
Trust, a playwright and voiceover artist, eases younger readers through the world of bullying and stereotyping in this debut, bringing home the emotional impact of being teased while smoothly pointing out cultural nuances that many children may be unaware of (“So many words here are brand new./ The way the words are spelled is too”). The rhyming text takes pleasure in Daisy Mae’s decidedly British words—candy floss in place of cotton candy, telly instead of TV—and invites readers to the fun of new experiences while encouraging cultural awareness. In the end the phrases that trip up Daisy Mae with her new friends become a teaching opportunity, with Trust’s glossary of American versus English terms.
Adhi’s visual representations of multi-ethnic schoolkids strike the right mix of natural and buoyant to transport readers into Daisy Mae’s world and illuminate her perspective. Parents will feel the pull of lost innocence when Daisy Mae works to Americanize her speech and will applaud her father’s corresponding wisdom – “Be proud of who you are,/ and share your travels from afar./ And though you’re from a different place,/ we’re all alike in any case.” Trust and Adhi have crafted a meaningful portrayal of cultural diversity as a reason for confidence and celebration.
Takeaway: A moving and fun introduction to cultural nuances for readers of all ages.
Great for fans of: Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw’s Same, Same but Different, Yangsook Choi’s The Name Jar.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A+
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Readers will adore the devotion the girl has for her dog — and vice versa. The compassion is clearly demonstrated through both the language and the illustrations. With a light rhyme scheme and textured words like “munch,” “howl,” and “trample,” the text is ideal for read-aloud sessions with younger children. Dog owners will relate to the questions, including “Does she understand my words?” and “What causes all those zoomies?” Although the story will mostly resonate with people who have a pet dog, any reader who enjoys the company of animals will find the questions amusing.
The images are just as engaging as the words, perfectly complementing the story and the girl’s thoughts with pastel colors, clean lines, and a soft focus. Appealingly simple, the drawings also convey a sense of movement and fluidity that lends well to the pacing of the story, particularly for reading aloud. Young readers and families will enjoy following the girl’s hypothetical questions (“How does it feel to dive in leaves?”) and will likely feel an even stronger connection to their pets after the journey.
Takeaway: This picture book’s illustrated thoughts of a girl deciding the best question to ask her pet dog will appeal to young animal lovers.
Great for fans of: Peggy Rathmann’s Officer Buckle and Gloria, Stacy McAnulty’s Excellent Ed, Frann Preston-Gannon’s Hot Dog Cold Dog.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: A
Editing: B+
Marketing copy: A-

Miller has created a wonderfully loopy world where there's almost no line between the physical and the mental--Turner’s study in logic has helped make him a formidable fighter. Indeed, the novel teems with historical, scientific, and literary surprises: Miller slips in fun facts about ciphers from ancient Rome to the Civil War and also connects the Tree of Knowledge system with the biblical tree of knowledge. Amusingly, the members of Turner's support group all have names taken from Paradise Lost. These good-natured twists come again and again, so readers are likely to forgive the occasionally fantastic plot and the rather abrupt ending, which might get further resolved in promised sequels.
For a thriller, the protagonists are an unusual bunch: Puddles and Ying gamely try to function outside of academia with limited success, and Albert is mystified when his colleagues are astonished by his eating habits—nothing but protein bars. But Puddles is more than a collection of humorous tics, as we see when the hyper-logical professor breaks down under the onslaught of true emotion he's spent his life trying to avoid. With offbeat characters, brain teasers, and imaginative action, readers will be eager to see what trouble Puddles and Ying get into next.
Takeaway: Vividly eccentric characters who rely on intellect as much as weapons make this a thriller fans are likely to remember.
Great for fans of: Dan Brown, Umberto Eco
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: B+
Illustrations: A-
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A-
Ultimately, this romp is a bit of a mixed bag. Though the constant shifts from Magnolia’s point of view allow for some of the funniest moments, they rob readers of the chance to see how Magnolia interprets key relationships and moments. Magnolia’s school term is fun, with wondrous creatures and an inventive magic system, but it’s not until halfway through the story, already somewhat long for a middle grade title, that Magnolia’s mission truly begins. When the game’s at last afoot, characters offer Magnolia and her crew answers quite easily, sometimes out of the blue, making it so they don’t so much solve as stumble their way through their quest.
