If Only You People Could Follow Directions, by Nelson, Jessica Hendry (PGW)

A stunning debut. Nelson is a writer to watch, not just for her sure-footed prose and her adept storytelling ability, but also because she survived a family defined by addiction and psychological destruction. Nelson grew up as the daughter of an alcoholic father and a mother who varied between best friend and neglectful parent. Her brother Eric is also an addict and suffers from bipolar disorder. It is no surprise that she and many of her closest friends had plenty of exposure to drugs, alcohol, and destructive behaviors during her formative years. Despite her background and her childhood, Nelson graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a degree in English and earned an MFA in Writing from Sarah Lawrence College. Her survival is a story in and of itself, but it is her writing that is the true standout in this memoir.  - Terry Louchheim Gilman - Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore

If Only You People Could Follow Directions, by Nelson, Jessica Hendry (PGW)

Memory doesn’t move in a straight line. It is chaotic, digressive, and imperfect. While most memoirs force life into the restrictions of straight lines, Nelson embraces the chaos by moving back and forth in time, free associating among memories, and organizing her life into a series of essays. What could be just another memoir of a family disintegrated by substance abuse becomes a vibrant and challenging exploration of abuse, obsession, coping, family, friendship, and self-discovery. - Josh Cook, Porter Square Books, Cambridge, MA

If Only You People Could Follow Directions, by Nelson, Jessica Hendry (PGW)

This memoir in essays brings to mind Jo Ann Beard's The Boys of My Youth.  It’s a book for anyone who has ever been young and trying to find themselves - which is to say, it’s a book for everyone.  Nelson’s punch-you-in-the-heart prose is incandescently beautiful. - Michele Filgate, Community Bookstore, Brooklyn, NY

Badluck Way: A Year on the Ragged Edge of the West, by Andrews, Bryce (Simon & Schuster)

This short memoir is a fascinating read, covering the subtle evolution of the author as he immerses himself in the rugged life of a Montana ranch hand. Peppered with interesting detail about the daily and sometimes mundane tasks on the ranch, Andrews gives the reader a sense of the work and the mix of isolation and camaraderie that he experienced. It’s not the story of a young man trying to find himself, but that of a young man growing into himself. The real story is in the growing relationship between the author, the work, the land, the weather, the cattle, and the wolves.

- Kelly Estep, Carmichael’s Bookstore, Louisville, KY

Badluck Way: A Year on the Ragged Edge of the West, by Andrews, Bryce (Simon & Schuster)

What starts as a poetic and thoughtful memoir of a modern-day cowboy becomes a balanced portrayal of the struggle between ecologically-conscious cattle ranching and newly reintroduced wolves who threaten the herds. Through Bryce's writing comes understanding and from understanding comes compassion... for both sides of this thorny issue.

- Paul Hanson, Village Books, Bellingham, WA

Stringer: A Reporter's Journey in the Congo, by Sundaram, Anjan (Random House)

Sundaram's clearly written and concise account of working for the AP in the Congo is an addictive, informative, and fast-paced read. Fans of Katherine Boo's Behind the Beautiful Forevers will find much to like.

- Michele Filgate, Community Bookstore, Brooklyn, NY

Stringer: A Reporter's Journey in the Congo, by Sundaram, Anjan (Random House)

The tumultuous history of the Congo is fraught with power at its most corrupt, capitalism in its greediest form, and human survival at its most desperate. Anjan Sundaram, who lives in Kigali, Rwanda, knew nothing of journalism or the Congo when he traveled there to write about the country and pursue a career in journalism. His debut, Stringer: A Reporter’s Journey is the result of a year and half occupation. Sundaram is robbed, contracts malaria, and sees firsthand the undignified crushing of the human soul. This is reportage in its most excellent form: immediate, informative, and riveting.

- Sarah Bagby, Watermark Books, Wichita, KS

Pigs Can't Swim, by Peppe, Helen (Perseus Book Group)

Fresh, frank, and funny! Helen Peppe’s memoir, Pigs Can’t Swim, is at once laugh-out-loud funny and tragic. In the hardscrabble environment of rural Maine, Helen grew up as the youngest in a family of nine. Using the delightful but gritty language of a child wise beyond her years, she shares stories of sibling rivalry, parental neglect, and general childhood angst. Book clubs in particular will find much to discuss in these pages. This debut gem showcases the voice of a fresh, talented author. Readers can only hope that Peppe doesn’t wait long before writing her next book. Recommended for all!

