) provide continuity and quirky charm. Human and human(oid) characters default to white.

Should please Anglophiles fond of cozy, English cultural references and nonstop whimsy. (Fantasy. 6-9)

describe what the depicted animals are learning. Playing tug of war, wolves learn fair play. Both elephants and dolphins practice cooperation through play. Other examples are monkeys, ravens, river otters, dolphins, kangaroos, gorillas, and keas. In the backmatter the author explains why readers should play, how they should “play by the rules, like these animals do”: stepping away if hurt; apologizing; accepting the apology. Finally, there is a further, fairly dense paragraph about each of the featured animals.

Illustrator Powell used paints, handmade textures, and digital techniques to create her appealing images. Most spreads show the animals in a natural scene, but a few show a diverse set of five children and the artist’s own black-and-white dog. (On the jacket-flap bio she invites readers to look for him.)

A lively addition to the animal shelf. (Informational picture book. 4-8)

A celebration of Purim with an appropriate Persian flavor.

Raya is happily baking cookies for Purim with her grandmother, Maman joon. They are called koloocheh and are from the family’s Persian Jewish heritage.

Unfortunately, Raya is too young to be in the school play, in which her older brother will play Mordecai. Maman joon pauses cooking in order to adjust his costume and beard. She can do even more for her granddaughter, though. In a trunk in her bedroom is a wide assortment of sparkly jewelry and brightly colored scarves—just perfect for a little girl who wants to pretend to be Esther. Maman joon has saved them from the time that she lived in Hamadan, a city in Iran. Together, the costumed girl and her grandmother share their baked treats with the neighbors, and Raya explains that she is a “Persian princess” just as Esther was. Even better, Raya decides to invite everyone to the house, where she will perform the story of Purim. It is a joyous time, indeed. Goldin’s sweet story offers readers a celebration of Purim that is both familiar and different to that observed by Ashkenazic Jewry and more commonly seen in U.S. children’s books but that can be enjoyed by all. Doneva’s delicate cartoon illustrations are suitably colorful and depict a neighborhood of various ethnicities.

Family traditions and intergenerational love are strong and endearing in this fresh look at Purim. (author’s note) (Picture book. 4- 7)

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Accessible and seemingly simple similes and metaphors form a vibrant and sophisticated ode to nature. summer song

UNDER THE LILACS

Goodale, E.B. Illus. by the author HMH Books (32 pp.) $17.99 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-0-358-15393-1

A declaration to run away from home leads to an awfully cozy escape.

Kate’s sister, Hannah, has shut the door on Kate’s toe, and Mom is giving flute lessons to neighborhood kids. What more reason would one need to run away? So, determined, Kate gathers duct tape and cardboard and proceeds to construct a little home under the lilacs in the neighbor’s yard. And because Mango the cat might miss her sister and her mother, she’ll build them additional rooms as well. Soon enough Hannah, Mom, and even one of Mom’s flute students show up on Kate’s cardboard doorstep, happy to live under the lilacs, “At least for a little while.” Goodale keeps the text short and sweet from the initial line, “Sometimes I want to run away,” to the penultimate declarative sentence, “Yes, I think I could stay here, under the lilacs.” And some canny young readers may well pierce the veil around Kate’s protestations that it is Mango who will be missing Hannah and Mom. The illustrations combine print, drawing, and digital techniques, making for a truly attractive mélange that evinces early spring days, green fields, and blue skies swept with clouds. After reading this book, who wouldn’t want to try their own hand at a little independence? Kate, Hannah, and Mom have pale skin and straight, dark hair; Mom’s flute student has brown skin and puffy brown hair.

Running away never looked so good. (Picture book. 3-6)

ATTACK OF THE SNACK

Gough, Julian Illus. by Field, Jim Silver Dolphin (112 pp.) $9.99 paper | Apr. 7, 2020 978-1-68412-617-0 Series: Rabbit & Bear

A sudden new arrival prompts a flare of xenophobia in Bear’s excitable lapine buddy.

Any resemblance to current affairs must, of course, be coincidental. Once the tiny feathered stranger who has crashed into a tree and fallen unconscious is identified as an owl, Rabbit, who has never met one before, is terrified. “Owls…eat you ALIVE! And the next day they BURP UP YOUR BONES!” he shouts. “Lock her up!” Failing in her effort to defuse the panic (“One bone at a time, or all of them at once?”), Bear sadly wanders off in search of blueberries as Rabbit proceeds to whip the other forest creatures into a frenzy. Happily, all ends well after Owl wakes up and calmly explains that she is a small burrowing owl who eats only fruit and bugs—mostly dung beetles.

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blueberry poo (Bear’s contribution) that, to the amazement of all, instantly attracts, as Owl puts it, “Fast foooooo…foooooo… fooooood!” Bear and Rabbit agree that everyone’s “normal on the outside” and “weird on the inside”—“And that’s OK.” Woodsy duotone scenes on nearly every page feature comically wide-eyed creatures of diverse size and species looking amazed, panic-stricken, or, in Owl’s case, disarmingly cute.

A pointed jab at wanton fearmongering, lightened by a bit of philosophy and rather a lot of gas. (Animal fantasy. 6-8)

PAPER PLANES

Helmore, Jim Illus. by Jones, Richard Peachtree (32 pp.) $17.99 | Mar. 1, 2020 978-1-68263-161-4 Can a friendship survive an overseas move?

This is the story of Mia and Ben, two friends who grew up in side-by-side houses and enjoyed the same hobby: making paper airplanes together. One day, however, Ben’s family must move far away. Losing a friend due to a move can be very challenging, and the ordeal can sometimes feel like a great betrayal. Such is the case for Mia, whose friendship with Ben is tested severely; her feelings volley between hurt and anger, only to be soothed by dreams about meeting Ben again. One day, however, she receives a pleasant surprise in the mail: Ben has built a plane halfway and now seeks her input for completing the remaining half. She happily obliges. In this touching, sparely written story about friendship, author Helmore makes the best out of a difficult and potentially traumatic experience—a separation. While the story, enhanced by Jones’ symbolic, beautifully chalky illustrations, has a bittersweet beginning, it has a positive and uplifting ending. Parents and educators will especially appreciate how the protagonists’ feelings are depicted in a realistic and convincing manner—and the validation that sadness and anger are OK. The book’s inspiring ending makes it a good resource for children experiencing separation issues. Mia has brown skin and black, bobbed hair, and Ben presents white; their shared neighborhood appears to be in rural North America.

A beautiful and sensitive treatment of a common childhood experience. (Picture book. 4-8)

SUMMER SONG

Henkes, Kevin Illus. by Dronzek, Laura Greenwillow (40 pp.) $17.99 | Apr. 7, 2020 978-0-06-286613-4 Henkes and Dronzek evoke the sights, sounds, and joys of summer, completing their celebratory seasonal quartet.

Captivating poetic text begins like a stream of consciousness: “The Summer sun is a giant flower, / and the flowers are |

like little suns. / Little suns of all different colors.” Brilliantly woven together, these accessible and seemingly simple similes and metaphors form a vibrant and sophisticated ode to nature.

Readers will drink in the delicious cool shade, feel the sweltering sun, and revel in the lush green garden. Henkes hears summer’s song everywhere—in the wind through the grass, the birds in the sky, and the oceans and lakes. Onomatopoeia fills the air with the sounds of bees and dragonflies, juxtaposed with the silence of the glowing firefly. Uncomplicated acrylic paintings done in a primary palette will appeal to young animal lovers.

Deeply saturated blues and greens capture the essence of the season, Dronzek’s characteristically firm black outlines helping animals, flowers, birds, insects, and humans pop. A multiracial cast of kids tend pets, cool off in the sprinkler, play in the sand, and watch clouds. As the season wanes, there’s delicious anticipation for autumn’s change. This lovely read-aloud will be savored, just like a summer’s day.

Captures the magic of childhood summers, when colors are a song and a backyard can sing the wonders of the world. (Picture book. 3-8)

Hoang, Zara González Illus. by the author Dial (32 pp.) $17.99 | Apr. 21, 2020 978-0-525-55389-2

When a child moves to the city, he misses the friendly sounds of the rainforest in Puerto Rico.

Ren lives with his mother and grandmother on the fringes of el Yunque, the rainforest in Puerto Rico. There, his days are “filled with green and dirt and rocks and mud.” It’s an idyllic “place of endless possibility, where anything he imagined became real,” and so Ren plays with dragons, unicorns, fairies, and kings, and he goes to sleep to the croaks of the coquís. All this changes when he moves with his mother to the city. Its loud mechanical sounds crowd his head and leave no room for wild, making him feel lonely. Meanwhile, Ava, a girl who lives upstairs, is “never lonely. She loved her building and she loved her city.” So when Ren tells her why he’s not happy, Ava is determined to make him see the city with different eyes. With her encouragement, Ren eventually finds in the city “a new kind of wild,” proving that friendship often goes a long way toward curing homesickness.

Hoang’s color-filled illustrations incorporate fanciful views of mythical creatures into the rainforest and equally whimsical robots and ETs into the very diverse city as Ren learns to see with Ava’s eyes. Ren and his family are white; Ava and her family are black; all characters seem to be Latinx.

A wise and gentle lesson on making and helping friends.

(Picture book. 5- 7)

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In this Canadian import, baby animals and birds of the Pacific West Coast region are introduced with brief descriptions of their birth environments.

The introductory pages show a human father and his baby near the shore of the Pacific Ocean, with a pair of raccoon cubs peeking out from the roots of an enormous tree. In a subtle framing device, the final spread shows a human mother with her baby, observing a mother raccoon and her two little ones on the beach. The human characters present white. The animal and bird babies are presented through a structured format in subsequent double-page spreads, with a large trim size that effectively showcases the dramatic illustrations. The appealing animals and birds stand out in scenes filled with the soft blues and greens of outdoor settings interspersed with trees, wildflowers, and ferns, and a variety of perspectives and motion enhance interest. The names of the babies are set in large type followed by a paragraph of text detailing circumstances of birth, early growth, and other details such as diet or migration patterns. One or both parents are shown tending to their young, sometimes with surprising tenderness, as in the illustration of a sea otter pup nestled on its mother’s chest. This informative introduction will be especially useful in the Pacific West Coast region, but it has a wider appeal to a broad audience in both locale and age.

A succinct and satisfying first look at some fascinating creatures. (author’s note, bibliography) (Informational picture book. 3-8)

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A NEW KIND OF WILD

WEST COAST WILD BABIES

Hodge, Deborah Illus. by Reczuch, Karen Groundwood (36 pp.) $19.95 | Apr. 7, 2020 978-1-77306-248-8

SPACE MICE

Houran, Lori Haskins Illus. by Alpaugh, Priscilla Whitman (32 pp.) $16.99 | Mar. 1, 2020 978-0-8075-7553-6 With that big ball of cheese hanging so temptingly in the sky, what’s a pair of hungry mice to do?

Marching to a pared-down rhyme of just three or four words per line, Alpaugh’s cute and capable mice determinedly gather tools and materials, design and build a rocket, and blast off. They touch down on a surface more like Roquefort than regolith and emerge from the capsule, equipped with a cleverly designed lunar backhoe: “Landing, standing / on the moon. / that’s one small step— / and one big spoon!” After they’ve stuffed themselves, there’s nothing left for an astonished young human astronomer back on Earth to see but a thin crescent. Presenting white, this child gapes up at the suddenly kirkus.com

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CHILD OF THE UNIVERSE

no-longer-full moon as the mouse astronauts tow their reentry capsule—and one last piece of moon—off the page. There’s lots of humor on the pages, from the mice wielding full-size human tools to a cheese-loving stowaway ant. A Right Stuff head-on view of the spacesuited mice, helmets under their arms, is particularly chuckleworthy. The venture recalls Andy Mansfield’s Journey to the Moon (2015), with its similarly cheesy climax, but it also pairs well with other extraterrestrial trips such as Dan Yaccarino’s Zoom! Zoom! Zoom! I’m Off to the Moon! (1997; tragically, out of print) and Nancy Shaw and Margo Apple’s Sheep Blast Off! (2008).

A winner for young sky watchers with stars…or cheese… in their eyes. (Picture book. 5- 7)

Jayawardhana, Ray Illus. by Colón, Raúl Make Me a World (40 pp.) $17.99 | Mar. 17, 2020 978-1-5247-1754-4 A child “made up of stars” finds their place in the universe.

“The universe conspired to make you,” a father tells his child as they gaze out at the moon one night from the child’s bed. As the father goes on to wax poetic about his love, the art takes readers on an intergalactic journey. Nebulae, galaxies, planets, and stars populate breathtaking, high-contrast double-page spreads that feature the curly-haired, brown-skinned child out in the universe. One spread depicts a silhouette of the child while the text reads, “The iron in your blood, the calcium in your bones, / are made up of stars that lived long ago.” Another, wordless spread depicts the child at the center of a giant atom.

Astrophysicist Jayawardhana’s picture-book debut effectively and eloquently affirms the importance of a single life amid the vastness of the universe—a small lesson under the blanket of parental love. Though framed by the child’s first-person narration, the story is primarily driven by the father’s monologue.

Colón’s art, created in his signature scratched–colored pencil technique, revels in the details. The soft, cool tones of the Earth scenes provide a wow of a page turn as the colors explode with warmth in subsequent spreads. Gold foil stars speckle the cover. There’s hardly room—or need—for white space in a book this grand and glorious.

Out of this world. (author’s note, bibliography) (Picture book. 4-8)

THE SUNKEN TOWER

Howard, Tait Illus. by the author Oni Press (136 pp.) $17.99 | Mar. 10, 2020 978-1-62010-687-7

Three unlikely heroes must escape a creepy subterranean city.

Homeless and orphaned, Dig is often hungry. Searching for unattended food in a busy market one day, he is captured by a strange-looking, red-cloaked lizard creature. He finds himself in a dungeon and there meets statuesque Iana and her girlfriend, Crina. The scarlet-clad reptilian dungeon keepers are members of a mysterious blood cult, intent on sacrificing the trio in hopes of resurrecting an evil monster. Dig, Iana, and Crina must navigate their dangerous underground surroundings and try to make a break for the titular tower, through which they believe they can reach the surface. Howard’s graphic novel is a fun stand-alone that would certainly lend itself to further adventures. His art is big and bright, with an aesthetic quality reminiscent of the cartoon Steven Universe. Many of his action sequences are fastpaced and full of giggleworthy gross-outs sure to keep pages flying. The worldbuilding is accessible and inventive, but it is the attention to character detail that sets this apart; Howard’s characters, both main and secondary, are all differently conceptualized: Some are animals, some are human, some are monsters, but most are diverse in skin color, height, and build. Main characters Iana and Crina’s relationship is at the forefront. Dig has ivory skin, Iana has peach skin, and Crina has pink skin.

An auspiciously quirky and inclusive fantasy. (Graphic fantasy. 8-12)

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THOMAS JEFFERSON AND THE TRIPOLI PIRATES The War That Changed American History (Young Readers Adaptation)

Kilmeade, Brian & Yaeger, Don Viking (176 pp.) $17.99 | Apr. 21, 2020 978-0-425-28895-5

The slimmed-down version of a 2015 account of the United States’ first war with the “Mohammedan world.”

Casting the Muslim lands of what were then dubbed the “Barbary States” as our young country’s “first enemy,” Fox News commentator Kilmeade and co-author Yaeger, who previously collaborated on George Washington’s Secret Six (2015) recount the course of this first, indecisive clash from the capture of the merchant ship Dauphin in 1785 to the 1805 treaty with the bashaw of Tripoli. (The second, more permanent clash in 1815 is covered in a brief footnote.) Jefferson was secretary of state and president for much of that period, but he seems rather dragged into the episode, coming off as a strong voice for a military solution

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The real delight is the ease with which the protagonist’s disability is slipped into the illustrations. my ocean is blue

to the conflict but never directly involved in events or negotiations. Moreover, though much is made of how captured American crews were enslaved by the treacherous, greedy local deys, there is no mention that Jefferson himself was a slaveholder. As the treaty was not won in battle, the authors deem it “tainted, but the conflict did demonstrate that “Americans were not to be trifled with” and allowed the U.S. to feel that “military force had helped regain national honor.” Small, sparse period illustrations are sometimes irrelevant or improperly placed. Wide margins, lots of blank pages, and eight perfunctory appendices pad the page count.

A superficial remake, still agenda ridden, simplistic, and overblown. (cast of characters, timeline, endnotes, index) (Nonfiction. 11-14)

AFTER THE RAIN

A young boy who longs to play with his toy boat is thrilled when the rain stops and the gutters and downspouts

gush.

Levi watches from his nautically decorated bedroom as the last drops of rain fall, quickly donning his yellow raincoat, boots, and hat and grabbing his boat when he spies the water overflowing the gutters. Krüger mixes wide-angle views with vignettes and close-up, ground-level perspectives to get readers right into the action with Levi as he stomps through puddles. The river of water from the downspout to the drain in the sidewalk provides endless fun for the boy and his toy boat…until Polly arrives and claims the stream as her own. The angry visage on the tot, who wears a raindrop-decorated poncho and red boots, sets the stage for a battle that involves splashes and tossed mud, expressions speaking volumes. But when both kids realize the water is drying up, they call a truce and set about creating a mud, rock, leaf, and stick dam. The subsequent lake is a great place to play: “Battle begun but not won. // Building together is much more fun.” The imagination on display will inspire readers, though the battle’s end is more serendipitous than strategic and won’t teach kids much in the way of problem-solving. Levi is dark skinned, Polly light.

Pull this out on the next rainy day and have boots, slickers, and boat at the ready. (Picture book. 3-6)

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A companion to Lebeuf and Barron’s previous outing, My Forest is Green (2019).

A young tot with short blond hair, pale skin, and a wondrous fascination with the ocean looks forward to spending the day at the beach. Incidental to the text but prominent in the illustrations, the child also uses forearm crutches. Cut paper that’s been textured with watercolor, acrylic, and pencil crayon creates the scenes of pebbled sand, frothy waves, and quiet tide pools. The child sees the ocean as a multitude of opposites.

Sometimes it is “big” (with a vast, endless horizon), and sometimes it is “small” (a tiny hermit crab pokes out its head). Sometimes it is “dry” (a large piece of driftwood), and sometimes it is “wet” (a splashing water fight). Lebeuf gradually builds to more lyrical phrases. Sea gulls, whales, and dolphins playfully cavort while a motorboat slides by: “My ocean splashes and crashes / and echoes and squawks. // My ocean laughs and hums.” The real delight, besides the intentional focus on detailed observations, is the ease with which the child’s disability is slipped into the illustrations. At times, the crutches are laid aside, showing the tot swimming, kneeling, or playing in the sand. Any possible preconceived limitations are dashed—instead, childlike wonder and curiosity shine.

A joyful marine romp. (Picture book. 3-6)

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Koehn, Rebecca Illus. by Krüger, Simone Beaming Books (32 pp.) $17.99 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-5064-5451-1

MY OCEAN IS BLUE

Lebeuf, Darren Illus. by Barron, Ashley Kids Can (32 pp.) $17.99 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-5253-0143-8

HERE WE GO DIGGING FOR DINOSAUR BONES

Lendroth, Susan Illus. by Kolar, Bob Charlesbridge (32 pp.) $16.99 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-62354-104-0

To the tune of a familiar ditty, budding paleontologists can march, dig, and sift with a crew of dinosaur hunters.

Modeling her narrative after “Here We Go ’Round the Mulberry Bush,” Lendroth (Old Manhattan Has Some Farms, 2014, etc.) invites readers to add appropriate actions and gestures as they follow four scientists—modeled by Kolar as doll-like figures of varied gender and racial presentation, with oversized heads to show off their broad smiles—on a dig. “This is the way we clean the bones, clean the bones, clean the bones. / This is the way we clean the bones on a warm and sunny morning.” The smiling paleontologists find, then carefully excavate, transport, and reassemble the fossil bones of a T. rex into a museum display.

A fleshed-out view of the toothy specimen on a wordless spread brings the enterprise to a suitably dramatic climax, and unobtrusive notes in the lower corners capped by a closing overview add digestible quantities of dino-detail and context. As in Jessie Hartland’s How the Dinosaur Got to the Museum (2011), the kirkus.com

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Lichtenheld’s sibling lovefest launches right from the clever endpapers. when my brother gets home

combination of patterned text and bright cartoon pictures of scientists at accurately portrayed work offers just the ticket to spark or feed an early interest in matters prehistoric.

A common topic ably presented—with a participatory element adding an unusual and brilliant angle. (Informa­ tional picture book. 4- 7)

WHEN MY BROTHER GETS HOME

Lichtenheld, Tom Illus. by the author HMH Books (40 pp.) $17.99 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-328-49805-2

What’s better than a big brother? A big brother who asks, “So what do you want to do?”!

A ponytailed little sister impatiently searches for any sign of the school bus. Propped against a tree, she anticipates the death-defying exploits she and her brother will embark upon— after feeding their loyal subjects. Will they ford the mighty Amazon, or will they find themselves locked in a fierce struggle against a snarling alligator? As the feisty sprite conjures up a round-the-world trip on their very own jumbo jet, the school bus is turning the corner…“MY BROTHER’S HOME!” Lichtenheld’s sibling lovefest launches right from the clever endpapers. The bus route is plotted in black dashes from the school to the tree—broken up halfway home by the story itself. As the refrain, “When my brother gets home,” is repeated, a childlike crayon drawing clues readers in to the bus’s progress. Each repetition is followed up by thought bubbles depicting their very next adventure—maybe it will be a daredevil plunge into a raging waterfall! From the striped, marmalade cat to the scruffy, up-for-anything dog, everyone is supercharged and ready to go—not a screen to be had on any of the pages. Both kids have brown skin and black hair, and their imaginations make their ordinary suburb quite extraordinary.

The characters’ energy explodes from this endearing tribute to sibling interactions and affection. (Picture book.

4- 7)

EUNICE AND KATE

Llanos, Mariana Illus. by Napoli, Elena Penny Candy (44 pp.) $16.95 | Feb. 11, 2020 978-0-9996584-7-5

Eunice and Kate are always together, but each must learn to appreciate the other for who she truly is.

Eunice and Kate live in “side-by-side apartments,” where their mothers do laundry in the same basement and chat while Eunice and Kate share their dreams. Eunice dreams of being a ballerina; Kate dreams of being an astronaut. Both girls’ loving moms work 106

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to make ends meet. One day at school, when it’s time to draw a portrait of each other, “they opened their eyes and observed.”

Readers might think Eunice and Kate are going to notice their physical differences—Eunice is white with brown hair, and Kate is black with tall, puffy hair. But it’s their friend’s dreams that they question. Eunice draws Kate as a ballerina, and Kate draws Eunice as an astronaut. When they exchange drawings, each says, “That’s not me.” That night, after their mothers recognize some accuracy in the portraits, each girl decides to make a new drawing, featuring both of them combining their dreams. The text alternates between the girls at each page turn, which mostly works but sometimes feels a bit forced, as do the pages about their mothers; the structure is not quite enough to give the story a cohesive feel. The cartoon illustrations dramatize thoughts and feelings with expressive faces, close-ups, and a range of layouts.

Despite some structural weaknesses, a thoughtful treatment of what it means to be a friend. (Picture book. 4-8)

EXPLOSION AT THE POEM FACTORY

Lukoff, Kyle Illus. by Hoffmann, Mark Groundwood (44 pp.) $18.95 | Apr. 7, 2020 978-1-77306-132-0

A nonsensical illustrated primer on prosody.

One of the most memorable scenes in Lukoff ’s madcap picture-book debut, A Storytelling of Ravens, illustrated by Natalie Nelson (2018), involves hippos racing to investigate an “explosion at the cupcake factory.” Here Lukoff reprises this notion of industrial-sized catastrophe, revealing in the author’s note that it was inspired by a college friend’s award-winning intentionally bad poem. This background helps drive the wacky poetic in-jokes adorning this inventive exploration of the mechanics of poetry as the endearing Kilmer Watts finds employment at Amalgamated Verse & Strophe, a thriving factory that ships “everything from odes to epithalamiums to markets across the land.” Kilmer takes quickly to his new vocation, learning how to “operate the meter meter and empty the cliché bins,” though not without the occasional mistake, resulting in some oversyllabified haikus and “several sheets of blank verse” coming out “entirely blank.” Hoffmann’s playfully expressive double-page illustrations feature views of sausage-shaped humans amid wild visions of cogs and wheels.

They heighten Lukoff ’s guffaws, extending the wordplay; the enjambment machine is cleverly marked with the labels “EN / JAMB / MENT,” for instance. When the forecasted factory disaster comes to pass, Kilmer finds an even better role for poetry and himself in town, providing a glimpse beyond verse’s structure to its meaning. Rich backmatter on poetic structure and a glossary make this a solid reference as well.

Lukoff’s sophisticated silliness hits the sweet spot for lovers of wordplay. (Picture book. 6-9) (Note: Lukoff is a freelance contributor to Kirkus.) |

CLARENCE’S BIG SECRET

MacGregor, Roy & Cation, Christine MacGregor Illus. by Cinq-Mars, Mathilde Owlkids Books (32 pp.) $17.95 | Mar. 15, 2020 978-1-77147-331-6

CLARENCE’S TOPSY-TURVY SHABBAT

MacLeod, Jennifer Tzivia Illus. by Poh, Jennie Kar-Ben (24 pp.) $17.99 | $7.99 paper | Apr. 7, 2020 978-1-5415-4242-6 978-1-5415-4243-3 paper

Clarence the raccoon might be the anti–Amelia Bedelia.

There’s a long tradition of lovable fools, like Amelia Bedelia and Lazy Jack, who are so sweet that everyone adores them even when they get things hopelessly mixed up. When Amelia Bedelia dresses a chicken, it ends up wearing a charming outfit, and, in this picture book, Clarence seems to follow the same school of thought. When he’s baking challah bread for the Jewish Sabbath, he comes home with a bunny instead of honey and a beast instead of yeast. But Clarence is much more cunning than his progenitors. The animals turn out to be a fantastic baking team. The beast, for example, is an “absolutely terrific” kneader.

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THE BEDTIME BOOK

Marendaz, S. Illus. by Gledhill, Carly Tiger Tales (32 pp.) $17.99 | Feb. 4, 2020 978-1-68010-186-7

Mouse needs her favorite bedtime book now!

Poor Mouse is very upset, so she reaches out to good pal Frank the dog. Mouse left her favorite bedtime book outside her flowerpot home, and now it’s missing. Frank, having just roused himself from bed, extends a concerned paw and checks for himself. His keen nose discerns a trail leading to mutual friend Bella the cat, who concedes she left Mouse’s book near Owl’s house. The trio hurries off, but…no book. And it turns out that Owl has given the book to Baby Hedgehog. Disconsolate Mouse doesn’t have the heart to retrieve her book from the baby, so everyone returns home. Frank attempts to fall asleep again, but, struck with a sudden idea, he rushes off to Mouse.

The idea? Kindly Frank’s brought his favorite nighttime book to share with her. As Mouse listens, it sounds familiar: She and Frank have the same favorite bedtime book, so Mouse gets to hear her favorite story after all! This British import is simple, sweet, and gentle—if also thin and predictable. Sharp youngsters will wonder why clues about the book’s cover design, mentioned earlier in the story, didn’t tip Frank off sooner that his and Mouse’s favorite bedtime books are identical. Collagelike illustrations enhance the charm, with endearing, wide-eyed animal characters posed against black or dark-green backgrounds.

Though unoriginal, this is a bedtime book kids will likely want to keep. (Picture book. 3-6)

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Imagine learning to read when you’re nearly 100!

Meet Clarence Brazier. Mortified on his first day of school when he couldn’t spell his name (he hadn’t learned the alphabet) and was mocked by other pupils, Clarence ran home and never returned. Shortly afterward, Clarence’s father was blinded in an accident, and the boy took over the family farm. Before Clarence married, he confided his illiteracy to his fiancee, making her promise to tell no one. When his wife died, Clarence was 93, alone, and lost; how would he manage? He taught himself to read, devising homemade primers from mail and packaging. Eventually, he told his daughter, a retired teacher, and she tutored him. Clarence died in 2012, aged 105. This is a well-written ode to motivation, perseverance, and the idea that it’s never too late, but readers may wonder why no one taught Clarence to read outside of school or why his wife did not teach him— these points are not raised in the story. Nevertheless, youngsters who are readers should feel empowered, and those who are not—yet—will take hope. The soft shades of the charming, textured, expressive illustrations aptly convey an old-time–y feel.

Clarence is white; a final scene depicts him reading to diverse schoolkids. An informative author’s note includes a photograph of Clarence and sobering data about worldwide illiteracy.

Commendably inspires respect for an older person but leaves some questions unanswered. (Picture book/biography.

5-8)

the surprises are more satisfying than the actual jokes. The low point is when Clarence picks up soil instead of oil. Even the narrator often seems surprised, with comments like, “Seriously, Clarence? WHAT are you thinking?” If those exclamations are a little too intrusive, the surprises in the artwork are wonderfully nontraditional. They reverse the usual big-head, big-eyes style of cartooning. Most of the animals have long, lanky bodies and pinprick eyes. But the best surprise is what a joyful found family the animals make at Shabbat dinner.

Jaded readers will love this crafty twist on the holy fool.

(Picture book. 3-8)

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FOLLOW THOSE ZEBRAS Solving a Migration Mystery

Markle, Sandra Millbrook/Lerner (40 pp.) $31.99 | Apr. 7, 2020 978-1-5415-3837-5 Series: Sandra Markle’s Science Discoveries Scientists solve the mystery of a disappearing zebra herd.

A herd of plains zebra regularly vanishes from the Chobe River flood plains in Namibia and Botswana during the dry season, but until Robin Naidoo and other scientists fitted some of these animals with GPS trackers, no one knew where they went or why. Markle (The Great Shark Rescue, 2019, etc.) ably describes the species, its habitat in the Serengeti Plain, the phenomenon of migration, the science research, and its surprising results: a “record-holding zebra migration” to the grasses in Botswana’s Nxai Pan National Park, which have extra nutrients for the mares and the foals they bear there. Her clear explanations are accompanied by well-chosen and informatively captioned photographs from a variety of sources. The lively design includes a striking zebra-coat background surrounding boxes with additional information and images. Maps help American readers locate this migration in southern Africa. One that includes the tracked migration routes of eight females demonstrates the astonishing directness of the 155-mile journey undertaken by seven (the meandering route taken by the eighth is unexplained).

The author concludes with concerns about the possible effects of the changing climate and how conservation groups are planning to help the zebras so that they can continue to travel unimpeded and find water on their way.

A hopeful and helpful addition to any nature library. (author’s note, fast facts, glossary, source notes, further reading, index) (Nonfiction. 8-11)

I LIKE ANIMALS… What Jobs Are There?

Martin, Steve Illus. by Blefari, Roberto Kane/Miller (48 pp.) $15.99 | Mar. 1, 2020 978-1-61067-989-3 Series: That’s a Job?

Children who like animals may find a new dream job in this informational volume.

A two-page introduction describes some basic “qualities and skills for working with animals,” such as “a kind, caring personality” and “a real passion to help them.” Each successive spread then introduces one or two jobs or careers, including the familiar neighborhood veterinarian, entomologist, and pet portrait artist, via a fictional representative’s narration. Each snapshot begins with an overview of why they came to this job and how they became qualified for it, continues with their daily tasks, and notes the “best” and “worst” parts of the job. A guide at the end helps readers trace their own skills, interests, and 108

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personality traits to find which jobs might be right for them.

This oversized volume is attractively illustrated and represents a diversity of skin tones and hair textures. The thoughtful details about each career are helpful and thorough, and the firstperson narration is inviting. However, the police dog handler’s job description will unsettle some readers: The dog is trained to apprehend “suspects by biting them on the arm and holding on until I give the command to let go,” a detail that won’t escape children who know incarcerated adults or who are already afraid of police—yet the woman of color who speaks says the hardest part of the job is staying fit to keep up with the dog.

An overall valuable volume with a major oversight.

(Nonfiction. 8-12)

SPACEMAN The True Story of a Young Boy’s Journey to Becoming an Astronaut (Adapted for Young Readers) Massimino, Mike Delacorte (288 pp.) $17.99 | $20.99 PLB | Apr. 7, 2020 978-0-593-12086-6 978-0-593-12087-3 PLB

A 2016 memoir from the first astronaut to tweet from space, lightly tweaked for younger readers.

Along with some reworking of the prose, Massimino drops chapters on his father’s death and his schooling in NASA fundraising and media relations. As a result, though this edition isn’t significantly shorter or easier to read than the original, his valorization of teamwork, maintaining a positive attitude, and overcoming past struggles and reverses through determination play out less in his private life than in his roller-coaster ride through school, astronaut training, and two missions into space. Fortunately, he also paints vivid word pictures, whether capturing the heady experience of playing with an Astronaut Snoopy as a child (“I still have him, only now he’s been to space for real”) or, memorably, the removal of what he repeatedly describes as “111 very tiny screws” from a failed device on the Hubble Space Telescope. Readers will feel his profound shock, but also relief, upon learning (in a segment pointedly titled “Russian Roulette”) that the shuttle Columbia had come apart upon reentry on the mission just after his. Yes, he writes, it’s very nearly impossible to become an astronaut, but: “I wanted to grow up to be SpiderMan—and I did.” Photo illustrations not seen.

Readers of either edition will be in for a grand, inspiring, sometimes hilarious ride. (Autobiography. 11-13)

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Brie’s journey is a nuanced exploration of how to reconcile faith and identity. in the role of brie hutchens…

THE FOREST MAN The True Story of Jadav Payeng Matheson, Anne Illus. by Widdowson, Kay Flowerpot Press (40 pp.) $16.99 | Apr. 7, 2020 978-1-4867-1816-0

A FIELD GUIDE TO GETTING LOST

McCullough, Joy Atheneum (224 pp.) $17.99 | Apr. 14, 2020 978-1-5344-3849-1

McCullough, who was a Morris YA Debut Award finalist for Blood Water Paint (2018), draws inspiration from her hometown of Seattle in her middlegrade debut.

On the surface, Sutton and Luis could not be more different. Sutton is a logic-ruled robot coder with a passion for hard science while Luis is a fantasy writer who uses his pen to go on adventures that his allergies prevent him from undertaking in real life. Both are from single-parent homes, and when their parents’ nascent romance grows serious, they are thrust together. Their first encounter is a bit of a bust as Sutton and |

IN THE ROLE OF BRIE HUTCHENS...

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This picture-book biography of Jadav Payeng, hailed as “the forest man of India,” details his effort to single-handedly reforest his river island home.

In the opening pages of the book, 14-year-old Payeng is distraught by the destruction that deforestation and erosion are causing in his community, an island on the mighty Brahmaputra River in northeastern India. Every day after taking care of his chores, he plants trees on a sandbar laid bare by erosion. For over 35 years he does this, planting first bamboo trees and then other species. Today, Molai Forest is a lush woodland that is no longer desolate: It is home to elephants, rhinoceroses, deer, wild boars, vultures, and tigers. Widdowson’s simple, brightly colored art unfolds as the text does, showcasing stark, eroded shorelines and stranded animals in the opening pages, then verdant coastal forests and smiling animals at the book’s close.

Additional backmatter details Payeng’s continued commitment to the revitalization of this fragile ecosystem along with further biographical information, such as his receiving one of India’s highest civilian awards, the Padma Shri. This is the second such picture book about Payeng, following The Boy Who Grew a Forest,

by Sophia Gholz and illustrated by Kayla Harren (2019). Payeng is a member of the Mishing, a marginalized tribal community in India; as climate change greatly affects Indigenous and vulnerable communities, this coverage is both welcome and necessary.

An excellent, child-friendly introduction to a global issue. (fast facts, glossary, further reading) (Picture book/ biography. 5-8)

Luis struggle to build rapport, but determined to give one another a second chance, the families decide on a hike. When the children are accidentally separated from the adults, they must learn to work together despite their differences in order to make it to their rendezvous point safely, in the process learning to confront problems and think with empathy and creativity.

With chapters switching narrative focus between the two protagonists, their inner turmoil is handled with sensitivity, creating a character-driven tale that doesn’t skimp on plot. While Luis’ issues with severe allergies are explicit, Sutton’s struggles with emotional expression and sensory overload are never given a name, though they are likely to resonate with readers on the autism spectrum. Luis is mixed-race Latinx and white, Sutton is white, and the supporting cast includes Asian and LGBTQ friends and neighbors. The notable representation of female characters in diverse STEM fields is heartening.

Minor perils and likable characters make for a cozy and enjoyable read. (Fiction. 8-12)

Melleby, Nicole Algonquin (272 pp.) $16.95 | Apr. 21, 2020 978-1-61620-907-0

From the author of Hurricane Season (2019) comes a story about the lengths to which people go to avoid the discomfort of change.

Aspiring actor Brie, 13, loves soap operas, with their dramatic plot twists and complex webs of relationships. Brie does not love school: Her mediocre grades, “organization issues,” and ambivalence about religion dismay most of the teachers at her co-ed Catholic middle school. But after her mom accidentally learns that Brie likes girls, not boys, Brie attempts to become an A student and a more devout Catholic to “keep [her] mom’s focus away” from this developing discovery. The problem is that being a “good girl” is not so easy as Brie’s perfect, pious classmate Kennedy makes it seem, and in trying to be like Kennedy, Brie realizes they might have more in common than she thought….Unlike the soap operas Brie devours, this is no rehashing of stale tropes. Brie’s journey is not one of escape from a stifling Catholic girlhood but is a more nuanced exploration of how to reconcile faith and identity. Melleby’s clear, honest voice expertly captures the frustration, awkwardness, and fear of being vulnerable—as well as the potential rewards. Brie, Kennedy, Brie’s best friend, and their families appear white; Wallace, “one of three black kids in their grade,” is a well-developed secondary character.

This funny, tender, and heart-wrenching story will have readers calling for an encore. (Fiction. 8-13)

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It breaks no new ground, but even the worms are smiling. one little lot

FREE FOR YOU AND ME What Our First Amendment Means

Mihaly, Christy Illus. by Montoya, Manu Whitman (32 pp.) $16.99 | Mar. 1, 2020 978-0-8075-2441-1

A simple explanation of the rights laid out in the First Amendment, with examples historical and otherwise showing them in operation.

Mihaly, an experienced lawyer and author of a nonfiction series on human rights, restates each constitutional right in plodding but easy-to-understand verse (“Freedom of assembly / means Americans can show— / with marches and with rallies— / what they want the world to know”), with each right allotted one to three double-page spreads. Dramatized tableaux with speech bubbles provide interpretation or context. George Washington responds to a Jewish questioner concerned about freedom of religion; readers meet Congressman Matthew Lyon, who was arrested in 1798 for bad-mouthing President John Adams (and reelected from jail); a fictive group of schoolchildren peaceably gathers to protest the planned closing of a local playground. In the interest of keeping it simple, she does veer into some gray areas; most notably, in an exchange between two children that consists entirely of “You can’t say that!” “Yes I can!

It’s a FREE COUNTRY!” she implicitly leaves room for unprotected libel and hate speech. A prose closing section provides further information. Most of Montoya’s carefully individualized human figures are or look like children, even the historical ones, and she includes some characters with visible disabilities and people in religious dress in her racially diverse cast.

Staid but timely, valuable as a gateway to further study. (resource lists) (Informational picture book. 7-10)

GO GET ’EM, TIGER!

Moyle, Sabrina Illus. by Moyle, Eunice abramsappleseed (32 pp.) $16.99 | Mar. 10, 2020 978-1-4197-3964-4 Series: Hello!Lucky

Go ahead. Judge this book by the cover.

On a softly psychedelic background, a cartoon-style tiger greets readers with a wonderfully cheesy smile that is every orthodontist’s dream. A sticker reads: “The PERFECT gift for every milestone!” In text uniformly presented in the second person, each spread inside gives readers a boost. “Because you’re / FIERCE. / A rising star! / You’ve earned your stripes. / You’ve come so far! / No matter who you choose / to be, you’ll be / TERR-IFIC. / Wait and see!” (Even though the text is in verse, it’s not always laid out accordingly.) Readers are encouraged to “find your place” and to “do your part” but also to “be humble,” to “land on your paws” in times of trouble, to help new 110

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friends, and to “use your strength to shine a light / on what is wrong and what is RIGHT.” A white tiger with multicolored stripes encourages further growth: “To your spirit you’ll stay true, never sorry to be you. / But CHANGE YOUR STRIPES / if they don’t suit you. / Dare to swap them—we’ll salute you.”

