Home, Garden, and DIY July 2019 Recent Releases Milk Soaps: Making Milk-Enriched Soaps, From Goat to Almond by Anne-Marie Faiola What's inside: step-by-step directions for creating 35 soaps (labeled beginner, intermediate, and advanced) using a plethora of milks, including cow and camel, coconut and rice, as well as details about the soapmaking process and the chemistry behind it all. Recipes include: Shea and Aloe Bars with Yogurt; Cupcake Soaps with Whipped Cream; Layered Coffee and Cream Bars; Shampoo Bars with Hemp Milk and Apple Cider Vinegar; Super Rainbow Swirl. Perfect Pan Pizza: Square Pies to Make at Home, from Roman, Sicilian, and Detroit... by Peter Reinhart; photos by Johnny Autry What it is: a beautifully photographed, creative guide to making delicious pan pizza at home, written by an obsessed pizza expert who offers clear explanations as well as tools, tips, tricks, and techniques. Recipes include: Naturally Leavened Dough; Crushed Tomato Pizza Sauce; The Classic Red Stripe Pizza; Veggie "Pepperoni" Pizza; Bacon and Egg Pizza; Herbed Tomato and Pesto Focaccia. A Way to Garden: A Hands-On Primer for Every Season by Margaret Roach What it is: an updated version of the gardening expert's 1998 book, which offers many tips and is arranged by a plant's life cycle over the course of a year; it also thoughtfully explores how both the author and the gardening world have changed over 21 years. Reviewers say: "a compelling book to read straight through that is also useful as a reference for particular details" (Booklist, starred review). Nature Play at Home: Creating Outdoor Spaces that Connect Children with the Natural World by Nancy Striniste What's inside: a variety of DIY projects (from Pizza Box Paver Stones to Hillside Slides); tips on creating welcoming and sensory spaces; plant recommendations; details about nature's child development benefits.  For fans of: Richard Louv, Joseph Bharat Cornell, and creative nature play.  In Your Backyard Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens: Breed Selection, Facilities, Feeding, Health... by Gail Damerow What it is: the 4th edition of a comprehensive guide that's been educating backyard flock owners for two decades. What's inside: full-color illustrations; details about breed selection, shelter, food, and health care; and recent research about chicken behavior and communication. Backyard Ballistics: Build Potato Cannons, Paper Match Rockets, Cincinnati Fire... by William Gurstelle What's inside: historical facts, scientific explanations, illustrations, and step-by-step instructions for making amateur ballistic devices, including a catapult, a tennis ball mortar, and a hydro pump rocket. For fans of: DIY science projects. Don't miss: the safety advice (please!), ideas for further study, and tips for acquiring materials. The Backyard Homestead by Carleen Madigan What's inside: the basics of adapting a variety of agricultural activities to city or suburban conditions: vegetable gardening (in yards, balconies, or windowsills); growing wheat and hops (for home-brewed beer); keeping poultry, livestock, or bees; cultivating fruit and nut trees; making butter and cheese; preserving your bounty, and more.  Read this next: Kelly Coyne and Erik Knutzen's The Urban Homestead. Keep Out! Build Your Own Backyard Clubhouse: A Step-by-Step Guide by Lee Mothes What it is: a cheerful, family-friendly guide to building your own clubhouse that includes basic plans for several types of treehouses and playhouses, with guidance on everything from how to use basic hand tools to how to build with inexpensive or recycled materials. Read this next: For crafty outdoor activities this summer, check out Sew a Backyard Adventure by Susan Maw and Sally Bell. Contact your librarian for more great books! Harford County Public Library 1221-A Brass Mill Rd Belcamp, Maryland 21017 410-273-5600 hcplonline.org