Revenge, murder, and gender-based hypocrisy in communist China drive the unsentimental narrative of Fang Fang’s short novel "The Running Flame". Yingzhi lives in a small village in the Chinese countryside. Desiring more than what her... Read More

Asa West’s meditative guidebook offers comfort, advice, and inspiration for seekers interested in harnessing their magic, connecting with the natural world, and finding beauty in the everyday. Part memoir, part instructional guide,... Read More

In Kevin Garone’s zippy novel "I Know What UFO Did Last Summer", an alien-obsessed boy tries out his survival skills when a “spaceship” appears in a cornfield near his house. Twelve-year-old Marv, who lives in suburban Delaware,... Read More

A tantalizing smorgasbord of culinary memories, Karolina Ramqvist’s memoir discusses family and community love in terms of shared dishes. Ramqvist’s earliest recollections speak to her enduring love of food: “when I ate something... Read More

A boy in a village plagued by Cossack soldiers battles a curse to help his family and friends in the excellent graphic novel "Mendel the Mess-Up". Mendel, who is approaching his bar mitzvah, lives in a remote Jewish village, Lintvint,... Read More

In Raj Tawney’s perceptive novel "All Mixed Up", a multiracial boy contends with bullying and finds friendship in the aftermath of 9/11. Kamal’s father is from India. His mother is a New Yorker with Italian and Puerto Rican roots. At... Read More

In a compelling, conversational style that brings together two unlikely subjects, David Ladensohn’s book explores fly fishing alongside the life and legacy of Leonardo da Vinci. The book follows da Vinci’s life with admiration,... Read More

Larry Carlat’s "A Space in the Heart" is a sensitive guidebook for grieving parents. Holding space for unspeakable grief, Carlat, who lost a son to suicide, draws on lived experience in this guide for fellow grieving parents,... Read More