As the title suggests, this fleet and exciting epic from Johnson (author of When the Magic Finds Them)offers fantasy in a classic vein, alive with weird beasts, wild magic, and a rousing spirit of adventure. Johnson’s tale follows six siblings—Aimee, Erik, Becka, Brian, Kami, and Adam—on a quest to confront the menacing dragon Gwandoya, whose dark presence threatens their family and homeland. As they venture into a mysterious realm filled with dangers and wonders, they encounter a diverse array of mythical creatures, from mugs to wizards, to hideous giants and pixies who can manipulate time, all as the heroes discover both their own hidden magical abilities and their courage, strength, and resilience. This is fantasy for readers who love to know the names of the horses.

Johnson has crafted a vivid, enchanting world, both familiar and surprising, populated by mythical beings seamlessly woven into the story's fabric. Her detailed and playful world-building—featuring forbidden forests, charms and spells put to clever uses, Dreamcasters that project onto a wall, and spells—fully conjure a magical landscape that it’s a pleasure to visit. The story has the appeal of a treasure-hunt, with the siblings constantly on the lookout for magical tools that propel their journey forward, keeping readers hooked with every turn of the page, wondering how each new discovery will be set to the cause.

Pacing is brisk, with action commencing from the very first page and presenting the siblings with a steady stream of challenges. Dreams serve as a key motif, linking the magical world with reality, while Johnson’s clever use of hidden mysteries adds layers of intrigue and suspense, enriching the narrative beyond its fantasy tropes. The sibling dynamics are well developed, with each character’s strengths playing a crucial role and everyone growing throughout the saga. Legends of Caraigdun will resonate with readers seeking immersive world-building and the charm of classic fairytales, reminiscent of the bedtime stories told by a wise elder.

Takeaway: Inspired fantasy adventure in a timeless mode.

Comparable Titles: Patricia C. Wrede, Robin McKinley.

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

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In a stream of consciousness, debut novelist Bagaev (author of The Debut Project and Other Stories) catalogs the dreams, attitudes, and absurdities of citizens living in a totalitarian dystopia. The vignettes are presented as samizdat errata, material that an “Editorial Committee” has deleted from a government-sanctioned utopian best-seller to preserve the book’s “narrative integrity” and avoid a “descent” into ”literary anarchy.” In these excerpts, readers discover the frozen island nation of Novo Tsarstvo, where the ruthless Tsar rules with violence and doublespeak: “one needs not lay a stone to build utopia; one can convince the rest they live in one already.” Police wear balaclavas and beat citizens indiscriminately, and the military detonates the lethal “Peace Bringer” bomb on the neighboring enemy island in the name of defense.

The collective inhabitants of Novo Tsarstvo attempt to make sense of their dehumanizing existence by imagining fanciful scenarios of how this fascist world came to be and how they can change it. Their fantasies include a professor creating the sadistic police as a race of pig-faced demons, Homo demonicus; a parallel dimension where leaders and newspapers don’t lie and benevolent rulers promote art and science; “television reality” that feeds alternate truths so pervasive that it takes on anthropomorphic form; and the shriveled and feeble Tsar as a marionette manipulated by his officials. Most scenarios are either alarmist or optimistic, but a couple are comical, like one centering on a stalwart woman who ignores the law against owning a cat.

Bagaev’s metaphysical observations strike with chilling accuracy, while the prose, despite the heady invention, is brisk and pointed, the storytelling as fleet as it is wild. A welcome fabulistic playfulness leavens the dehumanizing themes, even as Bagaev explores how a civilization evolves to practice sadism and genocide, the capacity for diverse perceptions of reality, and the steps, however small, it that must be taken to right the world’s wrongs. Readers who love outraged play and literary daring will appreciate Bagaev’s pained, vivid vision.

Takeaway: Clever, outraged novel of storytelling in a totalitarian state.

Comparable Titles: Ken Kalfus, Bruno Schulz.

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

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This hilarious poetry collection for young readers features verses that burst with wit, imagination, humorous characters, risible puns, and even some poignant life lessons. Readers will never guess where these silly poems will end up by their final line, but Knight’s shrewd rhyming, in the tradition of Shel Silverstein and other stalwarts of playful light verse, makes the punch lines feel both surprising and inevitable—anticipating what the next rhyme will be is key to the fun. From the outlandish comedy of pools made with drool or a garden where the flowers have faces (shouting faces!), to useful advice about jealousy, cleanliness, and why you shouldn’t stick your head out of a car window, Tongue Teasers explores a gamut of surprising topics, each explored in rhyme schemes that feel natural on first read but, as the title suggests, may take more than one attempt to master out loud.

Goofball scenarios and eccentric characters—like Bonnie McBower, who bathes until she turns into a bubble, and Bubba Bogans, on a quest to find the "fabled Beedee-Beedee beast" and ask him a question—are blended with verses that sometimes exhibit a sneaky educational bent. "Book Problems" finds paperback Sarah crushing on hardback Ben, whose "print is so fine,” though she just can't get a "read" on him. In "Latitude Jack" young readers learn about latitude and longitude through witty banter between Latitude Jack and Longitude Lou, while the importance of humility powers "Number One,” whose narrator is so self-important no one wants to be his friend.

Some lines tend toward the wordy (“A bad thought can stifle like a thicket of trees. /It wounds and imprisons while it blocks out the breeze.”), though the meter is always clear, and Knight’s verses pulse with inventive twists and turns. Humorous illustrations bring more life to the poems, their somewhat unpolished look emphasizing the human touch of pencil and ink on actual paper.

Takeaway: Charming and hilarious poems for kids and all ages.

Comparable Titles: Shel Silversteiin; Karma Wilson’s Outside the Box.

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

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Grieving parent Lee sees their life in two distinct parts: before their daughter Rachel’s untimely death, ruled a likely suicide, and after, as they reflect, "There was before Rachel, and there was after Rachel. There were twenty-three years in between. The twenty-three years that were Rachel." As they navigate their new life, Lee travels to a place of spiritual guidance called the Seven Pillars Sanctuary in northern Canada, a safe space for weary souls ruminating on the end of life, most grappling with a terminal illness—a place where the inhabitants intend to "never go home again."

Ring follows Lee’s transformative quest to let go of their pain, reconnect with the world around them, and face the staggering emotional depth of their all-consuming grief. Lerner sketches that journey in muted shades of melancholy, sharp despair, and subtle glimmers of hope, as Lee builds relationships with other sanctuary patrons while piloting their own healing. The result is a heartbreaking narrative from a broken mother, a powerful story of grief’s debilitating effect, that foreshadows Lee’s struggle between ending their own life or rediscovering a new purpose. Lerner tenderly crafts a visceral, emotive bond between parent and child, carefully depicting how the severance of that bond ripples in its aftereffects.

Where Lerner’s debut shines the brightest is in its portrayal of grief as an individual journey, unique to its bearer, and, in Lee’s case, a marriage of philosophical and spiritual beliefs that transform their view on what it means to be alive. Hope takes the form of a sanctuary patron’s dog, Ring, who represents both the enduring attachment Lee feels with Rachel and Lee’s connection to the life still ahead of them. What starts out as a last trip to end it all blooms into an awakening for new beginnings, an awareness of the power behind gratitude, forgiveness, and serving others.

Takeaway: Grieving mother embarks on a transformative journey of healing and renewal.

Comparable Titles: Mark Gunther's Without Jenny, Catherine Ryan Hyde’s Take Me With You.

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

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Hoek’s opening scene finds 13-year-old Lisa, on the cusp of adolescence, struggling with the pain from events that are beyond her control and desperately seeking a way out. After an intentional fall from her grandfather’s barn leaves her reeling but still very much alive, Lisa embarks on a journey of self-discovery at her grandfather’s behest, as he shepherds her through loneliness, bullying, grief, and her parents’ divorce, drawing from his work as a psychologist alongside his powerful intuition to help her navigate the uncertainties of growing up.

Lisa’s journey is eye-opening—for herself and her grandfather—and, as the pair embark together on exploring “the secret of life,” their strong bond and mutual respect allow deep, unrestricted emotional surveys and discussions on even the most intimidating topics, with forgiveness, family, and accountability taking center stage. Readers will grasp from Lisa’s journey that transformation can be both beautiful and painful but is worth it in the end, and even her grandfather, struggling with his own guilt and fear, grows to accept his past and come to terms with his own “perceality”—Lisa’s unique way of describing each person’s “version of reality.”

