“A gutsy success story” (The New York Times Book Review) about one tenacious woman’s journey to escape rural poverty and create a billion-dollar farming business—without ever leaving the land she loves The youngest of her parents’ combined twenty-one children, Sarah Frey grew up on a struggling farm in southern Illinois, often having to grow, catch, or hunt her own dinner alongside her brothers. She spent much of her early childhood dreaming of running away to the big city—or really anywhere with central heating. At fifteen, she moved out of her family home and started her own fresh produce delivery business with nothing more than an old pickup truck. Two years later, when the family farm faced inevitable foreclosure, Frey gave up on her dreams of escape, took over the farm, and created her own produce company. Refusing to play by traditional rules, at seventeen she began talking her way into suit-filled boardrooms, making deals with the nation’s largest retailers. Her early negotiations became so legendary that Harvard Business School published some of her deals as case studies, which have turned out to be favorites among its students. Today, her family-operated company, Frey Farms, has become one of America’s largest fresh produce growers and shippers, with farmland spread across seven states. Thanks to the millions of melons and pumpkins she sells annually, Frey has been dubbed “America’s Pumpkin Queen” by the national press. The Growing Season tells the inspiring story of how a scrappy rural childhood gave Frey the grit and resiliency to take risks that paid off in unexpected ways. Rather than leaving her community, she found adventure and opportunity in one of the most forgotten parts of our country. With fearlessness and creativity, she literally dug her destiny out of the dirt.

Elsie Lee Splear grew up on a farm in the early part of the 20th century. With the help of her daughter, Carolyn, Elsie tells what life was like for her and her sisters: the hard work they did making their own soap, churning butter, canning fruits, butchering meat, and much more. Everything had a season but as the years turned, a few, small changes came to their lives.As it opens a window onto a personal slice of American history, this gentle, moving story portrays a way of life that seems both distant and familiar. Ken Stark, who was a friend of Elsie's, displays his clear love of the land in each picture.

El and Jo are the shortest kids in class, and they're inseparable. But what happens when Jo starts to grow? This sweet picture book explores the joys and challenges of friendship and growing up. "A sweet story with emotional depth." --Kirkus El and Jo are the smallest students in their class--and best friends, too, like peas in a pod. Even their names are short. But in springtime, something BIG happens: Jo starts growing like a weed, while El feels smaller every day. On the last day of school, their teacher asked every child to pick a plant to care for over the summer. All the other kids reach over El to grab their plant, and she has to take the very last one: a tiny, flowerless aster. At first, she's disappointed. But as summer progresses, the aster begins to bloom--and so does El

"Accompanying these vibrant photographs are revealing first-person narratives written by David Hassler.

What season of life are you in? Are you experiencing a winter of discouragement blowing like an icy wind through your soul? Or do you feel the exuberance of spring renewal, the lazy warmth of summer rest? Perhaps the winds of change have brought an autumn of reflection in your heart. Chuck Swindoll offers 144 devotional readings that take you through each season of the year, challenging and encouraging you to discover what's truly important in your own life. Take time to deepen your roots in the soil of God's love and grace. Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life is a devotional companion that helps you grow closer to God through every season of life, in every condition of the heart.

‘Extremely charming’ Marian Keyes on Mr Doubler Begins Again When life gets tough, do you give up? Or do you grow up?

A colorful, illustrated guide to learning how to adopt a more positive mindset, even when your life may seem gray and stormy, from a wildly popular Instagram artist Beautifully illustrated and heartfelt, this little book shares big insights about how to stay positive in an increasingly negative world. Artist Dani DiPirro started her Instagram, PositivelyPresent, after she realized that positivity, like all self-care, is an essential skill that needs to be practiced daily. She began posting her bright and bubbly illustrations, sharing the ups and downs of her journey to positive thinking. In Grow Through It, Dani shares never-before-seen content to take us through the seasons, and she shows us how to pick out the positives on both sunny days and snowy ones. She also reminds you to take breaks for self-care, to stop comparing yourself to others, and to grow at your own pace. No matter what the circumstance, this book shows you how optimism is always an option!