Most spreads contain a complete four-line rhythmic and rhyming stanza in second person. A variety of other animals join the tiger in its shining moment. The book’s open commercial appeal doesn’t mask its effectiveness.

Congratulatory cheerleading and wise whimsy to celebrate accomplishments of all sorts. (Picture book. 4-8, all ages)

ONE LITTLE LOT The 1-2-3s of an Urban Garden Mullen, Diane C. Illus. by Vidal, Oriol Charlesbridge (32 pp.) $16.99 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-58089-889-8

One empty lot needs two helping hands, three days of cleanup, and so on to become a community garden “full of delicious!”

In, mostly, aerial or elevated views, Vidal’s bright, painted illustrations track the lot’s transformation from a (tidy-looking, admittedly) dumping ground behind a rusty chain-link fence.

Echoing the multiethnic and multiracial nature of the group of neighbors who gather to do the work (white-presenting figures are in the minority), the eventual crops include bok choy, collard greens, and kittley along with beans, bell peppers, and cherry tomatoes—all of which end up incorporated in the climactic spread into a community dinner spread out on tables among the planting boxes. Typically of such garden-themed picture-book tributes, the spirit of community and joy at the eventual bounty elbow out any real acknowledgement of the necessary sweat equity (there’s not even a glancing reference to weeding here, for instance) or the sense of an entire season’s passing between planting and harvest. Also, as that public feast is created by considerably more than “Ten newfound friends,” the counting is just a conceit. Mullen closes with notes on the actual garden in Minneapolis that inspired her and on making gardens bee-friendly.

It breaks no new ground, but even the worms are smiling. (Picture book. 6-8)

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GOODNIGHT, VEGGIES

Murray, Diana Illus. by OHora, Zachariah HMH Books (32 pp.) $17.99 | Mar. 10, 2020 978-1-328-86683-7

THE GHOUL

Najjar, Taghreed Illus. by Manasra, Hassan Trans. by Moushabeck, Michel Crocodile/Interlink (36 pp.) $17.95 | Feb. 4, 2020 978-1-62371-925-8 The story of Hasan, a young and courageous boy from a small village who decides to brave the unknown.

Inspired by Arab folklore, the story revolves around life in a quiet and peaceful village somewhere in Arabia, where the only thing disturbing the surrounding peace is the ghoul living up the mountain—a monster everyone dreads and fears. While nobody has actually seen it, all the villagers are worried that it might eat children, so they tiptoe and whisper lest they draw its attention. Perplexed by the idea of a monster that nobody has seen or heard, Hasan decides to defy his parents and investigate for himself. To his surprise, he finds a creature that is just as afraid of humans as they are of it, an estranged being |

THE BOY AND THE WILD BLUE GIRL

Negley, Keith Illus. by the author Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins (40 pp.) $17.99 | Apr. 14, 2020 978-0-06-284680-8

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Even veggies get tired, it seems.

Illustrator OHora’s adorable anthropomorphic veggies star in this bedtime ramble. The illustrations, appropriately created with 100% vegetarian paper and acrylic paint, portray veggies in brilliant realistic colors with thick, black-line details that pop against a pale sky or textured brown earth. A pink-segmented worm guide with a rakish hat and one sock and sneaker winds its way through an urban rooftop community garden as day ends, visiting every veggie preparing for bed or “snoozing, / beneath the moon so bright, // for nothing’s more exhausting / than growing day and night.” In Murray’s playful rhyming text, “tuckered-out tomatoes” hum lullabies, cauliflowers cuddle, “beets are / simply beat,” and “celery is snoring / as sunset disappears.” With just two to nine words per page, the story makes for quick reading, but its steady rhythm, whimsical rhymes, abundant alliteration, and hand-lettered sleep-appropriate sounds to share like “zzzzz” and “snore! snore!” extend the read-aloud experience.

The illustrations are equally charming, smiling faces on most of the vegetables matching the worm’s grin. One rhubarb stalk improbably holds a book, reading aloud to some broccoli. The eggplants are revealed to have expansive dreams! Familiar garden creatures also hide in plain sight on most garden spreads.

The human gardener, seen tangentially at the beginning of the story, has brown skin.

A bedtime veggie feast for the eyes and ears. (Picture book.

3-6)

who will not venture down the mountain out of fear of these humans who look so much different. After sharing their mutual misconceptions, Hasan and the ghoul realize that they can still be friends despite their differences. Children will giggle at both the ghoul’s physical ridiculousness (it looks like a shaggy purple cyclops with an endearingly goofy grin) and the colloquy that reveals important truths: “But…ghouls are vegetarians.” This Jordanian import has great potential to serve caregivers and educators in facilitating discussions about perceiving—and more importantly, accepting—the “other” despite differences and initial assumptions.

A stimulating and funny fantasy about acceptance. (Pic­ ture book. 3-8)

Who’s gusting around town and cheerfully blowing things hither and yon?

Poul’s “curious about the wild blue girl.” Poul, a redheaded white boy, stands holding a pinwheel while another kid disappears off the page nearby—someone with streaming blue hair and blue pants with blue suspenders. In fact, everything about her is blue, including her big blue grin and the blue rosiness of her cheeks (her skin is the white of the background paper).

She’s the same size as Poul, but her strength and influence aren’t: Everywhere she goes, hats and flowers blow away, hair gusts sideways, and no pile of leaves is safe. The townspeople, a multiracial group, consider her “a nuisance,” but Poul adores her and sets out researching her powers, “study[ing] and measure[ing], test[ing] and buil[ding].” He erects a windmill— for she is, of course, the wind. Negley’s watercolor pencils and cut-paper collage (of solid paper, patterned paper, and newsprint) create a breezy, buoyant setting with ample air and an exuberant feeling even during the (mild) chaos. The text never identifies the wild blue girl as the wind, but readers will get it. However, what they won’t understand, unless they already know about windmills, is the turbine Poul builds. The art shows turbines, but neither art nor text explains a thing about them (until the author’s note introduces 19th-century Danish scientist/inventor Poul la Cour).

This celebration of renewable power is all about the manic pixie wind girl. (historical photograph) (Picture book.

3-8)

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THE LONELY HEART OF MAYBELLE LANE

O’Shaughnessy, Kate Knopf (288 pp.) $16.99 | $19.99 PLB | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-9848-9383-3 978-1-9848-9384-0 PLB On a road trip to Nashville to sing in a competition judged by the father she’s never met, 11-year-old Maybelle Lane finds courage she didn’t know she had—

and it’s contagious.

The panic-prone narrator’s mother warns her: “nothing good will come” from learning anything more about the father she’s only known as a radio voice. But when she hears about his role in the upcoming contest, she can’t resist signing up. Unexpectedly, her neighbor Mrs. Boggs agrees to drive her there from their trailer-park home in Louisiana. Mrs. Boggs is the strictest teacher in her school, but she has a heart. She even allows Tommy O’Brien, a detested classmate with a difficult home life, to come along after he stows away in the RV. These are well-developed, complex characters who all grow and change over the course of their road trip. The two children are white; Mrs. Boggs is an African American widow, still mourning her husband but strong in other ways. She addresses a stranger’s casual racism directly and quellingly, explaining to Maybelle: “If you’re going to control twenty wriggly eleven-year-olds, you better know how to command a room.” Lonely Maybelle is a budding musician who collects sounds on her old-fashioned tape recorder, labeling the collection she makes on their trip “the sound of happiness,” reflecting her growing maturity in the face of the mission’s mixed success.

A rich and rewarding debut. (Fiction. 8-12)

INTO THE CLOUDS The Race To Climb the World’s Most Dangerous Mountain Olson, Tod Scholastic Focus (288 pp.) $18.99 | Apr. 21, 2020 978-1-338-20736-1

Olson details the first three attempts

by Americans to summit K2.

K2, at 28,250 feet, is the secondhighest mountain in the Himalayan chain and is considered by climbers the most difficult of the over-8,000-meter peaks, of which Everest is the highest. In 1938, when Olson’s gripping tale begins, no one had climbed K2. Medical student Charlie Houston and his handpicked team were tasked by the American Alpine Club to scout a route up K2 so that another team headed by climber Fritz Wiessner could summit the following year.

Enduring frigid cold and danger, Houston and another climber reached 26,000 feet before descending. Wiessner’s attempt the 112

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following year, plagued by poor management, failed to summit also and resulted in four deaths. Fifteen years later, in 1953, Charlie Houston tried again. Olson writes with assurance and empathy, detailing the nearly unbelievable hardships borne by the climbers and narratively balancing the individuals’ obsession to summit against the humanity of the so-called “brotherhood of the rope”—climbers are roped together, therefore literally dependent on one another for their lives. He takes care to include the porters and Sherpas of these early expeditions— too often considered merely as servants by the wealthy white men who hired them—by including photographs and giving them equal credit in his narrative.

Gripping, well-researched, superb entertainment. (author’s note, sources, notes) (Nonfiction. 10 -18)

GHOST SQUAD

Ortega, Claribel Scholastic (256 pp.) $17.99 | Apr. 7, 2020 978-1-338-28012-8 After unwittingly unleashing dead spirits on St. Augustine, Florida, Lucely Luna works to restore the city with the help of friend Syd and the spirits of her family.

Dominican American Lucely Luna lives with her family. Her father, Simon, runs a ghost tour business. The rest of them are deceased but are still very much in her life, their spirits appearing to her as cucuyos, or fireflies.

Alarmingly, after one ghost tour, the spirit of Lucely’s grandma, Mamá, goes dim. At school, Lucely learns of Las Brujas Moradas, witches who fled Spain during the Inquisition and who were reputed to have a lost spell book. Lucely and her best friend, Syd, decide to look for a spell that can awaken the dead so they can wake Mamá up, so they prowl through the library of Syd’s grandmother Babette, who owns an occult shop. When they recite a spell they find there, they accidentally awaken other—evil—spirits of the town. Lucely and Syd join forces with Babette and Lucely’s spirit family in the fight to save St. Augustine and Mamá. Lucely’s action-packed and ghost-filled adventures unfold briskly, with seamlessly incorporated and unitalicized Spanish. While it’s undeniably a ghost story, Lucely’s love for her family, both corporeal and spirit, carries the narrative, giving it warmth and depth. Readers will root for Lucely and Syd as they try to save St. Augustine and Lucely’s cucuyos.

Both girls present black on the cover.

A warmly spooky middle-grade debut. (Fantasy. 8-12)

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Like the woods, this book is an immersive experience that invites repeated visits. hike

HIKE

Oswald, Pete Illus. by the author Candlewick (40 pp.) $17.99 | Mar. 17, 2020 978-1-5362-0157-4 A brown father-and-child pair leave the city behind for a day together in the mountains in this wordless picture book by the illustrator of The Good Egg, by Jory

PRAIRIE LOTUS

Park, Linda Sue Clarion (272 pp.) $16.99 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-328-78150-5 A “half-Chinese and half-white” girl finds her place in a Little House–inspired fictional settler town.

After the death of her Chinese mother, Hanna, an aspiring dressmaker, and her white father seek a fresh start in Dakota Territory. It’s 1880, and they endure challenges similar to those faced by the Ingallses and so many others: dreary travel through unfamiliar lands, the struggle to protect food stores from nature, and the risky uncertainty of establishing a livelihood in a new place. Fans of the Little House books will find many of the small satisfactions of Laura’s stories—the mouthwatering descriptions of victuals, the attention to smart building construction, the glorious details of pleats and poplins—here in abundance. Park brings new depth to these well-trodden tales, though, as she renders visible both the xenophobia of the town’s white residents, which ranges in expression from microaggressions to full-out assault, and Hanna’s fight to overcome |

THE BIG BOOK OF BIBLE QUESTIONS

Parker, Amy & Powell, Doug Illus. by Tempest, Annabel Tyndale House (144 pp.) $14.99 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-4964-3524-8 Powell, a veteran of adult apologetics, teams up with Christian children’s author Parker (Night Night, Zoo, illustrated by Virginia Allyn, 2019, etc.) for this colorful compendium of Bible questions.

Starting with basic theology presented in accessible language and engaging illustrations, the authors progress through the Old and New Testaments, answering questions that follow along with the traditional Christian ordering of the books of the Bible. Though more-difficult passages and characters from the source text are glossed over, the authors do an admirable job of presenting Bible stories and doctrinal teaching in a way that is kid-friendly and leaves room for questions the text does not have a firm answer for. Because of this deft flexibility while remaining true to the canon, this book will have broad appeal in a variety of homes and for those curious to learn about core concepts of Christian theology. The pitying attitude expressed toward adherents of non-Christian beliefs, set opposite photographs of an Indian bharatanatyam dancer, a Buddhist monk, a woman in niqab, a child in a kippah, and a professorial-looking white man (a representative atheist?), among others, makes plain its evangelical roots, however. While Tempest’s illustrations depict diverse believers, most artwork featured is from Western traditions, and several Bible characters appear white rather than Middle Eastern even though the text explicitly points out these origins of the Bible stories. There is no backmatter.

Many Christian families will want to make room on the shelves for this big book. (Religion. 7-12)

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John (2019).

The sun sets on a suburban row house with a fenced yard and a jeep outside. A man tucks a child into bed in a room filled with outdoor gear. The next morning comes quickly, and the child jumps out of bed to gets dressed and packed for a day in the great outdoors. The two drive out of the town and park at a trailhead. Backpacks on, they hike a trail that leads through thick woods populated by animals, only some of which reveal themselves. Binoculars, camera, trail mix, walking sticks, and even rope and helmets come in handy along the way as they explore, but the highlights are the wondrous view from the summit and the act of planting a tree together there. Dusk ushers the father and child out of the woods, and it is dark by the time they arrive home and share cookies over the family album in their pajamas. The blue- and green-themed art rewards readers who look closely. The relationship between the father and child makes this not just a picture book set in the outdoors, but a warm expression of how memories are created and bonds form.

Like the woods, this book is an immersive experience that invites repeated visits. (Picture book. 2-8)

it with empathy and dignity. Hanna’s encounters with women of the nearby Ihanktonwan community are a treat; they hint at the whole world beyond a white settler perspective, a world all children deserve to learn about. A deeply personal author’s note about the story’s inspiration may leave readers wishing for additional resources for further study and more clarity about her use of Lakota/Dakota. While the cover art unfortunately evokes none of the richness of the text and instead insinuates insidious stereotypes, readers who sink into the pages behind it will be rewarded.

Remarkable. (Historical fiction. 8-12)

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Illustrations are graphically simple, with cheerful cartoon animals contributing to the upbeat mood. morning, sunshine!

MORNING, SUNSHINE!

Parrack, Keely Illus. by Bajet, John North Atlantic (32 pp.) $17.95 | Mar. 24, 2020 978-1-62317-385-2

This picture book combines poetry with facts about nature.

Using the arrival of morning as its focus and theme, this nonfiction book provides information about animal, insect, and bird life along with some general natural science. From birds’ singing in the morning through moths’ finding quiet spots to rest as the sun rises to the daily routines of rabbits, foxes, and other animals, readers will discover fascinating facts about Earth’s creatures. Combining entertainment and information, this book not only features the lives of animals, but it also explains why the sky changes color throughout the day and how the Earth’s rotation creates the phenomena of day and night.

Each double-page spread highlights a different creature or natural phenomenon; there’s a haiku on verso and on recto, a moderately sized paragraph with both commonly known and more unusual facts. Highlighted words stand out as obvious vocabulary builders; readers can learn their meanings in the appended glossary. The illustrations are large-scale and vivid, with the palette lightening over the course of the book as morning takes hold. Illustrations are graphically simple, with cheerful cartoon animals contributing to the upbeat mood. An added bonus is a page at the back encouraging readers to write their own nature haiku.

The combination of haiku, attractive illustrations, and interesting information makes this a keeper. (Informational picture book. 6-8)

OUR ENVIRONMENT Everything You Need To Know

Pasquet, Jacques Illus. by Dumont, Yves Trans. by Tanaka, Shelley Owlkids Books (56 pp.) $18.95 | Mar. 15, 2020 978-1-77147-389-7

We need to know about our environment—water, air, soil, energy, and climate—in order to understand how and why it is changing.

A French-Canadian writer for young people takes on this complicated subject, splitting it into parts and presenting them in short, accessible-looking bits. Each major component gets a chapter; each spread covers a single topic with headings and subheadings. He moves logically from topic to topic and provides some connections. Concluding with the idea of climate change, he makes clear that “human activities…are largely responsible for [it].” Some vocabulary may prove challenging, but important words and phrases are bolded and defined in a glossary. Some choices are downright puzzling: Readers will 114

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wonder why this text calls what every American child learns about as the “water cycle” the “hydrologic cycle” instead. The survey is digitally illustrated with stylized images that colorfully support the text. On a final spread describing positive efforts to solve environmental issues, the illustrator shows a diverse group of children sitting on a tree branch made of two different kinds of trees, with roots that also connect. It’s a nice touch. Many books that break complex subjects down for young readers with general statements and attention-catching examples can leave a few false impressions. This survey shares that flaw.

Not “everything you need to know” but a well-intentioned effort. (glossary, selected sources, index) (Nonfiction.

9-12)

THE FORT

Perdew, Laura Illus. by Lirius, Adelina Page Street (32 pp.) $17.99 | Apr. 21, 2020 978-1-62414-925-2 Two children unwittingly—and unwillingly—share a fort in the woods, until one day their paths cross; will they fight or unite?

The prince, a white boy, struts toward his “castle,” planning his feast—only to discover, among other pirate effects, a treasure map scribbled on his invitation and an eye patch on the floor of his great hall. He rids the place of the pirate things and continues planning his royal feast. The next day, the pirate, a black girl, dreams of travel and treasure as she parades toward her “ship”—but she discovers a feast invitation, a crown, and table settings. She tosses out the royal items and tidies up on deck. Each finds the unwelcome changes on their next solo visit too, but on the day of the feast, the prince and the pirate come face to face. When each discovers their intruder, a fight over the space with shouts of “No pirates allowed” and “No royalty allowed” gives way to a new use for the fort: spacecraft. This is a vision the two children can, and do, share. The illustrations bring the children’s imaginations to life on the page, turning the fort into lush scenes depending on the beholder, leaving it simple and ragged only when the two argue. The values of imagination and collaboration are conveyed without a heavy hand.

Two caveats: The interracial casting does not reflect real-world power dynamics, even among children, and one unfortunate imaginary scene sees the white boy presiding over a group of subjects of color.

Mostly delightful. (Picture book. 3-8)

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A BEAR NAMED BJORN

Perret, Delphine Illus. by the author Trans. by Shugaar, Antony Gecko Press (64 pp.) $17.99 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-776572-69-4

THE REASON FOR THE SEASONS

Peterson, Ellie Illus. by the author Boyds Mills (40 pp.) $17.99 | Feb. 11, 2020 978-1-63592-136-6 Series: Joulia Copernicus Joulia Copernicus, a young scientist in a white lab coat and safety goggles, returns to help readers learn why seasons exist.

In the jaunty first-person narration readers will remember from series opener It’s a Round, Round World! (2019), Joulia tells why many think the Earth has seasons: its orbit around the sun and its rotation. She demonstrates why these theories are incorrect and then introduces the answer: the role of Earth’s tilt. The logical structure starts with misconceptions and moves toward understanding, but it is the full-color illustrations, bristling with fun details pertaining to the seasons and anthropomorphic planetary bodies, that make this book stand out. Joulia’s obvious enthusiasm, accessible language, and the use of sequential |

THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD 90th Anniversary Edition

Piper, Watty Illus. by Santat, Dan Grosset & Dunlap (48 pp.) $18.99 | Apr. 7, 2020 978-0-593-09439-6

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A thoughtful bear has tranquil forest adventures.

In a faraway wood, Bjorn, a bear with a kidney-bean–shaped head who often stands on two legs, lives “in a cave. / The walls are very smooth. / The floor is pretty comfortable.” Over six episodic chapters, Bjorn has a variety of whimsical escapades, including winning a sofa that does not quite fit his cave’s aesthetic, borrowing clothes from a human campsite (and returning them, of course, with a thank-you note) for a carnival with his animal friends, and preparing himself for his annual hibernation. Bjorn and his compadres encounter problems both animal and human, such as trying to select just the right forest object to mail to a human pen pal or visiting self-appointed forest physician Owl for an annual exam. French author Perret’s tale is serene, moving along languidly like the calming flow of a brook through the woods. Bits of text reside alongside simply wrought thin, black-line illustrations on cool mint-green pages in this graphic-novel hybrid. While the story itself makes for a pleasant read-aloud, the small-scale, unassuming art may better serve independent readers than groups. Children drawn to quieter animal fare imbued with warm humor and accompanied by a gentle nudge toward nature should find kinship here.

A meditative tale with a homespun feel, best for thoughtful readers. (Graphic/fantasy hybrid. 6-10)

visual formats actively involve kids in thinking about scientific concepts. The last page explains how Johannes Kepler’s discovery about 400 years ago regarding the Earth’s path has led to some of our confusion and also gives instructions for a simple experiment. Joulia presents white, as do the two other humans depicted. While other, diverse characters would be welcome, it’s good to see a capable girl excited about science. The seasons are those readers in the northern U.S. will recognize, although Joulia explains how variations occur near the equator and in the Southern Hemisphere.

A breezy, information-packed, visually attractive explanation of an important elementary school science topic. (Informational picture book. 6-8)

Thinking it can for its 90th year, an old friend receives a shiny new update.

Fifteen years after Loren Long’s 75th-anniversary interpretation, Caldecott winner Santat tries his hand at this work of classic children’s literature. Once more a train filled with toys and goodies for all those “good little boys and girls on the other side of the mountain” can only be saved by the smallest, most determined engine of them all. As no part of the text has been changed (the “jackknives” for children remain intact in the train’s inventory), Santat’s challenge is to bring the engine into the 21st century visually. Now the “funny little clown” is actually small instead of adult-sized, and one of the dolls depicted has brown skin and straight, dark hair (the other is white with Shirley Temple ringlets). In Santat’s version, when the Little Blue Engine pulls away from the engine that broke down, one of the toys waves goodbye, and it looks on in relief. Some scenes directly reference the earlier editions, such as a shot of the Little Blue Engine pulling over a bridge as animals run alongside.

Kids will enjoy small details, like the toy plane that appears in almost every spread. Adults will enjoy the generous format and Santat’s lovingly rendered landscapes. Notes from Dolly Parton and Santat bookend the story.

Can you love another update? We think you will, we think you will, we think you will…. (Picture book. 3-6)

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THIS RAINDROP Has a Billion Stories To Tell

Ragsdale, Linda Illus. by Bassani, Srimalie Flowerpot Press (40 pp.) $16.99 | Apr. 7, 2020 978-1-4867-1817-7

An unnamed drop of water shares stories of where it’s been and why water is important.

Since the era of dinosaurs, the little raindrop has existed.

From the very first ocean wave to the rain on rooftops of houses today, the raindrop has traversed the world and continues to be an invaluable part of nature. It seeps into the ground, “cuddled as a puddle,” and is reborn as dew on orange and yellow flowers on the next page. Water is more than just precipitation: It connects people and places, from “poets and pirates” to “friends, fisherman, sailors, soldiers, and seekers.” With its personifiedraindrop narrator, the story attempts to be informative and engaging but struggles with the latter due to overuse of alliteration and overall wordiness. While the heart of its message is complemented by vibrant and eye-catching illustrations, it is not enough to outweigh the stilted language and (ironically) failure to flow. Backmatter including descriptions of the water cycle and water conservation provides much-needed definitions for some of the more complex vocabulary used. Children will be frustrated that the “sagas and secrets of travelers” that “raindrops are fully versed in” are only hinted at and not revealed.

A beautiful but insubstantial book on the importance of water. (further information, suggested reading) (Infor­ mational picture book. 5-8)

¡VAMOS! LET’S GO EAT

Raúl the Third Illus. by the author with Bay, Elaine Versify/HMH (48 pp.) $14.99 | Mar. 24, 2020 978-1-328-55704-9 Series: ¡Vamos!

Little Lobo is tasked with nourishing nine famished luchadores.

Following ¡Vamos! Let’s Go to the Market (2019), author/illustrator Raúl the Third and colorist Bay create a second installment in their bilingual series, ¡Vamos!, here following Little Lobo’s journey as he provides sustenance to hungry lucha libre stars. The cheerfully energetic anthropomorphic wolf reprises his role as a bike courier when he receives a message from El Toro and makes his way to el Coliseo, winding and weaving through busy streets. A mouthwatering experience follows as Little Lobo—accompanied by dog Bernabé and rooster pal Kooky Dooky—picks up tacos, diced fruit, freshly made tortillas, flan, and buñuelos from a gathering of food trucks. As in his other work, Raúl the Third imbues his pages with real-world and pop-culture references. An homage to Picasso’s Guernica, recognizable Ciudad Juárez–El Paso landmarks, a Chavo del 116

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Ocho inside a barrel, and even a Chapulín Colorado marionette all make the cut. Readers ignorant of these specifics will not feel left out: The busy pages filled with interesting characters and intriguing bilingual signage make readers wish they could jump into the pages and experience the bustling town. Bay’s comic book–style coloring and creative textures provide a deep cultural exposure to the lavish array of Mexican food throughout the spreads. After enjoying the story, readers will keep going back to savor all the minuscule details.

A delectable bilingual experience. (Picture book. 4- 7)

RESCUING THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE How We Almost Lost the Words That Built America

Redding, Anna Crowley Illus. by Fotheringham, Edwin Harper/HarperCollins (40 pp.) $17.99 | Apr. 14, 2020 978-0-06-274032-8

The British are coming—again!

When lowly clerk Stephen Pleasonton receives a note from his boss, Secretary of State James Monroe, everything changes.

It’s 1812, and Washington, D.C., is at risk from the British—even though the U.S. military doesn’t seem to think so—and Pleasonton has been instructed to “remove the records,” meaning that he should save the original documents that helped the United States develop as a nation. Exaggerated but appealing illustrations show the sequence of events while descriptive, actionfilled text narrates the tale. Fotheringham’s drawings have the look of old-time editorial cartoons, and the text pops with strategically placed emphases. While the story itself may be a mere footnote to history, it inadvertently reveals how the world has changed (paper documents and records being much less the norm today) and seeks to convey the awe many feel in regard to primary sources and artifacts. A reminder of a more innocent age when patriotism was taken for granted, this rollicking tale gives a nice sense of the time period. It also emphasizes how the actions of a less-than-famous but determined individual can have great effect and demonstrates that each person’s role in history—even one that focuses on packing up government files and papers—is important.

Budding historians as well as those unfamiliar with history will both enjoy this pleasant, fast-moving selection. (endnotes, timeline, bibliography) (Informational picture book.

5-10)

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Reynolds’ new series debut is nonstop comedy, poking fun at everything from animal rights groups to the education system. the incredibly dead pets of rex dexter

THE INCREDIBLY DEAD PETS OF REX DEXTER

Reynolds, Aaron Disney-Hyperion (224 pp.) $16.99 | Apr. 28, 2020 978-1-368-05183-5 Series: Incredibly Dead Pets of Rex Dexter, 1

HOW TO PUT AN OCTOPUS TO BED

Rinker, Sherri Duskey Illus. by Schwarz, Viviane Chronicle (40 pp.) $17.99 | Mar. 31, 2020 978-1-4521-4010-0

Playful bedtime reading, with octopuses.

Protagonist Floyd is a rambunctious, anthropomorphic octopus child who’s quite a handful. Even with their combined 16 arms, his Mommy-O and OctoPop can’t contain him. Of course, “giggly, squiggly, oh-so-wiggly” Floyd has eight arms of his own, and they never stop moving. The characters’ anthropomorphism extends to the degree that they appear to live in a space that isn’t underwater (though perhaps it’s a submerged submarine of sorts?), and part of Floyd’s bedtime routine includes taking a bath. He fills a massive, three-tiered tub, and all three of them end up soaking wet. Tooth-brushing is a frothy mess, but getting Floyd into his pajamas proves the most challenging with so very many arms and armholes to negotiate. “Get ready for the nightly rumble…the OCTO PAJAMA TANGLE TUMBLE!” reads the emphatic type, and it takes |

RISE UP! The Art of Protest Rippon, Jo Charlesbridge (64 pp.) $18.99 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-62354-150-7

Published in collaboration with Amnesty International, this book combines protest art spanning two centuries with a strong message of encouragement to young activists all over the world.

In her foreword, Mari Copeny, who drew President Barack Obama’s attention to the Flint water crisis in 2014, exhorts young people to “speak up for ourselves because it’s our present, and our future, that are at stake.” Each chapter deals with a specific issue, including women’s rights, racial justice, peace, youth rights, LGBTQ rights, and environmental issues. A short essay introduces each topic, prefaced by inspirational statements from key activists and politicians, including Gloria Steinem, Nelson Mandela, Ban Ki-moon, and Jane Goodall. The accompanying posters are the main event, most selections covering several decades. Each artwork is accompanied by a detailed caption explaining its significance and the historical situation that inspired it. The statement from David Hogg, a survivor of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in 2018, sums up the core message of the book. “If you don’t make your voices heard in the real world, nothing will change.” From the fight for women’s suffrage to Black Lives Matter, this book will be a useful tool for students exploring the story of activism.

An effective survey of art that speaks truth to power.

(Nonfiction. 10-14)

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Haunted by the ghosts of dead pets, a kid must right their wrongs.

All sixth grader Rex wants is a “reallive” pet of his own—preferably a chocolate Labrador. Everyone he knows has a pet. His best friend, Darvish, a “pet hoarder,” has four—maybe five. In answer to Rex’s constant pleading, his parents give him a “practice pet”: a chicken. One hour and 14 minutes after the chicken enters Rex’s life, it becomes a realdead pet. Things go from bad to worse when, after losing a mysterious carnival game called The Reaper’s Curse he finds on the sidewalk, Rex can not only suddenly see the ghosts of dead animals, but speak to and understand them. The chicken—Drumstick—is the first of many to communicate with Rex. As a de facto animal “afterlife errand boy,” can Rex help these ghosts rest in peace? Reynolds’ new series debut is nonstop comedy, poking fun at everything from animal rights groups to the education system. Rex’s first-person narration—heavily unreliable and hyperbolic—smartly utilizes direct address to implicate readers in the ridiculous plot. Though several jokes only just toe the line, one punny reference to “spirit animals” goes a bit too far. Most of the human characters are white by default; Darvish is Pakistani American.

Laugh-out-loud ludicrousness. (Fiction. 8-12)

two double-page spreads to get everyone sorted out. Throughout, Schwarz’s bright, cartoon art depicts the octopus family as rounded, downright cuddly beings in bright hues that capture the lively spirit of the text.

Silly, wiggly, giggly fun. (Picture book. 2-5)

DOUG’S DUNG

Rooks, Jo Illus. by the author Magination/American Psychological Association (32 pp.) $14.99 | Mar. 21, 2020 978-1-4338-3237-6 Series: Once Upon a Garden A budding artist searches for his strength.

Doug the brown dung beetle appreciates nature. The other dung beetles say he needs to be “strong” and have “power.” They take turns lifting a brown dumbbell. When Doug tries, he can’t lift it, and the others tease him. Belinda the butterfly encourages Doug, reassuring him that he’s “strong in another way.” kirkus.com

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Rusch unites a passion for democracy with a belief in the power of young people to help restore it. you call this democracy?

Petals floating on the breeze give Doug an idea. He covers a large ball of dung in an intricate petal mosaic. For another work of dung art, he uses a heap of bright yellow pollen. He continues to make unique art out of the brown spheres, building a little gallery to display his work. At first, he’s still met with jeers, but he stays “determined” to do this thing that makes him happy.

Eventually, the whole garden comes to appreciate his art, and the other dung beetles even make a sculpture to celebrate Doug and ask for lessons on creativity. The text avoids any crass poop jokes, not even defining “dung.” Key message words (“determination,” “resilience,” etc.) appear repeatedly in boldface within the modest text, making the moral clear. The minimalist art gets its job done effectively. Predominant visual symmetry from page to page (the characters always face forward) makes for easy sight recognition for young readers. The large-eyed insects composed of simple shapes appear friendly while the earthtoned dung beetles cheerfully complement the brights of the garden—and thus Doug’s art as well.

Encouraging and judgement-free. (Picture book. 3-6)

A SEARCH FOR THE NORTHERN LIGHTS

Rusch, Elizabeth & Rusch, Izzi Illus. by Lee, Cedar West Margin Press (40 pp.) $17.99 | Apr. 14, 2020 978-1-5132-6290-1 A young girl and her mother chase the aurora borealis.

After viewing a solar eclipse, Alix worries that she’ll never see anything so wonderful again. Her mom’s passing comment that auroras are “pretty cool” gets the girl researching, and before long, she’s managed to tag along on her mom’s Alaska work trip (Alix pays for her own ticket). The two pet a reindeer calf (though its antlers indicate it’s at least 3 years old in the illustration) and go dog sledding, but they see only a faint green glow in the sky. Undaunted, they visit Glacier National Park, where they see a green arch overhead, but it’s right in their own Pacific Northwest neck of the woods that they see the spectacular light show they longed for, aided by an app that sends out aurora alerts. Unfortunately, the vast majority of science facts are found only in the dense, text-heavy backmatter, which explains the science behind eclipses and auroras, describes how to hunt for them and the best conditions for seeing them, and provides further resources. Lee’s nature scenes can be luminous, the colors at their best seeming to glow on the pages and beckon readers in. In contrast, the indoor scenes and views of the white-presenting mother and daughter can be awkward and pull readers out of the wonder that is the great outdoors.

A mixed introduction to the aurora borealis that nevertheless may have readers itching to start hunts of their own.

(Picture book. 5-8)

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YOU CALL THIS DEMOCRACY? How To Fix Our Government and Deliver Power to the People Rusch, Elizabeth HMH Books (288 pp.) $19.99 | Mar. 31, 2020 978-0-358-17692-3

Detailing how threats to democracy— some long-standing, others recent—deprive Americans of all political stripes of the power to participate in their governance, this users’ manual offers new and future voters ways to make their voices heard and their ballots count.

The challenges are sobering, and Rusch lays them out clearly. Citizen voters don’t elect presidents; the Electoral College does, and twice in 20 years it has elected the candidate who lost the popular vote. Like sparsely populated, early-primary states, “battleground” states essential to securing Electoral College victory play an outsize role in selecting presidential candidates; meanwhile, other states get little attention. Each state has two senators, regardless of population; today, half the Senate represents just 16.2% of the U.S. population. With election spending now a financial arms race, issues wealthy donors care about are prioritized over those of other constituents; time politicians must devote to fundraising leaves significantly less for legislating. Gerrymandering, with a long, bipartisan history and now technologically weaponized, engineers House legislative districts to ensure one-party control. Voter-suppression efforts target youth and minorities. Rusch has some hope to offer: To address these and many other challenges, initiatives for restoring democracy—some from teen activists—are described and resources provided. Effective infographics and references support the streamlined text. Rusch unites a passion for democracy with a belief in the power of young people to help restore it.

A riveting must-read. (bibliography, online resources) (Nonfiction. 10-16)

ONE OF THESE IS NOT LIKE THE OTHERS

Saltzberg, Barney Illus. by the author Neal Porter/Holiday House (40 pp.) $18.99 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-0-8234-4560-8 Saltzberg upends traditional spot-the-difference design.

A carefully chosen set of four objects is offered—most similar but not quite the same and sometimes vastly different. Three cows and one elephant? The titular phrase comes in handy. “One of these is not like the others.” But the page turn reveals all four clasping hooves and trunk and celebrating: “And that’s just fine with us.” Three dogs and one cat? “One of these is |

not like the others.” The cat’s nervous mien prompts misdirection to assumptions of stereotypical cat-and-dog relationships.

“But we can still be friends.” Saltzberg goes on to compare more surprisingly visually similar items, such as three cowboy hats and a fish rising from a puddle, mouth agape, to mimic the outline of the headwear. The fish is then wearing all the hats in the following spread: “Because you can never have too many hats.”

Placed on a blank white canvas, the sets are simple and uncluttered. Young readers will jump at the chance to point out the differences. But those differences are what are celebrated! It’s impossible to not hum the Sesame Street song of similar wording, but instead of not belonging, the different objects are accepted and embraced. “Some of us are a little different. // And that’s the way we like it!”

Subversive and clever, this book challenges readers to change habits of thought. (Picture book. 3- 7)

TO THE MOON AND BACK FOR YOU

A poetic ode to women who became mothers despite the challenges they faced.

Whether navigating the roughest seas, crossing the hottest deserts, or pushing through painful brambles, the mothers in this book know their long, hard journeys were worth the effort. There might have been failure and doubt, but now that it’s all over, they know they’d “do it all over again. For you.”

First-person narration expresses in metaphor the extraordinary lengths some mothers will go to achieve their dream of holding a child in their arms. Sentimental and flowery, the text is broad enough to apply to the journeys of many mothers—even though the text is gender neutral, the illustrations clearly center the mother’s experience. At times another figure, often malepresenting, is shown alongside a mother. Soft, jewel-toned illustrations peppered with textures depict families with a variety of skin tones and hair colors/textures. The assortment of mothers shown demonstrates the universality of the message, but it also contributes to the absence of a strong visual throughline. In the concluding author’s note, Serhant shares her personal struggle to conceive her child, which included fertility treatments and IVF. Ultimately, although the sentiment is lovely, the message is too abstract to be understood by children and will be better received and appreciated by parents.

Though it looks like a book for longed-for children, it’s really for their parents. (Picture book. 3-5)

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Slegers, Yoeri Illus. by the author Flyaway Books (32 pp.) $17.00 | Apr. 14, 2020 978-1-94-788821-0

In this Belgian import, Crocodile must leave his home when “the trouble” comes. “ ‘Everything will be better where I’m going!’ he thought.

‘But where is that?’ ” Crocodile’s journey across the sea takes him to towering cities, arid deserts, and sparse countrysides, each more different and unwelcoming than the last. Wherever he lands, he finds hardship in many forms from various peoples, with clears signs warning him that this is “NOT YOUR LAND.” He dreams himself back to “safe and happy” memories spent with friends and family, before misfortune arose and food shortages became the norm. Still, Crocodile moves on, and he’s becoming “so, so tired.” Then a community of mice takes him in, and Crocodile slowly integrates into their society, new experiences building fresh, happy memories. All that’s missing is one crucial piece: family. As a refugee narrative, Crocodile’s tale offers young readers a safe, comfortable way to broach a complex subject. In the uncredited translation, the text takes care to delineate Crocodile’s journey such that it stirs compassion, just hinting at horrors left behind. Slegers’ artwork, meanwhile, contributes the most to this narrative, capturing the turmoil and uncertainty of a refugee’s journey in moody blues and shadows. Crocodile’s teeth are prominent, but his demeanor is never ferocious. What’s left unsaid in the text is made explicit in the illustrations, mainly how prejudice pops up all too easily.

A wide-eyed, open-hearted evocation of a refugee’s experience. (Picture book. 3- 7)

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Serhant, Emilia Bechrakis Illus. by Keller, E.G. Random House (32 pp.) $17.99 | Mar. 24, 2020 978-0-593-17388-6

CROCODILE’S CROSSING A Search for Home

THE SKY IS THE LIMIT A Celebration of All the Things You Can Do Swerling, Lisa & Lazar, Ralph Illus. by the authors Chronicle (60 pp.) $14.99 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-4521-7982-7

A simple exhortation to young children to do all things.

Through this rhythmic narrative, young readers will be tantalized by the activities that are within their reach. Typical suburban, middle-class childhood activities are portrayed, such as riding bikes, swimming in lakes, and playing in treehouses.

Additionally, messages about citizenship in action, like mending fences and volunteering for causes, provide children with ideas of how to contribute to the world they live in; themes of working together and imagination are present throughout. There is so much to do and so much yet to come: “Lessons to learn / and kirkus.com

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books to be read… / each holding a glimpse / of what lies ahead.”

