Salman Rushdie Discusses His New Novel, Quichotte, a Modern Retelling of Don Quixote and a Dark Satire of Contemporary America

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KIRKUSVOL. LXXXVII, NO. 17 | 1 SEPTEMBER 2019 REVIEWS

Salman Rushdie discusses his new novel, Quichotte, a modern retelling of Don Quixote and a dark satire of contemporary America. p. 14 from the editor’s desk:

Chairman On Losing a Literary Giant HERBERT SIMON

President & Publisher BY TOM BEER MARC WINKELMAN #

Chief Executive Officer MEG LABORDE KUEHN [email protected] Photo courtesy John Paraskevas I saw the news on my phone as I rode the elevator up to Kirkus’ New York office Editor-in-Chief TOM BEER on the morning of Aug. 6: Toni Morrison had died. Though Morrison was 88 and had [email protected] Vice President of Marketing used a wheelchair at public appearances in recent years, the news still stunned. Her SARAH KALINA wisdom and unimpeachable dignity—not to mention her groundbreaking literary [email protected] Managing/Nonfiction Editor achievements—seemed to make her almost immortal; it was hard to conceive of a ERIC LIEBETRAU [email protected]

world without Toni Morrison in it, speaking, writing, inspiring. Fiction Editor LAURIE MUCHNICK Morrison has been part of the literary landscape for as long as I can remember. [email protected] Children’s Editor I discovered her 1973 novel, Sula, after reading about it in Barbara Smith’s semi- VICKY SMITH nal essay, “Toward a Black Feminist Criticism,” for a course on literary theory my [email protected] Young Adult Editor Tom Beer sophomore year in college. (Are Sula and Nel lesbians? Smith read them as such, LAURA SIMEON [email protected]

and suddenly literary criticism seemed a lot less tame to me.) Sula led me to The Bluest Eye and Song of Solo- Editor at Large MEGAN LABRISE mon. The fall of my senior year, Morrison published Beloved—a novel about [email protected] Vice President of Kirkus Indie slavery in America that was also a ghost story; its moral gravity and imagina- KAREN SCHECHNER tive power seemed to transform what fiction could do. Spellbound, I began [email protected] Senior Indie Editor writing about for my senior “comps” paper in English. That Decem- DAVID RAPP Beloved [email protected]

ber, Morrison delivered a powerful eulogy for James Baldwin at his funeral Indie Editor MYRA FORSBERG service; I hungrily read it in the New York Times Book Review later that month, [email protected] Associate Manager of Indie and it sent me—where had I been?—to Baldwin’s own writing. KATERINA PAPPAS In the years since, Morrison’s books have come every few years like bless- [email protected] Editorial Assistant ings: , , , and more. She won a Pulitzer Prize and then a Nobel, CHELSEA ENNEN Jazz Paradise Love [email protected]

and her place in the literary firmament seemed assured. But she was still very Mysteries Editor THOMAS LEITCH much of our world, engaged and involved. I was fortunate to be in the audito- Contributing Editor rium at The New School in New York City the night in 2015 that she accepted GREGORY McNAMEE Copy Editor the Ivan Sandrof Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Book Critics Circle; she spoke with great BETSY JUDKINS

humor and humility and, as one expected, insight. Yes, it was a lifetime achievement award—but it seemed Designer ALEX HEAD

impossible to believe she wouldn’t be with us for years to come, an elder dispensing wisdom to her tribe. Director of Kirkus Editorial LAUREN BAILEY Now she’s gone. To memorialize her, start by reading Gregory McNamee’s Appreciation of Morrison [email protected]

Production Editor on page 195. (We already had another piece in the can, but for this issue it really had to be Toni Morrison.) CATHERINE BRESNER Then check out the list that fiction editor Laurie Muchnick assembled for our newsletter of “8 Toni Mor- [email protected] Website and Software Developer rison Books Everyone Should Read” with their original Kirkus reviews. (I love this tour through the Kirkus PERCY PEREZ [email protected]

archive, seeing what our reviewers said before a book’s reputation was fixed. For example,Beloved is “truly Advertising Director MONIQUE STENSRUD majestic…strong and intricate in craft; devastating in impact,” which seems exactly right.) Finally, please go [email protected]

Advertising Associate back to the books themselves—works that will surely continue to deepen in richness as time goes by. TATIANA ARNOLD Certain deaths have a similar effect: Ursula K. Le Guin. V.S. Naipaul. Philip Roth. All died last year, [email protected] Graphic Designer and those passings, like Morrison’s, are literary milestones. We miss the opportunity for further commu- LIANA WALKER [email protected]

nion with a favorite author. Just this February, Morrison published The Source of Our Self-Regard, a collec- Controller MICHELLE GONZALES tion of her essays, speeches, and other nonfiction writings. (Included is that 1987 eulogy for Baldwin.) It [email protected] was a reminder that she was a great thinker as well as novelist. Toni Morrison is no longer with us, but we for customer service or subscription questions, need her words now more than ever. please call 1-800-316-9361

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2 | 1 september 2019 | from the editor’s desk | kirkus.com | you can now purchase books online at kirkus.com contents fiction INDEX TO STARRED REVIEWS...... 4 The Kirkus Star is awarded REVIEWS...... 4 to books of remarkable EDITOR’S NOTE...... 6 INTERVIEW: SALMAN RUSHDIE ...... 14 merit, as determined by the INTERVIEW: JEFFREY ARCHER...... 24 impartial editors of Kirkus. MYSTERY...... 42 SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY...... 50 ROMANCE...... 53 nonfiction INDEX TO STARRED REVIEWS...... 56 REVIEWS...... 56 EDITOR’S NOTE...... 58 INTERVIEW: JAMES PONIEWOZIK...... 70 INTERVIEW: DINA NAYERI...... 76 children’s INDEX TO STARRED REVIEWS...... 106 REVIEWS...... 106 EDITOR’S NOTE...... 108 INTERVIEW: IBTIHAJ MUHAMMAD...... 122 INTERVIEW: HENA KHAN...... 126 WINTER HOLIDAY PICTURE BOOKS...... 135 young adult INDEX TO STARRED REVIEWS...... 150 REVIEWS...... 150 EDITOR’S NOTE...... 152 INTERVIEW: DAVID YOON...... 154 INTERVIEW: ELIZABETH KEENAN...... 160 The #MeToo movement forces a struggling SHELF SPACE: REDISCOVERED BOOKS IN BOISE, IDAHO...... 165 young woman to confront the abusive indie relationship that defines her sexual and INDEX TO STARRED REVIEWS...... 166 romantic past in this gut-wrenching debut. REVIEWS...... 166 See the review on p. 37. EDITOR’S NOTE...... 168 INDIE Q&A: KRISTEN ASHLEY...... 178 Don’t wait on the mail for reviews! You can read pre-publication reviews as they are released on kirkus.com—even before they are published in the magazine. IN MEMORIAM: ANNE LARSEN...... 191 You can also access the current issue and back issues of Kirkus Reviews on our FIELD NOTES...... 194 website by logging in as a subscriber. If you do not have a username or password, please contact customer care to set up your account by calling 1.800.316.9361 or APPRECIATIONS: TONI MORRISON (1931-2019)...... 195 emailing [email protected].

| kirkus.com | contents | 1 september 2019 | 3 fiction THE BROMANCE These titles earned the Kirkus Star: BOOK CLUB Adams, Lyssa Kay THE BROMANCE BOOK CLUB by Lyssa Kay Adams...... 4 Berkley (352 pp.) I LOST MY GIRLISH LAUGHTER $15.00 paper | Nov. 5, 2019 by Jane Allen...... 5 978-1-9848-0609-3 MALINA by Ingeborg Bachmann...... 10 A baseball player attempts to heal THE BISHOP’S BEDROOM by Piero Chiara; his marriage with the help of his team’s trans. by Jill Foulston...... 13 romance-novel book club. THE INNOCENTS by Michael Crummey...... 16 Gavin Scott has it all—a killer baseball career, twin daughters, and a devoted WHAT HAPPENS IN PARADISE by Elin Hilderbrand...... 22 wife. But when Gavin discovers that Thea has been faking it in the bedroom, he’s distraught. The two have a blowup fight AMERICAN GRIEF IN FOUR STAGES by Sadie Hoagland...... 23 that ends with Gavin moving out and Thea asking for a divorce. A LUSH AND SEETHING HELL by John Hornor Jacobs...... 25 Thea, however, has been faking it in more ways than one—even BIG FAMILIA though she’s painting the picture of a happy baseball wife, she’s by Tomas Moniz...... 33 actually miserable in that role and wishes she could go back to FORGOTTEN JOURNEY by Silvina Ocampo; school and pursue art. Between Gavin’s busy career and their trans. by Katie Lateef-Jan & Suzanne Jill Levine...... 34 young children, he hasn’t even noticed how unhappy she is, and she has no plans to tell him. When Gavin confides in his team- THE PROMISE by Silvina Ocampo; trans. by Suzanne Jill Levine & mates that his marriage is in trouble, their advice comes from Jessica Powell...... 34 an unconventional source: romance novels, specifically Regency MY DARK VANESSA by Kate Elizabeth Russell...... 37 romances full of lords and countesses. Gavin is skeptical, but his teammates persist—the books help them understand what THE REVISIONERS by Margaret Wilkerson Sexton...... 38 their wives are thinking and learn how to verbalize their feelings. Feeling desperate, Gavin decides to give them a chance, starting A STEP SO GRAVE by Catriona McPherson...... 48 with a book called Courting the Countess. Surprisingly, the advice THE ART OF THEFT by Sherry Thomas...... 49 from his friends works—but what will Gavin do when he has to stop using the romance novel’s words and start using his LETHAL PURSUIT by Will Thomas...... 50 own? Adams creates a refreshingly open group of male friends QUEEN OF THE CONQUERED by Kacen Callender...... 51 who talk about emotional labor, toxic masculinity, and how pumpkin spice lattes and romance novels are mocked because THE MERRY VISCOUNT by Sally MacKenzie...... 54 women like them. They’re also, however, hilariously and believ- SCANDALOUS by Minerva Spencer...... 55 ably crude (case in point: a running joke involves one of Gavin’s teammate’s “digestive problems”). Alternating between Gavin’s and Thea’s points of view, Adams never paints either character QUEEN OF THE CONQUERED as the villain, instead pointing out how both spouses’ lack of Callender, Kacen communication led to their current predicament. Also included Orbit (480 pp.) are passages from Courting the Countess, a detail sure to please $15.99 paper | Nov. 12, 2019 historical romance fans. Gavin and Thea’s story begins at such 978-0-316-45493-3 a low point that it’s hard to imagine how they’ll ever fall back in love, but their reconciliation is built so slowly and realistically that readers will be rooting for their happily-ever-after. A fun, sexy, and heartfelt love story that’s equal parts romance and bromance.

4 | 1 september 2019 | fiction | kirkus.com | THE DOLLMAKER I LOST MY GIRLISH Allan, Nina LAUGHTER Other Press (416 pp.) Allen, Jane $16.99 paper | Oct. 15, 2019 Vintage (256 pp.) 978-1-59051-993-6 $16.00 paper | Nov. 5, 2019 978-1-9848-9776-3 A doll maker with dwarfism, a woman living in a mysterious asylum, and several This delicious satire of old Holly- unsettling Polish fairy tales converge in wood, originally published in 1938 and this third novel from British writer Allan largely unknown even by cinephiles, gets (The Rift, 2017, etc.). a welcome reissue. Andrew Garvie has had an obsession The hijinks start early in this screw- with dolls since he was a child. He both collects them and creates ball sendup, since, as one Hollywood veteran tells a newbie writer, his own from battered or scarred parts. When he responds to an “We not only preoccupy ourselves with sex at the box office but ad in a collector’s magazine asking for information about Polish feel we must live life as we see it on the screen for twenty-four doll maker and fairy-tale writer Ewa Chaplin, he strikes up a hours a day.” Sidney Brand, the powerful Hollywood producer correspondence with its writer, fellow doll enthusiast Bramber standing in for legendary real-life producer David O. Selznick Winters. Through her letters, Bramber reveals that she lives in a (Gone With the Wind; Rebecca), gets the job done but, god, he’s a kind of asylum run by a Dr. Leslie, whose credentials seem dubi- monster to work for. He’s narcissistic, needy, chauvinist, and a ous at best. The other residents include people with mental ill- big ole liar, though he does work really hard, to give him a little

ness as well as several little people. Andrew becomes convinced credit. Allen dishes on the cupidities and venality of daily life young adult that he is in love with Bramber and sets off on a journey across the English countryside to rescue her from this strange place. Along the way, he visits doll museums and junk shops and reads some of Ewa Chaplin’s fairy tales, which bear troubling parallels with his and Bramber’s reality. That reality has a slightly sinister feel, as if the world is almost imperceptibly tilted on its axis, and the fairy tales themselves are disturbing. With alternating chapters—Andrew’s first-person narration, Bramber’s letters, and Ewa’s fairy tales—the book moves slowly toward a quick climax and neat conclusion. Andrew explicitly says that he makes his scarred dolls as “a kind of protest,” as “little dissidents….As human beings they would have faced lives of oppression….And yet they persist.” However, the novel’s constant characterization of difference—whether of size, appearance, ability, sexuality, race, or gender—as either strange, fetishized, or magical (or all three), leaves a lot to be desired in terms of exploring the oppression the protagonist ostensibly works against. There are gay characters but they are predatory; the only black woman character is described as large, and the protagonist speculates about her pubic hair. The many characters with dwarfism are consistently compared to dolls and fetishized by average-size people. While the rich imagery, sentence construction, and deft storytelling lend the novel charm and readability, these aspects of the narrative are disturbing. A gothic story which explores human nature while sometimes getting lost in stereotypes and unnecessary detail.

| kirkus.com | fiction | 1 september 2019 | 5

unsentimental educations

Photo courtesy Leah Overstreet Five years ago I wrote a column ceptionally gifted.” Doesn’t every about “Moms Behaving Badly” nov- white, upper-middle-class parent els, and, yes, that label makes me think their 11-year-old fits into that cringe now. The peg was Liane Mo- category? Rose, Samantha, Lauren, riarty’s then-new book, Big Little Lies, and Azra met in a swim class when which has gone on to huge success, their children were infants and have illuminating the intense drama of been friends for years, sticking to- school dropoff in suburban Austra- gether through a husband’s death, lia (changed to Monterey, California, one couple’s divorce, a child’s drug on TV) for millions of fans. An earli- use, and other traumas. But then er example, Maria Semple’s brilliantly witty Where’d You comes the news about Crystal Acad- Go, Bernadette? has just gotten the big-screen treatment, emy, which will accept only “la crème la plus pure de la too; in 2012, our review called it “a cleverly constructed crème” of Crystal and the less-well-off counties that internet-age domestic comedy about a wife/mother/ge- surround it, and soon the women—and their husbands— nius architect who goes a little nuts from living in that are lying, cheating, and keeping secrets from one anoth- cesspool of perfection and bad weather called Seattle…. er in a quest to get their kids a coveted slot despite the She certainly hates everything about Seattle, especially fact that the school’s principal says unforgivably preten- the other mothers at [her daughter’s] crunchy-granola tious things like “la crème la plus pure de la crème.” private school.” One thing that’s interesting about The Gifted School Bernadette is different from Moriarty’s women is that Holsinger doesn’t focus entirely on the women; in that she doesn’t have any allies at school: “None of the dads are behaving just as badly as the moms, and the other mothers like you, Bernadette,” her next-door so are the kids, and there are chapters told from many neighbor and archnemesis tells her. “Do you realize we different points of view. Lauren’s daughter, Tessa, is had an eighth-grade moms-and-daughters Thanksgiv- the only teenager in the group, and she’s just regain- ing on Whidby Island, but we didn’t invite you and Bee?” ing everyone’s trust after having gotten drunk while Whew; that’s harsh. Maybe it’s not surprising that Ber- babysitting and leaving Samantha’s daughter alone in nadette disappears. the house. Tessa is keeping a video blog that she shares A more recent entry in the genre is Caitlin Macy’s with her friends from rehab, and the transcripts inject Mrs., about life at Manhattan’s most exclusive preschool. a lively voice into the proceedings. There are also chap- Our review says that “Macy knows just how to nail the ters told from the perspective of Ch’ayña, whose daugh- status anxieties of the rich; her people are ultraprivi- ter, Silea, cleans house for Rose’s and Samantha’s fami- leged but insecure, constantly comparing themselves lies and whose grandson, Atik, really is gifted. Ch’ayña against each other.” One of my favorite things about Big doesn’t want Atik going to school with the rich white Little Lies and Mrs. is the way they each feature a Greek kids, though, worrying that they’ll change him. chorus of other parents commenting on the action, en- Holsinger has pulled off a neat trick, combining a abling us to get both the inside and school dropoff novel similar to Big Little Lies with the outside perspectives on what’s hap- “admit lit” genre that usually focuses on college admis- pening. sions, as exemplified by Jean Hanff Korelitz’s excellent Bruce Holsinger’s new novel, Admission. Considering that my son is starting his junior The Gifted School, pushes the par- year of high school, I know I’ll be looking for more like ents-group genre to its logical exit soon, however uncomfortable the picture it presents. treme, following a set of four fami- —L.M. lies in the fictional town of Crystal, Colorado, after the school district Laurie Muchnick is the fiction editor. announces the imminent opening of a new magnet school for the “ex-

6 | 1 september 2019 | fiction | kirkus.com |

in the big studio system of 1930s Hollywood through her pro- MAMA HISSA’S MICE tagonist Madge Lawrence’s letters home as well as interoffice Alsanousi, Saud memos, telegrams, journal entries, and gossip columns. Madge Trans. by Hussain, Sawad is new to Hollywood, hunting for a studio job; Brand hires her AmazonCrossing (319 pp.) as his secretary. He’s desperate for a big commercial success $24.95 | Nov. 12, 2019 but wants it to come off as a prestige number, so he counts on 978-1-5420-4217-8 Viennese import Sarya Tarn (a double for Marlene Dietrich) to bring the quality, but she only brings a healthy dose of divadom. Three boys grow up together in Brand’s frenemy at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, a rival studio, won’t Kuwait. loan him Clark Gable to play opposite Tarn, so the producer has Katkout, Fahd, and Sadiq are about 12 to rely on Broadway success Bruce Anders, who makes Madge’s when their native Kuwait is occupied by heart flutter; meanwhile, the studio’s publicity whiz, Jim Palmer, Iraqi forces. Some of the boys are Sunni, wittily, mordantly pursues her. This novel is the product of two some Shiite, but all of them—and their families—suffer during the writers, Silvia Schulman Lardner, who was Selznick’s secretary occupation. Katkout narrates this uneven novel from a distance, (and was married to writer Ring Lardner Jr.), and screenwriter alternating between the late 1980s and the present day. Katkout’s Jane Shore. The characters and plot are so thinly veiled that the parents happened to be in London just before Kuwait was invaded. authors decided a single pseudonym was the wisest path to pub- They were stuck outside the country, with Katkout stranded at lication, as film scholar J.E. Smyth explains in her thoughtful Fahd’s house, sharing a bedroom with Fahd’s grandmother Mama introduction. Hissa. In the present day, Katkout has formed a resistance group This novel is a hell of a lot of fun. with Fahd and Sadiq; they’ve named it Fuada’s Kids, after a TV young adult

| kirkus.com | fiction | 1 september 2019 | 7 show they watched as kids. Readers who aren’t already familiar A STORM BLEW IN with Kuwaiti history and culture might have trouble following FROM PARADISE some of these events. Alsanousi (The Bamboo Stalk, 2015) can be Anyuru, Johannes engaging, and many of his descriptions are vivid. But the move- Trans. by Willson-Broyles, Rachel ment of the novel feels stilted. The narrative jolts from one time- World Editions (256 pp.) line to another, but neither one of them has a steady momentum. $16.99 paper | Nov. 5, 2019 It’s unfortunate, too, that neither Fahd nor Sadiq emerges as a fully 978-1-64286-044-3 formed character. That Fahd loves music is as close as we get to his inner state. Sadiq is a mystery. As for Katkout, it’s unclear why he An extraordinary life in exile inspires spends most of his narrative describing Fahd’s family (but not Fahd a multilayered novel. himself) rather than his own. There are moving scenes between With perhaps a nod toward Kafka, Katkout and Mama Hissa, but these don’t make up for the rest of Swedish novelist Anyuru (They Will the novel’s sprawl. Drown in Their Mothers’ Tears, 2019, etc.) opens on a protagonist Uneven prose and flat characters detract from this nov- named only as P facing his interrogators, who ask him, “Why el’s many ambitions. did you come back?” “Back” is to Africa, where P says he has returned with an offer to fly a crop duster in Zambia. He had left his native Uganda some years earlier to train as a fighter pilot in Greece. After Idi Amin staged his coup in 1971 and began executing some of those who had resisted him, P felt he could not return home. Greece, in the midst of its own political

8 | 1 september 2019 | fiction | kirkus.com | upheaval, said he could no longer fly. He had no home to return that it allows the reader to fully experience an individual char- to in Africa, no home that would accept him in Europe. His acter’s voice, but in Arnopp’s (The Last Days of Jack Sparks, 2016) passport had become worse than useless; he feared it might novel, this turns out to be a detriment. Kate is a whiny, selfish provide evidence against him. He has no idea what those hold- slave to technology, which may make her the worst version of ing him think his crimes might be. They have no idea where his many of us, but the way she assumes Scott has left her rather loyalty lies. Perhaps he has no idea where his loyalty lies. “If you than worrying that something dire has happened to him just disappeared one day, just disappeared, who would miss you?” makes no sense. It takes too long for the reveal, a problem exac- he was asked. And now he knows that no one would. Until a erbated by the way the book constantly switches back and forth different narrative perspective enters the novel, a first-person from the past to the present in very short chapters. narrator that the reader identifies with the author, an unnamed The idea offers sharp commentary on our social media– narrator who says that P is his father and that P has been telling obsessed society—but the execution lacks precision. him the stories that have filled the novel, stories that the novelist has perhaps embellished, has certainly recast in his own words. Like the father, the son has no country, no place where the marriage of his Swedish mother and Ugandan father, who are now divorced, makes him feel at home. “I travel between places I try to form into a nation,” says the son. “I think about how I am a tree with its roots pulled up.” In other words, like father, like son. The presence of the son signals to the reader that P survived and escaped, that he lived to become a father,

while the son’s story illuminates his father’s final days. As the young adult father’s story progresses forward and the son’s looks backward, they meet in a place filled with “all these stories that try to figure out my origins,” says the son. “There is no history. I just come from here. From this summer, when my father is dying.” A deeply moving meditation on identity and history, the personal and the political, blurring the boundaries between truth and fiction.

GHOSTER Arnopp, Jason Orbit (496 pp.) $15.99 paper | Oct. 22, 2019 978-0-316-36228-3

When Kate’s boyfriend goes missing, the only clue left behind is his smartphone. Handsome, charming Scott Palmer seems to have it all, and Kate Collins can’t believe that, after some struggles in her personal life, she’s finally found true love. Then Scott asks her to move in with him! When she shows up to find Scott’s apartment completely empty, though, and Scott nowhere to be found, her worry and anger war with a sense of inevitability. Strangely, the only thing Scott seems to have left behind is his smartphone, and Kate, who has struggled with phone addiction in the past, tries to avoid the temptation to snoop, but as it’s the only possible clue to Scott’s disappearance, she manages to hack her way in. She finds evidence that Scott is currently posting to various social media sites—but something still seems awry. Soon, Kate begins seeing strange lights in the apartment and deep gouges on the outside of the door. As she draws closer to discovering Scott’s fate, she realizes that she may also be in danger—and that some things we think we control may, in fact, be controlling us. One compelling argument for first-person narrative is

| kirkus.com | fiction | 1 september 2019 | 9 A dark fairy tale told as a murder mystery. malina

MALINA with his impeccable self-control, his imperturbable trust,” but Bachmann, Ingeborg something darker and harder to name. She is haunted by “mur- New Directions (283 pp.) der thoughts” and the threat of violence, against anonymous $16.95 paper | Jun. 25, 2019 women particularly. In the second section, ill and confined to 978-0-8112-2872-5 her apartment, she is cared for by Malina while she dreams dis- turbingly of her father attempting to kill her beside “the cem- Famed Austrian writer Bachmann’s etery of the murdered daughters.” The postwar years hang over only novel, set in Vienna and first pub- the city and the book. “Here there is always violence. Here there lished in 1971, takes on the vexed struggle is always struggle. It is the everlasting war.” As well as dreams, between the sexes in a decaying city. the narrative is interspersed with dialogues, an absurdist, hilari- The narrator, an author, lives with ous interview, the story of a princess, fragments of the narra- her partner, Malina, but is madly in love tor’s writing, and unsent letters she signs “an unknown woman.” with Ivan, who lives nearby. On the surface the story of an affair, Her ways of coping as well as her despair come to feel inevitable. the first section of the novel (“Happy with Ivan”) captures the “I react to every situation, submit to every emotional upheaval way love seems to affect the lover’s surroundings: “the incidence and suffer the losses—which Malina notices, detachedly.” “Most of pain in my neighborhood is decreasing, between Ungargasse men usually make women unhappy,” she tells us, “and there’s no 6 and 9 fewer misfortunes occur...the world’s schizoid soul, its reciprocity, as our misfortune is natural, inevitable, stemming as crazy, gaping split, is healing itself imperceptibly.” She plans to it does from the disease of men, for whose sake women have to write a “glorious book,” one that will make people “leap for joy.” bear so much in mind, continually modifying what they’ve just The threat to her happiness is not Malina, who “torments me learned—for, as a rule, if you have to constantly brood about somebody, and generate feelings about him, then you’re going to be unhappy.” In the book’s final section, as Ivan’s feelings cool and Malina’s caretaking stifles, the narrator retreats into the story of a postman who, out of a sense of delicacy, stopped delivering the mail. “There is no beautiful book, I can no longer write the beautiful book.” Dense, compelling, often weirdly funny, a dark fairy tale told as a murder mystery. Rewarding and highly recommended.

ANYTHING FOR YOU Black, Saul St. Martin’s (352 pp.) $27.99 | Nov. 5, 2019 978-1-250-19991-1

Detective Valerie Hart is hiding secrets of her own as she tries to solve a murder that becomes more opaque with each new revelation. When an insomniac glimpses a masked intruder fleeing his neighbor’s house, the police discover the bloody aftermath of a brutal attack: a husband dead and his wife barely clinging to life. The husband turns out to be Adam Grant, a former state prosecutor with no lack of enemies—and no lack of secrets. One of which is the fact that on a drunken night several years ago, Adam nearly slept with Valerie despite being married. Valerie knows she should recuse herself from the case, but she’s stubborn and tends not to do the things that would be best for her. She’s dealing with her own personal drama, in fact, as she and her husband have recently decided to try for a child even though all of Valerie’s self-destructive impulses are driving her toward sabotage. The Grant case seems like a slam-dunk when an ex-con’s fingerprints are found all over the room, but the suspect himself is nowhere to be found. As Valerie digs deeper

10 | 1 september 2019 | fiction | kirkus.com | into his disappearance and Adam’s life, she keeps running into LOVE WITHOUT END reports and evidence of a mysterious blonde. From the first Bragg, Melvyn gruesome scene of the novel it’s clear that this is a thriller with Arcade (312 pp.) ragged edges, haunted characters, and graphic violence. Yet $25.99 | Nov. 5, 2019 Black (LoveMurder, 2017, etc.) transforms this rawness into a 978-1-948924-80-1 strength through the character of Valerie. We see her wounded heart and her self-deprecating awareness of her own darkness, A scholar investigates the medieval layers that illuminate the truth of the novel: that the actions passion of Heloise and Abelard and we take for love are not always beautiful, or right, but they still gleans insight into his own romantic carry meaning. It’s in learning to accept the consequences of woes in the latest by British broadcaster our decisions that even the most troubled heart can find a kind and author Bragg (In Our Time: Celebrat of peace. ing Twenty Years of Essential Conversation, Gritty and grim, this is a terrific thriller made more 2018, etc.). luminous by its refreshingly human detective. Peter Abelard is a nobleman who gave up his birthright to lecture in philosophy, and Heloise is the well-educated niece and ward of high ranking Parisian cleric Canon Fulbert. (Bragg posits that Fulbert, who honors celibacy only in the breach, is actually Heloise’s father.) It may be unclear to modern readers why these iconic lovers were considered so transgressive long before each took holy orders: She is in her mid-20s and he is in his mid-30s, young adult

| kirkus.com | fiction | 1 september 2019 | 11

and the main impediment to their marriage—besides Heloise’s muffles the sad plights of two brilliant people who were, essen- own fierce independence—is the fact that Abelard teaches at the tially, punished for having too good a time. And the moral for Cathedral School of Notre Dame, where his self-imposed chas- Arthur’s marriage is less than profound. tity has enhanced his reputation as a cerebral ascetic. In a meta- A promising story hobbled by the known facts. fictional frame story, Arthur, a British professor, is in the Latin Quarter writing a novel about the pair with the help of his daughter, Julia, who also hopes to extract the real reason for her parents’ TINY LOVE estrangement. Abelard is hired by Fulbert to tutor Heloise, and Brown, Larry the two fall helplessly in love and lust. When Heloise becomes Algonquin (464 pp.) pregnant, Fulbert beats her, and Abelard spirits her away to his $18.95 paper | Nov. 26, 2019 ancestral Brittany, where she gives birth to their son, Astralabe. 978-1-61620-975-9 From there, the 12th-century European mores motivating what follows are tangled indeed. Suffice it to say that the couple’s A career-spanning collection by a attempts to mollify Fulbert—including a secret marriage—fail master of American realism. spectacularly: His hirelings drug and castrate Abelard. Thence- When he decided to become a writer forth it’s the monastery for him, the convent for her—correspon- in 1980, Brown (A Miracle of Catfish, 2007, dence and one distant encounter will be their only congress. The etc.) was a 29-year-old father, husband, biggest narrative challenge is historical reality: All the drama is and firefighter; he had never written- fic front-loaded into a short time span. For the next few decades this tion before. Fifteen years after his death, this sweeping collection notorious liaison plays out (in history) only in letters and (in the charts Brown’s progress from tyro to master. It begins with “Plant novel) thoughts, extrapolated from the letters. This approach Growin’ Problems,” Brown’s first publication, which appeared in Easyriders (yes, the motorcycle magazine) in 1982. The story is nothing special on its own—chronicling a marijuana-farming motorcyclist’s cartoonishly fateful run-in with a crooked sheriff—but, fascinatingly, it contains trace levels of the complicated humanism that characterizes Brown’s later work. In his debut collection, Facing the Music (1988), Brown is visibly casting around for his proper form. “Boy and Dog,” for example, is composed entirely of five-word sentences (e.g. “The dog was already dead”) and reads like an experiment. “The Rich,” meanwhile, set in a travel agency, is a language-driven social satire: “The rich often wear gold chains around their necks. Most of the rich wear diamond rings. Some of the rich wear gold bones in their noses. A lot of the rich, especially the older rich, have been surgically ren- ovated. The rich can afford tucks and snips.” In between these experiments, however, Brown explores topics like alcoholism, infidelity, codependence, pity, shame, and emotional hypocrisy— topics that recur in his second collection, Big Bad Love (1990), and in the uncollected stories he wrote later. Some readers will be put off by Brown’s female characters, many of whom are appreciated (or not) for their sexual appeal (or perceived lack of it); others will be put off by the casual racism expressed by the otherwise positively portrayed (even idealized) World War II veteran at the center of “Old Soldiers.” Distasteful though some elements of Brown’s fiction can be, these contradictions—that certain men, desperate to be loved by women, can only notice them for their bodies; that a beloved father figure can also house within him unpardonable biases—are a collateral aspect of Brown’s chief strength as a fiction writer: He is intensely compassionate, and he extends this compassion to everyone; this includes the cruel sheriff in “Plant Growin’ Problems”; it includes the mentally disturbed genital flasher in the heartbreaking “Waiting for the Ladies”; it includes men and women—in “Kubuku Rides (This Is It),” in “Tiny Love,” in “Wild Thing”—who, in their lonely and self-destructive love for the bottle, systematically erode their connections to the only people in the world who love them. Compassionate and gritty and lyrical—a master class.

12 | 1 september 2019 | fiction | kirkus.com | Beneath the calm on the lake and the tranquility of the surrounding villages, darkness lurks, as if the horrors of war went underground. the bishop’s bedroom

THE BISHOP’S forces and accelerates the body count between them. That this BEDROOM is the best premise for a Reacher novel in some time, even if Chiara, Piero it’s partly lifted from Akira Kurosawa’s film Yojimbo, can’t quite Trans. by Foulston, Jill disguise that something has gone off in the series. Reacher’s New Vessel Press (151 pp.) apologies to a suffering old couple that there’s not much he $15.95 paper | Nov. 5, 2019 can do isn’t really what we want in a hero—especially one who 978-1-939931-74-0 has always taken such pleasure in pissing off bullies. Whenever the plot shifts to the machinations between the rival gangsters An unnamed sailor, stopping off in it bogs down in exposition. And while Reacher’s ass-kickings the northern Italian port of Oggebbio have always been amusing, the series has never developed the on Lake Maggiore in 1946, is drawn into dark ability to turn the violence into a deadpan sick joke. The the shadowy world of a villa owner who befriends him. carnage here should be funnier the more extreme it gets. It’s not The 30-ish sailor, who is returning to this area of grand bad, but it’s far from the tight, nifty execution that made the old houses and lush gardens after having been a war refugee in Reacher books so much fun to begin with. Switzerland, is free and unattached. His new companion, Orim- Perhaps if there were more time between chapters, belli, who invites him to stay in his villa, lives with his “school- Child’s series could recover the polish it deserves. marmish and snooty” older wife and widowed sister-in-law. While taking Orimbelli on recreational cruises to various ports and islands, the sailor becomes involved in a series of erotic adventures with women who join them along the way. Among

them is a married woman the sailor regularly visits but whom young adult Orimbelli can’t resist seducing in the sailor’s absence. “Maybe he wasn’t a demon…but a poor man shaken up by the wars,” the sailor rationalizes. “I knew it wasn’t easy for him—or me, for that matter—to be any other way, or to be better.” We learn that Orimbelli has an improper interest in his sister-in-law; he knows as she does not that her husband, who went missing during the war, is alive and wealthy in Ethiopia. First published in 1976 and made into a 1977 film starring Ugo Tognazzi, the late Italian novelist Chiara’s brief masterwork turns insinuation into high art. Beneath the dead calm on the lake and the sensual tranquility of the surrounding villages, darkness lurks, as if the horrors of war went underground. “One can’t escape here,” says the sailor before attempting to do exactly that. A first-rate book that is both a moody suspense novel and a haunting allegory.

BLUE MOON Child, Lee Delacorte (368 pp.) $28.99 | Oct. 29, 2019 978-0-399-59354-3

Jack Reacher lends a hand to an elderly couple under threat from loan sharks and winds up in the midst of an underworld war in the 24th entry in this series (Past Tense, 2018, etc.). After Reacher saves an old man from a mugging, he finds out the man and his wife went into hock to get money for their daughter’s lifesaving medical treatment. Meanwhile, in the unnamed city where the novel is set, the Albanian and Ukrainian crime bosses who have divvied up the territory are vying to see who can take over for good before the appointment of a new police commissioner. The sudden appearance of Reacher makes each suspect he’s an agent for outside

| kirkus.com | fiction | 1 september 2019 | 13

INTERVIEWS & PROFILES Salman Rushdie

THE ACCLAIMED AUTHOR HAS WRITTEN HIS FUNNIEST NOVEL YET—A BLACK COMIC RETELLING OF DON QUIXOTE SET IN AMERICA IN THE “AGE OF ANYTHING-CAN-HAPPEN” By Michael Schaub

Photo courtesy Eliza Griffiths Rachel “Nuts, but also really quite sweet” is how Rushdie describes the hero of his latest novel. “I wanted him to be both this daffy old coot but also this essentially good person.” The novel takes place in modern America—or as Rushdie has it, “the Age of Anything-Can-Happen.” “The world as we have known it…has somehow begun to crumble,” Rushdie says. “We don’t understand how things are going to go any more. It’s impossible to predict things, from the weather to presidential elections.” In this age it seems perfectly possible that a pop-culture-poisoned salesman could win the hand of a wealthy young celebrity. And Quichotte’s mind has been compromised by a steady diet of low-quality television in which anything really can happen. “I use television as a kind of symbol, as a representative of a broader selection of popular culture which would in reality include the internet and a good few things other than reality TV shows,” Rushdie says. “I do think that there is a kind of dumbing down and corrupting effect of all of this, which is that we live in this moment when truth and Anyone who’s followed the career of Salman Rush- lies seem to be very hard to distinguish from each die won’t be surprised to hear that the legendary au- other because they look like they have the same sta- thor’s take on Don Quixote comes at Cervantes from a tus on television or on the web.” unique angle. In Rushdie’s new novel, Quichotte (Ran- The novel follows two other characters: Dr. Smile, dom House, Sept. 3), the titular character is an ag- Quichotte’s cousin and employer, who owns a phar- ing Indian American pharmaceutical salesman whose maceutical company that manufactures a sought-af- television-addled brain has convinced him that he’s ter (and frequently abused) opioid. And then there’s destined to be with Salma R—a beautiful, much Sam DuChamp, a self-important but mediocre writ- younger television personality with (unbeknownst to er who happens to have invented Quichotte and his Quichotte) a serious substance abuse problem. companions. Quichotte, Rushdie’s 14th novel, follows the mod- Garden-variety realism, in other words, this is ern-day hidalgo as he and his imaginary son travel not. There’s a reason for that, Rushdie says: “When across the country, hoping to convince “America’s the world is chaotic, when two people can’t agree on Oprah 2.0” to spend her life with the deluded busi- what is the case, and that’s the world we now live in, nessman. then realism becomes difficult. It becomes, in a way,

14 | 1 september 2019 | fiction | kirkus.com | an inadequate response to reality, because reality has become contested and fragmented and problematic, and you have to find other ways to write about it.” There’s a lot of bleakness in Quichotte: The novel touches on drug addiction, racism, and the poison of American nativism. (There’s also Quichotte’s mental illness, which—helpfully for his job as a salesman— results in a “blurry uncertainty about the location of the truth-lie frontier.”) But in spite of this, it’s prob- HOMESICK ably the funniest novel of Rushdie’s career. Cipri, Nino Dzanc (208 pp.) “I do think that comedy in general is a very good $16.95 paper | Oct. 15, 2019 way of talking about serious things,” Rushdie says. 978-1-945814-95-2 “Black comedy is one of the great inventions of litera- Nine speculative stories capture ture: to use comedy, when the world is not funny, to the most universal parts of humanity still approach it with a comic voice.” through an organic and refreshing take With its riffs on U.S. pop culture and settings on the paranormal, all while letting queer, in towns and cities across the nation’s heartland, neurodiverse, transgender, and nonbinary characters take the lead. Quichotte is at its core an American road novel. But Neuroatypical artist Jeremy is sure there’s an art-appre- does Rushdie, born in India and educated in England, ciating ghost in his closet, but he’s more interested in get- consider himself an American writer? “By now, abso- ting to know his bigender neighbor, Merion, in “A Silly Love Story.” The ghost is the perfect excuse to explore art, love, and lutely,” he says. “I’ve been here 20 years, you know. personhood as, together, Jeremy and Merion try to paint the And I’ve even got the passport.” ghost a perfect still-life. Ghosts also roam freely in “Presque Vu,” though nobody knows why they suddenly arrived. Clay wakes every morning with a metal key lodged in his throat— Michael Schaub is an Austin, Texas–based journalist and

his specific haunting—while also dealing with the day-to-day young adult regular contributor to NPR. Quichotte received a starred issues of depression and a new relationship with Joe, whose review in the July 1, 2019, issue. own haunting may know what the keys are for. In “She Hides Sometimes,” Anjana’s childhood home slowly, and literally, disappears when her mother develops dementia. Or is Anjana losing her memories too? Author Cipri, themself a queer, trans/nonbinary writer, uses the paranormal as the perfect lens for exploring everyday humanity. Interview transcripts between romantically entangled humans and monsters, zombie magazine quizzes, and archaeological mysteries wrap love and loss with a depth of character unusual in such short pieces. Some stories may have more paranormal elements than others, some may be sweeter or creepier, but they’ll all haunt readers long after the book is closed. A beautiful, sometimes haunting, always inviting and inclusive collection about life, love, and the paranormal.

THE MUTATIONS Comensal, Jorge Trans. by Whittle, Charlotte Farrar, Straus and Giroux (192 pp.) $25.00 | Nov. 12, 2019 978-0-374-21653-5

Cancer takes center stage in this quietly powerful first novel by Mexican writer Comensal. Ramón Martínez lives a bourgeois life as a Mexico City lawyer, with a wife, Car- mela, and two teenage children, Mateo and Paulina, and “their respective hobbies of masturbation and karaoke.” Then comes a day when his tongue is so sore that he can’t eat the pork torta he’s just ordered, followed by a couple of weeks of inconclusive hemming and hawing until his doctor sends him to see an oncologist. It’s cancer—cancer of the tongue, requiring the offending organ to be removed. Ramón’s success depends on his silvery orations

| kirkus.com | fiction | 1 september 2019 | 15 in the courtroom, and he’s left with the dreadful prospect of a life RAVEN LANE of silence, punctuated by fierce arguments with a lawyer brother, Cowie, Amber Ernesto, who loans him enough money for the operation but Lake Union Publishing (288 pp.) demands Ramón and Carmela’s home as collateral. Ernesto is as $24.95 | $14.95 paper | Nov. 12, 2019 grasping as cancer is obdurate, but he’s just one element of the 978-1-5420-0372-8 existential chaos that surrounds Ramón as he grapples with the 978-1-5420-9120-6 paper terrible disease. Other characters bear their own burdens: One, Eduardo, a support-group denizen, having lived through child- A deadly accident stirs up a hor- hood cancer, now fears all things white; as Comensal writes, “In net’s nest of secrets, lies, and adul- Eduardo’s case, the essence of the Lacanian Other was the danger tery in an exclusive Pacific Northwest that lay in wait, the invasion of the leukemia that threatened to neighborhood. poison his blood with whiteness—with abnormal cells that were, Former model Benedict Werner precisely, white.” The mutations in Ramón’s body lead to muta- now co-owns a modeling agency while his wife, Esme, a tal- tions in his life, some introduced by his God-fearing maid, Elodia, ented chef, owns the successful restaurant Dix-Neuf; they who brings a parrot to Ramón as a gift, a parrot with gifts of pro- both adore their brilliant 17-year-old daughter, Zoe. Along fanity The bird voices Ramón’s mood perfectly as he undergoes with the other residents of Raven Lane, they form a tight- treatment, even as the lives of everyone around him change in knit group. Frequent parties, mostly hosted by real estate sometimes unexpected ways, adding clamor to his voicelessness. agent Kitty Dagostino (who keeps a tight rein on who gets to An assured debut by a writer from whom readers will buy a house on the street), keep things interesting and friend- want to hear more, and soon. ships thriving. However, the ties that bind them begin to fray when Benedict hits bestselling novelist Torn Grace with his car when pulling out of his driveway. Benedict didn’t see Torn coming around the corner on his bicycle, and Torn wasn’t wearing his helmet. Numerous witnesses, including Esme, insist it was an accident, never mind the wine Benedict consumed before getting into the car and, as it’s later discovered, the MDMA pills he popped before coming home that night. When Torn dies from his injuries, his husband, Aaron, is dev - astated. So is Esme, whose passionate affair with Torn ended in dramatic fashion shortly before the accident. When Esme and Torn’s affair is revealed to the police, Benedict is arrested and swiftly charged with second degree murder. Events spiral into an all-out circus when the media discovers Esme’s past as a rising movie star whose career was cut short by scandal. Cowie (Rapid Falls, 2018) alternates past and present to tell the story of a woman who feels that she’s compromised herself for the men in her life, but her characters are thinly drawn, and she frequently resorts to melodrama to heighten the tension. Excerpts of Torn’s claim to fame, the Lovecraft- inspired novel The Call, which Esme reads to comfort herself in the wake of Torn’s death, are more distracting than illuminating, and a wildly implausible twist in the final act may cause some eyes to roll. An unconvincing drama.

THE INNOCENTS Crummey, Michael Doubleday (304 pp.) $26.95 | Nov. 12, 2019 978-0-385-54542-6

Orphaned and alone in 1800s New- foundland, a young brother and sister contend with the dire hazards of their coastal surroundings and their own strange physical awakenings.

16 | 1 september 2019 | fiction | kirkus.com | Evered, 11 at the start of this epic, and Ada, two years younger, million per ounce and has unknown and possibly great poten- have in short order lost their parents and their newborn sister tial. Meanwhile, that round trip is no day in a dinghy. Bell blows to illness. Their childhood largely denied them—Evered’s hair up icebergs to avoid being icebound, wards off a 10-foot-tall turns white after burying his father at sea—the siblings must polar bear, parries attacks from a French vessel, and deals with overcome food shortages, bone-chilling cold, ferocious storms, fire, betrayal, and plenty of murder. He deals with one disaster temporary blindness caused by exposure to the vast ice field, after another with smarts, bravery, loyalty, honesty, and no small sickness, and the occasional wandering bear. They live for amount of luck. When it’s all over, he wants to return to his dear the next visit from The Hope, a schooner that arrives every six wife, Marion, in America, but business before pleasure. And yes, months to trade food staples and supplies for cod. Between vis- all of this connects to the Titanic in the title. its, they take great risks to find food sources and, on a wrecked The fun begins with the prologue and doesn’t stop till ship outside the cove, warm clothes. Nestled up against each the end. Too bad the heroes can never meet. other for warmth, Evered and Ada sleep in the same bed, an arrangement that will open them to a world of mysteries they never knew existed. Watch out for the drunken shipmen from The Hope looking the teenage Ada over. Crummey, whose distinctive vision informed the Newfoundland stories in Galore (2011) and Sweetland (2015), writes in a style consistent with the period. (Those tired of the usual phrases for lovemaking might try “They two joined giblets.”) But the book’s central image— the traumatizing sight of naked dead bodies in the hold of a

wrecked ship—shocks in a contemporary way. And Crummey’s young adult refusal to go where you might expect—the offbeat humor can catch you by surprise—provides page-turning pleasures. You can’t wait to see what happens next. An unusual, gripping period novel from a much-honored Canadian writer.

THE TITANIC SECRET Cussler, Clive & Du Brul, Jack Putnam (400 pp.) $29.00 | Sep. 10, 2019 978-0-7352-1726-3

Cussler and Du Brul circle back to Cussler’s Raise the Titanic (1976) in the latest derring-do adventure featuring Isaac Bell (The Cutthroat, 2017). Dirk Pitt of the National Underwa- ter and Marine Agency bookends the tale with the prologue and epilogue, but the story belongs to Bell. In the present day, Pitt discovers the diary of the Van Dorn Detec- tive Agency’s top investigator, “perhaps the greatest detective of his—or any—generation.” Pitt reads that in 1911, Bell was hired to find out whether nine men have faked their deaths in the Little Angel mine disaster in Colorado. Then he’s hired to help the miner Joshua Hayes Brewster smuggle a thousand pounds of the ore of “a rare element called byzanium” to the United States from Novaya Zemlya, the “hellhole” island in the Russian arctic where the miners really are. But not so fast— people are already trying to kill Bell before he leaves Colorado. Once safely across the pond, he hires an Icelandic whaling skip- per who knows how to navigate the deadly ice floes to bring him to a desolate Russian mine and return everyone and the ore to Scotland and ultimately to America. On the island, Bell finds eight desperately ill men who appear “not unlike the dead” because the mineral is radioactive. But it’s worth more than $1

| kirkus.com | fiction | 1 september 2019 | 17 THE LITTLE BLUE KITE raid sellers’ medicine cabinets, and growing anxiety about an Danielewski, Mark Z. integrating Boston neighborhood. (A Mephistophelean figure Pantheon (96 pp.) keeps encouraging the white family to sell as more black fami- $25.95 | Nov. 5, 2019 lies move in.) The trajectory there, and throughout the book, is 978-1-5247-4769-5 built on slow decline, not big symphonic conflicts, which makes Delaney’s storytelling engrossing and emotionally nuanced. He A windy New Age parable by post- can deliver that effect when the stakes are higher. In “David,” a modern novelist Danielewski (The Famil bullied teen morphs into a school shooter; the opening “Clean” iar, Volume 5: Redwood, 2017, etc.). tracks the long aftereffects of a murder; and in “Medicine,” a Danielewski has spent the last few years writing endlessly man reckons with guilt over his girlfriend’s granddaughter long, genre-crunching novels that are projected to build to a getting badly injured on his watch. That last story is part of a series of a couple dozen thick volumes, making Proust look like cycle narrated by a lifelong drifter, and Delaney neatly balances a piker. This latest, falling outside that series, isn’t on its face a sense of rootlessness and failure with a respectable nobility. intended for children, since it’s got big words like “devastated” (The source line for the book’s title summarizes the feeling: and “endeavoring” and big themes like death and psychological “Living like you’re comfortable with what life deals you, that’s dread, but it’s full of kid’s-book elements, if perhaps as filtered the big impossible sometimes.”) The conceits of some stories through the post-apocalyptic Hawaiians of David Mitchell’s can be fussy: “My Name Is Percy Atkins” pits the protagonist’s Cloud Atlas. Kai is a kid with a penchant for flying kites, even as life in a retirement home against his stint during World War I, his granny warns that with enough string he might “reach the and the narrator of “Street View” Googles his way through dour edge of the Murk.” It would spoil the fun to reveal just what childhood memories. And humor is in short supply excepting the Murk and the “immense monster too immense for any the lit-world satire of “Writer Party.” But Delaney’s sensitivity one name and hungrier than all the emptiness that haunts the and command are steady throughout. space between all the stars” are, but suffice it to say that Kai Not path-breaking but a sturdy and careful set of por- isn’t shy of tempting fate, the more so as he grows older. And traits of men struggling not to be swallowed up by their grow older he must, and when he does—well, he’s got to choose failures or upbringings. whether to hunker down in the Murk or throw off the bonds and strings of grown-up life and fly free in the clear blue sky. Guess which he elects? Let Danielewski tell it: “Kai’s mind is VERNON SUBUTEX 1 wide open! Kai’s mind has become a sky!” One wonders if Kai’s Despentes, Virginie been reading Michael Pollan’s book on psychedelics, but no Trans. by Wynne, Frank matter; thanks to the little blue kite, he enjoys a fine trip. It’s Farrar, Straus and Giroux (352 pp.) not quite so straightforward, though, for, ever intent on play- $16.00 paper | Nov. 5, 2019 ing language games, Danielewski offers three different ways to 978-0-374-28324-7 read the book, two of them signaled by typographic elements and the other the boring, old-fashioned method of reading the French punk rockers get old. thing straight through. It’s up to the reader to judge which is There’s a lot of Gen X history here, most rewarding—and whether the trip, though refreshingly some aging French pop culture, and a brief, was worth the effort. general feeling of hysteria at living in a Think Jonathan Livingston Seagull with a long, winding dystopian time. Let’s start from the top. tail, and you’ll have some of the feel of Danielewski’s latest. Despentes (Pretty Things, 2018, etc.) is a French writer, filmmaker, etc. who is most famous for her debut novel, Baise-Moi (1992), which she adapted and directed into the controversial THE BIG IMPOSSIBLE cult film. Like her characters, the author seems to have aged Delaney, Edward J. but not grown, which isn’t all that troublesome at a time when Turtle Point (240 pp.) Danny Boyle has fashioned Irvine Welsh’s profane swindlers $17.00 paper | Sep. 10, 2019 from Trainspotting (1993) into a sequel. This is literally a por- 978-1-885983-74-9 trait gallery of French punk rockers passing middle age, most of them badly. The central figure is the titular 50-ish Vernon Busted men, usually from busted Subutex, who can pretty much be summed up by “used to own homes, populate this well-turned collec- a record store.” (Thanks, High Fidelity.) Much like a TV series tion from the veteran Delaney (Follow the (Surprise! There’s already a French series based on this book), Sun, 2018, etc.). this is a soap-operatic portrait of a variety of burnouts rather The novella House of Sully is a crys- than an actual narrative. With Vernon as the central figure and talline portrait of a dysfunctional fam- the death of famous rock star Alex Bleach as the semi-uniting ily: Its narrator recalls being a teenager in 1968 as the year’s event, Despentes drops in on the lives of a dozen or so desperate political turmoil thrums under a story about a closed-off people who don’t know how to fill the holes in their own lives. father, a mother nabbed by police for visiting open houses to Vernon is simple: He’s broke and couch-hopping at the best of

18 | 1 september 2019 | fiction | kirkus.com | times. Most notable is Xavier Fardin, nominally a screenwriter SPACE INVADERS but mostly a psycho who makes Welsh’s Begbie look like a lap- Fernández, Nona dog by comparison. We also visit Vernon’s weird ex, Sylvie; Lau- Trans. by Wimmer, Natasha rent, a successful but obsessive filmmaker; ex-porn star Pamela, Graywolf (88 pp.) who is still competing with her dead rival; and Lydia Bazooka, a $14.00 paper | Nov. 5, 2019 journalist who doesn’t know it’s too soon to start a biography of 978-1-64445-007-9 Alex. The writing here is evocative of any number of transgressive writers, including Welsh and Kathy Acker, but while the Chilean actor and writer Fernández characters are tangible, the lack of a narrative keeps the book explores the dark years of the Pinochet from feeling satisfying. dictatorship in this affecting portrait of A caustic portrait of the blank generation facing middle childhood friendship. age. Estrella González, 10 years old, appears one morning in 1980 at a Santiago school, her right shoe untied, accompanied by a father distinguished by his offi- NOTHING MORE DANGEROUS cer’s cap—a telling detail, for, as Fernández writes, “the new Eskens, Allen constitution proposed by the military junta was approved by Mulholland Books/Little, Brown a broad majority.” Outside the doors of the school a totalitar- (304 pp.) ian state flourishes, but within it the children who befriend $27.00 | Nov. 12, 2019 Estrella, bearing names like Zúñiga, Donoso, and Maldonado, 978-0-316-50972-5 are innocent of politics, absorbed by the video game of the title

and other childhood pursuits. The Pinochet regime was infa- young adult Eskens’ latest novel is a warmhearted mous for “disappearing” its opponents, but in this slim novella story of a white teenager’s awakening to it is Estrella who disappears: “The desk at the back of the class- the racial tensions that run through his room sits empty now. For some reason, the girl never occupies Missouri town in 1976. it again.” That reason remains hazy, but Estrella reappears in Years before he’ll become a success- occasional letters and in dreams as her friends grow into young ful attorney (The Shadows We Hide, 2018, etc.), Boady Sanden adulthood and take on political lives of their own. Slowly, page struggles to navigate all the usual high school ordeals in small- after page, the reader learns of the tragedies that beset Estrella, town Jessup, including boring subjects and bullying by the likes who signs her letters with a star—the meaning of her name of all-state wrestler and prom king Jarvis Halcomb. In Boady’s in Spanish—even as she reveals bits and pieces of her life: “I case, these everyday problems are aggravated by his outsider should try to obey my dad. He deserves to be obeyed, for me status as a non-Catholic freshman at St. Ignatius High School, to obey him.” Dad has everything to do with Estrella’s sudden his home life with his widowed, introverted mother, Emma, departure from school and her friends’ lives; later, the dictator- and, most recently, the arrival of some new neighbors, the ship finally ends, but the violence of everyday life continues, Elgins. Charles Elgin is definitely an improvement on indolent lending a tragic end to a story that has hitherto unfolded quietly Cecil Halcomb, Jarvis’ father, whom he replaces as manager of and with only occasional moments of drama. Like compatriot the local manufacturing plant after bookkeeper Lida Poe dis- Alia Trabucco Zerán’s recently published novel The Remainder, appears with more than $100,000 of the plant’s money. Jenna Fernández takes a sidelong, subtle approach to the grim reali- Elgin is excellent company for Emma Sanden, whom she helps ties of life in the Chile of her youth, episodes of which, she sug- draw out of her shell. And after a comically unfortunate first gests, figure in her story. encounter, Boady quickly takes to their son, Thomas, who’s A slender story, impressively economical, that speaks exactly his age. But the Elgins, like Lida Poe, are African Ameri- volumes about lives torn by repression. can, and the combination of an unsolved embezzlement, good old boy Cecil’s displacement by an outsider, and the town’s incipient racism works slowly but inexorably to put Boady, HUMILIATION recruited by the Crusaders of Racial Purity and Strength, under Flores, Paulina pressure to betray his new friendship. Declining to join the Trans. by McDowell, Megan racists but repeatedly running away rather than refusing their Catapult (272 pp.) demands point blank, Boady must navigate a perilous route to $16.95 paper | Nov. 5, 2019 supporting his community and claiming his own adult identity. 978-1-948226-24-0 Perfect for readers who wish To Kill a Mockingbird had been presented from a slightly older, male point of view. Stories about lonely, disaffected people in contemporary Chile. The characters in Flores’ debut collection are a lonely, motley bunch. They’re isolated and poor; their families are dysfunctional; they yearn for something they can’t always

| kirkus.com | fiction | 1 september 2019 | 19 name. In “Lucky Me,” Denise wants desperately to feel some- that’s girded by the adopted brother’s being described as quiet thing—anything. She’d lived an itinerant childhood, “and as she and painfully isolated. But it’s not hard to appreciate how Fuks was living in shared rooms in other people’s houses, the hope is trying to capture the sense of loss that comes with a life that’s began gestating that when she finally found herself surrounded delivered “an infinity of small hurts.” by her own things, she would feel something in her heart.” But Though the novel operates at a curiously low boil con- like many of the other characters, Denise is disappointed. Flores sidering the turmoil at its center, Fuks impressively inhab- has won several prizes in her native Chile, and it’s not hard to its the near despair that comes with the fragmentation of see why: Her prose (deftly translated by McDowell) is fluid and family and country. assured. But there’s a sameness to these stories that can sometimes dip down into blandness. The narrators’ voices are too similar; even as the characters differ in age, gender, and circum- INVENTED LIVES stance, each narrator sounds just like the last. Many of the tales Goldsmith, Andrea feature children. In the title story, two young girls accompany Scribe (336 pp.) their father to a job interview. In other stories, Flores seems to $17.00 paper | Nov. 5, 2019 strive for a hard-edged—even harsh—tone, but here, she bor- 978-1-947534-90-2 ders on precious: “Simona was sure that her father loved her, but she could also tell that something was making him feel lonely, After her mother’s death, a young and that all the love she could give him didn’t help.” At other Russian woman continues with the plans times, Flores runs into the opposite mistake. Trying to avoid they had shared, immigrating to Austra- sentimentality, she goes too far and misses out on real feeling. lia and experiencing, alone, the complex- This collection marks the arrival of an interesting ities of starting over. young writer, if not a fully developed one. Female characters discover inner strength through altered circumstances in Goldsmith’s (The Memory Trap, 2013, etc.) elegant, character-driven new novel, RESISTANCE which traces several generations of a Russian Jewish family, the Fuks, Julián Kogans, who have survived not only Soviet anti-Semitism, but Trans. by Hahn, Daniel also terrible events like Stalin’s purges and the siege of Len- Charco Press (154 pp.) ingrad. Galina Kogan, 24, is the youngest member of the line $15.95 paper | Nov. 5, 2019 and the one who leaves Russia in 1986 to live out her mother’s 978-1-9998593-2-9 dreams of a new beginning. A random encounter in Lenin- grad with Andrew Morrow, an Australian visitor who knocks A somber contemplation of brother- her down in the badly paved street, points Galina toward that hood in the context of Argentina’s Dirty continent, and she settles in Melbourne, eventually reconnect- War of the 1970s. ing with Andrew, who has never forgotten her. But this novel This elegant, essayistic novel, the is neither a conventional saga nor a straightforward love story. first translated into English by this Bra- Instead, Goldsmith shifts her focus to Andrew’s parents, Sylvie zilian writer, is a family drama with the dramatic parts delib- and Leonard, whose 30-plus-year-long marriage may look solid erately quieted. The narrator’s parents were involved in the and affectionate but is in fact a hollow shell. Both Galina and resistance to Argentina’s junta, forced to leave the country Sylvie have shifts of orientation to make, and it is the author’s months after adopting a baby boy, eventually resettling in São detailed scrutiny of these two characters during that process Paulo. But though the narrator recalls his father’s office being that fills most of the pages, leaving less room for dramatic events ransacked and his perpetual fear of “the crash of shoulders or even similarly full-blooded portraits of the men. Sensitive against the door...rough arms turning his things upside-down,” Andrew and secretive Leonard remain less persuasive figures, the book is less concerned with the emotions of displacement as does Galina’s unpleasant old uncle, Mikhail, who suddenly and the horrors of political violence that with the impact their arrives to invade her contentment as an independent woman exile had on the family. The narrator keeps returning to the with a new life writing and illustrating children’s books. Sylvie, question of where his adopted brother came from, with escalat- meanwhile, spends some time discovering the suppressed parts ing concern that the brother’s story intersects with those of the of herself yet remains the constant wife. This choice and the families of the disappeared under the dictatorship. The narrator women’s shared inclination to leave things unsaid intensifies skips around his family’s chronology and moves gingerly around the novel’s period feel. the questions that gnaw at him, which gives the novel’s title a Calm, contained, careful: Goldsmith’s latest offers dual meaning, at least; it’s a story about the impact of pushing insight but rather too much restraint. against political power but also about the silence within families. “I can’t decide if this is a story,” he laments at one point; “I don’t really know who I’m writing to,” he says elsewhere. That uncertainty is a risky move for a novelist, and the recursive, self-questioning nature of the narrative can feel static, a feeling

20 | 1 september 2019 | fiction | kirkus.com | young adult

| kirkus.com | fiction | 1 september 2019 | 21 DIE, MY LOVE live with, and care for a wife struggling with severe depres- Harwicz, Ariana sion. The erratic, stream-of-consciousness narrative provides Trans. by Moses, Sarah & Orloff, Carolina a window into her crumbling state of mind. Both attacker and Charco Press (123 pp.) the attacked, she often feels like a cornered animal: “But I $13.95 paper | Oct. 15, 2019 felt his gaze like a kitchen knife on my throat each time he 978-1-9997227-8-4 came closer.” She spends much of the novel wondering what would be the worst case scenario for herself: living or dying. A young mother living in the French She fears the latter, not for herself, but for her son: “At most countryside is driven to madness. they’d sympathise a bit, but not with me. With the little boy Longlisted for the 2018 Man Booker who’s now motherless….No one grieves for the wretched International Prize, Argentinian author woman with scarred arms who was consumed by the misery Harwicz’s first novel translated into of life.” Unrestrained and unadorned, Harwicz’s writing has a English follows an unnamed mother heading toward a full wild beauty: “The sun began to set over their heads, the gentle mental breakdown. Living in a foreign (to her) countryside light of dusk slowly tinting their bodies”; “I let the balsam of with her husband and young son, she feels at odds with every desire carry me away.” There’s a small sliver of light at the end part of her life: her body, home, neighbors, desires, and mind. of the novel, which is a much-needed exhale for both protago- In a flashback of her pregnancy, she thinks “I’m one person, nist and reader. my body is two.” Her inability to balance being a mother and A portrait of motherhood, passion, and mental illness maintaining a sense of self beats incessantly at the heart of that cuts to the bone. the novel. Her husband finds himself unable to understand, WHAT HAPPENS IN PARADISE Hilderbrand, Elin Little, Brown (352 pp.) $28.00 | Oct. 8, 2019 978-0-316-43557-4

Back to St. John with the Steele family, whose tragic loss and horrifying discovery have yielded an exciting new life. In Winter in Paradise (2018), Hilder- brand introduced Midwestern magazine editor Irene Steele and her adult sons, Baker and Cash, then swept them off to the island of St. John after paterfa- milias Russell Steele was killed in a helicopter crash with his secret mistress, leaving a preteen love child and a spectacular villa. While the first volume left a lot up in the air about Rus - sell’s dubious business dealings and the manner of his death, this installment fills in many of the blanks. All three Steeles made new friends during their unexpected visit to the island in January, and now that’s resulted in job offers for Irene and Cash and the promise of new love for single dad Baker. Why not move to St. John and into the empty villa? Mother, sons, and grandson do just that. Both the dead mistress’s diary and a cadre of FBI agents begin to provide answers to the questions left dangling in Volume 1, and romantic prospects unfold for all three Steeles. Nevertheless, as a wise person once said, shit happens, combusting the family’s prospects and leading to a cliffhanger ending. On the way, there will be luscious island atmosphere, cute sundresses, frozen drinks, “slender baguette sandwiches with duck, arugula and fig jam,” lemon- grass sugar cookies, and numerous bottles of both Krug and Dom Pérignon, the latter served by a wiseass who offers one of his trademark tasting notes: “This storied bubbly has notes of Canadian pennies, your dad’s Members Only jacket, and… ‘We Are Never, Ever, Ever Getting Back Together.’ ” You’ll be

22 | 1 september 2019 | fiction | kirkus.com | A captivating debut collection probes the trauma of being human. american grief in four stages

counting the days until you can return to the Virgin Islands THE WHEATON with these characters in the concluding volume of the trilogy. Jackson, Joanne Print the bumper sticker—“I’d Rather Be Living in an Stonehouse Publishing (289 pp.) Elin Hilderbrand Novel.” $14.95 paper | Nov. 1, 2019 978-1-988754-17-8

AMERICAN GRIEF IN A new job at an independent-living FOUR STAGES facility causes a widowed retiree to Hoagland, Sadie reconsider his life in this touching debut West Virginia Univ. Press (168 pp.) novel. $18.99 paper | Nov. 1, 2019 A year and a half after his wife, Elaine, 978-1-949199-21-5 dies, 61-year-old former mail carrier John Davies, father to three grown children, is beginning to real- A captivating debut collection probes ize that a life of walking his golden Lab, Clementine, around the trauma of being human. his neighborhood in a small town in the Canadian plains isn’t In 15 assured, haunting, and deeply enough to carry him through the potentially long years ahead. empathetic stories, Hoagland imagines On an impulse, he applies for a job at The Wheaton. Initially characters struggling with loss and beset appalled by the vision of upcoming old age that the residents by a disquieting, persistent sense of the suggest to him, he gradually starts to get to know them as fragility of life. A mother reacts to her parents’ wartime deaths individual people and to relish his connection with them. The

by reverting to childhood, shrinking until she becomes “a tiny young adult shape” requiring care from her adolescent daughter. A young woman stunned by her teenage brother’s suicide wishes she had seen warning signs. “I’m still just stuck as the unfruitful, albeit disappointed survivor,” she admits, as she replays her last conversations with her brother, innocuous exchanges filled with “idioms, clichés, old wives’ words.” A father, realizing he cannot protect his maturing daughter from harm, wishes his world could remain “intact,” like “an uncut peach.” Like many of Hoagland’s characters, he feels overcome by “the shape of loss he was afraid may someday loom over him.” A few of the 15 stories, most previously published in literary journals, evoke the slyly surreal worlds of Lydia Davis: “American Family Por- trait, Clockwise From Upper Right” depicts ghosts, “gendered remains, hollowed beauty, amazing absence,” and a mother’s “head tilt of love.” In “Six and Mittens,” the narrator, diagnosed with childhood schizophrenia, reveals her imaginary friends, who sometimes erupt like “a noise in your brain that hurts,” and describes in chilling detail the fierce conflict between her parents, at “wit’s end” over how to treat her illness. Several characters have been traumatized by violence: An elderly woman recalls her complicity in the execution of witches in 17th-century Salem; a dinner guest recalls an Aztec feast that devolves into bloodshed; an Iraq War veteran and a woman whose parents died in a murder-suicide confront the unlikely possibility of becoming “a normal, happy couple.” In their quiet revelations, Hoagland’s characters give voice to the disquieting fears and dark secrets that, as one character puts it, produce “heartbreaking revisions of our world.” Intimate portraits of loneliness and longing.

| kirkus.com | fiction | 1 september 2019 | 23 INTERVIEWS & PROFILES Jeffrey Archer

AT THE AGE OF 79, THE BRITISH CRIME NOVELIST LAUNCHES A NEW SERIES—AND A NEW PROTAGONIST—WITH NOTHING VENTURED By Jocelyn McClurg Photo courtesy Broosk Saib Nothing Ventured (St. Martin’s Press, Sept. 3) is the first of seven planned William Warwick books. “The aim is to take [William] from constable to sergeant to inspector to chief inspector to superintendent to chief superintendent to commander to the commissioner,” Archer says by phone from Lon- don. “But I’ve got to live that long,” says the cheery writer, who hits the gym two or three times a week. “I’ll be 80 next April. You can’t count on these things!” Fans of the Clifton Chronicles series will recognize Warwick as the fictional creation of Harry Clif- ton, Archer’s novelist alter ego. Warwick is hardly your average copper. His father is a distinguished Queen’s Counsel who wants William to practice law. The likable young man follows his own path, first studying art history. By the Jeffrey Archer’s life could fill the pages of a pulpy 1980s, he’s a newbie at Scotland Yard in the Art and potboiler. Antiques Unit. The British novelist and former Member of Parlia- A stolen Rembrandt leads to Warwick’s chief nem- ment once teetered on the edge of bankruptcy after esis, the glamorous but crooked art collector Miles a financial scandal; he sued a newspaper for libel and Faulkner. (“Villains are much more fun to write be- won (he was accused of consorting with a prostitute); cause they can get away with so much,” says Archer.) after it emerged he had lied, he ended up in prison. The novelist drew on his love of art and the “amaz- But past public disgrace hasn’t kept the colorful ing” stories of shady collectors he’s heard for years at Archer down. All that personal drama has been fod- Sotheby’s and Christie’s. Archer has an art collection der for 40-plus years of bestselling sagas like Kane and to rival Faulkner’s. It takes the writer a minute to re- Abel and the Clifton Chronicles, not to mention three member all the masters hanging on his walls. volumes of prison diaries. “David Hockney—I’m looking down the corridor Now, at 79, Archer is launching a new fictional se- now—Bonnard, Pissaro, Monet, Sisley, Utrillo, Picas- ries starring an ambitious young policeman. so. . . .It’s been a lifelong love affair.”

24 | 1 september 2019 | fiction | kirkus.com | Archer interviewed retired officers from Scot- land Yard to add authenticity to Nothing Ventured, which includes a subplot about a man who forges author signatures in rare books. (Archer collects first editions and has a signed copy of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.)

He used his own life again for another subplot, residents—an alcoholic former lawyer, a sweet former veteri- this one about the father of Warwick’s girlfriend, narian, an ex–CEO loaded with complaints, and many others— are fully rounded characters with complicated pasts and equally who’s in Belmarsh prison, where Archer spent time. complicated present lives. Running alongside their stories is “Oh yes, I always say to every young author who that of John’s bumpy attempt to form new relationships with his children, whose primary bonds were with their mother. comes to see me, ‘Use whatever experience you have.’ ” Occasional melodramatic flashbacks to John’s earlier married life lack the vitality, complexity, and humor of the present-day While politics is in this Conservative Party mem- story, and the dialogue in these scenes is oddly stilted. The John ber’s past, he’s happy to share his thoughts on every- of the past comes across as distinctly unlikable, particularly in comparison to the relatively saintly Elaine. Rather than trust- thing from Britain’s Brexit crisis (he voted “Remain”) ing John’s gradual evolution and reentry to the world of the to the dubious state of American politics. living to provide a framework for the plot, Jackson sometimes leans too heavily on gimmicky twists such as mysteriously van- “You’re talking to someone who considers Jef- ishing jewelry and a supposed Grim Reaper the residents keep ferson a hero, who considers Theodore Roosevelt a seeing. But when she sticks to daily life at The Wheaton and John’s slowly growing delight in his role there, she evokes a hero,” Archer says. “What I don’t understand: You warm sense of community. A sweet tribute to the possibility of recovery from grief. produced Jefferson and Lincoln, Theodore Roos-

evelt and Franklin D. Roosevelt. In a population of young adult A LUSH AND 300 million, where are they?” SEETHING HELL Jacobs, John Hornor HarperCollins (384 pp.) Jocelyn McClurg, the former books editor at USA TO- $19.99 | Oct. 8, 2019 978-0-06-288082-6 DAY, is a freelance writer in New York. Nothing Ven- tured was reviewed in the July 1, 2019, issue. Two lush, sprawling novellas that are nothing like each other except that they’re both scary as hell. Arkansas-based novelist Jacobs (Infernal Machines, 2017, etc.) is a wildly diverse writer whose work ranges from the teen-oriented Incarcerado trilogy to a wetwork nightmare zombie survival epic (This Dark Earth, 2012). Like some of his contemporaries, Jacobs is stretching his talents and imagination like never before, turning in two spectacular novellas. After a glowing foreword by Jacobs’ fellow fabulist Chuck Wendig, the book launches into The Sea Dreams It Is the Sky, a Lovecraft-ian horror story set in a fictionalized South American nation. In it, a young academic named Isabel Certa becomes involved with a famous one-eyed poet named Rafael Avendaño, a cavalier scoundrel who’s heading into a war zone, leaving Isabel money, his apartment, and a cat for her protection as well as an obses - sion-inducing poem called “A Little Night Work” that Isabel spends all her time translating. The story is operatic in scale while the flavor leans closer to Roberto Bolaño or the weirdness of César Aira than the traditional horror genre. Then there’s the chill-inducing, artfully paced My Heart Struck Sor- row, in which we’re introduced to Cromwell, a librarian from the Library of Congress who specializes in oral tradition— and is suffering extreme shame about cheating on his wife. Through sheer coincidence, he accidentally stumbles upon a long-hidden treasure trove of blues recordings from the 1930s. Along with his assistant, Hattie, “Crumb,” as she calls him, delves into the strange recordings and diary of Harlan

| kirkus.com | fiction | 1 september 2019 | 25 Parker, a researcher much like himself who becomes obsessed THE WORST KIND OF WANT with performances of the murder ballad “Stagger Lee.” Fall- Jacobs, Liska ing somewhere between House of Leaves (2000) and The Blair MCD/Farrar, Straus and Giroux Witch Project, it is a terrifying, gothic descent into madness. (224 pp.) This book has a fitting title if there ever was one, and $26.00 | Nov. 5, 2019 these nightmares are worth every penny. 978-0-374-27266-1

A Californian flies to Rome to help her widowed brother-in-law care for her troubled teenage niece; instead, she wreaks havoc. Self-pity, self-indulgence, self-ratio- nalization, and general resentment are narrator Cilla’s principal charms in Jacobs’ (Catalina, 2017) second novel. Not that some of Cilla’s general resentment is not justified. She is stuck caring for her aging mother, a former actress who frequently compares Cilla to her younger, prettier sister, Emily. Now 43, Cilla was seduced when barely 15 by her screenwriter father’s 33-year- old protégé, Guy, with whom Cilla remains entwined personally and professionally despite his new, very young girlfriend. While she blames the predatory creep for damaging her life, it irks Cilla that Emily always distrusted him, first as a young girl and more recently as a mother. It also irks Cilla that Emily rose from a “failed” modeling career and drug issues to become college professor Paul’s wife, a celebrated belle in his academic circle. But Emily has recently died of cancer, and Paul has moved to Rome with their 15-year-old daughter, Hannah, who has begun “acting out” in small delinquencies and running with a group of older teens. When he asks Cilla to visit, she jumps at the chance to escape her hospitalized mother. But instead of offering Hannah nurturing support, Cilla joins in partying with the teens and quickly begins an ever escalating flirtation with 17-year-old Donato, who happens to be the son of Paul’s close friends. Thoughtless lust combines with ambivalent jeal- ousy/grief regarding Emily, whom Hannah and Paul remember as more loving and thoughtful than Cilla has described, and ambivalent protectiveness/competitiveness regarding Hannah, who has a serious crush on Donato and is the same age Cilla was when Guy seduced her. As Cilla rationalizes her selfish behavior with Donato, the novel moves slowly but inexorably toward disaster. Only the extent of the mess selfish, narcissistic Cilla leaves in her wake will be a surprise. An unlikable protagonist can be an invigorating challenge, but in this case a better title might have been The Worst Kind of Woman.

26 | 1 september 2019 | fiction | kirkus.com | THE FAMILY UPSTAIRS THE ACCOMPLICE Jewell, Lisa Kanon, Joseph Atria (320 pp.) Atria (336 pp.) $27.00 | Nov. 5, 2019 $28.00 | Nov. 5, 2019 978-1-5011-9010-0 978-1-5011-2142-5

Three siblings who have been out In 1962, the year of Adolf Eichmann’s of touch for more than 20 years grapple execution, CIA analyst Aaron Wiley, with their unsettling childhoods, but nephew of famed Nazi hunter Max Weill, when the youngest inherits the family tracks notorious concentration camp home, all are drawn back together. torturer Otto Schramm to Argentina— At the age of 25, Libby Jones learns where Aaron becomes involved with she has inherited a large London house that was held in a Schramm’s daughter. trust left to her by her birthparents. When she visits the law - Max, a Holocaust survivor who was on the cover of Time yer, she is shocked to find out that she was put up for adop- magazine with his “old rival” Simon Wiesenthal, refuses to tion when she was 10 months old after her parents died in the believe official accounts that Schramm is dead. Maybe another house in an apparent suicide pact with an unidentified man evil Nazi, but not the one with whom he once studied medicine and that she has an older brother and sister who were teenag- and the one who conducted hideous experiments on children at ers at the time of their parents’ deaths and haven’t been seen Auschwitz. Not the Mengele associate who chatted with Max at since. Meanwhile, in alternating narratives, we’re introduced the camp knowing Max’s son was being led into the gas chamber.

to Libby’s sister, Lucy Lamb, who’s on the verge of home- young adult lessness with her two children in the south of France, and her brother, Henry Lamb, who’s attempting to recall the last few disturbing years with his parents during which they lost their wealth and were manipulated into letting friends move into their home. These friends included the controlling but charismatic David Thomsen, who moved his own wife and two children into the rooms upstairs. Henry also remembers his painful adolescent confusion as he became wildly infatu- ated with Phineas, David’s teenage son. Meanwhile, Libby connects with Miller Roe, the journalist who covered the story about her family, and the pair work together to find her brother and sister, determine what happened when she was an infant, and uncover who has recently been staying in the vacant house waiting for Libby to return. As Jewell (Watching You, 2018, etc.) moves back and forth from the past to the present, the narratives move swiftly toward conver- gence in her signature style, yet with the exception of Lucy’s story, little suspense is built up and the twists can’t quite make up for the lack of deep characters and emotionally weighty moments. This thriller is taut and fast-paced but lacks compelling protagonists.

| kirkus.com | fiction | 1 september 2019 | 27 The Nazi hunter’s skepticism is borne out when, joined by and “when they did so, the spot on Yuko’s body where they had Aaron at an outdoor cafe in Hamburg, he spots Schramm, touched her would sparkle. Like a nighttime parade.” Is Yuko whom he recognizes from the way he walks. Max’s failing health real or another visitor from the spirit world? At once melan- doesn’t allow him to pursue Schramm, aka Helmut Braun, after cholic and joyful, the story satisfies Sensei, the cicadas begin to his prey slips away. Reluctantly, Aaron takes his uncle’s place. It chirp again, and life goes on, if suffused in strangeness. doesn’t take him long to get introduced to the daughter, Hanna, Like so much of Kawakami’s work, an elegant mystery in Buenos Aires. Quickly attracted to her, he finds himself in that questions reality in the most ordinary of situations. the untenable position of secretly tailing her when not enjoying her considerable charms. Fueled by brilliant scenes of dialogue between Aaron and Hanna, who, at considerable psychological JOSEPH CONRAD’S cost, has come to accept her father’s evil past, Kanon’s latest HEART OF DARKNESS sophisticated thriller is teeming with suspense. Surrounded Adapted by Kuper, Peter by aggressively anti-Semitic acquaintances of Hanna’s who are Illus. by the adapter hoping for a Fourth Reich and working with British and Israeli Norton (160 pp.) operatives with conflicting agendas, Aaron is an endangered $21.95 | Nov. 5, 2019 odd man out. As fast as the pages turn, though, the novel stum- 978-0-393-63564-5 bles with less-than-convincing character developments and plot turns. While elements of the Casablanca formula work well at Cartoonist Kuper (Kafkaesque, 2018, first, ultimately they don’t. etc.) delivers a graphic-novel adapta- A fast-paced, atmospheric thriller that works less well tion of Joseph Conrad’s literary classic in reflecting on the banality of evil. exploring the horror at the center of colonial exploitation. As a group of sailors floats on the River Thames in 1899, a PARADE particularly adventurous member notes that England was once Kawakami, Hiromi “one of the dark places of the earth,” referring to the land before Trans. by Markin Powell, Allison the arrival of the Romans. This well-connected vagabond then Soft Skull Press (96 pp.) regales his friends with his boyhood obsession with the blank $11.95 paper | Nov. 5, 2019 places on maps, which eventually led him to captain a steamboat 978-1-59376-580-4 up a great African river under the employ of a corporate empire dedicated to ripping the riches from foreign land. Marlow’s trip Enigmatic novella in which the world to what was known as the Dark Continent exposes him to the of Japanese mythology intrudes into the frustrations of bureaucracy, the inhumanity employed by Euro- mortal realm. peans on the local population, and the insanity plaguing those Readers familiar with Kawakami committed to turning a profit. In his introduction, Kuper out- (The Ten Loves of Nishino, 2019, etc.) will lines his approach to the original book, which featured exten- know her alter ego–ish character Tsukiko Omachi and the one- sive use of the n-word and worked from a general worldview time high school teacher known only as Sensei, who figure in that European males are the forgers of civilization (even if they such recent works as Strange Weather in Tokyo. In an afterword, suffered a “soul [that] had gone mad” for their efforts), explain- Kawakami writes, elusively, that “the world that exists behind a ing that “by choosing a different point of view to illustrate, oth- story is never fully known, not even to the author.” Two worlds, erwise faceless and undefined characters were brought to the in fact, exist here. The first is Tsukiko’s quiet life, which, on fore without altering Conrad’s text.” There is a moment when this summer day, the air loud with cicadas, is punctuated by a scene of indiscriminate shelling reveals the Africans fleeing, a visit from Sensei, who, as ever, is critical: She doesn’t know and there are some places where the positioning of the Africans how to make somen noodles, her habit of touching her earlobe within the panel gives them more prominence, but without new is off-putting, she’s old enough that the imprint of the tatami text added to fully frame the local people, it’s hard to feel that mat on her skin doesn’t go quickly away after a nap. “That’s they have reached equal footing. Still, Kuper’s work admirably a rude thing to say,” says Tsukiko of Sensei’s last jibe, though deletes the most offensive of Conrad’s language while present- she complies with his demand to tell him a story. The one she ing graphically the struggle of the native population in the face obliges him with is odd: As a child, she says, she was awakened of foreign exploitation. Kuper is a master cartoonist, and his one night by the clamor of two—well, somethings fighting, not pages and panels are a feast for the eyes. animal, not human, but tengu, “the spirit creatures I had seen in Gorgeous and troubling. folktale books.” Others see them, too, but ignore them, even as Tsukiko’s mother recounts that in her day it was a fox that followed her around, while some of Tsukiko’s classmates have companion ghosts, badgers, and the like. The most understanding of those classmates, a young girl named Yuko, seems sympathetic enough—until, as Tsukiko notes, the tengu touch her,

28 | 1 september 2019 | fiction | kirkus.com | young adult

| kirkus.com | fiction | 1 september 2019 | 29 Lisbeth Salander is back for her sixth adventure, and she’s got vengeance on her mind. the girl who lived twice

THE GIRL WHO LIVED TWICE wearing a white shirt and her black suit…because it had become Lagercrantz, David habit and she wanted to blend in better.” There’s nothing like Trans. by Goulding, George launching a full-bore assault on a crime-lord sister and her nasty Knopf (368 pp.) entourage to call attention to yourself, however conservative $27.95 | Aug. 27, 2019 the appearance. This being Stieg Larsson by way of Lagercrantz, 978-0-451-49434-4 there’s a deeply tangled plot underneath all this, involving politicians with questionable records, hackers, motorcycle gangs, Lisbeth Salander is back for her sixth and cops who are lucky to be able to tie their shoes in the morn- adventure (The Girl Who Takes an Eye ing. More, Lagercrantz stirs in improbable elements, including for an Eye, 2017, etc.), and she’s got ven- superhuman DNA—not just Salander and her family, with their geance on her mind. “extreme genetic features,” but also our poor dead beggar, whose A small man, not 5 feet tall, sweats his story ties in with Sherpas on Everest, a murder plot, and a highway through a Stockholm heat wave wearing an expensive parka, up member of Sweden’s seemingly orderly government. Toss an unusual accoutrement given his otherwise ragtag appear- in small subplots—a fling Salander has with an abused woman ance. He dies. In his pocket the authorities find a scrap of paper whose ill-behaved husband requires serious correction as only bearing crusading journalist Mikael Blomkvist’s phone num- the tattooed genius can deliver it, for instance (“Then she put ber. Why? Blomkvist has been busy taking down a Russian troll tape over his mouth and eyed him the way a wild beast eyes its factory that has been seeding the media with propaganda and prey”). If Lagercrantz strays into Smilla’s Sense of Snow levels of lies. Not coincidentally, Salander is in Moscow. She’s cleaned up unlikelihood in weaving all these threads, he writes economi- nicely for the occasion: “Her piercings were gone and she was cally, and though he works ground he’s covered in his two earlier contributions to the series, disbelief suitably suspended, it all makes for good bloody fun. Formulaic, but it’s a formula that still works, as Salander and assorted bad guys spread righteous mayhem wherever they go.

THE COLONEL’S WIFE Liksom, Rosa Trans. by Rogers, Lola Graywolf (168 pp.) $16.00 paper | Nov. 5, 2019 978-1-64445-008-6

An intimate investigation of authoritarianism from the Finnish author of Compartment No. 6 (2016). In the middle of a cold, dark Finnish night, an old woman commences to set down the story of her life. She begins with a portrait of herself as a young girl most at home in nature. These early vignettes have an almost magical quality, and readers who aren’t well-versed in the history of Finland between the world wars might not fully grasp what’s happening as a wild child turns into a fascist young woman. This transition is quite clear by the time the narrator says of herself and her sister, “We figured Nazism was where we belonged. There was only one leader for us, and it was Hitler.” Nazism is, of course, a live topic in American civic life right now, but even as we examine the survival of this philosophy in contemporary culture, most of us remain largely unaware of the extent to which the Nazis found enthusiastic followers outside of Germany before and during World War II. The narrator finds herself near the center of party life when she marries the Colo- nel, an eager collaborator. The Colonel is many years her senior, and their relationship is a mix of ferocious sexuality, hideous abuse, and luxury during a period of terrible privation. This is not a confession, and there is something horribly fascinating

30 | 1 september 2019 | fiction | kirkus.com | in reading the words of someone who is eager to speak about her Nazi past without apology. But the narrator’s lack of interest in introspection ultimately makes her recitations of events almost boring, especially for readers who don’t have the historical knowledge to follow the shifts back and forth in time. This slim novel works best when it reads like a dark fairy tale or a fable about the day-to-day experience of evil. Unusual and uneven.

29 SECONDS Logan, T.M. St. Martin’s Press (368 pp.) $27.99 | Sep. 10, 2019 978-1-250-18229-6

A Christopher Marlowe scholar contemplates a Faustian bargain to rid the world of a serial sexual harasser. English professor Sarah Haywood,

32, has spent the last two years fending young adult off unwanted advances from lecherous department head Alan Hawthorne. Reporting him is point- less; Queen Anne University needs the Cambridge-educated TV academic’s fame and grant money too much to discipline him, and Hawthorne has enough clout to ruin any accuser’s career. Sarah assumes things will improve when her position becomes permanent—until Hawthorne informs her that she must sleep with him to earn tenure. Sarah is despondent; she can’t afford to cross Hawthorne—particularly since her husband, Nick, left her with their two young kids to go “find himself.” Then one night, while racing through London’s side streets to collect her children from day care, Sarah thwarts the attempted kidnapping of James Grosvenor’s daughter. Intent on repaying her, Grosvenor hands Sarah a burner phone and gives her 72 hours to call him with the name of someone she wants to disappear. If she declines the offer, it’s gone forever. If she accepts, there’s no going back. And if she tells anyone, her family will pay. Sarah tries to forget the encounter, but as the Hawthorne situation deteriorates, she can’t help but wonder—what if? Logan (Lies, 2018) squanders a strong, tense start with preposterous twists, underdeveloped characters, and a paper-thin plot. Although Sarah’s terror and anguish ring true, her anger remains at an exasperating simmer and she lacks agency throughout. Hawthorne quickly devolves from convincing creep to moustache-twirling villain, further sapping the tale of authenticity and heft. Short chapters push the pace, but an abrupt conclusion fails to satisfy. Logan delivers a disappointing take on the #MeToo thriller.

| kirkus.com | fiction | 1 september 2019 | 31 CHRISTMAS IN AUSTIN a compound down the road from Austin in rural Wimberley Markovits, Benjamin (who will live in this place with him is sadly unclear) and also Faber & Faber (352 pp.) into daily fitness training so he can keep up with Lance Arm- $25.95 | Nov. 7, 2019 strong, whom he bikes with on Sundays. But he and Dana have 978-0-5713-5425-2 a young son, and his mother, Liesel, is unhappy about the split. She invites Dana to attend the weeklong gathering despite A week of holiday togetherness has the fact, as she herself points out in the first sentence of the its ups and downs for three generations book, “There are too many of us.…Fifteen, including Bill and of a large, accomplished family. me.” The omniscient narrator is deep inside the heads of 14 of In a follow-up to A Weekend in New them—the nursing baby gets a pass—convincingly and insight- York (2018), Markovits brings back the fully tracking the micromovements of emotions, relationships, Essinger family, which convened in the and conversations. The Austin setting is remarkably granular first book to watch Paul, one of four sib- as well, including myriad geographic details and street names, lings, compete in the U.S. Open. In this installment, parents restaurant and Christmas tree vendor recommendations, cap- Liesel and Bill host the annual Christmas celebration at the turing the ethos of the town with confident panache. “Nathan, family home in Austin, Texas. All are returning to the home- when he saw her, was reminded of how much he liked Austin, stead from points on the East Coast and beyond except for Paul, that it could produce such people—independent, dignified, who has retired from tennis, split up with his girlfriend, Dana, unobtrusive, free-thinking….Around election time she always and moved back to the area. With nothing but money in the stuck a simple blue-and-white Lloyd Doggett US Congress sign in bank and time on his hands, he’s thrown himself into building her front yard.” For readers who value detailed observation of human nature and those who’d like to visit Austin without spring - ing for plane fare.

