Library Police

Hard-boiled crime writer Will Ford might be critically acclaimed, but he's every bit as drunken and disreputable as the ne'er-do-well private eye in his novels. So when Ford offers Raymond Ambler—crime-fiction curator at New York City's prestigious 42nd Street Library—a collection of his papers, Ambler wonders if the project will be more trouble than it's worth. Still, the disgraced author is an important talent, and Ambler's never been afraid of a fight. Ambler's ready for the controversy that greets news of the acquisition.

Based on the viral poem by Coretta Scott King honoree Junauda Petrus, this picture book debut—adapted for audio—imagines a radically positive future where police aren’t in charge of public safety and community well-being. Petrus first published and performed this poem after the shooting...