This moving, challenging novel of a young gay man coming of age in the 1980s pulses with moments of connection and freedom, explored in prose that exults in its own liberation: “Thus time, tortoise and torturous, hale and hare. Rich in paradox, it travels. At a rate of 67,000 miles per hour. It catapults us with a flaming center.” The narrative explores the lives of gay men at the onset of the HIV pandemic in Ojo Caliente, a “neon mountain town” whose stretch of Colorado seems intent on “formaldehyding the past.” The narrator, meanwhile, is facing past and present in incandescent sentences, as he makes new friends, explores his sexuality with an array of men—from those not openly "out" to those with women at home—and contemplates relationships he’s left behind, all as he vows “to scramble, leave the state, go for good.”

The flaming center here is Mengay's blazing style, a stream-of-consciousness gush studded with killer details—“the two of us press flesh to flesh, causing me to frot the horn in rhythmic beats, the sound intensifying on this barren spit below I-70”—wells of deep feeling, and reams of sharp-elbowed, unpunctuated dialogue that, in the briskest passages, offers a reprieve from the prevailing density. Mengay (author of The Lede to our Undoing) demonstrates a mastery of rowdy voices, in chatter and letters, sometimes offering scenes in script form.

But Ojo’s power comes from Mengay’s attention to the senses in scenes of home building, road tripping, boisterous get-togethers, earthy trysts (“Lips and beard abrade my skin, peel me like a tangerine”), and taking the dancefloor at a gay bar that’s like a “studded–and-buckled Araby of the west.” Especially moving is Mengay’s stripping away at the cast’s protective layers, revealing men who are wild and carefree with the narrator yet not free to be so in their everyday lives. Readers who relish uncompromising fiction of substance and ambition will find this wild, wise, and nourishing.

Takeaway: Incandescently written novel of growing up queer in 1980s Colorado.

Comparable Titles: Ali Smith, Alan Hollinghurst.

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

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Bolger’s debut immerses readers in the raw essence of urban life as seen through the lens of a vulnerable protagonist. The narrative skillfully navigates newly released convict Francis Doonan's journey from innocence to experience, capturing the complexities of adolescence with poignant clarity through the viewpoint of a man who has spent almost half of his life incarcerated. Doonan, now 32 after being imprisoned at age 18, spends his “first day of freedom” reminiscing about people from his past—and the shocking changes the world’s undergone since he was put away—while reflecting on his choices, in an unflinching portrayal of familial discord, substance abuse, and loneliness, all set against a vividly rendered New York City backdrop.

Bolger's prose is frank and evocative, pulling readers into Doonan's world with detail and dialogue that pulse with authenticity and richly drawn characters steeped in their place and era. Through Doonan's eyes, we witness his personal growth and the harsh realities that shape his worldview, in a world punctuated by brutal fights, drug running, and tender dreams amidst harrowing cruelty. Doonan, vigorously opposed to joining the gangs that run the streets of Hell’s Kitchen during his adolescence, turns down their offers while surrendering to his inner rage, reflecting during a drug-fueled bender, “Howie and I were sitting together in a far-off land where we could be or do anything we wanted. but were our pain and rage too much to allow us?”

More than anything, this is a compelling exploration of youth, resilience, and the pursuit of identity. Bolger's ability to blend poignant moments with gritty realism ensures the book’s emotional impact, and Doonan’s journey from flashbacks to freedom will hook readers from the onset—and leave them contemplative as he muses that learning to live again is “just another stoop to conquer.”

Takeaway: Unflinchingly honest portrayal of adolescence in urban America.

Comparable Titles: Betty Smith’s A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Sandra Cisneros’s The House on Mango Street.

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

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In Friday’s lively debut, four trailblazing middle schoolers—Mattie, twins Nova and Rora, and Parker—find themselves facing off with military and government astrophysicists in a battle to save planet Earth. When Mattie and friends stumble into a terrifying battle between unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), complete with a near-death experience thanks to a Tiamaxus—a chilling alien weapon nicknamed the T-Max—they also encounter a blue-blooded warrioress named Zakara and her floating robot, Cache. When Zakara is mortally injured protecting the children, they’re forced to reprogram Cache to try to save her life, launching them into a deadly race against time.

