Like it or not, we're embedded in the natural world. We might as well learn to live more harmoniusly with it. Part memoir, part how-to, part problem-solving, Lawn Wars gives a historical context and resources for a new movement that is showing up across the nation. Difficulties encountered by aspiring natural landscapers are explored with wit and factual information. The rich rewards of making such a shift are described in lyrical prose as the author tells her own story of heartache and delight.

“Taylor Kitching’s rousing debut puts you right on the fifty-yard line of a vital historical moment.” —Chris Grabenstein, New York Times bestselling author of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library Perfect for readers of Christopher Paul Curtis’s Bud, Not Buddy and Vince Vawter’s Paperboy, Yard War explores race relations during the Civil Rights Movement from the perspective of a boy who accidentally sets off a “yard war” when he invites his maid’s son to play football on his front lawn. Trip Westbrook has spent his first twelve years far from the struggle for civil rights going on in Mississippi. The one black person he knows well is Willie Jane, the family maid, who has been a second mother to him. When Trip invites her son, Dee, to play football in the yard, he discovers the ugly side of his smiling neighbors. Trip’s old pals stop coming by. He is bullied, his house is defaced, and his family is threatened. The Westbrooks will be forced to choose between doing the right thing or losing the only home Trip has ever known. Who knew that playing football in the yard could have such consequences? This engaging, honest, and hopeful novel is full of memorable characters, and brings the civil rights–era South alive for young readers. “Trip is a fine character. 1964 Mississippi leaps to life in this book.” —Gennifer Choldenko, Newbery Honor winning author of Al Capone Does My Shirts “A captivating story about standing up for your friends. I loved seeing Trip learn how hard it can be to do the right thing.” —Kristin Levine, author of The Lions of Little Rock and The Paper Cowboy “Trip’s journey is a sensitive account about how one person can slowly make a difference.” —Booklist “A challenging but worthwhile portrait of a very difficult period in American history.” —SLJ

Horticultural expert Vincent Simeone helps you plan your green garden in this practical, holistic guide. With detailed, strategic timelines for both short-term and long-term gardening techniques, Grow More with Less lets you put your best foot forward in creating an efficient, sustainable home landscape. From composting and mulching to planting trees, author Vincent Simeone covers all the eco-friendly essentials in one straightforward handbook. Simeone makes the what, how, and why of sustainable gardening unmistakably clear: why we should plant for the long-term, how to make the best plant selections possible, how to manage invasive species, how to make the most of your lawn (regardless of its size), the importance of IPM (integrated pest management) in fighting insects and pests, how to conserve water with proper irrigation, installing rain barrels and cisterns, and more. Even when the solution is to do nothing - for instance, leaving some parts of a lawn un-mowed in order to save time and money while attracting local wildlife - Grow More with Less enables you to confidently make the call. With effective, time-proven recommendations like these, field-tested in a large botanical garden and adapted for home use by Vincent Simeone, Grow More with Less is your complete step-by-step personal roadmap for green gardening.

Aims to offer an unbiased view of the science and politics behind hot-button environmental issues--from pesticides to global warming.

Have you ever been on a journey? Journeys can be fun like going on an awesome trip. We all enjoy this type of journey. But journeys can also find you walking through some hard times and finding yourself worn out. There are twists and turns and unexpected situations as you continue your journey of seeking purpose and guidance from the One who created us. My journey has seen some amazing things as I sought God to walk with me. There were some painful and difficult situations to walk through also, but I was never alone. God was walking with me through so many ups and downs. In this book, you will get a peek into a real family with real issues at times. Through the years, God has worked in our hearts and lives, and for that I am very thankful. Our journey is still continuing, but for now I hope you enjoy and are encouraged by the stories from a clueless Christian.

International Bestseller: A novel of youthful love and loss and “a powerful evocation of the war years” in England (The Guardian). On a hot August evening in 1939, cousins Oliver, Calypso, Polly, Walter, and Sophy spent one last night together, celebrating the end of summer, at the home of their aunt and uncle. Now, forty years later, as the motley cast of characters drive to the funeral of one of their own, they recall how important that night truly was—and all that came after. From Oliver, whose desperation to prove himself in war ended up as his downfall, to Calypso, whose flirtations landed her in an unlikely marriage with even less likely results, to Sophy, whose secrets from that night haunted her for the rest of her life, each of them recalls the twisted paths of love and betrayal they walked as the country came apart around them under the coming shadow of World War II. Mary Wesley masterfully interweaves tragedy and humor in this “extraordinarily accomplished and fast-moving” novel, presenting a tale of both the world at large and the dalliances, allegiances, and losses of her expertly crafted characters (Financial Times).