If you like books in which the land figures prominently, then you must read this book. The Floor of the Sky is a beautifully written story of a family living in the Sandhills of western Nebraska. Toby Jenkins lives on a ranch that was homesteaded by her grandfather after the Civil War. She's in danger of losing it due to overdue taxes. But the story depicted here is much deeper than that. We meet Toby's granddaughter Lila, 17 and pregnant, and the longtime hired hand, George, who seems like part of the family, and many other family members and residents of Elmyra, Nebraska. We learn about secrets held and sorrows overcome and loves lost. Read it.

Focus on Food

Most of us know that Barbara Kingsolver is an exceptionally gifted, environmentally sensitive, and socially conscious fiction writer. But did you know that she nurtures her own asparagus patch? And makes her own cheese? You can, too, and you may want to after reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life. This book chronicles a year in the life of Kingsolver's family, a year in which they opted to eat only food that they could grow themselves or obtain from their neighbors. There are many reasons for making this kind of choice, including eating fresher and healthier foods, and reducing environmentally harmful effects of eating food that has to be processed and shipped many miles to your table. This book is the 2008 selection for Carroll County on the Same Page, the program sponsored by the three county public libraries in which we are all encouraged to read the same book and talk about it with our friends. Several book discussions and programs are planned for the summer. Contact your local Carroll County library for more information. And enjoy reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle as you snack on some healthy veggies from your garden.