This emotional and illuminating story, the debut from Dirkby, probes life with mental illness over two generations, as narrator Sarah—who, like the author, lives with paranoid schizophrenia—reflects on her childhood with a mother who herself has paranoid schizophrenia, and an abusive, uncaring father who continually moves the family around Australia. With time jumps from the past to the present, Sarah examines the trauma that comes from having or loving someone with a mental illness, especially in cases where those involved don’t understand or realize what they’re enduring. As Sarah learns more about her mother and her mental illness, throughout her fraught adolescence and into maturity, she eventually arrives at a better understanding of her mother, herself, and ways to cope with and manage her own paranoid schizophrenia.

With hard-won insight, Dirkby weaves together a resonant story of mental health, family, and learning to accept oneself and that which cannot be controlled. Through both the uncertain gaze of Sarah’s childhood and the clarifying reflections of later life, as Sarah deals with romance and making a living, Dirkby immerses readers in her mind and life. Constantly being misdiagnosed as having post traumatic stress disorder from her childhood experiences, the adult Sarah often finds herself facing her mind alone, depressed and afraid. Dirkby's characters feel true, as do their experiences, which resonate with telling detail, not just about schizophrenia and anosognosia—the condition of being unaware of one’s psychiatric condition—but the worlds of music and dance.

"The stigma that a mentally ill person is entirely to blame for anything going wrong in their life and that they are dangerous to know is ubiquitous but rarely accurate," Sarah states. The Overlife is a touching story that, with vivid detail and welcome frankness, shreds such misapprehensions throughout its often heartbreaking story of family, unconditional love, forgiveness, and unquiet minds. During its many bleak or tense moments, the book’s very existence offers a feeling of hope.

Takeaway: Revealing novel steeping readers in the experience of mental illness.

Comparable Titles: Arnhild Lauveng’s A Road Back from Schizophrenia, Han Nolan’s Crazy.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A

Click here for more about The Overlife, A Tale Of Schizophrenia

One day Brothers Birpus and Bulbus, a pair of “Tree-Wees” who live in Nobby Lob-Lolly in the Forest of Fine Repute, find themselves chased by the Sour Milk Dragon. Though he may be intimidating, the two Tree-Wee brothers discover that, in truth, the three-eyed, runny-nosed Sour Milk Dragon only wanted to play tag! A charming and silly story about erroneous first impressions and why you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, The Adventures of Birpus & Bulbus is sure to delight young readers who enjoy misfit friends, a magical forest setting, and slightly gross dragons with veiny purple fairy wings.

The world of Birpus and Bulbus, while imaginative and original, is presented with little exposition, with readers’ understanding of what exactly the original “Tree-Wees'' are coming from the illustrations and from the many magical and delicious foods the Tree-Wees love to eat—weenut toast, worm waffles, pootie fruits, etc. Discovering new fantastical creatures that don’t correspond to the traditional ones is fun and encourages imaginative reading. Still, since the rules of this world and culture aren’t particularly clear, readers don’t really have enough information to understand the Tree-Wees’s response to the dragon: have they been trained to believe dragons will eat them, or are they just making an assumption about a strange creature?

Indre Ta’s muted and earthy color palette for the digital illustrations helps to flesh out the world of the Tree-Wees and the Forest of Fine Repute. In fact, the illustrations and character design work are the strongest part of the book, giving inviting and often comic life to funny words and names that don’t on their own conjure anything specific. The Tree-Wees’ village, in particular, is a delight. Despite its sparse worldbuilding, The Adventures of Birpus & Bulbus will certainly find an audience with imaginative adventurers unafraid to face down sour milk dragons and any other unlikely friends they may find along the way.

Takeaway: Brothers discover looks may be deceiving in the forest.

Comparable Titles: Scott Rothman’s Attack of the Underwear Dragon, Christopher Denise’s Knight Owl.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: A-
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A

Click here for more about The Adventures of Birpus & Bulbus: The Sour Milk Dragon

Coussement debuts with a searching speculative drama about the meaning of life and death and how emotional wounds from our past affect our future. In the Netherlands, a cheerful man called Ghost discovers he is dead yet able to communicate with humans and animals. On the property where he once lived, a concrete wall divides the lot into two. A depressed young woman, Leora, inhabits one side, while a frustrated businessman named Xander lives on the other. The neighbors become friends and unite to learn more about Ghost, this man with a mysterious past and possibly tragic future—will Ghost be stuck on earth forever as a translucent half-man, half-spirit?