Bright and clean-cut cartoons dominated by sunny yellow, blue, and green will infuse readers with feelings of happiness and simplicity. While the rhythmic list depicts a great variety of activities, however, characters are all white as paper, with little to no diversity implied beyond gender presentation cued by stereotypical dress and hairstyle. Both the upbeat celebration of possibility and a spread of characters in graduation gowns place this book as a conceptual companion to Oh, the Places You’ll Go! However, with its avoidance of diversity, it feels very much out of step with the times.

An uplifting book about unlimited potential that’s, sadly, pretty limited. (Picture book. 4-6)

THE WISH AND THE PEACOCK

Swore, Wendy S. Shadow Mountain (336 pp.) $16.99 | Feb. 4, 2020 978-1-62972-608-3

A young Idaho girl tries to save her family’s farm.

Since her father’s death, 12-year-old Paige has been taking on all the farm chores, determined to keep her father’s regular farming schedule. When her mother and grandfather bring in a real estate agent to try to sell the farm, Paige enlists her younger brother, Scotty, and some friends to try to sabotage the sale of the farm. Simultaneously, a wounded peacock shows up on the farm, which Paige and Scotty secretly nurse back to health. Heartfelt and funny, the story captures the lives of often underrepresented farming families, and though the trope of children scheming to save something beloved that’s in peril through hijinks and humor is familiar, it engages in a deeper discussion of the threat development poses to farmland. The story is set on the Shoshone-Bannock Reservation in southeastern Idaho; Paige, who is white, is best friends with Kimana, a Shoshone-Bannock girl who’s also her robotics partner, and Mateo, who is Latinx and whose family owns the neighboring farm. All characters are fully realized, and the book offers authentic views of rural kids navigating long distances between friends’ houses on dirt bikes and to and from school via bus as well as some very visceral calf birthing. Swore, who lives on the Shoshone-Bannock Reservation, includes brief narratives from two Shoshone-Bannock friends in her author’s note; there is no mention of the catastrophic Dawes Act of 1887, which enabled non-Natives to buy property on tribal lands, however.

An impressive tale carrying universal themes of grief, change, and letting go. (Fiction. 8-12)

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UNDER MY TREE

Tallandier, Muriel Illus. by Fujisawa, Mizuho Trans. by Klinger, Sarah Blue Dot Kids Press (32 pp.) $18.95 | Apr. 14, 2020 978-1-7331212-3-1 A city girl falls in love with a tree and marvels at its wonders.

Susanne looks forward to vacations at her grandparents’ house in the country. On a walk in the forest with her grandmother, Susanne discovers her “big, beautiful tree,” like something out of a fairy tale. Every day, she visits her tree and notices something miraculous and new: the view from the topmost branches, the sound of the wind through the leaves, a family of owls, insects that march along the truck. As she delights in each discovery, leaf-shaped callout boxes in page corners encourage readers to discuss, explore, and interact. (Some boxes present facts, but no sources are cited.) Even when she returns to the city, Susanne thinks often of her beloved tree. The stylized illustrations use a variety of perspectives—close up, bird’s eye, profile—to create a page-turning dynamic as action drives readers from left to right. Solid colors and patterns of the modern world contrast with translucent, tissue-paper–like leaves, placing the emphasis firmly on the natural world. Like the illustrations, Susanne’s detailed first-person narration is tree-centered, leaving little room for character development. Originally published in France, the lyrical text is not always served well by the translation, most notable in the awkward toggling between past and present tenses. All characters appear white.

An interactive, modern-day The Giving Tree without the creepy self-sacrifice. (Picture book. 4-8)

THE BEAR IN MY FAMILY

Tatsukawa, Maya Illus. by the author Dial (32 pp.) $17.99 | Mar. 10, 2020 978-0-525-55582-7 A young boy describes the bear that lives with him.

The story opens on the face of an unhappy kid who lives with a bear. The protagonist goes on to show a diagram of the bear, who has “sharp teeth,” “mean eyes,” and “strong arms.”

The bear is loud, roaring when the narrator is trying to sleep.

The bear is “messy,” “bossy,” and “always hungry,” even stealing the narrator’s food. The bear is “strong” and plays a little rough.

The kid tries to tell Mom, but she dismisses the protagonist, suggesting some outside play in the park. At the park, three bigger kids start bullying the narrator, who suddenly wishes there were a bear to help out—and there’s the bear! After this rescue, the kid realizes that sometimes having a bear can be pretty great.

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The text is filled with vivid language that perfectly enhances the action. me and mcgee

sibling. Tatsukawa writes and illustrates a metaphorical but completely accessible tale for any child who has an older sibling.

Displayed in a combination of printed text and hand-lettered speech bubbles, the writing is simple and straightforward. The illustrations have a textured-paper look, with cute details, such as the protagonist’s bee sweater and the lion, snake, and shark sweaters the bullies wear. Narrator and family present Asian, and the other kids have a variety of skin tones and hair colors.

A thoroughly charming take on sibling relationships.

(Picture book. 3- 7)

MORE THAN MARMALADE Michael Bond and the Story of Paddington Bear

Tolin, Rosanne Chicago Review Press (176 pp.) $18.99 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-64160-314-0

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Last year McGee walloped a grandslam home run to win the championship for the Apple Valley Catbirds.

The pitcher who threw that “fat and lazy” ball has had a long, miserable winter reliving that moment and feeling responsible for the loss. Determined to overcome the disappointment and see a different outcome in the next season, this young pitcher sets out to practice, practice, practice, until every pitch is perfected and each of the 108 stitches in the baseball is completely understood. In the last game of the new season, the pitcher again faces the Catbirds. Again it is two out in the ninth inning, bases loaded, and McGee is up. Will it be a repeat of last year’s defeat? Uhlberg allows the pitcher to tell the story, focusing on the emotional ups and downs from season to season and during both championship games. The text does not rely on the usual baseball jargon but is instead filled with vivid language that perfectly enhances the action. Sosa’s brightly hued illustrations are carefully constructed to allow the main characters to express their emotions in body language while keeping their physical appearances neutral. For they are both McGees, and the narrator is the delightful Molly McGee, the younger sister of the fearsome batter, as readers learn on the very last page in what is clearly meant to be a clever twist.

Charming, but why would young readers still be surprised when girls are excellent athletes? (Picture book. 5-9)

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The first stand-alone profile for young readers of the man behind the bear.

Bond is a regular entry in collective biographies of authors, but from the evidence, he was such a private man and led such a quiet, uneventful life that Tolin resorts to invented scenes and conversations (closely based, she claims, on published sources) to fill out this slim volume. She retraces his childhood, World War II experiences, early career as a cameraman for the BBC, and eventual fame (after multiple rejections, etc.) as a children’s author. Sounding a timely note, she also weaves in as a recurrent theme experiences with and lifelong sympathies for immigrants—from Jewish Kindertransport refugees and children evacuated from London during the Blitz to later contacts with Afro-Caribbean and West Indian arrivals in London—that informed his most famous creation’s character and overseas origins. On the other hand, aside from brief mention of Olga da Polga she skips an opportunity to explore his true range by saying little to nothing about his bawdy, comical Monsieur Pamplemousse mystery series or any of the rest of his works. Readers will come away with a warming if not nuanced impression of a low-key man whose best-known creation reflects his own fundamental decency.

In the end, alas, not all that much more than marmalade. (map, photos, source list, index) (Biography. 9-11)

ME AND MCGEE

Uhlberg, Myron Illus. by Sosa, Daniela Whitman (32 pp.) $16.99 | Mar. 1, 2020 978-0-8075-5028-1

BATHING IN THE FOREST

Uyá, Nívola & Ayats, Marc Illus. by Uyá, Nívola Trans. by Brokenbrow, Jon Cuento de Luz (32 pp.) $16.95 | Mar. 1, 2020 978-84-16733-58-3

Readers who are “feeling gray” are encouraged to come into the forest.

A rose-cheeked child in green, leaf-patterned clothes and bare feet calls herself “the little girl of the forest,” welcoming those who enter her domain. In succession, a man, woman, and boy walk through the forest, all troubled in their own ways. The girl invites each one “to bathe in the forest,” and each finds relief in the embrace of nature. It’s unclear exactly what a forest “bath” entails until the end of the narrative, when the little girl encourages readers to relax and open their senses to the natural healing experience found in wooded areas. Whether the girl is a forest sprite or human is unclear, though her efforts to share her passion for natural spaces are equally valid with either interpretation. Uyá paints a fanciful atmosphere with organic shapes and selective background details. The visitors, all family kirkus.com

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A must-read for the modern, viral-content age. trending

members, are rendered all in gray shades until they accept the young girl’s invitation, then they burst into color. (Their surnames differ slightly: either Grayshadow or Greystone; this inconsistency will plague some young listeners.) The art’s various green hues and pops of color must compete with the stark white backgrounds, which do overpower at times. Appended is a link to a downloadable booklet with activities “to immerse yourself in nature,” such as doing texture rubbings or following a wandering insect.

Ultimately insubstantial, though its heart’s in the right place. (Picture book. 4-8)

TRENDING How and Why Stuff Gets Popular

Vermond, Kira Illus. by Hanmer, Clayton Owlkids Books (48 pp.) $17.95 | Mar. 15, 2020 978-1-77147-325-5

An overview of trends, how they are born—or made—and their dangers.

After contextualizing trends and fads with an introduction focusing on how a silly 17th-century fashion trend—the beaver-felt hat—had drastic and far-reaching consequences that included genocide, the book’s four chapters focus on what fads are, how fads spread, how they can be manufactured, and how much damage they can cause. Complex material is broken down into accessible language and explained with lively example stories, allowing for a surprisingly sophisticated overview. Each chapter is primarily organized into two-page spreads covering separate ideas: Pokémon Go illustrates the temporally linked rise and fall of a fad; stock market crashes and the rise of popular restaurants are both exemplars of an “information cascade”; Starbucks’ Unicorn Frappuccino allows exploration of systematic strategies in corporate-driven trends; slime-making YouTubers demonstrate the power of the social media influencer; and the anti-vaccine movement exposes the persistence of logical fallacies. The design—punctuated with peppy cartoon drawings and comic-book pages that introduce each chapter—helps the book bounce along. Despite the book’s cautionary elements—how companies secretly use people’s internet browsing histories to manipulate their purchases and the ways that propaganda spreads hate—the text also offers empowerment, showing kids how not to be manipulated, and concludes with a call to action to harness the power of trends for positive ends.

A must-read for the modern, viral-content age. (index, sources) (Nonfiction. 8-14)

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TODAY IS A BEACH DAY!

Viau, Nancy Illus. by Alder, Charlie Whitman (32 pp.) $16.99 | Apr. 1, 2020 978-0-8075-9396-7

It’s a perfect beach day for four kids on an outing.

The sky and ocean are the bluest of blues, and the sand is golden. Following application of sunscreen, the children play in the waves, float on inflated beach toys, and search for “pebbles, seaweed. / Shells to grab” before scooping up a crab. They lick ice cream treats and build an elaborate sand castle complete with moats and boats before taking a rest and exchanging smiles. All is harmonious, and even the toppling of a scoop of ice cream has a happy ending when one child generously shares theirs with the other whose treat is in the sand. Each spread contains one or two lines of a rhyming couplet, often with alliteration, sounds, and action words (“Floating left and bobbing right— / SPLISH! SPLASH! JUMP! Hold on tight!”), but inconsistencies in stress pattern and number of syllables per line make reading aloud awkward. Two adults, a black woman and a white man, chaperone the children, but their relationship to the multiracial group of children and to each other is unclear; they could be as easily interpreted as a nuclear family or a group of friends and neighbors. Most of the cartoon-style illustrations show the children facing readers, with the children’s eyes cut sharply to the left or right, awkwardly indicating interaction among the children.

An active beach day without the usual rhythm and sparkle of the waves. (Picture book. 3-6)

STORIES OF THE SAINTS Bold and Inspiring Tales of Adventure, Grace, and Courage

Wallace, Carey Illus. by Thornborrow, Nick Workman (232 pp.) $24.95 | Mar. 31, 2020 978-0-7611-9327-2

A modern book of the saints.

Wallace presents the stories, actual or apocryphal, of 80 men and women who served God so well that they were elevated to sainthood after their deaths, arranged chronologically from Polycarp (69-156 C.E.) to Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997). Each two- to three-page account includes where the saint lived, who they are considered patron of, and their emblem and feast day. The saints included span centuries and cultures, including well-known figures such as Joan of Arc and Thomas Aquinas, more obscure ones like Mary of Egypt and John Nepomucene, and those from nonWestern cultures such as Josephine Bakhita, who originally came from Sudan, and Martin de Porres, a mixed-race Peruvian of African and European descent. Wallace points out in |

her introduction that while some saints’ stories are historically documented, others, particularly the very early ones, are more along the lines of folktakes. “Just because we can’t be sure a story really happened doesn’t mean it isn’t true in another way.”

That’s good, since some of them are frankly gruesome—Lucy with her eyes plucked out and handed to her on a dish, calmly reinserts them and can still see—as well as perplexing. Wallace presents them all with quiet confidence that the stories matter, and she convinces us that they do. Thornborrow’s illustrations combine traditional iconography with modern graphic art, effectively dramatizing each tale.

Unusual, well done, and useful in many settings. (Reli­ gion. 8-adult)

THE BOY WHO THOUGHT OUTSIDE THE BOX The Story of Video Game Inventor Ralph Baer

Jewish inventor Ralph Baer never stopped pursuing his passion for learning, tinkering, and building, whether to solve problems, advance technology, or find new ways to spread fun.

Beginning with his childhood in Nazi-era Cologne, Germany, this biography follows Baer’s journey to becoming the “Father of Video Games.” Throughout his life, new problems and puzzles pushed him to seek solutions. He helped his family immigrate to the United States in 1938 and rebuild their lives. A childhood fascination with his construction set turned into an interest in the workings of developing technology. Baer saw possibility in what others criticized, including television, which he imagined as a platform for games. Wessels narrates the story of Baer’s inventive history in a conversational tone, using exclamation marks and posing rhetorical questions. Active and expressive cartoon illustrations accompany the text. Perseverance and creativity in the face of challenges recur as important themes and keys to Baer’s success. Moreover, Wessels emphasizes Baer’s curiosity in the process of creation, not simply the result.

While the narrative remains focused, the sense of Baer’s age and the year are disconnected. The few touchstones for time provide no more than a loose progression of events and their historical context, making the book most suitable for pleasure and a gateway for further research.

A personable and energetic introduction with a positive message. (author’s note, additional reading, selected bibliography) (Picture book/biography. 7-12)

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In this modern fable, a young tiger leaves her family to find a way to earn the stripes she was not given at birth.

On her own, the tiger braves the blazing sun, the dark forest, and a rainstorm in search of her stripes, but each time when what she believes are stripes appear—shadows, scrapes, streaks of mud—they soon disappear. Finally, she climbs as high as she can and screams into the sky, demanding an answer as to why she was not given stripes like every other tiger and what she must do to earn them. In response, a voice tells the tiger that it gives all tigers stripes as a gift and that they do not have to earn them. Perplexed, she slips off alone and ponders what, if anything, is her gift. The next morning, the tiger ascends back to the high place and says, “Thank you,” to the sky for the gift that she realizes she was given: her striving. Through warm washes of orange and yellow, trees, bushes, and leaves take on the appearance of tiger stripes, a treat for observant readers.

The disembodied voice in the sky is never named or explained, leaving readers to ponder it along with the tiger’s understanding of her unique gift—a lesson readers may not need to struggle as hard as the tiger to achieve but is still gently oblique.

A beautifully illustrated tale of self-acceptance. (Picture book. 4-8)

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Wessels, Marcie Illus. by Castro, Beatriz Sterling (48 pp.) $16.95 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-4549-3259-8 Series: People Who Shaped Our World

A TIGER WITHOUT STRIPES

Whitbread, Jaimie Illus. by he author The Innovation Press (40 pp.) $16.99 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-943147-71-7

WHAT DO SCIENTISTS DO ALL DAY?

Wilsher, Jane Illus. by Li, Maggie Wide Eyed Editions (64 pp.) $22.99 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-0-7112-4978-3

In the spirit of Richard Scarry, Wilsher and Li offer glimpses of people engaged in 102 science or science-related activities.

Take the “all day” bit as poetic license. Along the same lines as Wendy Hunt’s What Do Animals Do All Day? (illustrated by Studio Muti, 2018) but closer to reality, eight tiny figures—rendered in Li’s neatly drawn illustrations with skin of diverse hues but Eurocentric work dress—in each of 14 generic locales describe their interests or occupations in a sentence or two.

Viewers are challenged to identify them from these descriptions using visual clues in a populous unlabeled scene such as a hospital, an aerospace center, or a nature preserve. The author loosens the definition of “scientist” enough to include two schoolchildren taking scientific notes, a tree surgeon, a copilot, and a jackhammer operator (“Expert on Drilling”). The author also occasionally fudges (a marine biologist at an Arctic research station poses next to a “Research Scientist” who kirkus.com

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POWERLESS

“is studying to become a marine biologist”) or creates artificial distinctions, such as “Mechanical Engineer” and “Maintenance Engineer.” Nevertheless, the identification game may give the abilities of budding sleuths a workout in addition to the notion that science encompasses a broad range of occupations.

The premise is mostly a pretext, but it should appeal to younger STEM-winders. (Informational picture book. 7-9)

PETER AND THE TREE CHILDREN

Wohlleben, Peter Illus. by Atkinson, Cale Greystone Books (40 pp.) $17.95 | Apr. 21, 2020 978-1-77164-457-0 Writing a fictionalized version of himself, naturalist Wohlleben gives lessons to orphaned talking squirrel Piet as they search for tree families in this stripped-down storybook version of The Hidden Life of Trees (2016).

Both Peter and Piet have cartoonlike faces with round, black eyes, and the scenery—bright with earth tones and generic foliage—also resembles bland commercial animation. While Peter presents as a ruddy-faced white man sporting a gray beard, the only other named human—Dana—is a woman of color, dressed in overalls and engaged in sustainable forestry. Kudos for this.

Otherwise, the text tries too hard to intersperse interesting facts about trees and squirrels—some rudimentary, others relatively obscure—into a simplistic plot: Lonely squirrel seeks family; takes walk with Peter; still feels lonely; gains Peter as family. Among other things, young readers learn that trees often need the protection of older, taller trees to grow up properly; that heavy equipment compacts earth too hard for seeds to get started; that hawks prey on squirrels; that squirrels help start beech seedlings; that some trees release an orange-smelling distress signal. Oddly, Peter gives no credit to people planting saplings in the wake of deforestation, since these unprotected trees will “have a hard life” without families. Can You Hear the Trees Talking? (2019) superbly adapted Wohlleben’s bestseller for middle graders; this patronizing attempt to bring it to a still younger audience fails.

Overworn coattails. (foreword, endnotes) (Picture book.

3-5)

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Wolfram, Amy Illus. by Garbowska, Agnes with Brys, Silvana DC (144 pp.) $9.99 paper | Mar. 17, 2020 978-1-4012-9361-1 Series: DC Super Hero Girls Teen girl superheroes tangle with a blackout.

The Super Hero Girls are a formidable team of teen heroes: Wonder Woman, Batgirl, Zatanna, Green Lantern, Supergirl, and Bumblebee fight crime by night and go to high school by day, all the while doing their best in both spheres. But after the city’s power grid fails and the cloudcomputing technology gets knocked out, the band of heroes must face a startling new foe: a complete lack of technology.

No smartphones! No gadgets! A cafeteria that only takes cash!

The breezy graphic novel captures the tone of the popular TV series perfectly. Fans will be delighted, but newcomers will find plenty to adore here as well. The bright colors and sharply composed panels present the humor and action the brand is known for perfectly. The characterization of each supergirl isn’t particularly strong (all the girls speak in the same bubbly tone), but the diversity of skin tone is a welcome change from other DC teams that are almost exclusively white. (Batgirl, Supergirl, and Zatanna are white, Green Lantern is Latina, Bumblebee is black, and Wonder Woman has olive skin.) With mangalike stylings—in particular, enormous eyes—that give these teens a distinctly juvenile look, this is a comic ideal for younger readers, particularly those keen on the DC heroes but not ready for the more mature YA fare. It may not be great literature, but it’s great fun.

A rush of energy and charm. (Graphic fantasy. 7-10)

DAVID JUMPS IN

Woo, Alan Illus. by Maurey, Katty Kids Can (24 pp.) $17.99 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-77138-845-0

A classic game on the playground becomes a vehicle for a young boy to make friends.

It is David’s first day at his new school. “He didn’t know anyone. / He had no friends / To hang out with / Or trade tuna fish sandwiches.” As he observes his new surroundings, “bundled up deep in his pocket: / A string of rubber bands [waits] / Knotted and ready / For a game of elastic skip.” The recess bell rings, giving David the chance to see what his classmates play. Many of the activities of choice may carry a touch of nostalgia for adult readers, with students playing ring around the rosy, red rover, and hopscotch or skipping rope. As David spends ample time exploring his options, |

Can sharing art be a bridge between two different cultures? ellie makes a friend

he even finds some kids playing video games, reading, or simply “Blowing dandelions into / A galaxy of stars.” Eventually he finds a group of “classmates / Tired of hopscotching / Back and forth / And forth and back.” David jumps at the opportunity to offer up his elastic skip, explaining the rules successfully to “create a new playing field” of friends. Maurey is strategic with detail, paring ample use of negative space with soft gradients of pastel color. The result is a whimsical tone that matches the controlled, poetic text. David presents as Asian with classmates diverse both racially and in ability. An author’s note follows that briefly touches on the Chinese origins of elastic skip.

A gentle tale of courage and friendship. (Picture book. 5-8)

BO THE BRAVE

Woollvin, Bethan Illus. by the author Peachtree (32 pp.) $17.99 | Apr. 1, 2020 978-1-68263-182-9

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In the fourth book of the series, Ellie the elephant observes the new critter at the zoo—Ping, the painting panda.

Not to be confused with pandas of the kung fu sort, Ping brings a friendly black-and-white brightness to the zoo. Her image is full of contradictions that make her unusual to the group of zoo animals. Sharp eyes belie her soft roundness while her wide girth gives way to tiny hands that create graceful and interesting brushwork. She is definitely not a local, and Ellie and her friends cannot understand her language. Ping must pick up her bamboo brush and paint her words (characters that readers of Chinese will readily recognize). While the animals marvel at Ping’s artwork, Ellie begins to feel overshadowed, as the calligraphy is so different from her multicolored paintings. When Ping reaches out to offer Ellie a bamboo brush, the elephant awkwardly declines. “Maybe my paintings aren’t that special,” she whispers to herself. Indeed, the inclusion of Ping’s pictures adds contrast and stylistic interest to Wu’s ebullient watercolors. The gorilla named Gerard once again dispenses wisdom to the sweet elephant, encouraging her to learn more about Ping and her art. Can sharing art be a bridge between two different cultures? By the end, Ping and Ellie seem to think so.

Thumbs up for an easy tale of overcoming difference through art and curiosity. (Picture book. 3- 7)

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A little sister follows her two older brothers out into the big world of monster-hunting.

Bo lives with Erik and Ivar in a castle. The boys, lofty hunters setting out to catch an unspecified monster, scoff at Bo’s request to come along. Undeterred, she sneaks out of the castle after they’re gone “to catch a monster of her own.” She encounters a series of creatures—griffin, kraken, dragon—each of which she initially assumes is a monster but realizes is not.

Bo learns quickly that the unfamiliar creatures (one of whom is a parent and therefore explicitly adult) not only are not monsters, but are so harmless that she can let them literally carry her.

Being polite, offering directions, or needing a child’s help are the signals that immediately prove their trustworthiness, which may horrify safety-minded adults thinking about stranger danger. Child readers won’t care, but nor will they find vigor in Bo’s tale. The prose is tepid: “These creatures are helpful and nice and caring. We shouldn’t be hunting them!” The illustrations, done in gray, pink, teal, and dull orange, have a flattened perspective that gives this “land of mountains and forests” a compressed, two-dimensional sameness to each spread. Limited palettes are sometimes gems, but this one—lacking saturation changes or compositional zest—only continues the sameness as pages turn. Football-shaped eyes barely vary with expression; the humans are white as paper.

Here be no dragons. (Picture book. 3-6)

ELLIE MAKES A FRIEND

Wu, Mike Illus. by the author Disney-Hyperion (40 pp.) $16.99 | Apr. 7, 2020 978-1-368-01000-9 Series: Ellie

WHERE THE BEST STORIES HIDE

Yasiejko, Roman Illus. by Whitehouse, Ben Beaming Books (32 pp.) $17.99 | Feb. 25, 2020 978-1-5064-5401-6

A young boy who vexes his teacher with his doodling proves the value of stories.

Bored in the back row among robotically posed classmates who are diverse racially if not in their facial expressions, Nick turns his imagination loose and doodles, quickly losing track of what he should be doing and attracting the teacher’s ire. “Stay inside not outside the lines, Nicholas. / Don’t doodle or scribble.

Don’t make such a fuss. / Just color the pictures. They’re simple and plain.” But Nick can’t rein in his doodlings, and the teacher finally puts him on the spot to draw and tell a tale for the whole class. Daunted at first, he quickly spins a tale that not only enraptures his classmates, but wins over his teacher: “I didn’t know doodles / had stories that hid / outside all those lines / till I saw what you did.” And the class spends the rest of the day drawing and spinning stories of their own. “And Nicholas, well— do you know what he did? / He showed everyone where the best kirkus.com

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Looking at these challenging compositions feels exhilarating— like standing, happily drenched, in a swirling storm. the weather’s bet

stories hid.” Readers may be befuddled at this declaration, as stories’ hiding places are certainly not clear from either the text or the simplistic cartoon illustrations. Nick is white; his anti– role model of a teacher has very light brown skin and glasses.

Kids’ imaginations can find stories in better places than this. (Picture book. 5-8)

THE WEATHER’S BET

Adapt. by Young, Ed with Cowan, Steven Illus. by Young, Ed Philomel (32 pp.) $18.99 | Mar. 31, 2020 978-0-525-51382-7

Three heavenly powers look down upon a shepherd girl and bet which one

can knock her cap off.

Young’s atmospheric, textured artwork conjures the natural forces vying to mess with a mortal’s cap in this loose retelling of an old Aesop’s fable. Photographs, fabric, and paper (sometimes torn, sometimes cut) cohere in evocative collages that capture both the expansive powers of Wind, Rain, and Sun as well as the young girl’s brown skin, cheekbones, eyelashes, and strands of ebony hair. Weather blows, mists, and shines in teeming doublepage, full-bleed spreads. Occasional sharp lines and solid color (the red cap serves as a cardinal beacon) give readers sound footing to navigate the complex collages. Distinguishing landmasses, sheep, the girl, and sky from one another sometimes requires squinting, but looking at these challenging compositions feels exhilarating—like standing, happily drenched, in a swirling storm. Cowan’s simple, consistent rhyme provides reassuring scaffolding that keeps readers from blowing away. Upon hearing the pleasing verse “For with the passing morning storm, / She laughed her cap off as she got warm,” young people will feel warmth spread in their little souls too. Frontmatter explicates the symbols assigned to Wind, Rain, and Sun, which were created using Chinese pictograms and appear throughout.

Awe-inspiring artwork as powerful as any force of nature. (Picture book. 4-10)

century. It was further developed during the Ming (14th to 17th centuries) and Qing dynasties (17th to 20th centuries).

This book showcases Beijing as it was during the Qing period, China’s last royal dynasty. Like many traditional Chinese cities, Beijing was built symmetrically, with a central axis that forms its backbone. Major buildings were placed on either side of the axis, with the Imperial Palace, also known as the Forbidden City, at the center. Yu takes readers on a walking tour along the nearly 5-mile-long central axis, starting at the south end of the city and ending in the north. Stops include old Beijing’s business district, Tiananmen Square, and the Hall of Supreme Harmony, where business, official ceremonies, and banquets took (and still take) place. Colorful, finely detailed illustrations are placed, often symmetrically, over double-page spreads; one double gatefold depicts the Forbidden City’s grand architecture. The illustrations are breathtaking, but unfortunately, the text is not. Readers learn that on either side of the central axis, “buildings share the same color scheme and style but differ in size and height.”

The author tries to liven up the somewhat dry descriptions and recitation of historical facts with sidebars of “Fun Facts” and “Knowledge Tips,” but the small, dense text, set in italicized, low-contrast, brown type, can be a chore to read.

Beautifully rendered drawings are a feast for the eyes, but engaging historical context is lacking. (timeline, glossary, afterword, bibliography) (Nonfiction. 10-14)

BEIJING A Symmetrical City Yu, Dawu Illus. by the author Trans. by Tai, Crystal 1 Plus Books (42 pp.) $19.99 | Mar. 30, 2020 978-1-949736-03-8

Part architectural tour, part intro to Chinese history and culture, this book showcases one of China’s most famous landmarks.

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THE ODE TO THE GODDESS OF THE LUO RIVER

Adapt. by Yu Zhiying Illus. by Ye Luying Minedition (78 pp.) $35.00 | Jan. 1, 2020 978-988-8341-94-8

In this retelling of an ancient Chinese poem, a writer imagines the doomed love between the earthly and heavenly in this oversized picture book for older readers.

Returning from a visit with the emperor, poet Cao Zhi passes by the River Luo. “As the ancient tale goes, underneath the river lives a beautiful goddess”—so, as a writer, Cao decides to put forth his own story of a different goddess of the majestic river. Cao’s goddess is ethereal: “she dazzles like the sun rising in the morning… she’s as luminous as the lotus that grows in the shallows.” Love is instant between poet and goddess, but with love comes hesitation and worry. Ultimately, the goddess concludes that “the world of humans and gods could never exist together.” Readers unfamiliar with the poem will likely find the level of narrative detail insufficient, and consequently the melancholy ebbs rather than flows forth. Ye’s illustrations, however, are lush in detail and lovely in strangeness. The illustrator injects traditional elements of Chinese paintings with a modern playfulness and whimsy. Big-eyed fish, fantastical creatures, and odd flora and fauna fill the pages.

Elements of the natural world adorn the Goddess of Luo to evoke the otherworldly. Instead of being enrobed by traditional Chinese clothing, a flowing cape ending in a fish tail drapes over her body.

Strands of pearls surround her and come to life as fairies. Four |

multipage gatefolds stunningly capture both the movement in the illustrations and the scale of the tale.

Lavish illustrations elevate this adaptation of a classic. (glossary, notes) (Picture book. 9-14)

LALI’S FEATHER

Zia, Farhana Illus. by Coleman, Stephanie Fizer Peachtree (32 pp.) $17.99 | Apr. 1, 2020 978-1-68263-129-4 In Lali’s hands, an ordinary feather becomes something fantastic.

When Lali first finds a feather in a field, she asks all the birds she knows if it belongs to them. But Rooster, Crow, and Peacock don’t claim it, so Lali takes it for herself. At first, birds such as Chicken, Duck, and Jay laugh at her feather, until Lali shows them all the magical things it can do: write a note, sweep the floor, tickle her father, and make her sister sneeze. A strong gust of wind swooshes Lali’s feather away, leaving her devastated.

By now, all the birds are eager to help. The book happily ends with Lali discovering another discarded object—one that promises a whole new set of adventures. Zia expertly code-switches between Indian language–inspired slang and standard English, rendering the narratorial voice pleasantly distinct. The illustrations continue this cultural mix: Brown-skinned Lali wears a bindi on her forehead, a traditional Indian blouse, gold bangles, and fluorescent orange shorts. The author’s use of the rule of threes—three birds turn down Lali’s feather, followed by three birds who discount her feather’s usefulness—strikes a beautifully balanced storyline that is predictable yet surprising. The pictures accompanying the text are full of color and motion, depicting a lush, rural landscape and perfectly supporting the quick-moving protagonist.

Three cheers for this feisty girl of color and her big imagination. (Picture book. 3-6)

MIKI TAKES A BATH

Babin, Stéphanie Illus. by the authors Trans. by Hardenberg, Wendeline A. Twirl/Chronicle (10 pp.) $12.99 | Jan. 7, 2020 978-2-40801-597-8 An interactive bathtime checklist.

Though more of an intellectual exercise than a practical tool since it’s not printed on water-resistant stock, this set of reminders delivers a soapy, splashy agenda just right for newly independent bath-takers. In response to prompts, Miki, a lion cub, first lets water into the tub (“Not too hot, not too cold!”), shampoos his improbably sumptuous mane, methodically soaps up all over, scrubs legs and feet, and finally leaps out in a wild and watery pop-up explosion. In the four cartoon scenes preceding that climax, sliding large tabs back and forth results, mostly, in gratifyingly broad and natural-looking motions.

Miki’s forepaws massage shampoo through his mane as a rubber duckie bobs in one image; in the next his paws rub soap onto his tummy. Hardenberg’s translation (this was originally published in France) is likewise free and easy: “Are you forgetting anything, Miki? Nope! I’ll use soap to clean my face. And my arms. And my tummy. And my back. And my bottom.” If there’s nary a towel or a bath mat in sight, well, maybe lions dry off by running around outside.

No substitute for hands-on instruction, but it’s hard to imagine cheerier guidelines. (Pop-up picture book. 3-5)

b o a r d & n o v e lt y b o o k s MR. BEAR’S LITTLE NUMBERS

Aracil, Virginie Illus. by the author Twirl/Chronicle (22 pp.) $12.99 | Feb. 4, 2020 979-1-03631-355-4

This colorful, tactile French import introduces children to numbers and

counting.

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beautifully designed, touch-friendly elements. Mr. Bear’s Little Shapes is a catalog of basic and more advanced shapes, ranging from simple circles and triangles to stars and semicircles. The items chosen are accessible, and the pages are cleverly tabbed on the edges with die-cut shapes that together serve as a clever kind of index for tiny fingers. Unfortunately, the author mixes both three- and two-dimensional shapes, including spherical items such as balls and the moon for circle and tents and pyramids for triangle, requiring caregivers to back and fill on the details. Additionally, the circle and oval tabs are impossible to tell apart when the book is closed. Mr. Bear’s Little Numbers is more educationally sound and more fun for young readers as well: The numbers are embossed with a pebbly texture, encouraging children to trace their shapes while also counting the quirky collections of items. Unlike many beginning counting books, the pages go beyond the number 10, introducing children to 20, 30, 40, 50, and 100. Although most in the audience will not be able to count to 100, the pictures still give them a sense of the relative quantities in a fun and interesting way.

The neon color palette and cartoonlike pictures are incredibly appealing visually—both stylish and fun.

A pleasing, well-designed book readers can return to.

(Board book. 1-3) (Mr. Bear’s Little Shapes: 979-1-03631-356-1)

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WHOSE BABY IS THIS?

of special Passover servingware, highlighting the terminal word in each rhyme, a device that will boost emergent literacy. It seems odd that the Seder isn’t mentioned at all, but otherwise this speaks well to the routines and rituals that many children hold so dear.

Matzah lovers rejoice—this one’s for you! (Board book.

1-4)

Babin, Stéphanie Illus. by Tisserand, Camille Trans. by Hardenberg, Wendeline A. Twirl/Chronicle (14 pp.) $12.99 | Jan. 7, 2020 978-2-40801-596-1 Some babies look like their parents—but some do not!

In this fetchingly illustrated, slide-the-tab book from France, young readers learn about insects, birds, and animals that inhabit a range of familiar ecosystems, including ponds, forests, meadows, and mountains. On each page, children slide a tab with a labeled picture of a creature early in its life cycle to reveal what the creature will look like as an adult. Babin includes a variety of intuitive choices, such as otters and their pups, as well as less predictable pairs like tadpoles and frogs and dragonflies and larvae. (The “kid” that grows into a “sheep” may raise eyebrows.) The text is cleverly integrated into illustrations of animals, insects, and birds in their habitats and is rendered in the first person, implying that each creature is speaking directly to readers about its habitat, feeding habits, and life cycle. A baby otter, for example, says that it is a good swimmer like its mother; a caterpillar says that when it gets older it will grow wings. Each two-page spread is packed with facts that are perfect for very young naturalists. The use of baby animals as narrators combined with the slide-the-tab design makes this book incredibly inviting to young readers, although the lack of narrative structure may make it challenging for group read-alouds.

An innovative approach to teaching children about ecosystems and life cycles. (Board book. 1-4)

I LOVE MATZAH

Biniashvili, Freidele Galya Soban Illus. by Scudamore, Angelika Kar-Ben (12 pp.) $6.99 | Feb. 4, 2020 978-1-5415-5727-7 Eating matzah is a delicious Passover tradition for one happy kid.

In this ode to the unleavened foodstuff, a young preschooler noshes on the Passover specialty throughout the day in various yummy iterations, whether it’s crumbled in yogurt, spread with jam, or alongside fish and carrots. Confined to a child’s snug domestic world, all the action takes place within the home, and the simply rendered kitchen, dining-room, and bedroom scenes place all the focus on the curly-haired child’s smiling face as yet another meal with the familiar, favorite food approaches. The book ends humorously with the family giggling at baby brother, who is wearing, not eating his treat, and a wish for readers to have a “Happy Passover!” Joyful illustrations are flat and bright, and there are little touches of Judaica sprinkled throughout that will make Jewish children feel seen: a Star of David mobile, a kippah-topped teddy bear, and a cheery “Got Matzah?” bib. Relayed in sprightly rhyming couplets, the text emphasizes the many tasty treats and the use 128

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WHO LOVES BOOKS? A Flip-Flap Book Boyd, Lizi Illus. by the author Chronicle (18 pp.) $12.99 | Feb. 11, 2020 978-1-4521-7097-8

Squirrel pairs each wild animal with just the right reading matter in this paean to the pleasures of print.

Boyd brings back the cast of Hideand-Sleep (2019) and also employs the same alternating full- and split-page format to set up a simple guessing game.

Floating into view in a boat loaded with books, Squirrel holds up one volume with a carrot on the cover: “A book for you!” For whom? The only visual cue is a pair of ears sticking up from behind a rock—until the flap is flipped to show Rabbit, reading happily. The distribution goes on, as the next “book for you!” which displays a nest with an egg, goes to…

Bird, followed by one with an image of a flower for Butterfly, a water lily for Frog, and on until the last reader to be served, Owl (a tree adorns its cover), calls out “Whoo-whoo-whoo loves books?!” The answer, obviously, is: “Everyone!” Each page turn reveals more and more brightly colored and simply drawn creatures, even fish, noses buried in their reading. In the final picture all have climbed into the S.S. Book Boat, and who would find the author’s closing “All aboard!” an invitation anything short of irresistible?

Every book its reader, as the old meme goes, and vice versa. (Novelty picture book. 4-6)

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THE ITSY BITSY ANGEL

Burton, Jeffrey Illus. by Rešček, Sanja Little Simon/Simon & Schuster (16 pp.) $5.99 | Sep. 17, 2019 978-1-5344-4340-2 The Nativity story is retold to the tune of “The Itsy Bitsy Spider.”

Burton and Rešček’s latest attempt to exploit the popularity of the familiar nursery song shares many of the same problems found in their previous efforts (The Itsy Bitsy School Bus, 2018, etc.). The text tries to match the rhyme and meter of the traditional verse, but there are just too many syllables. “Out came a Star / to chase the clouds away” works, but good luck singing |

The singsong-y, rhyming text will make this a highly requested reread. go, go, pirate boat

the next line: “and three wise men looked up / and let the Star guide their way.” Similarly, rhyming “world” and “girl” requires a leap of faith. For no apparent reason, some words are set in a different-colored type from those around them. Rešček’s illustrations of the desert Holy Land are greeting-card sweet, and most of the characters—the titular angel, shepherds, Magi, and baby Jesus—are pale, though there are a few secondary angels of color. The story begins with the angel announcing the tidings of Jesus’ birth, leaving out the complexity of the original. Sturdy board pages may stand up to rough handling, but with limited seasonal appeal it’s likely to languish more often than not. This simplified and sanitized retelling may, however, attract caregivers looking for religious stories to share with toddlers.

Both the song and Bible story are better in their original versions. (Board book. 1-3)

HAND IN HAND

Capucilli, Alyssa Satin Illus. by Murray, Sheryl Little Simon/Simon & Schuster (16 pp.) $7.99 | Jan. 7, 2020 978-1-5344-4172-9 Series: New Books for Newborns

GO, GO, PIRATE BOAT

A young toddler enjoys a day “hand in hand” with a loving, energetic caregiver.

