Ferruzzi shines a light on oceanic pollution issues in this watery adventure, incorporating educational facts with a fast-paced storyline that teaches young readers the importance of environmental cleanup. Along the way, they’ll learn fun facts about mice and whales from the additional resources included in the back half of this engaging story—like the tidbit that mice eat 10-15 percent of their body weight daily, or that blue whales hunt smaller prey because their throats are only a few inches wide.
Young readers will be drawn in by Stu Suchit’s multi-textured illustrations, particularly Malcolm’s flashy clothes (a plaid dinner jacket and mismatched bow tie complete his fine dining attire) and carefully side swept hair. The juxtaposition of a tiny city mouse with an immense whale highlights the heartfelt message that no matter how big or small, anyone can make an impact on the world, and, by working together, we can “find a solution for ocean pollution.” In the backmatter, Ferruzzi includes pointers for decreasing plastic waste, healthy eating tips, and a brief lesson on sustainability, accompanied by none other than a handful of Malcolm’s favorite recipes, like a fruit and vegetable based super smoothie. This fun tale will spark creative problem solving in readers of all ages.
Takeaway: An aquatic adventure with an important message about ocean pollution.
Comparable Titles: Stephanie O'Connor's The Whale Who Ate Plastic, Michelle Lord's The Mess That We Made.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: B+
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Scripps introduces conflict right away in this celestial adventure, as Ruby’s desk harbors a dangerous dictionary listing all the signs that make auras glow on Earth, called The Portfolio of Light—a book that no human is supposed to see because it can “mess up the natural balance on Earth.” The story unfolds from the present day as well as from Ruby’s memories of her previous Starland trip, where her presence caused Starland’s Light Beings to feel "the shivers," throwing the magical planet into unbalance and chaos. There, Ruby first learned what an aura is (“a tiny happiness lamp that every human has,” according to the Light Being Aurora), why the Dark Beings were set on stealing the light from both Starland and Earth, and how she may just be the human destined to "[stop] the Dark Beings from dimming Earth's light for good.”
Plagued with typical adolescent struggles, Ruby also has the added pressure of this secret mission weighing on her, which builds tension and adds layered complexities to the story. Filled with secrecy, betrayal, and magic, Ruby’s larger-than-life quest to save two worlds from being consumed by darkness will enthrall young readers.
Takeaway: Cosmic middle grade quest to save two worlds from darkness.
Comparable Titles: Angela Cervantes's The Cursed Moon, Angie Thomas's Nic Blake and the Remarkables series.
Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B+
Marketing copy: A
Mahina Rises
Mahina, ever the dreamer, refuses to be tethered by fear and, though plagued with guilt, defies her Tutu. When a hurricane destroys Po'okela Academy, Mahina dares an idea inspired by her dreams—a fundraising concert to rebuild her school—and enlists the help of her best friend, Koa, and her supportive teacher, Ms. Reynolds. What unfolds is a dangerous yet soaring journey where Mahina discovers that the Moemoeas’ irresistible powers are far more than a curse, through secret trips to the lava tubes, bouts of sleepwalking and nightmares, and the growing realization that her visions might even hold the key to combating climate change.
Blending magical realism and Hawaiian lore, Blossom (author of Horse Boys) offers a timeless story, rich with Hawaiian culture, and implores readers to contemplate the power of dreams and the fears that often stifle them, with lovable characters who embody the courage of the next generation. Tutu's words, "the power is not in the dreams. It is in you," resonate throughout, a reminder that dreams mean nothing without action. Mahina Rises is a powerful call for guardians to nurture their children's dreams and for the young to believe they can make a difference in a world ravaged by greed. This is an urgent read on caring for our planet.
Takeaway: Soaring adventure of two kids who combat climate change.
Comparable Titles: Axie Oh's The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea, Peter Brown's The Wild Robot.
