Summer on the prairies during the Depression years was not a vacation from school; it was hard work.

“A testament to the taste of place in all the best ways possible . . . hits all the perfect notes for anyone interested in regional cuisines” (Tracey Ryder, cofounder of Edible Communities, Inc.). New Prairie Kitchen profiles twenty-five of the most exciting and groundbreaking chefs, farmers, and producers of artisanal goods from Nebraska, Iowa, and South Dakota. Their personal stories are interspersed with more than fifty chef-contributed recipes that range from refreshingly simple to exquisitely gourmet. Organized by season, New Prairie Kitchen will transport readers to a revitalized Midwestern heartland where traditional favorites interweave with inspiring new flavors and techniques. Author Summer Miller introduces readers to the phenomenal talent emerging from America’s breadbasket: farms that grow asparagus thick as your thumb and tender as a strawberry; dairies that produce fresh, natural milks and cheeses; and nationally recognized restaurants that make these mouthwatering ingredients into edible art. Pioneering chefs across the prairie have taken an old-meets-new approach to their cuisine, sourcing traditional staples from local sustainable farms, and incorporating them into recipes in new and thrilling ways. Beautiful full-color photography and terrific storytelling will lead readers through a wonderful diversity of cooking styles and recipes sure to appeal to any palate. New Prairie Kitchen will reveal a fresh take on farm-to-table cooking and inspire Americans from coast to coast to try everything the prairie has to offer. “A passionate . . . plea for the Plains states’ inclusion in the American culinary lexicon, with great recipes to boot.” —Epicurious “The recipes and producers here are indeed treasures, and the book is the treasure map.” —Omaha Magazine

Westward Ho! Congress has ruled that settlers in Kansas Territory will decide whether Kansas will enter the Union as a free or a slave state. Charlie Keller's papa is an abolitionist, and he's moving the family to Kansas so he can cast his vote for freedom. Papa and Momma, big sister Ida Jane, even baby Sophie, seem excited about being pioneers -- but not Charlie. Why couldn't they stay back home in Massachusetts with Grandpa and with Charlie's beloved old dog, Danny, who is too old to make the trip? Turning the wild Kansas prairie into a farm is hard work, filled with worries and danger. Will Kansas ever feel like home to Charlie?

Meet fourteen-year-old Gary. A self-described "tree-toad,"a sly and endearing geek, Gary has many unwieldy passions, chief among them his cousin Kate, his Underwood typewriter and the soft-porn masterpiece, High School Orgies. The folks of Lake Wobegon don't have much patience for a kid's ungodly obsessions, and so Gary manages to filter the hormonal earthquake that is puberty and his hopeless devotion to glamorous, rebellious Kate through his fantastic yarns. With every marvellous story he moves a few steps closer to becoming a writer. And when Kate gets herself into trouble with the local baseball star, Gary also experiences the first pangs of a broken heart. With his trademark gift for treading "a line delicate as a cobweb between satire and sentiment"(Cleveland Plain Dealer), Garrison Keillor brilliantly captures a newly minted post-war America and delivers an unforgettable comedy about a writer coming of age in the rural Midwest.

A delicate, stunning account of life on the prairie from Newbery medalist Patricia MacLachlan. Cool summer mornings begin with the rose orange sun and the smell of earth, and fade into hot summer nights with a yellow moon, covered in a quilt of stars. There are wagon rides, farm dogs, trips into town, and games of kick the can. These are prairie days. Patricia MacLachlan applies her lyrical, sparse voice and vibrant, tender art from Micha Archer to transport readers to the prairie of her youth in this stunning celebration of the beauty in the world.

Why Should I Recycle Garbage? (PB)

Habitats of Australasia (Australia, NZ and New Guinea) -- Habitats of the Neotropics (Central and South America) -- Habitats of the Afrotropics (SSaharan Africa) -- Habitats of the Palearctic (Europe, North Asia and North Africa) -- Habitats of the Nearctic (North America).