A Black family’s traumas are the focus of Carolivia Herron’s rending novel "Thereafter Johnnie", in which a bereaved daughter examines her origins. At first, Johnnie is a solitary “light,” condemned to haunt a former Carnegie... Read More

A young boy struggles with a big change in this festive picture book about finding your heart in a new home. When Nate and his dads move to a new apartment, his menorah is lost in the move—along with his school, his friends, and... Read More

The interconnected early stories in Virginia Woolf’s "The Life of Violet" have radical perspectives on women’s friendships, independence, and places in society. Violet, a giantess inspired by Woolf’s lifelong friend Violet... Read More

Gorgeous watercolor illustrations and a motley band of creatures hit all the right notes in this Jazz Age take on a Cinderella story. Flora is a scullery maid in a grand hotel; she loves music, but can’t afford to attend the concerts... Read More

In Hiromi Kawakami’s transfixing novel "The Third Love", a Tokyo woman evades unhappy realities through her complex, sensual dreams. Even as a child, Riko was drawn to charming Naa-chan. While the “enfolding warmth” that she felt... Read More

Soft illustrations and tender language contrast the sharp poignancy of this picture book about the lingering trauma of war and displacement. Bunny is disturbed by an event at school but isn’t ready to talk about it yet; lying awake, he... Read More

Vanessa F. Penney’s magical novel "The Witch of Willow Sound" is about rural prejudice, the wounds of the past, and forgiveness. Pulled from her perambulatory routines by an emergency phone call from her mother, Phaedra travels to... Read More

Spicy flavors zing through "Heartland Masala", a delightful cookbook by mother-son team Jyoti and Auyon Mukharji. Recreating traditional Indian dishes in American kitchens, the book combines culinary history and commentary with a wealth... Read More