Being brave means something different to everyone, and in Thomas’ inspiring picture book for young children, a little girl named Dayna Diamond discovers her own courage. Dayna lives in a mythical land called Shapesville, where people’s heads resemble different geometric shapes—Dayna, for instance, is a chocolate diamond, while her best friend Sammy is a square. At school one day, Dayna’s class discusses the things that scare them, rattling off a relatable list including spiders, the dark, and clowns. Dayna, though, is afraid of speaking in front of people, which stands in the way of her dream of being Snow White in the school play.

Then there’s Dayna’s snobby classmate, Crystal Diamond, who informs Dayna that chocolate diamonds can’t be Snow White because they “don’t even dazzle.” Here, this story succeeds on multiple fronts. First, Dayna learns to identify what anxiety feels like in her body along with a helpful technique to manage it that kids can use in their own lives. Dayna also tries out for the play despite her fear and learns that “doing what she loves makes her light up from the inside out” – as well as the fact that kids shouldn’t let stereotypes and prejudices stand in the way of their goals. Finally, through Sammy’s unwavering support, kids will see what it looks like to be a good friend.

Khadija Maryam’s expressive illustrations follow Dayna on each stage of her journey, showing her learning in her classroom, playing on the playground, walking down the street, and laughing with Sammy. The illustrations aren’t particularly immersive or detailed, but kids will relate to wide-eyed, good-natured Dayna, whose emotions are clearly visible on her face and easy for young readers to understand. In the end, Dayna’s success will show kids that the key to their own dreams lies in overcoming other people’s limiting beliefs and facing their fears.

Takeaway: Inspiring story of a little girl overcoming fear to achieve her dreams.

Comparable Titles: Ashley Spires’s The Thing Lou Couldn’t Do, Nicola Kinnear’s A Little Bit Brave.

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

Click here for more about Little Dayna Diamond Finds Her Dazzle

Powered by themes of trauma, bravery, and persistence, Green’s debut centers on a troubled West Virginia deputy, Carl Williams, and his turbulent relationship with his teenage son, James, and the half-wild drug-finding dog, Butch. After James’s track coach overdoses on opioids, Carl and Butch must battle sinister drug dealers, indifferent authorities, a fickle public, and their own personal demons in fictional-but-familiar Stratfield, a small town stricken with poverty and crime. Occasionally aided by a mysterious informant, Carl follows the opioids from Stratfield to D.C. and back.

Carl finds some support in the community, forming a friendship with the town veterinarian, Gideon Boggs—who possibly knows more than he reveals—and a romance with the flirtatious but pushy waitress Del. Complicating matters is the fact that Carl is abusive to James and Butch, becoming violent with them when they don’t immediately obey him, and repeatedly putting Del and his job ahead of James and Butch’s safety and happiness. It’s Butch, then, who emerges as the true hero of the story, repeatedly saving Carl and James’s lives, fighting the drug dealers with superheroic determination and strength, and even sometimes proving more of a caring dad to James than Carl can manage, offering comfort when the younger Williams is sad or injured.

In the novel’s second half, after a wild scene involving Butch, a church service, and a bottle of OxyContin, Green’s emphasis shifts from Carl’s relationships to the opioid crisis, showcasing the toll of addiction, contrasting the drug business with moonshining, and deftly demonstrating the fickleness of the public. More interested in local football games than the epidemic, the community both embraces and turns against Butch and Carl. A blossoming romance for Josh offers some relief from the grim realities of opioids, and a key scene in which Carl reveals a painful secret to James (and Butch) is heartbreaking, though it can’t excuse his abusive, controlling behavior, and the frequent strong profanity makes this an uneasy fit for YA. The finale is bittersweet but realistic.

Takeaway: A cop and a dedicated dog fight opioids and inner demons in West Virginia.

Comparable Titles: Liz Moore's Long Bright River, Paula Munier’s A Borrowing of Bones.

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

Click here for more about Life and Times of Officer Butch

Chehade’s deeply moving novel explores the devastating impact of the Lebanese Civil War through the eyes of two distinct yet interconnected characters, alternating between Hisham, a dedicated Arabic teacher, and Rita, his young student trying to make sense of the chaos surrounding her. In 1975 Lebanon, both Hisham and Rita use their love of books to escape from the violence and uncertainty of their reality, as their country slowly but inexorably marches toward destruction. But when their daily routines become more disrupted by protests, uprisings, and death, they can no longer ignore the tension simmering just under the surface while they “pretend that life was still normal.”

