Hand embroidery can be a means of learning about oneself according to Hope Brasfield’s "Satisfying Stitches", a crafting book with cute, accessible patterns for people new to the practice. Herein, embroidery is a “corrective... Read More

A child of Houston, Cairo, and Caracas, a mother of three in Bolivia, Emily Bludworth de Barrios comes at her work from all directions at once, with a frenzied takedown of parental angst, violence against women, existential hopelessness,... Read More

A cavalcade of characters brings a parade of color—and a little chaos—to this whimsical story about a dog determined to complete his masterpiece. Van Dog heads out into the countryside intent on painting a landscape; the frequent... Read More

Parasomnias, or sleep phenomena, are more common than people think, and Alice Vernon’s "Night Terrors" is a fascinating exploration of sleep in these most difficult states. In the course of the book, Vernon draws on her own long... Read More

In Scott Gould’s novel "The Hammerhead Chronicles", cycling teaches a depressed man how to cope with life, though not in the way he expected. On the day that his almost-ex-wife Peg died, Claude bought a bicycle. It is the only good... Read More

An action-packed space opera that’s not afraid of guts, glory, or going against the grain, K. M. Watts’s "Born Andromeda" showcases a new type of princess whose success hinges on being true to herself. Andromeda of Celestine isn’t... Read More

Narrated in intermittent rhymes and using onomatopoeia, this educational picture book traces a headwater stream from its origins in the falling rain; its waters burble up from the ground and tumble over rocks. The illustrations are... Read More

Cynthia Flood’s short story collection "You Are Here" seethes with political menace that’s seen through focused personal dramas. These stories defy categorization; they are wonderful, layered, powerful, and imbued with clear senses... Read More