From the first page, talking animals alert the reader that this is no ordinary drama. Personified nature has a voice and adds an allegorical element. Even an oak tree makes itself known by literally knocking sense into Ghost. Hints of mystery surround the environment: why do characters experience unhappiness when standing near the wall? Why does Ghost wane in and out of view? Conversations among the three characters help each find greater purpose in their lives. But nothing can help Ghost reach afterlife peace unless he at last digs into his painful past.

Contrast’s compact length and conversational prose make it readable and keep the pace rigorous despite its searching, sometimes heady qualities, especially lengthy flashbacks and frequent passages of inner dialogue. Plot here is subordinate to characters’ thoughtful exploration of personal philosophies—Contrast is very much a novel of the mind, though Coussement never over-intellectualizes the topics. And even though mortality is a major theme of the book, everyday humor keeps the mood light. “An existential crisis is much more useful when you actually exist,” one character muses. Coussement’s style allows readers to feel like they are hanging out with familiar friends, somewhere between this world and the beyond.

Takeaway: Thoughtful, surprising existential adventure between life and death.

Comparable Titles: Pik-Shuen Fung’s Ghost Forest, Michael Thompson’s How to Be Remembered..

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A

Click here for more about CONTRAST; a novel

In this frank, pained study of American racism from colonialization through the revolutions of the 1960s, Eklof plunges into the gulf between the egalitarian ideals expressed in the nation’s founding documents and the realities of slavery, segregation, lynching, anti-interracial marriage laws, voter suppression, and more, with an emphasis on whites’ “fear and hatred of Blacks.” The book’s first half digs into psychology, sexuality, and religion as Eklof explores the peculiarly American roots of ongoing prejudice. Drawing on a wealth of alarming research, Anti-Black Prejudice in America makes the case that “the nation has institutionalized the oppression of millions of innocent people simply because of their race” due to the “‘us versus them’ mentality created by our tribal instinct.’” Eklof lays out the history of whites’ dehumanization of Africans and those of African descent, excused by religion and conceptions of white “purity,” all “aggravated by the beliefs about the powerful sexual nature of blacks.”

Eklof digs deep into the Puritanical roots of the U.S., like fulminations against masturbation from preachers like 19th century preacher Sylvester Graham, and into the harrowing histories of slavery, Reconstruction, and more, to make the case that “obsessively prudish morality … made blacks the targets of particularly fearful prejudice.” In this, his project echoes one of its sources, the 1944 report by Gunnar Myrdal titled An American Dilemma, which noted, among other hard truths, “a close relation between lynching and thwarted sexual urges.”

Like Myrdal, Eklof is Swedish, and brings an intimate outsider’s view to his survey, writing with an unsparing directness about hatred, haters, and their enablers. “It was becoming increasingly difficult to be oblivious and unconcerned,” he writes, after describing the acquittal of Emmett Till’s murderers, one of many 1960s incidents examined at length in the book’s back half, an exhaustive, beat-by-beat examination of the Civil Rights Era. There’s not much here covering the complexities of the last fifty years, or mass incarceration and contemporary efforts to suppress history, though the book stands as a clear-eyed, upsetting work of moral integrity.

Takeaway: Outraged, deeply researched history of the roots of American racism.

Comparable Titles: Ibram X. Kendi’s Stamped from the Beginning, Anne Warfield Rawls and Waverly Duck’s Tacit Racism.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A-

Click here for more about Anti-Black Prejudice in America

Fragile alliances and deep suspicion power this gritty spy thriller, the fourth in Dyer’s Conor Thorn series, which kicks off in Algiers of 1942, before the nation had achieved its independence from France, which itself was occupied by the Nazis. Trust No One follows an ensemble of military personnel in a deadly “needle in a haystack situation" as they risk it all to thwart duplicitous political agendas that could drive apart the Allied Nations. Recently fired from their higher ranking positions after a failed mission, Conor Thorn, late of the U.S.’s OSS, and MI6 outcast Emily Bright—"his wife of nine days, ten hours, and twelve minutes"—face a surprising chance at redemption, with the war and the world hanging in the balance: the recovery of a secret archive that may or may not reveal the Allies’ involvement in the assassination of French Admiral François Darlan, thought by many in France to be at best a “self-dealing opportunist” and at worst “a traitor.”