Friday introduces readers to a fun, intelligent middle grade adventure with a satisfyingly diverse team of kids, all of whom are well-versed in coding, drone technology, and scientific research. Despite the story’s setup, the characters acknowledge their situation is unusual, making them a very down-to-earth group stuck with an out-of-this-world problem. Mattie emerges as a leader of sorts, but each member of the foursome contributes in their own right, whether it’s Nova’s robotics expertise, Rora’s social media know-how, or Parker’s drone skills. Adult readers will relish Friday’s emphasis on ingenuity and teamwork, as the group must collaborate with the government—while deciphering who they can actually trust—in order to save thousands of lives.

Most encouraging here is the variety of interests this diverse group holds, all largely centered on the field of science. The kids are bright, capable of such ingenuity as building robotic arms and devising a communication code to throw off the officials tracking their every move, and their resourcefulness secures them several big wins along the way. Middle grade readers will appreciate the thrills, too, as Friday delivers an exciting medley of daunting weapons, military drones, and death-defying chases, culminating in an ending that will appeal to sci-fi fans of all ages.

Takeaway: Ingenious group of middle schoolers face down an intergalactic threat.

Comparable Titles: B. Random’s Alienship, Matt Guzman’s Rieden Reece and the Broken Moon.

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

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Psychologist Morgan (author of Training the Time Sense) presents an idiosyncratic exploration of time and experience, juxtaposing critical events from his past eight decades with speculative predictions for the decades to come. Working from the assertion that“ Each moment is a statue in time, always rooted in that time and that place,” Morgan's playful, proudly idiosyncratic work blends personal memoir, forward-thinking imagination, and surprising historical reflection—Morgan ponders the possibility that Richard Rodgers was a synesthete and recounts a bumptious encounter between his mentor and friend Robert Lee Green, then serving in Martin Luther King’s Southern Christian Leadership Council, and Robert Kennedy.

Morgan delves into significant moments of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, examining how these events have influenced societal and individual psychology. His narrative is rich with striking personal anecdotes and professional observations: relish his encounter with a wag in the early 1960s who claims not to “see race,” or his dinner-party-ready tale of teaching the concept of identification reciprocity only to be interrupted by a student who inadvertently proves it. This keeps the historical sections informative and engaging—Morgan has no time for received wisdom or familiar pieties, though as he charts his nation’s tilt toward conservatism in the 2010s he does indulge in a page-length chicken-egg joke and some prankish play with ChatGPT.

That insistence on fresh thinking also shines in the speculative portion of the book. He envisions future scenarios with a psychologist's eye for behavior and detail, exploring how emerging technologies, environmental changes, and evolving social norms might impact human society. These predictions are grounded in current trends and scientific advancements, lending a sense of plausibility to his visions of the future. While Morgan's transitions between past and future can sometimes feel abrupt, and the book’s design and many illustrations tend toward the haphazard, he weaves eras and ideas into a thought-provoking narrative whole that challenges readers to consider the long-term impacts of present-day actions.

Takeaway: A psychologist’s insightful, surprising historical insights and future speculations.

Comparable Titles: Yuval Noah Harari, Ray Kurzweil

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

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Sandoval (author of Roll Over, Big Toben) returns to children’s writing with this young adult coming-of-age novel following young runner, Eddie Santos, born with his umbilical cord wrapped around his neck and diagnosed with cerebral palsy at birth. “All my life I’ve noticed that people, people I know, people I don’t know, seem to always have some secret among themselves that they don’t share with me” he writes; even so, Eddie’s father, who Eddie says “protected me and wanted to reshape me” constantly fights for him to overcome his disability and fit into the world around him.

Readers will be moved by Eddie’s first-person narration transporting them into his life, thoughts, and emotions as he processes his experiences and how they relate to the people around him. He is movingly honest, describing his father’s determination that he’s able to keep up with his peers in every way, played out in such scenes as Eddie being forced into a boxing ring at a local gym to learn how to defend himself against an experienced fighter. Despite those moments, and the misunderstandings that often pop up during his interactions with others, Eddie harbors a deep sense of the love surrounding him, echoing throughout that his family and friends just want him to “try my best.” When he’s placed in public school—and exposed to racist, ableist peers—he quickly finds comfort in the cross-country team, his school friends Jimmy and Sandra, and a mysterious character called El Indio, who lives nearby Eddie and regales him with stories of his Raramuri ancestors.