While their relationship is never stated, the Asian-presenting youngster is a diminutive version of the grown-up, right down to the chin-length bobbed hair and bangs. The dyad enjoys a walk through the park, a snack on a park bench, some active play on the playground, and the trip on foot back home, the tired toddler carried by the loving adult. The lovely, rhythmic text is a series of rhymes made up of one to four words per line: “Me / You / We, two / Hand in hand / Through and through.” Murray’s soft art, which has the look and feel of pencil, pen, and ink, projects a cozy warmth despite a mostly cool, pale color scheme. The bond between the duo is palpable. While this offering is part of the New Books for Newborns series, with text reading like a gentle lullaby, the palette, busy compositions, and age of the featured child makes it feel more appropriate for children taking their first steps. Those children will thrill to see the fun they’ll have once they are steady on their feet, playing on the slide, running after a ball, and perching on the playground carousel.

A lyrical celebration of an ordinary outing and the bonds between loving adult and child. (Board book. 1-3)

Charman, Katrina Illus. by Sharratt, Nick Bloomsbury (24 pp.) $7.99 | Oct. 1, 2019 978-1-5476-0319-0

Two pirates and their parrot companion embark on adventures to the tune of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat.”

Following Car, Car, Truck, Jeep (2018), Charman and Sharratt team up again for this swashbuckling, musical tale. The two buccaneers and their parrot spend a day at sea engaged in such maritime activities as scrubbing the deck and hoisting the sail along with quintessentially piratical chores like digging up buried treasure. At the end of the day—which culminates in a nonviolent walk across the plank—the two pirates return home. Charman’s rhyming text has a nice cadence, and thanks to the cover note to sing along to the tune of “Row, Row, Row, Your Boat,” it moves along at a nice clip. For the most part, the rhymes work neatly into the tune so that it reads easily the first time through. Sharratt’s black-outlined illustrations are boldly colored and eye-catching. The pirates themselves are not obviously gendered; one presents white and the other has light-brown skin. Most of the ocean creatures have anthropomorphized features—a mostly successful choice with the exception of the jellyfish and octopus, shown awkwardly with humanlike noses and smiles (and, oddly, eyebrows for the octopus). Overall, this one holds high appeal for little readers, and the nature of the singsong-y, rhyming text will make it a highly requested reread.

A perfect piece of treasure it is not, but shiver me timbers, it’s fun. (Board book. 1-3)

THE MOON IS A SILVER POND

Cassidy, Sara Illus. by Bisaillon, Josée Orca (24 pp.) $10.95 | Sep. 10, 2019 978-1-4598-1864-4

This richly illustrated board book uses the moon to explore metaphor. |

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Bisaillon’s art takes center stage as readers follow along looking for the moon in different objects, beginning with the titular statement. Some are fairly obvious (a pail of milk, a shiny hubcap), while others are more obscure (a tooth, a pillow).

These metaphors rely heavily on Bisaillon’s artwork to communicate meaning to readers. This works out in the case of “the head of the nail,” its shiny, pocked, gray surface clearly a miniature moon. For others, such as the “apple pie,” it’s harder to find the moon’s likeness in the object depicted. Because the concept of a metaphor is a big one for board-book readers, when it’s difficult to see an object’s resemblance to the moon, the idea may be lost. Bisaillon’s illustrations—in cut paper, pastels, watercolors, pencils, and digital collage—are truly stunning. In addition to the show-stopping opening and closing wintry forest scenes, a real standout shows a bird’s-eye view of the moon’s glow cast through a window across the child’s bedroom. Humans are not represented with gender stereotypes (heads and facial features are largely excluded), but all visible skin reads as white. Overall, a largely successful effort to convey metaphors to young readers.

Even though they don’t all quite work out, the beautiful illustrations mostly make up for it.

Read this one for the lovely lunar illustrations. (Board book. 1-3)

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Like food-truck fare, it goes down easily. frankie’s food truck

WINTER DAYS SPRING DAYS

Colley, Kate Illus. by Goble, Dale Nigel Orca (26 pp.) $10.95 | Sep. 24, 2019 978-1-4598-2109-5

In this two-in-one board book, discover the joys of various seasons.

With one half of the book dedicated to winter and the other half to spring, the two sections are bound back to back, necessitating a turn upside down in the middle. While some books use this two-part format in innovative ways that enhance the story, this flip feels cumbersome, as it adds no real richness and serves only to slow readers down. As a read-aloud, it stumbles as well, as the meter in the short couplets is off in places, and even when the rhyme does scan, lines such as “snowman to make / ponds to skate” are none too exciting. Flat, graphically simplified illustrations feature a multiracial cast of characters with round faces, black dotted eyes, and small, semicircular smiles, making them look like mildly exaggerated emojis. Sometimes these depictions of people work; other times they look misshapen, like oddly proportioned clothes perched upon a personified lightbulb. Better are the richly colored and stylized close-ups of seasonal objects like colorful cups of cocoa, red-and-white striped socks and vividly black-and-gold bumblebees. These bright, rounded objects are adorable, especially those with cute, kawaii-style happy faces. A companion book dedicated to summer and fall is slightly stronger, with catchier rhymes and lots of seasonal brightness.

Though the flippable format doesn’t add much, the illustrations are eye-catching. (Board book. 6 mos.-2) (Summer Days Fall Days: 978-1-4598-2106-4)

MY DOCTOR’S VISIT

Florance, Cara Illus. by Florance, Jon Sourcebooks Explore (24 pp.) $9.99 | Nov. 5, 2019 978-1-4926-9399-4 Series: Baby University A friendly introduction to the annual medical checkup for little ones.

In one to two second-person paragraphs per double-page spread, the chatty narration describes the various tests doctors perform while indicating the body part each is meant to examine. Simple diagrams appear against white backgrounds to illustrate the concepts and feature faceless silhouettes of toddler bodies in a variety of skin tones accompanied by simple representations of internal organs. Medical instruments, such as a stethoscope and a sphygmomanometer (or blood-pressure cuff), float among the text and diagrams, sometimes commenting on the narration in the fashion of a Greek chorus. Several of these instruments and a good number of the internal organs, like the heart and lungs, have googly eyes, expressive eyebrows, 130

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and cutesy mouths. Presumably this is intended to give this fictional visit to the doctor a lighthearted air, but the device could be confusing to literal-minded youngsters. The spread on vaccines (a representative virus particle within the serum also has googly eyes, plus a superhero cape) reassuringly states that: “Most vaccines are shots, so it might hurt a little, but only for a second. Take a deep breath and know you are brave for keeping your body safe!” While this offering doesn’t show the actual doctors, waiting rooms, or examination tables that most goingto-the-doctor books include, it does provide answers to many of the “why” questions older toddlers and preschoolers express.

Googly eyes aside, an upbeat, science-based primer of human anatomy. (Board book. 2-4)

FRANKIE’S FOOD TRUCK

Illus. by Gaggiotti, Lucia Candlewick Entertainment (12 pp.) $9.99 | Oct. 8, 2019 978-1-5362-0687-6 Frankie’s food truck makes the rounds every day of the week, mixing gastronomy with geometry in this interactive guide to the shapes of things to eat.

This volume serves up a tasty variety of vocabulary, including the days of the week, basic shapes, and various foodstuffs that young readers and their caregivers are invited to identify.

Frankie is an undeniably cute kitten with an oversized head and a smile to match. He parks his food truck in the same spot every day of the week; the cityscape in the background never changes.

The one thing that is dramatically different from day to day is the menu, organized around daily geometric themes: “Today is Monday, when Frankie serves squares.” This is not a jab at Frankie’s patrons; it describes his fare, served on the facing page on four empty-looking plates with square-shaped, flapped panels that open to reveal several delicious, square-shaped foods: waffles, toast, ravioli, and cheese. Triangles are Tuesday’s order of the day; three triangular flaps reveal slices of pizza, pie, and watermelon. A circular flap hides a doughnut; the text inside the flap reads, “Nope! No circles till tomorrow!” Frankie himself is rendered differently in each picture, but only slightly so; finding the differences from picture to picture may add an element of fun.

Like food-truck fare, it goes down easily. (Board book. 1-3)

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IN THE GARDEN

“have you ever seen…”: “a flying toothbrush”; “a dancing cookie”; “a singing tomato”; and, of course, “poop wearing glasses” and “a ball sitting on the toilet.” Each time, the response is the same: “No WAY!” The drawings are adorable, peopled with broccoli that can do math, a tomato that sings, a hockey-player pickle, and a skateboarding cupcake, for example. The final question is, “Someone tickling a baby?” (cue light tickles from caregiver); the response is a resounding, “Yes WAY!” Lighthearted and wholly engaging nonsense of the first order. (Board book. 1-4)

Giuliani, Emma Illus. by the author Princeton Architectual Press (16 pp.) $27.95 | Apr. 7, 2020 978-1-61689-893-9 A graphic artist’s view of a small, mixed garden’s seasonal round, enhanced by flaps, inside views, and cut-paper flowers.

In Giuliani’s composed, quietly harmonious scenes, young Plum and her little brother Robin—both depicted as solid black silhouettes—tidy up their patch after its winter sleep, then at proper times sow seeds, repot plants that wintered over in the greenhouse, water and nurture seedlings, set up poles for beans and stakes for tomatoes, then at last, in autumn, gather ripe fruits and veggies before putting the garden back to bed. The book is rife with specialized vocabulary (“involucre,” “peduncle”) that’s either defined in text or clearly illustrated. Each double-page spread is keyed to a particular moment in the season, with a large picture of Plum and Robin on verso. In blocks of commentary alongside smaller, posterlike images of common flora and fruits on and under flaps cut into natural or geometric shapes, Giuliani describes in some detail the parts of seeds and plants, stages of growth, and good (organic) horticultural practices. If some of those practices, such as “install[ing] a beehive” or pouring milk around garden borders to repel rabbits, are presented fairly simplistically, there are still generous enough funds of botanical information and practical advice in this elegantly illustrated, oversized album to fuel winter dreams and schemes.

Visually and conceptually idyllic. (Informational novelty.

6-9)

WHO SAYS PEEKABOO?

Highlights for Children Highlights Press (14 pp.) $7.99 | Feb. 4, 2020 978-1-68437-913-2 Series: Baby Mirror Board Books

A POTATO ON A BIKE

Gravel, Elise Illus. by the author Orca (32 pp.) $10.95 | Oct. 8, 2019 978-1-4598-2320-4

Call-and-response hilarity and a bit of potty humor make this a read-aloud delight for tots and caregivers alike.

This sweet little board book is a surefire favorite that toddlers and their adults may well be referring to as Poop Riding a Bicycle for years to come. While that is clearly erroneous—the cover clearly states it’s a potato—no one could fault a child for imagining that the pedaling brown blob on the cover is indeed a happy-go-lucky bowel movement on wheels. Ironically enough, there are two images in the book that do in fact feature either poop or a potty, so this will surely be a hit with young toilet trainers. The format is straightforward, set forth on the opening page, which asks: “Have you ever seen a carrot taking a BATH?” On recto, the response is writ large and loud: “No WAY!” Other ridiculous potential sightings are suggested, all introduced |

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Three babies play peekaboo with animal friends in this simple questionand-answer board book.

The simple and repetitive format of this board book gives it high appeal for very young readers, who also get to play along.

The question “What game does baby want to play?” and its answer, “Baby says, PEEKABOO!” are repeated with three different baby-and-animal pairs. The final page features a mirror with an invitation for readers to say “PEEKABOO” too. The illustrations feature photographs of babies (none with dark skin) and animals against an all-white background with clip-art– style props such as a box and a beach bucket digitally collaged in. Thankfully, the babies and animals are adorable, because these embellishments are decidedly lackluster. The repetition of the text and the familiarity of the peekaboo game make it an appropriate read for infants and young toddlers, who will also enjoy gazing at themselves and their caregivers in the mirror at the book’s end. A companion title, Who Says Hippity Hop?, asks readers which animal says the titular phrase, passing up various farm animals until readers land on the correct hopping creature.

Easter baskets and eggs accompany the photographs in this one, which also includes a mirror at the end. It is both nonsensical in its premise and less engaging for infants and toddlers than the more versatile Peekaboo.

A pleasant-enough diversion, but the game without the book has more staying power. (Board book. 6 mos.-2) (Who Says Hippity Hop?: 978-1-8437-914-9)

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HE’S GOT THE WHOLE WORLD IN HIS HANDS

Illus. by Ho, Hanh Dung Tiger Tales (16 pp.) $9.99 | Feb. 4, 2020 978-1-68010-587-2

The pages of this board book offer colorful interpretations of each verse of the traditional song.

The pictures feature diverse groups of family and friends engaged in childfriendly activities such as camping, picnicking, and celebrating a birthday together. The rhyming text, which will be familiar to many caregivers raised in the United States, can be either sung or read: For those unfamiliar with the song, the words are rhythmic enough to be interesting to read even without a tune.

With the possible exception of a final cityscape, landscapes are mostly European or North American, though one doublepage spread celebrating nature includes a mishmash of tropical, savanna, and temperate woodland flora and fauna. The lyrics are italicized and featured prominently but are also strategically placed so as not to interfere with the illustrations. Starting from the first page, the human characters in the pictures representing the lyrics are diverse in terms of skin color, age, ability, religion, gender, and body type. The artist uses a vibrant but not overwhelming palette and soft brush strokes to infuse each illustration with a soothing, playful feeling and to fill the characters with movement, expression, and joy. The level of detail in each illustration allows adults and kids alike the opportunity to discover something new every time they look at it.

This sweet, gentle interpretation of an African American spiritual features a notably diverse cast. (Board book. 2-6)

VEHICLES ABC

Illus. by Ho, Jannie Nosy Crow/Candlewick (26 pp.) $6.99 | Dec. 24, 2019 978-1-5362-0815-3 An alphabet-based vocabulary builder organized on the theme of “things that go.”

It’s tough rating one book of this sort “outstanding” in contrast to the countless similar offerings on the market, but this one rates at least a “pretty good.” The presentation is appealing in its simplicity. Each of the 26 pages features its respective letter in both upper- and lowercase; these are hand-lettered in a blocky print and colored to contrast with the background. Each letter appears with a vehicle, name clearly printed on the page; in all but one case, the vehicle begins with the corresponding letter. The bright, colorful artwork is not particularly realistic, but it hits all the right signals for easy recognition by toddlers.

All of the old favorites are featured: ambulance, bulldozer, digger, and helicopter, for example, but part of the book’s appeal is in its thoughtful vocabulary-expanding selections as well. Cc is for “carriage,” for example, Ee is for “electric car,” and Gg is for 132

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“galleon.” Many of the vehicles are alphabetized by modifiers that denote function (“ice-cream truck”), appearance (“jumbo jet”), or ownership (“naval ship”). Wondering about Qq and Xx? Think “Queen Mary” (the ship, not the monarch) and “express train” (the only vehicle whose name doesn’t begin with the letter it illustrates).

A well-curated things-that-go abecederary. (Board book.

1-3)

WELCOME, BABY!

Katz, Karen Illus. by the author Little Simon/Simon & Schuster (14 pp.) $6.99 | Dec. 17, 2019 978-1-5344-3071-6 A short and cozy lift-the-flap book catalogs ways families welcome and care

for new babies.

Addressing young listeners directly, a declarative sentence on the verso states how the narrator cared for “you” as an infant: “We wrapped you in a snuggly…” reads one, while the answer of “blanket” hides under a blanket-shaped flap. After listing various items a baby needs to thrive, a final fold-out page shows doting adults giving babies the most important thing of all: love.

Sweetness abounds, from the familiar cheery Katz art, with heart-shaped lips and oversized heads, cuddly, doll-like babies, and lively, colorful patterns that decorate the flaps and pages.

All the pages feature different family constellations, and the diverse male and female caregivers appear nurturing and warm.

The use of the phrase “when you came home” is inclusive of adoptive and foster as well as birth families. What’s mystifying is its designation as a “lift-the-flap-book for new babies,” as the text refers to infancy as past, and new babies don’t make guesses or handle flaps. Toddlers preparing for a sibling may enjoy this title and will appreciate the book’s interactivity. Small glimpses of the answers will help cue toddlers, though some of the terms (a “bassinet” as opposed to a crib; a “baby bottle” in a home accustomed to breastfeeding) may be difficult for some viewers to guess.

Though this board book isn’t especially innovative, it’s unquestionably warmhearted. (Board book. 6 mos.-2)

EGGS ARE EVERYWHERE

Illus. by Kirwan, Wednesday Chronicle (10 pp.) $10.99 | Feb. 4, 2020 978-1-4521-7457-0

An interactive egg hunt with turningwheel and lift-the-flap elements.

This board book begins by directing readers to find the hidden eggs. Each wheel—there are four in all set into the interior pages—has several different eggs on it, and turning it reveals an egg in a little die-cut window. Spinning it further hides the |

The art pops—and pops up. i love you (almost always)

TOUGH CHICKS LOVE THEIR MAMA

egg behind one of two lift-the-flap panels—two baskets, for example—and readers must guess behind which they’ll find the egg they have chosen to track. A diagram on the back provides instructions for use, likely more helpful to caregivers than to little ones. There is no narrative in this book; it’s simply page after page of different directives along the lines of “Guess which door!” As a result, the focus is really on manipulatives and the illustrations. Fortunately, Kirwan’s spring-themed artwork is gorgeous. The backdrop of each page is flower- and leafthemed with warm spring hues, echoing the artwork of Eastern European hand-stenciled Easter eggs, two of which appear at the end of the book. The animals, like the smiling snail and mischievous mice, are reminiscent of classic European fairy-tale creatures. The only human in the book is a dark-skinned child with tight, curly hair. The moveable pieces largely work, though at times the necessary white space under the flaps interrupts the illustration awkwardly, as when the child’s hands suddenly develop large oval holes if the spinner is not in the correct position. Overall, it’s more game than book.

There is no real story, but the moving parts are fun, and the illustrations are beautiful. (Board book. 2-4)

Meng, Cece Illus. by Suber, Melissa HMH Books (12 pp.) $8.99 | Dec. 17, 2019 978-0-358-12653-9 Series: Tabbed Touch-and-Feel

I LOVE YOU (ALMOST ALWAYS) A Pop-Up Book of Friendship Llenas, Anna Illus. by the author Sterling (22 pp.) $24.95 | Feb. 4, 2020 978-1-4549-3950-4

Insect friends find ways of coping with each other’s differences.

As with Llenas’ The Color Monster (2018), the magnificent art will prove a stronger draw than the sketchy storyline. Ralph is a “roly-poly” with a hard shell, a gift for camouflage, and a preference for being in charge. Rita is a firefly—quick, flashy, and extroverted. At first such differences don’t matter, but in time they prove irritating enough to lead to a brief falling-out. With the willingness to make a few accommodations, though, the two find their relationship strong enough to survive and flower into, at the end, a closing smooch. Gatefolds, inset booklets, immense multilayered pop-ups that seem to burst up as they open, and pull tabs that create big, broad movements enhance illustrations created from layers and assemblages of large and small cut-paper bits, all further energized with transparent colors and added scribbly lines. Though Ralph and Rita have buglike attributes, they look like humans (both white) in costumes. Younger audiences will likely pay more attention to the tabs and pop-ups than the theme, but both pals are drawn with large, expressive faces that make it easy to track the ins and outs of their close, if occasionally stressed, relationship.

The art pops—and pops up. (Pop-up picture book. 5- 7)

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With the help of farm-animal friends, three little chicks bake their mother a cake and save it from ruin.

In this tactile board book, baby chickens Penny, Polly, and Molly are determined to show their love for Mama by baking her a cake. Other baby farm animals get in on the action, helping haul supplies and decorate the cake. When the enormous cake nearly topples, the chicks come up with a way to keep it intact, demonstrating to Mama both their love and their quick thinking. What’s unclear from the story is what makes these three chicks the titular “tough.” They’re certainly quick, innovative, and persistent, but beyond the cutesy play on words, it doesn’t mean much. The book includes various touch-andfeel elements: a fluffy foal’s tail and a fun-to-touch sticky spot of cake frosting. There are, however, unnecessary tabs on the right-hand side of the book. A little mouse appears before each page turn with reader-participation questions. “Can you moooo like a calf?” it asks. These mostly work, but they’re not needed.

Suber’s illustrations are sweet, the animals cartoonish. They help explain and move the story along, particularly showing how the cake is saved at the end. Mostly there is just too much: tabs, flaps, participatory directions, touch-and-feel elements.

Less would have been more.

Tries to do too much and doesn’t quite succeed. (Board book. 1-3)

TRAINS

Prénat, Sophie Illus. by Schleef, Vinciane Trans. by Hardenberg, Wendeline A. Twirl/Chronicle (14 pp.) $16.99 | Feb. 4, 2020 979-1-03631-358-5 Series: Ultimate Spotlight How modern freight and passenger trains look and go, with flaps to offer inside views.

As exercises in bland generalities go, this French import stays solidly on the rails—pairing labels or colorless comments (“The engine car is the only part of the train with an engine”) to impersonal painted views of toylike trains. These all look inert, whether en route through artificial-looking settings or sitting at platforms amid diverse clots of small human figures, all with smiles and dot eyes, strolling or scurrying past. A spare assortment of flaps and pull tabs open sliding doors, show rows of empty or occupied seats, depict a select gallery of freightcar types, or allow glimpses of wheels, electrical arms, and the |

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Clear backgrounds, a large clean type, and thick pages turn this simple paean to love into a useful instruction manual for the youngest yogis. i yoga you

engineer in the cab. Aside from a postage-stamp–size image of a “Peruvian mountain train” and the barest nose of a maglev, the trains on view, named or not, are all European (or partly, in the case of the Trans-Siberian Railway).

A routine, juiceless candidate chugging straight for the storage yard. (Informational picture book/novelty. 6-8)

HIDE-AND-SEEK AT THE CONSTRUCTION SITE A Hidden Pictures® Lift-theflap Book Roemer, Heidi Bee Illus. by Ho, Jannie Highlights Press (10 pp.) $9.99 | Nov. 5, 2019 978-1-68437-650-6

This oversized lift-the-flap board book is reminiscent of Richard Scarry’s classic titles.

Four lines of rhyming text highlight the function of the equipment seen on each spread. Unfortunately, the rhyme is sometimes forced; “trees” does not rhyme with “debris,” unless “debris” is mispronounced. A concluding couplet—“What is hiding? Take a peek. / Lift the flaps for hide-and-seek!”—repeated on each spread directs readers to eight flaps hidden on each spread. Their small cutouts are almost too small for tiny fingers.

Oddly, it is only after opening the flap and revealing the hidden object that readers are asked, “Can you find the _____?” These tiny objects have no relation to either their hiding places or construction. A piece of cake lurks beneath a wheelbarrow; a dump truck hides a pencil. The lack of contextual clues makes this book one to share with somewhat older readers, who may learn some new vocabulary but probably won’t be much challenged. Still, there is much to see and talk about. (Don’t miss the construction worker anxiously waiting to use the port-a-potty.

That might have been a flap worth opening.) Animal workers of many species labor on this construction site. One is referred to as “she,” the only pronoun used in the book; two of the three adult caregivers depicted in a final spread wear dresses.

There’s lots of detail, but it’s poorly organized. (Board book. 2-4)

ALL THE LOVE IN THE WORLD

Salzano, Tammi Illus. by Fleming, Lucy Tiger Tales (22 pp.) $9.99 | Dec. 24, 2019 978-1-68010-603-9

A doting pair of adult bears follows a baby bear through a busy day.

These fully engaged caregivers are clearly awed by the little cub, starting with “You’re the morning sunshine” and ending with “you sleep so peacefully / beneath the twinkling stars.” In between, the baby bear paints a picture, sings with one adult, 134

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tickles with the other, drinks cocoa, takes a walk and flies a kite, rides a bike, and is playfully swung in the air before a bath.

Much of the action is communicated only by the pictures. The tender rhyming verses focus on the wonder of familial love.

Every other stanza ends with the refrain: “This world of ours is full of love / when you are here with me.” Curiously, although this cub has two present, caregiving adults, the narrative, presumably addressed to the child, uses the first-person singular.

The baby bear is presented as gender-neutral, first in orangeand-green polka-dot pajamas and then in blue jeans with a white shirt graced with yellow ducks. Although neither adult bear is gendered in the text, the illustrations use stereotypical cues: One wears a yellow dress decorated with hearts; the other wears a striped shirt (and no trousers). No one can miss that the baby bear is the adults’ little darling.

Sweet—but more for adults than children. (Board book.

1-3)

I YOGA YOU

Santos, Genevieve Illus. by the author Little Simon/Simon & Schuster (26 pp.) $8.99 | Dec. 10, 2019 978-1-5344-5489-7 In this rhyming board book, 13 cheerful children move through a day of yoga postures, from a morning sun salutation to a bedtime “sleeping pose.”

The opening lines mirror the cadence of the old song “Skinnamarink”: “I love you in the morning / when you salute the sun. // I love you when you stretch out straight. / Our day has now begun!” Unfortunately, the rhyme and scansion deteriorate as the verse continues. “I love you in the garden / when we say hello to plants and trees” is fine, but it’s followed by the tortured “I love you when you make me laugh— / you’re full of such sillies,” and rhyming “down” with “proud” is a huge stretch. Still, the 13 children shown incorporating yoga into everyday play are a diverse bunch. The adults helping the children dress, garden, play, meditate, fly, manage emotions, and explore are equally varied in terms of age and race, though there are no characters with visible disabilities. Any book lover will appreciate the penultimate stanza: “I love you / when we read book… / after book… / after book until the end of the day.” The final line abandons the meter completely. “It is time for bed, sleepyhead. / Namaste.”

The last spread labels the poses modeled by each of the children.

Clear backgrounds, a large clean type, and thick pages turn this simple paean to love into a useful instruction manual for the youngest yogis.

Mindfully executed (mostly). (Board book. 1-4)

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I LOVE YOU, LITTLE MOO

Temple, Tilly Illus. by Deo, Laura Tiger Tales (10 pp.) $9.99 | Dec. 24, 2019 978-1-68010-624-4

continuing series DEATHSTRIKE

Chen, Jeff Katherine Tegen/HarperCollins (288 pp.) $16.99 | Jan. 14, 2020 978-0-06-280269-9 Series: Ultraball, 2 (Science fiction. 8-12)

SPEEDAH CHEETAH

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Animal caregivers show affection for little ones with the help of sturdy movable flaps.

The titular “little moo” is a brown calf who appears on the opening double-page spread in a field facing away from an adult Holstein with horns and eyelashes. The calf is on a shaped flap, and when the flap is opened, the youngster appears to move back across the field to nuzzle its caregiver. On subsequent pages further animals are animated by the flip of a flap and given nicknames based on their sounds. A pig and a piglet (called “little oink) wallow in the mud; a duck enfolds two ducklings with its wings; a horse and foal gaze at each other; and a cat and kitten curl up together for bedtime. Each of these double-page spreads is accompanied by four lines of rhymed, sentimental verse with the final line appearing under the flap. Done in a harmoniously muted palette, Deo’s appealingly stocky, wide-eyed creatures and simplified backgrounds suit the feel of the text. Many of the young critters don’t match the coloring of their full-grown caregivers, allowing this title to work for families in a variety of configurations (children who were adopted, children in foster care, etc.). Toddlers will likely respond to the extra-sturdy flaps, which will survive robust interaction.

A thoughtful, versatile celebration of love that allows for playful toddler handling. (Board book. 6 mos.-3)

isn’t looking so beastly to the child, either. But what to feed the guests? Maybe “Chocolate Fingers” without actual fingers? The monsters all have a wonderful dinner. And Dinner does too.

Gourmands, armchair or otherwise, with strong stomachs will smack their lips. (Novelty picture book. 6-8)

Cummings, Troy Illus. by the author Scholastic (96 pp.) $4.99 paper | $24.99 PLB | Feb. 4, 2020 978-1-338-31472-4 paper 978-1-338-31473-1 PLB Series: The Binder of Doom, 3 (Fiction. 6-8)

SILVERBELLY

Dahlstrom, S.J. Paul Dry Books (182 pp.) $9.95 paper | Feb. 11, 2020 978-1-58988-143-3 Series: The Adventures of Wilder Good, 6 (Fiction. 8-12)

BEAST FEAST

Yarlett, Emma Illus. by the author Kane/Miller (32 pp.) $14.99 | Mar. 1, 2020 978-1-68464-005-8 A child captured by a hungry monster turns out to have some unusual ideas about preparing dinner.

Though the concept is not altogether new, this trickster tale has some special features of its own to offer—most particularly a set of outstandingly gross recipes like “Eyeball Sushi” and “Cockroach Cola” (“1. Pop the cockroaches in your mouth and crunch until blended. 2. Spit”) that give way at the end to dishes that sound revolting but have edible, even delicious, ingredients.

With Sir Gutguzzler and other monstrous friends all sending formal RSVPs, each missive a glued-in, folded feature for little fingers to tease apart, Beast is looking forward to a memorable repast. But “Dinner,” a small child with light brown skin and an engaging mop of reddish curls, keeps suggesting improvements. Instead of fattening Dinner up with “putrid swill,” how about some chocolate cake? Rather than adding just a sprinkle of salt and a bare dip into a tub of slime, why not enjoy delightful outings to the sea and the local swamp? Soon Beast is thinking that Dinner doesn’t look like dinner any more…and Beast |

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CECE LOVES SCIENCE Push and Pull

Derting, Kimberly Illus. by Johannes, Shelli R. Greenwillow (40 pp.) $16.99 | $4.99 paper | Feb. 25, 2020 978-0-06-294609-6 978-0-06-294608-9 paper Series: Cece Loves Science (Early reader. 6-9)

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WHO NEEDS A CHECKUP?

Feuti, Norm Illus. by the author Acorn/Scholastic (48 pp.) $4.99 paper | $23.99 PLB | Feb. 4, 2020 978-1-338-28144-6 paper 978-1-338-28145-3 PLB Series: Hello, Hedgehog!, 3 (Graphic fantasy. 6-9)

JAZZ FLY 3 The Caribbean Sea

WE’RE RED, WEIRD, AND BLUE! WHAT CAN WE DO?

Gutman, Dan Illus. by Paillot, Jim Harper/HarperCollins (144 pp.) $5.99 paper | Jan. 7, 2020 978-0-06-279684-4 Series: My Weird School Special, 6 (Fiction/Humor. 6-10)

THE STORY OF CIVIL WAR HERO ROBERT SMALLS

SUPER POTATO AND THE MUTANT ANIMAL MAYHEM

Sánchez Vergara, Maria Isabel Illus. by Noh, Mikyo Frances Lincoln (32 pp.) $14.99 | Feb. 4, 2020 978-0-7112-4564-8 Series: Little People, Big Dreams (Picture book/biography. 4-7)

MINDY KIM AND THE LUNAR NEW YEAR PARADE

Lee, Lyla Illus. by Ho, Dung Aladdin (96 pp.) $16.99 | $5.99 paper | Jan. 14, 2020 978-1-5344-4011-1 978-1-5344-4010-4 paper Series: Mindy Kim, 2 (Fiction. 6-9)

BIG BIRD’S BIG BAD DAY

Halfmann, Janet Illus. by Smith, Duane Lee & Low (80 pp.) $9.95 paper | Feb. 1, 2020 978-1-64379-016-9 Series: The Story of…

(Biography. 8-12)

Manning, Craig Illus. by Mathieu, Joe Sourcebooks Wonderland (32 pp.) $10.99 | Feb. 1, 2020 978-1-4926-9462-5 Series: Sesame Street (Picture book. 3-7)

THE STORY OF THE ENVIRONMENTALIST WANGARI MAATHAI

ESCAPE FROM THE TWIN TOWERS

Messner, Kate Illus. by McMorris, Kelley Scholastic (144 pp.) $5.99 paper | $25.99 PLB | Feb. 4, 2020 978-338-53794-9 paper 978-338-53795-4 PLB Series: Ranger in Time, 11 (Fiction. 7-10)

Johnson, Jen Cullerton Illus. by Sadler, Sonia Lynn Lee & Low (80 pp.) $9.95 paper | Feb. 1, 2020 978-1-64379-012-1 Series: The Story of…

(Biography. 8-12)

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KODIAK

Miles, Ellen Scholastic Paperbacks (96 pp.) $5.99 paper | Feb. 4, 2020 978-1-338-57217-9 Series: The Puppy Place, 56 (Fiction. 7-10)

Laperla, Artur Illus. by the author Trans. by MacTire, Norwyn Graphic Universe (56 pp.) $27.99 | $8.99 paper | Feb. 4, 2020 978-1-5124-4024-9 978-1-541558701-4 paper Series: Super Potato, 4 (Graphic fantasy. 8-12)

Gollub, Matthew Illus. by Hanke, Karen Tortuga Press (40 pp.) $18.95 | Feb. 1, 2020 978-1-889910-54-3 Series: Jazz Fly (Picture book. 4-8)

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FINDING HOME

Kingsbury, Karen & Russell, Tyler Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster (320 pp.) $17.99 | Feb. 25, 2020 978-1-5344-1218-7 Series: Baxter Family Children, 2 (Fiction. 8-12)

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DAVID ATTENBOROUGH

HEARTSONG’S MISSING FOAL

Sanderson, Whitney Illus. by Tejido, Jomike Jolly Fish (72 pp.) $4.99 paper | Jan. 1, 2020 978-1-63163-392-8

Series: Unicorns of the Secret Stable, 1 (Fantasy. 6-8)

BEE HEARTFUL Spread Loving-Kindness

Sileo, Frank J. Illus. by Keay, Claire Magination/American Psychological Association (32 pp.) $17.99 | Jan. 7, 2020 978-1-4338-3157-7 Series: Bee… (Picture book. 4-8)

TIME WARP The Seventh Journey Through Time Stilton, Geronimo Scholastic Paperbacks (318 pp.) $16.99 | Feb. 4, 2020 978-1-338-58742-5 Series: Geronimo Stilton Journeys Through Time, 7 (Fantasy. 8-12)

THE STORY OF OLYMPIC DIVER SAMMY LEE

Yoo, Paula Illus. by Lee, Dom Lee & Low (80 pp.) $9.95 paper | Feb. 1, 2020 978-1-64379-014-5 paper Series: The Story of…

(Biography. 8-12)

young adult ALL THE PRETTY THINGS

These titles earned the Kirkus Star:

Arsenault, Emily Delacorte (352 pp.) $17.99 | Mar. 17, 2020 978-1-9848-9705-3

A PHOENIX FIRST MUST BURN ed. by Patrice Caldwell...............139 TIGERS, NOT DAUGHTERS by Samantha Mabry...........................148 EARTH DAY AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT

by Christy Peterson.............................................................................150 MOST LIKELY by Sarah Watson......................................................... 153 WHEN YOU WERE EVERYTHING by Ashley Woodfolk................... 153

Woodfolk, Ashley Delacorte (400 pp.) $17.99 | Mar. 10, 2020 978-1-5247-1591-5

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WHEN YOU WERE EVERYTHING

Seventeen-year-old Ivy Cork unearths some long-simmering secrets when she digs into the recent death of one of her father’s employees.

With her older brother, Jason, off at college, Ivy is her dad’s right-hand woman at Fabuland, the Danville, New Hampshire, amusement park he owns and operates and where most of Ivy’s friends work, including her best friend since sixth grade, Morgan Froggett.

When Ivy returns to town after a short trip with her mother (her parents are divorced), she’s told that Morgan has been missing since the previous night. Recently 19-year-old Ethan Lavoie, a Fabuland employee with Down syndrome, fell to his death from a train trestle while walking home from the park, and Morgan was the one who discovered his body. After Morgan is found in a state of distress sitting atop Fabuland’s Ferris wheel, Ivy is the only one who can talk her down. When Ivy asks Morgan how she got up there, Morgan replies cryptically “Ask Ethan.” Morgan’s strange answer—and her precarious state of mind—inspire Ivy to investigate the events leading up to Ethan’s death, all while helping her demanding and mercurial father run Fabuland. The amusement park setting is intriguing; however, the mystery is thin, and the meandering narrative is peppered with two-dimensional characters and clunky dialogue. As a result, the eventful final act, featuring a cascade of weighty revelations (including a #MeToo subplot), doesn’t feel earned. A white default is assumed.

Underwhelming. (Mystery. 13-18)

BETWEEN BURNING WORLDS

Brody, Jessica & Rendell, Joanne Simon Pulse/Simon & Schuster (688 pp.) $19.99 | Mar. 24, 2020 978-1-5344-1066-4 Series: System Divine, 2 Chatine, Marcellus, and Alouette learn that their planet, Laterre, and its people are under threat by the very man charged with protecting it.

A radical group called the Red Scar rapidly gains momentum among the Third Estate while the |

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ya takes on toxic masculinity YA is known for tackling timely social issues, so it’s no surprise that recent years have seen a tremendous rise in the number of titles with #MeToo themes. They center the journeys of strong female protagonists and are rightfully praised for being relevant and necessary; I only dream of the day when they are curious historical relics and young readers scratch their heads in disbelief that such stories were ever needed.

However, these books are only part of the story.

There has long been a need for works that speak directly to young men who may not know how to recognize, let alone push back against, toxic masculinity.

Fortunately, three titles coming out this winter help fill this gap, in the process deepening and enriching the pool of stories available to teen readers. They fill a critical hole in the literature, and I hope that they will be widely read and discussed.

Now That We’re Men: A Play and True Life Accounts of Boys, Sex & Power, edited by Katie Cappiello (Dottir Press, Jan. 14), blends a theatrical script—featuring five New York City high school boys talking about gender and sexuality—with tools for educators, including tips for leading conversations, discussion prompts, and advice for using the play in English classrooms. The second half of the book contains personal essays, monologues, and interviews by contributors of many different backgrounds—including Eve Ensler and young men from the original cast— reflecting on consent, gamer culture, male bonding, porn, and related subjects. This is a rich resource with potential to support courageous exploration among high school and college students.

A hilarious, insightful book to hand to every high schooler you know is Not So Pure and Simple by Lamar Giles (HarperTeen, Jan. 21). Giles is known for his YA 138

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mysteries and thrillers, but he moves with ease into realistic fiction, focusing here on a young man who accidentally signs up for a purity pledge at church while daydreaming over his unrequited crush. Meanwhile, his older sister has become a popular feminist vlogger challenging many of the messages he has absorbed. Del is charming and believable— and he’s surrounded by peers who are doing their best in a world where adults’ expectations can be baffling and contradictory. This accessible, engaging book is a sheer pleasure to read, and the insights and revelations around toxic masculinity are all the more potent for being delivered with a light touch. It’s an ideal book club choice.

The titular character in The New David Espinoza

by Fred Aceves (HarperTeen, Feb. 11) struggles with muscle dysmorphia. It’s still all too rare to encounter a treatment of what happens to boys who succumb to eating and body image disorders. This #ownvoices title, written by an author who knows the pain of this experience firsthand, is a gift to teens. A particularly cruel incident of bullying motivates David to try to change his naturally skinny physique, but the bodybuilding world leads him into a steroid addiction that alienates him from supportive relationships. Toxic masculinity is an inherent part of David’s battle—what does it mean to be strong? To be a man?

This intense book does not shy away from honestly portraying this often unrecognized condition and the ways it is intertwined with societal messages. It will leave an indelible impact on readers. —L.S. Laura Simeon is the young adult editor.

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#BlackGirlMagic indeed. a phoenix first must burn

established Vangarde rebels seek information about a mysterious weapon commissioned by Gen. Bonnefaçon. Narrative perspective jumps between the three teen protagonists as they each experience profound moments of growth that ultimately lead them back to one another with the courage and conviction to sabotage the general’s evil plot. Alouette learns about the parents who abandoned her and the women who raised her; Marcellus questions the ongoing conflict between his home, Laterre, and nearby planet Albion; Chatine, trapped on the prison moon Bastille, reevaluates her own identity. In the tradition of Star Wars and The Hunger Games, the trio’s heroic efforts are supported and challenged by a motley crew of new friends and foes, who (thankfully) complicate the previous book’s love-triangle dynamic. Subtle descriptors of hair texture and color suggest that several new friends may be people of color; however, skin color is not explicitly described. The expanded cast of complex, predominantly female characters successfully carries elements of both buddy comedy and sociological critique.

