SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO by Fannie Flagg weaves an interconnected story between characters scattered across the country as they deal with adversity in a surprising and confusing world. From the beloved mind of New York Times bestselling author of Fried Green Tomatoes, Flagg brings light and humor to her characters who are able to laugh in the face of their own helplessness. Velma in Kansas, a loving great-grandmother, struggles to understand the next generation of her family; Helen, in Ithaca, New York, takes a bold course of action when her husband leaves her for a younger woman. In Bent Fork, Wyoming; in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; in Tucson, Arizona; and in towns and cities all across America, people find imaginative ways to overcome obstacles to happiness. And all the while Special Agent Frawley, in Fort Wayne, Indiana studies the mysteries of being human. With wit, creativity and warmth Flagg reveals how people can inspire us to stay positive in challenging situations.

THE COOK’S GARDEN by Kevin West (635 WE) carries the subtitle, “A Gardener’s Guide to Selecting, Growing, and Savoring the Tastiest Vegetables of Each Season.” He guides readers through the gardening techniques of each vegetable family, but doesn’t stop there. West also reviews harvesting tips and continues on with recipes to cook those specific crops. This information is enhanced by crisp colorful photographs of produce from garden to table. Chapter 22, which covers squash, zucchini, and pumpkins, has some eye-catching photos of zucchini with blossom-end still attached grouped with a full grown zucchini, and another sliced in half to reveal the seed structure. A comprehensive index completes the book.

EAT YOUR GREENS! by Annette Dieng and Ingela Persson (641.65 DI) offers 22 ways to cook a carrot, along with numerous ways to cook every vegetable in the garden. These are simple recipes, mostly side dishes, formulated to use up all your vegetables without waste. Add to your own collection of recipes for green and yellow beans by boiling them, frying them, and roasting them with new spices and combinations. Readers will welcome new ways to make vegetables into tasty treats.

OUTSTANDING IN THE FIELD: A Farm To Table Cookbook by Jim Denevan (641.5979 DE) is an old favorite that takes readers back to 2008, when the farm-to-table movement inspired restaurants to feature local produce. Denevan takes his recipes on the road to farms across the country where he cooks spectacular meals using produce from each farm. See his website standinginthefield.com for an update on his activities, and check out the recipe for Green Tomato Marmalade on page 194.

A DECEIT OF LAPWINGS by Steve Burrows is a new birder murder mystery from Steve Burrows featuring the determined DCI Domenic Jejeune, a disinclined police hero but also an enthusiastic birdwatcher. For survival wild creatures have used safety in numbers is a common tactic. Prey animals are safest from predators and the predators can work together with their groupmates to take down prey. The collective noun for a group of lapwing birds is believed to come from the animals behavior of “feigning a broken wing” to lure predators away from its nest. In a case with tree murder scenes; two causes of death, one body, even under the best of circumstances, it becomes a challenging puzzle to solve even for seasoned DCI Domenic Jejeune. To complicate matters further, Jejeune must work alongside Marvin Laraby, an ex-superior with whom he has a particularly fractious history. To solve the case, they must combine forces to discover why a ruthless land contractor would want to invest in a new bird migration software, and what possible death of a birding app developer could be to the British intelligence services. With mounting pressure from Jejeune’s personal life, will this be the case that finally defeats the formidable detective?

By Idgie Threadgoode

Peter White Public Library