Production grades
Cover: B-
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A-
The Holy Land at War: A Journey Through Israel, the West Bank and Gaza
“People have lost family, land and houses—but not the pride in who they are,” says Aboud Ahmed, in Ramallah, a college student who reminds Patinkin of the diversity of belief and thought among Palestinians, pointing out “We’re not a Muslim monolith.” Visiting Palestinians in Ramallah, including people he had met in the early 90s when he was covering the first Intifada, Patinkin reports encountering anger but also incredible hospitality and painful stories of occupation and seeing rights were stripped by the Israeli government. The interview subjects don’t offer much hope of peace anytime soon, with even a one-time Israeli “peacenik” saying, of civilian casualties, “I hate it. But I don’t think we should stop.”
Patinkin’s approach of allowing people to tell their stories reveals patterns: speakers on both sides believe their claim to the land is irrefutable, beliefs that the escalation of violence confirms for them. Patinkin leaves readers with the hopeful story of a Muslim/Jewish husband and wife who have created a mixed-faith school for young children as a way of trying to transcend these differences. Without explicitly saying so, Patinkin suggests it will take new modes of thinking to stop the conflict, and it's this gentle, humane approach that makes this such a moving work of narrative journalism.
Takeaway: Deeply humane accounts of life on both sides in Israel and Gaza after October 7th
Comparable Titles: Cathy Sultan’s Israeli and Palestinian Voices;Ben Ehrenreich’s The Way to the Spring
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Olivia’s story is heartbreaking, made more chilling by the knowledge that Bowers experienced related horrors through his COVID-19 hallucinations. The juxtaposition of Olivia—a fresh-faced teen on the cusp of her 16th birthday—with later scenes of her brutal treatment at the hands of a remorseless cartel leader proves jarring, and Bowers’s trigger warning is definitely warranted. Beyond the shocking abuse, the novel is awash in often awkward and gratuitous sex and sexual references, from frequent comments on how Olivia’s body is “filling out” to the narrator’s compare-and-contrast appraisal of Olivia’s mother’s body (“nice breasts that would make any man’s mouth water”) and Olivia’s own. Like icky speedbumps, those descriptions—including a helicopter rape scene played for shock—disrupt the narrative more than they add depth or context.
Bowers hints at larger conspiracies behind the horrifying circumstances the Schultz family faces, particularly when it becomes evident the US government and DEA know more than they’re admitting. The ending has a staggering twist that readers likely won’t see coming, though the path to get there is littered with Allen reliving Olivia’s ordeals through “artifacts” he requests through the Freedom of Information Act. Readers may want to start with Bowers’s memoir to anchor the events of this unsettling novel.
Takeaway: Unsettling story of a teen girl’s kidnapping and brutal treatment by a cartel boss.
Comparable Titles: Karen D. Scioscia’s Kidnapped by the Cartel, Roger Dean Fischer and Debbie Viguié’s Cartel Heat.
Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B
Marketing copy: B
Authors Wells and Barclay started this darling series with the hope of giving young readers a glimpse of the big, bright world around them, and this first installment does just that. Charlie is an adorable lead, sprinting and wagging his way through a city that’s teeming with flashy new experiences. He touches on the activities that are just pure fun—like sampling famous New York City pizza—while also perusing monumental landmarks, including Lady Liberty, who “holds her torch with pride,” and One World Trade Center, a towering monument to the power of hope. Sanna Sjöström accompanies those iconic landmarks with textured watercolor illustrations that transform each scene into a work of art, from the fluffy zoo penguins to the swank contours of Charlie’s Broadway play.
Younger readers will revel in Charlie’s adventures, experiencing NYC’s splendors from the comfort of their homes. Of course, Charlie returns safely home—“his favorite place”—at the end of a fun-filled day, ready to rest up for his next journey. The authors close with a brief description of the famous landmarks Charlie visited throughout the story, along with question prompts to help readers personalize his excursions, making this a series kids will relish returning to in the future.
Takeaway: Adorable story of a pup with wanderlust and the Big Apple.
Comparable Titles: Natalia Diaz and Melissa Owens’s A Ticket Around the World, Kari Allen’s The Boy Who Loved Maps.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Promising to be “your sherpa through this wild journey of understanding your Gen Z child or your Gen Z friend, and better yet, cherishing that relationship with them,” Whitmire goes above and beyond in his attempts to accurately analyze Gen Z, sharing a wealth of research and statistics that offer fascinating tidbits about this captivating generation. Those range from their tendency to spend at least 6 hours a day online, their chummy relationship with Google to answer all of life’s questions, and their overwhelming preference to text before talking. Whitmire’s relaxed style may seem cheeky at first, but readers shouldn’t take that to mean he’s trivializing Gen Z’s contributions; “this generation does not lack motivation or ambition,” he writes—“they were born and bred… to dream big.”