As Thorn and Bright discover, of course, their mission will reveal even more deadly secrets than were hinted at in their briefing, plus some surprisingly personal ones. With their lives at risk from threats known and mysterious, this action-packed thriller offers up suspense and surprising twists and turns as the couple delves behind enemy lines—and Dyer steeps readers in this impossibly tense moment in French and Algerian history with an eye for culture, language, and vivid descriptions. Illuminating the darkest shadows of complex alliances, Dyer immerses readers in daring infiltrations, military secrets, dirty politics, and the unexpected.

Crisply told, alive with intrigue and telling detail, Trust No One will please espionage fans who favor historical accuracy but also a ripping yarn. The couple’s dialogue imbues the suspense with welcome warmth, and a cliffhanger will keep fans of the series eagerly awaiting the next installment of Thorn's story.

Takeaway: Gripping WWII espionage thriller rich in history and suspense.

Comparable Titles: Samuel Marquis, Alan Furst.

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A

Click here for more about Trust No One

Tatchell’s most recent addition to her Endangered and Misunderstood Animals series, following “Tarsier Sings His Songs,” concerns a perfectly quaffed cotton-top tamarin who, after giving the rest of her brethren “monkey-doos,” sets out to fix the hair of everyone in the jungle. The only problem is that not everyone in the jungle wants their hair fixed—and not everyone in the jungle has hair to fix—but cotton-top tamarin doesn’t understand why other animals resist her. “It’s only that I care,” she says, determined, even after a dangerous run-in with a snake and quarrel with a tapir, but she makes the biggest mistake when she decides to style the hair of a sleeping human.

Written in rhymed quatrains, the fifth installment in Tatchell’s series has a lyrical flow engaging for kids and adults alike, but in addition to style, the author also seamlessly fills the lines with an impressive amount of facts about the animals featured. For example, the plot centers on the cotton-top tamarin’s grooming behavior, which is common among this species and other primates, and Tatchell also makes mention of the cotton-top tamarin’s complex language: “With thirty-eight different sounds // they chirp and squeal and squeak.” With the support of Ivan Sulima’s textured, vibrant illustrations, Tatchell’s narrative strikes a balance between effective storytelling and educational enrichment.

The charming illustrations, blending grand cartoonish expressiveness with eye-pleasing polish suggesting the best of Pixar, also maintain the animals’ anatomy and educate readers visually. Toucan’s beak jumps off the page, and finer details, like sloth’s fur, snails climbing on tree branches, and flowers blooming on almost every page, serve to depict the jungle as a home radiating with life and abundance. Children passionate about animals, and specifically endangered ones, will learn about the cotton-top tamarin and the importance of respecting differences between people, between animals, and hair-dos.

Takeaway: Delightful story of a tamarin’s vow to fix the hair of everyone in the jungle.

Comparable Titles: Justin Anderson’s Snow Leopard: Ghost of the Mountains, and Chelsea Clinton’s Don’t Let Them Disappear.

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: B
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A

Click here for more about Cotton-Top Tamarin's Most Hairific Day (Endangered and Misunderstood Animals Book 5)

Schuhmann’s motivational debut dives into what it takes to flourish as a woman in real estate, blending her own story of a career that began in the late ‘90s—without “extensive networks of business associates, neighbors, school, and golf friends”—with a wealth of expert advice, anecdotes, and original tools like her "five keys to success” (Position, Passion, People, Price, and Push). Her enthusiasm, never-say-die attitude, and commitment to standing out (one method: leaning in to her German accent) soon set her on a path to success, despite the industry being dominated by men, and the inevitable setbacks that she details with frankness, clarity, humor, and an eye toward practical lessons…including the story of the fetishist who stared at her feet all through an open house.

Growing up in Germany and starting her career in the hospitality industry, Schuhmann was no stranger to hard work and pursuing her dreams. After getting her first sale, by selling her own home that had been struggling on the market, Schuhmann discovered and nurtured a talent and passion for this work. Schuhmann explains in layman's terms much real estate jargon and pertinent knowledge that will arm any novice real estate agent with the tools needed to understand what goes into succeeding, what pitfalls to avoid, and why “Every sale achieved is as thrilling as the next one.”

This engaging self-help book is an invaluable resource guide that includes exercises and motivational quotes. With the support of her husband, a move to Australia, and the prospect of a newfound career path, Schuhmann reached "remarkable heights" over a career spanning more than twenty years. With much practical, concise detail and advice (she now knows to say “That is entirely up to you,” when a prospective buyer asks if a building inspection is necessary), Confessions of a Woman in Real Estate breaks down the ins and outs of becoming a prosperous real estate agent and starting your own company.