But, if anyone can stumble through a quest, it’s Magnolia--she’s empathetic, confident, and impulsive, the perfect protagonist for this wholly original world. And it’s a well-built world at that, one that feels lived in by virtue of its history, lore, and geography. As an added bonus, the vocabulary is just advanced enough to teach young readers some new words, and the old-fashioned imagery lends charm. Living up to his promise, Jenkinson’s first entry in this series is different, entertaining, and amusing, despite its occasional lack of focus.
Takeaway: Fans of middle grade magic school mysteries will find a lot to enjoy in Magnolia’s quest, especially if they don’t mind taking their time.
Great for fans of: Natasha Lowe’s The Power of Poppy Pendle, Robert Beatty’s Serafina and the Black Cloak.
Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: B
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: C+
Marketing copy: B
Smith sets an electric pace as Tobin, Rene, and Dakota race to keep ahead of their pursuers. The world-building is immersive and littered with intriguing hints that connect this fantasy world to ours as the party secures passage across the ocean and heads for Tobin's hometown as part of a merchant caravan. However, those promising elements of the world-building remain mostly ambiguous in this first volume, suggesting that a link to our world may only play a major role in subsequent installments of the Merging Realms series. Readers who prefer clearly explained worlds and magic systems may be frustrated with Smith's immersive, mystery-tinged style.
Smith offers a variety of steamy scenes, which include loving partnerships, trips to a brothel, and dark rituals ending in human sacrifice. The sole non-consensual scene is neither gratuitous nor overly graphic. The heat level leans toward the milder end of the spectrum throughout, and Smith cleverly incorporates characterization and plot advancement into the most intimate scenes. Tobin’s portrayal as being a gifted lover can be heavy-handed at times, which is not entirely mitigated by his more tender traits. Some inconsistencies with character names cause confusion. Fans of dark fantasy and those who enjoy erotic fantasy will find much to enjoy in Smith's debut.
Takeaway: Erotic and Dark fantasy fans will enjoy Smith’s tale of an assassin on the run from a dark queen.
Great for fans of: S.J Sanders' Corruption of the Rose, Guy Gavriel Kay's Sarantine Mosaic, Lois McMaster Bujold's The Sharing Knife.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: B
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: C
Marketing copy: C+
Numerous dark plotlines twist through the novel, and although not all of them get cleanly resolved, the haunting, nihilistic air gets under the skin. Basich’s characters find themselves always fighting against their fates, usually without success: A selfish politician thwarts the attempt of an employee to obtain a taxi medallion from a friend with terminal cancer. Another character is stuck with memories of his parents murdered during the Balkan conflicts. One scene featuring the abuse of a sex worker reveals a character's moral rot, but is not for the squeamish. Basich also at times applies a lighter touch, as when he describes a detective's sweetly tentative romance with a medical examiner.
Vivid characterizations are the novel’s greatest strength, as these detectives leap off the page. As one makes awkward, heartfelt attempt to repair his marriage, Basich describes him as "terrified that he would run headlong into the reality that he was the only one who thought it could still be repaired." Bell's troubled relationship with his partner comes across in aching detail, as the two men's wounded psyches bring them close to destroying each other. Intricately intertwined subplots populated with all-too-human lawmen as troubled as the criminals they are chasing will ensure readers will keep turning the pages until the surprising end.
Takeaway: Hauntingly memorable detectives navigating through a linked series of crimes make this a must-read for fans of noir-flavored procedurals.
Great for fans of: Ed McBain, Joseph Wambaugh.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B-
Marketing copy: B+
Katya Kolmakov and Olga Baron's evocative and charming illustrations suffuse Okunev's tale with splendor and warmth, and their vivid brushstrokes adeptly support the focus and intention of the story. Brimming with facts, information, and profound perspectives, Okunev's tale juggles several goals for his readers. At once, the book is an adequate introduction to geography and also a condensed ode to environmentalism, cartography, and imagination.