The novel’s dual perspective provides a layered and insightful look into how war affects individuals across different generations and social backgrounds, and Chehade’s prose is both lyrical and unflinching, painting vivid scenes of beauty and redemption amid the destruction. Both Hisham and Rita seek solace and understanding through their writing, a reflection of Chehade’s own grappling with chaos through storytelling, and this meta-narrative approach enriches the novel, allowing readers to connect deeply with the characters’ inner struggles as they navigate loss, hope, and the unexplainable endurance of the human spirit.

Chehade’s depiction of the Lebanese Civil War is both intimate and expansive, offering readers a personal lens through which to view the lives upended by the conflict, and her attention to sensory details—and skill in evoking the characters’ lived experiences—make the novel immersive and strikingly real. The end result is a challenge to more simplistic narratives about war, as Chehade (author of Loom) provides a nuanced exploration of its complexities—and the often-overlooked personal stories behind the headlines. This is a compelling and thought-provoking work that, much as Hisham strives to do in his teaching, highlights the resilience of the human spirit while seeking to “make beauty out of the sordid world.”

Takeaway: Evocative rendering of a country fragmented by civil war.

Comparable Titles: Catherine Ryan Hyde’s Take Me with You, A. Naji Bakhti’s Between Beirut and the Moon.

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

Click here for more about We Walked On

Proffit’s debut novel, conjuring a sweet romance amidst a vividly evoked New Jersey beach town and boardwalk, is the story of getting over past misunderstandings that can act as obstacles to true love. Struggling music teacher Billy Pine makes ends meet by playing piano at La Péniche, partnering with legendary drag queen Viktoria Sinclair. Proffit’s debut novel, conjuring a sweet romance amidst a vividly evoked New Jersey beach town and boardwalk, tells the story of overcoming past misunderstandings that act as obstacles to true love. Struggling music teacher Billy Pine makes ends meet by playing piano at La Péniche, partnering with legendary drag queen Viktoria Sinclair. Attractive Pierce Talon, Billy’s high school classmate, offers him a breakfast cook’s job at the charming Sea Spray Inn, where Pierce is chef. There, Billy meets Thad Lambert, a music director in Marsha Morgan’s dance company, and soon love blossoms—much to Pierce’s chagrin. Thad offers Billy a chance to feature his composition in the fall season of the dance company, though Billy remains confused about Thad’s feelings.

Attentive to wildlife, weather, issues of class, and the pressures and pleasures of mounting a show, Proffit’s somewhat leisurely style matches the pace of life in the small town of Beachside, with evocative descriptions of beaches, old mansions, and a classic boardwalk filled with “arcades, fortune tellers, T-shirt shops, pizza stands and rundown beachfront vacation rentals.” The cast’s love of music and cocktails creates a sophisticated party atmosphere, with dialogue that sparkles. The sharply named Pierce Talon is compelling, especially as he chooses to give up his hyper-masculine image and be kinder. Equally memorable is the feisty Viktoria Sinclair, whose impeccable style and golden heart light up her scenes. Thad Lambert, meanwhile, is given less interiority than the others, as the story hinges on his silence and reluctance to take the relationship with Billy forward.

Refreshingly, the author paints a community that is very accepting of gay love, apart from Pierce’s struggle with his father’s opinions on masculinity and queerness. A touching incident with the lovely dog Finn functions as an apt metaphor for Billy’s life, and in the end, there is hope—a break in the ice, a place to surface for air. A warm, relaxed, and energizing read.

Takeaway: Charming queer Jersey romance that sparkles with dance, music, and feeling.

Comparable Titles: Alison Cochrun’s The Charm Offensive, James Acker’s The Long Run.

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

Click here for more about The Object of His Affection

Ali’s picture book debut follows young Dani as she learns valuable lessons about friendship in elementary school. Dani loves kickball and playing charades with her brother, and though she admits to being shy in certain situations, she has a knack for reaching out to her peers when they need it most. Take Emily, a classmate suffering from a chronic illness that precludes her from enjoying more active recess activities; when Dani sees Emily miss out on outdoor time one day due to her health, she promptly decides Emily needs a friend—and invites her outside for safer activities, like cards and board games, that allow the girls to have fun without putting Emily at risk.

