Set in the early years of the American Revolutionary War, Robertson’s book follows the early military life of Lieutenant John Despard of the Royal Fuziliers, the storied line infantry regiment of the British Army. Along with fellow officer John Andre and arch rival Kincaid, Despard is posted at Fort St. Johns close to the Quebec-American border. When their commander Charles Preston surrenders, Despard, Andre, and others are taken prisoner and, after a grueling march, held at Lancaster township in Pennsylvania. Under parole, and freer than their men, the officers bear their trials with fortitude. But soon, they become involved in a plot by British undercover agents that could put their life and imminent freedom in danger.

Told in a straightforward fashion and rigorously stripped of the sensational, Robertson’s narration recreates the conditions during the Revolutionary War with illuminating authenticity, right down to slightly formal dialogue, even as the men razz each other, plus updates on the war itself, and helpful sketches of key locations. The characters are well drawn with the more affable and talented Andre complementing the impulsive and temperamental Despard. The presence of Elizabeth Brant, who is half indigenous, and the family of Captain Hesketh, offers relief from an otherwise all-male cast. The stark contrast between the life of the officers and that of the lower ranks is disturbing. While the former enjoy a near-free life with mild parole restrictions, the latter are confined to their barracks, often in inhuman conditions.

Robertson’s interest is in life as it was lived, though the character of Kincaid, portrayed as unprincipled and cruel, adds welcome tension and conflict. In plot terms, for stretches of the novel nothing much happens: the officers eat, drink, and vent. However, the effect is immersive, steeping readers in the past and these lives, and the impressive research, woven well into the story, ensures a realistic portrait of both the British and the Americans of those times, offering real rewards for readers fascinated by the past.

Takeaway: Immersive, realistic novel about British prisoners of war during the American Revolution.

Comparable Titles: Walter D. Edmonds’s Drums Along the Mohawk, Bernard Cornwell’s Redcoat.

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

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Deftly tempering the triumphs in tragedy with the joys of found family, Patterson’s second novel set in Paradise, a town in Pennsylvania’s Amish country (after Chasing Paradise), immerses readers in an inspirational love story. Mallory is a survivor of a horrifically abusive relationship, one stemming from her abandonment as a child and subsequent journey through the foster care system. Fleeing North Carolina from her abuser, she finds herself cushioned in the protective arms of people who only wish to help, despite not knowing anything about her situation. However, despite the offered generosity of her employer, fellow employees, and new friends, she finds it difficult to trust: “I’ve always had a hard time with trust…Sometimes it’s easier to believe lies, especially when there’s a picture that looks like proof.”

That particularly applies to the enigmatic Eric, a young man who reminds her of the good in her past. Complicating her trust issues is Victoria, her employer’s niece, who sees Mallory as nothing more than a threat—and Eric as her own conquest. Filled with characters readers will both identify with and come to love, the novel closely examines the ripple effects of abuse and neglect not just on Mallory’s life, but on those around her. She’s aided by her burgeoning faith journey and the people who are placed in her path to serve as guides, friends, and examples. While a touch predictable, her relationship with Eric is still thrilling, especially as delicately laced foreshadowing urges readers to question what they know—and offers a delicious reward at the end of the emotional journey.

Hints of rich Amish culture thread through the otherwise English setting, blending the Plain sensibilities with more contemporary issues, while being wholly respectful of both. The occasional editing issue sneaks into the tale and may pull some readers out of the story. However, the novel’s overwhelmingly hopeful messages surrounding acceptance, faith, and second chances are sure to delight aficionados of light, clean, inspirational romance and have them eager for more.

Takeaway: Sparkling Amish romance with contemporary flair and faith.

Comparable Titles: Suzanne Woods Fisher, Kathleen Fuller.

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

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This compact handbook offers no-frills, platform-independent instructions for playing a variety of classic card games using video conferencing software and standard decks of physical playing cards at each location, using an innovative system of splitting decks to represent the remote player’s cards. Beaudry includes general instructions for camera setup, and specific directions for Go Fish, Crazy Eights, Cribbage, Scopa, Rummy, Canasta, and trick-taking games like Whist, Hearts, and Contract Bridge. Instructions assume that players already have a familiarity with the actual games.

Beaudry wisely chooses to keep the text system-independent, rather than to get bogged down in trying to instruct readers on using rapidly changing technical platforms, allowing the option to use a wide variety of devices including older smartphones. He chooses to front-load instructions on where to position cameras in an initial chapter, but includes other general information using repeated text (such as a reminder to document house rules) in every chapter, making it easier for readers to jump directly to their game of choice, but leaving the book feeling repetitive when viewed as a whole. A general chapter on the concept of Split Decks and Card Banks upfront would have gone a long way toward helping readers understand the basic premise, and adding some diagrams would also have helped readers visualize how the basic systems function.

Nevertheless, Beaudry’s system is cleverly designed and works very well, and readers will find it intuitive after following his instructions carefully a few times. Although he lists reasons people might like to play cards remotely, he omits discussion of the reasons why readers should choose this system— the aesthetics of physical cards, the more intimate connection, being easily able to incorporate house rules— over digital ones. The tone of the text is instructional and distant, ensuring clarity.

Takeaway: Practical guide to playing cards remotely but not electronically.

Comparable Titles: Hoyle’s Modern Encyclopedia of Card Games, Ellie Dix’s The Board Game Family.

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

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Coleman offers young readers a winning story of a cat who loves pancakes—maybe a little too much. Pancake the cat lives with Mr. and Mrs. Buttons, a pair who measure their love for him in the stacks and stacks of pancakes they feed him every day. Though Pancake revels in the meals, he soon realizes that he doesn't really look like the other cats anymore. Instead, he’s actually starting to resemble his favorite food—and he wants to be so much more than just a “funny pancake cat.” Coleman uses Pancake as a springboard for the crucial message that being a hero doesn’t equate to being perfect.

With an irresistible title and protagonist, the story touchingly explores some hard-to-talk-about feelings, including tricky topics like body image and making assumptions about others based on appearance. Pancake initially seems like the luckiest cat ever, but when the other cats (and neighbors) start making rude comments, and he can no longer keep up with his pals, it starts to wear on him. Out of sadness and frustration, he runs away—only to find himself in a dark alley, surrounded by shadowy figures. When he’s startled by a black cat, Pancake learns that not everything is what it seems on the surface: the strange cat has no plans to hurt him, she’s just desperate to find a meal for her kittens. Pancake marches the small family to his home, where he promptly serves them a pancake feast.

Of course, Mr. and Mrs. Buttons welcome the new family with open arms—and full bowls—and the addition of new cats in the house inspires Pancake to try new foods, too (though he sticks with his favorite on the weekends). Lucy Pirogova’s shaded illustrations imbue the story’s animals with human-like expressions, that, when paired with Coleman’s lesson to be kind to others, make this debut relevant for any young readers. This story’s told with a light touch but shares a powerful message.

Takeaway: Pancake-eating cat shows readers what it really means to be a hero.

Comparable Titles: Nikki Rogers’s A Hero Like You, Rachel Bright’s The Lion Inside.

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

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This adorable children’s book by Harris (author of My Name is Stardust) tackles the misconceptions behind the most notoriously unlucky of numbers. Thirteen is a warm, sweet creature who keeps getting blamed for problems that have nothing to do with him. “I am the most feared number from zero to googolplex” he remarks, as the story’s narrator announces that people often treat Thirteen badly out of fear—a superstition that, although not based in reality, causes Thirteen a lot of grief. From there, the story barrels through a load of other common superstitions, reminding readers along the way that “no matter what others say or do, YOU are very special.”

Harris manages to introduce history, mythology, and critical thinking in a fun, approachable way. Kids will learn several superstitions—finding a penny heads-up on the ground means good luck, but breaking a mirror will earn you seven years of the opposite—and the possible origins to Thirteen’s infamous reputation. Some believe Norse mythology was responsible for Thirteen’s troubles, while others are convinced he gets a bad rap because, numerically, he comes right after 12, a number that ancient mathematicians viewed as perfection. History aside, Thirteen just wants to be accepted and make some more friends—though he and his best buddy, Friday, cause plenty of chaos when they get together.

YipJar’s illustrations are engaging and witty, with darling images of a fuzzy, toothy Thirteen posing throughout. Younger readers will get a kick out of the superstitions, which seem silly in the context of this logical, charming story, and adults will welcome the lesson that unfamiliarity often breeds fear and animosity. Harris thoughtfully introduces some cool new words—like friggatriskaidekaphobia, the fear of Friday the 13th—and even delves into how Thirteen’s status changes based on the country he's in (in Italy, “to do thirteen” is equivalent to saying you hit the jackpot). This is delightful.

Takeaway: Adorable tale explaining why the number 13 is not all that scary.

Comparable Titles: Adam Wallace’s How to Catch a Monster, Amy Dyckman’s Misunderstood Shark.

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

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The debut novel from Dennis, the realtor, grant writer, and author of The Road to Credit Repair, pulls from her wealth of experience in the housing market and her Christian faith to spin the dramatic, inspirational tale of Faith Richwood, introduced as a devout Catholic school girl, who as she grows up develops a passion to help others through the construction of affordable housing. Even at eighteen, Faith has her life in order: friends, a steady career path, a loving marriage with her soulmate, Benny, and, above all, an unwavering devotion to God—until destiny interrupts Faith’s idyllic happily-ever-after and her and her family’s lives are changed forever.

With parallels to the story of Job, Amazing Faith asks how much adversity can the truly faithful handle before their belief is shaken. As she enters adulthood, Faith faces loss, disease, financial problems, and homelessness during her life, all while raising her three children, but rather than weaken her faith in God, these difficulties strengthen her devotion and inspire her to persevere and thrive after all the destruction she endures. From the broken pieces of Faith’s life, Faith, her family, and her friends build a new one that follows Benny’s oft-repeated message: “Carry no baggage. You cannot move forward living off the hurt from the past.”

At times heart-wrenching, uplifting, and tragic, Dennis’s first foray into fiction is smooth and streamlined, paced well and written in inviting prose that balances uplifting parable with clear-eyed, life-drawn explication of Faith and family’s debt, housing issues, and health crises. The characterization isn’t especially nuanced or complex, but Faith is certainly likable, even as she’s tested and wonders, briefly, whether she might be losing her mind. The result is straightforward, accessible Christian drama about a woman who finds the wherewithal to pray “without ceasing,” a moving book that explores the power of faith and what it takes to maintain it.

Takeaway: Touching Christian novel of a mother who maintains her faith in the face of loss.

Comparable Titles: Richard Paul Evans, Kim Cash Tate’s Faithful.

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

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In this thrilling, fast-paced middle grade adventure, young Maya Iyer and her close friend, Dave, find themselves under cyber attack in a new virtual reality game. With the aid of her new cyberbots, six “mini animal robots” created by her scientist parents to help keep her safe in the VR world, Maya and Dave work together to beat the levels of the virtual game, Cyberama. But the more they explore, the more personal information the game prompts them for— especially information pertaining to Maya and her parents’ new secret government project.

A senior cybersecurity project manager of 15 years, author Vasudevan draws on her experience to craft a story and characters to educate middle graders on the covert tactics of cyber hackers. Throughout, Maya and Dave discover the meanings of terms like "bad actors," "firewall," and "phishing,” sometimes from their cyberbots, who each boast special skills and powers, including an owl with supersonic speed and a unicorn who can shoot flames from her mouth. Maya and Dave catch on that something’s not right when the game asks, “Now, guess how many miles your home is from the Empire State Building”—an attempt to hone in on her home address. As they unlock new levels, Maya and Dave come to the terrifying realization that the game knows personal details Maya hasn't disclosed. Fearful that her parents will revoke her gaming and internet privileges, Maya makes it her mission to stop the cybercriminals and protect her family with the help of her friends and their special set of cyber-skills.

Vasudevan does a stellar job of creating relatable, interesting characters and an exciting world full of puzzles and challenges, all while emphasizing crucial concepts of cybersecurity. Equal parts adventurous and educational, Cyberama is a perfect introduction to the perils of cyberstalking and hacking. Filled with colorful illustrations, this is the perfect read for students and children delving into gaming and learning social interactions online.

Takeaway: An educational adventure for young readers about cybersecurity.

Comparable Titles: Amber DeVilbiss’s The Little Cyber Engineer, Lyron Foster’s The Adventures of Snacker The Hacker.

