Autism gets a lot of news coverage these days. Woody Brown’s debut novel Upward Bound gives us a personal insight into autism and how the world appears to people like himself.

Upward Bound is a fictional daycare center for dysfunctional adults. One of them, named Walter, was able to complete high school with a lot of help from his mother. But his inability to speak prevents him from advancing further. Jorge, a giant of a man, has an inexplicable obsession with a Mr. Potato Head doll. Tom’s...

Novels about machines taking over the world are common. Glenn Dixon’s novel combines that premise with a humble little machine that wants to help humans, not dominate them.

Scout is a robotic floor vacuum that is part of a fully automated House. All household features, from the electronics to the variable wall color, are under the control of Watch, which is attached to the homeowner’s wrist. Watch is linked to the Grid, which controls everything in the world, including Scout, her kitchen...

It’s easy for adults to forget that childhood is seldom carefree. Growing up can be painful, even in the absence of a serial killer. In The List of Suspicious Things, two young friends find themselves beset by both.

Trouble has invaded the home of eleven-year-old Miv, a Yorkshire girl whose mother suffers from a mental affliction. Jean, a stern and opinionated aunt, has taken her place, holding the family together while her father works at a humble job and nips off to the neighborhood pub each...