Though Lisa’s insight sometimes feels too mature for her age, it’s still the perfect springboard for readers to reflect on their own lives and recognize that change, while scary, is inevitable. As Lisa embraces that truth, she realizes that the secret to life was within her all along—and that “true self-love leaves no room for pain.” Hoek’s lessons are challenging but rewarding, and the skills Lisa and her grandfather gain throughout the process—journaling, manifestation, meditation, and more—resonate. The Girl Who Changed the World is a touching debut, layered in its delivery, that highlights the complexity of human emotion and self-discovery while focusing on the value of family.

Takeaway: Touching quest of self-discovery for a girl and her grandfather.

Comparable Titles: Paulo Coelho's The Archer, Jason Reynolds’s' Look Both Ways.

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

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Bailey's Olivia Penn Mystery series returns full force with a fourth installment blending small-town charm with high-stakes crime fueled by themes of love and betrayal. At the start, this entry finds advice columnist Olivia sharing a tender moment with her detective boyfriend, Preston, while reflecting on her traumatic past and anticipating two exciting arrivals to Apple Station, Virginia: her father and a carnival. Peace is short-lived, though, as on a routine plant-watering visit to the home of her out-of-town friend Sam, she discovers a pair of mysterious phones stashed in a drawer, one of them ringing. Then, the discovery of a dead carnival worker pushes Olivia back into the role of amateur sleuth—and into the uncomfortable position of keeping a secret.

As always, Bailey offers both small-town charm and smoothly escalating tension as Olivia faces a menacing stranger, a cryptic message, and a request to keep Preston in the dark about key events. The mystery will test Olivia’s new relationship as she goes undercover, pretending to write a feel-good piece on carnival life but actually trying to crack the nostalgic facade of Klein Amusements to expose a sordid truth. Tenacious and engaging as always, Olivia must work with sharply drawn tech-savvy friends, newspaper editors, and carnival workers, all while walking a tightrope between her truths and lies.

The high-stakes plot pits an ordinary columnist against a criminal organization with tendrils up and down the east coast, but Olivia's investigative work remains both credible and entertaining, revealing surprises about carnival life, the business of exotic animals, and more. Bailey's writing radiates compassion: "Everybody thinks we're a bunch of dirty carnies,” declares carnival lifer Aunt Bea. “But the people who work here are family.” That encapsulates Bailey's resistance to caricature, though she never lets her warm humanity come at the expense of danger and surprise—or this entry’s pointed moral indictment of exploitation and how justice gets easily trampled in favor of money and power.

Takeaway: Small-town columnist uncovers deadly carnival secrets in memorable mystery.

Comparable Titles: Dianne Scott’s Final Look, Patricia McLinn’s Caught Dead in Wyoming series.

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

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Beaulieu lovingly explores the history of temporary U.S. Army Camp Haan in this earnest debut. Established in 1940 in Riverside, CA, Camp Haan was put into immediate action training anti-aircraft artillery crews for the Second World War; Beaulieu crafts its background with rich historical texture, thoroughly analyzing the U.S. military prior to World War II before chronicling the camp’s construction process, addressing site location, architectural plan development, and more. Camp Haan’s operation takes a large part of the narrative, as Beaulieu delves into its day-to-day functions, ranging from the camp bakery output to service clubs for its officers to the activities of POW buildings.

Hoping to “grasp a piece of the world that cannot be brought back,” Beaulieu is meticulous in charting Camp Haan’s purpose and operations, and he includes extensive photographs, maps, and schematics designed to resurrect the vibrancy of a rarely mentioned slice of military history. His attention to detail is remarkable: each individual camp tent is carefully plotted, chapel service schedules are reproduced, and Beaulieu goes so far as to jot down which military units traveled through the camp. History buffs will relish the entertaining snippets of daily life Beaulieu captures, like the Desert Sun article requesting that civilians host Camp Haan soldiers for Thanksgiving, or his outline of the wages paid to prisoners of war in exchange for their camp labors.

