Maisie Ferris and her parents are interested in new ideas and the world beyond their small town of Galesburg, Illinois. When a visiting journalist from England tells Maisie he has never heard of popcorn, Maisie and her father come up with the wild idea of growing popcorn and selling it overseas. Their plan is a success, and Maisie's dreams of selling popcorn in England and meeting Queen Victoria come true.

Theatre owners in small towns and big cities alike built new showplaces in this style or renovated older buildings to catch the mood of the moment. Streamlined with flowing curves in gleaming metal, replete with geometric patterns and a wealth of frosted and mirrored glass, these "moderne" theatres were the height of fashion through the 1930s and 1940s, and they remain cherished landmarks.".

Food historian Cynthia Clampitt pens the epic story of what happened when Mesoamerican farmers bred a nondescript grass into a staff of life so prolific, so protean, that it represents nothing less than one of humankind's greatest achievements. Blending history with expert reportage, she traces the disparate threads that have woven corn into the fabric of our diet, politics, economy, science, and cuisine. At the same time she explores its future as a source of energy and the foundation of seemingly limitless green technologies. The result is a bourbon-to-biofuels portrait of the astonishing plant that sustains the world.

Extensive reading is essential for improving fluency and there is a real need in the ELT classroom for contemporary, low-level reading material for younger learners. The Mr Bean character is popular with children around the world for his eccentric and hilarious behaviour. Mr Bean: Royal Bean is based on an episode from the popular animated television series and is presented in an accessible comic-strip format. This title comes with a CD recording of the story.

Popcorn Favorites: Everything You Want to Know about Popcorn and More by John (Jack) Podojil Trafford Publishing reviewed by J.A. Garcia "May all of your days and nights resemble popping corn, Bright, cheerful and full of wonderful mouth-watering flavor." An author of motivational books and proponent of education, Podojil combines his love of popcorn with his passion for inspiring children to learn in this volume that is both informative and entertaining. Podojil begins by providing readers with basic facts about this salty snack, briefly exploring the various types of kernels as well as the science behind what makes this particular type of corn pop. The chapters that follow provide greater detail on the history of popcorn, several mechanical innovations that forever changed the way popcorn is made, and a wealth of Native American folklore surrounding this tasty and versatile treat. Readers will also find information on surprising attractions devoted entirely to popcorn as well as fun popcorn trivia. After providing this rich foundation of popcorn knowledge, Podojil goes on to describe practical applications for the classroom by including detailed lessons and activities for a variety of subjects and age groups. Finally, this unique popcorn guide reveals various recipes for not only the familiar varieties of candied popcorn or savory flavorings, but several unexpected culinary treats as well, such as "Popcorn Soup" and "Popcorn Diner Meatloaf." This multifaceted popcorn guide is useful for not only popcorn aficionados, but parents, educators, and home cooks alike. Intuitively laid out, this volume provides a wealth of knowledge on the history, science, economics, and culture surrounding this popular treat. And perhaps best of all, popcorns lovers will be happy to find over eighty easy-to-follow, diverse recipes that are sure to please the most discerning popcorn fan.

A gorgeous memoir about the 17 year estrangement of the author and her homeless schizophrenic mother, and their reunion.

Reduce Hiring Risks and Predict Success New Mindset. In The Best Team Wins,author Adam Robinson gives you a proven, straightforward, and effective method for hiring new employees. He teaches you how to rethink the process of finding, assessing, and hiring the right people. New Methods. Robinson, a recruiting professional with over twenty years experience, shows you how to— •Use a Data-Driven Job Profile to Assess Candidate Risk •Build a Candidate Scorecard •Rate the Candidate's Core Competencies •Ask the Right Questions to Dig Deeper in Interviews •Craft an Offer the Candidate Can’t Refuse Better Results. By following Robinson’s in-depth process, you can eliminate guesswork and focus on building a team that will bring value to your company’s culture and bottom line.

In the tradition of In Cold Blood and The Executioner’s Song, this haunting, insightful, and surprisingly intimate portrait of Saddam Hussein provides “a brief, but powerful, meditation on the meaning of evil and power” (USA TODAY). The “captivating” (Military Times) The Prisoner in His Palace invites us to take a journey with twelve young American soldiers in the summer of 2006. Shortly after being deployed to Iraq, they learn their assignment: guarding Saddam Hussein in the months before his execution. Living alongside, and caring for, their “high value detainee and regularly transporting him to his raucous trial, many of the men begin questioning some of their most basic assumptions—about the judicial process, Saddam’s character, and the morality of modern war. Although the young soldiers’ increasingly intimate conversations with the once-feared dictator never lead them to doubt his responsibility for unspeakable crimes, the men do discover surprising new layers to his psyche that run counter to the media’s portrayal of him. Woven from firsthand accounts provided by many of the American guards, government officials, interrogators, scholars, spies, lawyers, family members, and victims, The Prisoner in His Palace shows two Saddams coexisting in one person: the defiant tyrant who uses torture and murder as tools, and a shrewd but contemplative prisoner who exhibits surprising affection, dignity, and courage in the face of looming death. In this thought-provoking narrative, Saddam, known as the “man without a conscience,” gets many of those around him to examine theirs. “A singular study exhibiting both military duty and human compassion” (Kirkus Reviews), The Prisoner in His Palace grants us “a behind-the-scenes look at history that’s nearly impossible to put down…a mesmerizing glimpse into the final moments of a brutal tyrant’s life” (BookPage).

A celebration of corn palaces, crop art, and butter sculpture from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries