Booklist_-_15_October_2023

Leading book discovery Vol. 120 No.
4
10/15/23
Spotlight on
The Arts
Photo by Richard Nickel, from

Lost in America, by Richard
Cahan and Michael Williams
October 15, 2023
Volume 120, Issue 4
Editor / Publisher Letter from the Editor / George Kendall
George Kendall
W
Editorial & Production Staff
Donna Seaman, Editor, Adult Books
hen I was young, I’d hear mellifluous tones on a continuous
Susan Maguire, Senior Editor, Collection loop, whether it was my father practicing the French horn or
Management and Library Outreach my mother teaching violin students. Both are musicians, and
Annie Bostrom, Senior Editor, Adult Books both practiced hours a day, preparing for recitals, students, or concerts.
Sarah Hunter, Editor, Books for Youth
My father also loves to listen to classical music and as much as I pushed
Maggie Reagan, Senior Editor, Books
for Youth myself toward more popular music when I was younger—my friends
Julia Smith, Senior Editor, Books for Youth were persuasive—at home I’d hear Beethoven, Strauss, Mahler, and
Ronny Khuri, Senior Editor, Books for Youth Mozart over and over again. Classical music became part of the way I
Carolyn Phelan, Contributing Reviewer,
perceived and experienced the world. At one point, after attempting
Books for Youth
Heather Booth, Editor, Audio but failing miserably at baseball in the Little League, I thought perhaps
Terry Hong, Contributing Reviewer, I should try the French horn, I mean how hard could it be (ha!)? So, I
Adult, Youth, Audio practiced and played and played and performed. I went on to become a
Ben Segedin, Production Director
Carlos Orellana, Senior Production Editor
professional musician, then some years later I moved into publishing.
Michael Ruzicka, Operations Manager Where am I going with this? Well, because this issue features our
Chris Anderson, Editorial Assistant annual Spotlight on the Arts,
Kelly Ferreira, Editorial Assistant I’ve been thinking a lot about my
Abeje Schnake, Editorial Assistant On the Cover
upbringing and how fortunate I was From Lost in America, by Richard
Sales & Marketing Cahan and Michael Williams,
to have an immersion in the arts reviewed on p.18. Photo of the
Grace Rosean, Marketing Specialist
Daniel Kaplan, Subscriptions from an early age (indeed, probably Republic Building, Chicago, Illinois,
1960, by Richard Nickel for the
Linda Cohen, Advertising Sales, New York even before I was born, feeling Historic American Buildings Survey
(HABS). Used by permission of
(914-944-0135) French horn and violin vibrations). CityFiles Press.
Ryan King, Advertising Sales, Midwest & West
Growing up with an appreciation
(773-414-9292)
Cynthia Harden, Ad Traffic for music and other art forms has
Biz Hyzy, Marketing Specialist been a tremendous help in everything I do.
Taylor Crossley, Marketing Coordinator When life gets hard, art is there. It helps transport us and delivers
new meanings and experiences. Without art, this world would be
Advisory Board incomprehensible. Art is especially impactful for children, and that’s why
Montoya Barker
Crystal Chen
art-related library programs for young audiences are so important and
Katie Clausen valued.
Aryssa Damron It’s the reason why this issue is so special. As you absorb the
Brian Kenney wonderful content, I point to three standout features. In the Adult
Jamie Kurumaji
Sara Martínez
section, check out Donna Seaman’s Essentials: Lee Miller and Her World
Heather-Marie Montilla (p.14). Donna highlights many books about Miller, including Lee Miller:
Shamika Simpson Photographs, which “includes a foreword by Kate Winslet, who plays
Rebecca Vnuk Miller in Lee, a just-released feature film.” In the Youth section you’ll
Printed in USA find Ronny Khuri’s Essentials: Here Be Drag Queens (p.46) in which he
www.booklistonline.com
focuses on titles that celebrate drag as an artform. I’ll close with Audio
Follow us on social:
Editor Heather Booth’s Documentary Preview (p.62) that showcases
new and upcoming documentary films that you and your patrons will
not want to miss.
Booklist (ISSN 0006-7385) is published twice monthly September through June and monthly in July and August by the American Library Association (225 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1300, Chicago, IL
60601). Address editorial correspondence to Booklist, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1300, Chicago, IL 60601. Subscriptions: USA and Canada: $184.95 per year; PUAS, and other countries, $224.95.
Single copy $10. Address new subscriptions, renewals, and related correspondence to Booklist, P.O. Box 421027, Palm Coast, FL 32142 (phone: 888-350-0949; fax: 386-447-2321). New orders and
renewals may also be submitted via e-mail: booklist@emailcustomerservice.com. Periodicals postage paid at Chicago, Illinois, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes
to Booklist, P.O. Box 421027, Palm Coast, FL 32142. Copyright © 2023 by American Library Association. All materials in this journal subject to copyright by the American Library Association may
be photocopied for the noncommercial purpose of scientific or educational advancement granted by Sections 107 and 108 of the Copyright Revision Act of 1976. For other reprinting, photocopying,
or translating, address requests to George Kendall (gkendall@ala.org). Opinions expressed in Booklist, Book Links, and Booklist Reader columns are those of the author and do not reflect ALA views
unless so stated.
October 15, 2023
Volume 120, Issue 4
Sections
3 Adult Nonfiction
In This Issue
21 Adult Fiction
35 Graphic Novels
41 Youth Nonfiction
43 Continuing Series
Nonfiction Showcase
50 Youth Fiction
60 Audio
p. 12, 18, 48
Spotlight on the Arts

12 New Arts Books
13 Writers & Readers
Forgotten Photographic Treasures
by Richard Cahan and Michael Williams
14 Essentials p. 24, 60
Lee Miller and Her World
by Donna Seaman
17 Top 10 Arts Books

44 New Arts Books for Youth
46 Essentials Index to Advertisers
Here Be Drag Queens Lerner 42
by Ronny Khuri Little, Brown cover 2
National Geographic 53
48 Top 10 Arts Books for Youth Shadow Mountain Publishing 29, 55
Union Square cover 4
Features
24 Read-alikes
Returning Home and Facing Change
by Donna Seaman
30 Self-Published Books Showcase

by BlueInk Review
37 Manga Essentials
Demon Slayer
by Sara Smith
62 Documentary Preview
64 Booklist Backlist
Gentle Halloween Stories
by Julia Smith
p. 11, 35
Nothing Is Missing: A Memoir of Living
Adult Nonfiction Boldly.
By Nicole Walters.
Oct. 2023. 320p. Simon Element, $27.99 (9781668000953);
Journalism & Publishing consider a question Perry’s been asked and e-book (9781668000977). 158.1.
present her thoughts on the better questions Walters, a former high-ranking executive who
Scribners: Five Generations in we could be asking about ourselves and our boldly quit her six-figure sales job in front of an
Publishing. own behavior. Lots of practical, sensible ad- audience of 10,000 people, is now a popular
By Charles Scribner III. vice. —Kathleen McBroom podcast host, TV personality, and in-demand
Nov. 2023. 224p. Globe Pequot, $27.95 (9781493079971); motivational speaker who has built a million-
e-book (9781493079988). 070.5092. End of the Hour. dollar business. In this inspirational memoir,
The story of the venerable Scribner’s pub- By Meghan Riordan Jarvis. she recounts her experiences as the daughter of
lishing house is one of family, tradition, and a Nov. 2023. 272p. Zibby, $27.99 (9781958506219); e-book Ghanaian immigrants who, despite facing sev-
long track record of success. The first Charles (9781958506226). 155.93. eral obstacles including food insecurity, worked
Scribner (there are seven to date) founded the This first book from Jarvis begins with her hard, got into an elite private school, paid her
firm in 1846. Although the family surname arriving in disbelief at the residential facil- way through college, and then landed a six-
is derived from scrivener, meaning scribe, an ity where she, a trauma therapist, has been figure job. However, hustling to meet society’s
auspicious totem for a company in the book sending patients in need for years, before re- standards took a toll on Walters’ self-worth
business, its bright future was by no means as- vealing all that led to that moment and the and health. After a significant reckoning in her
sured. When Charles married the daughter of healing that eventually occurred during her business and marriage, Walters realized she al-
railroad tycoon John Insley Blair, who owned three-week stay. A defining incident from the ready had everything she needed. To follow her
more acres of land than any other American author’s childhood, the drowning death of an passion and help others, she founded Inherit
at the time, that felicitous match was affec- older boy from their Cape Cod community, Learning Company, which provides training
tionately deemed “failure insurance.” The first challenged her idea of safety and uncovered resources for entrepreneurs. Walters tells read-
book Scribner’s published was The Puritans a need for more attention than she received ers that “you cannot gain fruit from planting
and Their Principles, a far cry from a best-seller. as a middle child in a big family. But it’s the in poor soil,” and reminds us that sometimes
Soon, however, J. T. Headley’s Napoleon and losses in adulthood of both parents in quick you’re in the wrong place to receive the bless-
His Marshals was a surprise hit. Readers will succession that eventually lead her, a mom to ings you deserve. This is a captivating and
relish the many bookish anecdotes as well as three young children, battered by grief, suf- engaging story highlighting the importance of
the behind-the-scenes look at the publisher’s fering panic attacks and debilitating muscle self-care. “Once the land is ready,” she writes,
greatest triumphs, including F. Scott Fitzger- spasms, to ask for help. Any reader will recog- “you will flourish!” —Sharon Wyatt
ald’s The Great Gatsby, and stories of the iconic nize the moments of pain that Jarvis describes
editor Maxwell Perkins. Other notable Scrib- so knowingly, in all their stunning emotion The Spirituality of Dreaming: Unlocking
ner writers include Kipling, Wharton, and and shocking physicality, but readers on grief the Wisdom of Our Sleeping Selves.
Hemingway. A natural for readers interested in journeys of their own may be especially drawn By Kelly Bulkeley.
literary and publishing history. —Bill Kelly in, as, playing both clinician and patient, Jar- Dec. 2023. 276p. Broadleaf, $28.99 (9781506483146). 154.6.
vis offers a portal to self-compassion and a Author and dream researcher Bulkeley’s
passage to hope. —Annie Bostrom (Big Dreams, 2016) sixth book on the topic
Philosophy & Psychology of dreaming is erudite yet eminently readable,
Hidden Potential: The Science of fantastical yet utterly believable. As Bulkeley
The Book You Want Everyone You Love Achieving Greater Things. spins fascinating tales and shares personal
to Read: Sane and Sage Advice to Help By Adam Grant. anecdotes about sleeping human minds, he
You Navigate All of Your Most Important Oct. 2023. 304p. Viking, $32 (9780593653142); e-book references Jung and Freud, Shakespeare and
Relationships. (9780593653159). 158.1. Robert Louis Stevenson, among others, to
By Philippa Perry. Organizational psychologist and University demonstrate the strong connections between
Oct. 2023. 224p. Hachette Go, $29 (9780306834868); of Pennsylvania professor Grant (Give and creativity and dreams. The book begins with a
e-book (9780306834882). 158.2. Take, 2013; Originals, 2016; Think Again, quick examination of sleeping practices, both
British psychotherapist and advice colum- 2021) describes how anyone with the right now and in the past, emphasizing the biologi-
nist Perry struck a chord with her best-selling opportunity and proper motivation to learn cal necessity of sleep as well as the explanation
The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read can achieve great success. He challenges the of exactly when dreams occur. Interpreting
(2020). Here, she focuses on the many fac- stereotypical notion that only innate abilities those dreams is at the heart of Bulkeley’s nar-
tors that go into forging, maintaining, and and talents lead to people being geniuses, vir- rative, and he also characterizes the sharing of
strengthening adult relationships. Incorpo- tuosos in their fields, and Olympic athletes. dreams, using two examples, Martin Luther
rating letters from people who wrote to her “Potential is not a matter of where you start, King Jr. and Harriet Tubman, and some prin-
column in the Observer (the Sunday edition but of how far you travel. We need to focus ciples for doing so. The author then unpacks
of the Guardian) into her essays, she divides less on starting points and more on distance the realms, or categories, of dreams, from ani-
the book into four sections. The first, how to traveled.” Dividing his book into three sec- mals and nature to gods and demons to death
manifest love, addresses connection, bond- tions and drawing on a variety of anecdotes and dying. Bulkeley offers many suggestions
ing, obsession, sexual intimacy, and forming and research studies, Grant illustrates how a for remembering dreams, but this book’s most
lasting relationships. In the second, how to person’s character is actually formed from a set
argue and deal with conflict, she considers of skills learned and developed over time. He YA Recommendations
seven common defenses that hinder construc- also illuminates the importance of creating a
Adult titles recommended for teens are
tive communication. Section three deals with framework that sustains motivation and nur-
tures opportunities for individuals. Readers marked with the following symbols: YA,
change, whether getting unstuck or accepting for books of general YA interest; YA/C, for
the inevitable, such as loss, grief, and death, interested in motivational leadership, person-
al growth, and career development will find books with particular curricular value; and
and a final section centers on finding peace
and contentment. These issues are not tackled an enriching perspective on unlocking and YA/S, for books that will appeal most to
in a quick-read, question-and-answer format engaging their hidden skills, character, and teens with a special interest in a specific
but through lengthy, thoughtful passages that potential to achieve success. —Raymond Pun subject.
www.booklistonline.com October 15, 2023 Booklist 3

important takeaway is the special insight to be ments for democracy through the lives of four protected? Making tires requires orthotolidine,
gained from what he calls the human’s spiri- activists who, coming from varying genera- which causes bladder cancer in exposed work-
tual world. —Barbara Jacobs tions and backgrounds, have shaped and been ers. Morris chronicles the plight of workers and
shaped by their belief in freedom for the people families caught in this cancer cluster and the
of Hong Kong. Written with urgency, Among fight by their union, lawyers, and the Occu-
Social Sciences the Braves chronicles the courage and dedica- pational Safety and Health Agency to improve
tion of activists in the face of harsh responses safety and care for victims with scientific, le-
American Precariat: Parables of from the pro-Beijing government. As many of gal, and heartbreaking precision. He also
Exclusion. the main subjects of the book are currently im- surveys other workplaces past and present that
Ed. by Zeke Caligiuri. prisoned or in exile, Mahtani and McLaughlin’s deal with hazardous materials. America has
Nov. 2023. 320p. Coffee House, paper, $19.95 report is an essential look at threats to modern made strides in improving workplace safety in
(9781566896955). 305.5. democracy. —Laura Chanoux many ways, but entrenched corporate power
Fifteen incisive and varied essays present the has made protecting workers and the public
points of view of many individuals and groups Blood on Their Hands: Murder, from short- and long-term effects of exposure
living “precariously” in the contemporary Corruption, and the Fall of the to chemicals a persistent problem. Morris’
U.S., from child immigrants from Central Murdaugh Dynasty. chronicle vividly reveals the dangers of cancer,
America to those on the economic fringes By Mandy Matney and Carolyn Murnick. birth defects, and other health complications
seeking gender affirmation to food delivery Nov. 2023. 272p. Morrow, $28.99 (9780063269217). 364.1. in chemical factories while holding out hope
drivers struggling to make ends meet during This book is one South Carolina journal- for change for the better in spite of polarized
the pandemic. The book’s editors and essay ist’s effort to seek justice and spread truth politics and corporate influence. —James Pekoll
selectors, Caligiuri and 11 others, were or are amid one of the most salacious cases in recent
inmates of the Minnesota prison system and memory, the Murdaugh The Christmas Book.
are involved with the Minnesota Prison Writ- family murders. Investiga- By Sam Bilton and others. Ed. by Phaidon
ing Workshop (MPWW). (The collection is a tive journalist Matney was Editors.
collaboration between MPWW and nonprof- on the low-country scoop 2023. 240p. Phaidon, $49.95 (9781838665968). 394.2663.
it Minneapolis publisher Coffee House.) Each from the 2019 boat crash Just in time for the holidays comes this glo-
piece is followed by a wide-ranging, thought- involving Paul Murdaugh rious, sumptuous offering from Phaidon, a
ful conversation among five of the editors, an that eventually uncovered collection of photos and reproductions of all
MPWW teacher, and an intern. Contribu- the shocking criminal ac- kinds of items related to Christmas, ranging
tors range from the lesser known, like T. M. tivity of his father, South from religious works from the fourteenth cen-
“Redd” Warren, who pays lyrical tribute to Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh. Publishing tury to Victorian greeting cards and carols to
a former cellmate, to award-winning writers constant stories about the family’s power and over-the-top holiday hairdos from the 1960s to
like Kiese Laymon, Valeria Luiselli, and Inara depravity as crimes surrounding them con- decorations and nativity sets dating from the
Verzemnieks, who writes about a community tinued to unfold, Matney prioritized genuine early 2020s. Each item (toy catalog, ornament,
living at an Oregon rest area. Wrenching but relationships with sources, hustled to be the playbill, album cover, movie poster, television
ultimately hopeful, the collection suggests first person reviewing legal and financial evi- still, magazine cover) is displayed against a
that those of us living on the edge in one way dence as it was released, and committed fully creamy-white background and accompanied
or another would benefit from understanding to serving the victims through her work. As by a generous amount of descriptive text. Many
our common condition. —Margaret Quamme her supplemental Murdaugh Murders pod- familiar Christmas characters make appear-
cast topped the streaming charts, lawyers ances (the Holy Family, Rudolph, Ebenezer
Among the Braves: Hope, Struggle, representing the Murdaughs began taunt- Scrooge, Santa in various guises) as imagined
and Exile in the Battle for Hong ing her publicly—a sure sign she had upset by an impressive group of artists, craftspeople,
Kong and the Future of Global the system. Matney shares all she endured and photographers, ranging from Botticelli
Democracy. in the process of her reporting: sexism and and Bruegel to Matisse and Warhol. Each se-
By Shibani Mahtani and Timothy harassment from the public, condescension lection is shown to full advantage, and there’s
McLaughlin. from her coastal elite peers, and the loss of no apparent organizational scheme other than
Nov. 2023. 336p. Hachette, $30 (9780306830365); e-book a platform when corporate consolidation at a parade of unique objects meant to dazzle the
(9780306830389). 327.5125. her local paper became detrimental to good eye. There’s a helpful index, but this oversize
Hong Kong has a long his- reporting. Matney is committed to justice offering is meant to be browsed through and
tory with mainland China, in her writing, and her book is an important marveled at, whether it’s Christmastime or not.
their relationship often de- look at the sacrifices journalists make and the —Kathleen McBroom
scribed as “one country, two corruption they wade through in pursuit of
systems.” After the 1989 the truth. —Courtney Eathorne Dear Sister: A Memoir of Secrets,
Tiananmen Square protest, YA: Teen readers interested in journalism, Survival, and Unbreakable Bonds.
many in Hong Kong dis- true crime, or both will love learning By Michelle Horton.
trusted the authoritarian about the work behind the headlines. CE. Jan. 2024. 352p. Grand Central, $30 (9781538757154);
regime in Beijing. Mainland e-book (9781538757178). 362.8292.
China’s escalating involvement in Hong Kong’s The Cancer Factory: Industrial Horton pulls back the curtain on domestic
governance culminated in a 2020 national Chemicals, Corporate Deception, abuse in a shocking, true story of her sister
security law designed to punish any forms and the Hidden Deaths of American Nikki Addimando, who shot her partner after
of protest, criticism of the government, or Workers. enduring years of cruelty at his hands. Addi-
other intentionally vaguely defined activi- By Jim Morris. mando, now in prison, is living the “abuse to
ties that Beijing classified as terrorism. In this Jan. 2024. 264p. Beacon, $29.95 (9780807059142). 331. prison pipeline.” This high-profile case elicited
captivating and illuminating examination of Morris examines hazards in the petrochemi- a lot of media attention because Addimando
activism in Hong Kong, journalists Mahtani cal industry by focusing on a Goodyear plant was a young, white mom from a middle-class
and McLaughlin balance historical context in Niagara Falls, New York. He acknowledges suburb and had an unusual amount of public
with up-to-the-minute reporting to convey the the benefits of new chemicals used in manufac- support for her situation. Horton peels back
current climate in Hong Kong and its global turing that do improve products but asks the the layers, drawing readers into her sister’s life,
implications. They tell the story of the move- simple question, why aren’t workers adequately filled with childhood and partner exploitation,
4 Booklist October 15, 2023 www.booklistonline.com

all the while wondering how they all missed erations that often went wrong. Biederman, voice comes through clearly, and readers will
the signs of abuse. She sheds a new light on who is prone to using anachronistic language, be charmed even as they’re shocked by some
the criminal-justice system and its treatment of takes readers through every dramatic twist and of their misadventures and awed by their
incarcerated women, the majority of whom are turn of the Guilfords’ many schemes and legal fighting spirit. Theirs is a history not usually
in prison due to self-defense. All the while, her troubles, often focusing on reporters’ breath- taught in books, and readers will have a great
love for her sister, who was in a “kill or be killed less descriptions of the lady abortionist to the time diving in. —Susan Maguire
situation,” shines through in the human side of exclusion of the women whose lives were at
the story. Told through letters, phone calls, and stake. Nevertheless, this timely, detailed work Prequel: An American Fight
prison visits, Dear Sister will draw readers into contributes to the history of women’s repro- Against Fascism.
Addimando’s plight and the aftermath that ductive rights. It is sure to find an enthusiastic By Rachel Maddow.
impacted her family and strengthened the re- audience. —Rebecca Hopman Oct. 2023. 416p. Crown, $32 (9780593444511). 320.533.
lationship of the two sisters. —Jennifer Adams YA: This striking look at the history of The country and the world have been here
reproductive rights will appeal to teens before, flirting with fascism, eyeing autocra-
Deep Care: The Radical Activists Who with an interest in social justice. RH. cy. In the prelude to WWII, Hitler’s rise to
Provided Abortions, Defied the Law, and power was predicated on keeping the U.S. out
Fought to Keep Clinics Open. Micro Activism: How You Can Make of Europe’s war. That was
By Angela Hume. a Difference in the World without a going to take more than der
Nov. 2023. 432p. AK, $24 (9781849355261); e-book Bullhorn. Führer’s fiery rhetoric; it was
(9781849355278). 363.4. By Omkari L. Williams. going to take a concerted
Feminist historian Hume (Interventions for Oct. 2023. 176p. Workman, paper, $17.99 (9781635866889). effort to sow discord in the
Women, 2021) documents a little-known his- 303.484. U.S., via covert and overt
tory of Oakland pro-choice activists in this As Williams writes, activism means taking sympathizers spreading dis-
timely book about people who took control consistent action to advance a cause you are information, undermining
of their reproductive health care. The abor- passionate about. But that action need not institutions, and . . . sound
tion self-help movement, launched in the San be big and flashy, she asserts; small “micro” familiar? As Maddow first disclosed in her
Francisco Bay Area in the 1970s and active actions can breed big results. In this useful acclaimed podcast, Ultra, operatives at high
through the early 2000s, was women-led and guide to micro activism, Williams reminds levels of official and grassroots American po-
acknowledged “each person’s body sovereign- readers that it’s important to regularly take ac- litical, religious, and military organizations
ty.” Women with no formal medical training tion to make a difference, but we shouldn’t promoted Nazi principles and fomented an-
learned how to perform gynecological exami- take it all on—no one can do everything all tisemitism, ultimately hoping to overthrow
nations and menstrual extractions in order at once. Build in periods of rest during your the government. Fortunately, then, as now,
to provide themselves with effective medi- action, and seek community. Williams inter- honorable individuals risked their careers and
cal care outside of official avenues. Clinics, a views a number of successful micro activists lives to disclose and prosecute such plots be-
sperm bank, and a defense network followed. as role models, offering four archetypes: the fore they could be realized. There’s a focused
Although the movement took place primarily Indispensable, the Producer, the Organizer, awe in discovering something historic that
after the Supreme Court’s 1973 ruling on Roe and the Headliner. There’s space for the reti- has contemporary relevance, and Maddow’s
v. Wade, those practicing self-help knew their cent too, because, she says, “If the only people sublime research into the precursors of cur-
rights could be taken away at any time. Skill- who qualified as activists were those in the rent existential threats is astonishingly deep.
fully weaving together primary-source research spotlight, nothing would get done.” There is She finds rabbit holes even rabbits are un-
and interviews, Hume reveals a fascinating his- nothing radical about these micro recommen- aware of, conveying her wonderment with a
tory and a collection of moving personal stories dations, most of which are commonsensical jaunty “hey, look at this” enthusiasm. Yet for
at a time when reproductive rights are more and promise salutary, macro results. Readers all her geeky ardor, there is a countervailing
uncertain than they have been in 50 years. The will conclude, along with the author, that mi- solemnity. Maddow wants her audience to
self-help belief in the transformative power cro actions are mighty. —Michael Cart pay attention, for failing to do so is to repeat
of caring for yourself and others will resonate history’s close calls, or worse. —Carol Haggas
with many readers. —Rebecca Hopman The Old Gays Guide to the Good Life: HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Maddow
Lessons Learned about Love and Death, has a substantial audience as a best-selling
The Disquieting Death of Emma Gill: Sex and Sin, and Saving the Best for writer, top podcaster, and Emmy-winning
Abortion, Death, and Concealment in Last. host of MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow Show,
Victorian New England. By Mick Peterson and others. and her new book, which reaches far be-
By Marcia Biederman. Nov. 2023. 256p. Harper, $32 (9780063333604). 306.766. yond the Ultra podcast, couldn’t be more
Jan. 2024. 288p. Chicago Review, $28.99 (9781641608565). With about 240 years of dating experi- timely and relevant.
364.15. ence between them, the Old Gays of TikTok
In 1898, a group of boys found dismem- know a little something about life. Here The Risk It Takes to Bloom: On Life and
bered body parts near a pond in Bridgeport, Mick, Jessay, Robert, and Bill of viral video Liberation.
Connecticut. The body was identified as fame talk about their lives and impart their By Raquel Willis.
Emma Gill, a young, working-class woman hard-won wisdom to new generations. Robert Nov. 2023. 384p. St. Martin’s, $29 (9781250275684);
who sought an abortion from Dr. Nancy is a sculptor and painter and a bit of a nud- e-book (9781250275691). 306.76.
Guilford. In her latest book on little-known ist. Bill was an interior designer who partied In a deeply moving memoir, journalist and
American women, journalist Marcia Bieder- with Liberace. Jessay is a singer who grew up activist Willis chronicles the hurdles of being
man (Scan Artist, 2019) chronicles the life in the church in the South. Mick maintains a a Black, transgender woman from a Catholic
and work of Guilford, a slippery practitioner routine of fitness and body building despite family in Georgia. Her journey is divided into
with suspect credentials who was repeatedly health problems. The group memoir delves four periods of growth: “Rooting,” “Budding,”
imprisoned for providing surgical abortions into first times and first loves; the freewheel- “Tilling,” and “Blooming.” She recounts mo-
during a time when such procedures were ing 1970s in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and ments of loneliness amidst the affection from
“gaining popularity and drawing legal scru- New York; the devastation of AIDS (Robert her parents and grandmother, even trying to
tiny.” Guilford and her husband, another and Mick are HIV-positive); health and ag- “pray my queerness away.” Eventually, she con-
dubious doctor, preyed on the desperation of ing; modern dating rituals; and speculations vinces her father to let her grow out her hair
women like Gill, charging high fees for op- on what happens when you die. Each man’s into an afro—an expression of both her Black-

ness and gender identity. Later, she finds solace noia of the Cold War era, to the Patriot Act in through her failed marriage (which suffered
and strength with others in the LGBTQ+ the 2000s. Lebovic is a conscientious histo- many other issues) and a series of increasingly
community at college, though her father’s rian who has clearly researched his subject in successful romantic relationships, she found
death creates another whirlpool of grief. Wil- minute detail. Ardent students of the history her way to a happy and fulfilled life. Readers
lis details her experiences with coming out in of espionage will find much of interest in the will be impressed by the author’s bold willing-
the workplace, homophobia, violence, repre- detailed chronicle. —Gary Day ness to face the horrors of her childhood as
sentation in the media and so, so much more. she artfully blends an insightful look at her
In between chapters of her life, she writes let- To Free the Captives: A Plea for the native country’s societal issues with her own
ters to those who have influenced her, such as American Soul. family’s immigration story and her ongoing
Chyna Gibson, a Black, trans woman who was By Tracy K. Smith. journey to sexual health. A poignant literary
killed in New Orleans. Willis’ voice shines in Nov. 2023. 288p. Knopf, $27 (9780593534762). 305.896. and personal achievement. —Colleen Mondor
this poignant debut, which is nothing short of Former U.S. poet laureate Smith digs into
inspirational. —Allison Cho her personal history to come to terms with The Who, What, and Where of
our current social and political climate in America: Understanding the American
Starkweather: The Untold Story of the her elegant new memoir. Through research, Community Survey. 10th ed.
Killing Spree That Changed America. personal memories, and Ed. by Shana Hertz Hattis.
By Harry N. MacLean. examination of spiritual 2023. 322p. Bernan, $150 (9781636710785); e-book
Nov. 2023. 432p. Counterpoint, $30 (9781640095410); practices, she searches for (9781636710792). 317.3.
e-book (9781640095427). 364.1. understanding and guidance As in previous iterations, the tenth edition
Nebraska teenager Charles Starkweather al- through the painful and of The Who, What, and Where of America is
ways felt he was an underdog. In school, he tumultuous present as the built to guide users through the multitude of
was picked on for his physical shortcomings country grapples with per- data available from the American Community
until he learned to fight back. He drifted aim- sistent and insidious racism Survey (ACS), which gathers data on a con-
lessly until, at 19, he met 14-year-old Caril against Black Americans. tinuous basis (as opposed to its predecessor,
Ann Fugate, who had emerged from an abu- She begins with her father’s early years—“my the decennial census “long form”). This vol-
sive household and become something of a father’s experience will assure him that his ume covers single-year estimates for 2021, the
teenage rebel. Starkweather’s love for Fugate people are stewards not solely of the known most recent data available, on communities
consumed him—and alarmed Fugate’s family. creature that is family, but of a larger animal with populations of 65,000 or more. After an
Their attempt to break up the pair unleashed called History”—and explores this inextrica- introduction that describes the uses and limi-
a torrent of bloodshed, a brief but brutal ble link throughout the book. The reality of tations of the data, the book is divided into
crime spree in January 1958. The number of not only surviving America’s “centuries-long three sections, “Who” (age, race/ethnicity,
victims and the killers’ methods shocked the war” but thriving, exemplified by her family, household structure, etc.), “What” (education,
nation. The couple’s arrest and trial would is told through poetic and engaging turns of employment, income), and “Where” (migra-
garner innumerable headlines, while pop phrases. Smith is adept at looking backwards tion, housing, transportation). Each section
culture would enshrine the pair’s name in in- while expressing an urgency that grounds the begins with an introduction that gives a nar-
famy via books, movies, and music, including reader in the present, writing “History arrives? rative overview of the data (e.g., the high rates
Bruce Springsteen’s album, Nebraska. Edgar Better to accept that it is never gone despite of people working from home was likely due
Award–winner MacLean (The Joy of Killing, our insistence to file much of it safely away, to the COVID-19 pandemic), followed by
2016) offers an absorbing reconstruction of out of sight and mind.” The juxtaposition of tables of data on population, median age,
the tragic events that transpired in Lincoln, her family’s stories with the Black experience percentage of households on SNAP or with
providing logic and reasoning along with tes- in the U.S. feels like a journey toward a great- internet access, and much more. The volume
timony in debating Fugate’s culpability. With er understanding, one readers are lucky to be repurposes data from the census website, but
the potential to change minds about long-ago invited to take. —Allison Escoto the easy-to-use format makes it an invaluable
crimes, this is all but destined to become a reference source. —Susan Maguire
genre classic. —Philip Zozzaro An Unruled Body.
By Ani Gjika.
State of Silence: The Espionage Act and Nov. 2023. 288p. Restless, $26 (9781632063403). 306.7. Business
the Rise of America’s Secrecy Regime. Gjika, an immigrant and award-winning
By Sam Lebovic. poet and translator, creates a startling and Apprentice Nation: How the “Earn and
Nov. 2023. 464p. Basic, $32.50 (9781541620162). 345.7302. intimate record of her life Learn” Alternative to Higher Education
People are accustomed, nowadays, to liv- as she simultaneously re- Will Create a Stronger and Fairer
ing in a world where a government zealously counts her personal trauma America.
protects its secrets and just as zealously pun- and reveals the horrors con- By Ryan Craig.
ishes those who reveal those secrets. However, fronting young women in Nov. 2023. 288p. BenBella, $29.95 (9781637743881). 331.25.
as Lebovic writes in State of Silence, as far as post-Communist Albania. The cost of college education is rising, leav-
the United States was concerned, the mod- Following the death of dic- ing students thousands of dollars in debt upon
ern fixation on secret keeping didn’t spring tator Enver Hoxha in 1985 graduation. Many are unable to find jobs and
up overnight. Considering the nation’s early (after he ruled for more spend a lifetime repaying loans. Over the
tendency towards isolationism, its policies than 40 years), an atmosphere of misogyny, past few years there has been a shift in focus
on state secrets were relatively casual. That all sexual harassment, and assault pervaded the to trades as an alternate career path. Author
changed in the years leading up to WWI, as nation and Gjika, at 12, was raped in a vicious Craig, a workforce and education expert,
the U.S. became more involved with world street encounter. She told no one, but when shows how concentrating on trades is a good
affairs, and intergovernmental espionage be- she later married, she and her husband never way to jumpstart careers. He paints a picture
came an increasing concern. Lebovic follows had sex, the long-term psychological damage of the current state, including the antiquated
the history of the founding and growth of the serving as a laceration that left her frozen and college system, the youthful desire to become
myriad agencies formed to protect states se- gripped in pain during moments of physical a social media star, and jobs with limited skill
crets and the increasingly broad laws enacted intimacy. Slowly, determinedly, Gjika sought growth. Next, he delves into why apprentice-
to empower those agencies, starting with the to heal. With the assistance of an intuitive sex ships are good career options and how the U.S.
Espionage Act in the 1920s, through the para- therapist, she learned to listen to her body, and compares to other nations. This is followed by

a comprehensive directory of apprenticeship on developing individual investors to become how it is possible to clean up some dust-related
programs, highlighting geographic regions and independent and successful. Whether readers disasters. Readers will be fascinated by what
industries. Some of these include health care, know of Belfort from his previous books or enormous insights Owens conveys by thought-
finance, tech, and the more prevalent HVAC the movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio, there fully examining something as tiny as a dust
and plumbing. With living costs rising overall, is sure to be high demand for this book in particle. —Maren Ostergard
parents, students, and educators will be inter- both academic and public library collections.
ested in this guide that can help workers earn —Val Edwards The Evolution of Power: A New
a living wage without incurring the cost of a Understanding of the History of Life.
college education. —Jennifer Adams By Geerat Vermeij.
YA: High-schoolers interested in career Science Nov. 2023. 264p. Princeton, $29.95 (9780691250410).
options that don’t require college degrees 576.8.
will find this a valuable resource. JS. The Age of Deer: Trouble and Kinship From microorganisms to dinosaurs to hu-
with Our Wild Neighbors. mans, the story of life can be perceived as
The Geek Way: The Radical Mindset That By Erika Howsare. an opportunistic grab for power. Evolution-
Drives Extraordinary Results. Jan. 2024. 368p. Catapult, $27 (9781646221349); e-book ary biologist Vermeij combines physics and
By Andrew McAfee. (9781646221356). 599.65. biology in advancing the idea that power is
Nov. 2023. 320p. Little, Brown, $30 (9780316436700); People tend to have a love-hate relationship “a unifying principle of life and its history,”
e-book (9780316436908). 658.1. with deer. They may be enamored of them whether for predator or prey. That supposi-
Touting geek culture as a pathway to trans- as elegant creatures or as adorable Bambis, or tion includes some obvious inferences (e.g.,
formative business growth, McAfee embraces perhaps they look at deer and think of a juicy accumulating power generally requires spend-
the definition of geekiness as obsessive and venison steak. They may hate them for being power) and some serious implications
celebrates the burning curiosity that drives ing voracious garden destroyers or kamikaze (“Nothing expresses power quite like the use
inquiry into both the how and the why of terrors for drivers. Whatever the source and of force”). Vermeij asserts that power can arise
solutions. Four “Norms of Geek Corporate nature of the emotions, humanity’s complex from chance, competition, cooperation, and
Culture” (speed, ownership, science, and relationships with deer have well-established innovation. He discusses beauty, biological
openness) are outlined and defined. Each precedent. Prehistoric cave paintings celebrate motors, competition for mates, energy storage,
norm receives its own exploration and il- their power; medieval tapestries attest to their mass extinctions, photosynthesis, and speed.
lumination through real-world examples of importance to nobility’s prestige. Native cul- Vermeij comments on an almost A–Z roster
successes and failures (Netflix, Meta). An tures traditionally made use of every element of plants and animals, extant and extinct, in-
acknowledgement that the pervasive geek of a deer carcass and expressed reverence and cluding apex predators, dinoflagellates, dwarf
culture of Silicon Valley lacks much in the gratitude for it, while modern hunters kill mistletoe, Jurassic sauropods, spitting cu-
way of psychological safety provides a bit of deer for sport more than subsistence. Howsare cumber, vampyroellid amoebae, and whales.
balance to the wholehearted embrace of au- acknowledges the deep, often mysterious con- But humans have wielded unprecedented
tonomy, speed, data, and innovation. There is nection humans feel with this large, beautiful power, transforming Earth biologically and
an awareness that the assets of concentration, mammal, citing the cultural, economic, and geologically. Three chapters merit special com-
agility, and shared information can be tainted environmental impact the species has had mendation—“The Evolution of Size,” “The
by overconfidence and cognitive bias. Each throughout history. A nature writer with a Evolution of Motion,” and “The Evolution of
chapter is summarized, focusing on the four poet’s eye and a scholar’s acuity, Howsare cata- Violence.” In all, Vermeij presents a thought-
“Norms of Geek Collaborative Culture” and logs the variety of ways the two species have provoking if, at times, challenging discourse
including surveys to assist readers in assessing interacted over time, balancing her personal on the evolution of life that is well worth the
their own corporate cultures. This volume in observations with broad research that aims to energy expended. —Tony Miksanek
McAfee’s stable of books will be a welcome move the needle from love-hate to understand-
addition to business collections in academic ing-acceptance. —Carol Haggas The Little Book of Aliens.
and public libraries —Val Edwards By Adam Frank.
Dust: The Modern World in a Trillion Oct. 2023. 240p. Harper, $27.99 (9780063279735). 523.
The Wolf of Investing: My Insider’s Particles. Astrophysicist Frank (Light of the Stars,
Playbook for Making a Fortune on Wall By Jay Owens. 2018) unpacks the history of the search
Street. Nov. 2023. 384p. illus. Abrams, $28 (9781419764165). for alien life, the ideas that have gone into
By Jordan Belfort. 551.5113. conducting the search, and the current un-
Oct. 2023. 336p. Gallery, $28.99 (9781982197056); e-book Owens has written a fascinating and expan- dertaking in the scientific community. From
(9781982197070). 332.6. sive examination of the causes of dust and its people arguing about whether or not alien
Using his in-laws’ unfortunate personal in- effect on people. Chapters focus on subjects life is even possible to the pioneering work
vesting circumstances as an example, Belfort including water and power, the history of of SETI through the discovery of exoplan-
(The Wolf of Wall Street, 2007) leads readers cleanliness of the home, nuclear fallout, and ets in 2014, this book provides an excellent
through the ins and outs of managing their the great Dust Bowl. Another chapter exam- overview of nearly everything about UFOs,
own investments. The winding path includes ines what scientists are learning by studying or UAPs (unidentified aerial phenomena) as
delving into the history of Wall Street and the dust as it appears in Greenland’s ice layers. the government now calls them, and does
Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) Throughout, Owens relates how dust is fun- so with Frank’s genuine enthusiasm for the
and exploring the impact of heavy hitters such damentally political, whether it is the dust of subject. Frank and his colleagues have set the
as Jack Bogle, Warren Buffett, and even Joe nuclear fallout, the dust from forest fires result- groundwork for the search for UFOs. Utiliz-
Kennedy. Eager investors will receive concrete ing from climate change, or the negative health ing just enough hard science and plenty of
insights and advice for learning how to maxi- impacts of dust resulting from dry lake beds examples to aid in understanding some of the
mize returns, identify the best stocks (diligent after their water has been diverted to supply basics of astrobiology, like Dyson spheres and
prospectus reading), and develop a portfolio. large cities. She applies a social justice lens to the Drake equation, Frank has provided the
Avoiding pitfalls, such as investing heavily on matters throughout the narrative. Owens’ writ- reader with a thorough and exciting front-
a tip from a friend or a “feeling,” is also cov- ing is moving and persuasive, revealing passion row seat to the future of searching for life in
ered. With a full disclosure of his past, illegal about the subject. While much of the book fo- other worlds. This book would be a valuable
dealings, along with a prison sentence, Belfort cuses on the negative impacts of human-related addition to a library’s collection on the topic.
focuses his deep understanding of Wall Street activities, the author also provides examples of —Lucy Roehrig

National Geographic Atlas of Wild Te c h n o l o g y Cooker y
America.
By Jon Waterman. Food, Inc. 2: Inside the Quest for a The Core of an Onion: Peeling the Rarest
Oct. 2023. 432p. illus. National Geographic, $65 Better Future for Food. Common Food—Featuring More Than
(9781426222351). 590.22. Ed. by Karl Weber. 100 Historical Recipes.
This work highlights 41 wild places, in- Dec. 2023. 336p. PublicAffairs, paper, $18.99 By Mark Kurlansky.
cluding 3 Mexican biosphere reserves, 6 (9781541703575); e-book (9781541703582). 664.00973. Nov. 2023. 240p. Bloomsbury, $28 (9781635575934).
Canadian national parks, and 32 U.S. wild Writer and editor Weber brings together 641.6525.
areas. Not limited to federal lands, the areas a chorus of activists, scientists, journalists, Playing both starring and supporting roles
reflect a definition of wilderness as “untram- farmers, politicians, and food workers rais- in virtually every culture’s cuisine, onions
meled, undeveloped, natural, with solitude ing an alarm and promoting awareness of are indispensable for most cooks. Kurlan-
and unconfined recreation.” Beginning with unhealthy food choices, the impact of the sky (Salt, 2002), a prodigious cataloger of
an overview by Roderick Nash, who wrote climate crisis on our food system, and the comestibles, peels away the agricultural, cu-
the seminal book Wilderness and the American ways in which people of color and Indig- linary, and cultural history of onions layer by
Mind, the atlas follows with brief summaries enous people have been exploited by the layer. He explains, for instance, how these
and descriptions of leaders in wilderness con- food system. A sequel to Food, Inc. (2009), humble vegetables have been subjected to
servation, the Wilderness Act, federal and the book picks up in 2020 as COVID-19 much hybridization over the centuries, and
state lands (e.g., those governed by the Bu- impacted the food chain, and those deemed explores the differences between strong and
reau of Land Management or the National “essential” food workers were often mis- sweet onion varieties, whose smell and taste
Park Service), protected rivers, trails, wildlife treated and severely underpaid. Each may depend on the amount of sulfur in the
corridors, and human impacts. Most of the chapter brings a unique perspective con- soil. Kurlansky gives a nod to onion cousins
work spotlights specific wild places, divided cerning the present and future state of our (including leeks, scallions, and ramps) but
into geographic regions. Information about food system. For example, Leah Penniman, focuses on the common bulb onion, noting
these places includes their location, defin- a Black Kreyol farmer, writes about food that differences among onions make repro-
ing features, overviews of wildlife present, apartheid and the challenges experienced ducing results in the kitchen more difficult
geologic and human history, and trails (if by Black farmers in the U.S. and explains than it might appear. He surveys centuries
present). Some 262 maps or graphics and advocacy for food justice. Readers interest- of recipes for onions, whether in soups,
ed in environmental and food studies and stews, or braises; raw, cooked, or pickled;
308 photographs are included. Although the
chopped, whole, or stuffed; creamed, fried,
description of each wild place is only 8–12 public health will be thoughtfully engaged
or baked. He even digs up a recipe for sweet
pages in length, the combination of text, pic- by this collection, poised to help us all un-
Vidalia onion pie topped with Cool Whip,
tures, and graphs draws readers in, making derstand the deep implications of the crisis
although he withholds his full approval.
them want to experience these rare and quiet in our food system and what to do about it
Many photographs amplify the fun and a
places, free from the commotion of everyday now. —Raymond Pun
sizable bibliography enhances the usefulness.
life. —Kevin McDonough —Mark Knoblauch
YA/S: Amazing photos and succinct Weapons, Warfare & Military
entries will make this survey appealing to Technology. 3rd ed. The Last Supper Club: A Waiter’s
young nature lovers. JS. Ed. by Micah L. Issitt. Requiem.
3v. 2023. 1,448p. Salem, $395 (9781637004708); e-book
By Matthew Batt.
The Worlds I See: Curiosity, Exploration, (9781587655982). 623.409.
Oct. 2023. 272p. illus. Univ. of Minnesota, $22.95
and Discovery at the Dawn of AI. Technical advances in computational (9781517914851). 641.
By Fei-Fei Li. capabilities (specifically AI) and autono- As an associate university professor on sab-
Nov. 2023. 336p. Flatiron, $29.99 (9781250897930). 500. mous equipment, as well as the emergence batical, Batt was broke. What to do? Apply
In this timely memoir, Stanford University of nonstate combatants on the battlefield, for a restaurant job, of course. While a profes-
computer science professor Li, an AI scien- have profoundly changed the face of war- sor waiting tables may seem outrageous, Batt
tist who is well known in both academic and fare. This 3-volume set explores equipment, worked in restaurants for over a decade during
tech circles, tells a story about stories. Patched geographical areas or time periods, and his studies, and he loves all things restaurant.
together, these tales elucidate the twists and cultural aspects of warfare from ancient to He applies to his favorite, Minneapolis’ Surly
turns to one of this century’s most coded nar- contemporary times. Each entry is a com- Beer Hall, and, mirabile dictu, is hired. After
ratives: AI’s maturation in American society. prehensive essay, and each category has its two weeks of intensive restaurant training, it’s
Li’s interdisciplinary perspective looks at the own unique format. Essays on equipment down to work. Batt writes beautifully about
archives of computer and data science, her discuss its nature, use, and development. his time working as a waiter, deciding that
own family’s immigration history, and how Those on geographic regions or time pe- he likes teaching but loves waiting tables.
these two narratives coalesced into a cau- riods explore political considerations, He later has an epiphany, realizing that res-
tiously optimistic vision of the American military achievements, weapons, uni- taurants are less about food and more about
dream, just as Silicon Valley’s AI explorations forms and armor, military organizations, people. In this splendidly written book, Batt
were magnified by ethical concerns, includ- and doctrine, strategy, and tactics. Essays also demonstrates a gift for capturing the es-
ing those of surveillance. Encoded in all these related to cultural aspects of warfare pro- sence of his coworkers. Readers who tire of
stories is a sense of humanity—in all its messi- vide an overview, significance, and history. self-deprecating narrators should be warned,
ness, failures, illnesses, and uncertainty—as Li In general, each entry has the thorough- but otherwise, this memoir is a delicious treat.
continuously returns to her AI philosophy of ness and clarity to provide novices with a —Michael Cart
prioritizing human needs. Li’s humanistic ap- strong background in the topic, especially
proach to AI is also reflected in her memoir’s as pertains to the Western world. While the The World in a Wineglass: The Insider’s
accessible tone, which allows readers to easily work as a whole could benefit from better Guide to Artisanal, Sustainable,
grasp high-level scientific concepts. Readers organization, the essays themselves are well Extraordinary Wines to Drink Now.
looking for a portal into a science that is not written, thorough, and concise to serve as a By Ray Isle.
often illuminated or connected back to the valuable reference for the nonspecialist in- Nov. 2023. 720p. Scribner, $45 (9781982182786); e-book
human experience may especially enjoy this terested in warfare and its ever-expanding (9781982182809). 641.22.
memoir. —Lillian Liao facets. —Muhammed Hassanali It used to be that oenophiles needed to

know about the grape, the maker, the vin- (Rental Style, 2020), readers can expect solid, noted scholar and author Edith Hamilton,
tage, and the color. Now, as the industry on-a-budget decorating hacks that will save whose 1942 book, Mythology, became the
industrializes and more and more wineries some major dollars: “champagne taste on a gold standard for studying Greek myths.
spring up worldwide, there are more consid- Diet Coke budget.” First, she says, estab- Born in 1867, Hamilton was the oldest of
erations: Is the wine organic? Biodynamic? lish the business case for a redo, for which four intellectual sisters who pursued higher
What other techniques and processes have she creates five different categories: spaces education when few women did. Hamilton
been used? Is the production sustainable? that are outdated, gloomy, too small, odd matriculated at Bryn Mawr College, study-
As Isle notes, these things are important, or just wrong, or otherwise desperately ing philology to pursue her love of classical
but there’s little oversight on the definitions renovation-worthy. With an abundance of societies. After graduation, Hamilton spent
and use of these terms. He aims to be con- color photographs that prove her points and two decades as the headmistress of the school
structive and honest, refuses to condemn sidebars covering pro tips, working with that fed into Bryn Mawr, but her passion for
corporate winemakers out of hand, and what you have, and DIY, readers will find Greek individualism and philosophy en-
offers detailed introductions to often-over- a variety of choices. Wallpaper options, for dured, and when she left the school after two
looked independent wineries in Europe, instance, could be prepasted, temporary, or a decades, she began writing books with the
Asia, Africa, Oceania, and the Americas, full-fledged DIY install (with Brown’s magic support of her partner, Doris Fielding Reid,
particularly those who have committed to ingredient: liquid starch). Pragmatism rules, who was 28 years her junior. Hamilton’s
organic and sustainable viticulture. The i.e., if the space is too dark, try washing the first book, The Greek Way, was published in
wines he catalogs vary in price from inex- windows first. A fan of IKEA, she advocates 1930 when Hamilton was 62. A book on
pensive Provençal rosé to top-of-the-top for shopping online and getting help from the Romans followed before she penned her
Roederer Cristal champagne. Isle’s writing TaskRabbit, among others. Truly, there’s ad- seminal volume, Mythology, as well as several
is poetic but never precious, and he focuses vice in every sentence, from setting aside an books on Christianity. Hamilton lived nearly
on vintners as people, showing how their extra 10 percent when budgeting to looking a century, long enough to see her accom-
personalities joyfully come through in their for wall décor in Etsy, Unsplash, and mu- plishments feted and to become an honorary
wines. For the one-third of Americans who seum and archive collections. “Where and citizen of Athens at age 90. Houseman pro-
consume wine regularly, Isle offers helpful How to Shop” closes out this useful guide. vides an extensive, meditative look at a vital
direction on how to choose bottles thought- —Barbara Jacobs American author. —Kristine Huntley
fully. —Mark Knoblauch
Ear Training: Literary Essays.
Sports & Recreation By William H. Pritchard.
Crafts & Hobbies Nov. 2023. 378p. Paul Dry, paper, $29.95 (9781589881822).
Focus Forward: Life Lessons from 804.
House Love: A Joyful Guide to Cleaning, Racing. Pritchard, emeritus professor of English at
Organizing, and Loving the Home You’re By Ted Giovanis. Amherst College, is a consummate scholar.
In. Nov. 2023. 264p. Amplify, $28 (9781637555033). 796.72. He writes with authority and enthusiasm,
By Patric Richardson and Karin Miller. Buckle up for a fast-paced guide to life les- has a discerning, critical mind, and applies
Dec. 2023. 256p. Harvest, $27.99 (9780063278424); e-book sons learned through race car driving. Race deep reading both to the subjects at hand
(9780063278448). 648. car driver and race team owner Giovanis, now and secondary sources. Drawn from essays
If readers can’t fully sign on to the idea of 77, took up the sport back in 1991. He loves and reviews published over several decades,
joyful cleaning, they will still find it hard to it as much as he seems to love inspirational these pieces reflect Pritchard’s abiding joy in
resist the authors’ ebullience about all things quotes, which are sprinkled throughout 48 literature, especially poetry. The title refers to
dirt free. After tackling—with joy!—that short chapters. Like the tips, they’re wise and Pritchard’s belief in the primacy of voice in
pile of dirty clothes in Laundry Love (2021), fun, lifted from boxer Mike Tyson (“Every- the act and art of reading. Robert Frost was
Richardson and Miller take a whole-house one has a plan until they get punched in the an influential champion of “ear-reading,”
approach, peppering the book with cleaning mouth”) to Abraham Lincoln (“Discipline is and the seminal figure in what Pritchard de-
tasks that can be done in 10 minutes, play- choosing between what you want now, and scribes as “the centrality of my imaginative
lists to listen to while you work, and a very what you want most”). Giovanis notes that life.” Included here are insightful apprecia-
pragmatic tool list, with essentials like vin- many people dwell too much on negative as- tions of Anthony Trollope, Anthony Powell,
egar, cheap vodka for smell reduction, and pects of the past when they should instead and a sublime reading of Philip Larkin. His
rags upon rags. Going beyond the scrubbing “focus forward.” They should also try to be essay on Elizabeth Bishop will have poetry
specifics, the authors provide tips on mak- patient, self-confident, and calm. This is also lovers reaching for volumes of her work.
ing a living room comfortable, swapping in a good racing primer. For example, mar- Pritchard is particularly strong in his evalu-
a new and inexpensive backsplash (remov- shals communicate with drivers by raising a ations of other critics, including Edmund
able wallpaper, for one), and toilet cleaning, white flag if a slower car or safety vehicle is Wilson, Hugh Kenner, and especially, Clive
with five clever tricks. There are no photos, ahead and wave a yellow one for a car that’s James. He adores Updike, who once chas-
but the prose is upbeat and (almost) inspira- spun out ahead. Mostly Giovanis shares tised Pritchard for faint praise. Pritchard
tional, and the plentitude of simple and useful his enthusiasm for being “compassionate” is demanding, fastidious, and occasionally
hints—like breathing life into a humdrum with a “giving, caring heart” and a “moral cantankerous, yet in a refreshing way that
sofa with a variety of pillows—will help read- compass.” He’s bullish on life well lived. reminds readers what it means to care deeply
ers get into the “time to clean” message. Plus, —Karen Springen about literature. —Bill Kelly
as the authors reassure, “only God sees under
a sofa.” —Barbara Jacobs Remembrance: Selected
Literature Correspondence of Ray Bradbury.
Shut the Front Door: Make Any Space By Ray Bradbury. Ed. by Jonathan R. Eller.
Feel Bigger, Better, and More Beautiful American Classicist: The Life and Loves Nov. 2023. 544p. Simon & Schuster, $35 (9781668016978).
without Going Broke. of Edith Hamilton. 816.54.
By Chelsey Brown. By Victoria Houseman. One of the titans of sf, Bradbury wrote al-
Oct. 2023. 216p. illus. Gibbs Smith, $35 (9781423662556). Oct. 2023. 536p. Princeton, $39.95 (9780691236186). most daily for more than 60 years and later
747. 880.092. in life regretted that he never kept anything
From millennial interior designer Brown Historian Houseman recounts the life of like a diary. Here’s the next best thing: editor