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

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Meichelbock (author of In the Company of Soldiers) reveals the multifaceted life of a female soldier in a war-torn region. When her Civil Affairs unit gets deployed to Iraq, Meichelbock frankly describes her purpose: “to show the Iraqi people that Americans are good and not the infidels we are often portrayed to be in Middle East culture.” She chronicles her service in unfiltered, engaging snippets—the struggle of being one of the few female soldiers, the loneliness of being away from home, and the new camaraderie that forms amidst the immediate, ever-looming danger. Meichelbock’s story is a testament that life, even when shadowed by violence, somehow maintains its quiet normalcy.

Through an engaging blend of humor, wit, and seriousness, she dismantles stereotypes and prejudices by embracing cultural differences while portraying Iraq through a lens of sympathy and understanding. "I also learned today that the most violent areas are also the most uneducated," she writes—a sentiment that calls forth the nuances of a country grappling with a difficult history and war-raved veneer. When it comes to the interactions within her unit, Meichelbock’s a straight shooter, exploring gender dynamics and other complexities of everyday interaction: “I wish I were fat and ugly here; then maybe I could be taken seriously as a person,” she writes.

Readers will appreciate the photographs scattered throughout, allowing palpable glimpses of Meichelbock's military life and the Iraqi landscape, and, when paired with her diary entries, those photos become graphically immersive. What sets Meichelbock's story apart is her remarkable authenticity in capturing the mundane amid the perilous—from enduring an unsanitary toilet, to seeking human connection, to binge-watching movies in dead hours, to experiencing compassion from the Iraqi people—she explores the lighter side of an emotionally charged experience. This is a compelling perspective of a female soldier fighting for those unable to fight for themselves.

Takeaway: Transformational military journey that deftly captures life amidst looming danger.

Comparable Titles: Robert Semrau’s The Taliban Don’t Wave, Anuradha Bhagwati’s Unbecoming.

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

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Former Detroit cop Leroy Cutter, introduced in The Sinful, has sailed to Key West to escape his past and renew a friendship, but finds murder and other dark doings that will severely test his physical and emotional limits. Arriving in Florida, he finds his old Navy buddy Dan Yarnall has been killed and Cutter realizes he may be a suspect. He starts to look into the death, and soon finds it seems to be connected to real estate developer Jankowski and a mysterious emerald. He also starts a romance with local woman Stacy, who impresses him with her ability to take care of herself. Together, they uncover a grim series of crimes.

Allison has a great feel for the mind and murky world of the cynical PI. Cutter comes with a troubled background in the military, having "done things I could never forget." He also has a past as a cop, where he saw, among other harrowing incidents, a murder over cookies. But Allison always makes it clear that his inner sense of honor shines through, perhaps most memorably when he stands up for common decency while talking with a tough cop. And Cutter’s prickly romance with Stacy comes across with warmth and a lot of humor. Some of the secondary characters aren’t as vividly rendered as this pair, and some motives are at times unclear, but Allison keeps the action going at top speed.

Fans of this genre will especially like Allison's playful language, which both honors and slyly mocks the gumshoe tales of another era. Cutter tells us his "Michigan blood was sludge in my veins." And everything he says at one point "was as thin as a runway model’s lips." In a more serious vein, Allison waxes poetic in the sailing descriptions, which serve as an effective counterpoint to the violence. All of Allison's narrative powers come together at a nail-biting conclusion that will leave readers breathless—and hoping to join Cutter on future adventures.

Takeaway: Fast-paced PI sequel set in a morally murky Florida Keys.

Comparable Titles: Lee Child, Lawrence Block.

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

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The second entry in Delorme’s Limerent Series (after Caio) presents an enthralling, character-rich narrative that intertwines the mundane and the supernatural, delving into the complexities of young-adult life—and the kinds of obsession that “Limerent” suggests—through a layer of fantasy. The novel revolves around Amelie, a 17-year-old burdened since the age of 11 with a remarkable yet destructive gift. She possesses an inexplicable magnetism that draws people toward her, often with tragic consequences. This proves both blessing and curse, as she must distance herself from the world she inhabits by constructing literal mind-shields. The introduction of Clovis, an enigmatic incubus, adds a compelling twist—and a forbidden attraction—as the two are hunted by friends and foes alike. Even as the stakes grow higher, their fraught relationship and its future power the tension.

