Where Rivers Part By Kao Kalia Yang The St. Paul writer had an astonishingly productive year, publishing four books aimed at various age groups. My favorite was her memoir of her mother, a companion to “The Song Poet” (about her father) that goes back to her mother’s youth to trace her astonishing story of survival — through multiple miscarriages,

Our reviewers select their favorites, and dozens of newsmakers tell us about the books that mattered in a tumultuous year.