- Nancy Simpson-Brice, Book Vault, Oskaloosa, IA

Un-Americans, The, by Antopol, Molly (W.W. Norton)

With her short story collection The Un-Americans, Molly Antopol has written a pitch-perfect collection of stories that capture the essence of human survival and triumph. A grandmother sharing the tale of her harrowing sewer-line escape from the Nazis and her rescue by a young resistance worker who ultimately becomes her husband. An aspiring actor of Russian descent, jailed during the McCarthy era, attempting to build a relationship with his son after his prison term is over. Another father, this one a struggling, middle-aged adjunct professor who worries that the play his daughter is producing may expose secrets of his escape from Czechoslovakia. Each story is a gem, to be consumed and savored; each will resonate on several planes with the reader. Each demonstrates that a new American talent has emerged. The intensity of this collection guarantees that we will be enjoying Molly Antopol for many years to come.

- Nancy Simpson-Brice, Book Vault, Oskaloosa, IA

Kept, The, by Scott, James (HarperCollins)

In 1897 Elspeth, a midwife, returns to her homestead to find her family murdered and is accidentally shot by her sole surviving son, 12 year old Caleb. Elspeth is nursed back to health by Caleb and leaves with him to track down the killers. With a sense of time, place, and mystery reminiscent of A Reliable Wife, we soon learn the long-held secrets that formed their family and how these secrets may have contributed to the murder. Told in the alternating voices of Caleb and Elspeth, this debut pulls together the deep meanings of motherhood, adolescence, and the brutality of western frontier life.

- Kelly Estep, Carmichael’s Bookstore, Louisville, KY

Kept, The, by Scott, James (HarperCollins)

Debut author James Scott presents a spellbinding novel of a mother, Elspeth, and her twelve-year-old son, Caleb, on a quest to find and bring to justice the cold-blooded murderers of their family. From the opening line, "Elspeth Howell was a sinner," I was hooked. Tension builds as the duo draw closer and closer to their targets, and as clues of Elspeth's secret sins are revealed. The manhunt is peopled by many unsavory, double-crossing characters. Excellent pacing and ferocious action keep the pages turning. The Old West lives again in exciting showdown fashion. Highly recommended.

- Nancy Simpson-Brice, Book Vault, Oskaloosa, IA

Wives of Los Alamos: A Novel, The, by Nesbit, Tarashea (Bloomsbury)

When the wives of the Los Alamos scientists learn that their husbands have spent years building the Atomic Bomb, their world explodes. The development of this weapon of mass destruction was so secret that it was conducted “Out West.” The location was not disclosed to anyone, not even the scientists or their families who lived in the community surrounding the lab site. In her debut novel, The Wives of Los Alamos, Tarashea Nesbit brilliantly brings the reader into the community of women by using a collective voice. We experience their unique bonds, their Native American neighbors, and their husbands. The belief that their husbands are doing important work for National Security is both a source of hope for the wives and a highly charged backdrop for this extraordinary story of ordinary women.

- Sarah Bagby, Watermark Books, Wichita, KS

Wives of Los Alamos: A Novel, The, by Nesbit, Tarashea (Bloomsbury)

Just by the title, you know this is a story about the lives of women. You might also guess that you know parts of this story from other sources. But The Wives of Los Alamos is so much more. This debut novel describes the universal hopes, fears, despairs, and innermost thoughts of women. As the daughter of a military household, I personally related to the stories of adapting to unknown places and settling into new lives. In Los Alamos, of course, everyday life is complicated by a project so secret that the families of these wives could not even know where they were living. This is the story of a historical event so clandestine and so devastating that we still consider the implications today. With her fresh and captivating voice, Tarashea Nesbit is a debut author to watch.

- Terry Louchheim Gilman, Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore, San Diego, CA

Shotgun Lovesongs, by Butler, Nickolas (Macmillan)

This debut, told in the alternating voices of four lifelong friends, could do for Wisconsin farm towns what The Last Picture Show did for Texas football towns. Living with the main characters under the microscope that is small-town life, we experience their heartbreaks, successes, failures, loves, and losses. This novel is crafted with heart-wrenching sorrow and joy, displaying the pain and beauty possible when relationships carry from childhood into adulthood.

