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A solid reference guide that’s best for established gardeners looking to introduce organic methods and self-sustainability into their practice.
This step-by-step guide is a good introduction for beginners who need specific directions for planning and planting a vegetable garden. Gardeners looking for expanded details on growing individual vegetables may wish to consult a work such as Edward C. Smith’s The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible.
Novices and advanced gardeners alike will find valuable tips and strategies in this resource. Recommended as a companion to strong gardening collections.
For gardeners who would like a more natural look rather than curb appeal, this is an essential resource.
While this book focuses specifically on the UK, readers from around the world are sure to find useful ideas to help them create sustainable and unique gardens using recycling methods.
This is a solid study on man’s best friend that can be enjoyed by the casual reader or the historian alike, with an exceptional balance of entertainment and educational value.
PREMIUM
Dog Tales: Timeless and Compelling Stories About Man’s and Woman’s Best Friend and Companion
There are a few tales that are quite charming and sensitive regarding the relationship between dogs and humans, and it would have been better to have more of those.
While the book is a visual delight, the accompanying text misses the mark. Recommended for inclusive collections or for breed fanciers.
Both newbie gardeners and those with years of experience digging in the dirt will find plenty of inspiration in this smartly crafted book that delivers both gardening style and substance.
PREMIUM
We Are the ARK: Returning Our Gardens to Their True Nature Through Acts of Restorative Kindness
This may not be the handbook that many gardeners crave, but it is inspirational for all.
This useful work will appeal to a wide range of indoor gardeners, who are looking to revive or elevate their indoor collection. Instructions are clear and easy to follow. There are fresh ideas for readers to explore and expand upon, irrespective of the size of their space.
Amateur plant enthusiasts are the intended audience, but this title could certainly be useful to more experienced houseplant owners. This book will be of particular interest to public libraries.
While the alphabetical order uses botanical names, the index includes the common names and refers to the proper page number. A great purchase for public libraries with lots of gardening patrons, and also for libraries at universities that teach horticulture.
PREMIUM
Blooms & Dreams
The core audience for this book might be limited to fans of Gillingham’s who want to know more about her new life. Other readers (newbie gardeners, for example) could wind up wishing that her book’s advice were more down-to-earth and applicable, and less Instagram-aspirational.
Readers who enjoy travel narratives will like reading about incredible places that many will never see; they might be frustrated, however, when Thorogood says that some things can’t be described. For plant nerds seeking adventure.
This visually striking guide honors the beautiful American landscape as it appears today. Recommended for fans of Audubon or for those interested in the natural world or art.
This fascinating look at how soil health affects the health of plants, livestock, and people will appeal to those interested in regenerative agriculture, the welfare of livestock, soil science, and more.
Provocateur Monbiot’s “new restoration story about food” is sure to generate interest, both approving and dismissive.
This book validates any pet owner’s grief and provides an insightful look into many cultures and grief practices pertaining to humans and their furry (or scaly) friends from around the world.
This diamond in the rough is sure to be a bestseller. It would support and complement any library collection for its history, husbandry, and honesty.
There exist many similar books about rescue dogs, but Scott’s stands out for its emphasis on the characters of both the dogs and the human volunteers who work tirelessly to find them homes.
A delight from start to finish; will be greatly enjoyed by fans of dogs, sports, and inspirational memoirs.
Even before they see the title, cat guardians will recognize the question-mark curl of a happy cat’s tail on the cover of Todd’s enjoyable book; it’s suitable for a wide audience, from new pet parents to shelter and veterinary professionals.
Essential reading on the state of local and organic growing and eating, and a useful addition to the history of American utopianism.
Lucas and Orr demonstrate that good landscape design balances elements between land and home, between the natural and the manmade. Their book would serve as a useful reference for garden designers, architects, and home gardeners alike.
An excellent choice for the apartment dweller who picked up plants as a pandemic hobby and wants to go deeper, or for anyone seeking to creatively grow their own food.
Readers will be inspired to visit virtually (or maybe even in person!) the animals they read about, like Emily the emu and Cowboy the goat. Zaleski’s animal stories are immensely relatable and often told with the mix of empathy, outrage, humor, and steady resolve that is familiar to seasoned animal rescuers. Readers may also feel a special connection with Annie and her story of courage and unconditional love.
Carter’s well-illustrated book provides a complete overview of creating and harvesting the rewards of a forest garden.
PREMIUM
What Dogs Want
This title provides a perfect amount of information for readers to learn (or learn more) about their canine companions and how to make life together easier and happier for everyone. The combination of accessibility and humor makes the book a good choice for younger readers too.
PREMIUM
The Last Diving Horse in America: Rescuing Gamal and Other Animals—Lessons in Living and Loving
Of interest to all animal lovers, particularly those involved in rescue efforts.