THE LOST CAUSES OF BLEAK CREEK McLaughlin, Rhett & Neal, Link Crown (336 pp.) $26.00 | Oct. 29, 2019 978-1-984822-13-0

Comedy duo and YouTube superstars McLaughlin and Neal (Rhett & Link’s Book of Mythicality, 2017) craft a novel about things that go bump in the night. Stranger Things carries a lot of cultural weight by itself these days—the legacy of Steven Spiel- berg, Stephen King, and the many weird movies and books that don’t get the credit they deserve—but these comedy writers have hit that vein hard with this VHS–era kicker that references the Jean-Claude Van Damme movie Kickboxer on the very first page. This is Bleak Creek, North Carolina, circa the early 1990s. We have three buddies, natch: Rex McClendon, whose dad owns a funeral home; his bestie, Lief Nelson; and their mutual crush, Alicia Boykins. They’re making PolterDog, an indie movie, because why not? Anyone who grew up in this era will be delighted by all the pop-culture references, from Goodfellas to Smokey and the Bandit. Of course, we need some reasonable adults around to help, too, so we get Janine Blitstein, a filmmaker just graduated from NYU film school, and her cousin Donna Lowe. Things get creepy in a hurry when Alicia is banished because of “bad behavior” to a local private school called Whitewood, founded in 1979. The big bad here is Wayne Whitewood, head of the school where every student is robbed of an identity and known only as “Candidatus”—Whitewood is the so-named “Keeper,” assisted by the Nurse Ratched–esque

32 | 1 september 2019 | fiction | kirkus.com | A quiet, thoughtful story about coming-of-age at middle age. big familia

“Helper.” All the students are threatened at every turn by tor- BIG FAMILIA ture, most commonly “The Roll,” in which they’re confined in a Moniz, Tomas carpet for days on end. Of course, there’s a rescue mission, but Acre (192 pp.) because we’re in that Stephen King territory, there are also a $19.00 paper | Nov. 15, 2019 bunch of supernatural threats, including a cursed spring and 978-1-946724-22-9 something known only as “The One Below.” Sure, it’s kind of a rip-off, but it’s scary, it’s fun, and it’s A quiet, thoughtful story about com- one hell of a carnival ride. ing-of-age at middle age. Juan Gutiérrez is enjoying a life of pleasant routine. He and his ex-wife share THE WORK mostly amicable custody of their teen- Meindl, Maria age daughter, Stella. He’s dating a smart, Stonehouse Publishing (260 pp.) handsome man named Jared. He sees his buddies twice a week at $14.95 paper | Nov. 1, 2019 a crappy local bar. Sure, he could stand to lose a few pounds, but 978-1-988754-16-1 he’s working on it, just like he’s preparing himself for Stella’s leaving home and starting college. But just as Juan and Jared are shar- A Canadian theater troupe moves ing more of their lives with each other, it becomes clear that they from its early beginnings to wider want different things from their relationship. Then Stella gets acclaim over several decades under a pregnant. And Juan’s father dies. With his first novel, poet Moniz charismatic, demanding leader. tells a story that is simultaneously timeless and quite timely. Juan

It’s Toronto in the mid-1980s, and young adult Rebecca is working as stage manager for a rickety performance of South Pacific. The leading lady, Amanda, gets poor reviews, but that hardly matters, because Amanda brings two things into Rebecca’s life that change the course of it forever. The first is Amanda’s parents, the television and theater impresario Leon Garten and his actress wife, Sylvia, who have cash to burn supporting Amanda’s endeavors. The other is Marlin Lewis, Amanda’s lover and the visionary behind a burgeoning theater company, SenseInSound. Funded by the Gartens, this cutting-edge company practices what Marlin calls “The Work,” a kind of movement-based theater that emphasizes being in “The Now,” regressing to childlike states, and tapping into primal emotions through “Journeys,” group exercises that serve as a platform for Marlin to test the troupe members’ loyal- ties and their willingness to submit. And as the decades wear on, Rebecca and Amanda must decide how much they are willing to sacrifice for the company they love. Throughout the novel, Meindl (Outside the Box, 2011) keeps the narrative largely with Rebecca, interspersing her perspective with excerpts from archival documents like newspapers and letters that are being collected by an academic studying the history of SenseInSound from the present day. These archival excerpts, with the relief of their critical distance, point to the fact that Meindl means to offer a critique of Marlin and the group’s dynamics, but these portions are so brief, and Rebecca’s obsessional devotion made to seem so heroic, that Meindl’s intentions get muddled. Fun details from inside the world of experimental theater are tempered by a narrative that never quite comes clear.

| kirkus.com | fiction | 1 september 2019 | 33 A masterpiece of midcentury modernist literature triumphantly translated into our times. forgotten journey

is Chicanx—Stella taught him the term—and bisexual. Jared is “The Two Houses of Olivos,” in which two young girls take advan- black and gay. Characters deal with and talk about racism and tage of their guardian angels’ siestas to escape to heaven, “a big blue homophobia, gentrification and police brutality. These are some room with fields of raspberries and other fruits,” riding on the back of the challenges they endure as they navigate universally human of a white horse. Sometimes Ocampo’s play with surrealism and experiences like connection, community, birth, and death. Juan metaphysical symbolism is more overt, as in “Sarandí Street,” in is an engaging narrator, someone who is fully aware of his limi- which the speaker’s entrapment in her family’s house is blamed tations and is trying to change—for himself and the people he on her sisters, “dying of strange diseases,” who emerge from their cares for. None of these characters exist solely—or primarily—as rooms with “their bodies withered away and covered in deep blue a portrait of “difference” because white and straight aren’t default bruises, as if they had endured long journeys through thorny for- categories here. Being sexually and romantically attracted to men ests.” Indeed, it is Ocampo’s skill with the blurred line between is not a problem for Juan; his problem is that he is emotionally dream and memory that marks her oeuvre and distinguishes her unavailable and uneasy about commitment, and it turns out that from contemporaneous masters of the modernist vantage like Vir- neither of those problems is insurmountable. ginia Woolf or Katherine Mansfield. Yet regardless of the author’s Diverse characters and a deeply likable protagonist historical importance, it is for the precise and terrible beauty of her make this a standout debut. sentences that this book should be read. A masterpiece of midcentury modernist literature triumphantly translated into our times. FORGOTTEN JOURNEY Ocampo, Silvina Trans. by Lateef-Jan, Katie & THE PROMISE Levine, Suzanne Jill Ocampo, Silvina City Lights (134 pp.) Trans. by Levine, Suzanne Jill & $14.95 paper | Sep. 17, 2019 Powell, Jessica 978-0-87286-772-7 City Lights (114 pp.) $14.95 paper | Sep. 17, 2019 The first English translation of Argen- 978-0-87286-771-0 tinian surrealist Ocampo’s debut book. By any account, Ocampo is an under- A woman relives the people and recognized literary innovator. Born in Buenos Aires in 1903, she places of her life while stranded in the trained as a visual artist under the tutelage of Giorgio de Chirico middle of the ocean. in Italy but returned home to launch a career as the lucid chroni- The premise of Argentinian writer Ocampo’s posthumously cler of Argentina’s characters, colors, and drifting seasons. Her published novella, which she worked on for the final 25 years of legacy is often overshadowed by her association with her sister, the her life, is a grand metaphor for the authorial condition. On her well-known editor Victoria Ocampo, her marriage to acclaimed way to visit family in Cape Town, the nameless narrator some- novelist Adolfo Bioy Casares, and her friendship with Jorge Luis how slips over the railing of her trans-Atlantic ship and regains Borges, but Ocampo’s short vignettes—determinedly dreamlike, consciousness in the water, watching “the ship…calmly moving constitutionally opposed to traditional structures, quietly femi- away.” Adrift, facing almost certain death, she makes a pact with nist in their focus on domestic menace and the underrecorded St. Rita, the “arbiter of the impossible,” that she will write a lives of women, children, and the laboring class—hold their own “dictionary of memories,” and publish it in one year’s time, if she as masterworks of midcentury modernism. In her debut collec- is saved. What follows is an intensely focused series of vignettes tion, originally published in 1937, Ocampo introduces the reader in which the characters of the narrator’s life once more walk to singular characters like Miss Hilton, the world-traveling tutor through their dramas. There’s Leandro, a handsome and feck- undone by her apparent lack of modesty, who “blushed easily, and less young doctor with “a face as variable as the weather”; Irene, had translucent skin like wax paper, like those packages you can his intensely focused lover and a medical student in her own see through to all that’s wrapped inside”; or Mademoiselle Dargere, right; Gabriela, Irene’s obsessive daughter; and Verónica, a not- the caregiver to a “colony of sickly children,” who is haunted by so-innocent ingénue. These central characters’ stories entwine the vision of a man’s head wreathed in flames; or Eladio Rada, the and begin to form the basis of a tale that includes our narrator— caretaker of a stately country home who measures the seasons of who is present as a voyeur but never an active participant—but his life by the house’s relative emptiness. Ocampo’s landscapes are her drifting consciousness is just as likely to alight upon less just as central to the stories’ thematic development as her unfor- crucial secondary characters like Worm, Gabriela’s country- gettable characters. Set on the streets of Buenos Aires itself, in the side companion, or Lily and Lillian, devoted friends who fall in decaying summer homes of the country’s interior or the fishing vil- love with the same man because “instead of kissing him they lages along its coast, Ocampo’s stories lovingly detail the landscape were kissing each other.” As the narrator’s memories progress, that nurtures, haunts, or condemns her characters within the spi- and sometimes repeat, they grow increasingly nightmarish in ral cycles of their lives. Often these stories culminate in dreams or their domestic surrealism. Meanwhile, as all chance of rescue dreamlike violence—as in “The Lost Passport,” in which 14-year- fades, her sense of self is diluted by the immense mystery of old Claude dreams of the fire that sinks her trans-Atlantic ship, or the sea. Completed in the late 1980s, at a time when Ocampo

34 | 1 september 2019 | fiction | kirkus.com | was grappling with the effects of Alzheimer’s, the book can be THE FACTORY read as a treatise on the dissolution of selfhood in the face of Oyamada, Hiroko the disease. However, its tactile insistence on the recurrence of Trans. by Boyd, David memory, its strangeness, and its febrile reality are themes that New Directions (128 pp.) mark the entirety of Ocampo’s oeuvre and articulate something $13.95 paper | Oct. 29, 2019 more enduring even than death. “I’m going to die soon! If I 978-0-8112-2885-5 die before I finish what I’m writing no one will remember me, not even the person I loved most in the world,” the narrator In Oyamada’s cautionary English- exclaims in the final pages. This urgency and despair seem to language debut, three recent hires at an sum up the central tenet of the artist’s condition—even in the inscrutable industrial factory find them- final extreme, the act of making is a tonic against obscurity. Art selves bewildered by their strange new is the cure for death. world. A seminal work by an underread master. Required for “In times like these, a job’s a job,” all students of the human condition. Yoshiko thinks before signing on as a contractor who will shred documents all day in the basement of the eponymous factory. Her brother has taken a temp position proofreading the fac- MONA IN THREE ACTS tory’s paperwork, a task so dizzying and incomprehensible op de Beeck, Griet that he can’t stop falling asleep at his desk. The factory itself Trans. by Hutchison, Michele is staggeringly large and byzantine; its bureaucracy is predict- AmazonCrossing (448 pp.) ably opaque; and strange new species are mutating within its

$14.95 paper | Nov. 12, 2019 walls. This phenomenon we observe mostly through Furufue, young adult 978-1-5420-0544-9 a moss scientist hired to green-roof the factory complex, who, given neither direction nor deadline, is left to languish in an Three episodes in a young woman’s unstructured sinecure. But as the narration judders disorient- life expose the parental pressures that ingly across time and multiple perspectives, we realize that shape her personality and the conse- neither characters nor plot are the point of this book; rather, quences as she moves into adulthood. Oyamada is interested in crafting an atmosphere—somewhere The long chain of cause and effect between mind-numbingly mundane and mind-bendingly sur- within families is exposed in all its subtle, cumulative force in real—to explore and illuminate the depersonalizing nature of Flemish author op de Beeck’s second novel, her first to be trans- work in contemporary Japan. This results in a kind of loboto- lated into English. Spanning some 25 years, it opens in 1976 with mized Kafkaesque quality: The novella’s protagonists are so dis- Mona, a 9-year-old middle-class girl, shut in the dark, a punish- affected that they don’t have any depth or agency; and after a ment inflicted by her strict mother, Agnes. But then Agnes dies century-plus of modernity and its discontents, the satire comes in a car accident, and her withdrawn husband, Vincent, quickly across as tame rather than trenchant. What’s new and interest- remarries, delivering a needy, manipulative stepmother, Marie, ing here is the ecological aspect of the critique: Oyamada deftly to Mona and her young brother, Alexander. Sensitive Mona, ties together the plights of human and nature, both becoming constantly anxious not to disappoint or anger her parents, feels unrecognizable in an inflexible industrial economy. But with responsible for taking care of Alex and, later, her new half sister, so few moments of intimacy or optimism, the novella is ulti- Anne-Sophie—even, at times, Marie too. In the second section, mately a document of deadpan despair, resigned to exaggerate Mona is 24, living independently and holding down a presti- the absurdities of the present rather than try to change them. gious job in the theater. She has friends and a lover who’s an Tedium, meaninglessness, and alienation abound established writer, but people treat her poorly and she permits in this urgent but unsubtle fiction about the Japanese it, tolerating second-rate relationships rather than confronting precariat. them. The last section heralds change, as Vincent succumbs to a life-threatening illness and begins to open up to his daughter about his real affections, about Agnes’ abusive father, and about ALL OUT WAR the circumstances of Mona’s birth. These revelations, and a Parnell, Sean stranger’s pointed advice—“We forget what we’re worth and Morrow/HarperCollins (416 pp.) don’t dare believe that we genuinely deserve something good”— $27.99 | Sep. 3, 2019 help Mona to begin the process of change. It’s a simple, predict- 978-0-06-266881-3 able scenario and a long one, but there are poignant moments, especially in the late scenes with Victor; and seeing boundaries An elite American soldier who is out finally being drawn brings perennial satisfaction. for vengeance uncovers a menacing ter- No surprises in this story of slow, achingly anticipated rorist plot. self-discovery, but the journey is engaging. Retired U.S. Army captain and combat veteran Parnell (Man of War, 2018) delivers the second installment of the

| kirkus.com | fiction | 1 september 2019 | 35 adventures of special operative Eric Steele. On the mend from a RETURN TO THE showdown with a rogue agent, Steele is preparing for a quiet din- ENCHANTED ISLAND ner at home with his mother. The wine is quickly forgotten and Ravaloson, Johary the steaks start burning when Russian assailants bring the war to Trans. by Charette, Allison M. his doorstep. Using RPGs, C-4 explosives, and a SAW machine AmazonCrossing (176 pp.) gun, the Russians are after a mysterious package sent from some- $19.95 | Nov. 5, 2019 one deeply connected to Steele’s past. Steele narrowly escapes 978-1-5420-9353-8 the attack with his life, but his mother ends up in intensive care. Shoulders heavy with guilt, Steele must use his connections and A rich and privileged scion of a skills as an Alpha—an elite operator who answers only to the famous Malagasy family reacquaints president—to find those responsible for the attack. Pumped up himself with his roots after a trying with prescription steroids and with his “keeper” and close friend, period abroad in Ravaloson’s English language debut. Demo, at his side, he takes off for Europe to follow the only clue You can call Ietsy Razak spoiled. His ancestors might have offered by a former president, who cryptically refers to some off- sailed the seven seas to reach the island nation of Malagasy, but the-books operation called Cold Storage. The mission becomes once there they established their dominance over generations: increasingly complex, dangerous, and engaging once Steele learns “They replaced the original masters of this land, transforming that the attack on his home is tied to assassination plans for some their existence into myth by integrating them, conquering of the world’s most prominent leaders. them, or driving them to the wilder ends of the earth. They A well-written and well-researched page-turner. wound their way into the delicate, tightly interlaced caste system, asserting their dominance by force, alliances, or more often the timely breaking of alliances. They always supported 36 RIGHTEOUS MEN the kingdom’s expansion and took their share of the spoils.” To Pressfield, Steven this day, the Razaks know which side the bread is buttered on. Norton (352 pp.) Nevertheless when tragedy strikes close to home, Ietsy’s father $26.95 | Nov. 5, 2019 packs him off to France, where Ietsy pursues law and contin- 978-1-324-00289-5 ues his spoiled-brat existence: “What are you going to live off of?” a friend asks. “I…am blessed by the Gods and Ancestors,” In the spring of 2034, during a rela- Ietsy replies. Sure, pal! Such callous pigheadedness is not viable tive cool spell in New York—it’s only 112 currency for long, and a rather banal incident, which grows degrees outside—a lone assassin has tar- out of control, forces Ietsy back to his homeland. By this time, geted 36 men whose elimination prom- his poor little rich boy act has gotten tiresome. What’s more, ises to bring about the end of the world. the unevenly translated novel also tries to tell the story of The letter-shaped bruises found on Malagasy’s origins, but that plotline turns out to be even more the crushed throats of four early victims point to a Jewish frustrating. “For the Children of the Broken Vow, the original legend, Biblical scholar Jake Instancer tells NYPD Detective people of the great island—whether they be those of the coasts, James Manning: After the flood, God promised that “so long Vazimban-driaka; of the forests, Vazimban’ala; of the mountains, as there are Thirty-Six Righteous Men somewhere on Earth, Vazimbam-bohitra; or the waters, Vazimban-drano, and later He will never again take action to destroy the human race.” of the savannas, Vazimban-tanety, established where the great Unaware of their special status, these men are hidden around Ietsy had sculpted their ancestors—were all forever betrayed by the world. As long as any one of the righteous men remains those who came after belatedly answering the Great Ancestor’s alive, things are safe. Manning is a “troglodyte,” says his hip call, more greedy and having made no vows, to seize the land of 28-year-old underling, “Dewey” Duwai, who narrates the story. the Vazimbas.” A lot of head-scratching later, the central thesis “The closest he comes to conversation is thinking out loud.” In remains as muddy as ever. going up against a seemingly invincible villain, Manning puts Set in an island nation, the novel drowns under the his Neanderthal traits to good use. With its caustic sensibility, weight of its own confusing narrative. fast and furious action scenes, and brusque dialogue (which is presented in a boxy screenplay format), the book boasts a lively comic-book sensibility. The action extends to Israel, where an intense do-or-die climax takes place in archaeological tunnels beneath accursed Gehenna. This leads to a conference in Cyprus dubbed “Earth’s Last Chance,” which may leave you wondering whether Pressfield, had he known when he started the book just how fast climate change is progress- ing, would have put global warming on a more equal footing with his human serial killer as an immediate threat. Cop mentality meets religious fanaticism meets the future in a highly entertaining pop noir.

36 | 1 september 2019 | fiction | kirkus.com | The #MeToo movement forces a young woman to confront the abusive relationship that defines her sexual and romantic past. my dark vanessa

ASH Carl Logan is a former city schoolteacher who’s just moved Rayburn, James his family—much to his wife’s chagrin—to Paradise Valley, a tiny Blackstone Publishing (364 pp.) ranching town where he’s been hired as manager of the spread $26.99 | Nov. 5, 2019 owned by wealthy outsider Peter Kenwood. Carl is both a new- 978-1-5385-0751-3 comer and, many believe, a kind of usurper, since Kenwood has bypassed longtime hand Lester Ruth to hire Carl. So when rival Briskly paced, vigorously written rancher Tom Butcher, a bon vivant bachelor with a reputation thriller about a man out to rescue his as a ladykiller who is in some ways both the town’s most popu- kidnapped 10-year-old son. lar and most despised person, is found beaten to death with a Author Rayburn—pen name for baseball bat, suspicion falls first and most heavily on Carl. The South African crime writer Roger Smith mystery of who’s offed Tom and why becomes the engine of the (Wake Up Dead, 2010, etc.)—kicks off this novel but not its subject or reason for being: This is a love letter chase thriller with two startling scenes. to the small-town, rough-and-tumble, fisticuff-heavy ranch life The first surrounds Jane Ash, who, we later learn, may have of 50 years ago. Rowland’s interest in the murder plot is mainly been working for the United States against China. Now she’s as a way to explore a subject that cozy mysteries generally gloss on an island beach, “part of a cluster flung like jewels between over: How do you live in a community where neighbors have Bohai and the Yellow Sea.” As Jane gazes at paramour Victor no choice but to stay in close contact, to trust and rely upon Fabian, “a Zelig-like” associate of “dictators and strongmen and each other, when you know that one of those neighbors must martinets,” she spots a man who once made her feel “the kind be a killer who’s hiding in plain sight? In straight-ahead, unfussy of fear that came from being in the presence of pure evil.” She prose, Rowland keeps the novel humming along. The mystery

instinctively flees, climbing a sheer cliff, but the man pries her fizzles a bit in the end, but by then the reader will know that’s young adult fingers loose and she falls to her death. The next scene, taking not where this book’s heart is. place a year later in a small town near Seattle, finds Jane’s son, A quick-moving, plainspoken, mostly charming explora- Scooter, breakfasting with his father, Danny Ash, and a seem- tion of the hardscrabble life of the livestock rancher of old. ingly nurturing neighbor. In a stunning turnabout, the woman stops washing dishes, grabs a syringe, and plunges it into the boy’s neck. The boy pitches forward, the woman punches Ash MY DARK VANESSA in the gut, and “a scrum of men in dark clothes” burst in to Russell, Kate Elizabeth abduct Scooter. Ash is off to find the boy. The kidnapped-child Morrow/HarperCollins (384 pp.) trope is well worn, but Rayburn revs it up. He throws Ash in $27.99 | Jan. 28, 2020 with some perverse characters he draws in sharp, short takes. 978-0-06-294150-3 There are Patty Peach and her baby-faced accomplice, Orlando, assassins hired by Fabian. There’s an information source too fat The #MeToo movement forces a to leave his fetid bedroom. And there’s Fabian, a clandestine struggling young woman to confront associate of the president of the United States, who kidnapped the abusive relationship that defines her the boy to silence Ash for telling the press the U.S. government sexual and romantic past. had murdered his wife. Ash and company traverse an America At 15, Vanessa Wye falls for her Eng- of “sad, sagging houses” and “boarded up buildings,” presided lish teacher at Browick, a private board- over by “that clown in the Oval Office,” images adding heft to ing school. Jacob Strane is 42, “big, broad, and so tall that his the foreground action. In the end, though, the Hitchcock-ian shoulders hunch as though his body wants to apologize for chase, speeding from the Northwest to the East Coast in search taking up so much space.” Strane woos Vanessa with Nabo- of the child, is the focus, and it’s more than enough. kov’s novels, Plath’s poetry, and furtive caresses in his back Fast from the starting gate all the way to the finish line. office. “I think we’re very similar, Nessa,” Strane tells her during a one-on-one conference. “I can tell from the way you write that you’re a dark romantic like me.” Soon, Vanessa is reveling COLD COUNTRY in her newfound power of attraction, pursuing sleepovers at Rowland, Russell Strane’s house, and conducting what she feels is a secret affair Dzanc Books (248 pp.) right under the noses of the administration. More than 15 years $16.95 paper | Nov. 12, 2019 later, at the height of the #MeToo movement, Taylor Birch, 978-1-945814-92-1 another young woman from Browick, publicly accuses Strane of sexual abuse. When a young journalist reaches out to Vanessa From veteran novelist and longtime to corroborate Taylor’s story, Vanessa’s world begins to unravel. Montanan Rowland (Arbuckle, 2018, etc.), “Because even if I sometimes use the word abuse to describe cer- a new novel that looks at first like a mur- tain things that were done to me, in someone else’s mouth the der mystery...but turns out to be mostly word turns ugly and absolute....It swallows me and all the times a dark-toned but affectionate pastoral I wanted it, begged for it,” Vanessa tells herself. Russell weaves about ranch life in rugged 1968 Montana. Vanessa’s memories of high school together with the social

| kirkus.com | fiction | 1 september 2019 | 37 A conjure woman who escaped slavery obliquely guides her descendants in 2017 New Orleans. the revisioners

media–saturated callout culture of the present moment, as Van- An intermittently potent illustration of the formidable essa struggles to determine whether the love story she has told obstacles to equality that remained—and persist—post– about herself is, in fact, a tragedy of unthinkable proportions. Brown v. Board of Education. Russell’s debut is a rich psychological study of the aftermath of abuse, and her novel asks readers both to take Vanessa’s asser- tions of agency at face value and to determine the real, psycho- THE REVISIONERS logical harm perpetrated against her by an abusive adult. What Sexton, Margaret Wilkerson emerges is a devastating cultural portrait of enablement and Counterpoint (288 pp.) the harm we allow young women to shoulder. “The excuses we $25.00 | Nov. 5, 2019 make for them are outrageous,” Vanessa concludes about abu- 978-1-64009-258-7 sive men, “but they’re nothing compared with the ones we make for ourselves.” A conjure woman who escaped slav- A gut-wrenching debut. ery obliquely guides her descendants in 2017 New Orleans. This second novel from Sexton con- FREEDOM LESSONS firms the storytelling gifts she displayed Sanchez, Eileen Harrison in her lushly readable debut, A Kind of She Writes Press (256 pp.) Freedom. The new book opens as cash-strapped Ava Jackson is $16.95 paper | Nov. 12, 2019 reluctantly moving herself and her 12-year-old son, King, into 978-1-63152-610-7 the mansion of a declining Martha Dufrene, her white grandmother. The first sentence—“It was King who told me we When “all deliberate speed” becomes forgot the photograph”—suggests this object will matter. And “all of a sudden,” not much changes. indeed, Ava goes back for the portrait of Miss Josephine, her Written from the author’s own expe- “grandmother’s great-grandmother,” a woman with second sight. rience as an elementary school teacher, Her part in the secret sect “the revisioners” is shrouded in time, Sanchez’s debut chronicles one school but Josephine serves as the spine of this deftly structured novel. year, 1969-70, during which Colleen In one thread of chapters, she narrates her 1855 escape from Rodriguez and her husband, Miguel, are transplanted from New bondage as a child and, in another, her rise to rural matriarch. In Jersey to Kettle Creek, Louisiana. Miguel, a Cuban émigré, will the framed 1924 photo, a widowed Josephine stands on the edge serve as a drill sergeant on a nearby Army base, and Colleen, a of her farm: “I still find new mercy in the fact this house belongs white woman, begins teaching second grade at West Hill, the to me; that the pine boards overlap to keep the rodents out; the “Negro school.” As a preface points out, Brown v. Board of Edu windows swing all the way open.” But this is the year that an cation, ordering desegregation, was decided in 1954, but many aging Josephine makes the mistake of pitying a white neighbor, Southern school districts adopted a “Freedom of Choice” pol- Charlotte, who confides that she married her brutish husband icy, which delayed integration of schools. But now, the federal because “her mama said that he wore nice shoes, that his mama government has mandated immediate integration. West Hill is had all her teeth.” A third braid of chapters follows Ava, letting closed overnight, and its elementary and high school students the reader slowly grasp a parallel treachery coiled in Martha are shoehorned, no longer separate but still far from equal, into and Charlotte. Martha’s creepy home conjures its own Get Out– the hitherto all-white Kettle Creek schools. West Hill elemen- flavored claustrophobia, and Charlotte eventually cozies up to tary pupils are shunted off into trailers near their new school, the Klan. In this wondrous telling, King can lie on the sofa play- and their black teachers are let go, with the exception of two, ing Fortnite in the same short book where Josephine’s fleeing including Evelyn, Colleen’s reluctant mentor. Frank, West Hill’s family is hobbling “the other horses whose shoes need to be star football player, had hoped for an athletic scholarship, but at damaged so no one could follow us straight away.” Kettle Creek High, he and the other black players are demoted At the intriguing crossroads of the seen and the unseen to second string. He is forced to find a job to have any hope of lies a weave among five generations of women. affording college—and the prospect of Vietnam looms. This is only the beginning of many outrages to follow. Sanchez sensi- tively depicts this grudging desegregation and its many Catch- 22s for the black students and teachers. When it’s time to fight back, Evelyn’s and Frank’s perspectives take over, and Colleen steps back; though, as an afterword suggests, Sanchez, a white woman, is quite aware that she is not an #ownvoices author, she isn’t trying to write “a white savior story.” Percolating in the background is an underdeveloped murder mystery involving an unsolved hate crime against Frank’s late father. A major plot thread is left dangling while overattention to day-to-day minutiae feels like padding.

38 | 1 september 2019 | fiction | kirkus.com | PAIN that tethers doctors to keyboards and monitors, where they find Shalev, Zeruya themselves “treating the screens, not the patients,” jeopardiz- Trans. by Silverston, Sondra ing both their patients’ well-being and their own in the process. Other Press (368 pp.) Daily life is a war between the hospital and insurance companies, $17.99 paper | Nov. 5, 2019 each side single-mindedly dedicated to maximizing its profit, 978-1-59051-092-6 with the doctors collateral damage in that ceaseless conflict. But when HEAL, the $2.6 billion electronic health records sys- A middle-aged woman confronts her tem at Man’s 4th Best Hospital, crashes and stops transmitting first love. OUTGOING data, forcing the doctors to connect with the As a teenager, Iris meets the love of vulnerable human beings in their care, there’s a hint of what a her life: Eitan, a thin, gangly boy caring patient-centered world might look like. The novel is infused with for his sick mother. They plan to get manic activity, but with the exception of Fat Man, Roy, and Roy’s married, but after Eitan’s mother dies, he tells Iris he can’t see wife, Berry, a psychologist whose Buddhist beliefs can’t wean her her anymore—she reminds him too much of his grief. Thirty from an unhealthy attachment to what Roy calls her “ ‘I’-phone,” years later, Iris is married, with two children, and principal of a the characters tend to get lost in the swirl of the crisis-driven plot. rigorous Jerusalem school. She is 10 years past a terrible injury Shem’s comic touch is broad, his villains the usual suspects, and sustained when a suicide bomber blew up a bus, but she is still his prescription for curing what he sees as the disease of a system haunted by pain. Iris’ relationship with her husband, Mickey, driven by the unceasing imperative to earn more money facile, is tepid, and her feelings for her children are clouded by dis- but perhaps his vision of a medical world that applies a human appointment: They aren’t the children she’d have had with touch to technology will inspire those seeking to achieve it.

Eitan, after all. Then, unexpectedly, Iris runs into Eitan, and all A veteran physician performs radical surgery on Amer- young adult the passion her life has been lacking rushes back. Shalev’s (The ican health care in this uneven satire. Remains of Love, 2013, etc.) latest novel to appear in English is primarily concerned with the nature of that passion. Should Iris go back to Eitan, or should she stick with the life she’s built? DISASTER’S CHILDREN While she’s trying to decide, that life seems to be splintering: Sloley, Emma Any day now, her son is due to be drafted, and her daughter Little A (320 pp.) seems to have fallen under the sway of a charismatic, cultlike $24.95 | Nov. 5, 2019 leader. Shalev’s depiction of Iris’ tortured, conflicting thoughts 978-1-5420-0406-0 is convincing, if claustrophobic. We’re stuck in Iris’ mind for the duration of the novel, and the result can feel somewhat sti- Growing up among privileged dooms- fling. Then, too, since the novel begins at a high pitch, as it goes day preppers, Marlo has always known higher and higher, the prose starts to feel hyperbolic. that the end of the world was nigh. But Shalev is a vivid and impassioned writer, but her latest she never suspected trouble from within novel, by its end, seems both airless and overheated. her community. Climate change, poisoned soil, rising sea levels—the harbingers of ecological collapse prompted MAN’S 4TH BEST HOSPITAL Marlo, her adoptive parents, and a group of wealthy, like- Shem, Samuel minded survivalists to settle a secluded community in the wilds Berkley (384 pp.) of Oregon. Adopted at 14 months old, Marlo has grown up $27.00 | Nov. 12, 2019 on the ranch, with only occasional visits to the outside world, 978-1-9848-0536-2 a place known as the Disaster among the ranchers. Now 25, Marlo has few friends left now that Alex and Ben have moved The madness of life in a busy urban out. With sporadic access to the internet, Marlo doesn’t get hospital. many updates from them about their adventures in eco-activ- With the issue of health care atop ism. But the sleepy wait for an apocalypse abruptly ends when the American political agenda, the time five bald eagles are discovered dead on the ranch with no clear couldn’t be better for a darkly comic look cause of death. Curious about life in the Disaster and restless at some of the worst excesses of the cur- to participate in the fight against climate change, Marlo makes rent system. Shem (The House of God, 1978, etc.) gathers the cast plans to temporarily leave the ranch. But her overprotective, of that earlier novel in a hospital owned by a rapacious conglom- smothering parents have other ideas. Serendipitously, a myste- erate known as BUDDIES. There, at the Future of Medicine rious stranger arrives at the ranch. His name is Wolf, and he may Clinic: Care, Compassion, and Cancer conceived by their former be the answer to at least some of Marlo’s prayers, as they quickly mentor, Fat Man, their goal is to “put the human back in health connect and fall in love. In this, her debut novel, Sloley master- care.” In the spirit of Catch-22 and M.A.S.H., narrator Roy Basch fully weaves together the tropes of dystopia, romance, and mys- and fellow physicians with nicknames like Eat My Dust Eddie tery. Suspicions and questions abound: Is Wolf too good to be and Hyper Hooper struggle to subvert the operation of a system true? Who is posting ominous religious quotations around the

| kirkus.com | fiction | 1 september 2019 | 39 community? Who hid the mysterious gun cache? Yet as alarm- THE INVOLUNTARY ing events compound, the rising sense of menace is undercut SOJOURNER by Marlo’s naiveté. Her sheltered life and overdependence on Tenhoff, S.P. her parents prevent her from seeing the dangers that the reader Seven Stories (256 pp.) sees at every corner. $17.95 paper | Nov. 12, 2019 With so many questions left unanswered, this dystopia 978-1-60980-964-5 is ripe for a sequel. Borges meets Saunders in Tenhoff’s debut collection of 10 cerebral stories THE BEST AMERICAN that tilt toward fabulist and unfold in COMICS 2019 places real and invented, familiar and far- Ed. by Tamaki, Jillian & Kartalopoulos, Bill flung, contemporary and futuristic. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (400 pp.) “Ten Views of the Border” establishes Tenhoff’s interest $25.00 | Oct. 1, 2019 in the arbitrariness of borders. Here, a town is divided in two 978-0-358-06728-3 by a painted red line for no apparent reason. More disturbing, the residents immediately obey the new restrictions on their Series editor Kartalopoulos taps movements. “The Involuntary Sojourner: A Case Study” tests Tamaki (They Say Blue, 2018, etc.) to help the force of divisions as Victor, a scholar studying “involuntary curate the 2019 edition of this annual col- sojourners,” or people who find themselves in foreign countries lection of exceptional graphic storytelling. with no memory of traveling there, seems to become the sub- In her introduction, Tamaki observes, “It’s not a bad time ject of his own research. Finally, in “Kurobe and the Secrets of to make comics, if one absolutely must and is able to do so, and Puppetry,” puppets assume the role of masters as a celebrated one’s work is marketable enough.” The wry caveat nods to an puppeteer slides into dementia. The collection’s more conven- eternal struggle: The labor-intensive craft of comic creation tional character-driven stories flip the familiar narrative about often means small financial return for creators. Perhaps stating the power of male desire and show just how weak and conniv- this struggle up front cleared the collection to plunge directly ing men can be. In “The Visitors,” a lonely dentist tries to win into art itself; though Lauren Weinstein’s “Being an Artist and the affection of a recent immigrant by offering the woman’s a Mother” entwines art and money in her struggle to retain son free dental care—even though the boy’s teeth are perfect. her productive-artist self once she gives birth to her first child And in “Ichiban,” a Japanese businessman steals money he and (“unless you can pay [for child care]…you don’t have access to his wife have been saving for a house in hopes that the perfect your hands”), the story is mostly about Weinstein’s connection (expensive) gift will secure the love of a woman he meets in a to a past artist whose painting captivated her as a new mother. hostess club. Tenhoff’s experimental bent occasionally yields Eleanor Davis’ incisive “Hurt or Fuck” contemplates art and overly abstract tales, but when humans and their contradictions human need on an allegorical, visceral level in what could take center stage, these stories soar and his insights deliver a almost be a two-actor stage play. Erik Nebel’s “Why Don’t We visceral punch. Come Together” ingeniously explores the possibilities of a rigid Fantastic (and fantastical) work from a writer who format—repeating but shifting shapes and colors, figures and appreciates that borders of all kinds are often just a fiction. patterns play across a set of equal-sized panels stacked into a grid, clicking through simple, whimsical stories like a filmstrip of thesis, antithesis, and synthesis. Jed McGowan’s “Uninhabit- JAKARTA able” explores the forces of change as well, old and new collid- Tizano, Rodrigo Márquez ing in a science-fiction tale of terraforming, hive minds, action, Trans. by Bunstead, Thomas reaction, and creation. The collection also includes an excerpt Coffee House (160 pp.) from the first graphic novel longlisted for the Booker Prize, $16.95 paper | Nov. 5, 2019 Sabrina by Nick Drnaso, and new work by master of graphic 978-1-56689-563-7 journalism Joe Sacco on the topic of climate and economy. It’s called “best” for a reason. An impressionistic, abstract portrait of a society clawing back from a viral epidemic. The unnamed narrator of Tizano’s debut lives in Atlantika, which seems constructed out of stray parts from other dystopian novels. The ruling government is a technocratic autocracy that soothes the populace by encouraging it to bet on games of Vakapý, a modi- fied version of jai alai played by robots. (The Orwellian-sounding Department of Chaos and Gaming handles the transactions.) A devastating outbreak called the Ź-Bug has wiped out a chunk

40 | 1 september 2019 | fiction | kirkus.com | A funny and touching fable about love for kids, even the ones on fire. nothing to see here

of the population, and the narrator of the novel is a veteran of dialogue that could have come from a weirder version of the Ź-Brigađe, charged with clearing rats from sewers and other Gilmore Girls. Most of that is due to Holly’s voice, which is unpleasant sites. Back at home, the narrator’s partner, Clara, quirky without ever being annoying, and the cast of wacky side is consulting with a large, vaguely oracular glowing stone that characters who are satirical while still feeling like real human calls up, among other things, memories of the narrator’s class- beings. There are even several laugh-out-loud moments, most mates at a religious school before they were pressed into Ź-Bug of them revolving around the bug infestation destroying the service. The novel’s milieu evokes Philip K. Dick at his gloomi- town’s prized topiaries, a privileged problem that highlights just est, and the narrator’s mood can be as defeated as anybody’s in how hilariously ridiculous the Village of Primm is. Atwood or Orwell. (“Progress, hope, all of that: I never bought A unique and over-the-top look at modern motherhood, any of it.”) Its style is unique to Tizano, however. The novel is full of funny and cringeworthy moments. structured in numbered paragraphs, each an often digressive study of a childhood memory, a vision from the stone, or Atlan- tika’s despairing society. The nonlinear approach can befuddle, NOTHING TO SEE HERE and though translator Bunstead ably stabilizes the tone, stray Wilson, Kevin plot threads can be hard to parse. (Is the snow there really red, Ecco/HarperCollins (272 pp.) or is the narrator imagining things?) The title partly refers to $26.99 | Nov. 5, 2019 a code name for the narrator, and the story invites readings as 978-0-06-291346-3 an allegory for our loss of identity in the face of social and epi- demiological threats. Clear lessons are in short supply, though. Decades after an unforgivable tres- An assured but challenging anti-narrative, its offbeat pass, two childhood friends are reunited

structure evoking a world slipped off its axis. in a most unusual arrangement. young adult Wilson is a remarkable writer for many different reasons, as demonstrated HOLLY BANKS FULL OF ANGST by his quirky novels, Perfect Little World Valerie, Julie (2017) and The Family Fang (2011), and tons of short stories. One Lake Union Publishing (378 pp.) of his greatest strengths is the ability to craft an everyday family $14.95 paper | Nov. 1, 2019 drama and inject it with one odd element that turns the story 978-1-5420-1406-9 on its head. He’s done it again here, writing once more about family but with some most unusual children and a particularly A mom tries—and spectacularly charming narrator. Back in the day, Lillian and Madison were fails—to fit into her new picture-perfect besties at an elite boarding school, the former a smart scholar- town. ship student and the latter a quirky but spoiled rich girl. But When Holly Banks moves to the Vil- when Madison got into trouble, privilege reared its ugly head, lage of Primm, she hopes it will be the and Lillian was the one kicked out of school. Now grown, she start of a new adventure for her family. spends her days at her dead-end job and her off hours getting With its wonderful school system, immaculately tended lawns, stoned. Out of the blue, Madison reappears, now mother to her and superinvolved parents, Primm couldn’t be anything less darling boy, Timothy, and the wife of a U.S. senator and bud- than perfect. However, aspiring-filmmaker Holly soon realizes ding political star. But the family is in a quandary over what to that the town bears a slightly creepy resemblance to Stepford (of do with the senator’s twin children from a previous marriage, the famous wives), and no one appreciates her minor failures to Bessie and Roland. Oh, and by the way, the twins spontaneously live up to the status quo—like, for example, showing up to kin- combust when they’re angry or upset. No harm comes to them, dergarten drop-off while wearing pajamas or accidentally hit- but clothes, houses, and anything else in their orbit can go up ting a school bus in her attempts to move her car. Holly quickly in flames. Lillian is offered a job looking after the twins for the finds a nemesis in PTA president Mary-Margaret St. James, a summer until the fam can figure out what to do with the little bizarrely Primm-obsessed mom who talks about herself in the fireballs. To her own surprise, Lillian turns out to be a terrific third person and won’t let Holly leave the premises without vol- guardian, despite her own doubts. “They were me, unloved and unteering for something (and not just for napkin duty, because fucked over, and I was going to make sure they got what they everyone knows only the slacker moms sign up to bring nap- needed,” she affirms. The book’s denouement is a bit predict- kins). But Holly has other things to worry about—for starters, able, but Lillian develops into an engaging parental proxy in she thinks her husband might be having an affair, she constantly Wilson’s latest whimsical exploration of family. has to pay her mother’s gambling debts, and she’s feeling bored A funny and touching fable about love for kids, even the and restless after putting her filmmaking dreams aside. Holly ones on fire. starts making her own documentary using the subject matter in front of her but soon realizes that Primm’s perfect veneer hides more than a few secrets. There are many novels about women struggling to fit into upper-class communities, but debut author Valerie manages to create a story that feels fresh, with sparkling

| kirkus.com | fiction | 1 september 2019 | 41 NOT A THING TO COMFORT YOU mystery Wortman-Wunder, Emily Univ. of Iowa (148 pp.) $17.00 paper | Oct. 15, 2019 POPPY REDFERN AND THE 978-1-60938-681-8 MIDNIGHT MURDERS Arlen, Tessa In each of these challenging stories, Berkley (320 pp.) Wortman-Wunder presents nature not as $16.00 paper | Nov. 5, 2019 a static specimen but a dynamic presence 978-1-9848-0580-5 that interacts with, and often unsettles, human relationships. Edwardian specialist Arlen (Death of A quick flip through this debut collection will tell you an Unsung Hero, 2018, etc.) leaps forward that nature is a clear theme for the author. Her characters 25 years to showcase a dedicated wartime have “crawled into town from the riverbed” covered in “tar… volunteer who learns that the real danger and gravel, and river mud,” stuffed their bodies into bears’ in her hometown is not from the enemy hibernaculum during the dead of winter, and spent their days overseas. burning oakbrush to try to revive suffering ecosystems. But Little Buffenden was a quiet English village before World while skimming these stories might convey the “lazy, late sum- War II, but in the midst of the battle with the Nazis, the more mer” tunes of song sparrows and the “damp and algae and mud” immediate invasion is from the Yanks. Poppy Redfern and her smell of life alongside a creek, and would certainly demon- grandparents have turned over their ancestral home, Reaches, strate the author’s poetic gusto, such a cursory glance would to the American airmen known as the Midnight Raiders and only tell half the story. Per the titular warning, this is not a moved temporarily to a smaller building on the property. Poppy, book of comfort. While the mysteries of science and beauty who serves as the Air Raid Precaution warden for the village, of nature consume her characters, the author is clearly here has a nighttime run-in with Lt. Griff O’Neal, one of the pilots, to explore the messiness of human emotions and the ways when each mistakes the other for the enemy. After that meet- people long for, envy, and challenge one another amid these cute, Poppy tries to focus on her business of enforcing black- natural environments. “Otters,” for example, considers Cyn- out rules, but the other young women in the village are more thia’s resentment toward her husband, Billy, who has moved attuned to the social benefits of so many visiting soldiers so with her to a trailer along the Dolores River. As Billy grows to eager for female companionship. In fact, village gossip sug- appreciate “homesteading in rafting country” and takes plea- gests that one of the airmen has helped Doreen Newcombe get sure in his wife’s fieldwork, Cynthia sleeps late and yearns for over her grief for her late fiance. After Doreen’s body, strangled a more civilized life. In “The Endangered Fish of the Colorado with a nylon stocking, is found in the churchyard, sleepy Little River,” a marine biologist traces the evolution of her bond Buffenden is no longer safe, and Poppy’s grandparents prevail with her deceased son. As she reflects on the endangered fish upon her to accept Cpl. Sid Ritchie of the Home Guard as an she studied during his lifetime, each species serves as a mile- escort. Although Poppy finds Sid tiresome, she agrees to please stone of sorts in their rocky relationship. Not all protagonists her grandparents. A second murder of one of the young women are researchers. In the title story, a nurse named Annie tends she’s known all her life motivates Poppy to do her own detective to a homeless woman who has thrown herself off a freight work, with some help from her dog and the increasingly friendly train. Hungry for details about the woman’s life “of freedom,” Griff. The nighttime actions of a bird-watcher suspected of Annie tries to get close to the stranger while eschewing her co- the murders, Poppy’s discovery of a secret tunnel, a clue in the workers’ focus on donation drives and social work brochures. form of camphor, and her ambivalence about whether to accept Instead of rehashing the trope of man versus nature or roman- Griff’s suit lead to an unsurprising denouement featuring a sus- ticizing lives on the margins, Wortman-Wunder offers a fresh pect who’s been under Poppy’s nose all along. take on the murkiness of the connection between humanity, History, suspense, and an appealing heroine combine society, and the natural world. in a series debut that should attract war buffs and many An honest look at the complexity of human emotion others. and the influence the natural world can have in everyday lives.

42 | 1 september 2019 | fiction | kirkus.com | Rousing period pulp for those who miss the ’80s or the glory days of men’s magazines a generation earlier. killing quarry

THE CHOCOLATE SHARK definitely worth serious coin, but unwilling to take the Broker’s SHENANIGANS place as just another middleman, he comes up with the idea of Carl, JoAnna choosing random names from the list, stalking them until he fig- Berkley (256 pp.) ures out whom they’ve staked out themselves, and then telling $25.00 | Nov. 5, 2019 the marks they’ve been targeted and offering to take out their 978-0-593-10000-4 killers for a price. This new regimen works fine, at least according to the standards of murder for hire, until Quarry gets on An accountant and her lawyer hus- the scent of Bruce Simmons, a hit man whose target is Quarry band must revisit his high school days in himself. A face-off between the two businessmen ends with order to solve a murder. Simmons predictably dead, shot by Lu, his partner in crime, Lee Woodyard is no fan of the who years ago had a brief fling with Quarry but hasn’t seen him scheme her husband, Joe, and her uncle, since. After Quarry’s disposed of the body, showered to get rid Hogan Jones, the local police chief, hatch to buy the Bailey of the blood and brains, he has sex with the beauteous Lu, who house next door and flip it. But even though she’d rather be at reveals that her own handler, the Envoy, is the client who hired her job as business manager at her aunt’s chocolate specialty her and Simmons to kill Quarry. Why would someone target an shop (The Chocolate Bunny Brouhaha, 2016, etc.), she agrees to inoffensive hit man who’s now switched to killing only his own meet with the plumber for an estimate—a meeting that turns kind, along with the inevitable collateral damage? The answer dangerous when plumber Digger Brown finds a bundle of rags awaits at a very, very exclusive investment conference at the in the cellar. When he drops them, a gun hidden in the bundle Lake Geneva Golf and Ski Resort, which just happens to be run goes off, sending a bullet whizzing past Lee. No one seems to by Quarry’s poker buddy Dan Clark—an event at which discus- know where the old fashioned six-shooter came from, but the sions of high finance will take a back seat to sound and fury. accident recalls a past incident in which the Sharks, a group of Rousing period pulp for those who miss the ’80s or the high school boys that included Brad Davis, Chip Brown, Sharpy glory days of men’s magazines a generation earlier. Brock, Tad Bailey, and Spud Dirk, pulled a prank that could have been deadly. Years ago, when several Sharks pretended as a joke to rob a convenience store in which Brad was work- THE ANGELS’ SHARE ing, Brad pulled a real gun and fired but hit nothing more vital Crosby, Ellen than the Frozen Rainbow Machine. Now Brad’s the president Minotaur (368 pp.) of the VanHorn–Davis Foundation, whose charitable donations $26.99 | Nov. 5, 2019 underwrite many improvements to the Michigan lakeside town 978-1-250-16485-8 of Warner Pier. When Lee accompanies Hogan to the Bailey house to show him where the gun was, they find more than they Is a cache of fabulously valuable bargained for—Spud’s corpse in a cupboard. Although Hogan’s Madeira hidden at Montgomery Estate the police chief, he must stay out of the investigation because Vineyard, whose straitened finances could Spud had been competing with him to buy the Bailey house. So certainly benefit from the discovery? Lee, who’d prefer to stick to chocolates, is forced to join Joe in That’s one of the questions Lucie detective work. Montgomery (Harvest of Secrets, 2018, A run-of-the-mill mystery that includes some welcome etc.) seeks to answer after a strange conversation with wealthy tips on the health benefits of chocolate. Prescott Avery. His family is hosting an after-Thanksgiving party, and Lucie and her fiance, Quinn Santori, have been invited to enjoy a Brazilian meal and plenty of booze. Now that Prescott’s KILLING QUARRY pledged to give most of his fortune away, his heirs are busy fight- Collins, Max Allan ing among themselves, especially over his plans to sell the Wash- Hard Case Crime (224 pp.) ington Tribune. Escorting Lucie to his wine cellar, Prescott offers $9.95 paper | Nov. 12, 2019 to buy the Madeira her great uncle purchased in the 1920s, a wine 978-1-78565-945-4 originally slated to be served at a ceremony marking the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence attended Professional killer Quarry’s 1980s by President James Madison. But Lucie’s never heard of it—and midlife career change to selling potential if it did exist, she assumes her father sold it to finance his gam- targets the ultimate protection from the bling habit. Showing Lucie a handwritten copy of the Declara- people who’ve marked them for death tion given to Madison by Jefferson, Prescott tells her to look for comes a cropper in a way that would be clues in a safe-deposit box he insists her father used and hints at unusual for anyone but him. a mysterious treasure that could be dangerous if revealed. Lucie’s Double-crossed by his longtime han- ready to leave when she realizes she left her phone in the cellars dler, the Broker, Quarry (Quarry’s Climax, 2017, etc.) has exe- and returns to find it along with Prescott’s body. Prescott’s death cuted him and taken the extensive list of contract killers whose proves to be murder, and his family members are the prime sus- services he handles. Intent on monetizing the list, which is pects. At length, Lucie finds the hidden keys to the safe-deposit

| kirkus.com | mystery | 1 september 2019 | 43 box. The papers inside provide further clues about Prescott’s ISLAND OF LAST RESORTS dangerous secret. Fascinated by a mystery that involves the Ellis, Mary Founding Fathers, the Masons, and even the Jamestown Colony, Severn House (224 pp.) Lucie plows ahead despite the danger. $28.99 | Nov. 1, 2019 Wine lore and mystery, both historical and modern, 978-0-7278-8934-8 combine in an enthralling read. A private eye is separated from colleagues she may have to rescue as they DRESSED TO KILL are forced to solve the murder of a mil- Delaney, Kathleen lionaire’s wife. Severn House (208 pp.) As the newest PI in Nate Price’s little $28.99 | Nov. 1, 2019 company, Kate Weller doesn’t feel that she 978-0-7278-8894-5 can turn down the boss when he invites her on a company retreat with the other employees and their part- A Halloween bank robbery by a killer ners. Nate insists that Kate’s boyfriend, Eric Manfredi, join the in a clown suit strikes fear into the deni- gang as well, though Eric’s reluctant to leave the Manfredi family zens of a California town. restaurant, Bella Trattoria, in the hands of the other chefs in his Mary McGill and her cocker span- large, close family. But Kate, who’s been through periods of seri- iel, Millie, have earned a reputation as ous ambivalence about her connection with Eric (Sweet Taste of crime solvers (Blood Red, White and Blue, Revenge, 2018, etc.), puts her foot down until he agrees. When the 2017, etc.). Despite her experience, Mary is stricken when the couple finally respond to the invitation, they find that Nate, his sound of what she thinks are firecrackers coming from the bank wife, Isabelle, and the two other invited couples have already left turns out to be gunfire. She arrives just in time to see a woman to enjoy the privacy Nate has secured as guests on reclusive mil- lying in a pool of blood, her beloved nephew-in-law, Police lionaire Julian Frazier’s private paradise, Elysian Island. The guests’ Chief Dan Dunham, wounded, and the clown responsible rac- initial dinner with Frazier reveals that what they thought would be ing off and vanishing. With Dan laid up with a badly wounded a vacation will be more like a week working at a private prison: Fra- shoulder, Mary must use her skills to find the killer of talented zier wants Price’s team to solve the murder of his late wife, and he’s dressmaker Victoria Witherspoon, whom the clown shot twice prepared to use force to get answers. Ellis’ conceit follows the team for unknown reasons. Mary, a retired schoolteacher busy with on a “Ten Little Indians”–style quest while Kate and Eric franti- many town activities, has an extensive knowledge of the town cally try to get to the island, just knowing that something must be and its residents that she hopes will help her discover a motive. wrong. And they’re absolutely right: The thoroughly dislikable Fra- Unfortunately, a detective sent from out of town to work the zier is eliminating suspects while the members of the Price team case doesn’t care for any help from Mary and her friends. When have lowered their expectations from vacationing to surviving. Mary goes to Victoria’s shop to check on the wedding gown she Perhaps the last of a series more notable for its plot- made for a friend of Mary’s from the dog world, she discovers driven narratives than for providing more nuanced char- material and a pattern for a clown costume. The bank teller acter development. thinks Victoria might have been killed because she made the costume and recognized the robber. Victoria’s log book reveals that she made four clown costumes but used only initials to DEATH HAS DEEP ROOTS indicate their purchasers. Despite the obstacles she faces, Gilbert, Michael Mary’s happy to get help from Dan’s team, including newcomer Poisoned Pen (288 pp.) Janelle Tucker. Eventually Mary learns enough to put her in dan- $14.99 paper | Nov. 5, 2019 ger before the killer is finally cornered. 978-1-4926-9953-8 Not much of a mystery but a charming read, especially for dog lovers. Can’t decide whether to read a Brit- ish courtroom drama or a tale of continental adventure? This tour de force, originally published in 1951, provides both. According to Crown Prosecutor Claudian Summers, Victo- ria Lamartine came from France to the U.K. after the war to find Maj. Eric Thoseby, the British officer working with the Resis- tance who’d fathered her late son, and killed him when he finally agreed to meet with her at London’s Family Hotel, where owner Honorifique Sainte, who’d come from the same Loire region as her, employed her as a receptionist. Vicky’s own take on this story is of course different: She’d had no reason to stab Thoseby

44 | 1 september 2019 | fiction | kirkus.com | Think winning the lottery would make your dreams come true? Think again. the devil’s own game

to death because she’d never had an affair with him but sought is unmemorable as a whodunit, it has never been excelled by him out only in the hope that he could give her information its long line of progeny as a courtroom drama. Hardly a single about Lt. Julian Wells, the real father of her child. On the eve witness testifies without some surprising development, and the of her trial, Vicky fires the solicitor who’d planned to plead her mystery is admirably calculated to provide successively more guilty and ask for mercy and instead begs young Nap Rumbold revealing peeks at the passions that seethe beneath its decorous to take over her defense. After Rumbold briefs barrister Harg- surface. est Macrea to assume courtroom duties and asks Maj. Angus A must-read for nostalgia buffs, this seminal tale of McCann to look for exculpatory evidence in England, he books legal intrigue holds up remarkably well even for casual fans. passage for Angers in search of Wells. His quest is complicated by persistent rumors that his quarry was discovered, captured, and executed by the Gestapo during the war and hints that a THE DEVIL’S OWN GAME group of gold smugglers somehow involved with the case are Hogsett, Annie determined to keep Nap from learning anything, even if they Poisoned Pen (352 pp.) have to resort to violence. “This isn’t a detective story,” grouses $15.99 paper | Oct. 15, 2019 Macrea, but he’s doubly wrong: After deftly cutting back and 978-1-4642-1151-5 forth between Nap’s increasingly fraught inquiries and Macrea’s legal tactics, Gilbert (The Curious Conspiracy: And Other Crimes, Think winning the lottery would make 2002, etc.) pulls them together with a virtuoso snap, producing your dreams come true? Think again. an ending as logical as it is surprising. Since blind college professor Tom A grand example of Gilbert’s ceaselessly inventive Bennington won $550 million in the attempts to expand the remit of the traditional whodunit. MondoMegaJackpot, his life and that of his love, Allie Harper, have been, well, interesting. They’ve fought off killers and launched a detective THE BELLAMY TRIAL agency with the ill-advised name of T&A (Murder to the Metal, Hart, Frances Noyes 2018, etc.), made new friends, hired bodyguards, and become Penzler Publishers (264 pp.) patrons of the arts. At a Touch Tour for the blind, they encoun- $15.95 paper | Nov. 5, 2019 ter Kip Wade, who’s both blind and nasty. When he’s shot dead 978-1-61316-144-9 by a sniper near the museum, an uncomfortable question arises: Did the killer think he was Tom? Olivia Wood, the Cleveland A pair of Long Island society types Homicide officer who catches the case, soon becomes a friend stand trial for upper-crust murder in this who’s willing to work with them and their bodyguard, retired distinguished reprint first published in cop Otis Johnson. Security footage leads them to a woman 1927. pretending to be blind, who’d handed Allie a note before the Hank Phillippi Ryan, whose intro- shooting, and to Tito Ricci, who’d failed to steal Tom’s millions duction pronounces this one of the very and is now out for revenge. Both these suspects will die; when first legal thrillers, notes that Hart (1890-1943) drew freely on Tito is found brutally murdered, the police assume the sniper accounts of the 1922 Hall-Mills murder, the most notorious of has struck again. The killer announces that he wants money, but her day. But the trial of Stephen Bellamy and Susan Ives for the he’s in no hurry to collect, and the suspense drives Allie to bouts fatal stabbing of Bellamy’s wife would have been sensational on of hysteria. Her attempt at therapy is to take on a new case, and its own. Mimi Dawson had been romantically involved with one arrives on cue. The unpleasantly clueless woman who for- both self-made stockbroker Patrick Ives and equally eligible merly owned their lakeside mansion claims that her husband Elliot Farwell, and Pat had eloped with Sue Thorne, Elliot’s for- has faked his death and is planning to kill her to take over her mer girlfriend whose wealthy father disinherited her in disgust, trust fund. No sooner has T&A gone into action than the sniper only a few days before Mimi married Stephen. The combustible makes a move, and a dangerous cat-and-mouse game ensues. mixture of once and future lovers, linking Pat and Mimi once Overlapping plots, sometimes humorous, often con- more despite their marriages to others, boils over when Mimi is fusing, undermine a promising mystery full of interesting found stabbed to death in the gardener’s cottage on the grounds characters. of Orchards, the old Thorne estate. The evidence, which places both the accused at the scene around the time of the murder, suggests that Sue Ives stabbed her rival to death with the active encouragement of the victim’s husband. But the eight days of the trial bring out an abundance of new evidence, partly at the hands of wily prosecutor Daniel Farr, partly through the dogged research and cross-examination of defense counsel Dudley Lambert, an old family friend of the Thornes who at first seems utterly overmatched. The pace is stately, the oratory ceremo- nious, and the climax unnecessarily self-serious. But if the tale

| kirkus.com | mystery | 1 september 2019 | 45 SINS OF THE FATHERS that it might be in her best interest to go down to Devonshire Jance, J.A. and help the Edgerton family find out what happened to the Morrow/HarperCollins (384 pp.) diamond their late grandfather kept in his safe before his death. $26.99 | Sep. 24, 2019 Not only could she benefit from some time in the country, he 978-0-06-285343-1 argues, but her divorce from Michael Black might proceed more smoothly if the court had less reason to believe the sug- The title of J.P. Beaumont’s new case, gestion of a recent anonymous correspondent that her suit was which could equally well have intro- prompted by her own interest in Tom rather than by her hus- duced any number of his previous 23 band’s mistress’s impending delivery of Michael’s child. The (Proof of Life, 2017, etc.), is more pointed Edgertons, effusive to the point of mania, clasp Fran to their than the Seattle cop–turned–private eye collective bosom, lending her evening attire so that she can be can possibly know. properly clad for their sumptuous family dinners at Sunnyside Alan Dale, the former carpenter for the traveling crew of House, decking her out as Juliet to attend a fancy dress ball at singer Jasmine Day, who became Jasmine’s romantic partner a neighboring estate, answering her extensive inquiries about 30 years ago and stayed with her until she died of Hepatitis C, their grandfather’s last day, and chauffeuring her about the shows up on Beaumont’s doorstep with a newborn baby and countryside to interview neighbors about how an elderly invalid an urgent request. Naomi Dale, Alan and Jasmine’s troubled might have pushed his own wheelchair over a cliff into the sea. daughter, went AWOL from a maternity ward shortly after giv- In the end, the Edgertons seem less interested in finding out ing birth to Athena Dale, leaving her methadone-addicted baby how their grandfather died, or even where the diamond has got behind, and disappeared. The 6-week-old has been weaned off to, than in finding a way to integrate Fran into their family. Nev- the drug, and Alan’s doing his best to make a home for her. But ertheless, she persists, to the delight of readers who want more he’d feel a lot better if Beaumont found Naomi. No sooner than just a cozy. has Beaumont started his search than he discovers, or rather The delightful interplay between sleuth and suspects fails to discover, another person who’s even more comprehen- makes this an all-around winner. sively missing: Petey Mayfield, Naomi’s boyfriend and Athena’s father, who abandoned his pregnant wife months ago. Although Petey’s led the life of a will-o’-the-wisp, Beaumont suspects that THE DEAD DON’T WAIT his disappearance has darker overtones connected to the estate Jecks, Michael of his late grandmother, Agnes Mayfield, whose quitclaim to a Creme de la Crime (256 pp.) parcel of land crucial to the plans of a West Seattle developer $28.99 | Nov. 1, 2019 left her grandson out in the cold when she died. Agnes’ daugh- 978-1-78029-120-8 ter, Lenora Harrison, who inherited the estate instead of her nephew, puts on such airs with Beaumont that he takes par- A cowardly assassin’s lust keeps him ticular pleasure in the prospect of tying her to the two disap- in constant trouble. pearances. And he really needs that pleasure, because mounting April 1555. While the Catholic Mary evidence suggests that his own one-night stand with Jasmine 29 sits on the English throne, former cut- years ago may well have made him Naomi’s father and Athena’s purse Jack Blackjack (A Missed Murder, grandfather. It’s lucky that Beaumont’s second wife left him 2018, etc.) is working for John Blount and well off, because his pecunia ex machina comes in very handy in his friends, who plot to make Elizabeth queen. Although he’s a setting this quest to rights. paid assassin with a nice little house and a servant, Jack spends A bighearted search among family skeletons whose most of his time dallying with wenches in taverns. Forced into main surprise is how easy it all is. making a small wager by trickster moneylenders, Jack soon sees the amount he owes rise and the threats escalate. He’s distracted by the lovely Cat, whom he meets in a tavern. When he THE MISSING DIAMOND gets her home, her accomplice, Henry, appears and threatens MURDER him, but he disarms the pair by telling them that their act will Janes, Diane not fool most people. Jack is almost pleased when Coroner Sir Severn House (208 pp.) Richard of Bath arrives and accuses him of murdering the priest $28.99 | Nov. 1, 2019 Father Peter in a small village outside London. The priest had a 978-0-7278-8954-6 wife and children from the period when King Henry’s religion ruled, but once Mary ascended the throne, the priests were A female detective helps find the given a choice of renouncing their wives or being expelled from family jewel. the church. Jack accompanies Sir Richard to the village, where Thanks to a generous gift from her Jack’s old enemy Master Atwood had accused him of the murder, aunt, Frances Black (The Poisoned Chalice in order to examine the body and find the real killer. By now, the Murder, 2018, etc.) doesn’t need to earn body’s been moved and evidence destroyed by the priest’s widow, her living as an investigator. But her partner, Tom Dod, suggests who’d followed her husband to his new posting desperate for his

46 | 1 september 2019 | fiction | kirkus.com | A sardonic shamus helps a lady in distress clear the name of her shady boyfriend. boxing the octopus

help. His refusal forced her to work in the local tavern and share A NOËL KILLING the tavern-keeper’s bed. Father Peter is described alternately as Longworth, M.L. a wonderful man and a priest who took advantage of women. Penguin (304 pp.) Sir Richard, who admits he’s the priest’s brother, is sure he was $16.00 paper | Nov. 12, 2019 an honorable man. Jack is no great thinker, but native cunning 978-0-14-313406-0 and the fear of death move him to investigate the murder for his own sake. A community carol sing turns deadly. The improbably and delightfully humorous protago- Christmas season is a trying time for nist moves the story to a surprising conclusion. examining magistrate Antoine Verlaque (The Secrets of the Bastide Blanche, 2018, etc.). Booths crowd the town square of GI CONFIDENTIAL Aix, blocking access to his favorite cafes, Limón, Martin and when he watches his friends celebrate, it brings back sad Soho Crime (384 pp.) memories of his own neglectful parents. But this year, his wife, $26.95 | Oct. 15, 2019 Marine Bonnet, on leave from her job teaching law to write a 978-1-64129-038-8 book, seems unusually eager to join the community caroling at the Anglo-Protestant Church of Aix, so he reluctantly agrees In 1970s South Korea, a pair of righ- to accompany her. And it’s a good thing he does, since right teous U.S. military cops team up with a before the service, American expat Cole Hainsby eats a plate of crusading reporter to bust a prostitution food provided by vendors from Aix’s sister cities across Europe, ring and solve a string of bank robberies. Africa, and North America—and dies. Verlaque quickly deter- A trio of daring American soldiers mines that Hainsby was poisoned. The list of suspects is exten- is targeting South Korean banks. The sive. Hainsby was a shady operator who may be in debt to even aptly nicknamed Sgt. Strange gets two-fisted Criminal Investi- shadier Corsicans from Marseille. His wife, Debra, is exasper- gation Division agents Ernie Bascom and George Sueño (Line, ated by his financial failures and perhaps a little too cozy with 2018, etc.) interested in the case, which the Army’s higher-ups her boss, Alain Sorba, who runs an expensive private school for seem to want to sweep under the rug. In short order, they learn students who don’t quite fit into Aix’s excellent public schools. that the two assigned agents, a pair of brown-nosers named Verlaque must also ponder whether the couple from Perugia Burrows and Slabem, are engaged in a coverup to keep suspi- who made the eggplant Parmesan or the Philadelphia siblings cion from falling on the Americans. This raises the righteous who whipped up the cheesesteaks may have had some unknown ire of Sueño, who narrates in a punchy first person. When the reason to do away with the entrepreneur. But the knotty prob- next robbery leaves a teller dead, Bascom and Sueño take over lem doesn’t prevent Verlaque from enjoying his favorite eating the investigation. Details of the robberies appear in the local places and even discovering an excellent new addition to Aix’s Overseas Observer, amping up the pressure to solve the case. So dining scene. before they do anything else, Bascom and Sueño decide to look A typical Longworth cassoulet of good food, fine wine, for Katie Byrd Worthington, the dogged reporter who broke and murder. the story. She eludes them for a while, but they finally pin her down at the Dragon Goddess Tea House. Fearing arrest and deportation, she displays an incriminating picture of the duo BOXING THE OCTOPUS as protection. Once they gain her trust, she tells them about Maleeny, Tim a prostitution ring exploiting South Korean girls and run by Poisoned Pen (368 pp.) a powerful American general. Even as they agree to help her $26.99 | Oct. 22, 2019 interrogate him, Sueño wonders if he’ll be able to marry Yong 978-1-4642-1139-3 In-Ja, the Korean “business girl” with whom he has fallen in love. Sueño and Bascom’s lively 14th investigation is long on A sardonic shamus helps a lady in action, gritty dialogue, and period authenticity. distress clear the name of her shady boyfriend. Hank Ryan is waiting—along with $5 million—in an armored truck at Pier 39 for Lou, his partner in crime, when Lou appears behind the wheel of a UPS truck and rams Hank into San Francisco Bay. Police find the vehicle in the bay but not Hank or the cash. Friendly cop Vincent Mango tips off private detective Cape Weathers (Greasing the Piñata, 2008, etc.) that Hank’s girlfriend, Vera Young, insists he’s innocent of stealing the money. Convinced of her sincerity though not uncritically accepting her claim, Cape agrees to help her. Unbeknownst to

| kirkus.com | mystery | 1 september 2019 | 47 Cape, Sergey, a creepy ice pick–wielding Russian, and Eva, his when the local police identify a passing tramp as her killer, a lollipop-loving kid sister, are waiting not so patiently outside conclusion so ludicrous that Dandy and her family, joined by her one of Lou’s hideouts as Lou, alive and well, plots with his fellow sleuth Alec Osborne, return to Applecross seeking the creepy associate Cragg. As these subplots unfold, Cape fol- truth of a complex case steeped in folklore and family secrets. lows a suspicious character he dubs the Flannel Man, whom he A sophisticated, elegantly written, intensely powerful spots accepting a wad of cash at a doughnut stand near the pier. mystery, the best of an excellent series. Fortunately, Cape has an invaluable sidekick in Sally, an assassin trained in the martial arts by a triad in Hong Kong. Also in the mix: a murderous doctor, introduced in the murky prologue, CUTTING EDGE who pops up again as the plot thickens; Anastasia, Sergey’s Ed. by Oates, Joyce Carol domineering older sister; and Oscar, an 800-pound octopus. Akashic (288 pp.) The doctor turns out to be a mad scientist of the first order. $15.95 paper | Nov. 5, 2019 Don’t even ask about the octopus. 978-1-61775-762-4 Maleeny moves his colorful cast around with giddy panache. His detective’s fourth caper is a Hiaasen-esque “Is there a distinctive female noir?” delight. asks Oates (The Pursuit, 2019, etc.) in her introduction. This collection may not settle that question, but it goes a long A STEP SO GRAVE way toward supplying candidates for an McPherson, Catriona emerging canon. Quercus (336 pp.) There are 15 stories here, all but one of them new, and half a $26.99 | Nov. 5, 2019 dozen new poems. From Aimee Bender’s enigmatic “Firetown,” 978-1-473-68235-1 in which a female private eye searches for a missing husband and cat on behalf of a client whose motives are even more An upper-crust detective tackles a mysterious than the disappearance, to Cassandra Khaw’s fable- case that deeply affects her own family. like “Mothers, We Dream,” in which the man who’s miracu- It’s February 1935, and Dandy Gil- lously survived a shipwreck finds himself hemmed in by both ver (Dandy Gilver and a Spot of Toil and his female interrogator and his female associates, these stories Trouble, 2017, etc.), her husband, Hugh, show empowered women either running roughshod over men and their two sons, Donald and Teddy, or ignoring them entirely. Even the heroines of Livia Llewellyn’s have come to the remote Scottish estate of Applecross to meet “One of These Nights,” S.J. Rozan’s “A History of the World in the family of Donald’s intended, Mallory Dunnoch. Mallory’s Five Objects,” S.A. Solomon’s “Impala,” and Sheila Kohler’s mother, Lavinia, Lady Dunnoch, Viscountess Ross, is known “Miss Martin,” all victims of abusive men, find unexpected ways as Lady Love. And it does indeed seem that she’s loved by all, to transform their victimhood into violent agency. Lisa Lim’s including Donald, who clearly has a crush on her. At 30, Mal- heavily illustrated “The Hunger” dramatizes a savage mode of lory, Lavinia’s elder daughter, is older than Donald, but Dandy female mourning; Edwidge Danticat’s “Please Translate,” first comes to admire her as she gets to know her better. Lavinia’s published in 2014, collects 41 frantic phone messages from a husband, Lord Ross, has used a wheelchair ever since he was woman to the husband who’s run off with their son; Margaret wounded during the war saving the life of the estate gardener’s Atwood’s six poems include meditations on female werewolves son. His nurse and old pal, Dickie Tibball, is the father of Mar- and the maternal side of the Sirens; Oates’ own “Assassin” fol- tin, who’s married to the Rosses’ younger daughter, Cherry, a lows a woman who methodically hatches and executes a plan partner just as devoted as Martin to managing the estate. The to decapitate the prime minister. The women here are equally party assembled for Lavinia’s birthday also includes Dickie’s comfortable—that is, equally disturbing—when they’re cast wife, Biddy, and Capt. David Spencer, another man in Lavinia’s as reluctant detectives, as in Steph Cha’s “Thief,” witnesses to thrall. Despite years of living in Scotland, Dandy’s still taken possible crimes, as in Elizabeth McCracken’s “An Early Speci- aback by local mores and frowns on Lavinia’s horticultur- men,” accused murderers, as in Valerie Martin’s “Il Grifone,” or ally rooted relationship with her gardener, Samuel McReadie, potential healers, as in Lucy Taylor’s “Too Many Lunatics” and which is fueled by their mutual passion for Applecross’s stun- Jennifer Morales’ “The Boy Without a Bike.” The punchline of ning gardens. Although Dandy pooh-poohs several mysterious the one story with a male lead, Bernice L. McFadden’s “OBF, portents of danger, she agrees to wear a talisman to ward off Inc.,” entirely justifies its outlier status. evil. When Lavinia announces that she’s divorcing her husband Not every story will be to every taste, but the average is and vanishes, taking her clothes and other personal property, high enough to satisfy readers of all genders. Hugh refuses to countenance Donald’s marriage and insists that his family leave the estate. No sooner have they arrived back home, however, than they’re greeted by a police inspector who announces that the unseasonable snow has melted to reveal Lavinia’s corpse in her beloved garden. The inspector is furious

48 | 1 september 2019 | fiction | kirkus.com | A heist becomes more complicated than Victorian England’s greatest sleuth could have predicted. the art of theft

THE BIG BOOK OF A CHRISTMAS GATHERING REEL MURDERS Perry, Anne Stories That Inspired Great Ballantine (208 pp.) Crime Films $20.00 | Nov. 5, 2019 Ed. by Penzler, Otto 978-0-525-62101-0 Vintage Crime/Black Lizard (1,200 pp.) $28.95 paper | Nov. 1, 2019 Back from their adventures in Jeru- 978-0-525-56388-4 salem (A Christmas Message, 2016), Lord Victor Narraway and his wife, Lady Indefatigable editor Penzler’s latest Vespasia, trudge dutifully to an obliga- 61-scoop sundae is a treasure trove of tory holiday party in an English country short stories that were filmed, though most readers won’t care house whose promised tedium is shat- to sample more than a fraction of its contents. tered by a violent attack. Acknowledging that “most of the greatest mystery crime On the face of it, the four couples Max Cavendish and films were adapted from novels or were original screenplays,” his wife, Lady Amelia, have invited for Christmas have noth- Penzler (The Big Book of Female Detectives, 2018, etc.) introduces ing in common. Narraway, of course, is former head of Special seven sections containing suspense stories, crime comedies, Branch, an intelligence service with which Vespasia has also thrillers, horror stories, stories about criminals, fatal romances, been repeatedly involved. Ex–military man Rafe Allenby is an and detective stories. A significant fraction of the volume’s explorer Vespasia’s encountered on several foreign excursions 1,200 pages are devoted to the editor’s story-by-story introduc- that his wife, Rosalind, decided to skip. Dorian Brent and his tions, but these short essays, which are filled with anecdotes, wife, Georgiana, are moneyed do-nothings. Art restorer James breezy evaluations, information about the production histories Watson-Watt and his wife, Iris, are so much younger than the of the movies based on these stories, and the occasional spoiler, others that they seem to have wandered over from a different are often more interesting than the stories they introduce. As party. When Iris is attacked and left for dead sometime past for the selections themselves, some (Edgar Allan Poe’s “The midnight at the orangery of Cavendish Hall, a pile Lady Amelia Murders in the Rue Morgue,” Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Five inherited from her branch of the family, the general reactions Orange Pips,” G.K. Chesterton’s “The Blue Cross,” Richard are bewilderment and shock. But not Narraway’s. He’s come Connell’s “The Most Dangerous Game”) are anthology chest- to the gathering specifically to collect some top-secret infor- nuts fans will already know. Most of these, along with Doyle’s mation about German submarines from Iris, who’s working “The Adventure of the Six Napoleons” and Dashiell Hammett’s for Special Branch. Already haunted by his failure to protect “The House in Turk Street,” are better than any of the film ver- another such courier from getting murdered at a house party sions that provide the hook for their inclusion. Other stories in Normandy over 20 years ago, he can’t help feeling that his- changed beyond recognition in filming—Edgar Wallace’s “The tory is repeating itself, casting him once more as its weakest Death Watch” and “The Ghost of John Holling,” Sapper’s link. As James hovers over his unconscious wife’s bedside and “Thirteen Lead Soldiers,” Hammett’s “On the Make,” Barry the assembled worthies soldier on without either notifying the Perowne’s “The Blind Spot,” Stuart Palmer’s “The Riddle of the police or disbanding (“For such an unfortunate event, one does Dangling Pearl,” Palmer and Craig Rice’s “Once Upon a Train,” not abandon one’s friends,” observes Vespasia), only one thing Fredric Brown’s “Madman’s Holiday,” Ian Fleming’s “From A is certain: The mystery will be solved and the gathering uplifted View to a Kill”—and will provide mostly bewilderment from just in time for Christmas. readers familiar with their film versions. Only a handful—E.W. A hyperextended short story bulked up with flashbacks, Hornung’s “Gentlemen and Players,” Agatha Christie’s “The petty social slights, and holiday cheer. Witness for the Prosecution,” W. Somerset Maugham’s “The Letter” and “The Traitor,” Daphne du Maurier’s “Don’t Look Now,” Irwin Shaw’s “Tip on a Dead Jockey,” and several of the THE ART OF THEFT eight noir tales by Cornell Woolrich, a welcome minianthol- Thomas, Sherry ogy within this anthology—are memorable stories made into Berkley (304 pp.) equally memorable films. The happiest discoveries for most $16.00 paper | Oct. 15, 2019 readers will be the mostly forgotten stories that provided the 978-0-451-49247-0 basis for Broken Blossoms, Brother Orchid, Smart Blonde, The Killer Is Loose, Possessed, Gun Crazy, The Wild One, On the Waterfront, In the new cat-and-mouse Char- Bad Day at Black Rock, and (even before Robert Bloch’s novel) lotte “Sherlock” Holmes novel, a heist Psycho. Who knew? becomes more complicated than Victo- The ideal audience: cinephiles who’ve never read any of rian England’s greatest sleuth could have these stories before. But everyone will find something to predicted. treasure. An unexpected visitor from the British Raj leads to a new assignment for lady detective Char- lotte Holmes, one that reveals layers of mystery at each step.

| kirkus.com | mystery | 1 september 2019 | 49 Charlotte and her sister, Olivia, plunge into the investigation with Mrs. Watson, Lord Ingram, and a few characters who science fiction have appeared fleetingly in the series and another from two of Thomas’ other novels. Picking up a few months after Hollow of and fantasy Fear (2018), this latest adventure pits Holmes and her intrepid band against an unknown blackmailer’s demands, which lead them to a French chateau. On arriving there for reconnaissance, however, the group starts to piece together a far broader and MAGEBANE more dangerous game at work. Grafting a classic house-party Aryan, Stephen mystery onto a plot of international intrigue and criminal gangs, Orbit (528 pp.) Thomas has Holmes weave together those threads while still $16.99 paper | Aug. 6, 2019 mulling over the long-term fate of her smoldering relation- 978-0-316-55485-5 ship with her almost-divorced friend, Ingram. Romance fans will have to be satisfied with a few touches and some passages Gods, mages, warriors, and sneaky of internal longing, a bit of a letdown after the events of the politicians battle for the lives of mortals previous novel. But the restraint fits the personalities of both and the survival of magical knowledge in main characters, and the extra time given to Mrs. Watson’s lost the final installment in the Age of Dread Indian love and Olivia’s budding one decentralizes Holmes’ love trilogy. plot in interesting ways. Thoughtful yet brief remarks critique In previous volumes (Mageborn, 2017; patriarchy, heteronormativity, and colonialism, fitting organi- Magefall, 2018), the assassin goddess Akosh stoked prejudice cally into an absorbing whodunwhat arc. against those born with the ability to do magic, harnessing An exciting addition to the mystery series; Holmes hatred and fear to gain new worshippers and increase her power. meets Oceans 11 meets A Vindication of the Rights of Woman. But her work has attracted a dangerous ally–turned–treacherous competitor, the older and far more dangerous Kai, a god who feasts on pestilence. Kai seeks to dominate on two fronts. LETHAL PURSUIT In Zecorria, the ever suspicious Regent Choilan, who previously Thomas, Will banned all magic, now plans to strengthen his political position Minotaur (320 pp.) by creating his own army of mages. Unfortunately, these young $27.99 | Nov. 12, 2019 magic-wielding guards are ignorant of the full use of their pow- 978-1-250-17040-8 ers, forcing Choilan to rely on the unsavory assistance of the mage Marran, who may have more magical skill but is also a It should be a simple and prestigious secret devotee of Kai. Kai has also spread a particularly vicious job for two London private enquiry plague in Perizzi, capital of Yerskania. Tammy, leader of the agents: At the prime minister’s request, Guardians (an elite Yerskanian law enforcement agency), works they are to transport a satchel to a cou- to contain the plague even as former magic students Wren and rier waiting in Calais. But when the Tianne lead a small group into the isolation zone in an attempt agents are Caleb Barker and Thomas to cure it. Meanwhile, a group of strong mages aided by the war- Llewelyn, it’s no surprise that mayhem, sabotage, and even mur- rior god Vargas and Danoph, who previously believed himself der will ensue. to be a human student mage but is actually the most recent Readers who have followed this lively, intelligent series incarnation of the Weaver, a god who sees into the past and (Blood is Blood, 2018, etc.) know that nothing is straightfor- all possible futures, must defeat Kai and undo the damage he ward where the gruff Barker is concerned. And now that young and Akosh have caused. While drawing these storylines to an Llewelyn has been made a partner, he too can question the acceptably satisfactory conclusion, Aryan leaves matters open- motives behind the request. After all, it’s 1892, and spies and ended enough to suggest that he still has tales to tell about these political plots are rife across Europe. And if the contents of people and their world. the satchel are indeed priceless religious manuscripts meant A reasonably, if not spectacularly, interesting explora- for the Vatican, the agents know others will want them, too. tion of the poisonous consequences of prejudice and the Using everything from ties to the Knights Templar to a savvy wider effects of small choices. gang of street urchins, the duo will have to outguess and out- maneuver every other player. The author is so talented that the novel works both as an enjoyable romp and as a comment on Victorian issues both societal and political. He weaves in history—London especially comes alive—without it seeming like clumps of a school lesson and gives just enough background so that new readers aren’t lost in arcane references to past events. Even the most observant reader will be surprised at the final twists and turns and hope for another case soon.