Takeaway: Empowering memoir and guide for women in real estate.

Comparable Titles: Ashley L. Wilson's The Only Woman in the Room, Farrah Ali's Diaries of a Female Real Estate Investor.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A

Click here for more about Confessions of a Woman in Real Estate

Calvin, a young Christmas tree with a full-grown heart, lives at the famous Stumpstinkle’s Tree Farm—a farm so well-known for harvesting the “very best” Christmas trees that people travel from far and wide to peruse their pines during the holidays. But for Calvin, the smallest of the lot, the season can be stressful. Though he relishes listening to the other trees tell stories of the celebrities and notables who have visited the farm in the past, Calvin really only wants one thing—for this to be the year he is picked as a special Christmas tree.

Calvin’s coming-of-age is sweet to behold, though as that setup suggests it’s fraught with moments that will tug at readers’ heartstrings. He takes in the sage wisdom of the other trees (“take your vitamins” BellaBrush counsels, while the greenest tree, FinkleBark, emphasizes the need for water to make Calvin’s branches grow) and tries his best to ignore GrumpMeyer’s naysaying that he’ll never make it as a Christmas tree. When Farmer Stumpstinkle’s wife finally notices Calvin’s pizzazz, he’s thrilled to find himself at the Christmas tree store at last, but his unwavering determination takes a major blow when no shoppers even look his way.Calvin’s painful abandonment is difficult to watch, but it sets him up for his own Christmas miracle that will warm the hearts of even the Grinchiest readers.

Dudarenka’s quaint illustrations evoke warm nostalgia for traditional visions of Yuletide cheer, particularly young Calvin’s attempts to puff out his cheeks to look bigger—and the climactic scene of Calvin knocked into the snow on the empty tree lot is starkly rendered with convincing emotions and desolate scenery. Younger readers will be swept into Calvin’s tale and cheer loudly for this tiny titan’s eventual victory, and the enduring message that “a Christmas tree is more than just branches” peals loudly through the pages.

Takeaway: An unwanted Christmas tree discovers its true purpose in this holiday treat.

Comparable Titles: The Curto Family & Rusty Fischer’s One Little Christmas Tree, Anthony Merrill & Michael Bast’s A Little Christmas Tree.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A-

Click here for more about Calvin the Christmas Tree: The Greatest Christmas Tree of All

Agarwal’s inviting book for young children encourages curious kids to explore simple natural wonders. The story introduces Ria and Vik, two best friends who become enchanted when they hear the sound of the wind in the leaves while on a picnic with their families. They walk to a grove of tall trees where “the wind was blowing fiercely, making the leaves rustle and dance.” To the kids the blustery day sounds like music. When they tell their teacher about their experience, she explains the science behind how the wind makes sounds and shows them how to use everyday items to build their own wind chimes, which they proudly hang outside their classroom door.

In a world dominated by technology and gadgets, this book’s suggestion that kids interact with the natural world around them feels refreshingly simple and enticing. When Ria points out that the leaves look like they’re dancing, Vik responds, “You’re right. It’s so cool!” His enthusiasm will inspire kids to see what is interesting about their own outdoor spaces. The wind chimes are also delightful, using sticks and common items such as buttons, seashells, and bells to create a beautiful, interactive work of art. Kids will be able to do a similar project at home with minimal help from an adult, which will allow them to feel empowered while making their own windy-day music.

Nia Kurniawati’s vibrant illustrations mostly show dark-haired Ria and blonde Vik playing together, first standing in awe gazing up at the treetops and then excitedly working with their friendly, smiling teacher to make their chimes. The pictures also show the magical chimes hanging amid a backdrop of flowering bushes and a bright blue sky. Most importantly, the kids’ joy in learning how wind can make music will allow young readers to imagine how they might find pleasure in similar discoveries.

Takeaway: Heartwarming story encouraging kids to explore simple natural wonders.

Comparable Titles: Cale Atkinson's Explorers of the Wild, Grahame Baker-Smith's Rhythm of the Rain.

Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: B
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A-

Click here for more about Ria and Vik's Explorations The Sounds of Nature (TOBschool Books)

After being scammed out of $500 and a date by "a Las Vegas con artist,” the protagonist of this surprising philosophical and allegorical novel, Devens’ fiction debut, falls into a state of depression, fueled by rage and hate. Then George Sistern begins to see therapist Mildred Markowitz, who imparts valuable life lessons and wisdom unto him through their sessions, changing George’s perspective on life and the ways he interacts with people going forward, while discussing, in impassioned and wide-ranging colloquies, religion, morals, practical steps for moving past depression, the urgency of understanding both psychology and philosophy, and the complicated ideals and gray areas of right and wrong/good vs. evil. With heavy themes of self-awareness, self-assurance, and self-love,Dialogues with the Wise Woman is a heart-warming journey into self-discovery and the kindness of those around us.

"[T]he more self-esteem a person has, the less likely they are to make such errors of judgment," Mildred tells George, and Devens artfully crafts the characters and story to be both lifelike and to demonstrate that truth. Upon beginning his sessions with Mildred, George finds community amongst an eccentric group of characters. When George befriends Tony Blangiardo, Tony promises to help George get his money back from the Vegas scammer, but more urgent is how George must continue to do the work to eradicate the parts of himself that allowed him to be taken advantage of in the first place.

The protagonist, George, is an artist (a pianist) seeking love and companionship, which he finds in the most unlikely places as he opens himself up to the people around him. Devens keeps the sessions unpredictable, as the conversations touch on a host of issues like the ethics of revenge, the role of rats and vermin in creation, how “most of the pain that results from the consequences of our mistakes is self-imposed.” This is a unique, thought-provoking portrait of a character, a therapy relationship, and what it means to be human.

Takeaway: Healing discussions between a therapist and a man facing depression.

Comparable Titles: Alex Korb’s The Upward Spiral, Martha Beck’s Diana, Herself.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A

Click here for more about Dialogues with the Wise Woman

“I consider myself a senior who likes to stay active and healthy,” Miller notes in the introduction of her inspiring nonfiction debut, which functions as an accessible, beginner exercise guide for seniors who want to improve their balance to prevent falls and injuries. What sets Miller’s guide apart is that she leads by example. As a senior herself, she understands the limitations that may prevent people from pursuing an exercise routine—but she’s adamant throughout that “it is never too late to start exercising.” Acknowledging that it might feel intimidating to begin, Miller’s guide demonstrates how to remove the fear from the experience by crafting exercises and a routine that serves the needs of people across the mobility spectrum.

A majority of exercises featured are performed from a seated position, and Miller includes easy modifications that lower or increase the difficulty, like opting for fewer reps or incorporating hand weights. Starting with the feet and moving up the body to the head, Miller’s routines target all the major areas that require strength and flexibility to maintain balance, and though it may seem overwhelmingly comprehensive at first, the author outlines helpful, practical ways to fit healthy movement into any life, such as how to structure an exercise routine into increments of 30 minutes per day. Along with detailed instructions of individual exercises, Miller also includes helpful, clear illustrations that assist readers in perfecting their form.

Beyond its practical uses, Miller’s guide also serves to educate readers about “how the many parts of our bodies interweave with each other to play a combined and crucial role in helping us balance.” For example, in Chapter 10, Miller includes a brief but detailed explanation of how arm-swinging affects walking efficiency, while in Chapter 8, she discusses the role of core strength in preventing back pain. Senior readers seeking a true beginner’s guide to improve balance and maintain independence will find all they need and more in Miller’s inviting guide.

Takeaway: Inviting exercise guide for seniors or anyone facing balance issues.

Comparable Titles: Carol Clements’s Better Balance for Life, Cindy Brehse and Tami Brehse Dzenitis’s 5-Minute Core Exercises for Seniors.

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A

Click here for more about Beginner Balance Workouts for Seniors, Volume 1

In this touching memoir, LaPera reflects on her father's struggles with mental illness after a bout with cancer. Readers are immersed into LaPera's firsthand account of the effects mental illness has not only on the diagnosed individual but all those who love him. Joseph's diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia is “only the beginning” of the “hell” that LaPera shares, as her father refuses care, insists people are following him, embraces messianic faith, and makes several attempts at ending his own life, all as LaPera and other family members feel powerless to help. Written with compassion, emotion, and insight, LaPera tells her father's story as only someone with first hand knowledge of witnessing the life-altering effects of mental illness can, all with a hard-won emphasis on healing and hope.

