Welcoming a new baby to the family is an exciting time for parents and children alike, and Baker’s charming picture book for young kids shows how a fetus grows, showcasing one aspect of this fascinating journey. The story begins by introducing a mom-to-be at the start of her pregnancy, announcing that at this stage the baby is “as small as a seed.” Each month, a young boy and girl eagerly await the arrival of their younger sibling, marveling at their mom’s growing belly. They also smile with glee as they compare the baby’s size to different fruits and vegetables—a blueberry in month two, all the way up to a pumpkin by month nine.
By comparing the size of the developing fetus to common foods, this sweet story helps siblings visualize how their new brother or sister is growing using language and imagery they can understand. It also helps them feel connected to what can be an overwhelming and sometimes scary process, as adding a new family member is a big transition that can often be difficult for very young children to grasp. Even kids who do not have siblings will find this story amusing, as they can imagine themselves as a coconut-sized fetus and have the opportunity to connect with their caregivers.
Arthur Lin’s joyful illustrations show the family in a variety of interactive settings, often handling items that correspond to the baby’s size. At the beginning, for instance, the brother and sister are busy planting seeds in their garden, while month four has the family eating pears on a picnic. Each scene also shows how the baby is growing, with the fetus’ outline visible in the mother’s belly. The final cozy illustrations show the newborn baby finally coming home to a welcoming fire on the hearth and gifts from their loving siblings.
Takeaway: Charming picture book shows how a fetus grows during pregnancy using different fruits.
Comparable Titles: Kate Hosford’s Mama’s Belly, Rachel Fuller’s Waiting for Baby.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: A
Editing: B+
Marketing copy: A
Storm’s moody fantasy (the second in the Alleria’s Domain series, after Death’s Lament) follows an exiled giant and untested priest’s mission to save a dying god. Customarily exiled from home after being chosen by the god Jervul as a vessel for her bestial powers, Firnier Brun Vulkren procures a position as royal guard to the Tlean king, Mereed, and honorary protector to Mereed’s 15-year-old daughter, Tersa. When Mereed is slain on the battlefield, Brun also faces death for his failure to protect him. Heartbroken, he takes a vow of silence for his sins—and is given a final chance to atone: assist the Church in solving what ails their god, the Eternal Flame, and—with help from the shy emberic priest, Brita—stave off encroaching darkness.
Brun and Brita make for a fun pairing, the silent giant and reticent priest, whose internal struggles with their respective faith and self-worth feel relatable. Storm enriches understanding of the motives that drive Brun through frequent flashbacks to his exile, alongside his fellow god-chosen, Nirn, and a young Mereed before the mantle of kingship weighed his actions. Those scenes see Brun and Nirn contemplating their role as chosen, wondering if that blessing will bring them anything other than “murder and mayhem.”
Storm’s love of fantasy lore comes across through interesting cultural touchstones like the Firnier’s customs surrounding survival, the Tel’eev Ascendency, or the cosmic origins of the Eternal Flame and the Church’s uncertain relationship with it. Unwieldy prose somewhat interrupts those efforts—a shocking twist sees Nirn crying “for several hours as she swore and cussed up a storm that would make a raider embarrassed”—but Storm’s epic finale overflows with high stakes and sacrifice, as Brun gradually realizes his true purpose. Though held back by minor editing issues, The Sins of the Chosen manages to weave diverse elements into a satisfying adventure of acceptance and surrender.
Takeaway: Character-centered heroic fantasy full of action, conspiracy, and sacrifice.