50 | 1 september 2019 | fiction | kirkus.com | A fascinating exploration of how power corrupts and drives a person toward self-betrayal. queen of the conquered

QUEEN OF LAUGHTER AT THE ACADEMY THE CONQUERED McGuire, Seanan Callender, Kacen Subterranean Press (376 pp.) Orbit (480 pp.) $40.00 | Oct. 31, 2019 $15.99 paper | Nov. 12, 2019 978-1-59606-928-2 978-0-316-45493-3 The author, who uses both the In a grimly plausible political fantasy– names McGuire (Middlegame, 2019) and turned–murder mystery, a young woman Mira Grant, has written fantasy, sf, and faces the bloody consequences of her horror novels. Her first collection of sto- choices. ries explores the same rich, multigenre Centuries ago, the pale-skinned territory. Fjern conquered a group of Caribbean-like islands and enslaved In these tales, scientists carry their brilliant innovations its dark-skinned inhabitants. The islander Sigourney Rose was too far, fallen warriors decide their afterlife on a football field, the sole survivor of the slaughter of her family by Fjern con- sentient plants threaten the British Empire, dolls turn out to spirators resentful that her mother, Mirjam, a freed slave mar- have more agency than one might wish them to, and we learn ried to a wealthy landowner, was invited to join the king’s inner the real reason why American women must visit the bath- circle of advisers. Resolved to revenge herself and to seize the room in pairs. Some tales recall the work of Isaac Asimov; he regency, Sigourney poisons her cousin for his political position used to write nice, tight stories of this kind, exploring all the and uses her “kraft,” magical psychic abilities, to manipulate the nuances of an interesting idea to their fullest extent, head- failing mind of an orchestrator of the conspiracy into making ing to the seemingly inevitable resolution, and stopping. But a match between her and the woman’s son so that she will be Asimov’s characters were often wooden, puppets in the ser- of sufficient consequence for the regent to choose her as his vice of his speculation; in contrast, McGuire’s fully dimen- successor. But once Sigourney reaches the royal island of Hans sional people are at least as, and often more than, important Lollik Helle, where the king will make his choice, nothing is as the idea. She focuses on those who inhabit the fringes: the as it seems. Someone is murdering the other members of the outcast, the bullied, the strange, the gifted, the lonely, and kongelig, the Fjern ruling nobility, and the king may be noth- the lost. Many of these characters are seeking a quite under - ing more than a ghost or illusion. Will Sigourney survive long standable justice. Others have more obscure and dangerous enough to achieve her goals? Where other authors might make goals. Her characters triumph, more often than not, some- a woman in Sigourney’s position a freedom fighter, Callender’s times when it might be better for the world or themselves if adult debut depicts a self-involved woman bent on personal they didn’t. In McGuire’s multiverse, myth and a good story power, with no clear idea of what to do with it beyond gain have the power to shape personality, destiny, and the entire revenge. For someone who can read minds, Sigourney doesn’t world. Many of the tales collected here were requested for really understand people, or even herself, very well. She des- themed anthologies, and that circumstance plus McGuire’s perately wants the respect of the other Fjern even though she own preoccupations mean that this book contains a certain knows full well that their violent prejudice against her skin tone amount of repetition as well as several riffs on fictional prop- means she will never get it. She only ever expresses the most erties that many other authors have previously responded to, pinched and selfish forms of love yet wants the islanders to love including Oz, Peter Pan (twice), Pinocchio, and the Love- her and understand that she’s acting for their own good even craft mythos. But if those properties and McGuire’s themes though she actually does nothing for them, issuing orders to seem familiar, her explorations into them are exceptionally her slaves while ignoring them as people, somewhat reluctantly well crafted and imaginative. abusing and executing them, and associating with their oppres- Full of chills, thrills, dark laughter, karmic justice, and sors. She feels a certain amount of guilt for her actions but not the occasional spot of hope. enough to stop her from acting. And despite her resentment at never being treated like an intelligent equal, she continually underestimates her fellow islanders, to her cost. Despite their FORTUNA grotesqueness and near absurdity, her hypocrisy and blind spots Merbeth, Kristyn are totally realistic. Orbit (560 pp.) A fascinating exploration of how power corrupts and $15.99 paper | Nov. 5, 2019 drives a person toward self-betrayal. 978-0-316-45399-8

Merbeth’s (Raid, 2017, etc.) latest— the first installment of an SF adventure trilogy—follows a family of smugglers as they unknowingly become entangled in a grand-scale conspiracy that could ignite an interstellar war and kill millions.

| kirkus.com | science fiction & fantasy | 1 september 2019 | 51 It’s been three years since Scorpia Kaiser’s older brother, events, sapping the plot of momentum. The book ends up feel- Corvus, left the family business to enlist and fight in a bloody ing mostly like a setup for a supernatural mystery Gabe and conflict on his war-torn home planet of Titan. But, with Corvus’ Remi look set to tackle in the next volume of this planned series. service officially ended, Scorpia—at the behest of her mother, A meandering plot weakens what could have been a fun the Kaiser matriarch—is piloting the family ship, Fortuna, to yarn about heaven-sent ghost hunters. Titan to reunite her brother with the family. Picking up Corvus wasn’t the only mission, however. Her mother is completing a deal with government officials involving highly illegal alien bio- SALVAGED logical weapons that could potentially end the war. As Corvus, Roux, Madeleine Scorpia, and their siblings wait for their mother to return to the Ace/Berkley (368 pp.) ship, they discover that a cataclysm is sweeping the planet, wip- $15.00 paper | Oct. 15, 2019 ing out entire human populations. Forced to leave their mother 978-0-451-49183-1 behind, the siblings barely escape with their lives. Once safely in space, they realize that their mother has been used to wipe out Put Charlie Huston’s The Mystic the population of an entire planet—and that this may just be Art of Erasing All Kinds of Death, Robert the beginning of a much larger, and deadlier, conflict. While the Heinlein’s The Puppet Masters, and the storyline is a bit predictable, the narrative is powered by a cast original Alien movie in a blender, water of deeply developed characters. Scorpia, in particular, is impres- the mix down, and you’ll have this sci-fi sively multidimensional—a barely functioning alcoholic who thriller. has major issues involving her demanding mother. The stoic After her personal and professional lives melt down, tal- point of view of Corvus—who has witnessed horrors during ented biochemist Rosalyn Devar leaves Earth for a less-than- the war—complements Scorpia’s more demonstrative narrative glamorous career as a salvager; essentially a janitor cleaning and gives the story a nice tonal balance. The nonstop action and up bodies after traumatic incidents. Her drinking and erratic varying levels of tension make this an unarguable page-turner, behavior almost get her fired, but she manages to wangle one and the ending, while satisfying, is a perfect jumping-off point last assignment: cleaning up the research ship Brigantine, the to another much larger adventure to come. latest vessel to mysteriously experience the deaths of all its crew. A wild SF ride—alcohol and family dysfunction not Or so she thinks until she gets there and discovers that most of included. the crew is alive but infected by Foxfire, a sentient and weirdly maternal blue fungus that wants Rosalyn to join its hive mind and help “her” take over the rest of humanity. Rosalyn must LIFE AND LIMB fight off the ship’s brutal and crazed security detail, Piero, and Roberson, Jennifer biochemist, Rayan, both of whom have succumbed to Foxfire, Daw Books (352 pp.) while wondering if she can trust the engineer, Misato, and the $26.00 | Nov. 5, 2019 charming captain, Edison, who are desperately attempting to 978-0-7564-1539-6 resist Foxfire’s influence. Can Rosalyn avoid becoming invaded, get help without endangering anyone else, and find the link Two sort-of angels reluctantly join between Foxfire and a potential multicorporation conspiracy the fight against the forces of hell. that might include her own family’s company? The answers Gabriel and Remi were raised sepa- aren’t much in doubt, and the conspiracy proves to be not too rately with the same purpose in mind. terribly complicated; either the author (Tomb of Ancients, 2019) Their Grandaddy, who wasn’t really trusts readers to fill in the details or just couldn’t be bothered their grandfather by blood, promised to take on the job herself. And it’s odd that Rosalyn, a former them both they’d grow to become soldiers with “the fate of biochemist with a specialty in xenobiology, offers no real sci- the world” on their shoulders. Still, when grown-up biker Gabe entific speculations about Foxfire, leaving that to other charac- meets Remi for the first time and hears he’s going to partner ters; she does eventually come up with a way of combating the up with a cowboy, he’s skeptical. And when Grandaddy tells the thing, but there’s no explanation of how she developed it, sug- two of them they were “born of heavenly matter” and they’ve gesting that the author didn’t do much mushroom research of got to start killing demons disguised as werewolves, black dogs, her own, either. Rosalyn is much more interesting as a troubled and other mythical creatures, he’s downright incredulous. All janitor than she is as a thriller heroine, and the tenuous attrac- while learning to trust a man he doesn’t know—a man who likes tion between her and Edison seems contrived. A story about country music. To be fair, it is a lot to take on board, but Gabe her cleanup work could’ve been interesting, but the book heads takes a tediously long time to accept his new destiny. Gabe is toward the formulaic territory of alien threats and corrupt cor- a likable enough protagonist, and the world Roberson (Sword- porate shenanigans far too quickly. Bound, 2013, etc.) has created is rich with colorful characters Moderately entertaining at best. and exciting beasties. But Gabe and his partner have no clear goal of their own aside from the demon-killing charge they’ve reluctantly accepted, so they spend all their time reacting to

52 | 1 september 2019 | fiction | kirkus.com | Two go-getters find their career and relationship goals at odds in a humorous and heartfelt take on dating. not the girl you marry

NOT THE GIRL YOU MARRY romance Christopher, Andie J. Berkley (336 pp.) $15.00 paper | Nov. 12, 2019 LONDON’S LATE 978-1-9848-0268-2 NIGHT SCANDAL Bryant, Annabelle A genderbent How To Lose a Guy in Zebra/Kensington (320 pp.) Ten Days for the millennial set. $7.99 paper | Sep. 24, 2019 Sparks fly when struggling Chicago 978-1-4201-4647-9 professionals Jack and Hannah meet in a Wicker Park speak-easy. He’s a good- A scholarly woman with secrets and a looking Catholic boy who makes how- wounded earl bond over their love of sci- to videos for a digital media company but longs for a chance entific pursuits in this historical romance to do serious journalism. She’s a no-nonsense, successful event with holiday flair. planner whose dating history has soured her on finding true Lord Matthew Strathmore, Earl of love. Jack’s editor offers him a political assignment in return Whittingham, must get down to the bot- for a story on how to lose a girl at the same time that Hannah tom of some rather unfounded scientific claims made recently wants her boss to think she’s in relationship so she’ll be allowed by reclusive Lord Talbot in a well-known journal. After months to branch out to planning weddings. Neither Hannah nor Jack of being ignored by Talbot’s estate, he’s surprised to receive a knows the other’s motivation; this has Hannah deftly thwart- welcoming invitation. Through an oncoming storm, he makes ing Jack’s attempts to be a terrible boyfriend, making for a very the journey just in time to be snowed in with Talbot and his funny read. Christopher (All Hours, 2019, etc.) explores the prickly granddaughter, Theodosia Leighton. Theodosia isn’t identity issues Hannah faces as a single biracial woman in an pleased at Matthew’s arrival, especially after having kept his let- era of hookups and dating apps: “Most guys think I’m just a sex ters a secret from her grandfather. The truth is, Theodosia has vending machine.” Unfortunately, the poignant racial issues been publishing her own botanical discoveries under her grand- Hannah identifies seem to vanish when she’s with Jack, who’s father’s name for quite some time, and the hypotheses Matthew white. Jack’s image as a man with “good manners and the choir- has come to debate are her own. Now she’s snowbound with boy smiles” belies a neediness and insecurity stemming from an earl who is too curious for his own good. Matthew suffers childhood family dynamics. As Jack and Hannah get to know from chronic pain; his left leg was wounded a decade before. one another in bed and out, their charade becomes harder to He’s given up hope of living the carefree life of a dashing gentle- maintain yet lasts longer than some readers will have patience man. No dancing. No horseback riding. Instead, he’s chosen to for. dedicate his time to knowledge. The connection Matthew and Two go-getters find their career and relationship goals Theodosia forge over their love of learning is adorable, though at odds in a humorous and heartfelt take on dating. sometimes the minutiae of Theodosia’s herbalism experiments interrupt the flow of the carefully paced romance. The couple shines best when cooped up at the Leighton estate, where their WHEN THE MARQUESS shared interests continually bring them together. Once the set- WAS MINE ting breaks this boundary and suddenly changes to the bustle of Linden, Caroline London society, the snappy and frequent tête-à-têtes between Avon/HarperCollins (400 pp.) the main characters falter. The holiday elements are subtle, $7.99 paper | Sep. 24, 2019 providing more of a cozy winter wonderland feel than a twee 978-0-06-291359-3 romance that barrels like a freight train toward Christmas. Unevenly paced, but the smart characterization wins An adventurous woman’s last-ditch out. attempt to save the life of a disrepu- table marquess leads to unforeseen complications. Georgiana Lucas is rusticating at her friend Kitty’s home when she learns that her host’s husband, Sir Charles Winston, has lost the Derbyshire residence to Robert Churchill-Gray, Marquess of Westmorland, in a game of cards. Kitty has been asked by Charles to barricade herself against the scheming marquess, lest he arrive to claim the property. Georgiana is sure that the high-and-mighty Lord Westmorland, who once passed snobbish remarks against her at a London ball, will not journey so far into the countryside to claim his prize. So when she witnesses a man being beaten by a

| kirkus.com | romance | 1 september 2019 | 53 group of thugs, she rushes to his aid unthinkingly and arranges wisdom, which he comes to depend on as they work the case to bring him to Kitty’s home. But Georgiana is aghast when she together. Sebastian wants Eliza, but she’s not an appropriate recognizes him as the villainous Westmorland. Intent on saving match since he’s not allowed to wed a commoner. London’s a life and afraid of her fierce friend’s wrath, Georgiana claims newest series launch is a charming read, but don’t come to it that he is her fiance, Viscount Sterling. She hopes to knock for the mystery, which feels hodgepodge and poorly motivated. sense into Lord Westmorland when he awakes and ensure that Where it works is as a perfect showcase for the delightful Eliza, he returns the deed of the house to Kitty. But her plans are dis- an anti-Cinderella who captures the prince not with her beauty rupted when it turns out that the marquess has lost his memory, but with her precious real self. and located his conscience. As Rob’s memory trickles back to A fun, touching “prince meets real girl” Victorian fairy- him, he decides he’s found the woman of his dreams, but he tale romance. must work hard and fast to ensure that his dreams become reality. Linden skillfully slides in a subtle political statement about the painful impact of patriarchal property laws in the every- THE MERRY VISCOUNT day lives of women, but she alludes too hurriedly to the trans- MacKenzie, Sally Atlantic slave trade, a traumatic chapter in world history that Zebra/Kensington (352 pp.) isn’t given enough attention here to make it work. The narra- $7.99 paper | Sep. 24, 2019 tive of the third installment in the Wagers of Sin series (An Earl 978-1-4201-4672-1 Like You, 2018, etc.) is replete with tried-and-tested tropes but is witty and unusual enough to be interesting. Although Rob’s A stagecoach crash forces a woman rather abrupt evolution strikes a few false notes, Georgiana’s to seek shelter with her brother’s friend change of heart consistently rings true as she exhibits a wide at Christmas. range of emotions. Caroline Anderson is a master beer A familiar and charming story of loss, transformation, maker traveling home after an unsuc- and rediscovery. cessful attempt to sell barrels of her most popular ale, Widow’s Brew, to a London tavern. Caroline is 30 and has been living in Little Puddleton THE PRINCESS PLAN at the Benevolent Home for the Maintenance and Support of London, Julia Spinsters, Widows, and Abandoned Women and their Unfortu- Harlequin HQN (400 pp.) nate Children ever since a disastrous stint as a nursemaid at 17. $7.99 paper | Nov. 19, 2019 After the stagecoach crashes, Caro and the other passengers—a 978-1-335-04153-1 woman and her children, a married couple, a pair of young bucks, a reverend, and a lecherous single man—seek refuge at a country A retiring spinster inadvertently house that turns out to belong to her brother’s childhood friend becomes embroiled in solving a mystery Nicholas St. John, Lord Oakland. Nick and his own group of with the crown prince of Alucia, winning motley friends are planning to spend the holidays in a drunken, his trust and love—which is a problem debauched orgy. The disparate group are unlikely Christmas since he’s expected to marry, but he can’t companions, but MacKenzie’s (What Ales the Earl, 2018, etc.) marry her. character work is impeccable, and the results make for a sweet, “At eight-and-twenty, Eliza was unmar- charming holiday fable. As in all snowbound romances, the real ried, a fact that had long baffled the judge.” The judge is The action is internal and about personal growth. Caro’s experi- Right Honorable Justice William Tricklebank, Eliza’s father. The ences and those of her friends at the Home have taught her to family is highly respectable but common. However, Eliza’s sister, be wary and fearful of men; meanwhile Nick grapples with his Hollis, runs a ladies’ gazette, and their closest friend, Caro, is an own painful memories of the cruel uncle who raised him after aristocrat. Caro and Hollis routinely mingle in society events, his parents’ deaths. Being in close proximity forces Nick and but after a youthful indiscretion, Eliza is mostly content to Caro to each face their fears. They gradually learn to trust each live vicariously through them while helping her blind father other, first as friends and then as lovers. Although there are no navigate his physical and professional spaces with cheerful actual ghosts, the echoes of A Christmas Carol are clear: Only by efficiency. Unusually, she decides to attend a masquerade ball reckoning with the past and present can Caro and Nick have a arranged to help Prince Sebastian find an English bride. When future together. a masked stranger cynically tries to seduce her, she’s amused, An emotionally satisfying holiday romance full of love then tickled and surprised when she realizes it was the prince. and redemption. After the dance, Sebastian’s personal secretary is murdered, and a note with a rumor hinting at the possible culprit is delivered to the Tricklebank family’s home. Hollis publishes the gossip, which leads to a rude visit from the prince. Eliza throws him out—a novel experience for Sebastian—but subsequent run- ins between the two highlight her honesty, intelligence, and

54 | 1 september 2019 | fiction | kirkus.com | Sexy, witty, and fiercely entertaining. scandalous

SCANDALOUS rather than gallivanting around in the field, but that changes Spencer, Minerva with the newest Deep Ops case. Brigid’s boss informs her not Zebra/Kensington (304 pp.) only that her father was formerly a mob enforcer, but also that $7.99 paper | Sep. 24, 2019 he is suspected of being back in the game and helping a young, 978-1-4201-4720-9 up-and-coming Boston mobster traffic women and children. Despite being estranged from her father, Brigid is determined When the orphaned daughter of to prove his innocence. Unfortunately, that means she has to English missionaries is swept up in a sla- pretend to be engaged to her magnetically handsome body- vers’ raid on her African village, it puts guard and handler, Raider Tanaka. Brigid and Raider are capa- her on a collision course with a formerly ble, confident, and well matched as partners in every way. Being enslaved pirate captain who avails him- thrown into close proximity makes it impossible for them to self of every luxury but considers himself ignore their mutual attraction. As they go deeper into the case, completely unworthy of her love. they slowly learn to trust each other and their own emotions. Sarah Fisher thought slavery was abominable before she Zanetti (Alpha’s Promise, 2019, etc.) successfully balances the landed in the cargo hold of a Dutch slave ship after refusing to romance with the escalating mystery of why a U.S. senator is abandon the African villagers she’s known her whole life. When mixed up with a young Irish mobster. The Deep Ops team is they’re overtaken by a privateer, she prepares to fight him to made up of people who have been cast off from the mainstream let the captives go but discovers Capt. Martín Bouchard is an FBI, and each team member is showcased as they work to crack escaped slave himself and eager to set them free. Martín is the case. Brigid and Raider’s love affair is the star of this care- asked by the British admiral in Freetown to bring Sarah back to fully constructed and well-paced work of romantic suspense. England on his ship, and he’s disconcerted to find himself wildly The central romance is enhanced by a pleasingly tan- attracted to the brave, headstrong woman who threatened him gled suspense plot. at gunpoint to save her friends. Then Sarah discovers he’s illiterate and is determined to teach him to read, the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for Martín that heightens their intimacy. The journey to England feels endless thanks to their volatile attraction, and Martín sabotages the relationship, certain he’s not good enough for her. Arriving in England, Sarah learns her uncles are wealthy bankers who embrace her immediately and encourage her to settle into a good marriage. Sarah is only interested in Martín, who clearly wants nothing to do with her, but when a deadly secret from his past threatens, Sarah takes matters into her own hands, fighting for their future with the steely determination of a pirate under siege. Spencer continues her outstanding Outcasts series with two characters from completely different backgrounds who share similar values and a sizzling passion. Along the way she explores love, freedom, friendship, and what it means to be a person of worth, especially by living on one’s own terms. Sexy, witty, and fiercely entertaining.

FALLEN Zanetti, Rebecca Zebra/Kensington (368 pp.) $7.99 paper | Sep. 24, 2019 978-1-4201-4583-0

A hacker and a federal agent fall in love while investigating an Irish mobster and a crooked senator. After she accidentally hacks into a federal database while trying to bring down a child pornographer, Brigid Banaghan is forced by FBI agents to work for the Homeland Defense Department in order to escape imprisonment. She works on a computer in the office

| kirkus.com | romance | 1 september 2019 | 55 nonfiction PROOF OF CONSPIRACY These titles earned the Kirkus Star: How Trump’s International Collusion Is Threatening THE COLLECTOR OF LEFTOVER SOULS by Eliane Brum; American Democracy trans. by Diane Grosklaus Whitty...... 63 Abramson, Seth St. Martin’s (592 pp.) OPEN SEASON by Ben Crump...... 66 $29.99 | Sep. 3, 2019 978-1-250-25671-3 STEALING GREEN MANGOES by Sunil Dutta...... 68 ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS by Umberto Eco; One-time attorney Abramson extends trans. by Alastair McEwen...... 68 the argument begun in Proof of Collusion: How Trump Betrayed America (2018) by wid- HYMNS OF THE REPUBLIC by S.C. Gwynne...... 78 ening the net of culprits. Donald Trump entered the field of presidential contenders AGENTS OF INFLUENCE by Henry Hemming...... 80 without a discernible ideology save receiving money for nothing, a penchant that many actors were glad to serve. In this long, DISTURBANCE by Philippe Lançon; trans. by Steven Rendall...... 83 complex study, the author adds evidence concerning the principal actor, Russia, while layering on other parties: Saudi Arabia, ANTISOCIAL by Andrew Marantz...... 84 Israel, Egypt, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates. Each has BLOOD by Allison Moorer...... 87 served Trump in various ways—Saudi Arabia, for example, by once bailing Trump out from bankruptcy—and each has been VOLUME CONTROL by David Owen...... 88 rewarded in turn, with Egypt removed from sanctions, given more military aid than it requested, and legitimated even as THE FIRST CELL by Azra Raza...... 92 elected members of the Muslim Brotherhood were branded as THINGS WE DIDN’T TALK ABOUT WHEN I WAS A GIRL terrorists. There are geopolitical issues surrounding this network of “Red Sea conspirators,” as Abramson dubs them: All are by Jeannie Vanasco...... 102 committed to the continued supremacy of the oil economy, all THEY WILL HAVE TO DIE NOW by James Verini...... 102 are positioned to contain Iran and Syria, and all are autocratic to one extent or another—and there’s not much Trump likes BOSS OF THE GRIPS by Eric K. Washington...... 103 better than an autocratic leader. Russia remains the principal villain of the piece, but, as the author writes, “the Saudis and ONE DAY by Gene Weingarten...... 103 Emiratis marked…the additional slate of possibilities opened INITIATED up by the Kremlin’s burgeoning interest in a political neophyte by Amanda Yates Garcia...... 105 with malleable ethics.” By Abramson’s extensive account, mal- leability has shifted into full-blown corruption, as Trump and ONE DAY his associates accepted Israeli intelligence here, Russian offers The Extraordinary of support there, and the like. The author’s deft tracing of the Story of an Ordinary 24 undeclared international shuttling back and forth between Hours in America interested parties of former Trump aide Michael Flynn will make readers wonder why he’s not locked inside a maximum Weingarten, Gene Blue Rider Press (384 pp.) security prison. Abramson closes by connecting the dots in cur- $28.00 | Oct. 22, 2019 rent newspaper headlines: Netanyahu wins reelection in Israel, 978-0-399-16666-2 Saudi Arabia declares war on dissidents and neighboring nations alike, Trump pledges an additional 10,000 American troops for deployment in the Middle East, a prelude to war in Iran…. A richly documented indictment of power and corruption that bears urgent discussion in the coming electoral cycle.

56 | 1 september 2019 | nonfiction | kirkus.com | An easy-to-digest compendium of bioethical issues that provides plenty of food for thought. who says you’re dead?

I WILL NEVER SEE THE WHO SAYS YOU’RE DEAD? WORLD AGAIN Medical & Ethical Dilemmas The Memoir of an Imprisoned for the Curious & Concerned Writer Appel, Jacob M. Altan, Ahmet Algonquin (352 pp.) Trans. by Congar, Yasemin $23.95 | Oct. 8, 2019 Other Press (224 pp.) 978-1-61620-922-3 $15.99 paper | Oct. 1, 2019 978-1-59051-992-9 How would you act when presented with medical cases that raise serious bio- Stark, compact essays about a writ- ethical concerns? er’s imprisonment in an increasingly That is the question Appel (Surren authoritarian Turkey. dering Appomattox, 2019, etc.) poses in a series of 79 short takes In early 2018, Altan (Like a Sword Wound, 2018, etc.), an drawn from news headlines, medical literature, and his own acclaimed novelist and essayist, was sentenced to life in prison background as a psychiatrist, professor of bioethics, and direc- for treason based on televised comments regarding a failed tor of Ethics Education in Psychiatry at Mount Sinai. The author 2016 coup against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. As presents each scenario in a succinct paragraph, often using an Philippe Sands recalls in his foreword, “[Altan] spoke with pas- amusing name for the fictitious doctor—Jekyll, Dolittle, Hawk- sion and courage, intelligence and humor on the writer’s place eye Pierce—followed by a discussion that includes current laws, in a decent society.” This recollection aptly reflects this slim regulations, or policies, which, he is quick to point out, may be

compendium of essays, produced by Altan while imprisoned. young adult He sketches the arc of his descent into a demeaning carceral nightmare, beginning with charges of broadcasting “subliminal messages” in support of the coup. Later, this was changed to “putschism,” for which he was convicted; one judge cynically told him, “our prosecutors like using words the meanings of which they don’t know.” Altan was jailed alongside many intel- lectuals and military officers, and the first essays reflect their initial responses to incarceration. “In a matter of hours,” he writes, “I had travelled across five centuries to arrive at the dungeons of the Inquisition.” The author acknowledges the harrowing nature of his ordeal, and he positions himself in the tradition of imprisoned writers who respond to their plight by acknowledging its surreal qualities. “I had seen the monstrous face of reality,” he writes. “From now on I would live like a man clinging to a single branch.” While horrified by his eventual life sentence, he became determined to use the writer’s tools and identity to fight both inner despair and his government’s persecution: “I must confess that even from within a dark cell, the idea of fighting filled me with such exuberance that I was saying ‘To the end,’ with excitement.” This spirit infuses the book and lends rhythmic urgency to Altan’s voice as he reflects on the intensity of life in a cell, the plights of fellow prisoners, and how to recall loved ones without succumbing to despair. An inspiring account of the writing life and a chilling glimpse of authoritarianism’s slippery slope.

| kirkus.com | nonfiction | 1 september 2019 | 57 9/11 in perspective Photo courtesy Leah Overstreet A few weeks ago, I was talking to ly informative narrative transitions between sections, my son’s babysitter, who was born ensuring that no reader will get lost in the fray. As our in 2002. Somehow, we landed on reviewer points out, “readers who emerge dry-eyed the topic of 9/11, and it took about from the text should check their pulses: Something is 10 seconds before I was hit with the wrong with their hearts.” realization that she wasn’t even born Mitchell Zuckoff’s Fall and when the catastrophe took place. Rise, which also received a star, is As she told me how many of equally potent, what our reviewer her friends could not fully compre- calls “a meticulously delineated, hend the magnitude of one of our detailed, graphic history of the country’s deadliest tragedies, my events of 9/11 in New York City, thoughts turned to two books I read recently that will at the Pentagon, and in Pennsyl- stand as landmark contributions to any future conver- vania.” The author, who decon- sation or study of 9/11: Garrett Graff’s The Only Plane structed the Benghazi attacks in in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 (Avid Reader, Sept. his previous book, 13 Hours, is up 10) and Mitchell Zuckoff’s Fall and Rise: The Story of to the task in this narrative ac- 9/11 (Harper, April 30). While each is noteworthy on count, built from a series of stories from survivors, first its own, taken together, they provide as well-rounded, responders, and others that he published in the Boston comprehensive, and compassionate a portrait of the Globe in the years following 9/11. But this is no thrown- day as we will find for many years to come. together assemblage; Zuckoff creates a seamless, page- Graff’s book, which earned turning text that brings readers directly into the hearts a Kirkus star, is a master class and minds of those involved. in oral biography, as the for- “In each of the three sections,” writes our reviewer, mer POLITICO and Washing “Zuckoff offers a cross-section of widely representative tonian editor collects hundreds individuals and then builds the relentlessly compelling of firsthand accounts, gathered narrative around those real-life protagonists. Despite over three years of meticulous the story’s sprawling cast, which could have sabotaged research, that recount the be- a book by a less-skilled author, Zuckoff ably handles fore, during, and after from ev- all of the complexities….The author did not set out to ery possible angle—and in pow- write a feel-good book, and the subject matter is un- erful, often terrifying detail. In questionably depressing at times. Nonetheless, as con- addition to capturing the mem- temporary history, Fall and Rise is a clear and moving ories of such well-known figures success.” as George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, and Katie Couric, Each of these books is an unquestionable success, the author more importantly—and rightly—puts the and for anyone seeking to refresh their memories of spotlight on the everyday heroes of 9/11, many of that horrific event—or those who, like my babysitter, whom lost their lives. were not alive to witness it—I couldn’t think of two Furthermore, writes our reviewer, “Graff also does better books to recommend. As we approach the 20th an admirable job of maintaining focus on the personal anniversary of 9/11, expect more accounts to emerge, stories and does not drift off into political commen- but The Only Plane in the Sky and Fall and Rise are un- tary—or engage in placing blame—or arrange the ma- likely to fade from view. —E.L. terial so that some of his interviewees look good and some bad.” Though essential, this is not a book to be Eric Liebetrau is the nonfiction and managing editor. taken lightly, and the immediate, heart-wrenching nature of the material will force some readers to set it aside and come back later. Thankfully, Graff’s concise-

58 | 1 september 2019 | nonfiction | kirkus.com | nonexistent or vary from state to state. Then it’s up to readers to WHEN THE EARTH HAD ponder what to do. Do you tell the daughter of the father who TWO MOONS needs a kidney transplant that not only is she not a match, but Cannibal Planets, Icy Giants, that she is not his biological daughter? Do you report to your pro- Dirty Comets, Dreadful fessional society that your current patient says she slept with her Orbits, and the Origins of the former therapist? What about the corporate executive who has Night Sky a brain tumor but who tells the world he is in top form when a Asphaug, Erik merger is in the making? Appel notes that bioethical issues have Custom House/Morrow (368 pp.) only gotten more complex as technology accelerates—e.g., what $28.99 | Oct. 29, 2019 to do with the frozen embryos of divorcing couples? End-of-life 978-0-06-265792-3 issues have gotten more complicated, as well. If nothing else, they are a reminder of the importance of establishing advance direc- The sun and every body in its vicinity tives or living wills. Without that guidance, there can be a clash formed from the same primordial dust, yet every planet, moon, between relatives valuing the sanctity of life over those arguing comet, and asteroid is different. This accomplished overview of for the quality of life. The result may be a quadriplegic patient planetary science describes the details. permanently tied to a ventilator. Throughout, Appel’s scenario The first photograph from another planet was the rocky sur- approach works well, as readers are challenged to weigh the face of Venus, transmitted from a Russian lander in 1975. More morality of decisions in our increasingly complex medical world. Soviet Venus probes followed, and while NASA has been respon- An easy-to-digest compendium of bioethical issues that sible for most of the rest, other nations are getting into the act. provides plenty of food for thought. The result, featuring contributions from high-tech telescopes

and computer simulations, is an explosion of information about young adult

| kirkus.com | nonfiction | 1 september 2019 | 59 Of interest to criminal justice reformers, community workers, and policymakers. citizen outlaw

our solar system and, more recently, solar systems throughout rocky start, though, Outlaw turned himself around and earned our galaxy. An enthusiast as well as a fine writer, Asphaug (Plan- early release. Since returning to New Haven, as Barber closely etary Science/Univ. of Arizona) lays it out from the beginning. documents, Outlaw has become a mentor to young people who Despite their flawed theories, when the ancients observed might otherwise be on the path to prison. He tells one parolee and calculated, they proved that Earth was a sphere and mea- group, in blunt language, that his goal is “to reduce recidivism sured its diameter and the distance to the moon and predicted and keep you guys out of the fucking penitentiary.” It seems eclipses. Geniuses from Copernicus to Einstein improved the to have worked: Violent crime has fallen by 70 percent, much big picture, but it was well into the 20th century before inter- of which local authorities attribute to Outlaw’s interventions esting details became clear. That meteor strikes formed the among at-risk people. moon’s craters remained controversial until the Apollo landings Of interest to criminal justice reformers, community proved it. After a nod to the Big Bang and formation of the sun, workers, and policymakers. Asphaug concentrates on the history and current knowledge of the planets, familiar and unfamiliar moons, and unattached bodies in between. As an earthling, he favors earthlike features, MALAYA and readers will share his pleasure as he discusses them. Rivers, Essays on Freedom lakes, oceans, and rain? Saturn’s moon, Titan, has them; Mars Barnes, Cinelle and perhaps Venus once enjoyed the same. Life began in water, Little A (200 pp.) so scientists are thrilled when they find it elsewhere. Ice doesn’t $24.95 | Oct. 29, 2019 qualify, but there is evidence for liquid water oceans under the 978-1-5420-9330-9 icy surface of Jupiter’s Ganymede and Europa, Saturn’s Encela- dus, perhaps Mars, and even some asteroids and comets. A collection of essays extends and An expert, entertaining review of what’s known about expands on the themes introduced in the the solar system. (b/w images throughout; first printing of 50,000) author’s highly regarded memoir, Monsoon Mansion (2018). Barnes’ first book introduced a CITIZEN OUTLAW gifted writer with a compelling story about her life in the Phil- One Man’s Journey From ippines. After her father left the family, her mother became Gangleader to Peacekeeper unstable. The author was adopted by an American family, but Barber, Charles the law said she was too old for the necessary paperwork, so Ecco/HarperCollins (304 pp.) she remained an undocumented teenager, working jobs that $27.99 | Oct. 15, 2019 paid her in cash—e.g., cleaning houses, taking care of children, 978-0-06-269284-9 working at a laundry and at a cafe. Her schoolwork promised a pathway out, and she did well, particularly after switching to a Inspirational story of a criminal journalism major and finding her voice and the stories that only whose self-reform has brought peace she could tell. Barnes married a fellow graduate student, a white both to him and his city. man raised in the South, who was the first in his family to marry This is the tale of William Juneboy a woman of color. Then the couple had a baby girl, a mixed-race Outlaw III, who long ago began a life of crime on the streets child in the South, and questions of belonging and assimila- of New Haven, Connecticut—located, Barber (Writer-in- tion became exponentially more complicated. “He’s well aware Residence/Wesleyan Univ.) notes, “in the wealthiest state in the of the sadness of this place,” the author writes of her husband, country” but whose declining population is marked by plenty of “how lonely it must be for me—an outsider who married some- poverty and ethnic division. Had he been born under different one who also feels like an outsider.” He says that it kills him to circumstances, notes one of the state’s crime analysts, Outlaw know that here, I talk, but without the freedom to speak about might have been the CEO of a Fortune 500 company. “As it was,” topics that interest me.” Though childbirth brought emotional that observer continues, “he took mediocre talent and created trauma and postpartum depression, it also opened the cre- a first-class gang that ran half of the city of New Haven. What ative floodgates. “My body had given birth to a human, but my he accomplished was the equivalent of the Afghan warlords body also wanted to expel something more,” writes Barnes. “It putting together scrubs and taking on the U.S. Army.” He was wanted to flush out the accumulation of hurt and sorrow and also something of a Robin Hood figure in the poorer sections of fear, three things all immigrants pack with them….My memo- town, buying needed supplies and groceries for neighbors and ries let out onto paper and bled onto the page as words, phrases, even shoveling sidewalks in winter. Still, Outlaw lived up to his sentences, paragraphs.” Those paragraphs became essays, and name, controlling the trade in drugs, weapons, and stolen goods. those collected here have enough cohesion and continuity that The police caught up with him after he murdered a member of they could almost pass as a second volume of memoir. a rival gang, and he was sentenced to an 85-year prison term. He A sturdy transitional volume that finds Barnes reflect- might have turned into a behind-bars crime lord, pulling that ing on her first and anticipating her next. long stretch in Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary, “where Whitey Bulger, Al Capone, and John Gotti had served time.” After a

60 | 1 september 2019 | nonfiction | kirkus.com | THE HIDDEN WORLD OF casts them in a realistic perspective, as natural creatures, show- THE FOX ing that much of what we fear about them—and some of what Brand, Adele we find attractive—is the result of misunderstandings. “The fox Morrow/HarperCollins (240 pp.) is not an intruder into our world,” she writes. “We have sim- $24.99 | Oct. 22, 2019 ply laid our modern ambitions over the landscape it already 978-0-06-296610-0 knew.” So the fox may attack the bird we have caged, though wild foxes pose little threat to birds in the wild, and they occa- A British ecologist explores human sionally bite the hand that feeds them when humans mistakenly encroachment on the world of the fox. assume that feeding them might somehow build a relationship. Though there’s a close connection Brand’s philosophy comes down to live and let live; we should between dogs and foxes, there is also a keep our impact and influence on the fox as light as possible, world of difference. Dogs and humans and the fox in turn will likely have negligible impact on us. “I have evolved together for 36,000 years, and the household pets wish to know them as individuals,” she writes, “to learn the sto- are “practically symbiotic with human beings.” Foxes remain ries of their lives as an honest biographer—and to be a mediator, wild animals, but what was once wilderness has often become hoping to keep the peace between human and fox.” Among the a golf course, bringing the animal into contact with humans, revelations here are that foxes typically weigh less than an aver- which often fear the fox and occasionally try to domesticate age house cat, that they navigate by way of the Earth’s magnetic it, benefitting neither species. Brand clearly loves foxes and field, and that vixen are only fertile three days per year. has devoted much of her life to studying them: “They make A pleasant nature book that provides everything you the world a more mysterious and interesting place.” The author ever wanted to know about the fox. young adult

| kirkus.com | nonfiction | 1 september 2019 | 61 A lively, well-written survey full of novel observations on a region shrouded in legend. dreams of el dorado

DREAMS OF EL DORADO THE BERLIN MISSION A History of the The American Who Resisted American West Nazi Germany From Within Brands, H.W. Breitman, Richard Basic (544 pp.) PublicAffairs (336 pp.) $32.00 | Oct. 22, 2019 $28.00 | Oct. 29, 2019 978-1-5416-7252-9 978-1-5417-4216-1

The prolific American historian The story of Raymond Geist (1885- turns his attention to the conquest of 1955), United States consul in Berlin from the West. 1929 to 1939. As Brands (Chair, History/Univ. of Breitman (Emeritus, History/Ameri- Texas; Heirs of the Founders: The Epic Rivalry of Henry Clay, John can Univ.; co-author: FDR and the Jews, 2013, etc.) maintains Calhoun and Daniel Webster, the Second Generation of American convincingly that Geist was the most competent American dip- Giants, 2018, etc.) notes in opening, the American West was, lomatic figure in Germany, especially after the Nazis took power in ancient times, the Asian East and the Beringian South. By in 1933. A professional actor and scholar (Harvard doctorate), he the time Thomas Jefferson signed off on the Louisiana Pur- was overqualified in 1921 when he joined the Consular Service, chase, it was definitively part of North America, contested by at the time separate and inferior to the Diplomatic Service, European powers but almost inevitably a part of the United concerned mostly with visa matters and problems of Ameri- States. The author identifies three commanding themes in can citizens. During Geist’s assignment in Berlin, these duties Western history: the capacity of the region for “the evoking became a matter of life and death. Few colleagues knew how to and shattering of dreams,” a pattern of constant violence, and deal with the Nazis, and the ambassadors were callow political unparalleled irony “in the form of paradox, contradiction and appointees. Far more educated, fluent in German, and a natural unintended consequence.” Emblematic of the first was Theo- schmoozer, Geist became so valuable that superiors kept him dore Roosevelt’s dream of ranching in the Dakota Territory, a in Berlin for a decade even though consuls usually rotated after failed enterprise that nonetheless cast New York City native a few years. Most scholars agree on the value of Geist’s reports Roosevelt as “that damned cowboy,” as politician Mark Hanna to U.S. officials, in which he emphasized the Nazi regime’s bru- called him. The second figures throughout the author’s lucid, tality, predicted Hitler’s intention to go to war, and described fluent narrative at places like the Alamo and Wounded Knee. the vicious persecution of Jews, warning that it would end in (One of the recurrent characters is the Sioux leader Black Elk, mass murder. He worked hard and often creatively to process who lived a long life after many key battles.) Brands locates the avalanche of requests for U.S. visas, but, a loyal civil ser- irony in the fact that the West gave us the iconic figures of the vant, he obeyed America’s restrictive immigration laws. The sad lone gunfighter and stalwart settler while the conquest of the truth is that most Americans, including members of Congress, region was emphatically an exercise in collective power on the overwhelmingly opposed admitting refugees, and many high part of the federal government. Another irony, especially given officials in the State Department were anti-Semitic. Although current events in the region, is the fact that “by scores, then by sympathetic, Franklin Roosevelt refused to twist arms. “In the hundreds and thousands, illegal immigrants poured into Texas” fiscal year from July 1, 1933, to June 30, 1934, 891 people got US in the 1820s—illegal immigrants from, that is, the U.S., creating immigration visas in Berlin,” writes Breitman. “This means that the conditions that led to war with Mexico. The author turns somewhere around twelve thousand people were either for- up little-known historical facts: two subsequent invasions of mally rejected or, more commonly, placed on the informal and Texas, after the collapse of Mexican rule under Santa Anna, by inactive waiting list.” The author deplores this heartless policy, Mexican armies; the admission of California as a state in which but he mostly praises Geist’s efforts, which were admirable but slavery was illegal—but where blacks were almost forbidden to never heroic. enter; and many more, lending depth to his narrative. A vivid chronicle of 1930s Germany conveyed through A lively, well-written survey full of novel observations the life of a lesser-known historical figure. on a region shrouded in legend. (24 b/w images; 2 maps)

62 | 1 september 2019 | nonfiction | kirkus.com | THE COLLECTOR OF HOW CHARTS LIE LEFTOVER SOULS Getting Smarter About Field Notes on Brazil’s Visual Information Everyday Insurrections Cairo, Alberto Brum, Eliane Norton (256 pp.) Trans. by Whitty, Diane Grosklaus $25.95 | Oct. 15, 2019 Graywolf (232 pp.) 978-1-324-00156-0 $16.00 paper | Oct. 15, 2019 978-1-64445-005-5 As this entertaining addition demonstrates, the “how to lie with statistics” A selection of journalistic pieces genre is alive and well. from 1999 to 2007 by an accomplished Cairo (Chair, Visual Journalism/Univ. Brazilian journalist, novelist, and documentary filmmaker spot- of Miami; The Truthful Art: Data, Charts, and Maps for Communi lights “a country that exists only in the plural…the Brazils.” cation, 2016, etc.) points out that “charts may lie…because they A rigorous investigative journalist who attempts to inhabit display either the wrong information or too little information. the lives of her subjects while suppressing her own “biases, However, a chart can show the right type of information and judgments, [and] worldviews,” El País columnist Brum (One lie anyway due to poor design or labeling.” In a cheerful intro- Tw o , 2014, etc.) adheres to a method of listening carefully and ductory chapter, the author explains that, while writing was letting her subjects unravel the story themselves. In the first invented about 5,000 years ago and charts weren’t used until piece, “Forest of Midwives,” the author chronicles the vivid the late 1700s, both are encoded forms of communication with

tale of midwives in the riverlands of far northern Brazil, whose young adult ancient skills at “baby-catching” are passed from generation to generation. Although the women don’t get paid or have a lot to eat, children are their riches: “Out here in these backwaters of death,” says one elder midwife, “either we fill the world with children or we vanish.” Brum writes eloquently of people mired in the doomed cycle of poverty, most of whom can’t get a leg up because there is no support. In “Burial of the Poor,” the author writes about Antonio, “feller of trees,” who walked to the hospital to retrieve his stillborn baby, just one of the numberless poor who “begin to be buried in life.” In the most heart-wrenching longer piece, “The Noise,” Brum tells the story of T., a longtime worker in an asbestos plant in São Paulo who was dying of mesothelioma (the “noise” was the hideous sound of his gasping for breath). Poisoned by the plant owners who knew the health danger and tried to get him to sign away indemnity (he refused), he told Blum, “I am made of asbestos.” Among many other poignant stories, the author describes the teeming underbelly of the favelas in Brasilândia, the desperately poor gold prospec- tors in Eldorado do Juma, a defiant elderly community in Rio de Janeiro, and a threatened clan of Indigenous people deep in the heart of the Amazon. Ordinary lives rendered extraordinary by a master journalist who captures all their perplexity and quiet rebellion.

| kirkus.com | nonfiction | 1 september 2019 | 63 A newsworthy book in an electoral cycle that promises to see plenty of foreign interference— and little resistance from Republicans. crossfire hurricane

a structure and vocabulary. Readers receive well-researched norm has been destroyed, and even though the Mueller Report, information about the makeup of a chart along with the warn- by the author’s account, strongly suggests illegal activity, he ing that this knowledge, like rules of grammar, is necessary but writes that Attorney General William Barr, “describing law- not sufficient. It’s essential to pay attention. Cairo begins with fully predicated surveillance as ‘spying,’ ” and Trump’s personal a U.S. map, almost entirely red, that many claim shows the over- attorney, Rudolph Giuliani, are actively blocking for the White whelming popularity of Donald Trump in 2016. But how could House. Campbell notes that he left the agency voluntarily and that be if he received only 46 percent of the vote? The trick is has no ax to grind, though his principal person of interest is the that the map label shows not voters but counties with Trump current occupant of the White House: “I simply hope to illu- majorities. Since large counties (rural) mostly voted for him minate for US citizens the current and lasting consequences of and small counties (urban) didn’t, such a map is overwhelmingly Trump’s attacks on law enforcement.” That he does. red. The map, although real, is used to lie. In the generously A newsworthy book in an electoral cycle that promises illustrated chapters that follow, the author delivers a painless, to see plenty of foreign interference—and little resistance if often uncomfortable education. On a trivial level, one must from Republicans. know what a chart is measuring. A chart of homeless school- children in Florida reveals counties with more than 20 percent. The streets are not full of sleeping students because “homeless” LIFE ISN’T EVERYTHING is not defined as “no home” but rather as “lacking a fixed, regu- Mike Nichols as Remembered lar nighttime residence.” There are plenty of no-brainers, sadly by 103 of His Closest Friends widely ignored, such as, “correlation is not causation.” The Carter, Ash & Kashner, Sam graph showing that cigarette smoking increases in nations with Henry Holt (352 pp.) a greater life expectancy does not prove that smoking is healthy. $30.00 | Nov. 12, 2019 An ingenious tool for detecting flaws in charts, which 978-1-250-11287-3 nowadays seem mostly deliberate. (175 illustrations) Actors, writers, directors, critics, and producers remember a beloved friend. CROSSFIRE HURRICANE Esquire editor Carter and Vanity Fair Inside Donald Trump’s War contributing editor Kashner (When I Was on the FBI Cool: My Life at the Jack Kerouac School, 2004, etc.) bring together Campbell, Josh reminiscences about filmmaker, director, and comedian Mike Algonquin (288 pp.) Nichols (1931-2014), gleaned from interview transcripts and $28.95 | Sep. 17, 2019 conversations with more than 100 of his famous friends, includ- 978-1-61620-950-6 ing Meryl Streep, Robert Redford, Bob Newhart, Jules Feiffer, Cynthia Nixon, and Tom Hanks. Their remarks and anecdotes, “Never did I imagine a day when the organized to chronicle Nichols’ life and career, cohere into a greatest threats to our institutions would candid, intimate portrayal of a man they loved and admired. “I come from within our own government”: was always in awe of Mike,” Woody Allen admitted, for both A former special agent details just what it his talent and charm. Many echoed Anjelica Huston in remark- is that Donald Trump doesn’t like about the FBI. ing on his “incredible capacity for friendship that makes you Now a CNN analyst, Campbell served as assistant to for- think you’re absolutely unique.” Candice Bergen, who found mer FBI director James Comey, among other assignments over him intimidating at first, praised him for trying to make every- a 12-year career. It was in that role that he participated in the one feel comfortable: “He paid attention to you, which people operation of his title, its name taken from the Rolling Stones of success and achievement and intellect rarely do.” Nichols song “Jumping Jack Flash.” It was early on in the 2016 presi- long struggled with feeling like an outsider. Born Igor Mikhail dential campaign that the Steele report emerged from a Brit- Peschkowsky, he left Germany with his family in 1939, knowing ish intelligence agent “that contained unverified but explosive no English. When he was 5, probably in response to illness, he charges against then candidate Trump.” In those green times, lost all his hair, an affliction that deeply embarrassed him; as an even a couple of Republican senators worried that the report adult, he wore specially made hair and eyebrow pieces. His career was worth pursuing, one of them, not coincidentally, John began as an entertainer; friends recall his synergy with Elaine May, McCain. Comey’s unpleasant task was to report to Trump that who “liberated Mike’s unconscious” to inform their “side-split- the FBI had the information and that he was indeed under ting and irresistible” comedy improvisations. “God, they’re amaz- investigation for illegal ties to Russia, something Trump has ing,” Robin Williams once remarked. Nichols fell into depression vehemently denied. In the end, he fired Comey and effectively after their split, until he was lured into directing, teaming with declared war on the FBI for supposedly being against him polit- Neil Simon for Barefoot in the Park and The Odd Couple. “Mike had ically even though, Campbell notes, the agency is apolitical— a fabulous gift for staging, an instinct for what would work on and, he adds, “one key aspect of law enforcement in this nation Broadway,” Allen recalled, and a sure eye for choosing scripts and that separates us from authoritarian regimes has been the norm casts: Elizabeth Taylor in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, for exam- that politicians do not interfere in the work of the FBI.” That ple, and Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate. Nichols’ attitudes

64 | 1 september 2019 | nonfiction | kirkus.com | about money, fame, art, and marriage all emerge from the con- A HUMAN ALGORITHM tributors’ wide-ranging recollections. How Artificial Intelligence Is A warmhearted, revelatory composite portrait. Redefining Who We Are Coleman, Flynn Counterpoint (336 pp.) SAVING AMERICA’S CITIES $26.00 | Oct. 1, 2019 Ed Logue and the Struggle to 978-1-64009-236-5 Renew Urban America in the Suburban Age A writer, human rights attorney, and Cohen, Lizabeth public speaker explores how our rela- Farrar, Straus and Giroux (560 pp.) tionship with intelligent technologies $35.00 | Oct. 1, 2019 will help us reimagine what it means to 978-0-374-25408-7 be human. In this earnest, meaty investigation of the ideal future of A biography of urban planner Ed how we work with intelligent technologies, Coleman posits that Logue (1921-2000). we are at the end of the last cycle of technological development In fashion across the United States led entirely by humans. Artificial intelligence will be a partner after World War II, “urban renewal” often meant razing low- in defining the next era of our technological future. Right now, income neighborhoods to build new highways and upscale she writes, “we are alarmingly unready for the reality of pow- housing, displacing people of color without providing adequate erful AI that reaches conclusions and decisions independent

relocation services. Logue, a sometimes acerbic, supremely young adult confident planner and academic, earned a reputation as a public administrator sensitive to the needs of the poor as well as the wealthy. Starting in New Haven, Logue—in tandem with the mayor, legislators, and private-sector developers—won national and then international acclaim for improving city life for a significant percentage of residents. While those being displaced sometimes complained that Logue failed to listen to their wishes and needs, Cohen (American Studies/Harvard Univ.; A Consumers’ Republic: The Politics of Mass Consumption in Postwar America, 2003, etc.) demonstrates that Logue did sincerely consider the relocation of low-income residents, even while appearing condescending at times. Convinced he had accomplished all he could in New Haven, he accepted the challenge of urban renewal in Boston, a city with more serious problems, both in terms of financing and regarding white residents who were pushing back against mixed-race neighborhoods. While working through the Boston obstacles, Logue received an offer from New York Gov. Nelson Rockefeller to implement urban renewal throughout New York state. In this deeply researched work, Cohen skillfully chronicles Logue’s rise and fall during his New York tenure, which ended in the mid-1980s. “As opportunities allowed it, [he] enjoyed being what I have described as a rebel in the belly of the establishment beast, using his powerful position to pursue his goals and, if necessary, impose his own standards and values on projects and people,” writes the author. “But over time Logue learned that this role did not always serve him well.” Though Logue’s life stands on its own, it’s inevitable that readers will compare this book to Robert Caro’s lauded Robert Moses biography, The Power Broker. While it’s not that, Cohen’s portrait is well rounded and useful for public officials and students of city planning and public works. A robust, richly documented biography. (32 pages of b/w illustrations; 3 maps)

| kirkus.com | nonfiction | 1 september 2019 | 65 There is much more to inequality and discrimination than we know, and Crump will open your eyes. Pay attention. open season

from human intervention.” We are training machines to teach Russell “announced she was getting in shape through a regimen themselves with AI algorithms that allow computers to learn on of rolling over 250 times every morning.” Some women—like their own rather than be incrementally programmed. It is vital, activist Jane Addams and Labor Secretary Frances Perkins— Coleman implores, that we incorporate core human beliefs into defied social expectations by entering business and politics; AI values. This will open up an encompassing reappraisal of not others believed that women’s place was in the home. During just the human place in the cosmos; we will need to address the periods of economic stress, especially the Depression, women nature of consciousness as it relates to AI and ourselves. Cur- who worked were condemned for taking jobs away from men. rently, we haven’t locked in “a complete definition of synthetic In the 1960s, however, when fewer workers were available intelligence, much less shape[d] the regulations, rules, codes, because of the low birth rate of the 1930s, more opportunities values, and laws needed to guide it.” The author examines a opened up for older women. As Collins sees it, there was never host of relevant concerns—the role of curiosity, what rights a time when women’s aging wasn’t controversial and, for some, will be afforded AI machinery, and the question of whether a troubling. But, she adds, “we’re teaching ourselves how to get self-aware robot has a soul (whatever that is)—and she empha- old in the best way possible.” sizes the importance of transparency, inclusive thinking, and A lively celebration of women’s potential. the building of compassion, quality of life, and fairness into the machines to construct a moral imagination. Coleman necessarily operates in the realm of conjecture because she grapples OPEN SEASON with age-old questions and the unframed future. However, AI’s Legalized Genocide of rapidly expanding capacity for autonomy suggests that these Colored People are the very questions that must be addressed now. How we Crump, Ben choose to develop synthetic intelligence will tell us how we will Amistad/HarperCollins (256 pp.) protect and expand our rights and freedoms in the future. $26.99 | Oct. 15, 2019 An energetic, holistic consideration of AI’s potentiali- 978-0-06-237509-4 ties to impact our lives in profound ways. An accomplished civil rights attorney and former president of the National NO STOPPING US NOW Bar Association exposes subtle, systemic A History of Older Women in genocide in America. America Crump assails the criminal justice system in the United Collins, Gail States as one designed for white, wealthy men: All others are Little, Brown (432 pp.) on their own. “This book,” he writes, “featuring many of the $30.00 | Oct. 15, 2019 cases I have worked on, reveals the systematic legalization of 978-0-316-28654-1 discrimination in the United States, and particularly how it can lead to genocide—the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a “This is the story about women and age people. This book particularly addresses genocide as it relates in America,” writes New York Times op-ed to colored people.” It’s vital, writes the author, to understand- columnist Collins (As Texas Goes…. How the ing the terms involved as well as how those terms have been Lone Star State Hijacked the American Agenda, manipulated over time. First, the concept of race does not 2012, etc.) in a jaunty survey of women’s lives from Colonial days to have a biological or genetic basis. It began in the 15th century the 21st century, focusing on the ever changing designation of what as Europe sought to justify enslaving, murdering, and stealing counts as old age. the lands of Indigenous people. When left unchecked, racism, Colonial society valued usefulness, no matter what a the assertion of superiority in order to discriminate, is a tool woman’s age, and in the 1920s, any woman older than 19 was of genocide. There are also institutional racism and environ- considered past her prime. Dispatching the 18th and 19th cen- mental racism, demonstrated in the plight of citizens enduring turies in a handful of chapters, Collins looks at the 20th cen- poisonous water in Flint, Michigan, as well as legal slavery in tury decade by decade, enlivening her history with portraits of our prisons, people innocently killed in police custody or on a wide variety of significant women—for example, the legend- the street under “stand your ground” laws. Crump consistently ary African American stagecoach driver Mary Fields, who was condemns the courts’ failures, demonstrating how policing is “past fifty when she moved to a Catholic mission in Montana, unequal and disproportionate; as he notes, people of color are where she helped out by hauling supplies”; Frances Willard, far more likely to go to jail for misdemeanors than white people. who wrote a bestseller about learning how to ride a bicycle at The Supreme Court has a long pattern of intellectual justifica- 53; and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who published an article about tion of discrimination and has relied on the concept of states’ divorce reform two weeks before she died at 86. Some women rights to throw out cases. Though Jim Crow laws were over- Collins profiles in her abundantly populated history faced grow- turned in the 1960s, new laws quickly replaced them, laws that ing older with equanimity; others saw aging as “a problem to may be less obvious but still result in voter suppression. Crump be solved through personal effort” that included diet, exercise, rightly warns readers to ignore talk of voter fraud; it’s a myth cosmetic surgery, and hair dye. In the early 1900s, actress Lillian used to justify restrictive laws. Many readers will be justifiably

66 | 1 september 2019 | nonfiction | kirkus.com | infuriated by the author’s well-documented findings; hopefully, ORDINARY GIRLS they will also choose to follow his 12 “personal action steps” to A Memoir combat systemic racism. Díaz, Jaquira There is much more to inequality and discrimina- Algonquin (336 pp.) tion than we know, and Crump will open your eyes. Pay $26.95 | Oct. 29, 2019 attention. 978-1-61620-913-1

An “ordinary girl” rebels against her ESSAYS ONE unstable life in Puerto Rico and Miami Davis, Lydia Beach until military service helps her Farrar, Straus and Giroux (528 pp.) gain a life-altering self-confidence. $30.00 | Nov. 12, 2019 Growing up in housing projects in 978-0-374-14885-0 Puerto Rico, Díaz (editor: 15 Views of Miami, 2014) tossed aside the blonde-haired Barbie dolls her elders gave her. “They always The first of a proposed two-volume made me feel ugly, the brown kid who would never look like her collection of essays from one of Ameri- white mother,” she writes in her inventive debut memoir. It ca’s most ingenious short story writers. didn’t help that her philandering father sold drugs, her mother The goal of these essays, writes Davis showed alarming signs of her soon-to-be-diagnosed schizophre- (Can’t and Won’t: Stories, 2014, etc.), is to nia, and only her loving grandmother provided a stable pres- “reflect, to some extent, two of the main ence in her life and those of her two siblings. Hoping for better,

occupations of my life—writing and translating.” Included here young adult are pieces that range from an appreciation of authors such as Samuel Beckett, Grace Paley, and Franz Kafka, whose works inspired the extremely short stories for which Davis is most celebrated, to essays that reflect her thoughts on the work of translation. Among the latter are essays on John Ashbery’s translation of Rimbaud’s Illuminations, in which she praises Ashbery’s approach “to stay close to the original, following the line of the sentence, retaining the order of ideas and images, reproducing even eccentric or inconsistent punctuation”—not surprising, given that she, too, has been praised (and criticized) for the same approach to translation. Many of the authors Davis explores are French, from famous names such as Proust and Stendahl to comparatively obscure writers such as Maurice Blanchot and Michel Leiris, author of the multivolume “autobiographical essay” The Rules of the Game. Essays on visual artists such as Joan Mitchell and Joseph Cornell are less insightful than the pieces on literature, and some essays rely so heavily on excerpts from other writers’ works that it feels like Davis is showcasing their opinions rather than putting forth her own. However, at her best, she’s an astute critic, as when, in analyz- ing early works by Thomas Pynchon, she notes his tendency to go “beyond eloquence to a kind of hyper-eloquence that becomes a display of power over language itself that perhaps borders on control by coercion,” or when she writes of poet Rae Armantrout, “under the lens she turns on everything, the refrac- tive lens, a bland world loses its blandness….I see more clearly because of the way she sees.” Lively essays bound to stimulate debate among readers of global literature. (21 full-color illustrations)

| kirkus.com | nonfiction | 1 september 2019 | 67 A powerful memoir of deep loss driven by the author’s desire to get at harrowing answers to difficult questions. stealing green mangoes

her father moved the family to Miami Beach when Díaz was memoir opens with a shattering call from France, where Raju in elementary school. But the money ran out, and the family had married and was living, to notify the author that his brother was evicted repeatedly from shabby apartments. As “a closeted had been incarcerated for murder. Throughout, Dutta captures queer girl in a homophobic place,” the author couldn’t adjust, the enormous sense of humiliation wrought by this crisis; in kept getting arrested, and ended up in Narcotics Anonymous Indian society, he writes, “the responsibility for a crime lies not and a juvenile detention center. Depressed and desperate to with the perpetrator, but with the entire family.” end the free fall, she dropped out of high school at 16, married A powerful memoir of deep loss driven by the author’s at 17, and made a life-changing move at 18, enlisting in the U.S. desire to get at harrowing answers to difficult questions. Navy. As she aced military tests, her faith in herself grew and led eventually to a graduate degree and a literary career that has earned her two Pushcart Prizes. Using flashbacks, shifts in ON THE SHOULDERS tense, and other novelistic devices, Díaz weaves impressionistic OF GIANTS vignettes about Puerto Rican history and culture into her story, Eco, Umberto which begins when she watches an activist’s funeral procession Trans. by McEwen, Alastair in Puerto Rico in 1985 and ends after a recent visit to the island Belknap/Harvard Univ. (288 pp.) in the wake of Hurricane María. Along the way, she withholds $27.95 | Oct. 22, 2019 key dates and other facts that would have made it easier to put 978-0-674-24089-6 some events in context. However, the literary bells and whistles give her story a broader interest than many memoirs that are Like a collection of TED talks on more solipsistic. This book isn’t just about the author’s quest philosophy and literary history, these for self-determination; it’s also about Puerto Rico’s. 12 dazzling texts explore grand themes An unusually creative memoir of a bicultural life. of intellectual curiosity such as beauty, secrecy, the invisible, and the sacred. Each essay was originally presented as a lecture at the Mila- STEALING GREEN nesiana Festival in Milan, where Eco (Chronicles of a Liquid Soci MANGOES ety, 2017, etc.) spoke yearly from 2001 to 2015. They represent “a Two Brothers, Two rough and ready semiotics,” but they maintain a sense of famil- Fates, One Indian Childhood iarity and oral tradition that aligns the book with works like Dutta, Sunil Plato’s Symposium and other ancient philosophical texts. Eco Anthony Bourdain/Ecco (256 pp.) explores big ideas, some of which were prompted by the festi- $26.99 | Oct. 1, 2019 val’s organizers, and with a staggering bibliography of sources, 978-0-06-279585-4 he playfully meanders from the writings of Thomas Aquinas to Alexandre Dumas to Dan Brown. In a 2004 lecture on the sub- The poignant memoir of two broth- lime, he explores the medieval understanding of beauty in terms ers raised under the dark shadow of of proportion, luminosity, and integrity, all while invoking the Indian Partition who forged wildly dif- golden ratio and the splendor of Caspar David Friedrich’s paint- ferent paths in life. ings. The following year, Eco delivered a lecture on ugliness that Dutta (Bloodlines: The Imperial Roots of Terrorism in South Asia, drew on The Tempest’s Caliban, Cyrano de Bergerac, and even a 2015, etc.) and his older brother, Kaushal (“Raju”), were born in bevy of grotesque Bond villains from Ian Fleming’s novels. It’s a the late 1960s to poor Hindu refugees in Jaipur. Their Indian thrill to connect ideas between lectures: Eco’s thoughts on ugli- father, a government clerk, had arrived in 1959, forced by the ness, beauty, and kitsch return in a 2012 talk on imperfections violence after the Partition to flee his homeland. From enjoying in art and literature, where he explains, “what we look for in the status of Brahmin to living in a near-destitute condition, the a work of art (at least these days) is not a correspondence to family spiraled over the decades into “bitter shame” and familial a canon of taste, but to an internal norm, where economy and squabbles, a toxic atmosphere in which Dutta and Raju were formal consistency regulate the text in all its parts.” In other raised. While Raju was by nature precocious, charming, and words, context is key. But how to contextualize this book, with daring, the author, in contrast, grew inward, becoming idealistic its heightened erudition and limited accessibility? With philo- and shy. In moving, honest prose, Dutta follows the disparate sophical citations that span pages at a time and Eco’s penchant trajectories of their lives. Raju became entangled in a relation- for using the original Latin whenever he can, this book’s “inter- ship with a rich, older gay man, which propelled him into posh nal norm” is situated in the college-level classroom or the spe- jet-setting and eventually a criminal life abroad. Meanwhile, the cial collections wing of a university library. author fell in love with an American woman and followed her to A rigorous exploration for able academics. America in 1986. Dutta went to school, became a research biologist and then, in an odd but determined turn, a police officer in Los Angeles and a professor of homeland security and issues- involved terrorism. Meanwhile, Raju descended into the life of a con man and, later, terrorist. Both were cancer survivors. The

68 | 1 september 2019 | nonfiction | kirkus.com | NO SURRENDER HEIRS OF AN A Father, a Son, and an HONORED NAME Extraordinary Act of Heroism The Decline of the Adams That Continues To Live Family and the Rise of on Today Modern America Edmonds, Chris & Century, Douglas Egerton, Douglas R. HarperOne (336 pp.) Basic (480 pp.) $29.99 | Oct. 8, 2019 $35.00 | Oct. 29, 2019 978-0-06-290501-7 978-0-465-09388-5

After discovering that his late father A study of the devolution of Amer- was a war hero, a son takes a deep dive ica’s first dynasty as it reflected the into World War II and the terrors of the Nazi regime. nation’s increasingly democratic and unruly dynamic. Along with Century (co-author: Hunting El Chapo, 2018, etc.), American history scholar Egerton (History/Le Moyne Coll.; Tennessee-based pastor and first-time author Edmonds relates Thunder at the Gates: The Black Civil War Regiments That Redeemed a fascinating war story. When the author’s daughter announced America, 2016, etc.) delves deeply into the third, fourth, and that she wanted to write a school paper on her paternal grand- fifth generations of the Adams, finding them more “cripple[ed]” father, Roddie, it startled him into realizing how little he actu- than entitled by the legacy of the great Revolutionary hero ally knew about him. He knew from reading his father’s journals and second president, John Adams, and even that of his illus- that the Nazis had captured him during battle and forced him trious son, John Quincy Adams, who served both as president

to spend several months in brutal POW camps. Other than that, young adult Edmonds knew very little. “His descriptions were terse,” writes the author. “Bare facts. Sometimes just fragmented sentences. Mental notes. Personal shorthand. Words clearly scribbled in haste.” Roddie had never spoken of his experiences, and Edmonds had never asked. Now, though, startled by his daughter’s plan, finding out all he could about his father became an obsession. He tracked down everyone he could find whose names were in the journals, and what they told him startled him even more: On more than one occasion, his father had saved the lives of hundreds of fellow POWs by refusing to follow Nazi officers’ orders, despite their threats to kill him if he did not. Ostensibly, the narrative—essentially a love letter from a son to his late father that is occasionally cloying—is about those two episodes, although Edmonds only devotes roughly 10 pages to them. In the bulk of the book, the author describes in chilling, horrifying detail how Nazi soldiers overran an American front line, captured thousands of GIs, forced them to march on frozen and frostbitten feet for days without food or water, and then tortured and starved them in POW camps, often leading to death. A you-are-there portrait of the horrors of war and the incredible effect one selfless person can have on hundreds.

| kirkus.com | nonfiction | 1 september 2019 | 69

INTERVIEWS & PROFILES James Poniewozik

IN AUDIENCE OF ONE, THE TV CRITIC EXPLORES HOW THE CHARACTER DONALD TRUMP PLAYED ON TV AND IN THE TABLOIDS BECAME A REAL PRESIDENT By Donald Liebenson Photo courtesy Mark Roussel That character was born on Aug. 21, 1980, when Trump, then 33, was interviewed on Today by a fawn- ing Tom Brokaw. This Trump, Poniewozik writes, “is the most influential character in the history of TV. He deserves a careful review.” Over the 20 years he has been a TV critic, Po- niewozik did not take this Trump seriously. “I take it a lot more seriously now,” he said in a recent interview. “He has been able to accumulate cultural capital because he ran through different forms of media—tabloids, reality TV, talk shows—where he was regarded as a running joke. There wasn’t a great deal of fact checking. As a result, in these low-stakes environments, he created all kinds of myths about himself. He got the New York tabloids to say he was a billionaire when he wasn’t. That’s the kernel of the whole Donald Trump story; it was a joke that turned terribly serious.” Poniewozik’s book, his first, is an insightful and revelatory chronicle of Donald Trump as a cultural phenomenon that is inextricably tied to the evolu- U.S. President Donald J. Trump was born on tion of television. This approach, he said, avoids the June 14, 1946. But he is not the subject of New York problems tied to writing contemporary books about Times television critic James Poniewozik’s essential the current administration. “How do you write cultural history, Audience of One: Donald Trump, Tele something that is not expired by the time it hits the vision and the Fracturing of America (Liveright, Sept. shelf?” he posed. “The news today is like drinking 10). Poniewozik’s focus is on “Donald J. Trump,” from a fire hose. There are developments and out- a multimedia character that Trump, the author rages you forget about the next day because other writes, “has relentlessly honed and performed for huge mind-boggling things have happened.” decades, in the New York newspapers, on Oprah, in The story of Trump and television has not been The Art of the Deal, in sitcoms and movies, on The adequately analyzed, Poniewozik contended. “Be- Apprentice, in Fox News studios, on the internet, in fore reality TV, he was famous for being famous. His the WWE wrestling ring, in campaign rallies and talent was for branding and symbolism. He under- in the White House.” stood from the standpoint of media and celebrity

70 | 1 september 2019 | nonfiction | kirkus.com | that it’s more important to look like the most successful, richest businessman than it is to be the most successful, richest businessman. It’s not acting; it’s being an amplified version of yourself that gets the biggest reaction and provokes the most intense response. Reality TV is a genre in which you take broad symbols—the big gleaming tower with your name on it in golden letters; Liberace multiplied by and anti-slavery congressman. As the author discovered while wading through vast amounts of research material—the dense Versailles—that look more like people’s mental con- narrative, packed with layered family detail, will lose some ception of success than the actual reality.” readers—the problem was that the Adams “progeny grew up aware of the perfectionist standards demanded of them, but As befitting a reality TV president who speaks equally mindful of their failures to reach those goals.” Alcohol- in the lingo of the genre (“Stay tuned”), Poniewozik ism plagued several of the promising youth—e.g., John Quin- tells this story in 10 “episodes” and a finale. He hopes cy’s two brothers, Charles and Thomas—as well as those of the next generation, including two of John Quincy’s sons—George readers will get a better understanding of “how we and John II—who both died as young men. The one son of got from Point A to Point B, where being the host of John Quincy to carry on valiantly into Victorian responsibility was Charles Francis (Sr.), who was elected to Congress yet a reality show has become being the ‘governor of a never captured the presidency; he also served on the court of St. state’ in terms of qualifications for running for pres- James in London during the Civil War. His sons were a motley ident. Popular culture gives you a language you can assortment: Charles Francis Jr. enlisted on the Northern side of the war out of familial obligation, but he expressed dismay- use to reach people on a level that is nonliteral and ing racist views. John Quincy II was the first to abandon the therefore more powerful and more gut-level than a Republican Party for the Democratic Party “because of his dis- platform of policy positions. Television is a power- affection for Reconstruction reforms.” Henry, rather more ver- satile, served as his father’s secretary in London and became a

ful storytelling medium and if one doesn’t learn how notable journalist and historian. As for the women of the family, young adult to use the culture to tell better stories, someone will many were gifted, yet most were thwarted. Thankfully, Egerton provides a family tree, which readers will want to keep handy. use it to tell worse ones.” A deeply researched, recondite, occasionally mind- scrambling maze of familial relations and historical detail. Donald Liebenson is a Chicago-based writer for the Wa s h - (24 halftones) ington Post, the Los Angeles Times, VanityFair.com, Vulture.com CRUCIBLE and . The Long End of the Great War and the Birth of a New World, 1917-1924 Emmerson, Charles PublicAffairs (688 pp.) $35.00 | Oct. 15, 2019 978-1-61039-782-7

An intimate survey of a critical transition point in modern history. Emmerson (1913: The Year Before the Great War, 2013, etc.) builds his history around a number of key personalities who shaped the era between 1917 and 1924, a time of betrayed idealism, social turmoil, and revolutions. Chief among them are Lenin, Trotsky, Mussolini, and Hitler, all of whom took their nations in directions that would eventually result in World War II. There are also plenty of interesting supporting players, including Kaiser Wilhelm, Woodrow Wil- son, Winston Churchill, Irish revolutionary Éamon de Valera, and Turkish liberator Kemal Ataturk; black nationalist Marcus Garvey and his rival W.E.B. Du Bois; scientists Sigmund Freud and Albert Einstein; writers André Breton and Ernest Heming- way; singer and dancer Josephine Baker; and a host of others. The author tells the story by giving each of his characters a few paragraphs, then moving on to another, with the overall chronological narrative organized by the seasons of the year. This approach is especially valuable in giving readers a sense of the career arcs of significant historical figures along with a solid

| kirkus.com | nonfiction | 1 september 2019 | 71 Relentlessly honest, untamed, and often revelatory. acid for the children

feel for the landscape of Europe 100 years ago. The focus is on ACID FOR THE CHILDREN Europe, although the United States is by no means neglected, A Memoir especially in terms of racial tensions and the anti-Semitic writ- Flea ings of Henry Ford, whom Hitler admired and at one point Grand Central Publishing (400 pp.) hoped to win support from. Throughout this comprehensive $29.00 | Nov. 5, 2019 history, there are few missteps. Emmerson does gloss over the 978-1-4555-3053-3 sinking of the Lusitania, a key driver of American entry in the war, and he also uses nicknames for several major players— A wild ride through the coming-of- Lenin is “the impatient revolutionary,” Hitler “the mangy field- age wilderness of the famed rock bassist. runner”—which he repeats constantly. Nonetheless, the author Though this volume barely touches on provides an illuminating picture of how the world moved from a the career of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, “war to end all wars” to an era of dictators and toxic nationalism. the band whose fans will likely constitute A fascinating slice of history told through the daily its most ardent readership, Flea’s spirit permeates the narrative, lives of some of its iconic figures. which is scattered, reflective, hedonistic, funny, scary, and occasionally redemptive. By the time it finishes, the author has just turned 20, and the band has just begun its launch. Even early on, THE EIGHT MASTER LESSONS he writes, “I knew it was all there [with the band]. I could see its OF NATURE path stretched out before me, but like Dorothy and Toto, I had no What Nature Teaches Us idea of what walking it could mean.” Flea was born Michael Peter About Living Well in the Balzary in Melbourne, Australia, on Oct. 16, 1962, preceded by an World older sister, to a mother and father who would split during his early Ferguson, Gary childhood. His father continued to live in Australia, where his sister Dutton (272 pp.) would return, while his mother moved with her son to the United $27.00 | Oct. 22, 2019 States. In New York City, they lived with Walter, a tempestuous 978-1-5247-4338-3 jazz musician who became Flea’s stepfather. Despite his erratic behavior, Walter showed the author how to “utilize the pathos of Eight lessons about getting back in his life to create thrilling art. The anger and loneliness, the pain touch with nature and “befriending the from feeling hurt and neglected could be fuel for the greatest gifts.” powerful emotions that nature often ignites in us.” For years, Flea was an outsider, and his weirdness only intensified In his latest, longtime nature writer Ferguson (The Carry once the family moved from New York to Los Angeles in order to Home: Lessons From the American Wilderness, 2014, etc.) explores further what never quite became a musical career for Walter. As how “the natural world remains a ready source of essential les- a “street kid” (“not a homeless kid, not an uneducated kid, but a sons, each one helping us better understand what life really needs street kid”) in LA, the author discovered a host of colorful charac- in order to thrive.” The author focuses his tranquil narrative on ters and drugs, played trumpet and loved jazz, and read Vonnegut. eight useful lessons that we learn from nature that teach us how Few of the chapters, which unfold in bursts of jazzy, sometimes to live in harmony and balance with the world around us. It’s irregular prose (and little attention to grammar), extend for more important to embrace the boundless mystery and wonder of than a page or two, and some of them are just a paragraph. Flea was what we know—and what we don’t—and we must also appreciate still a street kid when he bonded with future band mates Anthony the vast dynamic webs of connection in nature, collaborative net- Kiedis, Hillel Slovek, and Jack Irons. works that permit the system as a whole to thrive. He then sings Relentlessly honest, untamed, and often revelatory. the praises of biodiversity. “The more players there are in a natu- Perhaps a second volume is in the works? ral system, the more vibrant those players will be, he writes. “And also, the more resilient the system will be in the face of change…. This beautifully rich and robust planet is in all seasons nothing THE SURVIVORS if not a constantly unfolding testament to the essential power A Story of War, Inheritance, of diversity.” Ferguson goes on to plumb the ancient wisdom of and Healing the matriarch and the imbalance and unsustainability that come Frankel, Adam P. from moving through the world with only masculine energy as Harper/HarperCollins (288 pp.) a guide. Despite the fact that he is often communing with the $27.99 | Oct. 29, 2019 mystical, Ferguson cuts with a sharp knife on such topics as the 978-0-06-225858-8 commonality we share with animals, keeping what’s most essential from perishing, the wisdom that flows from mature adults to A debut memoir about “the ways the less experienced, nature’s love of efficiency, and the beauty the trauma of the Holocaust has rever- of nature itself, “a gentle nudge to get us happily out of our self- berated through the generations of [the centeredness and into the wonder of being in and of it all.” author’s] family.” A mellow, meditative book for nature lovers and those Frankel, a former speechwriter for Barack Obama, focuses who want to reconnect with the world around them. first on his maternal grandparents, who not only managed to

72 | 1 september 2019 | nonfiction | kirkus.com | survive the Nazi death camps, but also thrived, on the surface at hormones disrupted and will experience muscle degeneration, least, after their arrival in the United States a few years after the an increase in fat tissue, and general sickness. “Sleep depriva- end of World War II. They settled in New Haven, Connecticut, tion,” writes the author, “winds its tentacles around pretty where they ran a jewelry store specializing in watch repair. As much every physiological process going….Chronic inadequate the author learned incremental details about their experiences, sleep precedes the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, cancer and vari- his respect and adoration for his grandparents only grew. The ous psychiatric illnesses; it is also associated with heart disease, dominant character in the family chronicle, however, is Fran- obesity and diabetes.” Geddes investigates a variety of topics kel’s mother, Ellen, a functional career woman but emotion- related to light and sleep, including artificial lighting, vitamin ally unstable individual. Ellen grew up understandably marked D supplements, seasonal affective disorder, light therapy, and by the survival saga of her parents, and Frankel speculates the cardiovascular system’s circadian variations. The author is about how being the devoted daughter of Holocaust survivors a sure hand when it comes to explaining the various biological affected Ellen. “All of the drama, the volatility, hardly seemed interactions and a steady voice in calling for lifestyles more in Mom’s fault,” he writes. “She was, I knew, at the mercy of her sync with our master clocks and less hidebound by work or tra- emotions, subject to their fickle swings.” The author also looks dition. “It doesn’t matter when you start work, so long as you inward to determine what his family’s experiences mean for get the job done. It’s about internal time, not what the clock on him as a Jew growing up in a less perilous environment. For stu- the wall says.” dents of American politics and history, Frankel’s apprenticeship A sparkling story about how we can forge a healthier with John F. Kennedy confidant Ted Sorensen and later work relationship with light. for Obama provide welcome relief from the otherwise relentless emotional roller coaster. Frankel’s marriage and fatherhood

add further poignancy to the narrative, and his well-delineated WHAT GOD IS young adult portraits of his cousins, aunts, uncles, and their extended fami- HONORED HERE? lies provide helpful context to the dramatic family saga. It’s a Writings on Miscarriage and unique addition to the literature of personal accounts that keep Infant Loss by and for Native the memory of the Holocaust alive at a time when it is “getting Women and Women of Color harder to teach young people about [it] because the most com- Ed. by Gibney, Shannon & Yang, Kao Kalia pelling instructors—survivors—are all passing away.” Univ. of Minnesota (256 pp.) An emotionally powerful multigenerational memoir. $19.95 paper | Oct. 15, 2019 (b/w photos) 978-1-5179-0793-8

A profound collection reflecting the CHASING THE SUN contributors’ “claim on [their] lives as indigenous women and How the Science of Sunlight women of color who have experienced infant and fetal loss, in Shapes Our Bodies and its many forms.” Minds Though each piece of this collection—edited by Gibney (See Geddes, Linda No Color, 2015) and Yang (The Song Poet: A Memoir of My Father, Pegasus (256 pp.) 2016, etc.)—shares the common theme of infant mortality, each $27.95 | Oct. 1, 2019 woman’s story grips readers with its individuality and its gut- 978-1-64313-217-4 wrenching pain and sorrow. These tales of loss—from miscarriage, stillbirth, misdiagnosis, ectopic pregnancies, and sudden An exploration of the effects of the infant death—all carry the weight of the woman’s heartbreak. sun on our physical and mental health. They also show abundant love and the honor they felt to be preg- Light plays a critical part in the daily nant, regardless of the outcome. Some tales are straightforward and seasonal rhythms of our lives. It touches on all manner of and read like a medical history while others ponder the spiritual- bodily function—particularly hormonal and enzyme release— ity of life and death. Some women still sense the movement of and synchronizes the body’s cellular clock. As science journalist their child inside them, even after having other children. “Accord- Geddes (Bumpology: The Myth-Busting Pregnancy Book for Curious ing to the Center for Disease Control, in the general population Parents-To -Be, 2014) writes in this bright and curiosity-stoking of the United States, 15 to 20 percent of pregnant women will introduction to chronobiology, these processes are closely experience a miscarriage in their lifetime,” write the editors in linked to circadian rhythms. As a species, we haven’t shuffled the introduction. The numbers grow disproportionately higher to the circadian beat for centuries, and we have paid a price for women of color, which means that many women will readily for not paying attention to the natural cycles of light and dark. empathize with the thoughts and feelings of these talented writ- Interrupt the master clock, and the first thing to go is intricate ers and poets who effectively transform their significant internal thinking. The brain uses sleep time to replenish energy mole- pain into inspiring art. The narratives are complex and can pro- cules expended during waking hours. Without adequate sleep, duce feelings of tension and anxiety, but that only speaks to the alertness suffers, speed and reaction time diminish, and depres- quality of the writing. Their trauma will affect each reader dif- sion lurks. Even the moderately sleep-deprived human has their ferently, but it’s guaranteed that no one will walk away unmoved.

| kirkus.com | nonfiction | 1 september 2019 | 73 “Grief and total desperation joined me to so many women,” writes STARSTRUCK IN THE Sarah Agaton Howes, and continues, “they surround me with PROMISED LAND their stories, their hands, their laughter, their bitterness, and How the Arts Shaped their sheer determination to not die. I came from this legacy of American Passions About sadness. But I also came from their legacy of survival.” Israel A difficult yet important read. Goldman, Shalom Univ. of North Carolina (256 pp.) $28.00 | Oct. 7, 2019 HOMEWRECKERS 978-1-4696-5241-2 How a Gang of Wall Street Kingpins, Hedge Fund The considerable effects of literature, Magnates, Crooked Banks, music (popular and classical), and other and Vulture Capitalists arts on Americans’ attitudes about Israel. Suckered Millions Out of Goldman (Religion/Middlebury Coll.; Jewish-Christian Their Homes and Demolished Difference and Modern Jewish Identity: Seven Twentieth-Century the American Dream Converts, 2015, etc.) delivers a studied and sturdy look at what Glantz, Aaron the subtitle promises. He also inserts elements of memoir, Custom House/Morrow (432 pp.) describing his youthful experiences in Israel, his time in the $27.99 | Oct. 15, 2019 military there, and some negative reactions to his writing and 978-0-06-286953-1 talks about Israel’s rightward turn. (He is deeply concerned about the rise of the right and American evangelicals’ unques- A tale of greed and corruption involving “corporate land- tioning support for it.) Although artists and their works are his lords” who “drove a generational transfer of wealth from hun- principal focus, Goldman does not assume that readers know dreds of thousands of individual homeowners to a handful of the history of the Middle East from the early 19th century. well-heeled bankers and titans of private equity.” Consequently, in each chapter, he includes historical back- Many previous books have painted searing portraits of mas- ground of each period he discusses across the chronological sive financial fraud in the mortgage and investment banking world, narrative. We revisit the Ottoman Empire, the founding of including David Dayen’s Chain of Title: How Three Ordinary Ameri- the country after World War II, the Six-Day War, Camp David, cans Uncovered Wall Street’s Great Foreclosure Fraud (2016). While the various Israeli political leaders throughout the decades— Dayen told his tale mostly from the ground up, Glantz (The War and much more. As a result, his discussions of the artists Comes Home: Washington’s Battle Against America’s Veterans, 2009, sometimes slip into the swelling undergrowth. He tells stories etc.), a Peabody Award–winning investigative reporter, relates the about Herman Melville—who visited the Middle East after saga mostly from the top down. The author spotlights a variety of the publication of Moby-Dick; the result of that journey was contemporary robber barons, including Donald Trump before he Clarel, his “book-length poem based on his Holy Land expe- was president; Trump’s father, Fred; Wilbur L. Ross Jr. before he riences”—and Mark Twain, whose travels, chronicled in The was the Secretary of Commerce; and Steven T. Mnuchin before Innocents Abroad, 1869, began his rocket ride into international he became Secretary of the Treasury. Glantz’s impressive research celebrity. Throughout, Goldman explores the works of a vari- leads him to portray each of the tycoons as morally bankrupt and ety of luminaries, including Leonard Bernstein, Frank Sinatra, utterly without compassion for homeowners who lost their prop- John Steinbeck, Leon Uris, Saul Bellow, James Baldwin, W.H. erty. Occasionally, the author shifts the narrative to Sandy Jolley, a Auden, Johnny Cash, Madonna, and numerous others. But he cheated homeowner who gathered copious amounts of informa- also informs us about lesser-known events and people—e.g., tion, found a lawyer willing to present her damning case to the fed- the Adams Colony (1866), the building of the YMCA in Jeru- eral government, and stood to gain substantial damages from the salem (1933), and the life of Rabbi Judah Leon Magnes. Near bankers under a law meant to reward whistleblowers. As Glantz the end, he has some critical words for Donald Trump. relentlessly builds the indictment against the bankers, he wonders Textually dense at times but effectively highlights the why law enforcement agencies failed to take any meaningful action. left-right division that is splitting much of the world. (9 “It’s hard to imagine [deals] so perfectly designed to lazily allow the illustrations; map) government to undercut working-class Americans on behalf of a small group of billionaires,” he writes, “but that is exactly what happened again and again.” In addition to the Trumps, Ross, and Mnuchin, Glantz also levels warranted attacks against John Paul- son, Jamie Dimon, Jared Kushner, and Sean Hannity. The similarities of the moguls’ many predations may tire some readers, but the insertion of Jolley into the narrative bolsters the storyline. A solid, useful exploration of a system that “needs substantial, systemic change.” (16-page b/w photo insert)

74 | 1 september 2019 | nonfiction | kirkus.com | A psychologically provocative study on the gravity of charm, charisma, and outward impressions. the turn-on

THE TURN-ON DOCTOR DOGS How the Powerful Make How Our Best Friends Are Us Like Them—From Becoming Our Best Medicine Washington to Wall Street Goodavage, Maria to Hollywood Dutton (368 pp.) Goldstein, Steven $28.00 | Oct. 1, 2019 Harper Business (368 pp.) 978-1-5247-4304-8 $29.99 | Oct. 22, 2019 978-0-06-291169-8 Dogs as doctors? Yes—psychiatrists, diagnosticians, even healers, as journal- An examination of likability in media, ist Goodavage (Secret Service Dogs: The politics, and business. Heroes Who Protect the President of the In his debut book, Goldstein draws from his multifaceted United States, 2016, etc.) writes in her latest canine tribute. careers as a TV producer, congressional attorney, political con- It’s long been observed that a dog is a human’s best friend, sultant, and LGBTQ civil rights leader to probe the dynamics helpful in all sorts of situations, from sniffing out skiers - bur of widespread appeal in the public eye. He opens his insight- ied in avalanches to interdicting illegal shipments of drugs and ful analysis with a real-life example of reputation preservation explosives. In this anecdotally driven book of reportage, the when he was contacted by Osama bin Laden’s half brother author allows that other animals have better senses of smell seeking assistance in saving the family name. Goldstein defines than dogs, but few have the discipline to combine their olfac- likability as a collection of the qualities that “welcome us into tory talents with the patience and alertness that allow them to

a satisfying emotional relationship” with another. As he notes, perform tasks intimately connected to human health. In recent young adult all of us can use these traits to encourage an appealing reac- years, dogs have been trained to detect when a person suffer- tion from others. He calls the recognition of these key features ing from diabetes might be headed for a blood-sugar crash or “likeability literacy” and lucidly describes how outward appeal when someone with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome can enchant and captivate, much akin to falling in love, but it might be about to faint. As Goodavage writes in the latter can also be important for companies to embrace it to ensure instance, one woman’s wheelchair “collects dust most weeks profitability and customer loyalty. In terms of public person- because [her dog] can give her warning a few minutes ahead of alities, Goldstein points out specific characteristics shared her syncope, allowing her enough time to get into a safe spot.” by figures like Benjamin Franklin, who instinctually engaged Other dogs have been trained to detect the presence of cancers, his constituents through uplifting stories; Ellen DeGeneres, a the onset of Parkinson’s and other motor disorders, and a host relatable celebrity who captured a nation’s attention with a live of other ailments. Goodavage imagines a time when technol- Oscar telecast selfie, America’s sweetheart Betty White; and ogy will allow dogs to “speak” with voice alerts announcing that social justice advocate Malala Yousafzai. These and many oth- their charges are in need of attention, as the dog then “leads you ers, Goldstein acknowledges, have garnered positive attention to someone who’s having a severe allergic reaction, a seizure, or and greatly enthralled followers while a noted lack of these lik- other medical emergency.” The book is overlong, with too many able traits can cause popularity quotients (and stocks) to sink episodes adding up to the same conclusion—namely, that dogs and elections to be lost. Goldstein’s expertise shines most in can do wondrous things to improve our lives and health. Still, his delineations of eight classic likability traits and how each if Queen Elizabeth II, attending a demonstration of medical factors into and cultivates our impressions, opinions, and take- detection dogs, was moved to wonder whether dogs might be aways of others, particularly public figures like CEOs, world stationed at airports to find malaria victims, the author’s narra- leaders, and celebrities. He breaks down each trait and pin- tive might inspire thoughts of other applications. Fans of Eliza- points their individual strengths and durability within the arena beth Marshall Thomas’ Hidden Lives of Dogs and similar books of today’s hypercritical, impressionable culture, stressing the will want to have a look. conclusive perception that “likeability is leverage.” An oddly A somewhat padded text that will nonetheless find tempting self-assessment analysis encourages readers to mea- plenty of readers. sure their own overall appeal. A psychologically provocative study on the gravity of charm, charisma, and outward impressions. (first printing of 40,000)

| kirkus.com | nonfiction | 1 september 2019 | 75 INTERVIEWS & PROFILES Dina Nayeri

THE IRANIAN AMERICAN NOVELIST REFLECTS ON THE REFUGEE EXPERIENCE—HERS AND OTHERS’—IN A NEW MEMOIR By Richard Z. Santos Photo Leader courtesy Anna gray parking lot with cigarette butts baking in oil pud- dles, slick children idling in the beating sun, teachers who couldn’t do math. I dedicated my youth and every ounce of my magic to get out of there. A better life? The words lodged in my ear like grit,” she writes. This attitude is exactly why Nayeri, author of the novels A Teaspoon of Earth and Sea and Refuge, wrote her first memoir, The Ungrateful Refugee: What Immigrants Never Tell You (Catapult, Sept. 3). Nayeri’s book blends her own history with an illuminating and often infuriat- ing exploration of the asylum process. Nayeri visits with refugees in Greece, spends time with a good-hearted but overwhelmed asylum lawyer in Amsterdam, and tells the divergent stories of Kaweh and Kambiz—two Iranian refugees whose lives run on parallel tracks to very different destinations. To Nayeri, these other stories aren’t sideshows to her own. Instead, they’re absolutely essential. “I kept coming back to this realization that there are secret, shameful calculations that the displaced make that the native born are never privy to,” Nayeri says. “But here I am, 30 years past my asylum, and I could finally confess these collective secrets to the native born.” These “secrets” come down to basic human needs for respect, companionship, and purpose. Nayeri explores how refugee camps and the asylum process fail to If Dina Nayeri’s mother had not converted to Chris- meet each of these needs. From camps where occupants tianity in the mid-1980s, her life and work would today aren’t allowed to work to charity organizations that ex- be unrecognizable. Her mother became an activist in pect every person to be grateful for a box of pre-selected her hometown of Isfahan, Iran, spreading the word of food to immigration officers who demand a moving sto- Christianity under the watchful eyes of the Islamic Re- ry of oppression and escape, the process reduces people public’s moral police. Eventually, the death threats and in need to cogs in a machine. the isolation pushed Dina’s mother to flee Iran with The Ungrateful Refugee doesn’t explore life in America’s 8-year-old Dina and her younger brother, Daniel. growing migrant detention centers along the U.S.–Mexico They reached the United Arab Emirates, then an border, but Nayeri is “starting the process” of writing about Italian refugee camp in an abandoned hotel, and, even- the camps through other, potential projects. “What’s hap- tually, Oklahoma. pening at the border is incredible mismanagement of re- From the time she landed in the United States, sources and a misunderstanding of what asylum means by young Dina was told how lucky she was to find “a better the government,” Nayeri says. “Such chaos.” life.” The condescending phrase didn’t reflect her sense None of which is to say that Nayeri has given up of dislocation or the grim surroundings. “Life was a big hope. Her own story is one of finding herself through

76 | 1 september 2019 | nonfiction | kirkus.com | hard work and a cleareyed focus on her next steps. In the memoir, Nayeri explains how, as a 12-year old, she resolved to get into an Ivy League school and took up taekwondo because it would be “easy” to win a national championship. Now, she’s looking past herself. “I had a couple decades of just focusing on myself, my feelings. I had a divorce, a child, I became a writer. I’m fixed as much as a person can be,” Nayeri says. “Now it’s time to focus on what my purpose in this world is. How FACE TO FACE can I make it better? What’s my skill? Awaking to that The Art of Human purpose is what this book is about.” Connection Grazer, Brian Too often, descriptions of the refugee “crisis” re- Simon & Schuster (208 pp.) duce asylum seekers to a wave of desperate people at $25.00 | Sep. 17, 2019 best and at worst, a “horde” or “swarm” of criminals. 978-1-5011-4772-2 “That’s why the response to refugees has to be grass- roots,” Nayeri says. “No one is going to be moved away The award-winning Hollywood producer recounts how his skill in effectively from their fear with statistics. It’s only with the realiza- making human connections has directly tion that here are human beings and the only thing that contributed to his successful career and is keeping them from experiencing better treatment is home life. an accident of birth.” In this upbeat though somewhat redundant follow-up to his previous book, (2015), Grazer takes readers Personal, powerful, and impassioned, The Ungrate A Curious Mind has the potential to open eyes. “That’s what on a loose anecdotal journey through his life and career high- ful Refugee lights, sparked by many memorable personal encounters. As a gives me hope,” Nayeri says. “It’s easier than you think young boy struggling with the limitations and awkwardness on the local level. It’s about storytelling and belief. It’s of undiagnosed dyslexia, Grazer came to realize that books about the human connection.” and classroom study weren’t going to provide his ideal path

for learning. Instead, acquiring the ability to form meaningful young adult human connections, starting with direct eye contact, would Richard Z. Santos is a writer and teacher living in Austin. ultimately provide the results he desired. “To this day, con- The Ungrateful Refugee received a starred review in the necting with people is still how I learn best,” writes the author. June 15, 2019, issue. “More than that, it has become a central practice in every aspect of my life….It is my secret to getting things done, reaching my goals, and feeling energized and empowered. It’s how I thrive, how I grow, how I feel fulfilled, and how I feel purpose. Without doubt, I would not have the life I have today if I didn’t make the effort to genuinely connect with others.” Grazer goes on to describe the particulars of these many encounters, including the inspiring lessons he learned from master com- municators such as Oprah Winfrey; his efforts building trust with temperamental artistic talents like Eddie Murphy, Spike Lee, and Eminem; and his methods for overcoming his anxiety about public speaking. Grazer is an amiable storyteller, and his reasoning can be persuasive. However, his examples too often cast a light on his achievements as a Hollywood insider rather than being relatable. As an influential film and TV producer, the odds are stacked in his favor that most individuals would want to interact with him. Here, he rarely summons up more common obstacle examples that would affect an average Joe. A retread of themes and content explored in his previous book, mainly of interest to fans of Grazer’s work.

| kirkus.com | nonfiction | 1 september 2019 | 77 A riveting Civil War history giving politics and combat equal attention. hymns of the republic

MARKET MOVER HYMNS OF Lessons From a Decade of THE REPUBLIC Change at Nasdaq The Story of the Final Greifeld, Robert Year of the American Civil Grand Central Publishing (304 pp.) War $28.00 | Oct. 8, 2019 Gwynne, S.C. 978-1-5387-4513-7 Scribner (400 pp.) $32.00 | Oct. 29, 2019 Tales of financial wonder from the 978-1-5011-1622-3 former CEO of Nasdaq. Founded in 1971, Nasdaq was meant An engrossing history of the final to bring “order and fairness” to the cha- gasps of the Civil War, a year in which otic over-the-counter stock trading system, posting information “Americans mourned their fathers and brothers and sons but regularly so traders didn’t have to make separate phone calls to also the way their lives used to be, the people they used to be, keep buy-sell price quotes current but instead could call in only the innocence they had lost.” to make an actual trade. Where the New York Stock Exchange Journalist and historian Gwynne (The Perfect Pass: Ameri reigned supreme, Nasdaq came to specialize in technology— can Genius and the Reinvention of Football, 2016, etc.) begins in ”the public-market parent to hundreds of promising children” May 1864 with the Confederacy shrunken and impoverished that were too young to qualify for listing on the larger market. but with no intention of surrendering. Aware that their armies As Greifeld notes, representing technology also meant lever- were outmatched, Southern leaders kept their spirits up with aging it, developing systems that sometimes lent themselves a fantasy. If they could hold out until the November election, to gaming (think Michael Lewis’ Flash Boys). Those systems in they believed, Lincoln would lose, and a Democratic adminis- turn were built by people in “jeans and sandals, not coats and tration would end the war, leaving the Confederacy intact. This ties,” who didn’t quite fit into the tidy corporate culture that was not entirely unreasonable. The July 1863 triumphs at Get- the financial world represented. After wrestling with this vio- tysburg and Vicksburg were ancient history. War weariness was lation of his rule of “cultural consistency,” Greifeld concluded common; Lincoln himself believed he would lose the election, that it was best to let the nerds have their way. The emphasis on and Northern media poured out invective. Everyone had high consistency is well placed: As the author notes, Nasdaq, being hopes when Ulysses Grant took command in March. Gwynne highly regulated and central to the equity market generally, had emphasizes that his strategy—unrelenting attacks on all to be at once innovative and reliable. The “disruptive innova- fronts—was a war winner, but initial results were discouraging. tion” that came with instances such as Facebook’s IPO proved Sherman stalled in front of Atlanta, and Grant couldn’t defeat a great test, as did the financial collapse that led to the great Lee, although, unlike previous generals, he kept trying. As the recession a decade ago, a scarifying event. “We all stared into author writes, by “the summer of 1864 the North was bitterly the collective abyss in 2008,” writes Greifeld.” Anyone who divided, heartily sick of the war, and headed into an election that took a good look into that dark and deep chasm, and came back would give full voice to all of that smoldering dissent.” Then, as from the brink, has not forgotten the view.” Most of the book fall approached, matters improved. Atlanta fell, Philip Sheridan is more upbeat than all that, peppered with “leadership lessons” eliminated the persistent threat to Washington in the Shenan- along the lines of, “If you’ve been doing your job as a leader, you doah Valley, rival candidates self-destructed, and Lincoln won should be developing most of the talent you need in-house” and, reelection in a landslide. Five months of war remained, but the “As long as you’re headed in the right direction, it’s less impor- Union won all the battles. A consummate researcher, Gwynne tant how fast you are going.” has done his homework and is not shy with opinions. He espe- Good reading for fiscal wonks, especially those with an cially admires Sherman, a mediocre general but an insightful interest in financial technology and information systems. thinker who taught that war had no positive value; it was misery pure and simple. He also punctures persistent myths, especially that of the great Appomattox reconciliation. Lee, Grant, and a few generals shook hands, but Union forces celebrated wildly, and Confederates fumed and stormed off. A riveting Civil War history giving politics and combat equal attention.