A compelling, surprising, and entertaining saga that’s literally out of this world. (map) (Science fiction. 12-18)

A teen has a feminist awakening after being assaulted by her teacher.

Marin is a pretty ordinary high school student—she is navigating senior year and relationships, studying hard to get into her dream school, and aspiring to become a journalist. She and her best friend, Chloe, are co-editors of Bridgewater Prep’s school paper, and they spend their free time in the newspaper office with their adviser and favorite teacher, Mr. Beckett. Bex, as all his students call him, is not like other teachers—he is young and gregarious and doesn’t keep his private life a secret. Both Marin and Chloe think Bex is cute and are a little obsessed with his sex life. After Bex offers Marin a ride home from school and then kisses her without consent, Marin wonders what she did to give him the wrong signals. When neither Chloe nor the school’s board believes her, Marin starts fighting back against the unwritten rules for girls.

The book shines a light on the pressures of being a girl and the double standards that readers will immediately recognize and appreciate or learn from. The writing is complicated in the way that female friendships can be. Although the authors include a passage about intersectionality, with all major characters seeming to be white, it feels like an afterthought.

A light read about a heavy topic. (Fiction. 14-18)

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Ed. by Caldwell, Patrice Viking (352 pp.) $18.99 | Mar. 10, 2020 978-1-9848-3565-9

Sixteen #ownvoices authors offer up fantasy and science fiction short stories

centering black girls.

In her introduction, editor Caldwell extols the importance of representation and storytelling in black communities and asks “Where is my fantasy, my future? Why don’t Black people exist in speculative worlds?” The diverse contributors to this vibrant and varied collection include acclaimed YA authors such as Elizabeth Acevedo, Dhonielle Clayton, Justina Ireland, Rebecca Roanhorse, and Ibi Zoboi. Their stories run the gamut from lighthearted to intense. Some use fantastical or SF elements to explore relevant and timely issues such as colorism, violence against black communities, and abuse of minority groups. Multiple stories are delightfully queer. There’s the girl working as an alien interrogator on another planet who’s starting to think things might be more complicated than she realized in Amerie’s (editor: Because You Love To Hate Me, 2017, etc.) “When Life Hands You a Lemon Fruitbomb.” In Alaya Dawn Johnson’s (contributor: Three Sides of a Heart, 2017, etc.)

“The Rules of the Land,” the daughter of a sea woman makes a deal with her powerful and enraged kin to save her people. All these well-spun tales are enjoyable and accessible to readers of any background. Magical and real, this collection lives up to its goal with stories as diverse as the black experience. #BlackGirlMagic indeed. (Fantasy. 14-adult)

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RULES FOR BEING A GIRL

Bushnell, Candace & Cotugno, Katie Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins (304 pp.) $19.99 | Mar. 11, 2020 978-0-06-280337-5

A PHOENIX FIRST MUST BURN Sixteen Stories of Black Girl Magic, Resistance, and Hope

SUPER ADJACENT

Cestari, Crystal Disney-Hyperion (368 pp.) $18.99 | Mar. 17, 2020 978-1-368-02398-6 Fandoms and feelings collide in this epic tale of superhero plus ones.

Summer break sees purple-haired, 17-year-old Claire vying for a highly competitive internship with Warrior Nation, a group of superheroes. But none of the fan theories she devours could prepare her for falling for the group’s youngest recruit, a “hot, teenage girl” named Joy, aka Girl Power. Meanwhile, fellow teen Bridgette wants to make a name for herself as an artist without banking on the fame of her superboyfriend, 20-something Matt, aka Vaporizer. When a supervillain kidnaps Warrior Nation’s heroes, Claire and Bridgette must step up and save Chicago in their stead. But can they uncover the villain’s identity before it’s too late? Cestari’s

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Dramatic and intense. spindle and dagger

(The Fairest Kind of Love, 2019, etc.) latest packages internet fan culture alongside corporatized superhero culture for a smartly contemporary twist. The narrative shifts between Claire and Bridgette, interspersing text messages, tweets, and excerpts from fake media. While basic criminal motivations make for an ultimately weak resolution, the text is buoyed by its quick plot, contagious tone, and banter-filled romance. The pressure on heroes to develop personal brands invites surface-level discussion of the impossible standards placed on women. Though two heroes of color make up Warrior Nation’s quartet (Vaporizer has “dark chocolate eyes” and “caramel” skin; Earthquake is cued as black), the story is primarily driven by white main characters.

Sky-high superfeels. (Science fiction. 14-adult)

SPINDLE AND DAGGER

Coats, J. Anderson Candlewick (304 pp.) $17.99 | Mar. 10, 2020 978-1-5362-0777-4

An unruly, bloodthirsty band of warriors rampages through 12th-century Wales.

They are led by the murderous Owain ap Cadwgan, who attempts to vanquish the equally warlike Norman invaders headed by Gerald of Windsor. The narrator, Owain’s girlfriend, Elen, saves her skin by convincing him that he cannot be harmed because he is protected by her namesake, Saint Elen. Elen is dragged along, mostly against her will, with the war band. She has PTSD from an earlier incident that is revealed in brief flashbacks to have been the death of her baby sister. The story reaches a climax when Owain abducts Nest, his enemy’s wife, and her children. Owain’s aggressive action gets him in trouble with his father, Cadwgan, and Owain is banished to Ireland with Elen in tow. Elen is heartbroken to be separated from Nest’s children, with whom she has formed a close bond.

Although at times a little hard to follow, this gritty narrative brings a little-known period in history to life. A historical note gives the context and sources for this story, which is loosely based on the “Chronicle of the Princes,” written some time after the events it relates. Frontmatter includes a chart of the Welsh royal houses, a map of Wales in 1109-1110, and a pronunciation guide, useful given the inclusion of some Welsh words, presented in italics in the text.

Dramatic and intense; not for the fainthearted. (His­ torical fiction. 12-16)

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BROWN GIRL GHOSTED

Das, Mintie Versify/HMH (304 pp.) $17.99 | Mar. 24, 2020 978-0-358-12889-2

When the school bully is murdered, Violet Choudhury is tasked with finding her killer.

As one of the few kids of color in her small Illinois town, Violet works hard to blend in. She’s an expert at flying under the radar, joining the right clubs, maintaining the right grades, and staying on powerful mean girl Naomi Talbert’s good side.

But despite pretending to be ordinary, Violet has a secret life: She’s a descendant of the Aiedeo, Assamese warrior queens. For years, the ghosts of her ancestors trained her in their ancient, supernatural techniques by putting her through a series of deadly tests of strength and will. In seventh grade, after almost dying, Violet refused to continue with her lessons. But when Naomi is murdered the Aiedeo tell Violet that it’s up to her to find the culprit, a ravenous demon. Violet wants to refuse, but if she doesn’t find Naomi’s killer, the Aiedeo will kill her so her powers can’t be taken over and used against them. Das (Storm Sisters: The Frozen Seas, 2017, etc.) deftly weaves an intricate and believable set of parallel worlds, expertly using Violet’s relationship with the Aiedeo and her own powers to explore tough issues of racism, misogyny, and sexual assault. Unfortunately, the prose is often heavy-handed and preachy, and the characters lack much development until the final quarter of the book.

An ambitious, socially conscious fantasy that needs more showing and less telling. (Fantasy. 14-18)

THE YEAR AFTER YOU

de Pass, Nina Delacorte (368 pp.) $17.99 | Mar. 31, 2020 978-0-593-12076-7

A grieving young woman finds help at a Swiss boarding school in this realistic novel.

Seventeen-year-old Cara arrives at Hope Hall feeling as if she’s been flung as far as possible from her previous home near San Francisco. Months earlier, a car accident, in which she was the driver, killed her best friend, G, and left Cara struggling with anxiety and agonizing in a deep well of self-blame. She’s surprised and touched, if wary, that her new roommate, Ren, is patient and empathetic, and Cara is reluctantly drawn into her tight, complicated friendship with Fred and Hector, two other students. There are poignant and genuine moments in Cara’s introspective first-person narration, and many readers will enjoy the idyllic setting in the mountains of Switzerland and the pan-European cast of characters: Cara lived in England before her parents’ abrupt divorce led to her mother’s marrying an

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American and fleeing the country, Hector is Spanish and English, Ren is French, and Fred is Swedish. They are all white; Ren is also gay. Cara’s experience of her grief is realistically messy, but some readers will find its blending with a romance with Hector too pat and the slow build of her coming to terms with the actual events leading up to G’s death too melodramatic.

An engaging, at times moving, debut that doesn’t always quite ring true. (Fiction. 12-18)

APOLLO 13 A Successful Failure

Edge, Laura B. Twenty-First Century/Lerner (136 pp.) $37.32 PLB | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-5415-5900-4

A detailed account of the Apollo 13 space mission.

This book brings to life the period of uncertainty surrounding the return of Apollo 13 by taking readers step by step through the astronauts’ journey, the efforts of the Mission Control team in Houston to bring them home safely, and the anticipation of family members and the entire world as they watched and waited to see if things would worsen or if the astronauts would be saved. Chapter 1 sets the scene with the explosion in space that compromised the mission; Chapter 2 explains the context of the space race and previous successful projects; and chapters 3 through 8 return to the situation on Apollo 13,

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Anna-Marie Mclemore HISTORY AND FANTASY CONVERGE IN DARK AND DEEPEST RED, THE AUTHOR’S WILDLY IMAGINATIVE NEW YA NOVEL

By Ana Grilo Christina Grout

In 1518, a dancing fever plagued the city of Strasbourg (in modern-day France), causing hundreds of people (predominantly women) to dance for days without stopping.

Many died from exhaustion, heart attack, or stroke.

This historical episode, and two young characters who live through it, is one of the threads in Anna-Marie McLemore’s astonishing new YA novel, Dark and Deepest Red (Feiwel & Friends, Jan. 14). The other is a reimagining of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Red Shoes” featuring two teenagers living 500 years later in America.

McLemore’s fascination with the medieval Alsatian dancing plagues led them to Strasbourg to research in situ, and that is where they found out that Andersen’s tale “has some likely but little-known historical connections to that specific dancing plague. That was a moment of absolute 142

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magic,” they say, “because I had already decided I wanted to write about ‘The Red Shoes’ and the dancing plague, and here was history whispering that they belonged together all along.”

Speaking of belonging, the four main characters’ story arcs have a lot to say on the subject as they interconnect across time and space. “[Mexican American] Rosella’s cursed red shoes make her confront how she’s measured herself and her body by white beauty standards,” McLemore explains. “The family history that haunts Emil causes him to reexamine the Romani heritage he’s learned to downplay. Lala conceals her own Romani heritage from a city that outlaws her very existence, but it’s in defining who she is for herself that she learns to fight back. Alifair gets by as a trans boy in medieval Strasbourg by making sure he never makes waves, but by the end of the story, he’ll help determine the future not only for himself and Lala, but for a whole community.”

Juxtaposing a bizarre historical event with a fairy tale to tell the lived experiences of marginalized people of color and LGBTQIA people in a way that is empowering to these communities is standard practice for this award-winning author whose own queer Latinx background informs their writing. In fact, after receiving a Stonewall Honor from the American Library Association in 2017 for When the Moon Was Ours, they say they “went all in writing about my identities. I felt both a freedom to be who I was and a responsibility to tell the queer, brown, trans, nonbinary stories I wanted to tell.”

McLemore talks openly about how Dark and Deepest Red, a book about characters interacting with history, “became about me interacting with it, too.” The author’s note is left unchanged from when it was first written, describing the author, who now identifies as nonbinary, as a girl, a woman, and Latina rather than Latinx. “So often, our iden-

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tities are works in progress,” McLemore says, “and this gave me the unexpected chance to be an affirming voice for readers who are on those journeys too.”

McLemore’s retellings of traditional European fairy tales typically are framed as magical realism. In Dark and Deepest Red, we know it’s 2018, but not a 2018 that is recognizable to us in its vague mix of modern and traditional. “Magical realism is a home to me as a Latinx writer,” McLemore says. “Magical realism is where I talk about things that are always there in fairy tales, even if the original fairy tales don’t dare to speak of them.”

As a funny aside, the author shared how they missed the call about the Stonewall Honor because “I was making out with the trans guy I’m lucky to call my husband; it might have been the gayest moment of my life up to that point.” It’s very clear that for McLemore, this pride and joy in one’s identity is part and parcel of their writing too— where visibility and representation truly matter: “I want readers to know they deserve happy endings in their own lives, that we deserve to be not only accepted, but loved for who we are, and that means showing characters like them having happy endings on the page.”

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THE SMALL CRIMES OF TIFFANY TEMPLETON

Fifield, Richard Razorbill/Penguin (320 pp.) $17.99 | Mar. 10, 2020 978-1-9848-3589-5

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Ana Grilo is co-editor of The Book Smugglers blog and co-host of the Fangirl Happy Hour podcast. Dark and Deepest Red received a starred review in the Dec. 1, 2019, issue.

describing in detail the moments until it landed on Earth and the astronauts were reunited with loved ones. Final chapters profile space travel after Apollo 13 and its legacy. Historical photographs throughout enhance the text. Readers will need to pay close attention in order to follow all of the challenges the astronauts faced and the actions they had to take, but most major dangers are clear, such as the integrity of the heat shield and the availability of oxygen and water. The high stakes make this quite a page-turner. Some readers will skim over technical terms; others will devour every detail.

A powerful narrative of an awe-inspiring event. (timeline, glossary, source notes, selected bibliography, further reading, index, photo credits) (Nonfiction. 13-18)

A grieving teen lashes out in this dark comedy.

In a small town in Montana, 15-yearold Tiffany Templeton is “the toughest girl in the trailer park”—but no one knows she keeps a typewriter case filled with secrets hidden behind the laundromat. Tiffany used to be bullied for how fat her parents were, but then her father died unexpectedly last year. Her mother had bariatric surgery and now tracks her weight loss on the price sign in front of the town’s only gas station. Tiffany stays busy working on a play she wrote about young prostitutes who died in a fire in 1911—directed by her gay best friend and acted by a group of senior citizens. In scenes that flash back and forth in time, Tiffany reveals the events that led to her being sentenced to three months in juvenile detention. Fifield (The Flood Girls, 2016, etc.) succeeds in delivering a cast of quirky, unpredictable characters and an intriguing plot, especially when he focuses on the unspooling of Tiffany’s backstory. However, the uneven pace and several unfortunate flippant and insensitive remarks that misfire as humor are at odds with the otherwise strong writing. All main characters are white except for Tiffany’s probation officer, who is black.

An ambitious tale that mostly falls flat. (Fiction. 12-18)

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Poetic, fairy-tale flavored imagery. frozen beauty

FLY LIKE A GIRL One Woman’s Dramatic Fight in Afghanistan and on the Home Front

Hegar, Mary Jennings Philomel (304 pp.) $17.99 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-0-593-11776-7

A young woman powered by her dreams and love of country takes on sexism in the military as an officer and civil-

ian activist.

In this young readers’ adaptation of Shoot Like a Girl (2017), Hegar takes readers on an intimate narrative of her journey to becoming a decorated Air National Guard pilot who served three tours of duty in Afghanistan. A litany of obstacles failed to deter her, including physical injuries, personal and professional setbacks, isolation, and sexism in many forms, from overt to subtle. Growing up in Texas as a cherished stepdaughter following a traumatic early childhood in a household of domestic violence, Hegar, who is white, effortlessly weaves dialogue and vivid action sequences into her first-person narration. She shies away from little, including reflection on her own mistakes, while celebrating her successes and acknowledging male allies.

The narrative presents a compelling, exhilarating view into one of the U.S. military’s most entrenched areas for improvement—fully embracing women. Hegar honestly presents her experience with sexual assault by an Air Force physician, but she is surprisingly unreflective about Afghans she encounters and does not delve deeply into gender dynamics with other women in the military. She notably contributed to an American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit that reversed a ban on women in ground combat.

An honest portrayal of one woman’s battles in and out of combat zones. (author’s note, discussion questions, Q&A with author) (Memoir. 13-18)

FROZEN BEAUTY

Hillyer, Lexa HarperTeen (368 pp.) $17.99 | Mar. 17, 2020 978-0-06-233040-6

Grief and confusion surround two young women whose sister has just died under mysterious circumstances in this suspenseful novel by Hillyer (Winter Glass, 2018, etc.).

When Kit is found in the woods with a head injury, dead of hypothermia, her younger sisters, Tessa and Lilly, struggle to comprehend what’s happened. Adding to their grief is the fact that their adored neighbor Boyd, who has long been like a protective brother to them, is in jail, accused of her murder. Alternating narration between the past and present, in poems and diary entries and from the perspectives of all 144

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three sisters plus Boyd and a troubled newcomer named Patrick, this mystery winds its way through their backstories, revealing that Kit had been behaving strangely in the months leading up to her death. The imaginative, vividly described passages can at times feel a bit florid, but they effectively establish an undercurrent of almost poetic, fairy-tale flavored imagery. A late twist to the story handily wraps up the plot, and readers with a taste for romance will thrill to Lilly’s attraction to archetypical bad boy Patrick. Whiteness is situated as the norm, and all main characters are white; one of Lilly’s best friends is gay.

A compelling, lyrical twist and turn through sisterhood and secrecy. (Mystery. 14-18)

IPHIGENIA MURPHY

Hosey, Sara Blackstone (272 pp.) $18.99 | Mar. 10, 2020 978-1-9826-1829-2

An exploration of how, and why, girls can vanish in plain sight.

High school sophomore Iphigenia Murphy has a plan. Her father ignores her, her stepmother abuses her, and her stepbrother has been raping her with tacit all-but-approval. Iphigenia—Iffy, to some—decides that it’s time to find her mother, who left when Iffy was younger, and try to build a new life with her. Loaded up on survival gear, the Italian/Irish teen heads to Forest Park, in Queens, home of childhood memories and the last known location of her mother. Iffy survives scary nights in the park and starts her search during the day, events described in convoluted prose in need of tightening. She’s aided by her new friend Corinne, a white girl with matted hair described as dreadlocks who is also a runaway. Corinne’s trans history comes up once and is never referenced again save for a single line of questioning from Iffy’s new, similarly rootless boyfriend, Anthony (who’s tired of being one of the few black people in Monticello, New York, though his racial identity never intersects with the plot again). Despite the high stakes and heart-wrenching conclusion, the story manages to be somewhat laborious since neither Iffy nor her comrades come across as fleshed-out, intriguing characters but rather devices to drive the ideas forward.

Readable but more successful as a lesson than a novel.

(Fiction. 14-18)

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SPARROW

Jackson, Mary Cecilia Tor Teen (368 pp.) $17.99 | Mar. 17, 2020 978-0-7653-9885-7

WE ARE TOTALLY NORMAL

Kanakia, Rahul HarperTeen (288 pp.) $17.99 | Mar. 31, 2020 978-0-06-286581-6

Nandan is perpetually lost.

Confused about his sexuality, his social status, and how he feels about the other high school students he calls his friends, Nandan manipulates and maneuvers his way through social interactions, hanging out with people he doesn’t really like. Nandan hooks up with Dave, who “was actually kind of hot,” but “maybe folks didn’t see it because he was Asian.” He feels disgusted about it later and wonders if he only did it to try and impress the popular crowd. These teens include Pothan and Ken, who are both bullies and gaslighters as well as sexist. The book includes a character who feels like being gay would make him cool, blasé and sarcastic use of the term “microaggressions,” teenage alcohol abuse, many unhealthy relationships and friendships, and an entire conversation by boys about how to manipulate a girl into sleeping with you. It is reminiscent of how exhausting being a |

THORN

Khanani, Intisar HarperTeen (512 pp.) $18.99 | Mar. 24, 2020 978-0-06-283570-3 Series: Dauntless Path, 1 A reluctant princess must decide between a life of anonymity and facing dangerous foes.

Despised by her mother and abusive brother, Princess Alyrra of Adania has little choice but to accept a proposal to marry Prince Kestrin, son of the ruler of the powerful kingdom of Menaiya, despite concerning rumors of violence and curses. On the journey to her betrothed, she is ambushed by her resentful handmaiden, who uses magic to assume Alyrra’s identity in a plot to entrap the prince. Alyrra has never wanted the life of a noble and seizes the opportunity to forge a new life as a commoner. However, interactions with Kestrin and learning about issues affecting the Menaiyan people, particularly women and children, leave Alyrra grappling with guilt over shirking her duties rather than effecting real change. When violence strikes those close to her, Alyrra must strive to correct her wrongs before it is too late.

Debut author Khanani’s immersive and captivating retelling of “The Goose Girl,” originally self-published in 2012, depicts a protagonist who operates from her experience of trauma and aches for justice. Some plot inconsistencies and character motivations are questionable and detract from an otherwise well-woven tale. People of Adania have light coloring while Menaiyans have dark hair and brown skin; there are subtle allusions to Arabic-derived terminology.

Despite some shortcomings, an appealing retelling that draws in fans of fantasy and slow-burn romance. (Fan­ tasy. 14-18)

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A gifted young ballerina confronts her dark childhood after the violent culmination of an abusive relationship.

Preparing for the role of Odette in Swan Lake for Virginia’s Appalachian Conservatory Ballet is a joy for 17-yearold Savannah “Sparrow” Rose, until she becomes consumed with her boyfriend, Tristan. Her closest friends, including her dance partner, Lucas, remember him as a schoolyard bully and are concerned. Perhaps inevitably, their volatile romance, defined by Tristan’s jealousy, violent temper, and controlling ways, ends in tragedy: Tristan assaults Sparrow, putting her into a coma. Sparrow eventually awakens, and though her body is recovering, nightmares of her deceased mother still plague her, and she disengages from her family and friends. To truly heal, she must face both the dark legacy that her mentally ill and physically abusive mother left as well as how her well-meaning family’s failure to confront it shaped her life. Meanwhile, Lucas feels like he failed Sparrow and spirals into destructive acts.

A three-month time jump soon after Sparrow begins dating Tristan slightly shortchanges character development, but Jackson, through Sparrow’s and Lucas’ dual narratives, ably explores Sparrow’s healing journey and its effects on those who love her without sugarcoating the path. All major characters are white, but Sparrow’s therapist is cued as black.

A heartbreaking yet hopeful debut. (Fiction. 13-18)

teen can be, as all the characters are so crippled with anxiety and overthinking that the story advances at a snail’s pace. Its strength lies in the normalization of negotiating the complex social structure of teenage friendships and relationships, but it is also reminiscent of watching a documentary or reality show about awful people that was largely, painfully unedited. Nandan is Indian American, and there is diversity in the supporting cast.

Frustratingly long-winded and rambling. (Fiction. 14-18)

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Gibby Haynes

A YA NOVEL BY THE FRONTMAN OF THE BUTTHOLE SURFERS, WITH A DEAD DOG THAT COMES BACK TO LIFE, IS JUST AS PSYCHEDELIC AND WEIRD AS YOU’D EXPECT

By Michael Schaub Daniel Ehrenhaft

In the first 20 pages of Me & Mr. Cigar (Soho Teen, Dec. 1), the debut young adult novel from psychedelic rock musician Gibby Haynes, the following things happen: A young boy named Oscar adopts a terrier he encounters in the woods; the boy is attacked by bullies who beat him and kill the dog; and the dog comes back to life, accompanied by a mysterious flying creature who, in a fit of pique, bites Oscar’s sister’s hand clean off.

Because of Winn-Dixie this ain’t. Me & Mr. Cigar is a fever dream of a book following Oscar, now a 17-year-old “MDMAdealing rave promoter,” and the titular dog as they travel from Texas to New York in order to rescue Oscar’s sister, who’s being held hostage by mysterious bad guys. They’re accompanied by Lytle, Oscar’s best friend, and are forced to dodge cor-

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rupt cops and a crazed government contractor who believes that Mr. Cigar is “an immortal clairvoyant dog given to John F. Kennedy by the leader of the Soviet Union.”

Fans of Haynes, the frontman for the legendary rock band Butthole Surfers (best known for their 1996 breakout hit “Pepper”), won’t be surprised by the book’s bizarre twists and turns, but they might be surprised to hear about its inspiration.

“The terrier that was buried and digs his way out, that happened,” Haynes said via telephone from his New York home, recalling that he read about the quasi-resurrection years ago in a “News of the Weird” item in the Austin Chronicle.

The story appealed to Haynes, a dog lover who wishes all mutts could live forever.

“It’s such a drag when they die,” he says. “They’re like fucking flowers, man. They last for like a week and then they wilt before your eyes.”

Dogs frequently meet with sad ends in literature for young people—see Where the Red Fern Grows, and many more—but Haynes was determined not to add to that trend.

“Old Yeller—fuck, man, the dog always croaks,” Haynes says. “In after-school specials, the dog always dies. Everything dies. The teenager dies of fucking leukemia. Goddammit.

The running back dies. Well, there wasn’t a dog in Brian’s Song, but [if there were], it would’ve died.”

Haynes makes no secret that Mr. Cigar lives to see another day—the dog will feature in his next book as well. (There is a twist that we won’t reveal here, though.) Haynes based the dog partially on two terriers he owned, one named Donut and one named, yes, Mr. Cigar.

The real Mr. Cigar (itself named after a cat owned by Butthole Surfers guitarist Paul Leary) died years ago of cancer and was buried in the backyard of Ween guitarist Mickey Melchiondo.

“Mickey moved,” Haynes says, “but I’ve been wanting to go to this house and knock on the door and ask if I could visit

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Michael Schaub is an Austin, Texas–based journalist and regular con­ tributor to NPR.

WITCHES OF ASH & RUIN

Latimer, E. Freeform/Disney (384 pp.) $18.99 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-368-05225-2

A coven of modern witches seeks power from ancient Celtic gods.

Dayna Walsh may be a witch, but magic is just one of the ways she’s othered in her small Irish town: She struggles with OCD and was just outed as bisexual—an especially painful revelation given that her father is the reverend of the local church. Dayna has more than enough trouble to deal with even before a group of rival witches shows up. Chemistry sparks between Dayna and the group’s quasi-leader, a girl named Meiner; their romance blooms with charm and realism. The vivacious, twisty plot brims with satisfyingly dark magic supported by a diverse and well-developed cast of characters, including Dayna’s friend Reagan, who is dark-skinned and whose Nigerian mother attends mosque. The Irish setting, however, reads as bizarrely unresearched; on every level, from the linguistic to the cultural, this is a North American small town transplanted in whole to another country. North American references and slang abound, but the descriptions of religious life ring most hollow: Dayna’s father is leader of a formerly Catholic church yet is called “reverend” and, of course, is married and has a child. Modern-day Ireland is still haunted by a dark history of sectarian violence; ignorance of that history feels especially offensive in a story of clashing magical traditions such as this.

An entertaining diversion into queer witchcraft and dark magic marred by ignorance of its setting. (Fantasy.

14-18)

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the grave of my dog. That would freak them out. Or just be in their backyard when they wake up in the morning, crying and looking down at the dirt. That’d get me 48 hours on [psychiatric] hold.”

Me & Mr. Cigar is just as psychedelic as Haynes’ music, with Oscar spending much of the book under the influence of MDMA, which a DJ covertly slips into his energy drink. But readers hoping for sex, drugs, and rock and roll will only find two of the above in the book.

“I stayed away from sex, but I went to the drugs pretty heavily,” Haynes says with a laugh. “I didn’t go for the sex.

That’s Hello, God, It’s Me, Emily territory. Or whatever that book was.” Told the correct title of Judy Blume’s 1970 book, Haynes muses, “I’d like to write Hello, Margaret, It’s Me, God. Starring a thinly veiled Satan as God.” Until then, he’s got the sequel to Me & Mr. Cigar to write.

Haynes says he has the outline for the book down pat, so all that remains is the writing.

“The next one is even more fun,” Haynes says. “It’s not really a spoiler, because it happens in the first couple of pages, but it starts with bodies falling from the sky. I’m really horrified by that thought.”

In the meantime, he plans to promote Me & Mr. Cigar, hoping that booksellers and librarians will help get the novel into the hands of young adults. He says he talked to one librarian who read an excerpt from the book and told Haynes, “This will be great for our hard-to-reach kids.”

“That’s the demographic I want,” Haynes says.

ANNA K A Love Story

Lee, Jenny Flatiron Books (400 pp.) $18.99 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-250-23643-2

A slow-burn epic tale of love in modern-day Manhattan high society.

Anna K, a 17-year-old from a wealthy family, falls for the handsome Alexia “Count” Vronsky and strives to stay loyal to her Greenwich, Connecticut, OG boyfriend of three years.

Her partying brother, Steven, rebels against their father’s strict, traditional views while his friend Dustin excels in school but is new to affairs of the heart. Kimmie, Steven’s girlfriend’s sister, tries to be a regular teen after training as an Olympic ice dancing hopeful and also struggles with inexperience in love. These are just the major characters in a cast filled with convoluted relationships. Taking place over the course of a school year, the characters move from party to nightclub, heart-to-heart |

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Will haunt—and empower—readers. tigers, not daughters

to Coachella, with their ever changing relationships as the central focus. The distant writing style and pervasive dropping of brand names slow the narrative and weaken its analyses of love, racism, social standing and wealth, sexism, addiction, and mental health. Despite getting off to a slow start, this is a gripping story with sympathetic characters struggling through the mire of modern relationships. The ending, while slightly predictable, comes to a satisfying conclusion. Anna and Steven are Korean and white; Dustin is black, adopted into a white Jewish family; other main characters are white. References to Anna’s “exotic” beauty are not contextualized.

Stick with this modernization of Anna Karenina; it pays out in the end. (cast of characters, author’s note) (Fiction.

15-18)

THE KINGDOM OF BACK

Lu, Marie Putnam (336 pp.) $18.99 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-5247-3901-0

The year clavier prodigy Maria Anna Mozart’s younger brother, Wolfgang Amadeus, begins to show an even more astonishing musical genius, a mysterious boy from a fairy land enters her life.

Lu (Rebel, 2019, etc.) interweaves 18th-century historical figures and events with a fantasy land called the Kingdom of Back, an alternate world actually invented and named by the real Mozart siblings, Nannerl and Woferl, where trees grow upside down and a prince and princess are missing. Hyacinth, a beautiful, shadowy boy, pale and blueeyed, is the go-between who offers Nannerl figurative immortality in return for her help. As Nannerl craves her father’s attention and wishes to escape the inevitable anonymity that womanhood promises, she agrees. Over the next decade, she straddles both worlds, performing, composing, and navigating relationships with Woferl and her domineering father in one while battling supernatural foes for Hyacinth in the other. But as she grows, so do her doubts. Is Hyacinth the benevolent fairy he claims to be? Is success at her brother’s expense really what she wanted? Lu’s melding of history and fantasy is a clever idea, but the Kingdom of Back and its denizens feel like stock figures compiled from generic fairy tales in contrast to her portrayal of the real Mozarts’ lives, which is much more remarkable, emotional, and compelling than the fantasy land.

A historical fiction/fantasy mashup with crossover appeal. (maps, author’s note) (Historical fantasy. 12-18)

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TIGERS, NOT DAUGHTERS

Mabry, Samantha Algonquin (288 pp.) $17.95 | Mar. 24, 2020 978-1-61620-896-7 A ghostly tale of revenge and the strength of the sisterly bond.

The four Torres sisters have fascinated the boys in their San Antonio neighborhood for years. Each with her own quirky personality, they all suffer from the suffocating hold their widower father has over them. While attempting to sneak out, Ana, the oldest, fatally falls from a tree. A year later, her angry spirit begins to haunt their home. The novel alternates between a first-person perspective by an unnamed narrator— one of the boys across the street—and the points of view of each sister, narrated in the third person. The chapters jump from past to present, dropping hints about what truly happened and why Ana is haunting her old home. The Torres sisters mourn in their own ways—Jessica tries to become Ana, even dating her abusive boyfriend; Iridian stays inside reading Ana’s romance novels; and Rosa attends church and hopes to commune with animals. The author adeptly portrays the claustrophobia of living in a small town and being under the watch of an overbearing patriarchal figure—in fact, the male gaze is the true enemy in this novel, and it’s only when the young women join forces that they’re able to break free of its oppressive ties. Mabry’s (All the Wind in the World, 2017, etc.) third novel has echoes of The Virgin Suicides. The protagonists are Latinx.

The evocative language and deft characterization will haunt—and empower—readers. (Magical realism. 14-adult)

THE DEGENERATES

Mann, J. Albert Atheneum (288 pp.) $18.99 | Mar. 17, 2020 978-1-5344-1935-3

Mann (What Every Girl Should Know, 2019, etc.) tackles the eugenics movement of the 1920s.

Students of the Massachusetts School for the Feeble-Minded—disabled, gay, Indigenous, and other marginalized people—never graduate. Categorized as idiots, imbeciles, and morons, these “degenerates” are subject to strict routines, cruel punishments, and menial labor. But street-wise, cynical orphan London—unmarried and pregnant—is sure she can escape.

However, when she reluctantly befriends Maxine; Maxine’s younger sister, Rose, who has Down syndrome; and Alice, who has a club foot, she realizes that more lives than hers are at stake.

Each teen’s perspective unfolds in alternating third-person chapters. Maxine’s forbidden mutual attraction to Alice mingles with hope, homesickness, and shame. Alice, who is singled

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out for harsher punishment for being black and lesbian as well as disabled, doesn’t dare express love. Though Rose’s portrayal skirts the “cuddly disabled child” trope, she’s refreshingly savvy.

A heavy plot contrivance notwithstanding, the author portrays the movement’s prejudice, racism, and violence with brutal realism; an author’s note explains that the doctors’ dehumanizing dialogue comes verbatim from real medical notes. Crucially, she reminds readers that such prejudice still exists. She also explains all named characters’ diagnoses, which range from hydrocephalus to autism, and considers her own spinal disability and white privilege. Maxine, Rose, and most secondary characters appear to be white. London, who has southern Italian origins, has a dark complexion.

Respectful, unflinching, and eye-opening. (historical note, author’s note, bibliography) (Historical fiction. 14-18)

A LIFE, REDEFINED

Rowan Slone’s future looks promising, offering a much-needed escape from her small town in Appalachia.

But with new secrets revealed about her family and past, she must move forward or risk being pulled back into the very darkness she is trying to escape. A junior in high school, Rowan is on track to graduate and go to college, and she dreams of eventually becoming a veterinarian. The death of her baby brother 7 years ago sent her into a spiral of self-harm, but she managed to stop cutting herself a few years ago. Things start to look up when she is paired with her longtime crush, Mike Anderson, for their biology project. There are hints of a budding romance between the two, and Mike even asks her to prom. However, life at home takes a turn for the worse, and Rowan finds herself reaching for a razor. With everything she has suffered, readers will find themselves cheering for Rowan, hoping she makes it through. Meyer (The Reformation of Marli Meade, 2018, etc.) astutely captures the horrors of self-harm and domestic violence. However, the story would have benefited from more character development of the protagonist’s family and other secondary characters. All main characters are assumed to be white; Rowan’s father’s racism is explored to some degree.

A searing portrayal of a teen navigating her dysfunctional family that leaves readers hopeful. (Fiction. 14-18)

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Moses, Jennifer Anne Turner (224 pp.) $14.99 paper | Mar. 17, 2020 978-1-68442-462-7 Two brothers’ lives unravel until they are left with only each other and the lie they believe will keep them safe.

James lives with his extended family in small-town Louisiana, but following several tragedies he and his brother are soon left alone with only their mother. He’s scrawny and unpopular save for his best friend, Gabriel. Gabriel is mocked and ridiculed by peers and regarded as intellectually challenged but reads as likely being on the autism spectrum. He’s lumbering and embarrassing but a true friend, which is exactly what James needs when he comes home from school to discover his mother’s lifeless body.

Gabriel hatches an outlandish and dismal plan to hide the fact that 15-year-old James and his 12-year-old brother, Danny, are now alone in their home so as to keep the brothers together and out of the foster care system. It involves hiding her body, scrounging food from garbage cans and dumpsters, and convincing a troubled and desperate woman to move into their home. The story is engrossing in the way of a train wreck, at times feeling like it teeters on the edge of exploitative with no real benefit. Trauma permeates the pages with no character left untouched. To be sure, this is a story of survival and survivors, but there is no hope to be found in it. Danny’s distress is expressed in part through racist and homophobic hate speech, but these terms are not sufficiently contextualized. All main characters are white.

Relentlessly dark from start to finish. (Fiction. 14-18)

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Meyer, Tracy Hewitt BHC Press (200 pp.) $21.95 | Mar. 12, 2020 978-1-64397-012-7 Series: Rowan Slone, 1

THE ART OF DUMPSTER DIVING

WE ARE ALL HIS CREATURES Tales of P.T. Barnum, The Greatest Showman Noyes, Deborah Candlewick (288 pp.) $17.99 | Mar. 10, 2020 978-0-7636-5981-3

Noyes (Tooth and Claw, 2019, etc.) explores P.T. Barnum’s career from the perspectives of his family members, performers, and acquaintances.

Barnum, the “Prince of Humbug,” rose to fame by exhibiting—and exploiting—a collection of human and animal “wonders.” But here, Jumbo the elephant and the Fejee mermaid aren’t the showman’s only “creatures.” In 11 intertwined, third-person stories spanning from 1842 to 1891, the author imagines the perspectives of those in Barnum’s narcissistic shadow—from his belittled, overwhelmed wives and overlooked daughters to such celebrated performers as the little person Charlie Stratton, aka General Tom Thumb, who pays

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for his fame by losing his identity. The disparate cast is united by similar themes: loneliness; the simultaneously empowering and disempowering nature of performing; and the pressures of living in the public eye. Though the stories create a vivid, dark impression of Barnum’s personality, many other characters’ development is shallow and disjointed. Further details of characters’ lives are scattered among other characters’ stories, and keeping track of the crowded cast across a multigenerational time span is an occasionally taxing, ultimately underwhelming exercise. Several characters’ fates are rather abruptly summarized, and expository prose and dialogue dull poignant emotions and backstories. A slightly supernatural plot thread is left dangling. Most characters appear to be white. Archival photographs introduce each story.

An earnest but unfocused glimpse behind the curtain of Barnum’s career. (author’s note, image credits) (Historical fiction. 13-18)

EARTH DAY AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT Standing Up for Earth

Peterson, Christy Twenty-First Century/Lerner (120 pp.) $37.32 PLB | Mar. 3, 2020 978-1-5415-5281-4 A comprehensive overview of the environmental movement from its inception to the present day.

Despite the book’s retro, somewhat stodgy look, this is stimulating—and critical—reading. Peterson (Cutting-Edge Hubble Telescope Data, 2019, etc.) clearly and thoroughly guides readers through the idea for and inception of the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970. While the sheer amount of information relayed could be mind-numbing in less adept hands—the narrative presents the legal battles and stutter-steps through the last six presidential administrations and earlier—it is told in manageable bites interspersed with plenty of fascinating sidebars. Readers will understand the legal processes by which laws are enacted, an empowering move that counteracts the inevitable feeling of frustration at the infinitesimally slow forward progress. If readers forget the dates and timelines, they will for sure come away with this one thing: that a group of dedicated people can make, and have made, a difference despite political, industrial, and social obstructions. The narrative commendably discusses the historical roots of racial bias among environmentalists and environmental groups (the Sierra Club and Audubon Society “had strong ties to…racist and classist viewpoints” of those who “believed that poor and minority communities were directly responsible for declining wildlife numbers”) and doesn’t take a partisan political stance, presenting facts evenhandedly.

Essential reading. (glossary, source notes, bibliography, further information, index, photo credits) (Nonfiction. 12-18)

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BONE CRIER’S MOON

Purdie, Kathryn Katherine Tegen/HarperCollins (480 pp.) $17.99 | Mar. 10, 2020 978-0-06-279877-0 Series: Bone Grace, 1 In a world where sirens must kill their soul mates for honor, one wants to do the exact opposite.