One conspicuous gap is in firsthand accounts of life in Camp Haan; as Beaulieu notes, he was unable to interview anyone who lived or worked there. That sense of lost history reverberates in Beaulieu’s descriptions of the camp’s current status: entirely dismantled, with only crumbling foundations remaining as a memorial to what once was a bustling military outpost. Beaulieu’s extensive archival research sets this glimpse of history apart, and he closes with several appendices that list Camp Haan’s buildings, known military units, and sample activity schedules.

Takeaway: Earnest and well-researched historical dive into U.S. military Camp Haan.

Comparable Titles: Marge Bitetti and Tony Bitetti’s The Aviation History of Greater Riverside, John H. Baker’s Camp Adair.

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

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Evans’s powerful collection renders five uniquely different women fiercely connected by threads of grace, struggle, and the triumph that is womanhood. Each story—aptly titled with a letter that, together, form the word “woman”—features a courageous woman fighting to breathe in a male-dominated world, as in “W,” following Astur, who dissociates during her dangerous childbirth, as her repressed childhood memories of genital mutilation surface, leaving her frightened but resolute in the need to protect her unborn daughter. Evans’s women face down a world that seeks to control them, but readers glimpse their inner resilience as they break the chains that oppress and confine.

Trauma, sexual assault, childhood marriage, and human trafficking are prominent themes strung throughout Evans’s debut collection, and he includes stark facts illuminating the chilling prevalence of those practices at the end of the book. Those specifics paint vivid life into the collection’s central characters, as the objectification of women and their bodies rips through each story—desperate subject matter that Evans balances with tender care and well-developed prose, leaving space for a deep emotional impact. In “O,” young Jasmine fights against her mother’s “protection” to maintain her female anatomy, while New York City’s Nancy, in “M,” falls into a deep depression, on the brink of ending her life, after a brutal assault from a powerful “shareholder.” Of that terrifying encounter, Evans poignantly writes, “She was prey, ready to be swooped up by the predator.”

Fans of nuanced short story collections boosted by strong female leads will embrace Evans’s portrayal of the dark acts threatening destruction of womanhood, as he draws readers in and bridges a fiery connection with them, leaving them breathlessly hoping for each woman’s salvation from their enduring traumas. And that hope brightens even the most dismal corners of the collection, as one woman sharply reflects that “a soul bathed in hope [is] a threat.”

Takeaway: Powerful short story collection highlighting women’s resilience.

Comparable Titles: Kathleen Courtenay Stone's They Called Us Girls, Simone De Beauvoir's The Woman Destroyed.

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

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When war begins in Ukraine, young Artem and his mother must travel alone to Poland, bidding his father, who is staying behind to fight as a soldier to protect their home country, goodbye. Sad and scared about the changes his family and country will face, Artem nevertheless puts on a brave face as he acclimates to his new life in Przemysl. At The Welcoming Center, he meets many other young children—all starting over in Poland—and is touched by the kindness of others, specifically from a volunteer named Paolo who prepares food for Artem and the other refugees.

Meanwhile, in America, a young girl named Hannah sees what is happening a world away and feels compelled to help any way she can. After a bit of research, she comes up with the idea to make "Freedom Pancakes"—potato pancakes called "deruny" in Ukraine—and sells them to her community, raising donations for the war-torn country. That heartwarming sentiment in the face of destruction and terror runs steadily throughout, teaching young readers the impacts of war, how to stay brave in the face of new beginnings, and how even the smallest acts of kindness can change the world.

Cohn’s narrative pulls inspiration from real life people, including Paolo and also Hannah Skelton—the basis for this book’s Hannah—who, at six years old, raised money for children’s causes in Africa, and Yana Holubiatnikova’s evocative illustrations, created in Ukraine, bring poignant and dramatic life to the story’s setting. Cohn’s passion for helping others is touching and will energize young readers to discover their own concern for those facing hardship, a theme that Cohn follows up with end-of-book resources offering creative ways to help families around the world. Ultimately, the kindness Artem receives sparks his desire to pay it forward, in a sweet closing note that will leave readers uplifted and impassioned for change.

Takeaway: Moving children’s story about helping others during times of war.