78 | 1 september 2019 | nonfiction | kirkus.com | THIS IS MY BODY ESCAPE FROM PARIS A Memoir of Religious and A True Story of Love and Romantic Obsession Resistance in Wartime Hammon, Cameron Dezen France Lookout Books (224 pp.) Harding, Stephen $17.95 paper | Oct. 22, 2019 Da Capo (288 pp.) 978-1-940596-32-7 $28.00 | Oct. 8, 2019 978-0-306-92216-9 A former megachurch worship leader comes to terms with her ailing marriage A poignant World War II saga of and a religious system that simultane- the relationship between an American ously elevated and marginalized her. gunner shot down over France and the As a teen, Hammon, the writer-in-residence for Writers in French family who helped him. the Schools in Houston, was a vocal major at the prestigious In his latest, Military History editor-in-chief Harding Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Per- (Dawn of Infamy: A Sunken Ship, a Vanished Crew, and the Final forming Arts in Manhattan. She was well on her way to carving Mystery of Pearl Harbor, 2016, etc.) tells the story of Joe Corn- out a career as a songwriter and performer when she became wall, who was part of the joint American and British group an Evangelical Christian in her mid-20s. It wasn’t exactly the targeting Le Bourget airport near Paris on Bastille Day 1943. A path she’d originally imagined, but her newfound faith and her horrendous collision sent Cornwall and some other survivors musical gifts seemingly aligned when she moved to Houston parachuting into the French countryside to spend months

and eventually married her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Matt. evading capture by the Germans. By a remarkable stroke of young adult The two often led congregations in worship as a team, though luck—and the help of kindly French people—Cornwall and they also sometimes took jobs at separate churches. Whether a few of his buddies were directed to the shelter of the con- she was fronting the duo or working solo, Hammon began to cierges of the famed Hôtel des Invalides in Paris, the home of realize that her scope of influence was limited in the church invaluable works of art as well as famous tombs such as that of because she was a woman. In this debut memoir, she chronicles Napoleon. In the vast subterranean maze of the hotel, Georges her journey toward a “spiritual midlife,” where she dares to face Morin, a disabled veteran of World War I with a hatred for questions and inconsistencies that are often at odds with conser- the Germans—along with his wife, Denise, and adult daugh- vative Evangelical doctrine. With a rare combination of candor ter, Yvette—sheltered several of the Allied soldiers. Harding and grace, the author exposes some of Evangelicalism’s frailties gradually builds the suspense regarding the blossoming love without disparaging or dismissing those who are still believers, between Cornwall and Yvette with nicely specific details of making her narrative accessible to a wide audience. Hammon life in the Army and in occupied Paris. Eventually, the urgency wisely focuses on storytelling and lets readers take away what of making the “home run” back to base in England required they will. She also details her romantic obsession with another most of the survivors of the group to take the perilous route man; though she takes full responsibility for it, she illustrates through Spain and the Pyrenees to Gibraltar. Ultimately, how patriarchal religious systems and/or disengaged husbands Cornwall did make the route home, somewhat later than his can, among other things, leave women feeling abandoned and comrades, having secured an engagement with Yvette. Little secretly longing for extramarital intimacy. Hammon’s story will did he know the perils that the Morins would face when they resonate strongly with anyone who’s become disillusioned with fell into the hands of the Gestapo. conservative Christianity, especially women who are “trying to An engaging human story of the complicated and find a way to survive their unhappiness without dismantling fraught relationship between the French and their Ameri- their lives.” can allies. A generous and unflinchingly brave memoir about faith, feminism, and freedom.

| kirkus.com | nonfiction | 1 september 2019 | 79 An argument that, though seemingly from the fringe, bears consideration as the next election cycle heats up. the cult of trump

THE CULT OF TRUMP AGENTS OF INFLUENCE A Leading Cult Expert A British Campaign, a Explains How the President Canadian Spy, and the Uses Mind Control Secret Plot to Bring America Hassan, Steven Into World War II Free Press (320 pp.) Hemming, Henry $27.00 | Oct. 15, 2019 PublicAffairs (384 pp.) 978-1-982127-33-6 $28.00 | Oct. 8, 2019 978-1-5417-4214-7 A psychological portrait of the sitting president, whom the author consid- Hemming (Agent M: The Lives and Spies ers a master of mind control. of MI5’s Maxwell Knight, 2017, etc.) tells the Having been a longtime member of Sun Myung Moon’s Uni- story of MI6 operative Bill Stephenson (the model for 007) and fication Church and now an apostate, Hassan Freedom( of Mind: how crucial he was to America’s entry into World War II. Helping Loved Ones Leave Controlling People, Cults, and Beliefs, Stephenson was sent to New York in June 1940, to convince 2012, etc.), the director of the Freedom of Mind Resource Cen- U.S. officials to support England in her desperate fight against ter, is an authority on breaking away from cults. That there is the Germans. Later that summer, President Franklin Roosevelt a “cult of Trump” is something he takes as given; were there sent Bill Donovan on an unofficial visit to London to discern if not, Evangelical Christians would not be allying with a man England could survive. Stephenson knew of the visit and had twice divorced and, by his own admission, many times adulter- MI6 take charge, wooing Donovan with royal visits and access ous, among other sins of the flesh and spirit. “Trump’s over 500 to high-security operations. When Donovan returned to Amer- rallies are far more choreographed and stage-managed than ica, Stephenson convinced him the U.S. needed a stronger spy Moon’s assemblies ever were,” writes the author, going on to service. Donovan’s job was to get Roosevelt onboard. He was examine the techniques of gaslighting and outright lying that already leaning in that direction, ready to help in any way he Trump has employed from the very beginning, “influence tech- could—everything that is, short of declaring war. Helping these niques with a need for attention and control over others.” Even interventionists was an East Coast group with strong influ- if one does not accept that Trump is a cult leader as such—all ence called the Century Group. American isolationists, led by politicians, after all, have their core of true believers—Hassan Charles Lindbergh, were their fiercest opponents. Lindbergh, makes it clear that he is a master of certain rhetorical devices who addressed huge crowds at anti-war rallies and justified that do not require much intelligence but speak to much prac- Nazi aggression due to economic imbalance, received informa- tice: the repetition of words and phrases (e.g., “I’m a very stable tion from Hans Thomsen, the senior diplomat at the German genius, very smart”) that, through “a primarily unconscious and Embassy in charge of keeping the U.S. out of the war. Thom- memory-based process,” lead the listener to think that they sen developed the congressional “franking privilege” scheme must be coming from more than one source and are therefore whereby pro-German material could be mailed to sympathizers true, “crowding out analytical thinking and causing the mind to by sitting members of Congress for free. He also bribed news- retreat into a kind of trance.” Hassan also counsels that chal- papers to publish his false material. Stephenson and Donovan lenging a cult member about the veracity of his or her object of built the most diverse and extensive yet subtle propaganda veneration is bound to produce only a defensive reaction; in its drive ever directed by one sovereign state at another. In this place, he offers a diet that includes a good dose of healthy skep- page-turning spy thriller, Hemming shows how they mastered ticism about what we read and hear. The author’s dark likening the art of starting rumors, infiltrating groups, and manipulating of Trump’s followers to those who drank poison at Jonestown is, opinion polls. They also used forgeries, organized protests, and let us hope, hyperbolic. wiretaps and hacked into private communications. Their only An argument that, though seemingly from the fringe, rule: No rules. bears consideration as the next election cycle heats up. Fluid, sharp writing, deep research, and a spy network with unparalleled ingenuity provide a snappy read and lots of shockers.

80 | 1 september 2019 | nonfiction | kirkus.com | AMERICAN RADICALS MOVING FORWARD How Nineteenth-Century A Story of Hope, Hard Work, Protest Shaped the Nation and the Promise of America Jackson, Holly Jean-Pierre, Karine Crown (400 pp.) Hanover Square Press (352 pp.) $28.00 | Oct. 8, 2019 $26.99 | Nov. 5, 2019 978-0-525-57309-8 978-1-335-91783-6

Sturdy historical account of the con- Political analyst Jean-Pierre’s enthu- tributions of 19th-century radical think- siastic first book documents her life in ers to the present. politics and offers advice and encour- That most Americans, at least on agement to those thinking of taking a paper, work an eight-hour day is a product of American labor similar path. activists who took on the cause as an extension of abolition- Born in Martinique, the author was raised by working-class ism. That women have the right to vote was an outgrowth of Haitian immigrant parents in New York. Realizing that she the feminism that similarly grew from abolitionism, while wasn’t going to fulfill her parents’ dream that she become a doc- it was largely the labors of the son of socialist reformer Rob- tor, she was drawn to politics after getting a master’s degree in ert Owen “that made no-fault divorce accessible nationwide.” public administration from Columbia University. She was a So writes Jackson (History/Univ. of Massachusetts, Boston; regional director for the John Edwards campaign in 2004, served American Blood: The Ends of the Family in American Literature, 1850- as Barack Obama’s regional political director in the Office of

1900, 2013) in this overview of labor, political, and social activ- Political Affairs, and is now the chief public affairs officer for young adult ism throughout the 19th century. At the center of her story is MoveOn.org and a political analyst for MSNBC. Along the way, Owen Sr., a wealthy British industrialist who saw in early Amer- she documents some of the pressures of entering the political ica and its people “free and easy manners, the ‘extreme equality’ scene as a young, black, immigrant, lesbian woman. However, across classes, and their universal, near-fanatical engagement in she doesn’t dwell on these pressures, mentioning only in passing politics as a form of social engineering.” The author writes that her experience of childhood sexual abuse and a suicide attempt. the figures who populate her narrative, among them William Instead, she focuses on the lessons of hard work and determi- Lloyd Garrison and Susan B. Anthony, “worked across three nation that she learned from her family. A committed Demo- entwined fields: slavery and race; sex and gender; property and crat, she believes unequivocally that Donald Trump is “unfit to labor.” Some of them would have been easily confused with the be president.” Throughout the narrative, the author leaps from hippies of the 1960s while others were straitlaced in affect but topic to topic, following a vaguely chronological arc without fiery in effect. The great firebrand John Brown was neither, and lingering long or delving deep into any subject or period of her while his raid at Harpers Ferry failed to incite a Nat Turner–like life for more than a few pages. The book will be most useful as slave rebellion across the South—on that note, writes Jackson, a source of advice and encouragement for those who think they Turner was the subject of gruesome remembrance, his “severed might be interested in political action but don’t know where to head…passed around for decades”—it did result in a hastening start. Jean-Pierre offers strategies for networking, which she sees of Southern secession and with it the Union victory that led to as the primary way to get ahead in the world of politics, and coun- abolition. The author’s account moves swiftly and interestingly, sels pragmatism, patience, and frequent expression of gratitude. though the argument is not entirely novel; Manisha Sinha gets She also advocates for the role of local politics rather than “pull- at many of the same points in The Slave’s Cause (2016). Still, Jack- ing up your roots, loading the van, and driving to Washington, to son’s book merits attention as a study in what she calls “slow- your state capital, or even to your county seat.” release radicalism,” with seeming failures that eventually turned Inspiring for those who think politics is only for the into successes. rich and well connected. A useful survey of American activism and its lasting repercussions.

| kirkus.com | nonfiction | 1 september 2019 | 81 Terrific detective work revealing a man determined to forge his own destiny when his country said he couldn’t. all blood runs red

ALL BLOOD RUNS RED CLASSIC KRAKAUER The Legendary Life of Eugene Essays on Wilderness and Bullard―Boxer, Pilot, Risk Soldier, Spy Krakauer, Jon Keith, Phil with Clavin, Tom Anchor (192 pp.) Hanover Square Press (352 pp.) $15.00 paper | Oct. 29, 2019 $27.99 | Nov. 5, 2019 978-1-984897-69-5 978-1-335-00556-4 An investigative journalist’s early The picaresque adventures of a for- work portrays his enduring fascination mer slave’s son who achieved glory in with human daring. both world wars and was nearly forgot- Krakauer (Missoula: Rape and the Jus ten by his own country. tice System in a College Town, 2015) gathers essays that were pub- Two intrepid authors and researchers—military historian lished in magazines such as Smithsonian and Outside from the and former Navy aviator Keith (America and the Great War: mid-1980s through the 1990s along with two from 2014. The A 100th Anniversary Commemorative of America in World War majority feature awe-inspiring locales that are enlivened by the I, 2019, etc.), a Purple Heart recipient, and Clavin (Wild Bill: author’s naturalist eye, and robust action and suspenseful pac- The True Story of the American Frontier’s First Gunfighter, 2019, ing enhance careful explorations of power and innovation. A etc.)—team up in this dogged effort to excavate the facts of handful highlight larger-than-life people, including Californian the amazing life of Eugene Bullard (1895-1961). In 1959, France surfer Mark Foo, who drowned at Mavericks (California), “one recognized the achievements of the American pilot and sol- of the world’s heaviest waves,” and mountaineer Fred Beckey dier with its highest honor, the Legion of Honor, which (1923-2017), “the original climbing bum.” Three pieces exam- subsequently gained Bullard, then an elevator operator at ine death in the context of industries that include surfing, rock Rockefeller Center, his 15 minutes of fame on The Today Show. climbing, and wilderness therapy camps. Among the strongest However, there was much that was never revealed in Bullard’s essays is “Loving Them to Death,” an exposé on abuse and teen remarkable trajectory from indigent runaway to Jazz Age deaths that happened under the neglectful watch of a camp impresario and many details he fudged or perhaps forgot in an leader. A solid mix of conversations, background, and travel era of turbulent race relations when he later wrote his autobi- adds up to cleareyed reportage that still shocks. In the rever- ography. Two traumatic events in his childhood propelled him ent, often beautiful “Gates of the Arctic,” memory splices with to strike out on his own at age 11: the death of his Creek Indian reflections on the Alaskan Brooks Range and the damaging mother when he was 6 and a white mob’s threatening to lynch footprint left by locals and visitors. In two essays, Krakauer con- his Haitian-born laborer father after a violent altercation with siders the future from different angles. In one, the author writes his foreman. Bullard managed never to look back, and the about Mount Rainier and the danger of inevitable mudflows. “French connection” from his roots propelled him to “a land In the other, Krakauer chronicles his journey with scientists where racial prejudice did not exist”—or so he imagined. The who study microbial life in the hope that it will spark long- authors diligently pursue his story: learning to box in Scotland term research on Mars. The author effectively balances natural and then arriving in France just as World War I broke out; get- drama with thoughtful reflection and fascinating facts. When ting wounded at Verdun before embarking on a legendary, if the writing is cautionary, it plucks at emotional chords. When short-lived position as a fighter pilot, probably the first black it travels wild vistas and tense excursions, it shows Krakauer at American to do so; and forging a career as a nightclub and his best. A few pieces remain outliers, such as the closing essay, athletic club owner in Paris before his next soldierly stint in which was delivered as a speech and shuttles toward a reluctant World War II. Keith and Clavin constantly keep readers guess- conclusion. A profile of Christopher Alexander, an “iconoclastic ing about Bullard’s next move. architect of international repute,” is less hard-hitting and only Terrific detective work revealing a man determined to mildly interesting. forge his own destiny when his country said he couldn’t. For fans, a nostalgic stop in a celebrated oeuvre. For new- comers, a welcome introduction to a veteran of the form.

82 | 1 september 2019 | nonfiction | kirkus.com | DISTURBANCE THEY DON’T REPRESENT US Surviving Reclaiming Our Democracy Charlie Hebdo Lessig, Lawrence Lançon, Philippe Dey Street/HarperCollins (352 pp.) Trans. by Rendall, Steven $26.99 | Nov. 5, 2019 Europa Editions (448 pp.) 978-0-06-294571-6 $28.00 | Nov. 12, 2019 978-1-60945-556-9 In our endangered democracy, the nation’s citizens deserve to be heard. A survivor of the 2015 massacre in In his latest critique of American Paris recalls the brutality of the attack democracy, Lessig (Law and Leadership/ and narrates the seemingly endless series Harvard Law School; Fidelity and Con of his consequent surgeries and other treatments. straint: How the Supreme Court Has Read the American Constitution, Lançon, who worked (and still works) as a cultural critic for 2019, etc.), host of the podcast Another Way and co-founder of Charlie Hebdo, the satirical weekly, was severely wounded dur- Creative Commons, focuses on a crisis that he sees as “much ing the attack—shot in the face and left for dead on an office more fundamental” than the current president: “unrepresen- floor that, as he relates, was soaked in blood. Throughout the tativeness.” This lack of representation has several causes: the narrative, the author remains surprisingly calm, describing in an structure of the Senate, with two representatives from every intelligent and deeply informed voice the assault and its grim state, no matter the population; the winner-take-all system in aftermath. His account is also full of memories of Charlie Hebdo the Electoral College, which negates the choice of many voters

before the assault, of the author’s family and other emotional and impels candidates to focus on swing states; campaign fund- young adult relationships, and of quotidian habits that became more pre- ing that gives wealthy contributors hefty influence; gerryman- cious as he could no longer control his life. For months, Lan- dering, which usually benefits extremists of both parties; and çon was hospitalized, endured countless surgeries to repair his voters who lack a shared reality and “are divided and ignorant face—one involved the removal of his fibula so surgeons could (at least about the other side) and driven to even more division reconstruct his jawbone. He formed a close relationship with and ignorance” by media that seek to make profits rather than his principal surgeon and spent more months under armed sur- to inform. “The consequence together is thus not a democracy veillance by police bodyguards. But he was also a celebrity and that always bends to the rich,” Lessig argues persuasively. “It is even had a visit from the French president. Slowly, he began to a democracy that cannot bend, or function.” The author’s many reemerge into everyday life, and he commenced physical ther- proposals to improve representation are less convincing than apy, traveled, and moved back into his apartment. Although his analysis of problems. His suggestions range from giving calm prevails in the text, Lançon also evinces many worries— every citizen “speech credits” or “democracy coupons” to fund including, near the end, mild anxiety about standing near Arabs political campaigns to paying voters to watch long, “wonderful on a public bus. Evident throughout is the author’s consider- and hilarious” political ads. Lessig deems the Senate “the hard- able literary knowledge. He read relentlessly in the hospital, est circle to square,” admitting that some of his ideas—reform- and names of significant literary figures populate the narrative: ing the filibuster and allocating votes for leadership based on Shakespeare, Proust, Hemingway, Orwell, Henry Miller, Koes- population—are unlikely to happen. As far as the Electoral Col- tler, Edith Wharton. “My new bookshelves gave a second life lege, the author advocates that states’ electors should reflect to the thousands of books that twenty years of shambles had the national popular vote; or, if not, then Congress should allow devoured and whose existence had been forgotten,” writes Lan- electors to cast fractional votes. To engage the electorate, Les- çon. “They reappeared like old friends…without alarming me. sig proposes “a congressional jury” made up of randomly chosen They were silent, patient. What I had experienced could only citizens to examine both sides of a public issue and make rec- nourish the lives they offered me.” ommendations that, he asserts, a congressman would be mor- A frank, relentless, gripping memoir that illustrates ally bound to consider. both man’s inhumanity to man and how quiet resolution An impassioned call to all Americans to fight for equal can reclaim and restore. representation.

| kirkus.com | nonfiction | 1 september 2019 | 83 Invaluable political reportage in a time of crisis—and with little comfort in sight. antisocial

ANTISOCIAL THE HOLLYWOOD KID Online Extremists, The Violent Life and Violent Techno-Utopians, Death of an MS-13 Hitman and the Hijacking of the Martínez, Óscar & Martínez, Juan José American Conversation Trans. by Washington, John B. & Marantz, Andrew Ugaz, Daniela Viking (400 pp.) Verso (320 pp.) $28.00 | Oct. 8, 2019 $24.95 | Oct. 1, 2019 978-0-525-52226-3 978-1-78663-493-1

A searching study of the right-wing An MS-13 hit man–turned-informer gate-crashers who have overwhelmed provides extraordinary access to the co- social media in the Trump era. authors before meeting his fate. New Yorker staff writer Marantz is fond of Martin Luther “This is a book about scraps,” write journalist Óscar Mar- King’s arc of history/arc of justice trope, though he allows tínez (A History of Violence: Living and Dying in Central America, that King himself wasn’t quite as optimistic as his famed apho- 2016, etc.) and his ethnographer brother, Juan José Martínez. rism might suggest: We bend the arc of history, he notes, and By “scraps,” they don’t mean the colloquial fights, though their it’s pretty twisted at the moment. More to the point is politi- narrative is filled with those, many of them lethal. They mean cal philosopher Richard Rorty’s 20-year-old warning that the discards, “leftovers that the enormous machinery of the United decline of progressivism meant that the only political figures States chucks across its borders.” In a vicious cycle, the violence “channeling the mounting rage of the newly dispossessed” would bred in Los Angeles, where gang warfare pits ethnicities against be populists on the right. Bingo, and with them, Rorty added, each other, returns home through deportation and spreads and would come the rollback of civil rights gains, to say nothing of increases through international networks to become a threat heightened misogyny and socially acceptable sadism. Marantz’s to governments in both countries. Though Miguel Ángel Tobar travels into the camps of those right-wingers at the gates proves never left his native El Salvador or came close to the Holly- Rorty correct, and the author clearly documents their use of wood that earned him his nickname, he was a murderer before social media to advance right-wing causes, leveraging such his teens, ultimately responsible for so much of the bloodshed vehicles as Facebook, whose owner, Mark Zuckerberg, pleaded that would make his homeland “the most murderous country innocence by insisting “that Facebook was a platform, not a in the world.” Yet this story is as much about the international publisher.” Some of the figures that Marantz covers are self- forces that shaped the killer who operated below the interna- serving disrupters who threw verbal grenades into the crowd tional radar as the violence spread by U.S. policies that support just to see what would happen. Others are true believers, nota- the repressive regimes in the countries where gang members bly the alt-right figure Richard Spencer, who turns up at odd can recruit acolytes to form larger and deadlier gangs. Caught moments. Some are even more or less reputable journalists who in this cycle, Tobar turned informer for the police, testifying weren’t upset to see the “smug little cartel” of the establishment at trials behind a mask, his voice doctored, though his identity press taken down a few notches by the Trump administration. apparently wasn’t much in doubt. Between police corruption TV news, “dominated by horse-race politics and missing planes that spread to prisons that were controlled by the gangs and and viral outrage,” may be bad, writes Marantz, but what if what the brutal justice that gang loyalty demanded, the fate of the comes along next is worse? He makes his own case, wading into informer was never in doubt, either—it wasn’t a matter of if, the throngs of rightist influencers with some trepidation but no but when. The immediate narrative both begins and ends with effort to disguise his establishment credentials. It’s not a happy Tobar’s death, but in between, he shares his story of a life that picture, but Marantz does offer some hope in the evident splin- offered few choices, none of them good. tering of the right as the provocateurs discover that “all memes An account that makes it difficult for American read- eventually outlast their utility.” ers to ignore their country’s role in violence south of the Invaluable political reportage in a time of crisis—and border. with little comfort in sight.

84 | 1 september 2019 | nonfiction | kirkus.com | MORE FROM LESS THE RISE OF WOLF 8 The Surprising Story of How Witnessing the Triumph of We Learned to Prosper Using Yellowstone’s Underdog Fewer Resources—and What McIntyre, Rick Happens Next Greystone Books (304 pp.) McAfee, Andrew $26.95 | Oct. 15, 2019 Scribner (352 pp.) 978-1-77164-521-8 $28.00 | Oct. 8, 2019 978-1-982103-57-6 From a dedicated wolf observer and naturalist comes an admiring and The future may not be so bleak after detailed portrait of Wolf 8, a nervy runt all. who was bullied by his bigger brothers MIT digital researcher McAfee (co-author: Machine, Plat but who grew up to become the alpha male of his pack. form, Crowd: Harnessing Our Digital Future, 2017, etc.) ventures While the return of wolves to Yellowstone National Park that four other horsemen are riding, and perhaps outpacing the has been widely reported in the media and written about in familiar apocalyptic ones—namely, “capitalism, technological numerous books, McIntyre (A Society of Wolves, 1993, etc.) gives progress, public awareness, and responsive government.” By the story a special twist. In addition to chronicling his close his lights, the Club of Rome Limits to Growth report of half a tracking of the wolf packs in Yellowstone and noting their century past was overly Malthusian, and its authors “clearly movements, he comments on their personalities, telling read- underestimated both dematerialization and the endless search ers about their behaviors, thoughts, and feelings. The author

for new reserves.” The former, the shift to a cyber-based service had become a student of wolves before any were released into young adult economy, is easy enough to understand; as McAfee notes, all Yellowstone, and for 15 years, he awoke daily to watch them, rec- you have to do is think of the many tools that a modern smart- ognizing them by sight and referring to dozens of individuals phone replaces, and certainly, fewer resources are required. Still, by the numbers assigned to them (at the beginning of the book, there are plenty of mountainsides that have gone into that he includes a list of the “principal wolves”). In fact, as noted in phone, and as for that endless search, McAfee’s enthusiasm for an afterword, “from June 2000 to August 2015, [McIntyre] went the mineral wealth brought by fracking seems to overlook a few out for 6,175 consecutive days.” The courageous behavior of one unpleasant externalities. He counters that those externalities, young gray wolf facing up to a grizzly bear caught his attention costs that are not immediately evident on a balance sheet, have early on; in most chapters, the exploits of Wolf 8 are at the cen- been allowed for in such market innovations as the buying and ter of the narrative. He identifies strongly with this particular selling of rights to pollute, the so-called “cap and trade” pro- animal, drawing on his own memories of roughhousing play gram that initially met with great enthusiasm but that, McAfee with a remote father and as a boy facing bullies. McIntyre exults admits, “aren’t enough,” particularly in an economic environ- in Wolf 8’s befriending of two young pups, which made him the ment that no longer penalizes bad behavior. Even so, assuming mate of their mother, the alpha female of her pack. Refresh- his numbers are correct, the author offers hopeful news with ingly, the author does not anthropomorphize. As he notes, the the thought that greenhouse gas emissions are falling and that wolves are still wild creatures, driven to breed and to kill, and many developed-world economies are using smaller quantities he provides a relatively sentiment-free depiction of the inevi- of metals, chemicals, and the like. Given that a fundamental table decline and death of Wolf 8. Robert Redford provides the tenet of economics is that scarcity governs the availability and foreword. distribution of resources, McAfee’s certainty that the planet is A comprehensive account permeated by love for and “big enough to contain” all the resources we’ll need “for as long understanding of wolves. (8-page color insert; map) as we’ll need them” might seem to some readers counterintui- tive, as he allows. A cogent argument, though climate scientists may find AMERICAN EPIDEMIC McAfee’s assumptions and faith in market solutions too Reporting From the Front rosy. Lines of the Opioid Crisis Ed. by McMillian, John New Press (304 pp.) $17.99 paper | Oct. 22, 2019 978-1-62097-519-0

Diverse perspectives on an American tragedy. “No Family Is Safe From This Epi- demic,” the title of a U.S. Navy admiral’s essay on his son’s fatal overdose, suggests the tone of this eclectic collection of nonfiction about the opioid epidemic. The

| kirkus.com | nonfiction | 1 september 2019 | 85 book focuses on the aftermath of the disaster set in motion in “The U.S. financial sector is the dominant economic, policy, 1996 when Purdue Pharma released the painkiller OxyContin political, social, and cultural force in the world. It largely deter- and misled doctors, patients, and regulators about its addic- mines who in the private and public sectors gets to do what with tive potential, ultimately driving users to cheaper street heroin. the extraordinary amount of money in play. And it is deeply But rather than rehash the sins of drug companies, McMillian and proudly conservative.” Mestrich and Pinsky are convinced (American History/Georgia State Univ.; Beatles vs. Stones, 2014, that progressives control enough money—though not nearly etc.) gathers essays, reporting, and book excerpts that show the as much as conservatives—to create their own financial insti- effects of the crisis on users, families, doctors, and law enforce- tutions, which will then practice socially responsible investment. Tom Mashberg and Rebecca Davis O’Brien expose a ing. One example is Mestrich’s Amalgamated Bank, another heroin mill on a quiet cul-de-sac in suburban New Jersey, and is the credit union, an institution controlled by its members. Margaret Talbot chronicles her meeting with a paramedic who The authors provide many other concrete examples of specific saw a heartbreaking scene at a West Virginia home: a 7-year- progressive enterprises that organize money so it can be lever- old and a 5-year-old following a 911 operator’s instructions for aged in ways that would disdain most conservative politicians performing CPR on their overdosed parents. In some of the and financiers. The authors note that while the 2008 financial most provocative pieces, contributors or their sources disagree crash raised awareness of the importance of pulling money away on the value of options like 12-step programs or the synthetic from traditional banks, regulators failed to make any signifi- opioids methadone or Suboxone or give surprising answers to cant improvements or install effective safeguards. The authors thorny moral questions. A skeptical Sarah Resnick visited Van- do good service in laying out the foundational principles of a couver’s controversial Insite, the first legal supervised drug- nascent but growing movement, but the density of the narrative injection site in North America and left convinced that such may deter some readers. initiatives save lives. Other contributors include Christopher A thought-provoking primer sometimes weighed down Caldwell, Julia Lurie, Beth Macy, Gabor Maté, Sam Quinones, by abstraction and repetition. Andrew Sullivan, Johan Hari, and Leslie Jamison, who provides a foreword. If Sullivan’s views are more conservative than most in the book, they are hardly more optimistic: “If Marx posited BURY MY HEART AT that religion is the opiate of the people, then we have reached CHUCK E. CHEESE’S a new, more clarifying moment in the history of the West: Opi- Midge, Tiffany ates are now the religion of the people.” Bison/Univ. of Nebraska (216 pp.) A kaleidoscopic introduction to the devastation $24.95 | Oct. 1, 2019 wrought by—and possible remedies for—the opioid crisis. 978-1-4962-1557-4

Standing Rock Sioux writer Midge ORGANIZED MONEY (The Woman Who Married a Bear: Poems, Progressives Can Leverage 2016, etc.) delivers powerful, often funny the Financial System To observations on life as a Native Ameri- Work for Them, Not can woman in a contentious time. Against Them As poet and novelist Geary Hobson observes in his fore- Mestrich, Keith & Pinsky, Mark A. word, Native people are too often thought of, at least by non- New Press (272 pp.) Natives, as humorless: “stolid, dour, ready to pounce on you (if $26.99 | Oct. 8, 2019 you are white) and take away that unnecessary scalp.” Not so 978-1-62097-504-6 Midge, who loves a pun, a play on words, and a goofy recast- ing of pop-culture tropes: “Gag me with a coup stick” are the An exploration of how politically first words that appear in the book, followed shortly afterward and socially progressive individuals can by an exchange with her mother that includes the title’s play invest their money with financial institutions seeking to allevi- on another title, that of Dee Brown’s classic Bury My Heart at ate socio-economic inequities. Wounded Knee, and works in Chief Joseph with the witticism, “I Mestrich is the president of Amalgamated Bank, described will fight no more about putting the toothpaste cap on, forever.” as “the nation’s leading socially responsible bank,” and Pinsky is The laughter isn’t frivolous, Midge suggests, but rather a way of a former leader of what is known as the community development thumbing a nose at death and the dominant culture. There’s a financial institution industry. The authors devote much of the lot to fight, of course. One of her essays imagines that before book to educating their readers on the financial system. They trying on African American culture, the one-time headline understand that even the most politically progressive individu- grabber Rachel Dolezal was a “pretendian,” one of those pre- als tend to deposit their savings in nearby bank branches due to tend Indians whose numbers, she reckons, run to about 54% of habit and/or convenience as well as buy insurance from massive the population. In another, the author considers other kinds of corporations that feed elected officials tied to anti-egalitarian ethnic border crossings on a trip to Thailand, where she real- conservative politics. “Organized money holds immense power ized that, at least in that context, she was as American as any and influence, which we call money muscle,” write the authors. other American: “big trucks, big talk, big bombs, big money….”

86 | 1 september 2019 | nonfiction | kirkus.com | Much different from most musicians’ memoirs and of much interest to all who wrestle to understand tragedies of their own. blood

She does not, however support Donald Trump, who doesn’t BLOOD fare well in these pages, and she chides her fellow citizens for A Memoir being ignorant of “racism, sexism, and living and supporting an Moorer, Allison authoritarian regime.” There are a few misses here and there, Da Capo (320 pp.) but mostly Midge hits, and hits hard. $27.00 | Oct. 29, 2019 If you’re wondering why the presence of Andrew Jack- 978-0-306-92268-8 son’s portrait in the Oval Office is offensive, this is your book. Country music singer Moorer recounts a scarifying, life-defining event: the murder-suicide of her parents. THE CIGARETTE “Someone can take himself out, fine, A Political History but they leave behind those who love Milov, Sarah them with a never-ending list of questions and a shadow hang- Harvard Univ. (400 pp.) ing over everything, like a dark triptych in the middle of the $35.00 | Oct. 25, 2019 room.” So writes Moorer, who, like her sister, fellow country 978-0-674-24121-3 singer Shelby Lynne, has been living for more than 30 years with the memory of the gunshots by which her father killed her The cigarette in America, a history mother and then turned the gun on himself. Moorer is her own that “does not begin and end with Big Rashomon, exploring that terrible event from every possible Tobacco.” side, examining the living, recalling the words of the dead, con-

Milov (History/Univ. of Virginia) cluding that, given the abuse and alcohol that flowed through young adult mixes big-picture academic theory the relationship, the end seemed inevitable. The dark triptych with fascinating, specific details to illuminate the rise and fall of of which she writes represents a hazy unknowability, the list of tobacco production—and cigarette sales—in the United States. questions keys that can never be recovered since the answers In 1965, writes the author, “politicians, experts, and everyday can never come. Affecting in its cleareyed depiction of the lives Americans increasingly knew that cigarettes were deadly… that are shattered all around the immediate victims, including yet 42 percent of Americans smoked.” The estimated number her then-14-year-old self, Moorer’s account examines the linger- of smokers today is 15 percent. Milov shows how sales were ing effects—e.g., mistrust and a habit of leaving relationships boosted by the combined efforts of tobacco growers, wholesal- before they’re over. “Let me store resentments like I’m canning ers, retailers, industry lobbyists, public relations professionals vegetables for the winter” she writes, “so I’ll slowly develop a from the private sector, labor unionists, and players within fed- deep, smoldering hatred in return for my deep disappointment.” eral, state, and local governments. Then she explains how the Yet she tried to think of herself in terms other than the daughter increasingly well-documented health hazards from cigarettes of a murderer, the daughter of a murder victim. There is much led nonsmokers—including public-interest lawyers—to push wisdom in her experience as well as in her reflections on what local governments and employers to curtail smoking in public she has read and heard, as with her note that one great step for- places and workplaces. At intervals within the mostly chrono- ward is to “give up hope for a better past.” That her past is worse logical narrative, the author discusses how tobacco farmers than most has posed countless challenges, it’s evident in these and cigarette manufacturers managed to sell their products pages, but Moorer confronts it with an unblinking honesty that in countries all over the world, with deadly consequences for is sometimes long on self-doubt and short on comfort. consumers but positive economic consequences for foreign Much different from most musicians’ memoirs and of governments through the taxation of those consumers. Mostly, much interest to all who wrestle to understand tragedies though, Milov focuses on American politics and the consum- of their own. ers affected by the policies surrounding cigarettes. At times, the author engages with philosophical questions: Is smoking a legal “right”? Do nonsmokers have a “right” to reside in a non- SHADOW NETWORK hazardous environment? Who should decide those rights when Media, Money, and the Secret claims conflict? Throughout, Milov offers intriguing historical Hub of the Radical Right tidbits: For example, cigarette sales shot up during both world Nelson, Anne wars because U.S. military leaders decided the troops would feel Bloomsbury (384 pp.) appreciated if they received free cigarettes while deployed. In $28.00 | Oct. 29, 2019 addition, the author shares compelling information about why 978-1-63557-319-0 labor union leaders wanted smoking allowed on the job even after the deadly nature of cigarettes became evident. The lead- The background machinations—dig- ing insight: Unions did not want to surrender control over what ital, financial, religious, and otherwise— became mandatory smoking breaks. that have enabled the American far right A fine history of “the political economy of tobacco.” (21 to ascend and wield increasing political photos) power that is disproportionate to their numbers.

| kirkus.com | nonfiction | 1 september 2019 | 87 Nelson (International and Public Affairs/Columbia Univ.; tribute to those responsible for Levi’s, hamburgers, Nathan’s Suzanne’s Children: A Daring Rescue in Nazi Paris, 2017, etc.), a hot dogs, Carvel ice cream, and Chevrolet, all-American ico- member of the Council on Foreign Relations, spent years nography that owes its genesis to Germany, Denmark, Poland, researching this account of the 1981 formation and burgeoning Greece, and Switzerland, respectively. The all-American Chef influence of the Council for National Policy, an ultraconserva- Boyardee was known in his native Italy as Ettore Boiardi. After tive (and once-secretive) group that opposes abortion and gay the assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan, when marriage and that advances the cause of fundamentalist Chris- he “famously quipped to his doctors, ‘Please tell me you’re tianity in all aspects of American life. The author’s approach Republicans,’ ” three members of his medical team were from is chronological, analytical, and admonitory, as she fears the Malaysia, “Nicaragua/Mexico,” and “a refugee of Nazi Ger- effects on our democracy of the deep divisions in our elector- many…raised in an American orphanage.” Lest anyone think ate, especially in the digital age. Nelson highlights some key this is a work of partisan ideology, among those celebrated is moments in our history: the arrival of the Puritans, the Dem- “the only naturalized citizen ever to become First Lady, Melania ocrats’ loss of the once-solid South (occasioned by their sup- Trump,” balanced a couple of pages later by Hungarian refugee port of civil rights legislation), and the presidencies of Ronald and billionaire human rights activist George Soros. As the nar- Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and their successors of both par- rative clearly shows, from music to fine arts, from the stage to ties. She describes the enormous power on public opinion of the big screen, from scientific discoveries to athletic records, cable news and of the pervasive digital platforms. Most of all, the history of American culture is impossible to record without the author follows the money, from the Koch brothers to the significant immigrant representation. DeVos family and others (she does not neglect the left-wing A book that makes its point over and over again without money from George Soros). Countless millions have flowed belaboring it. from those sources to political organizations, individuals, and campaigns. Nelson observes that even though Barack Obama won two presidential elections, the opposition to him and his VOLUME CONTROL policies (especially health care) swelled among the CNP and Hearing in a Deafening their affiliates. She also deals substantially with Donald Trump, World the moral compromises evangelicals employed to justify their Owen, David support of him, and the purges of moderate Republicans from Riverhead (304 pp.) positions of authority. She recognizes, as well, how the internal $28.00 | Oct. 29, 2019 battles of Democrats have been self-defeating. 978-0-525-53422-8 Though partisan, the text nonetheless raises significant red flags that should alarm everyone who believes in New Yorker staff writer Owen (Where democracy. the Water Goes: Life and Death Along the Colorado River, 2017, etc.) makes sense of hearing and its loss. AMERICA IS IMMIGRANTS An estimated 37 million Americans have lost some hearing, Nović, Sara writes the author of this unusually informative and entertaining Illus. by Kolesar, Alison account. Fortunately, as one scientist told him, “there is no bet- Random House (288 pp.) ter time in all of human history to be a person with hearing loss.” $20.00 | Oct. 15, 2019 In the 1700s, the hard of hearing used ear trumpets. Now there 978-1-984819-82-6 are many remedies for the two-thirds of Americans 70 or older who have lost some hearing. Hearing aids are improving, and As the title suggests, this book shows inexpensive high-tech substitutes—including over-the-counter how profound and pervasive the immi- headphones—are available. Physicians may soon be able to grant influence has been on American life. reverse losses once considered hopeless. Himself a mid-60- Scratch beneath the surface of nearly ish tinnitus sufferer, Owen discusses his talks with numerous any facet of what is considered American culture, and you’ll experts and patients and describes revealing visits to Massachu- likely find the imprint of someone who came to the country setts Eye and Ear, Connecticut’s American School for the Deaf, from somewhere else. Such is the lesson of this collaboration Bose Corporation, Starkey Hearing Technologies, and other between novelist Nović (Girl at War, 2015), who was born and research centers and companies. His highly anecdotal narrative raised in America within an immigrant family, and illustrator explores every aspect of hearing, including its “Rube Goldberg Kolesar, who emigrated from Scotland. Here, they celebrate machine” complexity, why most people wait more than 10 years more than 200 individuals, with capsule biographies of no more to do anything about hearing problems, and the terrible effects than a page and full-color portraits that attest to the cultural of the noise of battle—one-fifth of all hearing aids sold in the diversity and vitality of the immigrant influence. “There are U.S. are bought by the Department of Veterans Affairs. In clear, 193 member states in the United Nations; this book contains appealing prose, Owen explains how loud sounds—machinery, at least one person from each of them,” states the introduction. live music, etc.—can leave people no longer noticing smoke One two-page spread on “Classic American Products” pays alarms, sirens, gunshots, and backup signals. Hearing loss is so

88 | 1 september 2019 | nonfiction | kirkus.com | More somber than funny but an eye-opening look at a place that doesn’t figure on most travelers’ bucket lists. north korea journal

common that the author discovers many friends and colleagues OUT OF MY HEAD have the problem. Through their stories, he makes earwax On the Trail of Consciousness interesting, explores sudden and single-sided deafness, and Parks, Tim identifies the restaurants (always a challenge for the hearing- New York Review Books (320 pp.) impaired) that are quietest (Chinese, Indian, and Japanese) and $18.95 paper | Oct. 22, 2019 loudest (Mexican) in New York City. The book brims with use- 978-1-68137-397-3 ful advice: “Deafness is expensive. Earplugs aren’t.” A bright, upbeat, sometimes funny dive into a serious What accounts for our experience of subject that will spur many readers to get their ears tested. reality? British novelist and nonfiction writer Parks (In Extremis, 2017, etc.) turns his NORTH KOREA JOURNAL attention from Italy, the cherished land- Palin, Michael scape he has evoked in several previous books, to Heidelberg, Penguin Random House Canada Germany, where he journeys into the dazzling, mysterious (176 pp.) landscape of the mind. The author went to Heidelberg to par- $24.50 | Nov. 5, 2019 ticipate in an interdisciplinary project focused “on the business 978-0-7352-7982-7 of being conscious,” and he was guided by an overarching question: “do the models, the explanations, whatever that we have The peripatetic Briton journeys of consciousness, the version of events that our various authori- behind the most unyielding of iron ties sign up to, make sense?” Parks recounts with generous and

curtains. eager openness his conversations with leading philosophers young adult “The only advice which really saddens and neuroscientists from whom he gleaned three positions me is the one which seems to strike at the very essence of travel- about consciousness, defined “simply as the feeling that accom- ing,” writes Palin (Erebus: The Story of a Ship, 2018, etc.)—namely, panies our being alive, aware of perceptive experience.” The the warning that a foreigner in North Korea shouldn’t try to mix most prevalent view holds that consciousness is produced in with the ordinary people. That, of course, is the author’s stock the brain by physical and chemical processes; a minority view, in trade, and it surprised him and his crew to find that in many known as “enactivist,” holds that consciousness emerges from instances, their North Korean handlers, true believers though interaction with the world, requiring “both subject and object they may have been, accommodated them in such matters as to happen”; and a smaller minority puts forth the Spread Mind taking meals in ordinary restaurants filled with working-class view, “in which experience is made possible by the meeting of (and highly bibulous) citizens. Palin’s travelogue contains much perceptive system and the world” and “located at the object that is expected, though with his lightly learned way of putting perceived.” Since the proponent of the Spread Mind view is the things, as when he writes of crossing the border from China author’s friend and confidant, he tries mightily to give credence over the Yalu River: “A socialist market economy slips away to a perspective that he finds intuitively difficult to accept. and a largely unreformed command economy starts to emerge Parks is fascinated by the work of neuroscientists but frustrated between the flashing black beams of the bridge.” His travels by the notion “that all our experience is internal to the brain included a brief visit to the sacred highest peak in the land, the and everything that we are is essentially a matter of what goes vision of which was marred by a vast statue to an earlier dictator on in those three pounds of grey jelly.” In brain studies, he adds, in the Kim lineage. Palin is not quite as funny here as he usually there is a “gap between facts and storyline,” between “the nitty is, but that’s small wonder given that he is chronicling his travels gritty” of scientific findings and speculation about “what these to one of the grimmest places on the planet, if one with its own findings mean.” In the end, the author advises readers to test surrealisms—e.g., a statue that depicts, among other heroically scientific theories against their own lived experience. “When it revolutionary figures, “two women looking heavenwards, one of comes to consciousness,” he asserts, “we are all repositories of them carrying a chicken, the other a television.” Still, one has to quantities of evidence far richer than any available in the neuro- smile at the thought of the author showing a video of the famed scientist’s laboratory.” Monty Python sketch known as the Fish-Slapping Dance to a A lucid exploration of thinking, perceiving, and being bewildered audience, a member of which was concerned with human. whether the large fish in question was alive. Palin also works in a nice sidelong reference to Life of Brian. More somber than funny but an eye-opening look at a place that doesn’t figure on most travelers’ bucket lists. (color photos throughout)

| kirkus.com | nonfiction | 1 september 2019 | 89 RADICAL THE BOOK OF EATING The Science, Culture, and Adventures in Professional History of Breast Cancer in Gluttony America Platt, Adam Pickert, Kate Ecco/HarperCollins (320 pp.) Little, Brown Spark (304 pp.) $27.99 | Nov. 12, 2019 $28.00 | Oct. 1, 2019 978-0-06-229354-1 978-0-316-47032-2 A memoir of a life in food that is as In-depth coverage of breast cancer much a reminiscence of family and travel from a health care journalist and survivor. as a discursive account of 20 years of culi- “In addition to being the most public nary trends and developments. of all the cancers,” writes Pickert (Journalism/Loyola Mary- In the summer of 2000, Platt succeeded Gael Greene as restau- mount Univ.), “carcinoma of the breast may be the most thor- rant critic of New York magazine, well aware of the haughty, slightly oughly studied malignancy in human history.” In her first book, absurd image the food critic held in the public imagination. The the author explores the history of the disease and its many former travel writer was nonetheless a natural “gastronaut.” The variations, the progression of treatment regimes, and the cul- son of a career diplomat, Platt and his brothers had grown up at tural awareness that has developed thanks to individuals and various posts, chiefly in Asia, with stopovers in his native New York big corporations participating in pink-ribbon campaigns. As a as well as Washington, D.C. The Platt family dove into each food health care journalist, Pickert was interested in the subject, but world with the gusto of omnivorous feeders. Platt learned early on it became even more important when she was diagnosed with how to escape the expatriate cocoon and dive into a culture. Little an aggressive form of the cancer at the relatively young age of has changed: “I’ve always equated the glamor of travel and living 35. She interweaves the story of her own treatment schedule in far-off lands with the eternal joys of a good meal.” The author with the historical, cultural, and scientific data she collected on fell in love with the theatrical pageantry of restaurants, and he this well-documented carcinoma. The narrative is informative would come to see a critique as “part cultural essay, part personal and personable and thankfully never maudlin or melodramatic. diary, part service journalism, and part travel and cultural commen- One of the more controversial topics Pickert explores is mam- tary.” A James Beard Award winner, Platt writes that the strange mograms: how early women should begin having them, how Kabuki world of the restaurant critic, a once-rarefied realm, has often, and whether there is a better way to identify cancer cells given way—for good and ill—to the democratizing influences of at an early stage so women can get the best treatment possible. social media and internet culture, which he chronicles with some Readers learn about the extremely radical surgeries performed distaste (and grudging appreciation). The self-styled “Grumpy in the late 1880s, which often left women deformed, as well as Adam” can be as admiring as he is dyspeptic, but his disquisitions the latest studies, which provide treatment based on an indi- on the art and practice of criticism sometimes slip into excessive vidual’s genetic and family history. Pickert addresses the devel- self-deprecation. Still, his tone is comradely, offering not only an opment of effective drugs, including both synthetics and those elegy for a vanished golden era of New York cuisine and the tra- derived from plant and tree bark. “As I type this sentence,” she ditional expense-account food junket, but also a lament over the writes, “1,823 federally registered breast cancer clinical trials are disappearance of so many gifted old-school critics, many of whom actively recruiting patients.” She also includes information on have been replaced by manic bloggers. men with breast cancer, an underdiscussed topic. Though not A candid, entertaining look at an often bizarre new gus- comprehensive, the book provides readers with a wide range tatory landscape. of information to help those with breast cancer and their support groups make the most effective decisions for their own treatment. BITTER RECKONING A useful text on a well-known cancer bolstered by the Israel Tries Holocaust author’s personal perspective as a survivor. Survivors as Nazi Collaborators Porat, Dan Belknap/Harvard Univ. (272 pp.) $29.95 | Oct. 15, 2019 978-0-674-98814-9

An exploration of Holocaust survivors who collaborated with the Nazis, a history that shows “the spectrum of possible types of victims in the Holocaust.” These are stories of those who served on Jewish councils and police set up by the Nazis and the kapo, a prisoner who

90 | 1 september 2019 | nonfiction | kirkus.com | An eye-opening, consistently fascinating, and engrossing profile of the modern spiritualist movement. the in-betweens

supervised other prisoners. Porat (Education/Hebrew Univ.; ghost writer H.P Lovecraft to “tell exaggerated tales about him The Boy: A Holocaust Story, 2010) cites so many instances of the or write short stories under the Houdini name” and planted search for scapegoats and the gray zone between the perpetra- self-aggrandizing stories about himself in the local newspapers tors and the oppressed that one wonders why it took so long to of the towns where he performed. Posnanski is excellent at uncover the full details of these “kapo trials.” The author shows describing Houdini’s greatest escapes, from the famous Mirror how the trials went through phases, from an initial assessment Cuffs to straitjackets. The author chronicles his visit to David of Jewish functionaries as equivalent to Nazis to a final percep- Copperfield’s private museum; the Houdini Museum in Scran- tion of them as victims. To deal with accusations and disputes at ton, Pennsylvania, where he viewed the rare Houdini film, The the end of the war, displaced-persons camps set up honor courts. Grim Game; and the Academy of Magical Arts’ exclusive Magic These courts had no law or statute to rely on and focused on Castle, where he finally got to meet Patrick Culliton, author of morality and general principles of jurisprudence. Beginning in the rare and coveted Houdini: The Key. Houdini was good as a 1944, there was increasing violence across Palestine, with calls magician, Posnanski learns—he created the popular needles-infor a court. Police could arrest someone who was accused but the-mouth trick and made an elephant disappear—but he was, were often forced to release them due to lack of a relevant law, above all, a remarkable performer. Spoiler alert: The author and Israel couldn’t prosecute for crimes committed in another does not reveal any Houdini secrets. country. That situation continued until 1950, when the Knes- Entertaining and brimming with wonder. set passed the Nazi and Nazi Collaborators Punishment Law, which served as the basis for the Eichmann trial. In addition to chronicling the history of the kapo trials and their after- THE IN-BETWEENS math, Porat deals with the concept of Israelis as eternal victims The Spiritualists, Mediums,

and victimhood being used to define their psyche. The author and Legends of Camp Etna young adult explains the philosophies and procedures involved in a way that Ptacin, Mira encourages readers to see all sides. “As the cases of Jewish func- Liveright/Norton (288 pp.) tionaries demonstrate,” writes Porat, “the camps contained not $26.95 | Oct. 29, 2019 only victims and perpetrators but also those who lived in the 978-1-63149-381-2 gray zone.” A pragmatic scholarly study that fills in some gaps in A memoirist explores modern spiri- the Holocaust literature. (14 photos) tualism through its centuries-old legacy and a hallowed summer camp. Ptacin (Poor Your Soul, 2016) exam- THE LIFE AND AFTERLIFE OF ines Maine’s Camp Etna, a summer colony established in 1876 HARRY HOUDINI dedicated to communal gatherings where spiritualists assemble Posnanski, Joe for mental and physical mediumship and to engage in paranor- Avid Reader Press (336 pp.) mal fellowship. The Maine-based author immersed herself in $28.00 | Oct. 22, 2019 the community, and her reportage reflects equal amounts of 978-1-5011-3723-5 diligent journalism and wide-eyed fascination. As Ptacin writes, spiritualists staunchly believe in the afterlife and that each Unlocking the doors to the legendary human embodies the capacity and wields the tools to channel performer’s world of magic. and communicate with a host of otherworldly entities. Her tour Noting that there are more than 500 of the camp activities, which is both thrilling and unsettling, books about Ehrich Weiss, aka Harry began with a startling “table tipping” session with a medium. In Houdini (1874-1926), MLB.com national appropriately affable and accessible prose, the author describes columnist Posnanski (The Secret of Golf: The Story of Tom Watson what separates spiritualists from more common American reli- and Jack Nicklaus, 2016, etc.) still delivers a jaunty and infectious gious traditions: They are “willing to offer and provide scientific biography of the famous magician and his impact on magic evidence to prove what many people may otherwise believe to and popular culture. The author relates his discussions with be a bunch of bullshit.” Running alongside her probing exam- magicians who have emulated or criticized Houdini’s magic as ination of Camp Etna is an astute history of the rise and fall well as the “truest believer[s]” who have studied and written of American spiritualism, which began in 1888 with Kate and about him for years. As a young boy, writes Posnanski, “locks Margaret Fox, who exhibited supernatural abilities. During her spoke to Houdini, and Houdini understood.” Though he said months at Camp Etna as initially “just a journalist eager to see he was born in Appleton, Wisconsin, he was actually born in a ghost,” Ptacin’s neophyte education on spiritualism and her Budapest. This lie, discovered Posnanski, is a key to under- interactions with its practicing population blossomed from standing how Houdini achieved his mythic status. “[Houdini] spiked curiosity to rapt participation in ghost hunts and dows- believed that magic was about the performer more than the ing sessions. As the author notes, the spiritualists she met form performance,” writes the author, “and the bigger, gaudier, more an extraordinarily convictive community “grasping for meaning dangerous, more thrilling, the better.” Posnanski’s Houdini is in humanity beyond the basic biological facts,” yet the enig- a consummate liar and a genius at self-promotion. He hired matic profiles—past and present—collectively display a much

| kirkus.com | nonfiction | 1 september 2019 | 91 more dynamic tapestry. Ptacin also brings aspects of faith and THE FIRST CELL individual ability into view, as when she probed the difficulty of And the Human Costs uncovering one’s own spirit guide and an Etna spiritualist confi- of Pursuing Cancer to dently spoke: “We all can do it.” the Last An eye-opening, consistently fascinating, and engross- Raza, Azra ing profile of the modern spiritualist movement. (18 b/w Basic (352 pp.) photos) $28.00 | Oct. 15, 2019 978-1-5416-9952-6

GENUINE FAKES A welcome argument that we are How Phony Things Teach Us overdue for a change in the paradigm for About Real Stuff treating cancer. Pyne, Lydia Raza (Medicine/Columbia Univ.) decries the “protocol of Bloomsbury Sigma (304 pp.) surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation—the slash-poison-burn $28.00 | Oct. 29, 2019 approach to treating cancer” that has remained unchanged for 978-1-4729-6182-2 decades.” She points out the billions spent on research to find and target a single mutated gene or a faulty signaling pathway at An intriguing exploration of “frauds, a time when a seasoned tumor has evolved into a chaotic mass forgeries, and fakes.” of malignant cells reproducing in multiple clones with varying Because of recent “worries about genetic and cellular derangements. In this approach, research- ‘fake news’ and ‘alternative facts,’ the ers study human tumors as static entities in tissue culture or question of authenticity has taken on injected into mice whose immune systems and microenviron- particular urgency,” writes historian Pyne (Seven Skeletons: The ments are in no way comparable to the cancers seen in mostly Evolution of the World’s Most Famous Human Fossils, 2016, etc.). elderly patients. Consequently, it’s not surprising that candi- She offers examples “where a ‘real’ object ends and where a date cancer drugs fare dismally in human trials and that the few ‘fake’ (or less than real) object begins,” drawing from a variety of that offer some hope extend the life of patients by only weeks— disciplines including art, literature, mineralogy, natural history, and at great cost. The author does not ignore the recent success archaeology, and wildlife documentaries. In the late 19th cen- with immunotherapy, but she notes that the therapy remains tury, the “Spanish Forger” plied his—or her; the forger’s iden- limited and comes with its own risks and side effects. What she tity was never known—trade in the art world, becoming “one of wants instead is research to address prevention and the initia- the most skillful, and successful, and prolific forgers of all time.” tion of the cancer process—find and eliminate the first faulty Many museums had his Renaissance replicas—some 350 of cells. Her approach may be inspired in part by her own research them—until the ruse was uncovered years later. In the late 18th on a pre-cancer syndrome that can develop into acute myeloid century, William Henry Ireland began forging all things Shake- leukemia. She describes her efforts in that area as well as new speare—autographs, wills, even whole plays—using period research aimed at finding blood or tissue biomarkers of those ink and paper. The collectable fakes eventually became “more first cancer cells. Her explanation of the science and her brief genuine for having been fake in the first place.” In the chapter history of cancer research would be enough to recommend titled “The Truth About the Lying Stones,” Pyne recounts how this volume to general readers, but it is in the case histories of an expert was duped by three young men’s forged fossils. The cancer patients she has treated, including her late husband’s, scholar went to court in 1726 in hopes of “saving his honour.” where Raza’s eloquence is on full display. With elegant literary Man’s creation of diamonds began in the late 18th century and references and a compassion that deeply personalizes her inter- reached its zenith in the 1950s when De Beers began making actions with patients and families, she engages readers in a com- and selling synthetic diamonds. In the mid-20th century, commitment to finding a better way. panies actively created new, fake flavors as they drove “consum- Intelligence, empathy, and optimism inform the argu- ers’ expectations about what food ought to taste like.” Pyne ment for new research on cancer that could obviate the suf- ponders the “delicate tango of blending art and artifice into the fering prevalent today. world of storytelling in wildlife films.” Particularly fascinating is France’s costly replica of the famous Palaeolithic Chauvet Cave; the real one is closed to the public. Pyne also scrutinizes blue whale skeletons, a Mayan Codex, and artist Bansky’s paleo-inspired artifact, with “fake provenance and falsified index number,” surreptitiously installed in the British Museum, which went undiscovered for days. Genuine history smartly explored.

92 | 1 september 2019 | nonfiction | kirkus.com | The author offers a solid education in New York architecture that pays close attention to the personalities, politics, economics, and natural disasters that inevitably accompany it. a history of new york in 27 buildings

AMERICA’S GAME National Park, “close enough to the border with Tanzania to The NFL at 100 see Mount Kilimanjaro.” A brief spell in Philadelphia left her Rice, Jerry & Williams, Randy O. feeling that her new home was “too big inside and not enough Dey Street/HarperCollins (544 pp.) outside.” When her parents moved the family back to a remote $27.99 | Oct. 29, 2019 camp on a game reserve in Botswana, it signaled new adventure. 978-0-06-269290-0 The author’s meticulous child’s view stitches back-and-forth vignettes of a carefree girlhood among wildlife and a rougher Hall of Fame wide receiver Rice and existence at school in Pennsylvania. Refreshingly, Roberts sportswriter Williams (co-authors: 50 avoids many common stereotypes of Africa; she clearly cap- Years, 50 Moments: The Most Unforgettable tures its many wonders as well as its perils, such as a mamba that Plays in Super Bowl History, 2015) turn in a she shot with an air rifle. Lush descriptions linger over flora lively history of the NFL. and fauna, providing an immersive narrative that will have read- A century ago, George Halas, the legendary Bears coach, “argu- ers admiring the author’s mostly charming adventures, from ably the most influential figure in the history of professional foot- piloting a boat at age 10 to joining her parents on their baboon ball,” caught a train to Ohio and created a league, the American watch. Roberts also shows us the everyday rigors of living in Professional Football Association, made up of teams from Ohio, tents and enduring the oppressive heat, which often left them Indiana, Illinois, and New York. Most of those teams—the Mun- simply seeking shade from 9 to 5, when “it was too hot to func- cie Flyers and Rochester Jeffersons, anyone?—no longer exist, but tion.” Recounting her time in the U.S., the author emphasizes the league itself evolved, and with it football became increasingly her feelings of displacement and difficulties navigating many popular not just in pro stadiums, but also in high school and college. rite-of-passage moments. The chapters about high school turn

Early football wasn’t pretty: It was a mud-spattered mess, made more serious, and the pace slows as Roberts turns her attention young adult messier by the fact that the first players didn’t have helmets—and to familiar adolescent pains. She weaves broader topics, such as many grew their hair long in the belief that “a thick shock of hair the HIV crisis in Botswana, into a later chapter, and while she would help absorb the shock of collisions.” The authors are com- longs for the days at baboon camp, “American Keena has given prehensive in their coverage, explaining the necessary partnership me some important experiences as well.” The journey’s end is of quarterbacks and receivers—you can’t have greats of either elegiac yet hopeful: “The wardrobe door may have closed on unless you have greats of both—and the machinations of the draft, Narnia, but that doesn’t mean the story is over.” with a roster of the best of all time. Rice and Williams serve up a This episodic, warm exploration of identity and culture rogues’ gallery, taking in the great and the forgotten alike. The pace is both wide-eyed and surprisingly wise. of the narrative is a little herky-jerky, switching from anecdote to stats and brief biographies that threaten to induce chronological whiplash; the book could benefit from both streamlining and A HISTORY OF NEW YORK IN a little more Ken Burns–like splashiness, given the occasion. But 27 BUILDINGS there are plenty of locker-room stories that are worth the price of The 400-Year Untold Story of admission—e.g., Detroit Lions QB Bobby Layne’s habit of send- an American Metropolis ing rookies out to buy beer just ahead of curfew, which was sure to Roberts, Sam bring on a fine, since they “couldn’t refuse the best, most influential Bloomsbury (336 pp.) player on the team,” and Rice’s own habit, maddening to equip- $28.00 | Oct. 22, 2019 ment managers, of trying on every pair of pants in the place before 978-1-62040-980-0 a game: “Everything had to be spanking new.” A treat for gridiron fans. A series of biographies of significant New York City buildings that “have been transcendent in some way.” WILD LIFE Despite the title, this is the history of 27 structures, although Dispatches From a Childhood a great deal of New York’s past makes an appearance. “Can col- of Baboons and lective conglomerations of bricks, glass, wood, steel, and mor- Button-Downs tar reveal the soul of a city?” Definitely, writes Roberts Only( Roberts, Keena in New York: An Exploration of the World’s Most Fascinating, Frus Grand Central Publishing (352 pp.) trating and Irrepressible City, 2018, etc.), the former urban affairs $28.00 | Nov. 12, 2019 correspondent of the New York Times. The author offers a solid 978-1-5387-4515-1 education in New York architecture that pays close attention to the personalities, politics, economics, and natural disasters that Coming-of-age between a baboon inevitably accompany it. Eschewing the commonplace, Roberts research camp in Africa and a private begins with the oldest house, which is in Queens. Built in 1661 school in Pennsylvania. when the city was Dutch, it was home to John Bowne, a Quaker The daughter of American professors and primatolo- preacher and source of a petition, signed by a group of neigh- gists, Roberts spent her early years in Kenya in the Amboseli bors, objecting to director-general Peter Stuyvesant’s order

| kirkus.com | nonfiction | 1 september 2019 | 93 banning Quakers. The author points out that this is a founda- Episcopal Church and a leading light in “yet another war, a war tional document of American freedom written over a century for [abused] children.” Thoughtful and highly inspiring, this before the Bill of Rights (also born in New York). Even edu- book, co-authored by McCabe, is not only a moving memoir; it cated readers will identify only a minority of Roberts’ choices, is also an important contribution to the history of civil rights in including St. Paul’s Chapel, City Hall, the Flatiron Building, America. Tayari Jones provides the foreword. Tweed Courthouse, Empire State Building, Grand Central Ter- An eloquently told story that should make an impact. minal, and the Apollo Theater. A laundromat was once a branch of Bank of the United States. Notwithstanding the name, it was a private institution whose collapse in 1931 launched the bank- THE WAY I HEARD IT ing crisis which, perhaps more than the 1929 stock market crash, Rowe, Mike converted a normal recession into the Great Depression. New Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster York’s poorest district, the South Bronx, hosted the huge Amer- (224 pp.) ican Bank Note Plant, which churned out currency, stamps, and $27.00 | Oct. 15, 2019 stock securities for nations around the world. It moved away 978-1-982130-85-5 in the early 1980s; the building remains as a landmark, and the area is prospering. Former Dirty Jobs star Rowe serves Though not a cohesive narrative, these isolated journal- up a few dozen brief human-interest istic essays provide an entertaining picture of New York stories. through the centuries. (b/w images) Building on his popular podcast, the author “tells some true stories you probably don’t know, about some famous people you probably do.” MIGHTY JUSTICE Some of those stories, he allows, have been subject to correc- My Life in Civil Rights tion, just as on his TV show he was “corrected on windmills Roundtree, Dovey Johnson & McCabe, Katie and oil derricks, coal mines and construction sites, frack tanks, Algonquin (288 pp.) pig farms, slime lines, and lumber mills.” Still, it’s clear that he $16.95 paper | Nov. 5, 2019 takes pains to get things right even if he’s not above a few too- 978-1-61620-955-1 obvious groaners, writing about erections (of skyscrapers, that is, and, less elegantly, of pigs) here and Joan Rivers (“the Bonnie A distinguished African American Parker of comedy”) there, working the likes of Bob Dylan, Wil- attorney’s account of how growing up in liam Randolph Hearst, and John Wayne into the discourse. The the Jim Crow South impacted her later most charming pieces play on Rowe’s own foibles. In one, he struggle to overturn desegregation laws. writes of having taken a soft job as a “caretaker”—in quotes—of Segregation was a hard fact of life a country estate with few clear lines of responsibility save, as he for African Americans when North Carolina native Roundtree reveals, humoring the resident ghost. As the author notes on (1914-2018) was a child. Undaunted, her mother pushed her and his website, being a TV host gave him great skills in “talking for her sisters to become “women of destiny” by pursuing their edu- long periods without saying anything of substance,” and some cations. The author excelled in school and was accepted to Spel- of his stories are more filler than compelling narrative. In oth- man College in Atlanta. After a short stint teaching, she traveled ers, though, he digs deeper, as when he writes of Jason Everman, to Washington, D.C., where she went to work for Dr. Mary a rock guitarist who walked away from two spectacularly suc- McLeod Bethune, who recommended her for the newly formed cessful bands (Nirvana and Soundgarden) in order to serve as Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps. Roundtree took her first stand a special forces operative: “If you thought that Pete Best blew against racism while in the military when she successfully spoke his chance with the Beatles, consider this: the first band Jason out against Army plans to segregate the WAAC. At the end of bungled sold 30 million records in a single year.” Speaking of the war, she was offered a position with the Fair Employment rock stars, Rowe does a good job with the oft-repeated matter Practices Committee in California. She had initially wanted to of Charlie Manson’s brief career as a songwriter: “No one can go to medical school, but she soon came to realize that a law say if having his song stolen by the Beach Boys pushed Charlie degree would best serve her desire to “chang[e] the world in over the edge,” writes the author, but it can’t have helped. which I’d come of age.” Roundtree attended Howard University Never especially challenging or provocative but pleas- School of Law and then began the legal work that would lead to ant enough light reading. the eventual “shattering of Jim Crow.” In 1955, she won a major victory in the Sarah Keys v. Carolina Coach Company case, which helped bring about the end of the separate-but-equal practices that had been at the heart of segregation laws. Her law practice thrived, but a period of ill health and “nagging restlessness” caused her to turn to her religion for solace. Later, she enrolled in the Howard University Divinity School and became one of the first ordained female ministers in the African Methodist

94 | 1 september 2019 | nonfiction | kirkus.com | Profound, elegantly written ruminations on the exquisite splendors of life enjoyed through a secular lens. for small creatures such as we

THE AMERICAN STORY FOR SMALL CREATURES SUCH Conversations With AS WE Master Historians Rituals for Finding Meaning Rubenstein, David M. in Our Unlikely World Simon & Schuster (416 pp.) Sagan, Sasha $30.00 | Oct. 29, 2019 Putnam (288 pp.) 978-1-982120-25-2 $26.00 | Oct. 22, 2019 978-0-7352-1877-2 Interviews with 15 major American historians and the current chief justice The daughter of the prestigious of the Supreme Court. “astronomer of the people” offers ethe- Since 2013, financier and philanthro- real wisdom and worldly guidance based pist Rubenstein, co-founder of the private equity firm the Car- on the philosophy of her parents. lyle Group, has corralled the heavy hitters of American history Sagan’s debut, a lushly written amalgam of memoir and for conversations held in the Library of Congress, intended for manual, traces her life as the daughter of Carl and writer/pro- the edification of our elected representatives. His admirable ducer Ann Druyan and how she came to appreciate the wonder goal has been to provide “information about the great leaders in the everyday. Raised in a secular household, the author was and events of our country’s past, with the hope that…bringing educated through straightforward scientific explanations, but the members together in a neutral, nonpartisan setting might her father’s death when she was just 14 left more questions than modestly contribute toward reducing the seemingly increas- answers. More than two decades later, she carries on his guiding

ing partisan rancor that has become so commonplace in Wash- principles within her own family. In her first book, she ponders young adult ington.” That aim has flopped, but the text, accompanied by a a variety of rapturous events, milestones, ancestral influences, generous selection of archival images from the LOC, provides and sage affirmations on life and death. The author offers com- a smooth education in American history, with an emphasis on mentary on her and her husband’s semi-sacred daily rituals, presidents. Eschewing controversy and avoiding penetrating affording readers intimate glimpses into their coupling, wed- insights, Rubenstein asks leading questions; his responders, ding ceremony, joyful togetherness, misunderstandings, and all veterans of the lecture hall or book tour, lay out the facts sweet reconciliations. She shares fond memories of her family and their expert interpretations. According to Jack D. Warren home, where world history frequently became an educational Jr., George Washington was America’s essential man. David opportunity, and reveals the reverent methods she now employs McCullough joins the chorus supporting John Adams’ rising to spiritually reconnect with the memory of her beloved father. reputation. Though Thomas Jefferson’s continues its decline, Sagan’s narrative is heavily steeped in rituals: lighting candles, Jon Meachem finds much to praise. Women are underrepre- costuming, or meditating on and celebrating significant events sented, but Cokie Roberts has good things to say about Abigail and milestones in her life. Early in the book, the author remarks Adams, Dolley Madison, and others. The longest biographies— on the staunch secularity of her parents, an independent per- Robert Caro’s five volumes on Lyndon Johnson and Taylor spective and lifestyle passed down to her and her family. She Branch’s three on Martin Luther King Jr.—are already classics open-mindedly explores the differences between those who only partly because of their literary brilliance. LBJ’s support of have become ossified by religious protocol and those who the Civil Rights Act was perhaps the most courageous political rejoice in unfettered enjoyment of the natural world and the sci- act of the century because he did it with full knowledge that ence underlying nature’s beauty. “Religion, at its best, facilitates it would inflict permanent damage on his party. MLK and his empathy, gratitude, and awe,” she writes. “Science, at its best, allies were certainly heroes of their time, but the villains he reveals true grandeur beyond our wildest dreams. My hope is faced make a more vivid impression. Other contributors include that I can merge these into some new thing…as we navigate— H.W. Brands, Bob Woodward, and Doris Kearns Goodwin. and celebrate—the mysterious beauty and terror of being alive Breaks no new ground but provides an excellent intro- in our universe.” duction to leading historians and the books every engaged Profound, elegantly written ruminations on the exqui- American should read. site splendors of life enjoyed through a secular lens.

| kirkus.com | nonfiction | 1 september 2019 | 95 SEPTEMBER 1, 1939 HERE WE ARE A Biography of a Poem American Dreams, Sansom, Ian American Nightmares Harper/HarperCollins (320 pp.) Shahani, Aarti Namdev $27.99 | Oct. 1, 2019 Celadon Books (288 pp.) 978-0-06-298459-3 $26.99 | Oct. 1, 2019 978-1-250-20475-2 W.H. Auden’s famous poem receives an impressionistic, idiosyncratic exami- A distinguished NPR journalist’s nation from fellow poet, mystery writer, account of how the concept of the and jack-of-all–literary trades Sansom American dream gave her the chance to (English/Univ. of Warwick; December succeed while simultaneously destroying Stories I, 2018, etc.). her immigrant family. Don’t expect conventional literary criticism or an exegesis Shahani’s parents met as Indian Partition refugees in of the poem’s historical and autobiographical underpinnings in Morocco. In 1981, they came to America and settled in a mul- this rambling, fitfully stimulating work. Structured as a stanza- tiethnic Queens neighborhood, “one of the most diverse tracts by-stanza exploration, the text is in fact extremely scattershot; of land on the planet.” There, her family’s “most aggressive war” Sansom takes 100 pages to get through Auden’s first stanza, was not with members of other cultural “tribes” but with vermin leaving 200 breathless pages for the next eight. Indeed, the text in their apartment. Optimistic that they would soon succeed, generally has a breathless, tossed-off air, though the author tells they experienced their first disappointment when the author’s us he has been trying to write about Auden for 25 years. The father, a “big brain” man, had to settle for manual labor. He left plethora of literary extracts scattered throughout, by Auden the family to work with brothers in Dubai, returning only when and others, might testify to Sansom’s deep knowledge of litera- Shahani’s mother became disabled after a freak accident. Their ture—or might just signal an author substituting quotation for fortunes changed soon after her father collected money from inspiration. He certainly knows a lot about Auden, and there relatives and opened an electronics store. His hard work allowed are flashes of genuine perceptiveness: “that weird combination them to move into a house in New Jersey and live a comfort- in [Auden’s] work of mental toughness and piercing insights, able middle-class life. In the meantime, Shahani became “Nerd and also a deep, sweet sentimentality.” (Sansom takes a more Girl,” winning a scholarship to the prestigious Brearley School jaundiced tone about Auden’s sentimental tendencies when he in Manhattan. Her connections eventually landed her a well- gets to the poem’s most famous line, “We must love one another paying summer job that, unlike those her father had taken when or die,” and dismisses it with a brisk, “No. Just, no.”) Sansom he first arrived in America, “came with a desk, a computer…a never conveys the sense of personal connection that presum- view,” and a good wage. Everything changed when the author ably led him to grapple with Auden and his work. Instead, we was in 12th grade. Her father had been arrested and sent to get uninteresting personal trivia, such as the author’s feelings of prison for mistakenly selling merchandise to a drug cartel. As inferiority to real Auden scholars like John Fuller and Edward her father struggled, Shahani’s grades dropped. Though she Mendelson or the fact that he, like Auden, reads a lot of crime found a place at the University of Chicago, her faith in both the fiction. The latter remark is followed by the vague claim that American dream and the justice system was shattered. Becom- “it’s hard not to imagine Auden as some sort of detective… ing an active seeker of social justice, the author spent the next one of those professional amateurs beloved of crime writers.” 15 years using her connections and journalistic savvy to help Whether a reader finds this sort of aperçu charming or not is a exonerate her father. Barely escaping deportation, he finally good forecast of what their overall reaction to the book will be. became an American citizen only to die shortly afterward. As Knowledgeable and occasionally insightful but also it chronicles immigrant tragedy and triumph, this provocative undisciplined and self-indulgent. book also reveals the dark underside of the American judicial system and the many pitfalls for people of color within a landscape of white privilege. A candid and moving memoir.

96 | 1 september 2019 | nonfiction | kirkus.com | A vivid demonstration of how corruption and greed have become the main organizing principles in the finance industry. the finance curse

THE FINANCE CURSE NARRATIVE ECONOMICS How Global Finance Is How Stories Go Viral and Making Us All Poorer Drive Major Economic Events Shaxson, Nicholas Shiller, Robert J. Grove (304 pp.) Princeton Univ. (384 pp.) $27.00 | Nov. 5, 2019 $27.95 | Oct. 1, 2019 978-0-8021-2847-8 978-0-691-18229-2

A sharp attack on global financiers An engaging scholarly study of the who are destroying the livelihoods of the stories we tell about economic events— nonwealthy. stories that go viral, for better or worse. In an apt follow-up to his 2012 book, Bitcoin is the wave of the future, an Treasure Islands: Uncovering the Damage of Offshore Banking and anarchist challenge to national currencies meant to disguise Tax Havens, Germany-based reporter Shaxson uses a variety of the identity of those who hold stores of the “cryptocurrency.” economic theories to examine the many perils of wealth accu- It’s been valued at something around $300 billion. However, mulation. The theories are often complex, but the author aids writes Nobel Prize–winning Yale economist Shiller (Finance understanding by employing helpful analogies and metaphors. and the Good Society, 2015, etc.), “Bitcoin has no value unless He skillfully bolsters the big-picture elements of the narrative people think it has value, as its proponents readily admit.” It with compelling examples of painful microeconomic con- attains value because it’s surrounded by economic narratives, sequences for the 99 percent of world citizens who struggle some erratic, some untrustworthy—of the sort that fuel clas-

with financial issues. Shaxson’s indictees are mostly leaders sic bubbles: the mania of speculation that surrounded the young adult of large banks, hedge funds, private equity firms, and govern- South Sea Company, the mania for tulips, the fear-of-missing- ment entities that enable predatory capitalism through wealth out mania for being part of the future rather than the past. By extraction. The author begins around 1900 with oil tycoon the author’s account, narratives are too often overlooked, so John D. Rockefeller, who, at the height of his power, “con- that “we need to incorporate the contagion of narratives into trolled over 90 percent of the oil refined in the United States, economic theory,” recognizing them to be a driver of economic extracting vast wealth from consumers and generating foun- change, for good or ill. “Contagion” is a word used advisedly, tains of profit, which were funneled beyond the core business for Shiller draws some of his models from epidemiology; his into railroads, banking, steel, copper, and more.” As antidotes work also combines with the growing acknowledgment that to the greed of Rockefeller and other robber barons, Shaxson people are often not the rational actors of classic economic offers the examples of muckraking journalist Ida Tarbell and theory. Accounting for narrative epidemics does not necessar- renegade economist Thorstein Veblen, whose The Theory of ily mean trying to counter them, though economic forecasts— the Leisure Class (1899) was “a vicious exposé of a world where the currently building sentiment that a major recession is productive workers toiled long hours and parasitic elites fed about to hit, for example—are best used not to frighten but off the fruits of their labors.” Unfortunately, their work, reve- to warn, so that self-fulfilling-prophecy disasters do not in latory as it was, did not bring about lasting economic justice. fact happen. Shiller locates one pioneering forecaster in the The author offers a host of instructive discussions of a variety economist John Maynard Keynes, who warned—unsuccess- of elements to bolster his argument, including corrupt finan- fully—that placing heavy penalties on a defeated Germany ciers in London and New York City, geographically obscure after World War I would yield an even bloodier disaster pow- tax havens, the bizarre realm of wealth managers in South ered by the thirst for vengeance. That narrative proved cor- Dakota, a ravaged newspaper in New Jersey, and a shattered rect even if Ronald Reagan’s anecdotal embrace of supply-side farm economy in Iowa. “Financialization,” writes the author, economics proved a sham even as his stories “touched off an “hasn’t just sucked money and power away from rural commu- intense public mandate for tax cutting.” nities; it has extracted their dignity.” Wonky but of immense value to economists and policy- A vivid demonstration of how corruption and greed makers working on the behavioral side of the field. have become the main organizing principles in the finance industry.

| kirkus.com | nonfiction | 1 september 2019 | 97 ONE BLADE OF GRASS Situating his argument alongside the vast research of others, Finding the Old Road of the which he carefully delineates in a pointed introduction, Simms Heart, a Zen Memoir (History/Univ. of Cambridge; The Longest Afternoon: The 400 Shukman, Henry Men Who Decided the Battle of Waterloo, 2015, etc.) stresses the Counterpoint (352 pp.) global processes that motivated Hitler—e.g., the crash of 1929 $16.95 paper | Oct. 15, 2019 and the Depression—and the galvanizing might of the Ameri- 978-1-64009-262-4 cans, which he believed was largely due to the German emigrant drain from the motherland. The author draws from sources How Zen led one man to awareness he believes to be neglected as well as a deep reading of Mein of the miraculous. Kampf, and he locates the origins of Hitler’s strategic approach When he was 19, traveling in South to the enemy in the years during and following World War I, America, award-winning poet, novelist, after which he emerged “as a rather lonely figure on the - mar and travel writer Shukman (Archangel, 2013, etc.) had an expe- gins of German and world history.” Moving thematically—from rience so shattering that he could hardly put it into words. “I “Humiliation” to “Fragmentation,” “Unification,” “Mobiliza- thought I wanted to go out and see the world,” he reflected soon tion,” “Confrontation,” and “Annihilation”—Simms shows how after. “Instead it was the other way round: the world opened its Hitler’s early experience of “humiliation” (as an artist, soldier arms and pulled me in. What did it all mean?” As he recounts in witnessing Germany’s defeat, and leader of the failed putsch) a graceful, insightful, and disarmingly candid memoir, he spent led into an obsession with the successful Anglo-Saxon model— the rest of his life trying to answer that question. The son of aca- i.e., the American dream, at least partly driven by German emi- demics headed for Cambridge and, he thought, a career in aca- gration. His plan for the vast expansion of the Reich “had less demia himself, Shukman was not given to spiritual or mystical to do with hatred of Bolshevism and eastern European Jewry, speculation. However, he felt overwhelmed by the “numinous and more to do with the need to prepare the Reich for a con- grace” that enveloped him on the beach, a feeling that freed frontation or equal coexistence with an Anglo-America whose him from his “ordinary self, with its cravings and complaints.” dynamism mesmerized [him].” Thus, Simms asserts, Hitler’s Among those complaints was severe and persistent eczema: motivation was less a hatred of communism (the classic argu- “itch and pain in the dermis, frustration and misery in the ment) than obsession with the racial bolstering that Germany psyche.” He sought relief from all manner of medical, psycho- needed to take its rightful place in the global order. Moreover, logical, and alternative treatments and finally tried meditation: Simms finds that in building his plan for an expanded empire, first transcendental meditation and then Zen. At Zen centers, Hitler used the model of the British Empire’s colonialism and he felt “a sweetness, a sense of justified indolence, of coming the American colonization of the West. closer to life, to a more authentic self.” He went on retreats, A vigorous, original study that adds to the ongoing emerging with “a sense of having been cleansed, absolved even, scholarship. (4 maps) and of returning to the world with new eyes.” He studied with several masters, one of whom was a traditional koan teacher. A koan, he learned, is a verbal formulation that the student thinks THE GOLDEN THREAD about while meditating and must give up trying to understand How Fabric Changed History but instead “let it reveal itself” to the heart and deepen one’s St. Clair, Kassia understanding of reality. Zen, Shukman writes, teaches not to Liveright/Norton (320 pp.) withdraw but to accept life, pain, suffering, and beauty: “Unless $23.95 | Nov. 12, 2019 a path leads us back into the world—reincarnates us, as it were— 978-1-63149-480-2 it’s not a complete path.” Shukman now leads his own Zen center in New Mexico. Fabrics tell a story of human develop- A vibrant chronicle of a profound spiritual journey. ment from the prehistoric world to the space age. Journalist St. Clair (The Secret Lives of HITLER Color, 2017) focuses her spirited, illumi- A Global Biography nating cultural history on essential fibers that have been spun, Simms, Brendan knitted, and woven throughout time, from traces of thread Basic (688 pp.) discovered in Neolithic caves to the multilayered “one-person $40.00 | Oct. 1, 2019 spaceships” worn by American astronauts. In each of the chap- 978-0-465-02237-3 ters the author presents an engaging narrative about plant- and animal-based textiles with particular significance to place and A British academic builds on previ- historical period. In ancient Egypt, for example, flax was har- ous scholarship to make a bold thesis— vested, beaten, and combed in a laborious process to produce that Hitler’s principal obsession was not fiber woven into linen, a fabric that became essential for trade, communism but rather “Anglo-America” clothing, and mummification. Just as linen was associated with and global capitalism. Egypt, silk, produced by worms feeding on mulberry trees,

98 | 1 september 2019 | nonfiction | kirkus.com | A book that amply demonstrates grave flaws in the criminal justice system. unwanted spy

became a lucrative Chinese export. Fragments of the textile to thwart incessant “out-tweeting” by “digital jihadis” bent on have been found in 8,500-year-old tombs and needles, looms, undermining the U.S. with messages and videos on kidnappings and shuttles unearthed from Neolithic sites. Some fabrics and beheadings of Americans. “Not everyone can afford an were pressed into surprising use: Although wool is heavy and F-35,” writes Stengel, “but anyone can launch a tweet.” Even so, porous, Viking seafarers depended on it for their sails. Sheep few in government were tweeting. One exception, social media were abundant, and wool was woven to withstand fierce winds guru and Ambassador to Ukraine Geoff Pyatt, warned, “we are and rain. “By some estimates,” writes the author, “the sailcloth being out-messaged by the Russians….They don’t feel the need of the Norwegian Viking–era fleet would have required wool to be truthful.” Stengel relates the thinking of participants in from up to two million sheep.” In the stratified society of medi- the information war in ways that bring the dangers of this global eval and Renaissance Europe, when “clothing defined who you messaging onslaught home. He notes how IS migrated to the were, what you did and your social status,” lace signified wealth dark web as a result of U.S. counterefforts, and he argues that and power. St. Clair stresses the importance of cotton to 19th- artificial intelligence has great potential to detect and delete century America’s economy as well as its connection to slavery. false information. Besides economic importance, fabrics can mean the difference A revealing look at America’s difficult struggle to com- between life and death for humans confronting extreme envi- bat false, misleading narratives. ronments. The push to create new fabrics has led to synthetics, beginning with nylon and followed by many other materials that proved hugely profitable for manufacturers. Chemicals UNWANTED SPY involved in synthetic production, however, expose workers The Persecution of an to serious health risks, spurring the need for environmentally American Whistleblower

friendly methods of producing biodegradable fibers. The most Sterling, Jeffrey young adult fascinating research St. Clair reports is the effort to manufac- Bold Type Books (272 pp.) ture spider silk, coveted for its incredible strength. $28.00 | Oct. 15, 2019 Vibrant, entertaining, and brightly informative. 978-1-56858-557-4

A CIA whistleblower tells his tale. INFORMATION WARS Sterling, a lawyer who spent eight How We Lost the years in the CIA, relates his life story Global Battle Against and the details of what he maintains was Disinformation and What We a phony conviction for espionage. “During the trial,” he writes, Can Do About It “the government did not present a shred of hard evidence to vali- Stengel, Richard date the charges against me. Even [the judge] summarized the Atlantic Monthly (368 pp.) case against me as being based on ‘very powerful circumstantial $28.00 | Oct. 8, 2019 evidence’ rather than on hard proof.” Some readers—e.g., those 978-0-8021-4798-1 who condemned Chelsea Manning and Edward Snowden—may conclude that the author should not have exposed certain sensi- Former Time editor Stengel (Mande tive CIA secrets. However, given his coherent account, backed la’s Way: Lessons on Life, Love, and Courage, by copious details (other than a few redactions), most readers 2010, etc.) offers a gloomy view of America’s efforts in the “battle will believe that his revelations were warranted. Rather than of ideas” with Russia, the Islamic State group, and other entities. coming across as a bitter former CIA agent seeking retribution We “still don’t know how to fight” disinformation, writes for his imprisonment, Sterling comes across as a reasonable the author, who served as Under Secretary of State for Public man with a persuasive case that after the CIA hired him, his Diplomacy and Public Affairs from 2013 to 2016. “The truth white supervisors held back promotions solely because he was is, it’s impossible to stop people from creating falsehoods and black. When he sued the CIA for racial discrimination, gov- other people from believing them.” In this refreshingly frank ernment officials, including Barack Obama’s Attorney General account, Stengel describes his stint in the byzantine State Eric Holder, sought to discredit Sterling by alleging espionage. Department, where he focused on countering IS messaging In the first 50 pages of the narrative, the author chronicles his and Russian disinformation in the last years of the Obama upbringing in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. While some school- administration. With great clarity, he recounts the hurdles mates and family members considered him too “white” to he encountered: bureaucratic procedures, acronyms and gov- comfortably hang out with other black students, many whites ernment-speak, endless vetting and turf battles, all of which displayed prejudice against him as a black boy. After noting how slowed efforts to bring his print-oriented office into the era of he was determined to find a path that suited him, Sterling dis- social media. Foreign-service officers with no media experience cusses his undergraduate studies at Millikin University in Deca- insisted it was “easy” to create content. He was also greatly ham- tur, Illinois, and his law school years at Washington University pered by the very openness of American society, which info- in St. Louis. While working as a public defender, he jumped at savvy IS and Putin used to their advantage. Most of his book the opportunity to join the CIA after reading a recruitment details the creation of a messaging coalition with Arab nations advertisement. Despite his initial enthusiasm while training

| kirkus.com | nonfiction | 1 september 2019 | 99 at CIA headquarters, Sterling soon saw not only the racial dis- GOLIATH crimination, but also the strict conservative leanings of most The 100-Year War Between agents and the sometimes damaging incompetence infecting Monopoly Power and the agency hierarchy. Democracy A book that amply demonstrates grave flaws in the Stoller, Matt criminal justice system. Simon & Schuster (592 pp.) $29.99 | Oct. 15, 2019 978-1-5011-8308-9 THE MAN WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE A former Senate budget analyst Stieg Larsson’s Lost Files and writes of the long struggle between polit- the Hunt for an Assassin ical democracy and economic monopoly. Stocklassa, Jan Concentrated economic power has a deleterious effect Trans. by Chace, Tara F. on liberty: Those who are rich do not like to give up the privi- AmazonCrossing (510 pp.) leges of their wealth. These privileges include outsize influence $24.95 | Oct. 1, 2019 on the politics of the day, which is why earlier generations of 978-1-5420-9293-7 Americans took pains to contain that power. In the 20th century, this included the provisions of the New Deal, put in place A dense examination of a notori- after a decade in which, Stoller writes, there was literal class war ous political assassination, as initially between, say, striking coal miners in West Virginia and “police sleuthed by popular crime novelist Stieg Larsson. who wielded the power of the state but who were paid by private Swedish journalist Stocklassa’s meandering book has a con- interests.” The New Deal “reorganized two fundamental eco- voluted backstory, beginning with the author’s access to the files nomic units over which Americans had fought since the found- of the Millennium trilogy author, who died in 2004. Prior to ing: farming and shopkeeping,” small-scale enterprises that his literary career, Larsson was a prolific investigative journalist encouraged broad distribution of property and discouraged whose focus on the European extreme right led him to consider large political formations. To the minds of the New Dealers, the unsolved 1986 assassination of Swedish Prime Minister this reorganization invoked the Jeffersonian ideals of privileg- Olof Palme. “After five years of research,” writes Stocklassa, ing “the yeomanry” and helped improve the availability of credit “I found Stieg Larsson’s forgotten archives and stepped into a to farming, democratizing lending power. Later developments world of people and events that felt like they came right out of included the expansion of health care coverage. Though Harry one of Stieg’s books.” Larsson’s correspondence and reportage, Truman, Stoller observes, failed to create the universal cover- excerpted here, showed his distrust of official narratives, and he age system that is still argued over today, he did greatly reduce concluded that the chaotic initial investigation of Palme’s mur- the health insecurity of previous generations. This all changed, der focused on either a lone, disturbed perpetrator or a Turk- writes the author, during the Carter administration, when a dev- ish insurgent group. This explanation elided the more likely il’s-bargain decision was made to yield to the first expressions of scenario of a connection to Sweden’s far-right underground, in supply-side economics, affording a great victory for the politi- concert with South African security forces, who were irritated cal right that the subsequent Reagan, Bush, and Trump regimes by Palme’s stance against the apartheid regime. Stocklassa ini- would exploit—and that even the Clinton and Obama White tially imagines Larsson’s perspective on the increasingly opaque Houses would more or less go along with. “The real question,” murder even as his literary career approached success right Stoller writes in closing, “is not whether commerce is good or before his death: “A dream for many, but Stieg still wanted other bad. It is how we are to do commerce, to serve concentrated things as well.” Stocklassa eagerly reanimated Larsson’s inves- power or to free ourselves from concentrated power.” tigation, a pursuit that became “my obsession.” His efforts are An engaging call to arms at a time when corporate power credible and commendable, and he was able to speak to shady is increasing and that of the middle class evaporating. figures in South Africa and elsewhere, but the narrative wanders away from the initial sourcing in Larsson’s abandoned files. Stocklassa concludes with “a possible picture” of how the assas- THIS COULD BE OUR FUTURE sination occurred, “if, that is, Stieg’s theory was right.” However, A Manifesto for a More he cannot fill in all the blanks, ruefully concluding, “like Stieg Generous World before me, I continue to tug on the strings that stick out from Strickler, Yancey the ball of yarn that is the Palme assassination.” In making up Viking (336 pp.) for speculation, Stocklassa relies on an overly detailed, verbose, $25.00 | Oct. 29, 2019 often digressive style. 978-0-525-56082-1 A mostly engrossing but florid historical conspiracy, of most interest to Larsson fans. The co-founder and former CEO of Kickstarter offers some intriguing ideas on how to create a better world.