Bone Criers—Ferriers among the Leurress—guide the dead to their afterlives in Elara’s Night Heavens or Tyrus’ Underworld, thus protecting mortals from their wrath. But to become a Ferrier, one must endure the rite of passage and sacrifice their amouré—one true love—to the gods. Ailesse, daughter of the Leurress’ matriarch, plans to kill her amouré immediately and avoid falling in love altogether. On the night she plays the bone flute to summon him, she meets Bastien—a boy thirsting for vengeance after witnessing his father’s death by a Bone Crier. After she is abducted by Bastien and his friends, her friend Sabine promises to rescue Ailesse, even if it means sacrificing animals and disobeying Leurress elders. Chapters alternate points of view, offering insight into the individual protagonists, but ultimately the characters are not well developed and are bound to the tropes Purdie (Frozen Reign, 2018, etc.) assigns them: Ailesse, an heiress who longs to please her obviously deceitful mother; Bastien, the predictable enemy-turned–love interest; and Sabine, the best friend who disappoints despite every opportunity to shine. The sudden appearance of a French dauphin during a messy climax sets readers up for another love triangle (the first involving Ailesse, Bastien, and his friend Jules). The cast is mostly white.

A sparkling new fantasy dulled by an unconvincing romance. (map) (Fantasy. 12-17)

LOOK

Romanoff, Zan Dial (368 pp.) $17.99 | Mar. 31, 2020 978-0-5255-5426-4 A Los Angeles private school student and social media it girl discovers feminism and queerness.

Lulu Shapiro has 10,000 followers on Flash, a Snapchat-like platform, thanks to a scandalous video that was never supposed to go public. She embraces her quasi-fame, giving the followers what they want with sexy snaps of her life while keeping a wall up around her closest IRL friends. When Lulu meets Cass, a fellow private school girl who’s adjusting to her family’s recent wealth, she finds herself drawn to the pretty redhead as well as to Cass’ best friend, Ryan Riggs, an up-and-coming teen real estate scion whose older brother dropped out of high school to found Flash. Lulu and Cass develop a friendship that

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All paths lead to heartbreak. the midnight lie

quickly becomes more at The Hotel, a Riggs family building where phones are not allowed. But just as Lulu, who previously only kissed girls at parties, wonders if she is ready for more, Ryan reveals a nasty surprise that has Lulu questioning the implications of a life lived online and the possessive nature of the male gaze. Romanoff ’s (Grace and the Fever, 2017, etc.) writing is compelling and her subject matter timely, but the novel’s arch, jaded voice doesn’t quite ring true for its teen characters, sophisticated as they are. Lulu is white and Jewish, and Cass and Ryan are cued as white; there is ethnic diversity in secondary characters.

A searing take on sexuality better suited to an adult audience. (Fiction. 14-adult)

THE MIDNIGHT LIE

Memory and illusion, truth and lies— all paths lead to heartbreak in this first of a fantasy duology.

“It is as it is.” That’s always the response in isolated Herrath when anyone questions the oppressive caste system. Once that was enough for Nirrim, who is plagued by visions of a different past; but after meeting the cocky, nosy, and confusingly attractive traveler Sid, Nirrim discovers how dangerous it can be to want. Set some 20 years later in the same world as Rutkoski’s acclaimed The Winner’s Trilogy, the baroque (almost purple) prose begins in medias res, which Nirrim’s naively unreliable narration does little to clarify. Although clever and kind, her passivity and desperate neediness make brown-skinned, greeneyed Nirrim an atypical YA heroine. While fans of the earlier books will easily guess her secrets, dark-eyed, fair-haired Sid presents at first as careless, arrogant, and as confident in her sexuality as Nirrim is shocked by Sid’s attraction to other women.

But this facade eventually proves to be another “midnight lie”: a truth intended to mislead. When their almost instantaneous mutual desire develops quickly into a prickly friendship and (discreetly) consummated romance, both acknowledge it cannot last. Yet the relationship’s development—combined with the genuinely shocking revelation of Herrath’s history—leads Nirrim to a horrific choice…one that will leave readers clamoring for the next entry.

Lush, swoony, painful, enraging, and as cathartic as a good cry. (Fantasy. 14-18)

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Sigafus, Kim 7th Generation (120 pp.) $9.95 paper | Mar. 25, 2020 978-1-939053-25-1 Series: PathFinders A contemporary Ojibwa girl navigates bullying and young love during summer school.

In Sigafus’ (White Earth Ojibwa) follow-up to Nowhere To Hide (2019), Autumn prepares to spend part of the summer getting tutored for her dyslexia. As if summer school weren’t bad enough, she learns she will be attending with Sydney, who bullied her all last year. Though at first Sydney seems to leave her alone, all that changes when the new boy, Adam—a tall, Native guy with long black hair and blue eyes—shows an interest in Autumn. Despite her own hesitation to open up and get close to someone and Sydney’s attacks, Autumn begins a relationship with Adam. But just as things seem happy, renewed conflict between her divorced parents threatens Autumn’s newfound hope. Moments such as when Autumn removes her moccasins after a day of shopping provide the cultural nuance readers have come to expect from #ownvoices stories. Although readers new to the series might benefit from experiencing Book 1, the ambitious plot unfolds either too quickly or in snippets too small to satisfy. Additionally, tensions and conflicts resolve before they adequately build, creating static characters that fail to draw in the reluctant readers who are the intended audience. Except for Autumn’s mother and Aunt Jessie’s boyfriend, who are white, the remaining characters are identified or assumed to be Ojibwa.

Promises a new dawn but unfortunately never rises. (resources) (Fiction. 12-16)

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Rutkoski, Marie Farrar, Straus and Giroux (368 pp.) $18.99 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-0-374-30638-0 Series: Midnight Lie, 1

AUTUMN’S DAWN

WE WERE PROMISED SPOTLIGHTS

Sproul, Lindsay Putnam (288 pp.) $17.99 | Mar. 24, 2020 978-1-5247-3853-2

A small-town coming-out story.

Taylor Garland is the star of Hopuonk, Massachusetts, and the newly crowned homecoming queen—just like her mother was in 1978. With features that are “impossibly perfect” and a mystery dad who may or may not be a famous actor, she is an object of desire. Taylor has chosen homecoming king Brad, but the only reason she’s with Brad is because he is attractive to girls and she’s attracted to them.

Taylor has been in love with one girl in particular since middle school—her best friend, Susan, and Susan has liked Brad for the same amount of time. It’s senior year, and Taylor’s life is full of uncertainties: sex with Brad, telling Susan the truth about her feelings, coming out. Even graduation isn’t a given because she

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is struggling to keep her grades up. The one thing she is certain about is her need to get out of Hopuonk. Since the story is set in 1999, readers may not recognize some of the references.

The storyline involving the identity of Taylor’s father feels like a plot device that ultimately serves no purpose. All characters are assumed white, and character development of the supporting cast is weak, with many of them fitting high school stereotypes. However, the coming-of-age lesbian aspect of the novel is explored with humor and tenderness.

An enjoyable debut. (Fiction. 16-18)

THE JUNE BOYS

Stevens, Court Thomas Nelson (352 pp.) $18.99 | Mar. 3, 2020 978-0-7852-2190-6 A girl struggles to uncover the identity of a kidnapper before her cousin’s time runs out.

Almost every June, three Tennessee boys disappear. They’re kept in an underground bunker for 13 months before being released; 12 have been taken so far. The mysterious kidnapper is known as the Gemini Thief: an adult of average height and weight dressed in a welding helmet and a black racing jumpsuit. Thea believes the Thief took her cousin, Aulus McClaghen, the year before and that he was not a runaway. When the body of a known Gemini Thief victim turns up with Aulus’ keychain, fear escalates—and her eccentric father immediately comes under scrutiny as the last person to see Aulus before his disappearance and the one who gave him the distinctive keychain. The two had been working on Thea’s father’s passion project, a castle he claimed God asked him to build. Despite the pain of evidence pointing toward her father’s guilt, she’ll stop at nothing to find Aulus. Two distinct narratives unfold through Thea’s first-person perspective and Aulus’ letters written within the bunker. Though the final reveal is surprising and chilling, both Thea’s and Aulus’ journeys feel meandering until they finally reach sudden crescendos. Each red herring is a bit too hammered in, and truly tense moments are few and far between. One of Thea’s friends is black while all other characters are white.

A slow-burn story that could do with more sparks. (Fiction.

14-18)

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ALL YOUR TWISTED SECRETS

Urban, Diana HarperTeen (400 pp.) $17.99 | Mar. 17, 2020 978-0-06-290821-6

Debut author Urban’s high-pressure revenge thriller puts a sinister twist on the escape room motif.

Amber is a recently popular high school senior who, after years of avoiding social entanglements, is suddenly thrust into the popular circle. Her musical ambitions lead her to team up with queen bee Sasha to compose the score for an upcoming school play. Though Sasha appears outwardly friendly, Amber slowly learns the machinations of the in crowd and the manipulation required to attain and maintain their social hierarchy. The story of Amber’s rise is told in flashbacks as she and a motley crew with tenuous ties try to escape from a terrifying room in which they have been commanded to kill one among them in order to save the rest. Each flashback provides clues to the relationships between and potential motives of each person locked in the death trap. Confusingly, relationships that are alluded to in the present never appear in the flashbacks, and other important plot elements seem thrown in after the fact by way of explanation rather than following logically from the preceding action. Though an unreliable narrator is to be expected, Amber’s character is nothing if not inconsistent, leaving the reader to question who the real bad guy is and if they have just been gaslighted yet again. Amber and Sasha are white; there is some diversity in the cast, but the portrayals lack substantive texture.

A mixed bag. (Mystery/thriller. 14-18)

HELLO NOW

Valentine, Jenny Philomel (208 pp.) $17.99 | Mar. 31, 2020 978-0-399-54695-2 A lonely London teen is swept up in a logic-defying romance.

When Jude’s mother once again relocates the two of them—this time to a remote, “far-as-the-eye-could-see whites-only seaside town”—Jude is dejected and pessimistic. That is, until Novo appears. The boy possesses inexplicable and undeniable powers, which include everything from benignly influencing the actions of people and animals to stretching out a single moment of time. His abilities are so intrinsic that Jude immediately accepts them (“I knew straightaway that something impossible was happening”). Novo is also cosmically tied to Jude, and the two begin a blissful, whirlwind romance heavily influenced by Novo’s abilities. Though much of the story is devoid of conflict, by the end Jude faces a heartbreaking choice. Valentine (Fire Color One, 2017, etc.) dives

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Skillfully voices the pain of unexpectedly losing a close friend. when you were everything

deep even while playing in to the oft-trod wish fulfillment of a protagonist finding true love with a supernatural boy. The author deftly handles themes of living in the moment, embracing change, and moving forward after loss. While the conclusions drawn don’t necessarily break new ground, readers will nevertheless walk away with a lot to think about. Jude remains ungendered throughout the story, leaving the door open to various interpretations while not actively committing to a genderqueer protagonist. The cast is presumably white.

Short, sweet, and satisfying. (Magical realism. 13-18)

WE ARE THE WILDCATS

Vivian, Siobhan Simon & Schuster (352 pp.) $18.99 | Mar. 31, 2020 978-1-5344-3990-0

MOST LIKELY

Watson, Sarah Poppy/Little, Brown (384 pp.) $17.99 | Mar. 10, 2020 978-0-316-45483-4 Series: Most Likely, 1 The future is female: Her name is President Diffenderfer.

Best friends since kindergarten, Ava, CJ, Jordan, and Martha tackle their |

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“The girls who played varsity last season each still nurse a secret wound, the thinnest of scabs capping a mountain of scar tissue.”

The intense pressure that Coach exerts on these former field hockey champions is far less than what they place on themselves. They are tormented by last season’s championship loss: Ali and Kearson choked; Mel, the leading scorer, didn’t score at all; and Phoebe limped off the field. This year, the West Essex Wildcats—including new members Grace and Luci—are willing to give up romance, free time, and family for the privilege of being a Wildcat. At sleepovers before weekend games the girls enjoy dinner, movies, and bonding, but on this night, the first before the new season, devastating secrets are revealed. Anyone who raised a high school championship trophy—or dreams of doing so—will find Vivian’s (Stay Sweet, 2018, etc.) book powerfully familiar and sink deeply into this juicy read. The writing is both poetic and blunt, just like the badass Wildcats. The pace may frustrate—it takes a while to grasp that the book is not about the season but a series of perspectives and shocking reveals over the course of one long night. The end, while satisfying, lacks sophistication. Most main characters are white; Ali is Korean American, and Luci is Argentinian and white American.

A fresh, beautifully written look at high school sports that sparkles with strong female athletes. (Fiction. 12-16)

senior year with great aplomb in Watson’s debut. When their senior rite of passage, carving one’s name into the jungle gym at a local park, is threatened by a city council that wants to demolish the park, the girls rally to save the place where they became friends. This is far from their only problem: Though each is talented, they struggle this year with emotional, academic, social, and financial issues. Latinx artist Ava, who lives with depression, desires to find her birth mother and attend art school against her mother’s wishes; white cross-country athlete CJ, who is self-conscious about her body, can’t crack the SATs, so she strengthens her college application by volunteering with disabled children; biracial (black/white) student journalist Jordan lies about her age to interview a handsome councilman’s aide, and a mutual crush develops; STEM-focused white lesbian Martha, named for her ancestor Martha Washington, worries that her family can’t afford MIT. Over the course of the year, the friends weather obstacles and realize the power of their friendship. Their relationship prepares one of the girls to become president of the United States, and the twist ending will come as a surprise. The characters are superbly drawn; portrayed as whole people, the various elements of their identities are not the entirety of who they are.

Inspiring and heartwarming. (Fiction. 12-16)

WHEN YOU WERE EVERYTHING

Woodfolk, Ashley Delacorte (400 pp.) $17.99 | Mar. 10, 2020 978-1-5247-1591-5

Relationships are complicated, but what happens when the bond that brought you solace unravels just when your parent’s marriage falls apart?

Cleo Baker wanders the streets of New York City, drowning her sorrows in jazz-age music and the words of Shakespeare as she mourns the loss of her best friend, Layla, a pain reminiscent of the grief felt for her late grandmother. It felt like fate when they met, and she thought it was in the stars for them to be together forever, but in sophomore year, Layla joined chorus and, over time, chose those girls over Cleo. Cleo was hurt but tried to give Layla her space…until she no longer recognizes her and instigates a vengeful feud. Now Cleo urgently wishes to overwrite the memories of their friendship, but that’s difficult when she’s assigned to be Layla’s tutor.

Feeling adrift, she works through the crumbling of her family, navigates a friendship that has grown apart, and learns to trust new friends and see them for who they are, not who she expects them to be. Told in the first person, Woodfolk’s (The Beauty That Remains, 2018) novel seamlessly interweaves alternating timelines while making Shakespeare relevant to teens. The author skillfully voices the pain of unexpectedly losing a close friend and explores the choice to remain open despite the risk of future heartache. Cleo is black and Layla is Bengali.

A well-crafted story of resilience. (Fiction. 13-18)

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Elicits questions of memory and creative liberty as well as addressing equity and race. dragon hoops

DRAGON HOOPS

Yang, Gene Luen Illus. by the author First Second (448 pp.) $21.99 | Mar. 17, 2020 978-1-62672-079-4

The trials of a high school basketball team trying to clinch the state title and the graphic novelist chronicling them.

The Dragons, Bishop O’Dowd High School’s basketball team, have a promising lineup of players united by the same goal. Backed by Coach Lou Richie, an alumnus himself, this could be the season the Oakland, California, private Catholic school breaks their record. While Yang (Team Avatar Tales, 2019, etc.), a math teacher and former National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, is not particularly sporty, he is intrigued by the potential of this story and decides to focus his next graphic novel on the team’s ninth bid for the state championship. Yang seamlessly blends a portrait of the Dragons with the international history of basketball while also tying in his own career arc as a graphic novelist as he tries to balance family, teaching, and comics. Some panels directly address the creative process, such as those depicting an interaction between Yang and a Punjabi student regarding the way small visual details cue ethnicity in different ways. This creative combination of memoir and reportage elicits questions of storytelling, memory, and creative liberty as well as addressing issues of equity and race. The full-color illustrations are varied in layout, effectively conveying intense emotion and heart-stopping action on the court. Yang is Chinese American, Richie is black, and there is significant diversity among the team members.

A winner. (notes, bibliography) (Graphic nonfiction. 13-18)

GIRLS WITH RAZOR HEARTS

Young, Suzanne Simon Pulse/Simon & Schuster (400 pp.) $19.99 | Mar. 17, 2020 978-1-5344-2616-07 Series: Girls With Sharp Sticks, 2

they may have jumped from the frying pan into the fire. Spoton observations about society’s problematic, repressive, and violent treatment of women and girls pepper the narrative, and the powerful message that women should support and love one another is bolstered by a female-centric cast who unfailingly have each other’s backs. This entry lacks some of its predecessor’s spark, but a few twists keep the pages turning and leave plenty of loose threads for future installments. Mena, Annalise, and Brynn seem to be white, Sydney is black, Marcella has brown skin, and there’s some diversity in secondary characters.

There is a same-sex romance.

A food-for-thought dystopian with a strong feminist message. (Dystopian. 13-18)

continuing series OTHERLIFE

Segel, Jason & Miller, Kirsten Delacorte Press (304 pp.) $18.99 | Nov. 12, 2019 978-1-101-93940-6 Series: Last Reality, 3 (Adventure. 12-18)

FORCE COLLECTOR

Shinick, Kevin Illus. by Foti, Tony Disney Lucasfilm Press (384 pp.) $17.99 | Nov. 19, 2019 978-1-368-04558-2 Series: Journey to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, 2 (Science fiction. 12-18)

After a daring escape from Innovations Academy with the help of Leandra, the headmaster’s wife, Mena, Sydney, Marcella, Brynn, and Annalise set out to destroy the architects of their repression in the follow-up to Girls With Sharp Sticks (2019).

They’re free for now, but the headmaster will soon be looking for them. After all, they’re worth millions to the school and, its investors. Leandra enrolls Mena and Sydney in Ridgeview Prep in Connecticut to root out the son of an investor who may have the power to stop Innovations. To their dismay, the girls discover that misogyny and sexism are rampant in the outside world, but they could have an ally in the form of a talented hacker named Raven. However, it soon occurs to Mena that 154

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indie THE PINK BLANKET

These titles earned the Kirkus Star:

Ady, J. Lynn FriesenPress (409 pp.)

978-1-5255-4519-1 978-1-5255-4520-7 paper

STORIES TO SING IN THE DARK by Matthew Bright.................... 157 NOWHEREVILLE ed. by Scott Gable & C. Dombrowski.................161

THE LIQUID BORDER by Jonathan Reeve Price............................... 172

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Ady’s debut novel explores the intricacies of moving on from an abusive marriage.

As the story opens, Taya Logan is having a paralyzing nightmare—one of many stemming from the domestic abuse she endured at the hands of her violent husband, Nate, whom she escaped months ago. Soon after her return to Chicago from Italy, she meets and becomes smitten with entrepreneur Jonathen Tate, “Chicago’s top successful bachelor,” and he soon falls for her. He recently experienced a bitter divorce, but he’s anxious to rediscover love and commitment, and he quickly considers Taya to be “a drug I’m addicted to....One, I can’t get enough of.” However, the threat of Taya’s abusive spouse is ever present, and when Nate eventually appears, the melodrama hits its highest notes.

Readers will be swept up in Ady’s suspenseful narrative right from the start, and the author does an impressive job of getting inside Nate’s mind as well, showing him to be a very troubled, very powerful, and highly manipulative man. Things get more complicated when Jonathen’s ex-wife, who also has ties to Nate, joins the fray. Ady’s prose, as filtered through Taya’s and Jonathen’s alternating perspectives, can be lushly evocative, but it’s sometimes awash in adverbs, overly expository, and excessively descriptive. Although the novel as a whole is somewhat overlong, fans of romantic suspense will still embrace its over-the-top aspects. Overall, it’s an engrossing story of a battered woman trying to reclaim her life and find true love, and it features characters of impressive authenticity and emotional depth.

A highly charged romance with plenty of intrigue and danger.

HALL OF MIRRORS by Craig Gralley.............................................. 164

STORIES TO SING IN THE DARK

Bright, Matthew Lethe Press (288 pp.) $17.00 paper | Oct. 20, 2019 978-1-59021-704-7

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mama-rama THE BLUES CRY FOR A REVOLUTION

Many children’s picture books focus on young characters and their adventures. The characters’ parents, if they appear at all, are usually background figures. On occasion, though, kids’-book authors will make them the subject of their work. These three books, all reviewed by Kirkus Indie, specifically focus on mothers—and they may offer young readers new perspectives on the women in their lives.

Donald Jacobsen’s 2019 picture book Mighty Mommies and Their Amazing Jobs!, featuring illustrations by Graham Evans, puts the spotlight on various mothers’ professions, primarily in STEM-related fields. For example: “Paisley’s mommy is a programmer. She works on a computer. If you need help writing code, she’d make an awesome tutor!” Kirkus’ review calls it “A nice mix of careers that may be inspiring to young readers.”

Mommy’s Big, Red Monster Truck by Alison Paul Klakowicz, also published this year, tells a tale of a young boy and his mother as they take a road trip in the mom’s massive, noisy titular vehicle. Along the way, the main characters encounter a diverse range of other mothers who provide their kids with “hugs, kisses, bedtime stories, and more.” It’s “lively, vigorous, and well suited to kids who adore cool moms and their vehicles,” according to Kirkus’ reviewer.

Jessica Williams’ Mama’s Cloud (2018), illustrated by Mateya Ark, features a young girl who notes that “sometimes Mama can’t smile” when “a dark cloud…settles over her.” The child imagines herself as a wizard and a superhero, among others who might make the cloud disappear. But she finally accepts that she’s “only me” and gives her mom a hug. Kirkus notes that the “poetic, child-friendly text tackles hard-to-discuss ideas about mental health and depression, acknowledging that it’s not the child’s job to fix it and embracing the hope that one can help just by being oneself.” —D.R.

Allen, Rashaun J. Royal Blue Publishing (58 pp.) $14.99 paper | $9.99 e-book Jan. 21, 2020 978-0-9830096-7-2 A volume of poems explores the fears and hopes of contemporary blacks in America.

“Black face— / your mask is your skin. / Cops will shoot you and claim you ignited suspicion.”

So begins “Brevity of a Black Boy,” the first poem in Allen’s (A Walk Through Brooklyn, 2012, etc.) combustive new collection of poems that directly tackle the state of blackness in America.

From the history of oppression to the Black Lives Matter movement, the poet examines the large and small ways that racism manifests itself in the lives of African Americans. In “Ten Reasons,” he uses an innocuous list format to commemorate black victims of police violence. It begins, “I am killed: / Carrying a fake gun1/ Selling CD2/ Routine traffic stops3” and continues all the way to 10. The footnotes at the bottom reveal the people hidden in the statlike superscripts: “1 Tamir Rice / 2 Alton Sterling / 3 Samuel DuBose.” In “For Black Cops Who Bleed Blue,” Allen takes a more essayistic approach, writing in prose: “I respect your position and understand your crisis filled work weeks still might not be enough to pay for your child’s college tuition. But your quiet is deafening.” Some poems are more personal in nature, like the lyric “A Melody On Repeat,” which gives readers a look into the inner life of an artist: “Peek into my rebirth. / Cramped, / elevator music is spinning in my mind / I am / inspired by syncopated rhythms / digging / fiendishly for a gold standard vision.” The poems vary widely in quality, in part because Allen adopts so many different strategies. The less successful offerings tend to be wordier and academic, like “Language Is Color Now”: “Casual colorism is rampant amongst my peers and I / … / Language is meant to communicate but no one is listening / Opinions should hold less weight than facts.”

Many books of poetry published in the last five years tackle this same subject, and some of them do so with a bit more virtuosity and precision than this volume. But Allen displays a willingness to take risks, and readers will likely feel stirred by the sentiment of many of these poems even if the verses themselves do not always wow.

An energetic and varied collection of poetry that speaks to institutional racism in America.

David Rapp is the senior Indie editor.

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STORIES TO SING IN THE DARK

CIRCLES OF SURVIVAL

Catlin, C.W. Out Reach Books (607 pp.) $14.99 paper | $2.99 e-book May 21, 2018 978-0-692-79267-4

Bright, Matthew Lethe Press (288 pp.) $17.00 paper | Oct. 20, 2019 978-1-59021-704-7 Ghosts, space travel, and murderous movie censors are among the obstacles to gay love in these phantasmagoric tales.

In his first short story collection, Bright (co-author: Between the Lines, 2019) mixes strands of magical realism, SF, steampunk, noir, gothic horror, and homages to literary classics, filtering it all through a gay sensibility. These tales are boldly imaginative: A new hire at a cosmic library indexes lost works recovered by time-traveling collectors—never finished novels, a teenager’s poetry jottings, books burned by Nazis—and begins an affair with French writer Jean Genet; a scientist in a seedy Los Angeles applies his anti-gravity technology to a string of lovers; a modern-day Dorian Gray moves uninfected and forever young through San Francisco’s AIDS epidemic while his partners die off. In a rollicking takeoff on the children’s book The Wind in the Willows, a tough-talking rat, mole, badger, and genderbending toad ricochet through a furry criminal underworld. In other inventive tales, a man realizes that he is the stereotypical tragic gay character in an Edwardian period movie whose other characters panic when he declines to commit suicide as scripted; the lesbian concubines of a Chinese empress travel in her tomb on a steam-powered voyage to a distant planet—and consider cannibalism when the food runs out; and a tomb raider and her brothel madam daughter hitch a ride on an airship and dodge British soldiers and zombies to purloin a pharaoh’s soul.

A striking concluding novella finds an Englishman accompanying his lover to a shadowy family manse in Germany, where he unearths a past of perverted cruelty. Bright combines vigorous narratives with prose that is atmospheric, slyly humorous, and saturated with evocative imagery. (“If my phantom watchers in the windows opposite are looking, they will see us as we rise into the sky, one man clinging tight to another as they ascend like balloons that have slipped from your grasp, until the atmosphere becomes rarefied and thin, and breath freezes before our faces.”) The result is a wildly entertaining set of yarns that combine thrills with soulful reflection.

A dazzling collection of literary fantasy with never a dull moment.

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Two decades after the collapse of civilization, two resourceful survivalists try to protect a new city-state persevering in a savage future dark age.

“The end had not come as one defining gestalt moment; rather it had come as a slight change in the wind” begins Catlin’s post-apocalypse action debut. In the not-too-distant future, a combination of factors—climate change, resource and food depletion, wealth inequality, plagues, and, finally, wars—has destroyed organized society. Twenty-two years later, in the remains of California, Thomas Wolf, a savvy survivalist roaming the urban wastelands haunted by predator gangs and cloistered holdouts, finds a natural ally in Allen Damewood, another gentleman warrior with helpful talents in weaponry and technology. They set up housekeeping in a fortresslike dwelling where Wolf ’s armaments include a thoroughly armored, weaponized, and computerized airport-facilities vehicle dubbed the Rig. The two imagine themselves isolated among roving packs of enemies and small, subsistence-level colonies. They are thus amazed when a reconnaissance helicopter crashes nearby. Though the crew perished, the copter seems to come from an advanced and functional human settlement somehow rising from the ashes nearby, and the two men take the Rig to investigate. Indeed, they do discover the future equivalent of an impossible Shangri-La. But they also encounter a deadly threat to the stronghold. The rest of the series opener turns into a fairly exciting battle, enough to keep pages turning. Catlin breaks little new ground in the “prepper” militaryArmageddon genre, but he tells the muscular story well, with a couple of likable and smart bromantic leads—think Butch and Sundance with RPGs, battleground strategy, and combat software moxie. In some quiet spaces, characters persuasively lament the tragic yielding of community and goodwill to barbarism and total war, a cautionary tale for contemporary readers.

The Rig itself is a cool creation, if a bit of a deus ex machina in the most literal sense. In addition, a ravishing redhead in the oasis is predictably available for Wolf. Enough loose ends hint at sequel possibilities, although this rousing volume can be read as a stand-alone.

This solid actioner with heart follows in the tank treads of a well-worn genre.

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POHOI AND COMANCHE SPIRIT POWER

SLEEP PROBLEMS Food Solutions

Chalfant, J.L. iUniverse (324 pp.) $29.95 | $19.95 paper | $5.99 e-book Mar. 22, 2013 978-1-4759-7337-2 978-1-4759-7336-5 paper

Cheney, Diane Holloway iUniverse (436 pp.) $28.99 paper | $3.99 e-book Jun. 15, 2017 978-1-5320-2505-1 A guide focuses on alleviating insomnia through diet, exercise, and self-management.

Prolific author and psychologist Cheney’s (Autobiography of Lee Harvey Oswald, 2008, etc.) inspired book opens with a personal history of her medical training in Dallas. She relates how her work treating patients with psychoactive medications radically differed from her research into sleep disorders and the discovery of natural remedies to treat them. From the manual’s depth, it’s clear that the author went much further than just exploring the consequences of sleep deprivation. Cheney’s expansive narrative is loaded with intriguing nuggets about sleep throughout human history, children and naptime, dreaming and REM cycles, and how family snoozing arrangements vary widely across global cultures. The text doesn’t skimp on the artfulness of slumber either. Poetry, literary references, and accessible, uncomplicated sweet and savory recipes, some from as far back as the Elizabethan era, share space with practical advice on how to improve sleep through diet and changes in personal patterns.

The author’s guide expands further to decipher the fascinating cycles of light and darkness as related to Earth’s distance from the moon, the complexities of circadian rhythms, and the many catastrophes that have been blamed on a lack of quality sleep, like 1986’s Space Shuttle Challenger explosion, the Exxon Valdez oil tanker disaster in 1989, and, more recently, the 2016 crash of a New York City commuter train that caused one death and more than 100 injuries. Cheney notes that sports teams are now commissioning “sleep physicians” to help keep players’ health and field performances at ideal levels. The negative effects of insomnia and sleep deprivation are also being studied, she notes, through the work of critical response and rescue personnel like firefighters, police forces, and emergency medical professionals. The narrative eventually circles back to dispense more wisdom on enhancing the quality and duration of sleep, which will prove most beneficial to those who find themselves unexplainably exhausted throughout the day. While her recommendations don’t break any new ground, they indeed serve as worthy reminders of the importance of getting optimum rest. She advocates consuming herbal tea close to bedtime to stimulate slumber and eating several easy, sleep-inducing snacks that produce melatonin or tryptophan. These suggestions may turn out to be effective alternatives to more traditional drug therapies.

History, lore, and valuable advice blend in a sleep manual that promotes a productive life.

A Comanche teenager violates tradition in order to save her mother and her people in this debut YA novel.

West Texas, 1860. The looming Civil War has intensified the bad relations between Native Americans and their Texas neighbors—and revived the tribes’ hopes of driving the whites from the land once and for all. Fifteen-year-old Pohoi, the daughter of a Comanche father and a white mother, is curious about the Spirit Power sacred to her people, the Kwahadi Comanche of the Llano Estacado. Her medicine woman aunt, Hunts Medicine, warns her that Pohoi’s desire—or that of any young woman—to seek the power is taboo. The precocious Pohoi, who is already seeing visions, is prepared to buck tradition.

Then tragedy strikes: A group of Texans murders Pohoi’s father and abducts her mother. When the warriors of her tribe appear reluctant to rescue her mother, Pohoi, filled with a desire for vengeance, takes up the task herself. She uses the Comanche Spirit Power to transform into a Ghost Warrior of legend and heads off to rescue her mother from the men who stole her. She is led by the ghost of her father, assisted by her friend—and crush—Yellow Bear, and accompanied by Little Rattler, a Mexican captured in a raid who is the son of her aunt. She will have to move quickly, as her visions seem to predict the destruction not just of her family, but her entire people as well. Chalfant’s detailed prose is well tailored to her protagonist’s rhythms and worldview: “As she ran, she heard chattering voices begin to echo throughout the village. Dogs yapped amid the sudden burst of the warriors’ excited shouts inside the council lodge while Pohoi relished the comforting sound of mothers, no longer fearful of the thunder, cooing to their crying babies.” The tensions between the characters and their relationships to their own roles within Comanche society make for some intriguing drama, though the story takes a while to get going. But the immersive setting and Pohoi’s plucky personality do much to sell the novel, and readers will be more or less content to follow her wherever the Spirit Power leads.

A rewarding, if conservatively paced, coming-of-age tale set on the Texas plains.

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Conway tells an exciting story that appeals on several levels: as a mystery, an adventure, and an ecology parable. madame x and the world beneath

MADAME X AND THE WORLD BENEATH

Conway, Eileen Illus. by Angelovic, Kelly Zealot Publishing (216 pp.) $12.99 paper | $2.99 e-book Oct. 10, 2019 978-1-73317-178-6 A young detective takes on the case of her missing parents in this debut middle-grade novel.

Despite her conventional name, 10-year-old Susan Jones is no ordinary kid. As Madame X, she’s a private eye, solving such mysteries as a lost phone or stolen toys. Her parents aren’t routine either; they’re marine biologists, famous for their TV specials, who travel the world hoping to save the oceans. When they disappear, Susan has a new case to solve—which soon becomes wrapped up in another mystery. Susan; her best friend, Johnny Peters; and his 7-year-old brother, Teddy, discover bizarre elfin creatures called Thingamabobs living underground in Susan’s town. They claim to be purely beneficial to humans, but a note has warned Susan that “They have your parents.” A Thingamabob leader promises to help if Susan can find an errant Bob—but all is not as it seems. Following clues, Susan and her friends investigate beneath the town, where they discover that the area’s septic issues are related to Bob activities. The Bobs are trying to take over the entire underground and destroying the ecosystem above. A desperate note from her parents gives Susan her mission: “If you can save the creeks, you can save us.” Susan and her friends undertake a wild and often gross quest in underground sewers and creeks, hoping to save the Joneses and their town before it’s too late. In her novel, Conway tells an exciting story that appeals on several levels: as a mystery, an adventure, and an ecology parable. In addition to the striking plot, the characters are strong; Susan’s voice is a fresh and funny pleasure, as when describing being caught in a maelstrom of chilly sewer water: “It was like being in an evil, cold Jacuzzi.” Susan grows as she appreciates her ability to change the world, and she shows initiative, courage, and good instincts in her detective work. Also compelling are debut illustrator Angelovic’s images, which have a cool retro style that captures the book’s energy and originality.

An entertaining coming-of-age tale with a serious environmental message.

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themes and techniques featured in his debut book. Whether inspired by the music of Rosanne Cash, Mama Cass, Leonard Cohen, Sarah Brightman, or Andrea Bocelli or by national tragedies like the Challenger explosion in 1986 or the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the author is able to construct thought-provoking texts in a concise manner. For example, in the prose piece “The Bridge,” he manages to connect disparate moments spanning several decades within the space of three pages: hearing news of the Chappaquiddick scandal in 1969 while working in Venezuela; spotting the infamous bridge from an airplane 10 years later; interacting with Edward Kennedy during the 1980 presidential campaign; and watching the 2017 film about the tragedy. Indeed, the author’s extensive travels provide many opportunities for observation and interpretation. Notably, solid Spanish skills are on display in his translations of a relatively long graffiti text spotted in Havana and a conversation with a cab driver in San Juan. An encounter with a street cleaner in Havana, recounted in the tale titled “Diego,” encapsulates the Mariel boatlift from 1980 and an ignominious return to Cuba years later. In terms of poetry, readers with a keen eye and an attuned ear will appreciate the consonance and assonance in his description of an earthquake: “The room moves / Like a rag doll / In a big dog’s mouth.”

Cruess illuminates more mundane events in verse as well, such as spending a humid Easter weekend in Miami’s Little Havana: “Bed sweating wet / in the light of / a tropical / moon sucking breezes / through coconut palms.” Through creative use of line breaks, indentation, and gaps within lines, his verse often invites multiple readings. He also juxtaposes poems to great effect, such as “Old,” “My Dad on his 86th,” and “Papa, must I die?” The first represents the common experience of turning into one’s parents. In the second, he gazes down mournfully at his elderly father. And in the third, a father speaks to a child about death, closing with two tender lines: “Without thinking twice / I would choose this time with you.”

A worthy collection full of memorable anecdotes and meditative verse.

DEFINING THE TIMES Barack Obama

Duncan, Patricia Photos by the author IJABA Publishing (344 pp.) $44.00 | Sep. 1, 2017 978-0-9847316-4-0

ON ONLY NIGHTS

A look back at the presidency of Barack Obama.

Denver, Colorado–based photographer Duncan (A Defining Moment, 2010) got a front-row seat to history when she began documenting then U.S. Sen. Obama’s journey to the White House for local African American newspapers in 2006. She photographed the candidate and his supporters at numerous events in the Rocky Mountain state, including the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver. After his election, she continued to document his career nationwide. In this handsome coffee-table book, she couples striking, full-color photos

Cruess, Robert Out Reach Books (122 pp.) $6.99 paper | Dec. 13, 2018 978-1-79161-678-6 A volume explores nature, history, mortality, and the wonder of living in poetry and prose.

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with the full text of many of Obama’s most notable speeches, including his famous 2008 speech on race, his victory-night speech that same year in Chicago, his 2009 and 2013 inaugural addresses, and his 2017 farewell address. Because the book focuses heavily on Obama’s many visits to Colorado, it sometimes neglects other important events. Two Air Force Academy commencement addresses are included, for example, while his remarks on the school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, in 2010 and on the 50th anniversary of the Selma-to-Montgomery civil rights march are notably absent. Some speeches by other political figures are included as well, such as Hillary Clinton’s acceptance of the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination and U.S. Rep. John Lewis’ speech at the 2008 Democratic convention. Supplementary material includes a list of Obama’s accomplishments; information on the presidential limousine, nicknamed “The Beast,” and Air Force One; and Electoral College maps. But it’s the numerous, revealing photos that are the main draw, including one image of a smiling Obama walking onstage to accept his party’s nomination and another of the jubilant faces of his supporters on election night in 2008. The book even provides an inside look at the White House, as Duncan shares photos that she took during the 2014 Holiday Reception, during which she got a few candid shots of the Obamas’ dogs Bo and Sunny. The author’s sincere admiration for Obama shines through in this collection, which effectively commemorates a historic presidency.

Readers who are nostalgic for the Obama years will appreciate this unique tribute.

ever see the book, in chronological order.” One day, representatives of King Broderick Dartmoth come to inspect the Book.

The endgame of Cole Wynton and his men is to confiscate and/ or destroy all magical artifacts and weapons in Osh. Fane hopes to keep his enchanted ax a secret for as long as possible. And in the royal capital of Syerfordge, the king and his council plan to quell orc violence to the south once and for all—by firebombing the city of Angkor-Toll.

In this dark series launch, Emrey (Millennium Stone, 2015, etc.) chooses a fertile time period, post–Great War, for the setting of his epic of heroism and race relations. As a royal, Dryden has access to era-specific technology, like a single-prop fighter plane and a Motor K automobile. He also has the privilege of springing himself from jail whereas the marginalized Astanava ends up at the mercy of Ser Dex Morton, a licentious prison warden. The author maximizes the scope of his narrative by having chapters follow Dryden, Astanava, and Fane down personalized alleys that converge after the stakes have risen. A humiliating flogging leads to Astanava’s accessing latent powers that Lt. Shpava, leader of an elf rebellion, deems invaluable.

Angkor-Toll, once a hopeful city but now a ghetto, is filled with the downtrodden of every race. Blue and red fire dust, standins for heroin and crack, have warped orc society and given King Broderick and his militant brother, Sawyer, their excuse for more war. Among the royal siblings, including Liliana, with whom Dryden is closest, only the globe-trotting prince argues that “dust is the problem,” not those addicted to it. Astanava’s transformation into a more empowered, if ghoulish, character is thrilling to behold. Fane and Dryden develop along entertaining, if slightly more predictable routes. Emrey’s greatest success lies in maintaining a shared spotlight for all three of his protagonists. On the verge of a second Great War, each character is poised to drive the sequel toward steeper dramatic heights.

A remarkable fantasy series opener built on bold characters and startling real-world parallels.

INFERNO DAWN The Final Name

Emrey, Jacob Andrew Koehler Books (434 pp.) $29.95 | $21.95 paper | Nov. 15, 2019 978-1-63393-845-8 978-1-63393-843-4 paper

THE GREAT HEALING Five Compassions That Can Save Our World

In this fantasy, humanity has used technology to defeat several magical races, but total victory is not yet secure.

In the city of Silverfell, a man called Dryden visits the Silver Tongue tavern.

