"This book is meant to trace the long life stories of the fruits and vegetables we grow within the United States today [1968], where they came from, and, whenever possible, who were the dedicated men and women who developed them into the superior products picked and harvested across out continent in this computerized, jet-propelled age in which we live." - From the Introduction "This delightfully original book makes colorful individuals of each of our fruits and vegetables, in character sketches that trace them down through history side by side with man. Apple and orange, pomegranate and dig, papaya, mango and banana, are as adventurous on their travels from land to land, from continent to continent as any Marco Polo or Columbus. Vegetables, too, are not to be outdone! So whether one is historian, agronomist, vegetarian, anecdotist, gourmet, or just plain housewife-going-to-market one will be most happily entertained and seriously instructed by these biographic vignettes with their charming illustrations by Frank Aloise." - Leslie Frost (Daughter of Robert Frost)

A celebration of the beauty and rich history of heirloom varieties of fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables have been a central part of our diets since time immemorial, and the history of their cultivation is rich with intriguing facts: Samuel Pepys’s diary entry for August 22, 1663, reveals that “Mr Newburne is dead of eating Cowcoumbers” (cucumbers); many tomato varieties were first bred in the United States and are still available, from“Striped German” to “Pink Ping Pong” to “Zapotec.” Today, numerous traditional fruit and vegetable varieties—the so-called heirloom or heritage varieties—-are disappearing, a catastrophic loss of horticultural heritage and genetic diversity. But gardeners have reason to be optimistic. A group of dedicated growers around the world is seeking to conserve surviving heritage varieties for their significant advantages over newer cultivars: they are more adaptable, they have good storage properties, and they often have a superior taste. Presented by season, this overview first tells the story of the cultivation of fruits and vegetables through the ages, and then each type is discussed: where it originated, indigenous uses and folklore, how it got its name, legends and beliefs that have become attached to it, and the odd uses to which it has been put.

Up and down the streets of New Orleans, Mr. Okra drives his brightly painted truck. All over the city, you can hear his call: "I got oranges and bananas! I got tomatoes, cucumbers, and avocadoes!" His fresh, healthy fruits and vegetables are as colorful as Mardi Gras floats, as green as the St. Charles Streetcar, and as different as the animals at the Audubon Zoo. Taste and tour New Orleans in this colorful story.

"A comprehensive and entertaining historical and botanical review, providing an enjoyable and cognitive read.”—Nature The foods we eat have a deep and often surprising past. From almonds and apples to tea and rice, many foods that we consume today have histories that can be traced out of prehistoric Central Asia along the tracks of the Silk Road to kitchens in Europe, America, China, and elsewhere in East Asia. The exchange of goods, ideas, cultural practices, and genes along these ancient routes extends back five thousand years, and organized trade along the Silk Road dates to at least Han Dynasty China in the second century BC. Balancing a broad array of archaeological, botanical, and historical evidence, Fruit from the Sands presents the fascinating story of the origins and spread of agriculture across Inner Asia and into Europe and East Asia. Through the preserved remains of plants found in archaeological sites, Robert N. Spengler III identifies the regions where our most familiar crops were domesticated and follows their routes as people carried them around the world. With vivid examples, Fruit from the Sands explores how the foods we eat have shaped the course of human history and transformed cuisines all over the globe.

AWARDS: Best Picture Book Ages 4-8 - Beverly Hills Book Awards; Mom's Choice Awards(r) Gold Recipient; Children's Inspirational Finalist - Beverly Hills Book Awards. This book has truly gone too far. First, it inspires kids to read it aloud. Then, it makes them laugh and sing, and to top it all, it whets their appetite for veggies. How about that! And even though it encourages healthy eating habits, this yummy book is not "preachy" but fun. Six fascinating folk tales with vibrant illustrations are set to take children to a magical world, with unforgettable characters. Talking vegetables, a hungry dinosaur, fairies, giants and a cabbage-loving emperor are ready to delight early readers (including picky eaters and fussy eaters) with their adventures in the wild. Each story includes rhymes, entertaining sounds and concludes with a short poem. One of these stories is also interactive: children can choose the proper ending. The book contains a coloring page and a tricksy game where readers have to discover characters hidden in other stories, as well as cleverly disguised vegetables. The artwork is exciting and unique, featuring mushroom houses, clouds made of cauliflower, broccoli forests or asparagus fences All of these elements are masterfully mixed since the writer is also a teacher, a food artist, an organic gardener, and a parent. This rich and fulfilling collection of folk tales encourages healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime. And you know what the best part is? It's fun, and children adore it. This book is a great gift for all the children - healthy eaters, picky eaters or fussy eaters. All the YUMMY STORIES formats and editions (Paperback, Kindle, Audiobook) were designed: to spark children's imagination (through adventures in the wild, believable characters, to inspire children to learn about natural food (life cycle of plants, gardening, pollination), to help develop social skills (sharing, helping, cooperation), to help children think, form judgments, make decisions, and values, to increase children's interest and acceptance of a more diverse diet and even to stimulate the appetite for vegetables and fruits.

With over 100 stickers, this book is a fun and interactive way for young children to become familiar with a wide range of fruit and vegetables and discover how they grow. An engaging introduction to the wonderful variety of produce from around the world from apples to yams.