100 | 1 september 2019 | nonfiction | kirkus.com | What if, in 30 years, the world was more just and gener- published in 1949. “By writing about the terrors that obsessed ous, with an emphasis not on making as much money as pos- him,” writes Taylor, “he had got them out of his system.” The sible but on living with a sense of purpose and sustainability in novel is a “devastating analysis of the corruption of language,” a community that supported positive values? With Kickstarter, a “dystopian horror world…and more.” Taylor also deftly shows Strickler created a significant change in the way projects could how “many of its incidental fragments turn out to have been be funded. In his first book, he argues that we need yet another robbed wholesale from the life that ran along beside it.” He change, away from the dominant idea of “financial maximiza- demonstrates how Orwell generated the narrative while also tion” toward something that encompasses “a broader defini- continuing to contribute to magazines, exploring the political tion of value.” Throughout the narrative, the author examines and social landscape. The 1943 Allied leaders’ Tehran Confer- the many ways our value system has narrowed into a money- ence gave “his consciousness a decisive kick, and he was able obsessed condition. He studies a variety of trends, including the to clarify his vision for Nineteen Eighty-Four after he read Yevg- consolidation of radio stations and other media; the rise of strip eny Zamyatin’s We . Before Orwell died, he believed “something malls; the demise of small, family-owned stores, replaced largely resembling [the fascist society depicted in Nineteen Eighty-Four] by big-box stores; the stagnation of wages for average workers could arrive.” Taylor provides a good introduction to the work, as CEO salaries continue to rise; the proliferation of credit but for more detail on the novel’s impact on popular culture, cards; and much more. All of these trends point toward the fact look to Dorian Lynskey’s The Ministry of Truth. that a thriving economy is based primarily on making a lot of A lively, engaging, concise biography of a novel. money for a few people at the top. In order to shift this paradigm, Strickler presents a method called Bentoism (based on the Japanese food box), a strategy that would help people decide LOVE UNKNOWN

which of four different choices they should pick in any given The Life and Worlds of young adult scenario. The choices include self-focus, the people around us, Elizabeth Bishop the person you want to be in the future, and the world in which Travisano, Thomas your children will live. The methodology, he writes, can move Viking (400 pp.) readers away from a money-focused scenario toward a system $32.00 | Nov. 5, 2019 based on security, pleasure, autonomy, knowledge, and purpose. 978-0-525-42881-7 For the most part, Strickler’s ideas are informative and accessible to all readers. How her life informed the beloved A valid evaluation of the modern world and why it needs poetry of Elizabeth Bishop (1911-1979). to shift from financial maximization to something more Travisano (Emeritus, English/Hart- humane. wick Coll.; Midcentury Quartet: Bishop, Lowell, Jarrell, Berryman, and the Making of a Postmodern Aesthetic, 1999, etc.), founding president of the Elizabeth Bishop Soci- ON NINETEEN EIGHTY-FOUR ety, draws judiciously on Bishop’s poems, prose, and letters— A Biography including those to her psychoanalyst, many lovers, and close Taylor, D.J. friends—to create an authoritative and sensitive biography. Abrams (208 pp.) Bishop carried lifelong scars from a difficult childhood: Her $24.00 | Oct. 15, 2019 father died when she was an infant; her mother was sequestered 978-1-4197-3800-5 in a mental institution from the time Elizabeth was 5. Passed among relatives in Nova Scotia and Massachusetts, Bishop The life and times of a “glittering was told nothing about her mother—and never saw her again. futurist extravaganza.” Besides abiding loneliness and feelings of abandonment, Bishop Biographer and novelist Taylor (Rock suffered from asthma and bouts of eczema. In adulthood, she and Roll Is Life, 2018, etc.) describes also succumbed to autoimmune disorders; depression, made George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four as worse by cortisone prescribed for her asthma; and alcoholism. “an exposé of the totalitarian mind,” perhaps the “first Cold War Travisano suggests that heredity may have played a part in Bish- novel,” and “one of the key texts necessary for an understand- op’s alcohol abuse, which sometimes occurred for no apparent ing of the twenty-first century.” High praise for a book Orwell reason. Often, she became a binge drinker in response to emo- (1903-1950) laconically described to his publisher in 1947 as a tional distress. Since she repeatedly attached herself to women “fantasy, but in the form of a naturalistic novel.” Taylor’s 2003 who were possessive, headstrong, or mentally unstable, her love biography of Orwell won the Whitbread Book Award for Biog- affairs could be volatile. Travisano finds sources of Bishop’s raphy. Here, he zeroes in on Orwell’s final book. He delves poetry in those difficult relationships and in enduring wounds deeply and brightly into the making of the novel, its inspiration, as well as in various settings of her peripatetic life: among them, how Orwell wrote it, and how it was received critically, socially, New York, where Marianne Moore became a mentor to whom, and politically then and afterward. It took Orwell five years to for several years, she would submit poems for approval; Key write. He was quite ill and in hibernation on the rugged Isle of West, where Hemingway’s ex-wife Pauline Pfeiffer became a Jura, off Scotland’s coast, and died less than a year after it was close friend; Brazil, where Bishop lived for nearly two decades

| kirkus.com | nonfiction | 1 september 2019 | 101 An extraordinarily brave work of self- and cultural reflection. things we didn’t talk about when i was a girl

with the wealthy journalist and arts patron Lota de Macedo THEY WILL HAVE Soares; San Francisco; Seattle; Cambridge, Massachusetts; and TO DIE NOW Maine. Although not groundbreaking, Travisano’s sympathetic Mosul and the Fall of perspective, thorough research, and perceptive close read- the Caliphate ings lucidly portray the complexities of a writer noted for her Verini, James “reserve, calm, meticulous accuracy, and humorous detachment.” Norton (304 pp.) A finely textured portrait of an acclaimed poet. $27.95 | Oct. 21, 2019 978-0-393-65247-5

THINGS WE DIDN’T Moving reportage by an American TALK ABOUT WHEN journalist who embedded with the Iraqi I WAS A GIRL Counter-Terrorism Service and with A Memoir Kurdish peshmerga forces fighting the Islamic State group. Vanasco, Jeannie Coming from Brooklyn, George Polk Award–winning jour- Tin House (360 pp.) nalist Verini—a National Geographic contributing writer and $24.95 | Oct. 1, 2019 frequent contributor to the New Yorker and the New York Times 978-1-947793-45-3 Magazine—was determined to serve a kind of “penance” when he arrived in Baghdad in the summer of 2016 for the first time; After 14 years, a survivor of rape he was ashamed that he had been “too scared” to go to Afghani- chronicles her interviews with the man stan fresh out of college after 9/11. This time, he traveled in the who assaulted her, a former friend. wake of the Iraqi army as it moved on IS, which had captured Inside the swirling “zeitgeist” of the #MeToo movement, Mosul two years before and declared a triumphant caliphate led Vanasco (English/Towson Univ.; The Glass Eye, 2017) decided not by insurgent Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Throughout the taut nar- only to write about the experience that still gives her nightmares, rative, Verini brings us vivid and often heartbreaking stories of but also to include the perspective of the person who raped everyday Iraqis, occupied and humiliated for eons, enduring yet her. Over emails, phone calls, and in-person conversations, the another war “that nevertheless would not be happening, at least author interviewed her former friend, Mark, and tried to make not in this way, if not for the American war that preceded it.” sense of his inexplicable betrayal as well as her own ambivalence The invasion of Mosul was conducted by the Counter-Terror- toward him: “I doubt I’m the only woman sexually assaulted by ism Service, which “had put the first real puncture in the [IS] a friend and confused about her feelings,” she writes. At every defenses” in 2016, as well as multiple divisions of the Iraqi army, step of this harrowing process, from deciding how to approach the Iraqi federal police, and international forces. The official Mark after years without contact to transcribing and interpret- end of combat, in Mosul, occurred in July 2017. Verini’s account ing their conversations, the author scrutinizes her own motiva- is startlingly candid and informed, and the author has clearly tions, her compulsive caretaking of Mark’s discomfort during benefited from some years of distance. He manages to- effec their discussions, and the lasting impact of the trauma that he tively convey the complicated mess on all sides: American, Iraqi, caused her. Perspectives from Vanasco’s friends, her partner, IS. After the months of fighting, Mosul “looked as though a vin- and her therapist also figure heavily into the narrative, empha- dictive god had wiped his hand across the city.” In the battle, sizing how crucial it is for survivors to have wide networks of writes the author, “twelve hundred Iraqi soldiers were killed,” support. With deep self-consciousness, courage, and nuance, and while “no one will ever know how many civilians died, it was the author reveals the inner universe of her survivorship and certainly in the thousands.” interrogates the notion that rapists are two-dimensionally evil. A deeply thoughtful boots-on-the-ground work about a A friend of Vanasco’s reflects, “how can someone who seems so topic that many of us have stopped thinking about. harmless or acts so well or is so intelligent be capable of com- mitting what is understandably kind of an evil act and how can it happen?” Though the author does not exactly answer these questions through her interviews with Mark, her engrossing, complex, incisive testament to the banality of violence is not a desolate narrative. Instead, Vanasco invites her readers to understand the complicated humanity involved in both causing and experiencing harm, leaving the limits and possibilities of accountability and healing as urgent, open questions. An extraordinarily brave work of self- and cultural reflection.

102 | 1 september 2019 | nonfiction | kirkus.com | BOSS OF THE GRIPS ONE DAY The Life of James The Extraordinary H. Williams and the Story of an Ordinary 24 Red Caps of Grand Central Hours in America Terminal Weingarten, Gene Washington, Eric K. Blue Rider Press (384 pp.) Liveright/Norton (352 pp.) $28.00 | Oct. 22, 2019 $27.95 | Oct. 22, 2019 978-0-399-16666-2 978-1-63149-322-5 A captivating portrait of a day in the How racial challenges shaped the life life of the United States by a much-hon- of an influential African American. ored Washington Post journalist. Redcaps—porters and luggage handlers—at New York’s Weingarten (The Fiddler on the Subway, 2010, etc.), the only Grand Central Terminal started in 1895 and by 1905 were two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize for feature writing, notes entirely staffed by African American men. The job, writes at the beginning that only one of his previous books has “even Washington (Manhattanville: Old Heart of West Harlem, 2002) in approached commercial success.” His latest book is his most a thoroughly researched and illuminating biography, was “a rare ambitious, with the author showing how much art a great jour- and propitious employment option in an era of rigid racial barri- nalist can wrest from a literary stunt with a theme as old as that ers.” Foremost among the redcaps was James H. Williams (1878- of Thornton Wilder’s in Our Town: Each day is remarkable in 1948), who, from 1909 to 1948, served as “a general factotum” its own way. He chose a date at random—Dec. 28, 1986—and

whose duties involved “hiring, training, assigning, and supervis- then found people for whom its events indelibly stamped all the young adult ing some five hundred men.” Known as “the Chief,” he became days that followed. He admits that “it was a stunt. But I like an influential figure in New York’s African American commu- stunts, particularly if they can illuminate unexpected truths… nity, famous “for rallying his Red Cap porters to support ‘racial although great matters make for strong narratives, power can uplift’ causes.” Those causes included supporting the NAACP; also lurk in the latent and mundane.” Some of his entries give organizing mutual aid societies to alleviate financial troubles memorable glimpses of celebrities, among them New York City and bolster business ventures; mounting a fundraising cam- mayor Ed Koch, Grateful Dead frontman Jerry Garcia, and paign for a Colored YMCA and YMHA in Harlem; buying war dooce website founder Heather Armstrong. But Weingarten bonds at the outbreak of World War I; and participating in the offers equally vivid profiles of the less well known. They include Grand Central Red Cap Orchestra, band, and chorus. The Red Prentice Rasheed, a Miami shopkeeper who accidentally elec- Cap Quartet performed regularly on national radio; the orches- trocuted a burglar with a homemade booby trap he’d installed tra played at the 15th reunion of the Princeton University class to deter intruders; Brad Wilson, who walked away after his of 1917. Besides promoting civic and cultural projects, Williams helicopter flipped over and crashed during a fishing trip in organized both a baseball and a basketball team, making sure the Pacific Northwest; and Eva Baisey, a nursing student from that their games received positive media attention. Washing- Washington, D.C., who had implanted in her body the heart of ton gives a palpable sense of the myriad obstacles blacks faced: a dead murderer and who improbably has become “one of the Many redcaps, for example, had college training but saw “that longest-living transplant patients on the planet.” One of the fin- a diploma did not ensure the ability to break through certain est plain-prose stylists in American journalism, Weingarten tells prevailing Jim Crow barriers.” Williams’ eldest son transcended his elegantly structured stories without sentimentality or melo- the color line to become the first black fireman in Manhattan, drama, a virtue especially apparent in his story of two police- inciting every fireman in the company to request a transfer men who rushed into a flaming house in Falls City, Nebraska, (requests that were denied); a few years later, he was the first hoping in vain to save a 2-year-old boy and 1-year-girl. black fireman promoted to the rank of officer. As one former A slice of American life carved out by a master of the redcap wrote on the eve of World War II, as “a soldier fight- form. ing for those things that are constantly being reiterated as the American way,” he protested that black workers were “tyran- nized, intimated, and plagued.” An absorbing, fresh perspective on black history. (80 photos)

| kirkus.com | nonfiction | 1 september 2019 | 103 ALL POLITICS IS LOCAL GOOD HABITS, BAD HABITS Why Progressives Must Fight The Science of Making for the States Positive Changes That Stick Winter, Meaghan Wood, Wendy Bold Type Books (304 pp.) Farrar, Straus and Giroux (320 pp.) $28.00 | Oct. 1, 2019 $28.00 | Oct. 1, 2019 978-1-56858-838-4 978-1-250-15907-6

How acting on local issues can The nuances of creating a proactive, empower voters. positively charged habitual life. In her debut book, journalist Winter Wood (Psychology and Business/ makes a compelling case for the impor- Univ. of Southern California) has spent tance of state and local races in promoting progressive poli- her career amassing research material to support theories that tics. Too often, Democrats have focused on federal elections, human behavior is best controlled with habitual repetition overlooking statehouses, while Republicans invest money and rather than willpower and good intentions, which are often not strategy in local races. The result, writes the author, is that nearly enough to shift everyday activity. The author believes Republicans “continue to have outsize power on the state level that in order to change behavior, the mechanics of habit for- across the country,” affecting crucial issues such as gun laws, mation must be understood first. Wood persuasively instructs health care, and voting rights. Focusing on state politics in the readers with an informative amalgam of data, graduate training swing states of Missouri, Colorado, and Florida, Winter argues experiments, and psychological theories on conscious thought persuasively that “seemingly disparate local laws in fact have and rewiring desire and mannerisms. She notes that the same broad national consequences.” She chose those states “because learning mechanisms responsible for bad habits also control they each have something to tell us about how Democrats and good ones. “Going to the gym regularly and smoking a couple progressives lost, and how they might win again—not within of cigarettes a day are the same,” she writes, with the difference a single campaign cycle but over the long haul.” Of the three being how our habitual selves perceive and strive for personal states, Colorado stands as a model of success, with organizers goals. Wood notes that recent scientific studies reveal just how who worked energetically for nearly two decades “to keep Col- difficult human behavior is to change over the long term, but orado Democrats and progressives in the game.” They gained this data is also arming people with better game plans to dis- control of the state Senate in 2000, and although they lost it rupt the forces behind destructive patterns. Perhaps the most two years later, their victory showed them that they could win. practical aspect of the book is the focus on functional tools and Seeing that Republicans were funded by extremely wealthy principles to interrupt and overcome the kinds of habits that individual donors and conservative organizations (for example, prevent people from attaining more fruitful livelihoods and the Koch brothers and Americans for Prosperity), Colorado overall contentment. It is possible to achieve what she calls a progressives tapped local multimillionaires for contributions; “habit life” free from negative influences through the systematic their support attracted other left-leaning philanthropic and replacement of poor habits with new ones that are beneficial political donors. In addition, the organizers coordinated their and become just as familiar and comfortable. She instructs read- efforts in advertising, mailings, recruiting volunteers, and in ers to disable the compulsive cues that engage such potentially targeting key districts and races. Florida stood in sharp con- bad behavior as overeating, distracted driving, and online shop- trast. Although Democrats campaigned fiercely in presidential ping. When applied to real-life situations and acknowledged by years, after they left, the state had no progressive infrastructure. readers seeking true behavioral reengineering, her research and Moreover, “left-leaning donors and interest groups came to valuable perspectives offer both hope and the possibility for a consider Florida Democrats a lost cause,” leaving “a patchwork more manageable, productive life. A practical and cautionary of underfunded and sometimes mismanaged organizations story about how to break the cellphone habit concludes this and volunteer chapters.” In Missouri, Republicans pounced intelligent assessment with encouragement. on “charged cultural issues—guns, abortion, and race” to frag- A timely, essential guide to understanding and molding ment Democratic voters. For voters frustrated with national our behaviors to achieve better results in our ever chang- politics, Winter sees local politics as “a venue where we can do ing lifestyles. (15 b/w illustrations) something.” A timely, urgent call for political engagement.

104 | 1 september 2019 | nonfiction | kirkus.com | While Yates Garcia’s account of her own magical coming-of-age includes mystical experiences and glimpses of rituals she has crafted, it is also a forceful critique of capitalism and patriarchal culture. initiated

INITIATED Memoir of a Witch Yates Garcia, Amanda Grand Central Publishing (352 pp.) $27.00 | Oct. 22, 2019 978-1-5387-6305-6

A professional witch recounts the trials she endured in finding her vocation. That a contemporary witch would quote Starhawk quoting Doreen Valiente in an epigram will come as little surprise to students of the history of women’s spirituality. The former is an ecofeminist who has played a vital role in reimagining goddess worship for the modern age. The latter was instrumental in shaping Wicca, a mid-20th-century reiteration of English witchcraft. That this quotation is followed by a line from Hélène Cix- ous’ “The Laugh of the Medusa” is a bit more surprising. Taken together, these epigrams offer an illuminating introduction to Yates Garcia and her work. A seventh-generation Californian,

the author has made a name—and a remunerative career—for young adult herself as the “Oracle of California.” She co-hosts a podcast called Strange Magic, she has more than 27,000 followers on Instagram, and, in 2017, she talked with Tucker Carlson about her magical efforts to bind Donald Trump from doing harm. It would be wrong, though, to dismiss Yates Garcia as a dilettante cashing in on the current interest in witches. Her mother is a practicing witch and raised the author within her own tradition, a mix of Unitarian Universalist feminist theology, neopagan- ism, and political activism. While Yates Garcia’s account of her own magical coming-of-age includes mystical experiences and glimpses of rituals she has crafted, it is also a forceful critique of capitalism and patriarchal culture. Her philosophy of witchcraft emphasizes collective action and social justice. But this is not a manifesto. It’s a tale of adventure, a heroine’s journey to find her own power. Along the way, she chronicles her encounters with fairies, monsters of various kinds, and at least one demon lover. Even though “the forces of patriarchal authority have destroyed our stones, our caves, our temples, our cathedrals…the Goddess is being reborn.” Thoughtful, engaging, and fresh: a welcome addition to the annals of women’s spirituality.

| kirkus.com | nonfiction | 1 september 2019 | 105 children’s These titles earned the Kirkus Star: THE BIG BOOGER BATTLE Acosta, Alicia Illus. by Carretero, Monica FIX THAT CLOCK by Kurt Cyrus...... 111 Trans. by Siret, Céline nubeOCHO (40 pp.) TORPEDOED by Deborah Heiligman; illus. by Lawrence Lee...... 117 $15.95 | Nov. 12, 2019 978-84-17123-91-8 LITTLE MOLE’S WISH by Sang-Keun Kim; Series: Little Captain Jack trans. by Chi-Young Kim...... 119 WILD HONEY FROM THE MOON by Kenneth Kraegel...... 120 Grab a tissue—this vibrant picture book delivers silly adventure alongside copious amounts of mucus. VOYAGE OF THE FROSTHEART by Jamie Littler...... 120 This sequel to Little Captain Jack (2017) takes the diminu- THE GIRL WHO RODE A SHARK by Ailsa Ross; tive pirate and his crew to unusual new locations as they travel illus. by Amy Blackwell...... 131 the high seas. After discovering a message in a bottle pleading for help, Jack charts a course for Achoo Island. Soon, the crew THE BOY WITH THE BUTTERFLY MIND discovers that the island is inhabited by person-sized noses by Victoria Williamson...... 134 (with tiny limbs) intent on coating Jack and company with snot and boogers! Quick thinking and teamwork get Little WHAT THE EAGLE SEES by Eldon Yellowhorn & Captain Jack and his friends to safety, but not before he con- Kathy Lowinger...... 134 tracts a mysterious sneezing illness. Hilarity ensues when Jack’s THE SHORTEST DAY by Susan Cooper; illus. by Carson Ellis...... 137 sneezes produce bubbles, confetti, and even popcorn. A return trip to Achoo Island and a clever plan become necessary if he SNOW GLOBE WISHES by Erin Dealey; ever wants to find a cure. The theme of the series opener may illus. by Claire Shorrock...... 138 have been self-acceptance, but readers of this new story are left with a less meaningful takeaway: “Make sure you have a hanky THE BEST GIFT EVER GIVEN by Ronnie Martin; in your hand / if you travel to Booger Land.” Both noses and illus. by Nathan Schroeder...... 143 pirates represent a wide variety of skin tones, and one pirate is THE NIGHT OF HIS BIRTH by Katherine Paterson; shown using a wheelchair. illus. by Lisa Aisato...... 146 Unanswered questions and a muddled plot may leave readers scratching their heads instead of picking their noses. (Picture book. 4-8) LITTLE MOLE’S WISH Kim, Sang-Keun Illus. by the author THE SPACE WE’RE IN Trans. by Kim, Chi-Young Balen, Katya Schwartz & Wade/ Margaret Ferguson/Holiday House Random (40 pp.) (176 pp.) $17.99 | $20.99 PLB $17.99 | Oct. 8, 2019 Nov. 19, 2019 978-0-8234-4289-8 978-0-525-58134-5 978-0-525-58135-2 PLB Frank loves number patterns, ciphers, and soccer, but his relationship with his younger brother, Max, doesn’t fit into any logical category. Frank is 10, and his fascination with codes and numerical sequences is challenged by the unpredict- ability of Max’s autism. Frank is counting down the days until Max can start his new school, but his focus on the difficulties of life with his brother takes a back seat when true tragedy strikes

106 | 1 september 2019 | children’s | kirkus.com | the family and Frank begins a countdown of another kind. Leav- MINI RABBIT IS NOT LOST ing childhood innocence far too soon, Frank is supported by his Bond, John two best friends, his loving family, an empathetic neighbor, and Illus. by the author a teacher who understands the temptation to hide what is hurt- Neal Porter/Holiday House (32 pp.) ful from the outside world. Balen’s debut novel draws from her $18.99 | Oct. 8, 2019 own experiences in a school for children with special challenges, 978-0-8234-4358-1 and she balances the struggles of those with autism and those who love them in a book with an achingly huggable main charac- Mini Rabbit and Mother Rabbit are ter. The story, narrated by Frank, rings true as the author resists making cake, but they’ve run out of ber- any temptation to make Frank more praiseworthy or more adult ries. “No berries, no cake.” “No cake? No way!” than he would be. The inclusion of the golden ratio, Morse code, With single-minded determination, Mini Rabbit sets out, occasional free verse poetry, and thoughtful changes in typeset clad in a striped shirt and equipped with a jaunty orange back- add to an already admirable book. The tale is set in contempo- pack—and immediately fails to notice a bush full of berries rary England; the main characters are presumed white; Frank’s growing just under their treehouse home. The movement-filled friend Ahmed’s family is from Bangladesh. compositions show Mini Rabbit crossing fields and forests, The mysteries of the universe, the complexities of life, arriving at a lighthouse, climbing a mountain in a snowstorm, and a protagonist readers will fall in love with. (Fiction. 10-14) and going over a cliff, where persistence is rewarded with one berry, all the while chanting, “Cake! Cake! Cake! I can find berries.” Thinking the tot’s lost, creatures all along the way offer to MEDITATION FOR KIDS help, but Mini Rabbit politely declines their offers. It is only

How To Clear Your Head and when the search leads deep into a cave that Mini Rabbit feels young adult Calm Your Mind lost—backpack, berry, and big round eyes stand out clearly Bernard, Johanne & Dupeyrat, Laurent while black fur blends with the blackness of the cave. Just then, Illus. by Gilles, Alice a smell beckons, “Caaaaake!” Retracing the route, Mini Rabbit Bala Kids/Shambhala (96 pp.) makes it back home with that one berry, where Mother Rabbit $16.95 paper | Nov. 12, 2019 greets her adventurer with a berry cake, of course! But as many 978-1-61180-620-5 a fickle youngster will, Mini Rabbit has moved on: “Can I have some ice cream? I LOVE ice cream.” This guide, geared toward young Charming and whimsical—sure to bring smiles to read- meditators, offers over a dozen medita- ers’ faces. (Picture book. 3-6) tion practices from the Buddhist tradition. The text opens with a bit of history. Unlike other guides, which tend to emphasize secular mindfulness, this text FLASH, THE LITTLE embraces a specifically Buddhist approach to meditation FIRE ENGINE (though this need not limit its utility for readers of other reli- Calvert, Pam gious traditions or none). Brief information about the Buddha Illus. by Taylor, Jennifer is provided, and sayings and stories traditional to Buddhist Two Lions (40 pp.) teaching are interspersed. The majority of the book consists $17.99 | Nov. 5, 2019 of individual meditation practices. Each practice is explained, 978-1-5420-4178-2 and guidance is offered for how to teach the practice to one’s parents. The direct simplicity of the text is appealing; however, A little fire engine discovers what it’s at times the tone drifts toward scolding or even authoritarian, good at by eliminating what it is not. for example, as readers are admonished to begin in certain ways, Who knew disappointment could be such a keen teaching practice certain exercises only at specified times, or stay abso- tool? Narrator Flash is eager to demonstrate firefighting prow- lutely quiet. Several line drawings of male and female figures— ess, but every attempt to “save the day” yields bubkes. First all white as the page—appear throughout; even the Buddha is Flash is too little to handle a fire at the airport (Crash, an air- depicted with skin devoid of color. At times, a whiff of privi- port crash tender, handles that one). Next Flash is too short lege is evident; multiple-parent households with quiet, private to help a tall building that’s on fire (that honor goes to Lad- spaces and easy access to nature are presumed, and no accom- die, a turntable ladder). Finally, an airplane and a foam tender modations are given to include children whose experiences may together solve a forest-fire problem. Only when a bridge is sud- not be reflected in these instructions. denly blocked by snow, with all the other trucks on the wrong Most useful for children already exposed to, and look- side of it, does Flash have the opportunity to save a pet shelter ing to deepen, meditation practice. (Nonfiction. -8 12) that’s ablaze. (Readers will note characters in shirtsleeves at the beginning of the book, so this is a very unexpected snowstorm.) Calvert deftly finds a new way to introduce kids to different kinds of firefighting vehicles by setting up Flash in opposition to situations where it’s just not the best truck for the job. The

| kirkus.com | children’s | 1 september 2019 | 107 taking stock: winter holiday picture books

Photo courtesy Leah Overstreet In the children’s book world, Why, if you are a Christmas-celebrating person of col- the Christmas season begins in Sep- or or caregiver to a child of color, would you spend money tember. That’s when the vast major- on books that seem to ignore your existence? ity of Christmas-themed books hit And, sadly, a whole lot of the the shelves, ready for eager, early- annual Christmas glut is not bird shoppers. It’s also when we particularly good. It’s hard to es- publish our roundup of Christmas, cape the conclusion that there’s Hanukkah, and—if there are any— not much creativity left to be other winter-holiday picture books. wrung from Christmas stories And I begin to feel very Grinch-y, when the season produces such lip curling from my perspective at titles as The Tooth Fairy Vs. San the top of my personal Mount Crumpet at the rank com- ta, Peanut Butter and Santa Claus: mercialism on display. A Zombie Culinary Tale, and The That the Christmas retail juggernaut drives market- Dinosaur That Pooped Christmas! ers’ perception of book-buying is made amply clear in the (“Safe to say,” opines our review- proportions. This year, Kirkus reviews some 45 picture er, “it’s the only dinosaur-poop–themed Christmas book books with winter-holiday themes; of them, four are Ha- readers will ever need”). nukkah books, two use Christmas imagery to commu- To be sure, there are a lot of terrific books that fam- nicate messages of peace, and one focuses on the winter ilies will be happy to add to their book bags. Francesco solstice—the rest are Christmas books, underscoring the Tirelli’s Ice Cream Shop, Tamar seemingly unquestioned perceptions that the vast major- Meir’s historical tale (illustrat- ity of the nation’s book buyers celebrate the holiday and ed by Yael Albert) of an Italian that those who might celebrate other winter holidays gentile who gave shelter to her don’t buy many (or any) books. father-in-law and his family dur- It’s not just in the selection of holidays that the na- ing the Holocaust, includes a tion’s diversity is largely ignored, but within the collec- lovely, touching celebration of tion of Christmas books as well. In this year’s clutch, three Hanukkah. Susan Cooper’s The feature explicitly interracial families: Long Ago, on a Si- Shortest Day, illustrated by Car- lent Night, by Julie Berry and il- son Ellis, is a brief but incandes- lustrated by Annie Won; Snow cent survey of solstice observances beginning in prehis- Globe Wishes, by Erin Dealey and toric Europe and concluding with a Yule celebration in a illustrated by Claire Shorrock; modern, Western, multicultural home with a Christmas and Cookies for Santa, by Amer- tree, menorah, and sprig of holly in the living room. And ica’s Test Kitchen and illustrat- on The Night of His Birth, Mary wonders aloud at the mired by Johanna Tarkela. Debo- acle that is her child in author Katherine Paterson and il- rah Melmon’s lightly massaged lustrator Lisa Aisato’s luminous, reverent work. adaptation of ’Twas the Night One of our favorites, however, Nutcracker Night, em- Before Christmas places at its cen- bodies the contradictions inherent in the packaging and ter a family of three children delivery of Christmas culture. Author Mireille Messier with brown skin and straight, dark hair. The only identifi- and illustrator Gabrielle Grimard’s buoyant celebration ably Latinx Christmas celebration occurs in Between Us and of a child’s first encounter with the popular ballet follows Abuela, by Mitali Perkins and illustrated by Sara Palacios. an Asian child-and-dad pair who sit in a robustly diverse Almost all the rest of this year’s audience—and watch a troupe of mostly white dancers. batch of Christmas picture Can’t we do better? —V.S. books reviewed cast characters of color in supporting roles—if Vicky Smith is the children’s editor. they appear at all. The only non- white Santas are of the Salvation Army or department-store sort.

108 | 1 september 2019 | children’s | kirkus.com | An excellent jumping-off point to encourage children to engage with art. how artists see animals

anthropomorphized engines and planes irritatingly include HOW ARTISTS SEE ANIMALS unnecessary eyelashes on trucks with feminine pronouns, but Mammal Fish Bird Reptile this is mitigated by the fact that the girls get cool names like Carroll, Colleen “Crash” and save the day first. Enthusiastic if unremarkable digi- Abbeville Kids (48 pp.) tal art presents both firefighters and citizens in an array of gen- $13.95 | Oct. 1, 2019 ders and races. 978-0-7892-1348-8 An innocuous telling, sure to slip in effortlessly with Series: How Artists See other firetruck books.(Picture book. 3-6) In this revised edition of one book in a series entitled How Artists See, Carroll has selected an eclectic collection of 23 paintings, sculptures, and artifacts by artists ancient and modern from many different cultures. Each artwork is depicted on one page or a double-page spread, frequently alongside a detail from the larger work. The book presents depictions of animals by varied artists: Andy Warhol, Frida Kahlo, Albrecht Dürer, Kishi Ganku, Robert Bateman, Henri Matisse, Roy Liechtenstein, Alexander Calder, Frank Gehry, John James Audubon, Tamás Galambos, Georgia O’Keeffe, Ana Maria Pacheco, Simon Stålenhag, Audrey Weber, young adult

| kirkus.com | children’s | 1 september 2019 | 109 INTERVIEWS & PROFILES Raina Telgemeier [sponsored] IN HER LATEST GRAPHIC MEMOIR, GUTS, THE ARTIST/AUTHOR WRITES FRANKLY ABOUT ANXIETY AND STOMACH ISSUES By James Feder

Photo courtesy Fanvu Joseph Photography functions.’ ” And while her early work may have dealt with less weighty issues, she found that the experience of producing such books nevertheless prepared her to approach this chapter of her life with the sleight of hand it required. “I think the beauty of the graphic novel format is that you can show and tell,” Telgemeier explains. “So with something like anxiety, which can be really hard to describe—especially for a young person—you can use a combination of color and playing with something like time and dialogue to get to this really cool place where you can describe something deep and personal in a way people can actually feel for themselves.” Telgemeier began dealing with anxiety and her stomach issues when she was around 9, the same age that she discovered comics. “One of the places I found comfort,” she remembers, Raina Telgemeier was producing autobiographical comics long “was in the comic strip “For Better or For Worse.” While it didn’t before the runaway success of her New York Times bestselling graph- address her specific concerns, it dealt with “typical problems that ic novels Smile (2010) and Sisters (2014). From the age of 9, enam- kids had: bullies and pimples and crushes,” and for Telgemeier, ored by the comic strips she read in newspapers, Telgemeier began that proved to be enough. She was particularly struck by the fact creating her own. For a “lack of other stories,” she chose to focus that the creator was writing from her own experiences. “It was so on the everyday, on life as she saw it unfolding around her. “I had validating to see that, and it was a big motivation for me to want a really hard time coming up with ideas,” she recalls. “I thought if to create something similar.” you wanted to be a writer, you had to be somebody who made stuff There is a long-standing tendency among parents, teachers, up, and I wasn’t one of those kids.” And so her comics became a di- and librarians to dismiss the merits of graphic novels or to see ary of sorts, something private and personal that she did for herself them as steppingstones toward “real” literature. “I think that without any intention of sharing. “But after doing that for 25 years,” does kids a real disservice,” Telgemeier insists. “Just because she says, “I realized the ideas, the stories, were right there.” they’re laughing, just because there are pictures, doesn’t mean While Telgemeier may have found the basis for her latest there isn’t value. There’s so much to be found in this medium,” graphic novel–cum-memoir, Guts, in her own life experience, that she says, listing off comics that range from Jennifer and Matthew didn’t mean it was an easy story to tell. “It’s a story I’ve been liv- Holm’s Babymouse to Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis. ing with my entire life,” she explains, but unlike Smile, which ex- “A lot of kids will say that they don’t like reading,” Telgemeier plored her encounter with orthodontistry, or Sisters, which dealt continues, “and we—as in other cartoonists—find that graph- with her relationship with her sibling, Guts is centered around ic novels can get kids interested in reading for the first time. issues we don’t typically think of as appropriate for “polite com- Books can be intimidating because of their size or the number pany:” anxiety and irritable bowels. of words or chapters, but the pictures make it effortless. I get After introducing readers to a character—her younger self— excited emails from kids who say, ‘Yours is the first book I ever who deals tangentially with anxiety in her previous books, Tel- read.’ They discover a love of reading, and then they find that gemeier felt compelled to address the issue head on. “I thought, they want more.” ‘You know what, it’s time to tell this story and be completely up front about it, even though it’s embarrassing and there are stig- James Feder is a New York–born, Scottish-educated writer based in Tel mas and taboos, and it’s related to a phobia that deals with bodily Aviv. Guts was reviewed in the June 1, 2019, issue.

110 | 1 september 2019 | children’s | kirkus.com | Crisp, Georges De Groot, and Marie Sybilla Merian as well as FIX THAT CLOCK art from cave paintings in France, a mosaic from Pompeii, an Cyrus, Kurt ancient Greek coin, a Chiriquí frog pendant, and a Kuba carved Illus. by the author wood crocodile. Carroll’s prose is simple but lively: engaging, HMH Books (40 pp.) questioning, sometimes humorous, often invoking sensory $17.99 | Nov. 26, 2019 responses. As she remarks in a closing note, “The questions… 978-1-328-90408-9 are open-ended, with no right or wrong answers—they are meant to encourage children to look critically and ask thought- Three young builders repair a run- provoking questions of their own.” This book would provide an down clock housed in a wooden tower. excellent jumping-off point for a teacher or parent to encour- The rickety wooden tower stands age children to engage with art, to spark creativity, and to build alone, paint peeling, stairs broken. The gears in the clock have visual-literacy skills. Biographical notes and resources for each rusted; most of the numbers have fallen off. Three determined artist appear in the backmatter. Companion title How Artists young people clad in overalls and toting tools arrive to restore it. See Families publishes simultaneously. Two present as male—one tall, thin, and black, the other shorter A great addition to the visual-literacy library for and white. The lone girl has straight, dark hair cut in a short bob young children. (Informational picture book. 6-10) (How Artists and olive skin. The rhyming text has an appealingly singsong See Families: 978-0-7892-1349-5) nursery-rhyme cadence as it chronicles their arrival, the work they do, and the host of small animals that have made the clock tower their home. It also offers opportunities for interaction by BOA CONSTRUCTOR describing details in ways that encourage children to observe

Cummings, Troy closely and to count. Variations in the style, size, and color of young adult Illus. by the author the typeset add emphasis and visual interest and contribute to Scholastic (96 pp.) the playful feel. Crisp, colorful illustrations enhance and extend $4.99 paper | $24.99 PLB | Sep. 3, 2019 the text. In addition to depicting the action and individuals 978-1-338-31469-4 described (down to the last of 20 mice who race to escape the 978-1-338-31470-0 PLB demolition), they reveal subtle patterns in the trees, shrubs, and Series: The Binder of Doom, 2 clouds and the details of the clock face and its gears. With lots to look at and a pleasing rhythm, this ener- In the second installment of the getic repair project ticks along very nicely indeed. (Picture Binder of Doom series, readers will book. 4-8) reconnect with Alexander Bopp, who leads the Super Secret Monster Patrol, a group of mutant children who protect the citizens of their beloved town of Stermont. THE YETI AND THE His friends Nikki and Rip rejoin him to add new mon- JOLLY LAMA sters and adventures to their ever growing binder of mon- A Tale of Friendship sters. As in series opener Brute-Cake (2019), Alexander and his Das, Surya friends attend the local library’s summer program, this time Illus. by Mineker, Vivian for “maker-camp.” They are assigned a Maker Challenge, in Sounds True (32 pp.) which each camper is to “make a machine that performs a help- $17.95 | Oct. 8, 2019 ful task”; meanwhile, mechanical equipment is being stolen 978-1-68364-386-9 all over Stermont. Unfortunately, the pacing and focus of the book hop all over the place. The titular boa constructor (a two- A fearsome yeti is befriended by a gentle lama in this picture headed maker-minded snake and the culprit behind the thefts) book. is but one of many monsters introduced here, appearing more In Tibet, a lama spends his days in meditation “wishing peace than two-thirds of the way through the story—just after the and happiness for the world and all its creatures.” One day, going Machine Share-Time concludes the maker-camp plotline. (Rip’s into the village for the midsummer festival, he finds it empty. He “most dangerous” invention does come in handy at the climax.) learns that a yeti has terrorized the village and the villagers are The grayscale illustrations add visuals that will keep early read- afraid to come outdoors. The lama persuades them to celebrate ers engaged despite the erratic storyline; they depict Alexander anyway. Afterward, back at his cave, the lama is praying for with dark skin and puffy hair and Nikki and Rip with light skin. “peace and happiness” when the yeti shows up, ready to pounce. Monster trading cards are interleaved with the story. But this brief moment of narratively welcome tension is imme- Returning fans will be happy to see their friends, but diately diffused when the yeti, instead, lies down at the lama’s this outing’s unlikely to win them new ones. (Paranormal feet, pacified by the “warm glow of the lama’s heart.” This turn adventure. 6-8) of events may well disorient young readers. Hopefully they will identify with the lama’s subsequent kindness and compassion to the yeti and the yeti’s conversion into a happy, helpful companion, but this well-worn (although vital) theme fails to captivate

| kirkus.com | children’s | 1 september 2019 | 111 in this treatment. Mineker’s illustrations are colorful, showing The initial double-page spread is a bright, grassy green. A large many Tibetan faces and a brown yeti, but beyond this are unre- black headline announces “The bug club.” Directly beneath it, in markable in their design and perspectives. While author Das is smaller black lettering: “Step into the exciting world of mini-beasts! a well-regarded, well-known Western monk in the Tibetan Bud- Don’t be afraid!” Large, colorful, semicomical renditions of several dhist tradition, the book’s cutesy language, somewhat patroniz- insects—and a lizard whose tongue is trying to catch a fly—are ing jocularity, and lack of narrative tension make it a bland read. scattered across the pages, accompanied by blocks of text that give Kindness and compassion delivered in a pat manner. a few facts about cicadas, rhinoceros beetles, peacock butterflies, (author’s note) (Picture book. 3-8) tiger beetles, and ants. More text is included in two opaque circles of contrasting colors, each with the headline, “Wow!” Each succeed- ing double-page spread uses a similar layout, producing in readers MIMI’S TREASURE TROUBLE the opposite effect of a bedtime story. The categories include legs, Davick, Linda homes, camouflage, unusual survival skills, and more. On several Illus. by the author occasions, the text cleverly adds buglike meanings to well-known Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster sayings. Although the colorful busy-ness and overabundance of (240 pp.) exclamation marks would suggest a preschool audience, an abun- $13.99 | Oct. 8, 2019 dance of text and compound sentences makes it more appropriate 978-1-4424-5892-5 for older readers who don’t mind hype. Their reward: plenty of cool Series: Mimi’s World, 2 and/or gross facts with which to impress others. Hopefully, young readers will read all the way to the ending’s reminder of the impor- A girl’s quest for treasure alienates tance of bugs to our planet. Companion titleWow! Look What’s in the her friends. Oceans publishes simultaneously and with similar effect. Mimi lives in an apartment in Periwinkle Tower, where most Fun with bugs. (Informational picture book. 6-9) (Wow! Look of her friends live as well. Their current project is to dig a tunnel What’s in the Oceans: 978-0-7534-7518-8) so that Sofie, who isn’t lucky enough to live in Periwinkle Tower, can sneak in and live among her friends. What Mimi hasn’t told her friends is that her reasons for helping dig the tunnel aren’t A WARM FRIENDSHIP entirely altruistic: She’s hoping to find buried treasure. When DeLange, Ellen that information comes to light, and after Mimi insults her friend Illus. by Molnár, Jacqueline Yoshi and calls him “stupid,” her friends abandon her. She has to Clavis (32 pp.) swallow some humble pie if she wants to win them back. Though $17.95 | $9.95 paper | Oct. 1, 2019 their town of Pueblo del Mar is ostensibly in the United States 978-1-60537-449-9 and Mimi and her friends attend school, there are no parents in 978-1-60537-503-8 paper this world, and the children drive their own cars and cook their own food. The shallow conflicts in the story shift chapter by A squirrel and a snowman cherish chapter, and the worldbuilding is neither realistic nor fantastical, their friendship and hope it will last for- putting it in an uncomfortable nowhereland. Bobblehead-style ever in this Belgian/Dutch import. illustrations present a diverse cast of characters, but Mimi’s ever When Squirrel sees a shivering, sobbing snowman alone in present sombrero (a gift from Yoshi after a bad haircut) feels like the cold, she gathers scarves and blankets with the other forest a cheap way to signal that the character is Latina. It seems the animals to keep him warm. Her act of kindness begins a friend- book wants us to laugh with it, but it’s much easier to laugh at it. ship full of fun that inspires the whole forest to join their play. Both meandering and implausible even when suspend- However, the snow starts melting as the “days fly by,” and Squir- ing disbelief. (Fiction. 5-9) rel’s best friend disappears, too. All the forest animals experience the loss. Collagelike illustrations cover every spread with whimsical, wintry scenes, leaving no white space apart from the snow. WOW! LOOK WHAT BUGS DeLange foreshadows the snowman’s inevitable demise with CAN DO! warmer weather, so his melting arrives naturally, but the resolu- de la Bédoyère, Camilla tion afterward is abrupt and offers hollow closure. Owl’s words of Illus. by Johnson, Ste comfort (the concluding lines of the book) dismiss Squirrel’s feel- Kingfisher (32 pp.) ings about the loss of her best friend with the platitude “Don’t be $15.99 | $8.99 paper | Oct. 1, 2019 sad”: Snowman lives on in the flowers, leaves, and hearts of his 978-0-7534-7517-1 friends. Bright spring colors in the background correspond with 978-0-7534-7516-4 paper this tone of forced positivity. The story introduces no twists or Series: Wow! surprises to the “melting snowman” trope. While the celebration of friendship and kindness is sweet, the treatment of Squirrel’s Oversized illustrations of various insects “slither, creep, grief gives the story’s overall message an insensitive ring. crawl, scamper, swim, climb…or fly” across colorful pages that An invalidating and tactless lesson about coping with also sport the “Extraordinary Facts” announced on the cover. the sudden loss of a friend. (Picture book. 3-6)

112 | 1 september 2019 | children’s | kirkus.com | A stirring tribute to black excellence. the unstoppable garrett morgan

THE UNSTOPPABLE from Scripture in a “Wisdom of the Word” rebuttal. Confusingly, GARRETT MORGAN some quotes used to represent “wordly” wisdom would seem to Inventor, Entrepreneur, Hero support the Scriptures referenced. Though the fables are gener- DiCicco, Joan ally well told, a few nonbiblical messages might be mistakenly Illus. by Glenn, Ebony communicated to those seeking the moral to be clear from the Lee & Low (40 pp.) start. For instance, in the story of “Rabbit’s Foxy Guest,” early $19.95 | Oct. 1, 2019 dialogue could easily lead readers to believe that the tale is a 978-1-62014-564-7 warning against being hospitable toward others rather than a warning against deception. Overall, the book is actively hostile An accessible first look at a cele- to readers not already aligned with the creators’ worldview. brated inventor in the black community. A mixed bag of morality tales. (Fables. 6-10) Garrett Morgan has been credited with the invention of the traffic light but is often overlooked in favor of other famous black innovators, such as George Washington Carver and Charles R. Drew. Debut picture-book author DiCicco gives young readers a solid overview of Garrett Morgan’s wide- ranging versatility. The account of his humble beginnings as part of a Kentucky sharecropping family highlights how his circumstances led him to solve problems creatively. When he left for the North, he advanced his education with private

tutoring. DiCicco uses affirmative vocabulary like “unstop- young adult pable” and “brave” to describe his resilience and determination in life—an attitude that led to his decision to marry a white woman before interracial marriages were federally legal. The bulk of the book is devoted to his invention of a piece of safety apparatus that ensured a supply of fresh air to firefighters before turning to the invention of the traffic light. The racism that he encountered along the way is not soft-pedaled. A detailed timeline and bibliography steer readers to resources that will enable them to further explore his life. Glenn supplies earth-toned paintings that give a sense of the period and evoke mid-20th-century Disney cartoons. A stirring tribute to black excellence. (Picture book/biog raphy. 7-11)

FROG’S RAINY-DAY STORY AND OTHER FABLES Dowling, Michael James Illus. by Dowling, Sarah Buell Carpenter’s Son Publishing (72 pp.) $19.95 | Oct. 1, 2019 978-1-949-572-46-9

Michael James Dowling steps out in the tradition of Aesop, using anthropomorphized animal characters to teach moral lessons within a Christian framework. He opens with the titular tale, in which Frog begins to write a story only to find his letters leaping off the page in revolt. The letters must learn that their greatest success comes in doing what they were created to do. From the start the author shows himself wary of nonbiblical truth. After the moral of each tale is revealed he pointedly attacks self-help and Eastern philosophy and religion by quoting various writers, philosophers, and religious leaders of non-Christian traditions under the heading “Wisdom of the World,” which is then contrasted with quotes

| kirkus.com | children’s | 1 september 2019 | 113 Large, unfussy black type creatively shifts to fill negative space. milton & odie and the bigger-than-bigmouth bass

MILTON & ODIE AND THE signs for peace, equality, and womanhood—a touch that may tip BIGGER-THAN-BIGMOUTH the balance a bit too far into the realm of didacticism for some BASS tastes. The illustrations feature bright primary colors, block Fraser, Mary Ann shapes, patterns, stars, and large, clear fonts that will appeal to Illus. by the author young audiences. With repeated readings, pre-readers will be Charlesbridge (32 pp.) reciting the words on their own. $16.99 | Oct. 1, 2019 A hit for girls who identify strongly with girlhood and 978-1-62354-098-2 love things that go. (Picture book. 3-6) Polar-opposite otters find camaraderie in this read-aloud. Grumpy Milton and exuberant Odie are two adorable THE BEST KIND OF BEAR anthropomorphic otters on parallel ice-fishing pursuits. Gormley, Greg Dressed in muted greens and grays, Milton finds negativity Illus. by Barrow, David in the old boot he fishes out of the frozen lake, criticizes his Nosy Crow/Candlewick (32 pp.) bait, and is less than enthused about crossing paths with the $16.99 | Nov. 12, 2019 cheery Odie when Milton’s line tugs Odie’s fishing pole out of 978-1-5362-0823-8 the water. With an exuberant, red-and-yellow plaid coat and bright blue hat and mittens, Odie sees possibilities and posi- Bear sets out to discover what kind tives as readily as Milton can find the downside in anything. of bear he is, but he doesn’t quite fit into From their meeting, they learn about teamwork and experience a category. a sweet role reversal after some success. While the pair of otters Bear is in the library searching through books about bears, represents a type of emotional binary, the gently repetitive trying to figure out what kind of bear he is, when Nelly, a brown events in the story could well start conversations about ranges child with her hair in two puffs, meets him. Bear decides to see of emotions. Warmth is established through images of happy if there is “a bear out there who can help.” He travels west and fish swimming beneath Odie (those beneath Milton match his finds a grizzly bear who loves “nice long naps.” Bear also loves glum mien), Odie’s genuine smile, and emphasized onomato- napping—but when the grizzly announces he’ll be sleeping for poeia. Large, unfussy black type creatively shifts to fill negative six months, Bear realizes he “can’t possibly be a grizzly bear.” space or snowy white landscapes. Combine this with Grumpy The grizzly bear agrees, pointing out the “funny little stitches” Pants (2016) by Claire Messer or Bernice Gets Carried Away (2015) on Bear’s tummy are un-grizzly-like. Bear’s visits with a polar by Hannah E. Harrison for a trio of reads that can offer some bear in the north, a spectacled bear in the south, and a sun bear giggles while exploring emotions and friendship. in the east follow the same pattern. Bear returns home sad- Sunnily earnest. (Picture book. 4-7) dened. He tells Nelly, “I suppose that I’m just an ordinary and uninteresting bear.” But Nelly points out all his unique features and asks if he would like to be her bear. Bear agrees that “Nelly’s GO, GIRLS, GO! Bear” is the best kind to be. The illustrations use shading, line, Gilbert, Frances and speckles over muted browns, blues, and greens, emphasiz- Illus. by Black, Allison ing characters and sketching their settings. This heartwarming Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster (40 pp.) tale can be enjoyed as a simple story or used to talk about iden- $17.99 | Nov. 5, 2019 tity, relationships, and belonging. 978-1-5344-2482-1 Thoughtfully layered and simply sweet. (Picture book. 3-8) Girl power meets things that go in this colorful early picture book. SHINE! Girls with diverse skin colors, hair Grabenstein, J.J. & Grabenstein, Chris colors, and hair textures drive, conduct, steer, speed, rev, fly, Random House (224 pp.) build, load, dump, and rocket in vehicles of many different types. $16.99 | $19.99 PLB | Nov. 5, 2019 A spread introducing three girls being active in their vehicles 978-1-5247-1766-7 is followed by a spread calling out the sounds their machines 978-1-5247-1768-1 PLB make (“VROOM! goes Emma. / HOOT! goes Meg. / CLANK! goes Jayla”), then a spread saying “GO, GIRLS, GO!” This Previously a “blender,” Piper Milly three-spread pattern repeats with three new girls and vehicles finds a way to shine in a school full of each time. From trains and tractors to tugboats, taxis, planes, would-be stars. and motorcycles, these girls “go” in every way, working, play- Piper’s father’s new job is choral ing and saving the day. Girls from previous spreads help girls director at Chumley Prep, a tony inde- on later spreads, showing an ideal of cooperation and unity that pendent school where everyone’s an achiever. It comes with furthers the value of the girl-power message. On the last “GO, full tuition for Piper, who’s now able to attend the school GIRLS, GO!” spread, all the girls march together, some holding where her deceased mother once shone. Feeling out of place

114 | 1 september 2019 | children’s | kirkus.com | and extremely untalented in this new, more competitive world, THE HADLEY ACADEMY FOR seventh grader Piper eventually finds friends and discovers that THE IMPROBABLY GIFTED her empathy and willingness to help others make her stellar, too. Grennan, Conor She even finds it possible to do something nice for the class- Illus. by Valdrighi, Alessandro mate who has made fun of her and her father from their very Tommy Nelson (368 pp.) first encounter. From a characterization standpoint, Piper’s $16.99 | Oct. 8, 2019 enthusiasm for astronomy helps her stand out as a protagonist 978-1-4002-1534-8 in this novel about finding one’s place in middle school, but her nemesis, Ainsley Braden-Hammerschmidt, is drawn as an all- Eighth grader Jack Carlson may well too-familiar arrogant child of privilege. The puzzle here is more be the chosen one of prophecy—but not subtle than in some of co-author Chris Grabenstein’s previous the way readers might think. Mr. Lemoncello books: There’s a new prize at Chumley Prep, After his best friend presents a the Excelsior Award; every student hopes to win it, but no one poorly received class report on the mysterious titular institu- knows quite how. A subplot involving a teacher who hasn’t got- tion, Jack inexplicably finds himself deposited on its doorstep. ten over her resentment of Piper’s mother seems extraneous, One instructor proclaims Jack to be the long-awaited Guardian, but there’s plenty of believable dialogue and humor. The cast is prophesied to kill the Reaper King, but the rest, more skepti- default white; Piper’s friends have names representative of dif- cal, give Jack and his hastily assembled team just three days to ferent cultures and are gratifyingly quirky. prove themselves. As the deadline looms, everything starts to A crowd-pleasing reminder that kindness pays. (Fiction. go horribly, disastrously wrong….This may come from an evan- 10-13) gelical Christian imprint, but any religious message here is kept young adult THE ONE AND ONLY WOLFGANG From Pet Rescue to One Big Happy Family Greig, Steve & Hess, Mary Rand Illus. by Sarell, Nadja Zonderkidz (32 pp.) $17.99 | Sep. 3, 2019 978-0-310-76823-4

Wolfgang is an all-animal family first popularized on Greig’s Instagram. The meaning of family is important to 12 animals who became one family through adoption. In order to fully acquaint readers with the members of this family, individual portraits of each animal and an amusing fact are presented in a double-page gallery at the beginning of the book. Family members include nine dogs, one rabbit, one pig, and one chicken Each animal has a quirky side that is visible through the illustrations, which digitally collage photographs of the animals onto cartoon backgrounds. It is obvious to readers that there is much love and acceptance in this book despite all of their differences. Readers see them milling around the kitchen together, making a bubbly mess while bathing, and engaging in movie night. Throughout the book, various ages, sizes, and abilities are depicted to represent a diverse family; graying muzzles indicate that several are of advanced years. All of the members of this family are loved, whether it is the old cocker that trips all of the other dogs, the big pig who eats all of the food, the deaf dog, or the blind dog. More a description of their imagined living circumstances than a story, the busy, amusing scenarios will endear these characters to readers. Jodi Picoult provides an afterword. A memorable and entertaining celebration of adoption. (Picture book. 5-7)

| kirkus.com | children’s | 1 september 2019 | 115 strictly subtextual. Jack, apparently white, is a nice enough but BUZZING WITH QUESTIONS somewhat bland protagonist; his teammates are more diverse The Inquisitive Mind of (cued by naming convention and mention of skin color) and Charles Henry Turner agreeably quirky, if a bit one-note. While it’s difficult to see a Harrington, Janice N. secretive school that kidnaps children to train as “borderline Illus. by Taylor III, Theodore psychopath” soldiers through brainwashing, torturous interro- Calkins Creek/Boyds Mills (48 pp.) gations, and mandatory death matches as a force for good, their $18.99 | Nov. 5, 2019 opponents are undoubtedly irredeemably monstrous. Unfor- 978-1-62979-558-4 tunately, the first part of the story is a tedious agglomerate of contrived exposition, clichéd set pieces, and cringeworthy coin- A thorough biography of early African cidences; it’s a pity because about halfway through, the narra- American scientist Charles Henry Turner. tive suddenly twists into an intense thrill ride, with battles and From a young age, “questions hopped through…Turner’s betrayals and (literally) an apocalyptic body count, concluding mind like grasshoppers.” His teacher encouraged him to “go and in a clever subversion of that chosen-one trope. find out,” and that is what he spent his life doing. He attended By the final cliffhanger, readers will be primed for a college when most colleges didn’t accept African Americans, and sequel; the trick will be getting them there. (Fantasy. 10-14) he kept asking questions as he studied biology. The “indefatigable scientist” studied spiders: Two spreads explain how he learned that “each spider wove a web just right for its home.” He studied FEARLESS FELINES crustaceans and ants, bees and moths. His significant findings 30 True Tales of Courageous are explained both in the illustrations and in the lucid paragraphs Cats of text that describe the experiments and his conclusions. The Hamilton, Kimberlie importance of his findings in the field is made clear, and the curi- Scholastic (160 pp.) osity and hard work that led to them are the focus. One spread $9.99 | Nov. 5, 2019 mentions the racial prejudice he lived through and his service to 978-1-338-35583-3 the community. His work is cast in the light of uplifting humanity: “He wrote that biology could help people see the connections So much is said about heroic dogs, among all living things.” The digital illustrations depict people, but what about fearless felines? creatures, and experiments in thick black lines and swaths of Hamilton collects the life stories of 30 cats of note. Each is color that help readers understand the science being discussed. profiled in a single-page bio that highlights its special contri- This extensively researched, jam-packed text intrigues and bution to history and a full-page, full-color illustration by one inspires with Turner’s example of discovery and hard-won, mean- of 17 artists. Arranged alphabetically, the accomplished kitties ingful contributions to knowledge about life. are from all corners of the map and all walks of cat life. There’s A well-written tribute to a deserving champion of sci- Félicette, the first catsronaut, from France; Dewey, the library ence. (author’s note, timeline, sources, notes) (Picture book/ cat from Iowa that inspired a bestselling book; Scarlett the New biography. 7-10) York momma cat who saved her kittens from a fire; and Oscar, the first bionic cat, with two prosthetic legs. Cats can even be war heroes, as Pitoutchi, who saved his human in the trenches UNPLUGGED AND of World War I, and Pyro, a World War II flying ace, both UNPOPULAR demonstrate. Interleaved among the biographies are two-page Heagerty, Mat spreads of additional feline facts and kitty trivia—the likes of Illus. by Pantoja, Tintin & Amante, Mike “Silly Cat Superstitions,” “Mighty Mousers,” and “Feline Muses” Oni Press (144 pp.) to the famous—tied in some way to the bios that precede them. $19.99 | $12.99 paper | Oct. 15, 2019 At the outset is a very brief timeline of feline-human interac- 978-1-62010-680-8 tion from 7500 B.C.E. to 2018; and at the close is a timeline of 978-1-62010-669-3 paper the profiled pusses, a glossary, furr-ther reading, websites, and author and illustrator bios. In the near future, a young girl and A cornucopia for cat connoisseurs. (Nonfiction. -7 14) her friends fend off fuzzy purple extra- terrestrials intent on domination. Erin Song lives in a world dependent on smartphones and the internet, devoid of handwriting, bookstores, and DVDs. Erin’s quest for popularity leads her to help the most popular girl in school cheat on a test. Inevitably, the scheme quickly falls apart. Erin’s outraged boredom at her revoked technology privileges turns to panic when she realizes Culver City has been invaded by ETs using computers, smartphones, and TVs to transmit false information and erase any memory of the

116 | 1 september 2019 | children’s | kirkus.com | An exceptionally well-researched and impressively crafted tale of desperation, tragedy, and survival. torpedoed

humans they abduct—including Erin’s older brother. Can Erin ONA JUDGE OUTWITS THE and a gang of elderly Luddites defeat the aliens? Divided into WASHINGTONS five long chapters, this humorous, intergenerational story relies An Enslaved Woman Fights heavily on the digitally inked, full-color illustrations. Expres- for Freedom sive characters, enticing layouts, and a pastel color scheme add Hooks, Gwendolyn comedic flair. Although there are a few plot points that get lost Illus. by Agoussoye, Simone amid the sequential panels, overall the visual storytelling is Capstone Editions (40 pp.) clear. Unfortunately, top-notch illustrations cannot overcome a $18.95 | Oct. 1, 2019 predictable plotline, underdeveloped characters, and a heavy- 978-1-5435-1280-9 handed message. The final battle is awash with fun gadgets, but victory is disappointingly swift, too easily won. The illustra- A little-known true story of a slave sheds new light on tions depict Erin as mixed-race (white mother, Asian father) George Washington and his family. and show a realistically diverse community, yet the text fails to Ona Maria Judge was born a slave on Mount Vernon, the develop the supporting characters. Finally, lacking nuance, the Virginia plantation of George Washington, commander of the beware-of-too-much-technology moral drags down the story. Continental Army during the American Revolution. Ona’s Fast-paced, full-color fluff appealing to voracious sci-fi mother, Betty, served as the Washington family seamstress and comic fans but few others. (Graphic science fiction. -8 12) imparted needlework skills to Ona, which enabled her to escape harsh fieldwork conditions by becoming a house slave. When Washington was elected president, the family relocated to New TORPEDOED York City, moving Ona—now Martha Washington’s personal

The True Story of the slave—her brother Austin, and five other slaves with them in young adult World War II Sinking of “The Children’s Ship” Heiligman, Deborah Illus. by Lee, Lawrence Godwin Books/Henry Holt (288 pp.) $19.99 | Oct. 8, 2019 978-1-62779-554-8

Heiligman recounts the little-known World War II maritime disaster of the sinking of the passenger ship City of Benares, which was evacuat- ing children from England to Canada. In 1940, with German air raids reducing many of England’s major cities to smoldering ruins and a threatened invasion loom- ing, thousands of British parents chose to send their children to safety in Canada through a program called the Children’s Overseas Reception Board. On Sept. 13, 1940, the passenger liner departed Liverpool in a convoy bound for Canadian ports. Onboard were 90 CORB children, their chaperones, crew, and paying passengers. Their Royal Navy escort left it on Sept. 17, and that night, unaware of the refugee children aboard, the commander of German sub- marine U-48 ordered three torpedoes launched at the Benares, the third hitting its target with devastating effect. Heiligman makes the story especially compelling by recounting the backstories and experiences of several of the children and their chaperones. These characters are presumably white; Heiligman takes care to note that the overwhelming majority of the crew were South Asian Muslims whose stories were not collected after the disaster. It’s a custom- arily masterfully paced and beautifully designed book, with repro- ductions of archival photographs and documents complemented by original pencil art by Lee that captures the action aboard the Benares and afterward. Expansive backmatter includes interviews conducted with Heiligman’s sources, several by her. An exceptionally well-researched and impressively crafted tale of desperation, tragedy, and survival. (bibliography, notes, index) (Nonfiction. 10-14)

| kirkus.com | children’s | 1 september 2019 | 117 Book-bait for middle-grade readers that oozes eww appeal. gross as a snot otter

1789. After a return to Mount Vernon, the family moved again GROSS AS A SNOT OTTER to Philadelphia, the new capital. With the abolitionist move- Keating, Jess ment gaining momentum, Ona realized the Washingtons would Illus. by DeGrand, David not free her; she would have to take her freedom. In 1796, when Knopf (48 pp.) Mrs. Washington promised Ona as a wedding gift to her grand- $17.99 | $20.99 PLB | Oct. 29, 2019 daughter, Ona decided to escape, assisted by the Rev. Richard 978-1-5247-6450-0 Allen, a free black man, and others, to New Hampshire. The 978-1-5247-6451-7 PLB narrator emphasizes just how hard the Washington family tried Series: World of Weird Animals to force Ona to return to them, using deception whenever possible. While this story offers important historical information, What makes an animal gross? it is text-heavy, with an accretion of distracting details. The In their latest entry in their World of Weird Animals series, naïve-style illustrations are colorful but inconsistent, particu- Keating and DeGrand present 17 more curious creatures, this larly in their evocation of the period, which will also limit this time animals that may inspire disgust. The Canadian-based zool- book’s appeal to children. ogist-turned-author has found repulsive examples from around A worthwhile story poorly told. (author’s note, bibliog- the world. These include slime-covered sea-dwellers, farting fish, raphy) (Picture book/biography. 6-9) gulls who projectile-vomit, even a Spanish newt that can extend its barbed ribs out through its poisonous skin. Zombie worms from ocean depths, tree frogs (who occasionally turn up in Aus- THE FATE OF FAUSTO tralian toilets), and burrowing South American caecilians will A Painted Fable likely be unfamiliar; common housefly larvae (maggots), Sibe- Jeffers, Oliver rian chipmunks, and slobbery giraffes have surprisingly unsa- Illus. by the author vory aspects. Poop protects a Marabou stork’s legs and provides Philomel (96 pp.) meals for dung beetles. Mucus protects snot otters and parrotfish. $24.99 | Sep. 17, 2019 Fully-formed toadlets hatch from a Surinam toad mother’s back. 978-0-593-11501-5 This title follows the pattern of previous ones: Spread by garishly colored spread, readers are introduced to weird and wonderful A cautionary fable on the banality of creatures with a photograph, two short paragraphs of intriguing belligerence. information, and fast facts: common and Latin names, size, diet, Fausto—dapper, balding, and tanned habitat, and predators and threats. Words and phrases that may (but presenting white)—believes he owns everything and sets not be familiar (think “chytridiomycosis,” “cutaneous respira- out to prove it. “You are mine,” he declares to everything he tion,” “eviscerate,” “ocean acidification,” and “pharyngeal teeth”) meets, from a flower to a mountain, compelling increasingly are bolded in the text and defined in a glossary. Cartoon illustra- reluctant submission by yelling, clenching his fist, and stomping. tions and a lively design complete the package. With no index or Only the sea denies him, asking how he could own anything he page numbers, this is fact-full but best for browsing. doesn’t even love, and inviting Fausto to make good on his angry Book-bait for middle-grade readers that oozes eww threat to show it who’s boss. Trying to stomp on the sea (com- appeal. (Informational picture book. 7-11) bined with an inability to swim) ends predictably for Fausto… whereupon all of the overgrown toddler’s “possessions” go on about their business, indifferent to his fate. With typically mea- LONG-HAIRED CAT-BOY CUB sured minimalism Jeffers relates this timely episode in prose Keret, Etgar and gestural images so spare that they frequently give way to Illus. by Basil, Aviel single lines and even blank pages. In place of an explicit moral, Trans. by Silverston, Sondra he closes with an anecdote from Kurt Vonnegut, who quotes Triangle Square Books for Young fellow writer Joseph Heller’s insight that “the knowledge that Readers (48 pp.) I’ve got enough” gave him a leg up over any billionaire. Even $16.95 | Oct. 8, 2019 readers too young or unschooled to catch the reference in the 978-1-60980-931-7 title character’s name will chime in on Vonnegut’s summation: “Not bad! Rest in peace!” A day at the zoo is interrupted by a Whether aimed at certain public figures or all of us, a business call that sends Dad off to the pointed suggestion that tantrums bring but temporary, office, leaving his son to have fun on his own. superficial rewards.(Picture book. 7-adult) The boy wanders about, noticing how sad the animals seem in contrast to the happy families all around. After a face-painting makes him look like the titular “long-haired cat-boy cub,” he finds an empty cage, curls up inside, and falls asleep. He awakens on a magical ship helmed by Habakkuk, an eccentric human who is on a mission to kidnap animals from zoos and return them to their natural habitats. The little boy provides lots of

118 | 1 september 2019 | children’s | kirkus.com | information for Habakkuk’s notebook about his new identity, SIR TIM IS A LITTLE JEALOUS including his need for frequent games and stories and his dislike Koppens, Judith of important work-related phone calls. He helpfully gives the Illus. by van Lindenhuizen, Eline address of his habitat and is duly returned home. He confronts Clavis (32 pp.) his parents in his new guise and provides them with the note- $17.95 | $9.95 paper | Nov. 5, 2019 book for guidance for establishing a much improved father-son 978-1-60537-492-5 relationship. There is underlying longing as the boy narrates his 978-1-60537-502-1 paper own tale without anger or bitterness and makes imaginative and strange events seem perfectly reasonable. Basil’s colorful, dou- A child worries that his friend is ble-paged illustrations capture the emotions and the magic and replacing him but discovers that friends can be shared. provide lots of visual surprises. The narrator, his parents, and Sir Tim, a white boy wearing a gray, visored helmet and a red Habakkuk all have light skin. cape over his crest-emblazoned sweater, is walking to the play- Translated from Hebrew, this Israeli import is a poi- ground with his friend Sara, a white girl with blonde hair. When gnant cautionary tale told with kindness and humor. Sara sees her brown-skinned friend Max, she suggests they play (Picture book. 4-8) together, and “before Tim can say anything, she’s gone.” While Max and Sara run from the swing to the seesaw to the grass having fun, Sir Tim watches them, with “a strange feeling in his LITTLE MOLE’S WISH tummy.” The text wonders, “Doesn’t Sara like him anymore?” Kim, Sang-Keun Sir Tim tries stunt after increasingly daring stunt to regain Sara’s Illus. by the author attention, but she’s “too busy laughing and playing with Max”

Trans. by Kim, Chi-Young young adult Schwartz & Wade/Random (40 pp.) $17.99 | $20.99 PLB | Nov. 19, 2019 978-0-525-58134-5 978-0-525-58135-2 PLB

Befriending someone made of snow holds certain risks. Heading home to his grandmother, Little Mole finds a small snowball. He greets it, pushes it along so it grows far taller than him, and tells it a secret: “ ‘I just moved here. I don’t have any friends.’ / The snowball listened quietly.” He wants to bring this new friend home with him on the public bus, but these buses are for animals, not snow, and each driver nixes the idea. What if Little Mole shapes the snow into a bear? Gives it a snow- backpack or his own hat? Finally aboard a warm bus with his friend, Little Mole dozes off. When he wakens, the worst has happened. Most readers will understand why the snow-friend’s gone, but Little Mole doesn’t, and a great sadness ensues. Kim’s textual refrains (“Little Mole had a brilliant idea”; “He and his friend waited patiently”) are gently reassuring. The illustrations—done in colored pencil, pastel, and pen—are quiet and spare, showing snowy wilderness expanses with only a few trees and bus-stop signs. White snow blends softly into blue skies, with pale yellow used for warmth. Everything seems headed to the saddest possible ending, for how could a melted friend return? But after Little Mole’s sleepless night, the friend does return—or its likeness does—sitting across a snowy field, waiting. Did it come from magic or Grandma? Is there a difference? Stillness, tenderness, and hope are the essence of this quiet gem. (Picture book. 4-7)

| kirkus.com | children’s | 1 september 2019 | 119 to notice. When his final stunt ends with a big fall, Sara finally BUGS IN DANGER comes running. Tim reveals his worries to Sara, who assures him Our Vanishing Bees, she can have more than one friend and he will always be her best Butterflies, and Beetles friend. This Dutch/Belgian import presents a familiar scenario Kurlansky, Mark with a simple story arc and an unsurprising resolution that is Illus. by Liu, Jia almost too easy and, regrettably, seems not to encourage inter- Bloomsbury (176 pp.) racial friendships. The child-friendly illustrations use soft lines $19.99 | Nov. 12, 2019 and smeared colors, with patches of red clothing on gray and 978-1-5476-0085-4 green backgrounds. Best for the youngest audiences, this is an adequate treatment of the theme for those whose shelves lack it. “The disappearance of a few promi- The story itself does not add much to the title and cover. nent insects could lead to the complete (Picture book. 4-7) unraveling of life on Earth.” This is only one of the dire warnings that punctuate several chapters in a text that is accessible, informational, and often WILD HONEY FROM humorous. Using Darwin’s theories and the assumption that THE MOON every species must prioritize its own promulgation or perish, Kraegel, Kenneth the author suggests, among other things, that humans may have Illus. by the author created their own decline by emphasizing individual life choices Candlewick (64 pp.) over species survival. He emphasizes biodiversity as the key to $17.99 | Nov. 5, 2019 preserving life as we know it, employing the historical decline 978-0-7636-8169-2 of ladybugs, bees, butterflies, and fireflies to fuel that argument. The text—original for young readers and not adapted A determined mother embarks on a from a book for adults—has fascinating details, both histori- surreal adventure. cal and biological, but sometimes omits expected depth. After Kraegel’s format-defying tale is an pages devoted to monarchs, it does not mention the fact that unexpected story of love, determination, and parenting. Mother the migration spans generations. After a lengthy discussion of Shrew’s son, Hugo, is taken ill on the last day of January with a colony collapse disorder, only one paragraph mentions the fact rare illness that makes him lethargic, with hot feet and a cold that, apparently, no organic beekeepers have experienced it. head. From “Dr. Ponteluma’s Book of Medical Inquiry and Physi- Another example is the lackluster list in the “What Can I Do?” ological Know-How,” Mother Shrew learns that the only cure chapter, which does not match the urgency of sentences such for this odd, unnamed illness is a spoonful of honey from the as the one quoted above. Indeed, the first idea on the list is a moon. Ferociously determined to cure Hugo, she sets out to condescending plea not to stomp on insects. As an entomologi- save her son. In each new chapter, Mother Shrew faces a new cal reference book or to start conversations about biodiversity obstacle or not-too-scary adversary as she braves the moon’s or climate change, the book is solid; it is not advisable as a single unusual environment—its verdant fields and lush forests make source. Happily, there is an extensive bibliography. a stark contrast to the wintry landscape Mother Shrew has left A conversation starter. (endnotes, bibliography, index) behind—and its madcap inhabitants. Divided into seven heav- (Nonfiction. 10-14) ily illustrated chapters, the story is one that will captivate con- templative and creative young readers. Caregivers may find this to be their next weeklong bedtime story and one that fanciful VOYAGE OF children will want to hear again and again. Kraegel’s ink-and- THE FROSTHEART watercolor illustrations are reminiscent of Sergio Ruzzier’s but Littler, Jamie a bit grittier and with a darker color scheme. The surreal land- Viking (448 pp.) scapes are appropriately unsettling, but a bright color palette $17.99 | Nov. 5, 2019 keeps them from overwhelming readers. 978-0-451-48134-4 This odd story is not for every reader, but those who enjoy it may find a friend for life. (Fantasy. 5-8) Exiled from his home among the Fira people, young Ash braves the wild Snow Sea and the ferocious Leviathans in pursuit of his long-lost parents. Ash’s status as a Song Weaver rouses fear and dread throughout the Fira Stronghold, where rumors of the potentially destructive power of Song Weaving abound. After all, a Song Weaver can communicate with the deadly Levi- athans, making them vulnerable to the loathsome creatures’ influence. When an aggressive Leviathan assault forces the Frost- heart, a massive sleigh crewed by traders known as Pathfinders,

120 | 1 september 2019 | children’s | kirkus.com | A helter-skelter caper from Down Under. selfie search

to take momentary refuge in the Fira Stronghold, Ash spots an opportunity to embark on his quest. Accompanied by his stoic guardian, a powerful yeti named Tobu, the young Song Weaver joins the Frostheart’s peculiar crew, including a feisty, walruslike captain named Nuk, a bold, young Drifter named Lunah, and a mysterious archeomek expert named Shaard. Full of intriguing worldbuilding details, as well as a cast of memorable, enchant- ing characters, Littler’s saga offers oodles of thrilling moments of danger interspersed with an acute understanding of heartfelt storytelling. The inclusion of striking illustrations, which heighten reader immersion, further delineates each character’s charm. (Ash is depicted with pale skin; some others have darker skin.) Equipped with a song left to guide him along the way, Ash uncovers secrets about his parents and powers in equal measure while new friends and foes—human-kin and Leviathan alike— join him on his adventure. The enthralling dawn of an unmissable voyage. (Fantasy. 8-12)

SELFIE SEARCH young adult Macintosh, Cameron Publishing Illus. by Atze, Dave August 2019 West 44 Books (128 pp.) $12.90 | Oct. 15, 2019 978-1-5383-8465-7 Series: Max Booth Future Sleuth

An ancient artifact, LOL, leads a 25th-century fugitive from the Skyburb 7 Home for Unclaimed Urchins and his beagle-bot, Oscar, to buried treasure. The small black item that his museum-worker friend Jessie hands over seems uninteresting to Max at first…until he manages to charge it up and discovers that it’s a 400-year-old cellphone with a trove of selfies—one of which shows a long-lost statue of famous actor–turned-politician Nicole Squidman. Can Max use clues from the photo to find the priceless statue, then keep both it and himself out of the clutches of archnemesis Capt. Selby of the Recapture Squad, and perhaps even track down a descen- dant of the phone’s owner? No problem…with plenty of help from Jessie and Oscar (a surprisingly capable robo-pooch with a 3-D printer in its butt), plus a few massive contrivances from Macintosh. Atze’s occasional cartoon vignettes add an appropriate vibe to a largely white futuristic world of hover-skates, robo- rats, and floating suburbs. But some things, like friends, bullies, and the special relationship between a boy and his dog, never change. A “Sleuth Truth” appendix fills in the cellphone’s early years. A helter-skelter caper from Down Under, with the occasional “broken gizmatron or ancient thingami-bot” from ages past to puzzle over. (Science fiction/mystery. -7 9) OwlkidsBooks.com Made possible with the support of Ontario Creates

| kirkus.com | children’s | 1 september 2019 | 121 INTERVIEWS & PROFILES Ibtihaj Muhammad

THE U.S. OLYMPIC FENCER WRITES HER FIRST PICTURE BOOK, ABOUT MUSLIM SISTERS ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL AND PRIDE IN HIJAB By Alex Heimbach Photo courtesy Heidi Gutman-Guillaume the whole idea of sport itself is to bridge communities,” she says. “No matter where you’re from, what your background, how much your parents make, if you’re male or female, it doesn’t matter. We’re all able to unite under one umbrella of sport.” Since 2016, Muhammad has taken that ideal of bridging communities and explored it in a range of other projects, promoting her modest clothing line, Louella, and publishing a memoir, Proud, about her journey. Now, she’s making her picture-book de- but with The Proudest Blue (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, Sept. 10), co-authored by S.K. Ali and illustrated by Hatem Aly. When Faizah’s older sister, Asiyah, picks out a beautiful blue scarf for her hijab, Faizah is excited for their first day of school. “It’s such an important time to have a story around hijab and family…when we have such a divi- sive time politically,” Muhammad says. Even when bullies tease Asiyah, Faizah feels only pride and admiration for her sister. That positive, excited attitude toward wearing hijab was vital to Muhammad’s conception of the story. “It’s so authentic, because I know I nev- As a member of the 2016 U.S. Olympic fencing er thought of hijab as being a bad thing,” she says. team, Ibtihaj Muhammad became the first Mus- “I still don’t. I never have.” She’s confident that lim American to compete in hijab. When her sabre young women, whether they wear hijab or not, will team won the bronze medal, she also became the see themselves in these girls—especially the strong first Muslim American to medal at the Olympics. bond between the sisters. Her achievements made her an inspirational figure No matter your background, Muhammad says, in the midst of a contentious election and a period “you look up to your older sibling, and when they of renewed attacks on American Muslims. “To me, do something you haven’t yet done, you see them

122 | 1 september 2019 | children’s | kirkus.com | as brave.” Faizah’s love and admiration for her sister are at the core of The Proudest Blue, and that’s something she feels all kids can relate to. But Muhammad does hope the story can help educate non-Muslims and promote a more positive perception of hijab. Growing up, she dealt not THE BOY AND THE BEAR only with bullies, but also those who reacted with Massini, Sarah confusion or dismay to her hijab. “I know how Illus. by the author Nosy Crow/Candlewick (32 pp.) hurtful sheer ignorance can be,” she says. “I’m not $16.99 | Nov. 5, 2019 sure [people] realize how piercing that kind of na- 978-1-5362-0814-6 iveté can be, especially to a kid.” On the first day A lonely little boy in a red knitted of school each year, she’d have to explain her faith hat is sadly in need of a playmate. Despondently, he realizes that games like seesaw, catch, all over again to new teachers and students. and hide-and-seek require two players. The satchel-toting bear passing by does not seem to be a likely companion. But then a As tiring as those experiences could be, Mu- paper boat bobs across the pond with a message: “BOO!” The hammad learned a lot from them about how to boy responds with a return paper boat inscribed “Boo to you too!” After an exchange of paper-boat messages, the boy finds thrive in any circumstance, and it’s that strength that the sender is that large, strangely blue bear. After trying— and confidence she hopes to inspire in young read- and failing at—several rounds of the boy’s favorite games, the boy and Bear seem to be incompatible playmates. One day ers. “Even if it is your first day of school, your first Bear comes up with an idea. He builds a superduper treehouse day of hijab, your first day on the field, whatever it out of logs, tied together with string. The boy is entranced

with this, and they have great fun with the treehouse until win- young adult is,” she says, “you have everything you need inside ter comes and Bear disappears, leaving a paper-boat message: “I MUST GO.” The boy spends a long winter missing his friend to be successful.” until spring comes, and a flurry of paper boats signals Bear’s reappearance. Massini’s charmingly textured and colorful illustrations have a pleasing sense of spaciousness but don’t rescue Alex Heimbach is a writer and editor in California. this title from banality and tedium. The boy presents white. The Proudest Blue received a starred review in the Boy and bear will have to work a bit harder to compete. (Picture book. 2-5) July 1, 2019, issue. ANNA & SAMIA The True Story of Saving a Black Rhino Meisel, Paul Illus. by the author Farrar, Straus and Giroux (32 pp.) $17.99 | Oct. 15, 2019 978-0-374-30577-2

This biographical picture book about Anna Merz, the head of the Lewa Wildlife Conservatory in Kenya, describes the bond that developed between her and a baby rhino. When Anna observes an abandoned baby rhino, she brings it into her home, nursing the growing calf from a bottle and even bringing the animal into her own bed. Naming the calf Samia, Anna begins learning how to communicate with her and teaching her what she would need to know to survive in the wild. She even notices personality traits: Samia is smart and helpful and can be quite silly at times. Meisel’s illustrations explore the bond visually, depicting the growing affection between woman and rhino and the inevitable funny moments a rhino in the home can generate. The interactions between Anna and Samia are charming, but the very occasional inclusion of silent, unnamed, brown-skinned Kenyan men in the illustrations raises uncomfortable questions. The role of the

| kirkus.com | children’s | 1 september 2019 | 123 A cutaway drawing of the plush and stylishly decorated interior of Sophie’s nose is simultaneously charming and disgusting. the finger and the nose

black men in this story set in Kenya is not clear. Are they ser- THE FINGER AND THE NOSE vants? Are they guides? For the purposes of this story, they are Merlán, Paula unimportant, existing as background like the many animals Illus. by Gómez speckled throughout the book. The backmatter is similarly Trans. by Dawlatly, Ben unbalanced, giving one paragraph to the conservancy’s work nubeOCHO (44 pp.) with its Kenyan neighbors and much more information on $16.95 | Oct. 22, 2019 Merz and rhinos. 978-84-17123-78-9 Fans of Jane Goodall’s work will appreciate this title Series: Somos8 that documents a little-known story. (bibliography) (Pic ture book. 4-8) A girl, her finger, and her nose work to find common ground in this peculiar picture book. A funky Spanish import tells the tale of a finger that takes up I AM WALT DISNEY residence in protagonist Sophie’s nose, with no plans to vacate Meltzer, Brad any time soon. Her parents have warned her that chronic nose- Illus. by Eliopoulos, Christopher picking will have dire consequences, but she just can’t resist, and Dial (40 pp.) eventually, her finger—named Tim—turns the nose into a cozy $15.99 | Sep. 10, 2019 home. Sophie’s nose expands to accommodate the finger’s vari- 978-0-7352-2875-7 ous activities until she realizes that her nose is in danger of reach- Series: Ordinary People Change the ing the ground. Her parents are present through her crisis but World gently encourage her to figure out a solution on her own. Sophie and her finger practice creative problem-solving to ensure that The iconic animator introduces young readers to each everyone feels satisfied. Gómez’s bright and playful doodles “happy place” in his life. prevent this story from straying too far into gross-out territory. The tally begins with his childhood home in Marceline, A cutaway drawing of the plush and stylishly decorated inte- Missouri, and climaxes with Disneyland (carefully designed to rior of Sophie’s nose is simultaneously charming and disgusting. be “the happiest place on Earth”), but the account really centers The texts in the Spanish and English editions differ noticeably, on finding his true happy place, not on a map but in drawing. In though the message of working collaboratively to overcome con- sketching out his early flubs and later rocket to the top, the fic- flict shines through in both. Characters are all depicted as white. tive narrator gives Ub Iwerks and other Disney studio workers Readers who pick this quirky book will uncover a sweet a nod (leaving his labor disputes with them unmentioned) and story of cooperation under all that snot. (Picture book. 4-8) (El squeezes in quick references to his animated films, from Steam- dedo en la nariz: 978-84-17123-78-9) boat Willie to Winnie the Pooh (sans Fantasia and Song of the South). Eliopoulos incorporates stills from the films into his cartoon illustrations and, characteristically for this series, depicts Dis- CHARLIE NUMB3RS AND THE ney as a caricature, trademark mustache in place on outsized WOOLLY MAMMOTH head even in childhood years and child sized even as an adult. Mezrich, Ben & Mezrich, Tonya Human figures default to white, with occasional people of color Simon & Schuster (192 pp.) in crowd scenes and (ahistorically) in the animation studio. One $17.99 | Nov. 5, 2019 unidentified animator builds up the role-modeling with an 978-1-5344-4100-2 observation that Walt and Mickey were really the same (“Both Series: The Charlie Numbers Adven- fearless; both resourceful”). An assertion toward the end—“So tures, 3 when do you stop being a child? When you stop dreaming”— muddles the overall follow-your-bliss message. A timeline to the Two gangs of middle school brainiacs EPCOT Center’s 1982 opening offers photos of the man with use carbon dating to take down a smug- select associates, rodent and otherwise. An additional series gling ring. entry, I Am Marie Curie, publishes simultaneously, featuring a The book begins with a flash-forward: Charlie’s on a cargo gowned, toddler-sized version of the groundbreaking physicist ship in Boston Harbor, menaced by a pair of off-the-shelf bad accepting her two Nobel prizes. guys, leaping into freezing water to escape. The action cuts back Blandly laudatory. (bibliography) (Picture book/biography. two weeks to when Charlie and his sixth grade Whiz Kids dis- 6-8) (I Am Marie Curie: 978-0-525-55585-8) cover a bone on a field trip. They identify it with the help of an excitable white-bearded science professor at Harvard: It’s a woolly mammoth tusk! How did it get to Boston? To find out, they’ll need the help of a new group of budding scientists, led by Janice, a black girl who uses a wheelchair and talks in disability platitudes (“I know I’m different, but we’re all different, right?”). Somehow, every clue in their mystery goes back to “Africa,” though neither specific African countries nor any

124 | 1 september 2019 | children’s | kirkus.com | human residents of the continent are ever referenced. The In episodic chapters, the narrator, born in Indonesia to an Whiz Kids are all white except Kentaro, the “little Japanese Indonesian father and a possibly American mother, recounts kid,” and all are male except Crystal; the others are Charlie and their upbringing in Indonesia and their growing awareness of two redheaded boys, one gangly and disorganized and the other activism against a corrupt authoritarian regime. (The narra- fat with apparently comical allergies. Their new friends, who tor, possibly assumed to be the author, is never indicated by attend school in the city—unlike the Whiz Kids, who live in a gendered pronoun and similarly does not mention any ethnic wealthy suburb—offer racial diversity. What with all these char- identity markers of their mother.) Nagara introduces young acters, along with (somewhat-accurate, rarely relevant) Boston readers to many political concepts, including corruption, col- trivia and science factoids and a mystery involving a wealthy lusion, and nepotism, juxtaposed with dissidence, free speech, white businessman, there’s no room for character development. and populism. While those in power are mostly represented Formulaic and busy. (Adventure. 8-11) by the sinister, unnamed “Minister,” readers may infer the time period from the “NO KKN” slogan protesting the New Order of the Suharto period and mentions of the Soweto THREE LOST SEEDS uprising in South Africa and activist groups such as the Black Stories of Becoming Panthers and the American Indian Movement in the United Morton, Stephie States. Nagara introduces broader concepts of diversity using Illus. by Wong, Nicole the example of multicultural Indonesia, celebrating unity Tilbury House (36 pp.) while not shying away from discrimination against the ethnic $17.95 | Oct. 1, 2019 Chinese or those falling outside traditional gender roles. The 978-0-88448-764-7 extremely ambitious text sometimes feels disjointed, espe-

Series: Tilbury House Nature Book cially within the framework of a story that is not exactly true, young adult though is still a powerful narrative that encourages long-term A STEM story of nature’s resilience. awareness, work, sacrifice, and patience in order to effect Rhyming text follows, in turn, three seeds that each over- change for all people. come natural barriers and disasters to eventually thrive and grow Inspiring. (Fiction/memoir. 9-13) into the “plant it was planning to be.” A bird takes a cherry, then drops it into a stream, but the little pit ends up taking root in muddy soil by the stream, and it grows into a tree. Wong adds IF MONET PAINTED visual interest to her scientifically accurate illustrations of flora A MONSTER by depicting, here, a Muslim family unmentioned by text with Newbold, Amy two children and a mother wearing hijab, first picnicking by the Illus. by Newbold, Greg stream and then later (the children now bigger) picking cher- Tilbury House (40 pp.) ries from the tree. In the next part of the book, a forest fire $17.95 | Oct. 1, 2019 brings destruction, but it also unearths an acacia seed brought 978-0-88448-768-5 deep underground by ants. This little seed then grows as part of reforestation. The third seed drifts in a pod until an earthquake From the creators of If da Vinci drains the lake in which it floated. Wong’s art shows a child who Painted a Dinosaur (2018), introductions to 16 more artists who appears Asian gazing at it upon cracked, barren ground. A page didn’t paint monsters—but could have. turn delivers a dramatic fast-forward: “When rain filled the crater Once again the illustrator brushes in a hamster docent to / ONE HUNDRED YEARS later, / the lotus seed drank up and guide viewers through a gallery of paintings that evoke the GREW!” Strong backmatter provides more information about styles, and often specific works, of an artistic roster that gives seeds and seed banks, bolstering an already excellent offering. people of color (Jean-Michel Basquiat, Robert Thompson) Seed shelves with this title to grow STEM readers. and women (Dorothea Tanning, Frida Kahlo, Helen Fran- (Picture book. 4-8) kenthaler) strong showings alongside their dead white male colleagues. The tone is generally tongue-in-cheek—but there are some genuinely creepy critters too, from a surprisingly M IS FOR MOVEMENT disturbing Giuseppe Arcimboldo face to surrealist Tanning’s Nagara, Innosanto eerily invisible midnight walker. Still, seeing Edward Hop- Illus. by the author per’s Nighthawks transformed into small rodents, a long, green Triangle Square Books for Young body gliding sinuously among fuzzy Claude Monet water lil- Readers (96 pp.) ies, undead figures cavorting in an Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec $19.95 | Nov. 5, 2019 “danse macabre,” or the dramatic slashes of a Franz Kline– 978-1-60980-935-5 style abstract certainly makes the originals approachable as well as serving as points of departure for private imaginings. A fictionalized memoir depicts an The accompanying captions are largely superfluous (“M.C. Indonesian child developing conscious- Escher’s creatures creep up and down, around and around.” So ness of activism on both local and global scales. they do), but as before, a blank page set on an easel at the end

| kirkus.com | children’s | 1 september 2019 | 125 INTERVIEWS & PROFILES Hena Khan

A PAKISTANI AMERICAN FAMILY IN ATLANTA IS AT THE CENTER OF THE AUTHOR’S MODERN RETELLING OF THE CLASSIC LITTLE WOMEN By Kathie Meizner Photo courtesy Havar Espedal whom you feel you get to know intimately and the deep relationships between the sisters, friends, neighbors, and lovers. Some of the traditional values and gender norms of the book mirrored those of my culture growing up. I thought those parallels would be fun to explore.

