Books on Food and Farming

 When I became interested in conservation as a teen I never imagined I would be writing about food and farming. I was so focused at that moment on wildlife. And, if you follow my writing career, you know that many of my books do center on wildlife conservation. But, around 2014 I began to realize that seeds needed protection and our food security was at stake if they weren't protected. I wrote THE STORY OF SEEDS as a result. It received the Green Earth Book Award and many other honors that year. 

    

But I, as I visited schools, I realized that younger readers needed something of their own. I wrote THE FARM THAT FEEDS US for them. It is beautifully illustrated by Ginnie Hsu and introduces read to a sustainable small farm.

 

It led to being asked to co-author THE ULTIMATE FOOD ATLAS with Christy Mihaly, which introduces readers to a global menu of foods. 

The same year BUILDINGS THAT BREATHE released, another YA lit book. This one introduces teen readers to urban greening projects that include vertical farming, community gardens, and rooftop farms. 

In 2023 readers will discover a new title joining these others, THE WORLD THAT FEEDS US. It's a follow-up to THE FARM THAT FEEDS US. It pulls the lens out so that readers can view sustainable farms and farming practices around the world. It can be pre-ordered now. 

Authors often don't know where their research will lead them and what books they'll end up creating. Along the way I discovered that food security issues often involve water security. That discovery led me to write WHEN THE WORLD RUNS DRY, another YA lit title. Take a look at any author's shelf and you will also discover themes that weave together. 

Archimedes Notebook: Good to the Last Drop

Archimedes Notebook: Good to the Last Drop:   When the World Runs Dry: Earth's Water in Crisis  by Nancy F. Castaldo  208 pages; ages 10 & up Algonquin Young Readers, 2022    “...