Comparable Titles: George Takei's My Lost Freedom, Sarah Musa's My Garden Over Gaza.

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

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Hoping to illuminate the pathway to enrichment for business savvy readers, Brown dives into his experience in the corporate field, alongside the personal events that shaped him into a person “who, once I decided what I wanted to do, relentlessly pursued the goal.” He starts in childhood, with a brief overview of his formative years, before wading into deeper waters—including his Air Force service as a medic, years as a Taco Bell franchise owner, and later transformation from scuba diving enthusiast to an international luxury travel executive. Swirling among those rich life experiences are pockets of blunt but practical advice on achieving success, “disrupt[ing] as a positive force,” and more.

Brown tends to jettison business norms in a surprising detour from similar titles that lends this debut a lively, dynamic feel. In a section baldly titled “Bullshit,” he cautions readers that “there’s a lot of it out there and it’s important that you detect it before you step in it,” urging the need for trust to shore up relationships and solid lie-detecting skills for business leaders. That candid, no-holds-barred attitude permeates Brown’s writing, sometimes leading to advice that may jolt contemporary readers, such as his belief that “having an HR department is the biggest waste of money a company can spend.” His reasoning—that HR can slow the process of letting under-performers go—makes sense, though his stark advice for handling workplace complaints and personnel problems somewhat limits the guide’s potential audience.

Punchy chapter titles, combined with Brown’s down-to-earth logic behind either embracing business standards or bucking them, make this an entertaining read, placing the responsibility for redefining success squarely on readers’ shoulders: “What matters is that you come up with your own definition of success,” he writes, “and then live up to it.” He closes with a reminder that fact-based decision making—along with old-fashioned hard work—is the key to true achievement.

Takeaway: No-holds-barred advice for getting ahead in the world.

Comparable Titles: Laura Fredricks’s Hard Asks Made Easy, Dave Wong’s Magnetic Millionaire.

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

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There’s no rest for the successful, argues tech innovator Hanna, with Christy Petrosso, in this comprehensive debut. The guide is organized around lessons and analogies drawn from popular media, sports, and philosophy, as Hanna posits that businesses must “pivot” to their next major move rather than focusing solely on product-market fit (a notion he labels as outdated and illusionary). To that end, he details his proprietary model, the Pivoting Life Operating Model (PLOM)—a method that draws from several different frameworks and metrics while viewing “business growth as an ongoing journey,” as opposed to rigid milestones.

Pivoting as a Way of Life is easily digestible, even for those in the startup phase. Hanna uses clever metaphors to explain each facet of his PLOM model, such as the “Master and Commander” chapter that sees readers envisioning product strategy and development as akin to sailing, using lay lines and tacking to reach a predetermined destination, much like staying within set boundaries during product development can cut unnecessary inertia and costs. Similarly, Hanna uses the example of television series Schitt’s Creek to illustrate basic steps of pivoting that can, and should, be implemented in business practices, drawing parallels between the Schitt’s Creek storyline—a family forced to adapt to shocking economic problems—and the need for businesses to “adapt to their new circumstances and ultimately find ways to thrive.” Through such vivid examples, Hanna reminds readers that successful professionals start to change direction before they get off course.

Hanna packs his guide with useful and well-designed visual aids, tying up chapters with reflection and summary points to drive home his themes. Though some of the math theory behind his metrics—and the slew of acronyms driving his advice—require careful attention, readers will find Pivoting as a Way of Life an actionable, common-sense approach for real-life business practice.

Takeaway: Engaging paradigm on the need to be adaptable in business.

Comparable Titles: Simon Sinek’s Start With Why, John Doerr’s Measure What Matters.

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

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In this slim volume, writing coach Janzer (author of The Writer’s Voice) aims to mindfully match readers to non-fiction works. “Nonfiction doesn’t get enough respect,” she writes, asserting that “we idolize storytellers, but take for granted those people who can make dull topics come to life, or who write books that change the way we think.” Janzer classifies her work as a field guide, and she covers a host of topics—from the skill of crafting sensory-driven details to how quality writing builds trust with audiences—to help readers recognize and assign meaning to foundational writing elements.

