Julie Schumacher (novelist and University of Minnesota English department faculty member) has crafted Dear Committee Members as a series of letters of recommendation from curmudgeonly Jason Fitger, tenured professor of Creative Writing and English at the fictional Payne University. Amid the defunding of his English department and shrinking remodel of its offices, Fitger's modest academic life is one of divorce, disappointment and disgruntlement. But he takes seriously his responsibility to support his students and agrees to all requests to send letters of recommendation, no matter how far-fetched the employment opportunity. His often rambling letters not only display his caustic distaste for university administrative bureaucracy, with its "endless requests for redundant documentation," but also cumulatively paint a picture of a once-optimistic graduate student who has lost his wife, his literary agent and his self-respect.

Fitger saves his most sincere recommendation letters for Darren Browles, a talented student trying to finish his "powerhouse" novel reinterpreting Melville's "Bartleby, the Scrivener." As Darren is rejected for job after job, Fitger steadfastly sends out more and more letters on the young man's behalf. Gradually, Schumacher peels aside Fitger's tough façade to show a man who still believes in the power of literature and the role of teaching. He is perhaps most genuine in one letter where he describes his student as "not yet a candle ready to illuminate anyone else's darkness, but he understands that darkness exists, and he does not turn away." Can we ask anything more than this from a college education that still holds on to the study of literature and hasn't slipped finally and irrevocably into vocational practicality? --Bruce Jacobs, founding partner, Watermark Books & Cafe, Wichita, Kan.

In 1973, David Leveraux begins his career as a flavorist, one of a growing number of chemists who re-create taste through science. Life couldn't be better. He recently married his college sweetheart, Betty; his job offers the promise of financial security; and he's just embarked on an exciting round of animal testing for a new calorie-free sweetener called Sweetness #9. When testing doesn't go as well as expected, David suspects the company of trying to cover up negative side effects of Sweetness #9. Voicing his suspicions leads to termination, marital strife and time in a mental hospital.

Ernst Eberhardt visits David in the hospital to offer him a job at FlavAmerica, which gives him the chance to leave Sweetness #9 in the past (though Betty has become a devotee of the product). By the late '90s, David is back on top, but then his daughter decides to write about the alleged dangers of artificial sweeteners for her school paper and David is unwillingly forced to face his past. In the meantime, an anonymous stranger begins sending him packets of Sweetness #9, an action he reads only as menacing. David must ask himself what his silence has cost his family, his conscience and his country.

Stephan Eirik Clark's first novel riffs neatly on a national paranoia but, as in any successful satire, grains of truth ground his elements of the ridiculous. Against the dark humor of the flavor industry, David's inability to connect with his family or find meaning in his suburban paradise is a particularly frank critique of American life. --Jaclyn Fulwood, blogger at Infinite Reads

As usual, Renee Swindle (Shake Down the Stars) is the master of setting the scene. Here, in her enticing third novel, she's cooked up a bakery called Scratch that specializes in wedding cakes, owned by protagonist Abbey Ross, the only non-musical child of a famous jazz musician. Abbey's loving-but-scattered dad has fathered 13 children with six women, but their large family (in which all the ex-wives are uncharacteristically good friends) remains refreshingly close and supportive amidst jam sessions and well-meaning gossip.

Despite all of her romantic cake creations, Abbey herself is nursing a broken heart from a breakup of the most humiliating kind. Her best friend Bendrix encourages Abbey to get back in the game, and her ticking biological clock causes her to take a chance on straight-laced hunk Samuel who's wary of her super-blended family. Meanwhile, Abbey is thrown for a loop by two major family issues, all while she finds herself connecting a little too deeply with a soon-to-be-married male client. It'll take more than an extra cup of sugar to sweeten up the flopped soufflé of Abbey's personal life, and a major boost from an unlikely source may be just what the baker ordered.