Comparable Titles: V.L. Kinnaman’s Ashlyn Chronicles; T.H. Abrams No Man’s Daughter.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: B
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: C+
Marketing copy: A
Mojtahed centers these incisive yet inviting considerations of fifty great films from around the world—spanning the first century of cinema—around a seemingly simple idea: an exploration of “the way film can generate an immediate emotional response that directly originates from the interaction of a scene’s various visual elements.” In practice, of course, there is nothing simple about that, and Mojtahed’s essays on the work of filmmakers such as John Ford, Douglas Sirk, Nicholas Ray, Anthony Mann, Michelangelo Antonioni, Carl Theodor Dreyer, Kenji Mizoguchi, Jean Renoir, and Roberto Rossellini dig into, in informed but accessible prose, the many ways themes are communicated and emotions stirred onscreen—from Vincent Minnelli’s mise-en-scène in Some Came Running to Ernst Lubitsch’s playful exploration of the “fluid and almost indistinguishable border between role-playing and real life.”
As a critic, Mojtahed writes for film-loving readers rather than fellow critics. His essays celebrate and illuminate these films, welcoming readers into their worlds. A breezy introduction surveys the history of film criticism, from Cahiers du Cinéma and Andrew Sarris’s auteurism to the 21st-century tendency to emphasize a movie’s social content. But the pieces on individual films are refreshingly unconcerned with critical trends or academic debates—instead, they offer clear-eyed and persuasive looks at the films themselves, the directors’ choices and intentions, and their enduring impact. Readers discovering global cinema and the best of old Hollywood will find much here to entice deeper immersion, while auteurists will appreciate deep dives into Luis Buñuel (seven films) and Yasujirō Ozu (five).
Mojtahed writes with perceptive sensitivity about how directors’ attitudes and techniques evolve over time, highlighting recurring themes—unfulfilled desires, societal change, and the human struggle to accept that life always goes on. His sense of joyous discovery enlivens each essay, modeling an open-hearted, broad-minded approach to engaging with narrative art.
Takeaway: Inviting, memorable essays on classic cinema, with standout attention to Ozu and Buñuel.
Comparable Titles: Donald Richie’s Ozu, Andrew Sarris’s The American Cinema.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Infinite Paradise, Witnessing the Wild
Beeaff (author of Spirit Stones) was just nine years old when she first caught sight of Paradise—16 acres nestled in Peel Township, Southern Ontario, Canada. That land became the soul of her latest memoir: an exquisite and heartfelt narrative chronicling her relationship with the property from 1957 to the present day. Inviting readers into the rhythm of all four seasons in her cherished haven, Beeaff shares vivid observations of the land’s many offerings—from the “cedars across the river,” revered as the mother trees of the forest, to shimmering meadows and curious wildlife, all of it woven with subtle reflections on the ancient formation of the Canadian Shield, which began more than 800 million years ago.
Complimenting Beeaff’s stunning prose are her own photographs—quiet testaments to memory and meaning. Readers glimpse Edna and Russell, the two cottages affectionately named after Beeaff’s parents, alongside snapshots of the Gully Bridge, Willow Deck, and various woodland creatures that inhabit the area, as Beeaff explores the terrain, caretakes the land, and marvels at nature’s synergy. By joining her, “you will fall in love again with the complexity and endless beauty and power of the natural world,” she promises—a world where starlings flock to cedars, goldenrod ushers autumn in, and nature carefully adjusts to winter’s burdens.
Beeaff’s reflections will instill a powerful urge to slow down, breathe, and be fully present, taking in the ability of the natural world to boost wellness, give purpose, and rediscover roots. It gently reminds that wonder is not far away—it lives in the easily-overlooked details, as Beeaff inspires a deep yearning to follow the Zen Buddhist koan: “Sit in nature for twenty minutes a day… unless you’re busy. Then you should sit for an hour.” In a world that feels increasingly restless and detached, this might be the change we all need.
Takeaway: Stunning snapshot of paradise, in Southern Ontario, Canada.
