
With power and clarity, Dees dismantles Malthus’s claims, noting that the original essay reads more like a religious tract than an argument rooted in logic or science. He demonstrates how Malthus, with little evidence, blames the poor for overpopulation and, by extension, for the conditions in which they live—conditions that Malthus insisted should actually be worse, the better to disincentivize propagation. Dees, by contrast, draws on a wealth of history and data, plus outraged invective, lamenting the dichotomy between Malthus’s dearth of proof and the outsize influence of his claims over centuries.
The Malthus Fraud is well-documented, sharply argued, and never dry despite its scholarly heft. Dees offers a cogent, compact critique not just of Malthus’s “religious dogma [with] a pseudoscientific veneer” but of Malthusian ideology that still resonates today. This spirited critique will please readers outraged today at continuing efforts to shift blame for poverty onto the poor themselves—or, as Dees writes, “when that did not work, God’s will, the Jews, the witches, the weather, or anyone but the real culprits.”
Takeaway: Brisk, blistering critique of Malthus and Malthusian ideology.
Comparable Titles: Jeremy Popkin’s A New World Begins, Deborah Valenze’s The Invention of Scarcity.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A-
Readers who relish rich prose, psychological intensity, and attention to what life in the past felt like will be immersed in this historical narrative told through the eyes of two young women set on following their ambitions and their hearts. "The gossamer bridge of the feminine in my own life had twisted in these events, both from within and without," Joan laments early on, as the possibility of being exposed proves a continual source of suspense.
Andes pens a complex but rewarding novel alive with old world language, harrowing atrocities, and star-crossed lovers whose stray moments of intense romantic connection give them strength to face hostile outside forces. “Had God appeared before me in physical form, I would have plunged my sword as deep in Him as it would go,” Joan declares after one tragedy. That searing emotional urgency, plus themes of faith and identity, ties the timelines together as Andes’s compelling heroines face limited options and overwhelming passions.
Takeaway: Gorgeously told story of Pope Joan and, centuries later, Jewish lovers in the Third Reich
Comparable Titles: Donna Cross’s Pope Joan, Kelli Estes’s Today We Go Home.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A

The title poem asks what sort of housekeepers modern people are, noting that “Greed is the root of evil yet it keeps us alive”. Despite this awareness that unrestrained consumerism “can’t go on like this;” Whitacre (author of The Elk in the Glade acknowledges that, in truth, “this is all we have.” “War&Peace@Target” also examines this self-aware paralysis of humanity in the face of the destruction of our planet, juxtaposing notes on a shopping spree with haiku-like italic verses that illustrate the consequences of our addiction to buying things (“songbirds fall to the earth”). Whitacre continually finds resonance in the metaphor of housekeeping, and each poem sews a new layer to the tapestry of variations on home as a place, mindset, identity, and fantasy.
Alongside Whitacre’s exploration of consumer culture are gentler poems that portray a domestic idealism, as in “Mother’s Chair,” “The Foldout Couch,” and the moving “Narcissi, We Drown in Our Own Eyes.” In the latter, a compendium of declarations of love, he writes “I love you like an old oven crusty with drippings / of the problems we braised, oozing with radiance.” Though blunt about the ways human life has been warped by technology and waste, Whitacre’s poems also highlight another force, besides greed, that has long given life meaning: the impulse to love and be loved. In Whitacre’s collection, all of it, the horrors and the joys, exist simultaneously.
Takeaway: Urgent, moving poems about home, consumerism, and love.
Comparable Titles: Frank Bidart, Mark Wunderlich.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A

After that irresistible hook, the story takes off in amusing directions. Overwhelmed with Corinne’s challenge, and going against his father’s rules, Geoff borrows one of his Dad’s books to wish for help, despite believing the magic won’t work. Of course, magic, like creating art and sharing it with the world, never goes quite as one plans, and Geoff’s dabbling in both results in unexpected consequences, connections, and surprises, prompting a mad comic scramble to set the world back—but not sacrifice his enticing new relationship with Corinne.
Corley keeps the story brisk, funny, and poignant, though his creativity and wit cannot be contained to one medium. The author of well-received YA titles like Space Throne and is also a songwriter who has recorded for over two decades years with The Mars McClanes, a Portland rock band. Their song “GILM!” inspired the novel and will share a release date—and, with luck, won’t through existence into chaos.
Takeaway: A teen songwriter’s wish to leads to comic chaos in his new school.
Comparable Titles: Sarah Gailey’s When We Were Magic, Melissa Walker Let’s Pretend We Never Met.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A