- Kelly Estep, Carmichael’s Bookstore, Louisville, KY

Shotgun Lovesongs, by Butler, Nickolas (Macmillan)

Shotgun Lovesongs is the story of four friends in a small Wisconsin town, and the woman who is married to one and is a muse for another. They are each on the verge of coming into their own, and will either flourish or fail, cause inspiration or heartbreak. Butler beautifully captures small town life, from the dusty pickled egg jar on the bar to American Pie playing frequently on the juke box. His characters evoke empathy from the reader and are ultimately redeemed in this touching debut.

- Sarah Bagby, Watermark Books, Wichita, KS

Shotgun Lovesongs, by Butler, Nickolas (Macmillan)

This brilliant debut is a love song to small town life, lifelong friendships, and the challenges of both, as told by five friends who grew up in Little Wing, Wisconsin. Henry Brown was born and bred to be a farmer and cannot imagine life anywhere outside this little town, despite the fact that times are often desperate and he knows that he cannot provide as well as he would like for his family. His wife, Beth, is his high school sweetheart and stands steadfast at Henry’s side through life’s ups and downs. Lee Sutton has made it big time in the music industry, and is dating one of Hollywood’s biggest stars. But despite being world famous, he yearns for his home in Little Wing. Ronny Taylor was the first to break out of Little Wing and make a name for himself as a rodeo rider, until his penchant for liquor landed him on his head, with long-ranging consequences. Kip Cunningham also left town and made a lot of money in Chicago as a commodities trader. When he returns home to marry Felicia, the love of his life, he is determined to make Little Wing his home again and give back to his community. This is a wonderful book of love and friendship, and I did not want it to end.

- Terry Gilman, Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore, San Diego, CA

Point of Direction, by Weaver, Rachel (Consortium)

Weaver’s debut novel about two damaged people who withhold much of themselves despite their love for each other had me hooked from the very start … as did the appeal of the remote Alaskan landscape which serves as a compelling character in its own right. Anna and Kyle are two fiercely independent souls hiding huge secrets from each other even as they decide to take a nine-month lease on a lighthouse on Hibler Rock, miles from the coast of Alaska. The last caretaker disappeared over twenty years ago, and this mystery is evenly woven into the discoveries these two make about themselves and their futures. Readers will find Point of Direction imposible to put down, as they follow the secrets of Anna and Kyle’s lives, their adventures on Hibler Rock, and the roads each of them take toward recovery.

- Terry Louchheim Gilman, Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore, San Diego, CA

Faces in the Crowd, by Luiselli, Valeria (Consortium)

Valeria Luiselli's extraordinary debut novel Faces in the Crowd signals the arrival of major talent. The novel's fragmented, poetic narrative immediately engages and slowly reveals its secrets. Is this a story about a woman discovering a forgotten Latin poet of the Harlem Renaissance? Is the woman imagined by the poet? Are they both ghosts in search of some way back to the real? Written in Spanish, and exquisitely translated by Christina MacSweeney, Faces in the Crowd is a fresh and essential voice for the new Latin-American canon.

- Jeremy Ellis, Brazos Bookstore, Houston, TX

Faces in the Crowd, by Luiselli, Valeria (Consortium)

Faces in the Crowd is a subtle, sophisticated examination of identity, authenticity, and poetry. The narrator, a young married writer and mother of two, shares her struggles to write a novel about an obscure Mexican poet and the novel in progress, while remembering the time her life when she became obsessed with him. Luiselli braids the three narrative currents into a brilliant meditation on the nature of creation. Translation hoax. Ghosts on the subway. The demonstrative vocabulary of a clever toddler. The mix of fact and fiction on the page and in the mind. With her first novel, Luiselli has established herself as a brilliant explorer of voice, self, and art.