Whitmire does a masterful job explaining the thoughts and objectives of Gen Z—honesty and transparency are key, he asserts—and provides sensible, actionable advice to readers seeking to understand them. He also offers a glossary of Gen Z expressions (covering sayings like “no cap” and “sus”) to help older generations communicate with and develop “genuine understanding and respect for the generation shaping our future.” Celebrating differences is essential, Whitmire urges, and this clever offering does just that—with a healthy serving of playfulness along the way.
Takeaway: Savvy guide to understanding Gen Z for older audiences.
Comparable Titles: Ryan Jenkins’s The Generation Z Guide, Darrell E. Hall’s Speaking Across Generations.
Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A-
A quick summary can’t do justice to the scope of The Tides of March, a novel fascinated by the history and culture of Japan, by the processes of detectives, fishermen, samurai, serial killers, and more, and by the ways that each major character’s convictions on law, justice, and other heady topics reflect Japan itself. That richness of ambition, combined with Price’s wordiness and eagerness to examine every moment in the detail, means the text is often dense, especially in opening chapters, which tend toward the discursive—especially for a novel with pulpy beheadings, corruption, and a serial killer to come. Readers who persevere will find excitement and many surprises, spanning history and worlds, plus international intrigue, wild murders, and an overall spirit of gusto that’s rare in such a thoughtful novel.
Scenes of confrontation, disaster, and otherworldly presences are vivid and unpredictable, while the pained camaraderie between the Kurosawa siblings, cursed by their grandfather’s actions, is affecting. The detectives’ pointedly tasteless banter, meanwhile, can prove exhausting, but readers on Price’s wavelength may relish it.
Takeaway: Genre-bending but wordy epic of cops, contemporary Samurai, and corruption in Japan.
Comparable Titles: Steve Bein, Peter Tieryas’s United States of Japan series.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: C+
Marketing copy: B-
Call of the Desert: Crossing
From the start, Claire comes across as a closed-off child, bullied by her parents; in response, she fashions a set of rules to keep herself out of everyone’s hair (“Hide-What-You’re-Really-Thinking” and “Apologize-Often” are just two of those). Comparatively, she is always at ease around animals, who she tends to gravitate towards, and Vogel scatters this entertaining plot with snakes, dogs, horses, and frogs, all of whom draw out the real Claire and show readers a side of her rarely revealed around other humans.
Since the novel is based in Saudi Arabia, Vogel utilizes numerous references to Arabic words, local customs, and myths, all conveyed via the sensitive gaze of a curious 12 year old. But also intriguing is the proliferation of biblical references, particularly in the second half of the book, which help Claire make sense of the inexplicable events she’s facing and culminate in her “liberation,” as readers see her finally open up and come into her own. The end result is an informative, enlightening YA novel that explores the traditions of foreign culture while bringing biblical stories to life. Lovers of magical realism, animals, and coming-of-age adventures will embrace this heartwarming story.
Takeaway: Beautiful coming-of-age fusing foreign culture with biblical stories.
Comparable Titles: Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl’s Beautiful Creatures, Maggie Stiefvater’s The Raven Boys.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: B+
In Thistle’s garden, “all are welcome,” and her book rightly celebrates the wonders of that animal world. In “Jump Around,” the narrator identifies various creatures idling on the ground, recommending that readers give them space instead of crushing them underfoot: “Don’t step on the newt, // they’re really quite cute. // Say ‘Hello’ then jump around.” Thistle’s rhymes are simple but memorable, delivering a profound lesson to young readers on the stewardship of outdoor spaces as well as relaying important conservation principles—particularly a sense of community with the natural world.
