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Michael Adams, Spare Change.
Washington, DC, isn’t just the seat of American politics. It’s home to more than 700,000 people. Spare Change takes readers onto the streets of this city to paint vivid pictures of what DC’s citizens experience on a daily basis. For more, see https://michaelanthonyadamsjur.com
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Jerry Aveta, When Liberty Enslaves: The Toxic Blend of Faith and Politics.
There are surprising commonalities between our current national experiences and those that prevailed in the era prior to the Civil War. This work compares the intersection of faith and politics during these two periods and reveals uncanny similarities in elections, governance, and the nation’s divisions. For more, see www.faithforthetimes.net
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Jim Beane, The Deadening; A Novel.
Set in 1921, two French doughboys, Harrell Hickman and Willem Redd, have returned from war-torn France’s brutal trenches. The chance encounter of these damaged young men leads to some dramatic clashes reminiscent of foreordained Greek tragedy. For more, see www.jimbeane.com
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Adam Brookes, Fragile Cargo: China’s Wartime Race to Save the Treasures of the Forbidden City.
The true story of the brave and devoted art historians and museum curators who saved China’s greatest works of art during Japan’s WWII invasion of China. They moved a quarter million art works and books thousands of miles across war-torn China, enduring 16 years of appalling privations and danger. A story of war, upheaval, and the deep human urge to preserve and protect culture. For more, see www.adambrookes.com
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A. J. Campbell, The Bug Parade.
A science-focused educational poetry book about bugs for elementary and middle school kids.
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Hank Cox, Samuel Smith: The Hero of Baltimore in the War of 1812.
This is an account of the adventures of Sam Smith, a pivotal player in the founding of our nation. Working closely with George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, et al., he was chiefly responsible for the heroic performance of the people of Baltimore, who defeated the British in the War of 1812.
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Dennis M. Desmond, Eddie and the Vegetarian Vampire.
In World War II-era Boston, a resilient orphan befriends a lonely, vegetarian, bean-eating vampire—himself an orphan—in a search for family and belonging. For more, see www.dennismdesmond.com
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Dick Epstein, Thank You for Your Service.
A poet’s look at the life of a soldier in Viet Nam, Thailand, and back home, illustrated with photos.
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Kevin Flynn, Rock Creek.
A combination mystery, political thriller, and historical fiction, the book’s setting is Washington, D.C., in 1952. A homicide detective, shell-shocked and haunted by his past, follows a tortuous path to solve a murder case of a woman whose body was left in Rock Creek Park. For more, see www.kevinflynnauthor.com
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J. G. Gardner, The Magic of Deceit.
In this adult high fantasy, a wizard seeking distinction from his guild is targeted for assassination as he searches for a wealthy merchant’s kidnapped daughter. For more, see jgardnerauthor.com
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Varun Gauri, For the Blessings of Jupiter and Venus.
Disillusioned with modern romance, globe-trotting Meena tries an arranged marriage with Avi, an aspiring politician in Ohio. For more, see varungauri.com
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Carol Bengle Gilbert, En Route to Knockaderry.
Secrets, shame, and terror upend the author’s childhood. Seeking the truth about her family, she delves into her ancestry—a journey she traces through colonial New England, early 20th-century Chicago, and finally to 19th-century Ireland, where she finds her roots in Knockaderry. An irreverent, fanciful, and wholly factual memoir. For more, see www.carolbenglegilbert.com
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Erica Ginsberg, Creative Resilience.
Creative pursuits—whether a paid profession, a side hustle, or a leisure activity—can bring joy and meaning to the lives of artists and audiences. But they also can bring challenges of motivation, confidence, blocks, and, yes, rejection. For those who are navigating these challenges, this book offers guidance from those who have been there. For more, see www.ericaginsberg.com/books
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Dennis Huffman, Decolonizing the Park.
A collection of poems and photographs inspired by the author’s work as a volunteer “weed warrior” combating invasive plants along Sligo Creek.
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Alison Kahn, Patapsco: Life along Maryland’s Historic River Valley, with photographs by Peggy Fox and foreword by Robert Coles.
This collection of compelling oral history narratives, evocative essays, and stunning images profiles the lives of longtime residents of five historic Patapsco Valley towns and reveals the connections between culture, place, and memory.
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Christine Kessides, Magda, Standing.
Pittsburgh, 1916: When her father pulls her out of high school to care for her invalid mother and little brother, 16-year-old Magda is devastated. But the greater challenge is saving her German immigrant family in the face of a global war and Spanish flu pandemic. For more, see www.magda-standing.com
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Joanne Kieffer, P for Percy, an ABC Story.
Rhyming snippets with whimsical illustrations depicting Percy, an Olde English Bulldogge. For more, see www.classicatalesusa.com
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Thomas Lehrich, The Adventure of Backpacker Billy and Shave.
The fourth book in the series, this one relates Backpacker Billy and Shave’s adventures in DC. Join Shave and cousin Maple the Dog on a visit to the National Zoo to see the giant pandas—and for a sail on the Potomac where they encounter a pod of bottlenose dolphins.
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Keisha McGeachy, My Little Red Bear.
Two kids at a local fair face a dilemma over a red bear won as a prize. This illustrated children’s story teaches kids how to resolve conflict and reach a compromise. For more, see https://store.bookbaby.com/book/my-little-red-bear
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Alexander Mell-Taylor, The Bubble We’re In.