- Josh Cook, Porter Square Books, Cambridge, MA

Half Bad, by Green, Sally (Penguin)

In modern-day England, there are two warring factions of witches living among ordinary people. Nathan, whose missing father, Marcus, is the world’s strongest, most violent Black Witch, and whose deceased mother was a beloved White Witch, is caught in the middle. Held captive by the White Witches, Nathan will acquire his own magical powers only if he can escape, elude the Hunters, and find his father, who, by tradition, must present Nathan with three gifts on his 16th birthday. But Marcus is also being hunted by those who would have him killed, which makes Nathan’s quest all the more difficult. A survival story that demands both shrewdness and stamina from its protagonist, Half Bad is 100% great!

- Ellen Klein, Hooray for Books!, Alexandria, VA

Half Bad, by Green, Sally (Penguin)

The exciting new voice of author Sally Green manages to create a world where witches can only be black (bad) or white (good). To be anything else is perilous. Unfortunately, Nathan finds only too soon what it means to have a pure white witch mother and a pure black witch father. He is labeled by The Council as a B Naught Point Five (B 0.5) – HALF BAD. Now it’s up to Nathan to determine who he is and who he will become.

- Judith Lafitte, Octavia Books, New Orleans, LA

Half Bad, by Green, Sally (Penguin)

Half Bad follows an alluring, unsafe narrator set in a deeply grey political landscape. Readers will find themselves carried and then swiftly captured in an irresistible current of intrigue and imagination as visceral as it is elegant.

- Kenny Brechner, DDG Booksellers, Farmington, ME

Half Bad, by Green, Sally (Penguin)

Nathan’s mother was a white witch. His father is the most evil black witch that ever lived. His schoolmates avoid him. His sister hates him. The Council of White Witches in Scotland, England, and Wales want to monitor his every move. And even though his Gran and his younger siblings love him, Nathan knows he doesn’t belong. Not really. Not anywhere. If he’s a white witch like his mother, can he be accepted? If he’s a black witch like his father, will the Council destroy him? If Nathan can’t control what he will become, can he at least survive to find out who he is? Half Bad is a gripping allegory of racism, love, and destiny.

- Kris Vreeland, Once Upon a Time Bookstore, Pasadena, CA

Half Bad, by Green, Sally (Penguin)

In Nathan’s world, things are simple. White witches are good. Black witches are evil. But Nathan is different. Nathan is half-white. Half-black. Half-good. Half-bad. Nathan, then, is a threat to the Council of White Witches. They must contain the threat. They must keep control. They must, by any means necessary, stay in power. Because, after all, it is the ones in power who get to define what is good and what is evil. A fantasy book that explores social justice and explodes the binary tradition of white and black in the discourse of magic, Half Bad introduces a phenomenal new character, develops an innovated narrative, and demonstrates that black and white aren’t always black and white and things are never simple.

- Sara Hines, Eight Cousins Bookstore, Falmouth, MA

Death-Struck Year, A, by Lucier, Makiia (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers)

Although the Great War is still raging in Europe, for Cleo and her classmates, the real fear is the Spanish Influenza. When the epidemic reaches Portland, OR, through a series of random events, Cleo finds herself home alone. Noticing a plea for nurses at a local make-shift hospital for Influenza patients, she decides to volunteer. Some volunteers last a day, others only a few hours – being surrounded by suffering and death is too much for most adults. But Cleo’s own history compels her to return each day, to offer comfort and assistance to the patients who need it – patients who have been abandoned by others. Challenging readers to think critically about what each of us would be willing to endure when the people around us are dying, A Death-Struck Year is an incredibly well-researched and amazingly written account of an event in American History that is often marginalized. It offers a compelling story of a young girl who doesn’t know what she wants to do with her life, but is willing to step up during a desperate hour.

- Sara Hines, Eight Cousins Bookstore, Falmouth, MA

Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender, The, by Walton, Leslye (Candlewick Press)

The most controversial book on our list, The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender, has sparked much debate. Is it an adult book? Is it a teen book? In the end, it doesn’t matter. It is just as the title suggests, both strange and beautiful, and should be read by every lover of books, regardless of their age.

- Becky Quiroga Curtis, Books & Books, Coral Gables, FL

Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender, The, by Walton, Leslye (Candlewick Press)

This love story by debut YA author Leslye Walton is as rare and perfect as Mona Lisa’s smile. This character-driven saga of the Roux family’s foolish loves and heartbreaks centers on 16-year-old Ava Lavender, who, but for having been born with wings like a bird, is an otherwise normal girl. Growing up sheltered from the outside world, Ava seizes an opportunity to literally spread her wings on the night of the Summer Solstice celebration. This is magical realism of mythical proportions.