Much of Thistle’s writing aims for education, like “Wiggle and Bound,” a poem following a family of fisher cats as the babies listen to instruction from their mother: “I’ll show you the path, // I’ll show you the stream, // I’ll show you the rose bush, // remember, always to dream.” Young readers unfamiliar with fisher cats will be enticed to learn more about them, just as Thistle’s “Trinkets and Treasures” opens a world of different birds to children, through exploring an abandoned nest that transforms into a new home. Though Thistle’s illustrations are restrained, her poems are joyful, whimsical, and above all commemorative of the animal kingdom that brings her backyard to life.
Takeaway: Whimsical poem collection describing animals’ garden journeys.
Comparable Titles: Maggie Davis’s A Garden of Whales, Kevin Henkes’s My Garden.
Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: B
Illustrations: B-
Editing: B-
Marketing copy: B+
Kind Business: Values create Value
In a straightforward yet sophisticated style, Cooke presents numerous examples in recent business history that show how many shortsighted, profit-first decisions ultimately turned out badly, especially when executive pay is tied to short-term results. One target is Jack Welch, former Chief Executive Officer of General Electric. Welch’s laser-like focus on the bottom line and GE’s share price made shareholders wealthy, Cooke notes, but also destroyed many lives and communities in the process. Cooke laments that such exploitative playbooks have proliferated, despite global exploitation, evidence of climate change, and products that threaten privacy or clearly damage consumers’ health and well being. He urges those in the corner office to regularly get out from behind their desk and walk the factory floor, talk with employees, customers and suppliers. Similarly, he calls on consumers and investors to take responsibility, i.e., support responsible companies, conserve energy, reduce consumption and waste, and teach subsequent generations to do the same.
Cooke is attentive to business language and culture, and he strives to exorcise the business-as-battleground analogies that have long been commonplace. That mindset, he suggests, sets every promotion-eyed manager on a collision course with what’s generally considered good and moral, like providing sensible worker benefits, respecting the environment, and helping one’s community. Clear takeaways and much actionable advice make this call of courageous, ethical leadership also a practical guide to changemaking.
Takeaway: Rousing call for business leadership that places values before short-term profits.
Comparable Titles: Neil Malhotra and Ken Shotts’s Leading with Values, Daniel Aronson’s The Value of Values.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Chiaramonte’s tone is inviting and uplifting as she shares her personal journey—and case studies of patients she has worked with over the years—while highlighting the emotional strain and mental anguish caregivers face when caring for a loved one. She helps readers “navigat[e] the experience of illness,” teaches balance between caregiving and self-care, and offers easy-to-follow suggestions on staying connected to loved ones, even in the face of life-altering diagnoses. As much an in-depth educational resource as it is a profound testament to resilience, Chiaramonte’s guide will comfort, enlighten, and challenge readers to “endure hardship and find meaning.”
Combining traditional medical practices with integrative palliative care is the answer, according to Chiaramonte, and she provides easy steps, along with interactive exercises at the end of each chapter, to help readers understand and implement her advice, covering everything from advanced care directives to staying calm during high stress events. When faced with the question “How am I supposed to live my life now that I know I’m going to die?” from many of her patients, her answer will inspire: "The way you always have." That encouraging message reverberates throughout this compassionate, insightful guide, transforming devastating situations into opportunities for hope.
Takeaway: Integrative palliative medicine offered as an answer for complex medical diagnoses.
Comparable Titles: Kathryn Mannix's With the End in Mind, Robin Bennett Kanarek’s Living Well with a Serious Illness.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Soon, Bud and Sveta are together, facing visa complexities while Bud politely ignores her warnings about Putin, whom he thinks of as a “tough hombre” like Trump. In this sequel to American Nonsensical, which introduced Bud and the gang at S. Stein Investigations, Webster’s fast, sharp-elbowed storytelling pulls off the trick of tying these elements into a coherent whole. For all the pointed displays of ignorance on the part of Bud, or the social-media charlatanism of Reverend Clem Dudas, who claims to have evidence of a conspiracy between “Commies and pervs” to “destroy our great country,” Webster’s interest is not just in the tiresomely berserk beliefs that pollute too many lives—it’s in the blindspots and justifications of men like Bud, his zeal, rooted in loneliness, to believe the world is something different than it is, something that’s being stolen, even when this conviction drives away the people dear to him.