Seeking an antidote to the loneliness of the COVID-19 pandemic, a pair of on-again, off-again lovers enter into a relationship way too hastily. Things get complicated when they bring strangers in to try to prevent everything from falling apart.
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Desaray Mnyandu, Sindi: A Zulu Cinderella.
Life isn’t easy for sweet Sindi. In her father’s absence, she’s treated horribly by her cruel aunt and cousins. Although her troubles threaten to ruin her chance to go to the Zulu Reed Dance and to find true love, her grandmother’s wisdom, her own courage, and a touch of magic help Sindi discover that she can take charge of her own remarkable journey. For more, see https://www.sindicinderella.com/
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Jody Olsen, A Million Miles: My Peace Corps Journey.
When she enlisted as a Peace Corps volunteer in 1966, she was fleeing familial tragedy and societal norms of her Salt Lake City upbringing. Her service in Tunisia upended her religious and cultural beliefs and propelled her into a six-decade career with the Peace Corps, culminating in her directorship of the agency. This memoir reveals the personal and professional challenges she faced and is a testament to the transformative power of leadership and self-discovery. For more, see www.jodyolsen.org
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C.A. Parker, Song of the Samuri.
Inspired by the true story of shakuhachi master, Kurosawa Kinko, a lone samurai monk journeys across Edo-period Japan on a quest to redeem his honor. Along the way he encounters merchants, rōnin, courtesans, spies, warriors, hermits, and spirits. For more, see https://www.drcaparker.com/
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Robin Stevens Payes, Find Me in the Time Before.
A time-traveling trip to the wrong year lands Charley in prison at the Bastille. When she tries to get home, she ends up in a future where face masks and sweatpants are in fashion and “home” has become its own sort of prison. Can Charley fix the wrong turns and reverse time before a modern-day virus threatens to wipe out the knowledge on which the future of humanity hangs? For more, see https://edgeofyesterdaybooks.com
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Natasha Peterson, Camellia Season: A Novel.
This award-winning, captivating tale centers around a group of teenagers coming of age in New Orleans during the turbulent 1960s. Says Publishers Weekly’s BookLife: “Vibrant. Intriguing. Sparkles.” For more, see natashapetersonauthor.com
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Michelyve Petit, Bam the Tiny Brave Elephant.
This story about a young elephant named Bam teaches that anyone can make a difference and save the day. It’s written in rhyme and uses CVC for curious minds ages 3 and up.
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Katie Redford, The Revolution Will Not Be Litigated: People Power and Legal Poor in the 21st Century.
Twenty-five of the world’s most accomplished movement lawyers and activists reflect on their experiences on the frontlines of some of our time’s most significant struggles. Their words offer inspiration and also a compass for how movements can use the law—and must sometimes break it—to bring about social justice.
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Megan Scribner, Building Bridges Word by Word.
This is a virtual book in progress—and you are invited to be its authors. Write a reflection on a saying, quote, song, or poem that has meaning for you. By sharing your stories, we can discover what we may have in common and begin to build bridges across our divides. For more, see https://buildingbridgeswbw.com
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Nina Gilden Seavey, The Documentary Filmmaker’s Workbook.
Actually two books in one: “Directing Documentary” offers everything you need to know to be the creative force in documentary filmmaking. Flip the workbook over, turn it upside down, and “Producing Documentary” tells you all you need to know to guide a film from concept to distribution. For more, see www.seaveymedia.com
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Risa Shaw, Not Child’s Play: An Anthology on Brother-Sister Incest (2nd edition).
This riveting anthology shatters the silence around sibling sexual abuse and elevates the voices of survivors. Collectively they call for accountability and healing through prose, poetry, and visual art. A powerful, courageous, and beautiful invitation to bear witness and take action. For more, see https://notchildsplay.com
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Rick Stack, We Who Grieve: Understanding Our Most Painful Emotion.
Those experiencing grief and loss, of any kind, will find this book a comforting companion and helpful resource, offering support and guidance during the mourning process. For more, see https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/we-who-grieve/
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Mike Tidwell, The Lost Trees of Willow Avenue: A Story of Climate and Hope on One American Street.
In 2023 the author and activist decided to keep a record, for a full year, of the growing impacts of climate change on his own urban block: the 7100 block of Willow Avenue in Takoma Park. A love letter to the magnificent oaks and other trees dying from record heat waves and bizarre rain, Tidwell’s story depicts the neighborhood’s battle to save the trees and combat climate change.
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Jaya Viswanathan, Baby Senses: A Sensory Neuroscience Primer for All Ages.
This award-winning neuroscience-art book for children shows the wonder and beauty of animals’ sensory systems and how they function as real-life “superpowers.” The author provides a unique window into the marvels of sensory perceptions that will appeal both to children and curious adults.
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Meg Voorhes, Takoma Park Native Tree Selection Guide.
This guide explains the ecological importance of native trees and helps residents of Takoma Park and vicinity select trees for their properties. Sixty-nine tree species native to Maryland are featured. For more, see fontt.org
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More than 30 local authors will be selling and signing books at the Takoma Park Book Fair at Busboys and Poets Takoma. This unique and festive holiday event features an eclectic array of books of every genre, with something for everyone. Come in and browse, meet the authors, pick up some personalized gifts—and enjoy a meal at the restaurant.
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