Dani’s compassion for others bubbles up in nearly every interaction she has, and Ali fashions her into a positive role model for younger readers to learn how to build thoughtful relationships with peers. When she’s caught between two arguing classmates during a learning activity, Dani seeks the teacher’s help—a smart move for school-aged children to learn—to resolve the conflict. This allows her to conquer her own shyness and reach out to Chris, who, she discovers, has a special way of influencing her for the better. Exchanges like these are sweet to behold, and adult readers will find several opportunities for meaningful conversations about kindness, friendship, and empathy in this story.

Ali addresses several potential sources of conflict for children, including how to bridge differences across cultural divides. However, that section feels a bit awkward, as Dani’s teacher compares students of different races to white and brown eggs, advising the kids in her class that “If you did not see the color of the egg, you would not notice a difference.” Still, the illustrations are bright and lively, and Ali smartly includes a list of potential questions kids can use when getting to know their peers.

Takeaway: Important lessons on friendship in a school setting.

Comparable Titles: Patty Brozo’s The Buddy Bench, Lisa Moser’s A Friendship Yarn.

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

Click here for more about Little Dani Makes A Friend

Morris once again brews a captivating blend of historical thriller, mystery, and the supernatural with the second installment in her Fiona Shanahan series, after Fiona Rising. Set in the vibrant but shadowy streets of 19th-century New Orleans, the novel follows Fiona, an investigator with a hidden past, and her steadfast partner (and lover) Michael Henley, on their latest quest—to locate a client’s estranged lover. That assignment takes the couple down a perilous journey into the very heart of darkness, as what appears cut and dried on the surface transforms into a sinister plot involving malevolent voodoo priestess Annette Chambord and her army of zombies.

Morris’s portrait of New Orleans is a tantalizing mix of shadows and glitz, and she skillfully captures the area’s rich cultural heritage and underlying darkness, from the mouthwatering Creole dishes and evening sheen of the St. Louis Cathedral to the city’s stringent social hierarchies and voodoo magic. Her meticulous research is evident throughout, giving the novel an historical accuracy that grounds the supernatural elements and pulls readers deeper into the story’s richly textured world—a world underpinned by well-drawn, memorable characters. Fiona is both compelling and resilient, brimming with courage that propels the narrative, and her interactions with the mysterious Comte de Saint Germain and loyal Henley bring both tension and depth to this enigmatic tale.

From sharp, authentic dialogue to the novel’s stunning atmosphere, Morris delivers evocative imagery and lavish sensory details that bring vivid life to every scene, particularly the otherworldly battle Fiona must undertake—with help from her friends and the legendary Voodoo Queen, Marie Laveau—to stop Annette’s reign of terror. Themes of power, corruption, and redemption coil throughout, adding emotional weight and thought-provoking subtext, and Morris’s well-timed twists will keep readers hooked. The seamless blend of historical fiction and supernatural intrigue makes this installment one to savor.

Takeaway: A supernatural showdown threatens 19th-century New Orleans.

Comparable Titles: Deborah Harkness’s Black Bird Oracle, Rena Rossner’s The Sisters of the Winter Wood.

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

Click here for more about The Slave Maker

Chen offers readers a sprawling mystery thriller debut set on the fictional island of Kundras in South America. The plot centers around two women: disgraced psychiatrist Reyna Manalaysay, on the loose after she was caught “selling scripts” for pain medication to patients, and Hollywood starlet Evelyn Moss, who has left Los Angeles to escape her opportunistic family. Their worlds collide when they’re both taken hostage and dragged to Kundras—where a delusional general rules, in the midst of a brutal battle with his combative rival. That thrusts both women into a life-and-death fight to escape Kundras intact, before the island’s tumult spells their doom.

Chen leads with intricate descriptions of violence and torture that drive the story, throwing readers —along with Reyna and Evelyn—into a foreign, ruthless, and dangerous world, where everything follows its own incomprehensible logic. Though Evelyn takes time to adapt to this new environment, Reyna, from the start, seems thriftier, intuitively understanding the power plays at work on the island. Her tactical knowledge at times seems far-fetched, but Chen does a good job of getting inside her head while introducing readers to her backstory, sharply crafting the mechanics that drive her unconventional choices.