The satire here is often broad, but the surprise, and the tangled, twisty mystery offers more laughs than suspense. But the surprise in Russian Nonsensical is Webster’s commitment to the hearts of these people, especially Bud, and his suggestion that, with love and time, the fevers fueled by anger and misinformation can diminish.
Takeaway: Sharp satiric mystery of a MAGA detective, Russian brides, and a snake-handling reverend.
Comparable Titles: Carl Hiaasen, Christopher Buckley.
Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A-
"Our world seems to blur the lines between truth and falsehood, and many hearts have grown cold," Holmes asserts of contemporary times, as she implores readers to prioritize God’s presence in their lives. The narrative is built on themes of faith, perseverance, and open-minded acceptance, all thoughtfully unfolding through Holmes’s stories of her childhood, adult life with her husband and children, and business ventures focused on spreading the Christian message. Holmes’s advice to readers includes constructing a War Room—a room dedicated to purposeful prayer, “to engage with Him personally and in spiritual warfare through prayer for [your] loved ones”—and interceding for leadership across every nation. She also dedicates time to explaining the Bible’s description of “the state of the world in the end times.”
Ultimately, this is an uplifting reminder for Christian readers to reach out to those suffering from loss and despair while cultivating a deep spirituality in their own lives. Holmes offers direct prayers for freedom, peace, and restoration, alongside her own powerful living testimony, as she explores her mission to spread the gospel, even through challenging hardships and moments of tragedy. This interactive resource is perfect for Christian readers seeking to invigorate their own faith walk.
Takeaway: Christian-based meditation on cultivating a relationship with God.
Comparable Titles: Davey Blackburn's Nothing is Wasted, Nadine A. Raphael's But God.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
The Forager Chefs Club
The rules of the contest are simple: contestants are provided a place to live in the Club’s lodge, if they wish, and the entire grounds upon which to forage. In exchange, they must create five lavish meals over seven months for five unknown judges. All of the ingredients must be sourced from Michigan— the competition is a terroir, after all—and the prize is $50,000, a life-changing amount. Each character’s story is delicately layered with nuance, leaving readers struggling to pick just one contestant to root for. Each has their strengths and challenges, though young Celly becomes an early favorite, particularly with her determination and drive.
Secondary characters, in the form of Bradley and Daniel’s young son, Ethan, provide an excellent garnish to the story, though it’s the narrator, Randall, and the lodge’s manager, Elena, who provide the structure on which everything else is built. Precise and sumptuous dish descriptions prove just as enticing and involving as the character portraits, making this feast for the senses one readers will fall in love with and revisit to have their souls and hearts nourished.
Takeaway: Nourishing, character-rich novel of a foraging cooking contest.
Comparable Titles: Jennifer Ryan’s The Kitchen Front, Sarah Echavarre Smith’s Simmer Down.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
The Ferryman's Toll
The Hangman is just the first in a series of gruesome creations unleashed by the sinister Cairnwood Society, and as Clyde and his team uncover the evil techniques behind these horrors, they must race against time to stop Cairnwood’s destruction. The stakes are incredibly high—Cairnwood isn’t just after Hourglass, they have the entire world in their sights—and James’s immersive world-building brings to life a New York that teems with paranormal threats and shadowy organizations. James expertly balances fast-paced action with moments of character development, giving readers a protagonist they can root for amidst the chaos; Clyde’s journey from a reluctant necromancer to a confident agent is compelling, filled with tension, grim banter, and an ever-present sense of danger.
James’s prose is sharp, capturing both the dire realities of Clyde’s world and the playfulness that helps him survive it, and, though this installment follows events from James’s Hourglass, it can be read as a standalone. Some readers might find the constant action overwhelming, but it suits the book’s all-or-nothing environment, as does Clyde’s metamorphosis from a self-titled pacifist into a paranormal warrior, transforming his life into “a comic-book of sorts”—but with much deadlier consequences.
Takeaway: Gripping read where the supernatural is both a curse and a weapon.
Comparable Titles: Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files, Richard Kadrey’s Sandman Slim series.
Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