Delorme populates Amelie's world with a diverse cast, each playing a unique role in showcasing her adolescent trials. Her interactions with counselors and teachers, including a particularly lascivious vice principal, emphasize the distance between her desire for a normal teenage life and the necessity to control the powers she possesses. Amelie's relationship with her unfeeling parents and uncaring friends spotlights the isolation she feels in her quest to find her place in a world that often fails her, and her yearning for a real friendship. It is this need in her life that the arrival of Clovis—whom she first thinks could be a hungry werewolf—might begin to fulfill. Touchingly, she finds in him a friend, a guide, and the object of her desires.

Bright Midnights offers a remarkable exploration of the experiences of desire and love. Through Amelie’s struggles to make sense of her new, unfamiliar feelings and knowledge, readers are sure to find themselves irresistibly drawn into this enthralling journey. Delorme’s steady, compelling pace makes the novel’s epic length less daunting, making it a solid read for lovers of relationship-driven urban fantasy.

Takeaway: Compelling fantasy of a teen, an incubus, and keeping the world at a distance.

Comparable Titles: Amanda Hocking’s Switched, Nadine Brandes’s Wishtress.

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

Click here for more about Bright Midnights

Debut author and experienced Hollywood composer and music editor Rozow delivers a master class in using music in film and TV productions to maximum effect. Rozow makes a persuasive point about the power of music in storytelling: “The art of film scoring is really a storytelling craft,” he opines. “The purpose of film music,” he writes, “... is not purely to entertain, but rather, it is there to enhance a scene. The music is there to help you tell your story.” He demonstrates this in thorough, inviting, clarifying detail, showcasing how music can set a narrative’s tone, communicate emotions, establish time and place, and enhance storytelling, all with an emphasis on practical scoring tips, which are studded throughout.

Rozow skillfully leads readers through every stage of the musical process, from finding and choosing the right composers and musical partners, understanding technical jargon, shooting and editing musical elements, music editing, and working with musical teams to provide the best possible final production. Defining terms that may be unfamiliar to newcomers—such as “spotting” (a meeting in which the placement of music throughout the film is discussed and decided), leitmotifs (a short phrase or melody that is repeated throughout the picture in association with a specific character, emotion, state of mind, story point, or a place or setting) and mixing and dubbing will give filmmakers vocabulary to express to their collaborators the effect they’re after, while musicians and readers simply fascinated by the art will find the approaches and explanations here illuminating as well.

Rozow closes out this first-rate guide with sample spotting notes, master cue lists, music cue sheets, sample composer deal notes, sample composer agreements, sample music licenses, and more. This invaluable guide will prove essential to anyone seeking to use music effectively in their theatrical works, whether a blockbuster movie, an indie documentary, or any other narrative video project.

Takeaway: Thorough, inviting, illuminating guide to scoring film and TV.

Comparable Titles: Deena Kaye and James Lebrecht’s Sound and Music of the Theatre ; John Gardyne’s Producing Musicals: A Practical Guide.

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

Click here for more about Every Note Tells a Story

Will Stewart, the high-flying Wisconsite hero of the Divisible Man series, cringes when anyone identifies out loud what he seems to be facing in this eleventh adventure: a werewolf. Will dismisses the theory as “drive-in movie” junk, despite gruesome killings and evidence including wolf fur—and his own experiences with the incredible, including his powers to turn invisible and, aided by his BLASTER device, fly. Even true believer Pidge, the best pilot in Will’s home of Essex County, is reluctant to say the word, usually adding a spirited profanity before it. But for all the cast’s amusing qualms, captured in dialogue attentive to the rhythms and comic understatement of the upper Midwest, readers with experience with Seaborne will be rewarded for trusting that, yes, this vital series about a man who has achieved freedom from gravity still remains grounded.

Instead, Seaborne again deftly blends the procedural, the superheroic, and the aviation-minded tech thriller with charming local color, some intriguing ongoing developments, and a realistic depiction of how powers like Will’s would change lives—and the world at large. To that winning mix The Eleventh Hourglass adds an agreeable splash of creature-feature horror as the apparent beast ravages the northern Minnesota woods, tearing into flesh, BMWs, and maybe series regulars Pidge and Earl. Will and company’s monster hunt boasts suspense and satisfying revelations that fit the Divisible Man tone.