The family’s culture seems so easily woven into this book. Is there pressure to be explicitly expository about Muslim and/or Pakistani American culture? In my first novel, Amina’s Voice, I consciously took readers into a mosque so they could see what one is like if they haven’t been before, introduced the concept of the Mus- lim daily prayers, and more. Hearing that readers wel- comed those details and enjoyed them was important to me and very validating. Someone from a different culture wrote me to say how much she connected with a scene where Amina’s auntie hands her leftover rice after a dinner party in a yogurt container—it struck a chord with her since she had lived it. Now I include elements of my culture or religion that fit my story, things that add flavor Hena Khan grew up in Maryland near Washington, D.C. and depth. She is the author of five picture books about Muslim traditions and celebrations and three books in her middle-grade Why the Atlanta setting? sports series, Chasing the Dream. Her first novel,Amina’s It’s an area I’m familiar with, and they have a vibrant Pak- Voice, was named one of Kirkus’ Best Books of 2017. Khan’s istani American community. I was glad to include details newest book, More to the Story (Salaam Reads/Simon & like sweet tea and local restaurants I enjoy. I think people Schuster, Sept. 3), tells the story of four very different sisters expect to see immigrant families like Jameela’s in other big through the eyes of aspiring journalist Jameela, the second cities but don’t always think of Pakistani American Mus- oldest. She recently answered our questions about the book. lims living in the South.

More to the Story pays tribute to the pleasure you had Jameela, the narrator, writes about microagressions reading Little Women multiple times as a child. What after an incident at school. Have young readers shared elements of Little Women are reflected in this book? similar experiences with you? The most important aspects of [Little Women] for me Young people I meet do share those types of comments were the strong characters with distinct personalities with me. I lived with microaggressions my whole child-

126 | 1 september 2019 | children’s | kirkus.com | hood but never had a word to name what they were or the ability to pinpoint how they made me feel. I hope Ja- meela’s article might help kids recognize that they aren’t alone and that the things they hear are rooted in ignorance and prejudice.

Jameela prays for her family, her world, and her sister’s health in a lovely private moment. invites personal additions to the exhibit. Capsule profiles of each artist parodied close the volume. For some kids, who have to live with so much being out An engaging approach to fine art—but the premise of their control, the idea of something to turn to, or a shows signs of wear. (Informational picture book. 5-9) greater power watching over and guiding them, can be comforting. I don’t try to make a big deal about religion LIGHT A CANDLE / TUMAINI or religious beliefs in my writing but demonstrate it as PASIPO NA TUMAINI Nkongolo, Godfrey & Walters, Eric the basic, every-day aspect of life it is for so many people. Illus. by Campbell, Eva Trans. by Nkongolo, Godfrey Orca (32 pp.) Do you think that journalists and writers can save $19.95 | Oct. 1, 2019 the world? 978-1-4598-1700-5 As a storyteller, I like to think so! We see how words both An informative story, told in both have the power to bring us together and, unfortunately, English and Nkongolo’s Swahili translation, about the Chagga divide us too. I believe stories are an essential force for tribe, who live on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, the tallest uniting people, creating empathy, and sharing our com- mountain in Africa. Ngama, son of the village chief, notices a gathering in the mon humanity. village and learns that the country’s leader has come to tell the young adult Chagga that the Republic of Tanzania is now independent of white rule. The men must now climb the mountain and mark Kathie Meizner manages a public library in Maryland and re- their independence with a torch. Ngama assumes he will go, views children’s books for Kirkus Reviews. More to the Sto- but his father says it is only for men, and Ngama is not yet a ry man. Crestfallen but undeterred, Ngama sneaks out of the vil- was reviewed in the July 1, 2019, issue. lage behind the men the next morning, and although they all eventually know he has followed them into the rugged terrain of the snow-capped mountain, no one makes him turn back. Keeping his distance, he receives only minimal help from the men despite being underdressed for cold weather, underpre- pared in terms of food and provisions for the journey, and exhausted from trying to breathe at high elevations. But in the end, Ngama receives affirmation of his leadership potential because of his determination. Campbell’s colorful and highly textured paintings capture the vastness of the terrain and the vibrancy of the characters’ patterned clothing. An afterword provides further information about Kilimanjaro, the Chagga, and Tanzania’s first president, Julius Nyerere. The importance of freedom in Tanzania comes through clearly. (Picture book. 6-8)

THE MISSING BARBEGAZI Norup, H.S. Jolly Fish Press (224 pp.) $11.99 paper | Nov. 5, 2019 978-1-63163-377-5

A young girl finds herself involved with the mythical barbegazi. Eleven-year-old Tessa lives in a village in Austria and competes on an alpine ski racing team, but she is currently saddened over the ill health of her grandmother and the recent death of her grandfather. Before he died, Opa told her about the mythical, thought-to-be-extinct

| kirkus.com | children’s | 1 september 2019 | 127 This irresistible book begs to be shared. i’m not millie!

barbegazi—mountain elves—and she is determined to see one. MAY ALL PEOPLE AND PIGS When Tessa does encounter a barbegazi named Gawion, she BE HAPPY eventually learns that Gawion’s sister has been abducted, and Pavlicek, Micki Fine Tessa determines to help. The thin, formulaic plot gets no sup- Illus. by Pavlicek, John port from its underdeveloped, inconsistent characters. Protag- North Atlantic (32 pp.) onist Tessa is sad about Oma’s frailty, but there’s no elaboration $17.95 | Oct. 29, 2019 of their relationship, and for a ski racer, Tessa is extraordinarily 978-1-62317-389-0 uncompetitive. Plot developments are decidedly convenient: Adults are absent on flimsy pretexts, and Gawion speaks Tessa’s A picture book promoting mindful- language (and all others, including Dog). Important plot points ness and loving kindness. are mentioned early and feel off-the-cuff, with no subsequent Claire has a favorite stuffed toy called Pigalina. After prompts, guaranteeing that readers will be confused later on. establishing how much she loves Pigalina, the text suddenly The subplot of what went wrong with a formerly close friend- introduces a friend, Molly, who one day “got angry and called ship is unexplained in both its advent and resolution. The Claire a bad name.” Flat cartoon art stiffly depicts the alterca- backstory of the barbegazi overexplains its connection to the tion and Claire’s shock, without any buildup to this plot point. present story, and the barbegazi family interactions are too Hurt, Claire retreats home and cuddles Pigalina. Suddenly, and much like human parents and teenagers to be innovative. The again without any real story development, Pigalina begins talk- cast seems to be all white. ing: “May you be safe. / May you be happy. / May you feel love,” A potentially interesting setting is undermined by a the sentient toy soothes Claire. These words help, and then the thin plot and underdeveloped characters. (Fantasy. 8-12) pair goes out to the kitchen, where Claire sees her parents. She bestows the wishes on them and then on others out in the world. Ultimately she “send[s] loving wishes” to many people, includ- HUMAN BODY ing Molly, and doing so feels healing and empowering. The Olstein, James heartfelt message of the book will likely inspire readers’ imita- Illus. by the author tions of Pigalina and Claire’s wishes for themselves and others Sterling (80 pp.) as well as conversations about mindfulness, but both the art’s $12.95 | Oct. 1, 2019 and the text’s execution leave much to be desired in terms of 978-1-4549-3759-3 storytelling. Claire is a girl of color with interracial parents, and Series: Odd Science Molly presents white. Keep in mind for mindfulness training if not for plea- Fast facts about the human body and all its parts inside and sure reading. (Picture book. 4-7) out. Illustrator Olstein has turned his Tumblr blog of science facts into a science-trivia series for young readers. This title I’M NOT MILLIE! offers a collection of info-bits about the human body. A table Pett, Mark of contents reveals its organization. From atoms to bacteria, Illus. by the author hair to feet, each of the 20 sections is covered in one or more Knopf (40 pp.) spreads. Each spread includes one to four facts. The author’s $17.99 | $20.99 PLB | Nov. 26, 2019 choices are quirky and surprising: “Your ears secrete more ear- 978-1-101-93793-8 wax when you are afraid”; “Your lungs are not the same size”; 978-1-101-93794-5 PLB “Besides primates and people, koalas are the only other animals to have unique fingerprints.” They’re usually accompanied Wild animals take the place of Millie during and after din- by a short explanation, but he offers no sources. Graphically nertime, until her caregiver offers an incentive to become interesting illustrations in muted retro colors accompany each human again. entry. Humans may be white, brown, or green. The clean lines A speech bubble coming from a character offstage says, and minimalist depictions make these look like posters, and “Millie, stop playing with your green beans.” But on the table they are both appealing and appropriate to both substance and is a robin, with a worm in its mouth, who replies, “I’m not Mil- audience. Some involve a bit of visual humor; a cat seems to be lie.” The back and forth continues, with various table and post- combing a woman’s hair; an ice cream cone has turned another dinner directives on the verso matched by denials from a beaver, woman blue. Other titles in this series publish simultaneously: a hippo, an alligator, a cat, a kangaroo, and more (notably, never Amazing Inventions, Incredible Creatures, and Spectacular Space. a monkey). The animal variations are cleverly matched with the Libraries where the National Geographic Kids Weird but True child’s naughty behavior: It’s a tortoise when Millie’s accused of series circulates well may find this similarly appealing. “dawdling”; a koala climbing the lamp says, “Sounds like you’re Trivial but tantalizing. (Nonfiction. -8 11) (Amazing Inven really frustrated with this Millie person.” The back-and-forth tions: 978-1-4549-3758-6; Incredible Creatures: 978-1-4549-3760-9; text using both sides of the spread creates an enjoyable rhythm, Spectacular Space: 978-1-4549-3761-6) with anticipation of the next scene building to a silly conclusion in which Millie eagerly reverts back to human form—a

128 | 1 september 2019 | children’s | kirkus.com | brown-skinned girl—in exchange for a treat that’s just for her. later interned by the British government. Now freed, he’s alone The ink-and-watercolor illustrations make the animals seem in a foreign country. Isaac’s entry into Rosetta’s family isn’t quite at home inside while the oversized font for the adult’s frictionless: Rosetta squabbles with her sisters, she’s jealous of speech implies the frustration we don’t need to see, keeping Isaac’s relationship with her father, and she snoops in his few readers firmly on Millie’s side. possessions. But she and Isaac grow close, and what she learns Bribery be darned, this irresistible book begs to be about his past is worrying. Rosetta is from a family of light- shared. (Picture book. 2-7) skinned observant Jews and is ignorant of religious segregation or persecution. Isaac, with one Jewish parent and one Christian, saw his own mother—a tall, blonde, blue-eyed “Aryan goddess” BRUNO HAS ONE who works for the Nazis—repudiate him. Even in theoretically HUNDRED FRIENDS liberal-minded Montreal, Isaac’s not free of persecution. Jew- Pirrone, Francesca ish quotas will likely keep him from attending medical school at Illus. by the author McGill. Moreover, Rosetta’s best friend’s brother, a handsome Clavis (32 pp.) blond non-Jew, says vile anti-Semitic things to Isaac. Italicized, $17.95 | $9.95 paper | Oct. 8, 2019 phonetically rendered accents (“So, one afternoon, I vent der”) 978-1-60537-405-5 keep Isaac at arm’s length even as Rosetta grows closer to him, 978-1-60537-504-5 paper and there’s more than one “remarkable coincidence” holding the whole together, but readers will respond to how flawed, lik- A bear named Bruno finds a new able Rosetta learns how to welcome refugees wholeheartedly. technological distraction in the woods. As timely as historical fiction can be. (Historical fiction.

One day Bruno, Rico, and Renzo go fishing. While walk- 8-11) young adult ing along a woodland path, Bruno finds something beautiful: a smartphone. He discovers fun sounds, exciting pictures, and new words. The best thing the phone offers is connections to WHEN THE MICE FAMILY new friends, and soon, Bruno has 100 friends. With so many COMES TO VISIT new friends and diversions, Bruno has interest only in his Qin, Wenjun phone, ignoring Rico and Renzo. During dinner, in bed, and Illus. by Xu, Xiaoxuan even on the toilet, Bruno only has time for his new phone. Starfish Bay (48 pp.) Only after his two friends leave and the phone goes black does $17.95 | Nov. 1, 2019 Bruno realizes what true friendship is. Translated from Dutch, 978-1-76036-089-4 Bruno’s story is clearly relevant to current technological society. His experiences will be familiar to many kids (and their An anthropomorphic mouse family hosts a family reunion grown-ups), demonstrating how the allure of instant friends, in this picture book translated from Chinese. information, and media makes it so easy to get lost in the digital Melvin, a young mouse, is excited for the upcoming Mice world. Pirrone emphasizes the quality of friendships over the Festival, an annual family reunion. His family will be hosting it quantity. The muted, angular illustrations add amusing details this year, and the preparations are nonstop. While author Qin and acknowledge how mesmerizing phones can be. Drawn ani- details the activities, illustrator Xu delivers illustrations filled mals and plants placed on subtly textured backgrounds make up to their edges with copious homey details, somewhat reminis- the charming full-color, full-page images. A bold display type is cent of Tasha Tudor’s style. Full-page illustrations, double-page used to emphasize some of Bruno’s excited thoughts and words. spreads, spot illustrations, and one impressive three-page fold- A kid-friendly reminder of the dark side of connected out give the story a visual animation. If only the same could be life. (Picture book. 4-7) said for the narrative. Its undemanding arc relates the arrival of the relatives and their joy and delight in one another, with a small blip of tension when Uncle Dom is tardy; but all ends ROOM FOR ONE MORE well—and, if possible, even cozier. Gender stereotypes are Polak, Monique strictly adhered to: The aunties and Melvin’s mother prepare Kar-Ben (232 pp.) all the food; the boys tussle; the girls play dress-up. The theme $8.99 paper | Oct. 1, 2019 of unselfish, loving family togetherness with nary a quibble is 978-1-5415-4043-9 delivered with a sentimental perseverance that may not resonate with Western readers. An author’s note at the end reads Rosetta’s life changes when a 16-year- peculiarly, essentially an explanatory synopsis of the story reit- old refugee from the Nazis comes to live erating the value of family and love. An illustrator’s note fol- with her. lowing is also eccentric, conveying a fragmented homage to A grade six girl in 1942 Montreal, nar- imagination, bravery, and, yes, love. rator Rosetta has two sisters, but she A persistently rose-colored narrative about family hadn’t expected to gain an older brother. togetherness is buoyed by homey, cozy, copiously detailed Isaac fled Hitler’s Germany on the Kindertransport but was illustrations. (Picture book. 3-7)

| kirkus.com | children’s | 1 september 2019 | 129 THUKPA FOR ALL bright.” A (what else?) warm welcome, plus our local star’s com- Ram, Praba & Preuitt, Sheela forting reminders that every celestial body is unique (though Illus. by Ranade, Shilpa “people talk about Uranus for reasons I don’t really want to Karadi Tales (48 pp.) get into”), and anyway, scientists are still arguing the matter $13.95 | Oct. 1, 2019 because that’s what “science” is all about, mend Pluto’s heart at 978-81-9338-898-3 last: “Whatever I’m called, I’ll always be PLUTO!” Hurray for the underdog. (afterword) (Informational pic Both the making of and eating of ture book. 6-8) thukpa—a Tibetan noodle soup that is also consumed across Nepal, the eastern states of India, and in the occupied territories of Jammu and Kashmir—sit at the center of this tale about MAKE TROUBLE YOUNG a tight-knit community in Ladakh (a subregion of Jammu and READERS EDITION Kashmir). Standing Up, Speaking Out, As the book opens, Tsering, who is blind and uses a cane as and Finding the Courage a mobility aid, hums, “Hot, hot thukpa / Hearty, chunky thukpa To Lead / Yummy, spicy thukpa.” As he walks through his village, he Richards, Cecile with Peterson, Lauren invites community and family members to come and join him McElderry (240 pp.) at home for a bowl of thukpa. Tsering makes his way through $17.99 | Oct. 15, 2019 his world on his own: When Abi, his grandmother, asks him to 978-1-5344-5195-7 bring her peas for the soup, he “shuffles along the stone wall to the vegetable patch” and “feels the smooth pea pods with his The famed activist tells her life story. fingers.” Tsering’s invited guests arrive, but just as Abi begins With emphasis on her subject’s early cooking, the power goes out! Abi worries, but Tsering assures development, Shamir here carefully adapts Richards’ bestselling her that “lights on or off” doesn’t matter to him. Tsering is the 2018 memoir (written with Peterson) for a younger crowd, hop- perfect sous chef, and all ends well when the power returns. The ing to inspire fledgling activists to follow Richards’ pathbreak- pages are filled with delightful onomatopoeia—“flap, thwap” ing example in introducing social change. The eldest of four and flutter the prayer flags; “tring, tringg” goes a bell—and Ranade’s a “classic all-A’s first child…raised by troublemakers,” Richards inviting illustrations detail the life and geography of this moun- was born in 1957 in Texas to “rabble-rousing” civil rights lawyer tainous region. Informative backmatter includes an introduc- David Richards and Ann Richards, who went from “frustrated tion to the region, a glossary, and a recipe. housewife” to “the first woman elected in her own right as gov- A delightful family story that broadens representations ernor of Texas.” Exposed early on to then-segregated Dallas’ of South Asia and South Asian children. (Picture book. 4-8) “rampant” racism and homophobia and given her progressive pedigree (“we looked like the quintessential upper-middle-class Dallas family. But while other families bowled, we did politics”), PLUTO GETS THE CALL Richards richly details the varied calls to action for social causes Rex, Adam she’s answered throughout her career. She started “Youth Illus. by Keller, Laurie Against Pollution” in seventh grade in Austin and a food co-op Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster (48 pp.) while at Brown University, where she “majored in history” but $17.99 | Nov. 12, 2019 “minored in agitating”; fought to keep religion out of Texas pub- 978-1-5344-1453-2 lic schools and nationally to register voters; joined Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s staff; and headed Planned Parenthood for 12 years Heart (-shaped surface feature) liter- (2006-18)—not to mention getting married and parenting three ally broken by its demotion from planet status, Pluto glumly children along the way. Throughout the memoir, Richards lends conducts readers on a tour of the solar system. solid practical advice for resisting and organizing while offering You’d be bummed, too. Angrily rejecting the suggestions of a fascinating window into contemporary social struggles. “mean scientists” from Earth that “ice dwarf” or “plutoid” might Gritty, accessible, and sure to strike a chord with serve as well (“Would you like to be called humanoid?”), Pluto action-oriented Gen Z. (Memoir. 10-18) drifts out of the Kuiper Belt to lead readers past the so-called “real” planets in succession. All sport faces with googly eyes in Keller’s bright illustrations, and distinct personalities, too—but also actual physical characteristics (“Neptune is pretty icy. And gassy. I’m not being mean, he just is”) that are supplemented by pages of “fun facts” at the end. Having fended off Saturn’s flirtation, endured Jupiter’s stormy reception (“Keep OFF THE GAS!”) and relentless mockery from the asteroids, and given Earth the cold shoulder, Pluto at last takes the sympathetic suggestion of Venus and Mercury to talk to the Sun. “She’s pretty

130 | 1 september 2019 | children’s | kirkus.com | The artwork is a gorgeous complement to the eclectic curation. the girl who rode a shark

HAPPY HAIR glossary and endnotes—and the biographies themselves—help Roe, Mechal Renee explain this. The artwork, reminiscent of art deco travel posters, Illus. by the author is a gorgeous complement to the eclectic curation. The biog- Doubleday (32 pp.) raphies are written in a conversational style, often including a $16.99 | $19.99 PLB | Oct. 15, 2019 short quote from the subject. The idea of adventuring is deliber- 978-1-9848-9554-7 ately loose, with the biographies organized under categories of 978-1-9848-9555-4 PLB artists, pioneers, scientists, activists, athletes, and seekers. The tales range from being inspirational (most of them) to creepy A book that pays homage to the ver- (pirate queen Teuta had a Roman ambassador killed because he satility of black hair. annoyed her) to weird (Manon Ossevoort drove a tractor to the A dark-skinned black girl, eyes closed, face forward, greets South Pole in 2004). All are fun to read. readers on the cover against a bright yellow background, and An exciting labor of love—for kids of all gender identi- she wears a pink bow (die-cut out of the case) in her wavy updo. ties. (Collective biography. 8-12) This is one of many hairstyles featured in the illustrations, designed to help readers appreciate the potential for styling natural Afro hair. “Bomb braids,” “pom-pom puffs” and “‘fro- DOG AND RABBIT hawk” (an Afro-styled mohawk) also appear. Like these, most of Saltzberg, Barney the hairstyle names incorporate alliteration, making them fun Illus. by the author to read aloud. At first glance, readers might think this book is Charlesbridge (48 pp.) about one girl’s hair—which is possible, given how many styles $14.99 | Oct. 8, 2019

one head of afrotextured hair can sport—but skin color changes, 978-1-62354-107-1 young adult as do clothes, earrings, and other details that are easily altered, although every girl holds the same face-front, eye-closed posi- A conversation starter for preschoolers. tion. But the sameness of each face leaves no room for varia- Dog and Rabbit are fine on their own, but they each want tions in other features such as the eyes, lips, and nose. Hence, a friend. Pleasantly square pages contain softly edged illustra- young readers might consider this a paper version of the video tions mostly separated by negative space, emphasizing the games that allow changes in hairstyles on a face that has limited emotional and physical distance between the animals. Chunky, or no customizability—which also limits the book’s usefulness black, handwriting-inspired type contrasts with the negative as multicultural literature. space and balances the gentle blues, greens, and browns that The refrain, “I love being me,” offers a worthwhile make up the bulk of the color palette. Brown, floppy-eared Dog affirmation, but cookie-cutter faces undermine the mes- eventually notices Rabbit and wishes for friendship, but gray sage about diversity. (Picture book. 4-8) Rabbit is fixated on what he believes is a bunny inside Dog’s house. Even as Dog is thinking about Rabbit on one of the rare double-page spreads, Rabbit looks up at the same evening THE GIRL WHO RODE moon thinking about the unreachable bunny. But once Rabbit A SHARK wanders into Dog’s house to discover that the bunny is a refrig- And Other Stories of erator magnet, the pair quickly settles into an amicable friend- Daring Women ship. The duo’s contentment is fortunate, for no other potential Ross, Ailsa matches seem to exist save for a few fleeting glimpses of a red Illus. by Blackwell, Amy bird. The colors, sparse illustrations, and predictable plot make Pajama Press (128 pp.) this a satisfactory beginning book about friendship for young $22.00 | Sep. 24, 2019 children. Grown-up readers may go down rabbit holes of their 978-1-77278-098-7 own, wondering whether Rabbit is settling for Dog and about the merits of waiting around for others to arrive at their own Brief biographies of 52 intrepid women, spanning the globe realizations. and all centuries, are flanked by large, full-color illustrations and An odd-couple friendship story with a focus on percep- by maps that show the women’s adventuring sites. tion and patience. (Picture book. 3-5) The introduction sets up the idea that the book has been written by, for, and about human females—a bit unfortunate. The claim that these are women whom “the history books forgot about” is mostly true (Sacagawea, Joan of Arc, and Amelia Earhart are outliers) and explains why such noteworthy figures as Rosa Parks and Malala Yousafzai are just names at the bottom of the pages about Bessie Coleman and Nujeen Mustafa, respectively. Although the introduction suggests that being an adventurer is not related to monetary wealth, a good number of the women are from privileged backgrounds. The thoughtful

| kirkus.com | children’s | 1 september 2019 | 131 The simple text presents the sometimes-long, tongue-twisting career names while helpfully defining them. baby loves scientists

JUMPING MOUSE with top-notch fashion ideas, such as scarves for giraffes and A Native American Legend of sunglasses for snakes. Though clearly aiming for some degree Friendship and Sacrifice of lovable kitsch, this title overshoots and lands squarely on Schroe, Misty bizarre. The premise is preposterous; the narrative meander- Illus. by the author ing. At best the choice to feature an anthropomorphic (possibly Page Street (32 pp.) stuffed) monkey character named “Mr. Brown” is unfortunate; $17.99 | Nov. 5, 2019 at worst, it’s offensive—especially taken alongside the tiny 978-1-62414-817-0 vignette that is the sole representation of Africa. The illustrations are frequently too crowded, making decoding them dif- An ordinary mouse, dreaming of a less ordinary life, sets off ficult and rendering the entire work a confusing mess. on a journey that tests her in this new take on the story told by Safe to skip it. (Picture book. 4-8) John Steptoe in The Story of Jumping Mouse (1984). When a little female mouse suggests to the other mice that they set off to find the High Places of legend, she realizes BABY LOVES SCIENTISTS the others don’t want a different life, and so she chooses to go You Can Be Anything! alone. Soon, she comes to a fast-moving river where she meets Spiro, Ruth Grandfather Frog. Moved by “the eagerness of [her] heart,” Illus. by Chan, Irene Grandfather Frog gifts her his ability to leap great distances and Charlesbridge (24 pp.) calls her Jumping Mouse. As she continues her journey, Jump- $12.99 | Oct. 15, 2019 ing Mouse encounters Brother Buffalo and Sister Wolf, both of 978-1-62354-149-1 whom she finds distressed and crying. Displaying compassion, Series: Baby Loves she gives the one her vision and the other her sense of smell, jeopardizing her own quest. Though the simple story lacks high What do you want to be when you grow up? dramatic conflict, the illustrations—hand-built, clay-sculpted If they haven’t already thought about their futures (and characters photographed in real-life natural settings—provide they probably haven’t), toddlers and preschoolers might start visual interest and deserve praise. Younger readers will mostly planning after perusing this cheerful first guide to scientific enjoy the animal characters while older ones will likely engage careers. Plump-cheeked, wide-eyed tykes with various skin and with themes of friendship, self-sacrifice, and the importance of hair colors introduce different professions, including zoologist, following one’s dreams. Some readers may find it troubling that meteorologist, aerospace engineer, and environmental scientist, misinformed beliefs in a singular, pan-Indian culture are rein- depicted with cues to tip readers off to what the jobs entail. forced by the generic subtitle as well as by the absence of the The simple text presents the sometimes-long, tongue-twisting author/illustrator’s specific tribal affiliation/descent or even any career names while helpfully defining them in comprehensible note on the story’s origin. terms. For example, an environmental scientist “helps take A cute story that doesn’t reach the high places it could. care of our world,” and a zoologist is defined as someone who (author’s note, note on art) (Picture book/folktale. 4-8) “studies how animals behave.” Scientists in general are identified as those who “study, learn, and solve problems.” Such basic language not only benefits youngsters, but also offers adults THE ADVENTURES OF sharing the book easy vocabulary with which to expand on MOOSE & MR. BROWN conversations with kids about the professions. The title’s ebul- Smith, Paul lient appearance is helped along by the typography: The jobs’ Illus. by Usher, Sam names are set in all caps, printed in color and in a larger font Pavilion Children’s (40 pp.) than the surrounding text, and emphasized with exclamation $17.95 | Oct. 8, 2019 points. Additionally, the buoyant watercolors feature clues to 978-1-84365-428-5 what scientists in these fields work with, such as celestial bodies for astronomers. The youngest listeners won’t necessarily get Anthropomorphic animals meet all of this, but the book works as a rudimentary introduction to through happenstance, become friends, STEM topics and a shoutout to scientific endeavors. and help each other with their problems. So rocket science can be fun. (Informational picture book. The new spin this title tries to apply to the overly familiar 3-6) trope is that one of the two characters—monkey Mr. Brown— is a famous fashion designer. He meets Moose on a plane when Moose is traveling from Alaska to London. Moose is introduced as having a superfluous and perpetually absent-minded twin— Monty—who has boarded the wrong plane. Mr. Brown offers to help Moose look for Monty, though looking seems to just mean that Moose will accompany Mr. Brown as he travels around the world to work. Moose, in return, provides Mr. Brown

132 | 1 september 2019 | children’s | kirkus.com | THE SPEED OF STARLIGHT her life span. The straightforward text (translated from Chi- An Exploration of Physics, nese into Dutch and then into English) at times repeats what Sound, Light, and Space appears in the illustrations rather than leaving space for artis- Stuart, Colin tic vision and, furthermore, can be rather lengthy for a picture Illus. by Abadía, Ximo book. However, the smudgy, soft-edged illustrations are quite Big Picture/Candlewick (80 pp.) captivating. Close-ups of the girl and Mr. Cat really engage $24.99 | Oct. 1, 2019 readers, and the spare use of yellow draws their eyes along. The 978-1-5362-0855-9 use of white space creates tension and provides balance for several full-color spreads. The story, though, is slight, and it might A stylish-looking compilation of leave young readers puzzled as to the little girl’s demise as well physics facts. as Mr. Cat’s future now that he has been changed by his friend. Stuart and Abadía have created a visually striking book of A slip of a story with quite engaging illustrations. (Pic trivia around the general topic of physics, touching on a few ture book. 5-7) other sciences along the way. The oversized (over 13 inches tall) volume categorizes the information into four main topics: “Physics,” “Sound,” “Light and Color,” and “Space.” The THE SNOW BEAR information in each topic is summarized in a short paragraph Webb, Holly with vocabulary-building words set in bold, as are the names Illus. by Artful Doodlers of scientists mentioned. Unfortunately, after the table of con- Tiger Tales (192 pp.) tents, there is no additional tool to help readers (or rereaders) $6.99 paper | Oct. 1, 2019

find a topic—there is no index, glossary, or phonetic pronuncia- 978-1-68010-446-2 young adult tion guide. Readers who encounter tantalizing facts (there are Series: Winter Journeys “planets where it rains diamonds”? Diplodocus whipped “its tail so quickly that it created a cannonlike boom”?) will look for a After hearing her grandfather’s sto- bibliography, further resources, or notes in vain. Abadía’s illus- ries of finding a polar bear cub while liv- trations, a combination of graphite, wax, ink, and digital color, ing with an Inuit family in the Canadian do little to expand on the text. The look is decidedly retro and Arctic, a little girl dreams her own wintry features elements that may be foreign to young readers: Such adventure. images as a rotary phone, a cabinet-style TV with rabbit ears, Sara’s parents have skipped the family’s annual Christmas- and a gramophone create a feeling of distance from modern sci- time visit to Grandpa this year, staying at home as they await ence. Of the many humans depicted, most are white-presenting. the birth of her baby brother and sending her alone. Sara loves The book may be of slight interest to trivia-seeking readers visiting Grandpa but misses her parents, especially now that but will provide little help for anyone who wants to do serious a major snowfall threatens to keep them isolated up north digging. over the holiday. Grandpa, writing a book on Inuit folktales, A swift but insufficiently substantive tour of the topic. entertains her with accounts of his own childhood, when he (Nonfiction. -8 12) accompanied his father—then studying the Inuit people—to the Canadian Arctic, where Grandpa and Alignak, an Inuit boy, rescued a polar bear cub. Sara builds a snow bear and coaxes MR. CAT AND THE LITTLE GIRL Grandpa into building a small igloo, where she snuggles into a Wang Yuwei sleeping bag and, listening to more stories, dreams. Originally Illus. by the author published in 2012, the story—especially in its generic portrait of Clavis (32 pp.) Inuit culture—feels stale, the characters bland. As recollected $17.95 | $9.95 paper | Oct. 1, 2019 in Grandpa’s childhood memories and Sara’s dream, the Inuit 978-1-60537-488-8 are familiar, pre-industrial tropes—exotic sources of folktales 978-1-60537-500-7 paper and artifacts. (An endnote oddly describes Nunavut, Canada’s vast Inuit territory, as a “settlement.”) Vacillating between real- Sometimes friendships can be all too ism and fantasy, the plot never kicks into gear. Sara and Grandpa fleeting. present white. Homey illustrations add warmth to an otherwise In this tale told across the seasons, chilly read. Mr. Cat, a painter, encounters a tiny slip of a girl beneath some Trite and plodding. (author’s notes) (Fiction. 6-10) autumn leaves amid winter’s snows. Concerned, he takes her home and feeds her toast. Though at first he must adapt to having someone new around, soon Mr. Cat comes to care for her and watch out for her. He even finds creative inspiration in the yellow flowers that appear in her footsteps outdoors. Mr. Cat searches for the name of the flower in an encyclopedia and discovers a picture of the girl, as well as some sad news about

| kirkus.com | children’s | 1 september 2019 | 133 THE BOY WITH THE world. On set, Buddy befriends Cassidy Cambridge, the brown- BUTTERFLY MIND skinned teen star of the show. Buddy balances keeping his true Williamson, Victoria identity secret (everyone just assumes he’s wearing an alien Kelpies (224 pp.) costume) with becoming an overnight sensation. The book is $14.95 | Nov. 5, 2019 efficiently written, moving the story forward so quickly that 978-1-78250-600-3 readers won’t have time to think too hard about the bizarre circumstances necessary for the whole thing to work. This series Two British preteens grapple with opener’s big problem is the ending: The story just stops. Char- their parents’ divorces—and sharing a acters are established and plot mechanics are put together, but home. the book basically trusts readers to show up for the next install- In Scotland, 11-year-old Elin lives ment. Those enamored with Hollywood gags and sci-fi plot with her divorced mother and her moth- boiling will probably be engaged enough to do so. er’s boyfriend, Paul. She believes that if she can be her father’s A decent start to a silly sci-fi series.(Science fiction. -8 10) “Perfect Princess,” he’ll be persuaded to return. In England, Jamie, also 11, lives with his divorced mother and her boyfriend, Chris, whom he does not get along with. Due to ADHD, he’s WHAT THE EAGLE SEES impulsive, forgetful, and never perfect. Instead of relocating Indigenous Stories of to the U.S. with his mom and Chris and at his mother’s urg- Rebellion and Renewal ing, Jamie moves in with his dad. After establishing each pro- Yellowhorn, Eldon & Lowinger, Kathy tagonist’s background through alternating first-person chapters, Annick Press (132 pp.) Williamson reveals that Jamie’s father is Paul. As Elin and Jamie $14.95 paper | Nov. 12, 2019 adjust to living and going to school together, their initial spats 978-1-77321-328-6 turn to all-out war. The harder Elin schemes to break up the family, the harder Jamie tries to keep the peace, driving the The co-authors of Turtle Island: The plot. Parental arguments, financial strain, and other dynamics Story of North America’s First People (2017) add to the tension, and a butterfly motif unites the story. When team up again, this time addressing encounters between the the kids finally realize the pain they share, they join forces to Indigenous people of North America and European invaders. become a blended family in an encouraging ending. Although A standout overview of Indigenous struggles, this slim vol- Elin and Jamie are vastly different, the author deftly shows the ume highlights the scope of influence Europeans had on this trauma of divorce on children. Most characters are assumed continent by going beyond the standard story of English Pil- white; Paul is ethnically Chinese, and Jamie is implied biracial grims to include the Vikings and Spanish. The book follows a (Chinese/white). series of nonconsecutive events that highlight the resistance An achingly realistic, yet hopeful, depiction of divorce. strategies, coping mechanisms, and renewal efforts undertaken (Fiction. 8-12) by Indigenous nations primarily in present-day Canada and the U.S. Visually engaging, with colorful maps, drawings, photos, and artwork, the book includes modern moments in Native cul- ALIEN SUPERSTAR ture as well as history based on archaeological findings. Young Winkler, Henry & Oliver, Lin readers will be introduced to an Indigenous astronaut and Illus. by Nicolle, Ethan anthropologist as well as musicians, social activists, Olympians, Amulet/Abrams (264 pp.) soldiers, healers, and artists. The chapter titled “Assimilation” is $14.99 | Oct. 1, 2019 a fine introduction to Indigenous identity issues, covering forc- 978-1-4197-3369-7 ible conversion, residential schools, coercive adoption, and gov- Series: Alien Superstar, 1 ernment naming policies. By no means comprehensive in their approach, Yellowhorn (Piikani) and Lowinger have focused on An extraterrestrial teen refugee pivotal events designed to educate readers about the diversity becomes a Hollywood star. of colonized experiences in the Americas. Sections in each Citizen Short Nose, a 13-year-old, chapter labeled “Imagine” are especially powerful in helping blue-skinned, six-eyed, bipedal ET, has young readers empathize with Indigenous loss. left his home world in an effort to escape the authoritarian Essential. (author’s note, glossary, selected sources, forces that reign there. The teen runaway lands his spacecraft image credits, index) (Nonfiction. 10-13) in the middle of Universal Studios and easily blends in among the tourists and actors in movie costumes. Citizen Short Nose quickly changes his name to Buddy C. Burger and befriends Luis Rivera, an 18-year-old Latinx actor who moonlights as Frankenstein on the Universal lot. Inspired to be an actor by his grandmother Wrinkle’s love of Earth culture, Buddy lands a gig on Oddball Academy, playing (of course) an alien from another

134 | 1 september 2019 | children’s | kirkus.com | young adult - - - 8) -

(Picture book. 4 8) - Can Can Santa’s biggest fan snap the ulti- Freddy Freddy Melcher (who has light skin mate selfie? mate Levine/Scholastic (40 pp.) Bird, Betsy Bird, $17.99 | Sep. 3, 2019 $17.99 THE GREAT SANTA STAKEOUT SANTA THE GREAT Illus. by Santat, Dan by Santat, Illus. 978-1-338-16998-0 Sure to be caught under many a tree. Joyful, joyful. (Picture book. 3 book excellence. book - brown skin and Afro-textured, black hair The complexions. and light-brown baby have while brown, wavy hair, mother and lawn ornament headfirst in thesnow, with a note attached lots of extra stars, and some of the imagery is downright mysti- happy ending, this is a downright jolly even.one—merry, San- picture-book excellence, his use of chiaroscuro especially mas reading, “NICE TRY, reading, FREDDY! —SANTA.” “NICE TRY, Santat cleverly refreshing turn (as compared to many Nativity picture books), Santa, fresh out of the chimney.” chimney.” the of out fresh Santa, “with photo a capture to mined in the “long ago” biblical era. The pages are busy, sprinkled with with sprinkled busy, pages are The era. ago”biblical “long the in sleep takes hold. A sudden Poor hurt? Santa “CRASH!” Is roof.” the off right awakens [roll] big “something sees who Freddy, you,” reads the verse, with accompanying digital illustrations terful in the nighttime scenes. in the nighttime scenes. terful the moment. A page-turn reveals that Freddy feels “FANTAS holiday to text playful joyful, Bird’s elevates art multimedia tat’s to to bed determined to stay awake and meet his idol—but, alas, the Wise the Men Wise seeking directions from police officers in front the art style can seem labored or even at odds with the spare, things St. As Nick. Christmas Eve approaches, is Freddy deter the birth of a child with Jesus’ birth. “Hoof and feather, hide casting the same baby and parents both in modern times and contemporary setting is urban, and at the book’s end, - histori cal and modern worlds merge in illustration Won’s depicting of brownstones and a camel hitched to a fire hydrant. While part as cherish will many that book picture a is this text, elegant of holiday traditions. of the Wise Man moniker, Melchior) could be Santa’s biggest aligns readers with the protagonist and hides his reaction—for and brown hair and eyes and whose surname is a clever variant and beak— and / beak— Some say the animals began to speak / Their love depicts this note viewed from Freddy’s perspective, which for the child. Could it be true? will // We whisper our love for fying—why is there a city perched on the head? baby’s But in a familyThe father members has are depicted as people of color. Allfan. year long, he celebrates the jolly old elf and collects all He He devises a four-step plan involving a rooftop trap and goes Freddy had Freddy played hide-and-seek with his hero!” mind Never a Freddy Freddy dashes outside, fearing the worst, only to find a Santa TIC,” because “while other kids nestled all snug in their beds, (Note: Bird is a freelance contributor to Kirkus.) 7) -

the great santa stakeout santa the great | 1 september 2019 | 135 picture books | kirkus.com | winter-holiday text to holiday picture holiday to text Parallel Parallel stories in verse and image Sourcebooks Explore (32 pp.) Sourcebooks SILENT NIGHT connect connect a contemporary child’s arrival COOKIES FOR SANTA COOKIES FOR LONG AGO, ON A AGO, LONG Favorite Cookie Saved Saved Cookie Favorite Orchard/Scholastic (40 pp.) Christmas Berry, Julie Berry, $17.99 | Sep. 3, 2019 $17.99 $17.99 | Sep. 3, 2019 $17.99 Illus. by Tarkela, Johanna Tarkela, by Illus. Illus. by Won, Annie by Won, Illus. 978-1-4926-7771-0 978-1-338-27772-2 The Story of How Santa’s Santa’s Story of How The America’s Test Kitchen Test America’s Santat’s multimedia art elevates Bird’s joyful, playful art multimedia Bird’s elevates Santat’s picture books picture winter-holiday Berry’s Berry’s debut picture-book text offers readers moving, This sweet story is sadly underbaked. (Picture book. 4 The story is premised on the conceit that Santa’s annual When Santa loses his favorite cookbook, it looks like Santa and Mrs. Claus host and annually, he sadly bemoans the both with discerning some artfully named ingredients and bake bake cookies and enlist others’ help. America’s Kitchen, Test loss of his cookbook. Christmas With just two - Abi days away, his heirloom with cookbook the worried recipe is lost, and he’s while Abigail and William seem to be biracial, with an Asian whose offices areconveniently just down the street, helps out— with that of the Christ child. readers meet Abigail and William, visiting the librarythe visiting their with William, and Abigail meet readers mom and white dad. mom and white mother. Unbeknownst to the precocious gourmand Abigail, the the Abigail, gourmand precocious the to Unbeknownst mother. included in backmatter) for everyone at the North Pole. Alas, soliciting viewers to also more make cookies for Santa to enjoy gail’s familygail’s decides get they him can’t the recipe, but they can graceful graceful verse in the voice of a present-day new parent linking this connection when watching a television broadcast that overall success. Characters’ irises are oversized, giving them cookbook she borrows is the one Santa is missing. How it got to to got it How missing. is Santa one the is borrows she cookbook and share. It’s a happy ending, illustrations but Tarkela’s here and elsewhere are stiff and redundant, undermining the book’s a distinctly creepy look. Santa and Mrs. Claus present white Christmas preparations include making Krinkle cookies (recipe cookies Krinkle making include preparations Christmas Christmas might be cancelled. Boston Boston and onto the library’s shelves is but unclear, she makes “everyone will be disappointed.” In an abrupt cutaway to Boston, Boston, to cutaway abrupt an In disappointed.” be will “everyone Hoppy Christmas to all. santa claus vs. the easter bunn

SANTA CLAUS VS. THE “be baby Jesus.” Matthew is embarrassed by her exuberance, EASTER BUNNY but those feelings shift to deep sadness and worry just before Blunt, Fred Christmas when Jasper disappears. The family makes fliers and Illus. by the author calls around to shelters and veterinarian offices, to no avail. On Sourcebooks Jabberwocky (32 pp.) Christmas Eve, Matthew’s “heart ached for Jasper, lost some- $12.99 | Oct. 1, 2019 where in that terribly silent night.” And then, in “a Christmas 978-1-4926-9164-8 miracle,” Jasper appears in the living Nativity’s manger, a narrative contrivance that beggars belief and does not mitigate the A clash between Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny resolves one-note moodiness of the pages that have come before. itself in merry collaboration. Not among the best. (Picture book. 4-7) The title should be switched: It’s the Easter Bunny who plots to take down Santa Claus after feeling bitter about all of the help and thanks St. Nick receives year after year. As A WARM CHRISTMAS the text explains, the Bunny has no elf helpers and follows an Boukarim, Leila exhausting three-step process to make chocolate eggs “before Illus. by Moxham, Barbara delivering them all by himself. (Which explains why you often Marshall Cavendish (40 pp.) find Easter eggs scattered all over your yard).” Then, in stark $10.00 | Jul. 7, 2019 contrast to Santa, who receives goodies from children around 978-981-4828-29-1 the globe, including carrots for his reindeer, the Easter Bunny gets no thanks. “I LIKE CARROTS. IS IT TOO MUCH A white Christmas is a dream come true for Jack—or is it? TO ASK FOR A CARROT?” he exclaims in an angry speech Jack has a snow globe that seems to hold his vision of an bubble. Grinch-like, he decides to sabotage Christmas by fill- ideal Christmas setting. The snowy landscape with three ever- ing the elves’ toy-making machines with chocolate: “THOSE green trees contrasts with the tropical place where Jack lives POOR SWEET CHILDREN! WHATEVER WILL THEY with his family. “Where Jack lived, Christmas was never white,” DO WHEN THEIR TOYS MELT? Wooo Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha.” reads an early spread depicting Jack and his parents outside near Alas, the plan backfires. Children are delighted by their choco- large trees, a parrot sitting on a branch, and a dog panting in the late toys. “I CAN PLAY AND EAT CHOCOLATE AT THE heat. Without any explanation, the setting suddenly changes to SAME TIME!” says one child who holds a chocolate airplane. depict a snowstorm outside as text reads, “One magical Christ- Bereft, the Easter Bunny decides to leave for good, but Santa mas Eve… / Jack’s wish came true!” Is this a dream? Did the snow stops him and offers a jolly partnership, complete with elf help- globe on the table somehow instigate the change in weather? ers—and carrots! Blunt’s scratchy cartoons go big on the Bun- Why does Jack have a long, white-and-red muffler in this warm ny’s maniacal grins. climate? Such essential plot points go unexplained as Jack ven- Hoppy Christmas to all (and a Merry Easter, too). (Pic tures outside to play in the winter wonderland. He enjoys him- ture book. 4-7) self until he realizes he’s all alone, and then he returns home. Somehow, dumping out the water and snow from his snow globe causes his family to reappear and the landscape to return THE WORST CHRISTMAS EVER to its warm, tropical state, affirming that “a warm Christmas is Bostrom, Kathleen Long the best kind of Christmas there is.” Jack and his family present Illus. by Porfirio, Guy white. Instructions for a DIY snow globe follow. Flyaway Books (48 pp.) Hard to follow and likely to leave readers cold. (Picture $17.00 | Sep. 17, 2019 book. 4-7) 978-1-947888-09-8

Poor Matthew is having the worst Christmas ever. SANTA’S SECRET Well before the holiday season arrives, only Jasper the dog Brennan-Nelson, Denise provides Matthew with any comfort when his parents announce Illus. by Melmon, Deborah in the springtime that the family is moving. When autumn rolls Sleeping Bear Press (32 pp.) around, Matthew (whom stiff, undistinguished illustrations $16.99 | Aug. 15, 2019 depict as resembling his dad and appearing white with light 978-1-53411-038-0 skin, red, straight hair, and blue eyes) still hasn’t adjusted. Read- ers learn that “at his new school, Matthew counted the hours Can an inquisitive child find thereal Santa? until he could run home to Jasper. At church nothing felt right.” Rhyming, first-person text follows a child to the city with Little sister Lucy (who looks like their mother, with wavy dark the family for some holiday fun. They appear white in the car- hair, light-brown skin, and brown eyes), is happy in their new toon illustrations, with peachy skin and straight, auburn hair community, and their parents appear to be happy, too. Lucy’s (though Grandma’s coif is gray and wavy). When Santa goes joy is quite apparent when the minister announces plans for by during a parade, he has light-brown skin and round, gold- an outdoor Nativity, and she volunteers her doll, Gabriela, to rimmed glasses. On the facing page, the narrator is surprised

136 | 1 september 2019 | children’s | kirkus.com | young adult - 7) - is Santa but who turns out who but Santa is thinks Rituals to celebrate the Rituals celebrate cycle to of light Series: Bad Kitty BAD KITTY SEARCHING SANTA FOR Candlewick (32 pp.) Candlewick Cooper, Susan Cooper, Bruel, Nick Bruel, Brook (24 pp.) Roaring $17.99 | Oct. 22, 2019 $17.99 $9.99 | Aug. 20, 2019 20, Aug. $9.99 | DAY THE SHORTEST Illus. by Ellis, Carson by Ellis, Illus. Illus. by the author Illus. 978-0-7636-8698-7 978-1-250-19843-3 the letter to Santa,” and a picture shows her gripping a Newbery Newbery Medalist Cooper uses sparse, evocative language Nice enough. (Picture book. 4 Bad Kitty is back—with a letter to Santa. to a letter Bad Kitty is back—with Even Even though she “is not so sure she’s been good this year,” heading home. But, in a gift of an ending, Bad Kitty ends up package all tied up with string. with a very nice present under her tree: a fish in a brown-paper ness, culminating with Yule. People depicted morph depicted from earlyPeople Yule. ness, culminating with rejoicing. The story begins as silent as sunrise, the rich, evoca- ” and newspaper TODAY! with the headline SANTA “MEET ity. ity. Other similar encounters show a diverse range of people man in the newspaper. And alas, when she reaches the store, it’s it’s store, the reaches she when alas, And newspaper. the in man sons. Featuring a poem created first for the ChristmasRevels, she shows early humans working during the time of light, their gouache paintings depict a world that is pushing against the the shortest day came,” writes Cooper, and Ellis’ beautiful tale is one of hope, anticipation, love, joy and spiritual happi- that personifies how humanscelebrate the changing of the sea- the book tells the story of the solstices, how the world moves tive illustrations of Caldecott Honoree Ellis giving voice as to be someone dressed in a Santa suit and ringing a bell for char bellfor a ringing and suit Santa a in dressed someone be to “GIVE.” reading signs holding and suits Santa wearing textures) the digital, cartoon-style pictures. Kitty is overwhelmed by all the Santas, none of whom looks like the white-bearded white of the people to push away darkness for light, the tone of the of winter. The tone is of both winter. solemn and reverent yet also full of closed! Angry, closed! Angry, she balls up her letter and stomps on it before and dark have existed since the beginning of time. since and dark have existed a While photo of en Kris to the route Kringle. see store to him day’s day’s activities revolving around the movement of the sun. “So dark with candles and dance and song. Despite the urgency from the year’s longest day in the summer to the shortest day Kitty writes to Santa to ask for she nice “a present.” must Next Kitty encounters someone she someone encounters Kitty (her letter cleverly stuck into the folded brim of her knitted hat), knitted her of brim folded the into stuck cleverly letter (her (men, women, and a child with different skin tones and hair There’s There’s even a dog and an octopus getting in on the action in “GIVE - (Picture 6) - | 1 september 2019 | 137 picture books | kirkus.com | winter-holiday Brown and De Witt’s 1966 - collabo A A Christmas picture book from the SANTA MOUSE SANTA Little Simon/Simon & Schuster (32 pp.) Little Simon/Simon & Schuster Brown, Michael 1960s gets some updates. $17.99 | Sep. 17, 2019 | Sep. 17, $17.99 Illus. by De Witt, Elfrieda Witt, by De Illus. 978-1-5344-3793-7 (Picture book. 3 (white) Santa look-alike another (minus (white) the Santa red look-alike suit). 7) - Ho-ho-hum. A revision that will still provoke reservations. book. 2 Santa is, but the non-ending may leave readers cold. barley and berries to eat. / But carrots,’ he added ‘are their favortheir ‘are added he carrots,’ But / eat. to berries and barley just as it should be,” but the child decides to investigate. Most leaves the narrator satisfied with not knowing who the REAL he’d try to touch them, / Like a bubble they would vanish.” The trya bubble they vanish.” would them, / Like touch to he’d props for their pretend play. The updated version uses the word word the uses version updated The play. pretend their for props version that will enhance read-alouds, but even massaged, the would would bring their dolls And / dress up and have tea. The / boys when But / Spanish Or / Eskimos be Or / cowboys play all would notepad and grills him. This patient, white Santa looks different looks Santa white patient, This him. grills and notepad ration about a lonely, solitary, kindhearted ration mouse about solitary, who a leaves lonely, a ite treat.’ ” Then suddenly, he’s This gone! he’s encounter ite somehow treat.’ Then ” suddenly, imaginary playmates. The original text reads, “The little girls ing, perhaps, some who eschewed it for outmoded gender roles spread about playmates still sounds an off note. spread about playmates glasses. Puzzled, the child narrates, “I demanded to know: gift of cheese for Santa will be recognizable to many—includ- taking photos with children. The determined kid whips out a to see another Santa with lighter skin and square, black-framed see to another Santa with skin lighter and square, black-framed the revised text rejects strict gender norms and says, “some of play who’d others were there [and] dolls their bring would them child spies of the sleuthing occurs while visiting Santa in a store where he’s he’s where store a in Santa visiting while occurs sleuthing the of ethnicity and the stereotypical illustrations of a matador and 32, to 20 from pagecount of expansion an by Abetted cowboys.” newthe in look cleaner a for make layout and design in changes accompanying accompanying illustrations show “little girl” mice in hats and a harpoon-wielding, fur-clad rodent figure. On a brighter note, and racial stereotyping in a spread introducing the protagonist’s protagonist’s the introducing spread a in stereotyping racial and from the others, rather like he’s stepped out of “A Visit From St. From Visit “A of out stepped he’s fromlike rather others, the dresses for a tea party and boys with stereotypical costumes and costumes stereotypical with boys and party tea a for dresses Nicholas.” Then, Nicholas.” while getting hot cocoa in a coffee shop, the Before the narrator can ask anything, he says, “ ‘Reindeer like ‘Who is the REAL one?!’ ” Grandma tells her, “It’s Santa’s secret, secret, Santa’s “It’s her, tells Grandma ” one?!’ REAL the is ‘Who “Inuit” instead of “Eskimo” but retains the concept of playacting of concept the retains but “Eskimo” of instead “Inuit” hunter-gatherers to people in northern European medieval the book a disappointment to reread. That’s probably OK, as garb to a multiracial gathering. They gather in a modern West- in contrast to the clever story that kicked this small series off, ern home with mantelpiece decorated with menorah and holly, this outing has a hastily composed feel that lacks cohesion. singing carols by the Christmas tree. The first letter is addressed to Peach from Mom and includes As precious as sunshine. (author’s note) (Picture book. 4-8) a paper doll of the “naked” (de-wrappered) crayon along with a selection of tabbed changes of clothing that includes a top hat and tails and a bikini top and bottom. Peach’s implied gender THE LITTLE FIR TREE fluidity does not mitigate the unfortunate association of peach Adapt. by Corr, Christopher with skin color established in the first book. The sense of nar- Illus. by adapter rative improvisation is cemented with an early page turn that Frances Lincoln (32 pp.) takes the crayons from outdoors snow play to “Feeling…sud- $17.99 | Oct. 1, 2019 denly very Christmas-y, the crayons headed inside.” Readers can 978-1-78603-662-9 unpack a box of punch-out decorations; a recipe for gluten-free Christmas cookies that begins “go to store and buy gluten-free A Christmas story about gratitude, cookies”; a punch-out dreidel (turns out Grey is Jewish); a board adapted from a Hans Christian Ander- game (“six-sided die” not included); and a map of Esteban (aka sen tale. Pea Green) and Neon Red’s travels with Santa. The eponymous little fir tree is dis- Haphazard but jolly enough for one outing; it probably contented in the forest, especially when it sees other, bigger won’t last for more. (Novelty. 4-8) trees being cut down to build cabins and ships. People and animals alike praise the tree for its beauty, but it remains dissatisfied. Then the tree is cut down, and it goes to a home where SNOW GLOBE WISHES people (all of whom appear white in the naïve illustrations) Dealey, Erin decorate it for Christmas. Here, the tree feels proud and wishes Illus. by Shorrock, Claire the woodland animals could see it. It also enjoys listening to a Sleeping Bear Press (32 pp.) story—a moment that offers readers an intertextual reference $16.99 | Sep. 15, 2019 to “The Snow Queen.” But when the decorations are removed, 978-1-53411-031-1 the fir tree doesn’t understand that it’ll be taken outside and put into a shed the next day. This fate brings sadness again, but When a snowstorm blows through the tree is eventually gladdened when children return it out-of- town, it knocks out power and sends evening commuters scur- doors. Its limbs lacking the needles it once had, the tree glories rying for the safety and warmth of home. in the fresh air and sunshine, seemingly happy to be outside. But in the electricity-free night, one family turns the dark- Where the original story ends dismally for the tree, Corr is ness into an opportunity to slow down and enjoy time together. kinder, building in a subtle circle-of-life arc. The final sentence This charming story follows the evening of an interracial fam- notes that a squirrel’s larder, which presumably includes the fir ily of four: a brown-skinned and dark-haired woman, little girl, tree’s cones, allows a new tree to grow. Throughout, opaque, and little boy, and a man presenting as white with light-colored daub-y paintings with a folk-art sensibility enliven the storytell- skin and light hair. They have a candlelit picnic of Chinese ing but do little to expand on the details of the text. takeout next to a blazing fireplace and decorated Christmas A Christmas tree-t. (Picture book. 3-6) tree. The family enjoys the rest of the quiet snowy evening beneath a blanket fort in which they sleep together, cat and dog bundled in as well. The next morning, they and the rest of THE CRAYONS’ CHRISTMAS the community go out to play in the snow. The final spread in Daywalt, Drew the book depicts the family’s cat and dog looking at the happy Illus. by Jeffers, Oliver human tableau, now within the snow globe, which reads “Peace Penguin Workshop (52 pp.) on Earth.” The muted colors, simple, childlike renderings, and $19.99 | Oct. 15, 2019 happy characters make this book about a snowstorm feel warm 978-0-525-51574-6 and cozy—think hygge in picture-book form. Aside from the Series: Creative Creature Catcher star-topped, decorated tree and the “Peace on Earth” message, often associated with Christmas, there are no religious symbols A flurry of mail addressed to Duncan’s crayons ushers in the used in the book. Christmas season in this novelty spinoff of the bestselling The The feelings of community and togetherness are pal- Day the Crayons Quit (2013) and The Day the Crayons Came Home pable. (Picture book. 4-8) (2015). Actual cards and letters are tucked into envelopelike pouches pasted to the pages; these are joined in some cases by other ephemera for a package that is likely to invite sudden, intense play followed by loss and/or damage that will render

138 | 1 september 2019 | children’s | kirkus.com | young adult - - - - - 6) - Santa delivers a naughty boy his Fearnley’s Fearnley’s story stops just short of A pourquoi tale for Christmastime. A comeuppance in this yuck- and yuk-filled and yuk-filled in this yuck- comeuppance CHRISTMAS! LITTLE ROBIN’S CHRISTMAS LITTLE ROBIN’S Nosy Crow/Candlewick (32 pp.) Crow/Candlewick Nosy Fletcher, Tom & Poynter, Dougie & Poynter, Tom Fletcher, Fearnley, Jan Fearnley, $17.99 | Sep. 17, 2019 | Sep. 17, $17.99 $16.99 | Sep. 10, 2019 $16.99 | Sep. 10, THE DINOSAUR THAT POOPED THAT THE DINOSAUR Illus. by Parsons, Garry by Parsons, Illus. Illus. by the author Illus. 978-1-4814-9872-2 978-1-5362-0825-2 Aladdin (32 pp.) 6) - Santa is appalled at the - length of list—espe greedy Danny’s Presents for Hanukkah can be both surprising and per A cozy Christmas re(a)d. (Picture book. 3 Subsequent spreads show the bighearted Little Robin wearing baby otter, and mouse, until respectively, poor Little Robin is bird flying, but then on the title page the bird is vest-free, its left shivering in the cold, vest-less. So who saves the day and kah is assumed. fect. (Picture book. 3 provides Little Robin with a red vest for his breast? Santa, of purple, and orange vests are gifted to a frog, hedgehog, mole, promptly hatches a dinosaur that sets to devouring everything, proper shows Little Robin admiring his reflection in a mirror while wearing a knitted white vest decorated with a holly pat red breast, but readers are invited to draw this conclusion. On ing each night of the The holiday. historical setting of Hanuk illustrations feature a googly-eyed family and a menorah depict might just be unpleasant.” After hearing a clatter, Danny rushesDanny clatter, a hearing After unpleasant.” be just might squirrel, rabbit (who cleverly wears the vest as a hat in the illus tern. tern. Six vests of other frontmatter. the from colors one red the is appear none but home, tree-hollow on hangers around his trations, its ears poking through the arm holes), mother and to see a “GIGANTIC egg” dwarfing the Christmas tree. It the cover, a white and brown bird is clad in a red knitted vest course (here depicted as a white human). as a white (here depicted course others animal out in the White, cold. green, blue, pink, yellow, cially since the lad already has a “mountain of toys.” Santa explicitly stating that its aim is explain to how the robin got its a pleasant addition to holiday book shelves. Ashdown’s colorful colorful Ashdown’s holiday book shelves. a pleasant addition to and then giving away each of these vests when he encounters and glides across the ice. The half-title page shows the same decides, “I’ll leave him a present, / But this year his present feathered, white breast showing. The first spread in the book Christmas book. - - kugel for hanukkah? kugel | 1 september 2019 | 139 picture books | kirkus.com | winter-holiday The traditional Ashkenazic Hanuk When Veda When loses Veda her first tooth on 6) - KUGEL FOR HANUKKAH? FOR KUGEL Kar-Ben (32 pp.) Kar-Ben Everin, Gretchen M. Everin, $17.99 | Sep. 1, 2019 $17.99 Penguin Workshop (32 pp.) Workshop Penguin Deenihan, Jamie L.B. Jamie Deenihan, Illus. by Ashdown, Rebecca Ashdown, by Illus. $12.99 | Oct. 1, 2019 978-1-5415-3464-3 THE TOOTH FAIRY VS. SANTA VS. FAIRY THE TOOTH Illus. by Hunting, Erin by Hunting, Illus. 978-1-5247-9080-6 Presents for Hanukkah can be both surprising and perfect. be both surprising can Hanukkah for Presents (Picture book. 4 Skip. The youngest sibling in an observant family narrates Jewish In In Deenihan’s wordy text, Santa Claus (who, like the pro- Santa puts presents under the They tree. leave a note, too, and but receives an odd assortment of presents. Or are they really ble-filled latkes does not quite make the long-haired youngest he tells Blue, a fairy on his first lost-tooth mission and outto her cooking utensils and ingredients result in a delicious if not kah treat of latkes is about to be replaced. is about to kah treat of latkes problem exacerbated by the oddly out-of-sync candy-colored palette. plate plate bearing cookies and a Also carrot. on that plate is a letter prove himself worthy of “a spot on the Tooth Fairy Team.” The The Team.” Fairy prove himself worthy of spot “a Tooth on the when Blue makes his case: “We can’t share Christmas Eve!” And Eve!” Christmas share can’t “We case: his makes Blue when well loved. Everin’s tale is entertaining and happy and will make make will and happy and entertaining is tale Everin’s loved. well ing. “Please feel free to come back any other night of the year,” surprisingly cranky about and Christmasterritorial gift-giv Eve so begins that a competition causes raucous a mess, upending a stakes are high: If he fails to “locate and retrieve the client’s lost client’s the retrieve and “locate to fails he If high: are stakes sib happy until the final reveal—make that two!Grandma and garish illustrations are more often overcrowded than not, a year”—the worst job ever, apparently. But Santa won’t budge the grinchy Santa. and He Blue clean up, and Veda’s Blue takes tooth and leaves a coin (hard to see in the busy picture), while The then Santa the takes triumphant Blue Toothtopia. back to tagonist fairy and the little girl, appears white with light skin) is skin) light with white appears girl, tagonistlittle fairythe and tooth” he will “be assignedthe polishing departmentto for tooth” one traditional treat: “Cranberry Chocolate Chip Hanukkah Kugel.” Kugel.” Hanukkah Chip Chocolate “Cranberry treat: traditional the family ritual of lighting the shamash, or helper candle, and then adding one more candle for each night until, of Hanukkah that odd? At the same time, Grandma is opening an apron, a chance to leave to her something. chance cookbook, cookbook, and oven mitts. Eating a wide assortment of vegeta- addressed to both of them that provokes a change of heart in are exchanged. The young narrator would like a cuddly animal for a pet is also fulfilled. It is not especially cuddly, but it will it but be especially not is It cuddly, fulfilled.also is pet a for Christmas Eve, an aspiring tooth fairy must battle Santa for the the for Santa fairybattle must tooth aspiring an Eve, Christmas finally, eight are burning brightly. Blessings are and recited gifts eight are burning brightly. finally, The recipe is included at the end of the story. Oh, and that wish wish that and Oh, story. the of end the at included is recipe The Shimokawara glories in textures, making the whorls in the animals’ fur seem touchable. the gifts of the animals

and everyone, in sight. Danny watches, horrified, as it eats his THE GIFTS OF THE ANIMALS grandmother, his parents, and their whole house. The comi- Gerber, Carole cal, rhyming text’s tone is light and is supported by the cartoon Illus. by Shimokawara, Yumi digital art, which shows a rotund, house-sized dinosaur on the Familius (32 pp.) former site of Danny’s home. Bereft, the boy realizes “it wasn’t $17.99 | Aug. 1, 2019 the house or the presents he missed; / Without family, Christ- 978-1-64170-159-4 mas just didn’t exist.” Lucky for him, though perhaps not for squeamish readers, the dinosaur’s overindulgence leads to two A poetic imagining of gifts from the spreads of voluminous defecation, with Danny’s family, the Nativity animals to the newborn baby Jesus. house’s contents, Santa and reindeer, and more all sailing “from Gerber’s lilting rhymes reinterpret biblical text from the the dinosaur’s butt” on a “massive WHOOOOOOSH” of liq- book of Luke, Chapter 2, verses 1-16 in the King James Version uid, brown poop. All characters are unscathed, and cleanup hap- (reproduced in the back of the book). The frontmatter notes pens mercifully quickly, though readers may feel a bit ill at the that they draw inspiration from “a 12th century Latin song, sight of piles and rivulets of poop still decking the halls. Santa, which became known in England as ‘The Animal Carol’ ”; within, Danny, and his family all present white. the author imagines what the Nativity animals might have done Safe to say it’s the only dinosaur-poop–themed Christ- to “prepare their stable for Christ’s birth.” She writes that an mas book readers will ever need. (Picture book. 4-8) ox “drops straw into a manger bed.” Then “sheep tear loose bits of their wool / to make the bed feel soft and full.” Birds on the stable’s roof give feathers, which mice carry to the manger. A HOW TO TRICK A cow finds a blanket and adds it to the bed, too. Mary and Joseph CHRISTMAS ELF appear with the baby, and the realistic-style illustrations depict Fliess, Sue the trio as olive-skinned with dark hair, and the shepherds have Illus. by Sanfilippo, Simona a similar appearance. The first angel to appear seems white, but Sky Pony Press (32 pp.) the heavenly host singing in exaltation includes at least three $16.99 | Oct. 1, 2019 angels of color (albeit ethereally washed-out). The book proper 978-1-5107-4430-1 closes with shepherds and animals gathered around the Holy Family as they “all sing: ‘Glory to our newborn King!’ ” Shimo- Some advice for pulling the wool over Santa’s helpers’ eyes. kawara glories in textures, making the whorls in the animals’ fur While the trademarked Elf on the Shelf isn’t explicitly men- and the folds in human characters’ robes seem touchable. tioned, its all-seeing power is clearly referenced in this story A handsome, imaginative volume for Christmas book- about helping children stay off Santa’s naughty list. Worried shelves. (Picture book. 3-6) kids with a range of skin tones and hair colors are addressed by the text, which asks, “what if you could trick [the elf] so that you can sneak a look? Maybe you can change his mind…and A GUINEA PIG NUTCRACKER what goes in his book!” Elf distraction is the goal, and the rhym- Goodwin, Alex ing couplets say that the best way to divert an elf’s attention Illus. by Newall, Tess is to “construct a tiny Christmas sleigh that only he could fly.” Photos by Beresford, Phillip Subsequent spreads give step-by-step instructions and materi- Bloomsbury (56 pp.) als suggestions for the project, ultimately providing a guide for $14.00 | Oct. 8, 2019 readers to build their own sleighs to distract the elves that spy 978-1-63557-450-0 from their shelves. In a twist at the end, the elf is so delighted Series: Guinea Pig Classics by the sleigh that he rewards the children by affirming that they are on the nice list. A letter addressed to them, not a list after all, The Nutcracker, but with guinea pigs. provides this affirmation, but it also could be read as suggesting A petite trim size befits the content of this photo-illustrated bribery as a good strategy for niceness. This stance undermines book (the sixth Guinea Pig Classic), most likely to appeal to the the culminating message that “giving from your heart…[is] what niche market of guinea-pig owners. Text that retells the story of good people do” since the children clearly had ulterior motives the famous ballet is accompanied by Beresford’s photographs of for their sleigh building. costumed guinea pigs on small stages set with dollhouse furni- Not very nice. (Picture book. 4-7) ture and props (costumes and props courtesy of Newall). As the narrative describes Clara looking at her presents, a photo shows a guinea pig clad in a white dress and blue hair ribbon approach- ing a tiny, potted Christmas tree. Various incongruities between text and art arise, such as when “the big clock strikes twelve,” with Clara dwarfing a small, sparkly grandfather clock. Later, the Mouse King, described as a “terrifying figure,” looks anything but. It’s odd that the term “fandango” is the only non- English word to receive a footnoted definition; perhaps child

140 | 1 september 2019 | children’s | kirkus.com | young adult - 6) 7) - - Silly Mustache Baby (and Santa CHRISTMAS Clarion (40 pp.) Heos, Bridget Heos, $17.99 | Sep. 10, 2019 | Sep. 10, $17.99 A MUSTACHE BABY BABY A MUSTACHE Illus. by Ang, Joy Ang, by Illus. 978-1-328-50653-5 Ho-ho-ho’s from the goo-goo-gah-ers. (Picture book. 3 In In this fourth book about Mustache Baby (aka Baby Billy), A cozy cat tale, if too-quickly resolved. (Picture book. 3 babies to reconcile and care for the pup. Santa Grownup sees his pal Baby Javier transforms into Santa Baby when his facial hair (he was born with a full beard) him “Santa’s turns #1 helper, Santa white. to Baby!” get Wanting This in on makes the he likes his creations so much that he ends up hoarding them he “saddle[s] up the reindeer” (depicted as dachshunds) to pur [has] started to get cold,” the yarn is completely unraveled and perspectives of the city and slapstick scenes of the cat crash- what fuller version of the one Snidely Whiplash sports in Rocky Rocky in sports Whiplash Snidely one the of version fuller what ventures from her cardboard house, that readers a willred note with other examples of wordplay and with comical details in the in details comical with and wordplay of examples other with is presumably Latinx. Baby Javier white; into a handlebar-style, or “BAD GUY MUSTACHE”—a some- into a or MUSTACHE”—a handlebar-style, “BAD GUY is “being pulled away and beginning a journey of its own.” Nina ing into other animals as she tries to catch the yarn snaking strand of yarn is trailing from her sweater, unraveling it page sweater: Nina arrives, sweater: Nina Ms. Badger offers her tea, and then with sue Baby Billy and recover the treats he’s stolen. A misaimed snowball hits one of the which “reindeer,” prompts the pair of sleigh “to help deliver presents all over the world”—but only greed that his beard turns into a “MAD GUY BEARD,” and the page turn, the bookstore is named as Nina’s new home. the page as is named turn, Nina’s the bookstore their compassionate deeds and rewards them with a trip in his gifted are readers Throughout, course. of hair!” a by list nice the action, Baby Billy offers to help by making toys. Unfortunately, transforms mustache His list. naughty the on spot a earning and and Bullwinkle cartoons. Santa Baby is so angry at his friend’s after after page. She doesn’t notice as she traipses by caroling mice belly“her that realize does she time the By creatures. other and she which in bookstore, a to leads yarn the Then her. from away after twice checking twice his findlist thatto after “Billy had made it onto follows in hot pursuit through illustrations that show various digital art. Illustrations depict Baby Billy and Santa Grownup as Grownup Santa and Billy Baby depict Illustrations art. digital finds Ms. Badger, humming and knitting wingback in a chair. Baby) holiday fun. The ending is as abrupt asrealization that Nina’s she’s lost her | 1 september 2019 | 141 picture books | kirkus.com | winter-holiday 8) - 7) - GOODNIGHT BUBBALA FOR NINA FOR Crocodile/Interlink (32 pp.) Crocodile/Interlink Dial (32 pp.) Heikkilä, Cecilia Heikkilä, Haft, Sheryl Haft, $17.95 | Sep. 1, 2019 $17.95 $17.99 | Oct. 15, 2019 | Oct. 15, $17.99 A CHRISTMAS SWEATER Illus. by the author Illus. Illus. by Weber, Jill Weber, by Illus. 978-1-62371-937-1 978-0-525-55477-6 A Joyful Parody (Picture book. 4 One reading will more than suffice for this knockoff. Clearly a labor of love—and just as clearly limited in Nina Nina the cat has a “house,” which the illustrations depict The subtitle aptly describes this latest lampoon of the If Margaret Wise Brown were Jewish with a family that emi- Jewish Brown were Wise Margaret If A warm tale for Christmastime. A book first, one of coupletsthe bies.” Oddly rhymes for celebration, there a is Hanukkah no recitation “bubbies” with “hub- readers will have no difficulty The negotiating photos “relevé”? readers that “the floor was icy andcold air came through the invaded by a horde of relatives of allrelatives horde of by a invaded ages gifts and bearing food spreads are overly busy with bunnies. such as “A kiss on the and keppelah!” they such cook as up “A matzah ball soup and smear cream cheese on bagels.There’s some dancing striped sweater that covers her legs and body from neck to tail. grated from Anatevka.... from grated appeal. treats with the brisket. Adults treats may with Adults get the a brisket. laugh or two from the a faint glimmer The of bright nostalgia. - col more likely, text or, the popular cookbook author and TV cooking show host Ina to dance, which results in rather redundant tableaux of the fluffy the of tableaux redundant rather in results which dance, to tion on the balletas well as rescue centers. pet ors do pay homage to the original book, although many of the of the blessings on the lit menorah candles. A glossary of the classic bedtime story. In this outing, the bunny’s bedroom is of the them edited to costumed make appear guinea pigs aren’t agape.mouths with sometimes vacantly, staring often creatures, informa- provides background and played, they roles the credits and singing and “noshing on latkes.” In a possible children’s- as a small, cardboard box in an alley. The opening lines tell for Hanukkah. They speak in favorite Yiddish-laced phrases door,” but door,” the accompanying image shows Nina wearing a red- Garten for potato pancakes. She uses butter, so no mixing these mixing no so butter, uses She pancakes. potato for Garten The backmatter names each guinea pig (including two Dorises), two (including pig guinea each names backmatter The (author’s (Picture note) book. 5 Is this the eponymous Christmas sweater? Not exactly. As Nina Nina As exactly. Not Christmaseponymous the this sweater? Is Yiddish phrases is helpful. Most useful, actually, is a recipe fromrecipe a is actually, useful, Most helpful. is phrases Yiddish DEAR SANTA sleigh is for Santa to call out “STORY TIME!” Then, all eight For Everyone Who Believes in gather round “to hear their favorite story.” It is (what else?) the Magic of Christmas the famous poem “A Visit From Saint Nicholas.” After thank- Hill, Susanna Leonard ing Santa for this gift of a story, the reindeer are hitched to the Illus. by Joseph, John sleigh and then they take off to deliver “a merry Christmas to Sourcebooks Wonderland (40 pp.) ALL…and to ALL a good night.” $17.99 | Oct. 1, 2019 A merrily-ever-after read. (Picture book. 2-5) 978-1-4926-9474-8

A self-reflective child reaps rewards SELFIE THE ELFIE on Christmas morning. Holland, Savage Steve Parker (who presents as a black boy with brown skin and Illus. by Tripke, Andrea Afro-textured hair in digital illustrations that have an aesthetic Ripple Grove (40 pp.) right out of current television animation) is nervous when his $18.99 | Oct. 1, 2019 weekend art teacher, Ms. Holly, assigns the class to write a let- 978-0-9990249-7-3 ter to Santa. Classmates (at least three of whom seem to be children of color while the teacher appears white) write letters A selfie-obsessed elf saves Christmas. extolling their own virtues and denying wrongdoing. In his let- Sophie the elf (who appears white ter, however, Parker decides to be honest about times he’s been with light skin, blonde hair, and blue eyes; naughtier than nice. His acknowledged misdeeds are utterly some other elves have brown skin, though most look like her benign or grounded in good intentions, and the accompanying though with significantly less-voluminous hair) just loves taking illustrations show him interacting with his parents as he recalls pictures on her “camera phone.” In fact, she loves taking pic- behavior infractions throughout the epistolary section. Park- tures so much that she starts to annoy others with her frequent er’s mother appears black with the same skin tone as his while selfies, and she neglects her assigned job of “tying bows on every his father appears white, and this centering of a biracial child of present that was stuffed into Santa’s sleigh.” Santa isn’t pleased color in an interracial family is notable among the many Christ- to notice “piles of presents without any bows,” but fortunately mas books with white protagonists. Ms. Holly mails the letters, Sophie quickly catches up on her duties. Unfortunately, Santa and Santa (depicted as white, though elves are depicted with can’t find his suit when it’s time for him to get into his sleigh; it a range of skin tones) is moved by Parker’s words. He rewards was mislaid when Sophie’s bow-tying negligence distracted him. him with all the gifts on his list, a step that may ring false to less- All’s well that ends well when Sophie sees a photo of the suit on fortunate kids, including those who use the backmatter letter- her phone and directs Santa to its location under a Christmas writing template to write to Saint Nick themselves. tree. Why no one could see it in the actual room is unclear, and Inclusive in some ways but not others. (Picture book. 4-8) this is just one piece of the storytelling that’s rather lackluster. Illustrations, too, leave something to be desired, with a cartoon aesthetic that seems at once stiff and oddly disproportionate SANTA’S STORY and a palette that inexplicably colors the reindeer blue. Hillenbrand, Will Ho, ho hum. (Picture book. 4-7) Illus. by the author Two Lions (32 pp.) $17.99 | Sep. 10, 2019 A CHRISTMAS PAGEANT 978-1-5420-4338-0 FOR JESUS Celebrating God’s Grace Santa knows just the trick to bring his team of reindeer Jones, Susan together for their Christmas Eve flight. Illus. by Holland, Lee It’s Christmas Eve, and Santa (who appears to be white with Good Books (32 pp.) light skin and white hair and is accompanied by a small dog, $10.99 | Oct. 1, 2019 unnamed by the text) can’t find his reindeer. As he searches in 978-1-68099-540-4 vain, readers are treated to five spreads showing Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen cavorting The (Nativity) show must go on in this sweet reflection on about the snowy, nighttime, North Pole setting. Hillenbrand’s Christian faith. digital illustrations have a pleasingly soft visual aesthetic, and his A cast of anthropomorphic animals populates this story text offers playful riffs on the coursers’ names: “Dasher dashed,” about a Christmas pageant. Little Chipmunk is excited to “Dancer danced,” and “Prancer pranced,” of course, but then participate in the pageant for the first time and goes with his Willenbrand reports that “Vixen vexed,” “Comet commented,” mother to join his faith community of forest friends. But when “Cupid crooned,” “Donner dozed,” and “Blitzen boasted.” The he arrives, he realizes that he’s “forgotten baby Jesus at home!” alliterative, assonant wordplay supports the story’s resolution, Neither the text nor the colorful, soft-edged illustrations explain which is that the only way to get the reindeer to return to the whether this line refers to a doll of some sort, but that seems to

142 | 1 september 2019 | children’s | kirkus.com | young adult - - - 6) -

Schiffer (32 pp.) BEFORE CHRISTMAS BEFORE Laurie, Christina Laurie, EVER GIVEN $16.99 | Oct. 28, 2019 Good Gifts to God’s Great Son Great Good Gifts to God’s THE LOBSTERS’ NIGHT Harvest House (56 pp.) Harvest House Illus. by Moisan, Elizabeth by Moisan, Illus. $19.99 | Oct. 1, 2019 978-0-7643-5826-5 THE BEST GIFT Illus. by Schroeder, Nathan by Schroeder, Illus. 978-0-7369-7854-5 Martin, Ronnie Martin, A 25-Day Journey A 25-Day Through Advent From God’s God’s From Advent Through gift is even better. What best could gift it is be?” even better. The Bride(zilla) of Christ (2016) and other theological Not theNot best catch for Christmas. (Picture book. 4 Martin Martin makes his children’s debut, having previously This 25-day Advent devotional begins at the beginning, The text’s conceit is immediately apparent in the title, A visit from St. Nicholas, under the sea. from visit St. Nicholas, A Sea Santa soon would The be appropriately there.” watery illus lights different aspects of God’s character and uses the gifts highlighting God’s gifts as demonstrated in stories from the with the refrain, “His which recasts the narrator, his wife, their children, and St. Nick Nick St. and children, their wife, his narrator, recaststhe which water water in a scallop-shell sleigh pulled by jarring especially feel may cadence and minnows. rhyme faltering While version’s this reds and piney greens of traditional Christmas books in favor ment, however, particularly with regard to Sea Santa’s visual great gift—but not the greatest. Along the way Martin high- titles for grown-ups. to to illuminate facets of the stories. Each devotional concludes trations, meanwhile, rightfully eschew the traditional berry achieveartistic- the undermine text fullythe engage with to ties corners lower the in figure Santa-inspired the obscures that tive the book as elevate a whole. to the text cleverlythe text in lines such plays with sea-life facts and terms creation itself to hope, mercy, and courage, each of these is a of a cooler palette for the undersea setting. Missed opportuni- characterization. For example, instead of imaginatively and eyes they bobbled, his hard shell blue-green, / His fantail flip- fails but lobsters about facts provides Backmatter spread. the of authored as lobsters. The last is dubbed Sea Santa, and he rides under as “Skate cases were hung on the reef with care / hopes In that directly depicting Sea Santa with the lines beginning, “His black black “His beginning, lines the with Santa Sea depicting directly dominated by water and seaweed and adopts a distant perspec due to the direct inspiration from the well-known 1823 poem, Old Testament before moving on to the New Testament. From From before moving Testament. on to the New Testament Old flopped witha glimmering sheen,” the accompanying spread is This is followed by questions to encourage discussion and a - - - 5) - the best gift ever given ever gift the best 7) - high contrast add pop and vibrancy. pop and add high contrast | 1 september 2019 | 143 picture books | kirkus.com | winter-holiday Is Is Jack’s substitute teacher really HO HO HOMEWORK Harper/HarperCollins (32 pp.) (32 pp.) Harper/HarperCollins Larsen, Mylisa $17.99 | Sep. 17, 2019 | Sep. 17, $17.99 Illus. by Morley, Taia by Morley, Illus. 978-0-06-279688-2 The images’ clean lines, bright color palette, and The images’ palette, color lines, bright clean This school story for Christmas has a narrower audi An accessible, if uneven, Nativity story about a little Young Jack, Young who appears to be a child of color with light behind at the Chipmunk home, which is a story development be the logical conclusion. Alarmed and ashamed, Little - Chip brown skin and straight, black hair, is wishing for Kids snow. lists; and uses a sled as a prop in science class. The titular “ho ho “ho titular The class. science in prop a as sled a uses and lists; have been reassuring themselves with the knowledge of Jesus’ homework” is an assignment for the kids to make paper snow united in a belief in Santa Claus, which feels unlikely. united wears wears a red shirt, green pants, and black boots; has a big laugh munk runs away and hides. findsMama him and reassures him in common with Santa Claus. appears He white with light skin in his class think that all of their wishes will come true when stone stone ends up serving as a replacement for the baby Jesus left sen is, in fact, Santa Claus, but he ultimately does so, and he that sadly undermines the core message, reiterated by Little that “Jesus is always with us. He knows we’re not perfect.” Com- perfect.” not we’re knows He us. with always is “Jesus that that “sounded a lot like a ‘ho, ho, ho’ ”; knits stockings; makes they notice that their substitute teacher, Mr. Clausen, they has notice Mr. a that lot their substitute teacher, to do this because he is dubious about whether or not Mr. Clau- do this because he is dubious about whether or not Mr. to one learning about Christian faith. (Picture book. 2 can imagine themselves in Little Chipmunk’s position and who can imagine Chipmunk’s themselves in Little cal appearance, he also: has a fondness for milk and cookies; ently racially diverse classroom, but the children all seem to be ence than it depicts. (Picture book. 4 colorful, digitallyartcolorful, has watercolor an enhanced aesthetic that abiding presence will be forgiven for their confusion. abiding presence and on the way he “spots an unusual The stone.” heart-shaped and curly white hair, including a full beard. Beyond his physi- and “the whole neighborhood” wake to a white Christmas. The Christmas.a white to and “the whole neighborhood” wake forted, Little Chipmunk walks back to the pageant with Mama, the pageant Little Chipmunk walks back forted, to with Mama, Chipmunk, that “we always have Jesus with us.” Readers who flakes and write their wishes on them.Jack is at first reluctant Kris Kringle incognito? Tomie dePaola fans will recognize and enjoy. It depicts an appar an depicts It enjoy. and recognize will fans dePaola Tomie short prayer. In the final few days before Christmas, the devo- PEANUT BUTTER & tional turns from less-tangible gifts, instead featuring various SANTA CLAUS personalities in the Nativity story culminating in the greatest A Zombie Culinary Tale gift, the Christ child. Each spread includes enigmatic symbolic McGee, Joe illustrations of the story it accompanies. While the symbolism Illus. by Santoso, Charles will likely be over the heads of most young readers, the images’ Abrams (32 pp.) clean lines, bright color palette, and high contrast add pop and $16.99 | Oct. 15, 2019 vibrancy to the tales. 978-1-4197-3634-6 A lovely addition to the Advent season, best enjoyed snuggled up with loved ones. (Religion. 6-10) The third picture-book collaboration by McGee and San- toso (Peanut Butter & Aliens, 2017, etc.) takes a stab at holiday festivities. ANGELA’S CHRISTMAS Reginald the zombie, Zarfon the alien, and Abigail Zink, McCourt, Frank “the smartest girl in Quirkville,” are “eager and excited for Illus. by Colón, Raúl Santa’s visit.” But then a terrible storm prompts the mayor to Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster announce that “CHRISTMAS IS CANCELED.” The trio of (32 pp.) friends is determined to “help Santa out of that storm.” They $17.99 | Sep. 17, 2019 head out in Zarfon’s spaceship, loaded with (what else?) peanut 978-1-5344-6122-2 butter. When they see the North Pole they quickly discover that the storm isn’t blowing snow all around but rather marsh- A reissue of McCourt’s Irish Nativity mallow. Santa explains that “the marshmallow cream factory story. has gone bonkers!” and Zarfon has the bright idea to stuff the Like his Pulitzer Prize–winning title, Angela’s Ashes (1996), factory’s chimneys with peanut butter. This stops the storm for McCourt’s picture book (first published in 2007 as Angela and a bit, but then there’s a marshmallow-and–peanut-butter explo- the Baby Jesus) draws on his mother’s life. Recently adapted sion. The combination is nothing short of delicious, so they as a Netflix animated film, the story is now rereleased with a make sandwiches and then Santa hitches his reindeer to the new title. In both versions, Colón’s delicate, sure watercolor, spaceship (because its engines were clogged), and they sail off colored pencil, and lithograph pencil illustrations lend light to deliver the goodies for Christmas. While fans of prior books and warmth to the story of a little girl’s worry that the baby may enjoy this one’s familiarity, the story is…a bit of a mess, and Jesus in her church’s Nativity is cold. Filled with good inten- the art mostly replicates the action of the text without doing tions, she absconds with the figurine and hides it in her warm much to help things stick together. bed. Rich dialogue that captures the characters’ Shannonsider Hold the peanut butter and stick to milk and cookies brogue enlivens McCourt’s storytelling while subtle character- for Santa. (Picture book. 4-6) ization evokes tender familial dynamics. Angela’s elder brother, Pat, characterized as mentally disabled, sees her with the baby Jesus and tells their mother, who initially says he has “a great FRANCESCO TIRELLI’S ICE imagination.” Angela is upset when he persists and gives away CREAM SHOP her secret. Alarmed, but sure of her daughter’s benevolence, Meir, Tamar Mammy marches the family to the church to return the baby Illus. by Albert, Yael Jesus, where they encounter the priest and a policeman search- Kar-Ben (32 pp.) ing for the thief. The resolution hinges on Pat’s benevolence $17.99 | Aug. 1, 2019 when he misunderstands the policeman’s gentle ribbing that his 978-1-5415-3465-0 sister will go to jail and offers himself in her stead. Warm indeed. (Picture book. 4-8) A gelato shop in Hungary becomes a hideout for Jews during World War II. Francesco, a young Italian boy, falls in love with ice cream in every flavor. When he moves to Hungary, to the city of Buda- pest, there is none to be found as tasty as what he loved as a child, so he opens Francesco’s Gelato. No Hungarian culinary specialties are on this menu. One day he encounters a young boy named Peter who shares his passion. After some years pass, the German war against Jews comes to Hungary, and Peter and his family are in danger. Francesco, who has closed his shop, now uses it to hide them and some other Jews. And in the midst of the darkness, Peter finds a special way to celebrate Hanukkah, the festival of lights. The author’s note informs readers that, years later, Peter (known as Yitzchak in Israel) petitioned Yad

144 | 1 september 2019 | children’s | kirkus.com | young adult - - - - 8) - Series: Life in the Wild Wild Series: Life in the Series: Highlights Hidden Storybook Pictures CHRISTMAS ONE WILD CHRISTMAS Oldland, Nicholas Oldland, Kids Can (32 pp.) Kids Can Highlights Press (32 pp.) (32 pp.) Press Highlights $16.99 | Sep. 3, 2019 $12.99 | Oct. 8, 2019 Illus. by the author Illus. Illus. by Melmon, Deborah by Melmon, Illus. 978-1-5253-0203-9 978-1-68437-649-0 Moore, Clement C. Moore, ’TWAS NIGHT BEFORE THE not like the others: The bear is a literal and One to place under the tree in households that don’t This holiday title features an anthropomorphic trio of quint of trio anthropomorphic an features title holiday This Illustrator Illustrator Melmon depicts three children with dark, A bear, a moose, and a beaver walk into the woods. a beaver a moose, and walk into bear, A A A classic Christmas text gets the Highlights Hidden Pic hold the original text too dear. (Picture book. 3 beaver are associated with the same place, and although they light skin and white hair and beard) and his reindeer (herein he didn’t realize this was their plan when they went into the for the into waswent this they realize when plan their didn’t he will revisit annually—sort of like St. revisitingNick those who with a flat, cartoon aesthetic. But although the bear, moose, and moose, bear, the although But aesthetic. cartoon flat, a with read “We children were read nestled “We all snug in our beds,” thus cast never called “coursers”); and they and their dog (identified as no match for the bear’s strength,” reads the straightforward items items that readers can search for in the main, detailed pictures. ing them as narrators. (It also changes “breast ing of them the as new-fallen (It narrators. in an act that could be read as humorous but that make also readers might wonder why he values the tree over his friends. straight hair and light-brown skin at the heart of this rendi- spread is surrounded by small spot illustrations of individual snow” to “crest” but leaves “threw up the sash” unchanged.) tures Storybook treatment. tion of the familiar holiday text, which tweaks the narrative to to chop down the them. perfect (Why Christmas to tree, he stops both hurling bear the of picture a by accompanied is which text, celebrate Christmas. celebrate essentially Canadian animals, humorously rendered in digital art digital in rendered humorously animals, Canadian essentially beaverthe were and moose “The question). unresolved an is est all celebrate Christmas in this story, conflict arises because one allChristmas celebrate in this story, animals over the tree He handily. then ties them to the trunk downstairs to greet St. Nicholas. The printed text on each friend is decidedly figurative tree-hugger, and when the moose and beaver attempt beaver attempt and moose the when and tree-hugger, figurative Blurring the line between game this and is story, a title readers Fluffy on a stocking “hung by the chimney with care”) come They spring out of bed; they spy Santa (who appears white with white appears (who Santa spy they bed; of out spring They A helpful A in key backmatter pages reveals the precise locations. - - - (Picture 8) - | 1 september 2019 | 145 picture books | kirkus.com | winter-holiday A A sprightly introduction to the clas sic Christmas ballet. NUTCRACKER NIGHT NUTCRACKER Pajama Press (40 pp.) Press Pajama $19.95 | Nov. 1, 2019 $19.95 | Nov. Illus. by Grimard, Gabrielle by Grimard, Illus. 978-1-77278-091-8 Messier, Mireille Messier, 10) - Sure to elicit the storytime equivalent of “encore” at The backmatter notes that ] “[The Nutcracker is often the An accessible and memorable account for young read book. 7 lerinas in the performance but a girl attending the ballet with laboration does an exceptional job of distilling the ballet’s story ballet’s the distilling of job exceptional an does laboration law who has written this simple but moving tale of quiet hero- her father. They both appear Asian in the illustrations, and vistas of Italy to the darkness of the hideout. are Faces expres matopoeia matopoeia and dialogue guiding readers from the anticipation many other audience members also appear to be people of color. color. of people be to appear also members audience other many into into spare, accessible text and engaging art that could prepare ism. The delicately rendered illustrations vary from the sunny story through a series of combinations of expertly chosen ono- seems like a missed opportunity for inclusive representation. sive, and the scene with hidden families around the hanukkiah the curtain call, and the child narrator’s closing, appreciative ers of one man’s humanity during the Holocaust. of the ballet through its first act, intermission, the second act, children for attending the ballet, let them relive the experience, experience, the relive ballet,them the let attending for children or simply give them the delight of the story in book The form. child pictured dancing on the front cover isn’t one of the bal- of the Among Righteous the Nations. It is daughter-in- Peter’s derance derance of the depicted dancers appears to be white, which Christmastime and beyond. (Picture book. 2 first ballet children attend,” Messierand and Grimard’s col- (originally molds for chocolate) is especially(originally moving. molds for chocolate) Unfortunately, in an Unfortunately, otherwise outstanding package, a prepon- The spare text makes no mention of race, instead delivering the delivering instead race, of mention no makes text spare The Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust museum, to honor Francesco as one museum, honor to Francesco Holocaust Israel’s Vashem, “Smooch!” of thanks to her dad. “Smooch!” of thanks to Ultimately, the bear does try to salvage their planned Christmas Touching pinkies through a metal grid, they exchange love celebration by bringing decorations, food, and gifts from their and family news. When it’s time to say their goodbyes, María house into the woods. He unties his friends, and they celebrate starts feeding the scarf through the small holes in the fence. A Christmas around the perfect tree, still standing in the woods. border patrol officer intercepts and takes the scarf. “We can’t A beary green Christmas book. (Picture book. 3-6) let anything through the fence.” Orchestrating the requisite Christmas “miracle” to convey howling Juan’s gift to his grandmother occupies about half the book and veers into fantasy. The THE NIGHT OF sister transforms her brother’s artwork into a kite with the knit- HIS BIRTH ting needles MacGyver-ed into spine and cross spar. With the Paterson, Katherine unlikely encouragement of the officers, María successfully flies Illus. by Aisato, Lisa the kite over both the primary and secondary border fences/ Flyaway Books (32 pp.) walls—which is against the law. To the triumphant shouts of the $18.00 | Sep. 17, 2019 crowd on both sides of the border, Abuela gets her happy end- 978-1-947888-12-8 ing. Perkins’ fictionalized account of the actual annual gatherings at San Diego’s Friendship Park paired with Palacios’ chirpy A lyrical, moving account of Jesus’ illustrations inadvertently belie the heartbreak and human suf- birth, from his mother’s perspective. fering played out every year. In text adapted from a story that first appeared in The Pres What’s “between us and Abuela”? The same thing that’s byterian Survey (1985), Paterson channels the voice of the Virgin between the U.S. and Mexico—an 18-to-30-foot–high dou - Mary, who marvels at the birth of her son after the shepherds ble fence. (Picture book. 5-8) have departed and while Joseph sleeps: “Can you believe it? God’s anointed one upon my breast, with milk, just there, at the corner of his tiny mouth.” These down-to-earth, oh-so- IF I COULD GIVE YOU human words are accompanied by a picture of the Madonna CHRISTMAS and Child, her face turned away as she sits, barefoot, cradling Plourde, Lynn him, while he faces readers. Both have dark hair and olive Illus. by Meyer, Jennifer L. complexions, as do others depicted in the stunning, full-color Disney-Hyperion (32 pp.) illustrations. Prominent, aquiline noses define many profiles, $17.99 | Sep. 3, 2019 and the characters’ brown eyes radiate wonder and reverence 978-1-368-00267-7 throughout the book. Nowhere is this more apparent than in a spread with an extreme close-up of Mary’s eyes gazing at read- A reflection on the intangible gifts of the Christmas season. ers from a full-bleed double-page spread with text that wonders In a series of spreads depicting anthropomorphic animal about what the future holds for her baby and herself. Earlier, her parents and their young, simple lines of text starting with the parents gazed outward, too, as Mary recalled their worry about titular line “If I could give you Christmas” lead into statements her pregnancy before also addressing Joseph’s concerns. But evoking small pleasures associated with wintertime or the Yule- “tonight, I saw the gentle way he washed the son God gave into tide season. “If I could give you Christmas, it would taste like the his care,” Mary later reflects in another moment emphasizing first falling snowflake,” reads the first spread, for example, and the humanity of this holy night. a full-bleed digital illustration shows a lynx holding its kitten up Divine. (Picture book. 6-10) in the air to catch a snowflake on its protruding tongue. Later spreads show various animals receiving “the freshest, pointi- est, piney-est tree” or “sharing the brightest twinkling star.” BETWEEN US AND ABUELA Missed opportunities to link these tableaux visually undermine A Family Story From the any sense of cohesion, resulting in a book that could have its Border pages rearranged with no discernable impact on its contents. Perkins, Mitali The concluding lines shift the address to read, “If YOU could Illus. by Palacios, Sara give ME Christmas, there’s something you should know…My Farrar, Straus and Giroux (40 pp.) favorite gift at Christmas… / …doesn’t have a bow,” and there’s a $17.99 | Sep. 10, 2019 closing image of a bunny and its child hugging. It’s a treacly end- 978-0-374-30373-0 ing to a sugary sweet book with little substance to distinguish it from scores of other titles on the Christmas book shelf. A Christmas fairy tale set at the border wall. Not a top pick for the giving. (Picture book. 2-5) María and Juan get on a border-bound bus with their mother. They haven’t seen Abuela in five years. Both children have made gifts: a knitted scarf from María and a drawing of Mary and Joseph on cardboard from Juan. Arriving at the annual Posada Sin Fronteras event (the Inn Without Borders), the children must wait their turn in order to have 30 minutes with Abuela.