Eller has gathered a marvelous compendium Poetr y Up Late.
of Bradbury’s extensive correspondence. By Nick Laird.
The 12 categories here include mentors Conversation among Stones. Nov. 2023. 128p. Norton, $26.95 (9781324065449); e-book
and influences in his early and breakout By Willie Lin. (9781324065456). 811.
years, letters encouraging Nov. 2023. 96p. BOA, paper, $17 (9781960145048); e-book Laird has written novels, screenplays, and
emerging writers and liter- (9781960145055). 811. criticism, but he is best known as a poet and
ary contemporaries, and This crackling first collection is full of is now the Seamus Heaney Professor of Poetry
friends, family, and re- combustible moments within a meditative at Queen’s University, Belfast. The life docu-
flections. Among those slow burn that explores the familiar and the mented in his fifth collection has not been easy.
contemporaries are Theo- foreign. “Spring in Virginia” evokes subur- His trenchant “American Poem” begins, “I also
dore Sturgeon, Edmond ban wall art (“You can choose / to have a hoped to visit tropical resorts / to feel the tex-
Hamilton, and Richard secret or a sister”), but Lin’s speakers are also ture of expensive sadness.” The costly sadness
Matheson, who all wrote dazzling and monstrous (“I ate livers and of gated tropical resorts is distinct from the
back with great affection, sharing in the hearts. / I woke up with questions, / with Forward Prize–winning title poem, an elegy-se-
struggles of those penny-a-word times. Oth- eyes of bitumen”) and rich with oracular quence for his father; and Up Late’s first poem is
er influences beyond genre writing include wisdom, “You were born / to a season, and “Grief.” Laird has always made every line break
art critic Bernard Berenson and poet Robert so / to a fate.” Many poems pair solemnity seem natural, necessary. Yet one feels some un-
Hillyer. Since he was based in Los Angeles with the suggestion of mystical ritual. Sift- ease about his supreme facility. As a transatlantic
for most of his life, it was inevitable that ing ashes following a cremation, mourners poet, he name-checks the right neighborhoods
Bradbury would befriend actors and work clutch “pearled bits of what looked like / in New York City, exudes a distinctly hip take
in the industry: see Charles Laughton, John colored glass or river stones.” The celestial on city life, parenting, and “The Politics of Feel-
Huston, François Truffaut (who directed heavens are of special interest, regarded with ing,” which is both better and worse than its
1966’s Fahrenheit 451), and Walt Disney. almost tactile sensuality, with the “bright- title—better for its impolitic meditation on
Correspondents that may surprise include ness / in the sky neither the color of rust nor race, worse for its facile last line ending with a
Anaïs Nin and Stephen King. All aspects of moth” and the dark sky of night “a bruise predictable expletive. One is left wanting more,
Bradbury’s career—including movies, plays, I’d press to remind myself.” To read Lin is but the grief is real. —Michael Autrey
and working with NASA on the early space to unearth a landscape between the recog-
program—are covered. Extensive footnotes nizable and the forgotten and to experience G e o g r a p h y & Tr a v e l
and a chronological listing of the letters are ephemeral yet hardened speakers, like those
also included. Remembrance is a true labor of of poet Cynthia Cruz. An exciting debut Mother, Nature: A 5,000-Mile Journey
love and belongs in any library that has a Ray from a promising poet. —Diego Báez to Discover If a Mother and Son Can
Bradbury collection. —Don Vicha Survive Their Differences.
the delicacy of embracing spirals. By Jedidiah Jenkins.
Songs on Endless Repeat: Essays and By mimi tempestt. Nov. 2023. 240p. Convergent, $28 (9780593137260);
Outtakes. Oct. 2023. 150p. City Lights, paper, $17.95
e-book (9780593137277). 910.
By Anthony Veasna So. (9780872869257). 811.
Before Jenkins was born, his parents became
Dec. 2023. 240p. Ecco, $28.99 (9780063049963); e-book This dynamic collection is a vivid ex- famous for walking 2,600 miles from New
(9780063049956). 814. ploration of identity, creative expression, Orleans to Florence, Oregon, and writing a best-
The posthumous publication of So’s heartbreak, sex, and the sociopolitical ex- selling trilogy about the journey. Now, 40 years
sparkling Afterparties (2021) catapulted perience of Black queerness. Shifting from later, Jenkins, himself a writer (Like Streams to
him into literary superstardom; his stories quiet, more intimate poems the Ocean, 2020), decides to take a trip with his
are set to be adapted for a television se- to grander, more univer- mother to retrace her journey (by car). The re-
ries. His accidental death in 2020 at just sal themes and employing sult is this combination travel book and memoir
28 undoubtedly truncated a brilliant, raw experimental forms within of the author’s metaphorical journey to under-
talent; enthralled by his prodigious debut, the larger, theatrical format standing with his conservative, deeply religious
his devotees understandably want more. of two acts and a coda, tem- mother about his sexual identity. While ac-
These “essays and outtakes” populate a hy- pestt’s book feels holistic, knowledging her son is gay, she cannot approve
brid title, admiringly introduced by So’s inclusive, and wide-rang- of it due to her beliefs. This dramatic tension
MFA teacher and adviser, Jonathan Dee ing. These works illustrate drives the narrative, leading Jenkins to finally
(Sugar Street, 2022). Of these 14 entries, that there are complex worlds both within ask THE question: if he were to marry (a man),
six are personal essays (five previously pub- and without. The speaker not only names the would she come to the ceremony? Meanwhile,
lished) that range in subject from “It was intricacies of everyday life—“she says there is their physical journey unfolds, from the French
hard growing up Cambodian American,” a poison circulating through my blood / says Quarter in New Orleans to the Oregon shore of
especially without role models, to father- it’s chasing the embryonic versions / of my the Pacific. This trip is pleasant and quiet; the
son memories as a Stanford undergraduate existence like a minotaur in a labyrinth”— drama here is interior. The well-written result—
returning home to help with house repair but also deftly portrays the complexities of two trips for the price of one—is altogether
to the lead-up and aftermath of a beloved existing as a Black person in creative spaces, thought-provoking. —Michael Cart
friend’s suicide. The other eight pieces con- as in the standout set of poems, “casting call
stitute chapters of an unfinished novel (his #1 ‘Black (LA) woman’” and “casting call #2
graduate thesis), Straight thru Cambotown, ‘(Black) LA woman.’” It is difficult to pas- History
centering on the diverging adult lives of sively experience these poems. The fourth
three Cambodian American cousins. So’s wall is broken in intermission, and the lines African American Activism and
essays resonate with vulnerable eloquence, are blurred throughout the final “play” that Political Engagement: An
but his potency lies in storytelling, effort- rounds out the book, a philosophical por- Encyclopedia of Empowerment.
lessly creating immersive worlds animated trayal of the power of art, history, and racism Ed. by Angela Jones.
by familiar, vital characters, their vibrancy told through unforgettable and captivating 2023. 456p. illus. Bloomsbury Academic, $107
further magnifying the poignant loss of dialogue. A striking and powerful collection (9781440876318); e-book. 973.
what could have been. —Terry Hong from a vibrant artist. —Allison Escoto The “racial reckoning” following the 2020

killings by police of African Americans, in- Justice Pursued: The Exoneration of illustrated manuscripts were crucial to trans-
cluding Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, Nathan Myers and Clifford Williams. mitting knowledge across Europe and remain
was the continuation of a centuries-long tradi- By Bruce Horovitz. treasured cultural artifacts. De Hamel, aca-
tion of civil rights activism Dec. 2023. 146p. Univ. Press of Florida, paper, $24.95 demic librarian and author of the acclaimed
in the Black community. (9780813080321). 973.0496. Meetings with Remarkable Manuscripts (2017),
Editor Jones has assembled Forty-three years after being convicted of takes us on a journey of “metaphorical time
a resource for those want- murder and attempted murder, Clifford Wil- travel,” visiting 12 members of a centuries-
ing to learn more about liams and his nephew, Nathan Myers, walked spanning fellowship of devotees, an abbot,
African American activism, out of prison in Florida as free men. Despite a prince, a rabbi, and a forger among them.
political engagement, and 40 witnesses who saw the men elsewhere and Focusing on why and how each person fol-
empowerment throughout forensic evidence contrary to the one eyewit- lowed their shared obsession, de Hamel
U.S. history. The book be- ness who placed them at the crime scene, the traces historical trends, such as a shift from
gins with seven scholarly essays on key topics men were sentenced to life in prison. Jour- religious to secular purposes for collecting.
ranging from Black abolitionists’ use of visual nalist Horovitz digs into how they ended Lively biographical and personality sketches,
imagery as “instruments of resistance” to the up there and how, decades later, they were imagined conversations, and you-were-there
role of Black women in the struggle for la- exonerated. In the process, he also weaves in travelogues to subjects’ homes and work-
bor rights to Barack Obama’s presidency and the story of Florida’s first Conviction Integ- places balance abundant scholarly detail
its legacy. The essays are followed by more rity Review unit in Jacksonville. As almost on manuscript creation, acquisition, prov-
than 200 entries focusing on a wide range of accidental pioneers, the group faced its own enance, and connoisseurship. The journey
people, themes, organizations, and cultural challenges navigating the case, especially one ends in early twentieth-century New York
aspects of the history of Black liberation. In from far in the past. Horovitz succeeds in with the flamboyant Belle Greene, a young
keeping with the book’s emphasis on inter- pulling the thread of this tale of post-convic- African American woman, personal librarian
sectionality, entries include civil rights leaders tion justice in a straightforward and balanced to the insatiable collector, J. Pierpont Mor-
who are often overlooked because of histori- way. He doesn’t shy away from Williams’ gan, and powerhouse behind the founding of
cal sexism and anti-LGBTQ sentiment in known past as a criminal or the criticism the the renowned Morgan Library. De Hamel’s
the movement. Each entry includes “see also” unit faced, but he also explores how the men encyclopedic knowledge and irrepressible en-
references and recommendations for further changed in prison and the questionable tactics thusiasm for his subject animate the whole;
reading. Appendixes include annotated glos- used by their original attorneys. A clear-eyed he’s a member of the club. —Anne Foley
saries of civil rights organizations and of films exploration of one case of justice deferred but
ultimately achieved. —Cynthia Dieden UFO: The Inside Story of the U.S.
showcasing African American activists, poli-
Government’s Search for Alien Life
ticians, writers, and intellectuals, as well as
The Lost Tomb: And Other Real-Life Here—and Out There.
a selected bibliography. As accessible as it is
Stories of Bones, Burials, and Murder. By Garrett M. Graff.
comprehensive, this book will be a welcome
By Douglas Preston. Nov. 2023. 544p. Simon & Schuster/Avid Reader, $32.50
addition to public, high-school, and academic (9781982196776). 999.
Dec. 2023. 320p. Grand Central, $30 (9781538741221).
libraries. —Lindsay Harmon 913.5. Have we been visited by extraterrestrials?
When you have built a career writing fiction Best-selling author, historian, and journalist
Into Siberia: George Kennan’s Epic that is based on true stories of adventure, cun- Graff, who compiled the
Journey through the Brutal, Frozen ning, and unbelievable occurrences, people are 9/11 oral history, The Only
Heart of Russia. bound to ask: what about those true stories? Plane in the Sky (2019),
By Gregory Wallance. This book is Preston’s answer to that ques- pulls together declassified
Dec. 2023. 304p. St. Martin’s, $30 (9781250280053); tion. Famous for novels like Relic (1996) and documents, interviews, and
e-book (9781250280060). 947.085. Tyrannosaur Canyon (2006) as well as his collab- archival research in this
Nineteenth-century America was enamored orations with former St. Martin’s editor Lincoln comprehensive review of the
with Russia, which was viewed as a color- Child, Preston got his start as a magazine jour- U.S. government’s effort to
ful, exotic land with a romantic culture. It nalist. His 1988 Smithsonian article about the identify UFOs and the sci-
was a time when the two countries were the fabled Oak Island mystery—now the subject entific community’s search for extraterrestrial
closest diplomatically that they’d ever be (in- of a 10-season-and-counting show on the His- life, from post-WWII through today. Far from
cidentally it was also when America acquired tory Channel—was one of his first assignments. an organized cover-up, Graff compellingly
Alaska from Russia). Journalist George Ken- That article is in this book, as are writings on portrays a bewildered government’s efforts
nan bought into this common perception of Amanda Knox, the Dyatlov Pass hikers (sub- to unearth the truth of flying saucer reports
the land of the tsars, which is why he made jects of about a million YouTube conspiracy over decades, at times involving the Air Force,
several trips to Russia to see it first hand. videos), stolen Native American skeletons (in CIA, and FBI. Meanwhile, against the back-
In 1885, on assignment for The Century the news recently), and the so-called Monster of drop of Cold War–era anxiety, public interest
Magazine, he embarked on an expedition to Florence murder case, which Preston and Ital- soared, with 500 UFO sightings reported in
investigate the system that exiled criminals ian journalist Mario Spezi turned into a book one July, and technological advances opened
and dissidents to the vast, frozen wasteland (they were also, for a time, suspects). Though a new frontier to extraterrestrial search. While
of Siberia. Kennan was quickly disabused of these are all republished from earlier work, the many UFO incidents could be chalked up to
any romantic notions about Russia as he wit- pieces are so good and the reporting so thor- existing aerial objects like weather balloons
nessed the cruelty and privations endured by ough that The Lost Tomb is a worthy addition to or astronomical and meteorological events,
Russian exiles. Kennan’s reports from Siberia library collections. —Anthony Aycock not all were easily explained. From the truth
forever changed America’s perceptions of Rus- behind a veteran WWII pilot’s fatal crash in
sia, and relations between the two countries The Manuscripts Club: The People Kentucky in 1948 to the secret U.S. effort
have been, at best, dodgy ever since. Wal- behind a Thousand Years of Medieval to build a flying saucer, Jimmy Carter’s and
lance’s recounting of Kennan’s journeys reads Manuscripts. Ronald Reagan’s UFO encounters, the origins
like a classic adventure odyssey, a man vs. By Christopher de Hamel. of the “Men in Black,” and the mystique of
nature epic, as well as an exposé of a horren- Nov. 2023. 624p. Penguin, $50 (9780525559412); e-book Area 51, Graff has crafted an intriguing and
dously brutal political system. It is history at (9780525559429). 900. insightful history of our search for answers.
its most compelling. —Gary Day Before the printing press, handwritten and —Bridget Thoreson

Adult cades and made stacks of records—along
with her wit, shyness, generosity, triumphs,
and sorrows. Portraying close collabora-
tors, especially bandleader Chick Webb and
producer Norman Granz, and establishing a
richly textured social context by drawing ex-
tensively on press coverage, especially in Black
newspapers, Tick illuminates the artist and
Spotlight on the Arts her experiences with precision, insight, and
fluency. Tick’s chronicling of Fitzgerald’s ge-
Art from Hyperborea.
nius for intuiting what an audience wanted
60 Songs That Explain the ’90s. Art Monsters: Unruly Bodies in Feminist to hear, her “courage and independence,” the
By Rob Harvilla. Art. sharp criticism she endured for her daringly
Nov. 2023. 288p. Grand Central, $30 (9781538759462). By Lauren Elkin. innovative choices, and the ardent acclaim
782.421640973. Nov. 2023. 368p. illus. Farrar, $35 (9780374105952); e-book she earned as a pioneering Black woman artist
Like his hit podcast of the same name, The (9780374721114). 704.9. and civil rights advocate coalesces in a defin-
Ringer writer Harvilla’s debut book chronicles In this rigorous analysis of what it means to ing, revelatory, and invaluable biography.
the musical landscape of the 1990s. Recounting be a woman artist, Elkin (Flâneuse, 2016) the- —Donna Seaman
the era’s pop music as well as the contemporary orizes the concept of the art monster, a term
alternative hits that took over the world, Har- she uses to conceptualize what happens when Bob Dylan: Mixing Up the
villa jumps across years and trends within each women invent new forms of storytelling by Medicine.
chapter, which makes for an easygoing and mul- using their own languages rather than those By Mark Davidson and Parker Fishel.
tilayered account of the decade. Harvilla leans established by men. In Elkin’s assessment, Oct. 2023. 608p. illus. Callaway, $100 (9781734537796).
into nostalgia, with the memories of how cer- doing this necessarily entails foregrounding 782.42164.
tain artists impacted him as a youth proving just the female body and putting it at the center This hefty, coffee-table book is a wonder-
as crucial as his analyses of industry trends. As of artmaking. Examples include feminist art ful collection of archival material from the
such, the book functions as an accessible and en- icons like Carolee Schneeman, whose infa- Bob Dylan Archive (and supporters of it) at
tertaining bit of music criticism. While Harvilla mous Interior Scroll involved her pulling a roll the Bob Dylan Center in
has spent over two decades as a rock critic, here, of paper from her vagina in protest of a mi- Tulsa. It is a feast for the
he prioritizes feeling and humor over theory, sogynistic art culture that looked down upon eye and the brain, with
with storytelling that occasionally veers into diaristic and messy art, as well as emerging short essays by well-
sentimentalism. Overall, this is a solid introduc- contemporary artists like Emma Sulkowicz, known Dylan scholars
tion to the music of the 1990s that will be useful who made headlines in 2014 when she staged as well as musicians and
both to readers unfamiliar with the era’s pop cul- a yearlong performance carrying a mattress critics, including Greil
ture and to those seeking to immerse themselves around Columbia University, where she Marcus, Lucy Sante,
in old favorites. —Zeja Z. Copes was then enrolled, to protest the university’s Tom Piazza, Amanda
failure to expel her accused rapist. With its Petrusich, Alex Ross, Clinton Heylin, Greg
Arhoolie Records Down Home Music: frequent use of the first person plural, this art Tate, and Richard Hell. Some contributors
The Stories and Photographs of Chris history for feminist creatives foregrounds the are a pleasant surprise (poet Joy Harjo on
Strachwitz. work rather than the lives of women artists, “Tangled Up in Blue”). Historians Sean Wi-
By Joel Selvin and Chris Strachwitz. seeking to uncover what has driven their art- lentz and Douglas Brinkley offer excellent
Nov. 2023. 240p. illus. Chronicle, $40 (9781797222288); making. —Maggie Taft bookends, an introduction and epilogue,
e-book (9781797222677). 781.6409. respectively. The images consist of photo-
When Chris Strachwitz, a German immi- Becoming Ella Fitzgerald: The Jazz graphs, draft lyrics, notebooks, family pics,
grant and American schoolteacher, was 28, an Singer Who Transformed American postcards, album and book covers, signs
acquaintance invited him on a “pilgrimage” to Song. and posters, flyers, contact sheets, concert
Houston, Texas, to hear the fabled and elusive By Judith Tick. programs, playbills, and ticket stubs that
blues singer Lightnin’ Hopkins perform in a Dec. 2023. 576p. illus. Norton, $40 (9780393241051); follow the singer from his early years in Min-
“low rent Third Ward beer joint.” Strachwitz e-book (9780393242027). 782.421. nesota to the current day, each accompanied
was already an avid collector of blues, hillbilly, A vocalist with a phonographic memory by richly informative captions. As the edi-
and gospel records, and the Hopkins show and “astonishing agility” and inventiveness, tors note, Dylan set trends in order to break
turned out to be transformative, inspiring who used her voice like an them. This is a cornucopia, a treasure trove, a
him to travel the country with a tape recorder instrument, fused jazz and mother lode, a bonanza—no one word quite
and camera, documenting the music and im- pop, and brilliantly inter- does it justice, with Dylan’s fifth-grade class
ages of obscure American musicians. In 1960 preted songs by writers portrait and a color photo of Dylan in his
he founded Arhoolie Records, releasing hun- ranging from Cole Porter welding studio in 2013 just two of many
dreds of albums from an ever-widening roster to Duke Ellington, the Ger- memorable images. A volume to peruse and
that grew to encompass zydeco, norteño, and shwins, the Beatles, Carole slowly savor, this is nothing less than a pro-
Tejanos. This volume includes a thought- King, Marvin Gaye, and found cultural statement. —June Sawyers
ful and thorough biography of the Arhoolie Stevie Wonder, Ella Fitzger-
founder by music journalist and critic Selvin, ald was forever shadowed by the traumas of Charlie Chaplin vs. America: When Art,
followed by 150 photographs with captions her rough childhood. Born in 1917, she grew Sex, and Politics Collided.
written by Strachwitz of such artists as Mance up poor in Yonkers, New York, enchanted by By Scott Eyman.
Lipscomb, the Hodges Brothers, Big Joe Wil- music and determined to succeed as a dancer. Oct. 2023. 432p. Simon & Schuster, $29.99
liams, and the musician who started it all, But it was her voice that distinguished her, (9781982176358). 791.43.
Lightnin’ Hopkins. The photos are as unvar- even in reform school. Music historian Tick Eyman (Hank & Jim, 2017; Cary Grant,
nished and timeless as Strachwitz’s recordings. tracks every phase of Fitzgerald’s arduous life 2020) brings his fine writing and rigorous
An absolute treasure for fans of American of dedicated creativity and effort—she toured
roots music. —Freda Love Smith incessantly, nationally and globally, for de- Continued on p.16
Forgotten Photographic
Treasures
By Richard Cahan and Michael Williams
W
e at CityFiles Press write picture books. But ours are Congress. Most of the photographs, drawings, and accompany-
not like the books you read as a child, instead, they are ing information on these buildings are online at the Library of
picture books for adults. And just like those simple but Congress HABS website (loc.gov/pictures/collection/hh/).
profound publications you grew up with, our books combine We started writing Lost in America during the first year of the
words and pictures to tell memorable and powerful stories. COVID-19 pandemic. Cooped up, we yearned for a road trip.
Our books often take on difficult subjects, such as slavery We settled for an online journey, traveling America by computer
(River of Blood), the incarceration of Japanese Americans (Un- to figure out what buildings HABS photographers had docu-
American) and the final year of WWII (Aftershock). We make use mented that had since been razed. This was the focus of our
of photographs from huge photo collections at such places as the book. What we build and what we tear down tells a lot about
Library of Congress and National Archives. These collections are who we are as a culture.
often overlooked, in part because they are so massive, with tens
We started with masterpieces: landmark buildings like Chi-
of thousands of photographs. Where to start? They take weeks,
months, even years for us to fully understand. cago’s Republic Building, pictured on the cover of this month’s
We believe in the power of pictures. A photograph stops the Booklist. We next focused on modest buildings, structures
world. It allows readers (and writers) the chance to travel in time that played a role in the nation’s history such as slave quarters,
and place. Once we identify the photographs we need, we bring plantations, Native American dance lodges, movie palaces, and
portable scanners to create high-resolution files. Sometimes, we ballparks.
are allowed to scan actual negatives, a painstakingly slow and HABS photographs are classic, large-format, black-and-white
careful process but one that creates vibrant images. That’s why images of buildings that mattered. We relied on Google Street
the pictures in our books look so vivid. View to figure out which buildings had been torn down. Armed
But most of our time is spent learning. We track down the with building addresses, we “walked” up and down digital streets
story behind every picture. We make phone calls and visit lo- on a street map to see if the old Bodine Castle in Queens, New
cales. It’s a combination of journalism and history. We’re called York, or the Japanese language school in Tacoma, Washington,
photo historians. still stood. It wasn’t always clear. In 2021, we drove to Pennsyl-
To find firsthand information, we hang out in libraries across vania to see if an old stone barn that had witnessed the Battle of
America because libraries are often the best keepers of local his- Gettysburg was still standing. Only the foundation remained.
tory. We’ve been known to open and close libraries as patrons. To gather the stories behind 100-plus structures, we relied on
We’ve learned over the past two decades there is no better way newspapers, such as some of those in the Library of Congress
to understand a community than by spending time in its public Chronicling America historic newspaper collection and the on-
library (and its barbecue joints). line archive Newspapers.com. To fill in gaps, we corresponded
Few people do this work. Most writers use pictures to amplify with librarians. We could not have written about the rich archi-
their words. We start with photographs. To set these photos in
tecture of Buffalo, New York, for instance, without the clipping
context, our books include 20,000 to 30,000 words. Our books
are not photo portfolios. They tell stories. files of the Grosvenor Room of the Buffalo & Erie County Pub-
Our latest, Lost in America: Photographing the Last Days of lic Library.
Our Architectural Treasures (see p.18), is based on a remarkable These buildings may be lost, but they are not quite gone. They
collection of architectural photographs taken by the Historic exist on film, lovingly documented by a small group of dedicated
American Buildings Survey (HABS), a federal agency that dates photographers. And now on the printed page.
to the 1930s Works Progress Administration. HABS photogra-
phers took more than 325,000 photos of 45,000 buildings over Richard Cahan (right) and Michael Williams are authors and co-publishers of
the past 90 years. The agency works closely with the Library of CityFiles Press, cityfilespress.com.

Spotlight
Art from Lee Miller, by Carolyn Burke.
T
he work of Lee Miller (1907–77)
was rediscovered 20 years ago,
prompting a flurry of books
illuminating her daring and dramatic
life and remarkable achievements
as a fashion model, artist, celebrity
photographer, and war correspondent
who covered the horrors of the
London Blitz, Normandy, Buchenwald,
and Dachau with awesome presence
of mind and transcendent artistry. A
new book by her son, Antony Penrose,
Lee Miller: Photographs, includes a
foreword by Kate Winslet, who plays
Miller in Lee, a just-released feature
film. Miller’s experiences are heart-
seizing and her virtuoso photographs
are stunning and indelible as they
capture humankind at our dazzling
best and monstrous worst. The books
below illuminate Miller from different
perspectives and portray some of the
artists in her circle.
Booklist Essentials Agent Josephine: American Beauty, biographer Secrest tells her story, from her
French Hero, British Spy. By Damien hectic early years to her arrival in Paris in
Lewis. 2022. PublicAffairs, $32 1922 and her close association with the
Lee Miller (9781541700666).
One of the greatest and most success-
surrealists as she created wildly innovative,
strategically shocking attire.
and Her ful women in espionage was legendary
African American entertainer Josephine
Farewell to the Muse: Love, War and
the Women of Surrealism. By Whitney
World Baker, who used her charm, intelligence,
and sheer bravado as a key member of the
Chadwick. 2017. Thames & Hudson,
$35 (9780500239681).
French Resistance during WWII.
by Donna Seaman Esteemed art historian Chadwick
Elsa Schiaparelli. By Meryle Secrest. chronicles the friendships between
2014. Knopf, $35 (9780307701596). women surrealists—Frida Kahlo and
Miller photographed dynamic and tena- Jacqueline Lamba Breton, Leonor Fini
cious couturier Schiaparelli; exceptional and Leonora Carrington, Valentine Boué
14
14 Booklist
Booklist October
October 15,
15, 2023
2023 www.booklistonline.com
Penrose and Lee Miller—as they sought as one of the first war correspondents to without her permission to advertise its
to free themselves from the passive role confront the death camps. then-scandalous product. Preferring
of muse to the male surrealists and come to be in charge with camera in-hand,
Lee Miller: Photographs. By Lee Miller
Spotlight
into their own as artists, only to find Miller ended up documenting the crucial
and Antony Penrose. 2023. Thames &
their quests traumatically complicated by roles women played in WWII England’s
Hudson, $45 (9780500025925).
WWII. defense, photographing women pilots, fac-
Academy Award–winning Kate Winslet
tory workers, gunners, radio mechanics,
Gellhorn: A Twentieth-Century Life. By shares her deep admiration for Miller in
civil servants, and nurses. She then pushed
Caroline Moorehead. 2003. Holt, $27.50 her foreword, which she wrote while on
her way to the front, taking pictures of
(9780805065534). the set for Lee. Writer and artist Antony
women in decimated France and Germany.
Martha Gellhorn (1908–98), tall, Penrose, the son of Miller and Sir Roland
blond, elegant, smart, and determined, Penrose, offers a finely distilled profile A Life of Picasso: The Minotaur Years,
like Lee Miller, was a war correspondent of his mother. He notes how much she 1933–1943. By John Richardson. 2021.
who gained access to the frontlines of the learned while in front of the camera when Knopf, $35 (9780307266668).
twentieth century’s bloodiest conflicts. posing for her father, Edward Steichen, No period in Picasso’s colossal,
and Man Ray, technical know-how she ever-evolving body of work holds more
In Montparnasse: The Emergence of put to good use, and provides a key to her jarringly monstrous creations than that
Surrealism in Paris, from Duchamp to sensibility: Miller was “first and foremost encompassing the Spanish Civil War
Dalí. By Sue Roe. 2019. Penguin, $30 a surrealist.” He recounts her adventurous and WWII. The epically fecund artist’s
(9781101981177). life, from running a successful commercial countless works also reflect the women
Roe profiles key surrealist artists (many studio in New York to landing in Lon- in his life at the time, especially surrealist
photographed by Miller) including Max don as WWII began, where she shifted photographer Dora Maar. Miller knew
Ernst, Salvador Dali, Marcel Duchamp, from fashion shoots to covering the Blitz both well. This is the fourth volume in art
Man Ray, Joan Miró, Jean Cocteau, and and battlefield combat. The photographs historian Richardson’s phenomenally de-
André Breton, and the colorful Paris that follow glow with a nuanced black- tailed, unfailingly perceptive biography.
neighborhood in which they lived and and-white radiance, each so dynamically
worked. Paper Bullets: Two Artists Who Risked
composed, whether memorializing defiant Their Lives to Defy the Nazis. By Jeffrey
Lee Miller. By Carolyn Burke. 2005. comedy, unexpected beauty, or unfathom- H. Jackson. 2020. Algonquin, $27.95
Knopf, $35 (9780375401473). able horror. Miller struggled later with (9781616209162).
Burke delves deeply into each of Miller’s PTSD. Lucy Schwob and Suzanne Malherbe,
metamorphoses as a glamorous phoenix Lee Miller: A Woman’s War. By Hilary known as Claude Cahun and Marcel
who survived rape and a weirdly intimate Roberts. 2015. Thames & Hudson, $55 Moore, were French lesbians and artists
relationship with her father to become a (9780500518182). in Paris. They then moved to the English
trendsetting fashion model for Vogue, a The regal, svelte blonde photographed Channel Island of Jersey, where they be-
surrealist in Paris, and a courageous and with such sophistication for Vogue in the came a cunning two-woman resistance
keenly observant WWII photojournalist, 1920s had her modeling career abruptly movement against the Nazi occupation,
first in London during the Blitz and then derailed when Kotex used her image cleverly undermining German morale.
Art from In Montparnasse.

Continued from p.12 When the Doors started out in Los Angeles spent living in a Jewish orphanage in Old
in the idealistic 1960s, they were all for one Havana, where she was tasked with scrubbing
research to the later years of Charlie Chap- and one for all. “I had no idea that when Jim clean the long marble dining tables, to when
Spotlight
lin’s remarkable career—the post-WWII suggested a four-way split on everything that Lowinger, given her interest in delving into
years he spent living in exile from the United it was a historic moment not to be duplicated family history, was invited to lead a workshop
States and under the shadow of accusations by any other band for a very long time,” says on marble restoration and ended up study-
of sexual impropriety and political disloy- Densmore. Eventually the argument over ing the headstones that mark the graves of
alty. (Chaplin had never become a citizen, selling the rights to use their iconic “Light her grandmothers and other Cuban Jews.
which, along with his leftist leanings, was My Fire” in a car commercial and over the Lowinger also uses concepts and terminology
used against him during the Red Scare.) It’s use of the name of the band itself after Mor- from conservation to consider her relatives
a heartrending story of a brilliant comedian rison’s death in 1971 led to the beginning and analyze their interpersonal dynamics.
and filmmaker battling prejudice, depres- of the end. Lawsuits led to more suits and For example, she introduces “inherent vice,”
sion, and a looming feeling of failure. It’s countersuits. Densmore keeps legalese to a “a term for works of art that come with in-
also a story of resilience; instead of buckling minimum in his account. Part courtroom trinsic defects” (like a painting so heavy with
under the pressure and fading into obscurity, drama, part morality tale, The Doors Un- paint that the canvas won’t hold it), to reflect
Chaplin—who settled in Switzerland after hinged reminds us what happens when greed on her mother and grandfather’s relationship.
he was denied reentry to the U.S. following and deception get in the way of teamwork This technique prompts insightful reflection
a 1952 trip abroad—made two more movies, and the creative process. —June Sawyers and offers a fresh take on how art can help us
both in London. (These were 1957’s A King make sense of life. —Maggie Taft
in New York and, a decade later, A Count- Down the Drain.
ess from Hong Kong.) Eyman approaches his By Julia Fox. Elmer Bernstein, Film Composer:
subject with compassion, digging to explore Oct. 2023. 336p. Simon & Schuster, $28.99 An Authorized Biography.
the ordinary person beneath the veneer of (9781668011508). 791.43028. By Peter M. Bernstein.
celebrity. An essential addition to every film Actress, model, and artist Fox learned the Nov. 2023. 296p. Rowman & Littlefield, $34
history collection. —David Pitt power of telling her own story when, af- (9781538183571); e-book (9781538183588). 781.5.
ter she outed a boyfriend for his abuse and Elmer Bernstein composed the scores to
Dancing in My Dreams: A Spiritual he threatened to reveal her past, she did so awful movies (Robot Monster, 1953), expen-
Biography of Tina Turner. herself in an art book that immediately sold sive movies (The Ten Commandments, 1956),
By Ralph H. Craig III. out. Fox’s powerful instinct to survive and and classic movies (The Great
Nov. 2023. 288p. Eerdmans, $26.99 (9780802878632); to harness her own narrative are all over this Escape, 1963; Ghostbusters,
e-book (9781467467650). 782.42166. well-crafted, exciting, shocking, heartfelt, 1984), but in this new bi-
Craig, a scholar of South Asian Buddhism and altogether unputdownable memoir. Her ography we learn about
and American religious history at Stanford, sustaining friendships with women, several Bernstein, the man. Written
explores how religion can shape lives both of whom she recounts losing to overdoses, by his son, Peter, using origi-
personally and professionally in this study of are another key to this survival and to Fox’s nal interviews, oral histories,
artist Tina Turner’s spiritual journey. When work as an artist. Fox recalls all in present and personal ephemera, the
Turner was young and a member of the Black tense, starting with her free-form childhood book is neither tribute nor
Baptist church, her maternal grandmother spent straddling Italy (where she was born) hagiography. Instead, it’s the story of a man’s
introduced her to such spiritual practices and New York City, along with her parents’ life: its highs (though he won but one Oscar,
as mysticism, Native American traditions, uneasy relationship. Ensuing decades see her he’s the only person to have been nominated
and supernaturalism, and Craig tracks how flipping through schools and friendships, try- in five straight decades), its lows (he was black-
diverse influences, including Buddhism, ing out sex and controlled substances, visiting listed in the 1950s), and the ordinary stuff in
Afro-Protestantism, and metaphysical beliefs her boyfriend on Riker’s Island, working as a between. The author isn’t a professional biog-
inspired and guided the pop star. Despite dominatrix, starring alongside Adam Sandler, rapher and this is a good thing. The book’s
encountering numerous challenges, Turner becoming a mom, dating “the artist” (whom informal, conversational writing style makes
remained steadfast in her faith and embraced readers will recognize as Kanye West); and so it feel authentic and personal, as though it’s
Buddhism as her guide for self-discovery and very much else. Through moments of har- intended simply as a book about an interest-
personal growth. By narrating Turner’s spiri- rowing difficulty and true beauty, with Fox ing person, told by someone who knew him.
tual journey in relation to larger movements as our confident and skilled pilot, the pages The Magnificent Elmer (2014), cowritten by
in recent religious and music history, Craig fly. —Annie Bostrom Bernstein’s second wife, Pearl, covers some of
considers the way religion and pop culture HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Fox started the same ground, but it’s very hard to find.
intersect. Those interested in either field the buzz herself, calling her memoir-in- Consider this new book the standard Bern-
will appreciate how Craig’s research honors process “a masterpiece” last year. Her star stein biography. —David Pitt
Turner’s legacy as a beacon of hope and in- is rising, and fans will find that buzz utterly
spiration for all those seeking to find their deserved. Every Man for Himself and God against
path in life. —Sharon Wyatt All.
Dwell Time: A Memoir of Art, Exile, and By Werner Herzog. Tr. by Michael Hofmann.
The Doors Unhinged: Jim Morrison’s Repair. Oct. 2023. 368p. Penguin, $30 (9780593490297). 791.4302.
Legacy Goes on Trial. By Rosa Lowinger. Like his films (Fitzcarraldo, say, or Aguirre,
By John Densmore. Oct. 2023. 340p. Row House, $27.99 (9781955905275); the Wrath of God), Herzog’s memoir is a decid-
Nov. 2023. 336p. Akashic, paper, $17.95 (9781636141572); e-book (9781955905282). 700. edly nontraditional piece of storytelling. It’s
e-book (9781636141565). 782.4216. In this beautifully conceived memoir about a collection of memories, each told as a self-
This could easily have been titled Litigation generational trauma by a Jewish Cuban contained story, with no connecting material
Blues. As Doors drummer John Densmore American art conservator, the author uses to thread them together. Here’s Herzog de-
makes clear, the band’s legendary leader, Jim the materials she repairs in her work (marble, scribing how he grew up in extreme poverty.
Morrison, did not want any Doors songs bronze, wood, etc.) as frames for excavating Here he is telling us how a childhood desire to
used in commercials. Densmore is emphatic her family’s past. Marble, for instance, con- fly led him, years later, to make his 1974 doc-
about this. “Ever. In perpetuity,” he writes. nects the childhood years Lowinger’s mother umentary about a famous ski jumper. Here’s

how he got cast in the Star Wars spin-off The
Mandalorian. The book is written in a literary
voice that is outspoken and conversational, Top 10 Arts Books
Spotlight
and it is peppered with eccentric details
such as “My knowledge of milking came in
handy many years later with the astronauts
who made up the crew of one of the Space
I conic stars, enigmatic artists, gritty films, a barrier-breaking TV
show, a musician who disappeared and one who reappeared, and
a cultural aesthetic that weds art and science are the engrossing
Shuttles.” (The translation by Hofmann, who
has also translated books by Wim Wenders subjects of the ten most remarkable arts books reviewed in Booklist
and Franz Kafka, is delightful.) A fascinat- over the past year.
ing portrait of an inventive and idiosyncratic
filmmaker. —David Pitt Afrofuturism: A History of Black Futures. Ed. by Kevin Strait
and Kinshasha Holman Conwill. 2023. Smithsonian, $29.95
The Fatal Alliance: A Century of War on (9781588347404).
Film. This fascinating collection of essays and imagery assembled in sync with an exhibition
By David Thomson. at the National Museum of African American History and Culture displays the grand
Nov. 2023. 448p. Harper, $35 (9780063041417); e-book range of art, literature, and music that defines the Afrofuturist aesthetic.
(9780063041431). 791.43.
Known for his intelligent and perceptive Cinema Speculation. By Quentin Tarantino. 2022. Harper, $35 (9780063112582).
approach to film history, critic and historian Academy Award–winning writer-director Tarantino has brewed up a dynamic mix of
Thomson has penned reference works (Have personal stories, film history, and cinematic critique focusing on famously gritty films of
You Seen . . .? A Personal Introduction to 1,000 the 1970s.
Films, 2008) and biographies, including of
Orson Welles and Marlon Brando. In this in- Easily Slip into Another World: A Life in Music. By Henry Threadgill and Brent Hayes
teresting and thought-provoking new book, Edwards. 2023. Knopf, $32.50 (9781524749071).
he takes on the war-movie genre. But don’t Composer and saxophonist Henry Threadgill presents a vivid memoir and illuminating
expect a straightforward history of war films. musings about his work and his unique perspective on how music is created, taught, and
Though he does discuss specific movies, from shared.
the industry’s beginnings just before WWI
through the present day, he primarily focuses In Living Color: A Cultural History. By Bernadette Giacomazzo. 2023. Rowman &
on how war movies have affected modern Littlefield, $36 (9781538166574).
history and society. As is often the case with Giacomazzo takes a deep dive into the history of the groundbreaking, persistently rel-
a Thomson book, the real subject is neither
evant and resonant In Living Color, the sketch-comedy hit of the early 1990s created by
film nor war, but rather people. What does
our enjoyment of war movies and of the cin- Keenen Ivory Wayans featuring a largely Black cast.
ematic depiction of violence and death say Love, Pamela. By Pamela Anderson. 2023. Harper/Dey Street, $30 (9780063226562).
about us? Have films skewed our impres-
Anderson offers an impressionistic view of her childhood in a Canadian fishing village
sion of the realities of war? Do war movies
reflect the actual horrors of battle, or our and her whirlwind career that delivered her quickly from a Labatt beer commercial to the
preconceptions of them? These aren’t trivial Playboy mansion and Baywatch.
questions, at least not the way Thomson ap-
Madonna: A Rebel Life. By Mary Gabriel. 2023. Little, Brown, $38 (9780316456470).
proaches them. An insightful and important
book. —David Pitt Gabriel has created a minutely detailed, lushly evocative biography of singer, performer,
writer, unapologetic shining star, and international icon Madonna Ciccone.
George Harrison: The Reluctant
Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin). By Sly Stone and Ben Greenman. 2023.
Beatle.
By Philip Norman. AUWA, $30 (9780374606978).
Oct. 2023. 480p. illus. Scribner, $35 (9781982195861); Funk pioneer Sly Stone forthrightly tells the story of his extraordinary rise from musical
e-book (9781982195885). 782.42166. prodigy to genre-bending superstar, decline under the pressure of success and drug use,
Reluctant, indeed. Harrison was known and happiness as an 80-year-old who enjoys his grandchildren.
as the Quiet Beatle. He was also referred to
as the Invisible Man, since he was the most Thunderclap: A Memoir of Art and Life and Sudden Death. By Laura Cumming. 2023.
private of the Fab Four. Scribner, $32.50 (9781982181741).
(He once said he would Art critic Cumming interweaves her intriguing reflections on Dutch painting and Dutch
have much preferred to artists, particularly Carel Fabritius, who died young in a massive explosion in Delft in 1634,
be a gardener than a rock with poignant memories of her painter father.
star.) Norman has written
about the Beatles as a band To Anyone Who Ever Asks: The Life, Music, and Mystery of Connie Converse. By
and authored individual Howard Fishman. 2023. Dutton, $32 (9780593187364).
biographies of Lennon and Fishman tells the little-known story of Connie Converse, who wrote clever songs in
McCartney. Now he focuses New York City in the mid-1950s prescient of the pending folk music wave, became an
on Harrison, his early years, the wild times in academic editor, then disappeared in 1974.
Hamburg, the crazy roller-coaster ride with
the world’s most famous band, his solo years, Tupac Shakur: The Authorized Biography. By Staci Robinson. 2023. Crown, $35
his career as a movie producer, and his stint (9781524761042).
as a Traveling Wilbury. Norman praises the Robinson’s passionate portrait of the profoundly influential rapper, poet, artist, and actor
man who never quite received the same share
Tupac Shakur focuses on his crucial relationships with family and friends as well as his
of the limelight as his fellow band members,
even though he wrote “While My Guitar creativity, protests against racial injustice, and murder at age 25.

Gently Weeps,” “Here Comes the Sun,” locations include a monitored weather station, Living the Artist’s Way: An
“Something,” “My Sweet Lord,” and more. a lighthouse, an abandoned Soviet scientific Intuitive Path to Great Creativity.
Norman praises Harrison’s guitar playing, development, and a traditional Chukchi vil- By Julia Cameron.
Spotlight
which was also underappreciated. He points lage. In rich, lush color, Arbugaeva captures Jan. 2024. 208p. St. Martin’s Essentials, paper, $20
out paradoxes. Harrison was at times sacred strong emotion both in the people she meets (9781250897589); e-book (9781250897596). 153.35.
and profane, loyal and disloyal, and Norman and the places she visits. The mix of subjects Cameron continues her popular Artist’s Way
acknowledges the fate of the reserved rock star also includes the buildings, boats, equip- series with a six-week program designed to
who almost died in 1999 when “an obsessive ment, books, and tap into spiritual guidance and spark creativ-
Beatles fan” invaded his home, then died of papers that serve ity. Readers who have
cancer two years later. Norman captures the as vivid evidence followed her previous
creativity, the humanity, and the great humor of past and present works will probably al-
of the man in this keen and lovely tribute. inhabitation. Alto- ready be starting their
—June Sawyers gether, this volume day by writing their
serves as power- three morning pages:
How Art Is Made: The Craft behind the ful documentation of a singular region a practice that gives
Masterpieces. of the world, testifying to both the crisp, floating thoughts a safe
By Debra N. Mancoff. frigid spectacle that Siberia offers and the landing spot and pre-
Oct. 2023. 224p. illus. Quarto/Frances Lincoln, $35 boundless talent of the photographer who pares the writer for her upcoming day. Each
(9780711285095). 701. recorded it. Including an informative map week invites another facet, beginning with
An artist assembles materials and shapes, and introduction to the region and Ar- grounding, strength, and calm, and ending
or combines or arranges them, in a tangible bugaeva by anthropologist Piers Vitebsky, with optimism, stamina, and commitment.
way to express an idea and communicate Hyperborea is a rare and dazzling artistic gem. The author, who acknowledges that inspi-
with the viewer. In this elegant and infor- —Colleen Mondor ration in her writing and life comes from
mative handbook, art historian Mancoff spiritual connections with friends, nature,
explains the methods and materials used to Latin American Artists: From 1785 and reading, speaks freely of the guidance
create works of art. The scope ranges across to Now. that appears when she picks up a pen. She
time and around the world. Divided into Ed. by Phaidon Editors. calls this “writing for guidance” and identi-
two parts, “Materials” and “Methods,” the Oct. 2023. 352p. illus. Phaidon, $69.95 (9781838666606). fies it as an essential tool that artists can use
book addresses an impressive array of top- 700. to find their creativity. Her descriptions are
ics, including mosaic, relief, opaque and Latin America’s many countries, land- beautifully written, and while she admits to
transparent watercolor, brushwork, lithog- scapes, cultures, arts, languages, and people sometimes questioning the guidance writing
raphy, collage, woodcut, encaustic, graffiti, shape the work of the 308 artists showcased offers, Cameron attests to finding fulfillment
and immersive spaces. Each entry begins in this dynamic, eye- in following its directions. Each chapter con-
with a large illustration of a masterpiece and mind-opening tains well-chosen quotes and writing prompts
and a well-chosen quotation by an artist. gathering. Egalitar- to spark the guidance process. Whether it’s
For example, the entry on brushwork opens ian in form and intent living through an air-conditioning installa-
with Velázquez’s Las Meninas followed by and created by an tion, teaching a Zoom class, writing about
Van Gogh’s remark, “What a funny thing impressive roster of prayer, or working with her publishers, the
the touch is, the brushstroke.” After a clear advisors, editors, and author demonstrates the power of seeking and
and concise explanation of each term, Man- writers, the book following the spiritual path. Her many fans
coff shares additional reproductions, in this is organized alpha- will be inspired. —Candace Smith
case, Whistler’s Nocturne in Black and Gold: betically by the artists’ names, resulting in
The Falling Rocket and Cezanne’s Mont intriguing pairings of subjects, styles, and Lost in America: Photographing
Sainte-Victoire. The color reproductions are eras; each work accompanied by a deft artist the Last Days of Our Architectural
stunning and include close-ups to highlight profile. Art historian Raphael Fonseca estab- Treasures.
details. Mancoff’s thoughtful and accessible lishes the context by tracking the region’s By Richard Cahan and Michael Williams.
book will serve students and art lovers alike. history of conquest, slavery, colonialism, in- Nov. 2023. 208p. illus. CityFiles, $40 (9781733869058).
—Carolyn Mulac dependence, corporate exploitation, military 720.
YA: An inviting and informative dictatorships, and war. Readers then journey Once upon a time in America, a federal
approach to art materials and techniques. through a gloriously diverse line-up of paint- administration responded to a massive eco-
CM. ings, sculptures, photographs, performance nomic catastrophe and the impending loss
art, and installations, works of beauty and of historical structures by hiring unemployed
Hyperborea: Stories from the tragedy, joy and protest, satire and mystery. architects to travel the country and docu-
Arctic. The earliest is a painting of an Indigenous ment “interesting and important architectural
By Evgenia Arbugaeva. revolutionary hero by José Gil de Castro, specimens.” The Historic American Build-
Oct. 2023. 112p. illus. Thames & Hudson, $60 the son of freed slaves. Peruvian artist and ings Survey (HABS) is now “the longest
(9780500026229). 770. drag queen Giuseppe Campuzano portrays operating Depression-
Siberian-born, London-based photographer himself as a pre-Inca Mochica figure and the era government agency,”
Arbugaeva spent a decade visiting remote Virgin Mary; on the facing page is Tony Ca- its enormous collection
ports and weather stations between the Bering pellán’s assemblage of objects found on the held by the Library of
Strait and Murmansk in northwestern Russia. banks of the polluted River Ozama in the Congress. By the late
Traveling by small aircraft, supply ship, and Dominican Republic. Readers will discover 1950s, professional
snowmobile, she spent time with those who many artists new to them, while appreciating architectural photog-
live and work in these distant locales, taking the presence of Marisol, Frida Kahlo, Wil- raphers were recruited,
breathtaking photographs of the stark beauty fredo Lam, José Guadalupe Posada, Doris including Cervin Rob-
of stunning, rarely recorded Arctic landscapes. Salcedo, and Remedios Varo. With a unique inson, Richard Nickel, Marvin Rand, Jack
After brief, evocative essays of introduction, glossary of art terms, styles, and movements Boucher, and Carla Anderson, and it is their
the pictures are presented in four chapters with and extensive further reading, this is a trea- strikingly composed, finely detailed, black-
end notes providing more specific details. The sure. —Donna Seaman and-white images, many taken in “a race

against the wrecking crews,” that fill these grew up as “a rather dreamy, artistic type of tors also hope to “inspire readers to embark
handsomely produced pages. Cahan and boy,” one observer noted. He seemed to be on their own explorations of the panoramic
Williams, intent and expert explorers of vast good at everything without being ambitious. creative landscape” in Paris between 1914 and
Spotlight
national photo archives and creators of many Reserved, he was hard to get to know; he 1945. The entries are amply illustrated and,
exceptional books, selected stunning images stood apart from others and the world. It was with asterisks in the prose marking mention
that preserve the last days of 100 buildings this sense of poetic isolation that informed of figures and terms profiled elsewhere in the
razed in the delirium of urban renewal, which his songs. In this meticulous and lovingly de- book, invite a meandering read akin to the flâ-
valued expressways and development deals tailed account of Drake’s work and too-short neur’s wandering stroll. Many of the creatives
over architecture and neighborhoods. Cahan life, Jack succeeds in bringing to life a brilliant featured, such as Josephine Baker (dance),
and Williams crisply and affectingly tell the if oblique figure, a diffident singer who want- Jean Epstein (film), and Helena Rubinstein
story of each building and its demise, included to create music but did little to support (cosmetics), were not French-born, and their
ing churches, schools, court houses, banks, it. Other important figures on the British folk inclusion here is an important reminder of
city halls, post offices, train stations, theaters, scene at the time, especially the Scottish sing- how exiles and émigres shape artistic change
stores, hotels, stadiums, mansions, a Carnegie er-songwriter John Martyn and members of and make cultures, as well as cities, blossom.
library, and a Native American dance lodge. In the English folk-rock band Fairport Conven- —Maggie Taft
a time of worsening wildfires and floods along tion, hover around his life, but Drake remains
with earthquakes and wars all rampantly de- elusive and ethereal, much like his music. As The Path to Paradise: A Francis
stroying lives and buildings, this incisively sometimes happens with misunderstood or Ford Coppola Story.
curated record of wantonly obliterated archi- neglected artists, Drake found an audience By Sam Wasson.
tectural marvels showcases our creativity and after his death. Now his story will be better Nov. 2023. 384p. Harper, $32.99 (9780063037847); e-book
our destructiveness. —Donna Seaman known. —June Sawyers (9780063037878). 791.43.
Of all that has been written about
Mabel Normand: The Life and Career of Pandora’s Box: How Guts, Guile, and Francis Ford Coppola, this book most ac-
a Hollywood Madcap. Greed Upended TV. curately captures the film director’s chaotic
By Timothy Dean Lefler. By Peter Biskind. life. His career has been
Oct. 2023. 164p. illus. McFarland, paper, $39.95 Nov. 2023. 384p. Morrow, $32.50 (9780062991669); punctuated by episodes
(9781476687582). 791.43. e-book (9780062991683). 791.45. of transcendent joy and
Mabel Normand (1892–1930) was not only Film historian and cultural critic Biskind numbing depression, by
a silent film star and comedienne who shared takes a look at television’s “second golden age,” spectacular successes (the
the screen with the likes of Charlie Chaplin which was ushered in by the cable networks launching of his company,
and Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle, she was also a (HBO, FX, AMC) and the streaming services American Zoetrope; the
screenwriter, producer, director, and head of (Netflix and its many competitors). These instant box-office success
her own studio and production company. In platforms revolutionized television, Biskind of The Godfather, a film he
her brief life (she died of tuberculosis at 38), says, giving us programs we might never have made because he needed the money) and
she enjoyed acclaim and suffered scandals. seen on regular broadcast networks: The Sopra- crushing disappointments (American Zoe-
After her death, people talked more about nos, The Shield, Breaking Bad, Mad Men, Six trope’s collapse; the failure of what’s arguably
those scandals than a career that included 167 Feet Under. (The list really is impressive.) He his most visionary film, One from the Heart).
short films and 23 feature films, including the explores how some of modern television’s best- Coppola is a perfectionist, a dreamer, a taker
first feature-length comedy, Tillie’s Punctured known shows were created, reflects on their of spectacular risks, a man who appears inca-
Romance (1914), in which her costars were cultural impact, and takes us behind the scenes pable of stopping until he’s made the movie
Charlie Chaplin and Marie Dressler. Lefler at the cable companies and streamers that he set out to make—even, as in the case of
writes, “the time for a reassessment of her life shaped the contemporary television landscape. Apocalypse Now (whose filming Wasson cov-
and career is overdue.” His detailed, carefully This isn’t the first book to cover the subject— ers in some detail), when he isn’t sure what
researched account fits the bill and is written see, for example, Hayes and Chmielewski’s the movie is about. Wasson has written a
with the enthusiasm of a devoted fan, even Binge Times (2022) or Gillette and Koblin’s It’s string of successful books about the enter-
including an appendix of pictures of “Mabel’s Not TV (2022)—but it’s certainly one of the tainment business, including Fosse (2013),
clothes and possessions.” The book’s epigraph most entertaining. Biskind is known as much Improv Nation (2017), and The Big Goodbye
features Normand’s own words, “I had no for his outspoken opinions as his insightful (2020), but this one, based on a mixture of
precedent, nothing to imitate. I had to cre- commentary, and Pandora’s Box is Biskind at previously published sources and original
ate my own standard of fun.” This lively and his most candid. For readers interested in what interviews with filmmakers, including Cop-
entertaining biography tells just how she did goes on behind the scenes in the world of tele- pola himself, might be his best so far. Rich
it. —Carolyn Mulac vision, a must-read. —David Pitt in detail, it’s full of surprises and revelations,
and impeccably researched and documented.
Nick Drake: The Life. Paris Moderne: 1914–1945. For fans of books about moviemaking in
By Richard Morton Jack. Ed. by Jean-Louis Cohen and Guillemette general, and Francis Ford Coppola in par-
Nov. 2023. 576p. Hachette, $32.50 (9780306834950). 780. Morel Journel. ticular, this is required reading. —David Pitt
While not an authorized biography, Jack’s Oct. 2023. 356p. illus. Flammarion, $65 (9782080421944).
portrait did receive the blessing of the late 700.92443. Rashid Johnson.
Nick Drake’s sister, Gabri- Modernism in Paris is the subject of this By Claudia Rankine and others.
elle. The enigmatic English exhibition catalog offering brief essays, barely Nov. 2023. 160p. illus. Phaidon, paper, $54.95
singer-songwriter suffered a page long and alphabetically arranged, that (9781838663261). 700.
from schizophrenia and profile multidisciplinary artists, like Charlotte The interdisciplinary and collaborative spir-
took his own life at 26 in Perriand (architecture) and Elsa Schiaparelli it of Rashid Johnson’s photographs, paintings,
1974. He recorded three (fashion); events, including the three interna- sculptures, installations, films, writings, and
albums—Five Leaves Left, tional expositions mounted in Paris between curation is deftly embodied in this richly illu-
Bryter Layter, and Pink the wars; and artistic fields, such as graphic de- minating, image-filled volume. The opening
Moon—none of which sold sign, painting, and urbanism. Together, they interview with poet, playwright, and essay-
well during his lifetime. And yet people found show how the arts transformed the French ist Claudia Rankine follows the trajectory
and continue to discover his music. Drake capital in the early twentieth century. The edi- of Johnson’s exhibits from his student show

at Columbia College in Chicago through his also renowned for a variety of other art forms, artist Halloran embarked on a demanding
delving explorations of materials, themes, including bentwood boxes, masks, and pad- and innovative collaboration to explain the
and juxtapositions in galleries and museums dles. In this engaging reflection on his life, strange goings-on in warped space-time, the
Spotlight
around the world. They talk about Johnson’s he offers readers reminiscences of growing up “wild and unfamiliar side of our universe.”
Afro-centric childhood and the influence of with his grandparents and the unique culture This is the realm of black holes, wormholes,
his historian mother, Cheryl Johnson-Odim, of the Northwest Coast people. He reveals and gravitational waves. Thorne writes in
and the inspiration he finds in jazz, literature, his cultural awakening and strong drive to verse and Halloran paints in ink on drafting
and an array of visual artists. They discuss his reinvigorate his people’s traditions through film to render the layered intricacy of this
large installations, and his use of black soap, the potlatch ceremony, baffling and wondrous realm. The first sec-
shea butter, and grid structures. Art histo- dance groups, and the tion is surprisingly visceral, as physicist and
rian Sampada Aranke further delineates the raising of totem poles. painter imagine Halloran’s “frightened, ill-
complexity of Johnson’s art; its “invitations Artists will be delighted fated wife,” Felicia, being “dragged into” and
for association, identification or reflection,” with the author’s de- “cruelly ingested by” a black hole.” Having
and “ongoing insistence . . . that Blackness is tailed explanations of seized the reader’s attention with this rather
not monolithic.” Curator Akili Tommasino his designs and carvings, sadistic scenario, Thorne and Halloran pro-
focuses on The Broken Five, Johnson’s “monu- especially his discus- ceed without any further cosmic torture,
mental mosaic,” and Johnson writes about sion of formline, which generating a more cerebral sense of awe over
artists Sam Gilliam and Bob Thompson. A is accompanied by sketches and close-ups of the revolutionary discoveries made possible
chronology tracking Johnson’s numerous ex- Boxley at work. Tsimshian Eagle would be by LIGO, the Laser Interferometer Gravita-
hibitions wraps up this enlightening overview valuable enough as a celebration of a unique tional-Wave Observatory. Concluding with
of a profoundly evocative and exciting body Indigenous artist, but Boxley’s discussion of a clarifying summary and glossary, Thorne
of work. —Donna Seaman his efforts to preserve Sm’aglyax, the Tsimshi- and Halloran succeed in creating a portal
an language, will be particularly informative onto our universe’s perplexing “warped side”
Sonic Life. for cultural historians. A must for art and an- with its dramatic space storms, colliding
By Thurston Moore. thropology collections. —Colleen Mondor stars, and twisting, stretching, squeezing,
Oct. 2023. 496p. Doubleday, $35 (9780385548656); e-book YA/S: Teen artists will be enthralled and entwining vortices and tendices. A vivid
(9780385548663). 782.42166. by Boxley’s story (including his love for and illuminating union of science and art.
An expansive autobiography from sing- basketball), photos, and inviting narrative
—Donna Seaman
er, songwriter, and guitar player Thurston style. CM.
Moore, Sonic Life is replete with the legends World within a Song: Music That
of late–1970s and early–1980s Manhat- Warhol after Warhol: Secrets, Lies, &
Changed My Life and Life That Changed
tan. Punk rockers the Ramones, art rockers Corruption in the Art World.
My Music.
Television, and the “darker, stranger, and dirt- By Richard Dorment.
By Jeff Tweedy.
ier” No Wave artists Lydia Lunch and Glenn Dec. 2023. 288p. illus. Pegasus, $29.95 (9781639364978);
Nov. 2023. 240p. Dutton, $26 (9780593472521); e-book
Branca mingle here with William Burroughs, e-book (9781639364985). 709.
(9780593472538). 780.
Jean-Michel Basquiat, and David Wojnarow- The art world has a dark side that has noth-
icz. Moore landed fortuitously in the center ing to do with charcoal or pigment. Dorment Following the generosity of the best-
of this cultural tsunami as an open-minded, found that out when he was contacted by an selling How to Write One Song (2020),
music-loving teenager, and a decade later he art collector named Joe Simon. He’d been Tweedy extends his largesse and candor in
was an established fixture on the American told by the Andy Warhol Art Authentication this delightfully inspiring blend of memoir
music scene in the era-defining indie rock Board (a private corporation) that two works and guidance. Early on he writes, “Life’s too
band, Sonic Youth. He became known for by Warhol—Red Self-Portrait and an untitled short to let your critical thinking get in the
his experimental guitar playing, performing work, “a meticulous arrangement of crisp one- way of being moved by music.” Tweedy was
with such velocity and abandon that he regu- dollar bills pasted onto a small canvas”—in his snapped to attention at the tender age of
larly sliced open his hand, spraying blood. His collection were fake, and he wanted to know six, he confides, by Deep Purple’s “Smoke
prose style is similarly unbridled, yet he is also why. Simon’s neighbor, who just happened to on the Water.” Throughout the revelry that
a patient and methodical storyteller, provid- be David Hockney, thought that Dorment, an ensues, Tweedy’s enthusiasm is contagious;
ing rich context for the artists who shaped art historian and former chief art critic for the readers will want to search the internet to
and intersected with his career. Moore’s dual Daily Telegraph, could help. At first reluctant hear for themselves the music he describes
perspective as both music industry insider and to get involved, Dorment became intrigued and loves. “Because I’m still here. And I
obsessive fan and collector results in a vibrant and took up the cause. This is his account of can. And they can’t tell you. They didn’t
piece of cultural history. —Freda Love Smith some 10 years of court cases, bitter debates get a chance. I love them.” Tweedy is refer-
in print, questionable business practices, and ring to teenagers who died in a car accident
Tsimshian Eagle: A Culture backroom deals, all swirling around a series of on their prom night in Portland, Maine.
Bearer’s Journey. artworks by an iconic American artist. Dor- He didn’t know them, but across time,
By David A. Boxley and Steve Quinn. ment writes with purpose and passion backed geography, and chance, an affinity grew.
Nov. 2023. 240p. illus. Chin Music, $39.95 by impeccable research. This fascinating story Throughout 50 spirited chapters, Tweedy
(9781634050524). 736. will interest art lovers and fans of courtroom expresses his heartfelt love of music and of
In this scrapbook-style volume, which dramas. —Carolyn Mulac life and how he and music have fused be-
includes hundreds of color photographs, yond matters of craft. Life itself is music; all
Tsimshian artist and “culture bearer” David The Warped Side of Our Universe: one needs to do is listen. —Raúl Niño
Boxley tells his personal story while offer- An Odyssey through Black Holes, HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Wilco
ing readers an intimate look into his artistic Wormholes, Time Travel, and front man Tweedy has pull and given the
process, his childhood home of Metlakatla, Gravitational Waves. success of his previous books this will be
Alaska, and the history of the Tsimshian By Kip Thorne. on many a must-read list.
people. A highly acclaimed totem pole carver, Oct. 2023. 240p. illus. Norton/Liveright, $50 YA: Teens will be inspired by Tweedy’s
(one of his poles stands at the Smithsonian (9781631498541). 811. energy, passion for music and life, and
Museum of the American Indian), Boxley is Nobel Prize–winning physicist Thorne and wisdom. RN.

characters whose voices we don’t often hear.
Adult Fiction —Stephanie Turza
The End of the World Is a Cul de Sac.

General Fiction Come and Get It. By Louise Kennedy.
By Kiley Reid. Dec. 2023. 304p. Riverhead, $28 (9780593540923); e-book
Alice Sadie Celine. Jan. 2024. 400p. Putnam, $29 (9780593328200). (9780593540947).
By Sarah Blakley-Cartwright. Reid’s highly anticipated follow-up to her As in her critically acclaimed novel Trespasses
Dec. 2023. 272p. Simon & Schuster, $26.99 best-selling debut, Such a Fun Age (2019), is (2022), the women and girls in Kennedy’s de-
(9781668021590). set in Fayetteville at the University of Arkansas but story collection are treated harshly by the
The title characters of Blakley-Cartwright’s campus, where professor and author Agatha men in their lives—romantic partners, but
(Red Riding Hood, 2011) first novel for Paul has arrived to teach a nonfiction writ- also brothers and sons. Yet they respond with
adults have been thrown together by biology, ing class and do research for her next book. unexpected resilience and resolve. In the title
choice, or lust. Celine married young and Agatha enlists the help of Millie, a 24-four- story, the wife of a shady real estate magnate
quickly became mom to Sadie before upend- year-old RA who has returned to school for abruptly goes from socialite to pariah when he
ing their small-town Ohio lives to study at her senior year after taking time off to care flees a failed housing development and leaves
Berkeley, where, now 44, she’s a radical and for her mother. At first, Agatha’s research is her to face the public and personal repercus-
downright famous professor of feminism and centered on the way college women view mar- sions. Elsewhere in the collection, a former
gender studies. Young twentysomethings Sa- riage, but she soon finds their relationship to “mean girl” regains her social standing by ac-
die and Alice have been best friends since money more interesting and begins publish- cusing her new neighbor of a terrible crime.
high school, owing to a “chance” meeting ing doctored interviews with the students in And in the devastating “Garland Sunday,” a
that Sadie, ever calculating and controlled, Teen Vogue. Millie offers up her dorm room so late-in-life abortion creates a rift between an
actually secretly engineered. Preoccupied Agatha can listen in on the students’ conversa- empty-nester couple until the husband’s fa-
with finally losing her virginity to her boy- tions, finding herself increasingly attracted to ther reveals a shocking secret that puts the
friend of a year (“Do you know how difficult Agatha, who is both white and gay, even as couple on a path to reconciliation. Kennedy’s
it is to have a sex-positive parent?”), Sadie she’s also nursing a crush on the resident di- complex female characters, spare prose, and
begs Celine to attend Alice’s basement per- rector Josh, who is one of the only other Black strong evocation of rural life in Northern Ire-
formance of A Winter’s Tale in her stead. She students in the dorm. A deft exploration of land will appeal to fans of Alice Munro and
won’t know for months that this substitution how microaggressions can lead to macro con- Anne Enright. —Lindsay Harmon
led to Celine and Alice’s steamy, bewilder- sequences, Reid’s second outing will appeal to
ing affair: Alice’s best friend’s mom is hot, readers who enjoy slow-burn, character-driv- The Fairytale Life of Dorothy Gale.
but sleeping with her also feels “almost like en novels. —Kristine Huntley By Virginia Kantra.
a sex crime.” Blakley-Cartwright’s stylish HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Reid has a Dec. 2023. 384p. Berkley, paper, $17 (9780593547717).
and quippy writing offers thoughtful com- ready and eager audience for her second Continuing to successfully mine the classics
mentary on the women’s many-faceted, novel, and the word is out. for inspiration, Kantra (Beth & Amy, 2021)
much-entangled relationships, and how YA: The collegiate setting and the focus on turns this time to a charming retelling of The
they’ve shaped, and been shaped by, one an- the plight of several students will appeal to Wizard of Oz. After a disastrous affair with
other. —Annie Bostrom teen lovers of literary fiction. KH. a professor in her MFA program, Dorothy
Gale leaves Kansas for the Emerald Isle for a
Balancing Act. A Different Kind of Gone. one-year program at Trinity College. Upon
By Emily March. By Catherine Ryan Hyde. arriving, she learns her mentor has died after
Nov. 2023. 368p. Forever, paper, $18.99 (9781538707401); Dec. 2023. 300p. Amazon/Lake Union, $28.99 a house fell from a trailer onto her car, and
e-book (9781538707425). (9781662504389); e-book (9781662504396). Dorothy must find her footing in brand-
Willow has come to her mother’s Colorado Norma Gallagher is a private person, al- new territory on her own. However, along
resort for the summer. Recently widowed, ways preferring the company of hound dogs the way, Dorothy encounters kind strangers
she is in need of some healing, and her and horses to people. As a search-and-rescue who become friends and learns to rebuild the
young son is still traumatized by the accident volunteer in the remote Utah-Arizona wilder- self-confidence she lost in Kansas. There are
that took his father and nearly himself. Her ness, Norma likes to think she knows how plenty of winks to the original source mate-
younger daughter, meanwhile, is sunshine people operate, but her latest search throws rial—a signature pair of red cowboy boots,
itself. Mourning is difficult, as Willow’s hus- her for a loop. The entire country is transfixed an advisor known as the witch, and a sister
band was unfaithful, and they were on the by the disappearance of Jill Moss, a petite nicknamed Toto are just a few—but the story
verge of divorce. And, with too many things blonde woman who ran away from her boy- takes enough turns to keep it feeling fresh and
unsaid, Willow and her mother have an awk- friend after an altercation at their campsite. modern. While this will be an easy sell to fans
ward relationship. Nonetheless, she extends Norma finds Jill in the wilderness, but after of the original, a romantic subplot and Doro-
her stay to manage her brother’s wedding their initial encounter, nothing that happens thy’s believable journey to find her voice also
and finds that returning to Nashville is be- next follows the usual search-and-rescue pro- make this a strong choice for readers who ap-
coming less and less appealing. Throw in cedures. Prolific author Hyde (Just a Regular preciate uplifting relationship fiction starring
an elderly rancher for Mom, an uncommu- Boy, 2023) raises thorny issues around domes- appealing female characters. —Halle Carlson
nicative, retired firefighter for herself, and tic violence, examines the power of misplaced
issues with her in-laws, and Willow’s life gets guilt, and illustrates the bonds of shared Familia.
truly complicated. This is the second novel experience in her take on a ripped-from-the- By Lauren E. Rico.
in the Lake in the Clouds series (after The headlines story. Her characteristic empathy is Dec. 2023. 368p. Kensington, paper, $16.95
Getaway, 2022), and the ending leaves plot on full display as she questions why certain (9781496744647).
points open for a third installment. While missing-persons cases generate more attention As an only child, Gabby DiMarco isn’t
the romance is predictable, the characters are than others. Fans of Hannah Mary McKin- expecting to learn anything new by taking a
appealing, and the setting is attractive. This non and Erica Bauermeister will appreciate genealogical-DNA test. But when the results
will have a place in a public library collec- Hyde’s continued commitment to speaking arrive, not only is her ancestry not what she
tion. —Danise Hoover up for the underdog and giving a voice to expected but she receives a mysterious mes-

sage from a woman in Puerto Rico: “I think of start-ups and narrating in first person like ensue thereafter, until finally, after a lengthy
you’re my sister.” Certain that there has been a an entitled, angst-ridden millennial. In alter- search, Lilith finds the prophet, whose iden-
mistake, Gabby travels to Puerto Rico to meet nating chapters, Miss Paula, an immigrant tity comes as a surprise. Together, the two
Isabella, take another DNA test, and write from Peru with much simpler goals, finds travel, preaching the Gospel of the Mother.
about her experiences. Isabella’s mother died happiness climbing the ladder at the dollar This is a beautifully written novel of ideas
giving birth to Isabella’s younger sister, Mari- store; she narrates in second person, address- that’s sure to provoke thought—and perhaps
anna, and her father drowned his sorrows in ing her chapters to her daughter in a heartfelt controversy—in its treatment of traditional
alcohol and drugs, making poor decisions bid for understanding. As they navigate grief Christianity. —Michael Cart
that led to Marianna’s abduction. Isabella and seek relevance in their very different
has never stopped searching for Marianna— professional lives, each woman confronts One Hour of Fervor.
could Gabby be her long-lost sister? Rico the choices she has made and the daunting By Muriel Barbery. Tr. by Alison Anderson.
combines sharp, thoughtful observation with challenge of communicating across the gen- Jan. 2024. 196p. Europa, $26 (9798889660040).
an engaging plot in her relationship-fiction eration gap. —Sara Martinez As he lays dying, Haru Uemo reflects on his
debut. Readers will be invested in Gabby and life. He rejected his family business, instead
Isabella’s story, and the alternating chapters, A Grandmother Begins the Story. moving to Kyoto where, through his charm
which tell the story of Marianna’s abduction By Michelle Porter. and love of beauty, he became a successful
from the perspective of the people who were Nov. 2023. 336p. Algonquin, $28 (9781643755182). dealer in contemporary Japanese art, devel-
involved, add a layer of suspense. It’s an ir- Many points of view come together in this oping a close circle of friends who became
resistible blend of family drama and mystery, haunting, gorgeous tale that traces the roots of family. Through his business, he meets Maud,
ideal for fans of Julia Alvarez and Diane an indigenous Canadian family through sev- a French woman, with whom he has a brief but
Chamberlain. —Nanette Donohue eral generations. Even bison, grasslands, and intense affair. When Maud returns to France,
dogs get a chance to tell their stories. There’s she informs Haru that she is pregnant, but she
Family Family. Mamé, who has passed on never wants Haru to have anything to do with
By Laurie Frankel. and is learning the contours their daughter, Rose. He accepts her choice
Jan. 2024. 400p. Holt, $28.99 (9781250236807); e-book of the afterlife; her daughter, but hires a private investigator to send him
(9781250236814). Geneviève, who has checked photos and reports on Rose. As he experiences
Frankel’s latest (after One Two Three, 2021) into a rehab although she is the deaths of a number of friends, he wanders
is a novel that challenges society’s long-held close to death; and Carter, through Buddhist temples, where he explores
definitions of family. Television star India Geneviève’s biological great- how art, beauty, death, and friendship have
Allwood has starred in a movie that portrays granddaughter, who’s just informed his life. When he discovers he has
adoption in a traumatic light. When a report- discovering the family after lung cancer, he makes a fateful decision that
er calls India to get a quote about the movie, escaping an abusive adoptive mother. There’s will impact all around him. Barbery’s beauti-
India tells her that adoption doesn’t always also Dee, a young bison who loses her mother ful descriptions of nature and her infusion of
mean trauma—and social media explodes. As early in life and is trying to find her way alone. Japanese folklore and wisdom give her story
India tries to repair her reputation, her ten- Métis traditions touch every character, espe- an elegant and meditative quality. With its
year-old adopted daughter, Fig, is scheming cially Geneviève, who longs for her young life many poetic observations on life, this is a per-
behind the scenes. India placed her biologi- as a musician. The Métis dance reels accom- fect novel for book groups. —Merle Jacob
cal daughter, Rebecca, for adoption when she panied by live music, and Geneviève’s father
was only sixteen, and Fig has found her. The was a master fiddler. She rediscovers her piano One Woman Show.
next thing everyone knows, Rebecca is there, as she too approaches the afterlife. Porter has By Christine Coulson.
and she’s made a viral video, further stirring published memoir and poetry, and she plays Oct. 2023. 208p. Simon & Schuster/Avid Reader, $25
the media frenzy. Soon India is surrounded with the beauty of language and the rhythm (9781668027783).
by the people who have made her life what of music here. The pulsing heart of the Métis As she did in her resplendent debut, Met-
it is. Much of the story takes place in the people underlies every short section, creating ropolitan Stories (2019), Coulson parlays her
past, chronicling India’s history and her per- a patchwork of beads not unlike those the experiences as a staff writer at the Metro-
sistence in following her dreams. Despite the women make. Suggest to fans of Kellie Jo politan Museum of Art into a nimble and
implausible premise, Frankel finds the truth Ford’s Crooked Hallelujah (2020) and Emily ingenious tale, this time inventing a pithy
of modern family within the sparkly, funny Habeck’s Shark Heart (2023). —Cari Dubiel new form: a novel in museum placards. The
characters. Suggest this warmhearted tale to life of privileged WASP Kitty Whitaker,
readers of Jennifer Weiner. —Cari Dubiel Lilith. born in 1906, is signified by porcelain figures
By Nikki Marmery. on display described in brief but telling wall
Flores and Miss Paula. Oct. 2023. 336p. Crooked Lane/Alcove, paper, $18.99 labels. The one woman show proceeds chron-
By Melissa Rivero. (9781639105717); e-book (9781639105724). ologically with occasional flurries of dialogue
Dec. 2023. 272p. Ecco, $29 (9780063272491); e-book Marmery reimagines and expands the as Kitty overcomes a lisp, indulges her urge
(9780063272514). legend of Lilith with a feminist twist. The to steal, longs to be “un-decorative,” and
A daughter and mother receive notice that daughter of God and the goddess Asherah, marries wealthy Bucky Wallingford, stirring
they must leave their Brooklyn apartment the Holy Mother, Lilith is made the first much tsking among her catty bridesmaids.
in this novel told in three parts over the sea- woman, the partner of Adam but not his The expected gleaming glide of her moneyed
sons—spring, summer, autumn—after the equal. Adam refers to Lilith condescend- life is soon derailed, but Kitty maintains her
anniversary of their husband and father’s ingly as his helpmeet, establishing the book’s edge and luster, ever determined and co-
passing. Rivero (The Affairs of the Falcóns, theme: the total degradation of women and vertly subversive. Ultimately her resilience
2019) tags each protagonist with the name their subjection to men. When Adam rapes and caustic wit are sweet revenge. Coulson
she’s referred to at work. The daughter is her, Lilith flees from the Garden, only to re- plants a clue to the method of her concision
called Flores because the men at her job can turn in the form of a serpent to tempt Adam’s in an excerpt from a lecture about a painting
never remember her first name. This stands second wife, Eve. Lilith then becomes the Kitty owns by Georges Braque: “a sliver can
in stark opposition to her mother, known as lover of Samael, the Angel of Death, and they conjure an entire form.” Indeed, Coulson’s
Miss Paula, and the respect she enjoys at her go in search of the Holy Mother. They find trenchant brevity blossoms into iridescent
more modest place of employment. Flores is her in a greatly reduced state in Sheol, in the emotions, wry humor, and stinging social
scrambling for success in the cutthroat world shadow of which she dies. Many adventures critique. —Donna Seaman

Orbital. Principles of (E)motion. Stockholm.
By Samantha Harvey. By Sara Read. By Noa Yedlin. Tr. by Jessica Cohen.
Dec. 2023. 193p. Grove, $24 (9780802161543); e-book Jan. 2024. 304p. Graydon, paper, $18.99 (9781525836657); Nov. 2023. 384p. HarperVia, $30 (9780063310810); e-book
(9780802161550). e-book (9780369747327). (9780063310827).
The International Space Station is a study Dr. Margaret Brightwood has been work- Israeli friends in their seventies, Avishay, Ye-
in contrasts, with highly technical equipment ing on Friedholdt’s Conjecture for over 20 huda, Amos, Nili, and Zohara have known each
sharing space with the soft trappings of hu- years (she’s 38), but it isn’t until her grand- other for decades through relationships, shared
manity. Pouches of easily spoonable food and mother’s death that she gets the clarity to experiences, and career successes big and small.
gym equipment meant to solve the allegedly impos- When Zohara walks into Avishay’s apartment
stave off muscle atrophy are sible equation. Her father, and finds him dead, she immediately calls the
required for people spinning also a mathematician, of- others to discuss what to do next. The timing
above the Earth’s atmosphere, fers to publish it with her, is particularly cruel: Avishay was an esteemed
but comfort only extends so as coauthors, since Meg has economist widely considered to be a finalist for
far. Participating in space been living a reclusive life the Nobel Prize, which will be announced in
walks and conducting experi- due to debilitating anxiety. a matter of days—and is never awarded post-
ments, these fiercely qualified But Meg wants all of the humously. Yehuda, Amos, Nili, and Zohara
humans understand their credit for her work, so she embark on a farcical plan to keep Avishay’s
environment is limited, but the experience quietly plans to present it at a small confer- death a secret until the award is announced,
remains nothing short of magnificent. Over ence, only to have a panic attack during her though some of the friends have more explicit
a single 24-hour period, Harvey (The West- talk. Later, she runs into her grandmother’s motives than others. Translated from the He-
ern Wind, 2018) outlines the inner thoughts, carpenter, handsome Isaac Wells, who has brew, Yedlin’s charmingly self-aware novel pays
workaday duties, and grandiose dreams of secretly been working at the house across tribute to Waking Ned Devine and The Big Chill
six astronauts aboard the International Space the street. Isaac is running from a danger- without lessening the genuine emotions shared
Station, offering a fascinating glimpse inside ous past, and he is no good for Meg, but, amongst this unique group. Ruminating on
a home so few will ever see. Her lyrical prose as Meg reminds him, she’s a head case, so the power of lifelong friendship—and a little
skillfully contrasts the technicalities of space maybe they can be messed up together. Meg luck—this warm and witty novel is sure to ap-
travel with the ever-present inspiration of the is an intense narrator, prone to bouts of hy- peal to fans of Zoe Fishman’s Inheriting Edith
gleaming planet below. And the book encom- perfocus in addition to anxiety, but readers (2016) and Daniel H. Turtel’s The Family Mor-
passes so much more than a day—flashbacks, will fall in love with her likable voice. Read fawitz (2023). —Stephanie Turza
plans for the future, and present-day anxiet- (Johanna Porter Is Not Sorry, 2023) tackles
ies and triumphs are here too. In the stylistic sexism, family dynamics, and the demands Treacle Walker.
vein of Sara Baume’s Spill Simmer Falter Wither placed on child prodigies. Give this to read- By Alan Garner.
(2016) and Paulette Jiles’ News of the World ers who like seemingly light relationship Nov. 2023. 160p. Scribner, $22 (9781668025512); e-book
(2016), this slim novel is so much more than fiction that packs a deceptive, satisfying (9781668025536).
the sum of its parts. Luminous and profound, emotional punch. —Susan Maguire Remarkably, Garner is still producing great
Orbital is hard to put down and even harder to work as he nears his ninth decade. This slight,
forget. —Stephanie Turza The Rainbow. creative, and highly enjoyable work is typical
By Yasunari Kawabata. Tr. by Haydn Trowell. of this elder statesperson of British literature.
Pilgrims 2.0. Nov. 2023. 224p. Vintage, paper, $17 (9780593314920). Set in a fable-like version of Garner’s native
By Lindsey Harding. Kawabata, Japan’s first Nobelist in litera- Cheshire, it begins with Joseph Coppock, a
Nov. 2023. 456p. Acre, paper, $20 (9781946724694). ture (1968), regularly chronicled halcyon young boy worried about his lazy eye, trading
A cruise vacation can be rejuvenating, but scenery and transforming landscapes, fea- his old pajamas and an animal skull with a
the Canterbury Cruise Line takes things to a tured ill-fated relationships, and touched on rag-and-bone man for a jar and a stone. The
whole new level. Each voyage on the Pilgrim suicide, all in restrained, elegant prose. Orig- rag-and-bone man is Treacle Walker, who
offers every sort of physical transformation inally serialized in 1950–51, The Rainbow claims he can cure anything but jealousy. This
imaginable for the exclusively female passen- gets an overdue English translation by Aus- joyful but stinky mystical entity is the trigger
gers. Under the direction of plastic surgeon tralian Trowell. Set in post-WWII Japan, a for the rest of the story, which is captivatingly
Walter Heston, and using sophisticated AI period of tumultuous reinvention after deci- inventive as comic books come to life, mir-
created by his late wife, Rebecca, the expe- mation, then occupation by foreign victors, rors become windows to other worlds, and Joe
rience is designed to satisfy the passengers’ Kawabata’s narrative is surprisingly con- converses with a magical being who lives in
every need and desire with painstaking de- temporary in its introduction of a widower a bog. Somehow breathlessly paced without
tail. Four women in particular—Lyla, Nicole, father, Mizuhara, and his three daughters by feeling rushed, this excellent novella features
Annalie, and Bianca—bring their emotional three different women, the eldest, Momoko, the trademark Cheshire accents and dialogue
burdens on board, hopeful that the dream whose mother committed suicide; Asako, found in Garner’s tales throughout his career
bodies they’ve ordered will be the perfect solu- whose late mother was Mizuhara’s only wife; as well as wondrously evocative descriptions
tion. But their (AI-engineered) acquaintance and the youngest, Wakako, who has never of the area. This Italo Calvino-like feat of
is hampered by the secrets they cannot bear met these sisters. That Mizuhara is an archi- imagination is nourishing in the way all great
to reveal. Harding’s debut novel sets an unset- tect working on various restoration projects, stories are. —Alexander Moran
tling mood from the start, with short chapters reads like a purposefully ironic choice, since
that propel the story along. The inclusion of his own household appears in such disarray. You Only Call When You’re in
multiple characters’ perspectives—from pas- Momoko, after a devastating first love affair, Trouble.
sengers to crewmen to doctors to the AI system has since initiated relationships with mul- By Stephen McCauley.
itself—gives a full picture of good intentions, tiple men. Asako is determined to find their Jan. 2024. 336p. Holt, $27.99 (9781250296795); e-book
deep sadness, and even some less-than-noble younger sister, with or without her family’s (9781250296801).
motives. Book clubs may find much to dis- help. A tidy ending would be antithetical Professor Cecily is in trouble. Her college has
cuss about the nature of our relationships in most Kawabata stories; here, he deftly launched an investigation to determine if she
with ourselves and others and the dissonance inspires lingering engagement over the fate kissed one of her (female) students, as the stu-
between improved physical appearance and of the three sisters long after the final page.
contentment. —Maribeth Fisher —Terry Hong Continued on p.25
Read-alikes
Returning Home and Facing Change
by Donna Seaman
Art from A Very Typical Family.
W elcome Home, Stranger, by Kate Christensen, incisively

meshes family trauma with environmental decimation, pain
with hilarity, as a woman returns home to Maine to confront the A Very Typical Family. By Sierra Godfrey. 2022. Sourcebooks/
fallout from the death of her mother. The titles below address Landmark, $27.99 (9781728255200).
similar challenges, from difficult mothers to complicated sibling After losing a highly coveted promotion (to her boyfriend), Nata-
relationships to reluctant homecomings. Two are also set in Maine. lie Walker has to reunite with her estranged brother and sister to
settle a valuable yet dilapidated home left by their late mother in
Black Cake. By Charmaine Wilkerson. 2022. Ballantine, $28 their hometown of Santa Cruz, California. Though Natalie is anx-
(9780593358337). ious to get back quickly to Boston, complications arise and she is
Eleanor Bennet’s final bequest, an audio recording and a obliged to hunker down at the family home.
homemade Caribbean black cake stowed in the freezer, upends
everything her children, an estranged brother and sister, thought Where Wild Peaches Grow. By Cade Bentley. 2022. Amazon/Lake
they knew about their family and themselves. Union, $14.95 (9781542031219).
Estranged sisters Nona and Julia haven’t spoken in 20 years. Be-
Blue Skies. By T. C. Boyle. 2023. Norton/Liveright, $30 trayed and tormented, Nona left Natchez for Chicago and started a
(9781324093022). new life as a professor of African American Studies. Now their fa-
Engaged twentysomethings Cat, a social media influencer, and ther has died, and Nona grudgingly returns to Mississippi to pay her
Todd, a Bacardi ambassador, are living the dream in an inherited respects, but she’s not happy about seeing the family she believes
Florida beach house, while in California, Cat’s family deals with has broken faith with her once again.
drought, heat waves, high winds, and rampaging fires. Boyle strikes
the perfect satirical note as he dramatizes family dynamics and
denial of the looming environmental collapse. Welcome Home, Stranger.
By Kate Christensen.
Funny Once. By Antonya Nelson. 2014. Bloomsbury, $26 Dec. 2023. 224p. Harper, $28.99 (9780063299702).
(9781620408612). The narrator in Christensen’s (The Last Cruise, 2018) latest
Nelson is scandalously funny in these stories as her wildly inept high-wire novel feels like she may spontaneously combust
characters struggle with betrayal, divorce, addiction, and old age. She as she boards a plane for Maine and a confrontation with
excels at multigenerational chaos in places rife with hidden angst, her past. A self-described “middle-aged childless recently or-
observing: “Life is a series of lessons you don’t want to learn.” phaned menopausal workaholic journalist”
living in Washington, DC, whose beat is
The Museum of Failures. By Thrity Umrigar. 2023. Algonquin, $28 the environment, Rachel is happiest on ex-
(9781643753553). tensive polar expeditions. Now her mother,
When Remy Wadia returns to Bombay from his home in Ohio to from whom she’s long been estranged, has
adopt a baby and visit his mother, he learns that the baby’s birth died. Rachel and her sister, Celeste, barely
mother is reconsidering and that his mother is in the hospital. As survived their fatherless childhood with
Remy learns harsh truths about his parents, he reconsiders his frac- their “criminally neglectful mentally ill
tured relationship with his birth city and his mother. mother.” Rachel was the only one in their
enclave to leave Maine and make something of herself in the
Olive Kitteridge. By Elizabeth Strout. 2008. Random, $17 larger world. Celeste married inherited wealth and lives with
(9780812971835). her family in a Portland mansion; now Rachel’s longtime
Olive Kitteridge, the redoubtable math teacher in Crosby, Maine, “wild boy” lover lives next door with his new wife. Rachel,
is ornery. She forces her husband, the town pharmacist, into tacti- who hopes fervently for an upside to menopause and who
has inherited their mother’s townhouse, is wound-tight, hi-
cal retreat and induces her son to flee across the country and into
lariously observant, caustically expressive, determined, and
therapy. But as appalling as Olive can be, she is deeply human, as enraged as she copes with a firestorm of impossible situations.
are all of Strout’s characters in her must-read Maine-set titles. Christensen is a psychological Geiger-counter, registering ev-
The State We’re In: Maine Stories. By Ann Beattie. 2015. Scribner, ery particle of emotion, a wizard at dialogue and redolent
settings, and an intrepid choreographer of confoundment.
$25 (9781501107818).
From gasp-inducing absurdities and betrayals to a profound
The “state” Beattie’s 15 stories are anchored to is Maine, where sense of our paralysis in the glare of climate change to a full-
her fumbling characters’ states of mind range from depressed on embrace of family, love, home, and decency, Christensen’s
to enraged to resigned as they contend with troubled family whirligig tale leaves readers dizzy with fresh and provocative
members, spouses, lovers, neighbors, even pets. Beattie, like Chris- insights. —Donna Seaman
tensen, is a sensitive and brilliantly comedic literary writer.