This entry’s most urgent material, however, concerns the continuing storyline of Will’s uneasy relationship with billionaire Spiro Lewko, who sees Will’s powers—and their mysterious curative properties—as a potential game-changing breakthrough. Seaborne thoughtfully explores the consequences of having powers, from the hardship of communicating with gestures while invisible—“If I could have seen my watch, I would have pointedly looked at it,” Will says in narration—to the protests, political division, and legal troubles that would come if the public beheld evidence of them. Newcomers should start with the first book, though Seaborne takes pains to make everything clear.

Takeaway: Gripping tech-thriller pitting a man with powers against a reputed werewolf.

Comparable Titles: Sam Hughes’s Fine Structure, Mike Chen’s We Could Be Heroes.

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

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The climatic installment of Rivers’s A Legacy of Silence series offers a gripping page-turner as psychologist Kate Medina continues her efforts to expose and bring down a powerful sex-trafficking ring entrenched in Alamogordo, New Mexico. Medina, still working as a psychologist, shares a warm relationship with returning character Tilly, her sister, a nurse examiner who works with survivors of sexual assault in Las Cruces, an hour's drive away. When Tilly gets kidnapped by the same gang who had targeted Kate previously for meddling with their “enterprise,” Kate reaches out to an old friend for help and endeavors to unravel a web of dark secrets—and at last end that silence.

Ripple Effect centers on Kate’s page-turning pursuit of the truth, a tense journey of shocks, confrontations, and and bursts of crisp action. Rivers, as always, delves deeply into the hearts and lives of her cast, especially the once-estranged Kate and Tilly. Rivers displays engaging emotional acuity as the women grapple with sisterhood, “a past riddled with grief,” and the harrowing events of the earlier books. Kate, meanwhile, is engaged to her high school best friend, FBI agent Roman Aguilar, but the ghosts of past relationships and trauma loom over them. Tilly grapples with the lingering grief and her complicated feelings for a friend. These women, bound by their wrenching experiences, find solace in confiding in each other, learning to "look beyond their trauma—to see people as they were and as they could be.”

Each boasting a singular voice, Rivers’s characters—even a villain like Ruth Flores—are fiercely strong, ready to fight and speak their truths, but also vulnerable, prey to relatable fear and guilt. The conspiracy feels grounded in real life, and Rivers again deftly evokes desert life, where “hard, fierce winds … kicked up dirt and pollen and made the air so hard to breathe.” The thrill of this compelling series is seeing Kate and co. risk it all to protect women in a world so harsh.

Takeaway: Bracing series finale pitting sisters against New Mexico sex traffickers.

Comparable Titles: Ann Turner’s Out of the Ice, Carolyn Arnold.

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

Click here for more about Ripple Effect

A charmingly eccentric fox and his cadre of animal neighbors learn the true meaning of Christmas in this fanciful children’s tale. The animals living in North London’s Crouch End are led by a fox named Rufus—an intimidating creature, to say the least, who’s also known as the “finest Animal of the neighborhood.” When torrential rains cause unheard-of flooding in the area, Rufus’s house is destroyed, and with his nephew Rupert set to visit soon, Rufus is in a bind—and seeks out Marvin Mole, Builder Extraordinaire, to help repair his house.

Marvin, of course, has serious building skills, which is a stroke of luck for Rufus. Not only is his nephew in town, but the People of Crouch End are gearing up for Christmas. That entails many strange traditions, according to Rufus, like stringing twinkling lights everywhere, cutting down trees for their houses, and decorating their houses with holiday trimming. As the Animals gather together to wonder at the odd behavior of the "People" they ask Rufus to seek out answers from the Fairies that only he can see. Rufus does just that, learning from resident fairy Tinya the ins and outs of Father Christmas, his sled, and the gifts the People receive on Christmas day—though she cautions Rufus there’s “something more” about the holiday that he must learn on his own.