Swindle has once again set her captivating story in Oakland, Calif., so in addition to the well-developed characters, artful descriptions of baked goods and jazz and the shocking plot twists, the notable nuggets of information about Oakland add an interesting touch. This novel is as delectable as one of Scratch's cakes and just as satisfying. --Natalie Papailiou, author of blog MILF: Mother I'd Like to Friend

At the time it was published, John Okada's 1957 novel about the postwar experiences of Seattle's Japanese-American internees who refused to swear loyalty to the U.S. and serve in the American military (thus, responding "no-no" on a government questionnaire) was met with resistance from a public eager to forget. This new reprint, with a new foreword by Ruth Ozeki, brings Okada's groundbreaking work to a new generation.

In No-No Boy, Ichiro Yamada returns home after serving two years in prison for being a no-no boy. Full of loathing and shame, he resents his ethnicity and his parents--a prideful mother who believes Japan won the war and an alcoholic father--while envying the internees who served and now enjoy the American lifestyle of which he feels denied. His brother hates him, and his former friends mock, abuse and spit upon him for his actions. Kenji, a fellow university student before the war, befriends the reluctant antihero; Ichiro yearns to feel the pain of the maimed and dying veteran who "can put [his] one good foot in the dirt of America and know that the wet coolness of it is [his] beyond a single doubt." They talk on a drive out to the country and spend the night with Kenji's empathetic friend Emi, an internee abandoned by her enlisted husband. Together the three forge a friendship that promises the beginnings of hope and self-forgiveness.

Okada, an internee and enlisted man himself, wrote in a raw, brutal stream of consciousness that echoes the pain and intergenerational conflict faced by those struggling to reconcile their heritage to the concept of an American dream. --Nancy Powell, freelance writer and technical consultant

When Majok Tulba was a young boy in South Sudan, a group of rebel soldiers attacked his village and took as recruits all of the young boys who stood taller than an AK-47. Though Tulba himself was too short to be taken, he has imagined what his experience might have been in Beneath the Darkening Sky, a novel that centers on Obinna, a young boy who measured taller than the rebels' guns.

During the raid on their village, Obinna and his brother watch as their father is murdered before they are carried away to join the rebel army. As new recruits, they are sent ahead to scout for land mines on long marches; they are ordered to run and hike to keep fit; they are fed measly meals of gruel and scraps; they stand on the lookout for government forces coming to attack them, day in and day out. Obinna's frequent mistakes earn him extra beatings, the nickname Baboon's Ass, even-more-limited rations and constant torment. Slowly, his captain strips him of his sense of identity, his sense of self, to turn him into a soldier--a raping, pillaging, murdering rebel who storms unsuspecting towns in the dead of night, just as soldiers stormed his so many years ago.

Beneath the Darkening Sky is as heartbreaking as it is beautiful, giving us the story of a young boy who must fight to defend himself against conditions worse than any human--let alone a child--should ever be forced to endure. As a novel of resilience and identity, and of what lengths we are willing to go to survive, it is at once harrowing and haunting, shedding light on the continuing horrors of child soldiers. --Kerry McHugh, blogger at Entomology of a Bookworm

At the beginning of Dana Haynes's Gun Metal Heart, Daria Gibron--former agent for Israel's Shin Bet (secret service) and now freelance operative--is recovering from injuries incurred during her previous escapade, Ice Cold Kill. She's in rural Italy when her old colleague Diego tracks her down. Diego and his friend Vince were hired as bodyguards for a female engineer and her mysterious invention, but Vince has disappeared and Diego fears the worst. When he's in trouble, he seeks out Daria.

After warning Diego that she's not yet operating at 100%, Daria dives into an international situation that even someone in top shape might not survive. Among its other uses, the engineer's invention is turned into a deadly weapon against Daria. To add to her troubles, several former CIA agents she disgraced in the last book are out to murder her. What's a girl to do?

If she's Daria, she kicks butt. Daria is an arresting character, like a female, petite Jack Reacher; at one point, a villain advises that five men must be sent to take down Daria if they're to have any chance of success. She's not only good in a fight but finds extremely clever ways to outwit her pursuers. Here, she finds a worthy adversary in a woman whose reputation is about as lethal as her own.

