The sequel to Susan Jane Bigelow's outstanding Broken finds guilt-ridden superhero Sky Ranger on the run from the fascist Reformist government he served for years. His motley crew includes an Earth exile with a secret, and a young extrahuman with extraordinary powers who the government wants for a nefarious purpose. Along the way, Penny Silverwing--formerly known as Broken, and Sky Ranger's former lover--finds her path crossing his again. Multiple extrahumans and refugees are saved from the government during the escape while a little surprise looms before another mission is handed down. Filled with hairpin plot turns, breathtaking escapes, compelling characters, and a profound sense of humanity, this installment of the Extrahuman series expands upon an already fascinating universe and leaves the reader hungry for a third book. (Jan.)

Jack-of-all-trades Hoffman (Bitches on a Budget) compiles the tips and tricks she's learned in her careers as marketer, mother, and writer to produce an all-in-one guide to frugal parenting. Written to other mothers in tone, but not gender-specific in content, this valuable tome offers suggestions on how to survive the giant-plastic-stuff phase of infancy (buy a used stroller, but a new crib) and paying for college, though the bulk of her advice is focused on the many years between. With two of kids out of college and on their own, she confidently dispenses advice on topics ranging from clothing choices to sex-ed, but manages to do so in a chatty, friendly voice that is never overbearing. Food is a large part of any family's budget, and Hoffman discusses MyPlate, organics, and "smart shopping" with equal ease. She also provides a brief overview of financial management basics including budgeting, insurance, and credit cards, and her advice about helping kids distinguish "wants" from "needs" is astute and practical. In addition to everyday tips, Hoffman also offers tried-and-true insights into developing strong relationships with one's children--in the end, "a smart mom never loses sight of what her kids really need: unconditional love, safe boundaries, and room to play." Informative, entertaining, and applicable, this is a must-read for "smart mamas" and papas. (Mar.)

Two letters—from grandmother to granddaughter and vice versa—frame this otherwise wordless story of a toad named Gem. Over a spread of a New England cottage in the midst of a snowstorm, a letter from “Gram” to her granddaughter Hope explains the book’s genesis: the girl’s discovery of a toad the previous spring (“I wanted to tell the story of Gem’s spring journey—all the way to my garden”). At the end, a thank-you note from Hope reveals her as a thoughtful, strong-spirited child (“Toads are not pets,” she writes, explaining why she let Gem go. “They want to be free, like everything does”). Hobbie’s (Everything but the Horse) watercolor and pen-and-ink closeups are done with care that recalls Beatrix Potter’s. Some are filled in with generous backgrounds of flowers and greenery, while others show Gem alone on the white page, leaping, courting, and sitting among his offspring. The view of Gem on the last page, reveling in the garden’s moonlight, will convince readers that Gem is better off in the wild. Hobbie clearly delights in painting the arrival of spring, and Gem is its living embodiment. Up to age 3. (Apr.)

Lorelei King continues to shine as the narrator of Evanovich’s long-running series about feisty New Jersey bail bondswoman Stephanie Plum. The wry humor of the book is evident from King’s rendition of the opening lines: “New Jersey was 40,000 feet below me, obscured by cloud cover. Heaven was above me, obscured by the thin skin of the plane. And hell was sitting four rows back.” Plum’s flight home from Hawaii is typically atypical; instead of a relaxing trip, a neighboring passenger vanishes while the aircraft stops in Los Angeles, and a mysterious photograph he was carrying becomes the subject of an intense clash between the bad guys and the FBI—with Plum caught in the middle. King—who enhances the text with her spot-on narration—has no equal when it comes to voicing characters of the opposite sex, and her pacing perfectly matches the book’s breezy tone. Listeners new to the series will want to seek out the previous 17 installments. A Bantam hardcover. (Nov.)