In the near future, Daniel Bennett is the developer of an AI system called Castor, and he’s the creative force behind startup Promethean Systems. He creates Castor to recognize patterns in medical data, and it has the potential to save patients and insurers hundreds of millions of dollars and prevent needless deaths. For Daniel, the future looks bright, and with his wife, Ana, who’s a successful consultant, and his teenage stepdaughter, Natasha, by his side, life was good. But when Castor starts guiding its own development and Promethean founding partner Robert Hayes suddenly dies of cardiac arrest, the future of the company becomes uncertain. When Regillus Global offers to buy the firm out and expand it into different markets, it seems like a saving grace. However, as Daniel adapts to the new company structure and direction, he soon finds himself troubled that Promethean’s original vision has been sidetracked. Then irregularities occur in Castor’s systems, indicating that something is very wrong; soon, the situation results in lives being lost in the name of corporate success. Spears’ speculative novel features a large cast of characters and sector-specific jargon (“When utilizing Shor’s Algorithm on the quantum chip, the encryption key’s period happened to match the number of physical qubits available to me,” notes Jimini, an AI built from Castor’s code, at one point), but readers will be carried along by the action-packed, suspenseful narrative. It’s a disturbingly realistic thriller, as well; as Daniel’s work demands increase, and he pours even more of himself into his work, his family life begins to suffer, and as he uncovers a web of power, deception, and greed, he must find a way to control the seemingly uncontrollable. The author has also clearly drawn on his professional experience as a software engineer to craft the story’s finer technical details, adding to its complexity and feeling of authenticity.

Now in his late-30s, author Anglade notes in the book’s opening lines that he “had a relatively good life, despite being born in one of the poorest countries in the world.” As recounted in the memoir’s harrowing opening chapters, the author’s childhood home was broken into twice by armed burglars during the night, prompting his family to frequently sleep at their church to avoid zenglendos (armed criminals). While he deeply valued Haiti’s rich culture, even having competitions with his friends to see who could read Haitian novels the fastest, he also had family members whom he visited in the United States, where he developed an affinity for the U.S., especially its cartoons and Wendy’s spicy chicken nuggets. Ultimately, he migrated to the U.S., devoting his efforts to education and eventually receiving a Ph.D. in applied economics from the University of Florida. Apart from academic research, Anglade spent much of his postgraduate life engaging with Haitian politics, public policy, and economic development. The memoir certainly offers an inspirational story of overcoming obstacles to obtain one’s dreams, but what makes this work stand out is Anglade’s grasp of Haitian history; he interweaves his personal story into the larger narrative of the Caribbean nation. For example, the zenglendos that terrorized his family, he convincingly writes, weren’t just random criminals or a “local menace,” but were intricately tied to the political and economic instability that followed the overthrow of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in 1991. He similarly connects his immigration story to the wider history of the African diaspora. The book also includes ample commentary on contemporary Haitian politics and the effects of climate change on the country. While this political analysis lacks formal citations, Anglade has a learned understanding of the various forces at play in 21st-century Haiti and is particularly critical of the nation’s bureaucrats for “riding in bullet proof cars and drawing comfortable salaries” amid rising crime rates and economic decline.

A clearing opens in the forest around a mighty fallen tree. As it begins to decompose, the tree attracts life from far and wide. First, insects such as alpine longhorn beetles and carpenter ants arrive, feeding on and tunneling through the dead wood. Fungi slowly transform parts of the tree into humus, a valuable food source for nearby plants. Birds and small mammals burrow in the tree’s hollows and use the fallen trunk for safe passage across a stream. With the help of these many forest organisms, the decaying tree becomes essential to the forest’s biodiversity and a great example of symbiosis. This Italian import is packed to the roots with in-depth info about the flora and fauna that interact with a forest’s fallen trees, as well as a segment about the human impact on forest health and tips on how to promote biodiversity in readers’ own backyards. Manageable blocks of text are peppered with scientific words that are bolded and defined, making the information accessible to the upper elementary set for both interest and research, despite its lack of bibliographic sources. Gottardi’s intricate illustrations depict the wonder of the forest in fine lines and eye-catching colors, from majestic foxes dusted with snow to tiny, delicately frilled lichens.

In this heartwarming adventure story, McCarty takes readers on a modern-day romp in the woods of Boone, North Carolina. Ten-year-old Thomas has come with his family, who present white, to stay near Canaan Woods with Aunt Cecilia, a painter, in the home she and his mom grew up in. It’s a chance for Mom, who’s in remission from cancer, to recuperate. Through his mother’s stories and his visits to the woods, Thomas finds a world full of fairies, trolls, and, most importantly, a stone tiger. Thomas’ singing brings the tiger to life, and the two develop a bond. The relationship between Thomas and his mother, who suffers a setback in her health, centers on stories and the loss of imagination as we grow older. Mom’s tales of Greenwood, the name she and Aunt Cecilia gave the woods as children, are interspersed throughout. Although long-winded details bog down the text, the work features a lovely blend of reality mixed with the fantastical, keeping readers grounded while embracing whimsy. The writing style and treatment of the painful subject of parental mortality make this work suited for younger readers. McCarty supports childhood independence in his depiction of Thomas, who’s allowed the space to roam and experience his emotions.

“Every Saturday, me and Mom bring Yaya a small box of dan-tats to share,” the young narrator informs readers. The child’s grandfather, who lives in a nursing home, uses a wheelchair and has memory issues. Though Yaya speaks only Chinese, the two bond over their love of egg tarts. But today, Yaya promptly takes the box and disappears down the hall. Though nervous of the other residents—Chinese elders who “fart and burp and cough” and “smile without their teeth in”—the child follows. The protagonist’s energetic voice introduces a colorful crew of personalities, revealed to be far more welcoming than they first appeared, as Yaya stops to give dan-tats to Mrs. Tam, who is “always knitting,” sports-loving Mr. Lee, and grumpy Mr. Kwan, who drops crumbs while reading the newspaper with Yaya. The comedic interactions warm the child’s heart—but did Yaya forget that dan-tats are their special tradition? No! After sharing the last few egg tarts with the other residents in the community room, they head to Yaya’s room to split the very last one. Xiao’s cartoon artwork is deftly shaded and textured with squiggles, lines, and bold pops of colors that evoke movement and warmth. The tale concludes on an uplifting note, with the protagonist reminded of Yaya’s love—and eager to continue connecting with the other elders next Saturday.