In this inspiring memoir, LaBelle chronicles his life from early childhood through adulthood, juxtaposing the parallels of his life and personality before and after his diving injury. Fiercely independent and a bit of a daredevil, the author highlights how his disability changed the way he approached obstacles, though he still faced them head on—and never let his adventurous spirit wane. LaBelle’s transparency and raw honesty throughout is engaging and motivational; his zeal for living jumps off the page, though he never shies away from dark moments amid his many hospitalizations and operations. His story is of a man fighting, surviving, and adapting, of course, but it’s also one of embracing possibility, as he recounts constantly seeking change and taking opportunities that came his way, such as a new job or a thrilling vacation destination with a friend or family member.
LaBelle writes with engaging clarity and humility, noting that he doesn’t think of this book as “some type of guide to life, but as just one example of the possibility of living a life with a catastrophic injury.” In that, it succeeds with style and power. Fans of personal stories of triumph in the face of adversity will cheer as LaBelle pushes through his personal narrative to highlight how life is what you make it no matter the challenges set in your path.
Takeaway: Inspiring memoir of living life to the fullest as a quadriplegic.
Comparable Titles: Eddie Ndopu's Sipping Dom Pérignon Through a Straw, Rebekah Taussig's Sitting Pretty.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Highlighting the challenges of problem tenants and the financial setbacks that can arise due to repairs or having to take legal action, Allensworth holds nothing back in this honest account of the highs and lows of the responsibility and business of being a landlord. Providing tips on how to turn a profit, balance the tenant/landlord relationship, and handle the dreaded eviction process, this self-help guide gives an in-depth, behind the scenes look into the complex task of property management, with an eye on how to “structure your business to fit your preferences, situation and disposition."
Allensworth draws pragmatic lessons even from the most absurd stories— such stories as one tenant leaving a dog behind after being evicted so that they could still pick up their welfare and food stamps from the mailbox, or another making a copy of the key so they could squat after being evicted. From constant upkeep to the day-to-day run ins with tenants, this helpful resource lives up to its title, while offering its audience a wealth of specialized knowledge.
Takeaway: Straight-forward, often humorous advice for landlords.
Comparable Titles: Brenda Cross King's Do You Really Want to Be a Landlord, Tony LeBlanc's Doorpreneur.
Production grades
Cover: C+
Design and typography: N/A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A
Wilson offers readers an inspiring story about an owl that just won’t give up, but there’s much more to this lovable picture book. As Nessa hops her way to the North Pole, she comes across an array of remarkable animals who also call the Arctic their home. Front and center are Nessa’s reindeer friends—“grunting and snorting, on the cool crunchy frost of morning”—alongside lemmings, a pair of decidedly rude snow geese, and a dangerous arctic fox who Nessa evades at the last minute. Throughout her journey, her flying skills slowly evolve, as does her awareness of the wilderness she’s insistent on traipsing through during a dangerous time of year.
Just as Nessa is on the verge of not making it, she’s rescued by a conservationist who transports her to warmer weather, and a veterinary clinic, via his hovercraft. Nessa, of course, is convinced she’s been saved by Father North, and Wilson smartly leaves it up to young readers to decide if she’s correct. The illustrations evoke the Arctic’s chilly whiteness, and the story boasts plenty of discussion points for adult readers to cover—and a reminder that even in the harshest climates, a little love goes a long way.
Takeaway: Cool-hued story of a young snowy owl’s dangerous journey.
Comparable Titles: Nicholas John Frith’s Hello, Mr. Dodo!, Adam Rex’s Unstoppable.
Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A-
Editing: B
Marketing copy: A-

The opener, “Land Mines,” quickly seizes attention as protagonist Dana is caught shoplifting a scarf at Bloomingdales and forced to visit a psychiatrist to deal with her problem. The crisp, potent prose that showcased her background—she was abandoned by her mother as a child, and a boyfriend in later years, and finds shoplifting a surprise source of instant gratification—exemplifies Harris’s concision and humanity. Those qualities likewise power “The Mink Coat,” in which a woman moves back to Chicago after separating from her husband and finds surprising freedom through a coat gifted to her by her mother. “Tikkun Olam” and “Chicken Soup” plumb different spectrums of loneliness, the first centered on a troubled teenager craving family, and the second a woman abandoned by her children. Not that family life is easier: the standout “Mute” finds a couple at odds over how to parent a boy diagnosed with autism.
The cast is diverse, but alienation unites them. Pained and resonant, Misfits lays bare people who are so convincingly drawn that they seem to be reported on rather than imagined. Harris breathes life into his characters by employing evocative imagery and succinct storytelling. He lets his characters express themselves not only through dialogues, but also through actions.
Takeaway: Urgent, incisive short fictions of people facing lives that aren’t quite working out.
Comparable Titles: Patrick Dacey’s We’ve Already Gone This Far, Adam Haslett’s You Are Not a Stranger Here.
Production grades
Cover: A_
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Banerjee addresses the planet’s landscape of climate horrors, from the extinction of the dodo bird to the animal cruelty required to make foie gras to plastic waste in the ocean. “What will we do when we run out of land // and all that remains is plastic and concrete?” the poet asks in the haunting “The Loss of Use and Toss.” Though Harmony is often despairing, Banerjee also laces the collection with visions for a better future. “Toccoa and Train” creates a parallel between the female-imagined Toccoa river and the male-imagined train running alongside it, each carrying their burdens and forming a partnership, with the train using the river for “her inspiration.” Together “they both ran and ran and ran, for every generation.”
This recontextualization has power. Banerjee imagines a world where the train, once the very emblem of the industrial age, and the river are not opposing forces, but instead part of a flowing harmony. As a love letter and call to action for the earth, Banerjee’s saga is a worthy addition to the genre of climate-change activism poetry by young authors.
Takeaway: Impassioned collection of climate activist poetry written by a student.
Comparable Titles: Luisa A Igloria, Aileen Cassinetto, and Jeremy S Hoffman’s Dear Human at the End of Time, Betsy Franco’s Things I Have to Tell You.
Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: B
Editing: B+
Marketing copy: A