Comparable Titles: Margaret Renkl’s The Comfort of Crows, Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Hurdt lays out a no-nonsense framework for how and why to build high-performing, purpose-driven teams. Drawing from military strategy, business management, and psychology, Hurdt introduces pillars of “Team Synergy,” principles of team leadership, dynamics of collaboration, and other well-organized, clearly communicated steps, definitions, and foundational concepts designed to help leaders optimize teams, foster cohesion, and achieve exceptional results. The book emphasizes the importance of shared vision, discipline, and culture while offering tools like the Six Steps of Team Collaboration and seven team archetypes, which, viewed through a nautical lens, define key roles: Navigator, Quartermaster, Cartographer, and more.
Hurdt favors an explanatory approach, presenting his many tools and acronyms (KISS, AMMO, SMART, W.O.O.P) with forceful clarity, while eschewing the anecdotes and case studies that characterize many management guides. Instead of chatty success stories, he delivers actionable tips and warnings of common pitfalls, oriented toward the goal suggested by the title: transforming teams into cohesive, resilient units capable of thriving amid adversity, scarcity, and change. Still, Hurdt’s approach is rooted in real-world experiences, including his military background, which adds credibility to his insights. His emphasis on the "Realm of Scarcity and Adversity" highlights how teams can adapt and excel under challenging conditions, echoing General Stanley McChrystal’s Team of Teams.
Hurdt persuasively critiques popular leadership models like servant leadership, arguing for a team-oriented philosophy that prioritizes collective success over individual agendas. One standout element is the introduction of team archetypes, which provide a nuanced understanding of team roles and dynamics. This aligns with Jungian archetypal theory, emphasizing the importance of diverse personalities in achieving synergy. The practical tools are adaptable across industries, and schematic diagrams make the concepts more accessible to visual learners. While dense with information, the book is clearly structured and offers ample reinforcement. Bridging theory and practice, Hurdt delivers a blueprint best suited to readers seeking fluff-free guidance on the complexities of modern leadership.
Takeaway: No-nonsense framework for building and leading effective teams.
Comparable Titles: Chris Fussell’s One Mission, Jocko Willink and Leif Babin’s Extreme Ownership series.
Production grades
Cover: C
Design and typography: B
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A-
The first in Ayanda’s Child of Many Fathers trilogy is a gripping political thriller that explores Nigeria’s systemic corruption and the fight for justice. When journalist Emeka Onyema stumbles onto cryptic secrets of his father’s early days in the Nigerian military, he can sense the danger of his discovery—but the pull of uncovering the truth is too hard to resist. His path leads him to a dark world headed by Alhaji Haruna’s powerful cartel and the elusive Council of Elders, as he—along with organizer Melinda Danjuma—become the driving force behind an uprising that dares to challenge a deeply rooted and corrupt government system.
The narrative spans decades, from the Biafran War to modern-day conflicts, weaving themes of betrayal, greed, and power into a high-stakes battle for Nigeria’s future. Ayanda’s storytelling skillfully blends historical events with fictional intrigue, vividly portraying Nigeria’s socio-political challenges, as Emeka’s investigations touch on the lingering effects of British colonization and the Biafran War on Nigeria’s unity, offering compelling and nuanced perspectives on the country’s ethnic and political divides. The depiction of farmer-herder conflicts and the manipulation of religious tensions in particular highlight the devastating consequences that accompany political corruption.
Where Ayanda hits her stride is in the interlacing of personal struggles with broader societal issues. Emeka’s discovery of his father’s complicity in corruption adds emotional complexity to his fight against systemic exploitation, layering his moral dilemmas and unwavering hope for a brighter future against the tension of a nation teetering on the brink of change. Though the sweeping narrative may occasionally overwhelm readers unfamiliar with Nigeria’s history, the intricate plot and Ayanda’s ability to maintain suspense make this an evocative read. Birth of a Fractured Nation is not just a novel—it’s a thought-provoking commentary on Nigeria’s past and present, a compelling assessment of the cost of justice and the resilience required to challenge entrenched systems of power.
Takeaway: Compelling portrait of a nation fighting entrenched corruption.
