Claire of the Sea Light by Edwidge Danticat ’93 MFA (Knopf). In her new novel, Danticat (The Dew Breaker; Brother, I’m Dying) returns to Haiti to tell the story of seven-year-old Claire Limyè Lanmè Faustin. Claire’s mother has died in childbirth, and, when her father is about to give her to another family he believes is better suited to raise her, she disappears. The story of what happens next is an intricate and lyrical tale that spirals through the lives of the townspeople of Ville Rose and often has the feel and lift of a fable.

Diller Scofidio + Renfro: Architecture after Images by Edward Dimendberg ’83 (University of Chicago). You might know Diller Scofidio + Renfro’s design work from Manhattan’s High Line or Boston’s Institute for Contemporary Art or Brown’s Granoff Center, but that’s only a fragment of the story. In this lush, wide-angle chronicle, Dimendberg catalogues the design studio’s history, which began in the 1970s. He includes the firm’s architectural and media work, and its many art installations.

Lisa Loeb’s Songs for Movin’ & Shakin’ by Lisa Loeb ’90 (Sterling Children’s Books). This is Loeb’s second collection for the three-foot-tall-and-under set. On this new CD, Loeb sings her own songs, including the boppy “Turn It Down! (The Air Band Song)” and “Monster Stomp,” as well as such traditionals as “Miss Mary Mack.” The accompanying picture book has sing-along lyrics and dance moves for every song. It’s a bouncy, very adult-friendly folk-rock set that could easily shorten a few car rides or help burn off some extra energy before dinner.