Janzer’s guide stands out with smart examples of writing devices that readers might not consciously notice but ultimately expect, such as illustrative metaphors, purposeful repetition to drive home concepts, and thought experiments (as a sample, she replays the classic philosophy trolley problem that presents a choice between killing one person or five). Urging readers to explore what appeals to them in writing, Janzer sifts clickbait from genuinely snappy headlines and addresses how the internet has changed reading styles, resulting in more skimming due to the sheer amount of available content, which can make it difficult to emotionally connect with books.

Especially valuable are the down-to-earth homework assignments encased in Janzer’s “field notes”—end-of-chapter sections that bring her advice to life. In them, she examines how interest is piqued by catchy book titles, offers outlines to recognize various story elements in nonfiction reading, and teaches readers to detect abstract writing that can diminish their reading experience. Janzer also tosses out an intriguing challenge for die-hard literature fans: list the top 5 nonfiction books that would “make the cut” if your home had only one bookshelf. The level of detail Janzer provides is noteworthy, and those seeking to “sharpen [their] reading lens” will find it worthwhile.

Takeaway: Thoughtful study of nonfiction writing that will engage hardcore readers.

Comparable Titles: Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird, Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones.

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

Click here for more about The Curious Reader's Field Guide to Nonfiction

A young teenage girl finds herself a step closer to growing up and finding herself in this must-read middle grade debut. Vicki and her younger siblings Dylan and Judith have to start over once again when her burnout mom loses another job and apartment, moving them back to their grandmother’s apartment on Bainbridge Avenue in the Bronx. Vicki has few things she can hold onto in her unstable young life, which makes her dream of finding her absent father all the more important to her. In the meantime, she again begins the slow process of establishing tentative roots, trying to make friends and build a life, this time with chores and structure from her grandmother. As those new responsibilities help her feel grown up and useful, she soon becomes close with Rosa, the daughter of the building’s superintendent—her heart does “a little flip” when Rosal refers to her as a “friend”—and also James, the neighborhood bad boy.

With their help, Vicki decides to try to uncover the secrets that may lead her to her father. The children’s search takes them on a small adventure that brings Vicki, for the first time, into Manhattan, a trip that Lally captures with striking detail and buoyant energy. Along the way, amid much funny and believable chatter, the new friends learn what really matters: to rely on each other, that sometimes the truth hurts, and that it’s okay to count on others to do the things we can’t do for ourselves.

Vicki is a convincing and relatable heroine, one who makes mistakes and sees the world through a sometimes hurt, vulnerable lens. Her mother is an imperfect woman who tries her best even though she frequently falls short, and the supporting cast is complex, lively, and endearing. This is a moving, empathetic read that will resonate with young readers who have ever felt alone, misunderstood, or that if one thing were somehow different the world might finally make sense.

Takeaway: Moving, empathetic must-read of growing up and discovering what matters.

Comparable Titles: Nina LaCour’s We Are Okay, Jeff Zentner’s The Serpent King.

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

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The fun second entry in Gillmann’s Guinness the Good Girl series sees lovable Dalmatian Guinness headed to Tune Town School with her owner, Dottie. Only top students are allowed to take part in Doggie Day at school, and Dottie just happens to be the sole top student who owns a dog—making Guinness just about as lucky as can be. Her day in class starts out a little rough when she races in and runs smack into the teacher’s presentation board, but before long Guinness is winning hearts and making the best of friends.

Young pet lovers will relish Guinness’s chance to experience school just like a human, and Penny Weber’s entertaining illustrations showcase her doing just that: from raising her paw in class to donning a swim cap for water ballet in the pool, Guinness’s facial expressions and lively actions perfectly mimic a dog’s personality. Her antics throughout the day are larger-than-life, but Dottie takes it all in stride, allowing Guinness the chance to stay true to her Dalmatian self while the pair revel in their school playtime together. When Chilean exchange student Maximo informs Dottie he’s here to “wrestle as many Americans as I can,” Guinness promptly accepts the challenge, pinning a laughing Maximo to the ground. Later, school football star Coltrane gets his own help from Guinness to score a touchdown during the evening’s game.