Thriller fans will find a parade of power-hungry leaders here, each with their own special brand of fear-inducing violence that nets them superficial compliance, and Chen throws in a slew of bomb-dropping twists and turns that keep the energy humming, right up until the novel’s staggering last moments. Ultimately, this is a well-rendered sketch of the internecine, never-ending cycle of brutality that countries sometimes get caught up in—where a deficit of law and trust erodes all attempts at stability. Fans of twisty thrillers with a healthy dose of bloodshed and gore, alongside intricate politics and strong female characters, will relish this wild ride.

Takeaway: Wild ride of hostages, politics, and jaw-dropping violence.

Comparable Titles: J.M. Coetzee’s Waiting for the Barbarians, Jodi Picoult’s A Spark of Light.

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

Click here for more about Into Kundras

This charged second entry in Taylor’s series follows young Jamie Goldberg—who calls himself “a psychological alien, a soon-to-be-homeless person, and a reluctant pervert”—facing the dawn of the Reagan era as a rape survivor and queer man seeking to understand himself amid a sea of hormones, homophobia, and hollow pursuits. Assuming that coming out will make his life easier, Jamie instead earns the horrified contempt of his “progressive” parents, who promptly kick him out of their Detroit home, setting off the events of the book.

Taylor’s prose is striking and vivid, showcasing Jamie’s wry self-awareness as he takes the reader into these fraught years. With wit, intimacy, and fearless frankness, narrator Jamie shares his experiences, discoveries, pleasures, and trauma: the curiosity about sex, the experimenting, the ramifications, the self-loathing, the suicidal ideation, the specter of AIDS, the pain of hearing a man he’s loved say “‘love’ like it was a dirty word.” Jamie’s sharp humor and Taylor’s even-sharper prose keep the storytelling irresistible, even as Jamie is let down by nearly everyone in his life (his derisive brother tries to persuade him to see an out-of-state Jewish psychiatrist to “cure” him). It’s satisfying to see Jamie’s innate spirit of love and decency win out.

The novel is often bold and inventive in form, thrilling readers who favor character and innovation over narrative momentum: a set piece involving Wagner’s Parsifal is wild, hilarious, erotic, and pointedly long. None of this distracts, though, from Jamie’s essential dilemma: he yearns for a connection, not a quickie, and lives in fear of turning into someone who cares more about “the penis over the person.” This is endearing, not least because Jamie’s essential kindness and longing for love virtually guarantee he needn’t worry. A coming (out)-of-age story both grand and gritty, Jamie’s story will resonate with anyone ever lost in the morass of finding themselves.

Takeaway: Sharply told, boldly inventive novel of coming-of-age queer in the 1980s.

Comparable Titles: Bill Konigsberg’s Destination Unknown, Rasheed Newson’s My Government Means to Kill Me.

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

Click here for more about Goldberg Variations: The Redemption of the Damned

Continuing the thoughtful drama of homecoming, preservation, and rapacious real-estate development that began in A Span of Moments, Beech sets this sequel in early 1997 as Jake Crawford, the scientist-turned-mayor of Marcosta Island along Florida’s Gulf Coast, fights to protect his home, its environment, and its old Florida culture. Readers are advised to start with the first entry, as A Spiral of Moments hits the ground running, with billionaire resort developer Derek Nielson buying up property on the island while Jake seeks out surprising allies to help thwart him. The situation takes a turn when a famous Hollywood director, inspired by the story of a heroic World War II pilot who once lived on the island, comes to isolated Marcosta to shoot. Jake knows that “economic progress is the sole arbiter of the state’s future, the environment be damned.” Can he seize an opportunity to preserve the island?

Beech plunges readers into a complex ecosystem full of characters with their own motivations, capturing the tensions of a world on the verge of change—Marcosta Island can do little to stop the onslaught of developers, with even the town’s referendum banning the state from building a bridge to the mainland being challenged, thanks to Nielson’s connections in the legislature. But Jake and a slew of individuals around him are hell-bent on trying to stop what might seem inevitable. Beyond that urgent throughline, Beech relishes local color—shrimpers; pelicans; a bicycle cop noshing donuts at the Spud Hut—and smartly explores themes of filmmaking, love, sickness, care, and piracy on the lawless sea.

That expansive vision, along with some mystery and suspense elements, at times diminishes narrative momentum, but Beech ultimately reels in all the loose ends. And his central point—how to adapt to development without selling your soul—comes across admirably. Lovers of stories about islands, Florida, and development will enjoy this entertaining novel.