Comparable Titles: Helon Habila’s Waiting for an Angel, Beata Umubyeyi Mairesse’s All Your Children, Scattered.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: B+
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A
Lane’s romantic thriller—the second in her Archer Mystery series, after Laying of Bones—follows southern belle Twyla Cleary, newly arrived in New York City as a social worker, whose life unravels when she becomes an unwitting witness to a crime. While searching for a missing, unhoused client one evening, Twyla ventures into an abandoned warehouse, interrupting a dangerous man hiding the body of his latest victim. Though she escapes, the encounter leaves her shaken, and the criminal furious. Soon, he’s stalking her apartment and issuing threats, while Twyla—along with a cadre of helpful friends, including the good-natured and swoon worthy officer, Atlas Price—work to trace his whereabouts. Complicating matters is Twyla’s fast-fading eyesight, due to Stargardt's Disease, which, at the hands of her stalker, could become her biggest liability.
From the start, Twyla comes off as a sweet, empathetic small-town girl, somewhat over her head in the big city. She takes notice of those around her, offering help and small niceties that endear her to others in need, while caring for her poverty-stricken and marginalized clients. The circumstances of the crime she witnesses—and her budding romance with Atlas—unfold mostly as expected for the genre, though Lane deviates from the norm with Twyla’s Stargardt's Disease, introducing this challenge—and how Twyla copes with it—in subtle, surprising ways that feel truly inspired.
Though heavy-handed at times with messages of empathy and second chances, Hindsight still engages, offering readers a satisfying mystery along with several feel-good characters who buoy the novel’s setting with their kindhearted treatment of the world around them. Despite the terrifying prognosis for her future sight, Twyla stays fiercely independent, eschewing pity from others while longing to “be accepted as whole, capable.” Minor editing errors distract from the hunt, but readers who enjoy thrillers that delve into the softer side of humanity will be entertained.
Takeaway: Engaging romantic thriller whose heroine holds a surprising secret.
Comparable Titles: Colleen Hoover’s Verity, Nora Roberts’s The Obsession.
Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: B+
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: B+
Galuppo illuminates a teenager’s personal reflections and family allegiances in this YA debut of a near-future Earth ruled by aliens. “They came and they conquered. There was no hero to save us,” narrates 14-year-old Lauren, as everyone—including her mother Jules and younger brother Matthew—in her California city is teleported into enormous hangars at a military base. The silver veined, white-skinned aliens, called Vellatros, disappear or burn up anyone who steps out of line, declaring that Earth is part of the infiniverse—a symbiotic system essential to life in the galaxy—and they can no longer allow humanity’s callous destruction of Earth’s resources. Though cognizant of the truth lurking behind those claims, Lauren marvels at their tactics: “Were these creatures claiming that they came to save Earth from us?” she wonders.
Galuppo’s atmospheric chronicle of humanity’s defeat evokes the powerlessness, petty squabbles, day-to-day terror, and valiant attempts at coping that accompany the unthinkable. Led by Jules, Lauren and Matthew learn to control their emotions and carefully observe their surroundings before acting, but when Lauren—prized for her uncanny telepathic abilities—is taken away and trained in obedience like a pet by the alien, Ula, she is also offered the gift of enlightenment, edging her closer to what feels like sympathy for her planet’s conquerors. Matthew’s arc sharply contrasts, as he gives hope by training humanity’s remnants to fight—prompting Lauren to question her newfound loyalties and wonder if there are still free humans surviving somewhere in Earth’s outer reaches.
Effortless and flowing, Galuppo’s prose conjures a poignant imagining of an alien invasion, invoking resonating themes of family bonds, human sensibilities, and our responsibility as stewards of Earth’s care. Even as they revel in Galuppo’s immersive world, readers will feel invested in Lauren’s growth and determination to do what’s right for her family, the environment, and humanity.
Takeaway: Immersive YA story of Earth’s takeover by sinister aliens.