Continued from p.23 Blackwater Falls series. John Broda, the man cops and politicians. And, worse yet, drug
who abused and humiliated Inaya because of lords, who see it as the ultimate way to elimi-
dent claims. Meanwhile, the harridan mother her Islamic faith, has come to town seeking nate rivals. Too bad it’s disappeared. The job
of her lover, Santosh, has dedicated her life to her help. Broda’s son, a Denver street officer, of recovering it before it creates “something a
destroying their relationship. has been accused of shooting an unarmed bit like Hiroshima” has fallen to battered but
And Tom, Cecily’s gay archi- man, but Broda is convinced his son is inno- still believing detective chief inspector Harry
tect uncle, is in trouble, too. cent and offers Inaya a deal she can’t resist. Taylor. Caine details his efforts in an unusu-
His partner has left him, and Meanwhile, a young artist is gunned down by ally vivid style; then, just when everything
the most important project a veteran officer, and the hostility between the seems to be winding down, he delivers a jolt
he’s ever worked on—a sheriff and the Community Response Unit that makes the pages vibrate. —Don Crinklaw
guesthouse, his master- continues. Like Blackwater Falls (2022), this
piece—is in jeopardy, along is a compelling and deeply emotional thriller. The Engagement Party.
with his job. As for Cecily’s Khan tackles the heartbreak of losing a child By Finley Turner.
loopy mother, Dorothy, she, too, is in—well, as well as the internal struggle faced by officers Nov. 2023. 320p. Crooked Lane, $29.99 (9781639105977);
you get the idea. The course of these anxious of color when forced to choose between a call e-book (9781639105984).
lives is the stuff of McCauley’s (My Ex-Life, to service and their communities. As always, Kass doesn’t know everything about her boy-
2018) new novel, which is sure to remind jaded she addresses these issues with straightforward friend, Murray, but she knows he’s The One.
readers of the undivided pleasure of reading a honesty and grace. Highly recommended for After a whirlwind courtship, they’re engaged,
splendid book: every page pleases. The story is those who enjoy complex procedurals with a and his wealthy parents insist on throwing
beautifully written and replete with laugh-out- human touch, such as Tana French’s Dublin them an elaborate engagement party at their
loud pronouncements (“It sounds like music Murder Squad series. —Carmen Clark sumptuous, gated home in the remote North
they’d play at a Swiss clinic for assisted suicide”) Carolina countryside. As the party descends
and aphorisms (“True monogamy on the part A Christmas Vanishing. into drunken chaos, one of the guests is mur-
of man was as rare as true veganism”). Add to By Anne Perry. dered. Suddenly seen as an outsider with some
this fully realized, empathic characters (well, a Nov. 2023. 208p. Ballantine, $22 (9780593359181); e-book explaining to do regarding her whereabouts,
few of them are real stinkers), and you have an (9780593359198). Kass quickly becomes a prime suspect and is
unmitigated delight and a book that you’ll hate Mariah Ellison, Charlotte Pitt’s paternal horrified to gradually discover that her new
to see end. —Michael Cart grandmother, travels to St. Helens in Dorset fiancé is not exactly who she thought he was.
to spend Christmas with her old friend Sa- This fast-paced debut thriller weaves together
die Alsop. However, when she arrives, Sadie a gothic atmosphere—in particular, the im-
Crime Fiction is not at home, and her husband refuses to posing mansion filled with secret passageways
allow Mariah in, seemingly unconcerned with and hidden staircases—and a cast of satisfy-
Alice B. Toklas Is Missing. Sadie’s absence. Mariah finds a place to stay ingly sinister party guests and eccentric family
By Robert Archambeau. with acquaintance Gwendolyn Cooper, and members. The narrative flips from the perilous
Nov. 2023. 264p. Regal, paper, $18.95 (9781646033850); they and the villagers find it strange that Sa- present to the origins of a guilty secret Kass is
e-book (9781646033867). die is missing when she was clearly expecting carrying around. Hand this to readers who ap-
Ida, a talented but timid painter, is agog the Mariah. Concerned, Mariah and Gwendo- preciate a traditional mystery tale filled with
first time she sets foot in the salon of the great lyn, along with help from bookseller Oliver twists and turns. —Jane Harper
Gertrude Stein in 1920s Paris. The art! The Mallard, investigate. They uncover informa-
music! The frisson of conflict between Surre- tion that makes them believe Sadie may be in The Final Curtain.
alists, Modernists, and Futurists! When Stein’s grave danger, and they mount a search to find By Keigo Higashino. Tr. by Giles Murray.
beloved Alice is kidnapped, Ida’s dilettante hus- her before it is too late. In her eighties and Dec. 2023. 400p. Minotaur, $29 (9781250767523); e-book
band Teddy claims to be a Chicago detective lonely, the well-drawn Mariah does a lot of (9781250767530).
and is asked to investigate, then goes missing soul searching, regretting her previous self-ab- Tokyo’s detective cousins Kaga and Mat-
himself. Suddenly, Ida and cheese-loving bank- sorbed and ill-tempered behavior due to past sumiya reunite for a case with life-changing
er Tom (T. S.) Eliot are thrust together in the trauma, hoping to change and build a new life personal consequences. A woman’s decom-
city of lights, and Ida finds she is more capable for herself in St. Helens with friends and even posing body has been found in an apartment
than she ever knew. Archambeau’s cast in this a possible romantic interest. All ends well in closet, and the apartment’s renter is missing.
glittering, venturesome historical mystery is full the late Perry’s twenty-first Christmas cozy Kaga, usually assigned to the famed Nihon-
to bursting with real places and figures from (after A Christmas Deliverance, 2022) firmly bashi district, is brought on to the TMPD
the Lost Generation. James Joyce beguiles, set in late Victorian England. —Sue O’Brien Homicide Division in the hopes that his solve
Shakespeare and Company warms the heart, rate will net results. But when the apartment’s
Ernest Hemingway broods, Alexander Calder Deadly Game. renter doesn’t appear on any official records,
crafts Ida a hairpin, George Antheil’s sympho- By Michael Caine. things become increasingly mysterious. Kaga
ny draws malicious attention, and several real Dec. 2023. 320p. Mobius, $28 (9781399702508). suspects that the crime is connected to a home-
historical figures are cast as devious criminals. For a half-century now we’ve been watch- less man recently burned in his nearby tent.
While sometimes stretching the bounds of cre- ing Michael Caine movies in which he shares Then, they discover that the dead woman was
dulity, this is an entertaining romp with zing, screen time with even bigger names in the in Tokyo to visit famed stage actress Hiromi
ideal for readers who romanticize the Jazz Age business, leaving us thinking, “That star was Asai. Asai’s secrecy about her past raises flags
and dream of rubbing elbows with Picasso over good, but Michael was better.” During the for the detectives, who suspect that it holds the
a Pernod. —Heather Booth COVID-19 lockdown, Caine took on a gen- case’s answers. The duo is in for a real surprise
eration of thriller writers to create his first when the trail of bodies and hidden identi-
Blood Betrayal. crime novel. The verdict? He mopped the ties leads to revelations about Kaga’s estranged
By Ausma Zehanat Khan. floor with ’em. The tale begins with a tilt to mother. Gentle pacing and a satisfying mix of
Nov. 2023. 304p. Minotaur, $28 (9781250822406); e-book Caine’s cockney origins. Two mates working deduction and boots-on-the-ground detection
(9781250822413). at a “tip,” a garbage dump, in Stepney, East soften this mystery’s grisly murder scenarios
Detective Inaya Rahman’s past in the Chi- London, are “bangin’ on” about a scary item and weighty emotional consequences. For fans
cago Police Department comes back to haunt that’s turned up in the trash. Rightly so. It’s of Higashino’s previous book, A Death in Tokyo
her in the second book in Khan’s Colorado-set fissionable material and thus of interest to (2022). —Christine Tran

Five Bad Deeds. after living in the U.S. Philip’s fierce law pro- a suspect’s scrawled notes or message board
By Caz Frear. fessor wife, Folake, is happy there, but their screeds. While advising on a suspected serial
Dec. 2023. 352p. Harper, $30 (9780063091108); paper, teenage daughter, Lara, is dangerously miser- killer copying a decades-past familicide, she
$18.99 (9780063091115); e-book (9780063091122). able. Philip is teaching at a police academy develops an easy rapport with forensic psy-
What will a mother do to protect her daugh- and has no intention of taking any more cases chologist Callum Kilkenny, even when they
ter? Ellen and Adam Walsh purchased their after his father got him embroiled in bloody don’t see eye-to-eye. Her trust in civilian infor-
dream home in posh Thames Lawley for their chaos in Kayode’s debut, Lightseekers (2021). mant Delaney Moore is less certain, and the
growing family and are about to begin major But now his sister prevails upon him to look deeper Raisa digs into her online writings, the
renovations. Ellen considers herself a good into the disappearance of the “First Lady” of more she is suspicious of Delaney’s intentions
wife and mother and a fantastic neighbor. her mega prosperity church. The superrich on the team. Chapters told from Delaney’s
Her private tutoring business helps students bishop, much older than his beautiful wife, perspective heighten the suspense. Small-
achieve their highest potential. So how did has been arrested on suspicion of her murder, town gossip, the appearance of a true crime
she wind up in jail? Someone is out to destroy but he seems to have been framed. As Philip podcaster, and vigilante-esque online forum
her life and reputation. Is she just being made attempts to sort out the increasingly com- entries further complicate Raisa’s work before
a scapegoat? The novel is told through vari- plicated and alarming forces tied to Sade’s she uncovers the truth in a shocking finale.
ous points of view, and multiple suspects are vanishing, from extreme corruption in both Labuskes’ series starter lays solid groundwork
considered, all harboring their own private law enforcement and “the God business” to for future episodes featuring agents Susanto
hatred towards Ellen. However, Ellen is hard- ritualized sexual violence, he reconnects with and Kilkenny, both complex characters with
ly innocent, as she keeps her own secrets from his unflappable, multitalented associate, intriguing backstories, motivations, and
her friends and family. The claws come out Chika, as things get dicey. Kayode delivers an- personal blind spots. Hand to fans of Iris Jo-
as the backstabbing ensues, reminding readers other ensnaring, vividly realized, suspenseful, hansen’s forensic sculptor Eve Duncan and
to keep your friends close and your enemies and witty tale of a reluctant yet gifted inves- other detectives who take an unconventional
closer. Frear (Stone Cold Heart, 2019) explores tigator who susses out the truth about people approach to solving crime. —Heather Booth
themes of alcoholism, infidelity, loyalty, and trapped within entrenched criminality and
revenge in this twisty domestic-suspense injustice. —Donna Seaman The Mantis.
thriller. It will likely appeal to readers of Shari By Kotaro Isaka. Tr. by Sam Malissa.
Lapena, Sally Hepworth, Jamie Day, and Me- Ilium. Nov. 2023. 256p. Overlook, $27 (9781419769474); e-book
lissa Adelman. —Jayme Oldham By Lea Carpenter. (9798887070926).
Jan. 2024. 240p. Knopf, $27 (9780593536605). Isaka returns to the hidden world of To-
The Fury. Carpenter’s unnamed narrator is the per- kyo’s assassins introduced in Bullet Train
By Alex Michaelides. fect pawn in a game of revenge and, perhaps, (2021) with the story of Kabuto, a respected
Jan. 2024. 320p. Macmillan/Celadon, $28.99 atonement set in the rarefied worlds of a assassin who falls prey to the tension between
(9781250758989); e-book (9781250759009). private London garden, an isolated French his profession and his family life. Kabuto has
Everyone loves movie star Lana Farrar, es- retreat, Paris hotels, and at its core, a Beirut asked his handler, the Doctor, for release,
pecially her closest friend, Elliot, who offers war zone. She is young and but only earns the concession of high-stakes
charismatic narration twisted with fantasies, unmoored, with no family hits on underworld figures that honors his
Agatha Christie overtones, and self-serving and no sense of self or pur- distaste for killing innocents. These hits, the
asides. They met when she was a young starlet pose, and longs for a life less Doctor decrees, will pay Kabuto’s way out.
and were instantly kindred spirits. So, when boring. When a mysterious But when fellow assassins start turning up in
Lana discovers that her husband, Jason, has older man named Marcus the daily life he lives as a devoted husband
been having an affair with her oldest friend, woos her at a party in the and father, Kabuto knows that the Doctor
Kate, she turns to Elliot. In drinks-fueled syn- very same garden she cov- has targeted him. That’s no immediate con-
ergy, they concoct a dramatic plan to out the eted as a child, it seems less cern, as quick-thinking Kabuto easily swats
betrayal. Lana persuades Kate, Jason, and her coincidence than salvation. After a whirlwind away attackers, but it’s not looking good for
assistant, Agathi, to join her, Elliot, and her romance and marriage, Marcus confesses he is his dreams of retiring into a blissfully dull
son, Leo, for a getaway on their private is- dying and enlists her in a mission that offers existence. The ensuing war between Kabuto
land. The island seems to sense their tension, an identity and a lifestyle surpassing anything and the Doctor showcases deft plotting and
whipped to new heights by the Fury, a legend- she could ever have imagined. Enter Marcus’ explosive action, but Kabuto’s cunning psy-
ary wind famous for its malicious power. Lana’s friend Raja, a Lebanese citizen and MI6 agent chological traps and overwhelming love for
inner circle, infected with barely suppressed working with the CIA to capture Edouard, his family propel the story. Themes of sac-
resentments, gives the plan a new, darker im- a Russian spy. Carpenter’s narrator is critical rifice, legacies, and thwarted dreams paired
petus that ends in murder. Michaelides (The to the success of their plan and is thrust into with sharp wit and complex characters pack
Maidens, 2021) again creates an almost tan- a diabolically intricate web of spycraft with a weighty punch. —Christine Tran
gible blend of tension, manipulation, and lethal and long-term results. Espionage thrill-
obsession. Even verteran crime-fiction readers ers are notably high octane, but Carpenter Murder by Degrees.
will fall prey to Michaelides’ craft, nudged into (Red, White, Blue, 2018) takes a refreshingly By Ritu Mukerji.
shifting, sympathetic allegiances to the dam- cerebral, literary, and cunningly cinematic ap- Oct. 2023. 304p. Simon & Schuster, $27.99
aged, unlikable characters in this pitch-perfect, proach in her exploration of personal moral (9781668015063); e-book (9781668015087).
classic crime set-up and modern psychological ambiguity playing out in the world of inter- Dr. Lydia Weston, a physician and professor
thriller. —Christine Tran national intrigue. —Carol Haggas at the Women’s Medical College in Philadel-
HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: phia in 1875, must battle sexism daily. She
Michaelides fans will be clamoring. The Lies You Wrote. teaches and cares for patients, maintain-
By Brianna Labuskes. ing a busy schedule and working to educate
Gaslight. Nov. 2023. 352p. Amazon/Thomas & Mercer, paper, $16.99 the poor women that she sees. When Anna
By Femi Kayode. (9781662511363); e-book (9781662511356). Ward, a young woman she has been treating
Nov. 2023. 384p. Little, Brown/Mulholland, $29 FBI agent and forensic linguist Raisa Susan- and mentoring, fails to appear for her regu-
(9780316536646); e-book (9780316536660). to is accustomed to proving herself in a room lar appointments, Lydia becomes concerned.
Investigative psychologist Philip Taiwo and full of men who doubt her ability to suss out Anna is a maid working for a wealthy family
his family remain in Lagos, having returned motive and craft criminal profiles solely from while caring for a disabled younger brother.

When the body of a young woman turns up to find the couple who mugged her. Will’s English mystery featuring talented amateur
in the Schuylkill River, the police assume that first-person narrative is witty, gritty, and “as sleuth Lady Georgiana. It’s 1936, and Georgie
it is a suicide, but Lydia and her supportive smooth as Lauren Bacall between silk sheets.” is expecting her first child. She’s also hired a
male colleague, Harlan Stanley, perform an A superb retro noir that summons another new chef, Pierre, whom she met in Paris, de-
autopsy that proves murder. A diary with unlikely brownstone duo, Nero Wolfe and spite the fact that she’s never tasted his cooking.
cryptic poetry passages found with the body Archie Goodwin. —Jane Murphy Soon Sir Hubert, owner of Eynsleigh, arrives,
suggests problems in the victim’s life. Lydia asking Georgiana and her husband, Darcy,
assist police officers Volcker and Davies with My Cousin Skinny. to look over his property while he travels the
their investigation, discovering unsavory By E. J. Cooperman. world. First, impressed with Pierre’s culinary
events in some of Philadelphia’s wealthy fami- Nov. 2023. 240p. Severn, $31.99 (9781448309719); e-book skills, he hosts a banquet. One of the guests
lies. Lydia herself is in danger as a result. This (9781448309726). is Sir Mordred Mountjoy, a famous writer
well-researched, historical-mystery debut by As a child, New Jersey–born Sandy Moss, known for his dark gothic fiction. Mountjoy
a practicing physician will appeal to read- now a family-law attorney in L.A., couldn’t is so pleased with Pierre’s cooking that he asks
ers who enjoy strong female characters and say Stephanie, so she called her cousin Skin- to borrow him to cook for a dinner to raise
graphic clinical details. —Barbara Bibel ny. As adults, they aren’t close, so Sandy is funds for African orphans. But after Mor-
mystified when she receives an invitation to dred’s dinner, several guests fall ill, and two
Murder Checks Out. Stephanie’s wedding back in New Jersey, just die. Sir Mordred and the police are quick to
By Victoria Gilbert. a few days away. Sandy reluctantly flies east accuse Pierre, but Georgiana is convinced he
Nov. 2023. 272p. Crooked Lane, $30.99 (9781639105205); for the event, dreading the inevitable family wasn’t the killer, and she’s determined to un-
e-book (9781639105212). drama. Before the rehearsal dinner even gets cover the truth before her child is born. As
The Blue Ridge Mountain town of Taylors- underway, there’s a scream from the kitchen, usual, her talent for unearthing clues, secrets,
ford is celebrating the holiday season with followed by Stephanie emerging covered in means, motives, and opportunities stands her
Winterfest, but all is not jolly on the morning blood, holding a knife. After her arrest for the in good stead in this charming entry in a be-
after the event, when a woman’s body is found murder of the best man, Stephanie demands loved, long-running series. —Emily Melton
nearby. Real estate developer Wendy Black- that Sandy be her lawyer. Unfortunately for
stone was hardly a beloved member of the Sandy, she’s still a member of the New Jer- Shot with Crimson.
community, and there are many suspects: her sey bar. Even more unfortunately, the county By Nicola Upson.
business partner, her estranged children, the prosecutor she’s facing is not only her old boss Nov. 2023. Crooked Lane, $30.99 (9781639102662); e-book
environmental activists opposed to her new- but a former lover, and he thwarts an orderly (9781639102679).
est project. Despite a busy schedule (wrangling trial. Sandy engages a local team to assist with In this dark, poignant, multiplotted histori-
five-year-old twins and a choreographer hus- both the investigation and trial, hoping she cal mystery, Upson takes readers on a journey
band, not to mention the impending arrival doesn’t get fired from her L.A. job or lose her from the horror of world war to the glamour
of her prickly mother-in-law), library director boyfriend. The case takes surprising turns, all of Hollywood. In 1917, young Daphne du
Amy Webber Muir can’t help but look into the described with humorous asides and encoun- Maurier spent the summer at Milton Hall in
crime, relying on a combination of research ters with characters who might be from The England, a family home that was used as a mil-
skills and town gossip. She has a vested interest Sopranos. —Karen Muller itary hospital. There, she met a man she called
in solving it since her brother-in-law, firefighter the magician, so skilled was he at constructing
Ethan, was seen arguing with Wendy before she Perfect Shot. tiny models from matchsticks. Before she can
died. Then Ethan goes missing, and the sheriff By Steve Urszenyi. deliver a model to a young man recovering
is sure he’s guilty. Full of small-town charm and Nov. 2023. 368p. Minotaur, $28 (9781250879103); e-book from war wounds, Daphne is confronted by
a large cast of recurring characters, the eighth (9781250879110). a terrifying woman in black—later to become
Blue Ridge Library mystery (after Death in When a thermonuclear bomb disappears the model for Mrs. Danvers in Rebecca. Fast
the Margins, 2022) captures the hectic nature from an air force base in Turkey, it is up to forward to 1939, when mystery writer Jose-
of the holidays while serving up a compelling Special Agent Alexandra Martel to find it. phine Tey is travelling to Hollywood to meet
crime story. —Susan Maguire Well-equipped with a background in Special her lover, Marta, who’s working with Alfred
Ops and an unfailing sniper’s eye, Alex hops Hitchcock on the film version of Rebecca.
Murder Crossed Her Mind. from one European capital to the next, acquir- Before she left England, Josephine prevent-
By Stephen Spotswood. ing new allies as old allies and friends betray ed a young man from jumping in front of
Dec. 2023. 384p. Doubleday, $27 (9780385549288); e-book her. The narrative proceeds at a dizzying pace, a train; she’s stunned to meet him again in
(9780385549295). but Alex’s unrelenting determination to pre- Hollywood, where he’s working on the film.
New York City, 1947. Famed detective Lil- vent a global catastrophe keeps the bullet Multiple plot twists, a brutal murder, appall-
lian Pentecost and her firecracker assistant, train on track. Her recklessness may some- ing secrets, hatred, revenge, unrequited love,
Willowjean “Will” Parker, have a new case. times strain credulity, but then again, James and terrible tragedy will keep readers glued to
Forest Whitsun, a defense attorney with Bond was not known for cautious behavior. this mesmerizing story that ends mournfully
whom they are often at odds, has hired them Seasoned fans of the thriller genre will be and movingly. —Emily Melton
to find Vera Bodine, an elderly recluse with impressed by the agency acronyms and weap-
a photographic memory who has gone miss- onry details, including a close-up look at the Syrup to No Good.
ing. Did secrets from Vera’s employment at workings of a device capable of unimaginable By Catherine Bruns.
a prestigious law firm catch up with her, or destruction. Urszenyi brings his background Nov. 2023. 312p. Poisoned Pen, $8.99 (9781728253961);
was it the spy work she did for the FBI dur- as a police tactical medic to this boldly au- e-book (9781728253985).
ing World War II? And why had she become thentic debut, introducing an impressive As the maple sugaring season nears the end,
obsessed with the recent murder of a young female warrior in the first of an anticipated Leila Khoury is busy with events at Sappy
woman? In a Christie-like denouement, the series. —Jane Murphy Endings, the maple sugaring operation—a
elegant Lillian presides in a “death-black” farm and a café—her father started in Ver-
suit, looking, narrator Will tells us, “like The Proof of the Pudding. mont. She’s also throwing a shower for her
the grim reaper if he had a better tailor.” By Rhys Bowen. best friend, Heather, due to be married in
Along the way, Lillian engages in an ongoing Nov. 2023. 304p. Berkley/Prime Crime, $28 just two weeks. The shower is well under-
struggle with macabre crime-memorabilia (9780593437889); e-book (9780593437896). way when Heather’s aunt by marriage arrives.
collector Jessup Quincannon, and Will tries Bowen offers another delightful historical Monica runs a jewelry store across the border

in New York and is haughty and generally desperate to stop the killer, but they’re even complicated love lives, she battles subjugation
disliked. Her presence casts a pall over the more desperate to find their daughter. Suspi- by a Harvard-educated doctor who dares to
festivities with rude behavior, a loud argu- cion falls on everyone from classmates to the think her incapable. Although this isn’t a tra-
ment on her cell phone, and a cheap present. school’s acting teacher, but the real truth is ditional detective story, Martha’s narrative will
After everyone has left, Leila finds Monica’s as horrifying and tragic as it is bizarre—and capture historical mystery fans’ attention with
body slumped over the steering wheel in her yet, there’s still a satisfying ending to this taut, its dramatic courtroom scenes and emphasis
car. When Heather’s uncle declares that the suspense-filled story. —Emily Melton on justice, particularly for women. Flashbacks
wedding cannot go forward while Monica’s to Martha’s past add context and generate ad-
murder is unsolved, Heather and Leila begin ditional suspense. Martha’s enduring romance
to ask questions. Resolving the murder is not Historical Fiction with her supportive husband, Ephraim, is
Leila’s only worry; her former fiancé, a nice beautifully evoked, and details about the lives
Lebanese man favored by her mother, is back Diva. of the townspeople make the post-American
in town. With romance, recipes, and a mur- By Daisy Goodwin. Revolutionary atmosphere feel fully lived-
derer on the loose, this book will delight fans Jan. 2024. 336p. St. Martin’s, $29 (9781250279927); e-book in. Lawhon’s first-rate tale should entrance
of Joanne Fluke, Jenn McKinlay, or Laura (9781250279934). readers passionate about early America and
Childs. —Karen Muller In the 1950s, Maria Callas was arguably the women’s history. —Sarah Johnson
world’s greatest opera star and Aristotle Onas-
The Twelve Days of Murder. sis was the world’s richest man. The sheer Good Taste: A Novel in Search of Great
By Andreina Cordani. force of their respective egos should have Food.
Nov. 2023. 384p. Pegasus, $27.95 (9781639366187); e-book pushed them apart, but, instead, the duo had By Caroline Scott.
(9781639366194). a magnetic physical and emotional chemistry Nov. 2023. 432p. Morrow, paper, $19.99 (9780063325814);
University student Charley Sale joins the that united them with a supernatural force. e-book (9780063325821).
Murder Masquerade Society, a group of In this impeccably researched and richly con- It’s 1932, and England is suffering through
friends who stage murder-mystery events. jured fictionalization, Goodwin (Victoria, the Great Depression. Stella Douglas’ pub-
At one of the masquerades, Karl disappears 2016) traces the genesis of their storied af- lisher wants her to remind people of how
from a locked room, never to be heard from fair, through their manufactured meeting at great England is by writing a food history of
again. Twelve years later, Karl’s sister Ali the hands of gossip monger Elsa Maxwell to the nation. Stella corresponds with people
persuades Charley to attend a murder mys- its headline-generating demise when Onassis all over the country to find recipes that are
tery at a remote manor house in Scotland married Jackie Kennedy. In doing so, Good- quintessentially English. Seeing that she is
during Christmas. Working-class Charley win positions this and other controversies mostly getting recipes for oatcakes and pota-
longs to be fully accepted in this aristocratic, that dominated Callas’ later career in the con- toes, she decides to travel the countryside in
moneyed group, and, needing the money text of escalating professional and personal hopes of finding the perfect English recipe.
Ali promises her, agrees, even though at the discord that made her vulnerable to Onas- She needs the escape; her best friend, Mi-
last event, someone tried to drown her. The sis’ charm. Divas have a reputation for being chael, is getting married, and her father has
group is quickly snowed in, and it turns out pampered and demanding, haughty and moved into her residence. She is desperately
all are hiding secrets that someone seems de- self-centered. In Goodwin’s sensitive hands, seeking adventure, which arrives in the form
termined to expose. Then the murders begin Callas is much more complex: passionate yet of Freddie, who influences Stella in more
for real, with guests being picked off one by constrained, strong-willed yet malleable, her ways than one. The book is lighthearted and
one and help unavailable due to the snow and intimidating presence masking a mountain of charming, and Scott (The Poppy Wife, 2019)
lack of cell service. Told from multiple points self-doubt. Rich, refined, balanced, and be- keeps the reader engaged while exploring
of view, this compelling, complex, page-turn- lievable, the result is an enthralling portrait many underlying themes. Stella struggles
ing locked-room mystery is set in both the of a revered artist and sadly misunderstood with losing a parent, realizing her feelings for
past and the present and is chock-full of plot woman. —Carol Haggas a friend are much stronger, and learning that
twists. —Sue O’Brien the truth is what is right, even when falsities
The Frozen River. are more appealing. This is an easygoing his-
When I’m Dead. By Ariel Lawhon. torical novel about a young woman coming
By Hannah Morrissey. Dec. 2023. 448p. Doubleday, $28 (9780385546874). into her own. —Emily Borsa
Nov. 2023. 320p. Minotaur, $28 (9781250872340); e-book Spanning the winter of 1789–90 in Hal-
(9781250872357). lowell, Maine, from the freezing of the The Paris Housekeeper.
This haunting murder mystery has every- Kennebec River to its late thaw, Lawhon’s By Renee Ryan.
thing: gothic overtones, gruesome murders, outstanding sixth novel is based on the actual Dec. 2023. 368p. Love Inspired, paper, $18.99
a psycho killer, dysfunctional families, teen life of frontier midwife Martha Ballard, who (9781335448583).
angst, sex, and plenty of shocking twists. A recorded daily diary entries Camille and Rachel are maids at the iconic
tragic mistake made Rowan leave medicine about her household and Paris Ritz hotel in 1940 when the German
and escape her demons by moving to bleak, career. Called to examine Army invades their beloved city. As the Nazis
crime-ridden Black Harbor, Wisconsin, where the body of Joshua Burgess tighten their grip on the French people, Ra-
she became the town medical examiner. There after it was retrieved from chel’s Jewish heritage prompts her to question
she met cop Axel, and they married and had icy waters, Martha recog- the safety of her family and consider the pos-
their daughter, Chloe, now a teenager. Chloe nizes the telltale signs of sibility of escape. Camille is worried about
has been cast in the school production of hanging. Burgess and an- providing for her family, and as she learns
Beetlejuice and takes on her character’s dark- other man, a local judge, more about the deportation of Paris’ Jews,
ness, changing her hair, makeup, and clothing had been accused of raping a young pastor’s she also becomes increasingly concerned for
so she’s nearly unrecognizable. On the night wife four months earlier, and Martha believes Rachel’s safety. When Camille meets Vivian,
of the play, Rowan and Axel are called out her account unquestioningly. She also guesses a wealthy American masquerading as a Nazi
to a crime scene: one of Chloe’s classmates the two crimes are connected. A sage, strong sympathizer while secretly forging papers
has been brutally slaughtered, and Chloe has presence at 54, Martha is an extraordinary to help Jewish people, she hopes that Viv-
disappeared. Soon afterwards, another school- character. Devoted to her patients and her six ian will help her save her friend. The three
girl is viciously killed. Rowan and Axel are surviving children, mostly young adults with women work together to protect Rachel and

others facing deportation, but not before The Winthrop Agreement. the course of Miriam’s, now Mimi’s, life. With
they are forced to hide Rachel right under By Alice Sherman Simpson. the help of Lottie, she must navigate through
the Nazis’ noses and make choices that en- Nov. 2023. 384p. Harper, paper, $18.99 (9780063304086). economic disparities and the flu epidemic
danger them all. As she has in her previous Newlywed, recent-immigrant Rivkah Mil- to make a life of her own. Interspersed with
books, Ryan (The Secret Society of Salzburg, manovitch, pregnant and abandoned by her Mimi’s story is the disturbing perspective of
2022) explores women’s experiences during husband, seeks the help of the only person she Frederick. Frederick and his actions add a
WWII. The Paris Housekeeper will be appeal- knows in America, Lottie Aarons. Raising her thriller element to the tale, while a late-stage
ing to historical-fiction enthusiasts as well daughter, Miriam, in the Lower East Side ten- character adds some romance. Rich in charac-
as those who enjoy Christian writers such as ements, Rivkah becomes strict and old before ters and awash in period details of Gilded Age
Lisa Wingate. —Margaret Howard her time. Miriam longs for the glitz and glam- New York as well as the sumptuous fashions
our of those, like the Winthrops, who live of the time, this book is a treat for historical-
The Porcelain Maker. on Fifth Avenue. A kind girl with an eye for fiction fans. —Lynnanne Pearson
By Sarah Freethy. fashion, Miriam learns how to sew and make
Nov. 2023. 384p. St. Martin’s, $29 (9781250289346); garments from her mother. A chance meeting
e-book (9781250289353). in the park with Frederick Winthrop changes Continued on p.32
In 1993, middle-aged Clara Vogel is in
search of her father’s identity. Her late mother
spoke little about her experience in wartime
Germany, but she left one clue—a rare porce-
lain Viking. During the 1920s, Bettina Vogel
is a freewheeling artist in Weimar Germany
when she meets Jewish Austrian student Max
Ehrlich. They build a life together as the Nazis
rise to power. When the couple’s attempt to
escape Germany is thwarted, they are sepa-
rated. Max is transported to Dachau and is
eventually sent to the Allach porcelain factory
on the concentration camp’s grounds to work
as a sculptor, while Bettina is quickly married
to a Nazi officer who encourages her interest
in art as long as she keeps her work socially
acceptable. But Bettina’s rebellious spirit lives
on, and an unexpected reunion with Max
leads to a shocking collaboration that alters
their future. With its well-researched plot,
engaging characters, and dramatic twists,
Freethy’s debut works as both a World War II
love story and a testament to the ability of art
to speak truth to power. Readers of Heather
Morris and Kelly Rimmer will be captivated.
—Nanette Donohue
The Village Healer’s Book of Cures.

By Jennifer Sherman Roberts.
Nov. 2023. 286p. Amazon/Lake Union, paper, $16.99
(9781662511769); e-book (9781662511752).
What do you do when the people who
have turned to you in their greatest moments
of need—when a fever hits or for a difficult
birth—now look at you with suspicion all
because of one word: witch? Mary Fawcett
has spent her entire life in the small village of
Bicknacre. She’s smart and driven, with a thirst
for knowledge, and has a gift for healing, but
even in the best of times being different isn’t
always a safe thing for a woman to be. Her
quiet life is turned upside down when a self-
proclaimed witchfinder comes to root out the
evil among the villagers. He’s seen dozens of
women tortured and executed for witchcraft,
and now he has his sights set on Mary. This
historical-fiction novel set in 1640s England
showcases the hysteria that can grip a small
village, causing people to turn on their own
neighbors and friends. It’s an emotional story,
full of flawed characters who are just trying
to survive in a world full of suspicion and be-
trayal. —Tessa Terry

Self-Published Books Showcase
T
hese books are recommended by BlueInk Review, a fee-based review
service. Every month, BlueInk will compile a list of their favorite
self-published titles for Booklist, as a service to librarians hoping
to incorporate self-published work into their collections. BlueInk was
founded by Patti Thorn, former book review editor of Denver’s Rocky
Mountain News, and Patricia Moosbrugger, a literary agent who represents
several best-selling authors. The company delivers professional, unbiased
reviews of self-published books written by critics drawn largely from major
mainstream publications and by editors from prominent publishing houses.
Stars reflect the decisions of BlueInk reviewers and editors. Booklist is
happy to bring this curated collection of the best in self-publishing for
adults and youth to our audience.
Adult but what no one knows is that it’s an alien costumes, and a superintendent in a love-
spaceship searching the universe for habitable less relationship. The story’s strength can
planets. The object sends a probe to the blue also be its weakness: realistic depictions of
The Fireweed Moon. planet and continues its journey. The probe, the characters’ day-to-day activities (riding
By Barbara J. Dzikowski. which contains a radically advanced quantum the subway, ordering lunch) add character
2023. 328p. Wiara, paper, $13.95 (9780984030583).
computer, crashes in the Amazon and inad- depth, but decrease tension and momentum.
In this captivating final addition to Dzikow- vertently kills Alex Park, wife of army veteran Still, a satisfying, surprising conclusion more
ki’s Moon trilogy, following The Last Moon William Logan. Two years later, the still-griev- than compensates. Readers will also enjoy the
before Home (2020), New York City artist ing Logan is abducted, and what he discovers aliens’ perception of humankind (AxzleProva
Willow Trudeau decides to return to Weep- is mind-blowing. A semblance of Alex is still, describes humans as “meddling and murder-
ing Willow, Ohio, where her father, Leon, somehow, alive after merging with alien ous overgrown monkeys”). With a whimsical
still resides. Upon arrival, technology: “She’s a quantum computer in a narrative voice, quirky characters, and some
Willow learns that Leon has human-hybrid body.” As the laugh-out-loud scenes, this story will delight
a houseguest who seems to couple fights for survival, readers.
have a connection to Wil- things are further compli-
low’s late grandmother, cated by the aliens’ complex Kafka in Tangier.
Lily. The man hopes to backstory, which includes By Mohammed Said Hjiouij. Tr. by
find a family Bible miss- the looming annihilation of Phoebe Bay Carter.
ing since his pastor brother humankind. This is an ut- 2023. 87p. Agora, paper, $11 (9789920570282).
was brutally murdered de- terly captivating read, with In Hjiouij’s remarkable modern take on
cades earlier. Willow helps him, stirring up impressive twists, relentless Franz Kafka’s 1915 novella The Metamorpho-
volatile emotions in a town with a history of pacing, and an entirely satisfying conclusion. sis, Kafka’s protagonist Gregor Samsa becomes
racial strife and a nearby megachurch run by Although the characters could have been Jawad, a beleaguered young man responsible
a smarmy con man. Soon, a shocking tragedy more deeply developed, readers drawn to for supporting his wife,
forces Willow and her extended family to rely smart, well-constructed, action-packed sf will daughter, parents, and
on the saving grace of love to move forward. find a page-turner of the highest order. sister, all of them living
With enlightening detail, Dzikowski intro- together in a large apart-
duces vivid characters, past and present. To The Intergalactic Interloper. ment in Tangier, Morocco.
span time periods, she uses letters Willow dis- By Delas Heras. While Kafka’s story is a
covers of correspondence between Lily and her 2020. 217p. Double Six, paper, $15 (9781735317519). metaphor for a man’s life
sister, in which readers learn of the controlling Set in 1995, this lighthearted sf story opens stifled by family demands,
husband who sent Lily to a sanatorium and with a spaceship landing on the roof of an Hjiouij’s also demonstrates
more. This well-crafted, emotional story line East Village apartment building in Manhat- the corrosive effects of patriarchy and Islamic
paints a portrait of strong family bonds that tan. The alien inside, a “space turtle” named fundamentalism on Moroccan citizens. A nar-
will satisfy anyone drawn to family sagas, as AxzleProva who has two heads and two rator quickly summarizes Kafka’s masterpiece
will the entire Moon trilogy. personalities, is on a mission to identify in- about Gregor, who falls asleep as an over-
telligent life on Earth. The most promising worked salesman and wakes up a cockroach.
Harbinger. candidate is a species called the house cat. In this story, Jawad awakens as a stinky, angry,
By P. A. Vasey. As the alien observes surrounding life forms, monkey-like dwarf with demonic powers: he
2023. 320p. Mascot, paper, $22.95 (9781637556009). Ollie, a struggling musician in the building, can see through walls and escapes at night, re-
Vasey’s sf thriller begins in 2017 when an discovers his cat is missing. Thus begins a turning each morning with bloody hands and
interstellar object assumed to be a massive desperate search that includes the viewpoints no memories. Hjiouij’s novel is often witty,
meteor is detected speeding through the so- of Ollie’s potential love interest, a deranged but the backstories of Jawad’s parents are dev-
lar system. Interest in the object soon abates, neighbor, a woman with a thing for bunny astating. When Jawad’s father pulls Jawad’s

sister out of college to become a waitress, the judgments made on physical appearances. It with breathless wonderment, and their jour-
action echoes across centuries of misogyny. artfully evokes the era’s racial tensions, of- ney to reconciliation in adulthood showcases
Beautifully written and laced with humor and fering authentic dialogue, steady action, and the power of forgiveness. Romance fans will
plot twists, this should appeal to Kafka fans, revelations, ultimately delivering a thought- fall head over heels for this layered, second-
readers who love the Moroccan setting, and provoking read that highlights vulnerability chance love story.
those interested in contemporary perspectives and bravery in the face of injustice.
of Arab culture.
No Time to Waste: Microbehaviors; Yo u t h
Library Lin’s Biographies, Leveraging the Little Things to Become
Autobiographies, and Memoirs. a Better Leader. Gemja: The Message.
By Linda Maxie. By Artell Smith. By K. M. Messina. Illus. by Nataliia
2023. 298p. Spoon Creek, paper, $19.99 (9798985923421). 2023. 112p. iUniverse, paper, $13.99 (9781663251206). 658. Pavliuk.
028. Business managers are often urged to “not 2023. 321p. Lunalore, paper, $12.99 (9780578839561).
Dovetailing with Maxie’s previous offering, sweat the small stuff.” Management consul- Mixing sf and fantasy, this first book in
Library Lin’s Curated Collection of Superla- tant and educator Smith disagrees. Smith, Messina’s YA series introduces Resa Stone,
tive Nonfiction (2022), this companion book who has a background in HR, believes that a quirky teen whose father has been chosen
curates compelling personal stories across a the “small stuff,” or microbehaviors, can drive to travel with his family to the planet Wan-
range of themes and time periods. Unhappy organizational performance. A range of prac- delsta after making contact
that “there were so many great biographies tices make up Smith’s microbehaviors, from with aliens visiting Earth.
that I couldn’t include for lack of space” in how managers greet employees, to how they Wandelsta, a sort of interga-
Superlative Nonfiction, Maxie offers a smor- open a meeting, to the questions they ask lactic garbage dump, will be
gasbord of titles here, gleaned from the same employees, to the posture they use in one-on- the Stone family’s home for
“65 lists of recommended books dating one meetings. Employees are watching and the next six months. While
back a century” that she used for that book. reacting to everything managers do, Smith Resa’s twin brother, Dakota,
Titles also draw from book-award winners, writes, advising managers to consider their grumbles, Resa draws the
best-of-the-year lists, Goodreads, and even own worldviews and how they influence mi- planet’s dunes, dumps, and
suggestions from Maxie’s friends and social crobehaviors. Smith also explores the impact incinerator complexes, hoping to publish her
media followers. Across 40 thematic sec- of microbehaviors on DEI and much more. visual journal when the family returns home.
tions, including “Activists and Advocates,” This short book is written in crisp, relatable An aspiring witch, Resa also has visions of a
“Athletes and Sports Figures,” “Foodies,” and prose, peppered with dialogues based on real ghostly girl who tells her, “You are the one.”
“Spirituality and Faith,” book descriptions situations, a composite of Smith’s reimagined When a handsome new boy seems in danger
are generally wildly compelling, though some conversations with an ideal mentor. Busi- in the toxic field, Resa rushes to save him. In
are a bit flat and say very little. Additionally, ness managers, especially those in HR-related doing so, she finds a glowing orange crystal
some groupings can seem odd, with explorers functions, will find a worthy collection of tips that leads her to uncover family secrets and
differentiated from outdoor adventurers and here for improving employee relationships join the search for similar powerful crystals
children’s storytellers grouped with legendary and communications by paying attention to hidden on multiple planets. Blending witch-
figures. Nonetheless, Maxie’s collection pro- the “small stuff.” craft, prophecies, aliens, and interplanetary
vides a valuable reference and an interesting tensions into a highly enjoyable drama, and
read all on its own. A Smile in a Whisper. with Pavliuk’s ink drawings adding to the ap-
By Jacquelyn Middleton. peal, this book is sure to launch a captivating
The Night of the Burning Car. 2023. 372p. Kirkwall, paper, $16.95 (9781999275341). and popular series.
By Rob Lubitz. Middleton’s sixth novel (after The Certain-
2023. 368p. Twist of Fate, paper, $12.95 (9798372097766). ty of Chance, 2021), follows the unexpected Retro Radio Rainbow.
In 1948, while driving at night on a North reunion of former teenage sweethearts. Thir- By Aaron Zevy.
Carolina country road, Billy Dalton, a white teen years ago, Evie Sutherland’s first love, 2023. 35p. Tumbleweed, paper, $11.95 (9798386254322).
man, heroically rescues a Black woman and rising actor and Dalston Grove teen heart- This picture-book introduction to colors
her child from a burning vehicle. Days later, throb Nikolai “Nick” showcases the author’s collection of brightly
he awakens from a coma with third-degree Balfour, abandoned her hued radios from the 1930s, ’40s, and ’50s.
burns on his face and arms. without a goodbye. Dev- Based on the pattern of the rainbow, the book
As he attempts to recount astated, Evie passed her shows a radio in a particular color (“This radio
the incident for local au- days in aching silence and is red”). After two examples of radios of that
thorities, the sadistic sheriff painful regrets. Now in her color, the text asks readers to identify that color
insists there was no woman, early thirties and perpetu- (“Can you find the red radio?”) in a group of
child, or other vehicle, inally single, Evie works at her four radios. This simple formula works well, re-
sinuating Billy was drunk, mother’s gift shop and café sulting in a book that’s both functional and an
crashed his car, and expe- in the Orkney Islands. Living with Crohn’s attractive feast for the eyes. The radios shown
rienced hallucinations. To disease, she finds it’s not always easy to date, are truly works of art, and the excellent photo-
avoid a lengthy jail sentence, Billy admits let alone meet someone who understands graphs capture their retro-style beauty. Zevy’s
guilt, accepts a plea bargain, and begins life her medical challenges. She’s lonely, but life introduction discussing the prevalence of ra-
anew, now horribly disfigured by his burns, is safe and predictable—until Nick returns dios in the past seems aimed at adults, rather
depressed, and suicidal. Thirteen years later, as the producer of a well-known historical than the book’s toddler audience, and neglects
a private investigator visits Billy to unravel TV drama planning to film on location. Can to explain the purpose of radios for children
the secrets behind the night of the burning Evie and Nick heal old wounds and rekin- who have likely never seen one. Thankfully, the
car, and Billy eventually learns that the client dle their flame? Middleton’s dual-timeline book mostly keeps its focus on its stated mis-
paying for the investigation is the woman he narrative moves with purpose, rejecting or- sion. The language is simple and direct, and the
rescued, Lacey Evers. Lubitz’s novel weaves namental scenes for rich moments that shed book design is bright and fun, educating young
themes of love and war, law and corruption, light on inner conflicts and character dy- children about the colors of the rainbow in an
and justice and revenge, while also exploring namics. The couple’s young romance crackles understandable and unique way.

Continued from p.29 climbs a tree house, and encounters all man- One Night in Hartswood.
ner of paranormal beings as Astaroth begins By Emma Denny.
Romance to remember the true reason he must return Nov. 2023. 352p. HarperCollins/Mills & Boon, paper, $18.99
to the demon plane. Sizzlingly sexy, endlessly (9780008620073); e-book (9780008619473).
The Breakup Tour. imaginative, and laugh-out-loud funny, this The night before William de Foucart is
By Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund- is one of the most enjoyable paranormal ro- fated to wed Cecily Barden, he vanishes
Broka. mances of the year. —Diana Tixier Herald from his family’s home. Among those tasked
Jan. 2024. 352p. Berkley, $16.99 (9780593638644); e-book with finding William is Cecily’s brother,
(9780593638651). Never Met a Duke like You. Griffin “Raff” Barden,
In their third adult contemporary ro- By Amalie Howard. whose fierce reputation as
mance, following Never Vacation with Your Nov. 2023. 384p. Forever, paper, $16.99 (9781538737767); a hunter and tracker pre-
Ex (2023), married writing duo Wibberley e-book (9781538737736). cedes him. While scouring
and Siegemund-Broka explore the relation- Given her successful matchmaking track nearby Hartswood forest,
ship between a famous pop star and the man record, Vesper Lyndhurst is happy to assist Raff encounters Penn, a
who inspired her greatest hit. Riley Wynn Aspen Drake, the duke of Greydon, with young man claiming to be a
has finally attained mainstream success with finding a suitable husband for his family’s servant of William’s, whom
her newest album and its lead single, but ev- ward, Judith Thornton. Vesper is willing to Raff had previously met in
eryone thinks the song is about her famous take on this project even though Aspen, her the forest. It is obvious to Raff that Penn has
ex-husband. Determined to reclaim the nar- old childhood friend, broke Vesper’s heart no idea how to survive in the wild, so he in-
rative, she asks her ex-college-boyfriend, Max seven years ago. However, the Aspen Vesper vites Penn to join him while he searches for
Harcourt, to go public as its real inspiration. once knew is nothing like the new version, William. Both men recognize an immediate
Max agrees only if he can come on tour with who has recently returned from digging up spark of attraction, but are all the risks of
her band, and soon he and Riley realize there dinosaur bones in America. If anything, As- giving in to temptation worth the possible
may be more than breakup songs in their pen is even more maddeningly attractive, reward of a love that could last a lifetime?
future. Wibberley and Siegemund-Broka not to mention annoyingly argumentative, Denny’s perfectly polished debut, which
prove they are masters of the second-chance than ever before. Howard (Always Be My won the Mills & Boon Romance Includes
romance, getting the essentials just right— Duchess, 2022) once again deftly brings two Everyone competition, will win over readers
lingering chemistry, intense longing, and characters together through quippy banter a with its vibrantly evoked medieval setting,
two people who have regrets about the past lá Jane Austen while expertly choreograph- insightfully nuanced characters, and a soul-
and one more chance to make it right. Max ing a sizzling dance of seduction between her satisfying love story that is both sublimely
and Riley are believable as both romantic two protagonists that would have the author romantic and splendidly sexy. —John Charles
leads and fully formed characters with con- of Emma searching for a fan. Combine this
flicting desires, and readers will laugh and with a thoughtfully developed, neurodiver- Plot Twist.
swoon as they find their way back to each gent heroine and an intriguing plot that By Erin La Rosa.
other through music. —Jillian Law offers insights into the attempts to reform Nov. 2023. 336p. Canary Street, paper, $18.99
YA: Any teenager who listens to Taylor the treatment of mental illness in the Vic- (9781335458117); e-book (9780369736680).
Swift will be absolutely hooked by this torian era, and you have a love story that is In La Rosa’s follow-up to her debut rom-
premise and by Riley’s many parallels to both smart and sexy. —John Charles com For Butter or Worse (2022), Sophie is a
Swift. JL. romance writer who has never fallen in love,
On the Plus Side. and one drunken night she declares that fact
A Demon’s Guide to Wooing a By Jenny L. Howe. to her karaoke audience and, unwittingly, to
Witch. Dec. 2023. 352p. St. Martin’s/Griffin, paper, $18 the whole world once it goes viral on TikTok.
By Sarah Hawley. (9781250837882); e-book (9781250837899). Her landlord, Dash (who is her best friend’s
Nov. 2023. 432p. Berkley, paper, $17 (9780593547946); When the hosts of her favorite TV show brother, so he’s off-limits, no matter how hot
e-book (9780593547953). turn up in her office with cameras rolling, he looks), is a former teen heartthrob from a
Hawley proves she is a bewitching ro- Everly Winters’ life changes. The make- Hollywood dynasty who is currently focused
mance maven with this follow-up to the over show, On the Plus Side, is designed on living life one day at a time to maintain
excellent A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating a to help people realize their dreams. Everly his sobriety. After Sophie’s embarrassing social
Demon (2023). In addition has been told she is “too much;” her body media moment, Dash helps her navigate the
to her talent for creating is too big, her laugh too loud, so she has fallout, including a scheme for her to meet up
knotty, witchy spells, Cal- tried to become unnoticeable. She works as with all of her exes, while Sophie writes Dash’s
ladia Cunnington is strong, the receptionist for a PR firm even though speech for an upcoming event with his diffi-
beautiful, and always ready she is a terrific artist. Her super-hot, flirta- cult family. The two battle, and then explore,
to jump into a brawl. She tious coworker, James, frequently relies on their steamy attraction to each other. This
rescues a man from what her ideas for his designs. The show’s host fo- book takes on some very serious topics, which
looks like a mugging by a cuses on her and James, but her real dream are lightened by Sophie’s zany antics, and will
demon and discovers the is to move up to graphic designer, create tat- appeal to fans of Christina Lauren and Tessa
victim is Astaroth, a member of the demon toos, and showcase her art at the Cape Cod Bailey. —Pamela Gardner
high council who has lost a wager and been Collective. Plaid-clad Logan, the grouchy
flung to earth with no memories. Things go lumbersexual camera operator, is big, sexy, Raiders of the Lost Heart.
from bad to worse when she lets him stay in and kind. When the show turns unsavory, By Jo Segura.
her spare room for the night, only to have his Everly rebels. Folks standing up for what Dec. 2023. 368p. Berkley, paper, $16.99 (9780593547465);
archnemesis show up and engulf her house is right always makes for a good story, and e-book (9780593547472).
in a raging inferno. Seeking help, Calladia the friendship-to-love relationship between Dr. Socorro “Corrie” Mejía is one of the
and Astaroth embark on a quest to find an Everly and Logan is fun and fulfilling. For world’s experts on Chimalli, an Aztec war-
immortal witch who can restore his memo- fans of All the Feels (2021), by Olivia Dade, rior whom she believes is a distant relative.
ries. The duo experiences a werewolf rugby and Curves for Days (2023), by Laura Mo- When she receives a mysterious invitation
brawl, fights demons, questions a dryad, her. —Diana Tixier Herald to join a dig in the jungle to look for Chi-