Middle grade readers will find Eddie’s straightforward self-exploration rich with emotional detail and candid observations. His curiosity and desire to find a safe, positive place in the world is infectious, and his message—that there is nothing more special than being loved for who you are—inspires as much as it comforts.

Takeaway: Moving story of a boy with cerebral palsy finding his voice.

Comparable Titles: Jamie Sumner’s Roll with It, R.J. Palacio’s Wonder.

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

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Richardson (author of River’s Reach) balances the life and times of Americans at home during the Second World War, from the perspective of 15-year-old Scott Johannsen. Though the war rages far away from his home near Ravenna Park, Seattle, it makes its presence felt through the blackouts, supply shortages, and Scott’s persistent worry about his Uncle Ted fighting in the United States Navy. To complicate matters, Scott’s father, Harlan—an air raid warden—is faced with a string of fires that someone is lighting during blackouts, prompting him to wonder “are we living among the enemy?”

Richardson’s clean, fresh prose draws the characters and events in deft strokes, starting with Scott, of course, but also pulling in his friend Burr, with his quirky love for dismantling devices and crafting unique contraptions out of them—an engaging, lovable addition to an already appealing cast. Scott’s other friends—James, who wants nothing more than to be the “big cheese” everywhere he goes, and Marty, “a bit of a flat tire who was usually a day late and a dollar short”—pitch in with tracking down the firebug, as does Scott’s draft-age older brother Erik and sister Greta. Readers will find Richardson’s domestic scenes—with a stereotypical strict father and more approachable, lenient mother—and the family gatherings around the radio, listening to their favorite shows and the news, both nostalgic and relatable.

Through a tense atmosphere of mystery and suspense, Richardson’s needle of suspicion rises, eventually pointing, successively, at two people who are emotionally close to the protagonist. The denouement also richly pays off the created suspense, and Richardson ties up the loose ends neatly. Perhaps most remarkable are the novel’s nuanced responses to the war, from heroic to pacifist, delivered in a non-judgmental and empathetic way, providing its intended young audience with a means of forming their own opinions.

Takeaway: Suspenseful WWII mystery rich with empathy.

Comparable Titles: Sherri L. Smith’s Flygirl, Cynthia Kadohata’s Weedflower.

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

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Olson, the founder of Family Promise—a nationally-recognized organization fighting for people experiencing homelessness—offers readers an uplifting debut memoir that encourages compassion and service for others. Though she recounts the creation of Family Promise, and shares positive stories of its impact, much of Olson’s writing centers on affirming why volunteerism is so deeply satisfying. There is a “profound personal healing that happens when we act on our innate kindness” she writes, and that compassion forms the framework of this inspiring memoir, as she shares the experiences of others in the hopes of raising awareness and “build[ing] a more caring society.”

Olson starts with her own story, of a heartbreaking childhood that spurred her empathy and kindness for the world around her, and later takes on the stigma that comes with experiencing homelessness—one of the driving reasons she founded Family Promise, as she notes the redemptive value in reaching out: “When we take the time to honor and dignify the humanity in others, notably the most vulnerable among us, our own humanity begins to shine like never before.” That concept—that every person, regardless of their circumstances, is a valued human being—radiates through the many narratives she shares from clients, and her urge to lend a helping hand will inspire readers to do the same in their own lives.

The straightforward message and universal positivity of Olson’s writing makes it easy to internalize, though somewhat repetitive, but there are several eye-opening moments throughout that resonate—particularly Olson’s story about the accident that led to her current disability. Olson’s work has been ongoing for decades, but the basic concepts here still apply to contemporary times, including her ideas listed at the book’s end on simple ways to help others. Olson closes with a list of volunteer organizations to help readers to take action.

Takeaway: Call-to-action on volunteering to help people experiencing homelessness.

Comparable Titles: Kevin F. Adler et al.’s When We Walk By, Tracy Kidder’s Rough Sleepers.