Comparable Titles: Victoria Lee’s The Fever King, Laura Pohl’s The Last 8.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
You Are a Strategist: Use No-BS OKRs to Get Big Things Done
“Innovation, transformation, and growth all happen from stepping out of that control zone and into the unknown,” strategist and coach Lobkovich states in this practical, illuminating guide to developing, communicating, and executing vision-driven and quantifiable strategies for organizations. “In the No-BS OKR model,” Lobkovich continues, “key results are where you challenge yourself to courageously do just that.” You Are a Strategist provides flexible frameworks for creating the conditions in which organizations can dare to dream big and set clear OKRs—that is, “objectives and key results”—aligned with an overarching strategy that is understood, in both its “North Star” direction and in operational specifics, by everyone involved in its actual implementation.
Anyone who has ever found themselves trying to guide a recalcitrant organization toward significant change will recognize that what Lobkovich’s “No BS OKR” system promises is seriously challenging. Fortunately, each of the major steps in her process is clear, actionable, and adaptable to a wide variety of organizations. In inviting language that both demystifies and democratizes the very idea of “strategy,” Lobkovich presents original tools (like the Connected Strategic One-Sheet) crafted not just to establish and communicate an organization’s goals, but to align them with “clear, visionary, directional objectives” and “empirically measurable key results.”
While some phrasing is a little cute (Lobkovich encourages a “rebelutionary” mindset, and an introductory suite of questions is surprisingly tricky to parse), the advice here is first-rate—presented with rare clarity, easily implementable step-by-step processes, and a welcome precision of language. That isn’t to suggest anything here is fussy—Lobkovich convincingly argues for sharing drafts of strategy documents early, before they’re too polished. She wastes few words, always zeroing in on what matters: explaining what her practices are designed to do, how best to craft one-sheets and OKRs for one’s own organization, and how best to implement and assess them, from incisive tools like “Four Factors That Affect Goal Attainment” to straight-talking reminders that leaders must “walk the talk.”
Takeaway: Smart, practical guide for establishing and implementing organizational strategy.
Comparable Titles: Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez and Robin Speculand’s Strategy Implementation Playbook, Marta Dapena Baron's Big Picture Strategy.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Historical mystery author Blanton-Stroud returns with a charged novel rooted in a seminal time in history. In post-World War II San Francisco, Sandy Zimmer—a widow who, after her husband dies, takes over as the publisher of his newspaper, the San Francisco Prospect—finds herself curiously out of place in a male-dominated world. Everyone, from the paper’s editor-in-chief to Zimmer’s father-in-law and board member, Wyatt, seems to doubt her abilities. So, in the aftermath of the Japanese surrender—when post-war celebrations veer into widespread destruction, looting, rape, and death—Zimmer takes it upon herself to cover the incidents as objectively as possible. What she doesn’t realize is that choice will pit her against her own board—and the city’s powers-that-be.
Inspired by the real-life Katharine Graham, notable publisher of the Washington Post, Blanton-Stroud (author of the Jane Benjamin series) vividly showcases the cutthroat mid-20th century atmosphere of newspaper publishing, where Zimmer faces prejudice and crippling insecurity: in her own words, she is “just a pretty secretary.” Her arc is delightful to watch as she transforms from an uncertain wife of a publisher-magnate to a self-assured, ethical businesswoman who knows the difference between right and wrong. That quest is assisted by a coterie of lively, colorful women, from gossip-columnist Jane (the namesake of Blanton-Shroud’s earlier novels) to Zimmer’s mother-in-law, Olive. Also a powerhouse is publisher Cissy Patterson, based on the woman who headed the Washington Times-Herald in the 1940s.
Apart from the novel’s inspiring women, Blanton-Stroud brings vibrant life to the chaos and confusion that crises herald, and spotlights how, in such times, the right thing to do is not always apparent. When faced with glaring injustice, Zimmer rises to the challenge, learning, in the process, that what she brings to the table is more than enough—and that “uncovering the truth and holding people accountable” is a cause worth fighting for.
