New Releases by Cris Peterson

How does a field of corn become a delicious bowl of popcorn? The story behind the fluffy snack the entire country loves is revealed in this photographic nonfiction picture book. Kids love food--and they especially love to eat popcorn! Author Cris Peterson offers an illuminating step-by-step examination of the history and science behind America''s favorite snack. With photographs illustrating every stage, readers get a behind-the-scenes view of how popcorn is planted, grown, harvested, processed, tested, and finally shipped to stores and movie theaters all over the world. Back matter delves into the history of popcorn and how it became so popular in the United States.

Seed, Soil, Sun. With these simple ingredients, nature creates our food. Once again, noted author Cris Peterson brings both wonder and clarity to the subject of agriculture, celebrating the cycle of growth, harvest, and renewal. Using the corn plant as an example, she takes the reader through the story of germination and growth of a tiny corn seed into a giant plant reaching high into the air, with roots extending over six feet into the ground. This American Farm Bureau Foundation''s Agriculture Book of the Year also discusses the make-up of soil and the amazing creatures who live there—from microscopic one-celled bacteria to moles, amoebas, and earthworms. David Lundquist''s stunning photographs bring an immediacy and vibrancy to the seemingly miraculous process.

Following a day in the life of Clarabelle, one of 1,200 cows on a Wisconsin dairy farm, we learn what it takes for a cow to produce life-giving milk and also by-products like electricity. The manure that Clarabelle and her herdmates create not only generates electricity, it provides fresh bedding for cow stalls and fertilizer for the crops grown to feed the cows. Vibrant close-up photographs capture Clarabelle, her calf, and the youngest members of this multi-generational farm family, Josh and Sam, sharing the workload.

Countless acres of grassland stretch across the American West. Centuries ago, bison roamed the range freely and lived off the grass. By the nineteenth century, herds of cattle grazed the same land. And over time, much of he original grassland was either plowed and planted or trampled to dust, causing the topsoil to dry up and blow away. Today many ranchers have learned to manage their herds of beef cattle so that the damaged range has been transformed into productive grasslands with sparkling clear streams running through them. Montana Ranchers Bob Lee, Ray Marxer, and Tom Milesnick have won numerous awards for their innovative approaches to raising beef cattle and managing the western range. While creating a healthy environment and abundant grasslands for their cattle, they and other ranchers and farmers across the United States have provided quality habitat for wildlife. Author Cris Peterson has visited each ranch to learn firsthand about the philosophies of their owners as well as how the ranches are run. Photographer Alvis Upitis has captured the sheer beauty and magnificence of the open rangelands, the crystal clear streams, and the mountains that tower over them. Together, this award-winning author-photographer team presents an exciting portrait of a new approach to ranching and environmental conservation in the American West.

The Peterson family farm is one hundred years old and about to enter a new century. Here, in wonderful family anecdotes, the author shares the story of the farm as it grew from a barn and house and granary in the 1890s to a thriving dairy farm in the 1990s. There has been plenty of hard work--sawing down the trees to erect the first buildings, the endless cycle of planting and harvesting, chopping firewood to keep the house warm--but there has also been golf practice on the pasture land, Sunday drives in the family car, and cross-country skiing in the meadows. Over the past hundred years many things on the farm have changed, but many things have stayed the same. There is still one family working together to make the farm a viable business. There is still one kitchen where cookies are baked and meals are cooked to feed family and friends and those who help on the farm. Filled with photos selected from a century''s worth of family albums as well as dramatic shots from recent years, this NCSS/CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Book provides a glimpse into the past and the future of one American family farm.

A history of the North American fur trade, based on primary sources. The North American fur trade, set in motion by the discovery of the New World in the fifteenth century, was this continent''s biggest business for over three hundred years. Furs harvested by Ojibwa natives in the north woods ended up on the sleeves and hems of French princesses and Chinese emperors. Felt hats on the heads of every European businessman began as beaver pelts carried in birchbark canoes to trading posts dotting the wilderness. Iron tools, woolen blankets, and calico cloth manufactured in England found their way to wigwams along the remote rivers of North America. The fur trade influenced every aspect of life—from how Europeans related to the Indians, how and where settlements were built, to how our nation formed. Drawing on primary sources, including the diaries of Ojibwa, American, and French traders of the period, this Society of School Librarians International Honor Book gives readers a glimpse of a little-known story from our past.

Introduces readers to twelve types of farm machinery.

More than 40 photos and a richly eloquent text tell the story of the man who made a wildlife sanctuary for mustangs a reality in South Dakota. Full color.

Draft horses such as Clydesdales, Percherons, and Belgians are described in words and pictures and shown to be powerful co-workers on farms, past and present.

A photographic essay about foods that are harvested year-round in the United States.

Describes how cheese is made from its beginning at the dairy farm to the processing plant to your table.