- Ellen Klein, Hooray for Books!, Alexandria, VA

Eddie Red, Undercover: Mystery On Museum Mile, by Wells, Marcia (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers)

Fast paced, funny, and action packed, readers are going to love Eddie Red, Undercover. Eddie has a photographic memory, which the NYPD would desperately like to use to catch crooks. Because Marcia Wells tells the story in flashback, we are ready to learn how the pieces fall into place. Kids will relate to the horrible embarrassment that parents inflict on their children every day. I laughed, and I know readers will as well.

- Valerie Koehler, Blue WIllow Bookshop, Houston, TX

Eddie Red, Undercover: Mystery On Museum Mile, by Wells, Marcia (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers)

Edmund Xaxier Lonnrot is a kid with a photographic memory and the skill to draw anything he sees. When he goes undercover with the NYPD to catch art thieves, he becomes Eddie Red. With the help of his slightly peculiar best friend, Eddie is able to pursue the Picasso Gang and evade his slightly over-protective mom and the slightly grumpy officer in charge of the case. Eddie is a bright kid who is portrayed without excess snark. He is a talented kid who can also make mistakes. Future Eddie Red installments will be highly anticipated.

-Tess Riesmeyer, Penguin Bookshop, Sewickley, PA

Salvage, by Duncan, Alexandra (HarperCollins)

This epic sci-fi coming-of-age story follows its heroine from an interstellar merchant ship to the streets of a near-future Mumbai. Through heartbreaking losses and unimagined achievements, helped by a beautiful cast of supporting characters, she bucks the traditions of her family and culture and becomes a young woman who stands on her own. I can’t wait to put this book into the hands of teenage girls, who will devour the story and be lifted by its message.

- Emily Ring, Inklings Bookshop, Yakima, WA

Salvage, by Duncan, Alexandra (HarperCollins)

The term “important” is overused, of course, which is a shame since it would have been better reserved for a terrific book like Salvage. Salvage takes a coming-of-age story in a futuristic setting and grounds it so deeply into the personal experience of its readers that it transcends its genre.

- Kenny Brechner, DDG Booksellers, Farmington, ME

Salvage, by Duncan, Alexandra (HarperCollins)

The only life 16-year-old Ava has known is on the spaceship Parastrata, with its strict rules and rigid social structure. When her father arranges her marriage to the captain of the spaceship AEther, she is completely unprepared for the vivid world she encounters. From space to a floating city in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, to a steamy, overcrowded Mumbai, Ava discovers secrets and mysteries she could never have imagined. Salvage is a fast-paced adventure full of memorable, sometimes haunting characters and fascinating environments.

- Kris Vreeland, Once Upon a Time Bookstore, Pasadena, CA

Far From You, by Sharpe, Tess (Disney Hyperion)

Part murder mystery, part forbidden romance, this lovely novel is both chilling and poignant. I adored the heroine, Sophie, for her strength and perseverance in the face of grief, betrayal, and the painful accusations leveled at her after her best friend’s death. The nail-bitingly tense action kept me up reading until late in the night, and the thrilling conclusion didn’t disappoint.

- Emily Ring, Inklings Bookshop, Yakima, WA

The Vigilante Poets of Selwyn Academy, by Hattemer, Kate (Random House Childrens Books)

When a reality show invades your high school, you have only one choice: rally your friends and write a long poem in the style of Ezra Pound as a protest. Suddenly the poet is a participant in the reality show, and his fellow protesters must reconsider their roles and friendships. Kate Hattemer’s debut is funny (meet Baconaise, the gerbil who can perform circus tricks), original, and witty. Smart and arty kids have found a new leader.

-Tess Riesmeyer, Penguin Bookshop, Sewickley, PA

Sekret, by Smith, Lindsay (Macmillan Children's Publishing Group)

Set in Russia and Germany during the 1960s, Sekret takes espionage to a new level, with the KGB training teenagers to be psychic spies whose mission is to undermine the US space program. After Yulia is captured by the KGB and forced to use her psychic powers to track down spies, all she wants to do is escape. However, surrounded by other psychic teens and ruthless KGB operatives, her every move is watched--even anticipated. Here’s a cat-and-mouse tale that takes stealth and trickery to a new level.