Takeaway: Riveting novel of a female publisher in post-WWII America.
Comparable Titles: R.F. Kuang’s Yellowface, Marie Benedict’s The Other Einstein.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Hypnotherapist and life coach Roberts offers an opportunity for readers to “reconnect with your intuition, rediscover who you are at your core, and release patterns that no longer serve you” in this compassionate debut. Drawing from her own insights as well as client anecdotes, she lays out a pathway to forge through life’s trials—culled from her training in hypnosis, parts theory, and “the subconscious stories we carry”—through warm, relatable prose that uplifts and encourages. Throughout, Roberts acknowledges that trauma molds reality, proposing that the narratives we create around traumatic events are often the key to healing.
Born with spinal meningitis, Roberts’s childhood was ruled by health challenges but also sparked her innate curiosity and drive to derive meaning from those experiences. Those insights catalyze Roberts’s guidance, as she prepares readers to recognize the difference between their logical and subconscious mind, rewrite the stories they tell themselves, and align their “subconscious beliefs [with] conscious intentions.” Steps along that path include understanding how to harness and increase life force energy, acknowledging resistance and viewing it as an opportunity for change, and utilizing a range of holistic therapies, such as biohacking, Pulsed Electromagnetic Field therapy, cold plunging, and bodywork. Roberts also includes handy tips on pairing with the right practitioner, user-friendly practices to replenish energy stores, and clear guidelines for physical and emotional detoxification.
Readers eager to experience inner peace, physical health, and emotional wellbeing will find Roberts’s advice supportive, engaging, and practical; she offers several hands-on exercises and step-by-step processes, coupled with detailed detox protocols that include cleansing recipes, potential tinctures and supplements, and a QR code to a companion journaling workbook. Her guidance is thoughtful and comprehensive, and she acknowledges that the quest for authentic living can be both challenging and deeply rewarding—but it ultimately leads to a “life that feels most aligned with who you truly are.”
Takeaway: Compassionate and comprehensive blueprint to authentic living.
Comparable Titles: Sue Morter’s The Energy Codes, Bessel van der Kolk’s The Body Keeps the Score.
Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Fittipaldi’s comprehensive debut offers executives a way to elevate their leadership through the art of business storytelling. Offering frameworks, techniques, and down-to-earth examples that will stimulate creativity, Fittipaldi first outlines different narrative types—internal, external, and collective—before diving into the neuroscience behind storytelling, exploring what areas of the brain it activates as well as its impact on important hormones like endorphins and dopamine. “The ability to connect through a story is no longer optional—it’s essential,” Fittipaldi writes, and readers will find a wealth of information in this appealing guide to help them construct meaningful personal and organizational narratives.
Standout features include several actionable tools, such as the 5 P’s of storytelling—people, place, plot, purpose, point—and a four-step framework for creating emphatic stories (by using hook, why, what, and how) that Fittipaldi adapts to corporate leadership. She also highlights the need to “bridge data with emotion” as well as the importance of clarity and focus, explaining how these elements provide leaders with a clear vision, help them make better decisions, and promote more effective problem-solving skills. Throughout, Fittipaldi backs up her insights with research, including a fascinating breakdown of several different experiments that demonstrate the value of storytelling in business settings.
Readers will appreciate Fittipaldi’s practical methods, particularly the book’s downloadable PDF companion and multitude of hands-on exercises. Entertaining illustrations of a stick figure, “Mr. Lines,” pop in throughout as a “visual co-pilot,” and real-world case studies—like Hannah’s bakery analogy and Miria’s apple orchard story—demonstrate how storytelling can make difficult problems more understandable and inspire teams to find solutions together. “Storytelling is more than just a communication tool,” Fittipaldi writes, “it’s a powerful means of inspiring change, aligning teams, and fostering connection.” The book is packed with information, but the structured approach and engaging tone make it a valuable resource to transform leadership.