“Something bad is going to happen,” Joseph said to his wife, Hilda, in October, 1996. That proved a self-fulfilling prophecy as life as he knew it seemingly changed overnight. LaPera recounts during the early stages before diagnosis her father began to act differently—talking to himself, believing family was plotting against him, and more. After multiple stays in a mental facility, Joseph's psychosis prompted him to leave his family behind and embark on a 30-country journey, believing himself a "prophet of God.” He limited his communication to phone calls, postcards, emails, and Bible verses for years at a time.

“If my family had understood anosognosia and the positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia, our story could have turned out very differently,” LaPera notes, and her gripping, touching account ensures that other families facing similar travails will know. Losing Dad pays homage to the father that LaPera once knew and also the one she had to learn to accept. It offers a visceral, often heart-rending portrait chronicle, with welcome attention paid to the rippling effects of mental illness. Readers will be emotionally affected by this story that contributes much that’s wise and healthy to the ongoing conversation.

Takeaway: Wise, emotional memoir about the devastating effects of mental illness.

Comparable Titles: Norah Vincent's Voluntary Madness, Roy Richard Grinker's Nobody's Normal.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A

Click here for more about Losing Dad, Paranoid Schizophrenia

Nine-year-old Shah’s insightful book of poetry for young readers offers a fresh perspective on nature, home, and diversity that other children will find enjoyable and relatable. One of her favorite subjects is her family’s lakeside residence, where she artfully and invitingly observes the weather, the animals, and the changing seasons: “I see my breath in the air / The boats blow their horns./ My Big Blue mansion / Seagulls Squawking music to my ears. / This is where I belong.” She also writes passionately and with impressive maturity about the importance of promoting equity and inclusion, stating, “Your culture and your heritage define part of you but does not limit you.”

First and foremost, Shah’s poems are a sensory treat, clearly describing the sounds, smells, and textures that surround her—the cold wind stinging her cheeks in the fall, the scent of lavender on the breeze in the spring, the feeling of smooth blades of grass beneath her fingertips. She also demonstrates her compassion and preternatural wisdom through heartfelt verses that delve into more difficult subjects, such as the rapid passage of time and overcoming depression. In this way, these poems will encourage kids and adults to slow down and appreciate the world around them—and maybe open up about challenging feelings of their own.

Occasional repetition, as in the concluding stanza “The home / Home, Home / Home is Home,” suggest that perhaps these are best read aloud, though they also serve as a reminder that writing poetry need not be intimidating. The poems are lovingly illustrated by Shah’s grandfather, Nandkumar Parab. His colorful sketches effectively capture the essence of each verse: a poem about the power of being female is accompanied by a grinning, dark-haired girl about Shah’s age, and a verse celebrating a perfect day at the marina shows boats on the water with mountain peaks and seagulls in the background. Ultimately these poems written by a kid, for kids, will inspire other young people to look around, consider their own surroundings, and perhaps pick up their pens.

Takeaway: A nine-year-old’s poems on nature, home, and diversity.

Comparable Titles: Naomi Shihab Nye’s Salting the Ocean, Kwame Alexander’s How to Write a Poem.

Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: B+
Illustrations: A
Editing: B
Marketing copy: A

Click here for more about POETRY FOR KIDS

In this compact account of seeing his own perceptions challenged, Edwards shares his personal home buying experience, his expectation that he would face discrimination as a Black homebuyer, and the surprising reality. Rather than a “Southern Fried nightmare,” he found his white realtor—whose pick-up truck boasted a Confederate flag sticker—to be inviting, professional, and above-and-beyond in his helpfulness. This inspired Edwards to want to create a conversation about “the Talk,” that “collective term referring to the many conversations between parents of color and their children about how to safely navigate racism in American society.” Edwards asks whether “the Talk” might engender excessive wariness—or even “unconscious racial bias”—that can lead people to judge too quickly or miss “unexpected blessings.”

Growing up in North Carolina, near the county known as “Klansville, USA,” Edwards was exposed to racism and "the talk" at an early age. Edwards explores how "the talk" is a rite of passage for young children of color at differing stages of their adolescence, ultimately concluding that its clarifying benefits outweigh his concerns. Edwards takes care not to diminish the realities of racism, and he emphasizes that he’s benefited greatly from “the talk,” calling it “effective but also important, necessary, and valuable.” Still, he calls for “self-honesty and vigilance” when it comes to making judgements, and he shares moments in his life when he has misjudged someone's character and intentions based on preconceived notions and biased judgements.

