Margaret Wise Brown: Awakened by the Moon, by Leonard S. Marcus (Quill, $14).
Synopsis: The brief life and extensive oeuvre of the author of Goodnight Moon, The Runaway Bunny, and other children’s classics is meticulously chronicled and analyzed.
Representative quote: “A small comic masterpiece, Mister Dog: The Dog Who Belonged to Himself revealed Margaret at the height of her powers. Her most fully realized tale of self-possession, it was also the work of a creative artist gathering up the tag ends of an immensely productive period.”
Noteworthy flaw: Misses opportunity to finally reveal identity of the old lady whispering “hush.”
The Energy of Money: A Spiritual Guide to Financial and Personal Fulfillment, by Maria Nemeth, PhD (Ballantine, $24.95).
Synopsis: Earning money is a “hero’s quest” that is easily accomplished once you realize what a great person you are.
Representative quote: “You were designed to be a force of nature, and to enjoy success and fulfillment with ease!”
Noteworthy flaw: Promotes the palpable untruth that the more scrupulous and ethical you are, the more money you’ll make.
The Faith Factor: Proof of the Healing Power of Prayer, by Dale A. Matthews, MD, with Connie Clark (Viking, $24.95).
Synopsis: God heals. Not only are religious people healthier but prayer cures the sick, sometimes.
Representative quote: “The survey respondents who attended church regularly also experienced a lower incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis, vaginal trichomoniasis…and abnormal cervical cytologies.”
Noteworthy flaw: How do atheists get well?