Takeaway: Compelling novel of a mayor fighting to preserve a Florida barrier island from developers.

Comparable Titles: Patrick D. Smith’s A Land Remembered, Peter Mathiessen’s Killing Mister Watson.

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

Click here for more about A Spiral of Moments

In Wells and Barclay’s charming book for young children, a magical pup named Charlie Wags uses his unique abilities to explore London. When Charlie wakes up, he’s in the mood for adventure—but his realm extends beyond the backyard enclosures of most dogs. “Charlie is your average pup in every way but one: he loves to see the world and travels all around for fun,” the authors explain in spirited, songlike prose. Adorably, he ventures to these far-flung locales with a simple wag of his tail. While in London, Charlie embraces the tourist life, enjoying fish and chips and visiting famous landmarks like Big Ben and the Thames.

At each location, the story provides simple, distinctive details that children will find easy to understand and captivating, such as the “shiny crowns and jewels and royal mysteries” at the Tower of London and the stoic guards at Buckingham Palace. This will get kids excited about all there is to discover while traveling, while also introducing a fascinating city to families who might not have the means or ability to go on vacation. The book includes a map of London and extended descriptions of each place Charlie visits, which will encourage kids to find what interests them and learn more on their own.

Sanna Sjostrom’s detailed, dreamy illustrations offer an idealized perspective of London from Charlie’s wide-eyed point of view, following the playful pup as he navigates the city. With shaggy, brown fur and starry black eyes, Charlie smiles gently as he goes sightseeing, with the most amusing images showing him wearing a suit and top hat to tea and riding a Ferris wheel under a deep blue sky glittering with stars. In the end, Charlie is eager to get back to his cozy bed: “He loves to see the world, but home is still his favorite place.”

Takeaway: Charming story of a curious dog named Charlie traveling to London.

Comparable Titles: Sam Taplin’s London Sounds, Lucy Cousins’s Maisy Goes to London.

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

Click here for more about The Tales of Charlie Wags

Fashion and costume historian Christie spotlights Black fashion trailblazers in this inspiring ABC picture book debut. From letters A to Z, style-conscious fans will glean fun, informative facts about celebrated Black models, designers, and influencers, ranging from costume designer Bill Whitten—who created Michael Jackson’s iconic white glove—to photographer Kwame Brathwaite, the driving force behind the “Black is Beautiful” movement. Christie examines all aspects of the industry, from invention to modeling, in an educational format that serves as a perfect fit for those younger readers hoping to one day be part of the fashion community.

Pop culture, history, and trivia unite in this vibrant showcase, featuring such notables as the famed Beverly Johnson, the first Black model on the cover of American Vogue, trailblazing tailor Dapper Dan from Harlem, and costume designer Ruth E. Carter, the “first Black woman to win an Academy Award for Best Costume Design.” For each memorable figure, Christie shares a brief history of their accomplishments alongside wisdom drawn from their experiences. The letter “F” covers Fashion Fair shows that “celebrated beauty in all shades and sizes,” while Sarah Boone’s invention of the ironing board—the first patent awarded to a Black woman in the United States—illustrates that “imagination and hard work can improve everyday tasks.”

Whether it’s brand curation or fitting presidents, Christie explores the multitude of ways that fashion makes an impact on the world, all through a lens of inclusivity and diversity, with bright, bold illustrations by Ali Nasir Aziz bolstering that message. Readers will savor the book’s uplifting theme, as Christie draws parallels between the fashion world and activism that resonate, including Malcolm X’s glasses as a symbol of his battle for civil rights and Zelda Wynn Valdes’s creations “break[ing] barriers and inspir[ing] change.” This is an important foray into Black couture.

Takeaway: ABC book spotlighting Black icons of the fashion industry.

Comparable Titles: Zaila Avant-Garde's Words of Wonder from Z to A, Arlisha Norwood's Black Heroes.

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

Click here for more about Black Fashion Legends ABC

Brother and sister duo Dean and Reese Walters return in Cherry’s latest Erutuf National Park book (after Bison Blog), and this time they’re trekking through the Arctic, in yet another wild attempt to protect the park from pirates. When the siblings run into Tyler, a polar bear with a penchant for magic card tricks, he tasks Dean, Reese, and their beloved golden retriever, Tutu—who is along for the trip to Erutuf for the very first time—with a critical mission: they must first locate, then conceal, a special Arctic map from dangerous pirates.

