This exuberant picture book by Katherine Hannigan, the acclaimed and bestselling author of Ida B, is about math concepts, friendship, and imaginative play, and is told entirely in equations! A young girl and her dog spend the day playing in her backyard, where with her imagination—and a few helpful props—anything can happen. What do you get when you combine dirt and water? Mud! What do you get when you take a sheet, a flowerpot, and a stick and make a costume? You transform yourself into Her Majesty, the queen! A cape and a strong breeze turn the treehouse into an airplane. A sheet, a stick, and a pair of well-placed cat’s ears turn the girl into a pirate! At least until mutiny leaves her alone in her kiddie pool . . . surrounded by sharks! Cheerful and action-packed illustrations and a combination of comic-like panels, conversation bubbles, sound effects, and full-page illustrations make Dirt + Water = Mud particularly appealing for new readers.

Woof! Meet Roy, an adorable white dog who is wild about digging, digging, digging in the dirt! David Shannon's picture books are loved for their endearing characters and laugh-aloud humor, and Roy's charming naughtiness will remind readers of what they love about Shannon's No, David!, a bestselling Caldecott Honor Book about a boy with a nose for trouble.Although it's a smelly task for those who have to constantly bathe him, Roy's happiness centers on his very favorite thing-dirt-and from sunrise to sunset, he burrows in it, rolls in it, and digs up buried treasures. There's terror in every terrier, and when Roy runs into the house after being sprayed by a skunk, he faces the dreaded bathtub. Readers will see themselves in Roy's childlike delight each time he makes the biggest mess ever.

Do you like fast trucks and loud engines? How about buckets of mud flying in all directions? If yes, then mud truck racing is for you! Big trucks tear through mud bogs on their way to glory. Bog racing is not for the faint of heart or for people who like to stay clean. The mess and thrill of mud truck races will make you glad to get dirty. Enter the Dirt and Destruction Sports Zone to learn about the history, organizations, technology, and the important drivers connected to mud truck racing. You'll learn: • How much water, sand, and dirt are used to make mud bogs. • Which driver finished a 200-foot (61-meter) mud race in just 2.110 seconds. • How drivers have upgraded engines and fuel to give trucks more horsepower. • How mud truck racing started and who the best drivers are. Are you into sports? Then get in the zone!

In the mid-1950s, legendary avant-garde composer John Cage and artist Lois Long created a truly marvelous object. Part artist's book, part cookbook, and part children's book, Mud Book is a spirited, if not satirical, take on almost every child's first attempt at cooking and making. Through the humble mud pie—add dirt and water!—Cage and Long encourage children to explore their imagination and to get their hands dirty, and they offer this warning: "Mud pies are to make and look at, not to eat." A unique hybrid of art book, unconventional cookbook, and inspiration for young makers, this new edition of Mud Book will delight children and parents alike, and makes a charming gift for all ages.

In this eloquent plea for compassion and respect for all species, journalist and gardener Nancy Lawson describes why and how to welcome wildlife to our backyards. Through engaging anecdotes and inspired advice, profiles of home gardeners throughout the country, and interviews with scientists and horticulturalists, Lawson applies the broader lessons of ecology to our own outdoor spaces. Detailed chapters address planting for wildlife by choosing native species; providing habitats that shelter baby animals, as well as birds, bees, and butterflies; creating safe zones in the garden; cohabiting with creatures often regarded as pests; letting nature be your garden designer; and encouraging natural processes and evolution in the garden. The Humane Gardener fills a unique niche in describing simple principles for both attracting wildlife and peacefully resolving conflicts with all the creatures that share our world.

From two of the world’s top scientists and one of the world’s top science writers (all parents), Dirt Is Good is a q&a-based guide to everything you need to know about kids & germs. “Is it OK for my child to eat dirt?” That’s just one of the many questions authors Jack Gilbert and Rob Knight are bombarded with every week from parents all over the world. They've heard everything from “My two-year-old gets constant ear infections. Should I give her antibiotics? Or probiotics?” to “I heard that my son’s asthma was caused by a lack of microbial exposure. Is this true, and if so what can I do about it now?” Google these questions, and you’ll be overwhelmed with answers. The internet is rife with speculation and misinformation about the risks and benefits of what most parents think of as simply germs, but which scientists now call the microbiome: the combined activity of all the tiny organisms inside our bodies and the surrounding environment that have an enormous impact on our health and well-being. Who better to turn to for answers than Drs. Gilbert and Knight, two of the top scientists leading the investigation into the microbiome—an investigation that is producing fascinating discoveries and bringing answers to parents who want to do the best for their young children. Dirt Is Good is a comprehensive, authoritative, accessible guide you've been searching for.

Gingerly, I picked my way through the tall stalks flinching at the possibility of vipers. I was terrified of snakes, just terrified. Staring at the huge thorn bushes - great monsters baring tough green claws - I started to feel nauseous. My mind became a city at rush hour. It flashed anxious thoughts at me like traffic signals. Had it really come to this? Bumming in a Turkish field? And then it happened - the meeting that would alter my destiny within this patch of Mediterranean scrubland. The encounter that would change me. Forever. "Engaging and thought-provoking. The act of reading this seemed to affect me on a level beyond the words," Claire Raciborska, Growing Wild and Free. "I consider myself a person who is connected to nature, somebody who respects the earth; this book has me walking through the world with all my senses opened." Phoenix Rises Poetry