Takeaway: Engaging resource on channeling storytelling in business settings.
Comparable Titles: Chip Heath and Dan Heath’s Made to Stick, Donald Miller’s Building a Story Brand.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: B+
Illustrations: A-
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A
Huntingdon spins a sharp screwball parable about a little girl searching for her lost dog in this circus of the absurd—a fantasy lark that toys with tropes (prophecies, chosen ones, talking candlesticks), upends logic, and chases after laughter like a pup chasing its tail. Wandering stranger Ellen, with bowl-cut hair, bottle-cap glasses, and a pronounced lisp, sings and dances her way into the hamlet of Himelforth. The starving, dimwitted townsfolk believe her to be divine, and Himelforth Monk-guy, who shares Ellen’s haircut, brings her to Geriatris Abbey. Unable to explain where she came from, Ellen declares that she’s looking for her dog, Riley—who, it turns out, is the god at the heart of the local religion. Hook-nosed Abbot Porel instantly detests Ellen, especially after the miracle of bread falling from the sky suggests she could be the prophesied savior: Riley’s new “Harold.”
Ellen looks nothing like the blond man astride a white steed in the holy book, but she exudes pure innocence—a laid-back child who stumbles around a curious land wanting only friends and bedtime stories. The tale blends whimsy, puns, dialogue comedy, and a persistent cozy wit with bursts of darker fairy-tale bite. Until a conclave can be gathered, Ellen must remain at the abbey under Porel’s care, and he makes her life stark and miserable. Fortunately, Brothers J’hay and Crumplegrip lead a rebellion to help her.
Narrated by the dog itself, “writing the prophetic utterings of my mind from my little apartment in Chicago,” this lark offers serious laughs, a host of clever groaners, and wisdom about treating others with kindness. Readers seeking narrative coherence may be frustrated—a fact the dog/god/narrator acknowledges with characteristic irreverence in the final pages. An acquired taste, more Carroll than Pratchett, but those on board will adore it. Whimsical hand-drawn illustrations are a treat.
Takeaway: Surreal comic fantasy of a girl in a world where her lost dog is god.
Comparable Titles: J. Zachary Pike, Scotto Moore.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A
The Creative Leader
Boden and Carpenter team up in this comprehensive leadership guide, drawing from their professional knowledge, and insights from 11 different Hollywood producers, to help readers channel “the creative sauce that already exists within you.” Through inspiring case studies, the authors highlight each producer’s wisdom as leaders in the entertainment industry, featuring such notables as Jonathan Murray (MTV’s The Real World), Javier Chapa (The Long Game), and Laura Gutin (Black-ish). Key takeaways from those in the know form the backbone, as Boden and Carpenter examine and compare traditional leadership methods against more approachable, flexible, and innovative styles.
Promoting the idea that "there is no one right way to lead," the authors explore a multitude of leadership qualities, from the importance of storytelling to Jeopardy! producer Harry Friedman’s quick problem solving that found crew members, filming in New Orleans in the days leading up to Hurricane Katrina, a safe way out of the city. Thinking outside the box—and nurturing a desire to have fun—are critical leadership components, the authors assert, and they encourage readers to be curious, incorporate play, and engage in healthy competition with themselves and their teams. To boost performance, they include several examples of “intangible details” that can have a big impact—like Trader Joes’ Joe Coulombe pushing for Hawaiian shirts and entertaining product names, or producer Allison Grodner’s creative use of food to unite her staff.
Readers will find this brimming with practical advice that covers the hiring process, how to make better decisions (the authors offer their own model, D.E.C.I.D.E—define, evaluate, consult, identify, deploy, and examine), different ways to respond to crises, and more. The engaging examples and down-to-earth advice, combined with several helpful appendices and hands-on worksheets, makes this a valuable resource for any leadership playbook.
Takeaway: Engaging leadership guide based on advice from Hollywood creatives.