- Ellen Klein, Hooray for Books!, Alexandria, VA

Sekret, by Smith, Lindsay (Macmillan Children's Publishing Group)

This fun thriller, set in 1960’s Soviet Russia, mixes historical fact with speculation. Sekret imagines a KGB program that trains teens with psychic powers to be weapons against the enemies of Communism. Misplaced loyalty, romance, and betrayal all come into play as the story careens towards its conclusion. Teens who love dystopia will be captivated by the combination of an actual fascist dystopia and the young people who have the power to bring it to its knees.

- Emily Ring, Inklings Bookshop, Yakima, WA

Sekret, by Smith, Lindsay (Macmillan Children's Publishing Group)

It's Communist Russia, the middle of the Cold War. Yulia will do whatever it takes to keep her mother and younger brother safe. Her unique skills that, until now, have helped her family survive have also attracted the attention of KGB. Because of her ability to read people's minds, the KGB has "recruited" her for their psychic spy program of gifted children being trained to sabotage the Americans. The first lesson she learns very quickly: trust no one, ever. Sekret is a page-turning thriller from the first paragraph to the last.

- Kris Vreeland, Once Upon a Time Bookstore, Pasadena, CA

Sekret, by Smith, Lindsay (Macmillan Children's Publishing Group)

Yulia can see the history of an object -- or a person -- just by touch. This gift helps her negotiate the black market in 1960s Soviet Union, but it doesn’t protect her from being taken by a special branch of the KGB. Placed with other kids who have similar psychic abilities, Yulia doesn’t know who to trust. She can see memories, but the others can influence them. And with one very powerful, unknown person who can change memories, Yulia isn’t even sure she can trust herself. An historical, paranormal romance and espionage thriller set during the space race in 1960s Soviet Union, Sekret is a brilliant blend of fast-paced action and philosophical questions about the clash between individuality and society.

- Sara Hines, Eight Cousins Bookstore, Falmouth, MA

Knightley and Son, by Gavin, Rohan (Bloomsbury)

Could there be anything more evil than a fatuous self help book? The answer lies in the pages of Knightly & Son, where it shares space with some terrific espionage, puzzle solving, humor and some very entertaining, if belated, father and son bonding. As enjoyable as it is engaging, Knightly & Sons succeeds in its dual plans of unmasking a nefarious conspiracy and captivating middle grade readers.

- Kenny Brechner, DDG Books

Knightley and Son, by Gavin, Rohan (Bloomsbury)

Darkus "Doc" Knightly wants to be just like his dad. He talks like him, dresses like him, has read all his case files and has sat at his father's bedside every Saturday afternoon for the last four years. Since the "episode" that left his father somewhere between a coma and a trance, Darkus has never stopped believing his father will wake up. Then one day he does and with the help of an array of quirky, brilliant characters, Doc and his dad set out to investigate the mysterious Combination and the strange events that may be linked to the Combination, like seizures in bookstores and ordinary citizens becoming bank robbers. Knightly & Son is a clever, creative, exciting adventure perfect for everyone who loves a good, classic mystery.

- Kris Vreeland, Once Upon a Time Bookstore, Pasadena, CA

- Kenny Brechner, DDG Books

Steering Toward Normal, by Petruck, Rebecca (Abrams)

Diggy had one goal for 8th grade: win Grand Champion at the state fair. That is, until Wayne’s dad dumps him on Diggy and Pop’s doorstep: “He says you’re my dad and I have to live here now.” The next year is spent training steers, pranking brothers, teaching and fighting, doubting and trusting, hating and loving. This blue-ribbon writing full of truth, pathos, humor, and 4-H tells a story of fathers, sons, and a brother who discovers himself and a family he never knew he needed.

- Summer Laurie, Books, Inc., San Francisco, CA

Steering Toward Normal, by Petruck, Rebecca (Abrams)

Rebecca Petruck has penned a poignant story of family in this debut. Tw boys, a farm boy and a town boy, find out that they share the same father. When forced to live together, they learn that family can mean more than what is "normal". Petruck guides us gently with humor toward a resolution that is believable to readers of all ages.

- Valerie Koehler, Blue Willow Bookshop, Houston, TX