Meanwhile, the adults are busy dealing both with a mysterious fog that only targets children, plus the looming threat of Big Garbage Inc. and its army of elemental Anthrogs. This adventure sends our heroes on epic quests to save the world—literally and figuratively as Colless explores both science heroism and relatable, easy-to-achieve goals to help on a local and global scale. Each of the very diverse characters has something to offer the team—whether it be technical savvy, out-of-the-box thinking (as is the case with Wanda’s big idea to learn more about the yellow fog) or Riva and Peter’s leadership skills.
Scientific principles are celebrated, but fantasy also plays a large role in the novel, particularly in the anthropomorphizing of elements such as wind in such a way that they’re seen as complementary rather than opposing forces, offering fresh options for flights of imagination. While the adults and villains may come across at times as stereotypical and two-dimensional, the message underlying the narrative speaks to tolerance, grace and the importance of making one’s own decisions in situations—teaching children to follow their instincts. Readers will be captivated by this unlikely band of heroes.
Takeaway: Young eco-warriors take to sea and sky to save the world.
Comparable Titles: Jess Redman’s The Adventure Is Now, Emma Shevah’s How to Save the World with a Chicken and an Egg.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Driskell’s spiritual storytelling is accessible without being overly casual, and she omits most technical spiritual language in favor of easy to understand narrative with a natural conversational tone. Although she offers a variety of framings of the essential concepts, her focus on the primary teaching of living mindfully in the Oneness stays crystal clear throughout. She establishes Esmeralda as a point of view character, but develops her personal story lightly; Driskell seems to suggest but never says that Esmeralda’s experiences ressemble her own, and she emphasizes the teachings rather than her story.
Driskell resists editorializing, letting the stories speak for themselves, but provides an annotation index in the endnotes which explicitly specifies the teaching topics for each tale, helping readers to hook into the meanings through additional research or to easily choose an appropriate story for any particular contemplative moment. Each piece after the first few stands well on its own as a teaching story, so readers can engage the book non-sequentially; however, those who choose to read straight through will find the pieces varied enough that the experience proves fresh and engaging throughout.
Takeaway: An introduction to Sufi spiritual approach, presented in 62 short narratives.
Comparable Titles: Eckhart Tolle’s Oneness with All Life, Nevit O. Ergin’s Tales of a Modern Sufi.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A

Reine again showcases an ability to touchingly weave sorrow, grief, humor, and love with complex and resonant blended family dynamics and an eye for environments, especially physical landscapes. While the opening chapters might seem to paint Gideon as an antagonist or even villain, an agent of discord speaking viciousness he seems to believe is truth, Reine is too shrewd and empathetic to keep things simple. As the pages quickly pass, and the story seems to edge toward tragedy, readers get a deeper look into these people, their pasts, and their rifts, the central relationship as rocky yet fascinating as the terrain on which they live.
Fearlessly untangling the complexities of relationships, loss, and perseverance, this is a novel that is both hopeful and relatable. Peyton’s marriage to cowboy Blake, who is not Gideon’s father, is eventually put to the test as they navigate the destruction left by her son. Her identity as an artist is threatened, a bitter rivalry ensues, an old love returns, and Peyton finds herself facing hard choices and opposing paths. The magical realism, respectful interest in Navajo and Ute cultures, and deep spirituality contribute in bringing captivating depth to every character.
Takeaway: Stellar family drama of an artist mother, a difficult son, and hard choices.
Comparable Titles: Lynn Spreen; Marylee MacDonald’s Montpelier Tomorrow.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A

