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Veteran camper Tammerie Spires began her forays into the out-of-doors as an eight- year-old, continued as a teen and young adult, and is still at it with her husband and their two preschoolers.

What keeps her camping--and has enlarged her enthusiasm for it--is discovering that "Camping with kids is laugh-out-loud fun." So is this book.

IF you want to camp but don't know how to start, Spires lays out the plan in bite-sized steps. Each one is clear and good-humored.

IF your kids are little, A Guide to Happy Family Camping will help you get them--and yourself--ready to go.

What to do when you get "there," what to eat, when and where to sleep, and who does what--Spires covers it all as a buoyant, yet experienced friend.

She wraps it all up with an exhaustive directory of Lists to make (Planning, Packing, and Preparing), of magazines and websites to consult, and of U.S. Parks and Wildlife Departments to visit and contact.

Don't do anything until you've read A Guide to Happy Family Gardening. It is clear it is precise. It is hard- won wisdom from a mom who's been seven years in the adventure. You can begin anytime of the year. Spires starts with the "Dreaming Season" and then steps her readers through "The Digging Season," "The Planting Season," "The Tending Season," "The Harvesting Season," and finally "The Sleeping Season." Along with more than 100 tips are family gardening stories; a few "straight-from-the-garden" recipes; lists of magazines, catalogs, and web sites offering more specific information; and detailed drawings for building a composting bin, a cold frame, and more. Whether you begin with an amaryllis bulb, a "garden-in-a-box," or a terraced plot, here are clear and specific steps for succeeding and keeping everyone in a pleasant mood.

Whether you're in a hurry or have all afternoon to give, whether your child is new to cooking, or experienced with stirring and chopping, this collection has a recipe that suits your situation (How about "Green Noodles," "Very Chocolate Cherry Cake," "Bruschetta," or "Bibb 'n' Orange Salad"?).

Author Tammerie Spires is as full of good advice and good humor as she is in her other two books--A Guide to Happy Family Camping and A Guide to Happy Family Gardening.

Copyright 2000.