Maybe you’re planning to buy a grill and are bowled over by the variety of grills, accessories, utensils, woods, and charcoals. Or maybe you already have a grill, but every time you use it, you feel as though the food is burned, your hair is singed, and you’ll file for divorce if your spouse doesn’t quit offering useful advice on how to stack the coals. Maybe you can grill basic stuff, but need some recipes and tips to get you out of that hot dog rut. Or you’re pretty good at the actual grilling, but need some help in getting organized and planning, so you don’t end up running the equivalent of a marathon between your refrigerator and the grill. Relax. By the time you finish reading Start Grilling, you will know just about everything there is to know about choosing a grill and other equipment, selecting foods for grilling, and cooking them to perfection. You’ll be able to put together the sort of casual, outdoor parties that everyone loves, and turn out juicy steaks, perfectly cooked fish, “wood-fired” pizzas, roasted vegetables, and even grilled desserts with ease.

Adopting an older child is “not for wimps,” as one social worker so aptly puts it. Kids who are no longer babies come with histories, fully formed personalities, and intense anger over what they have lost. They grieve, misbehave, and may feel like “houseguests” for a long time.

But they also bring joy, laughter, and great resilience in the face of enormous loss. They play, love, and remind us all of what’s truly important: a family of our own.

In Our Own, dozens of adoptive families “tell it like it is” about the joys and challenges of adopting an older child. Their stories are backed up by the author’s thorough research, interviews with professionals, and opinions from adults who were adopted as children. The book covers both domestic and international adoption of children from preschool age through puberty.

It helps parents and parents-to-be find answers to all those terrifying questions: Do I have what it takes to adopt and parent an older child? How do I choose an agency and find a child to adopt? How can I tell if my child is grieving, and what can I do to comfort him? Why is my daughter hoarding food? How can I help my son bond to us? What should I do when my son throws a tantrum? Is it a good idea to change my daughter’s name? Should I let my son call his birthmother? How can I teach my daughter to cope with racism? How can I get my son the help he needs in school? My daughter is too friendly with strangers—does she have attachment disorder? How do I choose a therapist?

Filled with compassion, humor, and common sense, this is the essential handbook for anyone adopting an older child.

About the author
Trish Maskew is the mother of three, including two children who were adopted at ages five and nine. She has also been a foster parent. She worked as a program coordinator for an adoption agency, and later was president of Ethica, a nonprofit organization that promotes ethical adoption practices. She currently is an attorney living and working in Washington, D.C. She drew on her own experiences, as well as interviews with dozens of families and individuals, to write Our Own.

Now you can enjoy the taste of summer year-round.

Whether you’re trying to cut back on fat but still crave foods that taste good, or whether you’re simply looking for exciting yet easy recipes to give that indoor or outdoor (gas) grill a good workout, Healthy Grilling has what you need.

It serves up recipes for 70 dishes packed with flavor but not with fat, including Chicken With Nectarines and Raspberries, Lemon Chicken With Potatoes, Sesame Beef, Pork Kabobs With Peach Glaze, Salmon With Minted Tomato Salsa, Shrimp With Salsa Verde, Corn and Pepper Salad, and Grilled Fruit Salad With Ginger Chutney Dressing.

Recipes include cooking times for both indoor electric grills and outdoor gas grills. Written by Barbara Grunes, best-selling author of more than 45 cookbooks, including Fish on the Grill, Poultry on the Grill and the first edition of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Grilling, Healthy Grilling also includes general tips on choosing a grill and buying and preparing meat, poultry, fish and shellfish, grains, and fruits and vegetables.