One doesn't have to respect a book's principal characters to appreciate the story. In Sophie McManus's admirable first novel, The Unfortunates, the pettiness of the privileged and their sense of entitlement take center stage.

In her late 70s, overbearing philanthropist matriarch CeCe Somner suffers from a degenerative disease that threatens her micro-management of the fund-raising social events that once filled her calendar. Her illness prompts her stay at the tony Institute for Clinical Research campus, where she berates nurses and doctors while desperately hoping an experimental treatment will slow her disease's pace.

Her son, George, however, has been under her critical thumb for so long and is so dependent on her deliberately limited financial support that, in her absence, he barely manages an undemanding foundation job, where he idly scribbles at what he believes is a breakthrough modern opera. In debt and hounded by bill collectors, George's wife, Iris, sells their Somner heirloom jewelry and antiques, and invests their meager savings with George's former classmate's private equity fund--just before it is charged with securities fraud. It would appear that this financially fortunate family's follies turn them into "unfortunates" indeed.

But McManus knows the wealthy well. When the Somner backs are to the wall, their money salves a lot of wounds. The Unfortunates is an irresistible novel about old money and the sometimes wayward, sometimes admirable behavior of those who have it. The Somners are an upsetting lot, but as Iris says about a disturbingly graphic novel she is trying to read: "It's a book. The more upsetting the better." --Bruce Jacobs, founding partner, Watermark Books & Cafe, Wichita, Kan.

Steve Stern (The Book of Mischief, The Frozen Rabbi) dazzles again with his inventive novel The Pinch: A Novel, a History. He loves mischievously to play with "story," and this concoction is a hilarious romp set in an actual, once-thriving Jewish community in Memphis, Tenn. In the late 1960s, Lenny Sklarew, its last resident, peddles drugs and works at the Book Asylum while avoiding the draft. One day he discovers a big, musty, privately printed book from 1952 entitled The Pinch: A History. Flipping through it, he realizes, "I'm a character!" and slams it shut.

The chapters alternate between Lenny in the 1960s and the 1910s Pinch of Jewish immigrant Muni Pinsker, author of the book Larry finds. Muni works in his uncle Pinchas Pin's store and becomes smitten with Jenny Bashrig, a barefooted, high-wire walker who "gamboled above the alley between Rosen's Delicatessen and Pin's Merchandise."

Deep into reading Muni's history, Larry "approached the book with an ostrich-egg lump in my throat, since, in reading The Pinch, I was conscious of also approaching a rendezvous with myself." He's also falling in love with Rachel Ostrofsky, who fancies herself a folklorist, and together they begin to unravel the book's mysteries.

Stern draws upon the rich, Talmudic world of demons, spirits, ghosts and magic. An impressive literary conjurer, Stern twists and turns his story every which way. It dazzles as it befuddles, keeping readers off-balance in this multilayered, Alice in Wonderland history of families and the Pinch. The book's challenges are many, but its end is richly rewarding. --Tom Lavoie, former publisher

Nothing can crush a parent like the discovery that his child suffers an incurable disorder--and nothing can strain a marriage like the demands of and potential conflicts in caring for such a child. A meaty saga of a Seattle couple's struggles in raising a son born on "the autism spectrum," Stephanie Kallos's third novel, Language Arts, tackles head-on the life-changing impact of the diagnosis that confirms their worst fears.

Son Cody is born to Charles and Alison Marlow shortly after they marry and move into a quaint "storybook cottage" in Seattle, where Charles begins a career teaching high school Language Arts. When Cody's growing vocabulary seems suddenly to vanish, "Charles and Alison looked on, useless." They join support groups. They read the latest medical studies. They investigate special care facilities and treatment options. And they argue. Charles prefers to think of Cody as he is, not as a patient. Alison wants to attack his condition aggressively with the latest weapons. They divorce. Cody settles into the circumscribed world of institutional rules and routines. Nobody is particularly happy. On this basic framework, Kallos builds a more complex story.

As the novel unfolds, the importance of language connects the digressive stories of the Marlow family and those who intersect it--the therapists, students, colleagues, neighbors, caregivers and Cody's institutional housemates. Language, however, is not the only path to communication and understanding. Kallos closes the circle and knits the novel's disparate threads into a place of modest contentment for Charles, who writes, "just because one has no expectations doesn't mean one has no hope." --Bruce Jacobs, founding partner, Watermark Books & Cafe, Wichita, Kan.