Comparable Titles: Todd Henry's Herding Tigers, Scot J. Wakefield's Leading with Your Imagination.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A
This wise and buoyant picture book finds precocious German shepherd pup Daisy Mae struggling to fit in with her new family—until a helpful dog named Tucker, one of several household pets, teaches her the rules of the house. Along with Ridge, another family dog, and Trouble, the cat, Daisy Mae has plenty of house-trained mentors to show her how well-behaved pets live with their people. Unaccustomed to such strict rules, Daisy Mae often hears “no” as she gets caught up in mischief—tracking mud through the house, or stealing the book How to Train a German Shepherd. But Tucker takes Daisy Mae under his wing, and thanks to the consistency of her new humans and the good example set by the rest of the household, she soon starts to adjust—and is well on her way to being a "good dog.”
Breuer’s love of animals and experience with dog training shines throughout this charming story. Told in straightforward prose from Tucker’s perspective, the tale offers a dog’s-eye view of training and adjusting to new surroundings. Tucker’s clear-eyed explanations—“Good dogs always go outside to do their business”—will resonate with young readers welcoming dogs into their own homes.
Kelly Caswell’s illustrations delight, capturing Daisy Mae’s joyful recklessness and eventual cozy companionship with everyday playfulness and well-observed animal behavior. Humans and pets alike burst with personality, and through Daisy Mae’s expressive eyes and sometimes-abashed posture, readers see that while she may be rambunctious and a bit stubborn, she is eager to belong. The art tells the story with such clarity and warmth that some of the prose—occasionally laid out in dense paragraphs—feels slightly wordy. Still, this charming story provides ample opportunity to learn about pet training, setting routines, and adjusting to change, while a helpful training guide in the back matter offers direct, actionable advice.
Takeaway: A heartwarming story of a new dog learning the ropes of family life.
Comparable Titles: Troy Cummings's Can I Be Your Dog?, Guojing’s Stormy.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: B+
Illustrations: A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A-
Far Side of Revenge: Prince Brian Boru, Future King of Ireland
From its bold opening line, this historical novel loosely chronicling the ascent of Brian Bóraime, Ireland’s high king circa the year 1002, is a grabber, moving fast without sacrificing historical depth, insight into character, or immersion in the minds of a millennium past. At a young age, Prince Brian—here called Brian Boru—is swept off to Holy Island to live and learn among the monks as his father's kingdom is threatened by Norse warships. Brian enjoys being his father's favorite child, though he craves the approval of his envious older brother Mahon, who keeps Brian at arm’s length until their father's death and Mahon is crowned king. Mahon proves an arrogant leader, interested only in the power and name his title brings, while Prince Brian strives to protect the kingdom and keep the Norse at bay.
Loyalty and love, power and betrayal all drive this potent story of a young prince willing to do anything for revenge, for his family's legacy, and for the kingdom he will fight to unite. With a clever first-person narrative purportedly penned by a king’s scribe at Brian’s request, Dean puts readers right into the action—and into the mind of the strategic prince who plays the long game. Historical upheaval and compelling characterization move the story along at a brisk clip, though Dean offers a wealth of insight into turn-of-the-first-millennium royal life. Amid battles and losses, the tale’s heart is in the conflict between brothers with strikingly different views of leadership. Brian, hardened by the loss of his parents and close friends, becomes calculating, learning how to move people like chess pieces.
The prose is crisp and swift, with occasional poetic flights. While the story flows with smooth power, Dean leaves it to readers to determine whether the ruthless, logical Brian—ruled by neither bonds nor emotions—is hero, villain, or something else. Fans of morally gray historical fiction that explores the complexities of power will relish this—and eagerly anticipate the follow-up.
Takeaway: Compelling novel of legacy, loyalty, betrayal, and Ireland’s Brian Boru.
Comparable Titles: Morgan Llywelyn, Anne O'Brien.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