Haynes has the odd habit of repeating information that has just been established, but the cinematic action is fun, and a crash course in the history of the former Yugoslavia helps make this a smart summer thriller. --Elyse Dinh-McCrillis, blogger at Pop Culture Nerd

Olivia Glazebrook (The Trouble with Alice) opens her second novel, Never Mind Miss Fox, by introducing her readers to Clive and Martha in their university days, at Oxford. Clive has fallen for Martha, and "realizing her worth--afraid to leave her unattended," he's brought her along on a family holiday to France. The new couple is joined by Clive's younger brother, Tom, and his guest, a girl named Eliot Fox. Tom and Eliot are "just friends," although everyone acknowledges that Tom worships her.

Many years later, Clive and Martha are happily (or at least stably) married, and they adore their lonesome daughter, Eliza, who has found a new piano teacher--someone from her parents' past. Eliza is happy to have found a friend in Miss Fox; but to Clive she represents something entirely different. Eliot brings with her a dark secret unknown to Martha or Eliza or Tom, one that has the potential to tear apart Clive's carefully constructed life. "Are you going to tell?" he asks her; Eliot replies, "I won't have to."

Glazebrook draws strong characters: Martha, ambitious and a reluctant mother; Clive, insecure and barely competent; Eliza, an affectingly awkward, intelligent child; and of course Miss Fox, mysterious and damaged, whose motives remain obscure. As the entangled players rush toward a conclusion that will change each of their lives in profound ways, the distressed marriage and mood of sinister suspense are apt to delight fans of Patricia Highsmith and all that is darkly engrossing. --Julia Jenkins, librarian and blogger at pagesofjulia

Fans of Robin Hobb's Farseer Trilogy can rejoice over this related series centered on FitzChivalry Farseer and his elusive mentor, the Fool. The world thinks him dead, but after years of intrigue, acting as the king's assassin, Fitz is pretending be a simple country squire known as Tom Badgerlock and is safely ensconced in Withywoods, the estate he shares with his beloved wife, Molly. But Fitz's previous life as a bastard and slayer continues to invade his domestic peace as he receives messages via his Skill magic from many at Buckkeep Castle, including Chade, who persists in sending Tom old scrolls about the Skills to transcribe.

As the seasons pass, Tom can no longer ignore the series of mysterious visitors and warnings he receives. They serve to rekindle his memories of the years he left behind: his own imprisonment, the time with Molly he lost while incarcerated, and the odd disappearance of the Fool, a man who was like a father to Fitz but abandoned him in an effort to preserve all the magic they'd created together.

Filled with rich details of manor life and herbal lore, coupled with powerful magic, new characters and old friends, Fitz's escapades will resonate deeply with readers already acquainted with the assassin. Those who've just discovered the fascinating world that Hobbs has created are in for a delightful treat that's part love story, part suspenseful murder mystery; it will leave readers questioning to what extent a man's past can and should rule his present and his future. --Lee E. Cart, freelance writer and book reviewer

Displaced Persons, a stunning graphic novel by Eisner-nominated writer Derek McCulloch (Stagger Lee; Gone to Amerikay), follows three stories that overlap at various points spanning 120 years. Though the characters first meet in 1879, through the means of time travel, they cross paths again in unexpected ways in 1909, 1939, 1969 and 1999. Illustrating with a predominantly monochromatic palette, artist Anthony Peruzzo uses slightly different era-specific highlight colors for each timeline. When characters from one era are temporally displaced, they bring with them the colors of their age, creating a striking visual cue that identifies them as time-travelers.

These displaced characters wander without the benefit of their own memories, relying on the people they meet to help them piece together a past they can no longer access. Their one anchor point is a house in which they have all lived. It's the only feature of any new world that the time-travelers recognize upon arriving in their new era, though they can't recall why it's familiar. They do not fit, but they have no way to return home (wherever or whenever that may be). Without this sense of their own origin, they take on new names, create new identities, live and die without knowing it's not amnesia they have--they just don't belong. The few people who could identify them often find them too late in life, or not at all.

The brilliance of McCulloch's story is that readers are kept wondering exactly when these displaced people originated, and the story does not reveal the fullness of itself until the very last page. --Justus Joseph, bookseller at Elliott Bay Book Company

Mark Kurlansky and his 13-year-old daughter, Talia, have a creative tradition: once a week, they spin the globe and cook a meal from wherever Talia's finger lands. After collecting a year's worth of International Night menus--52 of them--Mark and Talia collaborated on a cookbook, sharing their recipes, cooking experiences and a brief introduction to each country.