Hobbling along with the aid of a cane as a result of his previous encounter with Jack the Ripper, Inspector Walter Day, Alex Grecian's Scotland Yard Murder Squad hero, returns in The Harvest Man, book four of the mystery series. Day is working a desk as he recovers from his injuries, but the emergence of a gruesome serial killer has the medical examiner clamoring for Day's skill and expertise.

A deranged individual, nicknamed the Harvest Man, hides in attics until he can strike the homes' inhabitants, tying them up and mercilessly slicing off their faces. No one can identify the murderer until two boys escape while he's slaughtering their parents. Day is determined to protect the young witnesses and bring the Harvest Man to justice. But he has more than a knife-wielding psychopath to contend with. Jack the Ripper is back, with more of his cat-and-mouse game in store for Inspector Day.

The Harvest Man will be most completely appreciated by those who have read the previous books in the series. However, this won't stop new readers from devouring the story and becoming hooked, heading back to the beginning to fill in blanks. Grecian's vivid characters draw on universal attributes, so while his historical setting is essential to Jack's presence, the audience is still likely to connect with them on personal and emotional levels.

In a novel packed with plenty of thrills and chills, Alex Grecian gives his readers a suspenseful, fascinating read. They just may need to double-check their attics before bed. --Jen Forbus of Jen's Book Thoughts

In her food blog, Sprouted Kitchen (and cookbook of the same name), Sara Forte focuses on recipes using whole foods and seasonal ingredients; her second cookbook, The Sprouted Kitchen Bowl and Spoon, takes this approach a step further, creating recipes that can be served in a single bowl. Based on Forte's own preference for one-bowl dishes and requests from readers and fans for recipes that are "delicious, healthful, and practical," the collection offers ideas and inspiration for home-cooked meals that fit into busy schedules.

The Sprouted Kitchen Bowl and Spoon is organized by meal type: breakfasts (Mushroom and Leek Soft Egg Bake), side dishes (Marrakesh Carrots), entrees (Herbed Falafel Bowl) and desserts (Peach Derby Ice Cream). In line with Forte's approach to whole foods, all of the dishes are centered on produce, though tofu, tempeh, fish and poultry do make a few appearances. Forte encourages readers to adjust recipes as needed, and includes recommendations for changes based on preference, ingredient availability, dietary restrictions and occasion. (Don't shy away from a recipe with cheese because of a dairy intolerance, for example; it's okay to leave it out. Or leave the eggs off of the Baby Potato and Asparagus Tangle with Green Harissa to make a perfect dinner side dish.)

In the introduction, Forte notes that she hopes "to encourage people to eat at home with people they care about, to compose produce-focused meals, and to value their health." The recipes in this cookbook do just that--and stunning food photography from Forte's husband, Hugh Forte, makes the collection all the more enticing. --Kerry McHugh, blogger at Entomology of a Bookworm

In his foreword, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN chief medical correspondent, calls The Plantpower Way "the best book I have read on the topic" of a plant-based diet, and "so intuitive... it provides answers before you even ask the question." The Plantpower Way began on the eve of Rich Roll's 40th birthday--he was 50 pounds overweight and out of shape; within two years, Roll was one of Men's Fitness "25 Fittest Men in the World" after finishing the Ultraman World Championships.

Rich and his wife, Julie, believe food has a vibrational energy, positive or negative, and "the nature of the frequency we ingest has an indelibly profound impact on every aspect of how we feel, interact, behave, comprehend, and appreciate the world around us." They present more than 120 original recipes representing three paths to wellness (vitality, performance or transformation) to "repair, restore, energize, and invigorate your body, mind, and soul." Each lifestyle path has a timed schedule for each meal, snack and drink, as well as an explanation of the intention behind each. In addition, tips for raising healthy kids with a plant-powered lifestyle, the emotional landscape surrounding food and our responsibility as stewards of the planet and its residents (human and animal) are addressed. Each section presents two related elements (e.g., Blends + Juices and Soups + Salads) and provides instructions and rationale for each recipe. Luminous photographs of Rich and Julie's family, as well as benevolent, compassionate writing throughout, reflect the recipes and support the reader's journey to a holistic, plant-based life. --Kristen Galles from Book Club Classics

