Little Gnouf and Mirabelle—two “Gnoufs,” who look like pale-skinned children with snouts and animallike ears—are thrilled to be visiting the ocean for the first time. The pals are marveling at their surroundings when Mirabelle hears with her “magical ears” a far-off cry for help: It’s a baby whale trapped in a fishing net on the shore. Once Little Gnouf and Mirabelle manage to get the whale into the water, the friends climb onto the creature’s back and offer words of encouragement, which ultimately helps the calf reunite with his mom. The duo’s improvised efforts to save the whale—they make ropes from the fishing net and get an assist from some seagulls—are compelling, though there’s a whiff of the cutesy about the story: “Little Gnouf and Mirabelle rushed to the baby whale because Gnoufs loved the earth and all its creatures.” “Mommy whale was so happy to have her baby safe, she sang a joyful song that sent shivers through the sea.” But the illustrations make up for it; Grimard has a light hand, creating willowy tableaux and hewing to a beachy palette except where sea life is concerned—then it’s open season on glorious color.

Iris Raines, a seasoned private investigator with a razor-sharp instinct for deception, is drawn into a volatile case involving a struggling restaurant chain and a string of escalating sabotage incidents at an over-the-top Texas ranch. What initially appears to be a corporate dispute quickly deepens into something far more unpredictable as Iris begins to question the evidence and the people behind it—especially the client whose desperation may be masking something far more complicated. From the outset, Iris frames her world with hard-earned clarity: “Don’t lie to your PI.” That guiding principle shapes her every move, informing how she reads people, evaluates risk, and navigates the blurred lines between loyalty and truth. Her voice carries the story with confidence—dry, observant, and often laced with humor—grounding even the most extreme situations in a sense of lived-in realism. As the investigation progresses, the tension builds steadily. Routine surveillance at the ranch leads to a life-threatening encounter, shifting the tone from methodical inquiry to urgent survival. The moments of action are tightly rendered, placing Iris in situations where instinct and experience are all that stand between her and disaster. The contrast between quiet investigative work and sudden violence keeps the pacing dynamic and engaging. Beyond the central mystery, Iris’ personal connections add depth. Her bond with her dog, Festus, provides both emotional resonance and a sense of stability amid chaos, while her interactions with her family and professional circle hint at a layered past that informs her resilience. These relationships enrich the narrative, offering glimpses into what drives the protagonist. The setting reinforces the themes of excess and illusion—the lavish ranch, with its extravagant and almost absurd details, serves as an ideal backdrop for a story rooted in greed, secrecy, and shifting allegiances. Appearances rarely align with reality, and Iris must constantly reassess what—and whom—to believe.

The world of Terra is populated by five human clans, known as the Tigers, Birds, Raccoons, Shadows, and Foxes. Long ago, the godlike Patrons gave each clan different magical powers, called “cannys.” Over time, the cannys disappeared—at least for most people. After Jasper, a 15-year-old Fox boy, secretly sets a dangerous shape-shifter free, it takes Jasper’s form and kills its original captors. The Tigers accuse Jasper of murder and take him into custody. DeBarco, the sinister head of the Tigers, persuades Harissa, a Tiger teenager and the only female trainee in the Chame-lion program, to bear false witness against Jasper. Harissa’s testimony is especially convincing because she has a canny that allows her to add thoughts and images to other people’s memories. After Jasper is found guilty, he’s taken to the coliseum to be hanged, but he escapes with the help of his father, Argus, and the shape-shifter, Gallium. In the process, he discovers his own canny—the rare ability to generate and cast a flaming substance called “chasma.” As Jasper journeys onward, he makes even more shocking discoveries about his world, his ancestry, and his fate. Meanwhile, Harissa uncovers troubling information about DeBarco and sets out on her own journey to reclaim her path. DiDesidero’s book is split between Jasper’s and Harissa’s close third-person perspectives, and both are equally engaging. Although some readers, particularly younger ones, may have some trouble keeping the lore and accompanying terms and concepts straight, the ideas themselves are compelling and unusual. DiDesidero supports the fine characterization and intriguing settings with expressive prose: “Harissa lay in a well of gravity so deep that time oozed by. Her limbs had no muscle. The dizzy world had her glued in place like a taxidermy person stuffed with cottony drugs.” It all results in an immersive, fast-paced reading experience.

Mama and Papa Duck celebrate the hatching of their eggs, only to find that one is gone. Papa stays with their nine new ducklings, while Mama sets off to find the missing tenth. Along the way, she discovers four eggs hidden in nests, but instead of ducklings, they hatch a baby alligator, a python, a sea turtle, and a bald eagle. The author repeats a playful refrain that builds anticipation before every reveal: “Pretty soon she felt a wiggle, wiggle, wiggle. She heard a crack, crack, crack. She jumped up to look and…” Just as she’s about to give up, Mama Duck spots her errant egg and hatches duckling number 10, completing the happy family. This uncomplicated and clearly written read-aloud story manages to be educational without feeling didactic. Numbers up to 10 are introduced and reinforced, the concept of oviparous animals is explained, and an illustrated snail appears on most pages to provide an extra visual detail that young readers will enjoy spotting. This picture book succeeds because of its simplicity, clarity, and charm. Kids will delight in the surprise of unexpected animals hatching from the eggs; adults will appreciate the fun learning moments. Rogova’s full-page, endearing illustrations complement the narrative perfectly.

After Adam Barnett of Defiance, Arizona, is struck by lightning, he awakens with a gap in his memory and an unfamiliar dog licking his face, whom he calls Mop. Shortly afterward, he’s attacked by “something out of a nightmare” that he’s unable to identify. He manages a narrow escape with Mop, who turns out to be a runaway government research animal linked to a dangerous web of secrets. Simultaneously, Maj. Blain Jacobson, a U.S. Army Ranger with extensive combat experience and high-level analytical skills, uncovers more than he bargains for when he looks into a fatal incident at a government research facility in North Scottsdale, Arizona. Elsewhere in the state, Victoria Stewart, the daughter of a deceased U.S. Marine veteran and the survivor of an attempted car bombing, desperately searches for a man she knows only as “Dark,” whose voice haunts her in her dreams, as he orders the killings of real people who later turn up dead. These three strangers’ fates intertwine as they try to root out the truth of their tangled predicaments—but, in each case, one misstep could prove fatal. Ewing excels at immersive, pulse-pounding action scenes with visceral detail. The clipped, no-nonsense language works alongside meticulous attention to specifics: “He was in the northwest corner. If he headed toward the south lobby, he might run into whomever or whatever had shut off the lights. The loading dock was behind the killers to the north, so that was out.” As the characters sustain significant injuries that affect their ability to function at top capacity, the stakes become clearer. The book occasionally has trouble juggling its three complex, integrated plotlines, and it sometimes meanders; some characters’ interactions feel awkward at times as well. But the various players’ motives are sympathetic enough to sustain the plot, and a satisfying conclusion leaves room for the story to continue.