The unidentified narrator’s age remains ambiguous, but his tone and the maturity is inconsistent. Often, he is decidedly incisive and perceptive, but at other occasions, naïve and artless. The pacing suffers hiccups when the tale's premise is set twice within ten pages of each other, while sometimes laborious detailing of the characters and settings diminish the story's focus. Thought-provoking calls-to-actions at the end of all four chapters will engage readers and invite questions. Ultimately, this chapter book unfolds as an engrossing and informative read that mostly achieves its bold ambitions -- and in retaining the readers' attention.
Takeaway: Illuminating and often delightful, this picture book invites young readers to appreciate the world through the lens of Geography.
Great for fans of: Salvatore Rubbino’s A Walk in London, Kate Siber’s National Parks of the USA, Katie Wilson’s Landmarks.
Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: B+
Illustrations: B+
Editing: B-
Marketing copy: B+
The far-flung premise and atypical elements—witches, aliens, and scientific experimentation—blend together surprisingly well, culminating into distinctive and well-constructed lore. The narrative momentum suffers, though, as the novel turns from the exciting timeline of Ahman-tahk back to Danny’s and Ernie’s interview, interjections that ground the story and offer novelty and character but also often are static. It takes a long time before the events of the distant past connect to the novel’s present. Fortunately, the crisp prose and energetic plotting otherwise keep things moving.
Mathis’s writing is witty and funny, and the chapters often end in cliff-hangers that pull readers in for more. An added plus is the focus on early black and brown societies, a welcome change for a genre dominated by white ones. This solid opener will likely lead to grander follow-ups, judging by the included excerpt of the second in the series, which takes off with the electric introduction of a new character. Though it has some way to go, this planet-hopping series has targeted its destination.
Takeaway: Fans of daringly eclectic genre fiction who like not choosing between fantasy, sci-fi, and detective novels will relish this series opener.
Great for fans of: Heather Graham’s Dreaming Death, Ivan Kal’s Broken Stars.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: B-
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A
The Power of Vision aims for greatness, studying the lives of Walt Disney, Masaru Ibuka, Helen Keller, Henry Ford, Nelson Mandela, and other historical figures (and perennial examples for self-help authors). Oyeniran delineates the route taken by each famous idealist, chronicling their hard work and perseverance, often in the face of denigration, failures, and danger (“Ibuka built Sony during a crisis, despite many failed attempts and almost being bankrupt experimenting with different ideas”). The true visionary, he notes, bears the responsibility to “challenge existing norms” and attempt to create a more noble world, a call-to-action that demands great focus and character. That may sound daunting, but Oyeniran insists that intense focus on “Big Hairy Audacious Goals” can make every reader a habitual change agent.
There’s power in Oyeniran’s insistence that the truly visionary approach is to better the world rather than just one’s own circumstances. The work’s first half becomes repetitive, with some chapters closely echoing each other in sentence structure and word choice, and some sections lionize the idea of a vision rather than offer clear guidance to help readers develop their own. Oyeniran’s focus tightens as he considers questions of leadership, character, and whether visionaries tend to be tyrannical. This enthusiastic guide poses challenging questions for readers eager to explore the possibility of visionary thinking.
Takeaway: This eager treatise challenges readers to develop ambitious personal visions not just for personal gain but for the advancement of humanity.
Great for fans of: Mark W. Johnson and Josh Suskewicz’s Lead from the Future, Joyce Schwarz’s The Vision Board.
Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: C
Editing: B+
Marketing copy: B
Despite appearances from the likes of Achilles, Nestor, and Menelaus, Timon and Lukas emerge as the ensemble’s most compelling characters. They share touching moments, such as when they sing together and discover a mutual love of music, and their eagerness to question Helen (“Did you find Paris attractive?”) is relatable. Fritsch (The Lord Chamberlain’s Daughter) crafts a detailed and immersive fiction that is charming in its minute detail, though some readers will be disappointed by a lack of dynamism in prose. A tendency toward the pedantic diminishes the drama, as even battles at times read more like a history essay than an engrossing tale: “The few archers the Greeks had room for inside Troy could only fire their arrows upward at Trojan archers.”