There, beautiful elf women—and some men—sell their bodies alongside mugs of ale. Such is their plight after humanity used guns and mechanical might to defeat elves, orcs, and goblins almost a century ago in the Great War. Dryden meets Saya and Astanava, two elf women, while drinking. As he becomes hopelessly smitten with Astanava, he witnesses Earl Edard Kenton and his knights enter the tavern and harass Saya. Dryden’s secret—that he’s a Dartmoth prince traveling incognito—could halt the situation if asserted publicly. Instead, he attempts fisticuffs, which ends with him and Astanava landing in jail and Saya getting raped. Meanwhile, in the town of Osh, Fane Ganbaatar is an orc sheriff. Osh hosts the Book of Destiny in the temple complex of Issik Kul. The Book contains “a running list, thousands of pages long, of the...names of every person that would 160

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Erickson, Stephen with Berry, Wendell & Fuhrman, Joel & McArthur, Jo-Anne & Lewis, Alan TGH Press (480 pp.) $24.99 paper | $14.99 e-book Sep. 18, 2019 978-1-73320-270-1

A debut ecology book examines agriculture’s role in global warming and proposes individual and collective responses to avert a human-made sixth extinction.

In the climate crisis, Erickson, a screenwriter and filmmaker, finds potent drama: “A fight for our lives” and a ticking clock. His cast: disparate creatures, including Hazel the triplewart sea devil, Thomas Q. Piglet, Lucinda Monarch, Earl the Worm, Pat the Pooper (a microorganism), farm animals, meerkats, and numerous people—all facing different challenges but |

The collection’s offerings vary widely in tone and style, but they are universally thought-provoking and engaging. nowhereville

the same fate. The plot: unmask the “Arch-Villain” behind the interconnected crises of rural decline, unhealthy food, chronic illness, and climate change. The author pens poignant stories before deploying facts and figures. Children near factory farms suffer asthma. A piglet, ripped from its mother, never spends a day outdoors. A teen battles obesity. Family farmers confront policies tilted against them. Midway through, Erickson confirms “Industrial Agriculture. And factory farming…Big Ag. This is our Arch-Villain.” Concentrated animal feeding operations are not only inhumane; their hormones and antibiotics breed resistant pathogens. Monocrop methods, with pesticides, herbicides, and tilled fields left bare, destroy the soil’s microbiome, nature’s most effective carbon storage system. Largescale regenerative organic farming, the author argues, could offset current carbon dioxide emissions. He advocates “compassionate activism”—raising awareness of farming and food issues, using purchasing power to reduce meat consumption and increase healthy options, and harnessing voter pressure to rewrite the Farm Bill and enact a Green New Deal. The ambitious book’s five chapters highlight compassionate approaches toward animals, self, the land, community, and democracy.

Erickson’s writing displays passion, clarity, and a grasp of every topic he tackles. He is also verbose and prone to repetition. His refrains may delight some but annoy others. But his analysis is solid, and his sourcing is supported by 900-plus endnotes and four expert contributors (Berry, Fuhrman, McArthur, and Lewis) credited on the cover. An index and bibliography would enhance future editions. Erickson’s ability to connect climate science, copious data, and public policies with the lived experiences of people and other creatures sets this book apart. His emphasis on humane and caring methods reminds readers that winning hearts and minds is a prerequisite to capturing carbon.

An inspired synthesis of environmental, cultural, economic, and political calls to action.

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50,000 selective service records, she went on the run. Margaret Wilzbach—that was the name on the new ID in her pocket— slept in hideouts in cities like Detroit and Birmingham, Alabama, feeling increasingly disillusioned with “the Revolution.”

Later, as Judith Jablonski, she found sanctuary in Atlanta—and a lover. Eventually becoming Alexa Emily Freeman, she made it all the way to San Francisco, where the work of liberation was just beginning. Under various identities, in multiple cities and decades, the author found herself a soldier for the cause of freedom—a cause that itself wore many guises. Collectively, these threads tell a story that gets right to the heart of the generation that came of age in the ’60s. Freeman writes with a sincerity of purpose, unspooling a narrative that is part travelogue, part “notes from the underground,” and part coming-of-age tale. “No one in my life has real names anymore,” she realized at one point.

“With every mile, my former life disappears. I’m on the run, in a Mercury Marquis, traveling down to a safe house in the deep south. It’s impossible to turn back now. I close my eyes, remembering who I was.” The author never separates herself from her politics, but readers easily can: The figure who emerges is one of youthful rebellion played out to its furthest logical extent. This work is both a compelling profile of a subculture and a revealing portrait of someone who gave everything to shape it—and, perhaps unintentionally, was shaped by it in return.

A captivating and often affecting account of an activist outside the law.

NOWHEREVILLE Weird Is Other People

Ed. by Gable, Scott & Dombrowski, C. Broken Eye Books (302 pp.) $19.99 paper | Dec. 17, 2019 978-1-940372-48-8 A short story collection provides mixed-genre, speculative fiction, with the tales bound together by mutual love, fear, and fascination with the concept and mystique of the city.

As Gable’s introduction puts it, “weird” fiction lies somewhere between the “Impossible” heights of fantasy and the “Inevitable” depths of SF. This anthology, edited by the team of Gable and Dombrowski (Welcome to Miskatonic University, 2019, etc.), aims to blend these elements—not to confuse readers but to present them with something that feels true in their uncertainty. Cities, then, form the perfect backdrop, as they feature constant cycles of new growth, preservation, and demolition as well as juxtapositions of wealth and poverty, high and low culture, and a melting pot of people, languages, and ideas. Cities represent the concept that anything can happen at any time while imparting the knowledge that true divergence from the quotidian is rare. The tales range as widely as the cities in which they take place, from Enugu, Nigeria, to a futuristic urbanscape called Punktown. Some, like Nuzo Onoh’s “Walk Softly, Softly,” in which a mysterious shadow haunts the dreams of men and steals their genitals, invoke a sort of fabulist horror to take on complex social ills. Others, like “Y” by Maura

FAILURE TO APPEAR Resistance, Identity and Loss

Freeman, Emily L. Quint Blue Beacon Books by Regal Crest (262 pp.) $20.95 paper | $9.95 e-book Mar. 1, 2020 978-1-61929-426-4

In this debut memoir, a writer recounts her life as an underground activist in the 1960s and after.

Linda J. Quint grew up comfortably in 1950s Los Angeles, but by 1965 the Berkeley sophomore had become a budding radical. “My generation was getting down, getting high, getting busy with confronting this country’s long-standing wrongs, like racial segregation and the shameful war in Vietnam,” she remembers. As if she hadn’t outraged her parents enough, Quint revealed she had fallen in love with a girl, causing her father to cut her off financially. Following graduation, she disappeared into Chicago’s activist left. After she helped destroy |

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INTERVIEWS & PROFILES

Jerry Craft

AUTHOR JERRY CRAFT DISCUSSES PRIVATE SCHOOL, RACE, AND THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD TO PUBLISHING SUCCESS

By Walker Rutter-Bowman Hollis King

More than 20 years ago, Jerry Craft tried to publish his first book and got nothing but rejections. All of them hurt, but a few were particularly harsh. “Some editors took the time to say, ‘Listen, this is not good now, and it’ll never be good,’ ” Craft recalls. “They were so discouraging that I gave up on ever trying to be traditionally published.”

But Craft wouldn’t give up on his art. He decided to self-publish and started his own company. Aspiring writers sent him their manuscripts; Craft read them, edited them, illustrated them, got them printed and bound. “Between the books I did for myself and the 162

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books I did for others, I probably did over three dozen books over a 20-year span,” he says.

Craft’s first graphic novel, New Kid, found a home at Harper, a traditional publishing house. It found acclaim, too, winning the 2019 Kirkus Prize for Young Readers’ Literature. In its starred review, Kirkus calls New Kid an “engrossing, humorous, and vitally important graphic novel that should be required reading in every middle school in America.” In their statement, the Kirkus Prize judges called it “a laugh-out-loud combination of art and story that showcases the beauty of graphic novels.”

The protagonist of New Kid is Jordan Banks, an African American boy growing up in Washington Heights. When Jordan’s parents enroll him in Riverdale Academy Day School, an upscale and predominantly white prep school, Jordan wonders if he can belong to both worlds: his familiar neighborhood and the unfamiliar academy.

The book is informed by Craft’s own experience attending Fieldston, an independent school in the Riverdale section of the Bronx. For Craft, who grew up in Washington Heights, the transition to a prestigious private school wasn’t easy. “My parents had no idea what awaited me,” Craft says.

Craft and his wife, who live in Connecticut, sent both of their sons to a private school in New Canaan.

“Our sons had the benefit of my wife and I being private school kids,” he says. “We were able to sit down and say, OK, this is what’s going to happen. The first time [the teachers] talk about Black History Month or civil rights, the other kids are going to turn and stare at you.”

Though New Kid deals frankly with race, it’s largely about being a middle school kid. “I always wanted to have African American kids as regular kids…who didn’t have the weight of the world” on their shoulders.

“I didn’t want another gritty book. When you read

television programs of his youth—Fat Albert, School­ house Rock—with helping him discover his own artistic mission: to entertain and educate. “It’s very difficult for me to write something that doesn’t teach,” he says.

And what’s Craft’s lesson? Kindness, above all. “We could all do a little better to make each other feel a lot better,” he says.

books featuring people of color, you expect something bad to happen to a character you love.”

Craft occasionally interrupts the main story with excerpts from Jordan’s sketchbook. One page, “Judging Kids by the Covers of Their Books,” makes fun of those “gritty” titles by making one up: The Mean Streets of South Uptown, in which “DaQuell ‘Scooter’ Jackson must decide if he will pursue his dream of being in the NBA or join a notorious gang.”

Another sketchbook page presents “Jordan’s Tips for Taking the Bus,” a sequence of panels that takes us through the neighborhoods of his commute:

Walker Rutter-Bowman is a writer and teacher living in Washington, D.C. New Kid received a starred review in the Nov. 1, 2018, issue.

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Fitting in on the ride to school is hard work!

I have to be like a chameleon. For example, in Washington Heights, I try to look tough.

Inwood is a little different, so I can lose the hood.

Kingsbridge is where all the public school kids get off, so it’s okay to take off my shades. I can even draw!

Last comes Riverdale, where I do my best not to look cool AT ALL!...I don’t even like to draw ’cause people might think I’m going to use the markers to “tag the bus”!

Jordan’s drawings are black and white, with looser lines to suggest he’s still fleshing out his impressions.

The pages contrast nicely with the colorful, carefully arranged panels of the principal story, told in illustrations that capture Jordan’s perspective by zooming out for wider views of scene and ensemble, then zooming in for intimate close-ups. Sometimes, Jordan’s subjectivity even warps the visual landscape in wonderfully provocative ways.

A few years ago, Craft began to see signs that the publishing industry was changing. There were more opportunities for new voices. In 2014, Scholastic asked him to illustrate Zero Degree Zombie Zone by Patrik Henry Bass. Craft noticed the We Need Diverse Books campaign and the #ownvoices hashtag; he saw the success of other writers of color—Kwame Alexander, Jason Reynolds, Derek Barnes, Eric Velasquez. Their books, like Craft’s, were about regular kids—“not based on misery,” he says. He decided to try again. He pitched his book, and this time, the feedback was positive. He turned the feedback into edits; he found an agent. The book landed at Harper Collins.

Now, it’s winning awards.

There’s more of Jordan’s story to tell: A New Kid sequel is coming at the end of 2020, and Craft has a trilogy planned. He has more to teach, too. He credits the |

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McHugh and “Nolens Volens” by Mike Allen, throw their protagonists into situations where they have little or no control over how things will turn out, their impossible choices mirroring reallife traps. Meanwhile, in Jeffrey Thomas’ “Vertices,” humans must contend with aliens who’ve merged with their own lost explorers, raising questions about adaptation and the cost of change.

Throughout these and other stories, the beautiful, horrible, and, above all, the strange intermingle, producing a host of different sorts of surprising tales. The offerings vary widely in tone and style, but they are universally thought-provoking and engaging. What’s more, they complement one another in a way that’s rare even for collections by single authors, much less an anthology delivering 19 disparate voices. Indeed, the effect of this collection is not so much that of a set of loosely comparable episodes but of a kaleidoscope: variegated and multifaceted yet all of a piece.

Remarkably powerful urban tales, each one brilliantly in harmony with the others.

skein of agreements and acrimonies. Her mastery of the historical period is superb, and her portrayal of the social nuances of the day, painstakingly authentic. In addition, the relationship between Anne and Louis—romantically strong but politically disharmonious—is brought to vivid life (Louis’ “mind wandered to Anne. Would she remain loyal to him, should she find out one day that he had promised Claude to Francis? He could bear a rupture with Ferdinand, the Borgias, the Venetians, or the Florentines, but he couldn’t bear the thought of one with his wife”).

This is a delightful blend of historical rigor and dramatic entertainment delivered in easily companionable prose.

Impressively well-researched historical fiction conveyed with dramatic verve.

HALL OF MIRRORS Virginia Hall: America’s Greatest Spy of World War II

Gralley, Craig Chrysalis Books (240 pp.) $24.95 | $19.95 paper | Feb. 26, 2019 978-1-73354-150-3 978-1-73354-153-4 paper

ANNE AND LOUIS: RULERS AND LOVERS The Middle Years of Anne of Brittany’s Marriage to Louis XII

This debut tells the story of Virginia Hall, an American spy for the Allies in World War II. Hall (1906-1982) was a real woman and an amazing one. But rather than tell the story as straight history, Gralley has chosen to turn it into a novel with Hall as the protagonist and first-person narrator—an inspired decision. As if her life would not prove challenging enough, early on, Hall lost her lower left leg in a hunting accident. As a result, she gained an intimate lifelong companion, a wooden prosthesis that she named Cuthbert. It was, needless to say, a love-hate relationship. She would sometimes encourage Cuthbert, but more often, she would berate him. Hall spent the early years of the war under various guises as a spy based in Lyon.

The northern half of France was German occupied; the southern half—the Vichy government—was also under German control but existed under the thinly veiled illusion that it was free.

Danger was a constant. Right off the bat, Hall’s “pianist,” her “covert radio operator,” was found out and killed. The high point in the story is her escape into Spain, trudging over the Pyrenees in winter, the Gestapo hot on her trail. There is no question that Hall was indefatigable. But Gralley’s treatment really brings that aspect home. We get to know Hall firsthand, in all her tortured and scary moments. What pervades the novel like a miasma is the sensation of being a spy, a deceiver, to be always—always—on guard. She has the human feelings that we all have, but she cannot indulge them, and this, too, eats at her. The fact of Cuthbert has shut off avenues to advancement, but there is also the fact that she is a woman. Time and again she has to prove herself (and prove herself she does), but it seems never enough until a final triumph. She receives commendations from Britain and her own country but dodges the accompanying ceremonies, having further work to do.

A fascinating, electric account of a heroic woman.

Gaston, Rozsa Renaissance Editions (401 pp.) $2.99 e-book | Dec. 12, 2019

In this third installment of a series, Anne of Brittany and her husband, Louis XII, the king of France, struggle to agree on a future husband for their daughter, a choice with high political stakes.

Initially, the decision regarding the marital future of Princess Claude of France is amicably made in the early 16th century by her parents. Both Anne and Louis select Charles of Luxembourg, not quite 2 years old, to one day marry their infant daughter. Their reasons for picking Charles, while different, are borne out of political strategy, lucidly depicted in this historical novel by Gaston (Anne and Louis: Passion and Politics in Early Renaissance France, 2018, etc.). Anne pushes the idea, knowing Charles is destined for great power: He’s the son of Philip of Burgundy, archduke of Austria and heir to the Holy Roman Empire, and Joanna of Castile, the daughter of Ferdinand, the king of Spain. Since Charles will one day become the Holy Roman emperor and Claude the duchess of Brittany, he surely would prevent the French usurpation of Brittany, preserving its sovereignty, a cause close to Anne’s heart. And Louis hopes that Ferdinand will support his interests in Italy. But Louis harbors a “secret desire” for Claude to wed Francis d’Angoulême, the son of a dead cousin, in order to maintain the throne within his own bloodline. Even after brokering the arrangement with Philip and Joanna, he furtively authorizes the composition of a new will that ensures the future matrimony of Claude and Francis, risking the astonished ire of Anne. In this engrossing volume of the Anne of Brittany series, the author deftly recreates the complex political landscape of Europe, an entangled 164

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Grima offers a wonderfully edifying portrait of Pakistani people in their native country and of those in exile from it. talk till the minutes run out

TALK TILL THE MINUTES RUN OUT An Immigrant’s Tale at 7-Eleven

portrait of Pakistani people in their native country and of those in exile from it.

A consistently engrossing work of literature filled with beautiful expressions of despair.

Grima, Benedicte HigherLife Publishing (288 pp.) $15.95 paper | $9.95 e-book | Dec. 1, 2019 978-1-73322-898-5

ZERO PERCENTERS

Grusky, Scott T. Furthest Press (284 pp.) $14.99 paper | Dec. 9, 2019 978-0-9651190-4-7

A Pakistani exile in the United States is tortured by a prolonged absence from his family and homeland in Grima’s (The Performance of Emotion Among Paxtun Women, 1992) novel.

Nur Ali grew up in the Swat Valley in northern Pakistan, a place that he considered “idyllic” before the Taliban commandeered it. These conquerors were eventually pushed out, but the Pakistani soldiers who replaced them were equally brutal and corrupt governors of the land. Nur eventually left Pakistan in order to make a better living for his family, and his departure unexpectedly lasts for 15 years, and his separation from his family is an implacable source of anxiety and depression for him.

He spends most of his time working at a 7-Eleven convenience store—an astonishing 84 hours a week, and each and every day he lives frugally so that he can send every possible penny to his family. From his near-constant perch at the store, he does his best to run his household in Pakistan, nervously grilling his wife, Shahgofta, for information and trying hard to project a sense of leadership halfway across the globe: “From a world away behind his 7-Eleven counter, once again the exiled head of family had resolved a major family crisis and maintained the balance of forces within the clan.” But as problems mount—his granddaughter falls ill, soldiers harass the family, and his brother steals money and effectively takes over his home—Nur finds that fulfilling his duties as head of the family, a revered “qaida,” becomes nearly impossible.

Grima worked for a decade as an ethnographer in the Swat Valley, and she writes from deep reserves of scholarly expertise and personal experience, both of which radiate from each page. She not only draws a gripping picture of the Swat Valley’s culture, before and after the war on terrorism transformed it, but also of a tightknit community of Pakistani exiles in the United States—a network that Nur all but runs, in a lovingly avuncular fashion. As he grows old and his health begins to fail, he desperately wants to return home, and he finds meager consolation for his “exiled existence” in memories of a happier, less complicated time. The United States presents its own set of problems for him—he encounters vitriolic prejudice, and the store is regularly robbed—and the author smartly and unflinchingly describes his less-than-utopian circumstances.

Nur’s nostalgic pain is almost unbearably poignant at times: “I swear, we have nothing left. Our homes are destroyed, our families dispersed. There are no men to look after the women or farm the fields. We have nothing left, and yet they still come after us.” Grima’s prose is largely Spartan in style, unadorned by poetic embellishments but powerfully direct—creating a feeling that unalloyed truth is on offer, without excessive sentiment or melodrama. It also offers a wonderfully edifying |

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Returning from a nature sabbatical, a young environmentalist finds almost all of humanity transformed into blissful digital life forms in Grusky’s (Silicon Sun­ set, 1998) SF tale.

In 2024, fantastically successful tech tycoon Chris Lapin and his team launch their latest innovation: a computer algorithm that simulates organic tissue. Lapin’s 25-year-old naturalist daughter, Anja Lapin, finds the idea of her father’s company’s raking in more riches repugnant, as the ills of income equality affect the entire planet. She goes on a sabbatical in the Transylvanian wilderness, causing her to be cut off from civilization. Meanwhile, Lapin’s group sees no reason to stop at making replacement organs; their algorithm can completely digitize an entire, live human, consciousness and all. Anja returns from her meditative trip to find that billions of people have chosen to become digital—or “zero percenters”—over the course of just days. Thus, a peaceful world no longer faces hunger, illness, aging, or even sleep, and everyone inhabits shape-changing new bodies that eliminate any need for commerce or environmental exploitation. However, it turns out that Chris and most of his workmates are dead from a mysterious drone attack. And because anti-capitalist Anja is regarded as the inspiration for her father’s making the process freely available, people are hailing her as the savior of the planet—and promptly elect her president of the new World Council. Yet she faces the dilemma of whether to remain a mortal, vulnerable, flesh-and-blood person herself—a situation that’s further complicated with the appearance of Gunnar Freesmith, an attractive, athletic man who also isn’t a zero percenter yet.

The story is narrated by “Vicia Cassubica,” who readers come to understand is actually Anja’s newly assigned “concierge”—a faithful smartphone that’s been upgraded into a shape-shifter factotum (and whether Vicia has a soul becomes a matter of much discussion). Clearly, the tale isn’t based in hard science but rather in science that’s indistinguishable from mysticism. With utopia basically achieved in the book’s opening chapters, the author faces something of a problem—much as Richard Matheson did in 1978’s What Dreams May Come: how to describe heaven and how to create dramatic conflict in a place that passes for paradise. Yes, there is a villain slithering through this version of Eden, but both Anja and the author keep that character as illdefined as possible. There’s also the inescapable notion that Anja and Gunnar will eventually find themselves in roles of the biblical Eve and Adam; however, they manage to talk their way around 165

TATTLE TALES Tattoo Stories and Portraits

the matter until circumstances render it moot. Overall, the material is a close relation to the philosophical fantasy of bestselling author Richard Bach of Jonathan Livingston Seagull (1970) fame; just as Bach’s repertoire returns, time and again, to backdrops of flight and aviation, Grusky offers scenes of mountaineering and skiing, with a meticulously described description of a hike in the Chilean Andes. However, this choice effectively relegates the startling transfiguration of all Homo sapiens to background detail.

A cloud-minded but detailed spiritual parable that eschews the trappings of hard SF.

Isadora, Brandy Photos by the author Brandimar (151 pp.) $19.95 paper | Nov. 5, 2019 978-1-73358-200-1

Every tattoo tells a story in writer, photographer, and musician Isadora’s debut work.

The author notes that she’s long been fascinated by tattoos and by people who “were so confident that they knew what they wanted to have permanently inked on their bodies.” After meeting many heavily tattooed people, she decided to combine her skills as a photographer and writer to create this attractive book. In it, her many interview subjects talk about their tattoo decisions, the meanings of their body art, and how their ink has affected how others perceive them. They come from all walks of life, and some have art that covers most of their body.

Michael, a schoolteacher who first got inked at 15, says that his tattoos give him “more credibility” with his students and help him connect with their parents, as well—as many of them also have tattoos. Priyanka, a biologist, explains that her tattoo of the Om symbol is “an anchor to remind myself what my cultural heritage is.” Aside from a short introduction and a note at the end, Isadora lets her subjects speak for themselves throughout the book. Some explain why they choose to cover their tattoos while others express a belief that hiding their body art would obscure a part of themselves. One woman describes how getting tattooed adversely affected her career as a belly dancer, but many have largely neutral or positive reactions to their body art, as tattoos have become increasingly mainstream in the past few decades. Isadora’s impressive, full-color photos often provide close-ups of the subjects’ ink, and tattoo aficionados, in particular, will appreciate the opportunity to check out the artwork in detail. Many other readers will get new insight into those who choose to permanently change their appearances. Indeed, Isadora’s book does much to dispel stereotypes about who gets tattooed and why.

An intriguing and enlightening overview of tattooed people’s lives.

ALZHEIMER’S THROUGH THE ALPHABET One Journey of Ups and Downs

Hergert, Leslie F. Archway Publishing (112 pp.) $11.99 paper | $4.99 e-book Mar. 22, 2018 978-1-4808-5964-7

A writer looks at the many facets of dealing with Alzheimer’s.

In her nonfiction debut, Hergert begins by reminding her readers that the Alzheimer’s journey is not necessarily a grim, exclusively downhill slide into darkness but rather “a jumble of events and feelings that shift from moment to moment.” The author is personally familiar with that jumble; in the early 2000s, her husband, Ralph, began showing unmistakable signs that something was wrong with his memory and cognition. His condition worsened over the years to the point where, at the time of her writing this book, he was being cared for in a nursing facility.

Hergert distills her long experience into alphabet form, starting with “A is for Activities” and ending with “Z is for Zest.” In each of these segments, the author combines clinical observations about the nature of Alzheimer’s and its progression with personal lessons learned from her time with Ralph. The “O” chapter, for instance, turns on the word “overwrought” and talks about how Alzheimer’s sufferers often become distraught and start ranting when confronted with ordinary routines they once enjoyed.

(Ralph would yell and lash out when water from the shower hit his face, and he took to rambling aimlessly in the house, worrying Hergert that he would make it out the front door and wander around the neighborhood.) Many of these chapters are shot through with humor despite their grim tidings; in “K,” for example, the author recalls a neurologist’s commenting early on that Ralph was still “moderately kempt.” Although this was a foretelling of things to come, Hergert notes that she and Ralph laughed about the word for years. The unpredictability of the alphabetical approach facilitates these shifts of mood and tone; it works to remind readers that Alzheimer’s is an odyssey, one with many ordinary and even some funny moments. Readers dealing with Alzheimer’s will take great encouragement from the many “joy in the moment” tales the author relates.

A straightforward and curiously uplifting collection of living-with-Alzheimer’s stories.

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THE FUTURE OF DESIGN Global Product Innovation for a Complex World

Justice, Lorraine Nicholas Brealey Publishing (160 pp.) $32.95 paper | $15.99 e-book Jun. 4, 2019 978-1-4736-8467-6 An overview of the principles of design focuses on globalization and technological developments.

In this business book, Justice (China’s Design Revolution, 2012) looks at product design in the context of the global |

Karim’s arguments are persuasive and expose a significant hole in the mainstream view of American slavery. liberty ’s jihad

economy. The author concentrates on products sold internationally and leads readers through the process of designing and testing. Justice pays particular attention to making sure the design fits the needs and preferences of customers in each regional market. The book teaches readers to develop and apply design thinking skills and “the nuances of design reasoning” throughout the planning process and to understand how the result aligns with overall business goals. The author also explores ways in which technology is changing both the world of design itself and how people expect to interact with products. The book emphasizes the possibilities of a design-driven future and the ethical responsibilities creators must embrace (“Designers and other disciplines related to technology will need to take a prominent role, with values and ethics as a key part of their education”) in order to make it beneficial. Justice incorporates many anecdotes and examples from her own work (for instance, modifying a focus group format in Hong Kong to make participants comfortable sharing their opinions) and that of other designers, providing illustrative stories that constitute one of the volume’s strengths. On the whole, the book is well organized and covers a substantial amount of territory despite its short length, though much of it is presented at a high level rather than in significant detail. But the author points readers to plenty of additional resources with further information, both throughout the text and in extensive endnotes. Justice also does an excellent job of explaining that design exists within a cultural context, and both regional differences and technological developments may require creators to regularly adjust their thinking (“What you think of as good design attributes may change in the future based on what becomes culturally important”).

A skillful, comprehensive, and complex look at design as it’s shaped by technology and culture.

LIBERTY’S JIHAD African Muslim Slaves and the Meaning of America Karim, Munawar Ali Diptote Books (258 pp.) $21.99 paper | Nov. 15, 2019 978-1-912892-23-5

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among some American slaves, Karim goes into a history of the religion in Africa and its state at the time of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. He then profiles three known Muslim slaves in America: Job Ben Solomon (Ayyub bin Suleiman), who was born in Senegal and ended up in Maryland; ‘Abd al-Rahman Ibrahima, a nobleman from Guinea who was known as “the Prince of Natchez” during his time in Mississippi; and Ben Ali (Salih Bilali), born in Mali and transported to Georgia. By examining their narratives and highlighting their relationships to their faith, the author sheds light on a long-overlooked corner of the American experience. Karim concludes the book by examining the complex place Islam holds in American life today, within the black community and outside of it. Islam continues to be depicted as a boogeyman by Donald Trump and his political allies even as opponents of the president who wish to counter that narrative hold up Muslims as increasingly valued participants in American life.

The author’s prose is scholarly without being dry, and during the slave narratives, in particular, he reveals himself to be an adept storyteller: “We also know that he wore a fez and long coat in the style of Muslims in Africa and fasted in Ramadan.

He had at least twelve sons and seven daughters, all of whom bore Islamic names. He was a powerful and inspiring man, whose capabilities were recognised by his owner, Thomas Spalding.” Karim successfully weaves a number of historical trends together, from Yarrow Mamout to Muhammad Ali to 9/11 to Khizr Khan, showing how often Islam has been seen by its practitioners and opponents as something at odds with the American status quo. The author’s perspective is fairly Islamocentric, and he is perhaps more interested in establishing the existence of a Muslim tradition within the U.S. than in, say, resurrecting the backgrounds of these slaves for the mere sake of accuracy or multiculturalism. While Karim makes no pretense of objectivity, his arguments are persuasive and expose a significant hole in the mainstream view of American slavery. History fans of all backgrounds should be intrigued to learn of the surprises and complexities still hidden in this nation’s past.

A compelling and illuminating call for recognizing America’s earliest Muslims.

DEEP ROUGH A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel

A work of historical criticism advocates a thorough investigation of Islam’s impact on U.S. slavery.

Most people probably don’t associate American slaves with Islam. But as Karim explains in his debut book, Islam was an influential force within Africa and a continuing presence in the lives of many African American slaves.

“The study of African Muslim slaves and their impact upon the various aspects of slave culture, African-American and American culture in general, has remained wanting,” writes the author in his introduction, arguing that ignoring this area of history simplifies African American identity and reinforces Orientalist notions of a clear divide between East and West. After offering an account of the way that various figures within academia have been receptive or hostile to investigating the Islamic faith

Keating, Ray Self (453 pp.) $18.99 paper | $8.99 e-book Jul. 12, 2019 978-1-07-308843-0

In this 11th installment of a thriller series, a combat-trained pastor helps protect a Chinese golfer and his cleric father.

Xin Chen is a talented golfer currently on his first PGA Tour and admirably representing his home country of China.

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has faced as a Lutheran pastor. Police officers later arrest Ho at his Shanghai church. Believing Xin is now in danger, United States President Adam Links recommends that CDM International Strategies and Security, a team run by former CIA operative (and his secret fiancee) Paige Caldwell, protect the golfer.

Shockingly, Chinese Ministry of State Security agents target and critically wound Xin’s friend and caddy, Les Donaldson. As no one at CDM knows much about golf, Paige enlists pastor Stephen Grant, an old CIA pal, as Xin’s new caddy and bodyguard. Chinese President Bo Liang already has Xin in his sights but now has further incentive, as two decades ago, Stephen and Paige were part of a CIA operation in Taipei that killed the leader’s half brother. While Paige wants to send CDM members to China to extract Ho from prison, covert MSS teams in America become assassins aimed at Stephen, Xin, and any loved ones in their proximity. As in preceding volumes, this book is jampacked with characters, most of whom are returning players.

Keating (Shifting Sands, 2018, etc.) proficiently manages them along with appealing new faces, such as the Chens and Donaldson. Correspondingly, there are intimidating foes, including MSS officer Kang Wu, who survived the Taipei mission and is just as tenacious as Liang. But while the author churns out his typically tight, enjoyable action sequences, stretches of the narrative center on golfers in the field. These brisk scenes are never tedious, but they probably won’t attract new fans to the sport.

Nevertheless, when the action does hit, it’s exhilarating, and Stephen proves once again he’s as capable in fights as he is in quieter times of prayer and worship.

A fast-paced, exuberant outing for the virtuoso clergyman and his numerous comrades.

into the world to stir up negative emotions. Jackie’s best pal, Jason, wants to be more than friends. David, a young seminarian, tries to entice Jackie back to church. She is conflicted: Can she master her emotions, or will the shell she’s made for herself crack apart? In this series opener, Keltner (Obsession, 2013, etc.) writes simply but effectively in the third person, crafting characters from small details while striking a good balance between the story’s paranormal and personal threads. Jackie’s Russian background adds unobtrusive depth to her situation. The fact that neither she nor her mother speaks Russian—while her great-grandmother doesn’t converse in English—evokes an assimilation that contrasts with Jackie’s being made an outcast for nonethnic reasons. Jackie’s religious upbringing makes her shun her powers, and this question of self runs through all aspects of her life. In terms of romance, the interlocking love triangles (Jackie-Jason-Trish; Jason-Jackie-David) seem quite natural in their shifting patterns. The dialogue sits well. All told, Jackie’s story moves quickly and engagingly, and though the ending is perhaps a bit chaotic, teen readers will find much to like here.

A knotty and evocative search for identity.

THE CREATIVE ADVANTAGES OF SCHIZOPHRENIA The Muse and the Mad Hatter Kiritsis, Paul BookBaby (133 pp.) $119.95 | Jun. 1, 2019 978-1-5275-3165-9

A scholarly analysis explores the link between psychopathology—in particular, positive schizotypy—and creativity.

As debut author Kiritsis observes, creativity has long been associated with “divine madness” and the inspired artist with tortured insanity. He aims to make the case that there is, in fact, a “connection between the schizospectrum, bipolar, and substance abuse disorders and creativity.” More specifically, the author investigates the possibility that psychosis and creativity “share polygenetic roots” and that “the inner mental processes experienced as delusional beliefs and hallucinations by the inwardly disordered may also be the fountainhead and raw underpinning of creative thought.” Kiritsis focuses on positive schizotypy, which characterizes “highly imaginative” and “internally preoccupied” people who tend to hold beliefs about the world that are unconventionally drawn to the mystical and supernatural. The author furnishes a rigorously synoptic history of schizophrenia and its treatment, including an edifying discussion of the modern tendency to overinterpret it as a “brain disease” and handle it accordingly by pharmaceutical means. He raises provocative questions about the peculiar evolutionary resilience of schizophrenia, which, he argues, suggests that creativity is among its “compensatory advantages.”

As Kiritsis points out, his study has “profound clinical and social implications,” not just for the understanding of psychopathology and its treatment, but also as a potential means to

POSSESSED

Keltner, JoAnne Self (333 pp.) $13.99 paper | $3.99 e-book Jan. 30, 2019 978-1-79165-741-3 A teenage girl with psychic powers must deal with persecution and relationship issues in this coming-of-age YA paranormal novel.

Seventeen-year-old Jackie Turov is known at school as “Goth Girl” or “Virgin Queen,” the latter because she had a vision in church when she was 12, one that tragically came true, the former because she now dresses in goth style, trying to distance herself from the notoriety of that incident. The problem is Jackie’s prescience wasn’t a one-off.

She picks up on emotions and cannot help “reading” any person or object she touches. Among her peers, she is a pariah—a freak.

Even her father can’t cope with her strangeness. He divorced Jackie’s mother and moved away. Despite this, Jackie has found her place. She has good relationships with her mom and greatgrandmother. She has a small but tight group of friends. But this is about to change. After a bad solar storm leaves the town rife with psychic energy, Trish, one of Jackie’s friends, calls a demon 168

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Leclercq introduces elements of daily life in Kribi naturally, giving readers an insider’s view. kiki and the sneaky chameleon

disabuse the “profusion of ignorance around mental illness” so common today. Furthermore, the work also points the way to a less idolatrous embrace of “the hegemony of the Western-mind sciences,” which, as a consequence of an unbridled materialism, immediately classifies spiritual experiences as aberrant hallucinations. The book is brimming with haunting images by debut illustrator Christos Stamboulakis, the author’s cousin, and others, many of which depict the struggle with psychosis. Kiritsis’ study is painstakingly argued—he furnishes a model of experimental meticulousness. In addition, the analysis is not just scientifically exacting, but reasonable as well—he draws on both his work as a “burgeoning clinician” and his experiences as an “untutored eyewitness.” The subject matter is drawn from Kiritsis’ doctoral dissertation and often reads precisely like that: long, crashing sentences brimming with gratuitously technical jargon turbidly conveyed. But beneath the topsoil of academicspeak, there is a genuinely intriguing exploration of creativity.

Despite some dense prose, this work offers a stimulating investigation into an important scientific topic.

couple become caught in a walk-in freezer. Sexual innuendos are misinterpreted; calls get recorded; company cellphones harbor compromising photographs; hickeys raise eyebrows; and tempers flare. But overall, the stories amount to good, clean fun even if they are at the expense of employees who sometimes forget they’re at their place of employment. The book’s second half is decidedly a bit racier, with episodes of narcotic misappropriation, porn surfing at work, and trouble with tricky company emails. Of course, the generally provocative nature of the tales as a collection ebbs and flows, with some pieces reading more like dirty jokes than actual events. Still, the entertainment factor is consistent and the laughs should come easily for readers who fancy the awkwardness of workplace weirdness.

A collection full of office disasters, ideal for readers who need a refresher course on the consequences of impropriety.

KIKI AND THE SNEAKY CHAMELEON

NAUGHTY SHORTS True Stories of Sex and Bad Judgment at Work Lawler, Jesse Rockhampton Press (140 pp.) $10.99 paper | Oct. 17, 2019 978-1-7340799-0-6

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Leclercq, Fleurie NDE Media Group (38 pp.) $9.99 paper | $2.99 e-book Jun. 19, 2019 978-1-949757-03-3

A young African girl learns to love more than just her favorite color with the help of a chameleon in this series opener.

Kiki lives in the small fishing village of Kribi, Cameroon.

One beautiful day, she requests her favorite red dress, which she wears almost all the time. When Kiki plucks fruit from the cacao tree, one of them feels strange. It’s no fruit—it’s a chameleon. Kiki shows her mother and a friend, and each time she looks for the chameleon, she discovers it has changed color to blend in with its surroundings. When she and her friend expose the chameleon to a rainbow, Kiki decides that she should love all the colors, not just red. Through simple, somewhat lengthy text and the brightly colored, uncredited, digital cartoon images, readers encounter Kiki as an irrepressible young girl. In this picture book, Leclercq (Snow Flower and the Panther, 2018, etc.) introduces elements of daily life in Kribi naturally, giving readers an insider’s view of Kiki’s experiences. The story is accompanied by a fanciful description of how rainbows form: “Mist and sun / Mix up in the sky. / Makes a pretty rainbow / As colors pass by.” Though the tale has a distinct and vivid setting that may be new to many readers, Kiki’s adventures and choices will resonate.

A cheerful, slice-of-life Cameroon story with tidbits of science and vibrant digital illustrations.

A debut collection offers bawdy true stories of workplace misbehavior.

Lawler draws from a 30-year career in corporate employee relations to share these fact-based vignettes chronicling red-faced embarrassments at work. He believes most “Americans are bound together by three common experiences: working, sex, and intermittently bad judgment.” The 32 tales he shares—some no longer than a page in length—reinforce this opinion and explore themes of the interpersonally inappropriate, the messy office affairs, and the self-sabotaged careers at the “intersection of Bad Choice Boulevard and Sex Drive.” The stories’ titles alone allude to what’s in store for readers (“Nipple Clamps in the Mailroom”; “You Gonna Eat That?”), and much of the subject matter ranges from the innocent office faux pas to the full humiliation of exposed employee fraternization. In the opening tale, a disgruntled, passive-aggressive, 50-something senior buyer is caught on camera licking the car doors of her office nemesis. The next story focuses on a long-standing mailroom supervisor’s alarm at the discovery of a box of sexual accessories sent to the office by a clueless employee. Elsewhere, calling the boss’s boss a dildo has repercussions for a human resources expert, and a wrongful termination lawsuit exposes details of covert polygamy.

Lawler’s tenure in human resources for a commercial bakery provided fodder for more scandalous tales. A production worker on the layer cake line faints after relating the intimate details of two co-workers’ public fondling session; a female employee gets an uncomfortable reminder about proper hygiene; and a frisky |

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WEST OF SIN A Thriller

EMBRACING HEALING A Slow Down Thirty Day Practice

Lewis, Wesley S. Red Granite Press (336 pp.) $25.99 | $15.99 paper | $3.99 e-book Feb. 4, 2020 978-1-73401-570-6 978-1-73401-571-3 paper

Murphy, Christina BalboaPress (48 pp.) $8.99 paper | $3.99 e-book | Jan. 22, 2019 978-1-5043-4861-4

A winsome debut collection of aphoristic reflections.