A lot of what makes MAD magazine fun for readers is its anarchistic counterculture appeal. In the 1950s, it was the antithesis to Ozzie and Harriet, edgy and unabashed in its skewering of public figures. And for more than 50 years, its voice came from the gifted pen of Frank Jacobs, a former ad man and freelance journalist whose scalpel-like wit and scathingly funny satire set the direction for what would become the golden age of MAD. He was the genius lyricist and poet laureate behind the magazine's biting musical and verse parodies; the guy who got Irving Berlin's goat by setting the great songwriter's lyrics to a medley of politically taboo laments. Jacobs turned "West Side Story" into the wry and surrealistic "East Side Story," where the ideological standoff between the Communists and the Capitalists mirrored American national politics: "If they thought the gangs on the West Side were tough, they should have taken a look at... those two rival gangs at the U.N.!" Another subject to derision was Charles Schulz's Peanuts; writing from the point of view of the Red Baron battling "der American beagle," Jacobs gave new meaning to "happiness is a warm puppy."

In this collection, Jacobs selects highlights from the nearly 600 pieces he contributed to MAD, including some of his favorites--"Babar's Final Adventure"; "The Reagan," based on Poe's "The Raven"; and his 1961 songbook of show tune parodies that spawned a copyright lawsuit. Not every piece works, but the ones that do reap huge rewards. "You never know when you've hit one out of the park or popped up to the infield while you're writing them. You have to always give it your best shot." --Nancy Powell, freelance writer and technical consultant

As one wouldn't gulp down a finely aged wine, one shouldn't throw back Michael Broek's book of poetry in a single sitting. In this collection of wonderfully complex poems meant to be slowly savored, Broek imagines how citizens of the world relate to some of humanity's more horrifying truths. His nuanced work offers a glimpse into the human psyche while passionately covering politics, domestic matters and erotic urges.

War and suffering are common themes interwoven in this three-part collection, but love is just as present amid the turmoil Broek lays out. The images he paints here are unforgettable. One poem concerns a veteran's struggle to adjust to everyday life after unimaginable trauma. Another makes reference to thousands of barrels of DNA evidence in police warehouses that Hurricane Sandy destroyed. Through quilt patterns with hidden messages used on the Underground Railroad and the nuisances of bees and burned toast, Broek demonstrates that daily life endures while massive wars are being waged overseas. He juxtaposes the annoyance of removing a beehive from one's home to servicemen dying abroad. 

Like a perfectly shot and detailed movie, in which viewers notice something new with each screening, Refuge/es can be read again and again, and another beautifully rendered phrase will steal out and snag you. Poetry lovers will appreciate this collection, and Broek's determinedly innovative point of view may transform those new to this form into believers. --Natalie Papailiou, Author of blog MILF: Mother I'd Like to Friend

For youngest science lovers, Robin Page's (My First Day) enticing introduction to chickens explains their habitat, anatomy, diet and predators.

Each double-page spread features a question in large bold type at the top, a large image of a chicken at rest, in flight or running from predators, and a clear, concise response to the question. For "How do I keep my chicken safe?" a brown chicken with marbled wings flees a hawk, also rendered in full color. Three inset monochromatic images depict other predators, alongside the answer ("For a chicken, danger can come from any direction...") and explains why a chicken coop is important. A turn of the page features the question, "What does a chicken coop look like?" then details the basics of a coop. One of the funniest exchanges asks, "What if I want baby chickens?" and answers, "Then you'll need to get a rooster!" (A clearly labeled image of both a hen and a rooster on an earlier spread shows their differences and shared characteristics.) Page gives youngsters juicy vocabulary, explaining that 8-12 eggs are a "clutch," and a female chick is called a "pullet" and a male a "cockerel." She creates an eye-grabbing graphic of 260 eggs (the average number of eggs laid annually by one hen). Her digitally rendered images look more like collage, with textured feathers on the adult birds, and a fuzzy sheen on the chicks.

Additional information and step-by-step illustrations show what happens inside a fertilized egg and the variety of chickens' combs. --Jennifer M. Brown, children's editor, Shelf Awareness