146 | 1 september 2019 | children’s | kirkus.com | young adult (Picture

8) - Sammy Claws is Santa’s pet, and A lyrical testament to peace. lyrical to testament A A cat nap saves Christmas. A Greenwillow (40 pp.) Greenwillow SAMMY CLAWS Schaefer, Lola M. Schaefer, $17.99 | Sep. 24, 2019 $17.99 THE BEAR AND THE STAR Harper/HarperCollins (32 pp.) (32 pp.) Harper/HarperCollins Rowland, Lucy Rowland, Illus. by Andersen, Bethanne Andersen, by Illus. $10.99 | Sep. 17, 2019 | Sep. 17, $10.99 978-0-06-266037-4 Illus. by Bowles, Paula by Bowles, Illus. 978-0-06-295911-9 The Christmas Cat Christmas The 6) - Nothing Nothing definitively marks this as a Christmas book, but Inartful but sincere. (Picture book. 4 A story with wrappings that are just too loose. book. 3 Santa travels from place to place, it turns out he’s in just the Sammy to accompany him on his journey, delivering a happy bers who also sneak onto Santa’s sleigh and decide to make their make to decide and sleigh Santa’s onto sneak also who bers be desired, his articulation of a tension felt in many a household household a many in felt tension a of articulation his desired, be poking out of the box. Although he’s alarmed to awaken and would be the center / of all to come.” An ideal evergreen appears, evergreen ideal An come.” to all of / center the be would wrapped up and put on the sleigh, making him an inadvertent wholly secular and wholly religious offerings. right place at the right time to thwart a scheming pair of rob- readers may be cued to understand it as such due to the open- move when Santa gets out a “at big castle (somewhere south of ing reference “to a star— / a new star, / barely visible, / yet larger yet / barelyvisible, / newstar, a / star— a “to reference ing a / tree— “a for searches Bear First end. book’s the until mystery makes this book stand out, effectively bridging the gap between between gap the bridging effectively out, stand book this makes stowaway, with the stowaway, cartoon-style art showing his tail and scarf to to lend support to a rhyme; and then in another contrivance, the burglars, foiling their plans and ushering in who police haul the robbers Relieved, Santa, away. who presents white, invites than any before” that Bear spies “early one December morning.” December one “early spies Bear that before” any than that tree a / tall, be would that tree a / strong, be would that tree ending to a story that doesn’t really feel as though it’s earned really it. feel as though it’s a storyending to that doesn’t cupboard…or snuggled While in sleeping, shoes.” he dreams of comes true when Sammy Claws falls asleep in a box that gets children are white. While Roberts’ poetryWhile Roberts’ children are white. leaves rather a lot to at this convenient point in the story Sammy Claws is suddenly able to free himself and spring from the wrapped box to attack accompanying accompanying Santa on his Christmas Eve voyage.This dream find himself trapped ina box while flying through the air as France).” The France).” locale seems specified for no reason other than This star signals that “it was time,” though for what remains a “he liked nothing better than having a snooze / in a box…or a - santa’s prayer santa’s | 1 september 2019 | 147 picture books | kirkus.com | winter-holiday household makes this book stand out. book stand this makes household Sterling (40 pp.) Sterling SANTA’S PRAYER SANTA’S NOAH AND THE EIGHT AND THE EIGHT NOAH Pelican (32 pp.) Pelican Roberts, Tom Roberts, Rips, Nancy Rips, $16.95 | Oct. 8, 2019 $16.99 | Oct. 15, 2019 $16.99 | Oct. 15, TRUCKS OF HANUKKAH TRUCKS Illus. by Moss, Doug by Moss, Illus. Illus. by Saumell , Marina , Marina by Saumell Illus. 978-1-4549-3673-2 978-1-4556-2203-0 Roberts’ articulation of a tension felt in many a felt in articulation a tension of Roberts’ and a of Festival Lights!” In an author’s note, 8) - Santa puts the Christ back in Christmas. Children who love playing with trucks and children Noah and his family live in a spacious suburban home along home familysuburban his spacious and a in live Noah A boy combines his great boy lovecombines Fes of trucks with the A Jewish “It “It was on Christmas Eve / In a small Midwestern town” babysitter.” babysitter.” Noah is now able to celebrate a double a holiday, by taking out the menorah, the frying pan for the latkes, and lines and spare applications of color. Santa’s red suit provides lovesAs his playing mother with prepares them. for Hanukkah him, they watch as he walks straight up to the manger scene up with a connection that The happy: makes Noah Maccabees ply Jesus’ “servant.” The children exchange a meaningful look when two kids walking through the snow and imagining all the who love lightinglovewho menorahthe will likely leftindark.thebe were were strong and so are trucks. So each night, as first one and with their “big fluffy dog.”Noah has manytoy trucks, and he no great excitement or finale. illustrations Saumell’s are mostly in a dark palette, surprisingly so for a holiday that illumination. celebrates you!” Moss illustrates Roberts’ poem with crosshatched inky, son. It’s a story that moves forward one night at a time with gifts they’ll receive see “the ol’ man Kris himself Kringle / / Mr. to to greed / recognize To that Christmas / Is not all about me.” the dreidels for a spinning game, Noah is clearly not happy: tival of Lights. edge that I help need all / To of these not children give / To in a vivid focus for the otherwise muted pages. He and the two as leaving Santa concludes, the church “with a glow on his face.” at the altar and begins to pray. He asks Jesus for “the knowl- from his uncle, and finally, an ice cream truck “favorite cream his from ice an finally, and uncle, fromhis finally eight candles are lit,Noah receives a present—a truck. Rips explains that she has based her story on her young grand- They then approach the manger to pray: “Dear Jesus—thank That great jolly old elf” slipping into a church. Sneaking in after after elf”in jollyold Sneaking great church. That a into slipping There’s a There’s garbage truck from his grandparents, a cement truck There are no trucks to be his seen! father Happily, does come (Picture book. 3 Indeed, Santa goes on to actually voice the bromide that Jesus is Jesus that bromide the voice actually to on goes Santa Indeed, “the true reason / for the season” and that he, “ol’ Santa,” is sim- “Festival of Trucks Trucks of “Festival Stephens’ pictures amplify the warm, gentle humor of the text. how to hide a lion at christmas

again evoking Christmas, but with subtlety. The text and the THE MOST WONDERFUL oil paintings, which have a soft visual texture, then combine to GIFT IN THE WORLD depict a peaceable kingdom of animals from different habitats Sperring, Mark gathering around the tree before diverse people assemble, too. Illus. by Fleming, Lucy Ultimately, they come “to the tree / … / under a star / … / because Tiger Tales (32 pp.) it was time…” and then a final page turn delivers the conclud- $17.99 | Oct. 1, 2019 ing words, “for peace.” The accompanying illustration shows a 978-1-68010-173-7 woman with light-brown skin and black, straight hair holding a swaddled baby as she gazes up at the star. The scene evokes Good things may come in small Madonna-and-child imagery, but it resists such an easy paral- packages, but the best things aren’t things at all. lel with the inclusion of other figures: Behind the pair stands a Esme is celebrating Christmas with Bear, a grayish-brown, child with similar coloring, before them a fawn, and cardinals fly anthropomorphic bear who appears to live with her. They find through the snowy, starlit sky. a last present under the tree with a gift tag reading “For Little Serene yet enigmatic. (Picture book. 4-7) Bunny Boo-Boo, Love, Santa.” While Bear wants to open the gift, Esme proposes they bring it to the intended recipient, though they don’t know who or where Little Bunny Boo-Boo is. Luck- SANTA AND THE ily, someone has placed helpful, very specific signs pointing the GOODNIGHT TRAIN way through the snowy landscape. While others might’ve been Sobel, June deterred by signs describing the “TREACHEROUS PATH,” Illus. by Huliska-Beith, Laura “HOWLING GALE,” and “DEEP, DEEP snow drifts” the pair HMH Books (32 pp.) must traverse to reach Little Bunny Boo-Boo, Esme and Bear $17.99 | Sep. 10, 2019 persevere and carry the gift with them. When they arrive at 978-1-328-61840-5 the bespectacled brown rabbit’s cozy house, she welcomes the Series: The Goodnight Train pair and eagerly opens the present, only to find it empty. But wait! A tiny note from Santa reveals that Little Bunny Boo-Boo, Not quite the Polar Express…. who’s only recently moved into her cabin, has actually received Sobel’s rhyming text fails to deliver a clear premise for the “exactly what [she] asked for”: new friends! Esme is depicted as a eponymous goodnight train’s Christmas Eve progress through light-skinned human girl with black, straight hair and dark eyes the pages, and Huliska-Beith’s acrylic paintings embellished in Fleming’s appealing, colorful illustrations, which place her with fabric and paper collage don’t clarify the storytelling. At characters in a snowy temperate forest. the start of the picture book, a bevy of anthropomorphic ani- Beary merry and bright. (Picture book. 3-7) mals decorates a rather rickety-looking engine, and then human children gather around and pile into train cars that look like beds and cribs. The train follows a track, seemingly in pursuit of HOW TO HIDE A LION Santa’s sleigh, but to what end isn’t clear. They travel “through a AT CHRISTMAS town of gingerbread” and through the woods to find the sleigh Stephens, Helen blocking the tracks and the reindeer snoozing while, mystify- Illus. by the author ingly, Santa counts some sheep. Perching the sleigh on the Godwin Books/Henry Holt (40 pp.) train’s cowcatcher, they all proceed to the North Pole, where $17.99 | Sep. 10, 2019 the “elves all cheer. / Santa’s here until next year!” But then the 978-1-250-23079-9 goodnight train just…leaves, “heading home on Christmas Eve.” Series: How To Hide a Lion Was this a dream? It definitely wasn’t a story with a satisfying beginning, middle, and end. Santa’s face is never seen; the There’s no hiding Iris’ love for her pet lion. human children and elves are diverse. There’s little backstory to explain to readers unfamiliar with A Christmas train book that gets derailed by a lacking How To Hide a Lion (2013) how the lion came to live with Iris and story arc. (Picture book. 2-4) her family. But even though “all the townspeople loved him,” Iris’ mother says the big cat can’t accompany them to Auntie Sarah’s house for Christmas because others on the train and in the town they’re visiting would be frightened. Iris is saddened, and her sadness spurs the lion into action: After she and her family leave home, he follows and hides in the overhead luggage rack on the train. No one notices him, in part because he falls asleep on the journey and therefore is quiet. Unfortunately, he sleeps through the moment when Iris’ family gets off the train. When he awakens, he’s far from Auntie Sarah’s house. But the intrepid feline follows the railroad tracks back to a village, where, after humorous encounters with carolers and Santa himself, he is finally reunited

148 | 1 september 2019 | children’s | kirkus.com | with Iris. Stephens’ pictures have a cartoon quality to them, and characters appear white in the cartoon, digital illustrations, they amplify the warm, gentle humor of the text as they alternate with light skin and straight, brown hair, though the grandpar- between vignettes and full bleeds, culminating in a relaxed family ents’ hair is gray. The straightforward text depicts the children scene by the Christmas tree at Auntie Sarah’s. Iris, her family, and buying, setting up, and decorating their Christmas tree with Santa all present white. their parents. They even make cookies to hang on its branches. Move over, reindeer, a new cat’s coming to Christmas. Then they get dressed up for a festive dinner with their grand- (Picture book. 3-7) parents. The family exchanges gifts that night, a tradition many readers will recognize, though it’s not one often represented in American picture books. Finally, after singing carols together, DASHER a sibling gift exchange at book’s end sweetly has the brother How a Brave Little Doe and sister give each other their respective favorite toys. The Changed Christmas Forever closing exclamation, “Merry Christmas,” not to mention the Tavares, Matt book’s very title, belies the fact that the whole story takes place Illus. by the author on Christmas Eve, not Christmas Day, which is a shame since Candlewick (40 pp.) that’s what makes this otherwise understated book stand out. $17.99 | Sep. 10, 2019 A merry little Christmas Eve story. (Picture book. 3-7) 978-1-5362-0137-6

An origin story for Santa’s “eight tiny reindeer.” THE TREE THAT’S MEANT Nearly two centuries after “A Visit From St. Nicholas” origi- TO BE

nated Santa Claus’ “coursers” and “called them by name,” Tava- Zommer, Yuval young adult res offers readers their backstory, centered on “a brave young Illus. by the author doe named Dasher.” First, the frontmatter notes “a time…when Doubleday (32 pp.) Santa’s sleigh was pulled…by a single horse, named Silverbell.” $17.99 | Sep. 24, 2019 Ensuing pages depict not a wintry scene of Santa and Silver- 978-0-593-11967-9 bell but a parched landscape with a crowd of people peering at penned reindeer as part of the cruel J.P. Finnegan’s Travel- O (little) Christmas tree! ing Circus and Menagerie. Illustrated details in clothing and Though it’s not as scraggly as the tree material culture suggest a 19th-century American setting, but Charlie Brown selects in the television special, the little fir tree the focus is on the animals’ cramped misery. Though kind chil- who narrates this story isn’t like the others in the forest. A scene dren provide solace through carrots and smiles, Dasher’s main in springtime reads, “While other trees grew poised and tall, / comfort comes from her mother’s stories of a northern home- I lagged behind. / Looking different. / Feeling small.” When land with “crisp, cold air and cool blankets of white snow.” One humans come to cut down trees to decorate for Christmas, the windy night, the pen’s gate blows open and Dasher escapes. little fir tree isn’t chosen. It stands, lonesome, surrounded by While following the North Star, she encounters Santa (depicted the stumps of the other fir trees, with bare-branched decidu- as a white-bearded white man) and a weary Silverbell and offers ous trees in the background. In a happy turn, woodland animals to help pull the sleigh. Tavares’ art is at its best in such magical hear the tree’s cries and bring “berries, feathers, / nuts, and scenes, which fairly beg to be made into Christmas cards, but flowers” to decorate it right where it stands. It’s a joyful, peace- the storytelling falters due to the ease with which the other able kingdom of a scene, enlivened with a bit of whimsy when reindeer escape when Santa grants Dasher her “best wish yet” the tree says that “a shooting star dropped down // [and] sank and rescues her family. into my branches and shone so pure, / so bright, that I became Gorgeous illustrations make this one sure to fly off a tree of light.” Here and throughout, Zommer’s gentle, warm shelves “like the down of a thistle.” (Picture book. 3-8) illustrations outshine the text, which falters in its cadence and rhyme. Closing spreads show the tree growing taller, if still a bit crooked and spindly, with birds and forest animals around it. IT’S CHRISTMAS! The final spread depicts a child of color and a white child read- Wielockx, Ruth ing books at its base, affirming the act of reading that brought Illus. by the author real children to this closing page. Clavis (32 pp.) Beautiful to behold but uneven to read. (Picture book. 4-7) $17.95 | $9.95 paper | Sep. 3, 2019 978-1-60537-491-8 978-1-60537-501-4 paper Series: Luke and Lottie

’Tis the night before Christmas for twins Luke and Lottie. In this Dutch/Flemish import, a pair of twins celebrate Christmas Eve with their parents and grandparents. All

| kirkus.com | winter-holiday picture books | 1 september 2019 | 149 young adult

These titles earned the Kirkus Star: DEADLY LITTLE SCANDALS Barnes, Jennifer Lynn Freeform/Disney (352 pp.) PLAYLIST by James Rhodes; illus. by Martin O’Neill...... 161 $17.99 | Nov. 5, 2019 978-1-368-01517-2 FUGLY by Claire Waller...... 163 Series: Debutantes, 2

Newly minted Southern deb Sawyer Taft is invited to compete for a spot in a secret society called the White Gloves in the sequel to Little White Lies (2018). It’s been a few months since former auto mechanic Sawyer signed an agreement with her grandmother Lillian to participate in debutante season in exchange for a college education and the truth about her real father. Sawyer now knows her father’s identity, but revealing the truth could be explosive. She treasures her friendship with her cousin Lily and would like to spend some quality time over the summer with charming bad boy outsider Nick. However, an exclusive White Gloves invite provides a chance to investigate the fate of her mother’s friend Ana Gutierrez since Victoria, who’s running the show, shares Ana’s last name. Ana, along with Sawyer’s mother, was part of a pregnancy pact 20 years ago, but Ana disappeared without a trace. When Sawyer and the initiates stumble upon human bones during a White Gloves initiation, rumors fly. Could the bones be Ana’s? Soon, Sawyer unearths more than bones: Blackmail, lies, and treachery simmer just below the surface of the most placid of Southern smiles, and tantalizing glimpses into the past are woven in with Sawyer’s wry narration. Most characters are assumed white; Victoria is Latinx. A focus on sisterhood and more than a few whiplash- inducing twists propel this smart and scandalous tale. PLAYLIST (Mystery. 14-18) The Rebels and Revolutionaries of Sound Rhodes, James Illus. by O’Neill, Martin THE JUSTICE PROJECT Candlewick Studio (72 pp.) Betcherman, Michael $29.99 PLB | Oct. 8, 2019 Orca (256 pp.) 978-1-5362-1214-3 $14.95 paper | Oct. 1, 2019 978-1-4598-2250-4

A former high school football star attempts to prove a convicted murderer’s innocence while adjusting to a permanent injury. Champion quarterback Matt Barnes’ life and identity revolved around football. After a snowboarding accident left him with a permanent limp, Matt feels adrift. He finds a new role when he accepts

150 | 1 september 2019 | young adult | kirkus.com | an internship with Justice Project, an organization that defends SAVING EVEREST wrongfully convicted prisoners, and takes on the case of a man Chase, Sky serving time for murdering his parents 21 years before. Unfor- Wattpad Books (352 pp.) tunately, Matt’s partnered with Sonya, his brilliant, if irritating, $17.99 | Oct. 8, 2019 rival, and their search for the real killer seems hopeless; the 978-0-9936899-2-5 remaining witnesses would rather discuss the state championship than long-ago murders, and promising leads hit dead Beverly’s senior year takes unex- ends. His hometown’s obsession with football lends sympathy pected twists and turns when she to Matt’s depression and occasional self-pity, and Matt’s halt- befriends the most popular guy in school ing steps toward self-acceptance are believable. Though Bet- after he attempts suicide. cherman’s (Face-Off, 2014, etc.) expository prose and dialogue Everest Finley, quarterback and top slow the pacing and render emotional topics somewhat flat, his of the social pyramid at Shady Hills overview of wrongful conviction and its psychological toll on Academy, suffers from depression. Following a suicide attempt, prisoners and their families may compel readers to seek further he’s alive but not doing well. His wealthy parents are self- information. An author’s note explains the real-life cases that absorbed, and his popularity at school plummets. As he begins inspired the plot and provides links to related websites. Most a downward spiral, he befriends Beverly, who is a bit of a social characters default to white, but naming conventions and hair- outcast and described as the only black girl at their predomi- styles may be intended to imply some racial or ethnic diversity; nantly white school (a biracial black and Asian girl seemingly Sonya is gay, closeted, and possibly black. does not count). The story of Beverly and Everest’s budding Thought-provoking if not especially engaging. (author’s romance—and Everest’s budding music career—is told in note) (Mystery. 14-18) alternating first-person chapters. Unfortunately, Everett’s and young adult Beverly’s narrative voices sound the same, which hinders their character development. Beverly’s blackness seems incidental to PENDRAGON’S HEIR the story, and both Everett’s and Beverly’s parents feel like cari- Bond, Lori catures. And some big questions are left unanswered: Why does CBAY (328 pp.) Everest’s suicide attempt make the local news just because his $9.95 paper | Oct. 15, 2019 father is a corporate bigwig? Why does Beverly’s mother, who 978-1-944821-60-9 works as a hairdresser and doesn’t make much money, somehow manage to send her to private school but then sabotage Bev- In this modern riff on King Arthur, erly’s efforts to make a better life for herself? Arthur is basically Iron Man—a rich, This ambitious novel tackles tough topics but ulti- immature (but inherently good) super- mately suffers from plot weaknesses and lack of character hero flying around in a metal suit. development. (resources) (Fiction. 13-18) After finding herself caught in the crossfire after a strange series of visions, teenage Elaine is whisked from her ordinary, humdrum sub- BETWEEN WORLDS urban family life to Keep Tower, an 85-story Manhattan sky- Folktales of Britain scraper owned by Arthur Keep, aka superhero Pendragon. In and Ireland this slightly alternate reality, superheroes are common, but Ed. by Crossley-Holland, Kevin Arthur and his tech genius wife, Ginny, are still big names; it Illus. by Castle, Frances turns out Arthur has a secret connection to Elaine and is the Candlewick (352 pp.) subject of many of her visions. What follows is in many ways an $17.99 | Oct. 8, 2019 homage to superhero and ’80s movies: There’s a training mon- 978-1-5362-0941-9 tage, absurd but fun technology (particularly the flying robot knights), villainy, a possibly wicked international agency, and of A selection of folktales from the Brit- course the requisite romance with a perfect hottie—who works ish Isles. for the dubious agency. The introspection is usually exposition, Gathering material previously pub- and the King Arthur references are mostly window dressing, lished in two separate collections, Crossley-Holland (Norse but superheroics plus teen drama are beloved by plenty of read- Myths, 2017, etc.) includes nearly 50 stories divided by theme: ers; as a bonus, this is the first in a forthcoming series. Physical “Magic and Wonder,” “Adventures and Legends,” “Fairies and descriptions are vague, allowing readers to project their own Little People,” “Power, Passion, and Love,” “Wits, Tricks, and imaginations onto characters’ appearances. Laughter,” and “Ghosts.” Readers will encounter familiar Derivative, good-natured fun. (Fantasy. 12-15) favorites, such as “King of the Cats,” “Tam Lin,” and “The Black Bull of Norway,” as well as lesser-known tales. The stories are told in language that is both economical and vividly evocative, with a cadence that lends itself equally well to reading aloud or as a basis for learning a story to tell orally.

| kirkus.com | young adult | 1 september 2019 | 151 religious faith in ya fiction

Religion in mainstream YA titles Kissing Ezra Holtz by Brianna R. Shrum (June 4) notably fea- seems to be conspicuous either in its ab- tures a rarely seen Sephardic Jewish protagonist. Bisexual Amalia sence or as the focal point of a problem— falls for fellow synagogue member Ezra (one of whose two dads typically a young person struggling is trans) in a book our reviewer praises as refreshing for depict- against oppression. Of course, there ing “characters for whom religion is significant but not the point.” are religious presses that put out books It’s a charming romance that incorporates Jewish identity into that address faith in a positive light, of- its characters’ lives, in the process presenting us with teens many ten with an explicitly educational pur- readers will recognize. pose. Each of the above types of stories After reading Let’s Call It a reflects reality for some readers, but the Doomsday by Katie Henry (Aug. 6)— overall implicit message from main- whose main character is a thought- stream publishers appears to be that reli- ful, intelligent open-minded, and gious people either don’t exist or that they are, not to put too fine caring young woman who finds great a point on it, the bad guys. And yet, there are a number of young meaning in belonging to the Church adults for whom religion is a positive part of their lives, to a great- of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints— er or lesser degree, not a huge source of angst. For these young I sent a copy to a friend who is a Lat- people, faith offers a framework for doing good in the world, an- ter-day Saint. She said she was used swering important existential questions, and feeling connected to her church always being the butt to family and community, among other things. of jokes in books—a sad commen- This year I’ve been intrigued to notice an increase in the tary on how some communities are number of books where religious faith is just one element of the considered acceptable to mock. For- protagonists’ lives, one that is naturally woven into the plot, the tunately, this title presents a fully way many books now include other types of diversity as part of developed, sympathetic, all-too-hu- the texture of the story, not “the problem” at its center. These man cast that will shatter stereotypes while entertaining with its days it’s relatively easy for teens to find genre fiction that includes highly original premise. characters who are queer or people of color, or realistic fiction Vibrantly diverse Guyana is the setting for the fantasy The where such characters are depicted in well-rounded ways, not Dark of the Sea by Imam Baksh (Sept. 15). Danesh is nominally framed simply in relation to their marginalized identities. It is Hindu, with devout parents and an irreligious grandfather who important to have books that acknowledge struggles related to encourages him to be skeptical of what the pandit has to say. But difference, of course, but erasure takes an emotional toll, as does otherworldly adventures lead him to question the nature of real- repeated exposure to traumatic situations. We need more narra- ity, enlightenment, and belief. The rich texture of the Christian, tives to balance out these two extremes. Muslim, and Hindu communities who live side by side combine Forward Me Back to You by Mitali with Greco-Roman mythology in this intriguing tale. Perkins (April 2) offers an extraordi- I Hope You Get This Message by narily nuanced and layered depiction Farah Naz Rishi (Oct. 22) defies easy of faith and good intentions, interro- categorization: It’s the story of an gating the ways that we frame ques- alien invasion of Earth, a commen- tions of privilege, loss, and good for- tary on what humans have done to tune. Race, religion, adoption, fam- our planet, and a thoughtful reflec- ily…all these subjects and more are tion on relationships broken and at the core of this deeply emotional mended that will appeal to a broad tale of members of a Boston church range of readers. A Pakistani Amer- youth group spending a summer ican Muslim teen and his family, in- working with survivors of trafficking cluding his lesbian sister, explore in Kolkata. faith, cultural norms, and the ties The rising popularity of witch- that bind them together against a craft is reflected in The Lost Coast by backdrop of impending devastation. Amy Rose Capetta (May 14), a lush Northern California–based It offers a refreshing portrayal of di- fantasy centered on a group of queer young witches trying to versity within a small Nevada Mus- find one of their own who has gone missing. They are diverse lim community. —L.S. across multiple dimensions; one character asks, “What word fits in a way that makes you happy at this very moment?”—a Laura Simeon is the young adult editor. question that will resonate with many teens, whether they are witches or not.

152 | 1 september 2019 | young adult | kirkus.com | Rather than appealing directly to teen readers, it is likely that THE HOW & THE WHY this book will be indispensable to educators planning folk- Hand, Cynthia lore units or teaching storytelling skills. Castle’s (Journeys of HarperTeen (464 pp.) Discovery, 2018, etc.) black-and-white digital illustrations call $17.99 | Nov. 5, 2019 to mind woodblock prints, and their rustic beauty greatly 978-0-06-269316-7 enhances the book. The thorough source notes are a model for works of this type, indicating what is typically the earliest An adopted teen and her birth printed version of the story, its geographical origin, particu- mother share their stories. lar adaptations Crossley-Holland made, and, quite often, his Hand (co-author: My Plain Jane, 2018, reason for selecting that individual tale. Encompassing moods etc.) strays from reimagining classics to from whimsical to awe-inspiring to spooky to fantastical, this crafting an intricate contemporary narra- is a valuable resource for fans of northern European folklore. tive, interweaving 18-year-old Cassandra A lovely, magical volume that is a must-have for sto- McMurtrey’s present-day quest to find her birth mother with rytelling collections. (pronunciation guide, afterword, revealing letters “S” wrote her unborn daughter. Despite being sources and notes, biographies) (Folklore. 12-adult) set in sleepy, mostly white Idaho Falls, this fast-paced roller- coaster tale of identity formation includes richly detailed character development and a refreshingly diverse cast of characters, SHADOWSCENT many of whom actively question life choices and what makes Freestone, P. M. you you. Hand is at pains to show that while adoptions are fre- Scholastic (368 pp.) quently fraught with emotion and deserving of acceptance for

$18.99 | Nov. 5, 2019 young adult 978-1-338-33544-6

A girl who gets mixed up in politics and the crown prince’s bodyguard must work together to save the prince—and themselves. Rakel has an affinity for scents: She can understand what’s in them and how to re-create them. In a world that runs on fragrances and magic, she should be able to care for herself and her ailing father. But when she goes to the city of Aphorai to find work as a -per fumer, she learns that things are not so simple. Despite her best intentions, she is accused of a plot to assassinate the First Prince. Her only hope of survival lies in unraveling the compo- nents of the poison and concocting an antidote. Joined by the prince’s Shield, Ash, Rakel sets out on a quest through each of the kingdom’s regions, uncovering secrets about each of their pasts along the way. Following standard plot beats, Rakel and Ash confront corruption and conspiracy within their kingdom while exploring relationships, with each other and with others in their lives, both present and absent. While overdramatic at times, with characters painted in broad strokes, the romance and tension will appeal to readers hungry for adventures set against an intriguing, if underexplored magical world. Few physical descriptions make ethnicity difficult to determine in this desert kingdom; homosexuality is briefly mentioned and not stigmatized. A standard fantasy romp built on lush descriptions of fragrances. (Fantasy. 12-16)

| kirkus.com | young adult | 1 september 2019 | 153 INTERVIEWS & PROFILES David Yoon

THE AUTHOR’S DEBUT YA NOVEL, FRANKLY IN LOVE, CAPTURES BOTH THE HUMOR AND THE DRAMA OF BEING A FIRST-GENERATION KOREAN AMERICAN TEENAGER By Patricia Park Photo courtesy David Zaugh Zaugh Photography but all those involved. When I ask about the origins of the novel, Yoon, who grew up in Orange County, California, shares that his Korean immigrant parents had strict rules about dating: “I had to hide my entire love life from my parents.” He was expected to bring home a Korean girl. Yoon did no such thing. Like Frank, he believes you can’t choose who you fall in love with, that it’s “like getting pulled by gravity.” In 1997, while pursuing an MFA at Em- erson College, he met his wife, Nicola Yoon. Nicola, who is of Jamaican descent, would become the bestselling author of the YA novels The Sun Is Also a Star and Everything, Everything, for which David would do the illustrations. In their first workshop together—where, he confesses, he was trying his best to channel his inner Murakami—he admired her work and “felt like I had to step up my writing.” They remain each other’s first readers. Was his family accepting of their union? Yoon says, “It had its really rough years. It was bad for a long time.” But eventually his parents came round, and they grew even closer as a family after the birth of his daughter. “It does David Yoon was at jury duty during the heated 10-way have a happy ending.” auction for his debut YA novel, Frankly in Love, about a Ko- In a poignant scene in Frankly, Frank goes to a restau- rean American teen who falls for a white girl and fake-dates rant with his white girlfriend, Brit Means, and her parents. a Korean American classmate to appease their respective He’s suddenly foisted into the role of “Korean Food Tour strict parents. “My phone was blowing up, and I had to Guide,” being asked to order for the table and explain each pretend to go to the bathroom,” he tells me over FaceTime. and every “foreign” dish that arrives. It was a day of mixed emotions: jury duty, then not getting Though uncomfortable, Frank grins and bears it “be- called to duty; the auction and subsequent sale to Putnam; cause I’m still expected to be the Korean expert, whether and a devastating call from his mother as he was leaving I know anything or not. In other words, I’m still expected the courthouse and learned that his father had been diag- to be Korean first, then plain old generic American- sec nosed with cancer. ond. That damn hyphen in Korean-American just won’t go Frankly in Love follows similar highs and lows: the light away.” rom-com premise, but with serious and dramatic impli- The scene captures the nuances of racial and cultural cations not just for the eponymous protagonist, Frank Li, expectations as well as microaggressions from even those

154 | 1 september 2019 | young adult | kirkus.com | with the best intentions. Being forced to play food tour guide, or any other cultural guide, is not uniquely a Kore- an American thing; it’s something many of us hyphenated Americans experience. Yoon agrees. “The core of being an immigrant kid, especially one who doesn’t present as white, is that you’re the one who’s always listening and adapting and paying careful attention to context and code-switching when necessary. When all parties involved, their terms can vary greatly. White Cass was adopted at 6 weeks of age by white, middle-class parents who you’re in the white majority, you have the privilege of say- knew her birth mother only on paper, while Cass’ best friend, ing, ‘What is all this? Educate me.’ It’s not a good or bad Nyla, who is black, was adopted from Liberia at age 3 by white, upper-class parents. Nyla, whose family are Latter-day Saints thing. It’s simply a minority/majority thing.” like many in town, recalls her mother’s name, that her parents In the novel, Brit comes to Frank’s defense. She calls were killed in the civil war, and that she had a brother, but little her father out for being a quarter French but not “know- else. While aspects of this half first person/half epistolary novel exhibit melodramatic soap appeal—Cass’ adoptive mother is ing every last detail about what goes into making a good in desperate need of a heart transplant; there are startling and chèvre,” and, chastened, he takes the point in stride. disturbing revelations about S’s father—Hand explores adoption’s multiple dimensions with great insight and sensitivity. It’s the kind of (teachable?) moment that will spark Inclusive and illustrative: an engaging lesson in time- many conversations for readers. And perhaps viewers—Al- less family values. (Fiction. 12-18) loy Entertainment and Paramount Players, who acquired the film rights last fall, are developing Frankly in Love for TAJ MAHAL a feature. (Nicola Yoon’s Everything, Everything was an An Incredible Love Story MGM and Alloy feature film released last year.) For Yoon, Hoskin, Rik Illus. by Khan, Aadil his “newfound” success—the auction, the movie deal, the Campfire (118 pp.) young adult rights sold in 14 territories and counting—is “a total dream $12.99 paper | Oct. 8, 2019 978-93-81182-59-8 come true.” But mostly he tries to keep a healthy perspec- Series: Campfire Graphic Novels tive about it all, an experience he learned after that fateful day at the courthouse. “I’ve been plugging away writing for Gives readers a glimpse into the story behind one of the world’s years,” he says. (Two decades, in fact.) “It’s so amazing. I try most famous monuments and oldest to pretend it’s not happening. It was the right place, right romances—Mumtaz Mahal’s tomb, the time, right subject material.” Taj Mahal—and the people who built it. A flashback to 1592 reveals a soothsayer informing the empress of the Mughal Empire that a child destined for great- Patricia Park, author of the novel Re Jane, is a professor in ness will be born into the royal family. Shahab-ud-din Muham- mad Khurram is raised by his grandfather, the Emperor the MFA Program at American University and writes for the Jalal-ud-in Akbar, and Akbar’s first wife, the Empress Ruqaiya New York Times, the Guardian, and others. Frankly in Love Sultan Begum. At the age of 15, Khurram meets and falls in love with Arjumand Banu Begum. Following the soothsayer’s words, received a starred review in the July 15, 2019, issue. Khurram—who later becomes the fifth Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan—waits 5 years to marry his beloved, who comes to be known as Mumtaz Mahal; however, Arjumand becomes his second wife, as Khurram first marries a Persian princess as part of a political alliance. The detailed, full-color illustrations enhance the story with their expressiveness and rich jewel tones, but the narrative itself lacks depth and perspective. More important, the text either ignores or glosses over historic details: Shah Jahan had three wives (the last of whom does not make an appearance), and the laborers, who spend years constructing the Taj Mahal, look upon Shah Jahan as a benevolent ruler. A passable introduction to the life of Shah Jahan for lovers of history. (historical and biographical notes) (Graphic history. 12-14)

| kirkus.com | young adult | 1 september 2019 | 155 Quietly suspenseful, vividly character-driven, and poignant. i have no secrets

REFRACTION as patronizing adults who “don’t realize that [she has] a func- Hughes, Naomi tioning brain” and her worry that her overwhelmed parents Page Street (320 pp.) will stop fostering. Refreshingly, the author’s detailed depic- $17.99 | Nov. 5, 2019 tion of augmentative and alternative communication explores 978-1-62414-890-3 both the joy of self-expression and the physical and mental effort it requires. Jemma’s bond with her chaotic but support- Marty will do anything to get to his ive foster family grounds the story, particularly her touching brother, even sell deadly, black-market rapport with her younger foster brother, Finn, who’s autistic mirrors. and also nonverbal. Most characters appear white. A year ago an alien ship appeared Quietly suspenseful, vividly character-driven, and poi- above Earth, and when humans destroyed gnant, with insights into cerebral palsy and the multiple it, the ShatterRing stretched around the meanings of “family.” (Suspense. 12-15) planet, and mirrors everywhere released a fog that hid deadly Beings. Now only Cisco Island (off the coast of Florida), Lon- don, and Singapore remain. Ty, Marty’s older brother, is in Lon- THINGS THAT FALL don, and the only way Marty, who suffers from OCD, can think Joyce, Mere to raise the money to get to him is to sell reflective items like DCB (240 pp.) glasses and telescopes, which have been outlawed by repressive $15.95 paper | Sep. 24, 2019 Mayor Ackermann. When that gets Marty caught and exiled 978-1-77086-556-3 with Ackermann’s hunky son, Elliott, the two have to set aside their mutual distrust to survive on the fog-shrouded mainland; Seven cousins gather to prepare a what they discover there changes their perception of reality family property for sale and to solve the and sets them on a new course that may save Earth—or get mystery that alienated their five fathers. them killed. Hughes’ (Afterimage, 2018) genre mashup starts The death of an uncle reunites the with relentless action and then eases up a bit to allow for good cousins, who haven’t seen each other in character development and some hefty, fun plot twists. Marty’s a decade due to an inexplicable family OCD is integral and well explained and explored. Characters feud. Heading to the summer property in Ontario that will hew to the white default. now be sold, the teens intend to support their cousin For- Reads like an Arthur C. Clarke–Stephen King collabo- rester and solve the added mystery of the identity of a girl ration set in Silent Hill—fans of dark sci-fi will enjoy.(Sci in a wheelchair and whether she factored into the brothers’ ence fiction. 12-18) estrangement. Alternating chapters in the first-person voices of the cousins unfortunately reveal each of them to be self- centered people readers will struggle to like, much less care I HAVE NO SECRETS about. Additionally, following much buildup, the cause of the Joelson, Penny brotherly rift is not the surprising, dramatic event readers will Sourcebooks Fire (288 pp.) have hoped for. Joyce (Shade, 2018, etc.) came up with a great $16.99 | Nov. 5, 2019 concept, but the result is over 200 pages of unmet potential. 978-1-4926-9336-9 There is authenticity in the voices of the teenagers, but none of the characters is particularly endearing, and the not-so- A nonverbal teen becomes the “real- subtle meanness of the girls is disappointing. Hailey and her life password” to solving a terrible crime mother are Cree; the remaining characters are white. The in this British import. sensitive portrayals of Hailey and the one cousin who is gay Sixteen-year-old Jemma has “no are blotted out by too many chapters that have little reason secrets of [her] own.” Quadriplegic to exist. due to cerebral palsy, she can’t move or A good beginning and an OK ending don’t make up for speak and depends on her foster parents and her aide, Sarah, an otherwise uneventful story. (Fiction. 14-adult) for everything from eating to using the bathroom. But people often share their secrets with her. After all, Jemma can never tell—even when Sarah’s sleazy boyfriend, Dan, hints at his involvement in a recent murder just before Sarah goes missing. But when innovative technology offers Jemma a chance to communicate, can she expose Dan’s secret before he silences her? Despite its suspenseful premise, the plot pales against Joelson’s (Girl in the Window, 2018) intimate, unflinching exploration of Jemma’s character; the book’s most powerful tension lies in Jemma’s simple, direct narration of her unrec- ognized, uncomfortably realistic frustrations and fears, such

156 | 1 september 2019 | young adult | kirkus.com | The opposite of magical is not ordinary. young adult The opposite of magical is mankind.

Coming November 5, 2019

Hardcover: 9781338188325 | $19.99

Catch up on The Raven Cycle!

TM/® Scholastic Inc.

| kirkus.com | young adult | 1 september 2019 | 157 Outstanding. games of deception

MERGED (Ronit & Jamil, 2017, etc.) book is a quick read that does not shy Kroepfl, Jim & Kroepfl, Stephanie away from the cruel cost of war. The story is gut wrenching, and Month9Books (294 pp.) the small cast of characters is layered and endearing. Unfortu- $15.99 paper | Sep. 17, 2019 nately, the text at times falls flat, lacking lyricism and a sense 978-1-948671-34-7 of interiority that could truly make the words shine. Further- Series: Merged, 1 more, while the book generally addresses life in a conflict zone, it does not contain enough specific sensory details to create a An experiment in immortality is not deep sense of place. Explicit references to sexual violence may what it first appears. be triggering for some. The Darwinians, a group of scientists, A tool for discussing the challenges of childhood in a have selected six gifted teenagers, each conflict zone.(Verse novel. 16-adult) representing a Nobel Prize discipline— chemistry, physics, physiology, literature, economics, and peace. The chosen teens will merge their consciousnesses with those GAMES OF DECEPTION of brilliant scientists through a process of brain implantation. The True Story of the First At risk of losing their grant, the Darwinians add one last Nobel, U.S. Olympic Basketball as their subjects are called, this one for art. The selected teens Team at the 1936 Olympics seemingly go into the project with the best of intentions, but in Hitler’s Germany not everything proceeds as planned. The story focuses on three Maraniss, Andrew of the Nobels: Orfyn, the Nobel for art; Stryker, the Nobel for Philomel (240 pp.) peace; and Lake, the Nobel for chemistry. When Lake is not $17.99 | Nov. 5, 2019 able to fully merge with her scientist Mentor, the teens start 978-0-525-51463-3 questioning the process and motivation behind the program. This debut by a husband-and-wife team is an enjoyable read that Political events surrounding the 1936 Olympics intersect nicely layers science and mystery with teen angst and romance. with the evolution of basketball in this outstanding history. Although not all the teen Nobels are explored equally in depth, The first game of basketball was played in 1891 without readers learn enough of everyone’s backstories to understand nets or dribbling. Created by James Naismith as an indoor all the pieces while leaving more to be discovered in sequels. winter activity that would support Muscular Christianity, early The book follows a white default, and although there is some participants from the YMCA training program in Springfield, diversity, unfortunately it is handled in a superficial way, and Massachusetts, soon spread the new game worldwide. When brown-skinned Orfyn is somewhat stereotypically portrayed as basketball was added as a sport in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, an urban graffiti artist living in an orphanage. Hitler saw it as an opportunity to showcase German might and Recommended. (art and science references) (Science fic athletic superiority. Meanwhile, American basketball players tion. 13-adult) were holding fundraisers to help with travel costs while many Americans were calling for a boycott of the games altogether. Maraniss (Strong Inside, 2016, etc.) includes little-known facts WHY NO GOODBYE? about basketball, brutal information about Nazi Germany, and Laskin, Pamela L. the harsh realities of blatant racism in the U.S. and Germany Leapfrog (180 pp.) alike. The U.S. basketball team was all white; despite feeling $13.00 paper | Nov. 5, 2019 conflicted by rampant anti-Semitism on both sides of the Atlan- 978-1-948585-06-4 tic, one Jewish player still chose to compete. Written with the captivating voice of a color commentator and the sobriety of a A Rohingya boy copes with historian, Maraniss peppers readers with anecdotes, statistics, abandonment. and play-by-play action, shining a spotlight on names found When his family flees the violence only in the footnotes of history while making it painfully clear affecting their village in Myanmar, that racism affected both politics and sport, tarnishing, a bit, 13-year-old Jabair is left behind (the each gold medal and the five Olympic rings. reason why is never clarified). Hungry, An insightful, gripping account of basketball and bias. exhausted, and dispirited, he is so furious with his mother (his (afterword, Olympic basketball data, bibliography, index) father has died) that he refuses to read the letters she sends from (Nonfiction. 12-18) the refugee camp where she now lives with his siblings. A local man nominally watches over him, teaching him how to read and write. Jabair clings to life, filled with rage about his abandonment, until he meets Zahura, a 14-year-old girl whose past is just as haunted as his own. But when Jabair’s mother invites him to join her in Thailand, he must choose between abandoning his friend and reuniting with his family. Written in verse, Laskin’s

158 | 1 september 2019 | young adult | kirkus.com | MY TOTEM CAME CALLING motives and methods of the one she loves. Will she help put Musariri, Blessing & Nesch, Thorsten into power a Paper caste king if he is just another dictator? The Mawenzi House (176 pp.) author spends a substantial amount of time delving into Lei and $15.00 paper | Sep. 30, 2019 Wren’s relationship in this story, from small scenes of intimacy 978-1-988449-75-3 and laughter to tough talks on dealing with pain and keeping secrets. Although some modern vocabulary is jarring (“fanmail,” Seventeen-year-old Chanda keeps “erectile dysfunction”), particularly since the story is set in a feu- seeing a zebra—her sacred totem that dal Asia, this is a worthy follow-up that will satisfy fans. represents her kinship to others who A solid fantasy pick with a strong LGBTQ pairing. share it. (map, caste guide, author’s note) (Fantasy. 14-18) This, combined with her frequent lapses in memory, make her parents consider institutionalization in a hospital. Chanda turns to an SONGS FROM THE DEEP aunt who advises her to go back to her family’s village to get Powell, Kelly the answers and cure she needs. The journey proves more taxing McElderry (304 pp.) than Chanda anticipated, and going from her privileged urban $18.99 | Nov. 5, 2019 life in Harare, Zimbabwe, to rural Gumindoga is more than 978-1-5344-3807-1 Chanda feels she can bear; she wants to leave almost immediately. However, it seems destiny has plans for her, and she is A young violinist takes on a murder again reminded of how little she can control when she tries to case on an island surrounded by deadly

leave. Chanda’s story touches on the duality of and relationship sirens. young adult between modern Western vs. holistic traditional approaches Moira Alexander lingers on the and attitudes to mental health and medical conditions. The cliff’s edge, playing her violin a safe novel would have benefited from a better developed plot and distance from the sirens who dot the characters whose relationships exhibited greater depth, both sea. Like her late father, she feels compelled to protect and of which would have made the conclusion feel more climactic. understand the creatures that lure people to their deaths with The uneven pacing results in insufficient attention being paid their song. Most other islanders don’t feel the same, however, to scenes that bear relevance to Chanda’s problems. The cen- regarding them only as necessary for tourism. Moira worries tral themes—that we are more connected than we may realize they’ll turn against the sirens completely and lift the hunting and that unlearned history is bound to repeat itself—do not feel ban introduced by her father. Now, a young boy has turned up fully fleshed out. Chanda and her family are Shona. on the beach with a slashed throat, and it’s presumed to be Despite a promising hook and some interesting core the work of the sirens. But Moira believes otherwise. With the ingredients, this book fails to deliver on its full potential. help of 19-year-old Jude Osric, the lighthouse keeper, Moira (Fiction. 13-adult) decides to solve the case. As they chase leads, the islanders show their disdain for Moira’s love for the brutal sirens who claimed Jude’s family and countless others. Threatening notes GIRLS OF STORM warn them to back off—and then another body turns up. As AND SHADOW tensions rise, so do Moira and Jude’s feelings for one another, Ngan, Natasha no longer burdened by secrets. The atmosphere is as immer- Jimmy Patterson/Little, Brown (400 pp.) sive as an island fog, with the alienlike sirens curious and sin- $18.99 | Nov. 5, 2019 ister figures lying in wait. More time spent on the lore of the 978-0-316-52867-2 sirens could have buoyed this captivating tale into something Series: Girls of Paper and Fire, 2 truly magical. Major characters are presumed white. An intoxicating blend of mystery and enchantment. War brings out the ugly in people. (Fantasy. 14-18) In the sequel to Girls of Paper and Fire (2018), the Demon King of Ikhara has been hiding away in the depths of the royal palace, licking his wounds and plotting revenge on the Paper caste girl, former concubine, Lei, along with all the other factions who betrayed him. Unaware that he survived the attack, Lei is still haunted by the trauma she experienced at his hands and all she had to do to survive. She and her lover, Wren, now seek to ally themselves with other demon clans to overthrow the kingdom while the power structure is unstable. During their journey, however, as she witnesses brutality and ruthlessness from their own side, Lei begins to question the

| kirkus.com | young adult | 1 september 2019 | 159 INTERVIEWS & PROFILES Elizabeth Keenan

A DEBUT YA NOVELIST FINDS INSPIRATION IN THE ART AND SPIRIT OF THE 1990S RIOT GRRRL MOVEMENT By Alex Heimbach

Photo courtesy Havar Espedal When Elizabeth Keenan hand, they’re always talk- was 16, hundreds of pro- ing about these really heavy testers from all over the topics,” Keenan says. A dry country descended on academic book could never her hometown of Baton capture that voice, but a YA Rouge, Louisiana. They novel certainly could. spent a week outside the Keenan admits that city’s only abortion clinic, riot grrrl left a lot to be de- Delta Women’s Care, in sired as a feminist move- hopes of forcing it to close. ment, but it was a perfect That 1992 protest sets fit for Athena’s character. the scene for Keenan’s de- “Its politics are very obvi- but YA novel, Rebel Girls ous and really teen-orient- (Inkyard Press, Sept. 10). Athena and Helen Graves ed,” she says. “It’s also at times really contradictory.” may only be one year apart in age, but they’re about How do you support other women when they’re de- as different as sisters can be. Athena is an aspiring riot termined to make your life miserable? Where’s the grrrl who loves The Clash and Hillary Clinton, while line between standing up for yourself and tearing Helen was head of her middle school’s anti-abortion someone else down? club and dreams of being a model. Nonetheless, when “One of the main things in the book that I want Helen starts acting strangely, Athena is determined people to get out of it is having a sense of empathy for to get to the bottom of her sister’s sudden personality people whose views you don’t agree with—you may change. She eventually discovers that mean girl Leah never agree with—but you can still feel that that other has been spreading rumors that Helen had an abor- person who has that very different political view from tion—strictly forbidden at their conservative Catho- you is a human,” Keenan says. lic school. Basically, it’s much easier to call yourself a feminist To fight back, Athena and Helen recruit a team of than to actually be one—and that’s the heart of Athe- girls for a guerrilla propaganda campaign. The patches na’s journey. “You can have ideals,” Keenan says, “but and buttons the girls create were inspired by the riot you also have to live them.” grrrl movement. Before turning to fiction, Keenan was an academic studying music and feminism in the Rebel Girls received a starred review in the August 1, 2019, 1990s and spent a lot of time at the riot grrrl collec- issue. tion in NYU’s library. “There’s all these amazing letters and diary entries and fanzines that are written in this amazing bubbly language that’s really super enthusiastic about music, about life. But then on the other

160 | 1 september 2019 | young adult | kirkus.com | A THOUSAND FIRES and voices “into one hundred seconds of pure magic [that] takes Price, Shannon my breath away every time….HE OWNS IT.” Using colloquial Tor Teen (304 pp.) language, pop-culture references, and even an emoji, Rhodes $17.99 | Nov. 5, 2019 makes history and music come alive. Surreal, psychedelic col- 978-1-250-30199-4 lages by artist O’Neill (Unthinkable, 2018, etc.) reminiscent of Monty Python intros make the book an eye-popping visual On the night of her 18th birthday, experience as well. Valerie Simons accepts an offer to join This dynamic and infectious introduction to classical San Francisco’s Red Bridge Wars. music is sure to capture a new generation of musicophiles. Inspired by the Iliad and the gritty (glossary, index) (Nonfiction. 12-16) city of San Francisco, this fast-paced debut follows a teen’s quest for vengeance in the gang wars that killed her younger brother, Leo. DEMON IN THE WHITELANDS The wars involve three fighting gangs: the Herons (dynastic Richard, Nikki families with money in the tech business), the Boars (a violent Month9Books (358 pp.) group of San Francisco natives), and the Stags (the newest and $15.99 paper | Sep. 24, 2019 least-known of the three). Val is set on joining the Herons with 978-1-948671-41-5 her ex-boyfriend Matthew Weston, who comes from a Heron Series: Demon in the Whitelands family, but a dangerous altercation on the highway leaves her with little choice when enigmatic Jax, the Stag leader, extends As the son of a cleric, 15-year-old

her a formal offer to join them along with the knowledge Samuel, who was born out of wedlock, is young adult of who killed Leo. Wracked with guilt and fueled by revenge, destined for life in the clergy; the appear- Val is a likable yet flawed character who is struggling with her ance of a demon child in his village vio- inner demons. Vivid descriptions and intricate details bring San lently upends his world. Francisco to life, but a lukewarm love triangle and rushed end- Samuel and his father are outcasts in a world of convoluted ing leave something to be desired. Val is biracial (Filipina and laws and corrupt politicians. When the mayor asks Samuel to white); some secondary characters are ethnically diverse and supervise a demon named Zei, Samuel is eager to break free queer, but many are assumed white. from his proscribed path despite the mayor’s nefarious inten- A promising debut. (author’s note) (Fiction. 14-18) tions. Zei has the appearance of a delicate little girl but has rep- tilian eyes and superhuman strength. For unexplained reasons, she is mute, illiterate, and missing part of an arm. In an unneces- PLAYLIST sarily lurid reveal, Samuel also discovers that she lacks genitalia. The Rebels and An undercurrent throughout the novel is Samuel’s attempt to Revolutionaries of disentangle his desire to care for Zei from the sexual attraction Sound and friendship he feels for his peers. By the end of the book Rhodes, James Samuel seems to understand his emotions, but readers may not Illus. by O’Neill, Martin feel equally enlightened. In her debut, Richard has created an Candlewick Studio (72 pp.) original dystopia populated with enigmatic characters. How- $29.99 PLB | Oct. 8, 2019 ever, the plot is ponderous and feels more like a prologue than 978-1-5362-1214-3 the first in a series. Those native to the whitelands are, aptly, white; Samuel’s deceased mother’s bronze skin marked her as Pianist Rhodes (Fire on All Sides, 2018, etc.) makes classical coming from the redlands. music accessible, relatable, and exciting for teen readers who may Readers will be drawn into this fascinating world but believe that it’s “dull, irrelevant…and about as interesting as algebra.” may get snagged on the rough edges. (Dystopian. 15-adult) The book contains an irreverent introduction (including a lament about the overrepresentation of white men and suggestions of talented women and composers of color), the life stories of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Schubert, Rachmaninoff, and Ravel; descriptions of two works by each; and information about music theory and history. The book is slim (with the dimensions of an LP) but is chock-full of details. It is hard not to be swept up—Rhodes writes with such enthusiasm and thoughtfulness that readers will be dying to listen to the Spotify playlist he shares. He describes Beethoven’s “Emperor” Con- certo as sounding “a bit like a conversation between two people who are dear friends but discussing some sad news.” Dies Irae, from Mozart’s “Requiem in D Minor,” combines instruments

| kirkus.com | young adult | 1 september 2019 | 161 JULIET TAKES A BREATH experiences is negated by two-dimensional, stereotypical char- Rivera, Gabby acterizations. Though Paul develops a crush on her, descrip- Dial (320 pp.) tions of Lily repeatedly evoke the angry, violent, black woman $17.99 | Sep. 17, 2019 trope (“It wasn’t hard to imagine her breaking my neck with 978-0-593-10817-8 those arms”; “I had to remind myself she was a vicious predator”) as well as culturally inaccurate depictions of the Maasai. Bronx native Juliet Palante lands her Big’s descriptions recall condescending images of ever smiling dream internship in Portland, Oregon, plus-sized people and happy-go-lucky Polynesians (“He lum- the summer after her freshman year of bered down the hall with a big, friendly smile on his face that college. made me think he was imagining himself on a beach, holding a In 2003, the 9/11 attacks are a recent drink with an umbrella”). A woman with mental illness is por- memory, mixtapes are in full effect, and trayed as hysterical and irrational. Juliet comes out as a lesbian to her Puerto Rican family the While attempting to address serious issues, the book night before she leaves town. Bearing the pain of her mother’s fails to reflect real-life complexities or nuances, instead disapproval, Juliet bravely moves forward (pa’lante!) in hopes mirroring troubling stereotypes. (Fiction. 14-18) of self-transformation with Harlow Brisbane, author of Raging Flower: Empowering Your Pussy by Empowering Your Mind—Juliet’s beloved “magical labia manifesto.” Curious and open, Juliet BEYOND THE BLACK DOOR plops into Harlow’s white hippie world of polyamorous lesbi- Strickland, A.M. ans and feminism while she questions her purpose as a brown- Imprint (400 pp.) skinned, curvy, asthmatic, Puerto Rican lesbian. When a Raging $18.99 | Oct. 29, 2019 Flower reading blows up, Juliet flees, seeking refuge with her 978-1-250-19874-7 badass revolutionary cousin and her queer chosen family, further expanding her understanding of personal freedom. Diverse A soulwalker opens a forbidden door primary and secondary characters reflect believable communi- and lets in a world of danger. ties in Portland and Miami, although the portrayal of Filipino When 17-year-old Kamai’s mother is tertiary character Phen lacks cultural texture. Rivera (America, killed and her life upended, Kamai gives Vol. 2: Fast and Fuertona, 2018, etc.) offers up a passionate tribute in to the temptation to open the black to the power of one’s voice through Juliet’s savvy and tender nar- door that always appears whenever she ration. Crucial and intense explorations of sexual orientation, walks through others’ souls. She unleashes Vehyn, a darkly fas- gender identity, and race ring true. A white and Korean librarian cinating being who appears as a boy, her age and pale-skinned love interest and a masturbation scene add sweet sensuality to like herself, who resides in a grand, foreboding fortress that Juliet’s self-discovery. Kamai accesses when she sleeps. Despite warning signs, Kamai A whirlwind coming-of-age story that leaves one ill-advisedly finds herself romantically attracted to Vehyn, who breathless. (Fiction. 14-adult) proves himself to be manipulative and threatening. Sometimes in the physical world and sometimes in the sleeping realm of souls, Kamai strives to uncover her mother’s killer and discover PAUL, BIG, AND SMALL Vehyn’s (likely menacing) intentions. The drama, which is at Robb, David Glen times unnecessarily sprawling, involves a plot to kill the king, Shadow Mountain (384 pp.) two secret societies, and plenty of intrigue as the stakes soar. $17.99 | Oct. 1, 2019 Strickland (co-author, as AdriAnne Strickland: Shadow Call, 978-1-62972-602-1 2018, etc.) excels at rich descriptions, painting vivid settings and a patriarchal culture shaped by belief in three gods. The cast, Despite their differences, three which includes a transgender character, is also diverse in race teens become friends. and sexuality. Crucially, Kamai’s asexuality authentically affects Paul’s a short guy. By the time he how she moves through the world; her journey to understand- reaches high school, he’s well aware that ing her identity includes a detailed explanation that cleverly ties his stature puts him in the crosshairs in modern views of asexuality with in-world terminology. of bullies. When Paul, who is white, Lovers of dark fantasy and edgy romance will enjoy this meets the Hawaiian newcomer, Kamakanamakamaemaikalani tale, which gives the stage to an asexual protagonist. (Fan Pohaku—or, Big—a 300-plus-pound, cheerful transfer stu- tasy. 13-18) dent, and overcomes his fear of Lily Small, a black Kenyan girl adopted by white parents whose height and race make her stand out in their homogeneous school, he discovers true friendship. An avid rock climber, Paul’s hobby increases his confidence, which becomes important when crises strike. Unfortunately, the interest the book builds through showing a diversity of

162 | 1 september 2019 | young adult | kirkus.com | Doesn’t shy away from the dark side of young adulthood. fugly

COSMOKNIGHTS being inspired by both the Golden Gate Bridge itself and by an Templer, Hannah actual female physician who practiced nearby. Unfortunately, Illus. by the author her novel fails to inspire. Stereotypical views of Irish immi- Top Shelf Books (216 pp.) grants, Catholicism, and medicine combined with cringewor- $19.99 paper | Sep. 10, 2019 thy dialogue don’t help, but the biggest weakness in the story 978-1-60309-454-2 is Willa’s milquetoast characterization. While everyone around Series: Cosmoknights, 1 her smooths obstacles out of her way, she dithers for hundreds of pages while performing basic first aid to applause. The Princeless meets TV’s Firefly in a femi- romance feels forced and the ending, melodramatic. All char- nist webcomic-turned–graphic novel. acters are white. The night Pan helps Princess Tara The interesting setting doesn’t provide nearly enough evade a forced marriage by escaping the planet, she loses the one reason to keep reading. (author’s note, sources) (Historical friend she ever had. Five years later, she is helping her mechanic fiction. 13-18) father in the shop and groaning as the men watch tournaments on TV—this is outer space, so the jousts happen with high-tech spacesuits, not horses, though the prize is still marriage to the FUGLY planet’s princess for the cosmoknight’s sponsor. The night after Waller, Claire one particularly gruesome battle, a lesbian couple arrives at Carolrhoda (352 pp.) Pan’s doorstep, asking for her doctor mother’s help. Pan figures $18.99 | Nov. 5, 2019 out that the wounded woman is a cosmoknight, accompanied 978-1-5415-4499-4

by her wife, but what really shocks her is their secret: When young adult they win, they whisk the princess away to freedom. That’s all it Body image, college life, and online takes for Pan to stow away on their spaceship to join them. At trolling come to a startling head. first they are angry, but she proves her worth at the next joust. British university student Beth The jewel-toned, full-color illustrations use different palettes Soames is, in her own words, “fugly.” She to mark flashbacks, fights, and the present day but can still balances class work with an unstable be confusing. Pan’s journey to recognizing her own worth and home life that includes a depressed identity as a feminist is earnest and believable. To say the book mother, a reclusive younger brother, and cupboards that are ends on a cliffhanger is charitable; the conclusion is incredibly often bare. To cope, Beth, who is fat, mainlines chocolate bars abrupt. Pan and the knight are white; her wife and Princess Tara and uses sockpuppet accounts to relentlessly bully thinner girls are black. from the safety of her own room. Online, she befriends Tori, While the plot feels too unfinished for publication, who is eager to join forces with Beth in making fun of glamor- readers will enjoy the ride. (Graphic science fiction. 15-adult) ous young women and to woo Beth with sexy pictures and words of love. Meanwhile, beautiful, bubbly classmate Amy pulls Beth into her world of dorm life, pizza parties, and late-night bond- ACROSS A BROKEN SHORE ing. When Beth and Tori’s trolling results in serious repercus- Trueblood, Amy sions for a victim Beth knows personally, Beth must ask herself Flux (352 pp.) why she consistently bullies women and reveal the secret she’s $14.99 paper | Nov. 5, 2019 been keeping. Though the author sometimes resorts to stereo- 978-1-63583-042-2 types (not all fat people binge on candy every night), Beth is otherwise nuanced—intelligent and witty but struggling with her Under the shadow of San Francis- own self-perception as well as that of the outside world—and co’s growing Golden Gate Bridge, a girl her queerness is unapologetic and refreshing. The sheer loneli- yearns to become a physician. ness that drives Beth to almost unspeakable acts is presented in It’s 1936. Eighteen-year-old Wil- a way that evokes empathy. Major characters are assumed white. helmina MacCarthy is expected to Doesn’t shy away from the dark side of young adulthood spend the months between high school and the insecurity that can drive a smart teen to extremes. graduation and her entry into a Catholic convent learning to (Fiction. 14-18) sew and volunteering at a soup kitchen. But when her older brother Paddy is injured, Willa discovers that their old doctor has retired and a woman, Dr. Winston, is practicing in his place. Willa’s been reading medical books in secret, and before long, she’s sneaking out to help Dr. Winston at her office, a field hospital near the bridge construction site, and a Hooverville camp. She develops feelings for Sam, a young ironworker, while endlessly pondering whether she dare follow her dreams. In her author’s note, Trueblood (Nothing but Sky, 2018, etc.) writes of

| kirkus.com | young adult | 1 september 2019 | 163 An ambitious take on Arthurian lore. the guinevere deception

THE GUINEVERE DECEPTION influence and a well-wrought gothic atmosphere all set against White, Kiersten the background of a continual Scottish burr, this trilogy closer Delacorte (352 pp.) manages to be expressive in its depiction of Scotland, however $18.99 | Nov. 5, 2019 rushed in its action and weak in character development. The 978-0-525-58167-3 black-and-white art is downright moody and dark; its visual Series: Camelot Rising, 1 intricacy vacillates between terrifying renderings of demons and shadowy and indistinct scenes of Scotland, making for an An acclaimed master of the female- ambiance that seems intentionally disconcerting. All characters centric retelling turns her hand to appear to be white and, for the most part, male. Arthuriana. An ambitious conclusion that does not quite hit its Guinevere is a mystery: an impostor mark. (Graphic historical thriller. 12-adult) princess, daughter of Merlin, and pos- sessor of magical knowledge, she has been sent to Camelot to pose as queen and keep Arthur safe. White (Slayer, 2019, etc.) sets up an ambitious take on Arthurian lore, with many details familiar yet altered—Lancelot is a woman, Mordred is Arthur’s right hand and also very appealing, and Guinevere intends only good, although it seems as if this incarnation may still bring ruin, in this case merely by being magical in a world that has banished magic. The connective tissue of the power women wield despite being overlooked doesn’t always hold together, but the questions Guinevere asks about women and power, and the subtext that chaos is inherently feminine (the defeated Dark Queen, Guinevere, the Lady of the Lake) while Arthur represents masculinity and control, are intriguing—although this volume comes to no conclusions. More diverse than many Camelot representations (Sir Bors has a physical disability, Sir Tristan has brown skin in otherwise white Camelot, and there is a pair of lesbian lovers), this is a retelling designed for a modern audience more interested in people than battles and more intrigued by identity and affection than honor and questing. A promising series opener. (Fantasy. 12-18)

BREAKING OUT THE DEVIL Yolen, Jane & Stemple, Adam Illus. by Zangara, Orion Graphic Universe (88 pp.) $8.99 paper | Nov. 5, 2019 978-1-5415-7288-1 Series: Stone Man Mysteries, 3

A boy and a gargoyle are pitted against the devil. In 1930s Edinburgh, Scotland, street urchin Craig works with Silex, a fearsome, fanged demon imprisoned in a gargoyle’s form affixed high upon a church ledge. Silex knows that hellions from the underworld walk among humans and, with Craig’s assistance, seeks to keep the mortal world free from their impious intentions. After an argument in which Silex mentions his previous young helper, Craig decides to seek him out to learn about their disunion. He finds the boy in an asylum and, to his surprise, discovers that he is possessed by the Prince of Darkness himself. Soon, Silex and Craig are fighting the ultimate battle between good and evil; will Silex finally be able to triumph over the devil? With a hearty dose of Christian

164 | 1 september 2019 | young adult | kirkus.com | Shelf Space

A Q&A With Laura DeLaney, Co-owner of Rediscovered Books By Karen Schechner

Rediscovered Books What was your favorite event and/or most memo- opened in 2006 and has rable disaster? become integral to down- We create many events at Rediscovered Books, and we have town Boise, Idaho, part- many favorites. One that stands out is the Halloween event nering with the Was- with Nick Bruel, creator of the Bad Kitty books. We worked smuth Center for Human with our local donut shop, Guru Donuts, to make paw print Rights, which hosts a Hu- donuts with huckleberry frosting. man Rights Book Club; How does the bookstore reflect the interests of Guru Donuts, the loca- your community? tion for Tasty Tales Sto- We are thoroughly invested in it through our daily conver- rytime ($2.50 for a donut, milk, and entertained if oversug- sations, partnerships, and extension of our bookstore out- ared child); and other local businesses. In 2015, Rediscovered side of our walls. We work with groups both large and small, Books launched its own publishing arm, which produces two

ranging from Shine Yoga, for an author visit, to The Cabin young adult to three hyperlocal history books a year. “Truly, our store is a [a literary arts organization], to bring authors like Ta-Nehisi hub of connections among many groups and kinds of people,” Coates to Boise. says Laura DeLaney, who co-owns the general bookstore with her husband, Bruce. “And the more we work to create connec- What are your favorite handsells? tions, the more…we can have an impact.” My favorite handsell right How would you describe Rediscovered Books to now is Operatic by Kyo Ma- the uninitiated? clear. This incredible story shows the emotional im- Warm, friendly, and knowledgeable. Rediscovered Books is pact of music through its where you can discover a new adventure or an old friend and illustrations [by Byron Eg- strike up a conversation about your favorite characters with a genschwiler] and connects bookseller or another customer. If you come in regularly, we’ll the story of Maria Callas, greet you by name and contact you when a book you might opera singer, to the lives be interested in comes into our shop. We are a real place with of the teens in the book. It people who care about books and stories and try to make the also shares a path for being world a little more connected at the end of the day than it was a great friend. Those are all at the beginning. of the adult reasons why I If Rediscovered Books were a religion, what would love the book. The kid in be its icons and tenets? me was taken on a journey What a fun question, and without a doubt the symbol of our and saw old things in new religion would be a book crafted into a body of a ship with ways, and that is always Bruce & Laura DeLaney sails rising out of its pages, taking readers to lands unknown. what I want to read. The tenet of our religion is that there is space for everyone on Bruce’s favorite handsell is The Three-Body Problem by Cix- this ship regardless of where your interest lies. There is a book in Liu. This is science fiction at its finest, with inscrutable for every person, and when more people read more books, our alien races interacting with humanity through MMO [mas- world is a better place. Happily enough, this is our logo for sively multiplayer online] video games and multiple viewpoint our store, and we have a great time learning from our custom- characters with their own agendas. ers and one another about the books that can be found and shared with others. Karen Schechner is the vice president of Kirkus Indie.

| kirkus.com | shelf space | 1 september 2019 | 165 indie I AM NOT OLD ENOUGH! These titles earned the Kirkus Star: The Twenty-Seven Stages of Adjustment to Living in a THE BANKER WHO DIED by Matthew A. Carter...... 167 Retirement Community Adler, Hilde FROM DREAM TO DELIVERY by Don L. Daglow...... 169 BookBaby (72 pp.) $7.99 paper | Apr. 19, 2019 SICK KIDS IN LOVE by Hannah Moskowitz...... 182 978-1-5439-6619-0

MISS LUCY by William Orem...... 183 A memoir combined with a self- help book explores adjusting to life in a MY TODDLER’S FIRST WORDS by Kimberly O. Scanlon...... 187 retirement community. This brief work is a noble effort to expose the emotions THE WOMAN IN THE PARK by Teresa Sorkin & surrounding a life-changing relocation. In conversational style, Tullan Holmqvist...... 189 Adler (The Way It Was, 2012) relates her experience of deciding with her husband to move from her longtime home to an apartment in a retirement community. An effective technique in the volume is the use of “two voices,” the author’s “everyday voice… declaring this and that with abandon” and “an inner, more sensible, more informed voice which surfaces now and then.” The work is divided into 27 abbreviated “stages of adjustment,” expressed from Adler’s point of view. The stages help reveal her internal conflict about moving, deftly illustrating that making such a choice is neither easy nor uncomplicated. Contrasting statements such as “I don’t want to live with all those old people” and “Some of these people have led amazingly interesting lives” bring out the author’s complex feelings with refreshing candor. Adler’s reflections on her previous life are filled with poignancy. About her relationships, she writes: “But what I really miss are the neighbors. My friends. These new people are perfectly pleasant, but they’re not my real neighbors, my old good friends.” Her account of what life is like at the retirement community is endearing. For example, she had a wonderful experience taking part in a play: “I met some kindred spirits, and the best part was that I felt like I was part of the gang.” Other descriptions are amusing. At one point, she claims, “I am never going to take the bus,” but later she laments, “Why did it take me so long to discover this bus?…I totally love this bus.” The seesaw nature of the author’s tale continues throughout the volume, but she cleverly keeps the story moving toward a positive conclusion. The audience for this book—individuals who are facing the potentially scary prospect of moving to a retirement community—should find solace in Adler’s insight- SICK KIDS IN LOVE ful observations. Moskowitz, Hannah A witty, charming, and revealing retirement account Entangled: Teen (300 pp.) that lacks pretenses. $17.99 | Nov. 5, 2019 978-1-64063-732-0

166 | 1 september 2019 | indie | kirkus.com | THE BANKER possibility of a zombie apocalypse. A gay couple keep their love WHO DIED secret while hosting a morning radio show in upstate New York. Carter, Matthew A. A woman leaves her husband and goes with her daughter to her Garin Ray Publishing House (450 pp.) mother’s house, where she must contend with her parent’s new $12.99 paper | $9.99 e-book habit of yelling at people who aren’t there. In this collection, May 27, 2019 Chin tackles the difficulties of close human relationships: the 978-1-73305-002-9 sorts of tensions that exist between relatives, friends, and lovers that are rarely discussed but that can come to define the parties A young American international involved. In “The End of the World,” a high schooler’s crush on banker is seduced by high financial his allegedly straight best friend comes to a head during a Fourth stakes—and multiple women—in this of July party. In the title story, the same two boys deal with the debut thriller. aftermath of the incident, attempting to grapple with feelings Despite the fact that his marriage is collapsing, Zurich-based of confusion, identity, and betrayal. Between the longer stories, investment adviser Stanley McKnight leaves his wife, Christine, the author includes a number of flash pieces that cut even more to fly to Moscow with Frenchman Pierre Lagrange, the senior directly at these themes, as in “Interrogation,” about a disturb- managing director of the private Swiss bank Laville & Cie. “Be ing game played by two siblings: “When we started, you were careful in Russia,” Christine warns him, before he goes. “I’ve five, I was seven. Back when two years spelled a difference and I heard it can be dangerous. Especially for such a handsome Yan- could still tell you what we’d play, and in the absence of Mom or kee.” Soon, McKnight takes over the Russian clients of another Dad, I might as well have been Mom or Dad, might as well have banker, whose Maserati mysteriously flew off a mountain high- been God, because who were you to question my instruction?”

way with him in it. Viktor Gagarin, one of the new clients, has In its own way, each tale seems to ask: How can the characters young adult an estimated worth of more than $12 billion and, in Lagrange’s continue after all the hurt that they have done to one another? words, “a definite tendency towards violence.” Gagarin wants After all the damage they have done to themselves? to buy a new megayacht, and he wants Laville & Cie to conduct Chin’s prose is sparse and plainspoken, recalling any num- the deal, provide the loan, afford him anonymity in the transac- ber of American fiction’s working-class minimalists. Here he tion, and determine how to minimize his taxes on the purchase. describes the protagonist in “Better”: “Joel wrote bullet point Gagarin’s wife, Mila, meanwhile, sets her sights on McKnight. descriptions for a company that sold traffic cones, hard hats, Although he’s had flings with Russian women, he knows that safety glasses, and harnesses. Selling durability. Selling comfort. Gagarin’s wife could mean the death of him. Nonetheless, an He never slept enough. Started each day with a Centrum and adventure involving fast cars, gold bars, betrayal, and torture a cigarette. The combination of the two on an empty stomach lies ahead. Lust, intrigue, glamour, and danger fill the pages of made him nauseous.” The writing occasionally flowers into a Carter’s well-written book. The California-born author’s experi- chatty descriptiveness, particularly when the author discusses ence in the Swiss private-banking industry, his many years living the physical environs of Shermantown, New York, the fictional in Russia as an investment banker, and his fluency in Russian lend place in which a number of the stories are set: “Tonight, it’s the novel a sense of authenticity. Amid all the banking maneuver- an older crew. Not his friend’s parents’ place, but a house of ing, this rich story offers plenty of shady characters. There are their own. Out in the Podunk-est outskirts of Shermantown. also vivid descriptions (“The tie wagged its tail, briefly flashing Rundown as it is, the house is big, I’ll give them that, with flat a Hermès label to the world”) and attention-grabbing dialogue eaves and segments of roof already set up with lawn chairs.” His (“Sweaty is good,” says Mila at one point). It’s a testament to the characters—mostly dissatisfied young men and older boys grop- author’s skill that even as McKnight descends into debauchery ing for meaning—are well drawn and sympathetic, though the and deceit, readers will still root for him. pieces vary in terms of their emotional impact. The best are the An engaging read that’s right on the money. Shermantown tales, which better access the confusion of youth and the tragedy of small cities, but every story is compelling enough to carry readers through to the gritty end. YOU MIGHT FORGET THE SKY A moving collection from a promising talent who has a WAS EVER BLUE lot to say. Short Stories Chin, Michael Duck Lake Books (136 pp.) $16.99 paper | Sep. 3, 2019 978-1-943900-16-9

A debut volume of short fiction explores the ways that people can hurt and heal one another. A third grade teacher contemplates the rise of Donald Trump while his girlfriend obsesses about the

| kirkus.com | indie | 1 september 2019 | 167 kid rock

Many parents in the 1950s and ’60s CHROMATOPHOBIA simply couldn’t understand young- County, W.D. sters’ love of rockers such as Chuck Self (339 pp.) Berry, Little Richard, Elvis Presley, $12.99 paper | $3.99 e-book | Jul. 23, 2019 the Beatles, and others, who collec- 978-1-07-617931-9 tively shook up American popular cul- A mysterious color covers the lone ture. Now, of course, rock music is sol- survivor of a party that encountered an idly in the mainstream, and parents in- extradimensional entity—and drastically troduce their kids to it early on. It’s no affects the group investigating the enigma. wonder that there have been 39 Kidz In this sci-fi novel, an Antarctic expe- Bop records featuring child-friendly dition faces an incredible, shimmering four-dimensional cube (a “tesseract,” as readers of versions of popular songs—and kids’ book authors have A Wrinkle in Time may remember) with disastrous results. Three explorers kept pace. Here are a few Kirkus Indie highlights: vanish in a void while devoutly religious photojournalist Barry Marty Funcell’s The Tiger Beetle Fletcher survives with a weird, growing colored patch on his Band, reviewed in 2017, tells of four ti- body that drains hues from everything as it increases. At the ger beetles—John, Paul, George, and behest of the U.S. military (which senses weaponization poten- Buggy Bingo—who are inspired to tial), Fletcher is placed in a high-tech quarantine lab. He is under form a band after John hears the mu- the potentially deadly watch of tough Sgt. Miles Reardon, a veteran Marine sniper who, being colorblind, is assumed (cor- sic of the Beach Boys. Our reviewer rectly) to be somewhat immune to whatever entity possesses found the “charmingly illustrated” Fletcher. Eventually, the syndrome is labeled “the taint” by the story “a bit light on plot” but also rest of the study team, a diverse bunch that includes a bereaved deemed it an “entertaining choice for psychiatrist, a professional magician/skeptic secretly hoping for parents wanting to introduce favor- a supernatural event, and a doctor (already turned gray by the ite bands to their lap readers.” phenomenon) imagining medical breakthroughs. As Fletcher’s Christianity grows more fanatical with the belief that he is Rock music can be loud to little ears, of course. Last literally a new messiah, the group’s grip on reality falls prey to year’s , written by Sherry Howard and il- Rock & Roll Woods the force behind the taint. County (The Scent of Distant Worlds, lustrated by Anika A. Wolf, pres- 2019, etc.) neatly plays with reader expectations about whether ents the story of a shy bear who the thing represents good or evil—or just reflects the failings, initially has trouble adjusting to lusts, and yearnings of its badly flawed human hosts. The author the cacophony of a nearby “ROCK delivers a weighty, intricate, and intriguing thriller, mostly set & ROLL celebration,” in which in a claustrophobic isolation lab. While very much its own animal, the novel may recall for many sci-fi readers elements of other animals play noisy instru- Michael Crichton (especially The Andromeda Strain and Sphere) ments (“BOOM whappa whappa”). mated with H.P. Lovecraft cosmic awe (The taint is pretty much Kirkus’ review notes that How- a literal “Colour Out of Space,” after all). But County lacks ard’s “sensitivity in portraying Ku- Lovecraft’s penchant for eldritch horror and philosophical pes- da’s difficulty in trying something simism and blissfully avoids Crichton’s tendency toward silicon new will resonate” with young readers. wafer–thin characterizations. County even pulls off a satisfying ending from a situation that would have painted most writers Ippy the Centipede (2017), by author Mary MacKinnon into a corner (fourth-dimensional or otherwise). and illustrator Chuck McIntosh, takes things in a lower-key A tricky, dense, and suspenseful first-contact tale that direction. Although the protagonist “can rock and roll,” as successfully works a mind-expanding premise in a con- shown in an illustration of him dancing to music, he also fined setting. likes calmer activities, such as quietly reading. The author includes sheet music so that kids can do some singing of their own. The book’s “repeating lyrics and cartoonish illustrations will appeal to its preschooler audience,” according to our reviewer. —D.R.

David Rapp is the senior Indie editor.

168 | 1 september 2019 | indie | kirkus.com | CHOIRMASTER FROM DREAM A Mister Puss Mystery TO DELIVERY Craft, Michael How To Do Work You Questover Press (288 pp.) Love, Love What You Do and $24.95 | Oct. 10, 2019 Launch Your Dream Project 978-0-578-52330-9 Daglow, Don L. Sausalito Media (523 pp.) This second installment of a series $24.99 paper | $9.99 e-book offers another adventure for a crime-solv- Feb. 18, 2018 ing architect and his friend’s talented cat. 978-0-9967815-4-1 Mary Questman—a wealthy widow, noted philanthropist, and owner of Mis- A Silicon Valley CEO–turned–com- ter Puss, the beautiful Abyssinian cat who just might have the pany adviser uses the Socratic method to help readers clarify ability to speak—receives a letter from the new rector at St. their ambitions, circumstances, and capabilities. Alban’s Episcopal Church in her hometown of Dumont, Wis- Daglow begins each of six major sections in this debut busi- consin. When Joyce Hibbard requests that Mary fund a proj- ness book with questions that address such topics as defining ect to either restore or rebuild the soon-to-be-condemned St. projects, building teams, locating work sites, securing funding, Alban’s church building, the philanthropist insists that she will managing risks, and thinking long-term. He asks readers to only participate if her friend and noted local architect Marson write thoughtful answers to these queries before reading his Miles is involved. While Joyce is walking Marson and his hus- commentary, which is filled with anecdotes, observations, and

band, Brody Norris—who is also the partner in his architec- tips drawn from his experience leading video game makers Elec- young adult tural firm, Miles & Norris, as well as something of an amateur tronic Arts and Broderbund, founding game developer Storm- sleuth—around the property, they come across the body of their front Studios, and advising new and established companies. The new friend, David Lowell, the choir director and organist of St. format mirrors his previous volume for video game designers, Alban’s. But who would want the choir director dead? Could but the questions and comments here are designed to apply it be one of the new people in town: Joyce or her husband-of- broadly to anyone with a “Dream Project.” That said, they’re convenience, Curtis—a wealthy gay lawyer whom Marson knew particularly relevant for tech-based startups. He explores issues in college and who recently asked David on a date? Or Curtis’ related to new products and services, retail shops, home-based friend and former lover, the famous ballet dancer Yevgeny Kry- solo operations, and new initiatives within large organizations. mov? With the help of the local sheriff, Thomas Simms, and the But although Daglow addresses readers’ dreams, he’s no Pol- preternatural Mister Puss, Brody will have to don his detective lyanna; he also warns readers to conserve cash, avoid foolish coat once again to catch the killer before anyone else drops risks, and not neglect family, and his watchwords are “balance dead. Craft’s (FlabberGassed, 2018, etc.) prose, with its affection- and common sense.” He calls his approach “The Passion- ate digs at gossipy Episcopal parishes and affluent gay culture, Process-Product Method,” which considers an entrepreneur’s is cheery in a way that keeps the novel from ever getting too motivating passion to be foundational, and he offers practical dark, even with the murderous subject matter. After Joyce, who steps toward achieving a profitable product. No single guide came to religion late in life (and perhaps not because of God), for entrepreneurs can cover everything, but Daglow’s touches quotes Philippians at a dinner party, her husband says, “You’re on many essential startup challenges. The author also excels laying it on a bit thick, aren’t you, Poopsie?” The characters are at probing internal issues in a company, discussing how one all compellingly odd, operating in a gray area between noble assesses commitment and prepares for failure. His prose shows and self-serving that will keep readers guessing at their underly- a clarity of thought and authority borne of experience. Daglow ing motives. While the author hardly reinvents the wheel, this suggests that readers “Think of this book as a private discus- cozy setting with its nosy inhabitants makes for a lovely place to sion between you and me.” Then he adds, “Wait, check that. spend a few hours trying to figure out whodunit and why. Think of this book as a private discussion between you and you.” A satisfying mystery pleasantly told. Those who combine introspection with his seasoned counsel will gain not only a tutorial on business realities, but also insight into themselves. A comprehensive, easy-to-read manual for people launching new ventures.

| kirkus.com | indie | 1 september 2019 | 169 26 Great Indie Books Worth Discovering [Sponsored]

JUSTICE BY WORLD, THE POUND INCORPORATED by Ivan Weinberg by Tom Gariffo “A public defender’s first case “In Gariffo’s sci-fi debut, a mys- concerns a fairly routine burglary terious agent handles covert, until the prosecutor adds murder sometimes-lethal jobs for one of charges in this legal thriller.” the world-dominating corpora- Consistently riveting—whether tions in the mid-21st century.” the protagonist contends with A dystopian tale both engaging baddies or hones his skills in and conceivable. the courtroom.

GITA A NIGHT IN by J. Joseph Kazden OCTOBER “Kazden’s (TotIs, 2015) novel by Robert J. Illo imagines a conversation between “In this debut novel, the devas- a Greek philosopher and a self- tation in New York and New Jer- doubting military leader.” sey resulting from Superstorm Imaginative and thoroughly Sandy forever alters one family.” stimulating. A compassionate and beautifully crafted cautionary tale with memorable protagonists; cold seawater practically drips from the pages.

KICK-ASS KINDA GIRL THE GOSPEL OF by Kathi Koll CATHERINE DEARE by Mike Colahan “In this debut memoir, the wife of a wealthy entrepreneur cares “After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, a for him after his debilitating woman leaves her family to follow stroke and reflects with pride on a man she believes is Jesus.” a life of service.” An original religious plot buoyed by philosophical depth. An engaging, warts-and-all telling of the ups and downs of a full- time caregiver.

170 | 1 september 2019 | kirkus.com | MORE THAN FINDING THE EXIT ONE TRUTH by Lea A. Ellermeier by Matt Benson “An attorney defends a child- “A high school dropout from hood friend on a murder charge a small town in Nebraska cre- while receiving guidance from ates a successful, multimillion- his mentor’s ghost in this debut dollar startup in this debut legal thriller.” autobiography.” Well-written, insightful, and An absorbing, thoughtful, and spooky—an entertaining court- joyful account of a business room tale. executive’s remarkable rise.

A DREAM TO VALEDICTORIAN young adult by Jennifer Mason DIE FOR “Another series installment that by Susan Z. Ritz chronicles the adventures of a San Francisco Bay Area dominatrix “A debut novel tells the story of detective.” a woman with strange dreams attempting to solve her thera- An enjoyable, sometimes-challeng- pist’s murder.” ing work for those who like contem- plative, simmering mysteries. A fun crime tale with some creepy cult elements.