Filled with colorful illustrations and Edward's personal narration, Snap Judgment is a quick, thought-provoking read that argues “It’s way easier to recognize racial bias in others—but not so much within ourselves.” While the book never digs into why the realtor embraces the Stars and Bars, a symbol it’s reasonable to consider threatening, Edwards offers tips on ways to be mindful and compassionate, while calling for the “hard and fast rules of identifying racists, racism, and racial bias” to be re-evaluated.

Takeaway: Surprising consideration of “the Talk” about race—and avoiding bias

Comparable Titles: Monica Guzman's I Never Thought of it That Way, Tanya Kateri Hernandez's Racial Innocence

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: B+
Illustrations: B+
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A

Click here for more about SNAP JUDGMENT: Overcoming Racial Bias to Buy My First Home

Lovett (author of The River Nymph and more) again demonstrates her expertise in blending suspense with examinations of fraught relationships to this Georgia-Florida mystery of murder, abuse, an unfinished manuscript—and a woman trying to pick up the pieces of her life as a mom, wife, and friend. When Liberty’s alcoholic husband comes home the night before Thanksgiving and forgets to bring home a turkey, it’s the last straw for her—no more excuses, no more staying with him for the sake of their special needs daughter, Emmy. She tells Dallas, her husband, she’s leaving, and after he gives her a shiner on her eye, she and Emmy hit the road. Upset and exhausted, she seeks advice from her friend, Sam, a preacher at the church. But at his home, she faces another jolt: Sam is dead.

Lovett’s twisty plotting and brisk storytelling will keep readers on their toes, as Liberty now must add another item to her long list of challenges—find out who murdered Sam, while taking care of Emmy, determining what her next steps are in life, and trying to decide if she can trust and forgive Dallas. As she digs for the truth, she uncovers secrets, lies, violence, and genuine surprises that upend all expectations. Throughout, writing in swift but feeling-packed prose, Lovett demonstrates canny understanding of the moment-to-moment choices a woman like Liberty faces, the thriller elements never diminishing the tragic reality of abuse.

Lovett has made a name writing stories through the eyes of strong, complex female characters, something still too rare in this genre. A believable darkness lingers throughout, but Liberty’s strength and heart lighten it. Readers will cheer on Liberty as she makes hard decisions to figure out her own life’s path and what cut short her dear friend’s—who it turns out, she barely knew at all. Loves of emotionally-driven mysteries will find much to enjoy here.

Takeaway: Swift, emotional mystery of murder, abuse, and a woman finding her path.

Comparable Titles: Kimberly Belle’s Dear Wife, Rowan Coleman’s The Runaway Wife.

Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A

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In this mind-adjusting second entry in her Mindset series, Cooney (author of Unlock the Mind of a Champion) centers faith, training negative thoughts, and habit building as essential tools to mastering just what the title suggests—one’s own mindset, which, Cooney argues, always “is going to drive your life.” Cooney makes the case that the only way to fix problems or negative feelings is to be aware of them, and that “avoiding, denying, and struggling” them means “the entire world passes you by, and nothing changes.” To that end, she shares a wealth of advice, data, and personal anecdotes, delving into the ways in which a negative mindset can derail progress, confidence, and growth through mental self-sabotage like "boomerang thoughts" and "limiting beliefs.” Unstick Your Mind is a resource guide on how to shift your mindset, stay positive, and succeed in life, whether one is “an entrepreneur, a professional, or a stay-at-home mother.”

With an approachable tone, clear action steps, and an emphasis on neuroscience, positive reinforcement, and the “alive and active” power of “God’s Word,” Cooney explores the ways in which readers can shift their mindsets through building healthy thought patterns and "go[ing] to God" when feeling oppressed. Unstick Your Mind implores anyone who feels stuck to allow themselves time, forgiveness, and grace to free themselves from their "stuck" story or past traumas, but also to dive deep into the healing process of letting go of past hurts that trigger negative thoughts or responses.

With ample self-reflection exercises, insight into how the brain works, and clarifying considerations of the difference between emotional and mental health, Cooney demystifies tangled thought processes and lays out a practical rebooting process for the brain. Readers of faith seeking motivation and the chance to get out of their own ways will especially respond to this compact, flexible guide to preparing “to do the work of getting unstuck.”

Takeaway: Potent, practical motivational guide blending faith and neuroscience.

Comparable Titles: Jackie Beere's Grow, James Clear's Atomic Habits.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A

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