malli’s remains, she’s interested but cautious. great characters, including authentic LGBTQ their mistakes and who hope for redemption.
Arriving in Mexico, she is very unhappy to and disability representation, multiple points Originally published in 2020, God Machine
discover that the person in charge is Dr. Ford of view, original, bloody, and cinematic kills, will appeal most to readers who like true
Matthews, who managed to beat her at every- a fresh and twisty story with just the right crime elements mixed with some supernatural
thing she worked so hard for when they were amount of nostalgia, and a perfect dose of tropes. —A. E. Siraki
in graduate school together. Corrie quickly dark humor, this book is exactly what it claims
zeros in on a promising area, but a thief at to be, “Goosebumps for Grown-ups,” and oh, The Kingdom of Sweets: A Novel of
the campsite is endangering their efforts. In a what fun that is for horror readers. An early the Nutcracker.
classic enemies-to-lovers romance, Corrie and holiday gift for fans of slashers in any format By Erika Johansen.
Ford quickly begin spending hot sexy nights but specifically The Last Final Girl (2012), Nov. 2023. 368p. Dutton, $28 (9781524742751); e-book
together in the campground, while strug- by Stephen Graham Jones; Ten (2012), by (9781524742768).
gling with their competing goals during the Gretchen McNeil; and Clown in a Cornfield Johansen (The Queen of the Tearling, 2014)
daytime. Ford is falling hard for Corrie, but (2020), by Adam Cesare. —Becky Spratford transforms a beloved holiday classic into a
knows their relationship is doomed. Eventu- YA: With its teen protagonists and dark tale of vengeance. Natasha, the narrator,
ally, she will uncover the secrets that he’s kept tongue-in-cheek dark humor, this bloody and Clara are twins, born
from her all these years. Readers fascinated by slasher is a great choice for older teens who on Christmas day in a city
archaeology and Indiana Jones fans will love have graduated from Goosebumps. BS. reminiscent of early twenti-
Segura’s steamy romance. —C. L. Quillen eth-century St. Petersburg,
Exorcism. Russia. At their christening,
The Second Chance Year. By Han Song. Tr. by Michael Berry. they are “blessed” by the
By Melissa Wiesner. Nov. 2023. 432p. Amazon Crossing, paper, $16.99 mysterious Drosselmeyer,
Dec. 2023. 336p. Forever, $16.99 (9781538741917); e-book (9781542039505); e-book (9781542039499). to whom their father owes
(9781538741931). Yang Wei wakes up to find himself on a money. Natasha, declared
Sadie Thatcher has had the worst year ever. massive hospital ship, floating in a red sea “dark,” is considered unlucky and left alone to
She lost her dream job, her dream apartment, that’s reportedly full of monsters. Commit- her own devices, but being ignored allows her
and her dream guy, and now she’s living in the ted to the geriatric ward, he talks to the other to observe many unsavory details about those
apartment of her brother’s best friend, Jacob, patients, and they report the absurd details of around her as she grows up. Clara, deemed
spending her time eating ice their world—from the disappearance of the “light,” is beautiful, popular, and invited to
cream on the couch. Her doctors and their new dependence on them- every party, but she is flighty, with a tendency
best friend drags her to a selves and their limited, scrounged resources to ignore the consequences of her actions.
New Year’s Eve party, where to the hypocrisies of the AI in charge, who is Natasha loves her sister while also envying
a fortune teller gives her a supposedly going to make them all immortal. her, but an unexpected announcement at the
chance to relive the last year. As he tries to find the doctor who diagnosed Christmas party on their seventeenth birth-
Before she goes to bed that him, Yang Wei and his friends explore the day has a devastating impact on the young
night, she and Jacob share ship and discover the chaotic inner workings woman. When a gift from Drosselmeyer
a New Year’s kiss, but she’s of an AI on fire. This absurdist sf tale is a com- draws Clara into a winter-fantasy realm, Na-
horribly embarrassed when he immediately pelling satire of a broken health-care system tasha follows, hoping to confront her sister,
apologizes. When she wakes on New Year’s that treats its patients horribly while exalting but encounters the Sugar Plum Fairy instead.
Day, she’s in bed next to her old boyfriend in the “model patients” who want to get bet- The powerful fae offers a bargain that would
her old apartment. Sadie remembers the last ter and die right when their doctors thought literally change Natasha’s life if the pact were
year and is sure that she can use that knowl- they would. Readers won’t need to read the accepted. Fans of artistically influenced, re-
edge to make her second-chance year the author’s Hospital (2023) to dive in. While the alistic historical fiction wrapped in moral
best year ever. But sometimes getting what book can start to drag in its second half, and allegory will relish Natasha’s Nutcracker-adja-
you want isn’t what you need. Can she make there is an unnecessary sexual-assault scene, cent narrative. —Lucy Lockley
the changes necessary to find love and happi- the bizarre twists and disturbing wrongness YA: Older teens will appreciate 17-year-
ness, or is she doomed to disappointment? A are compelling and reminiscent of some post- old Natasha’s discontentedness and moral
swoony romance with a subplot about harass- modern classics. —Leah von Essen dilemma. LL.
ment and sexism in the workplace, Wiesner’s
latest will resonate with every reader who’s God Machine. Mothtown.
wondered, “What if?” —C. L. Quillen By Greg F. Gifune. By Caroline Hardaker.
Dec. 2023. 284p. Cemetery Dance, paper, $19.99 Nov. 2023. 400p. Angry Robot, paper, $17.99
(9781587679087). (9781915202734); e-book (9781915202772).
SF/ Fantasy & Horror Gifune (Children of Chaos, 2009; Gardens of Hardaker’s latest (after Composite Creatures,
the Night, 2010) is a familiar name to indie 2021) is creepy and anguished, a meeting of
Candy Cain Kills. horror fans, particularly of the now defunct Kafka’s Metamorphosis and Stephen King’s
By Brian McAuley. press, Darkfuse. In God Machine, Gifune takes Lisey’s Story. Ten-year-old David, different
Nov. 2023. 172p. Shortwave, paper, $13.99 readers to Cape Cod, where a former police from the rest of his family, experiences the
(9781959565192). officer, Chris, grieving his daughter, struggles upheaval of a lifetime when his grandfather
Shortwave’s series of novellas entitled Killer to find out why sex worker Sofia took her dies suddenly, leaving him feeling horribly
VHS features characters finding an old VHS own life, and with such violence. Chris can’t alone. His parents insist that his grandfather
tape that summons a monster. Film professor let go of this girl’s demise and begins to inves- is gone, but David knows that he is merely
and screenwriter McAuley sleighs it (ha) with tigate. He sees a nun with a face of fire, and missing, like so many others in his home-
the second book in the series. It’s Christmas things go downhill from there. Even though town. When David decides to investigate and
Eve, 2005, and teens Austin and Fiona are he needs to walk away, he gets involved in a risks going missing himself, he realizes that he
headed from L.A. to a remote cabin in the supernatural Opus Dei-like cult that is at the must choose between his grandfather’s eerie
mountains with their parents. Little do they heart of what happened to Sofia, much to his and magical legacy of hidden worlds and the
know that this house was the site of a grisly peril. Gifune, like his contemporaries, Ronald family who, in order to stay together, would
disaster 10 years previously, when an entire Malfi and Kristopher Triana, excels at stories rather not see the truth in front of them at
family died on Christmas morning. With of broken men who torment themselves with all. Hardaker’s vividly descriptive prose and

otherworldly storytelling embellish this novel A Stroke of the Pen: The Lost ues to build this universe. It’s a compelling
and make it an intriguing, unsettling read Stories. setting, both in the conflicts that arise from
from start to finish. The reader will be drawn By Terry Pratchett. the culture of the Corporation Rim and the
to David, following him as he works through Oct. 2023. 240p. Harper, $26.99 (9780063376199); e-book deep history Wells has established. At the
cryptic clues and crushing grief to understand (9780063376212). same time, she continues to evolve Murder-
why he lost the most precious person in his “When does a young writer become the bot in interesting directions. Readers won’t
world—and to see if there’s a chance to get writer you love?” asks longtime friend Neil miss the wall-to-wall action that defined the
him back. —Lily Hunter Gaiman in his heartfelt introduction to this series from its beginning. The characters and
collection of previously un- the world building remain engrossing and re-
The Star and the Strange Moon. discovered stories written by warding. —John Keogh
By Constance Sayers. the late Discworld author
Nov. 2023. 448p. Redhook, $30 (9780316493741); e-book when he was a young re- This Wretched Valley.
(9780316493697). porter. Serialized in regional By Jenny Kiefer.
Gemma Turner is a film star in the 1960s newspapers under a pseud- Jan. 2024. 304p. Quirk, paper, $18.99 (9781683693680);
who is unsuccessfully trying to move her ca- onym in the 1970s and e-book (9781683693697).
reer from one phase to the next. In the midst 1980s, these early stories Kiefer’s gory and intense debut centers on
of this, she does a modeling campaign that show Pratchett’s remarkable a doomed rock-climbing expedition beset by
is seen by a big-name French director. He ability to poke fun at the absurdity of the real horrors both human and supernatural. When
thinks she will be perfect for his next movie, world through fantasy full of irreverent word- geology graduate student Clay discovers an
which is a twist on a vampire-horror film play, silly authority figures, and subverted unmapped rock wall, his climber friend Dylan
called L’Etrange Lune. They will be filming endings. Many tales take place in Blackbury, a jumps at the chance to climb it first, the Insta-
in an old hunting lodge—a perfect match “pleasant little town really” where “things are gram stardom she’s been craving finally within
for the atmosphere of the film. The second never quite usual”: town-council members are her reach. Accompanied by Clay’s colleague,
thread of this story follows a young man beset by freak storms whenever they try to do Sylvia, and Dylan’s boyfriend, Luke, the group
named Christopher Kent throughout his life. anything official, an alien hides in plain sight, set off into the Kentucky wilderness, never
In Christopher’s story, Gemma disappeared and a simple misunderstanding can lead to the to return. Seven months later, the decaying
during the filming of L’Etrange Lune, and he creation of the world’s biggest exploding pie. bodies of Clay, Sylvia, and Luke are discov-
is obsessed with what happened to her. The The two most clearly fantasy stories, “Dragon ered, though Dylan is nowhere to be found.
mystery at the heart of the novel propels the Quest” and “The Quest for the Keys,” fol- Were their deaths just a tragic accident—or
reader through the story at a lightning speed, low innocent adventurers sent upon foolish something else? Kiefer, a climber herself, uti-
and it gets more and more interesting as the quests by shiftless leaders; the latter is also the lizes her knowledge of the sport to deliver an
story goes on. With the atmosphere of horror most proto-Discworld, set in Morpork and evocative and pulse-pounding survival horror
and some fantastical elements, this multigenre featuring a wizard named Grubble the Ut- novel inspired by the Dyatlov Pass incident.
read will speak to a lot of different readers, es- terly Untrustworthy. Pratchett’s legion of fans This disturbing outing marks her as a writer to
pecially fans of Night Film (2013), by Marisha will relish the view through this almost-over- watch and will appeal to fans of Scott Smith’s
Pessl. —Emily Whitmore looked window into the author’s evolution, The Ruins (2006) and the Showtime series Yel-
finding much to love in these clever, funny, lowjackets. —Kaitlin Conner
The Star-Crossed Pelican. and tightly written tales. —Krista Hutley
By Laura Ruth Loomis. Warrior of the Wind.
Dec. 2023. 171p. Thinklings, paper, $12.99 (9781951471149). System Collapse. By Suyi Davies Okungbowa.
Janet Delane continues her misadven- By Martha Wells. Nov. 2023. 480p. Orbit, paper, $19.99 (9780316428972);
tures as captain of the Cosmic Turkey (after Nov. 2023. 256p. Tor.com, $21.99 (9781250826978); e-book e-book (9780316428958).
The Cosmic Turkey, 2020), attending a peace (9781250826985). In this sequel to Son of the Storm (2021),
conference organized by the Cygnoids in After the events of Fugitive Telemetry (2021), the Red Emperor, Esheme, is at the height of
the Pelican Nebula. Unfortunately, the Cyg- Murderbot, ART, and their colleagues remain her power—and she’s determined to solidify
noids’ definition of peace is to provide all of on the alien-infected planet on the other side herself as someone to be feared. Someone
the other planets with lists of modifications of the wormhole, combating the infection untouchable. But that requires stamping
the Cygnoids require to avoid torture with and trying to convince the out the rebels who escaped Bassa—scholar
their new device, the Civilizer, which forces planetary colonists to leave Danso and skin-changing warrior Lilong,
victims to relive their most embarrassing mo- their world for their own who have a powerful magical object in their
ments. Securing real peace will fall to Captain safety. But corporate inter- possession that could threaten her empire. As
Delane’s mismatched crew, her ex-boyfriend ests oppose their efforts, and Esheme threatens to exhaust herself shoring
from a different time line and his current it turns out there are more up power using her blood magic, Danso and
girlfriend (who altered the time line), other people on the planet than Lilong negotiate with a company of bandits.
assorted groups who are by their very natures they realized. Meanwhile, If they break someone out of prison, the Gad-
opposed to each other, and a random guy Murderbot is having some is- do Company will pay for their passage east,
Delane met through an interspecies dating sues and isn’t operating at full capacity. How where they can find Lilong’s father and figure
site. The overall plan may ultimately hinge are they supposed to successfully navigate out what the magical object has in store for
on Delane’s “technology jinx” that random- everyone through a potentially hair-trigger them. This book extends the well-built world
ly causes technology to fail around her. The standoff when they’re not sure they even of frightening beasts and bloodthirsty rulers
Star-Crossed Pelican is a delightful story in know what they’re doing? This installment of that Okungbowa established in the first book
a universe that clearly doesn’t take itself too the Murderbot Diaries is more a tale of po- of this series. Similar to that volume, Warrior
seriously, focusing on the interpersonal and litical intrigue than violent action. Not that of the Wind tends to drag slightly, particularly
interspecies drama in an expansive universe there aren’t pulse-pounding fights aplenty, in the middle. Still, the intricate, fascinating
rather than hard-core sf. This quick, light but the balance has shifted. While Murderbot world and Esheme’s character journey are
read will keep readers entertained and guess- remains the main character, narrating their both worth the investment for lovers of epic
ing. —Frances Moritz snarky take on every situation, Wells contin- fantasy. —Leah von Essen

leaving everyone in the galaxy stuck in space.
Graphic Novels Unless, of course, Ada and Haika can unlock
the lost secret of space travel from before the
time of alcanite. With this original yet topi-
Adult partner—his illness, their geographies, their cal premise, Pomery builds a fantastic world
future. Even as she presents complicated con- filled with danger, desperation, and suitably
Are You Willing to Die for the Cause? cepts (because technology—and Kurzweil!), alien creatures. Along their odyssey, the crew
By Chris Oliveros. Art by the author. she deftly enables accessible understanding. members find several ominous harbingers,
Oct. 2023. 168p. Drawn & Quarterly, $24.95 Her inviting art is as intricate as photos and such as the bodies of migrants who died while
(9781770466616). 741.5. screenshots (because technology—and Kurz- attempting to travel before the switch and an
The Front de libération du Québec (FLQ) weil!) and as simple as a few lines. Panels vary incapacitated cruiser out of fuel—these dis-
started off in the early 1960s as a socialist throughout, with and without borders, in mal yet realistic details truly show the depths
insurrection opposed to Anglo-Saxon im- size and placement, as if a literal reminder of of this impending catastrophe. The cartoon-
perialism. But through a series of bumbling unpredictability, regardless of preparedness. ish yet architectural artwork sometimes feels
attacks, the FLQ devolved into a domestic Answers are few, but the questions inspire like an unusual match for the tone of the sto-
terrorist group feared by both the Canadian imagination, invention, and intriguing inter- ry; it seems to lessen the implicit tragedy of
government and the Québécois. Oliveros’ en- action. —Terry Hong the galaxy-wide situation and can move the
grossing first in a two-book series explores the action shots and fight scenes along far too
early days of the FLQ. In a story told from the The Golden Voice: The Ballad of quickly. SF fans who appreciate distinctive
points of view of politicians, law enforcement, Cambodian Rock’s Lost Queen. atmosphere and world building might enjoy
reporters, and disillusioned former FLQ By Gregory Cahill. Art by Kat Baumann. the journey through this dystopian story.
members through a lost, fictional 1975 CBC Oct. 2023. 187p. Humanoids, paper, $24.99 —Peter Blenski
documentary, Oliveros captures this tumultu- (9781643378732). 741.5.
ous period in Canadian history with humor This, a biography of Ros Serey Sothea, I Am Stan: A Graphic Biography of the
and gravitas. Clean, clear, and wavy lines dubbed the “Queen with the Golden Voice” Legendary Stan Lee.
mixed with muted vibrant hues and earthy both during and after her life, expands on By Tom Scioli. Art by the author.
tones give the story a cinematic retro vibe and enhances writer 2023. 208p. Ten Speed, $28.99 (9781984862020); paper,
that complements its television-documentary Cahill’s award-winning $22.99 (9781984862037). 741.5.
backdrop. Tasteful cartoony art and puffy short film by the same There is no shortage of biographies on Stan
declarative word clouds provide comic relief, name. Following the star’s Lee, but Scioli provides us with a more im-
but the story’s matter-of-fact first-person nar- life, from rice farmer and partial look at the comic-book writer known
ratives serve as counterpoint to the innocent boiled-snail peddler to best for his work at Marvel. Scioli’s biogra-
visual style, even if the more violent episodes national radio fame to her phy spans Lee’s life from his youth through
are left off the page. These events may have untimely and, to this day, his early jobs and time in the military and
happened 50 years ago, but the visages of the mysterious disappearance covering when he eventually landed a job
past continue to haunt and reverberate with by the Khmer Rouge, the creators weave a in publishing, where he spent the rest of his
the present. —Nancy Powell delicate balance between biography, story- career. Scioli provides a well-researched and
telling, and history to immerse the reader in comprehensive account of Lee’s contribu-
Artificial: A Love Story. the culture and feeling of the moment during tions to superhero comics, focusing on his
By Amy Kurzweil. Art by the author. this dangerous wartime in Cambodia. Art- interpersonal relations with (and his disre-
Oct. 2023. 368p. Catapult, $38 (9781948226387); e-book, ist Baumann makes smart use of the comics gard for the creative innovations of ) fellow
$16.99 (9781948226394). 741.5. medium, highlighting the three languages comic book legends, such as Jack Kirby and
Amy Kurzweil’s debut memoir, Flying spoken throughout with different bubbling Steve Ditko. Scioli’s art is unconventional for
Couch (2016), featured her maternal lineage. and narrowing in on audience faces when the typical graphic novel; pages are comprised
Her latest highlights her paternal ancestry: a character is singing. Music is hard to do of numerous short, page-wide panels with a
she’s deep in conversation and collaboration well in comics, and focusing on how other focus on close-ups of the subject. The colors
with her father, AI guru Ray Kurzweil—he’s characters feel in the moment is a brilliant used evoke old four-color newspaper print-
famous for his technological singularity pre- approach. A unique add-on for the comic is ing, adding to the nostalgia for early comics
diction, which describes the integration of a playlist—available via publishing. The frames are quite text-heavy,
when computers become QR code—of Cambodian songs meant to with plenty of sources and notes provided for
smarter than humans— be played at specific points in the story. The reference. With so many biographies laud-
to better understand end of the book includes a helpful guide on ing his contributions, recommend this title
her grandfather, Fred- “fact vs. fiction,” making clear how the cre- to show a more nuanced view of Stan Lee.
eric Kurzweil. A gifted ators modified time lines and filled in blanks —Suzanne Temple
pianist, composer, and to generate a more complete story, all done
conductor, Vienna-born with input from Sothea’s family. Comics I Must Be Dreaming.
Fred escaped the Nazis about the history of Cambodia and its peo- By Roz Chast. Art by the author.
in 1938 through the intervention of a wealthy ple are having a bit of a moment, and this Oct. 2023. 128p. Bloomsbury, $28 (9781620403228). 741.5.
American admirer. His immigrant life was is a beautiful addition readers won’t want to Everyone has that one recurring dream
marked with struggle; he died at 57 in 1970, miss. —Matthew Noe that just won’t go away—falling from the
16 years before Amy’s birth. For decades, Ray sky, wandering the supermarket for what
hoarded his father’s documents and, with Amy The Hard Switch. feels like eternity, or any number of personal
Kurzweil’s assistance, he’s compiled the infor- By Owen D. Pomery. Art by the author. fantasies or nightmares. What those dreams
mation to create an “avatar” of a man he lost Oct. 2023. 100p. Avery Hill, $20.99 (9781910395707). 741.5. mean though is up to countless interpreta-
too early: “If it’s really done well, I could de- Ada and Haika are scavengers, looking tions and, as Chast explores here, even those
velop a relationship with it that’s similar to the for the finite resource that makes interstel- interpretations might be up for interpreta-
relationship I did have,” he muses. While ex- lar transportation possible. But alcanite is tion. Though Freud and Jung remain the
ploring potential immortality with her father, quickly depleting everywhere, and once it pillars of modern dream interpretation,
Amy Kurzweil intertwines glimpses of her finally runs out, the “hard switch” will begin, Chast also provides a dive into how inter-

pretation of dream meaning influenced life of [her] tidy little life.” While Alex com- een in Shammas’ whimsically creepy graphic
in the ancient world and skims the surface of mences his journey to be himself, Anne, novel. After a late-night diner breakfast, Gar-
how neuroscience and neurobiology are un- too, begins her own process from resistance rett, Ty, Marissa, and Radwa head to the
derstanding the phenomenon of dreaming to acceptance. Durand presents the raw, cemetery to “party with ghosts,” where they
today. The book is organized by categories aching spectrum of Anne’s experiences as a find a mausoleum housing an elaborately
like “Recurring Dreams” and “Body Hor- hybrid journal of personal reflections, his- costumed automaton holding a wooden
ror,” and readers will gain unique insight torical elucidations, and scientific evidence. candle with an invitation to “make a wish.”
into the author’s unconscious and may rec- Her crisp line drawings tend toward spare- Naturally, they do, and they find themselves
ognize their own dreams there—perhaps ness, as does her use of mostly solid colors transported to the surreal Confetti Realms,
offering some proof of the collective uncon- as simple enhancements; she reserves the where the automaton introduces itself as Tom
scious. Sure to appeal to nonfiction comics technicolor bursts for the most important and sets them a task to complete—a simple
readers and dream-theory enthusiasts alike. revelations. Durand intersperses images of debt collection of four teeth—before they can
—Matthew Noe Anne’s head in various stages of sinking go home. With Tom’s map and a list of the
into, rising from, and disappearing below debtors, the teens set out on a strange adven-
Prince In Comics. an unspecified surface, as if indicating her ture where their interpersonal dramas—grief,
By Nicolas Finet and Tony Lourenço. progress (or not) toward understanding. depression, romantic angst—take center
2023. 168p. illus. NBM, $27.99 (9781681123219). 741.5. Unidentified (and unidentifiable) bodies, stage, leading them to surprising revelations
Prince Rogers Nelson was called many often unclothed, float freely through the about what they truly need. At turns playful
things during his lifetime—prodigy, pages, in various hues and poses—brilliant and menacing, Karnessa’s detailed artwork is
provocateur, transgressor, flamboyant, un- visual reminders as to the fluidity of human populated with fanciful creatures and anthro-
predictable, generous of spirit. The man who identities. Real-life Alex’s real-life letter to pomorphic animals, calling to mind Alice’s
pioneered the “Minneapolis sound” with his mother near the book’s end is a spectacu- Adventures in Wonderland or Over the Garden
his unique blend of funk, rock, synth pop, lar coda, further underscored by translator Wall. Colorist Oshiro leans into the Hallow-
and new wave consistently defied expecta- McGorray’s own reveal as trans and nonbi- een vibes with rich, warm fall colors and eerie
tions through talent and virtuosity. Finet nary. —Terry Hong blue-toned moonlit scenes. —Krista Hutley
and Lourenço’s biography is a love letter to YA: Trans teens and their allies will find
Prince and a glowing decade-by-decade cele- empathic support and resources in these Courage to Dream: Tales of Hope in the
bration of a larger-than-life icon through the illuminating pages. TH. Holocaust.
eyes of the musicians, lovers, and business By Neal Shusterman. Art by Andrés Vera
acquaintances who knew him best. Graphic Whisper of the Woods. Martínez.
visualizations of specific episodes in Prince’s By Ennun Ana Iurov. Art by the author. Oct. 2023. 256p. Scholastic/Graphix, $24.99
life alternate with photographic essays and Oct. 2023. 96p. Diamond/Mad Cave, paper, $19.99 (9780545313476). Gr. 7–12. 741.5.
prose summations. The artists’ renderings (9781952303746). 741.5. Shusterman has been known for breaking
move from straightforward portraits of The Transylvania region of Romania is the conventions of genres throughout his career,
Prince to surrealistic vignettes that capture real-life home to Hoia Baciu Forest, a place and his latest, a series of short stories on the
his spirit. The varied styles include a manga where people are reported to enter, never Holocaust rendered in comics panels, is no
interpretation of Prince during his TAFKAP to be seen again. When Adam’s best friend exception. Drawing upon characters from
years, by Toru Terada, and a vibrant spread Vlad goes missing in the forest, Adam trav- traditional Jewish stories, like Moses or the
of Prince as producer by animation director els to a local village, where he meets friends Golem, Shusterman uses their powers to dis-
and visual artist Kongkee. Samuel Figuiére and family of those who have met similar rupt the Nazi machine and save people from
narrates Prince’s relationship with percus- fates. Locals believe the forest is home to the Holocaust; these superpowers mirror the
sionist Sheila E. through a monochromatic iele, mythical creatures similar to the Greek real-life heroics of Jews who saved others dur-
pastel memory sequence (nudity involved). sirens who target passing men. Despite being the war. Each story ends with an author’s
And Noémi Honein’s colored pencil il- ing warned not to enter the forest, Adam is note and photos to explain the parallels to
lustrations complement Prince’s spiritual undeterred and goes in search of Vlad, to history, making it a great resource for lessons
awakening. Fans will find something to ap- an unfathomable end. Writer and illustrator on WWII. The last story, in which a young
preciate in this comprehensive celebration of Iurov succeeds in creating a work of horror girl meets her family and cousins who would
this icon. —Nancy Powell based on Romanian folklore and legends. have been born had there been no Holocaust,
While the characters lack detailed facial fea- feels particularly haunting and pressing. The
Transitions: A Mother’s Journey. tures like noses and appear to have hollow naturalist artwork does a decent job telling
By Élodie Durand. Art by the author. eyes, their emotions are easily decipherable the story and relaying the emotions, but it
Tr. by Evan McGorray. through their expressions. Although Iurov feels rather safe in comparison to the dynam-
Nov. 2023. 176p. Top Shelf, paper, $19.99 (9781603095181). uses a muted palette, plenty of detail can be ic genre-blending in Shusterman’s writing.
741.5. found in the setting and dress of the charac- Overall, this is an enlightening read on a pe-
The names here are fictional, Durand ters. Adult and mature teen fans of spooky rennially important topic. —Peter Blenski
writes in her opening author’s note. The folklore and mythology like La Llorona will
story may lie “between enjoy this short graphic work in an uncom- The Glass Scientists, v.1.
fiction and reality,” but mon setting. —Suzanne Temple By S. H. Cotugno. Art by the author.
it’s inspired by three Oct. 2023. 240p. Razorbill, $24.99 (9780593524428);
years Durand spent with paper, $16.99 (9780593524442). Gr. 7–10. 741.5.
not-her-real-name Anne Yo u n g A d u l t Beware, monsters and scientists; London
Marbot. On January 21, can be an unsafe place for you in this story
2017, Anne’s 19-year-old Confetti Realms. that begins with an angry mob of townsfolk
child announced, “I am By Nadia Shammas. Art by Karnessa and hunting down a werewolf to destroy it. Out
a boy.” Anne, a French Hackto Oshiro. of nowhere comes one man to save the day,
university researcher specializing in biology, Oct. 2023. 196p. Maverick, paper, $14.99 (9781952303333). Dr. Jekyll, founder of the Society for Arcane
named her first child “Lucie” at birth, but Gr. 9–12. 741.5. Sciences. He desires to turn science into a re-
“news of this gender change hit [her] like a Four teens get more than they bargained for spectable field, but Dr. Jekyll is hiding a secret,
tidal wave . . . sweeping away the comfort when they break into a cemetery on Hallow- and now a mysterious man is causing chaos

within the Society. Who is this man, and can
ManGa EsSenTiAlS
he be stopped? This historical fantasy comic
will transport readers to an early Victorian
era with a Sherlock Holmes–type feel. After
a somewhat slow start, the pace picks up, es-
pecially when Cotugno explores the Society, Demon Slayer
which is filled with wacky scientists with even
wackier inventions and experiments, such as by Sara Smith
one scientist attempting to make a cat invis-
ible. The detailed, jewel-toned artwork packs
intriguing details into just about every panel,
D emon Slayer, by Koyoharu Gotouge, exploded onto the anime and manga scene with
much of its popularity peaking in 2020, but as the anime continues to gain viewer-
ship in North America, this 23-volume manga series is still popular among library patrons.
and the gothic atmosphere is in fun contrast
to the cartoonish figures and action. Readers With its relatively low volume count, it’s a battle-manga that is easier for libraries to col-
unfamiliar with the original story of Dr. Je- lect and keep in stock. There are some distinct arcs and places where purchasing could
kyll will get a kick when his secret is revealed. pause for those budget-conscious librarians looking to spread the wealth among many
—Shaira Rock series, so I recommend sticking to these arcs if purchasing this series in chunks.
• Training and Intro: v.1–3. Gr. 7–12. When Tanjiro returns home to find his sister
Hockey Girl Loves Drama Boy. has become a demon and the rest of his family is murdered, he turns his quest for
By Faith Erin Hicks. Art by the author.
vengeance into training to join the Demon Slayer corps. As he sets off on his first
Oct. 2023. 304p. First Second, paper, $17.99
(9781250838728). Gr. 9–12. 741.5.
assignments, he meets a doctor who may be able to help turn his sister back into a
Alix is the eponymous Hockey Girl. She’s human and two other demon slayers whom he will travel with: Zenitsu and Inosuke.
undoubtedly the star of her team, but that • Mount Natagumo: v.4–6. Gr. 7–12. Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke battle against a
doesn’t prevent the constant mistreatment strong family of demons with the powers of spiders. At times, the three are separated
and bullying she’s forced to endure by team and face off against different members of the family. We are also introduced to the
captain Lindsay, even as the coach does concept of Hashira, top members of the Demon Slayer Corps, and the Kizuki, the top
nothing to prevent the re-
ranking, powerful demons. After this battle, our three recuperate and train at the
lentless locker-room (and
beyond) abuse. Alix finally Butterfly Mansion, home to the Insect Hashira, where they learn new techniques and
reaches a breaking point fighting styles.
and stops Lindsay’s vicious • Infinity Train: v.7–8. Gr. 7–12. After a boost in power from
harangue—with violence. Muzan and orders to kill Tanjiro, a Kizuki traps Tanjiro, Ze-
“Sticks and stones,” the nitsu, Inosuke, and the Flame Hashira aboard a passenger
coach counters, blaming
train and lulls them into beautiful dreams. The team suffers
Alix for her loss of control
and threatening to prevent Alix from attend- its first major loss in this fight. Tanjiro travels to the Flame
ing the Canada National Women’s U-18 Hashira’s home to learn more about the family’s mysterious
team’s summer camp. Enter Drama Boy, Ezra, fire breathing, which may hold secrets to helping him be-
who’s been provoked yet again by nemesis come a more powerful swordsman.
Greg (surprise! he’s also Lindsay’s boyfriend!) • Entertainment District: v.9–11. Gr. 7–12. Sound Hashira re-
with homophobic taunts about Ezra’s latest cruits the trio to go undercover in courtesan houses to find
breakup. As Alix watches with admiration,
out if demons are behind the disappearance of his wives.
Ezra manages to confidently, peacefully diffuse
the verbal assault. To keep playing hockey, High-ranking Kizuki demons are operating several houses
Alix needs to learn Ezra’s skills. She shyly ap- and stealing humans, leading to a large-scale battle across the district.
proaches him with “Maybe you could teach • Swordsmith Village & Hashira Training: v.12–15. Gr. 7–12. Since Tanjiro has broken
me?” Let the lessons commence. Eisner- many nichirin swords, his swordsmith refuses to make him another, which prompts
winning Hicks is a remarkable storyteller, Tanjiro to visit the secret village of the smiths. While there, the Kizuki launches a
equally convincing in words and panels. Her devastating attack against the folks responsible for arming the entire Demon Slayer
exceptional black-and-white drawings—ac-
Corps. At the end of this offensive, demons and slayers alike gear up for the final war,
cented throughout with a memorable shade
of blue—are a nonstop collage of high-school with the demon slayers participating in training from each Hashira.
dysfunction, friendship recalibrations, fam- • Final Battle Arc: v.16–23. Gr. 7–12. The trap is laid for Muzan and slayers in turn in two
ily negotiations, and plenty of memorable arcs: Infinity Castle, where Muzan ensnares the demon slayers in his labyrinth of a cas-
moments on and off the ice. Hicks admits tle, and Sunrise Countdown, where the slayers give everything they can to keep Muzan
that despite being Canadian, she can’t ice- out in the open until sunrise, when they hope the rays will destroy his body. (Not pur-
skate and has “never played hockey,” but her
chasing this chunk together would leave your readers with some terrible cliffhangers!)
former-hockey-player hubby gets grateful ku-
dos at book’s end. —Terry Hong Demon Slayer is gut-wrenching and full of high-stakes battles, in which Gotouge punc-
tuates intense fighting with characters’ memories and demons’ past lives that build
If You’ll Have Me. sympathies for slayers and demons alike. The result is a case study in character devel-
By Eunnie. Art by the author. opment and building a well-rounded cast. There are only a few moments of characters
Oct. 2023. 336p. Viking, $24.99 (9780593403228); paper, not fully dressed, and no nudity is shown in panels. The series is heavy on violence and
$17.99 (9780593403235). Gr. 9–12. 741.5.
blood with no shortage of death, dismemberment, and lacerations shown repeatedly
Iyashikei, or healing-type, manga is a sub-
on the page, but despite its viscera, Demon Slayer is an essential purchase that should
genre designed to be mellow and comfort
readers. While this isn’t from Japan and has be a mainstay on library shelves for decades and has the potential to become the next
higher emotional stakes than a true example Naruto in its ubiquity.
of that subgenre, the way it delights in the

small joys of falling in love expresses the to become the mythical Magic Knights and Stars in Their Eyes.
same wonder and warmth. Readers follow save them all. Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu are By Jessica Walton. Art by Aśka and
shy Momo and aloof PG as they meet in col- plucked from their school field trip and given Bonaia Rosado.
lege and get to know each a quest to awaken their magic, find material 2023. 224p. Scholastic/Graphix, paper, $15.99
other. While both girls for their personal weapons, and save Cefiro (9781338818796). Gr. 7–12. 741.5.
have baggage from their before they can return home. Along the way, Maisie is on her way to her very first fan
pasts to work through and they are met with a col- convention to meet her idol, Midnight Girls’
communication issues that orful cast of supporting star Kara Bufano. The night before the con,
threaten to derail their re- characters, including the she takes a dip in the ho-
lationship, the book revels childlike sorcerer Clef, the tel pool, but pools are a
in all the little things that graceful weapon maker disability danger zone for
make up knowing anoth- Presea, and the fluffy Mo- 14-year-old Maisie, filled
er person, from learning what her favorite kona, their guide, who with both cooling waters
snack from the vending machine is to talking never seems to be around and invasive comments on
for hours to watching the sunset. Expressive when trouble strikes. This bravery. This book fully
art underlines the connection between the beautifully illustrated adventure story has rejects the objectification
girls through blushes, smiles, and shared some of CLAMP’s most breathtaking splash of disabled individuals in
glances. Additionally, the style of each girl pages, and their use of inventive panel struc- the name of inspiration, allowing readers to
communicates not only her look but also ture allows for some intense storytelling meet the real Maisie. Meanwhile, she’s sur-
how she interfaces with the world. Momo is throughout. As readers progress through the rounded by chirping birds and ringing bells
awkwardly adorable in her casual clothes and story, the magnitude of the trio’s adventure when meeting Ollie; they’re a 15-year-old
simply delightful in her dresses, while PG’s palpably lifts off each page with the amount convention volunteer and fellow Midnight
effortless androgyny highlights the coolness of detail that has gone into each panel. This Girls fan. Will Maisie’s first con also be her
others attribute her, though it contributes to twenty-fifth-anniversary edition also provides first love? Walton’s graphic novel is a vivid,
a stressful relationship with her parents. An a wonderful new translation and fidelity to authentic depiction of daily life with disabil-
absolutely charming read for anyone inter- the original sound effects and panel orienta- ity, proudly celebrating queer love without
ested in romance and relationship building. tion, which is an enhancement to the overall compromise. The background art is alive
—Sarah Rice reader experience. This magical girl fantasy with artist alleys, daily pillboxes, packed
would be a great addition to school libraries hallways, realistic mobility aids, and Sailor
Look on the Bright Side. serving younger readers who like Sailor Moon Moon cosplay. Jo One, Maisie’s mom, and
By Lily Williams and Karen Schneemann. Art or Tokyo Mew Mew or where other fantasy Joe Two, Ollie’s dad, are lovingly present
by Lily Williams. stories are popular. —Sara Smith for their children’s coming out, with iden-
Oct. 2023. 336p. First Second, paper, $14.99 tity pins and popular cultural references.
(9781250834102). Gr. 7–10. 741.5. Run and Hide: How Jewish Youth Writer Walton, artist Aśka, and colorist
Schneemann and Williams reunite Sasha, Escaped the Holocaust. Rosado together achieve both disability joy
Brit, Christine, and Abby in this endearing By Don Brown. Art by the author. and queer joy on pages that pop with pride
sequel to the Eisner-nominated graphic nov- Oct. 2023. 192p. Clarion, $22.99 (9780358538165). Gr. 7–12. flags and familiar anime characters. Social-
el Go with the Flow (2020). After sparking a 741.5. emotional learning essentials are ever present
period revolution at Hazelton High, the four Focusing on the fates of more than a mil- with a particular focus on self-awareness and
friends face new challenges: endometrio- lion children during the Holocaust, this stark social awareness. A perfect match for sec-
sis, junior year, overwhelming crushes, and graphic novel from multiple-award-winning ondary schools and teen library collections.
more. With Brit caught between two polar- Brown is another unflinching recounting of —Victoria Rahbar
opposite boys and Christine’s feelings for a horrific time in world history. The unvar-
Abby bubbling up, will their friendship help nished narrative of the war’s evolution as a Turtle Bread: A Graphic Novel about
them endure eleventh grade? Veering from murderous crusade against Jewish people is Baking, Fitting In, and the Power of
the monochromatic crimson of Go with the punctuated by poignant first-person accounts Friendship.
Flow, this sequel bursts with movement, of evasion, escape, and survival—bewildered By Kim-Joy. Art by Alti Firmansyah.
featuring bold outlines and colored-pencil partings with agonized parents during the Oct. 2023. 136p. Dark Horse, paper, $19.99
shading. Williams’ art style adds a gritty, Kindertransport, harrowing escapes from re- (9781506730981). Gr. 7–12. 741.5.
realistic touch to the characters. The sto- lentless Gestapo, and courageous, ingenious, This beautifully illustrated, eye-opening,
ry follows a familiar trope, in which four sometimes sacrificial rescue efforts by ordi- and often-entertaining graphic novel explores
friends navigate distinct life lessons, coming nary people. A scratchy line loosely contains the reality of those who suffer from mental
together to support one another’s growth. muted watercolor washes in grays and blues, health issues. The story begins with 23-year-
The authors leverage this familiarity, includ- with saturated reds reserved for the Nazi flag old Asian British Yan, who suffers from social
ing references to the 2005 film adaptation of or the flames of exploding bombs. Brown’s anxiety enough that she’s struggling to find a
“Pride and Prejudice,” to create a relatable people present sloping, asymmetrical faces; job. To help her overcome her fears, she joins
and charming bond between readers and the with mouths often mere slashes, sometimes a local baking club, where she meets a mot-
characters. This Sisterhood of the Traveling stitched tight, and eyes squinted into slant- ley group of people with a passion for baking,
Pants–esque story will have readers laughing ing ovals, their simply drawn, spiky features who welcome her with open arms. The wacky,
and cheering for Sasha, Brit, Christine, and transmit a chaos of human emotions: cal- friendly, and supportive bunch is just what
Abby. —Talea Fournier lousness, malevolence, panic, horror, pathos. Yan needs to build her confidence and be
With extensive source notes, back mat- comfortable with the way she is. Voiceover
Magic Knight Rayearth, v.1. ter includes “Uninterrupted,” a statement boxes throughout the comics demonstrate
By CLAMP. Art by the author. listing genocidal events continuing in the Yan’s anxiety and her path to managing it,
Oct. 2023. 208p. Kodansha, paper, $12.99 (9781646519729). post-WWII world. This indelible graphic and the process is not without setbacks. Fir-
Gr. 5–10. 741.5. perspective grimly etches a crucial acknowl- mansyah and Laud’s manga-inspired artwork
The magical world of Cefiro is in trouble, edgment of the Holocaust’s harrowing toll includes recipes for the treat Yan prepares,
and three young girls from Tokyo are sum- on humanity’s youngest and most vulner- and though they’re in black and white, they’re
moned by an imprisoned Princess Emeraude able. —Rebecca Thornburgh detailed enough that readers won’t lose mean-

ingful emotional context or the ability to spent with the other, feelings that intensify electrifying full-color panels with mythic
comprehend the recipes. Fans of The Great as they practice techniques he taught them. origins and onerous quests. What could have
British Bake Off will appreciate this warm- Aaron Bagley’s nimble cartooning makes been just another adolescent coming-of-age
hearted, personal story from a memorable great work of the speedy, minute moves in gets dynamically enhanced with witches,
contestant. —Shaira Rock fencing matches, as well as the expressive fac- portals, and newfound superpowers. Ster-
es and body language that signal the girls’ big ling’s author’s note insists this “is not an
The Unlikely Story of Felix and emotions. Each chapter opens with a page autobiography” and then admits, “but it
Macabber. from the guidebook, which neatly echoes the kind of is. There is so much of me in this sto-
By Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou. Art by Juni Ba. story’s plot. With an uncommonly keen eye ry and in these characters.” He confesses he
Oct. 2023. 152p. Dark Horse, paper, $24.99 for the convoluted way kids deal with grief, “wasted so much time and energy trying to
(9781506738222). Gr. 9–12. 741.5. this heartening story of growth and a family be a ‘regular’ kid” but eventually realized be-
“A monster doesn’t cry. A monster fights.” healing from loss is a natural pick for fans ing a mixed-race Filipino American “should
In a world of monsters, timid little Felix is of Raina Telgemeier and Shannon Hale. be celebrated”: “The stuff that makes you
constantly bullied by his peers. When they —Sarah Hunter ‘different’ is the best stuff. I promise.” Hand
dare him to knock on the door of a huge, this empowering title to kids needing a boost
spooky house, he does, only to run in ter- The Japanese Yokai Handbook: A Guide of confidence. —Terry Hong
ror when confronted with its occupant, to the Spookiest Ghosts, Demons,
Macabber, legendary monstering champion Monsters and Evil Creatures from Saving H’non: Chang and the
(similar to wrestling) and known as the scar- Japanese Folklore. Elephant.
iest monster in the world. Later, Macabber By Masami Kinoshita. Art by the author. By Trang Nguyen and Jeet Zdung. Art by Jeet
rescues Felix from the bullies chasing him Oct. 2023. 176p. Tuttle, paper, $14.99 (9784805317280). Zdung.
after school, and soon Felix is following the Gr. 3–8. 741.5. Oct. 2023. 128p. Dial, $23.99 (9780593406731); paper,
retired champion around, hoping to learn A fun exploration of yōkai (ghosts and su- $13.99 (9780593406724). Gr. 3–7. 741.5.
how to be an intimidating, ruthless fighter, pernatural beings) from Japanese folklore, Open any page here and be instantly
too. Macabber, who sees his childhood self written by an expert in yōkai studies, this transported to another world in which the
in the little monster, visits his hometown book is a great read for anyone curious to learn elephant-and-human relationship is vividly
seeking closure, where he delves into his bit- more about these mysterious and sometimes presented. The titu-
ter, violent past. Amid a wide variety of Ba’s hilarious beings. Each yōkai is presented as lar H’non was a real
inventive monster designs, Felix stands out though it is on a trading card with its vari- Asian elephant in
for being terribly cute, with huge round eyes ous attributes listed. Yōkai are grouped based Vietnam: at 4, she
and pointy ears peeking out of an oversized on whether they are scary, mysterious, pow- was stolen from
hoodie, while the more properly monstrous erful, weird, cute, simple, sad, kind, evil, or her mother to per-
Macabber’s expressive face shows his inner stupid. This playful take on Japanese folklore form hard labor,
turmoil. Chaotic battle scenes—from Macab- will entertain readers with its fun tone and pulling timber at 8 and then concrete elec-
ber’s spectacle-rich monstering competitions comprehensive but concise explanations. The tric poles by 20. At 50, she was too old and
to meaner, more personal fights—balance in- book also includes information about places in weak to work at construction sites but was
trospective moments that highlight the toxic Japan where yōkai supposedly can be found. further brutalized as a tourist attraction.
cycle of violence and the emotional cost of With vibrant color illustrations and engag- At 60, she was emaciated with a damaged
never showing weakness. —Krista Hutley ing text, this is excellent for children looking spine and a broken tail and leg—until she
to learn about supernatural creatures, as well was finally saved by Animals Asia Founda-
as older readers looking to learn more about tion and spent her last few years peacefully
Middle Japanese folklore. —Ashley Hawkins at Yok Đôn National Park before she died
in 2021. H’non’s story arrives on the page,
Duel. Mabuhay! wondrously produced by the same award-
By Jessixa Bagley. Art by Aaron Bagley. By Zachary Sterling. Art by the winning author-artist team for Saving Sorya
Nov. 2023. 320p. Simon & Schuster, $24.99 author. (2021). Nguyen is a young globe-trotting
(9781534496552); paper, $14.99 (9781534496545). Gr. 5–8. Oct. 2023. 240p. Scholastic/Graphix, $24.99 conservationist who volunteered at Yok Đôn
741.5. (9781338738643). Gr. 3–7. 741.5. and, with the help of other conservationists,
Lucy’s entering a new school for sixth With summer vacation approaching, Mom assisted in Saving H’non—as in Sorya, Nguy-
grade, where her sister, GiGi, is an eighth- and Dad have already assigned jobs to pre- en’s stand-in is again feisty, tenacious Chang.
grader. Almost right from the start, the thick vent the kids from relentlessly playing video Zdung is a stupendous creative partner, his
tension between them at games (JJ) and streaming golden-hued, intricately detailed panels
home spills over at school horror films (Althea). JJ underscoring the plight of the elephants.
when GiGi trips Lucy and will be the dancing pig wel- Most notably, Zdung’s anthropomorphized
Lucy challenges GiGi to a coming customers while expressions of the beleaguered pachyderms
duel with GiGi’s own fenc- Althea offers free samples are an empathic, desperate plea for humans
ing foil. Despite warnings of the toothsome Filipino to reengage our humanity and help all wild
from the principal, Lucy fare from the family’s food animals live free. Elucidated and enhanced
sticks to her plan and se- truck. But first, the siblings with inspiring facts and sobering figures, this
cretly trains with the help must survive the final days is a must-have acquisition for all libraries.
of her late father’s fencing guidebook, hop- of school: being “different” is difficult for JJ, —Terry Hong
ing to take GiGi, the best fencer in school, who cares too much about what everyone
down a peg. Jessixa Bagley’s story of sister ri- thinks, and for Althea, who pretends being Stories of the Islands.
valry gradually builds in emotional depth, as a loner is her choice. As if navigating social By Clar Angkasa. Art by the author.
the origin of GiGi and Lucy’s conflict even- hierarchies weren’t enough, Uncle Arvin Oct. 2023. 176p. Holiday, $22.99 (9780823449781); paper,
tually comes to the fore: still dealing with the suddenly arrives from the Philippines, whis- $14.99 (9780823455737); e-book, $11.99 (9780823457281).
grief of losing their father, a notable fencing pering warnings of doom. Sterling presents Gr. 4–8. 741.5.
instructor, each girl is jealous of the time he a vibrant, nonstop adventure, infusing his Have you ever longed for more? Have you