STORM SEASON DEAD RECKONING by Susan Wingate IN FREDERICK by P.J. Allen “A couple’s misery over their drug- “A paranormal team’s investigation addicted daughter’s overdose into spirits in Maryland exposes soon sparks retribution against nefarious deeds that come with the men they blame for her death a human threat in this suspense in this thriller.” novel.” A bleak but undeniably affecting Taut, riveting story in which appa- family tale. ritions and corporeal baddies remain comparably terrifying.

| kirkus.com | 1 september 2019 | 171 26 Great Indie Books Worth Discovering [Sponsored]

WARRIORS AND THE ENIGMA FOOLS SOURCE by Harry Rothmann by Charles V. Breakfield & “A military history book analyzes Roxanne E. Burkey the sources of America’s failures “Various organizations find that in the Vietnam War.” using new digital currency is a A thought-provoking, well- surprisingly dangerous endeavor researched diagnosis of the in the 10th outing in Breakfield Vietnam War. and Burkey’s (The Enigma Dragon, 2017, etc.) techno- thriller series.” Another top-tier installment that showcases exemplary recurring characters and tech subplots.

FIRE MASTER THE WOLF AND by Rhonda Denise Johnson THE RAIN “A journeyman, ill-equipped to by Tanya Lee be the new fire mage, will need “This post-apocalyptic debut strength and skills to save an sees a young woman with a past increasingly unstable world in this on the trail of a missing person.” second installment of a YA series.” A slow-burning, palpably grim A thoroughly enjoyable fantasy dystopian tale. sequel that should make readers crave yet another visit to Nanosia.

THE WINNER MAKER by Jeff Bond “When a popular high school teacher suddenly vanishes, a pack of his most devoted former students starts looking for him in this debut novel.”

An exhilarating and emotionally astute mystery.

172 | 1 september 2019 | kirkus.com | GEHENNA RISES WORDSTRUCK! by Julian Boote by Susanna Janssen “Following a worldwide zombie plague, a survivor relates his “A collection of newspaper col- personal account of a new men- umns muses on the eccentricities ace more terrifying than swarms of English and other languages.” of the undead in Boote’s (EXIT, 2015, etc.) horror yarn.” A language enthusiast offers a compilation of amusing and sin- Smart, invigorating, and, like gular columns. the best zombie stories, relentlessly creepy.

SEVEN FULL DAYS LIFE IS ALL ABOUT young adult RELATIONSHIPS by Ferris Shelton by Rod Strohl “A debut novel tells the story of “A combination of autobiography a rising Atlanta businessman and motivation manual explores visited by disturbing dreams of relationships at the heart of life the slavery era.” and business.” An engrossing Christmas A worthy personal guide that calls Carol–esque parable of mod- for healthier and more mindful ern racism. relationships in all areas of life.

SHORT ROUNDS by Paul Gore

“Life presents unexpected changes and romantic entanglements for characters populating this short story collection.” An impressive assortment of lithe, charming tales.

| kirkus.com | 1 september 2019 | 173 26 Great Indie Books Worth Discovering [Sponsored]

THE IMAGINATION MAGIC MOON WARRIORS by Shirley Moulton by Marc Romanelli “Magic Moon deals with bul- illus. by Odessa Sawyer lies in his world, and camp “In Romanelli’s debut children’s counselors do the same on novel, a young New Mexican Earth in this fourth installment and a talking feline go on a spir- of a series.” itual adventure.” ...an imaginative illustration of A curious, freewheeling read for emotional intelligence. inquiring young minds.

MIDSUMMER’S IT’S NOT TOO BOTTOM LATE BABY by Darren Dash by Eva G. Kane “In this fantasy novel, a disas- “A debut memoir tells how a trous theater troupe specializes in woman put her marriage back Shakespeare.” together after her husband’s A clever and kinky theatrical romp infidelity.” with a big heart. A vulnerable and illuminating account of a wife attempting to save her marriage.

THE CHAOS TRILOGY by Jim Hamilton “In this sci-fi series, an alien species secretly on Earth tries to prevent humanity’s extinction.”

A trilogy of exuberant and lucid tales that exhibits a fear of the future, regardless of the time period.

174 | 1 september 2019 | kirkus.com | FRICTION DOES THE QUR’AN (KORAN) The Untapped Force That REALLY SAY THAT? Can Be Your Most Truths and Misconceptions Powerful Advantage About Islam Dooley, Roger Elmi, Naqi McGraw-Hill Education (320 pp.) Archway Publishing (264 pp.) $28.00 | $28.00 e-book | May 9, 2019 $35.95 | $17.99 paper | $7.99 e-book 978-1-260-13569-5 May 3, 2019 978-1-4808-7383-4 A writer offers an exploration of 978-1-4808-7385-8 paper “friction” that should vault the term into the business lexicon. A defense of Islam that challenges Friction, a relatively simple scientific concept to under- Western myths and stereotypes. stand, takes on far deeper meaning in the capable hands of the In his debut book, Elmi hopes to provide skeptics and crit- forward-thinking Dooley (The Persuasion Slide, 2016, etc.). In ics of the Muslim faith with a scholarly and faithfully Islamic fast-paced prose, the author examines scores of examples to defense. One can argue that Western perceptions of Chris- make a compelling case for friction, or the lack thereof, as a con- tianity as a religion of peace and democracy and of Islam as a ceptual force that affects business. The book is nothing if not religion of violence and war will inevitably only lead to future comprehensive; it covers friction in the retail, transportation, conflict. For this reason, Elmi focuses on Islamic beliefs regard- digital, technology, and nonprofit worlds as well as generally in ing violence, war, and peace. Central to his argument is the

business and interpersonal relationships. At times, the notion notion that Westerners often “confuse Islamic teachings with young adult seems overdone, but the volume’s illustrations of increased the social and cultural practices within Muslim communities” or diminished friction are intriguing enough to sustain inter- and unjustly blame a religion of peace for the warlike actions of est. One illuminating, extravagant example is the case study of its worst adherents. He points out that Islam’s history features how Disney decided to “eliminate friction at every touch point” the acts of virtuous men and women, the forging of a sacred at its Disney World theme park. Disney’s board approved a community, and the formation of organizations that promote nearly $1 billion investment in “MyMagic+” technology, which social justice as well as warfare, persecutions, and violence— employs digital wristbands to identify guests, act as hotel room just as Christianity does. And just as contemporary Christians keys, allow park entry, and even connect people with their pho- believe the Crusades to be counter to the message of Jesus tographs. The “largest single capital investment ever made in a Christ, Elmi notes, so too should the West distinguish between theme park,” MyMagic+ could have been risky, but its imple- true, peaceful Islamic ideology and those who falsely act in its mentation dramatically improved satisfaction rates and also name. The author is cleareyed about the violence of history, but increased in-park spending. Another example, less elaborate he’s also careful to emphasize the fair treatment of Christians but just as impactful, concerns the management modifications and Jews in the early history of Islam. Elmi is at his best in later made by Jack Welch when he was in charge at General Electric: chapters, in which he defends verses from the Quran that seem- “Welch’s delayering efforts had the desired effect of bringing ingly endorse violence—and which are often cherry-picked by senior managers closer to GE’s front lines and reducing waste critics of the faith. By providing historical context and scholarly from managerial roles with no operating responsibility.” One analysis, the author convincingly shows Islam to be a religion could easily label this leadership tactic something other than that “promotes peaceful coexistence with non-Muslims.” The “friction,” but Dooley deftly relates the reorganization to his book is written with a general Western audience in mind, so core concept. Throughout the thoroughly engaging book are Islamic scholars will not find much that’s new here. However, “Friction Takeaways” that appropriately highlight pearls of wis- non-Muslims will find an accessible, reasoned case against dom. The examples used are clearly designed to turn doubters Western stereotypes. into believers that friction is a legitimate barrier in business. In A concise and effective work about Islam as a religion the volume’s conclusion, the author advises readers to “put on of peace. your goggles” to “see friction everywhere” and “eliminate it at every chance you get.” The writing is lively and the enthusiasm for the topic evident. A novel, refreshing way of characterizing business challenges.

| kirkus.com | indie | 1 september 2019 | 175 THE SCI-FI STORY WITH THE author’s prose reflects, as her unadorned writing conveys com- CAT IN IT plexities in straightforward terms. Carl’s immense popularity, Short Stories for example, stems from various factors, including his delivery: Fondakowski, Melissa “He was speaking from a low register, but not too low, and his Self (121 pp.) voice was pure and crisp, not too treble.” Short, futuristic tales bubbling with enticing characters and details. In this collection of four stories set in dystopian worlds, people endure diseases and furtive government control. SCATTERED PETALS Although the tales in this volume Ghose Chotani, Shibani don’t all take place in the same world or PartridgeIndia (362 pp.) time, there are similarities among them. In the opening story, $27.99 | $14.99 paper | $4.99 e-book “The Sight Mask,” it’s been three-quarters of a century since the Apr. 2, 2019 epidemic The Eye Death surfaced. People were suddenly going 978-1-5437-0510-2 blind and dying a few months later. Fortunately, Dr. Ayumi 978-1-5437-0509-6 paper Amador created Sight Masks that protected the populace and eventually became everyone’s sole technical device. But Ama- In this short story collection, women dor, who’s spent her life searching for a cure with no success, from different countries and walks of soon learns a telling secret about the Governing Council. The life undergo transformative experiences subsequent two tales, “Two Schools” and “Two Roads,” are through family and culture. companion pieces. In their shared world, global legislation has The female characters in the six sto- banned the written word, and people communicate via speech, ries in this volume have diverse back- videos, and pictures. Governments believed writings, primarily grounds but also numerous similarities. For example, Uma is a on “the Network,” were rife with mendacity and ultimately pre- married woman living in Calcutta in “Conscience,” and Mia of cipitated confrontation and mass murder. But viruses have split “Change” is a widowed Californian. But both women are teach- people into two groups: water-level and air-level. The former ers. And while Mia has lost her husband, Glen, Uma’s marriage has access to superior tech, but water folk are immune to the to Lalit is strained, as he’s rarely home. All the women daunt- viruses that plague air folk. “The Lottery”—the longest story lessly face significant changes, which often entail traveling to and the one starring the cat—is the tale of a future America, or living in other countries. In the opening tale, “From the now a Republic, and its popular television show The Lottery. Heart,” Min-Seo is a South Korean wife who moves to France Citizens have a chance to win $100 million, at first annually with her husband, Ji Hoon. She’s a sociable individual who now but eventually on a weekly basis. Unfortunately, this reputed feels withdrawn, as she struggles to communicate with people utopian nation, free of crime and unemployment, has an unsa- in an unfamiliar tongue. Likewise, in “Fourteen Days,” Indian vory underbelly involving more than just the feline-transmitted American Julie takes a trip to Calcutta, where her parents are Epsilon-A virus. from. She’s shocked when she realizes that her 14-year-old maid, Fondakowski (Out, 2017, etc.) simplifies her futuristic sto- Saras, in India doesn’t attend school. Julie is determined to help ries with minimal characters and concise histories of her worlds. her despite indifference from the girl’s employer. The female Two tales have plot turns that, while dramatically sound, are characters furthermore overcome the burden of other people’s predictable. But the author truly excels at shaping each story’s expectations. Saras, for one, ran away from home to evade an dystopia through marked characterization. “The Sight Mask,” arranged marriage when she was a mere 11 years old. In the for example, begins with a mother whose newborn may already same vein, both Mia’s mother and her son, Pierce, believe she be doomed, as a nurse is unable to affix a mask on the infant should date eligible Kyle, Glen’s former tennis partner. But Mia before she opens her eyes. The governments in “Schools” and asserts that she’s not lonely. Ghose Chotani (Pictures Through the “Roads” have vanquished sexism and homophobia by eliminat- Rearview Mirror, 2018) uses various cultures to enrich her tales. ing gender tags. But it seems discrimination still exists, with Whether they’re persevering in their own culture or immersed the water-level people a literal interpretation of the lower class. in an entirely new one, the women continually learn from their Fondakowski also uses nongender pronouns for every character experiences, which makes for dynamic characters and more in the two tales and deftly demonstrates other ways that players robust stories. The author’s detail-laden prose is expressive, can have distinction (like the “smart-ass” student in “Schools”). though occasionally verbose, like the description of a train This nevertheless makes the occasional slips into masculine or that passes “the platform and buildings, then, swiftly, picked feminine pronouns in both stories glaringly apparent. “The Lot- up speed, fast.” But she also infuses her stories with profun- tery” spotlights prospective winners as well as the show’s host, dity: “Life is about constant readjustment,” and anticipating Carl Kent, who has a “crisis of conscience” when he becomes that things will stay the same “is placing oneself in the puddle fed up with what the program is withholding from the audience. of ignorance.” But the governing body, as in the other tales, seems on the verge Six admirable female protagonists lead heartfelt and of totalitarianism even if citizens are unaware. It’s a subtlety the fulfilling tales.

176 | 1 september 2019 | indie | kirkus.com | Readers are furnished with a remarkable look at the political and cultural milieu of the ancient time. song of songs

SONG OF SONGS of both the fable and the details of the temple’s construction A Novel of the Queen is as historically creative as it is fictionally sweeping, a true of Sheba saga however flawed. Graham, Marc A notably original reinterpretation of an ancient leg- Amphorae Publishing Group (400 pp.) end ensconced within an epic tale of political power and $17.95 paper | $12.95 e-book romantic longing. Apr. 16, 2019 978-1-943075-57-7 DEFENDER OF THE A historical novel reimagines the story TEXAS FRONTIER of the Queen of Sheba as well as the con- A Historical Novel struction of the First Temple of Jerusalem. Gross, David R. Makeda, later known as the Queen of Sheba, is born of iUniverse (242 pp.) a union both lowly and regal: Her mother is a slave and her $13.99 paper | $3.99 e-book father, Karibil, is chieftain of Maryaba and mukarrib of all Apr. 4, 2019 Saba. An illegitimate child, she sees her half sister, Bilkis, over- 978-1-5320-7156-0 taken by a fierce flood. Karibil then marries Makeda’s mother, leaving the girl as his only child and the sole heir of her father’s Gross’ (A Mexican Adventure, 2017, authority. Years later, ruling over a peaceful Saba, Makeda etc.) latest historical novel traces the learns of a project underway in Yisrael to construct a temple formation and adventures of the Texas

out of stone, an engineering feat that could be replicated in Rangers during the Mexican War under the leadership of a bold young adult her realm to build a much-needed dam. She travels to Yisrael young man from Tennessee. in order to learn more and discovers that Bilkis, presumed The narrative opens in 1836 with John Caperton and John dead, is the queen there, and her son, Yahtadua, is the king, Coffee “Jack” Hays, two adventure-seeking 19-year-olds, having an accomplishment won through a series of machinations as drinks at a bar in Nacogdoches in the Republic of Texas. They’ve cruel as they were strategically brilliant, chillingly depicted been friends since they were young boys learning how to “live by Graham (Of Ashes and Dust, 2017). Bilkis sees an opportu- rough” in Tennessee; now they’ve joined a volunteer force to nity in her sibling’s fortuitous arrival. If Makeda would marry fight the Mexican Army. Before they go, Big Al Cranston, the Yahtadua and bear him a son, Bilkis could arrange to hoard town bully, threatens to punch Jack for smiling, and Jack shoots all the power for herself and her descendants: “You will not the man dead before he can even throw a punch. Caperton acts be queen here. Once you give Yahtadua a son, you may go as a narrator as Gross stitches together the events leading up back to that sand pit you love so much. The boy will remain to the Mexican War, highlighting Jack and an ensemble of real here, and when he comes of age he shall rule over Yisrael and and imaginary characters. Readers tag along on a mission to Saba and all the lands between.” But Makeda has no interest Goliad to scout for enemy soldiers in advance of Gen. Thomas in Yahtadua and has developed feelings for Yetzer, the mason Jefferson Rusk’s army and get an account of the Battle of Coleto, chiefly responsible for the building of the temple and a man in which more than 400 Texan soldiers, after surrendering, are loathed by Bilkis. massacred by the Mexican army. Similar vignettes offer detailed Graham acknowledges in an authorial note that he’s descriptions of Comanche culture, military aggression, and “taken generous liberties with the source material.” But that diplomacy with other Native American nations. By 1845, when artistic license never undermines the novel’s impressive his- Texas applies for statehood, Jack’s regiment of scouts is known torical authenticity—readers are furnished with a remarkable as Hays’ Texas Rangers and plays an important role in secur- look at the political and cultural milieu of the ancient time. ing the Texas border during the battles at Painted Rock and And even some of the more conspicuous historical depar- Monterrey. Gross’ novel is loaded with intriguing period detail, tures—the author imagines a polytheistic Yisrael—are both such as how Comanche hunters use every part of a slain buffalo captivating and defensible on scholarly grounds. The story except the heart, which, as war chief Buffalo Hump explains, “is itself is brimming with intrigue and ingeniously conjured, left to show the Creator of all things that our people are not although its soap-operatic entanglements can become densely greedy.” The plethora of names and locations detracts from complex and tedious to follow. In addition, Graham’s prose the action and may occasionally leave readers confused about can reach powerfully poetic heights, but it can also be pon- the time and place of particular events. Although the character derously melodramatic and would have benefited from a mea- development is minimal, except for Hays’, Gross’ descriptions sure of lighthearted leavening. Sometimes the dialogue reads consistently offer vivid imagery: “Our silent, measured, advance like it should be sonorously bellowed from a mountaintop or frustrated the war chief. He rode back and forth in front of his engraved in stone: “ ‘We may be forgotten,’ Yetzer said, ‘for- warriors, shouting at us.” saken by men, unnamed before the gods. But if only we know, An engaging fictionalized review of the fight for Texas if only we remember we are more than beasts, we will truly that should resonate with history buffs. have been men and our ka will speak for us before the scales of Mayat.’ ” Nevertheless, the author’s revisionist interpretation

| kirkus.com | indie | 1 september 2019 | 177

INTERVIEWS & PROFILES Kristen Ashley

READ, WRITE, GIVE: THIS WRITER’S EVOLUTION IN ROMANCE NOVELS By Rhett Morgan

When did you start writing, and what drew you to the romance genre? I started writing in my early 20s (that being nearly three decades ago). But I wanted to be a romance novelist from about the time I was 12 years old. As it happens, there were some bumps in my childhood. Things could get… unpredictable. I think, looking back, knowing that there was going to be an HEA (Happily Ever After), this was what drew me to the romance genre. It took hold and never let go.

For you, what makes a romance novel that really stands out? Voice, mindful writing, and, in many cases, taking risks. If someone has a unique voice, takes a chance with how they tell their story, really owns it, I’ll fall into their cadence and fall in love with their story.

What was the first book you released on your own? Rock Chick. I’d written or started and stopped a number of As a young girl, Kristen Ashley took advantage of her novels before that book. But the Rock Chick series was mother’s Harlequin Club membership, devouring ro- where I fully found my voice. mances delivered each month. As an adult, Ashley started to pen her own love stories to include women of differ- What have been the advantages to hybrid publishing? ent sizes, ages, and backgrounds. After self-publishing I get the best of all worlds. I have my projects that I have her first book in 2008, Ashley soon found herself with total control over, from content to cover design to mar- several bestsellers in the Rock Chick series, a Romantic keting. I have my projects where I get to work with peo- Times Book Reviews Reviewer’s Choice Award for Best Ro- ple who have huge amounts of experience in the business. mantic Suspense, and a hybrid publishing deal with the In this business, as in any, things change and they do it Hachette imprint Forever to start releasing certain titles rapidly. You cannot be an island in the publishing industry. traditionally. In her success and in her devoted online fol- That said, my babies [books] are my babies….This is lowing, Ashley saw the opportunity to give back to the probably why I’m mostly independently published. female readers who love the genre as much as she does. She founded the Rock Chick programs to foster a sense What inspired you to create the Rock Chick programs? of sisterhood among her fans and women in need while From the beginning, I had a variety of goals I wanted to also supporting various women’s charities. achieve with my books. To use my novels to guide wom-

178 | 1 september 2019 | indie | kirkus.com | en to see the beauty and worthiness in themselves. And more, to see around them the sisters who might be struggling with these issues and who might need support. After years of rejections, having a readership was something I didn’t expect. It’s a vast understatement to say it was meaningful. These aren’t my readers, they’re my sisters. Thus, I built the Rock Chick Nation, which HEALTHCARE IS MAKING has three programs [Rock Chick Rendezvous, Recharg- ME SICK es, and Rewards], all designed to further strengthen Learn the Rules To Regain the sisterhood. Rock Chick Rendezvous are essential- Control and Fight for Your Healthcare ly weekendlong parties. Rock Chick Recharges are in- Heiser, Scott R. timate evenings for women who have been nominat- Lioncrest Publishing (262 pp.) ed and deserve a night to be spoiled. And lastly, there $14.99 paper | $6.99 e-book Jun. 15, 2019 is Rock Chick Rewards, which are donations I give to 978-1-5445-1197-9 charities my readers nominate. A former health care industry insider offers tips for securing quality care without paying top dollar. What is the main goal behind these programs? As a consultant, debut author Heiser advised corporations Sisters supporting sisters. The mission statement reads: on how to cut their health care costs. In this book, he makes that service available to laypeople who may be perplexed by To live your best life, be true to your true self, recognize your their health insurance choices. The author notes that, due to beauty, and last, take your sister’s back whether she’s at your confusion and a sense of helplessness, today’s “consumers are… disenfranchised by the healthcare complex.” His aim is to show side or if she’s thousands of miles away and you don’t know them how to take their power back and become proactive

who she is. about their health. The book provides a brief history of third- young adult party health payments, beginning in the 1920s, and a useful rundown of the pros and cons of the Affordable Care Act. Heiser What are you working on next? tallies the average lifetime costs of medical treatment for men I’m back with Forever Romance at Grand Central Pub- and women, itemizing health care spending per year (which, lishing to launch the Dream series, which is a mashup combined, works out to be 17.9% of the U.S. gross domestic product), and lays out the expected prices of routine exams of my Rock Chick and Dream Men series. It feels like and catastrophic illnesses. It’s sobering to see these numbers a homecoming! set out so plainly; a premature birth, for example could set you back $235,245, while the high-end cost of leukemia treatment is $2.3 million. The best way to avoid astronomical medical Rhett Morgan is a writer and translator living in Paris. bills is to avoid getting sick, the author observes; to that end, he discusses the cornerstones of a healthy lifestyle—good diet, adequate exercise, not smoking, and reducing stress. However, he acknowledges that even the healthy and well prepared can fall victim to random illnesses, so it’s essential to have solid coverage. His invaluable comparison of health insurance plans includes clear definitions of jargon, and he also explains hospital markups, medical tourism, and alternative or supplemental insurance plans. He gives advice on how to choose a medical provider, what questions to ask before a procedure, and how to access lower-cost prescription drugs. Along the way, the pace is snappy, with short sentences, charts, bullet points, and rhetorical questions that make all the information easily digestible and never overwhelming. The informal, no-nonsense tone occasionally verges on impolite (“Get my point?”), but ultimately, this makes sense, as Heiser wants the reader to be a wise shop- per rather than a “passive participant in the system.” A conversational guide that simplifies complex health care options.

| kirkus.com | indie | 1 september 2019 | 179 THE FORGETTING FLOWER WHAT UNDERWEAR DOES A Hugg, Karen ZEBRA WEAR? Magnolia Press (296 pp.) Jokes for Kids $12.99 paper | $4.99 e-book Johnson, Henley Belle Jun. 18, 2019 Illus. by Dalbuz, Anna 978-0-578-48407-5 Ed. by Johnson, Elle Muliarchyk Self (34 pp.) In Hugg’s (Song of the Tree Hollow, $17.99 | $1.99 e-book | Jul. 10, 2018 2018) novel, a Polish-born Parisian in 978-0-692-12425-3 financial distress sells an unusual plant’s blooms to very dangerous people. A debut picture book delivers jokes The death of Alain Tolbert, a pos- for the preschool crowd. sible suicide, greatly saddens his neigh- Finding jokes that are both funny and make sense to bor Renia Baranczka, as he’d been her only friend in Paris. He younger readers can be a challenge. But Henley Belle Johnson— was also the best customer at Le Sanctuaire, the flower shop with help from her mother and editor, Elle Muliarchyk Johnson, that Renia manages. Its owner, Valentina Palomer, regularly and debut illustrator Dalbuz—captures that balance perfectly dips into the shop’s emergency funds, and the business is per- here. The title joke uses a pun on the animal’s name, linking it petually in debt. To solve her problems, Renia turns to an enig- to a sound-alike article of clothing (“A Z-BRA!”). The majority matic plant that her twin sister, Estera, calls “Violet Smoke.” of the jokes in the collection begin with an animal, using the Inhaling the fragrance from its flowers can make a person creature’s name (or the sound it makes) to complete a pun in forget certain events; Estera calls it a “memory trim.” Indeed, the punchline. The clever way of playing with sounds makes the Violet Smoke may be the reason for the siblings’ current the jokes accessible to younger readers. Helpful, color-printed estrangement. The plant can be addictive, and Renia fears that portions of dinosaur names are especially useful in offering pro- it may somehow have led to Alain’s death. But Estera’s unsa- nunciation clues to young listeners trying to guess the answers vory ex-boyfriend, Zbigniew “Zbiggy” Wójcik, is willing to pay to the questions posed. One Spanish joke—“What does grass handsomely for the flowers. This affords Renia some much- say to the gardener who waters it? GRASS-ias!”—shows readers needed funds, but it becomes clear that Zbiggy wants the that plays on words are not limited to English. Dalbuz’s brightly entire plant for himself. Hugg’s absorbing tale features under- colored cartoon images are silly fun and will keep youngsters stated traits from multiple genres. A mystery, for example, who can’t yet read giggling even if they don’t guess the punch- plays in the background as periodic flashbacks involving Renia lines. While the majority of the humans featured in the book and Estera, who’s not in Paris, gradually explain the twins’ have pale skin, one young joke teller and another background falling-out. In similar fashion, Renia’s increasing involvement character are people of color. The animals, particularly the with Zbiggy’s unnerving comrades slowly escalates the sus- dinosaurs, are far more diverse. pense. The characters are as bold as the flowers adorning Le This illustrated collection gives novice joke tellers— Sanctuaire; police officer Kateb is oddly elusive on specifics and their parents—some excellent puns to draw from. regarding Alain’s death while Valentina’s impudence is almost comical. The author’s sublime descriptions further enrich the story: Despite the supernatural Violet Smoke’s apparent unat- WORTHY HUMAN tractiveness, Hugg endearingly notes its “velvety petals” and Because You Are the how its leaves make the mature plant “seem newly born”; at Problem…and the Solution another point, she equates its twisty branches with “a lanky Litt, Tracy teenager dancing, bending its arms this way and that.” Lioncrest Publishing (250 pp.) Superb characters and alluring prose make for a truly $15.99 paper | $6.99 e-book | Jul. 5, 2019 exceptional read. 978-1-5445-0400-1

A self-help work that offers a lively discourse on freedom of choice. Hypnotherapist Litt makes a compelling case for self-determination in this debut work, suggesting that “you can change yourself and anything in your life that you want to.” In prose that’s both conversational and forceful, she asks such provocative questions as “Are you ready to wake up and become your own observer?” and “Are you ready to give yourself permission to be happy?” Answering these and similar queries requires self-assessment and introspection, but the author aims to assist readers by offering examples from her own life and practice, tendering

180 | 1 september 2019 | indie | kirkus.com | One of the most strikingly original aspects of the work is the priority assigned to management philosophy over technology. it strategy

compassionate, useful advice. Although much of the subject every proposal for significant, material projects or programs matter here is common in self-improvement books, the manner must define success by showing how the proposed initiative in which Litt packages the material is intriguingly different. She increases sales, reduces expenses, optimizes assets or mitigates organizes the work into eight chapters, each representing a life risk,” Maholic asserts. That bottom-line orientation under- choice. In a chapter on human thought, for instance, she dis- girds the overall IT scheme, which the author envisions as a cusses the concept of “mastering your mind,” and she includes three-dimensional cube, with its primary parts Foundations; helpful visuals of “thought loops,” depicting the decision-mak- Deliberations regarding technical, philosophical, and practical ing thought process and demonstrating the difference between concerns; and Vexations, the “forces opposing your strategy.” “an imprisoned mind and an empowered mind.” Another chapter Maholic has twice served as a CIO at different organiza- details “Life Suckers”—behaviors that “suck your energy…and tions and has worked for years as a management consultant, a keep you away from the profound happiness, joy, and success depth of experience that radiates from this analytically rigorous that you deserve.” Each chapter contains a helpful section titled and encyclopedic study. The book is written from the perspec- “The Work,” featuring exercises that often encourage readers tive of a manager of an IT division versus a technologist. One of to come to terms with their fears and perceived inadequacies. the most strikingly original aspects of the work is the priority Some of the book’s concepts particularly stand out, such as the assigned to management philosophy over technology: “Tech- notion of “Radical Personal Responsibility,” about which Litt nology is among the least critical aspects in driving the success writes, “You are the problem and the solution, the obstacle and of an IT Strategy. Technology is certainly relevant and holds a the answer, the pain and the relief.” Throughout the work, she central place in the strategy. But the success of your IT Strategy engagingly uses such abstract phrases to grab attention and is more dependent on the other Deliberation considerations then slyly explains their intended meaning. Overall, Litt shows than it is on technology.” Maholic doesn’t just provide philo-

herself to be an expressive, thoughtful, and candid writer. Her sophically broad counsel—he also furnishes helpfully detailed, young adult observations on human behavior are penetrating and insightful, immediately actionable instructions regarding a dizzying array and her belief in the human spirit is almost palpable. of subjects, often accompanied by diagrams. Unfortunately, the Inspirational, life-affirming, and infectiously exuberant. volume can lose focus, and as a result it’s bloated to well over 500 pages—he could have dispensed with establishing analogies between IT strategy and the machinations of chess and military IT STRATEGY planning. But his prose is consistently accessible and mercifully A 3-Dimensional Framework unburdened by gratuitously technical, business, or IT jargon. To Plan Your Digital And besides the work’s expansive scope, its principal strength is Transformation and Deliver the relentless way it emphasizes the significance of “value veloc- Value to Your Enterprise ity,” or the urgent need for a CIO to deliver measurable business Maholic, Jim results in a timely fashion. Maholic’s contribution is a standout Self (608 pp.) in a crowded field and should become the authoritative source $26.95 paper | May 12, 2019 on the subject. 978-1-09-798324-7 A consistently clear and notably thorough guide to IT strategy that should be on every chief information offi- A manual presents a comprehensive cer’s desk. strategy that situates information technology within the broader context of the business it serves. According to Maholic (Business Cases That Mean Business, THE WORK OF ART 2013), this is simultaneously a thrilling and harrowing time to Matthews, Mimi be a chief information officer in charge of IT strategy since the Perfectly Proper Press (390 pp.) executive can be both “the beneficiary and besieged warrior of $16.99 paper | $3.99 e-book rapidly advancing technology.” A wide-ranging strategy is abso- Jul. 23, 2019 lutely necessary, but a universally effective one that accommo- 978-1-73305-691-5 dates all circumstances doesn’t exist—“different current states, different desired future states and different organizational In this romance set in the early 19th structures” render that impossible in principle. Instead, the century, a young woman finds herself pur- author articulates with astonishingly impressive thoroughness sued by an uncouth and relentless duke and clarity the general framework within which such a scheme who’ll stop at nothing to possess her. should be constructed. Maholic argues that an IT division’s Once her grandfather dies, Phyllida purpose is to serve the greater mission of the organization that Satterthwaite is left alone in the world houses it, and so a CIO must think like a CEO, always under- as well as virtually penniless—both of her parents died shortly standing technology in light of the demands of business. The after she was born. She’s taken into the care of her uncle, author uses an acronym to capture this orientation, SEAR, Edgar Townsend, who lets her modest estate in the country which represents the four pillars of any business strategy: sales, and brings her to London to pair her with a husband. Unfor- expenses, assets, and risks. “The SEAR imperative states that tunately, the duke of Moreland takes an avid interest in her, a

| kirkus.com | indie | 1 september 2019 | 181 man so notorious for his maniacal pursuit of objects of beauty named Sal-Beth, and he now cherishes an iridescent stone she he’s nicknamed “the Collector.” Phyllida, now his quarry, left to him. When the boys find a magically defended cave becomes known as the “Work of Art.” The duke is an unreserv- in the forest, will they begin unraveling the world’s secrets edly unsavory human being—he beats dogs and is suspected or merely become two more victims in a war spanning gen- of murdering his wife. Phyllida refuses his hand in marriage, erations? Though Leisa Maxwell and Elora Maxwell’s debut but the duke makes it clear he never asked for it in the first features numerous time-tested fantasy elements—talking place. Edgar likewise views their union as a financial transac- animals; a shadowy, immortal evil; copious traveling—these tion, one for which the duke paid handsomely. She turns to tropes retain a winsome fervor that’ll delight readers new to Capt. Arthur Heywood, a friendly acquaintance, for help, and the genre. A keen sense of drama introduces a cloaked figure he chivalrously offers to wed her, a “marriage in name only” as Lana Dorsen, aka Dragon Girl. Likewise, the story’s true that rescues her from the duke’s salacious attention. But the villain, once revealed, is “a predator blooded with a power so duke is not so easily defeated, and the new pair is threatened terrifying” that the heroes feel “it pulsing against their skin.” by the prospect of his “swift and brutal retaliation.” The duke Central to the narrative is the bond that forms between Alton remains a hyperbolically unsubtle caricature in an otherwise and Lana, two orphans whose tragic pasts never extinguish intelligently nuanced novel by Matthews (A Modest Indepen- their spirits. The final third provides a murderous kick, and dence, 2019). The author seamlessly combines a suspenseful tale though it’s reversed in the end, it proves that the authors are and a soaring romance, the plot by turns sweetly moving and willing to play rough with their creations. The novel’s final line dramatically stirring. The relationship between Phyllida and sweetly echoes its first. Arthur is especially well crafted—what was initially a partner- Packed with tropes exuberantly executed. ship borne out of practicality and mutual respect slowly shows promise of blossoming into something more transcendent. Occasionally, Matthews can be a bit heavy-handed with her SICK KIDS IN LOVE narrative commentary; for example, she feels the need, after Moskowitz, Hannah repeatedly making the point that the duke sees Phyllida as a Entangled: Teen (300 pp.) trophy rather than a person, to tell readers that she really isn’t: $17.99 | Nov. 5, 2019 “But she was no painting. She was a human being.” Neverthe- 978-1-64063-732-0 less, the story as a whole is filled with tenderness and intrigue and is sure to delight lovers of the genre. Two chronically ill teens navigate the A thoughtfully executed tale that perceptively dra- joys and pitfalls of a relationship in this matizes the tension between the demands of love and YA contemporary romance. commerce. Of all the places where 16-year-old Isabel Garfinkel could meet a cute boy, the Ambulatory Medical Unit at Line- NEVERLASTING field and West Memorial Hospital in the Queens borough of Once Upon a Time New York City, wouldn’t seem the most likely. It’s her second Maxwell, Leisa & Maxwell, Elora time in the “drip room,” as it’s called, where she gets monthly Manuscript infusions to treat the rheumatoid arthritis that she’s had for 11 years. This time, though, she can’t help staring at a new patient there—a boy her age named Sasha Sverdlov-Deckler. In this YA fantasy debut, a quartet of She likes his quirky, appealing looks and wry sense of humor, heroes confronts an evil that has pitted and they bond over the fact that they’re both Jewish. Sasha two kingdoms against each other. has a rare genetic disorder called Gaucher disease, which In the kingdom of Hestia, 15-year- isn’t fatal, in his case, but causes severe anemia, weak bones, old Alton Krishnac works as a farmhand and other problems. Although Isabel has several close and for the cruel Reswan family. He and well-meaning friends, she doesn’t have anyone who really Tristan, his 10-year-old brother, used to live in the Cursed For- understands what it’s like “to deal with the everyday slog of est until a fire killed their parents. Alton watches King Ardes- being sick.” She and Sasha hit it off, but she’s emotionally ribe’s men return the body of the Reswans’ son, James, from guarded and dislikes risks, and as a result, she doesn’t date. fighting in Rothilion. Hestia battles a centuries-old enemy in Sasha is patient and sweet, and their romance grows; amid the Aydar, a race of magic wielders who live in the north. More a few arguments and setbacks, they forge a bond that gets horrifying, James’ corpse bears the brand of the Dragon Girl, them through their problems. As the advice columnist for an elusive witch whom King Ardesribe blames for everything her high school paper, Isabel asks questions and gathers oth- from earthquakes to the potato blight. He sends his daugh- ers’ responses; by the end of the novel, she’s comfortable with ter, Princess Elspeth, to the Reswan farm with a command for not having all the answers. Moskowitz (Salt, 2018, etc.) does Alton and Tristan to set a trap for the Dragon Girl. Despite a splendid job of showing what the world looks like to the his nation’s hatred of the Aydar, Alton believes some of them chronically but invisibly ill. For example, Isabel is often tired must be good. His mother had been friends with an Aydarian and aching, and she fears the judgment of others; she notes

182 | 1 september 2019 | indie | kirkus.com | In lyrical and sometimes-unsettling third-person narration, Orem offers dark speculations on the life and mind of Bram Stoker. miss lucy

that even her physician father would question her getting a MISS LUCY cab to go 15 blocks, a walkable distance for many, including Orem, William people who are old or pregnant and “people with arthritis Gival Press (232 pp.) who are just better than me.” Overall, the excellent character development lends depth and sweetness to the romance. Isa- Orem (Killer of Crying Deer, 2010, bel’s relationship with Sasha helps her fight self-doubt and etc.) delivers a fictionalized account of stand up for herself with laudable vigor, yet the novel never the life of Dracula author Bram Stoker feels didactic. and the incidents that led him to create A highly recommended work that’s thoughtful, funny, one of literature’s greatest monsters. wise, and tender. How does a single story command the high and low, the beautiful and the ghastly, the sacred and the profane? Or, WHAT DOG IS THAT? as this novel asks, how does a single man contain these multi- Nicholls, Lois tudes? In flowing, lyrical, and sometimes-unsettling third-per- Illus. by Nicholls, Lara son narration, Orem offers dark speculations on the life and bee kind press (24 pp.) mind of Abraham “Bram” Stoker. As the novel tells it, Bram is May 2, 2019 haunted from a young age—first by his own childhood illness 978-0-9804868-6-5 and then, possibly, by literal ghosts. Despite the fact that his father seemed to give up on the possibility that he’d thrive or Australian author Lois Nicholls (Bye-bye Bikini, 2018, etc.) succeed in life, Stoker eventually joins the Lyceum Theatre as an and illustrator Lara Nicholls (Aussie, Actually, 2012), a mother- aide to renowned actor Henry Irving. But life behind the foot- young adult daughter team, celebrate lovable canines in rhyme in their pic- lights is not all well, and although Bram gets the opportunity to ture book. mix with high society and literary idols such as Arthur Conan Tarna, a golden retriever, pals around with her human Doyle, Walt Whitman, and Oscar Wilde, he remains very much friend until he realizes that the dog’s gotten “quite smelly”— in Irving’s shadow. The book is at its most powerful when the possibly from being in the paddock past the pond. Kane, a distant narration combines with Bram’s psychology to create a Great Dane, is “Not a pony...that’s BALONEY!” In nine rhym- feverish, even horrifying landscape of thought; on the one hand, ing poems with full-color paintings, the Nichollses introduce Bram idolizes Irving and treasures his own proximity to great- readers to a range of different dogs. The pups are of varied ness, but on the other, he’s sickened by his own lack of literary breeds, including apparent daisy-dog mutts and a golden- success and seems overcome by envy. He’s also shown to be torn doodle (aka a groodle) as well as a more common Jack Russell between his wife, Florence—a beautiful, aristocratic woman terrier and a beagle. They all have diverse personalities and who’s emblematic of the society he wishes to join—and Lujzi expressions: French bulldog Philippe loves cafes and “bling”; Sido, a sweatshop worker who lives in squalid conditions but beagle Bonny is an adventurous traveler. The paintings are who makes him feel more alive than anyone else does. Personal realistic and endearing, and each features a tiny bee for hid- and historical parallels later appear in Stoker’s greatest work, as den-object searchers. The poems have intriguingly offbeat faith, class differences, violence, beauty, and death coalesce in rhyme schemes; they may require practice for proper empha- the figure of Dracula. But intriguingly, where Bram sees himself sis when read aloud. Some words are italicized, boldfaced, or in that tale remains a constantly moving target. capitalized, a distracting device that may confuse some newly A brilliant and imaginative tale of love, death, and independent readers. Vocabulary terms such as “torte” are literature. defined in footnotes while other potentially unfamiliar words, such as the aforementioned “paddock,” are left unexplained. The book’s charming paintings will draw in animal lov- THE ROGUE KING ers, and the poems’ catchy, irregular rhythms will encour- Inferno Rising age recitation. Owen, Abigail Entangled: Amara (400 pp.) $7.99 paper | $3.99 e-book | Jul. 30, 2019 978-1-64063-531-9

A dragon shifter and exiled king gets more than he bargained for when he discovers a fiery and passionate phoenix in this paranormal romance. Brand Astarot, a dragon shifter and rightful heir to his family’s gold throne, is driven by a single goal. He seeks revenge against Uther Hagan, the man responsible for the murders of his parents and siblings and the loss of his

| kirkus.com | indie | 1 september 2019 | 183 clan’s throne. For centuries, Brand has worked as a mercenary with a representation of a different element—water, light, and for King Ladon Ormarr, accepting the toughest assignments earth—and they soon discover that lifting the respective lids while developing a plan to avenge the killings. His latest mis- causes those elements to pour forth. The trio consults Grandpa sion takes him to a medical facility in Cheyenne, Wyoming, Stone, who has helped them in the past. In medieval Albion, and a young woman described as a “supernova” by a staff mem- meanwhile, the sorceress Hextilda wreaks havoc in Camelot as ber. The patient is Kasia Amon, a rare phoenix whose powers revenge for her parents’ murders by the king. The wizard Azahti include prophetic visions. If Brand brings Kasia to Ladon, he plans to recover the three pieces of the magical artifact called will secure the support of the king’s clan and have the leverage The Treskelion to defeat Hextilda. He has help from Sophokles, he needs to defeat Uther. But Kasia is accustomed to life on an owl, and Bianor, a dragon, but he also envisions the arrival of the run, and she escapes from the facility. Undeterred, Brand three children from “another existence” who will be instrumen- pursues her, and they embark on a harrowing journey to Ladon’s tal to his cause. In this installment, Procopio’s heroes are hardly clan in Ben Nevis, Scotland. Along the way, they discover they any older but quite a bit wiser when it comes to dealing with share a powerful and profound physical and emotional con- magical objects and situations. Still, the kids finish their home- nection. Although Brand promised Kasia to Ladon, his desire work and chores and get practical advice from Grandpa Stone to claim her as his mate leads him to reconsider this scheme. (“Never start smoking and you’ll avoid health issues later in life”). When Uther discovers Kasia is a phoenix, Brand is locked in The suspense of when and how the crew will travel to Camelot a race to protect the woman he loves. This first installment of is amplified by the presence of Tory’s eccentric Aunt Flossy. Pro- Owen’s (The Rookie, 2019, etc.) Inferno Rising series is an engag- copio’s prose is a vocabulary builder, as when Chelzy uses the ing and compulsively readable love story with the right mix of word “concomitant,” to Matthew’s surprise. Later, in the Forest action and eroticism. Kasia and Brand are appealing protago- of Desperate Souls, Azahti eloquently tells the children about nists whose slow-burn romance is punctuated by passionate peace, saying, “Many living people have it right before them but chemistry and spirited and witty dialogue (“Who put you in do not recognize it or cherish it.” A crisp finale—and the hint of charge?” “I’m your mate.” “That doesn’t mean a damn thing, liz- summer vacation shenanigans—prepares readers for a potential ard boy”). They are surrounded by a large and well-developed future volume. cast of supporting characters and a panoply of supernatural Intellectually curious preteens model heroism in this beings, including Brand’s friend and protector Ladon; Hershel, engaging fantasy tale. a demon who runs a very unusual biker bar; and Pytheios Chan- dali, a king who wanted Kasia’s mother, Serefina, and ultimately murdered her father. The sprawling narrative takes Kasia and ACCORDION STORIES FROM Brand on a long journey from Wyoming to Scotland, but the THE HEART author’s confident storytelling keeps the narrative moving at a Ramunni, Angelo Paul brisk clip. The novel is perfect for fans of Sherrilyn Kenyon and Photos by Homolka, Jerry Kelley Armstrong. Self (170 pp.) An irresistibly sexy suspense tale. $39.95 | Sep. 1, 2018 978-0-9761766-1-9

CHELZY STONE’S A coffee-table book pays tribute to MEDIEVAL QUEST the accordion and the people who have Procopio, Lucille been enchanted by its “calming and RoseLamp Publications (260 pp.) happy voice.” $14.95 paper | $7.99 e-book This beautifully designed work by Ramunni (Left Turn, Nov. 18, 2015 Right Turn, U-Turn, 2011) chronicles his efforts—in conjunc- 978-0-9860607-1-7 tion with the New England Accordion Connection & Museum in Canaan, Connecticut—to amass a large collection of accor- Procopio’s (Chelzy Stone’s Mystical dions. An unexpected but moving byproduct of this project Quest in the Lost and Found Game, 2013) is a large assemblage of stories about the people who sold or middle-grade sequel brings the trio donated those instruments to the museum. The author is a of adventurers to a medieval Camelot life-long accordion aficionado himself, here remembering the under threat. teasing he got for playing “the squeezebox” while growing up on Sixth-grader Tory Herold has an uncle who collects Long Island in the 1950s and ’60s. The museum offers visitors antiques. Uncle Tony’s latest find is a game stored in a beauti- a chance to play accordions. In the course of those encounters, ful chest. The seller tells him that it “will only open for a young Ramunni has often seen people awash in sentimental memories person or someone on a quest for something extraordinary.” of embracing the instruments when they were younger: “It is Tory and her friends Chelzy and Matthew Stone (who are in often like seeing two people, who were the best of friends in the 5th and 7th grades, respectively) wait a few weeks until their childhood, suddenly meet again by chance after being spring break before opening it, expecting another otherworldly apart for many years. It can be an emotional time.” Those adventure. The chest reveals three smaller boxes, each engraved heightened feelings of recognition and nostalgia run through

184 | 1 september 2019 | indie | kirkus.com | Rana does a fine job of capturing the emotions of the characters, making the novel a satisfying, if bleak, read. wild boar in the cane field

many of the tales the author relates. A woman named Carol from the bodies and disappeared behind the bushes.” Rana is tells him about her Uncle Vinnie, who only knew how to per- a vivid writer with a talent for evocative metaphors (“Tea stains form three songs on the accordion he was eventually buried are nothing compared with how my life has been marked”), and with. There’s a story of a man who taught himself to play the her prose is full of intimate, detailed descriptions that make the instrument while sitting in a coal shed; a heartwarming reminis- book’s rural setting come to life. The story isn’t a happy one, cence revolves around a survivor of Russia’s Communist regime so readers should expect to encounter a constant stream of who was left virtually nothing by the state except his accordion. malaise throughout the book, which takes place in the some- Readers also learn about a valuable accordion presented to Pope what recent past; there are televisions but no computers. Tara’s Pius XII in 1943. arrogance (“She looked old, and I felt even more beautiful. But The author clearly doesn’t intend his book to be a history I didn’t have enough feelings to feel sorry for her”) makes her of the accordion. He makes passing reference to its surprising both compelling and unsympathetic as a protagonist, and her antiquity, dating back to ancient China, but his focus is on far frequent complaints may wear on the reader. Still, Rana does a more recent and mostly American conceptions of the instru- fine job of capturing the emotions of the characters, making it a ment. In addition, he doesn’t see this slim volume as any kind satisfying, if bleak, read. of study of accordion music or the mechanics of the instrument. A coming-of-age story that blends excellent prose with This is an entirely inviting, beginner-friendly work, one that a downbeat plot. seeks to spread the word rather than instruct specialists. “Just as we have a heart beat as generated by our hearts,” Ramunni writes, “the accordion has a tempo that we give it every time we HINDSIGHT play a song.” The gallery of short, richly impressionistic stories Coming of Age on the Streets

the author has heard in his quest to add accordions to his enor- of Hollywood young adult mous collection serves to stress the strong communal aspect of Recinos, Sheryl both the music and the instruments. The sheer love and passion Self (388 pp.) involved are easily visible in the lavish book’s dozens of color $18.00 paper | $9.99 e-book images by debut photographer Homolka of gorgeous accordi- Oct. 3, 2018 ons, some of them as intricately exquisite as any prized violin or 978-1-73285-000-2 piano. And that enthusiasm is mirrored in the vibrant vignettes the owners shared with Ramunni—tales of family, wine, cel- A writer recounts her experiences of ebration, and love. adolescent homelessness in this coming- A vivid and surprisingly involving work about accordi- of-age memoir. ons and the stories they inspire. At the age of 5, Recinos (Haiku, 2019, etc.) already knew she wanted new parents. Her father’s frequent rages and her mother’s erratic behavior stemming from bipolar disorder had WILD BOAR IN THE already driven three of her older siblings from the house. When CANE FIELD she was 8, her mother took her and her remaining brother to Rana, Anniqua a trailer to hide out from their father. A few weeks later, after She Writes Press (238 pp.) the heater broke, her mother left the two children alone on $16.95 paper | Sep. 17, 2019 the side of a mountain road. Her parents divorced; her mother 978-1-63152-668-8 was in and out of hospitals; and her father soon remarried. Her father had the author hospitalized at 11, where she met other An orphaned girl lives an eventful life troubled youth in group therapy: “I’d quizzed the older kids on in rural Punjab in Rana’s debut novel. foster care, group homes, running away. I was learning about Tara lives in a Punjabi village with alcohol, marijuana, and harder drugs. I didn’t want to try drugs, Bibi Saffiya and Saffiya’s servant Amman but alcohol sounded like it might be a nice change from feel- Bhaggan, who found the infant Tara ing trapped. I wanted to feel free.” As her life became increas- abandoned on a train. The girl grows up in a position that’s part ingly unbearable, Recinos began routinely running away from daughter and part servant, raised alongside Bhaggan’s three sons home. At 13, while hitchhiking to California, she was raped and Maria, the daughter of laborers who work for Saffiya. Tara by an ex-convict. She was soon placed in the care of the state, is convinced that she deserves the best in life, like the attention bouncing between juvenile detention, foster parents, and group of Sultan, Bhaggan’s eldest son, even though he has no interest residences before becoming homeless at 16. Drifting across the in her. Her pursuit of him ends in tragedy—one of many in the country and developing a drinking problem, she befriended book. In an effort to avoid becoming the second wife of an abu- other girls with similar lives and backgrounds as her own, one of sive man, Tara sleeps with Bhaggan’s second son, Taaj, and ends whom was later brutally murdered by her boyfriend. At 17, the up marrying the third, Malik, but further losses await the char- author found herself pregnant with few options. She needed to acters, and the book’s final section is narrated by the swarms figure out a way to get sober and off the street, if not for her, of flies that have been observing Tara and the other characters then for her unborn child. throughout their lives: “We, the flies, disentangled ourselves Recinos’ prose is haunting and oftentimes surreal, as in this

| kirkus.com | indie | 1 september 2019 | 185 account of her pet rat and an attempted rape by a truck driver: and features moments of unexpected beauty, as here when he “I woke up in the early morning hours to find the truck driver describes being stationed across the border from Basra, Iraq: trying to unbutton my pants. My eyes flew open, and my knee “Under blackout conditions, from our highest perimeter wall, I kicked him hard in the groin. My rat was standing up on top of still couldn’t see the lights of Basra, just a lime-green smudge in me, staring at him. He mumbled those unforgettable words; ‘I a sky punctured by hard stars that made it look like a nebula.” was going to rape you, but then I saw your rat.’ ” The volume As much an account of America’s involvement in Kuwait and gives a highly detailed picture of the experience of homeless- Iraq as it is a personal narrative, the book provides a human- ness among teenage girls in all its horrid complexities. It also izing insight into the individuals who fight the nation’s wars and demonstrates the ways that youthful traumas, when unad- the deeper motivations that explain why they do so. dressed, can fester and cause increasingly severe problems as A compelling and well-crafted combination of history children age. The author’s portraits of her family, friends, and and autobiography. the many people she met along the way are rich and often heart- rending, as is the frankness with which she discusses their misfortunes. It’s a long book (over 370 pages), but it is never boring, MICROSOFT WORD IN and readers will leave it feeling that they have lived every year 30 MINUTES right along with Recinos. The fact that her story has a surpris- Make a Bigger Impact With ingly happy ending (as the initials “MD” after her name on the Your Documents and Master memoir’s cover attest) does little to blunt the sting that this the Writing, Formatting, and gritty narrative of homelessness and young womanhood leaves Collaboration Tools in Word in its wake. 2019 and Word Online A perceptive and moving account of growing up fast in Rose, Angela harsh conditions. i30 Media (104 pp.) $19.99 | $12.99 paper | $8.99 e-book Apr. 2, 2018 BAGHDADDY 978-1-64188-030-5 How Saddam Hussein Taught 978-1-64188-029-9 paper Me To Be a Better Father Riley, Bill Part of a series on computer programs and social media Brown Books Publishing Group platforms, this guide teaches the basics of Microsoft Word and (456 pp.) gives tips for making the most of it. $26.95 | $9.99 e-book | May 7, 2019 Rose (PowerPoint Basics in 30 Minutes, 2017, etc.) is devoted 978-1-61254-292-8 to Microsoft Word. “I cannot imagine working as a freelance writer without it,” she maintains. Anticipating anxiety about A kid with a difficult childhood upgrading to Word 2019, she reassures readers that it’s familiar learns to be a capable Air Force officer from the 2013 and 2016 versions: “The interface is super intui- and father in this debut military memoir. tive and a snap to learn.” Throughout this second edition of her Saddam Hussein is not often cited as an influence in child- manual, she helpfully notes the differences between the Win- rearing tactics, but retired Lt. Col. Riley learned some relevant dows and Mac versions and discusses the particulars of Word lessons during the decade-plus he spent serving as part of the Online, which is free to access but has “reduced functionality.” bulwark against the dictator’s rule. “I saw firsthand what Sad- From the Backstage view through the customizable Ribbon dam Hussein did to Kuwait by traveling it from end to end, and to document protection options, the book covers everything I touched the scars he left behind,” recalls the author of the tour that beginners need to know while peppering in “Protips” that he spent in Kuwait in 1999, right before his son was born. “I also will help intermediate users employ Word more effectively. spent time with survivors of the invasion who were building a Acknowledging that the software may be used in academic, good life for themselves and a better Kuwait.” This mission— office, and personal settings, the work highlights a wide range cleaning up the destruction left behind by a figure of authority— of features, such as utilizing citation tools, applying styles and mirrored, to some extent, the work Riley had been doing since themes to a whole document, converting text to a table, insert- his own childhood, and it gave him the confidence he needed ing photos and videos, and operating the new Draw feature. for his own impending fatherhood. With this memoir, he tells Screenshots serve as apt illustrations. At times, the volume of his formative years with his violent, mentally ill mother and appears a little too basic (like a “For Dummies” guide), as in often absent father and how their combustive household led “press the Word 2019 icon on your desktop,” and “check to see if him to seek the structure of the Air Force. During his career as your printer is turned on.” Certain tasks, such as applying bold an intelligence analyst—a job that was largely defined by Amer- or italics, are so self-explanatory they hardly warrant a mention. ica’s wars against the Iraqi strongman—the author evolved Rose doesn’t always seem attuned to contemporary computer from a kid out of high school seeking validation to an expert use patterns—“You will eventually want to print the document” in his field. More importantly, he grew to be the kind of man isn’t true in an increasingly paperless society. Some readers may who did not pass on the sins of his parents. Riley’s prose is exact find her persistent cat stories annoying, too. Such authorial

186 | 1 september 2019 | indie | kirkus.com | The guide’s tone is consistently positive and encouraging even when the author discusses touchy topics. my toddler’s first words

presence (including “I personally…” usage notes) is unneces- GLOWFLIES ON THE FACE sary in a software guide, though it makes for a conversational OF GOD tone. The end matter—including an index and an appendix of Sidanius, Miriam keyboard shortcuts—is particularly helpful, as is the advice on Manuscript document recovery. Despite the title, plan on needing closer to an hour to work through the book. A spacegoing researcher who studies Microsoft Word made simple in this valuable, user- the religious folklore of aliens danger- friendly manual. ously violates noninterference protocols. Sidanius’ (Five Blocks Down, 2016) sci-fi novel introduces Li, part ofa MY TODDLER’S nomadic race called Spacefarers. Eons FIRST WORDS ago, their king refused a god’s harsh com- A Step-by-Step Guide mand to sacrifice a child. As punishment, their home world to Jump-Start, Track, became engulfed by their sun, with the Spacefarers taking to and Expand Your the stars. Now, with evolved bodies granting them translucent Toddler’s Language forms that allow chameleonlike camouflage, they travel the Scanlon, Kimberly O. cosmos as secret recorders of traditions and folktales of alien CreateSpace (146 pp.) species—especially recurring “sacrifice narratives.” It turns $12.95 paper | May 24, 2019 out that many species hear deities demanding the ritualistic 978-1-978371-90-3 killings of animals or their own kind. Li is more sensitive than

most Spacefarers after witnessing numerous slaughters. On young adult Scanlon (Gratitude Journal for Kids, 2019, etc.), a pediatric speech- the drought-stricken world of Plena, she monitors a “holy man” language pathologist, presents a guide to help parents understand, called Bram about to kill his own son to appease the heavens. analyze, and enhance their children’s language development. Unable to stand by impartially, Li calls from her hiding place Learning one’s native tongue is an integral part of child- and prevents the sacrifice. Subsequently, she is tormented by hood—and one that often worries parents. Scanlon has created her action and whether to tell her superiors that she violated a rich handbook and workbook to give parents “competence a prime directive of noninterference. Moreover, Li receives and confidence” in language instruction. She begins by educat- visions of lives and mores on Plena drastically altered by her ing readers about early childhood language in order to show meddling. This novel is, of course, an adaptation of the Old Tes- parents what to expect from their children and thus select tament tale of Abraham (Bram) and Isaac. But the book never appropriate “target words” for them. The author also provides becomes a hoary, sci-fi shaggy god story with rocket-ship ver- four work sheets, designed to quickly analyze a toddler’s current sions of Adam, Eve, or Noah as the punchlines. Sidanius’ prose level of language learning and determine directions for future is limpid and unhurried (perhaps a trifle too unhurried) and suf- growth. The next section is vital, as it lays out eight techniques fused with melancholy as Spacefarers gather centuries of eth- to elicit first words (such as “Pause in Anticipation” and “Imi- nographic data. This is apparently a bid to come to existential tate, imitate, imitate”) as well as tips on creating a language-rich terms with their own expelled-from-Eden condition (nobody environment. Parents may already be employing some of these discusses investigating the mysterious holy spirits). There’s an techniques on their own, but Scanlon effectively demonstrates ever-so-metaphorical detail that to survive space, the Spacefar- each one to give readers clear notions of her language-enriching ers’ adapted anatomy eliminated hearts—though conscience- tools. The ideas for creating a language-rich environment, such stricken Li continually feels twinges from her “phantom” one. as “hanging interesting pictures, postcards, maps, or photo- Her empathetic qualities make her shed the cold impartiality graphs on walls…and chatting about them,” seem particularly of a detached field researcher. While traditional sci-fi notions— beneficial. Finally, Scanlon provides a 30-day workbook that Einsteinian relativity and quantum entanglement—figure into includes weekly planning sections and reviews and simple, the plot, there seems to be a deliberate attempt to steer clear repeated questions for each day, such as “What three things did of the white-lab-coat exposition of hard sci-fi and technology I do today to encourage my toddler’s first words?” and “What and render the material fablelike. Even when Li takes desperate will I do tomorrow to stimulate or further develop my toddler’s action, it’s far from zap guns and straining warp engines. Fans of first words?” Throughout, the author draws heavily on peer- Ursula K. Le Guin, Doris Lessing, and other humanist, anthro- reviewed research, yet she always makes the material easy to pology-minded sci-fi masters are the ideal readership. comprehend. The tone is consistently positive and encouraging An intriguing, introspective, and parablelike sci-fi/ even when the author discusses touchy topics, such as limiting fantasy tale with moralistic edgings, more idea-based than screen time. Lastly, the work’s intuitive organization and cre- thrill-oriented. ative formatting make it a comfortable reading experience. An exceptional parenting book with clear-cut applications.

| kirkus.com | indie | 1 september 2019 | 187 WRITING IS ESSENTIAL CONCESSION STREET Use the Skills You’ve Got To SECRETS Get the Job Done Smith, Ralph F. Ed. by Slaughter, Judine FriesenPress (300 pp.) United Black Writers Association $22.99 | $13.99 paper | $4.99 e-book (100 pp.) Apr. 17, 2019 $17.95 paper | $7.99 e-book 978-1-5255-4754-6 Sep. 30, 2019 978-1-5255-4755-3 paper 978-1-73397-670-1 In this historical mystery, an inter- The founder of a nonprofit group sex detective attempts to save her unre- for African American writers interviews quited love from execution. diverse authors about their journeys to publication. Canada, 1868. Alex O’Shea really wants to be a detective Slaughter (Clear Skinned, 2002) founded the United Black but instead works as a journalist and novelist, authoring myster- Writers Association after realizing that she “didn’t see many ies to satisfy his crime-solving urges. While on assignment in people of color presenting at writer’s conferences.” In this Ottawa, he encounters a woman dressed in black who seems not inspiring book—the organization’s first publication—she sits to know where she is despite having lived all her life in the town. down with a half-dozen authors in a range of genres to talk Mary Baker is kept as a veritable prisoner in her house by her about their backgrounds, processes, paths to getting pub- own relatives, and the smitten Alex feels compelled to discover lished, and suggestions for novices. The core message: “just more about her. Eliza Malkins works as a printer for a Kings- write!” Each interview is presented in a Q-and-A format, with ton newspaper, where her male co-workers ridicule her large Slaughter quizzing participants about the writing life. One size and resent her for doing “a job that rightfully belonged to a woman wrote a picture book inspired by stories her father told man.” She has feelings for Alex but fears to act on them due to her. Another turned to producing fiction after a layoff, and a her secret: She has both male and female sexual organs. When third explains that his books were born from his experiences the death of her mother finally allows her the opportunity to as a minister. Every author has a different history, but the over- try something new, Eliza decides to live as a man named Timo- arching theme is the same—that some tales need to be told and thy Fairlight. As Tim, she aids Alex in his ever-more-obsessive that with persistence and concentration, writers can see their investigation into the lives of the Bakers until, in an ironic words come to life on the page. This urge to share stories is par- twist of events, Alex becomes the suspect in a murder. Now ticularly acute for black authors, who are wrestling with a long Eliza—or rather, Tim—must assume the role of sleuth to prove legacy of being silenced. “This work has to be done. Our his- Alex’s innocence. Smith’s (Deep Bright, 2013) prose is delight- tory is in the social landscape. We have to write about it,” says fully ominous, creating a gothic atmosphere that adeptly recalls Angela Puryear-McDuffie, who collected tales from people in the novel’s Victorian setting: “The street was deserted. The tall her Washington, D.C., neighborhood in order to craft a narra- houses seemed to be leaning over to conspire with each other. tive history of the community. Several writers are self-published He stepped in horse manure and used a pocket handkerchief while others opted for a more traditional route. But all have to wipe it off. He risked walking under a streetlight to read his sage counsel for beginners about the importance of discipline pocket watch, 11:58.” The identity-shifting Eliza makes for an and the value of a good editor. They also share tips on marketing intriguing hero with desires that are simultaneously familiar a work and balancing writing with a 9-to-5 career. While those and complex. While the other characters mostly hew closely to seeking nuts-and-bolts advice might not find what they’re look- their archetypes, the story is satisfying in the heightened way ing for here, Slaughter provides a beneficial service by showing of a good whodunit. In the author’s capable hands, Ottawa and how authors turned their ideas into books. Though focused Kingston have never seemed so mysterious. specifically on African American writers, any reader dreaming A moody gothic tale that deftly explores gender fluidity about becoming an author will find support here. in a genre setting. Everyone has a story and anyone can become an author according to this encouraging and worthy book.

188 | 1 september 2019 | indie | kirkus.com | The protagonist’s emotional responses are raw and convincing, as when she cries alone in a parking lot. the woman in the park

THE 100 GREATEST THE WOMAN IN COMPOSERS & THEIR THE PARK MUSICAL WORKS Sorkin, Teresa & Holmqvist, Tullan An Introduction to the Beaufort Books (224 pp.) Fascinating World of $24.95 | Aug. 26, 2019 Classical Music 978-0-8253-0899-4 Smook, Gary A. FriesenPress (379 pp.) In Sorkin and Holmqvist’s debut thriller, $33.99 | $28.99 paper | Jun. 10, 2019 a married woman meets an alluring stranger 978-1-5255-3785-1 and later becomes a criminal suspect. 978-1-5255-3786-8 paper Manhattanite Sarah Rock is certain that her husband, Eric, has been having A comprehensive introduction to the world of classical an affair with his co-worker Juliette. Sarah, who has suffered music makes a case for the 100 greatest composers. from depression in the past, is experiencing “blackout peri- Intended as an entry point for those interested in the sub- ods” and having nightmares about her spouse and his suspected ject but who lack knowledge, this debut book offers an over- mistress. As a result, she’s been seeing therapist Helena Robin view of the history of classical music and Smook’s list of the for months. With her two children away at boarding school, greatest composers, beginning in the Baroque period and end- Sarah feels like she’s lost her sense of purpose. Then, one day ing with 20th-century giants. The volume’s ranking relies on in Central Park, she meets a handsome, charming man named a six-tier rating system for composers based on “the aesthetic Lawrence. Despite the brevity of their initial, platonic encoun-

importance of their major musical works; the overall substance ter, Sarah can’t get the stranger off her mind, and subsequent young adult of their musical legacy; their innovations in musical form and park-bench rendezvous quickly lead to an affair. Weeks later, style; their influence on other composers.” In the first and the police visit Sarah to ask her questions about a missing per- highest tier, the author lists Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven. son case. They’re looking for a woman whom Sarah has seen at Unsurprisingly, German and Austrian composers are the most the park; it turns out that Lawrence may have a connection to represented in Smook’s conservative list. Each composer entry her, so Sarah is reluctant to tell the cops anything. More bomb- delivers a brief biography and includes a section on the artist’s shells follow, and after the cops accuse Sarah of a very serious musical legacy. The author offers this description of Chopin’s crime, she starts to realize that her sense of reality may be dis- legacy (the Polish composer is in Tier 3 of Smook’s rating): torted. The authors’ sharply written and persistently tense tale “Chopin created or developed a number of new forms of solo is divided into two parts: The first follows Sarah’s growing rela- piano music to exploit his poetic use of the instrument.” The tionship with Lawrence, and the latter offers a series of shock- legacy sections include samplings of the composers’ popular ing revelations. Throughout, Sarah is an enigmatic, continually works. There are also miniprofiles of artists who almost made evolving protagonist. Readers are privy to Dr. Robin’s periodic the top 100 list (among them, Anton Webern—musical cousin notes, for example, which make it clear that Sarah has some- to Schoenberg—and the Estonian minimalist composer Arvo thing buried in her past. Still, Sarah remains sympathetic, as her Pärt). The author’s descriptions are a bit dry though the book candid perspective makes her eventual paranoia seem reason- is intended for neophyte listeners. The brief overview of clas- able. Her emotional responses are raw and convincing, as when sical music history effectively avoids jargon and includes clear she cries alone in a parking lot or examines her body for pre- definitions of musical terms (for example, “cantata” -and “rec sumed flaws. Some readers will likely foresee a major plot turn itative music”). In the introduction, the author admits to no before Sarah does, but her valiant attempts to make sense of formal musical training and confesses that he doesn’t play an what’s happening spark unexpected twists. instrument. The work adds nothing new to interpretations of A delightfully complex mystery with a compelling classical music (“I am not presenting new information,” Smook protagonist. asserts). The volume also suffers from a bizarre insistence on categorization—“Remember that music falls into four basic categories,” he tells readers, which he identifies as Orchestral, Chamber, Keyboard, and Vocal. Still, the book should serve as a helpful and handy guide to those new to the genre. This compendium of musical biographies offers useful insights and accessible descriptions of various styles, composers, and periods.

| kirkus.com | indie | 1 september 2019 | 189 BEYOND THE MOON truth about their fate, she races to find Lovett before they Taylor, Catherine are separated forever. Taylor’s accomplished, genre-bending The Cameo Press (494 pp.) book succeeds as a historical novel and a beguiling time- $14.99 paper | $4.99 e-book travel romance. Casson and Lovett are appealing protagonists Jun. 26, 2019 whose relationship is the story’s emotional center. They are 978-1-916093-21-8 surrounded by a well-developed supporting cast, including Kerry, Casson’s confidante, and gallery owner Edgar Brockle- An unlikely twist of fate connects a bank, Lovett’s friend and mentor. The sharply written narra- British World War I soldier and a young tive deftly moves back and forth between the past and present woman living in modern-day England in as Casson tries to learn more about the circumstances that led this debut novel. her to Lovett. Their realities are vividly rendered, and their Lt. Robert Lovett is a dedicated individual tales could stand alone as separate narratives. In British officer fighting in World War I. He is also a talented particular, Taylor’s depiction of Lovett’s and Casson’s wartime artist; his paintings depicting the realities of war are selected experiences is unflinching but never gratuitous (“If the war for a major exhibition. But by August 1916, his future as a sol- didn’t want you, that didn’t mean you’d struck lucky: it meant dier and artist is in doubt. While recovering in Coldbrook Hall you had missing limbs or eyes, were paralysed by spinal inju- Military Hospital in Sussex from injuries sustained during the ries, or mentally ill with shell shock—or permanently disabled Somme campaign, he is diagnosed with hysterical blindness. from the inhalation of poison gas. What sort of future awaited More than a century later, in 2017, Louisa Casson is admitted men like that?”). to Coldbrook after a drunken mishap on the Sussex Downs A poignant and stirring love story that should appeal to cliffs is mistaken for a suicide attempt. While exploring an fans of historical and fantasy fiction. abandoned wing of the building, Casson hears a man crying for help and enters Lovett’s room. At first, she believes he may be a patient who thinks he is a World War I soldier or that he THE WISDOM OF THE is “a product of her anxious, agitated mind.” Eventually, Cas- COVENANTS AND THEIR son discovers the deserted wing is a portal to the past. Lovett RELEVANCE TO OUR TIMES regains his sight and they fall in love, but they are separated Watt, John when he rejoins his regiment. Desperate to find him, Casson AuthorHouse (396 pp.) returns to the past as a nurse. When she learns the shocking $42.99 | $28.99 paper | $0.99 e-book Jan. 4, 2019 978-1-5462-7397-4 This Issue’s Contributors 978-1-5462-7396-7 paper #

ADULT A tour of the Bible proposes an anti- Colleen Abel • Maude Adjarian • Jeff Alford • Paul Allen • Poornima Apte • Mark Athitakis • Joseph dote to today’s spiritual crisis. Barbato • Gerald Bartell • Adam benShea • Sarah Blackman • Amy Boaz • Lee E. Cart • Kristin According to Watt ( , 2015), Centorcelli • Carin Clevidence • Perry Crowe • Dave DeChristopher • Kathleen Devereaux • Amanda Saving Lives in Wartime China Diehl • Bobbi Dumas • Daniel Dyer • Lisa Elliott • Kristen Evans • Mia Franz • Harvey Freedenberg readers live in morally challenged times, and their spiritual Amy Goldschlager • Michael Griffith • Janice Harayda • Peter Heck • Katrina Niidas Holm • Natalia despair, accentuated by the experience of war and genocide, Holtzman • Laura Jenkins • Jessica Jernigan • Skip Johnson • Jayashree Kambel • Damini Kulkarni Tom Lavoie • Louise Leetch • Judith Leitch • Peter Lewis • Elsbeth Lindner • Karen Long • Michael cannot be ameliorated by the secular materialism that helped Magras • Don McLeese • Gregory McNamee • Clayton Moore • Karen Montgomery Moore • Sarah establish it. And yet the “world at the beginning of the 21st Morgan • Jennifer Nabers • Christopher Navratil • Sarah Neilson • Liza Nelson • Mike Newirth Mike century is itself in bondage to materialism.” But a proper Oppenheim • Sarah Parker-Lee • Jim Piechota • Steve Potter • Margaret Quamme • Carolyn Quimby • Stephanie Reents • Karen Rigby • Michele Ross • Lloyd Sachs • Leslie Safford • Bob Sanchez • response to this loss of moral direction can be found in the Rosanne Simeone • Linda Simon • Clay Smith • Wendy Smith • Kirby Sokolow • Margot E. Spangen- teachings of the Bible, specifically its articulation of the cov- berg • Charles Taylor • Bill Thompson • Claire Trazenfeld • Jessica Miller • Steve Weinberg enant that exists between God and humankind that is based Joan Wilentz • Kerry Winfrey • Marion Winik • Bean Yogi on love, mercy, and justice. In order to illuminate the nature CHILDREN’S & TEEN of that covenant, the author first provides an overview of Lucia Acosta • Autumn Allen • Alison Anholt-White • Elizabeth Bird • Jessica Anne Bratt the structure of the Bible and, with impressive erudition and Christopher A. Brown • Timothy Capehart • Lisa Dennis • Eiyana Favers • Amy Seto Forrester • Ayn Reyes Frazee • Laurel Gardner • Carol Goldman • Hannah Gomez • Gerry Himmelreich • Ariana lucidity, furnishes guidance regarding its interpretation. Then Hussain • Kathleen T. Isaacs • Elizabeth Leanne Johnson • Deborah Kaplan • K. Lesley Knieriem • Jan he examines the character of the covenant as expressed in the LaBonty PhD • Megan Dowd Lambert • Angela Leeper • Pooja Makhijani • Joan Malewitz • Michelle Bible, the exemplar of which is God’s promise to Moses and H. Martin PhD • J. Alejandro Mazariegos • Mary Margaret Mercado • J. Elizabeth Mills • Tori Ann Ogawa • Hal Patnott • Deb Paulson • John Edward Peters • Susan Pine • Rebecca Rabinowitz • Amy the Israelites, a story that illustrates the manner in which a B. Reyes • Nancy Thalia Reynolds • Erika Rohrbach • Katie Scherrer • John W. Shannon • Edward T. people came to fully acknowledge the nature of the divine as Sullivan • Deborah Taffa • Christina Vortia • Angela Wiley • S.D. Winston it expresses itself in mortal life. Finally, Watt astutely applies INDIE that theological worldview to the contemporary problems Alana Abbott • Rebecca Leigh Anthony • Kent Armstrong • Charles Cassady • Michael Deagler that plague humanity, including the dissolution of marriage, Stephanie Dobler Cerra • Steve Donoghue • Megan Elliott • Joshua Farrington • Eric F. Frazier • Justin the rise of inequality, and the degradation of the environ- Hickey • Elizabeth Kazandzhi • Ivan Kenneally • Maureen Liebenson • Barbara London • Mandy Malone • Joshua T. Pederson • Jamison Pfeifer • Alicia Power • Sarah Rettger • Barry Silverstein ment. At the heart of the author’s ingeniously original thesis

190 | 1 september 2019 | indie | kirkus.com | in memoriam: anne larsen is the notion that the world suffers from “androcentrism,” At a time when the nation is ricocheting from the the unchecked rise of the “obstinacy of male hubris.” This news of one mass shooting after another, it seems al- imbalance in the earthly kingdom can be fixed only by a pro- most quaint to mourn the passing of a single friend found “transformation of consciousness,” from a “patriarchal and mentor who died at 78 from lung cancer. Yet the world of phallocentric domination” to loving service to others. Watt’s mastery of the Bible is as remarkable as his expla- death of Anne Larsen, who, from 1985 to 2005, served nations are transparent—if nothing else, this is a wonderful as fiction editor and then editor-in-chief of Kirkus primer. And while he acknowledges that the book is primarily Reviews, must sadden anyone who cares about the written for those who accept the main premises of the Judeo- business of book review- Christian tradition, its philosophically ambitious diagnosis of ing. Recruited by Jim Ko- modernity should interest even the more secularly minded. bak when , where A deeply meditative Bible introduction and a philo- Redbook sophically captivating account of how its wisdom could she’d served as fiction edi- cure the world’s ailments. tor, decided to move away from publishing short stories, Anne was a natu- SURGE ral for Kirkus. Diminu- Whittaker, Michelle Great Weather for Media (100 pp.) tive and soft-spoken, she $17.00 paper | Jul. 1, 2017 rarely had harsh words for

978-0-9981440-1-6 anyone and never lost her young adult temper. Yet she was pas- A debut poetry collection docu- sionately committed to ments what comes after trauma. Anne Larsen Life, in a sense, is lived in the after- the proposition that by math. The pivotal incident (or events) var- writing without fear or ies, but anyone who has lived for a while favor, an independent journal could provide its readers can mark the spot that divides before with book reviews that, if they weren’t unbiased—for from after. Whittaker examines the after in this volume, with what is reviewing but the institutionally sanctioned poems like “After the Funeral,” “In the Afterlife,” “After the Emer- expression of bias in favor of good books over bad?— gency,” and “In the Afterlight.” The poem “Identification,” which begins “After being attacked,” laments an ended love even as it were well informed, disinterested, economical, and examines its gruesome remainders: “I don’t / want to forget what bracingly direct in description and judgment. we were / when it’s time for matters / of the brain studied on a tray, Anne, who like Grover Cleveland served two non- / or seen from dental decay / or like a four-handed duet folded / consecutive terms (she took a brief break in 1994-95), into an embalming fluid.” There are images of childhood trauma, ran a tight ship. She cast a wide net for prospective as in this one from “A Mirror of a Mirror,” which is representative of the poet’s musical ear and playful use of white space: “I used reviewers but held them to high standards and had no to take red crayon / and scribble on homemade nail polish / and hesitation about disciplining or dismissing reviewers my would find out / and take that raw sienna belt / that whip, who slipped up. Although she had no particular appe- whip, whip / spoke with a witty rip / and by nightfall my hands / tite for puncturing inflated reputations, she presided blossomed into numb and dumb.” Sparse and lyrical, these poems over the annual MOBY Award for the most overrat- blur the lines between memory, dream, and the present, as in “Five ed book of the year with magisterial detachment. Her Transient Moments,” which includes three visions of the seashore followed by a description of dehydration and then this startling success as an editor depended on her ability to attract scene: “During the dream: / A streetlight flickers. / Four men pass a group of reviewers she deeply trusted and then get me. / They are English, bloody tired. / In an alley, / children stone out of their way. For two decades, she maintained each other / killing time. / I need to tell you / that I miscarried. / Kirkus in her own exacting image by inspiring dozens I can’t find your street.” In this thematically cohesive collection, of reviewers to follow her example. In an era of fake Whittaker does not offer much for readers who are seeking a narrative. But the lines are good enough and the visions haunt- news and anything-goes online reviewing, her convic- ing enough that they will pull the audience deep into their fugue. tion that holding both books and reviews to the high- Replete with the imagery of coasts and vanished loves, the pieces est standards could make a difference in the world has feel fragmentary and half-whispered, as though the poet knows never been more treasurable. —T.L . they will inevitably be washed away in the next storm surge. Stark, effective, and often enigmatic poems of betrayals and laments. Thomas Leitch is the mystery editor.

| kirkus.com | indie | 1 september 2019 | 191 22 THINGS WHAT ARE YOU THINKING? Widick, Jet How To Become More North Coast Post (46 pp.) Intentional, Deliberate and $11.95 paper | Mar. 22, 2019 Conscious With 978-0-578-48979-7 Your Thoughts Wise, Darius “The Professor” Widick’s (Gluten Free Soul Pilot, 2017, WiseDecisions (176 pp.) etc.) latest poetry collection highlights $19.95 paper | $9.99 e-book the magic in the mundane. Sep. 1, 2018 One of the key themes of this collection 978-1-73262-590-7 is that moments of wonder and miraculous- ness are hidden in the everyday. The author A punchy, motivational exhortation focuses on such details with energy and to think deeply about life. aplomb in her strongest pieces. One of the best is “destiny,” which Wise, a trainer/coach who hosted an online radio show, says tells of the simple joys of a summer evening outside one’s house: “In his goal for this debut is “to infuse success principles with neu- your backyard / Take a brain break / Free floating on the Alucia, / A roscience in an easy to understand conversation.” For the most vanguard / You don’t have to go far / Starry skies, mind tricks, pink part, he succeeds. Much of the material falls into the power-of- sand / Jazzy sounds.” The author wonderfully shows how quickly lit- positive-thinking genre; the book boils down to the notion that tle things like starry skies and jazz can give way to moments of rapture. one can accomplish almost anything with the right mindset. Here and elsewhere, Widick writes in short bursts, but she pulls off While this is a familiar self-improvement theme, the content the neat trick of maintaining a smooth flow even when her lines are is well packaged. There are 21 short chapters; each addresses brief. Less effective are the volume’s occasional monorhymes, par- a particular situation and concludes with specific action steps. ticularly in the opening poem “collage”: “Words from many places / This structure allows readers to isolate small, definable areas Reaching out and touching bases / Greetings, messages with traces and resolve them individually rather than feel bulldozed by mul- / Of love filled warm embraces / Poems with smiling faces / What tifaceted problems that demand complex solutions. There is a we are is Lucky Aces.” The unrelenting singsong manner here feels a great deal of flexibility; chapters stand alone and can be read bit too precious, and it may distract readers from the poet’s evident in any order. The topics are intriguing; “You Have Been Misdi- skill. But this small weakness is more than offset by the volume’s agnosed,” for example, notes how others’ perceptions can skew simple, effective design, directed by Kristen Alden, who works in a one’s judgment of oneself. The effect becomes clear in the ques- palette of black and white with poem titles that run vertically up the tions the author asks: “Is there a decision that you made that side of each page. This layout is arresting and has the happy effect of was not truly what you wanted to do? Was that decision based putting Widick’s titles and verses into a closer and more productive on what someone else thought you should be doing or would conversation than they might otherwise have. be good at doing?” Some of Wise’s salient observations are eye- Mostly fun and energetic poems that also have a strik- opening; e.g.: “When your beliefs are limiting beliefs, you will ing appearance. fight just as hard for them,” and “If you are only doing enough to get what you think you can have, you will never get what you actually want.” The writing style here is engaging and intimate.

KIRKUS MEDIA LLC Wise’s voice is consultative yet friendly; his prose is constructed in “me-to-you” fashion, making it personal and nonthreaten- # ing, and he uses examples taken from his own life experience to Chairman HERBERT SIMON drive home his points. He is relentlessly positive and encouraging yet has the ability to tell it like it is. President & Publisher MARC WINKELMAN Inspiring, infectious, and at times exhilarating; especially uplifting for anyone tormented by self-doubt. Chief Executive Officer MEG LABORDE KUEHN #

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192 | 1 september 2019 | indie | kirkus.com | By the end, the reader is left with that wonderful sense of having truly been somewhere else for a while. jerkwater

180 DAYS TO NOVEMBER JERKWATER Wyn, Chase Zerndt, Jamie AuthorHouse (300 pp.) Self (244 pp.) $33.95 | $19.95 paper | $4.99 e-book $11.95 paper | $6.99 e-book Apr. 17, 2019 Jun. 16, 2019 978-1-5462-7802-3 978-1-07-284247-7 978-1-72830-755-8 paper In Zerndt’s (The Roadrunner Cafe, 2016, A mission to retrieve two incrimi- etc.) literary novel, three lost souls cling nating recordings turns violent in Wyn’s together in an angry Wisconsin town. debut historical thriller. Orphaned Shawna Reynolds, who is At first, U.S. President Jake Stryker’s Ojibwa, is a few years out of high school meeting with Ohio Gov. Ed Thomas seems perfectly ordinary, and desperate to get out of her hometown of Mercer, Wisconsin. as both are running for reelection in 1987. But Thomas’ recep- She resents most white people, who’ve exhibited no shortage of tionist, Suzi Saito, inadvertently hears the first few lines of their racism. “The poor kid didn’t stand a chance,” thinks Shawna as conversation over her intercom. In those opening remarks, the she watches a young white boy fish with his father. “Whether politicians refer to their connection to Chicago Mafia boss he wanted to be or not, he was a racist-in-training. Half the Angelo Donetti. Suzi realizes that exchange was automatically kid’s heart was probably already polluted, and by the time he recorded on tape and takes her concerns to her lover, Deke reached high school, his insides would be entirely black.” She Marshall, a newly minted lawyer and licensed private investiga- gets on OK with her next-door neighbor Kay O’Brien, at least. tor. But Thomas, suspicious about what Suzi overheard, taps her Kay is mourning her recently deceased husband and worrying home phone. On this second tape, Deke relays his suspicions about her Alzheimer’s diagnosis. She mostly worries about what of insider trading involving the Ohio employee pension fund. will happen to her son, who doesn’t yet know about the disease. This trading would involve ties to the governor’s son-in-law and That son, Douglas O’Brien, is doing his best to keep the family would be damaging to the politician’s career. Word of the tapes’ auto repair shop from going under, feeling responsible for the existence eventually gets to Thomas’ opponent, Ohio state Sen. death of his father, hanging out with Shawna, and making draw- Sam Chalmers, which results in multiple parties vying for the ings that nobody ever sees in his sketchbook. The three form a recordings. Soon, tragedy ensues, and Deke becomes deter- moody family unit of sorts, attempting to protect one another mined to find the people responsible. Wyn’s gleefully frenetic from the rest of the world, but when a local dispute over fishing novel offers unexpected plot turns and devious characters. One rights turns into a larger conflict about race, the wounds that standout is Thomas’ chief of staff, Cate Jameson, who spear- each of them has been nursing threaten to rupture. Zerndt’s heads the insider trading by using intelligence, manipulation, prose is smooth and matter-of-fact: “As they waited at a stop- and seduction. The endless double-dealings can feel soap-oper- light in town, Shawna found herself staring at a fire hydrant. It atic, and there’s also explicit sex and brutality against men and resembled a little girl in a red coat, and, for some reason, this women. Still, Wyn’s prose remains sharp and concise amid the little girl looked to Shawna like she was about to jump off the chaos; at one point, for instance, the author elucidates stock- sidewalk into traffic.” Kay and Douglas are compelling charac- market jargon for novices without decelerating the narrative. ters, but Shawna steals the show with her frank declarations and Deke, however, is an improbable collection of character traits; hard-bitten worldview. Engaging from the first chapter, the trio the lawyer/PI is also an independently wealthy, genius playboy propels the reader through a meandering plot that neither shies and a skilled marksman, and he has a black belt in karate. Still, away from timely issues nor drifts too far into despair. By the readers will likely look forward to a teased sequel. end of it, the reader is left with that wonderful sense of having A sometimes-savage but entertaining tale of the dan- truly been somewhere else for a little while. gerous side of politics. A moving, character-driven tale of the limits of bitterness and regret.

| kirkus.com | indie | 1 september 2019 | 193 Field Notes Photo courtesy via Getty Jamie McCarthy Images By Megan Labrise “With every piece I’ve done, I try to discover what makes a person who they Photo courtesy Micheline Pelletier Sygma via Getty Images are and why.” —entertainment journalist Keah Brown, author of The Pretty One: On Life, Pop Culture, Disability, and Other Reasons to Fall in Love with Me, in Parade

“I was writing this history as someone critical of racist ideas. And one of the more prevailing racist ideas within scholarship was this idea that black people do not write definitive texts.” —Ibram X. Kendi, author of How To Be an Antiracist, in the New York Times “I woke up before dawn this morning and thought about Toni Morrison in the dark, about all the work that she “In my acknowledgements, a thing I In memoriam, Toni Morrison, 1931- brought into being. And what I real- thank Remnick for is not firing me for 2019: “Some of it’s very fierce. Pow- ized is that she did not only watch tweeting about my bong.” erful. Distorted, even, because the for the light to come. She was the —New Yorker staff writer Jia Tolentino, author duress they work under is so over- light before the light arrived. She of Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self Delusion, in appreciation of editor-in-chief David Rem- whelming. But I think they believed, was the light who enabled so many nick, at Jezebel as I do, while it may be true that, you other voices, she was their conduit, know, people say, ‘I didn’t ask to be and then she crossed over, with all born,’ I think we did, and that’s why her genius and confidence and grace, we’re here. We are here, and we have and she brought the light herself.” Submissions for Field Notes? to do something nurturing that we —editor-in-chief Radhika Jones remem- Email [email protected]. respect before we go. We must. It is bers Morrison in Vanity Fair more interesting, more complicated, more intellectually demanding and

more morally demanding to love Photo courtesy Ilan Harel somebody, to take care of somebody, “I’ve always been drawn to the to make one other person feel good. small, personally meaningful sto- Now the dangers of that are the dan- ries that support a life, the kinds gers of setting oneself up as a mar- of stories people tell themselves tyr or as, you know, the one without about themselves, and the way whom it would not be done.” place makes us who we are— —on love as a metaphor in her novels, in often at great cost.” conversation with Bill Moyers in 1990 —Téa Obreht, author of Inland, in Enter tainment Weekly

194 | 1 september 2019 | field notes | kirkus.com | Appreciations: Toni Morrison (1931-2019)

BY GREGORY MCNAMEE

Photo courtesy Deborah Feingold_Corbis via Getty Images Born Chloe Ardelia Wofford on Feb. 18, 1931, the eminent novelist Toni Morrison grew up a child of the diaspora that, in the era of Jim Crow, had sent millions of African Americans from the rural South into the industrial North. She grew up in a working-class, integrated steel town on the shores of Lake Erie, a town that afforded a view of Canada when the weather was clear. But her great subject as a writer—beginning as a single mother who worked as an editor during the day and wrote in the quiet hours when her children were sleeping—was the African American experience of the distant South and the flight from it. That great theme, anchored in history, figures in many of her novels, from Song of Solomon (1977) to the ironically titled Home (2012); as its protagonist says, “You could be inside, living in your own house for years, and still, men with or without badges but always with guns could force you, your family, your neighbors to pack up and move.” Even when it could be found, home was full of unforeseeable dangers, as Morrison’s first book,The Bluest Eye (1970), makes plain.

In her best-known novel, Beloved (1987), Morrison writes of those men with guns and the constant violence that young adult they bring. Its protagonist, a slave named Sethe, has escaped from a Kentucky plantation and made her way to the safety of the free state of Ohio. But even there, in the days of the Fugitive Slave Act, the “pater-rollers” catch up to her—careful, ever careful, lest “you ended up killing what you were paid to bring back alive.” Sethe does the killing instead; rather than see her enslaved, she cuts the throat of her 2-year-old daughter, then escapes again, only to be tormented by the little girl’s restless ghost. “Who would have thought,” Sethe marvels, “that a little old baby could harbor so much rage?” But so it is: All of American history, Morrison seems to suggest, is haunted by the evil of slavery and its unhealable scars. An exorcist tries to placate the baby buried underneath a gravestone marked “Dearly Beloved,” but to little avail; the ghost is implacable. The two remaining books of Morrison’s Beloved Trilogy move forward in time, with Jazz (1992) set in the 1920s and Paradise (1997) a half-century later, but both are anchored in human frailties and loss. And those men with guns are never far out of view, no matter where in the country the stories move, with women so often the first victims, “subject to purchase, hire, assault, abduction, exile,” as Morrison writes in her 2008 novella, A Mercy. Six years after Beloved appeared, the Swedish Academy awarded Morrison the Nobel Prize in literature. It was an honor much deserved on her own merits, but moreover, it offered an unveiled repudiation of an American society still lost in the depths of racism more than a century after Sethe crossed the wide Ohio, the ghosts still clamoring. Toni Morrison died August 5 at the age of 88, having spent a life in letters documenting the enmity and division that racism creates. They have only grown, making her work all the more enduring, all the more pressing, and all the more necessary. Gregory McNamee is a contributing editor.

| kirkus.com | appreciations | 1 september 2019 | 195 “AHDIEH BRINGS NEW ORLEANS VIBRANTLY TO LIFE, particularly when exploring the complicated racial and gender restrictions of high society through main and supporting characters of mixed-race origin. Sure to please fans.” —Kirkus Reviews 9781524738174 | $18.99

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