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

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Goodwin’s fiction debut is a charming slice-of-life romantic drama that centers on Molly Parsons, an idealistic but naïve and insecure young woman embarking on her first teaching job, in small-town Ohio, where she’s shocked to discover that her students struggle with literacy. While living at Bertie’s Place, a boarding house run by the kindhearted widow Bertie Evans, Molly becomes attracted to commitment shy Joe Stuart. Heartbreak looms with the return of Molly’s former friend, the alluring but malicious Eva Blake, who sets her sights on Joe. As Goodwin charts Molly’s progress, Bertie's Place explores love, faith, families, betrayal, obsession, and more, with an emphasis on local community and hope and forgiveness in the face of tragedy.

The vivid descriptions of Winslow’s small-town life, particularly its annual fair, give the story a warm, inviting atmosphere, as does Molly’s devotion to her students, whether she’s helping them with their literacy struggles or becoming involved in their troubled families. Likewise, Molly’s friendships with Bertie and the other Winslow residents prove uplifting. Relatably, Molly yearns for a happy marriage like her loving parents had, and her occasional conversations with God show her inner turmoil as she seeks guidance.

Tension comes from Joe’s possessiveness of Molly and Eva, including his jealousy when Molly pays attention to other men, while Molly must also face her own jealousy, especially as Eva is up to what Molly thinks of as “her own tricks." The story loses some momentum as it emphasizes school procedures, lesson planning, board of education meetings, and the canning of food. Goodwin demonstrates, though, the nourishing aspects of such community-minded work. It’s through such labor that Molly, who wishes early on for “the wisdom to help her students,” begins to flower, making a surprise connection with a man in her bible study group, and discovers how to help herself, too. The sweet ending will satisfy lovers of cozy, slice-of-life romances with Christian themes.

Takeaway: Small-town romantic slice-of-life of love, faith, and education.

Comparable Titles: Katie Powner, T.I. Lowe.

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

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In this world of adventure and mystery, readers follow the “creative, yet solemn” Richard Drake, a young boy from Cleveland, Ohio, whose extraordinary psychic abilities thrust him into a whirlwind of suspense and intrigue. When Richard predicts a chilling abduction days before it unfolds into a murder, he embarks on a quest for justice that leads him through a maze of allies, enemies, and dangerous cults vying for his powers. As he navigates this treacherous landscape, Richard discovers unsettling truths that hint at a darker mystery at play, leaving him with a life-altering decision: will he risk everything to expose the truth, or walk away while he still can?

Potter (author of Maladjusted) skillfully shows the depth of loneliness that Richard experiences in his childhood before developing his character into the powerful psychic that he becomes as the book progresses. As the young Richard “long[s] for some kind of validation or approval,” his “oneness with all creatures, great and small” creates miles of distance between himself and others. Richard’s lack of friends and antagonizing older brother leave him searching for a place to belong while he quietly fulfills his duties at home—unnoticed and unappreciated by his family—and keeps his visions, a bone of contention with his “fundamentalist” family, under wraps as much as possible. But, as his powers grow, the tension in his family escalates, driving him, as a young adult, to seek refuge, alongside “adventure and a warmer climate,” in Tampa.

Richard’s gripping voyage turns on high emotions and ever-changing perceptions, as Potter successfully blurs the line between reality and the supernatural, while never losing sight of the mystery elements genre fans will expect. Illustrations by Crazy Sánchez anchor the story’s tension and setting, and Richard is a worthy protagonist, facing imminent danger, lurking evil, and heart-pounding suspense. Readers will be caught up in his journey until the final shocking revelation.

Takeaway: Heartfelt story about a boy coming to age as a clairvoyant.

Comparable Titles: Rick Riordan’s The Lightning Thief, George D. Shuman’s Second Sight.

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

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This inviting, clarifying guide from Marsh has been crafted to demystify the litigation process for the many self-represented (or pro se) litigants initiating or facing civil cases. Noting that some 75 percent of civil cases in the U.S. include at least one pro se litigant, Marsh, a lawyer with almost three decades of practice, offers a step-by-step tour through the complex, interlocking processes of pleadings, discovery, trials, and more, illuminating pitfalls, opportunities, and best practices. Not that Marsh promises that this will be easy. Marsh acknowledges that there’s no replacement for a competent attorney but is persuasive about what the book can offer readers who find themselves in this position: hard-won insight into how to navigate the legal system and put up “a good fight.”

