An intrepid Smurfette journeys solo beyond talking trees into Helm’s Deep where the good wizard and the diabolical warlock are destined to clash… Oops no those are pieces of other stories. This one establishes a community of peaceful... Read More

Austere diet plans fail in the long run; people shed weight under any number of differing regimens then plateau or lose willpower because constant self-denial is not fun. Before long most rebound heavier than ever and weaker as well. The... Read More

“Apá was a strong still oak. We hid under his branches like shadows. Even when he laughed a thunderous laugh, those branches shook only ever so slightly,” Martinez writes. Chela Gonzales is about to start sixth grade, the last year... Read More

Delight in all things fairy is a bustling industry today, and Encyclopedia Mythologica: Fairies and Magical Creatures is a fascinating little gem of a book that should be on every girl’s “must have” list. Longtime collaborators... Read More

Raking over the ashes of a cold case is tantalizing for many detectives and journalists, even though that single, overlooked detail is rarely found. Yet Mardi Link’s look at a 1968 case is a stellar example of how a mystery, when well... Read More

The Florida community of Lantern Island is home to business executives, doctors, and at least one shady accountant hiding behind steel shutters and motion detectors. It is a bit exclusive, but Wayne Grusza knows the way because he’s... Read More

Westerners are bombarded with disturbing pictures of Muslims in news and popular culture. Depictions of slayings, bombings, and disruptions to the Middle East peace process are a daily occurrence. Rarer, but just as unsettling, are... Read More