Highly recommended for readers who would enjoy an Appalachian Marley and Me where the dog doesn’t die. Bookstores and libraries should anticipate enormous demand.
If other titles such as Rowan Jacobsen and Clare Barboza’s Apples of Uncommon Character and Roger Yepsen’s Apples prove hard to track down, this will be a valuable resource for readers wanting to learn more about the fascinating heritage of this most “American” of all fruits.
PREMIUM
Garden Allies: The Insects, Birds, and Other Animals That Keep Your Garden Beautiful and Thriving
A useful and interesting read for rookie, armchair, and experienced gardeners. Easy to read front to back or section by section, and information can be applied to any region of the United States.
Shapiro and Piglet’s uplifting odyssey, cowritten by Eichler-Rivas (The Pursuit of Happyness), is touching, emotional, and not to be missed.
Browsing through this lushly illustrated book is like spending a day exploring secret spaces. Most readers won’t be able to cultivate dream gardens like these, but anyone will be able to find inspiration for their own garden here.
For readers seeking a get-it-done training manual, this inexpensive, thorough guidebook offers exceptional guidance without a lot of distraction. Appropriate for all audiences.
A useful resource for anyone who wants a photo-ready plant display, particularly if they need help with getting started or plant maintenance.
Illuminating reading for those interested in the history of horticulture and landscape design, or 19th-century American culture.
McIntyre’s presentation of this complex subject combines authentic expertise with clear, objective communication for a nonexpert audience. Invaluable for new and advanced students of U.S. agriculture, business, and society.
PREMIUM
Never Put a Cactus in the Bathroom: A Room-by-Room Guide to Styling and Caring for Your Houseplants
Readers who are ready to embrace the concept of plant parenthood will find this to be a solid introduction to the topic.
Enthusiastically recommended for new and novice gardeners who want a straightforward, unfussy guide to growing their own food.
Those with a serious desire to learn more about creating ecologically friendly gardens will find much to muse over in Rees-Warren’s bracing mix of philosophical and practical landscape advice.
Webb’s practical, common-sense approach ensures that even skeptics will come away with a better understanding and appreciation for the possibilities of incorporating hemp and CBD into our gardens, kitchens, and medicine cabinets.
PREMIUM
Martha Stewart’s Very Good Things: Clever Tips & Genius Ideas for an Easier, More Enjoyable Life
A treat for the eye and lovely to page through. Devotees of all things Martha Stewart will be pleased. This is the kind of books that garners steady circulation and delights readers looking for highly visual, browsable nonfiction.
PREMIUM
Extraordinary Orchids
Orchid fanciers will relish the gorgeous color plates; readers new to orchids will appreciate the information on orchid biology, culture, and history.
Erin Benzakein talks with LJ about growing flowers for your home, her new book about dahilas, and books she suggests to others.
PREMIUM
Rosa: The Story of the Rose
While not a strictly a gardening or history book, this resource will amuse and delight gardeners and lovers of floral design and art history.
Benzakein is a celebrity and best-selling author in the flower farming world, with an upcoming show on Magnolia TV. Her first book, Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden, is an essential title, and her large fan base will clamor for her newest as well.
Tears will be inevitable while reading this title, but readers will be served well by this addition to pet collections.
Readers seeking an academic but accessible take on the relationship between houseplants and social history will enjoy this book.
Beginning gardeners who are eager to get their hands dirty will find both inspiration and practical information in this accessible, colorful, and highly illustrated volume.
Soule’s enjoyable and reflective book will appeal to gardeners and botanists of all varieties. This is a good resource for those who wish to explore the realm of healing herbs and all the growing, gathering, storing, and making formulations that that entails.
This book will provide readers with a deeper appreciation of the diversity of the Western landscape and inspiration for creating and cultivating gardens adapted to challenging and sometimes unforgiving sites.
Richly illustrated with examples from Repton’s Red Books and concluding with extensive references and a bibliography, this volume sets Repton and his work firmly in the life and times of the late 1700s–early 1800s in a book that will appeal to those who enjoy reading about garden designers of the past, or garden history.
The bird feeding shelf is crowded, but with public interest so high there’s probably room for this happy introductory guide.
With lavish illustrations of places and people; portraits of key players; herbaria specimens; and beautiful, full-color artists’ renderings, this carefully researched, detailed homage to herbaria will appeal to those deeply interested in plant exploration and botany.
Recommended particularly for traveling gardeners, though all could cull ideas from this book, which is similar in scope to Cristopher Woods’s Gardenlust.
Vegans and animal rights activists will find plenty of validation, and readers on the fence about becoming vegan may be convinced to do so. Others will likely be put off by the author’s questionable claims, inflammatory statements, and judgmental tone.
Even nonhorticultural patrons will find this a gently enthralling read, and will finish with a renewed sense of wonder at the natural world and gratitude to Dickey for having written about it once more.