Representing one’s self, of course, demands mastery of not just the facts of the case and the applicable laws. As Marsh demonstrates, this also demands understanding the finer points of briefs, subpoenas, the rules of evidence; a host of Latin terms; the processes of discovery and jury selection; examination of witnesses; and much more. The surprise is how thoroughly Marsh covers these basics in clear language and with a strong sense of what’s actually achievable. From the three questions that a complaint must answer to what it costs to hire a process server to what to do with one’s hands while addressing a jury, Try Your Own Case is pragmatic and to-the-point, offering the advice that only someone with ample experiences could—who knew that, even after hashing them out, one challenge of jury instructions is how to organize them?

Packed with savvy pro-tips (make your social media accounts private; don’t burn through all your interrogatories; don’t give the jury reason to hate you), the text demonstrates twin truths throughout: this can be done, though the DIY approach is not the most ideal option. The book also will fascinate readers eager to understand the practicalities of litigation.

Takeaway: Clear-eyed guide to all facets of self-representation in civil cases.

Comparable Titles: Paul Bergman and Sara J. Berman’s Represent Yourself in Court, Carolyn Elefant’s Solo by Choice.

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

Click here for more about Try Your Own Case

In the sun-drenched city of downtown Miami, Joshua Logan, an alcoholic lawyer known for championing the underdog, sues a manufacturer for negligence after his client, George Benash, suffered horrific third-degree burns when he fell into a vat of boiling sulfuric acid. As the Benash trial unfolds, Joshua's Aunt Helen—a World War II concentration camp survivor—and her three friends seek his legal expertise when they become embroiled in a bitter dispute with a German real estate developer bent on evicting them from their dilapidated South Beach home to make way for a flashy redevelopment. "The poor people always pay the price for change," Joshua muses, galvanized by his desire to defend his aunt.

Through insightful flashbacks, Shabel delves into the intricacies of the four women’s wartime experiences—and their friendship formed in dire circumstances—in this eighth installment of his Crime Mysteries series (after God Knows No Heroes). Helen lost her husband and two sons in a German concentration camp after choosing to remain in Krakow rather than become a poor immigrant in New York; Rachel risked her life to help Jewish children escape; and Mary and Lilly also faced unthinkable violence and loss. When Helen encounters their present-day adversary who threatens their lives, she senses something more sinister about his identity, a suspicion that Joshua is determined to investigate.

While the Benash trial and the women’s pasts dominate the narrative, Shabel injects the story with an insider's perspective on the tension of courtroom drama and achieving a fair trial, highlighting the typical struggle for justice amidst a prejudiced judge and an unsympathetic defense attorney. Shabel’s revelatory insights into the gravity of war and his profound empathy for the survivors— "she knew that death would be so much kinder than remaining alive under these conditions"—compensate for the occasionally dragging plot, making this an engaging read for fans of historical fiction, crime, and mystery.

Takeaway: Alcoholic lawyer takes on a family case closely tied to WWII.

Comparable Titles: William Landay's Defending Jacob, Kate Quinn's The Alice Network.

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

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Dedicated to “those who work to make peace in the Middle East,” this warm, searching novella charts the experience of a young man, Isaac, and other recent American high-school graduates on a six-month tour of Israel. Their journey will find them at Masada at dawn, floating in the Dead Sea, beholding the full splendor of the night sky for the first time in their lives, working on kibbutzim, reeling at news of bombings, and growing into mature selves nourished by these experiences. Schulman’s cast, a thoughtful bunch, prove diverse in outlook, expectations, and their understandings of Jewish identity. Their spirited discussions—and inevitable crushes—drive an episodic narrative that will find them making choices that surprise themselves and each other.

The storytelling here blends the universal—young people seeking connection with each other, the world, and their culture and ancestors—with the particular concerns and challenges facing American Jews in Israel. Living for three weeks with a family in Jerusalem, Isaac concludes that Uri, a young Israeli soon headed into the IDF, thinks of him as “a child, spoiled with too many toys, like a car and a terror-free future.”