Cherry once again builds a unique world populated with talking animals who buzz with personality, making Dean and Reese’s quest educational—and just plain fun. Snowy, an aptly named snowy owl, is surprised to find out that animals don’t talk where Dean and Reese are from, and sled dogs Timber and Patch warn the siblings to be on the lookout for rogue dogs who are itching to help out the pirates. Tutu also gets her fair share of laughs, as she spends the majority of the story incessantly asking for treats at every opportunity.

Cherry keeps the adventure lively but informative, covering dog-sled teams at work and lessons on dinosaur life in the Arctic, and even Dean and Reese’s enemies come with a lighter side: this time around, the pirates are a trio of female social influencers, seemingly more focused on taking selfies than on stealing the park’s map. As the siblings try to outsmart them, they must use problem-solving, math, and reading skills to work their way through entertaining activities like ice mazes and virtual reality games, all while Dean seeks to lighten the mood with a dizzying array of jokes and the more level-headed Reese strives to keep the mission on task. Cherry closes with entertaining facts and discussion prompts for Arctic fans.

Takeaway: Educational adventure transports a brother and sister duo to the Arctic.

Comparable Titles: Dan Bar-el's The Very, Very Far North, Gary Paulsen's Northwind.

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

Click here for more about Polar Post

Spiritual, sensual, and relentlessly searching, the ecstatic poems of the 13th-century Sufi mystic Rumi have been shared, studied, and relished for centuries, enjoying a popular vogue in the West in recent decades, especially among seekers exploring the literature of love and divinity. For all that, significant portions of the Persian poet’s extensive work have not appeared in English, certainly not in complete editions. This volume is the first of four compiling Rumi’s complete quatrains (or rubais) in English for the first time, as translated by Nevit O. Ergin (1928–2015), the original translator of Rumi’s complete Divan-i Kebir in 22 volumes and the coauthor of more accessible collections like The Forbidden Rumi.

Ergin’s *Rubáiyát*, compiled and edited by Millicent Alexander with Shahzad Mazha, is invitingly direct in its language, making it edifying for browsers and completionists alike. Quatrain 258 (out of a total of 466) concludes with a heartsick parallelism worthy of Tin Pan Alley lyricists: “I ran from Your traps to the house of my heart. / But, the house of my heart became the trap for me.” Despite that breezy straightforwardness, Alexander’s introduction, appendices, and notably sparse footnotes don’t offer much in the way of guidance for readers eager to plumb the deeper mysteries of Rumi.

One quatrain appears twice without explanation, and it’s as good an example as any of the challenges this collection presents to contemporary readers. It runs: “The beguiling beauty of the idol who seized my heart / took me to the tavern of idols. / Those idols appear like pious souls. / But actually, they are blood-thirsty brigands.” This edition offers no guidance for interpreting Rumi’s terms like idol, tavern, or brigands, or insight into how their meanings might have shifted across centuries and languages. Ergin translated from Turkish to English, though Rumi wrote in medieval Farsi; Alexander makes the case that each of Ergin’s quatrains is “matched in its essence” by Rumi’s original. While their ambiguities would benefit from greater illumination, Ergin’s verses still pulse with Rumi’s passion and genius.

Takeaway: English translation of the complete quatrains of Rumi abounds in ecstasy and mystery.

Comparable Titles: The Forbidden Rumi, Rumi’s Divan-I Kebir.

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

Click here for more about The Rubaiyat of Rumi / The Ergin Translations

When young Adele moves to a new home, she’s eager for the adventures that await her. As soon as she arrives, her curiosity is rewarded: outside the towering house sits an abandoned garden, complete with its own gnome, whom Adele promptly names Albert and adopts as her special friend. When she makes a wish one evening that her “garden could be magical again,” Albert comes to life, informing Adele that he was once the head gardener and promising to help her restore the garden to its former glory.

Richards’s love for nature is evident throughout this fanciful debut, in which fairies alight on lush flowers, “leaving trails of stardust in their wake,” and playful spirits with “hearts of gold” cavort through the foliage. Adele has an eye for magic, and her ready willingness to spot it at every opportunity will resonate with younger readers. She quickly picks up on Albert’s gentle nudging that a little bit of hard work and a lot of love can help even a neglected seed spring to life. Together, Adele and her gnome make a marvelous pair as they set off on the adventure of a lifetime: he is thoughtful and wise, while Adele is an enthusiastic learner who finds even the dreariest garden tasks a joy.