"We are often pawns in a love game we do not understand," Macaluso writes, and Run Like Hell, packed with eye-opening research and detailed case studies from a host of women, is a comprehensive guide on the complexities of trauma bonding, the types of behaviors and signs to look out for in potential partners, and safe ways to break free from toxic relationships with PLs (“pathological lovers”). With empathy in insight, Macaluso lays out the who, what, when, where, how, and why people are likely to trauma bond and the people who seek to manipulate and control them, laying bare "pathological lovers” and their motives, patterns, and manipulative tactics—and also how women can get trapped by them.
Macaluso proves especially compelling when addressing the shame, guilt, and embarrassment that can keep women silent when it comes to abusive relationships. Run Like Hell salves the stigma attached to falling prey to charming, charismatic men who turn out to be manipulative and controlling, offering commiseration and a path out of the nightmare. Throughout, Macaluso and the women whose stories she shares speak hard truths (“Your PL will always flip the script and claim to be the victim”) that could help readers make major changes. Positive, informative, and urgently necessary, this guide demystifies these relationships in inviting prose and with ample heart.
Takeaway: Standout guide to leaving and healing from toxic relationships.
Comparable Titles: Jackson MacKenzie's Whole Again, Bruce D. Perry's What Happened to You.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
The first volume of HR Data Doodles—a name referring both to the comics format and to the now-expanded cast of diverse and appealingly designed characters—offered insights, too, though the emphasis was often on punchlines, usually coming from the pajamas-wearing young HR analyst Teddy. This time, Turetsky often dares to end strips without a joke, instead capturing, in four chatty panels of static composition, the upshots of meetings, both in-person and digital, as the teams at Played Much strategize, listen to each other, and implement their plans. (Occasionally, speech balloons are laid out in an unintuitive order, but much less often than in the previous entry.) The change in emphasis makes a point: teams working well together are no joke, and neither are demonstrations of agreement, understanding, and the embrace of clear takeaways.
That’s not to say there aren’t laughs, here. But quickly the story of Played Much’s possible acquisition by OrangeU, another game company, plus Played Much’s struggles to finalize a “transformative” platform and gather crucial demographic data, proves compelling. Innovative solutions to problems, like “re-skilling” employees for current needs rather than “re-staffing,” work out for the team, and the new advice from an old consultant regarding OrangeU and the platform issues is heartening.
Takeaway: Upbeat comics about the essential role HR plays in business.
Comparable Titles: Eliyahu M. Goldratt’s The Goal, Josh Bersin’s Irresistible.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A-
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A

Loo acknowledges that neurodivergence is a relatively new revelation and should be viewed through a flexible lens, with an understanding that appropriate language and methodology may change over time. “Ongoing reflection from society is necessary to ensure that we’re always trying to better understand, represent and support the neurodivergent community” she urges, and readers will find a wealth of affirmative ideas and approaches here that attest to those beliefs. Topics of note include masking neurodivergence to be viewed as “socially acceptable” (and the harm that goes along with that), healthy versus unhealthy power dynamics in relationships, and the need to avoid the common neurodivergent pitfall of people-pleasing.
Readers will find the colorful graphics, diagrams, and journaling opportunities particularly useful; Loo utilizes mind maps to illustrate complex topics, and visuals such as a “self-care menu” and a layout of creative stims ideas—self-care activities to help regulate emotions—are bold, bright, and incredibly helpful. The message is clear: “Being pressured to live like a [neurotypical]… is like forced cultural assimilation in the ethnocultural context.” While she writes that the material is meant for those who identified their neurodivergence in adulthood rather than childhood, this handbook will also prove a valuable tool for any neurodivergent or neurotypical reader.
Takeaway: Enlightening, supportive resource for late-identified neurodivergent adults.
Comparable Titles: Steve Silberman’s NeuroTribes, Zosia Zaks’s Life and Love.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Like the couple, Xavier starts slowly, as the man tells the woman that he sees her as beautiful, but she demands he dig deeper, be more honest, and speak the truth of what he sees. Then when she regards him, he reacts the same way, the reader discovering what each looks like through the other’s words—and by this becoming deeply involved in their exploration of intimacy and trust. That leads to a surreal sequence, real or imagined, where he describes peeling the eyes that stared at her away from her skin and then cutting her open, removing the scars made from "the judgment of others." Soon, she describes ripping his face off. Throughout, both make exclamations of pain.
Finally, that intensely metaphorical experience fades as the couple at last feels comfortable with touch, then foreplay, and then sex, talking through it in the most exacting detail possible. The dialogue at times is so formal and descriptive that it lacks any sense of verisimilitude, but Distortion stands as a complex, vulnerable, and highly emotional narrative of connection.
Takeaway: Humane, sometimes shocking experimental love story.
Comparable Titles: Ryan J. Haddad's Dark Disabled Stories, Philip Roth’s Deception.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A