Useful for the beginning seed saver, but experienced gardeners will be looking for a broader overview of techniques.
Particularly suited for both beginner and intermediate gardeners looking for a practical guide to getting started with transforming their lawns into meadows.
Ratinon generates enthusiasm about raising vegetables, edible flowers, mushrooms, and microgreens, either indoors or on balconies and windowsill in this useful resource for gardeners wishing to explore growing food within a restricted space.
This honest, engaging journey should be shared with all animal and pet lovers, especially those in the Southern states the author profiles.
Highly recommended for those interested in agriculture, food safety, and the humane treatment of animals.
An essential book for the aspiring hemp farmer, there is much to consider here for anyone interested in organic farming, drug policy, and community organizing.
A daunting endeavor demystified, everything from denuding tenders to dry-aging drumsticks explained in detail.
Sure to appeal to a broad range of gardeners and cooks, including those who live in urban areas where dedicating room to gardening is often challenging.
Matsuyama offers gardeners plenty of bang for their buck, including strong visuals and the basics of growing and propagating popular succulents and cacti. Novice horticulturists, however, might gravitate toward Ken Shelf and Rachel Weill’s Essential Succulents, which covers fewer plants but offers a bit more hand-holding when it comes to getting started..
Young women looking for ideas for a career in agriculture or horticulture are offered a number of paths to explore in this title. Those with a passion for plants who wish to see the many faces of women influencing the field will also enjoy.
Recent reports of massive declines in bird populations across North America make this book both timely and apposite. An essential addition to most gardening collections.
PREMIUM
Container and Fragrant Gardens
This guide fits the bill for readers in the market for a concise, inexpensive introduction to specific gardening topics, but those seeking more in-depth instruction will want to supplement the material with additional resources.
Staub and Reynolds provide gardening inspiration, entertaining reading, and horticultural education in a title that a wide range of hobbyists, garden historians, and design professionals should enjoy.
Useful in a collection of dog training and health titles; for those who want to focus on the inner life of their dog and make their experiences full of joy.
A beautiful love letter to gardens that is sure to appeal to anyone who has cultivated one of their own.
Readers will be attracted to the surprising beauty of these dry desert plants and should consider using them to promote water conservation. An appealing choice for garden artists, landscapers, and home gardeners in the Southwest and elsewhere.
Essential for dog lovers and photography fans, this stunning and charming book is guaranteed to circulate constantly in public library collections.
PREMIUM
Small Garden Design
Professional landscape designers will find plenty to ponder here. Even as the overall vibe is more upscale Architectural Digest than down-to-earth Better Homes and Gardens, there is enough practical wisdom seeded among the dreamy images that even home gardeners will find a tip or two to apply to their own cherished plots of verdant happiness.
Animal lovers will devour this British-toned, feel-good book, and might even develop some strategies in case their furry friends go missing.
Though occasionally overwritten, this heartwarming “who saved whom?” story will appeal to dog owners, the lovelorn, and fans of comic memoirs.
Horowitz's latest is for readers interested in thinking deeply about dogs and our relationships with them; a worthy addition to any pet lover’s library; teen and adult fans of Bill Bryson’s travel books and stories of rescue animals will find Zheutlin's work delightful
After reading this book, readers may not perceive their relationship with their dog in the same way. Engagingly written and understandable by general audiences, this is a worthy addition to any pet lover’s library.
Christopher successfully brings the unique aspects of Wave Hill to life. This recommended book, part of a Timber Press series that spotlights outstanding public gardens, will appeal to garden historians, hobbyists, and landscape designers.
Leshko’s profiles show these nonhuman animals as their own beings rather than as commodities. Readers will be hard pressed not to consider that message in examining the food and products they consume.
Foodies, gardeners, and those who wish to push their own taste buds are encouraged to embrace the anthropomorphizing of okra and take a deep dive into its many possibilities. Readers will be inspired by this work’s cultural context, growing tips, and recipes from highly acclaimed author interviewees such as Leah Penniman (Farming While Black), Sandor Katz (Wild Fermentation), and Marcus Samuelsson (The Soul of a New Cuisine).
Recommended for anyone interested in homegrown herbs for cooking but not willing to purchase the authors’ more expansive (and expensive) Culinary Herbal. Gardeners who cook and also want herbs for projects (green roofs, garden seats, herb lawns) might consider The Kew Gardener’s Guide to Growing Herbs.
PREMIUM
Billie Holiday
From the plaintive "Lover Man" to the antilynching "Strange Fruit," jazz singer Billie Holiday lived the songs she sang—and worse...
The Mama's Boyz all-ages syndicated strip continues with these warmhearted vignettes about widowed Pauline Porter, a bookstore owner raising teen sons Tyrell and Yusuf...
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