That winning combination will warm hearts as the story builds to an uplifting restoration. Richards drops plenty of gardening tips for younger readers along the way, who can expect to learn pearls such as lavender’s calming ability, the patience required for composting, and the role different creatures (an earthworm, ladybug, and majestic oak tree, to name a few) play in the garden. Whimsical black-and-white illustrations light up with brilliant pops of color, and Richards dedicates space at the end to sustainability, including a special composting recipe for readers to try at home.

Takeaway: A young girl restores a garden, thanks to a little magic.

Comparable Titles: Pat Zietlow Miller’s In Our Garden, Kate Messner’s Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt.

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

Click here for more about Adele and the Whispering Garden

Acharya’s eighth book of poetry is a transcendent blueprint for healing in a ruptured world, drawing on the poet’s experiences with marginalization as an Indian-English woman and the scars of colonization, police brutality, racism, war, the pandemic, and more. In Acharya’s poems, presence is a pillar of that healing; for example, in taking notice of bees, “the peace of wild things descends like a mantle woven with blessings.” Yet this presence also makes space for grief, despair, and uncertainty. “Are there journeys without destinations, // pilgrimages that don’t lead to self-discovery?” Acharya writes. Facing these questions, the poet looks to faith as her guide.

Spirituality appears as both a solitary venture and one of communion in Acharya’s collection. In the heartening “This Is What It Means to Be Human,” the speaker recalls “the warmth of the rasoi” and the congregation of the family kitchen as the spiritual and cultural binding agents that allow humanity to transcend base impulses and strive for the best versions of itself. Some poems, like “Song of Praise,” “If,” and “Grant Us,” invoke the style of prayer and affirmation, addressing the spiritual needs of the present day, including those relating to the existential woes of the climate crisis.

In this vibrant collection that touches on so many fragments of global society, one illuminating thread throughout explores the poet’s identity. An awareness of the self, along with spiritual presence, is essential on the quest for healing that Acharya so touchingly describes: “when I reconcile myself to the randomness // of the universe, everything falls into place.” Acharya’s collection is the light in the darkness, a note of hope in the symphony of the world’s sorrow, and it shows readers how to pull themselves from the depths of despair while asking them to “think of what you can do in the face of calamity, // not be overwhelmed by its immensity.”

Takeaway: Rich collection exploring spirituality, oppression, and a path for healing.

Comparable Titles: Mary Oliver’s “Wild Geese,” Joy Harjo.

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

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Blending tech-savvy science fiction with military action that soars, Holden (author of the Future War series, among others) launches this series-starter with the intergalactic adventures of Linus Vespasius, a former deep-sea fishing captain turned reluctant soldier. Facing life in prison for murder, Linus opts for service in the Red Army—as in, the army of Mars—enticed by the promise of freedom after completing his combat hours, a mere 99. But nothing is what it seems on Mars, with those hours exceedingly hard to accumulate, a brutal “Reducation process,” and the shocking revelation that the presumably alien enemy, the Lilin, with bodies “not made from elements known to humankind,” can pass themselves off as human. Demotions relegate Linus to the junior-most rank in Legion Praeda, or Legion of the Prey, infamous for its low survival rate. What follows this seeming death sentence is a surprise: the transformation of a self-interested man thrust into the harrowing Red War and a series of vividly drawn combat situations.

For all its action, described with both vigor and rigor, and its cool revelations about the enigmatic Lilin—a seemingly immortal species whose motives and methods defy comprehension—Red Legion at its heart explores human hubris, especially the lengths to which those in power will go to perpetuate their control. But it also offers hope, as Linus’s fight to survive reveals much about himself, the enemy, and a new future for humanity. The ground-level realities of this war, told through Linus’s journal entries, are deftly juxtaposed against the duplicitous “official history” of the conflict fed to Earth’s population to sustain public support.

Lovers of military SF will sign right up, though the military jargon might pose a challenge to some readers. Still, Holden’s meticulous world-building and well-honed action compellingly conjure the unforgiving realities (and imaginative possibilities) of future war, setting the stage for a sprawling, morally complex universe and more high-stakes, thought-provoking storytelling.

Takeaway: Gripping action-packed sci-fi thriller set around an intergalactic high-stakes war.

Comparable Titles: James S.A. Corey, Paul McAuley.

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

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