In this slim, calendrical book, Murphy, a wellness coach and Lyme disease sufferer, offers 30 brief, daily meditations for people struggling with chronic illness or simply stressed out by their hectic lives. As such, the entries touch on many familiar wellness themes. Day 3’s positive-thinking message enjoins readers to “Think of one blessing you have and celebrate that.”

Day 7 extols everyday pleasures, and Day 23 praises everyday courtesies (“A smile, a nice gesture or a small pleasantry in the day can be uplifting”). Day 13 offers tips on getting things done while Day 11 recommends periodically not getting things done (“We all need a day to be lazy”), and Day 9 even sings the praises of goofing off. Some entries strike a philosophical mood, as in Day 5’s entry, which urges readers “to watch the sun set or the moon rise” and observes that “all of nature is affected by the course they take,” and Day 16’s mystical meditation on being and time (“Consent to be late at times. A strict itinerary is not an act of living. Life is. It just is. Be and breathe”). To tempt readers into abandoning an overly strict itinerary, each page offers a large drawing of a mandala full of complex, flowery swirls that beg to be colored in. Murphy’s prose is sometimes pithily blunt (“Talk slower or don’t talk”), but it’s also often delicately lyrical (“When I worked at a museum, one day I laid in the grass like I was going to make a snow angel and just let the apple blossoms fall and truly listened to the birds”).

The book doesn’t contain unique or particularly deep thoughts.

However, readers who take the time to ponder them will likely start off their day on a warmly encouraging note.

Cheerful, homespun nuggets of wisdom with engaging coloring opportunities.

A debut novel features Las Vegas casinos, the Russian mob, and a greedy sex worker.

The first part of this tale exemplifies the grim adage that if hapless heroes didn’t have bad luck, they’d have no luck at all.

Jennifer Williams is in Vegas for a commercial real estate convention. Having caught her lover in bed with another woman, she rushes blindly out of town only to stumble onto a robbery in progress at a convenience store in Pahrump, Nevada. Enter Matt Crocker, an impromptu hero, who kills three thugs who work for Russian mobster Vladimer Dudka. Now the Russian mob is after the duo to recover some serious money and wreak vengeance. The Russians have also managed to kidnap Ashley Thomas, Jennifer’s co-worker. Rescuing her involves a very complicated scam to be pulled off at the Stratosphere Tower on the Strip. And it works. In the meantime, the protagonists are hiding out at the Prickly Pear Ranch, where they meet Vegas and Scarlett, two sex workers who enhance and advance the plot. Just when it seems that Jennifer and Matt are getting a break, Scarlett, in it for herself, betrays them, and they are back in Dudka’s murderous hands. More troubles ensue, including shootouts and desperate escapes that are quickly thwarted. This is a very impressive first novel, offering rigorously researched details. Some of the ingredients—Las Vegas, the Russians, a hunky hero who blushes on cue, lawmen who pepper their speech with acronyms—are clichéd but to be expected in a thriller. Fortunately, Lewis knows how to deliver plot twists, things most astute readers will not see coming. His prose style fits a caper set in Vegas. Call it hard-boiled (think Raymond Chandler and John D. MacDonald) and street-smart with a fillip of flipness (“ ‘It’s an awesome plan.’ Scarlett’s tone was indignant. ‘The FBI has no jurisdiction in Mexico. I have a friend who’s been down there since she was indicted for selling ecstasy. She turns tricks at this dive bar in Ensenada. I’m going to buy the bar…and spend my days drinking piña coladas on the beach’ ”). Vegas—the sex worker—deserves special mention.

She is an appealing character: sweet as a favorite sister, perky as a cheerleader, strangely innocent, and an expert in cool stuff like parachuting and casino security.

A rousing, well-researched thriller by an author who should be encouraged.

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APPROACHING FREEDOM An Exile’s Quest for a New Self Nodarse, Maria A. Self (382 pp.) $17.99 paper | $6.99 e-book Nov. 16, 2018 978-1-73289-290-3

A Cuban political refugee recalls her arrival in 1960s America in this debut memoir.

Nodarse and her mother were chatting on their front porch in Havana when the family received a telegram saying that Loren, the author’s brother, had absconded with equipment from the Georgia Military Academy. He intended to join Fidel Castro’s rebellion against Cuban President Fulgencio Batista. |

Paolicelli offers enough excitement—especially in the pirate action scenes—to keep the story dynamic and fresh. a jíbaro’s miracle

history of coffee left to him by his father. Soon after, Ephraim meets a mysterious coffee trader named Amal, who gives him some magic coffee beans that miraculously grow overnight into many mature trees. Ephraim realizes his father’s dream and starts his own hacienda that becomes so successful that he soon travels to Europe for a coffee contest. When Ephraim’s ship is attacked by pirates, he must face danger and make deals to survive. He graciously reconciles with Mr. Dominicci, who admits his sins and becomes a force for good in his community. Supplementary information includes a glossary, map, and historical photographs. In some ways, Paolicelli (Lightkeepers to the Rescue!, 2012, etc.) tells a classic tale of the poor boy who advances through sweat, honesty, and faith, with a supernatural twist coming from the miraculous coffee beans. It’s a touching story that emphasizes family, generosity, and other virtues, and it can get a little didactic. Ephraim is sometimes too saintly to be true, but there’s enough excitement— especially in the pirate action scenes—to keep the story dynamic and fresh. Young readers have a chance to learn about coffee and its history, the hacienda system and jíbaros (peasants), Puerto Rico, and Caribbean piracy. The book is attractively presented and thoughtful, featuring a burlap background for many of Daly’s (Lightkeepers to the Rescue!, 2012) expressive, lively illustrations in charcoal and pencil.

An entertaining, heartwarming coming-of-age story with a Puerto Rican flavor.

DNA NATION How the Internet of Genes Is Changing Your Life

Pistoi, Sergio Crux Publishing (262 pp.) $13.99 paper | $7.99 e-book Oct. 18, 2019 978-1-909979-90-1

A JÍBARO’S MIRACLE The Tale of Ephraim, a Young Puerto Rican Country Boy, and His Great Coffee Adventure

A guide focuses on direct-to-consumer genetics and the genomic social network.

Pistoi (Il DNA Incontra Facebook, 2012) begins this edifying work with an exploration of his own DNA. He fills a test tube with spit and sends it off to 23andme.com, a company that offers direct-to-consumer genetic services. For the price of $99, he will learn about his own genetic profile. The author admits that, as someone who has studied the genetic material of other people for years (he holds a Ph.D. in molecular biology), it feels a bit strange for him to be looking at an analysis of his own. Yet this is the state of present-day technology. Consumers who pay for such a process can join a social network of genetic relatives, discover common ancestors, and even delve into more esoteric topics like the idea of following diets based on their DNA. Of course, this all comes with a price, whether it is the complications of genetic privacy or unscrupulous businesses attempting to cash in on ideas without a lot of scientific backing. In the end, Pistoi warns that, though the technology is thrilling, “genetics is not destiny and DNA is not prophecy.” The manual strikes a highly readable balance between excitement and caution. Although readers initially

Paolicelli, Marisa de Jesús Illus. by Daly, Susan E. A Caribbean Experience Con Amor (164 pp.) $24.00 978-0-9797641-2-7 A gift of coffee beans helps a Puerto Rican boy rise from peasant to hacienda owner in this children’s book.

After his father’s death, 12-year-old Ephraim Montalvo helps support his mother by picking coffee cherries for the Hacienda Dominicci. Much hard work has enabled Ephraim to pay off his father’s debt to Mr. Dominicci, money Mr. Montalvo had hoped to use for his own plantation. Ephraim finishes repayment, but his cheerful nature is crushed when the hacienda owner contemptuously refuses to acknowledge this, and it seems he and his mother will always be trapped in poverty. Seeing her son’s despair, Mrs. Montalvo gives him an encouraging letter and a book on the |

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As a 12-year-old, Nodarse had a sense that tensions were rising in Cuba, with exploding Molotov cocktails becoming a regular occurrence. With Havana “on the brink of open warfare,” the family spent Christmas 1958 in Mexico and on New Year’s Eve learned of Batista’s overthrow. Nodarse and her family returned to Havana, but when her father lost his job, they left Cuba for Miami, later relocating to New Jersey. The author struggled to assimilate, was marked as an outsider, and heard malicious questions such as “Did you wear shoes in Cuba?” Growing older, she attended Columbia University and, rebellious in nature, became a political activist. She also became fixated on her identity and the possibility of reconnecting with her homeland. Nodarse has a zesty narrative style, which is immediately endearing. On receiving the telegram about her brother, she notes that the “tall scrawny” delivery boy “could have punched me in the stomach.

I’d seen enough World War II movies to know telegrams were bad news.” She also employs dialogue to great effect, weaving it seamlessly into the narrative. Here she recalls her first encounter with her future partner, Bernard: “ ‘Do I detect an accent?’ he asked as he draped his trench coat over his arm. It must have been the way I pronounced ‘Nodarse.’ ‘I’m Cuban,’ I said, with hauteur.” This passage also reflects the author’s keen eye for detail and elegant word choice. While well written, the memoir would have benefitted from more precise signposting regarding exact locations and dates—this information is communicated vaguely throughout, although this misstep does not detract greatly from the text. Nodarse’s story may not have the suspense and scope of similar works, such as Finding Mañana by Mirta Ojito, but it remains a valuable first-person account of a pivotal moment in Cuban history.

A stylish and eloquent examination of Cuban identity and outsiders.

get more detail about the specifics of the author’s spitting into a tube than they may have bargained for (“My spit tube is only half full and my salivary glands are already dry”), the impressive book explores territory that is both easy to understand and enlightening. From a discussion of alleles (“Each allele is a different flavour of the same gene that exist in a population…we inherit two alleles of each gene and their combination affects our traits”) to describing the ways in which genetic testing can aid law enforcement, topics are underscored with useful information. For instance, on the ever controversial subject of race, Pistoi points out that the concept is generally understood to be a social construct. As the author notes about genetic markers in different populations, “none is found only in one or another, making it impossible to establish any category that is remotely scientifically accurate.” What then, can be gleaned from human DNA? A lot of illuminating things, it turns out, but certainly not everything.

An indispensable resource for understanding the complex world of over-the-counter genetic testing.

/ how uncertain.” Price is as adept with his poetry as he is with his pictures, and the combination is a moving testimony to the struggle of those who yearn for a better life elsewhere.

A mournful, beautiful, and original synthesis of word and image.

BLING A Story About Ditching the Struggle and Living in Flow

Seth, Andy Flow Books (234 pp.) $24.99 | $16.99 paper | $6.99 e-book Sep. 23, 2019 978-1-5445-0553-4 978-1-5445-0552-7 paper

A despondent rapper gets his groove back with the help of an Indian guru in this debut novel–cum–self-help guide.

A-Luv, an American rap superstar and son of Indian immigrants, enjoys a Malibu, California, mansion along with “an icedout Rolex, massive diamonds in his ears, and countless rings and bracelets.” But his bling-obsessed ethos has saddled him with depression, loneliness, drug addiction, and a creative drought.

His agent steers him to the Indian town of Laxman Jhula, by the holy River Ganges in the Himalayan foothills, and to Guddu, a jeweler and spiritual leader of a yoga retreat center. Guddu has an “inner glow that feels pure” and a thunderous laugh—“AH ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah!”—that echoes through the book. A-Luv agrees to learn about his “high vibe lifestyle,” based on Hindu and Buddhist philosophy. Central to the creed is a mystic metaphysics, which maintains that “everyone is made of energy, which means we’re all the same inside, and connected,” and advocates the quieting of the egoistic, ever distracted “monkey mind” through the cultivation of the soul’s awareness by meditation. Guddu’s fetching assistant, Nikki, puts A-Luv through meditative exercises, like staring at a candle flame. Soon, his awareness and powers of concentration burgeon along with his attraction to Nikki. A dangerous whitewater rafting trip down the Ganges with Guddu teaches A-Luv more lessons on the “Five Fingers of Life,” a doctrine that emphasizes being present in the moment, accepting and dealing with the world even when it’s capsizing your raft, and treating life as a flow of playfulness and creativity. Seth, an entrepreneur and music producer, conveys the warmhearted book’s sometimesesoteric Eastern wisdom in a down-to-earth way. The mechanics of meditation are illustrated in a straightforward fashion (“Focus on the rhythm and the sensations of your breathing. The warmth of the air, the sensations in your nose”). And the basic insights— focus, avoid neurotic rumination, take things as they come—are couched in pragmatic Western tones (“You can’t eliminate head trash without changing your beliefs”). The author’s prose is a bit didactic, but A-Luv’s common touch—“Almost every person I admire has meditation as a common denominator….I was like yo, maybe this is for real”—keeps things reasonably fresh.

An engaging tale about the meditative life whose hiphop stylings make the enlightenment lighthearted.

THE LIQUID BORDER The Rio Grande From El Paso to the Gulf of Mexico

Price, Jonathan Reeve Illus. by the author The Communication Circle (40 pp.) $7.95 paper | $2.99 e-book | May 15, 2019 978-0-9719954-3-7

Price’s new poetry collection centers on the nature of borders.

How do you cut a river in half? You can’t, of course—which makes the paradox of the Rio Grande even more painful in Price’s thoughtful, poignant new book of poetry and digital art.

The poet refers to that river, which makes up much of the physical border between the United States and its southern neighbor: “Throughout most of the river’s run to the Gulf of Mexico,” Price writes, “the border is in the middle of the flow, invisible, but real.”

That border has become a source of significant international conflict in the modern era, as immigrants hoping to cross it have run up against the will—and in a few places, the wall—of a presidential administration intent on keeping them out. Price’s volume seeks to map that liminal space in imagery and verse. Roughly half the book is given over to digital images; in them, the artist stitches together cartographs, photographs, and satellite images, many of them altered, to evoke the strange space between the two countries. Price calls these pieces “imaginary” maps and argues that they document “something close to reality, but not all there.” Accompanying the visuals are roughly a dozen thoughtful, poignant poems, many of which capture the torturous experience of those seeking entry into America. For instance, one of the later entries opens, “Wet and cold we crossed the island to the deeper river, / stepped in, and, the guides told us, passed the invisible border, / but all we saw was clouds and those cliffs, so tall, / steep, and slippery, rocks sliding down, / shoving us back down, clambering back up. / How hard our first steps into America were, 172

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Spivak offers a useful overview of project management as well as an in-depth examination of PMO governance. pmo governance

THE SEVENTH LEVEL Transform Your Business Through Meaningful Engagement With Your Customers and Employees

PMO GOVERNANCE Practical Strategies To Govern Portfolio, Program, and Project Delivery

Spivak, Eugen FriesenPress (270 pp.) $59.99 | $49.99 paper | $47.99 e-book Jul. 30, 2019 978-0-9959618-5-2 978-0-9959618-3-8 paper

Slavin, Amanda Lioncrest Publishing (252 pp.) $14.99 paper | $9.99 e-book Oct. 20, 2019 978-1-5445-0580-0

A brand consultant makes a case for employing an “engagement framework” to attract and retain customers.

“We are settling for a one-way conversation when we could be building more meaningful and more profitable connections,” claims Slavin in this engrossing debut. To meet this challenge, the author believes companies need to reach “the seventh level,” a degree of engagement in which, she says, “your audience’s personal values and beliefs deeply align with yours.”

Essentially, this book is about the journey to that highest level.

Slavin guides readers through three phases (Attract, Engage, Delight), discussing each of the seven levels in some detail, relying heavily on her own firm’s methodology and client examples.

In that sense, the work may be viewed as a bit of a sales pitch.

Still, the content is intriguing and applicable to any business. In fact, the author broadens the volume to include employee as well as customer engagement, so it does double duty as both an internal and external motivational guide of sorts. While the core notion of engagement is frequently discussed in marketing books, dividing the concept into levels is an idea that has merit, primarily because it facilitates defining the specific actions required to make progress from one stage to the next. The levels naturally escalate from “disinterest” (Level One) through “self-regulated interest” (Level Five) to “literate thinking” (Level Seven). To keep up the pace, the author uses an unusual technique: She relates each of the seven levels to the relationship ups and downs of the two lead characters in the 1989 movie When Harry Met Sally. Slavin does such a clever job of incorporating the film’s key moments that this gambit creatively humanizes the levels of engagement. Admittedly, some senior executives may find this concept too cute, but it should appeal to a younger, media-oriented audience. Another solid aspect of the volume is the use of a single fictional company as a case study to illustrate how each level operates. The compelling book is clearly written in language appropriate for business managers, and the author’s enthusiasm for the topic is almost palpable.

A fresh, enlightening perspective on customer engagement.

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An expert examines the inner workings of the Project Management Office.

Whether a business organization thinks of its needs in terms of projects, programs, or portfolios, there is a standardized process for management that should funnel through a centralized PMO. Spivak, whose background encompasses extensive project management experience as well as management consulting, dissects and explains the optimum functioning of the PMO in this excellent debut. The book offers a useful overview of project management as well as a practical, in-depth examination of all aspects of PMO governance. The author outlines functional responsibilities and governance of the PMO, describes project management methodologies, and addresses process maturity levels. In a discussion of specific project-related career positions, Spivak doesn’t merely put forth a job description for program manager, PMO director, and other jobs—he very effectively outlines the core competencies necessary to excel at each role.

The final three chapters of the volume will probably prove the most valuable to business leaders. They cover PMO best practices, leadership, and overall implementation. The author offers his “very important guidelines” for achieving PMO effectiveness, each of which is based on his experience, and uses relevant examples. He also provides specific guidelines for portfolio, program, and project management, clearly delineating the differences as well as “Guiding Statements” for building effective PMOs. A particularly intriguing section of the work, especially for larger organizations, concerns the implementation of “megaprojects” (initiatives with $1 billion-plus budgets). As for leadership, Spivak wisely covers team building as well as personal, interpersonal, and professional traits of exceptional project management leaders. The last chapter presents a short but illuminating PMO business case based on one of the author’s clients. The content is intelligently organized and expertly written, making liberal use of examples. Each chapter concludes with a bulleted summary of key points. Spivak willingly shares his knowledge throughout the book. For example, he details nine strategic recommendations for PMO improvement, contrasted with nine common pitfalls, with helpful recommendations for avoiding them.

Authoritative and comprehensive; a highly relevant guide written specifically for project management professionals.

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engine and manned flight while his overview of advertising, “a major force in many capitalist economies,” demonstrates a keen understanding of marketing techniques and media, in particular the emergence of television and the internet. The second half of the meticulously researched book concentrates more directly on consumption, broadly defined by the author to encompass the use of all of the planet’s resources, including fossil fuels, water, and food. Stadtmiller writes: “Consumption levels of the world’s wealthiest countries…are draining the remaining stockpiles of critical nonrenewable natural resources at untenable rates; the disparities of this consumption are glaring. Twenty percent of the population from the highest income countries consumes 86% of all private consumption.”

That startling statistic is but a single example of the compelling facts the author shares to dramatize the impact of modern consumption. Several chapters highlight some of humanity’s most egregious environmental abuses. “The Promise of Polymers,” for example, clearly discusses the relatively recent invention of plastics with particular attention to their toxicity. Stadtmiller knowledgeably writes about the shortcomings of the plastics recycling system and the bodily hazards of BPA. Another engaging chapter addresses the pros and cons of genetically modified organisms, particularly with respect to food production. One of the more eye-opening chapters delves into “Mount Waste-More,” the author’s clever name for the world’s trash crisis: “Globally, garbage waste is accumulating at 2.12 billion tons per year, 555 pounds of garbage each year per each global citizen.” On the positive side, he wisely observes that some American communities are adopting a “completely new concept of a world without garbage” called “Zero-Waste.”

Also pertinent are the five profiles (Brazil, India, China, Russia, the United States) provided as examples of energy and environmental usage by individual countries. Stadtmiller’s lucid discussion of a “Nature-Conscious Consumer” reflects a sensible depiction of human accountability. With a rather remarkable eye for detail, he takes a broad view of human consumption, neatly dividing the topic into understandable segments while relating them to the whole. The author employs the occasional meaningful example for illustration and supports the text with a liberal use of carefully chosen statistics.

An impressive, impassioned call for fundamental change in the way humans interact with their world.

Stadtmiller, Joseph Self (405 pp.) $15.99 paper | Nov. 17, 2019 978-1-7340731-0-2

A former electrical engineer and retired teacher offers a sweeping study of global human consumption.

Stadtmiller (Those We Touch Along the Way, 2017, etc.) considers consumption from a historical perspective, tracing the usage of Earth’s resources from early humans through today.

The first half of this illuminating work presents an abbreviated version of the salient points of human history, including the development of tools and weapons, the creation of clothing, the domestication of plants and animals, the exploration of the world, the use of various resources to generate power, the advent of the Industrial Revolution, and the rise of consumerism. The author summarizes key global occurrences of the millennia in largely readable prose, although some sections are dense and a bit too heavy on historical details. Stadtmiller’s engineering background contributes to technical but not uninteresting descriptions of such innovations as the internal combustion

This Issue’s Contributors # ADULT Maude Adjarian • Paul Allen • Rebecca Leigh Anthony • Mark Athitakis • Eleanor Bader • Colette Bancroft • Joseph Barbato • Adam benShea • Sarah Blackman • Amy Boaz • Catherine Cardno Lee E. Cart • Kristin Centorcelli • Carin Clevidence • K.W. Colyard • Devon Crowe • Perry Crowe Dave DeChristopher • Kathleen Devereaux • Amanda Diehl • Melanie Dragger • Bobbi Dumas Daniel Dyer • Lisa Elliott • Kristen Evans • Mia Franz • Harvey Freedenberg • Michael Griffith Janice Harayda • Natalia Holtzman • Kerri Jarema • Laura Jenkins • Jessica Jernigan • Skip Johnson Jayashree Kambel • Chelsea Langford • Tom Lavoie • Louise Leetch • Judith Leitch • Chelsea Leu Peter Lewis • Don McLeese • Gregory McNamee • Clayton Moore • Molly Muldoon • Jennifer Nabers • Christopher Navratil • Sarah Neilson • Liza Nelson • Mike Oppenheim • Scott Parker • Sarah Parker-Lee • Jim Piechota • Margaret Quamme • Carolyn Quimby • Michele Ross • Lloyd Sachs • Bob Sanchez • E.F. Schraeder • Polly Shulman • Rosanne Simeone • Linda Simon • Clay Smith • Wendy Smith • Margot E. Spangenberg • Rachel Sugar • Jessica Miller • George Weaver • Wilda Williams Laura H. Wimberley • Kerry Winfrey • Marion Winik CHILDREN’S & TEEN Lucia Acosta • Maya Alkateb-Chami • Autumn Allen • Alison Anholt-White • Elizabeth Bird Marcie Bovetz • Linda Boyden • Kimberly Brubaker Bradley • Christopher A. Brown • Jessica Brown Timothy Capehart • Patty Carleton • Hicham Chami • Ann Childs • Alec B. Chunn • Amanda Chuong • Jeannie Coutant • Cherrylyn Cruzat • Julie Danielson • Elise DeGuiseppi • Luisana Duarte Armendáriz • Eiyana Favers • Amy Seto Forrester • Rebecca Garcia • Laurel Gardner • Carol Goldman • Melinda Greenblatt • Vicky Gudelot • Tobi Haberstroh • Julie Hubble • Shelley Huntington • Kathleen T. Isaacs • Darlene Sigda Ivy • Elizabeth Leanne Johnson • Danielle Jones • Betsy Judkins • Deborah Kaplan • Megan Dowd Lambert • Hanna Lee • Lori Low • Pooja Makhijani • Joan Malewitz • J. Alejandro Mazariegos • Kathie Meizner • Mary Margaret Mercado • Daniel Meyer J. Elizabeth Mills • Sabrina Montenigro • Lisa Moore • Katrina Nye • Tori Ann Ogawa • Hal Patnott Deb Paulson • Rachel G. Payne • John Edward Peters • Susan Pine • Rebecca Rabinowitz • Kristy Raffensberger • Amy B. Reyes • Nancy Thalia Reynolds • Erika Rohrbach • Leslie L. Rounds • Katie Scherrer • John W. Shannon • Lenny Smith • Rita Soltan • Mathangi Subramanian • Jennifer Sweeney Pat Tanumihardja • Tharini Viswanath • Bean Yogi

SECOND SON

Taylor, Pamela Black Rose Writing (183 pp.) $15.95 paper | $3.99 e-book | Jul. 19, 2018 978-1-68433-063-8 In this debut historical novel, a young lord is held captive and recalls pivotal moments in his life.

It is a time of peace, and Alfred is the king’s grandson. He’s also the second son of a second son, making him “twice removed from the advantages of inheritance.” And yet, the king

INDIE Alana Abbott • Kent Armstrong • Darren Carlaw • Charles Cassady • Michael Deagler • Stephanie Dobler Cerra • Steve Donoghue • Jacob Edwards • Megan Elliott • Joshua Farrington • Eric F. Frazier Justin Hickey • Ivan Kenneally • Collin Marchiando • Joshua T. Pederson • Jim Piechota • Alicia Power Sarah Rettger • Mark A. Salfi • Jerome Shea • Barry Silverstein

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Terranova’s story triumphantly fuses fantasy with real-world relationships. gemini ascending

adores Alfred for his interest in animals, kind disposition, and potential for greatness. Just over a year ago, he married Lady Gwendolyn from the northern Kingdom of the Lakes. A sharply curious girl, she’s interested in more “than just sewing and dancing,” making theirs a match based on intellectual and emotional compatibility. Her presence in his life makes up for John, Alfred’s loutish older brother, who cares only for drinking and stirring up trouble. Eventually, the king sends Alfred on a mission. He ventures west, toward the unorganized territories, to help his Uncle Harold build a dam. Alfred must also investigate the movements of the disgraced knight Ranulf and his villainous sons. But when the dam builders’ camp is attacked, Alfred is taken prisoner. His captor, a man named Ralf, is determined to earn a ransom by taking the king’s grandson farther and farther west. Even if he escapes, can Alfred traverse hostile country and survive? Taylor crafts a slender but detailed series opener that unfolds mainly through flashbacks. While captive, Alfred remembers the highlights of his teenage years, including sword practice; taming his colt, Star Dancer; and losing his virginity to a barmaid at John’s behest. Valuable lessons come from the king, such as, “Only when survival is assured can a man consider such things as improving his status in life” and “Only when he’s reasonably comfortable can he...consider greater contributions to society.” Perhaps most appealing to modern audiences is the king’s kindness toward Alfred. The monarch tells the young man he can refuse to marry Gwen if he feels no spark for her.

Battlefield intrigue and the medical expertise of monks add pleasant intricacies to the narrative. The splendid finale closes the author’s introduction to her medieval world and provides good bones for the sequel.

A fine-grained and emotionally satisfying medieval adventure.

GEMINI ASCENDING Tempting Eternity

Terranova, Mark John Outskirts Press $4.99 e-book | Nov. 24, 2019 978-1-977207-86-9 978-1-4787-8013-7 paper

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and attains greater strength as well as a slightly altered physical appearance. Meanwhile, John has heard voices for years, but psychiatrists, like Dr. Katherine Duhring, quickly learn he may not be insane. With John under hypnosis, Zach emerges—not an alternate personality but a separate entity residing in John’s subconscious. Enigmatic Dr. Adolphus Junger has his eyes on both men, with an apparent extrasensory perception allowing him to watch James in Malaysia. But James and Winston soon return to the United States in hopes of freeing the former’s imprisoned fraternal twin, who’s an immortal gorgon. Though James isn’t short on enemies, his biggest threat may be Abdullah, a mysterious individual who could prove a menace to SuiLeng and her boys.

Terranova’s (Gemini Ascending: Book 1: Eternal Twins, 2017, etc.) sequel begins with Chapter 22, following a summary of the preceding installment’s 21 chapters. The succinct summary adequately details the earlier plot but doesn’t clarify everything.

For example, it’s unclear how Junger has been “manipulating” James’ life or how he can “steer the fate of the world.” This book nevertheless clearly elucidates other plot points, like what specific danger Earth is possibly facing and Junger’s somewhat cryptic but still engrossing genesis. Though much of the narrative is dialogue, Terranova’s concise prose generates memorable scenes. James’ mental and physical trials at Snake Temple, for one, include regular beatings and exposure to snake venom. The doctor monitoring John’s subconscious sees “a dirt crossroads in a lush valley,” surrounded by “streams, fields, and farm land.”

The story triumphantly fuses fantasy with real-world relationships: Junger and Katherine’s association is complicated since they’re former lovers; SuiLeng isn’t keen on James’ telepathic link to his twin, especially during private spousal moments. But Terranova’s novel isn’t quite the “self-contained” story that he asserts it is in his preface. Though the Book 1 recap eases new readers into the tale, it still feels like part of a larger saga. The sequel opens with subplots in progress (for example, John’s hypnosis) and leaves numerous plot threads untied for, presumably, a future installment to pick up. Regardless, the strong ending will likely spark readers’ interest in continuing the series.

A captivating, otherworldly sequel that should appeal to both new and returning readers.

THE CAUSES OF PEACE What We Know Now

An immortal and a psychiatric patient may be the only ones who can stop a potential catastrophe on Earth in this second installment of a fantasy series.

James Montgomery is a centuries-old immortal with abilities such as telepathy. Fate has linked him with John Parella Jr., who, in the mid-1990s, is undergoing psychiatric treatment in Pennsylvania. Evidently, both men are on quests that may restore balance in the world. If they aren’t successful, Earth will face an “unimaginable fate” affecting the entire universe. James is on his way to Penang, Malaysia, with his wife, SuiLeng, and her two sons. His destiny entails evolving into a more powerful being. He begins his “transmogrification process” at Snake Temple, with one of four stages of transformation. With help from his brother-in-law, Winston, James endures a few torturous days

Ed. by Toje, Asle & Steen, Bård Nikolas Vik Nobel Symposium Proceedings (438 pp.) $39.99 | $19.99 paper | $9.99 e-book Oct. 22, 2019 978-1-5445-0505-3 978-1-5445-0504-6 paper A collection of articles delivers an overview of the major intellectual trends in contemporary peace studies.

In this volume, the Norwegian Nobel Institute provides both scholars and the public with an exhaustive survey of contemporary peace studies that features the work of over a dozen leading |

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ANACAONA The Golden Flower Queen

academics and intellectuals from around the globe. Embracing the ambitions of Alfred Nobel to find ways in which “the peace of the centuries would be assured,” this book presents 15 chapters that offer “the most fruitful points of entry into the causes of peace.”

Though mostly crafted by academics, the contributions are deliberately written in an accessible way that attempts to narrow the divide between theoreticians in ivory towers and real-world diplomatic practitioners. Moreover, by deliberately selecting a group of authors from myriad disciplines, the work seeks to break down barriers among academics of different methodological backgrounds.

While all of the articles, in diverse ways, endeavor to explain the causes of peace, many present conflicting interpretations. This is by design and reflects a primary objective of the book, edited by Toje (Will China’s Rise Be Peaceful?, 2018, etc.) and Steen (co-author: Nuclear Disarmament, 2019), to highlight the nuances and complexities of contemporary peace studies. For example, Richard Lebow (King’s Coll. London) and Simon Reich (Rutgers Univ.) argue that American hegemony “is a fiction” used by the United States to justify military intervention. Alternately, Jeffrey Taliaferro (Tufts Univ.) suggests that American hegemony is a force of global stability. While differences in interpretation are embraced here, the inclusion of a chapter on Henry Kissinger by conservative provocateur Niall Ferguson (Hoover Institution at Stanford Univ.; Harvard Univ.; and Tsinghua Univ., Beijing) is curious. In a departure from the rigidly intellectual foundation of the other chapters, Ferguson simplistically reduces anti-war advocates to pacifist straw men ignorant of the realpolitik of international diplomacy and outlandishly claims that since the 1970s, “the study of diplomatic history all but ceased at major institutions of higher education.”

This would come as a shock to the University of Pennsylvania and other colleges around the globe that continue to offer courses in diplomatic history. Despite the outlier of Ferguson’s chapter, this volume is a significant contribution to the peace studies category.

An accessible and impressive collection of contemporary theories and approaches to peace studies.

Torres, Viviana S. Illus. by Ocampo, Maria Cayena Press (32 pp.) $17.99 | Oct. 12, 2019 978-1-73313-921-2

A debut picture book depicts a wellknown leader from the history of Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

This work presents a bilingual biography of Anacaona, a cacique, or chief, on the island of Quisqueya (Hispaniola) at the time of European contact. The book, which presents the text in English and Spanish on facing pages, begins with Anacaona’s birth and childhood, continues through her successful leadership of the community and her death at the hands of the Spanish, and concludes with an assessment of her portrayal in Haitian and Dominican culture in the centuries since her rule. The narrative has the feeling of a legend that has been passed down through generations, with a clear sense of destiny from the moment Anacaona is born to parents who, though they had other children, felt something “was missing in their lives.” Her achievements follow naturally from that beginning, and the ending, while tragic, fits entirely into the tale’s framework. Torres has a firm grasp of Anacaona’s history and does an excellent job of highlighting key moments and making them accessible to young readers. (The text includes descriptions of cruelty and violence that are not excessive but may be too intense for some children.) The 10-year-old author’s writing in both English and Spanish is strong and elegant. And the brightly colored images by debut illustrator Ocampo complement the text and bring the story’s Caribbean setting to life.

A bilingual tale deftly illuminates the life of a famous figure in the history of the Americas.

K I R K US M E DI A L L C # Chairman H E R B E RT S I M O N President & Publisher M A RC W I N K E L M A N Chief Executive Officer M E G L A B O R D E KU E H N # Copyright 2020 by Kirkus Media LLC. KIRKUS REVIEWS (ISSN 1948- 7428) is published semimonthly by Kirkus Media LLC, 2600Via Fortuna, Suite 130, Austin, TX 78746.

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INDIE

Books of the Month BLOOD FIRE VAPOR SMOKE

MS. NEVER Colin Dodds

Shann Ray

Existential dread takes on new meaning in a fantastical tale of shifting realities, secondchance romance, and unwanted business partners.

Incisive and riveting tales with a diverse cast courtesy of a skillful, expressive author.

A WOUNDED DEER LEAPS HIGHEST

Suzanne Samples

C.P. Mangel

A uniquely poetic memoir with dark humor and profound insights.

WHAT WE TAKE FOR TRUTH

THE THEORETICS OF LOVE

An impressive environmental tale with an engaging heroine from a talented new novelist.

An intelligent, deeply felt, quirky, and original novel that lives up to its ambitions.

An impressive segregation tale—not comforting by a long shot but true to its era and an intriguing experiment in textual form.

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FRONTAL MATTER

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By Michael Schaub Nobel Prize–winning author Peter Handke, who in October vowed never to speak to the press again, spoke to the press again.

The Austrian novelist answered questions—kind of—from reporters one day before his inaugural lecture to the Swedish Academy. Handke’s win has proved controversial, with critics noting that the author has in the past spoken in defense of Slobodan Milošević, the late Serbian president who died in 2006 while on trial for war crimes.

Peter Maass, a reporter for the Intercept, asked Handke whether he believed that the 1995 Srebrenica massacre—in which more than 8,000 Bosnian Muslims were slaughtered by Bosnian Serb and Serbian soldiers—had actually happened.

Maass said that Handke then “became combative and insulting” and recounted being sent a letter from a detractor that included used toilet paper. “I tell you, I prefer the anonymous letter with toilet paper inside to your empty and ignorant questions,” Handke told the reporter.

After Maass attempted to ask another question, Handke dismissed him, saying, “I don’t want to answer you.”

Alain Jocard-AFP via Getty Images

NOBEL LAUREATE PETER HANDKE SPARS WITH PRESS

Jonathan Beckerman

JEFF KINNEY IS BIG IN FRANCE

It’s official: The French love wimpy kids.

Jeff Kinney, the author of the wildly popular Diary of a Wimpy Kid children’s books, is now an officer of France’s Order of Arts and Letters (or, if you want to get all French about it, Ordre des Arts et des Lettres), Agence France-Presse reports.

“I fully expected Diary of a Wimpy Kid would be rejected,” Kinney said. “So I think it’s crazy it’s in 64 languages now, and I’m thrilled that it’s translated into French. I grew up in Maryland, and I studied French when I was in seventh grade, and I never could have imagined coming here and being honored in this way.”

More than 200 million copies of the Wimpy Kid books have been sold worldwide, with 3 million flying off the shelves in France alone.

Other écrivains to be inducted into the Order of Arts and Letters have included Jorge Luis Borges, Julian Barnes, Seamus Heaney, Ray Bradbury and William S. Burroughs.

Lucy Ellmann, author of the one-sentence, 1,000-page novel Ducks, Newburyport, is raising eyebrows with her three-sentence, 62-word take on parenthood.

In an interview with the Guardian, Ellmann remarked: “You watch people get pregnant and know they’ll be emotionally and intellectually absent for 20 years. Thought, knowledge, adult conversation, and vital political action are all put on hold while this needless perpetuation of the species is prioritized. Having babies is a strong impulse, a forgivable one, but it’s also just a habit, a tradition, like weddings or putting butter on popcorn.”

Her comments seemed tailor-made to ignite an explosion on social media, and Twitter did not disappoint, with reactions ranging from measured support to unbridled anger. @NatPurser observed, “This Lucy Ellmann interview is like a master class on elitist fauxfeminism.” @TheLincoln tweeted, “You really want all your artists to just start speaking like media trained sports stars mumbling anodyne clichés in interviews?” Meanwhile, @HannahBeckerman noted, “Does she say the same about fathers? No, she does not.”

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David Levenson-Getty Image

LUCY ELLMANN STIRS PARENTING CONTROVERSY

Appreciations: Zadie Smith’s White Teeth Turns 20

B Y G RE G O RY MC NA MEE

Roderick Field

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It’s 1975, and in sleepy London town, punk is about to explode. So is an electoral campaign that will bring racists out from under every rock on the island, making war zones of places like Brixton and Willesden. Politicians such as “E. Knock someone or other”—Enoch Powell, that is—have been promising that if immigration continues unabated, Britain’s streets will run red with blood, but even so, people of different cultures, religions, and hues are getting along pretty well, making the best of their lives in rainy old Blighty.

Everyone, that is, except Alfred Archibald Jones, who, as Zadie Smith’s novel, White Teeth, opens, is spending New Year’s Day trying to do himself in. Just now he’s sitting in his fume-filled car not far from the city center, waiting for the carbon monoxide to do its job. It isn’t particularly nice to leave a mess for the neighbors, but even so, he isn’t about to go out into the countryside to hang himself from a tree. “The way Archie saw it,” writes Smith, “country people should die in the country and city people should die

in the city. Only proper.”

That’s about as close to a decision as Archie will come to. He’s a dreadfully mediocre, indecisive chap. His Italian war bride wife, sick of it all, has ended their marriage, and at 47, he’s convinced his life is over. But not today, for a Muslim halal butcher interrupts his suicide attempt, shouting, “If you’re going to die around here, my friend, I’m afraid you’ve got to be thoroughly bled first.”

Archie’s fortunes turn. He marries Clara, a Jamaican woman nearly half his age, and soon a mixed-race baby comes into the world. Irie is shy and has self-esteem issues, but as the 1970s shade into the ’80s and beyond, Archie and Clara’s world—a place where blacks and whites and Indians and all sorts of people mix and mingle—becomes her own.

Archie is, as ever, complacent, while his best friend, a Bengali Muslim named Samad, is convinced that England has been going from bad to worse since the war ended. He still resents not having been able to prove himself a hero, and not for want of trying.

Their lives are bound up in complications, as lives will be. Some of the neighborhood kids become fundamentalist militants while others go to work for a Jewish-Catholic paterfamilias doing cancer research even as others join a radical animal rights group to save the poor white lab mice. Mix in Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Smith’s overstuffed London street becomes a madcap free-for-all.

It all makes for a pleasing, funny, empathetic, and on-the-mark look at the curious critters we humans are. Zadie Smith, the daughter of a white Englishman and a black Jamaican, delivered a first novel 20 years ago that was part broad comedy, part roman à clef. Born in 1975, Smith has gone on to publish other novels, each as good as her debut.

But that first book, White Teeth, full of humane good humor, is still the place to start reading her.

Gregory McNamee is a contributing editor. |

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