ever scoured between the lines of a fairy tale, Super Boba Café. Shapes and Shapes.
searching for fragments to piece together By Nidhi Chanani. Art by the author. By Ivan Brunetti. Art by the author.
the girls hidden behind their assigned sup- Oct. 2023. 224p. Abrams/Amulet, $24.99 Oct. 2023. 32p. TOON, $13.99 (9781662665172); paper,
porting roles? Angkasa’s (9781419759567); paper, $16.99 (9781419759574). Gr. 3–6. $7.99 (9781662665189). PreS–Gr. 1. 741.5.
debut graphic novel is 741.5. If the Platonic ideal of the young children’s
a stunning answer to From the beloved author of Pashmina comic both helps them interpret their world
this yearning feeling. (2017) comes a new lovable and quirky and introduces new
This book retells three graphic novel about Aria, who has a secret; ideas for them to
beloved traditional Indo- so does her grandmother. What will happen explore and expand
nesian folktales: “Keong when their secrets collide? Every summer, on, then Brunetti
Mas,” “Bawang Merah Aria spends two weeks at Nainai’s house in has brought that
Bawang Putih,” and San Francisco. But this summer is differ- conceptual model
“Timun Mas.” Angkasa skilfully breathes ent. This time, Aria will spend the whole into actual existence.
new life into these narratives, providing a summer helping Nainai run her boba shop. A teacher offers her class circles, triangles,
fresh look from the perspective of the female Aria loves being with Nainai, and she’s ex- squares, rectangles, hexagons, and pentagons,
characters. The stories, which appear in an tra relieved to be getting an escape from her following up with octagons, diamonds, hearts,
impressive array of panel layouts and spreads, troubles at home, namely a boy sharing pic- and stars. The classroom bursts into action as
are each adorned with a distinct color palette tures of her without permission. But she is the diverse group of children begins to spot
that exudes rich textures. The book offers slowly realizing that Nainai is up to some- those shapes and create with them. A girl draws
feminist retellings of the tales that beautiful- thing; something that might have to do with herself out of shapes in an example of how we
ly intertwine with the essence of Indonesia, giant boba, some talking prairie dogs, and interpret and adapt real-world shapes: how,
celebrating its culture and the resilience of an earthquake-generating monster? Cha- with just a squint, our flat, mathematical facts
its young women. As the tales unfold, a love nani’s vibrant pastel visuals mirror the boba fit into actual life. Combining shapes creates
letter to the country and the power of story- shop’s cheerful atmosphere and Aria’s quirky vast new possibilities and imbues the still and
telling emerges. The only drawback is that personality. Chanani captures San Fran- mechanical with life and personality, as circles
this enchanting journey does not last forever, cisco through a 13-year-old’s eyes, and the are placed within the rectangular windows of a
leaving readers eager for more stories. Carry- off-kilter premise is likely to appeal to kids bus to fill it with people. The ladder of knowl-
ing a song-like rhythm woven between both graduating from Dog Man. With lovable edge rises ever upwards: six squares combine
words and illustrations, this beautiful retell- characters, cute kitties, lots of tasty food, and to make a cube and, waiting when children
ing is akin to Madeline Miller’s poetic style, a journey of emotional growth and monster are ready, cones and cylinders. The words
tailored for a younger audience. While the hunting, this graphic novel will have broad are simple and informative, delivered with
book is targeted at a middle-grade audience, appeal. —Talea Fournier straightforward clarity, while the characters
older readers who love folktales will also and environment—made of the very shapes
cherish these old stories presented in fresh, we’re studying here—offer a sense of recogniz-
dynamic new ways. —Talea Fournier Children’s able and spirited fun. The ideal read-aloud for
an introduction to shape-related projects and a
Strikers. The Cosmic Adventures of Astrid and perennial resource to support joy in developing
By Kiel Phegley. Art by Jacques Khouri. Stella: Get Outer My Space! knowledge. —Jesse Karp
Oct. 2023. 168p. Lerner/Graphic Universe, $31.99 By Sabrina Moyle. Art by Eunice Moyle.
(9781541589780); paper, $18.99 (9798765607466). Gr. 5–8. 2023. 112p. Abrams/Amulet, $12.99 (9781419766435). Where’s Joon?
741.5. Gr. 1–4. 741.5. By Julie Kim. Art by the author.
When hockey team leader Johnny goes Astrid the Unicorn and Stella the Squirrel Oct. 2023. 120p. Sasquatch/Little Bigfoot, $22
down with an injury, alternate captain Evan are on another series of adventures in their (9781632174154). K–Gr. 3. 741.5.
must rally his team to finish the season. Un- rocket ship, blasting through space. When The two young Korean American siblings
like some sports fiction authors, Phegley is the intergalactic Wi-Fi goes down, they make from Kim’s best-selling debut, Where’s Halmo-
less interested in what it takes to win than an emergency landing on planet Bargle Dorf, ni? (2017), return for more magical discoveries
why the characters play in the first place, es- overseen by the Evil Screenius, a robot that in this lavishly illustrated early reader comic.
pecially when the odds are so heavily stacked powers his planet by mind control. Bobo, This time, it’s younger brother Joon who has
against them. Flint, Michigan in the 1980s Astrid and Stella’s pun-heavy robot butler, disappeared, leaving a mess and a broken pot
is a fitting setting for this underdog story— saves the day by eliminating mind control handle on the kitchen floor. Halmoni offers his
the Flint Spirits are destined to relocate, and with a slime ray. But that’s not their only ad- sister, Jin, magical door handles to open portals
the memory of sit-ins from the 1930s in the venture! When nightmares won’t allow them in her search. Once in this fantastical world,
region lingers in the background. While the to sleep, they travel to Wink 40, the planet Jin outwits a hungry tiger, while Joon is seen
story spends a lot of time on the ice with of dreams, where the Sheep Guardians send conferring with a friendly rabbit. Reunited, the
both games and practice, the interpersonal them into The Slumber Games to encoun- siblings join in a quest to restore their grand-
relationships, razzing, and camaraderie ter and defeat their deepest nightmares. The mother’s broken pot; a mountain god will help
among the characters draw more attention. colors and spreads are wildly appealing in if they can restore his beloved fish. In a richly
A brief epilogue for each team member their bubble gum brightness, and the pace detailed world evoking traditional Korean art,
paints a bittersweet portrait of his future, moves at an intergalactic clip. There are Kim weaves details of folktales into a singular
which feels genuine to the time and themes. even valuable lessons hidden in the delight- journey for these modern kids to experience
Khouri’s artwork nicely differentiates among fully silly plotlines (for example, in one story their cultural heritage. Back matter includes il-
the characters during matches, but the rosy they test Bobo’s prototype friend pods and lustrated translations of the dialogue presented
cheeks and happy expressions don’t always learn about personal space and boundaries in Korean characters, along with summaries of
match tone. Readers who like their sports between friends). With more puns per page the original Korean folktales. A lovely and live-
comics with both lots of action and vivid than a Dad Convention, this latest addition ly sequel and a perfect companion to Kim’s first
emotional dynamics are the best audience to the Moyles’ early-graphic-novel series is a inventive and immersive expedition traversing
for this. —Peter Blenski total blast. —Becca Worthington two cultures. —Rebecca Thornburgh

basic questions about periods and penis size,
Youth Nonfiction but the emphasis is more on body positivity,
around such topics as body size and facial hair
on women, and setting boundaries about be-
Older Readers legal, judicial, and social discrimination. The ing touched. Similarly, rather than focus on
Alcatraz occupation—the central event of the anatomy and the mechanics of sex, she high-
Different Kinds of Minds: A Guide to book—symbolized Native American unity lights many questions that adolescents have
Your Brain. and pride and emphasized a right to land that about gender identity and sexual orientation,
By Temple Grandin. had been theirs for centuries. Although rela- including what it means to be transgender and
Nov. 2023. 256p. illus. Philomel, $18.99 (9780593352878). tively brief, the occupation served as a catalyst nonbinary. After thinking about the bodies
Gr. 7–10. 150. for social and legislative affirmative action. they’re in, readers consider the world around
This upbeat offering is part memoir, part plea This account is accessible and factual and of- them through sections on racism, climate,
for more hands-on educational experiences, and fers vignettes and personal profiles that will school, families, friendship, religion, and
part explanation of how autistic people think resonate with readers. Photos, graphics, and other important topics. Taylor provides just
and solve problems differently from what’s con- rich back matter complement this narrative enough background information to under-
sidered “normal.” Grandin, an internationally about an important milestone in American stand the causes and intersections of systemic
known, though controversial, animal commu- history. —Kathleen McBroom issues, and once again, she accentuates posi-
nicator and autism ambassador, draws on the tive changes, embracing diversity, and setting
lives of famous thinkers and inventors along Reimagining Police: The Future of Public healthy boundaries. Concluding self-love tips
with personal experiences from her school days. Safety. sum up the mission of this inclusive, affirm-
Citing historical and contemporary examples, By Artika R. Tyner. ing resource. —Angela Leeper
she shows how unique perspectives often result Oct. 2023. 168p. illus. Lerner/Twenty-First Century, lib. ed.,
in innovative solutions (while stressing the im- $38.65 (9781728449630). Gr. 7–10. 363.20973. The Sixth Extinction (Young
portance of determination and grit). She brings Protest signs bearing messages about de- Readers Adaptation): An Unnatural
in elements of biology, neurology, psychology, funding the police are commonly seen at History.
and sociology and, of course, recounts lots of rallies for human rights and civil justice, By Elizabeth Kolbert.
anecdotes involving animals. An inclusive tone but what do they actually mean? This ac- Nov. 2023. 224p. illus. Holt/Godwin, $20.99
is maintained throughout, reassuring readers cessible overview provides background (9781250793423). Gr. 5–8. 576.8.
that everyone has special interests and things information and social context to explain This young readers adaptation of Kolbert’s
that they’re good at and that teens and tweens how public opinion about policing policies Pulitzer Prize–winning adult title describes
should follow their interests when they’re con- has evolved over time, from the nineteenth each of the five mass extinc-
sidering potential careers. Her final message is and twentieth centuries through to present tions that have occurred
that the world needs to respect and depend on day (coverage is current through early 2023). on Earth, placing each in
all kinds of thinkers to build a better future. Roughly the first half of the book relies on its historical context. Cur-
Accessible and engaging, this book has multiple federal crime, conviction, and incarcera- rently, she posits, we are in
curricular applications and will resonate with tion statistics to show how racial inequities the sixth extinction, caused
independent thinkers. —Kathleen McBroom have influenced police responses through- not by glaciation, an aster-
out history. The second half concentrates oid, or volcanic eruption,
Of All Tribes: American Indians and on solutions and emphasizes the important but by humans. Kolbert il-
Alcatraz. role citizen protests and civic actions have lustrates how we are threatening biodiversity
By Joseph Bruchac. played in achieving police reform. There are through accounts with experts from around
2023. 256p. illus. Abrams, $19.99 (9781419757198). Gr. 7–10. multiple city-specific examples of effective the world working with near-extinct or
979.461. strategies currently in use, such as fostering threatened species (the Panamanian golden
In November 1969, a group of Native Amer- strong community relationships (especial- frog; the Sumatran rhino). She shares their
icans, including representatives from several ly with mental health care providers) and findings: “Amphibians are the world’s most
tribes, peacefully took over Alcatraz Island. training police officers in de-escalation and endangered class of animals; it’s been calcu-
The island, historically an nonlethal responses. Brief chapters feature lated that the group’s extinction rate could
important spiritual site for short blocks of text set off by subheadings, be as much as 45,000 times higher than the
local Indian communities, and graphics (sidebars, quotes, photos, ordinary background rate.” Kolbert’s text, of-
had been commandeered charts, flowcharts) appear on almost every ten wryly amusing, is enhanced by detailed,
by the U.S. government in page. A glossary, source notes, and bibliog- uncaptioned illustrations. Other times, her
the mid-nineteenth centu- raphy round out this timely research tool. writing is beautifully expressive: “The stars
ry, used first as a fort, then —Kathleen McBroom were so bright they appeared to be straining
as a prison, and then basi- out of the sky.” She says people think that
cally abandoned in 1963. to prevent the sixth extinction they need
Despite the lack of fresh water and the island’s Middle Readers to care more and make sacrifices, but “It
general state of disrepair, the Native Ameri- doesn’t much matter if people care or don’t
can community continued to grow over the The Book of Radical Answers: Real care. What matters is that people change the
next 16 months, establishing an infrastructure Questions from Real Kids Just like You. world.” After reading her lively, entertaining,
(governing body, security, a clinic, school, By Sonya Renee Taylor. and very accessible book, young readers will
and day care center) and hosting ceremo- Oct. 2023. 288p. illus. Dial, $17.99 (9780593354841); paper, be inspired to try. A glossary and index (not
nial celebrations and powwows that attracted $9.99 (9780593354834). Gr. 5–8. 612.661. seen) conclude. —Sharon Rawlins
thousands of visitors from all over the coun- Taylor, best-selling author of The Body Is
try. This history of American Indigenous Not an Apology (2018), brings her philoso- Stone Age Beasts.
peoples begins with pre-Western contact and phy of radical self-love to a younger audience. By Ben Lerwill. Illus. by Grahame
documents their subsequent subjugation by While this conversational question-and- Baker-Smith.
outside powers, from Spanish conquistadors answer guide is aimed at tweens and teens Nov. 2023. 48p. Candlewick, $19.99 (9781536231342).
to the Mission system through broken treaties, going through puberty, it’s more than a book Gr. 2–5. 560.
relocations, boarding schools, and ongoing about body changes. Taylor starts with some After introducing the Stone Age, this big,

colorful volume presents some of the now- bear, the saber-toothed cat, the glyptodon, the good use of lighting effects and dramatic pos-
extinct animals that roamed the world back Steller’s sea cow, and the fierce, aptly named ing of the beasts. A riveting animal book for
then. Each page turn dire wolf. The lively text contrasts today’s armchair time travelers. —Carolyn Phelan
reveals a large, striking sloths, described as “slow, sleepy, and rather
double-page illustra- small,” with the Stone Age giant ground
tion, often showing a sloths (scientific name: Megatherium america- Yo u n g
fierce-looking beast sur- num), leaf-eaters that were “big enough to rip
rounded by paragraphs trees from the soil.” Back matter comments The Lion Queen: Rasila Vadher, the First
of information, brief on why these animals became extinct and how Woman Guardian of the Last Asiatic
comments, smaller so much is known about them. In addition Lions.
pictures, and a useful to explaining what scientists have discovered By Rina Singh. Illus. by Tara Anand.
fast-fact box containing the animal’s scientific about these beasts, Lerwill acknowledges gaps Oct. 2023. 40p. Cameron Kids, $19.99 (9781951836849).
name, weight, range (by continent), and ap- in our knowledge by saying, for example, K–Gr. 3. 599.7570954.
proximate extinction date. Of the 18 beasts “We don’t know why the Irish elk became ex- Following a field trip to the Gir National
discussed, 6 were native to North America: tinct,” and then mentioning several pertinent Park in Gujarat, India, a young girl dreams
the woolly mammoth, the giant short-faced theories. The mixed-media illustrations make about caring for the preserve’s Asiatic lions,
but as a girl from a poor family, she despairs
of achieving her goal. Instead, she helps sup-
port her family and takes care of her siblings
LOOKING IN
for her widowed mother. As an adult, she per-
suades the forest guards to hire her and works
her way up from an office job to leading rescue
AND CARING OUT

missions. Based on the life of Rasila Vadher,
Singh’s text conveys Vadher’s courage in the
face of adversity as well as the magnificence of
these creatures brought back from the brink
Books to Support of extinction. Both text and art include lion
Social and Emotional Learning references: Rasila and her mother “roar” in-
side to express their displeasure, and Rasila’s
long braid is depicted much like a lion’s tail.
The richly hued, realistic illustrations’ use of
blues and greens allows the tan lions to stand
out on the various spreads. Back matter in-
cludes additional information about Vadher
and the other women guards. An empowering
and inspiring narrative. —Kay Weisman
Mama Mammals: Reproduction and

Birth in Mammals.
By Cathy Evans. Illus. by Bia Melo.
Nov. 2023. 32p. Cicada, $16.99 (9781800660267).
K–Gr. 3. 599.
Birds do it, bees do it, but this informational
picture book focuses on what happens after
mammals mate. First, the author introduces
common traits among the more than 5,000
mammal species from the largest mammal
(the blue whale) to the smallest (the Etruscan
shrew). Double-page spreads with short de-
scriptions; charming, childlike drawings (still
with enough anatomical detail to be recog-
nizable); and fun related facts about a variety
of animals introduce reproduction topically.
While the section on fertilization focuses on
humans, with reproductive anatomy of a man
and a woman depicted, the majority of the
book spotlights reproduction in other ani-
mal species. For instance, young readers will
see an elephant fetus in utero and learn how
gestation periods vary across mammal spe-
cies and some of the different ways they give
birth. Other spreads consider specialized top-
ics within mammalian reproduction, such as
marsupials without placentas and monotremes
(like the platypus) that lay eggs like reptiles.
Finally, the volume turns to life after birth and
MK151-1023
lernerbooks.com/sel some of the differences in young animal care

TM & © 2023 Sesame Workshop and family structures, including human fami-
lies. —Angela Leeper

Leaders like Us Series. Rourke/Discovery Library.
Gr. 2–4. (4 new titles)
Dalip Singh Saund. By Karen Su. Illus. by Arlo Li. 2023. 24p.
paper, $8.95 (9781731657244); lib. ed., $29.93 (9781731657374);
e-book, $19.95 (9781731657503). 320.473.
José Feliciano. By Annette M. Clayton. Illus. by Elisa Chavarri.
2023. 24p. paper, $8.95 (9781731657268); lib. ed., $29.93
(9781731657398); e-book, $19.95 (9781731657527). 781.64.
Pura Belpré. By Annette M. Clayton. Illus. by Elisa Chavarri.
2023. 24p. paper, $8.95 (9781731657169); lib. ed., $29.93
(9781731657299); e-book, $19.95 (9781731657428). 027.625.
Yuri Kochiyama. By Karen Su. Illus. by Arlo Li. 2023. 24p. paper,
$8.95 (9781731657152); lib. ed., $29.93 (9781731657282); e-book,
$19.95 (9781731657411). 305.8956.
The latest volumes in the attractive Leaders Like Us series introduce
young readers to a diverse group of Americans who have worked for
justice and against discrimination on many levels. The writing is straight-
forward and informative. Dalip Singh Saund tells of a young man who
left India to study agriculture in California, helped overturn the law bar-
ring Indian immigrants from citizenship, and later became the first Asian
Daring Women Warriors of World War II. Capstone/ American and first Sikh elected to Congress. José Feliciano introduces a
Graphic Library. Gr. 3–5. (4 new titles) boy, blind since birth, whose Puerto Rican family moved to New York
City in 1945. Playing his guitar for hours every day, he wrote songs,
Daring Women of D-Day: Bold Spies of World War II. By Jen performed, and later brought people together through his music. Pura
Breach. Illus. by Alessia Trunfio. 2023. 32p. lib. ed., $36.65 Belpré chronicles the life of New York City’s first Puerto Rican librar-
(9781669013624). 940.54. ian, who started a collection of children’s books in Spanish, conducted
Elizebeth Friedman: Expert Codebreaker of World War II. By bilingual programs, and wrote books based on folktales she heard as a
Elizabeth Pagel-Hogan. Illus. by Alisha Monnin. 2023. 32p. lib. child. Yuri Kochiyama presents the life of a notable American activist.
ed., $36.65 (9781669013464). 940.54. Kochiyama’s family was incarcerated for two years with other Japanese
Jane Kendeigh: Brave Nurse of World War II. By Emma Americans during WWII. Afterwards, she fought against injustice and
Carlson Berne. Illus. by Karen De La Vega. 2023. 32p. lib. ed., promoted the “togetherness of all peoples.” The clearly delineated, digital
$36.65 (9781669013549). 940.54. artwork suggests settings subtly, while drawing the eye toward the people
Virginia Hall: Clever Spy of World War II. By Rebecca discussed and expressing their emotions simply. An appealing biography
Langston-George. Illus. by Samantha Feriolla Chow. 2023. 32p. series for young readers. —Carolyn Phelan
lib. ed., $36.65 (9781669013709). 940.54.
Many women served in WWII, sometimes in nontraditional roles, Pop Music Stars Series. Mason Crest. Gr. 6–9.
but most of their efforts have been classified or forgotten. The Daring (3 new titles)
Women Warriors of WWII series highlights a few of these overlooked
patriots in a graphic-novel format. The volumes present just enough Dua Lipa. By Greg Bach. 2023. 80p. illus. lib. ed., $27.95
background information on WWII to give context to each woman’s (9781422247341); e-book, $34.95 (9781422270844).
difficult assignment. Two distinct fonts delineate concise, factual text 782.42164092.
from short, imagined dialogue meant to add interest and more detail. Lizzo. By Greg Bach. 2023. 80p. illus. lib. ed., $27.95
Each installment is illustrated by a different artist, adding variety to the (9781422247358); e-book, $34.95 (9781422270851).
series if read as a whole. Daring Women of D-Day focuses on Andrée 782.42164092.
Borrel and Lise de Baissac, the first women paratroopers in the world, Megan Thee Stallion. By Greg Bach. 2023. 80p. illus. lib. ed.,
and their work in the French Resistance. Elizabeth Friedman traces the $27.95 (9781422247365); e-book, $34.95 (9781422270868).
career of this expert codebreaker for the U.S. government, including 782.42164092.
her discovery of a Nazi spy ring in South America. Jane Kendeigh de- These additions to the Pop Music Stars series spotlight three strong,
scribes how this U.S. Navy flight nurse trained to work on battlefields creative, and uniquely talented women who have wide appeal among
and survive during combat, skills put to use as she treated and helped young readers. Filled with graphics, sidebars, and numerous color—
evacuate wounded soldiers in both Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Virginia often full-page—photos, the books share the same format. Introductory
Hall relates how Hall turned her desire to work in U.S. diplomacy “Breakthrough” sections provide career overviews, and subsequent
into a position as a British spy in German-occupied France. The books chapters (“A Star Is Born,” “Greatest Moments,” “Behind the Curtain,”
conclude with a summary of each woman’s lasting contributions. An “Brand,” and “Modern Megastar”) fill in details about personal and pro-
engaging treatment of real heroes from history. —Angela Leeper fessional lives. Vocabulary words are defined before each chapter, and
the sophisticated, descriptive text is both accessible and engaging. While
there’s plenty of material devoted to songs, costumes and staging, musi-
cal influences, awards, and public personas, more space is devoted to
each star’s activism and philanthropy. Dua Lipa relates how this London-
born singer-songwriter’s parents fled Kosovo as refugees and how she has
won humanitarian awards for her work as an international human-rights
advocate. Written prior to the recent lawsuits against the singer, Lizzo
emphasizes the performer’s promotion of self-love and body positivity
as well as her fundraising charity concerts. Megan Thee Stallion covers
the rapper-songwriter’s scholarship program to help women of color ob-
tain college educations and creation of a charitable foundation in honor
of her parents. Whether collaborating with fellow megastars or hosting
Saturday Night Live, these contemporary musical role models will be
popular picks on the biographies shelf. —Kathleen McBroom

Youth this loving tribute to African American pho-
tographer DeCarava—not even the three
actual photos in the end matter—are examples
of his work. Instead, Lewis gives a selection
of DeCarava’s subjects, such as a close-up of
a crushed can, longer views of Harlem street
scenes, and an isolated figure in wedding
whites, original treatments that focus more on
Spotlight on The Arts atmosphere than documentation and so make
Art from Oh, Olive! written and illustrated by Lian Cho.
suitable companions for Golio’s impressionistic
profile. “There’s a boy on his hands and knees, /
Older Nonfiction and “Listen Up” (songs and videos that cre- drawing chalk on the sidewalk. / He looks up
ated public impact), and a “Top Ten Playlist,” and grins. / SNAP! / Roy keeps on walking.”
How to Draw a Graphic Novel. plus five additional tracks. Artists range from The author captures both his titular theme and
By Balthazar Pagani. Illus. by Marco Maraggi. Woody Guthrie and Nina Simone to Marvin his subject’s sensibility in well-chosen direct
Nov. 2023. 96p. Thames & Hudson, paper, $19.95 Gaye and Cyndi Lauper to Lil Nas X, Lizzo, quotes, and along with adding a brief overview
(9780500660201). Gr. 8–12. 741.6. and Billie Eilish. There’s a lot of solid, bal- of DeCarava’s career, closes by urging readers
One of the many benefits of graphic novels is anced information, whether approached from to “look slowly,” as he did, to discover “what
how they inspire readers to create their own il- a social movement, pop history, or music you love where you live.” Prints of his photos
lustrated stories. Aspiring artists will find solid angle, and researchers will appreciate the in- are available in exhibition catalogs, but a recent
advice in this sophisticated, well-considered ternational scope, chapter notes, and promised reprint of Langston Hughes’ Sweet Flypaper of
guide. Colorful panels walk readers through bibliography. Each section ends with open- Life makes a better sampling newly available
the creative process, from pre-drawing plan- ended, discussion-starting questions. Expect for younger lookers. —John Peters
ning to layout and formatting to analog and lots of interest, humming, and sing-alongs.
digital tools to inking and coloring, proof- —Kathleen McBroom Fashion Icons: A Celebration of
reading, and getting published. There are Fashion’s Legendary Designers.
straightforward technical explanations (print- By Gillion Carrara. Illus. by David Lee Csicsko.
ing and binding techniques) and artistic advice Middle Nonfiction 2023. 112p. Trope, $24.99 (9781951963156). Gr. 4–7. 740.9.
(how to draw characters). There are bits about This visual feast offers brief surveys of 50
comic-book history, profiles of “Cult Creators” Be a Creative Changemaker: A Kids’ Art twentieth- and twenty-first-century fashion
and interviews with five current graphic il- Activity Book. designers. Arranged in chronological order,
lustrators who represent a range of emerging By Paula Liz. Illus. by Bambi Ramsey. one-page profiles focus on icons such as Coco
styles. Topics are presented in facing two-page Jan. 2024. 128p. Quarto/Rockport, paper, $22.99 Chanel and Ann Lowe and continue through
spreads that serve as models, with text and il- (9780760378021). Gr. 3–6. 745.5. individuals recognized by their high-end lux-
lustrations effectively aligned to reinforce ideas, Despite being groundbreaking and prolific ury brands (Dior, Cardin, Givenchy, Halston,
information, and techniques. None of the in their time, each of the 25 artists presented Versace) or contemporary collections (Stella
spreads allow for in-depth coverage, but they in this art survey and activity book will prob- McCartney, Kerby Jean-Raymond). The pro-
do cover basic concerns and tasks and give as- ably be unknown to most readers. Liz hopes files are succinct and cover standardized topics.
piring illustrators plenty to think about. Useful to make these featured artists—once over- Designers are introduced by descriptive subtitles
as a teaching tool, this introduction to graphic looked and marginalized due to their gender, (“Simone Rocha: Fashion’s Storyteller”; “Phoe-
creation will attract both browsers and the ar- race, place of birth, socioeconomic status, be Philo: The Queen of Minimalist Chic”),
tistically inclined. —Kathleen McBroom sexual orientation, gender identity, or other and brief paragraphs address childhoods and
factors—more recognizable and appreciated. education, early jobs and influences, breakout
Rise Up and Sing! Power, Protest, Beginning with ancient Egyptian sculptor designs and shows, honors and awards, and
and Activism in Music. Thutmose, whose most famous creation re- lasting legacies. Csicsko’s illustrations steal the
By Andrea Warner. Illus. by Louise Reimer. mains the Bust of Nefertiti, the book moves show. As in previous offerings (LGBTQ+ Icons,
Oct. 2023. 200p. Greystone Kids, $19.95 (9781771648981). chronologically with such artists as Indigenous 2022; Iconic Composers, 2023), Csicsko offers
Gr. 7–10. 780.86. Australian painter Emily Kame Kngwarreye, full-page headshots of each subject, rendered
This graphics-rich offering surveys protest Cuban American jeweler Arthur George in his distinctive, vibrant style that manages
movements and celebrates the songs and per- Smith, and Inuit printmaker Kenojuak Ashe- to evoke both torn-paper collages and stained-
formances that publicized, evoked empathy, vak. Each profile includes an illustration of glass windows. There are no chapter notes or
and inspired both activists the artist and representative images of their references (although there is a helpful glos-
and members of the gen- art, their date and place of birth, and several sary). This celebration of creativity will inspire
eral public to get up and short paragraphs describing their influences, aspiring artists and fashion designers and
get involved. Thoughtful, style, medium, and lasting contributions. Re- hopefully lead to further inquiry and research.
accessible essays provide lated activities with step-by-step directions —Kathleen McBroom
social background while and photographs, like painting animal motifs
introducing songwriters in the style of Indian painter Jamini Roy or A Kid’s Guide to Anime & Manga:
and performers associ- assembling a geometric culture collage in the Exploring the History of Japanese
ated with eight areas of style of Guatemalan painter Margarita Azur- Animation and Comics.
activism: climate justice, decolonization and dia, will help children form connections with By Samuel Sattin and Patrick Macias. Illus.
Indigenous rights, civil rights and racial jus- these artists. —Angela Leeper by Utomaru.
tice, disability accessibility and acceptance, Nov. 2023. 160p. Running Press Kids, paper, $17.99
pride and 2SLGBTQIA+ rights, gender equal- Everywhere Beauty Is Harlem: The (9780762483938). Gr. 3–7. 791.43.
ity and inclusive feminism, peace and anti-war Vision of Photographer Roy DeCarava. This engaging and well-researched guide
movements, and basic human rights. Each sec- By Gary Golio. Illus. by E. B. Lewis. features interviews, in-depth historical and
tion features “Hall of Fame” and “Spotlight” Jan. 2024. 48p. Astra/Calkins Creek, $18.99 cultural information, and essential contextual
(biographical sketches of influential perform- (9781662680557). Gr. 2–4. 779.092. information within an exciting and easy-to-
ers and activists), “Dance Break,” “Viral Hits,” Surprisingly, none of the illustrations in read format. Including vivid pink and purple

original illustrations that contextualize the neon mountain of orange life jackets left be- and classical creations from Florence, Italy, for
subject charmingly, this guide is a kawaii hind when the refugees land. Throughout the example—but also art from civilizations old
dream for any anime and manga fan. The pencil-and-pastel illustrations, this orange con- and modern, including Benin City, Nigeria
Spotlight
expert interviews are impressive, featuring trasts prominently against the blue. From here, (1550); Manitoulin Island, Canada (1978);
insider info from incredible industry figures, the text and muted and Prague, Czech Republic (2018). The kinds
including Witch Hat Atelier mangaka Ka- scenes transition to of art introduced are varied, too, with Phillips
mome Shirahama and many more incredible Ai’s childhood spent covering a rich array of
manga and anime industry icons and experts. in a labor camp after architecture as well as
Quizzes and a constant centering of the reader his father was ex- paintings, maps, sculp-
as a potential active participant in the fandom iled by the Chinese ture, fashion, and more.
are the heart of this book and really tap into government. These Each place is covered on
the spirit of the subculture in a way that other harsh conditions a magazine-like spread,
books for kids on this topic have not been able and his own dis- with a large background
to quite capture. Young manga and anime placement from China influenced Ai to create image overlaid with
fans will easily be able to envision themselves art from such common objects as a coat hanger, lengthy portions of text,
going to conventions, participating in clubs, shoe, violin, or LEGOs, challenging viewers to smaller text boxes, and spot art. The history of
and seeking out fandom activities as a cre- see the world differently and recognize human the art being highlighted, key artists who cre-
ative outlet. This is a perfect supplement to a rights. Examples of his unusual social-justice ated it, and pertinent information related to
manga section and a resource for anime clubs. displays lead to one of his most provocative art the location are related in accessible and lively
—Ashley Hawkins installations, Safe Passages, in which he wrapped language, with enough detail to draw interest
the pillars of a German concert house with life but not overwhelm. Featured artwork is shown
Mini Artists: 20 Projects Inspired by the jackets salvaged from the Turkish refugees to in color photos surrounded by digitally cre-
Great Artists. draw attention to their struggles. Back matter ated illustrations of daily life and people in the
By Joséphine Seblon. Illus. by Robert Sae- with photographs of Ai and more of his art fill time the work was made, imparting the idea
Heng. in details about his background and mission. that enjoyment of art was an everyday pursuit
Oct. 2023. 96p. Thames & Hudson, paper, $19.95 Visually stunning and thought provoking. and that ancient peoples had busy lives like our
(9780500660195). Gr. 2–5. 740. —Angela Leeper own. This expansive and intriguing collection
Kids are the mini artists referenced in the is a strong purchase for both art and history
title here, and each project within is well-suited The Sculptors of Light: Poems about collections in public libraries and classrooms.
to young children, both in the achievability of Cuban Women Artists. —Henrietta Verma
each project and in the selection of artworks By Margarita Engle. Illus. by Cecilia Puglesi.
featured as inspiration. In chronological or- Oct. 2023. 32p. Reycraft, $19.95 (9781478879602). Gr. 3–6.
der, Seblon introduces a notable work in 972.91. Yo u n g N o n f i c t i o n
kid-friendly terms, followed by step-by-step Acclaimed author Engle again draws upon
instructions for a project (adult assistance only her heritage, using poetry to introduce readers Beautiful Noise: The Music of John
occasionally required) echoing a style or tech- to Cuban women artists. Her first tribute, to Cage.
nique in the featured work. One of Jackson “Anonymous,” is a prose poem that describes By Lisa Rogers. Illus. by Il Sung Na.
Pollock’s action paintings serves as inspiration the folk art crafted by Indigenous women and Oct. 2023. 40p. Random/Anne Schwartz, $18.99
for a drip-painting project (preferably done girls over thousands of years and the blend of (9780593646625). K–Gr. 3. 780.92.
outdoors!), and weaving with construction art that developed as Spanish, West African, This appealing picture book takes on the
paper helps showcase the Bauhaus textiles of and Chinese populations settled the island. daunting task of introducing avant-garde
Anni Albers. The selected artworks, all of which Chronologically arranged, the poems include composer John Cage to young audiences.
are accompanied by inviting critical-thinking such formats as free verse, haiku, tanka, nonet, Rogers eschews most
questions, are nicely varied, including the Pech and a traditional Cuban décima (with 10 octo- biographical informa-
Merle horses, an Aztec mosaic mask, Kara Walk- syllabic lines) and offer brief overviews of the tion, instead asking a
er’s silhouettes, Andy Goldsworthy’s ephemeral work and styles of notable artists—e.g., María series of child-friendly
sculptures, and Barbara Hepworth’s ovoid stone Margarita Egaña Fernández (a Modernist ar- questions designed to
figures. Each step is photographed from above chitect) and Nancy Morejón (an experimental convey a sense of Cage
and depicts a child working on the project, giv- painter and the first Afro Cuban student to re- and his style. “What if
ing little ones plenty of encouraging guidance, ceive a degree in the arts from the University . . . / all the sounds you
while charming spot illustrations emphasize the of Havana). An accompanying historical note heard . . . // a garbage
general sense of playfulness. A strong choice for with more biographical information and a col- truck screeching / feet skipping / pigeons
art collections, especially where project books orful representational illustration provide more scattering / tires whispering / cats hissing /
are popular. —Sarah Hunter context for each featured artist. In a balanced children giggling // . . . sounded to you like
ending, a concluding poem acknowledges music? Then you’d be like John Cage.” She de-
On the Tip of a Wave: How Ai anonymous protesters demanding the release scribes his unorthodox musical notation style
Weiwei’s Art Is Changing the Tide. of imprisoned artists in 2021. This enlighten- (curlicues, dots, and smudges), his composi-
By Joanna Ho. Illus. by Catia Chien. ing offering is also available in Spanish as Las tions that relied on ambient sound (4’33”),
Oct. 2023. 48p. Scholastic/Orchard, $18.99 escultoras de la luz. —Angela Leeper and pieces that employed unusual instru-
(9781338715941). Gr. 2–5. 709.51. ments (blenders, washing machines, etc.).
In the opening scene of this picture-book A Whole World of Art: A Time- Na’s whimsical illustrations vibrantly convey
biography that is full of symbolism and chal- Travelling Trip through a Whole the cacophony present in many Cage com-
lenging issues, blues dominate the mixture of World of Art. positions. Employing a vocabulary of images
fear and hope as refugees from Turkey float un- By Sarah Phillips. Illus. by Dion Mehaga (squiggles, slashes, lines) representing sounds
steadily to Greece. Ho (Say My Name, 2023) Bangun Djayasaputra. and emotions identified on the endpapers, Na
describes their plight in lyrical text that travels 2023. 64p. Wide Eyed, $26 (9780711265370). Gr. 4–7. 709. clearly represents the unique and experimental
outward from the spread’s center on the same The claim in this book’s title that it covers the nature of Cage’s work. Many scenes portray
waves as the refugees. One man, Ai Weiwei, whole world is happily accurate, with spreads
a Chinese contemporary artist, notices the covering the familiar—ancient Egyptian art Continued on p.48

Booklist Essentials
Here Be Drag
Queens
by Ronny Khuri
Art by Svabhu Kohli from Desert Queen, by Jyoti Rajan Gopal.
A
s an artform, drag is often overlooked,
underappreciated, misunderstood, or even maligned,
even as queer culture sashays into the mainstream on
the heels of pop-culture phenomena like RuPaul’s Drag Race and
Drag Queen Story Hour. As LGBTQIA+ representation likewise
makes its way into books, drag performance is finally being
given the spotlight, as well. The following titles—for a variety
of ages—celebrate modern drag, featuring queens and serving
up literary realness with all the entertainment, empowerment,
and inclusivity that have become synonymous with this unique
brand of performance art.
Younger thropomorphized magenta wig, its young
Auntie Uncle: Drag Queen Hero. owner, B. B. Bedazzle, goes to the Big
By Ellie Royce. Illus. by Hannah Wig Ball, where Wig feels insecure—until
Chambers. 2020. PowerHouse, $17.99 a confidence boost restores Wig’s faith in
(9781576879351). PreS–Gr. 2. its own fabulousness, just in time to win
After saving a puppy during the Pride the ball.
parade as drag queen Auntie Lotta, Uncle Desert Queen. By Jyoti Rajan Gopal.
Leo is helped by his adoring nephew to Illus. by Svabhu Kohli. 2023. Levine
decide whether to accept an award from Querido, $18.99 (9781646142620).
the mayor as himself or his drag persona. K–Gr. 4.
Their solution helps build understanding This exquisitely rendered picture book
and acceptance. paints an intimate and reverential por-
Big Wig. By Jonathan Hillman. Illus. trait of the late drag performer Queen
by Levi Hastings. 2022. Simon & Harish, the “Whirling Desert Queen of
Schuster/Paula Wiseman, $17.99 Rajasthan,” who pursued drag to support
(9781534487710). PreS–Gr. 2. his sisters following their parents’ passing.
In an affectionate story of a huge, an- (Full review on p.48.)
If You’re a Drag Queen and You Know Older Readers Dragging Mason County. By Curtis
It. By Lil Miss Hot Mess. Illus. by Olga The Art of Drag. By Jake Hall. 2020. Campbell. 2023. 220p. Annick, $19.99
de Dios. 2022. Running Press, $17.99 Nobrow, $22.95 (9781910620717). (9781773217871).
Spotlight
(9780762475339). PreS–Gr. 2. Peter works to repair his damaged repu-
Gr. 10–12.
This fun spin on “If You’re Happy and tation by producing Mason County’s first
Recognizing that drag is much more
You Know It” features glam drag queens ever drag night, starring teen drag queen
than men donning wigs, dresses, and
who lead the action, encouraging read- Aggie Culture. As tensions rise on the
makeup, this beautifully crafted and il-
ers to “Blow a kiss!” “Strike a pose!” “Say night of the performance, Peter battles
lustrated volume celebrates the history of
‘Taa-daaa!’” and so on. See also this team’s bigotry and homophobia as well as his own
The Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish, drag as an artform that’s at once glamor- inner demons. (Full review on p.49.)
Swish, Swish (2020). ous, amusing, and subversive. An adult
title with strong teen appeal. Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens. By
Miss Rita, Mystery Reader. By Sam Tanya Boteju. 2019. Simon & Schuster/
Donovan and Kristen Wixted. Illus. by The Black Flamingo. By Dean Atta. Simon Pulse, $18.99 (9781534430655).
Violet Tobacco. 2022. Farrar, $18.99 2020. HarperCollins/Balzer+Bray, $18.99 Gr. 9–12.
(9781250774767). K–Gr. 2. (9780062990297). Gr. 8–12. When 17-year-old lesbian Nima, just
Tori is worried how their class will react In this coming-of-age novel in verse, rejected by her longtime crush and best
to their dad, the designated “Mystery a 2020 Stonewall winner, Michael is a friend, stumbles into a drag show at a
Reader,” who also happens to be a drag mixed-race, gay teen in London, with local fair, she finds a fascinating and
queen. Readers follow along with Dad’s uncertainties about his identity—until he accepting community, as well new confi-
transformation into Miss Rita Brook finally finds family in the Drag Society dence and a potential new romance.
through deliberations over which wig, and begins his reconciliation both with
himself and the world. The Prince and the Dressmaker. By
gown, shoes, glitter, glamour, and glim-
Jen Wang. Art by the author. 2018. First
mer will work best. Death Prefers Blondes. By Caleb Second, $24.99 (9781250159854).
The Sublime Ms. Stacks. By Robb Roehrig. 2019. Feiwel and Friends, Gr. 7–12.
Pearlman. Illus. by Dani Jones. 2022. $17.99 (9781250155825). Gr. 10–12. In this effervescent graphic novel set
Bloomsbury, $17.99 (9781547607143). In this thrilling blend of Hamlet and in turn-of-the-twentieth-century Paris,
PreS–Gr. 2. Oceans 11, teen socialite/art thief Margo Prince Sebastian hires talented seam-
In this energetic and affirming story and her crew of drag queens, all in need stress Frances to make jaw-dropping
destined to inspire karaoke battles, read- of financial help, find themselves with gowns for his alter ego, Lady Crystallia.
ers’ advisory and library management are difficult choices to make after the heist But as Crystallia gains notoriety, Seb’s
no trouble for Mr. Stephen, but when opportunity of a lifetime comes their way. fear of being exposed tests his loyalty to
programming proves a struggle, he swaps his friend.
his staid demeanor for a glittery alter ego
who delivers showstopping story times.
Middle Readers
Martin McLean, Middle School Queen.
By Alyssa Zaczek. 2020. Sterling, $16.95
(9781454935704). Gr. 5–8.
After Martin’s mom invites his drag
queen uncle, Tío Billy, for an ex-
tended visit, Martin sets his mind
on competing in an upcoming
all-ages drag contest. When the
show conflicts with the re-
gional mathlete competition,
he must come to terms with
his true self.
Middle School’s a Drag,
You Better Werk! By
Greg Howard. 2020.
Putnam, $16.99
(9780525517528).
Gr. 4–7.
As 12-year-old Mikey
deals with the usual
middle-school obstacles—bullying, self-
discovery, self-doubt, coming out to
friends—he starts his own junior talent Art by Dani Jones from The Sublime Ms. Stacks,
agency and finds himself representing by Robb Pearlman.
Coco Caliente, a 13-year-old drag queen.

Continued from p.45
Top 10 Arts Books for Youth cityscapes and crowded concert halls. Blues
Spotlight
and grays predominate, although Na effective-

ly uses explosions of intense color to represent
M usic, illustration, dance, and one famous art crime are
just some of the artistic endeavors found in these
10 excellent books, reviewed in Booklist from October 15,
some sounds. With back matter that includes
sources, notes from the author and illustrator,
and a bit more about Cage and his techniques,
2022, through October 1, 2023. —Sarah Hunter this makes a good introduction to Cage and a
Ander & Santi Were Here. By Jonny Garza Villa. 2023. St. reminder that hearing things differently can be
Martin’s/Wednesday, $18.99 (9781250843999). Gr. 9–12. a very good thing. —Kay Weisman
Queer, nonbinary, Mexican American artist Ander is taking
Desert Queen.
a gap year in Texas painting murals, and as he struggles with how or whether to integrate By Jyoti Rajan Gopal. Illus. by Svabhu
his Mexican heritage into his art, he falls for undocumented Santi. Kohli.
Oct. 2023. 56p. Levine Querido, $18.99 (9781646142620).
Beating Heart Baby. By Lio Min. 2022. Flatiron, $18.99 (9781250819093). Gr. 10–12.
K–Gr. 4. 954.4.
Santi and Suwa both perform in their high school’s elite marching band, and their ro-
This one-of-a-kind picture book paints a
mance becomes strained when Suwa’s musical talents propel him toward a spotlight he stirringly intimate and reverential portrait
both wants and fears. of the late drag performer known as Queen
Breaking to the Beat! By Linda J. Acevedo. Illus. by Frank Morrison. 2023. Lee & Low, Harish, the “Whirling Des-
ert Queen of Rajasthan.” It
$19.95 (9781643796390). K–Gr. 3.
begins with a boy in a des-
Acevedo and Morrison’s joyous celebration of breakdancing is a visual treat, with vi- ert world, longing to dance
brant, full-page depictions of the dancers’ elastic grace and a text that traces the history but forced by shame to hide
of the art form with pulsing energy. his charisma, uniqueness,
nerve, and talent. “There are
Charming Young Man. By Eliot Schrefer. 2023. HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen, $19.99
lines in the sand / that keep
(9780062982391). Gr. 9–12. you in your place. / Boy OR
Schrefer transports his readers to the rarified world of classical music in 1890s Paris girl. / Man OR woman.” But after losing his
in this story about obscure historical figure Léon Delafosse, a talented pianist from the parents and having two sisters to support, the
French countryside who enrolls in the Paris Conservatory at 16. boy begins moonlighting as a traditional Raj-
asthani folk dancer, and it is in this nighttime
Creature: Paintings, Drawings, and Reflections. By Shaun Tan. Illus. by the author. 2022. persona—despite bigoted abuse in the day—
Levine Querido, $35 (9781646142002). Gr. 10–12. that Harish finds acceptance, empowerment,
Loosely organized by theme, this art book from Tan invites readers to consider the and self-actualization as “Not / Boy OR girl. /
enigmatic playfulness in the paintings, drawings, sketches, and more collected from Man OR woman. / But / fluid / flowing / like
throughout his 26-year career. a dance.” The tension of an oppressive gender
binary is represented throughout in Kohli’s
Holding Her Own: The Exceptional Life of Jackie Ormes. By Traci N. Todd. Illus. by dazzlingly layered geometric art, a cosmic ka-
Shannon Wright. 2023. Scholastic/Orchard, $21.99 (9781338305906). Gr. 2–5. leidoscope saturated by the stunning contrast
Todd offers an engaging account of Jackie Ormes, the first Black woman to have a of deep-as-night blues and charcoal oranges
nationally syndicated newspaper comic strip. Jaunty artwork by comics artist Wright per- that conjure both the boy’s inner conflict and
fectly sets the tone. the rich setting of the Indian desert. Gopal’s
spare text is relayed in verse, rhythmic and
Just Jerry: How Drawing Shaped My Life. By Jerry Pinkney. Illus. by the author. 2023. free as a dancer, evoking feeling in every foot,
Little, Brown, $17.99 (9780316383851). Gr. 3–7. as good as any song. Back matter fleshes out
Pinkney’s posthumously published memoir traces his 1940s childhood and his pursuit some details of Harish’s story. As gorgeous
of an art career. While the pictures are sketches rather than the finished art he’d planned, and indefinable as Queen Harish herself, this
they are nevertheless full of vitality and grace. book belongs on every shelf. —Ronny Khuri
The Mona Lisa Vanishes: A Legendary Painter, a Shocking Heist, and the Birth of a I’m Gonna Paint: Ralph Fasanella, Artist
Global Celebrity. By Nicholas Day. Illus. by Brett Helquist. 2023. Random House Studio, of the People.
$19.99 (9780593643846). Gr. 4–8. By Anne Broyles. Illus. by Victoria Tentler-
Alternating between da Vinci’s lifetime and the 1911 theft of the Mona Lisa, this thrilling Krylov.
nonfiction account takes unexpected twists and turns. Oct. 2023. 48p. Holiday, $18.99 (9780823450060); e-book,
$11.99 (9780823457380). Gr. 1–3. 759.13.
Seen and Unseen: What Dorothea Lange, Toyo Miyatake, and Ansel Adams’s Here, complex, busy illustrations perfectly
Photographs Reveal about the Japanese American Incarceration. By Elizabeth Partridge. capture the exuberant work of New York City
Illus. by Lauren Tamaki. 2022. Chronicle, $21.99 (9781452165103). Gr. 6–9. folk artist and labor organizer Ralph Fasanella.
After FDR signed Executive Order 9066, three photographers—two white and free; Self-taught, Fasanella only began to draw and
one Japanese and imprisoned, who relied on contraband equipment—documented the paint as an adult, exploring his experience
forced removal and incarceration at Manzanar. growing up in the 1910s and ‘20s as well as
the labor of his parents and other early union
This Boy: The Early Lives of John Lennon and Paul McCartney. By Ilene Cooper. 2023. members of the last century. Readers will ap-
Viking, $17.99 (9780451475855). Gr. 5–8. preciate how the artist didn’t let a lack of formal
Cooper’s superb, vividly written joint biography of the two Beatles charts both musi- training hold him back any more than he let
cians’ paths from childhood to their eventual meeting that would make musical history. a hit-and-miss early education keep him from
enthusiastically throwing himself into a num-