Such amusing action abounds, keeping Guinness—and readers—primed for the next adventure. Guinness’s overeager, playful temperament may get her into trouble from time to time (especially when she tries to join Dottie’s friend’s cheerleading squad on the field), but she somehow always ends up on top, even in the most dire of situations. As Guinness learns, “the show [must] go on,” and there’s no better way to spend the day than rollicking with your furry best friend.

Takeaway: High-spirited Dalmatian upends her owner’s school during Doggie Day.

Comparable Titles: Nina Laden’s The Night I Followed the Dog, Maia Haag’s If My Dog Baxter Could Talk!.

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

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In this penetrating debut, Taylor breaks down the ongoing competition between the People’s Republic of China and the United States, one she describes as “capitalism and democracy against state capitalism and digitally managed authoritarianism”—a seemingly endless tangle of cultural, political, and military dynamics. Starting with an in-depth study on Chinese history, she digs into its formation as a Communist country and return to a strongman leadership model, with the ultimate goal of being “number one in the world,” while examining the “Chinese Dream” of a return to nationalism—and what that means for American companies doing business with China.

Taylor’s China is built on the rule of Xi Jinping, forged against the tapestry of a “cult of personality” that works to ensure international dominance while avoiding foreign exploitation. Western companies walk a tightrope, according to Taylor, in part due to China’s opaque business practices, “national collective will,” and centrally controlled economy. To illustrate the challenges that can surface from those circumstances, Taylor includes several case studies, notably a particularly thorny situation concerning the National Basketball Association, which had great success in China and earned hundreds of millions in annual revenue from their market, only to suffer when NBA personnel began speaking out amid 2019’s Hong Kong protests.

Occasional tangents distract from Taylor’s main themes, but, overall, this is a comprehensive account of what external and internal forces helped shape China into the country it is today—and how it plans to become a paramount economic and military superpower. Taylor sharply examines that future vision—one that is “reliant on self-sufficiency and pride of country”—and teases apart the generational differences within China that impact the country’s economy, social stability, and international commerce. “The US and China have reached a tipping point,” she writes, one that will determine which country will be “the leader of the twenty-first century.”

Takeaway: Penetrating scrutiny of the forces driving competition between the U.S. and China.

Comparable Titles: Michael Pillsbury’s The Hundred-Year Marathon, Paolo Urio’s America and the China Threat.

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

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Ferdosy’s thoughtful and expansive debut thriller sets a traumatized young Iranian woman on a quest for justice against the powerful men who wronged her. Neda Ghaderi, the headstrong daughter of a wealthy business magnate, finds her whole life destroyed when her parents are killed and her fiance executed for the act. But, Neda knows the truth. Using friend and foe alike, she scales the rungs of corruption, from glassy-towered Dubai to her hometown of Tehran, all while contending with the traumas of her past and a system perhaps more broken than she is.

There’s an immediacy to Thirteen as the jolts strike fast and effectively, dropping the reader into Neda’s world at a run. It is in these earliest moments, as layers are peeled back organically, that the book most shines most as a thriller, as an undercover Neda, in charged narration, declares her intention to “complete my mission before I have to share a bed with Sami,” a sheik’s she compares to a “horny ape.” The tension is potent, and the storytelling propulsive, but the tale’s boldest twist is the author’s grander ambitions. Once the story eventually shifts into the past—detailing how Neda got to this point, plus much teary family melodrama involving weddings, financial crises, vicious crimes, court proceedings, and a host of betrayals—narrative richness comes at the expense of momentum.

The challenges and traumas Neda faces grow ever-more vicious, including rape and the murder of people she loves. Her rage has power, and Ferdosy builds to a resonant climax. The author also has taken care to represent Iran, Dubai, and their people without relying on tired or harmful tropes. Ferdosy strives for a full-circle view of trauma and how it can consume not only the sufferer, but those around them, as highlighted in the plights of Neda’s closest friends, who are drawn with vivid empathy. Thirteen blends the revenge thriller with a wider journey, urging readers to evaluate the toll of cruelty and obsession.

Takeaway: A young Iranian woman seeks revenge in this thoughtful, expansive thriller.

Comparable Titles: Hovav Heth’s Just Once, Nilesha Chauvet’s The Revenge of Rita Marsh.

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

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