With touchingly open minds, the young people discuss the roots of Middle Eastern conflict, whether one can be Jewish without being religious (Isaac, who has not had a bar mitzvah, notes that when a Hitler targets Jews “you best run, escape, fight back” regardless “what your self-perception is”), how best they can contribute to the security of the nation, and so much more. Schulman (author of The Writer's Story) never settles for easy answers, and his young people find their own paths, through these colloquies and through life itself, with persuasive realism. A romantic subplot dominates the first chapter, as Isaac vows, tackily, “I must have her” while marveling at how comely Ahava’s face “relinquish[es] all need for makeup.” Their connection proves bittersweet and touchingly complex, though the novella proves more of a coming-of-age travelogue than a love story.

Takeaway: Thoughtful novel of teens’ touching self-discovery on a tour of Israel.

Comparable Titles: Leonard Saxe and Barry Chazan’s Ten Days of Birthright Israel, Haley Neil’s Once More with Chutzpah.

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

Click here for more about A Postcard From Jerusalem

Downing and Waugh deliver another rollicking entry in the Flash Gang series, deepening the already rich current of lore with several instantly memorable new characters and an entertaining, rip-roaring mystery. In this second episode, after Exploding Experiment, heroes Lewis, Pearl, and the newly assembled Flash Gang fully unravel the treasonous Nazi plot that now grips the Depression-era streets of Pittsburgh. Streeters, or child urchins, are disappearing, Pearl’s magnanimous father is back in town (and not what he seems), and, in order to take down the villainous industrialist John J. Pickering, the gang must expand—and navigate the growing pains that come with that.

Treasonous Tycoon is a pleasure to read at sentence level, boasting moments where riding around with villains is like “sharing a back seat with a crocodile” and mobster Al Capone is the penultimate outlaw. The icing on the cake is the authors’ intricate plotting, with the friendship between Lewis and Pearl—sure to pull at young readers’ heartstrings—shining at the center of all the political machinations and alliterative pyrotechnics. Pearl is the “most loyal, very best friend [Lewis] could ever have,” and the introduction of new streeters like the silly Willow Willy and mysterious Greta Vogel offer a diverse array of models for courage and compassion.

The authors manage again to unspool complex ethical dilemmas that will fully engage readers’ critical thinking skills. From a steel workers’ revolt that highlights the need for fair labor conditions to the role of complacency in fostering fascism to disparities in wealth between young friends sowing inarticulable divisions, Treasonous Tycoon offers a rewarding intellectual puzzle perfect for middle grade audiences—but it’s also an escapist thrill ride, culminating in the series’ most action-packed sequence yet, a hair-raising fictionalization of the great Allegheny flood of 1936. Parents, teachers, and middle grade readers will be spellbound.

Takeaway: Thrilling sequel matches original’s swashbuckling adventure and intrigue.

Comparable Titles: Amy Trueblood’s Across a Broken Shore, Clare Vanderpool’s Moon Over Manifest.

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

Click here for more about The Adventures of the Flash Gang: Episode Two: Treasonous Tycoon

Hawaii kids develop the ability to communicate telepathically with marine life in this warm fable that encourages empathy, inter-species connection, and above all a nourishing habitat for sea-mammals. On a field trip with students from the Gaia Discovery School, young Kai feels a “stir” awaken within him, and he leaps into the ocean to swim with an orca and dolphins. Some undisclosed amount of time later, Kai is missing, somewhere at sea, but his friend Irma learns that he is safe, happy, and capable of communicating with animals. That news comes from an unlikely source: Irma’s cat, Two Hearts, who sends thoughts telepathically to Irma, who can channel Two Hearts’ message through pencil onto paper. This surprising skill will nudge the young heroes to take concrete, positive action to better the lives of orca, dolphins, and more.

Eventually, Kai returns, apparently unharmed, though parents and children alike will wonder why Worth’s stop-and-start storytelling never fully acknowledges the danger of children diving to frolic with orca, or the horror his family endures while he’s gone. A tour of a California aquarium teaches Kai and Irma l what they already suspect—captivity is hard on marine life. (“Oh, how I miss all the ocean commotion and all the creatures who live in it,” a sea crab says.) The efforts the kids and their teacher take to create a nonprofit specializing in sea pens are heartening, a demonstration of achievable real-world goals amid a chat-with-animals fantasy that edges, at times, toward the adult spirituality genre, with the cat declaring “Trust your intuitive sensory organ, that operates from the pineal gland.”