Timon and Lukas are fresh air in this history lesson. Those familiar with the Odyssey and the myth of the Trojan War will find few surprises in Fritsch’s characterization of Helen, Paris, and Clytemnestra, but Helen’s point-of-view passages give the legend charm and agency--and even makes her relatable. With an appeal to audiences versed in Greek myth, Fritsch’s new spin on a timeless tale will draw in readers with his sympathetic characterization and occasional original inventions.
Takeaway: A novel approach to an established classic, with an alternate ending that will please fans of Greek mythology.
Great for fans of: Madeline Miller’s The Song of Achilles , David Gemmell’s Lord of the Silver Bow.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: B
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: B
Populating the tale with amusing characters, Ashley imbues Bud's world with the poignancy of inevitable change. He depicts a leaf's lifecycle without sermonizing to or infantilizing his readers. Striking, distinctive words like "squinty" and "grumpy" pepper the narrative, an opportunity for playful cadences from anyone reading the book aloud. However, Bud's relative isolation, which seems essential to the premise, goes undramatized, making the story’s stakes unclear. Some verbosity creeps into the prose near the ending, reducing the story’s sense of immediacy, and Bud overshadows the charming secondary cast.
Lauren Ashley’s winsome and captivating illustrations amplify the innocence and quirkiness of Bud's surroundings and enliven the story. Not only delightful, they seamlessly blend text with paintings in the page designs, greatly serving the pacing. Still, the tale eventually blossoms into a sweet triumph of love and friendship in the face of challenge and change, linking the cycles of nature to the sacrifices we make for our loved ones.
Takeaway: This charming picture book will delight and invite lively questions from young readers with its take on love, sacrifice, and the lives of leaves.
Great for fans of: Edward Monkton’s A Lovely Love Story, Oliver Jeffers’ Lost and Found, Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s The Snail and the Whale.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: B+
Marketing copy: A-
During their conversation, as Daniel questions Tom’s routines and draws a diagram of the process of positive thinking, Tom realizes that the source of his stagnancy is his frame of mind. In the following months, Tom changes his life, his diet, and his business by focusing on Daniel’s lessons. “When you’re in a Positive-State-of-Mind you’re a believer and positive attracts positive,” Daniel says. “The same goes for negative.” Daniel’s crystal-clear message of enthusiasm shapes the narrative.
Despite some repetitive passages, Stop Drifting benefits from strong pacing and Ibarra’s appealing use of dialogue as a tool for imparting lessons. The book demands some suspension of belief during moments when Tom talks to himself, and a critique of college education for failing to teach the “power of theming and the science of success principles” detracts from the theme. Still, the work otherwise is persuasive in presenting the power of the mind to affect everyday reality and examining how we can train our brains to achieve. Grounded in self-help appeal for those seeking tips on how to change their approach to life, Ibarra’s compact novel zeroes in on positive thinking and transforming momentary changes into lifelong habits.
Takeaway: This inventive debut shares its motivational teachings in a fast-paced narrative about a businessman rediscovering his direction.
Great for fans of: Stephen Covey and Napoleon Hill.
Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A-
Through it all, at the center of everything, stands the “poet searching for a word.” Those words come, and they’re at times obscure, like coacervate and annular. When they’re clear, though, the message shines through, undiminished by the limitations imposed by the various rhyme schemes. The forceful “And Less Enthusiasm, Please:” declares “Howl if you wish./Even yelp. Publish./Scream at the mike. Brandish words. Strike/down with a slash/comma; tense. Smash/common sense; dullness/everywhere. Guess/what you meant. I won't.”
Rose’s poems about racism and war, thoughts and dreams, are accompanied by a series of amateurish drawings that add a personal touch and put faces to the individuals mentioned in the verse. At once difficult and personal as well as rhythmic and engaging, this collection walks a fine line between meanings only the poet will fully grasp and thoughts that communicate with clarity and power. This challenging collection will appeal to fans of poetry that touches on pressing issues and rewards careful reading.