ber of experiences, like participating in the First-Year Orientation collection earlier this Naaahsa Aisinaki! / Naaahsa Is an Artist!
Abraham Lincoln Brigade’s fight against fas- year, this is her first solo novel, and it seems By Hali Heavy Shield. Illus. by the author. Tr.
cism during Spain’s civil war. His works strove to have everything a reader could want: love, by Norma Jean Russell and Faye Heavy Shield.
Spotlight
to tell stories of national events that students hate, family drama, art, and more. Readers Oct. 2023. 24p. Second Story, $21.95 (9781772603477).
of history will recognize: strikes, civil rights will feel for Chloe and maybe go on to think PreS–Gr. 2.
marches, and more, and this picture-book about their own Heartifacts. —Stacey Comfort Naaahsa is a visual artist revered by her young
biography captures Fasanella’s energy as his granddaughter. The two spend much time to-
long strides sweep across the pages. Rounding Dragging Mason County. gether painting, cooking, beading, and cutting
things out are samples of Fasanella’s art, perti- By Curtis Campbell. paper dolls, but most important is the encour-
nent photos, a time line, and more. A good bet Oct. 2023. 220p. Annick, $19.99 (9781773217871). Gr. 9–12. agement Naaahsa gives the child: “Keep doing
for all collections, and especially of interest as Peter Thompkins cannot wait to leave Ma- your best.” “Play with shapes.” “Make mis-
a suitable read for Labor Day. —Karen Cruze son County, and the feeling only intensifies takes.” The two take an airplane ride to view
after a video of him verbally attacking a fel- Naaahsa’s art show at the Canadian National
On the Line: My Story of Becoming the low gay high-schooler goes viral. While Peter Gallery, making time as well to play tourist
First African American Rockette. feels justified in his actions, many people on and share their special bond. Heavy Shield’s
By Jennifer Jones and Lissette Norman. social media and around town think he went (Blood Tribe of Southern Alberta) straightfor-
Illus. by Robert Paul Jr. too far. As he works to repair his damaged ward text, written in English and translated
Oct. 2023. 40p. Harper, $19.99 (9780063087064). reputation by producing Mason County’s into Blackfoot, celebrates all artists but espe-
PreS–Gr. 3. 793.3. first ever drag night (starring his good friend cially Indigenous women. She admits that art
In 1987, at the age of 19, Jennifer Jones Alan, aka Aggie Culture), Peter continues to can be hard work but insists it is also “a lan-
became the first Black Radio City Rockette. lose his temper and cements himself as a rage guage that everyone understands.” The vibrant
Cowritten with Lissette Norman, this picture- machine, even alienating Alan in the process. digital illustrations are filled with bold patterns
book autobiography elegantly traces the As tensions rise on the night of the perfor- and shapes, and the use of texture creates the
trailblazer’s steps to achieving her dreams and mance, Peter fights back against bigotry and illusion of collage art. Pinks and purples pre-
transcending racial barriers. Jennifer’s love of homophobia as well as his inner demons, but dominate, and small details (Robin Hood flour
dance begins in her New Jersey childhood. is he too late to salvage his reputation and and Louise Bourgeois’ “Maman” sculpture) will
The easygoing, first-person narration recounts his friendships? Campbell’s debut spotlights please those familiar with the Canadian set-
her feelings of exhilaration when leaping self-hatred, small-town life, homophobia, ting. Understated yet heartfelt, this is a lovely
through the air in ballet class, as well as pain- anti-fatness, and allyship. Notably, he utilizes addition to art and dual-language Indigenous
ful experiences of racism: “Dancing freed me large doses of humor without pulling any picture-book collections. —Kay Weisman
from the fear of my family not looking like punches in order to shine a light on issues
anyone else’s and people who didn’t agree with many LGBTQ+ teens face today. Fans of Julie Oh, Olive!
interracial marriage. Dancing made me feel Murphy’s Pumpkin (2021) will delight in this By Lian Cho. Illus. by the author.
less alone.” The support, love, and encourage- candid and campy account of teenage angst. 2023. 40p. HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen, $19.99
ment of Jennifer’s parents shines through, as —Rob Bittner (9780063237490). PreS–Gr. 2.
does Jennifer’s grit, determination, and lots Olive Chen comes from a long line of
of imagination. Paul’s watercolor illustrations talented—and very serious—artists. Her father
have cinematic flair, from a close-up of young Yo u n g F i c t i o n is famous for painting squares, and her mother
Jennifer enthralled at seeing the all-Black cast is renowned for her triangles. Their pieces are
of The Wiz perform on Broadway to a pan- Miryam’s Dance. perfectly precise, minimalist, and monochrome.
oramic view of Jennifer onstage herself in a By Kerry Olitzky and Rachel Stock Spilker. The daughter, Olive,
high-kicking chorus line. This inspiring in- Illus. by John Baptist Tumuhaise. on the other hand,
troduction to a Tony Award–winning dancer Oct. 2023. 32p. Behrman/Apples & Honey, $18.95 adores painting with
asks readers, “What will your story be?” (9781681156088). K–Gr. 3. unrestricted gusto.
—Linda Ludke Miryam’s Dance follows a Jewish girl in a She paints what she
Ugandan village as she dances through her wants and what she
family’s preparations for Shabbat, the Sab- feels, mixing a pro-
Older Fiction bath. She collects plantains from the store fusion of colors and
and water from a pump. She interrupts her splattering paint with reckless abandon. Olive
Artifacts of an Ex. brothers’ sweeping and gets distracted while and her colorful creations contrast spectacularly
By Jennifer Chen. helping her cousin pick mangoes and paw- with the story’s otherwise black-and-white illus-
Nov. 2023. 288p. St. Martin’s/Wednesday, $20 paws. All the while, she hears the toomba trations and feel like a breath of fresh air when
(9781250865663). Gr. 9–12. toomba of distant drums. Finally, Miryam faced with her parents’ rigid ideas of art. Even
Chloe Chang had to move from New York finds the source of the drumming: a group at school, Olive and her classmates are taught to
to Los Angeles when her grandmother—her of dancers! She joins them as they celebrate paint basic shapes and not to use color. Unde-
amah—needed the family’s help running her Shabbat together in the village. In many terred, Olive follows her heart, splashing colors
coffee shop. Chloe, an art curator and super- ways, the setting is the star of this book. Au- around her canvas (and onto her classmates)
organized influencer (though not an artist thors Olitzsky and Spilker mention details like a mini Jackson Pollock or Joan Miró. When
herself ), falls in love with a local art space. about the area, ranging from the sound of Olive’s teacher suggests that Olive should try
When her boyfriend in New York, Jake, the drum to particular foods. The brightly painting a shape, her classmates come to her
breaks up with her through a box of relation- colored illustrations also give a strong feel for defense and express their wish to paint like her.
ship mementos, Chloe knows what she has to the village, showcasing everything from local And so she teaches them—with prismatic, far-
do: she plans a breakup boxes art show, buy- clothing to mosquito nets to wildlife. In an reaching results. Cho wonderfully brings the
ing other teenagers’ “Heartifacts” for $20. At appended letter, Gershom Sizomu, the chief spirited Olive to life, making the most of both
her first show, teen filmmaker Daniel Kwak rabbi of Uganda, explains a bit more about their creative mediums and celebrating the little
recommends adding video to the ongoing ex- his community and their customs. A joyful girl’s unconventional but heartfelt approach to
hibit. In working with Daniel, she starts to peek into Jewish life in a place that is likely art. This smile-inducing read-aloud celebrates
fall for him, but he’s insistent on not being her to be unfamiliar to many American readers. being yourself and embracing your talents.
rebound guy. While Chen participated in the —Miriam Aronin —Rosie Camargo

between sisters. It also creates an intense
Youth Fiction dread of what might befall them. Opa insists
“we can love more persistently than they can
hate.” Rieke struggles to believe it, especially
Older Readers opts for an elegiac, personal story that ex- after she secretly yields to nonconsensual sex
tols familial and community relationships in exchange for food. Fortunately, readers
All That Consumes Us. and highlights how pivotal memory and know from the beginning that Rieke, based
By Erica Waters. storytelling are to the human endeavor. Key on the author’s grandmother, will survive
Oct. 2023. 416p. HarperTeen, $19.99 (9780063115965). to the success of this approach is Mikhail’s the war. This beautifully written novel jux-
Gr. 9–12. sparse prose that somehow conveys the taposes passages of transcendent insight with
In her first year at her exclusive Appala- weightiest emotions with the most delicate terrible loss. Perfectly curated setting details
chian college, Tara Boone hoped to join the of touches. An incredible, soulful debut. make Rieke’s emotional journey rich, acces-
mysterious academic society Magni Viri— —Reinhardt Suarez sible, and immediate. An excellent choice for
members receive full scholarships, allowing readers of Monica Hesse and Ruta Sepetys
them to focus on academic pursuits while Before the Devil Knows You’re Here. (particularly I Must Betray You, 2022) and
living in an atmospheric mansion. She didn’t By Autumn Krause. a first purchase for all teen collections.
get in, though, and now she’s working three Oct. 2023. 240p. Peachtree Teen, $18.99 (9781682636473); —Angela Carstensen
campus jobs. When a troubling and tragic e-book, $11.99 (9781682636480). Gr. 8–12.
event vacates a spot for Tara in Magni Viri, In the state of Wisconsin in 1836, Mexi- A Bright Heart.
she accepts, desperate for a chance to fulfill can American Catalina lives with Pa and her By Kate Chenli.
her dream of becoming a writer. Soon after brother, Jose Luis, in a cabin by the woods. Oct. 2023. 344p. Union Square, $18.99 (9781454949923).
she joins, however, she’s plagued by strange They have heard many tales of the Man of Gr. 9–12.
occurrences and disturbing nightmares. She Sap, a being that roams the earth plant- In Chenli’s Chinese-inspired fantasy de-
suspects Magni Viri hides something sinis- ing seeds that grow into the most beautiful but, a girl on the brink of death gets a
ter, but the other students in her cohort are but poisonous apple trees that lure you to second chance at life. Mingshin fell in love
tight-lipped. Stoker Award winner Waters your death. One day, three tempting apples with Prince Ren and helped him to become
pens an eerie academic psychological thriller show up on their doorstep. Though Pa, king, but he betrayed her. As she is dying,
perfect for the upcoming Halloween season. understanding the danger, summarily de- her prayers are answered, and she is sent back
The standard paranormal elements present- stroys them, he suddenly falls ill, and the two years into the past. Mingshin is deter-
ed in this tale have fresh, surprising twists, Man of Sap appears, taking Jose Luis with mined not to make the same mistakes: she
and an unexpected turn of events creates him. Catalina immediately embarks on a will prevent the two-faced Prince Ren from
tension and mystery. Sensitively explored journey into the woods to find the Man of becoming king and avert the tragedy that
topics such as class discrimination, familial Sap and save her brother before it’s too late. befell her and her family. But her revenge
estrangement, and academic pressure add Krause has written an engaging story filled plan is complicated by the fact that, in this
depth. LGBTQIA+ and ethnically diverse with adventure, curses, twists, and a touch life, Prince Ren is involved in forbidden
characters written with empathy and care of romance. Told from the points of view magic. Mingshin also unexpectedly begins
help modernize this gothic horror for young of both Catalina and the Man of Sap, this to fall for another contender for the throne,
adults. —Ana Menchaca title, presenting an eerie twist on the John- Prince Jieh, whom she wrote off as arrogant
ny Appleseed legend, uses lyrical writing to and haughty in her past life. The characters
At the End of the World. invite readers into a haunting world rid- are complex and well-developed, and the
By Nadia Mikail. dled with folkloric elements that will hook fairy tale–like romance still shows an equal
Oct. 2023. 192p. Feiwel and Friends, $19.99 them from the propulsive opening pages. partnership and a thoughtful message about
(9781250868091). Gr. 9–12. —Michelle Ortega looking past first impressions. This book will
Earth was given one year of warning to appeal to any reader who loves fantasy with a
prepare for an asteroid strike that will end The Blood Years. good mix of romance, ancient Chinese court
all life on the planet. Soon after came riots By Elana K. Arnold. politics, and magic. —Marija Lukic
and upheaval, then a long despair, and finally Oct. 2023. 400p. HarperCollins/Balzer+Bray, $19.99
widespread acceptance. For (9780062990853). Gr. 9–12. Catfish Rolling.
Aisha and her mother, get- Arnold’s (Red Hood, 2020) extraordinary By Clara Kumagai.
ting their final affairs in historical novel takes place in Czernowitz, Oct. 2023. 432p. Abrams/Amulet, $19.99 (9781419768514).
order includes reaching out Romania, during WWII. Frederieke and her Gr. 9–12.
to Aisha’s estranged sister, “beautiful, terrible” older sister, Astra, live at With poignant observations, Kumagai
June, who left several years the mercy of neglectful par- tells the powerful story of a young woman
before. The prospect of ents until their observant navigating grief and her new normal. When
seeing June again is bitter- Jewish grandfather takes Sora was a child, her family often visited her
sweet for Aisha. She blames them in. This fascinating grandfather in her mother’s home country
June for abandoning her and her mother so dysfunctional family pulls of Japan. During one visit, the island expe-
soon after their father’s death, for stranding together when war arrives rienced a devastating earthquake that took
her with a life unlived—a university that with the Russians in 1940, both Sora’s grandfather and mother, but
will never be attended, exciting experiences the year Rieke turns 14. more than that, time started behaving dif-
as a young professional that will never be They are lucky to remain ferently. In certain areas, time was either
enjoyed, a future that will never escape the in their home after the Nazi invasion that faster or slower and physically affected any-
present. Still, along with her boyfriend’s fam- follows, but this means witnessing the de- one who stayed in the zones for an extended
ily, Aisha accompanies her mother on one last struction of their city alongside the deaths time. As a high-school graduate, Sora doesn’t
tour of Malaysia to find June and be a family and deportations of friends and neighbors, see a future for herself: her only friend has
together at the end of the world. Haunting is experiencing intense hatred on the streets, moved to Tokyo, she has no career prospects,
the perfect word for this novel. Bereft of fan- and falling ill from starvation. Yet, their story and her father’s obsession and grief are driv-
tastic schemes to avert the coming disaster or is suffused with the pure love between Rieke ing him to alcohol. Alone in the world, she
overwrought melodrama, this story instead and her Opa and the more complicated love takes it upon herself to save her father from

himself and cope with her own sorrow. Inter- Will his new friendship with Marco turn monster who feeds on human fear. Though
laced with Sora’s memories of the past, this is into something more? Valdes has written a she doesn’t pretend not to enjoy sifting
both heartbreaking and empowering. While cheerful rom-com that celebrates the season through her victims’ memories for their
the time jumps may take time to get used and is sure to delight readers year-round. greatest fears, she is careful not to go too
to, patient readers will be rewarded with a —Michael Cart far, until she breaks the one
rich exploration of grief, society, and finding rule the Gods have for her
yourself. —Amber Hayes Into the Bright Open: A Secret Garden kind and becomes a target
Remix. of their wrath. Her only
Didn’t See That Coming. By Cherie Dimaline. option for survival is a part-
By Jesse Q. Sutanto. 2023. 288p. Feiwel and Friends, $19.99 (9781250842657). nership with Silas, an angry
Nov. 2023. 320p. Delacorte, $18.99 (9780593434017). Gr. 8–10. Herald conscripted to ferry
Gr. 8–12. In this queer YA remix of The Secret souls and hunt monsters
Popular Kristabella “Kiki” Siregar is an Garden—part of Macmillan’s Remixed Clas- for the Gods for all eter-
outspoken gamer-girl living in South Jakar- sics series—Mary Lennox is a disagreeable, nity with no memory of his own identity,
ta, Indonesia. Feeling that her schooling has spoiled, but deeply lonely 15-year-old girl. which he is desperate to regain. With witty
made her too liberal, Kiki’s affluent parents When her parents are unexpectedly killed, banter, succinct (if occasionally thin) world
unexpectedly switch her to she is sent to live at her absent uncle Craven’s building, and well-crafted chemistry be-
Xingfa—an elite, tradition- house. Mary’s new home is in the wilderness, tween characters, Christo’s latest is another
ally Chinese school—for the servants are like family, and most of them excellent choice for teen readers looking for
her last year. Hoping to are Indigenous—all of which is foreign to fantasy that isn’t a doorstopper series; it’s a
enthrall new peers with her Mary, who has grown up in the city. How- fairly quick read with Greek mythological
confidence, Kiki is taken ever, Mary soon befriends the family’s Métis influences and a big twist. Despite a few
aback by the school’s chau- servant Flora, develops romantic feelings for slower expository sections, Silas and Atia’s
vinistic mindset. When Flora’s sister Sophie, and discovers the pres- questing group encounters much action, and
she gets bullied by smug ence of a thrilling secret in the house. But just the majority of the story is fast-paced and
classmate Jonas Arifin and many others, her as Mary’s life is looking brighter, her step- exciting. A plethora of mythical creatures,
confidence quickly wanes. To relieve stress, mother, Rebecca, returns and puts everything a warm found-family secondary cast, and a
Kiki finds solace in gaming under the guise at risk. Despite the main character’s age, the heady, slow-burn romance round out a bal-
of a male character called “DudeBro” (to book feels more middle grade than YA, and anced offering that asks intriguing questions
avoid being objectified). It is in this gam- the conflict at the end is wrapped up a tad about morality and the monster in all of us.
ing universe where she builds a kinship too quickly. On the other hand, it’s refreshing —Allie Stevens
with the sweet and progressive “Sourdawg.” to see an initially unsympathetic teen girl as
Through the help of the meddlesome “Lil’ a main character in a YA book. Readers who Night of the Witch.
Auntie’s” dating service, Kiki hopes to reveal have and haven’t read the source material are By Sara Raasch and Beth Revis.
her online friend’s identity, as well as build a likely to enjoy this novel. —Marija Lukic Oct. 2023. 416p. Sourcebooks/Fire, $18.99
relationship with her handsome project part- (9781728272160). Gr. 9–12.
ner, Liam. Dial A for Aunties (2021) author The Night Fox. In Revis and Raasch’s YA romance be-
Sutanto creates another fictional masterpiece By Ashley Wilda. tween a witch and a witch-hunter, nearly all
centered on gender bias and STEM-related Oct. 2023. 384p. Penguin/Rocky Pond, $19.99 of Fritzi’s family is killed by witch-hunters.
topics. Readers will empathize with the re- (9780593618929). Gr. 8–10. While trying to save another witch, Fritzi is
marks and jabs that the protagonist, and In an emotional and whimsical debut, captured by Otto, a witch-hunter and her
other classmates, face on the daily from Wilda weaves the present and past together to enemy. What Fritzi doesn’t know is that after
supposed superiors. This story is a great re- paint a story of pain and healing. A breakup his mother’s unjust execution for witchcraft,
minder for people to stand up to aggressors driven by religious differences plunges Eli Otto has been secretly putting together a plan
and to not diminish their true identity. An into an inescapable depression, leading her to save witches—a plan that Fritzi has now
adorkably inclusive YA romance that is both mother to take her to a mountainous retreat, ruined. Although it’s difficult to trust the en-
fiery and earnest. —Beronica Garcia Raeth. There Eli encounters others struggling emy, Fritzi and Otto work together to stop
with big life changes as well as Raeth’s keeper, the witch-hunters and their terrifying leader,
Finding My Elf. Gale. With the opportunity to learn about Dieter Kirch. As Fritzi returns to danger by
By David Valdes. herself and discover pathways toward feeling infiltrating the prison, she and Otto slowly
Nov. 2023. 256p. HarperTeen, $19.99 (9780063288881). well, Eli must take conscious steps forward begin to fall for each other. While working
Gr. 9–12. to heal—but is she ready? In an afterword, together, the unlikely pair begin to unravel
Eighteen-year-old Cuban American Cam Wilda describes the importance of themes of terrifying secrets both about their common
is in big trouble. A college freshman, he’s mental illness in the story and how the fiction enemy and about the nature of the witches’
flunking out of school and has lost his schol- loosely reflects her past. Readers who enjoy magic. The book’s plot meanders in places,
arship, and as he heads home for Christmas, stories of angst and introspection in liminal but it will appeal to fans of the enemies-to-
he panics wondering how to break the news environments, such as in Meg Wolitzer’s Bel- lovers trope and to readers who enjoy witch/
to his doting single dad. In the meantime, zhar (2014) and Jenny Hubbard’s And We Stay witch-hunter romance, especially as Hallow-
needing Christmas cash, he gets a job at the (2014), will appreciate Eli’s narrative. Teens een approaches. —Marija Lukic
local mall working as an elf in Santa Land. familiar with Tumblr culture—particularly
He’s nonplussed to discover that his ex, Le- its emo aesthetic—will also find plenty to The Scarlet Alchemist.
roy, is also working in the village and seems recognize in the alternating prose and verse. By Kylie Lee Baker.
to be interested in getting back together. Ah, —Abby Hargreaves Oct. 2023. 432p. Harlequin/Inkyard, $19.99
but what about Marco, the preternaturally (9781335458018); e-book, $12.99 (9780369736604).
cheerful elf who might also have a crush on T The Night Hunt. Gr. 9–12.
Cam? To further complicate things, the elves By Alexandra Christo. Political struggles, family, and the dangers
must compete in a contest, with the win- Oct. 2023. 384p. Feiwel and Friends, $20.99 of magic take center stage in Baker’s duol-
ner receiving $5,000, the sum Cam needs (9781250897442). Gr. 9–12. ogy starter, imaginatively set in an alternate
to finance his second semester. Will he win? Atia is the last Nefas in existence—a Tang dynasty China. In a remote village,

young Zilan aspires to lift her family from and her syndrome. Sensory Time Warp Syn- elements—are so charming that the cities
poverty by becoming a royal alchemist. As drome (STWS) is a bit of a leap, but Suk’s become characters themselves. Romance, ad-
things stand, she makes money by illegally compelling and realistic writing makes it venture, and lessons of hope are the heart of
practicing necromancy, but when the oppor- worthwhile, and inclusions like notes from this duology opener from an author unafraid
tunity to pursue her dream arises, she seizes Aimee’s counselor and a pamphlet on STWS to immerse the reader into different worlds.
it. Zilan makes her way to the capital, eager add to the story, drawing parallels to depres- —Aurora Dominguez
to participate in the ruthless imperial games sion or anxiety. Recommend this to your
required for this elite career in alchemy. teens who loved XO, Kitty and those who are When We Become Ours: A YA Adoptee
While there, she connects with the crown a little adventurous. —Stacey Comfort Anthology.
prince, who confesses to needing her talents Ed. by Shannon Gibney and Nicole Chung.
of bringing the dead back due to an impend- The Spells We Cast. Oct. 2023. 352p. HarperTeen, $19.99 (9780063144408).
ing threat, and tensions and complications By Jason June. Gr. 9–12.
ensue. Readers will be drawn to Zilan’s char- Oct. 2023. 352p. Disney/Melissa de la Cruz, $17.99 Though marginalized voices have become
acter, whose determination is fueled by her (9781368089234). Gr. 9–12. increasingly amplified in youth literature,
big heart and generous spirit. The narrative, Nigel Barrett, the youngest magician in there remains a dearth of stories about
filled with lessons about the dangers of high- his family, is called to the annual Culling—a transracial adoptees. Books on adoption, es-
stakes competitions as well as the effects of competition that determines which teenage pecially those geared toward much younger
political lies, is ideal for readers who enjoy magicians get to keep their magical powers readers, tend to focus on caregivers and on
fast-paced scenes, action, and immersive sto- into adulthood and which don’t—while he’s “good” feelings, with some narratives bor-
rytelling. —Aurora Dominguez at a cheap taco stand being broken up with dering on saviorism. In contrast, each of the
by his boyfriend. Things can only go up from 15 stories in this volume provides a glimpse
The Search for Us. there, or so he thinks, until he runs into the into the complexity of adoptees’ experiences.
By Susan Azim Boyer. other apprentices competing for a place in Genres range from slice-of-life to the super-
Oct. 2023. 320p. St. Martin’s/Wednesday, $21 the Guild. Handsome childhood friend Ori natural and more fantastical, and one story
(9781250833709); e-book, $11.99 (9781250833716). Gr. 8–12. and shape-shifter Bex make a good pair to is presented as a comic. A handful of pro-
Two teens in different places in California team with, but they all have to watch out for tagonists identify as Black, Indigenous, or
take DNA tests; each is trying to find a long- Jaleesa the fae and Laurel the nymph, who Latine, while the majority cue as being of
absent father. What they discover, however, cast spells intended to hurt, maybe even kill. different Asian heritages. There is more va-
is that they are half-siblings, although no They’re all due at Guild boot camp for five riety in family composition, which includes
connection to their mutual Iranian Ameri- days, to learn to control their magic. Nigel fellow adopted siblings, same-sex parents,
can father appears. They each have different has an extra challenge, though: he might be and single-parent households. Contributors
goals for the search: Samira wants to find her falling for Ori, even if the sprite boy seems include Meredith Ireland, Mark Oshiro,
father for overdue child-support payments uninterested. This is a fun entry into the ur- Eric Smith, and Mariama J. Lockington.
to relieve her family’s financial burden, while ban fantasy genre, with a well-thought-out The beauty of collections like this is that its
Henry longs to find belonging and an es- magic system and specialties and functions contents can be read in any order, lending
cape from the strict rules of his prejudiced for each of the magicians. Hand to teen themselves to deep contemplation as much as
aunt and uncle who are raising him. They fantasy fans moving on from Harry Potter. leisurely reading. While some stories are more
ultimately unite to find their father, and —Stacey Comfort well-executed than others, taken together they
his circumstances are not at all what either remind readers that each of us is the expert in
of them expected. When they finally meet What the River Knows. our own experience. —Charisma Lee
him, they both begin to fill gaps in their un- By Isabel Ibañez.
derstanding of their lives and gain a richer Nov. 2023. 416p. St. Martin’s/Wednesday, $20
perspective on their father and their respec- (9781250803375). Gr. 9–12. Middle Readers
tive families. The narrative switches between In a novel that exquisitely depicts both its
Samira’s and Henry’s points of view, height- characters and the world around them, Iba- Coyote Queen.
ening the tension and pressure they both ñez (Together We Burn, 2022) introduces Inez By Jessica Vitalis.
feel. Boyer sensitively explores the complexi- Olivera, a girl of Bolivian and Argentine de- Oct. 2023. 272p. Greenwillow, $18.99 (9780063314405).
ties of identity, family, and responsibility in scent, who lives among the Gr. 4–7.
a plot fueled by a compelling search for an- rich in nineteenth-century Twelve-year-old Felicity Ulyssa Dahlers,
swers and healing. —Donna Scanlon Buenos Aires. Adventurous “Fud,” lives in a trailer in rural Wyoming
by nature, Inez tries bravely with her mom and Larry—her mom’s abu-
The Space between Here & Now. to deal with her grief after sive, ex-boxer boyfriend, who’s in the grip of
By Sarah Suk. she learns that her parents, alcoholism. Fud’s used to being picked on at
Oct. 2023. 320p. HarperCollins/Quill Tree, $19.99 avid travelers, have passed school for her poverty, but being unhoused
(9780063255135). Gr. 9–12. away while out of town. with her mom was better than sleeping on
Aimee disappeared at lunch yesterday— When she inherits their Larry’s pool raft and living in constant fear
literally, for two minutes—to relive a fortune, Inez sets off on a journey of her for their psychological and physical safety. A
memory of her estranged mother. And again, own, to Cairo, Egypt, in hopes of learning new neighbor, classmate Leigh, offers Fud a
after school. She has a time-travel syndrome what happened to them. But there are many bright spot, but as the situation with Larry
linked to her sense of smell, which means she surprises awaiting her, including a mysteri- worsens, a speculative twist tilts this story
can disappear at any time, from any place, ous new guardian—an archaeologist—she’s from tough realistic fiction into slightly dark
with little or no warning. When the smell never met, his Egyptian brother-in-law, and Animorphs territory, and the fantastical el-
of sawdust takes her back to a memory that a strange gold ring she’s inherited from her ements may require handselling to readers.
doesn’t agree with the family history her fa- father. Inez is as creative as she is hopeful, Scrappy Fud demonstrates admirable cop-
ther has told her, she starts to wonder about and in the end, the story will sweep readers ing mechanisms alongside awareness she
her mother’s exit from her life and travels away with its cinematic details, its touches shouldn’t have to live in fear, and the book’s
to Korea to find answers. What she finds of magic, and a dash of romance. Ibañez’s coyote facts and symbolism nicely bolster
are new friends, a family that offers small descriptions of the cities that Inez visits—
clues, and maybe the truth about her mom especially Buenos Aires, with its magical Continued on p.54

Sponsored by National
Bookmakers Geographic Kids
Trudi Trueit on
Explorer Academy Vela
N
ational Geographic Kids made a splash in 2018 with searching for the
Trudi Trueit’s middle-grade adventure series Explorer book? And was
Academy, which sent a class of students around the there anything fas-
world solving puzzles. The kids are back for another year in this cinating you discovered that didn’t end up making it in?
spin-off series starring Sailor York, who almost immediately Trueit: It’s hard to pick a favorite! Learning about the Great
finds herself drawn into a high-stakes mystery involving animal Blue Hole so I could take the explorers there on a mission
smuggling. We spoke with Trueit about the new series’ star, the was fascinating. Blue holes are caves that were once on land
fascinating gadgets the kids use, and how, despite everything we thousands of years ago but are now submerged beneath the
know about the world now, there’s still plenty to explore. sea. At 400 feet, the Great Blue hole is among the deepest of
these in the world. What’s interesting is that at
Booklist: What made you want to write a spin-
a depth of about 300 feet, submersible pilots
off series from Sailor’s perspective?
found a thick layer of toxic hydrogen sulfide
Trueit: Sailor is a close friend of the main char-
(formed by decomposing matter, mainly sargas-
acter, Cruz Coronado, in the original Explorer
sum seaweed). Scientists studying hammerhead
Academy series. She is clever, courageous, and fi-
sharks found that the sharks will feed just above
ery, and her honest approach to life often served
the lethal hydrogen sulfide, but not go into it.
as a compass for Cruz. Strong characters like
Somehow, they know it’s dangerous. But how?
Sailor practically beg to be put in the spotlight.
As for something I didn’t include, in the book
I thought, wouldn’t it be intriguing for someone
the explorers learn that diving a blue hole is
who is so authentic to have a secret—something
dangerous, but I didn’t go into great detail on
she’s pushed deep into her past? What would
the subject. Scuba divers have gotten lost in the
happen if that secret resurfaced? Could Sailor
labyrinths of these underwater caverns and sadly,
be as honest with herself as she is with others? It
not survived. Recovery missions are usually too
just started to snowball from there. I could think
difficult to attempt, so blue holes can also be
of no better journey for a brave explorer like
watery graves.
Sailor to take than one of self-discovery.
Booklist: For some kids, exploration might seem
Booklist: Can you talk about your inspiration
like an occupation relegated to history; what do you hope readers
for some of the fantastical technology Sailor and her classmates
of your books come to understand about exploration of our world
use?
today?
Trueit: Many of the gadgets the explorers utilize are from my
Trueit: When it comes to exploration, we have only just begun
imagination, but some do exist, either in part or in full, and I
to scratch the surface of what is out there waiting to be discov-
didn’t have to look further than the real explorers of National
ered. I was astonished to learn that just five percent of Earth’s
Geographic for inspiration. The insect drones that Sailor and
oceans have been explored! Similarly, there are millions of land
Cruz use are similar to real micro “bug” drones engineered by
species that have yet to be revealed. Factor in the rapid advance-
roboticist Robert Wood. Emmett’s mood glasses and the shape-
ments we are making in technologies like submersibles, robotics,
shifting uniforms the explorers wear play off the work being
and satellites and you realize there’s no better time to be an ex-
done by materials architect Skylar Tibbits and the team at
plorer than right now. I think National Geographic explorer and
MIT’s self-assembly lab. The Universal Cetacean Communica-
oceanographer, Robert Ballard, who helped lead the mission to
tion helmet, which allows the students to “speak” to dolphins,
discover the wreck of the Titanic, put it best when he said that
came from the research of marine biologists who record and
today’s generation of middle schoolers will explore more of the
study the songs of cetaceans. “The Truth behind The Fiction,” a
planet than all previous generations combined. Wow! We are
section in the back of the book, shares more about the science
living in the golden age of exploration, so I hope Explorer Acad-
that sparked the story. emy inspires readers to venture out like Sailor and her friends
Booklist: What was your favorite thing you learned when re- and dare to explore!

Continued from p.52 embraced instead of feared—and that cookies mishmash of vivid artwork, scribbled hand
always make life sweeter. —Emily Graham lettering, simple typefaces, poignant self-
Fud’s survivor mentality: “Sometimes leav- portraits, and occasional collage. A riot of
ing one pack meant finding another.” Vitalis Final Word. color and emotion, every page offers a new
(The Wolf ’s Curse, 2021; The Rabbit’s Gift, By Janet Sumner Johnson. treat for the reader and a new experience for
2022) lends lived experience from “the fring- Oct. 2023. 384p. Pixel+Ink, $18.99 (9781645951964); Franny. It’s a wonderful world stuffed full of
es of society” to Fud’s journey, per a note e-book, $10.99 (9781645951988). Gr. 4–7. creativity, mystery, and transformative growth.
with resources, and offers readers an honest, Facing eviction from their motel, 13-year- —Emily Graham
slice-of-underrepresented-life story with a old Gordon convinces his genius twin, Hope,
speculative twist. —Kit Ballenger that entering the annual Winterton dictionary The Girl Who Fell to Earth.
magnates’ spelling competition, with its seri- By Patricia Forde.
The Dubious Pranks of Shaindy ous prize money, is their best Oct. 2023. 288p. Little Island, paper, $12.99
Goodman. shot at keeping their fam- (9781915071439). Gr. 5–8.
By Mari Lowe. ily together. Hope despises Fourteen-year-old Aria lives on an advanced
Nov. 2023. 176p. Levine Querido, $18.99 (9781646142644). the Wintertons, especially planet ruled by science, where technology
Gr. 4–7. after the pair recently dis- can prevent any disease, slow aging, and even
Heading into sixth grade, 12-year-old covered their absent (and stop death. But after accidentally seeing her
Shaindy Goodman is anticipating continued now deceased) father was a DNA under a microscope, Aria finds out she’s
invisibility, so it’s quite the surprise when her member of that family. Nev- partially human—an inferior species. Reeling
popular next-door neighbor, the effervescent ertheless, she secures a spot from this discovery, Aria is sent to accompa-
Gayil, wants to confide in her. Gayil reveals in the spelling bee, and they’re whisked off ny her dad on a secret mission to eradicate
that she found a teacher’s key fob and plans to to the Winterton chalet with their mom for Earth—a “shadow planet” populated by the
sneak into school at night to set up a harmless the week-long contest. Deceased matriarch humans whom Aria’s people run experiments
prank on a classmate—and she wants Shain- Jane Winterton has offered the bee partici- on. Aria has been told that humans don’t have
dy’s help. Shaindy agrees to the scheme, and pants, which include her largely estranged feelings or form attachments because they live
after the plan succeeds, the pair conspires to progeny, an additional shot at life-changing such short lives, but what she sees on Earth
pull off increasingly risky pranks, even when funds, and the clues Jane’s left for a literary is different. When the mission goes terribly
they start to seem more cruel than comical. scavenger hunt create tension between the wrong, Aria is left alone on Earth to survive,
The tight-knit school is thrown into a tizzy, twins while leading Hope to question whom find out who she really is, and get home to tell
and a devastating betrayal upends Shaindy’s she can trust and whether mounting threats her planet that they are making a terrible mis-
formerly quiet existence. With Yom Kip- to her safety are worth the potential bounty. take. Aria’s experience on Earth is vivid and
pur looming on the horizon, Shaindy has With a full cast of eclectic characters, themes believable, though more details of her home
to decide what true forgiveness and justice of friendship and self-discovery, and a Clue- world would have made this even stronger.
look like in her suddenly complicated world. esque plot, this twisty and cerebral mystery For any reader who is fascinated by the idea of
The absorbing novel shines a spotlight on should appeal to fans of The Westing Game alien civilizations, this book has a magical feel
the complexities of young friendship and and Kate Milford’s Greenglass House (2014); that will spark wonder. —Marija Lukic
immerses readers in the Orthodox Jewish additionally, its savvy female protagonist and
community. Every character feels fully fleshed from-the-grave manipulations evoke Jennifer Gone Wolf.
out, and Shaindy’s conflicting desires will Lynn Barnes’ The Inheritance Games (2020)— By Amber McBride.
resonate with young readers. An enormously minus the canoodling. A pleasing smash-up Oct. 2023. 352p. Feiwel and Friends, $17.99
rewarding meditation on friendship, fairness, of middle-grade mysteries with several meaty (9781250850492). Gr. 4–7.
and forgiveness. —Emily Graham loose ends and a surprising final reveal; the There are two realities for Imogen. In one
true mystery here is how you’ll appease read- reality, she is simply known as Inmate Eleven,
Ellis Johnson Might Be Famous. ers while they await the sequel. Can you spell and she lives in the Bible Boot, a place that
By Shawn Amos. Illus. by Robert Paul Jr. c-i-r-c-u-l-a-t-i-o-n? —Kit Ballenger has reinstated slavery for Black Americans.
Oct. 2023. 336p. Little, Brown, $16.99 (9780759556836). Some of those enslaved peo-
Gr. 4–7. Franny Cloutier: The Year My Life ple are so sad that they have
After the events of 2022’s Cookies & Milk, Turned Upside Down. physically turned blue. Imo-
Ellis feels like his life in 1970s California is By Stéphanie Lapointe. Illus. by Marianne gen is one of those “blue”
in a great place. The family cookie shop is a Ferrer. Tr. by Ann Marie Boulanger. people, one who lives in a
roaring success, he has fantastic friends and a Nov. 2023. 370p. Arctis, paper, $18 (9781646900244). prison with her wolf-dog,
burgeoning crush, and he’s growing in confi- Gr. 4–7. Ira. Imogen yearns to be free
dence as a blues harmonica player. He’s even Fourteen-year-old Franny’s life in Montreal of the binds that the “clones”
booked to be part of the Macy’s Thanksgiv- is in disarray. Her father has accepted a job harness her with. In another
ing Day Parade with his famous father! But in Japan, and while he’s off living his dream, reality, Imogen is a girl in the modern world,
after the parade turns into an embarrassing Franny will be shipped off to a small Cana- dealing with the aftermath of racial violence,
nightmare, Ellis bids adieu to his musical as- dian town. Even worse, she’ll be residing with a devastating virus, post-election discord, and
pirations and returns home to a host of other her deceased mother’s family, none of whom the death that links all of these things in her
changes: his divorced dad is dating again, and she’s ever met. Having a terrible time adjust- life. National Book Award finalist McBride,
his DJ uncle has taken over his clubhouse. As ing to her new situation, Franny pours all her author of Me (Moth) (2021), is a master at
Ellis schemes to undo these developments, angst and frustration into her diary. When she crafting characters who are unapologetically
complications arise that have him rethinking realizes that she now resides in the town where flawed, a pattern that continues in this, her
his resistance to change. It’s a pleasure to re- her mother died, Franny begins the process of middle-grade debut. Imogen’s character per-
turn to Ellis’ cozy, cookie-scented world and unraveling the mystery of her mom’s death— fectly personifies the continuous shroud of
watch him navigate new, relatable challenges. and the woman’s amazing life. Is it possible grief that Black Americans have to live with in
The familial bonds are deep and affectionate, Franny has landed exactly where she belongs? a post-pandemic, post-2016 election world.
and the confiding, casual narrative style will This innovative opener for the Canadian se- But even with the integration of the theme
easily draw in young readers. An eminently ries, translated from French, is told through of grief throughout the novel, there is still
entertaining reminder that change should be journal entries, and the format is a glorious the insistence of hope. McBride examines the

beauty in Black resilience and the importance register her presence, and as they leave on yet series opener wastes no time throwing Olive
of building community. This novel is an inte- another lengthy work assignment, Olive is headlong into adventure. There are hilarious
gral addition to the children’s literary canon. deposited at a new boarding school for chil- high jinks and outlandish plot points aplenty,
—Nashae Jones dren with artistic temperaments. The island plus an astonishingly inventive array of tech-
manor turned prison turned reform school nology that would make even James Bond
Looking Up. turned art school is a wonder, but a series jealous. It’s easy to root for the delightfully di-
By Stephan Pastis. Illus. by the author. of unusual aptitude tests sees Olive assigned verse spy squad, and readers will eagerly await
Oct. 2023. 240p. Aladdin, $13.99 (9781665929622). Gr. 3–5. not to an art class but rather to a super-secret the next installment of their crime-fighting
In cartoonist Pastis’ latest outing, Saint, a training division for elite crime fighters. No capers. —Emily Graham
self-described “square peg in a round world,” one is more shocked than Olive herself, but
fights a noble, if quixotic, battle to stave off the small, disparate group of similarly skilled Ruptured.
change, ripping up For Sale signs all over students quickly forms a bond, which is soon By Joanne Rossmassler Fritz.
town, fulminating at the gentrification they tested when a criminal mastermind interrupts Nov. 2023. 272p. Holiday, $17.99 (9780823452330); e-book,
portend, and filling in prospective buyers a school gala and puts the future of Olive’s $10.99 (9780823457342). Gr. 5–8.
of her cane-using friend Daniel’s house on newly beloved academy at risk. This absorbing While 13-year-old Claire knows that her
the neighborhood’s (fictive) toxic waste, un-
marked burials, and frequent burglaries. At
first, her efforts, presented in a narrative fes-
tooned with deadpan line drawings, come off
as both brave and funny, but as they go on,
savvy readers will wonder if something else is
driving her behavior—and the late revelation
of a family tragedy points to why she wants
everything to stay just as it always was. In a
poignant twist, even Daniel turns out to be
not what he seems. The imaginative Saint
makes a memorable protagonist and does
find some comfort in a neighbor’s remark that
light from the stars takes a long time to reach
Earth: “Helps me to remember that even
though things change, the past is still right
there with us.” —John Peters
Mari and the Curse of El Cocodrilo.

By Adrianna Cuevas.
Oct. 2023. 256p. Harper, $18.99 (9780063285491). Gr. 4–7.
Cuevas mixes Cuban culture and tradi-
tions with magic and themes of belonging
in this engrossing fantasy adventure. Mari
Feijoo struggles with her Cuban heritage, as
it makes her feel like an outsider at school—
largely due to a classmate who constantly
teases her about it. When Mari decides not
to participate in her family’s important
Cuban New Year’s Eve tradition, she finds
herself cursed by the creepy El Cocodrilo
and dogged by increasingly troublesome
supernatural situations. As the curse gains
power and begins to spread, Mari’s bravery
shines as she endeavors to protect her friends
and realizes that her family’s ancestry might
just be what will save the day. Cuevas viv-
idly showcases the struggles that can arise in
tween friendships and highlights the power
found in a united family and in embracing
one’s culture and differences. This book will
not only captivate readers with its fantasy el-
ements; it will leave them deeply touched by
the characters and their adventures. Fans of
Claribel A. Ortega’s Ghost Squad (2020) and
Tehlor Kay Mejia’s Paola Santiago books will
be enamored. —Aurora Dominguez
A Royal Conundrum.
By Lisa Yee. Illus. by Dan Santat.
Jan. 2024. 288p. Random, $14.99 (9781984830296).
Gr. 4–7.
Olive Zang has always felt invisible and
out of place. Even her mom and dad barely

parents’ relationship has been troubled re- also feeling impatient, and Pappa suggests that his pet goldfish, Chip, is not in his bowl.
cently, she receives two shocks in quick they pass the time by making chapatis. A lot “Where is Chip?” Atticus asks his parents
succession when she and her parents go on of chapatis. Together they mix the dough, and and his favorite uncle. Their answers repre-
a summer vacation. First, her mother takes Simon shapes it into rounds while Pappa fries sent various euphemisms and clichés about
Claire out for lunch and shares a devastating them on the stove. At first, Simon’s chapatis death: “gone,” “lives up there,” “in a better
secret with her. Next, Mom complains of a are awkward and misshapen, but eventually place,” and so on. For Atticus, these answers
sudden, severe headache and falls to the floor, his are just as perfectly round as Pappa’s. Rob- only lead to more questions and confusion,
unconscious. Diagnosed with a ruptured inson’s homey, mixed-media artwork playfully wittily illustrated by Gastaldi. For example,
brain aneurysm, she needs surgery. When depicts the bread-making process in appropri- Atticus remembers his grandma also liv-
Mom regains consciousness, she remembers ately flour-strewn scenes that are expressive ing in the sky, and the picture shows her
nothing of their mother-daughter outing with motion; a cat appearing on nearly ev- and Chip—in his fishbowl—floating on
or their conversation (to Claire’s intense re- ery spread will be fun for little ones to spot. bouquets of balloons. “A better place for a
lief ), though Mom’s other memory gaps are There’s an understated message that finding fish” looks like an underwater amusement
disturbing to Claire. Mom remains in the ways to help can make soon-to-be older sib- park. In the end, Atticus finds comfort in
hospital with Dad by her side, but Claire re- lings feel more comfortable: once Simon and his memories of his pet. Despite the book’s
turns home under her aunt’s care until her Pappa complete their task, Simon is eager implied critique of euphemisms, it never
parents return. In an appended note, Fritz to make 200 chapatis with the new baby. At uses the words died or death to explain what
relates her own experiences with ruptured its heart, though, this is a cheerful portrayal happened to Chip. Perhaps that is a gap for
brain aneurysms. Written in free verse that of intergenerational bonding over bread, adult readers to fill in. A heartfelt book for
is sometimes poetic and sometimes more and that will ring true to plenty of children. children who have lost a pet, and a reminder
like prose spaced out on the page, Claire’s —Sarah Hunter to adults to consider their language in such
first-person narrative is highly accessible, situations. —Miriam Aronin
increasingly involving, and sometimes rivet- Boyogi: How a Wounded Family
ing. The novel will particularly resonate with Learned to Heal. The Concrete Garden.
readers who have seen how medical issues By David Barclay Moore. Illus. by Noa By Bob Graham. Illus. by the author.
can disrupt family life. —Carolyn Phelan Denmon. Nov. 2023. 32p. Candlewick, $18.99 (9781536233803).
Oct. 2023. 32p. Candlewick, $17.99 (9781536213706). PreS–Gr. 2.
Shira and Esther’s Double Dream Debut. Gr. 1–3. After a hard winter, the children living in
By Anna E. Jordan. A boy living in Brooklyn notices changes a cold, gray apartment building are ready
Oct. 2023. 332p. Chronicle, $17.99 (9781797215655). when his veteran father returns “from far for fun. They gather on the concrete out-
Gr. 4–6. away.” Once fun, active, talkative, and a heavy side and share a giant box of colored chalk.
Shira and Esther—look-alikes who share a sleeper, his father now has nightmares, is often Amanda draws a large, circular design, and
birthday—live in Idylldale, New York, known angry, and prefers to Jackson adds a stem, turning it into a gigan-
for its Yiddish theater and upscale Jewish re- be alone. While the tic dandelion. Janet draws a mushroom, and
sort (think post-WWII Borscht Belt). Rabbi’s boy helps his moth- Lovejoy puts an enormous snail on top. The
daughter Shira yearns to become a performer, er in the kitchen, Bradley twins create flowers, while other kids
much to her widower father’s dismay; Esther, they discuss Daddy’s add trees, bumblebees, and a butterfly, trans-
daughter of single mom and chanteuse Red situation. Moore, a forming the dull concrete into a lush chalk
Hot Fanny, wants only to study Torah and Coretta Scott King– garden, to the delight of the adults looking
one day become a cantor. After being intro- John Steptoe Award down from their balconies. Days later, rain
duced and sharing their frustrations, the girls winner, gives Mama thoughtful, direct, and washes the art away, but the children turn
contrive a plan to switch places and set about age-appropriate language to explain that when the bedraggled chalk box into little boats and
fulfilling all their dreams while hoodwinking Daddy was overseas “some bad things hap- then race them in the gutter to amuse them-
those closest to them. Jordan’s debut novel pened there” that made him sick. Although selves. The story is simply told, but Graham’s
unfolds in a prologue and three acts with these bad things didn’t hurt his body, they sensitive ink drawings with watercolor wash-
Morty the deli man offering omniscient nar- did hurt his mind. Mama also reassures that es give each scene a playful, endearing look.
ration in the present tense, a stylistic choice Daddy’s anger is not the son’s fault or a sign In the context of the post-pandemic period,
that occasionally makes the text read like stage that Daddy no longer loves him. But when it seems natural that the children at ground
directions. Yiddish words and phrases appear the boy asks how they can make Daddy’s head level and the adults watching from above
prominently throughout and are explained better, Mama admits that they’re still trying are equally riveted by the kids’ activities and
in context and defined in Morty’s appended to figure that out. The story transitions as creativity in this beguiling picture book.
“Curtain Call” (glossary). While a few plot Mama takes Daddy and the son to the local —Carolyn Phelan
points feel decidedly schmaltzy, they ring true YMCA, where they all participate in yoga. As
to Jewish theater traditions, making this a the boy learns more about poses (which seem Giraffe Is Too Tall for This Book.
good choice for theater kids not quite ready weird at first but become cool) and calming By DK Ryland. Illus. by the author.
to experience Mrs. Maisel. —Kay Weisman thinking, he notices positive transformations Oct. 2023. 40p. Page Street, $18.99 (9781645679851).
in his father. Together, they become yogis as K–Gr. 2.
Daddy continues to heal. Caldecott Honor An oblong format invites interactivity as
Yo u n g Book illustrator Denmon emphasizes color in readers are greeted by a set of wide-eyed ani-
her realistic digital illustrations to reflect these mals, from a mouse to an elephant—but not
100 Chapatis. changes. A sensitive, accessible approach to by Giraffe, whose neck extends past the top
By Derek Mascarenhas. Illus. by Shantala trauma and the mind-body relationship. edge of the page. “This book is too small!”
Robinson. —Angela Leeper Giraffe tries bending down, but that just
Oct. 2023. 32p. Owlkids, $18.95 (9781771475631). makes the whole scene crowded and un-
PreS–Gr. 1. Chip. comfortable. How about turning the book
Simon and his grandpa are waiting at home By Federico Gastaldi. Illus. by the author. sideways? Oops, that just makes everyone but
while his parents are at the hospital—Simon’s Oct. 2023. 40p. Little, Brown/Christy Ottaviano, $18.99 Giraffe fall to the bottom in a heap. “What
mom is having a baby, and he’s not very happy (9780316381840). PreS–Gr. 2. do you think Giraffe could do to fit?” asks
about how much change it will bring. He’s One morning, Atticus wakes up to find the flamingo. Move to the back? But now

tiny Giraffe is too far away to hear. What if The Kitten Story: A Mostly True Tale. ny. Snow is falling, but they never stop until
everyone climbs Giraffe’s neck? Not only is By Emily Jenkins. Illus. by Brittany Cicchese. their work is done. When Purple Delivery
Elephant too big for that but: “Oh, great . . . Oct. 2023. 48p. Astra/Minerva, $18.99 (9781662651151). Van asks for help, Katie restarts its engine.
the only thing I have a view of is Giraffe’s PreS–Gr. 2. With a busted headlight, Blue Calliope Car
butt.” One more sideways turn and all the For a family, getting a pet can be fraught needs help, too; Katie installs a new bulb.
animals are fully visible, at last! But then El- with conflict. In this light look at one fam- Despite stopping to assist Green Fire Truck
ephant, bulging beyond the page, discovers, ily’s search for a kitten, the father is the big (stuck in snow), Yellow Popcorn Truck (flat
“This book is too narrow!” Young audiences baby, pouting and fuming when his bid for tire), Orange Utility Truck (out of gas), and
will gleefully echo the leopard’s droll “Oh an older cat is overruled. Mommy narrates Shiny Silver Sleigh (broken hitch), Little Red
no, here we go again . . .” —John Peters (and, very subtly, rules) here. After a trip to and Katie make their delivery just in time,
the local library results in her two daughters and the other trucks and drivers are there to
Ice Bears at Ice Edge. finding a book on cats and deciding they cheer when, at last, the tree is lit. For young
By Robert Burleigh. Illus. by Wendell Minor. must have one, the search, and the struggle, truck fans, this seasonal picture book has
Oct. 2023. 40p. Abrams, $18.99 (9781419760709). K–Gr. 3. begin. Mommy takes just one other family plenty to offer, from the work ethic of this
A polar bear and her cub stand at the member, the younger daughter, to an animal determined pickup and its capable driver
ice’s edge, watching water flow toward the shelter (“less fighting that way” is Mommy’s to the wintry setting with a nod to (but no
sea. Suddenly, their patch of ice breaks off rationale), but the shelter, in a rundown mention of ) Christmas. The narrative makes
from the rest, and they float away on a wet, house, is no longer operating. Next, Mom- good use of repeated phrases, and children
slippery raft of ice. The cub slides into the my goes by herself by bus, in a blizzard, to will happily chime in. A visually appealing
frigid water. Hearing his terrified squeal, his a shelter where an older cat, not the kitten picture book that’s fun for reading aloud.
mother dives in after him, and they swim everyone except the father wanted, steals her —Carolyn Phelan
together. When his strength fails, she dives heart. Sepia-toned illustrations lend warmth
beneath him and, rising with him on her to the story. The resolution, with the whole My Brother Is an Avocado.
back, she swims for shore while he digs his family falling in love with the cat, speaks to By Tracy Darnton. Illus. by Yasmeen Ismail.
claws into her fur. Safe at last, she nurses the adage that “you don’t choose your pet; Oct. 2023. 32p. Simon & Schuster/Margaret K. McElderry,
him, and the tired bears head for home. The your pet chooses you.” —Connie Fletcher $18.99 (9781665942089). PreS–Gr. 2.
direct, occasionally lyrical narrative tells an It’s hard to wait for a new baby to arrive!
adventure story in simple terms. The illustra- Little Red. To help the older sibling, Dad explains the
tions, created with watercolor, gouache, and By Will Hillenbrand. Illus. by the author. baby’s growth using fruit and vegetable size
digital elements, portray the bears’ actions Oct. 2023. 40p. Little, Brown/Christy Ottaviano, $18.99 comparisons, and the child imagines life
and emotions with conviction. In separate (9780316333627). PreS–Gr. 2. with a baby brother. Humorous illustrations
appended notes, the writer and illustrator Little Red, a little pickup truck, and his show the child interacting with each item. A
comment on their approach to the topic of driver, Katie, are hauling an evergreen tree baby brother bean, tiny, green, and sporting
polar bear habitat loss and the broader effects into Tiny Town for its tree-lighting ceremo- a snazzy sweatband, may enjoy jumping or
of climate change and melting ice, which
threaten the bears’ habitat and their survival
Statement of ownership, management, Average No. Copies No. Copies of Single
as a species. An engaging picture book for Extent and Nature of Each Issue During Issue Published Nearest
reading aloud. —Carolyn Phelan and circulation (Act of August 12, Circulation
1970: Section 3685, Title 39, United Preceding 12 Months to Filing Date
States Code). In compliance with the A. Total Number of 8,894 7.941
If You Want to Be a Butterfly. U.S. Post Office requirements the Copies
By Muon Thi Văn. Illus. by Andrea following statement is published as it B. Paid and/or Requested
Armstrong. was submitted to the postmaster on Circulation
Oct. 2023. 40p. Kids Can, $21.99 (9781525305467). Form 3526. 1. Mailed Outside- 5,856 5,841
PreS–Gr. 1. Title of Publication: Booklist County Paid
Subscriptions
Oh, to be a butterfly breezing through a Publication Number: 0006785
2. Mailed In-County 150 150
beautiful morning, greeting the day and sam- Date of filing: October 1, 2023 Subscriptions
pling delicious nectar! But how do butterflies Frequency of issue: 22 issues 3. Paid Distribution 0 0
come to be? In a delightful twist, this book annually (twice monthly Outside the Mails
explores the life cycle of a butterfly by work- September–June, monthly July & 4. Paid Distribution by 170 170
August); annual subscription price Other Classes
ing backward from the final, winged product. Mailed through the
$184.95
We first jump from the butterfly to its pre- USPS
Location of known office of
ceding chrysalis phase, dangling from a stem publication: C. Total Paid 6,176 6,161
while withstanding storms and predators. But 225 N Michigan Ave Suite 1300 Distribution
how did the chrysalis form? Hop back to the D. Free Distribution by Mail
Chicago, IL 60601
1. Free or Nominal
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such a wonder. One final transition finds the Library Association, 225 N Michigan Copies
critter resting as a tiny egg, dreaming of life Ave Suite 1300 Chicago, IL 60601 2. Free or Nominal Rate
to come. But for an egg to exist, there must Editor: George Kendall, Booklist, Inside-Copies 35 35
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ingly comes full circle. It’s a wonderfully fresh 4. Free or Nominal Rate
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(no stockholders; a nonprofit 610 615
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lifting examination of a little life in progress. purposes have not changed during the Requested Circulation
—Emily Graham preceding 12 months.

