“As a parent, I know that reading with your child is an important part of their mental and emotional development,” said Mrs. Blagojevich. “I started this program to encourage parents to read with their children, and I hope our recommended reading list helps parents find books that the whole family can enjoy.”

Backyard Giants: The Passionate, Heartbreaking, and Glorious Quest to Grow the Biggest Pumpkin Ever
by Susan Warren

Book Description:

In Backyard Giants: The Passionate, Heartbreaking, and Glorious Quest to Grow the Biggest Pumpkin Ever, Wall Street Journal Dallas deputy bureau chief Susan Warren follows Dick and Ron Wallace, a father-son team with a serious penchant for big pumpkins, through a single season of growth and competition. From the arrival of the seedlings in the early spring to the heartbreaking loss of a potential champion to fungus just before competition in October, Susan Warren's journalist's eye captures both the humor and absolute seriousness with which these growers approach their hobbies. With fascinating insights into current genetics and growing science and a winning and unforgettable crew of pumpkin lunatics who have one thing in common, an unquenchable desire to win, this is an unforgettable story. "If you can't take defeat," says one veteran grower, this isn't the hobby for you." Funny, sharp, and engaging, Backyard Giants is a romp through a charming corner of American life, as quirky and enchanting as the big pumpkins themselves.

Author Biography:

Susan Warren is the deputy bureau chief for the Wall Street Journal in Dallas, Texas. A native Texan, she is an avid gardener. Her biggest pumpkin was 240 pounds. This is her first book.

Additional Information:

For special recording request please call the Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic at (312) 236-8715 or visit www.rfbd.org

Backyard Giants: The Passionate, Heartbreaking, and Glorious Quest to Grow the Biggest Pumpkin Ever by Susan Warren. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced without written permission from Bloomsbury USA, 175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 300, New York, NY 10010.