Takeaway: These poems of resistance will appeal to anyone who enjoys challenging poetry with great rhythm and urgent beauty.
Great for fans of: Ted Hughes, Jay Parini.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: B
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A-
The fourth wall is not so much broken as dispensed with altogether, with the various vignettes presented as if the narrator has stepped outside the story to present to readers a slideshow on particular incidents, down to dialog presented in a script format and dry run downs of quirky dates: “He immediately started complaining about how the place was a bit too ‘divey’ for his tastes, even though there was no piss all over the bathroom floors.” This clinical approach, while comic, creates distance not only between Kat and the events she’s recounting, but between readers and the story’s emotional elements, as do Serrano’s leaps into metafictional comedy— Kat describes a room full of child actors stabbing her date to death to prove that she’s the all-powerful narrator.
The appeal, here, is in Kat’s noxious encounters with Erics and how she heroically mines them for witty considerations of the absurdities women face when dating -- and even occasional catharsis. Still, readers looking for more traditional emotional release, though, will face frustration. Even Kat’s breakup with her longtime non-monogamous partner, which she describes as causing “all the feelings,” is related in dispassionate and jokey tones. In the end, 99 Erics fully embraces the ludicrous and rides it into the sunset.
Takeaway: This meta-fictional satire in which a woman dates 99 Erics will please readers who favor pointed absurdity over emotion
Great for fans of: Daniel M. Lavery’s Something That May Shock And Discredit You, Spike Milligan’s Puckoon.
Production grades
Cover: C
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B
Marketing copy: B
In an epic feat of world-building, the author delicately balances action with herculean amounts of exposition. While some of the large swaths of information, covering angels, demons, elementals, and souls, can be overwhelming, bogging down the narrative flow, Colwell takes exceptional effort to ensure readers are fully immersed in Sera and her journey, even when the story meanders. Interactions in the Summerlands and some situations -- telepathically chatting over ice cream with an elder in the form of an Earth-plane dog, for example -- may come across to some readers as over the top, though it’s just that embrace of possibilities that marks the boundaries among the realms.
One of the most appealing aspects of the novel, aside from its beautifully rendered expressions of emotion, is the unique blend of science fiction and somewhat simplistic metaphysics combined with the relatable psychology of a person rediscovering and exploring their own identity. That, in conjunction with the artfully sketched cast of secondary characters, helps create the start of a series as endearing as it is thoughtful. Cleverly added musical and pop culture references also add a pop of surprise delight.
Takeaway: This debut novel, first in a planned series, offers an engaging blend of science-fiction, metaphysics and fantasy centered around the exploration of self.
Great for fans of: Devon Monk’s Ordinary Magic series, Seanan McGuire’s October Daye series
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B
Marketing copy: C
Meier (The Dung Beetles of Liberia) has written a scathing satire, a critique of empty artistry. Through Beckman and Malany, he explores the identities of two annoyingly inauthentic people. Although a self-professed writer, Beckman never produces anything throughout the story, waiting for the “right” experience to spark his inspiration. Malany, though devoted to her work, is not the radical she appears to be, hiding her true origins to maintain a façade of independence. Because the two main characters are so self-serious, the book is often funny. Even more minor characters put on airs to an amusing extent: A pool shark’s crafted machismo hides the secret of his sexuality, while a professor’s wife playacts as various literary figures. No one is likeable, which limits the novel’s audience but also seems to be the point.
The prose can be flowery (“He sat on the edge, shivering for a long time, steeped in wordless disgust at his present condition in life”), but with Beckman as the protagonist, the oft-pretentious descriptions play as comic. However, less successful sentences (“He pretended anger, but Herschel, with omnificent impenetrability, looked as insular as a priest who had just performed Mass”) can be choppy and difficult to read. For the most part, however, the satire lands, and the story is fast-paced and thought-provoking.
Takeaway: This satirical novel’s social critique swipes amusingly at writerly pretensions and small towns full of secrets.
Great for fans of: Virginie Despentes's Vernon Subutex, Paul Beatty’s The Sellout.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B+
Marketing copy: A-