With that knowledge in hand, the Animals vow to have their own Christmas feast, though they won’t eat any animals, of course (“It would be like eating one of ourselves!” Marvin exclaims). Lee (author of Orpheus Rising) endows his animal characters with plenty of human—and Yuletide—spirit, and their holiday cheer serves as the catalyst for Christmas magic to transform them and their surroundings.Meilo So’s dreamy illustrations bring to mind vintage Christmas scenes, a perfect match for the age-old lesson Rufus eventually learns: love is the true reason for the season.

Takeaway: Engaging, animal-inspired Christmas tale with a vintage feel.

Comparable Titles: Robert Barry’s Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree, Jan Brett’s The Animals’ Santa.

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

Click here for more about The Tale Of The Animals' Christmas In Crouch End

This provocative examination of personal trauma and self-acceptance through boudoir photography is an absorbing story of healing and transformative growth. Rae, a body image activist and photographer, intricately weaves her own mini-memoirs—traversing topics from her experience of childhood domestic violence to a suicide attempt as a young adult to finding purpose in becoming a parent—into a vast debut collection that features tastefully risqué portraits of women of all shapes and sizes, some gifted a small space at the end to share their own equally harrowing stories.

The juxtaposition of confessional mini essays with seemingly disconnected boudoir photography evokes a jarring aesthetic. Rae’s words and images exist separately, and offer arresting context when gathered together, as when she recounts the stress of trying to make ends meet in New York City, to the point of becoming so physically ill she was bleeding internally, immediately followed by an image of a sultry-eyed woman clad in delicate white underwear, caressing her own face. This constant push and pull of a weighty, memoirist tale with gauzy, ethereal photography underlines the paradoxes of these stories. Rae is, for instance, both a body-positivity activist yet still at times mired in her own fears and insecurities about her figure: “Nothing about a journey to self love is linear” she writes.

Though Rae does not shy away from revealing all—in both writing and photography—there are moments of fragmented, stray thoughts that will leave readers wishing for more detail, such as how Rae’s mother went from helping her through the traumatic birth of Rae’s child to relinquishing a relationship with her grandchild. Still, these powerful narratives are a testament to the need for women to “[turn] off the record of putdowns, insults, and general feelings of unworthiness” for the chance to live “fully and completely.”

Takeaway: Powerful, confessional memoir embracing body positivity in all its forms.

Comparable Titles: Sally Mann's Hold Still, Janet Malcolm’s Still Pictures.

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

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Analyst Glasson, whose internal departure memo from Google accusing the company of discrimination on the basis of pregnancy went viral in 2019, tells the complete story of her mistreatment at the tech giant and her pursuit of legal recourse in this focused debut memoir. Glasson begins by sharing a little about her abusive childhood as background, exploring why she became a recognition-seeker willing to tolerate poor treatment for too long, and then describes a corporate culture of peer-dependent progress and minimizing HR issues—and eventually hitting her breaking point. Glasson aims to illuminate the “black box” of obstruction she experienced. A short chapter with quotes from other women who faced pregnancy discrimination adds a bit of broader perspective.

Glasson’s thorough documentation (even when the company actively discouraged it) is the foundation of a well-organized chronological memoir with a clear storyline depicting her rise through the company ranks until her defense of one of her direct reports, and then herself during both of her pregnancies, led to the retaliatory destruction of her career. Her prose is clear and impactful, making it easy to understand and care about Glasson’s frustrating experiences with both the discrimination and the legal system’s slowness and squeamishness about taking on her case. Glasson’s inclusion of her pre-Google experiences and her mental health challenges beyond the impact of corporate mistreatment place the book somewhere between working mother’s memoir and targeted corporate exposé. Legal-oriented readers may find the play-by-play of the legal proceedings a bit vague, though an appendix includes the full complaint filed with the state of Washington.

Glasson’s explanations of Google’s internal system for peer review plus personnel and legal systems make clear these were not exactly helpful. Told with insight and sensitivity, this story of what it takes to stand up and fight back against a “superpower” that “can spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a discrimination lawsuit without blinking an eye” has welcome, rousing power.

Takeaway: Inspiring story of standing against pregnancy discrimination in the tech world.

Comparable Titles: Susan Fowler’s Whistle Blower, Ellen Pao’s Reset.

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

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