The book’s inspirational power is undercut, though, by uncertainties in the storytelling, with the setting and stakes unclear in the opening pages, plus some hard-to-parse sentences and occasional text-dense layouts. Some playful design elements, like text that swoops and splashes on the page, prove intuitive to read. Stacy Heller Budnick’s accomplished art joyously celebrates the tale’s many animals, plus its diverse roster of kids.

Takeaway: Splashy, slightly spiritual tale of kids saving marine life the right way.

Comparable Titles: Donna Sandstrom’s Orca Rescue, Fiona Barker’s Setsuko and the Song of the Sea.

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

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Following the death of her husband, Jack, author and life coach Suesse found herself navigating the alien landscape that she now describes as “Planet Widow.” Unsure how to escape the emotions and situations that were so incredibly foreign and overwhelming, she began to deal with this as she had with most turmoil in her life: by writing it down. As her striking first line suggests—“The fact that I am writing this introduction is proof that people can and do survive loss”—keeping extensive journals offered Suesse the opportunity to discover her place in this new landscape. Notes From Planet Widow documents her explorations as she faced grief and found it within herself to chart a course to someplace wholly new. She highlights key lessons and what it took to learn them, like how essential it is to assemble a team to help take on the new burdens she found herself facing, and the value of taking time to stop and fully feel your feelings, allowing body and mind to process the loss.

Excellent prose carries the reader through, rich in metaphor and symbolism help capture the mental state of the author as she navigates a grief that readers may not be intimately familiar with, but may relate to the grieving they have experienced. Suesse is especially engaging on the tricky topic of shifting one’s perspective while enduring grief, opening up to being curious about the future, all while still allowing yourself to be angry—and daring to analyze that anger’s true roots. In addition to her own practices and hard-won insights (“The first order of business is to stop negative momentum”), Suesse peppers in wisdom from all manner of philosophers and writers.

Ideal for people who are navigating profound loss, Notes From Planet Widow offers welcome comfort, polished writing, clear-eyed guidance, and—by its very existence—heartening proof that we do survive grief … and even can thrive in the wake.

Takeaway: Personal experience combines with selected wisdom to help anyone processing loss.

Comparable Titles: Kim Murdock’s Feeling Left Behind, Jennife Katz’s The Good Widow.

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

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This uplifting daily devotional from Forte has been crafted to nourish and encourage Christians endeavoring to end habitual alcohol use, though its 12 weeks of verses from scripture and rousing daily meditations and prayers are often general enough to apply to efforts to forego other debilitating habits, too. Explicitly linking excessive and habitual drinking to sin and Satan, Forte presents an “alcohol habit” as a form of “psychological slavery” that “steals from us the person we were created to be.” The term “habit” is key to Forte’s conception, as she eschews labels like “alcoholism,” “disease,” or “addiction.” Among reminders that God has given humans “the power to choose” a different path, she emphasizes the power of creating new habits by routinely taking actions that form new neural pathways.

Blending heartening, Bible-based musings on facing challenges and resisting temptation with lessons in mindfulness and some pop science, The Plans He Has for Me urges readers to pray and reflect each morning for 84 days of abstaining. Forte writes devotional texts with clear eyes about what it takes to resist (Day Four: “You are closer to the finish line of something better than you think or believe”), a strong sense of each believer’s influence in the world (Day 52: “Our choices provide inspiration, light, and love to others”), and an encouraging attention to what it takes to change habits over time (Day 64: “Take a moment on this day to remember the various health benefits you have seen already”).

Forte urges readers, in devotional passages, to consider “self-care habits that allow you to love yourself more,” but examples and introductions to such practices are beyond the purview of this volume. Supplementary and introductory materials are scant, and despite references to The Plans He Has for Me as “an alcohol-free program” itself, the book has a supplementary feel, a potentially helpful component in a broader effort toward recovery.

Takeaway: Heartening Christian devotionals for readers endeavoring to leave alcohol behind.

Comparable Titles: Heather Harpham Kopp’s Sober Mercies, Friends in Recovery’s The Twelve Steps for Christians.

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