Mark (Salt; Cod; The Food of a Younger Land) shares anecdotes from his wide-ranging travels (sometimes with Talia), commenting on history, politics, culture and, of course, cuisine. Each meal comprises a full dinner menu: appetizer, soup and/or salad, bread, main course, dessert and drinks, including nonalcoholic options.

Kids are a major focus in this cookbook, as Mark does his best to find recipes that can be made for and sometimes by older children and teenagers. Talia shares her perspective on various cuisines and techniques, such as her thoughts on skinning black-eyed peas and improving her knife skills in Morocco. Some of the recipes are time-consuming, but most are fairly simple and straightforward. The Kurlanskys live in New York City, where many exotic ingredients are readily available, but Mark often suggests substitutions for the sake of ease or simplicity. He urges families to adapt the menus and the ritual to their own tastes, noting, "Food is the best way to teach history and geography and most everything else."

Packed with fascinating tidbits and mouthwatering recipes, International Night is a hands-on culinary treat for the whole family. --Katie Noah Gibson, blogger at Cakes, Tea and Dreams

With an irreverent tone and the ability to tackle head-on the questions inherent in Greek mythology, Percy Jackson explains the Olympians who have held such sway in his life.

"I'm biased. But if you're going to have a Greek god for a parent, you couldn't do better than Poseidon," says the star of Rick Riordan's The Lightning Thief. Narrator Percy Jackson's conversational tone sets this mythology apart from others, along with John Rocco's (Blackout) sensational illustrations. Rocco shows immense range, from the image of Gaea, gazing up from her earthly terrain at Ouranos, who's looking down at her from the stars, pulsing with the chemistry between them, to the five rivers that flow into the Underworld, painted as a quintet of horizontal panel illustrations that deliver one wallop of an impact. Percy gives voice to the obvious issues for young people, such as the intermarriage of the Titans ("I know," he says, "You're screaming, GROSS! The brothers wanted to marry their own sisters?!") and pens clever chapter headings, such as "Persephone Marries Her Stalker (Or, Demeter, the Sequel)." Percy pulls no punches. Zeus philanders, and Hera gets her revenge ("I can't blame her, really. Zeus could be a total diaper wipe," Percy explains).

Enlarged, pithy pull quotes ("Think Aphrodite swore off mortal men after that? If you guessed no, you're learning," reads one example), plus Rocco's chapter openers and full-page illustrations break up the text. Kids will start out thinking they'll dip in and out of this meaty, elegantly compiled volume and wind up reading it cover to cover. --Jennifer M. Brown, children's editor, Shelf Awareness

This exuberant, chunky board book follow-up to Alphablock plays with cause and effect as it moves from one to 10, then counts by 10s up to 100.

With the turn of a sturdy die-cut page, "One acorn becomes... an oak tree" and "Two snowmen become... two puddles!" Christopher Franceschelli and Peskimo build into the text and images the passage of time, a change of seasons or a leisurely afternoon ("Three boxes become... three forts!"). Many of the numbers lead to activities that involve creativity, such as seven pots of paint that become "seven colors of the rainbow" and 10 pails of sand transformed into 10 sand castles. In between 10 and 20 (and the succeeding numbers that increase by 10), text and artwork count out the connecting numerals, one by one. So the page after the 10 sand castles reads, "What comes after 10?" and labels some wave-washed sand castles 11, 12, 13 and so on, up to 19. Husband-and-wife team Peskimo stick to bright, mostly primary and secondary colors. A standout series of images begins with 20 caterpillars that transform into 20 butterflies, filling the sky and alighting on tall grasses. Author and artists turn up the comedy with 40 eggs--39 are the usual white or beige variety, but a larger green egg beginning to crack open stands out in the crowd. A turn of the page reveals "thirty-nine chicks and one dinosaur!"

The 100 puzzle-piece finale brings together the characters and counted objects from the previous pages. More, please! --Jennifer M. Brown, children's editor, Shelf Awareness