The story of how the author offered his time, energy, and unconventional teaching technquies to help a young boy with learning difficulties and adults suffering from low literacy levels and what it taught him.

Do you look someone in the eyes as you walk down the street, or do you simply pass them without making any verbal or nonverbal contact? If you choose to avoid contact, you are simply choosing not to share any of your Superpowers: The abilities of uninvited kindness and unconditional love. These abilities can manifest as a simple hello, a nod of the head while looking someone in the eyes, a smile as you pass them, or even a hug. While it may not seem like much to you, it could literally mean the difference between life and death for someone who is feeling hopeless, alone, depressed, or in deep emotional pain. The stories in this book will show you how powerful and possibly life-changing love and kindness can be. Every person you meet gives you the chance to use your superpowers, and possibly, become someone's superhero!

In June of 1939, the United States played host to two very special guests. British monarchs King George VI and Queen Elizabeth were coming to America. As it was the first visit ever by reigning British royalty, it was a chance for America to build a stronger relationship with the British, especially in those challenging times. On the domestic side, many people didn't have jobs, housing, or food. Internationally, Adolf Hitler, Germany's leader, was threatening the countries around him and war loomed on the horizon. But First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt saw the visit as an opportunity for America to set aside its cares for a while and extend a warm welcome and hand of friendship to the royal guests. As part of the festivities, Eleanor hosts an all-American picnic that includes hot dogs, a menu item that shocks some people.

This is a smart, fun collection of everyone’s favorite foods in a single book—who doesn’t love hot dogs, hamburgers, tacos, and margaritas? With more than 100 recipes, from quick and easy to classic to more gourmet fare, including some more unusual ingredients, this book brings all of your fast-food favorites together in one place (alongside some awesome accompaniments like fries, coleslaw, mash, and milk shakes)—making it the perfect companion for casual weekends and entertaining friends (or just yourself, if you’re feeling greedy). The hot dogs chapter features a range of recipes including pork & fried onion, chipolata & potato salad, beef sausage and Stilton, and chorizo, queso freso, and guacamole. In the burger chapter, you’ll find recipes for the essentials like buns and how to master the perfect patty, before moving on to classics such as a bacon cheeseburger, blue cheese, and southern fried chicken, as well as burgers that take inspiration from all over the world, including an Irish burger, English burger, Spanish burger, and a spicy Indian burger that pairs beautifully with a crisp lager. The tacos and margaritas chapters contain all of the popular tacos such as carnitas, roast chicken, carne asada, chorizo and potato, ceviche, and baja fish as well as all of the tequila-spiked cocktail recipes you need to turn your feast into a fiesta.

Bread is one of the most fundamental parts of our diet, yet so many of us rely on bland grocery-store offerings when flavorsome breads can easily be made at home. Della Fattoria Bread teaches readers to make the popular breads of this award-winning bakery. More than an instructional guide, the book takes the fear out of bread baking,and encourages bakers to draw on their senses, experiences, and instincts. Weber’s teachings are homespun and based on passed-down wisdom, not on finicky science or dull kitchen textbooks. The book is filled with invaluable bread-baking secrets, including starters and proper techniques, and features recipes for all levels of bakers. Beginners can learn to bake yeasted breads using pans. Advanced bakers can jump right into making free-form loaves of naturally leavened breads in all shapes and flavors. Other chapters include recipes for enriched breads like brioche and challah; pre-fermented breads, including baguettes; and crackers, breadsticks, naan, and more. The book includes recipes that incorporate the breads, too, such as Tomato Bread Soup and Della Fattoria’s famous Tuna Melt Piadina, along with the stories of the bakery and the unique family that has run it for nearly 20 years.

A burger and a hot dog One day had a nasty spat. The burger got insulted 'Cause the hot dog called him flat... So what happened after that? Well, you'll have to look inside this book to find out. Because, you see, there is a whole world out there in which burgers, hot dogs, sticky buns, ice-cream bars, bologna, popcorn, and all sorts of other food folks exist together and do and go through all the daily stuff we all do. But it's only folks like Jim Aylesworth, together with artist Stephen Gammell, who can bring to us that world in a collection of hilarious rhymes and pictures. After all, what happens when a bunch of sugar cookies give a bagel a hard time, or an ice-cream bar gets stranded on a beach, or a couple of pickles go out dancing?...Well, come on in and see! And when you're done, try to invent some food folks of your own.

Originally published in hardcover in 2008.