running. A purple grape may join the fam- periences of nonbinary children, offering a in their home country and “smells that re-
ily at a sporting event, and a small pumpkin positive depiction of embracing one’s true mind me of silk thread and red envelopes”;
might go trick-or-treating. Mom’s size is identity. Marvelous illustrations also add to Devin misses his older sister who moved
growing in the pictures as well, as time pass- the book’s celebratory feel. Yangni’s vibrant away for college; and Savannah grieves the
es and the seasons change. Sometimes the mixed-media artwork layers textures and loss of her abuela. In accomplished muralist
child expresses anxiety: a brussels-sprout- or rainbow hues into joyful collages that show Yamasaki’s detailed mixed-media illustra-
onion-sized brother might be smelly or even the much-loved child confidently and happi- tions, transformations and interconnections
make the child cry! Although the fruits and ly moving through their day. Not He or She, abound. Subtle details in text and artwork
vegetables are always imagined as a brother, I’m Me would be at home among Todd Parr’s reveal the narrator is waiting for his incar-
the concluding twist reveals the new sibling many affirming titles and vitally promotes cerated mother to come home. An author’s
is actually a baby sister. The family is thrilled empathy, understanding, and validation as it note details Yamasaki’s art workshop experi-
with the new addition, who, it turns out, is normalizes nonbinary identities and experiences in Mexico working with mothers and
more fun and much easier to cuddle than an ences. Books such as this allow us to foster children impacted by incarceration. This
avocado. —Lucinda Whitehurst a world where every child can proudly say, touching picture book offers a heartening
“I’m me.” —Juan Manzanares message about the everlasting connections
Nesting Dolls. with loved ones. —Linda Ludke
By Vanessa Brantley-Newton. Illus. by the Pass the Baby.
author. By Susanna Reich. Illus. by Raúl Colón. Rock Your Mocs.
Oct. 2023. 40p. Crown, $18.99 (9781984852373). K–Gr. 3. Oct. 2023. 32p. Holiday/Neal Porter, $18.99 By Laurel Goodluck. Illus. by Madelyn
Anyiaka admires everything about her (9780823450855). PreS–Gr. 1. Goodnight.
older sister, Sorie, including how much she’s Babies make family gatherings fun, and the Oct. 2023. 32p. HarperCollins/Heartdrum, $19.99
like Mom and Grandma—Sorie even has little girl in Reich’s day-in-the-life tale is no (9780063099890). PreS–Gr. 2.
their “golden brown skin,” while Anyiaka is exception. Presented in an upbeat rhyming Goodluck (Mandan/Hidatsa/Tsimshian)
the darkest in her family. Anyiaka feels even text, the child’s high jinks and her family’s and Goodnight (Chickasaw) introduce
more out of place in Grandma’s art studio attention and playfulness create a happy, fes- young readers to Rock Your Mocs Day (No-
while looking at family portraits, then at tive environment. Dinner with the extended vember 15), a commemoration of Native
nearby nesting dolls, one of which has darker family includes Mommy, Papi, Grandma, and First Nations cultural pride. Spotlight-
skin than the rest, just like her—“Is this me?” Grandpa, Tío, Tía, ing individual children from specific tribes
she wonders. Upset and wanting to fit in, a sister, and more. and locales, the story introduces Kyah, wear-
she begins repainting the doll with a lighter A young brother ing Yurok mocs; Taktuk, sporting Inupiaq
shade of brown, until Grandma enters and or cousin appears kamipiak; and baby Kalen, wearing Navajo
reassures, explaining that Anyiaka has attri- to giggle at all the slippers, among others. Goodluck empha-
butes of every woman in their family, not mischief created by sizes the variety of styles and names given
just her skin. Uplifted, and with Grandma, the little one, and to moccasins (reflecting available materials,
Mom, and Sorie’s help, Anyiaka completes the entire group is climate requirements, and languages) and
the doll to look more like herself, realizing it indulgent of the baby’s antics, from throw- encourages children to celebrate their In-
fits with the rest perfectly. The lively, loving ing food on the floor to spilling coffee on digenous identities. Goodnight’s colorful
Gullah Geechee family is depicted in vibrant her grandmother’s dress. A refrain appears illustrations employ a realistic style and of-
mixed-media illustrations, incorporating throughout the story: “Baby, baby, pass ten focus on the colors, designs, and beading
bright patterns and photographic elements. the baby! Baby wants a little bite. Pass the present on the depicted footwear. Additional
Along with Anyiaka’s expressive narrative, baby round the table, filled with faces shin- details (a Proud to Be Native T-shirt; a chalk-
this offers an affectionate celebration of ing bright.” Though a couple of illustrations board depicting number words in Ojibwe)
family through generations. A sweet and af- show a bit of consternation on family mem- also support the text’s encouragement of
firming book that gently tackles the issue of bers’ faces at the constant activity, there are cultural identity. Goodnight also makes use
colorism. —Shelle Rosenfeld no reprimands, just acceptance of the mess of transparent, faded figures to depict ances-
a youngster can make. The feast is as varied tors and traditional lore, clearly delineating
Not He or She, I’m Me. as the family members, including guacamole, contemporary children and events from the
By A. M. Wild. Illus. by Kah Yangni. ravioli, enchiladas, meatballs, peanut pie, and past. Back matter includes additional infor-
Oct. 2023. 32p. Holt, $18.99 (9781250818607). PreS–Gr. 1. cheesecake. As usual, the adults collapse af- mation about this celebration, the names
In their debut children’s book, Wild beau- ter their delicious meal but the energy of the of the Indigenous groups included in the
tifully weaves personal experiences as a queer, two youngest family members continues the story, and the prevalence of mixed cultural
nonbinary person into a heartwarming nar- fun. Adults will recognize the scenario while identity among Indigenous children today.
rative that celebrates diversity and inclusivity. children delight in the baby’s (mis)behavior. —Kay Weisman
The simple story follows a nonbinary child —Maryann Owen
with brown skin Scaredy Cats.
as they go about Place Hand Here. By Jeff Mack. Illus. by the author.
their day, from By Katie Yamasaki. Illus. by the author. Oct. 2023. 32p. Holiday/Neal Porter, $18.99
waking up in the Oct. 2023. 32p. Norton/Young Readers, $18.95 (9780823452071); e-book, $11.99 (9780823457328).
morning, getting (9781324017035). PreS–Gr. 2. PreS–Gr. 2.
dressed, and having A hand-painted image on an apartment Imaginations run wild and get out of con-
breakfast with their building wall is a community touchstone trol for three kittens who are on the verge
mom, to going to for healing saddened hearts. With clear po- of opening a gift-wrapped present. The
school, playing with etic economy, a young boy explains how the first cat thinks it’s a cake, until a second cat
friends, and falling asleep in their bed. In one bright yellow handprint inside a green heart comes along and suggests that it might be
relatable scene, the character enthusiastically “is always there. And it is magic. That hand a hungry crocodile instead. A third cat ar-
runs toward the school bus, proclaiming, is a bridge.” As neighborhood residents of all rives and announces that it might be both a
“Not he or she, I’m me.” This simple yet ages press their hands to the wall, memories cake and a crocodile. The scaredy cats feed
profound statement repeats throughout the and reflections take center stage and soar. one another’s fears by imagining all sorts of
book. Wild’s storytelling humanizes the ex- Ms. Iris remembers cooking with her sister creatures popping out of the box to attack

them. Mack’s illustrations are hilarious and up within family traditions of the U.S. and the boy’s point of view and his humorous
clever. Thought bubbles from one of the cats Japan. In magnificent, flowing double-page transforming of machines into magical dis-
contain the images of a tiger, a shark, and spreads rendered in deep jewel tones, visual pensers of money makes this relatable and
a T. rex, which grow bigger and more car- development artist and illustrator Tomiga- even cheerful, especially with him realiz-
toonish with each page turn, until the scary hara conjures a twilight setting both mistily ing, at book’s end, that home is wherever he
creatures eventually take over the page. Two dreamlike and glowingly joyous, perfectly and his mother are. The illustrations, done
of the cats run away before they can open in harmony with this tale’s buoyant celebra- in colored pencil, Photoshop, and Procre-
the present, leaving one curious cat to peek tion of the sweet space shared between two ate, capture the urban environment and
in the box—kids will be curious, too, as the worlds. —Rebecca Thornburgh make the laundromat’s washers, dryers, and
contents remain a mystery. Pair with other vending machines fun to watch. Beautifully
mischievous-kitten books, such as Shelley Trim Sets Sail. heartbreaking and heartening, all at once.
Moore Thomas and Lori Nichols’ No, No, By Deborah Hopkinson. Illus. by Kristy —Connie Fletcher
Kitten! (2015) and Barbara McClintock’s Caldwell.
Three Little Kittens (2020). —Bobbie Peyton Oct. 2023. 48p. Peachtree, $14.99 (9781682632901 ). Words between Us.
K–Gr. 3. By Angela Pham Krans. Illus. by Dung Ho.
Star Stuff. When an adventuresome kitten sets out to Oct. 2023. 40p. Harper, $19.99 (9780063224544).
By Rand Burkert. Illus. by Chris Raschka. explore, he meets Penny (the ship’s dog) and K–Gr. 3.
Oct. 2023. 32p. HarperCollins/Michael di Capua, $19.99 Captain Flinders. The amiable captain names When Felix’s grandma moves from Vietnam
(9780062858177). K–Gr. 2. him Trim and makes him the ship’s cat. After to come live with her family, there is an in-
Giovanni and Lorenzo, his donkey, are a brief introduction to life aboard a sailing stant connection despite the language barrier.
dear friends and Sky Repair Specialists. Ev- ship, Trim learns to climb up to the crow’s Felix shows her around the city that will be
ery evening, Lorenzo, laden with baskets nest and back down. Later, he spots a giant her new home, and she shows him pictures of
of star stuff, and Giovanni, armed with his bird swooping toward Jack, the ship’s parrot, the village where she lived. They make music
trusty pitchfork, climb into the night sky and leaps to scare the predator away. Saving and care for the garden, all seemingly without
and patch any holes in the cosmos. All is well Jack, Trim lands in the sea but climbs a rope much speaking. One day Felix and Grand-
until Lorenzo steps into a nebula that refuses back onto the ship. Basking in his captain’s ma get separated at a crowded festival, and
to relinquish its grip on the donkey’s leg. praise, he sits on his shoulder as the sun sets, Grandma’s inability to ask for help in English
Giovanni, unable to pull his panicked friend the tide rises, and they sail out of the bay. The signals a very real disadvantage in her new en-
free, cries out for help. The nearby constella- historical setting provides a welcome shift vironment. Felix decides to teach her, and in
tion Orion hears his pleas and bounds over from conventional beginning-reader fare, turn she teaches him Vietnamese. Words be-
to assist, but the leg remains firmly mired. and many younger children will enjoy hear- tween Us is a tender, respectful depiction of
Cancer the crab and Taurus the bull come ing the story read aloud. Inspired by an early a frequently occurring situation as older gen-
running, and finally, with a mighty com- nineteenth-century British captain’s account erations migrate to the U.S. The illustrations
bined pull, the donkey’s leg pops free, and of his seafaring cat’s adventures, the simply are colorful and add a sense of whimsy while
the grateful Sky Repair Specialists thank written narrative has broad appeal, and the capturing the strong, loving bond between
their literal lucky stars. The bouncy, rhyming digital illustrations are lively and expressive. Felix and Grandma. Their language lessons
text has an occasionally awkward meter, but Trim Helps Out, published simultaneously, is are depicted with speech bubbles so we can
the eye-catching illustrations burst with star- the second volume in the promising Adven- almost hear her pronunciation as she learns
light and sweetness, and the constellations tures of Trim series. —Carolyn Phelan to say and make Felix’s favorite food, peet suh!
are cleverly rendered as actual beings with The recipe at the end is a bonus in this de-
their star scaffolding shining through. There The Wishing Machine. lightful story. —Amina Chaudhri
isn’t any scientific or mythological discus- By Jonathan Hillman. Illus. by Nadia
sion here, but the friendly fantasy brings the Alam. Zain’s Super Friday.
night sky beautifully to life. —Emily Graham Oct. 2023. 40p. Simon & Schuster, $18.99 By Hena Khan. Illus. by Nez Riaz.
(9781665922302). PreS–Gr. 2. Oct. 2023. 32p. Lee & Low, $19.95 (9781643794242).
Tokyo Night Parade. A little boy, facing the wrenching reality of K–Gr. 2.
By J. P. Takahashi. Illus. by Minako moving away from the city and apartment he Little Zain may be small in stature, but
Tomigahara. shares with his mother, presumably because he has an oversize imagination and heaps of
Oct. 2023. 40p. HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen, $19.99 they can no longer pay the rent, translates energy. In his mind, he is a cape-wearing su-
(9780063224964). K–Gr. 3. his desperation into magical thinking during perhero, impatient to save the world, so he is
A visit back home means a small girl can their last visit to the neighborhood laundro- in for a lesson in patience when, one Friday,
once again don her kitsune costume to join mat. The boy, Sam, he must wait and complete an important
the annual mystical Night Parade of One who narrates, is ritual before his dad will indulge his games.
Hundred Demons. In sizes ponderous or pe- upfront about not Jumu’ah prayers are a revered practice among
tite, with faces sweet or (gently) snarling, and wanting to move observant Muslims. At the mosque, men and
neither honest nor wicked, the mismatched, into his grandpa’s boys come together to pray and hear the wis-
mischievous yokai are Eka’s cheerful com- tiny trailer in an- dom of the imam who leads it. Readers are
panions in a prancing, starlit citywide other state, even invited along as Zain and his father perform
procession. Though she wistfully reflects that though it comes the preparatory rituals and join the others for
these wonders can’t follow her to her new with lots of candy what can be, to a youngster, an inordinately
home in America, she still finds delight in and a small dog. He’ll miss the city, their long time. All the while, Zain’s imagination
celebrating the riotous magic of this one spe- apartment, and the laundromat, filled with leaps around, and he learns to resist acting
cial night with her beloved demon friends. the same people, sounds, and smells every on his impulses and to follow along. Color-
Debut author Takahashi crafts an enchant- Sunday. He mentally converts the wash- ful illustrations mirror the plot and provide
ing child’s-eye view of this night when the ing machine into a wishing machine, as the culturally specific visual details. A sweet affir-
worlds of humans and demons overlap, with clothes cycle around to a wish-wish-wish mation of an enthusiastic kid’s effort to learn
the significance of this mythology deepened sound. He’s wishing for rent money so they patience while immersed in an important reli-
through her personal experience of growing can stay. Although the story is poignant, gious practice. —Amina Chaudhri

tragic downfall are detailed in this rich true-
Audio crime tale. The murders of Maggie and Paul
Murdaugh, by husband and father Alex, are
the centerpiece of the story, which unravels
Adult the body of Jimmy Quinn is found in the Ala- the power, addiction, and corruption lurk-
baster River. When Noah Bluestone is arrested, ing in the background. Grindell keeps the
The Fraud. the racism and secrets that have been churning listener engaged during the first section of the
By Zadie Smith. Read by the author. under the surface of Jewel threaten to explode. work, which features a deep dive into the his-
2023. 12.5hr. Books on Tape, DD (9780593788776). The audio begins with music that perfectly sets tory of the influence of the Murdaugh family.
This richly detailed audiobook marks the the tone for the story ahead. CJ Wilson narrates An effective and respectful tone is used when
first foray into historical fiction by acclaimed with a steady, clear voice that has just the right Grindell details the multiple tragedies and
British bestselling novelist Zadie Smith. Smith, hint of a Minnesotan accent. While told from deaths that surround Alex Murdaugh, high-
who also narrates this complex, kaleidoscopic various perspectives, the majority of the work lighting the seriousness of his many crimes.
novel, delivers a layered tale and performance. is focused on Sheriff Brody Dern, and Wilson Occasionally, the British author and narrator
Based on actual events in Victorian England, shifts to a deeper, grittier voice that perfectly misses on American phrases, but it does not
the story surrounds the highly publicized Tich- embodies the troubled man. Numerous accents distract from the overall production. Tangled
borne trial, in which an Australian butcher are used consistently throughout, with those for Vines is a good purchase for libraries with a
claimed to be the long-lost aristocratic heir German and Native American characters stand- strong true-crime audience and in areas where
to the massive Tichborne estates. One of the ing out. Kruger obviously uses foreshadowing the Murdaugh murders and subsequent trials
witnesses at the trial is Andrew Bogle, a Black as a tool and Wilson expertly employs vocal were heavily in the news. —Michelle Kilty
man formerly enslaved by the Tichbornes in clues to highlight this technique. While this is
Jamaica. The story also follows Scottish widow technically a crime story, it’s more a hard look Tom Lake.
Eliza Touchet, longtime housekeeper of her at the complexities of a small town in post-war By Ann Patchett. Read by Meryl Streep.
cousin by marriage, William Ainsworth. Eliza America brought to light by a murder, in which 2023. 11.5hr. HarperAudio, DD (9780063327559).
is prepping for William’s upcoming nuptials the listener will feel immersed—for better or for The incomparable pairing of Ann Patchett
to a much younger maid, with whom he has worse. —Lesley Cyrier and Meryl Streep has created the audiobook
a small child. William, a once successful but we all needed—we just didn’t know it. In the
now struggling writer, is suspected by Eliza of So to Speak. summer of 2020, Lara, her husband Joe, and
being a fraud himself. With lyrical details and By Terrance Hayes. Read by the author. their three adult daughters have come togeth-
versatile voicing, Smith channels the cultural 2023. 1.5hr. Books on Tape, DD (9780593684016). er on the family’s
atmosphere and vibrant characters. Her narra- Acclaimed contemporary poet Terrance cherry farm, thanks
tion illuminates the incisive wit of her writing Hayes (American Sonnets for My Past and Fu- to COVID-19. As
as social issues are discussed. Fans of intricate ture Assassin, 2018) narrates his newest poetry the days picking
historical novels may enjoy this thoughtful, en- collection with lyrical, enigmatic creative free- cherries go by, the
tertaining listen. —Van McGary dom and superlative language. Listeners will daughters, who have
be impressed by the short poems showcased in always romanticized
Holly. three designated sections titled “Watch Your their mother’s past
By Stephen King. Read by Justine Lupe and Mouth,” “Watch Your Step,” and “Watch relationship with a
the author. Your Head.” Hayes’ famous movie star, beg her to retell the story
2023. 15.5hr. Simon & Schuster Audio, DD (9781797161419). personal contem- of how she came to meet this man at a summer
King’s fan-favorite character Holly Gibney, plations brilliantly stock production of Our Town many years ago.
introduced in Mr. Mercedes (2014), returns bend volta rules of Lara tells her story in first person, alternating
as primary protagonist in this horror-thriller. the American son- between that long-ago summer and the present
Holly takes a case investigating a young wom- net with creative day, with both stories equally engaging. And
an’s disappearance in a small Midwestern city intention. The re- like only a perfect collaboration can do, Meryl
and uncovers a spate of related crimes stretch- sults are whimsical, Streep’s narration brings another dimension to
ing back ten years. The grisly kidnapping thought-provoking, the reading experience. Streep breathes life into
storyline is counterbalanced by an exploration and limitless expressions of his environ- Lara’s story with her exceptionally nuanced
of Holly’s relationship with her late mother ment and personal experiences. Time moves voice, and she fully embodies Lara. While it is
and an artist-in-the-making subplot following quickly listening to these engrossing short not essential to know Thornton Wilder’s Our
Holly’s aspiring poet friend, Barbara. Con- poems. Although adequate pauses indicate Town, it will significantly enhance the appre-
trary to previous Finders Keepers works, Holly the end of a poem before proceeding to the ciation of the novel to be acquainted with the
features no supernatural elements. Actress next, distracted listeners may find themselves play. This audiobook is a true must-have for
Justine Lupe reprises her role as Holly from captivated and still musing about a poem as public libraries. Even those who have read the
the Mr. Mercedes TV adaptation and lends a new one begins. The audio includes an il- print version will seek out the audiobook for
her talents to the full, diverse cast of charac- lustrative DIY sestina to encourage ekphrastic the immersive spell that Streep weaves around
ters, including spine-tingling performances as creative writing, an ideal choice for the novice this novel. Streep and Patchett are a crackerjack
the antagonists. King loyalists won’t want to poetry writer or aficionado. Hayes is a profes- duo! —Shellie Zeigler
miss this one, and fans of the Finders Keepers sor of English at New York University and an
universe have been ardently awaiting it. Also award-winning writer. Watch Your Language: Vampires of El Norte.
recommended to devout detective-thriller Visual and Literary Reflections on a Century of By Isabel Cañas. Read by Jose Nateras and
fans willing to meet the characters without American Poetry, published simultaneously, is Krysta Gonzales.
knowledge of their histories. —Andrew Cook his prose companion. —Vanessa Denby 2023. 12hr. Books on Tape, DD (9780593684283).
Childhood sweethearts confront an invading
The River We Remember. Tangled Vines: Power, Privilege, and the horror, and their complicated feelings for each
By William Kent Krueger. Read by CJ Wilson. Murdaugh Family Murders. other, in this supernatural western/romance set
2023. 13.5hr. Simon & Schuster Audio, DD By John Glatt. Read by Shaun Grindell. in 1846 Mexico. Nine years prior, Nena was
(9781797161006). 2023. 9.5hr. Tantor, DD (9798350809527). brutally attacked by an unseen monster. Think-
On Memorial Day 1958, in Jewel, Minnesota, The history of the Murdaugh family and its ing her dead, Nestor fled west without a word

of goodbye and proceeded to drown his grief fights for Alberto and discovers the love and institutional racism and bias, a dalliance with
in work, women, and liquor. When the United the sense of purpose that were missing from crack cocaine threatens to ultimately sabotage
States invades Mexico in 1846, Nestor, now her sheltered life as a future Ivy League stu- his future. Oluseyi’s narration is warm and
22, is summoned back to the rancho where he dent. Barillas represents Alberto’s melodic, unrelentingly even, making revelations of vio-
grew up to fight the Yanquis as part of an aux- valiant voice, lending it the authentic soft lence and abuse (“after he’d been drinking his
iliary force to the Mexican army. Within this tones of Alberto’s first language. A sensitive whiskey at night, [Papa John would] make me
group, Nestor is stunned to find Nena not only book about the universal search for iden- sit on his knee and punch me hard in the chest
alive and strong but also serving as a curan- tity, the fragility of the human condition, to try to knock me off”) particularly acute and
dera, a healer to the men. As Nestor and Nena and the awakened courage of the heart. jarring. With such a compelling protagonist,
reel from their bittersweet reunion, they also —Milena Durek each hardship is keenly felt. Heartbreaking,
contend with the invading Anglos, who have nail-biting, full of hope and redemption,
harnessed a ferocious and horrible weapon to Me and the Boss: A Story about Mending Oluseyi’s self-narrated story is one that should
their advantage. Gonzales’ infusion of sweet- and Love. not be missed. —Caitlin Savage
ness into the prickly Nena serves as a nice By Michelle Edwards. Read by Junior Nyong’o.
counterpoint to Nateras’ serious and brood- 2023. .5hr. Listening Library, DD (9780593795095). K–Gr. 3. School Trip.
ing Nestor, but the steady narration struggles This presentation of Edwards’ picture book, By Jerry Craft. Read by a full cast.
to overcome a discordance with the tale’s pace about the bond between a gentle young boy 2023. 2.5hr. HarperCollins/Quill Tree, DD (9780063279124).
and tone. —Kira Muratova named Lee and his bossy yet loving older sister Jordan Banks, the lovable character from
Zora, soothes thanks to Nyong’o’s gentle read- New Kid (2019) and Class Act (2020), is
ing. The siblings attend an embroidery class at back for an end-of-school-year adventure as
Yo u t h a nearby library. Lee struggles with the stitches, he and his friends embark on a trip to Paris.
often sticking himself with the needle. During Jordan has just received an acceptance let-
Curious Tides. this passage, Nyong’o reads Lee’s first-person ter to art school—his dream—but going to
By Pascale Lacelle. Read by a full cast. narration with the right amount of frustration. a new school means leaving his friends and
Oct. 2023. 17hr. Simon & Schuster Audio, DD (9781797162164). As the child feels more dejected, the listener being a “new kid” again. Paris turns out to
A student at a prestigious lunar magic school can sense him deflate, despite calming reassur- be an inspiring opportunity for true friend-
investigates the death of her best friend in this ance from the librarian instructor. Meanwhile, ships and bonding. Clever sound effects and
dark-academia fantasy that is Ninth House Nyong’o brings a confident buzz to Zora’s heightened voice clues help bring the visual
meets The Magicians. When she returns to Al- lines as she creates an impressive little work of elements that Craft uses in the graphic novel’s
dryn College for her sophomore year, Emory, embroidery. Later that night, Lee remembers print version to this listening experience. The
19, is still reeling from the drowning of her the librarian’s advice and starts to improve. racism portrayed in the story is not as impact-
childhood friend and roommate, Romie. The Nyong’o adds a near-giddy excitement to his ful as it could be, as the listener can’t see the
previous spring, Emory had unwittingly inter- voice as Lee triumphs, feeling a mighty roar of racial and ethnic diversity that Craft uses in
rupted a ritual Romie was conducting as part joy inside of him. This tender gem ends with the panels of his artwork. However, there is
of an initiation into a secret society. The eight Nyong’o reading instructions to teach listen- humor and warmth as the narrators portray
students involved—including Romie—died, ers how to make the smiling moon that Lee characters who learn more about themselves
leaving Emory somehow not only alive, but embroiders in the story. Listeners may wish to and the diversity they represent, strengthened
able to access magic in a way that should have have the book on hand to see April Harrison’s by the soul-searching conversations sharing
been impossible. Emory knows she is out of award-winning illustrations. —Brian Wilson their challenges and desires. —Sharon Haupt
her depth, so she enlists Romie’s brother Baz
to help her figure out what really happened A Quantum Life (Adapted for Tiger Daughter.
that fateful night. Shute’s gorgeous, lyrical Young Adults): My Unlikely By Rebecca Lim. Read by Siho Ellsmore.
delivery presents an Emory who possesses a Journey from the Streets to the Stars. 2023. 4hr. Listening Library, DD (9780593680032). Gr. 5–8.
tender strength, while Furlong proffers Baz as By Hakeem Oluseyi and Joshua Horwitz. This moving, contemporary, realistic novel
appropriately fearful and anxious but no less Read by Hakeem Oluseyi. stars Wen, the first-generation daughter of Chi-
engaging. Together, they weave a tale of im- 2023. 7.5hr. Listening Library, DD (9780593680278). Gr. 8–11. nese migrants living in Australia, who learns
pressive scale that, while at times threatening This thoroughly absorbing autobiogra- to find her voice while living in a restrictive
to buckle under the weight of its own world- phy takes the listener on a gripping journey household. Australian actress Ellsmore reads
building, remains compelling and captivating from Oluseyi’s (born James Plummer Jr.) tu- Wen’s first-person account with a gripping dig-
until the end. —Kira Muratova multuous childhood and rough and tumble nity perfectly suited for Lim’s lean, emotionally
adolescence to his brilliant career as a NASA direct text. The girl has a lot happening. Her
I Am Not Alone. astrophysicist. Raised amidst violence, pov- gruff-sounding father verbally berates her and
By Francisco X. Stork. Read by Christian erty, and instability, her mother, who speaks in halting, hushed
Barillas and Gail Shalan. Plummer was sensi- tones. She and her classmate Henry, who re-
2023. 7hr. Scholastic, DD (9781339028712). Gr. 9–12. tive and “peculiar,” cently arrived from China, hope to pass an
Two opposite worlds meet in New York— different from the entrance exam to a prestigious school. With
but are they so different? When the newly tougher cousins and impressive ease, Ellsmore employs a slight,
minted valedictorian Grace meets Alberto, neighborhood kids respectfully handled accent when voicing the
she does not understand why she is mag- in his orbit. This Chinese-speaking characters. Wen and her
netically drawn to him. Caution is advised: made him an easy mother bond while secretly helping Henry’s
entering another person’s world is a risky target for bullying family after tragedy strikes, and Ellsmore does
undertaking. As it turns out, Alberto is an by his peers and a regular recipient of beatings a commendable job conveying the suspenseful
undocumented immigrant from Mexico ac- from family members. Crime, both petty and nature of these scenes. Without slipping into
cused of murder. A progressive mental illness, serious, was baked into his upbringing, of- histrionics, Ellsmore brings an intensity to a
aggravated by the harsh life circumstances of ten as a means of survival. School was where confrontation scene that finds Wen and her
an unprotected worker, prevents him from Oluseyi shone, and despite countless, often mother confidently standing up for themselves.
proving his innocence. Shalan emphasizes devastating, setbacks, he made it to college and The program ends with Ellsmore reading Lim’s
the gentleness and touching sensitivity of eventually to graduate school at Stanford Uni- author note about why she wrote this inspira-
Grace’s part of the story as the young woman versity. It is there where, in addition to flagrant tional and hopeful story. —Brian Wilson

Sam Now. Prod. by Reed Harkness and Jason
Reid. Dir. by Reed Harkness. 2022. 87m.
GOOD DOCS LLC.
Documentary Preview Sisters of the Trees. Dir. by Camila Menendez

and Lucas Peñafort. 2019. 73m. EPF Media.
DVD (9781933724874).
by Heather Booth
This Is [Not] Who We Are. Prod. and Dir.
B ooklist’s first Documentary Preview presents nonfiction films of interest to librar-

ies and discussion groups with recent and forthcoming release dates from over a
dozen distributors. All information is provided by the film distributors and is subject
by Beret E. Strong and Katrina Miller. 2022.
76m. Video Project.
to change. Running times, ISBNs, and formats are listed when known. View this list at Current Events, History, Politics
Booklist Online (booklistonline.com) to read brief summaries for each film.
Dear Thirteen. Dir. by Alexis Neophytides.
2022. 80m. Grasshopper Film.
Animals Spine Tingler: The William Castle Story. From Wounded Knee to Standing Rock.
Prod. by Sonja Nelson and Jeffrey Schwarz. Dir. by Kevin McKiernan. 2019. 88m. Video
Apex Survival. Prod. By Johnny Beechler. Project.
Dir. by Jeffrey Schwarz. 82m. BayView
Dir. by Johnny Beechler and Jakes Jordaan.
Entertainment. J’Accuse. Dir. by Michael D. Kretzmer. 2022.
2023. 59m. Dreamscape Media. DVD
(810071448621), DD (810071448621D). Town Destroyer. Dir. by Alan Snitow and 86m. Seventh Art Releasing.
Deborah Kaufman. Prod. by Snitow-Kaufman Faces of the Resistance. Dir. by Oleg
Bird Walk. Prod. By Cintia Cabib. 27m.
Productions. 2023. 53m. Bullfrog Films. Tolmachov. 2022. 33m. EPF Media. DVD
Cintia Cabib. 2024.
DVD (1948745909). (9781933724911).
Horseshoe Crab Moon. Prod. by MediaSmith
Truth Tellers: Robert Shetterly’s Odyssey In Search of Resolution. Prod. and Dir. by
Films. Dir. by Mitchell Smith. 2023. 48m.
to Defend Our Democratic Ideals. Prod. by Robert E. Frye. 2023. 76m. Video Project.
Bullfrog Films. DVD (194874595X).
Richard Kane and Melody Lewis-Kane. Dir.
Rowdy Girl. Prod. and Dir. by Jason by Richard Kane. 2023. 58m. Bullfrog Films. Inside Russia: Traitors and Heroes. Dir. by
Goldman, 2023. 72m. Collective Eye Films. DVD (1948745917). Anastasia Popova and Paul Mitchell. 2023.
54m. EPF Media. DVD (9781933724928).
Two Straight Girls at a Queer Fest. Prod. by
Arts Marie-Hélène Panisset. Dir. by Marie-Hélène The Investigator. Dir. by Viktor Portel. 2022.
Anhell69. Dir. by Theo Montoya. 2022. 75m. Panisset. 82m. BayView Entertainment. 73m. EPF Media. DVD (9781933724881).
Grasshopper Film.
Uprooted. Prod. by Lisa Donmall-Reeve and Kenyatta: Do Not Wait Your Turn. Prod. by
The Art of Silence. Dir. by Maurizius Staerkle Kimberley Browning. Dir. by Khadifa Wong. Al Roker. Dir. by Timothy Harris, 2023. 95m.
Drux. 52m. Seventh Art Releasing. 2020. 94m. GOOD DOCS LLC. Collective Eye Films.
Being Michelle. Prod. by Atin Mehra and The Nazi, the Rabbi, and the Camera. Dir.
Cultures and Communities
Mae Thornton Mehra. Dir. by Atin Mehra. by Claus Bredenbrock. 2023. 43m. Seventh
2022. 80m. GOOD DOCS LLC. Ait Atta. Prod. and Dir. by Inanc Tekgüc and Art Releasing.
Eda Elif Tibet. 2023. 77m. Green Planet Films.
The Computer Accent. Dir. by Sebastian Unspoken. Prod. and Dir. by Stephanie
Pardo and Riel Roch-Decter. 2022. 83m. A Crack in the Mountain. Prod. and Dir. by Calabrese. 2021. 78m. Video Project.
Grasshopper Film. Alastair Evans. 2023. 100m. Bullfrog Films.
DVD (1961192004). We Left as Brothers. Prod. by Tedd DePastio,
Diaspora. Dir. by Hector Valdez. 2022. 62m. Evan Mulgrave. Dir. by Evan Mulgrave. 2023.
Seventh Art Releasing. A Letter from Yene. Dir. by Manthia Diawara. 58m. BayView Entertainment.
2022. 50m. Third World Newsreel.
Krzysztof Wodiczko: The Art of Un-War.
Prod. and Dir. by Maria Niro. 2023. 63m. Mossville. Dir. by Alex Glustrom. 2019. 77m. Economics and Labor
New Day Films. BayView Entertainment. Devil Put the Coal in the Ground. Dir. by
Mad Max Exposed. Prod. and Dir. by Daniel Naked Gardens. Dir. by Ivete Lucas and Peter Hutchison and Lucas Sabean. 2021.
Peterson. 2023. 54m. Dreamscape Media. Patrick Bresnan. 2022. 90m. Grasshopper Film. 82m. Grasshopper Film.
Persona. Prod. and Dir. by Manuel G. One Drop of Love. Prod. by Fanshen Cox. Factory to the Workers. Dir. by Srđan
Mejia. 2023. 47m. Dreamscape Media. DVD Dir. by Carol Banker. 2015. 69m. GOOD Kovačević. 2021. 106m. EPF Media. DVD
(810071448133), DD (810071448133D). DOCS LLC, DD. (9781933724904).

It’s Basic. Prod. and Dir. by Marc Levin. Plan C. Prod. by Tracy Tragos and others. Dir. Religion
2023. 76m. Video Project. by Tracy Tragos. 2023. 94 and 60m. GOOD
Divorce Denied. Dir. by David Ofek and Mia
DOCS LLC.
Windshipped. Prod. and Dir. by Jon Webb. 2019. 59m. Seventh Art Releasing.
Bowermaster. 2023. 40m. Bullfrog Films. Pay or Die. Dir. by Scott Alexander
DVD (1961192020). The Great 14th: Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th
Rudderman and Rachael Dyer. 2023. 90m.
Dalai Lama in His Own Words. Prod. and
Grasshopper Film.
Environment and Ecology Dir. by Rosemary Rawcliffe. 2023. 82m.
Teacher of Patience. Prod. and Dir. by Carmen Green Planet Films.
Atomic Hope: Inside the Pro-Nuclear Vincent. 2022. 28m. GOOD DOCS LLC.
Movement. Prod. by Kathryn Kennedy Mama Bears. Prod. by Laura Tatham. Dir. by
Fenton. Dir. by Frankie Fenton. 2023. 83m. Daresha Kyi. 2022. 91m. Video Project.
Human Rights
Green Planet Films. Queer and Frum. Dir. by Miki Katoni. 2022.
And So I Stayed. Prod. and Dir. by Natalie 32m. Grasshopper Film.
Delikado. Prod. and Dir. by Karl Malakunas Pattillo and Daniel A. Nelson. 2021. 91m.
and others. 2021. 94m. GOOD DOCS LLC. GOOD DOCS LLC. Sports, Recreation, Adventure
Inferno without Borders. Prod. and Dir. by Art and Pep. Prod. by Kevin Hauswirth. Dir.
Sandrine Charruyer. 2023. 52m. Dreamscape At 23,000 Feet. Prod. by Sanjeev Kumar.
by Mercedes Kane. 2023. 88m. Green Planet Dir. by Kovid Mittal. 2023. 79m. BayView
Media. DVD (810071448584), DD Films.
(810071448584D). Entertainment.
The Checkpoint Women. Prod. and Dir. Exploring the Known. Prod. and Dir.
Regenerating Life. Prod. by Susan Davies.
by Eliezer Yaari. 2023. 60m. Seventh Art by Matt Hollis. 2023. 45m. Dreamscape
Dir. by John Feldman. 2023. 137m. Bullfrog
Releasing. Media. DVD (810071448683), DD
Films. DVD (1961192047).
Crossings. Prod. by Mu Films. Dir. by Deann (810071448683D).
Scars. Prod. and Dir. by Karin Hartman.
2023. 64m. Distributed by Dreamscape Borshay Liem. 2023. 94m. Collective Eye Exposure. Prod. and Dir. by Holly Morris.
Media. DVD (810071448645), DD Films. 2022. 88m. GOOD DOCS LLC.
(810071448645D). Education, Interrupted. Prod. and Dir. by Glory to the Queen. Dir. by Tatia
Stewart Udall: The Politics of Beauty. Dir. by Aisha Sultan. 2022. 44m. Video Project. Skhirtladze. 2020. 82m. EPF Media. DVD
John de Graaf. Prod. by Zélie Pollon and John (9781933724836).
Imelda Is Not Alone. Dir. by Paula Heredia.
de Graaf. 2023. 78m. Bullfrog Films. DVD 2023. 32m. Third World Newsreel. Legend of the Crystal Skulls. Prod. and Dir.
(1948745968). by Tilman Remme. 2023. 47m. Dreamscape
The Keepsake. Dir. by Adaeze Elechi. 2011. Media. DVD (810071448652), DD
They Keep Quiet So We Make Noise. Dir. 40m. Third World Newsreel.
and Prod. by Marlena Skrobe. 2023. 12m. (810071448652D).
Bullfrog Films. DVD (1961192012). Map of Latin American Dreams. Dir. by Rise Above: The Journey to College
Martin Weber. 2020. 92m. EPF Media. DVD Basketball. Dir. by Seth Shapiro and Erik
Where There Once Was Water. Dir. by (9781933724850).
Brittany App. 2021. 74m. EPF Media. DVD Butts. 2024. 106m. BayView Entertainment.
(9781933724843). Paty’s Journey. Dir. by Santiago Runner. Prod. and Dir. by Bill Gallagher.
Pedroche. 2021. 72m. EPF Media. DVD 2023. 87m. Bullfrog Films. DVD
Health and Wellness (9781933724898). (1961192039).
The 50. Dir. by Brenton Gieser. 2022. 91m. Scars on the Ground. Dir. by Gustavo
Grasshopper Film. Fernández. 2021. 122m. EPF Media. DVD
(9781933724867).
Angel of Alabama. Prod. by Sammy Bauer
and others. Dir. by Elijah Yetter-Bowman.
2022. 25m. Video Project.
As Prescribed. Dir. by Holly Hardman. 2023.
92m. Video Project.
Big Charity. Dir. by Alex Glustrom. 2014.
62m. BayView Entertainment.
Birthing Justice. Prod. by Naomi Ranz-
Schleifer and Sasheen Artis. Dir. by Monique
N. Matthews. 2023. 86m. Video Project.
Fire through Dry Grass. Prod. by Alexis
Neophytides. Dir. by Andres “Jay” Molina.
2023. 89m. Collective Eye Films.
The Girl Who’s Allergic to Herself. Prod.
and Dir. by Benjamin Field. 2023. 52m.
Dreamscape Media. DVD (810071448638),
DD (810071448638D).
Judged Bodies. Dir. by Mariana
Carbajal. 2022. 66m. EPF Media. DVD
(9781933724935).
Minamata Mandala. Dir. by Kazuo Hara.
2020. 372m. Grasshopper Film.

Booklist Backlist
Gentle Halloween
Stories
By Julia Smith
N
ot every child wants a fright
for Halloween, but they
certainly don’t want to kitten return home, only to become (briefly) lost herself. For-
be left out of the fall fun. Here tunately, her faithful cat, Pumpkin, comes to the rescue.
are a few not-so-scary picture books for She Wanted to Be Haunted. By Marcus Ewert. Illus. by Susie
Ghahremani. 2020. Bloomsbury. PreS–K.
sensitive celebrants. An adorable, anthropomorphized, pink cottage (Clarissa) des-
Anzu the Great Kaiju. By Benson Shum. Illus. by the author. perately wants a ghost to call her home, but all her efforts to up
2021. Roaring Brook. K–Gr. 3. her scare-factor hilariously backfire.
Rather than possessing a fearsome power like the rest of his Sir Simon: Super Scarer. By Cale Atkinson. Illus. by the author.
kaiju family, Anzu has the ability to conjure flowers. A sweet and 2018. Tundra. PreS–Gr. 2.
humorous take on belonging and being one’s authentic self. Sir Simon, a cute ghost, has just been assigned to his first
The Goblin Twins. By Frances Cha. Illus. by Jaime Kim. 2023. haunted house. He performs his ghost chores with gusto, only to
Crown. K–Gr. 3. earn the admiration—instead of terror—of a human kid.
When the abandoned building they call home is slated for
demolition, adorable twin dokkaebi (Kebi and Doki) move from
Korea to New York City just in time for Halloween.
Gustavo, the Shy Ghost. By Flavia Z. Drago. Illus. by the
author. 2020. Candlewick. PreS–Gr. 1.
Shy ghost Gustavo musters up the courage to invite the lo-
cal monsters to his violin concert on the Day of the Dead. This
sweet friendship story brims with vibrant colors and authentic
details from Mexican culture and can be read year-round.
How to Build a Haunted House. By Frank Tupta. Illus. by
Kyle Beckett. 2020. Amazon/Two Lions. PreS–Gr. 1.
Construction vehicles and amiable monsters fill this rhyming
charmer about a community coming together to construct a
new house for a vampire family.
The Little Kitten. By Nicola Killen. Illus. by the author. 2020.
Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman. PreS–Gr. 2.
In this whimsical, autumnal adventure, Ollie helps a little
A Spoonful of Frogs. By Casey Lyall. Illus. by Vera Brosgol.
2022. Greenwillow. PreS–Gr. 2.
A witch prepares frog soup during a cooking show, but her
perfect poise is broken when the key ingredient refuses to be
added to the cauldron with increasingly ridiculous results.
Ten Spooky Pumpkins. By Gris Grimly. Illus. by the author.
2021. Orchard. PreS–Gr. 1.
In this Halloween countdown romp, perfect for reading aloud,
a girl’s encounters with classic seasonal critters (cats, bats, gob-
lins, etc.) results in a spirited dance party.
A Werewolf Named Oliver James. By Nicholas John Frith.
Illus. by the author. 2018. Scholastic/Arthur A. Levine. K–Gr. 2.
While waiting for the bus, young Oliver James unwittingly
transforms into a werewolf. Hilarity abounds as Oliver figures
out what’s happening and embraces this new side of himself.
The Witchling’s Wish. By Lu Fraser. Illus. by Sarah Massini.
2022. Bloomsbury. PreS–Gr. 2.
A little witch discovers the perfect spell for finding a friend—if
only she can gather all the ingredients. Metered rhyme and de-
tailed, whimsical illustrations add to the story’s magic.
INTRODUCING
Booklist's Book Club

A yearlong partnership with your favorite publishers
to bring book club resources and selections to your library
Each month, Booklist will showcase book club picks

and supporting materials from a different publisher, SIGN UP NOW!
offering a wide range of genres and age groups to Äáðäáğîïððëçêëó
about new titles
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first selection from HarperCollins Children's Books!
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Bring readers together with Booklist's Book Club!

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Leading book discovery Vol. 120 No.

Photo by Richard Nickel, from

Spotlight on the Arts

17 Top 10 Arts Books

30 Self-Published Books Showcase

www.booklistonline.com October 15, 2023 Booklist 3

4 Booklist October 15, 2023 www.booklistonline.com

www.booklistonline.com October 15, 2023 Booklist 5

6 Booklist October 15, 2023 www.booklistonline.com

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8 Booklist October 15, 2023 www.booklistonline.com

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10 Booklist October 15, 2023 www.booklistonline.com

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www.booklistonline.com October 15, 2023 Booklist 13

Art from Lee Miller, by Carolyn Burke.

Art from In Montparnasse.

www.booklistonline.com October 15, 2023 Booklist 15

16 Booklist October 15, 2023 www.booklistonline.com

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18 Booklist October 15, 2023 www.booklistonline.com

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20 Booklist October 15, 2023 www.booklistonline.com

The End of the World Is a Cul de Sac.

www.booklistonline.com October 15, 2023 Booklist 21

22 Booklist October 15, 2023 www.booklistonline.com

Art from A Very Typical Family.

W elcome Home, Stranger, by Kate Christensen, incisively

24 Booklist October 15, 2023 www.booklistonline.com

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26 Booklist October 15, 2023 www.booklistonline.com

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28 Booklist October 15, 2023 www.booklistonline.com

The Village Healer’s Book of Cures.

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30 Booklist October 15, 2023 www.booklistonline.com

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32 Booklist October 15, 2023 www.booklistonline.com

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34 Booklist October 15, 2023 www.booklistonline.com

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36 Booklist October 15, 2023 www.booklistonline.com

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38 Booklist October 15, 2023 www.booklistonline.com

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40 Booklist October 15, 2023 www.booklistonline.com

www.booklistonline.com October 15, 2023 Booklist 41

AND CARING OUT

Mama Mammals: Reproduction and

lernerbooks.com/sel some of the differences in young animal care

42 Booklist October 15, 2023 www.booklistonline.com

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44 Booklist October 15, 2023 www.booklistonline.com

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www.booklistonline.com October 15, 2023 Booklist 47

and grays predominate, although Na effective-

48 Booklist October 15, 2023 www.booklistonline.com

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50 Booklist October 15, 2023 www.booklistonline.com

www.booklistonline.com October 15, 2023 Booklist 51