From preproduction sketches to final episode designs, this book offers fans an inside look at the creative process that brought Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to life. Discover concept art, character development, and background designs that capture the series’ distinct style. Featuring exclusive behind-the-scenes commentary from the cast and crew, and the evolution of iconic characters like Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, Michelangelo, and April, this collection celebrates the innovation that made the show a standout in the franchise.

"After Caroline Bicks was named the University of Maine's Stephen E. King Chair in Literature, she became the first person given full access to King's archives, a treasure trove of material about the legendary writer's creative process and life, most of it never seen before. Her year of studying the archival materials was guided by one question millions of readers have asked themselves: What makes Stephen King Stephen King? Bicks focuses on five of King's early iconic books--The Shining, Carrie, Pet Sematary, 'Salem's Lot, and Night Shift--to reveal how he manipulates character, language, and story to cast his remarkable, creepy spells. Through close reading of early drafts, interviews with King, and freshly discovered biographical details, as well as her own personal history as a reader and scholar, Bicks shows King's mastery of storytelling and his enduring imprint on American culture. In the process, Bicks faces her own fears and gets to know the man partially responsible for them"--

"Crystal Schmidt, best-selling author of Freeze Fresh, offers a unique approach to meal prep, with 160 recipes for complete meals as well as meal starters-dishes that can be partially prepared and frozen, then combined with pantry ingredients to make a complete meal. Using garden fresh vegetables and fruits, Schmidt offers original recipes for soup starters, sauces and dips, side dishes, beverage starters, baked goods, frozen treats, pie or cobbler fillings, and freezer jams"-- Provided by publisher.

"The untold story of the many people behind one of America's most iconic photographs. Lunch on a Beam, also known as Lunch Atop a Skyscraper, shows ironworkers eating lunch on a steel beam during the construction of Rockefeller Center's RCA Building in 1932. It's a photo so famous you can likely picture it in your mind: seated in a row, eleven men chat and break bread 850 feet above the ground, the dense cityscape behind them. While the scene may look spontaneous, the photo was taken during a publicity shoot to promote Rockefeller Center's new skyscraper. And despite the image's renown, for years, little information was available about its subjects or its photographer. In Lunch on a Beam, Rockefeller Center archivist Christine Roussel interweaves the art, architectural, and social history behind the photograph with her personal experience as a confidante to the financiers who developed Rockefeller Center. She tells the stories of the fearless photographers, brazen publicity men, the ironworkers, and their immigrant and Indigenous communities. This portrait of eleven construction workers, she points out, is also a celebration of the nation's richest man. She examines how, in the depths of the Great Depression, John D. Rockefeller, Jr., took it upon himself to build a monument to American industry and sell it to the public. Featuring striking images from the Rockefeller Center Archives, Lunch on a Beam calls attention to the fascinating paradoxes contained in a single photo and celebrates the men who built an architectural marvel at great personal risk. This is a story of art and commerce, and the role of a photograph in the mythmaking of New York City"-- Provided by publisher.

Mealtimes should be filled with nutritious dishes made to satisfy everyone at the table--including the pickiets of eaters--without sacrificing time. With helpful tips and easy-to-follow instructions, this book shows the reader how to adapt meals for everyone, from breaking down the components of a perfect salad to making soup with ingredients you already have in the fridge.

"Often, when we talk about food justice we focus on lack: food deserts or problems of access, unhealthy foods or government programs that don't provide enough. But we have as much to learn from stories of communal support as we do from stories of systemic lack. In Gather, anthropologist and writer Ashanté Reese offers a new vision of food justice, one that celebrates Black communities and argues for the value of togetherness in our increasingly isolated world. By exploring the ways Black people gather to nourish each other, both physically and spiritually, Gather argues that community wellbeing deserves as much consideration as individual health. In chapters centered on four spaces of gathering-gardens, family reunions, repasts, and protests-Reese offers rich, on-the-ground studies of the places and people who make up the food justice movement. From church community gardens and student protests at UT Austin to Reese's own family reunions, these moving vignettes affirm the value of reciprocity, mutual aid, and good food as vital ingredients for social change. Taken together, these chapters invite us to learn from the tactics Black communities have long used to maintain self-sufficiency and to rethink our relationship to community. There are no simple solutions to the problems of acute need; but by recognizing that food justice is already all around us, we can start working together to create the world we want to live in. As deepening economic inequality and climate crisis make questions about how and where we get our food more urgent and as social isolation becomes more pervasive, this book shows us why the work of gathering is absolutely necessary"-- Provided by publisher.

"From the author of A Product of Genetics (and Day Drinking) comes a rowdy and hilarious new collection of essays on life as an elder Millennial, filled with life lessons on everything from marriage, to parenting, to rolling with the punches when Gen Z mocks your TikTok dances. In Adulting for Amateurs, Jess H. Gutierrez marvels at how--we can't avoid the fact anymore-her cohort, the Millennials, are approaching middle age. While 1998 seems like just yesterday, we are now grown ups who feel like we're still growing up. And now, at 42, Jess has quite a trove of stories to tell. Jess is leaning into her geriatric Millennial years, and reflects on how growing up does not necessarily bestow one with maturity. When the fancy dinner covers were lifted to reveal vertically posed sausages-hundreds of the fanciest wedding guests including the mayor were treated to a demure and refined Jess's explosive guffaws. While Jess's brothers now have wholesome families and responsible jobs, she can't stop one-upping them, even if it gets her brother nearly fired by a potty-brained prank right before he scrubs into surgery. When Jess and her wife booked their first grown up vacation, they discovered too late that their Hawaiian trip was to a Mormon resort and therefore completely alcohol-free. So Jess and her wife bravely put on their big girl panties-and slunk off in a makeshift escape from this cheerful teetotaler paradise. Turns out, even as a responsible mortgage-owner with three kids and a yard of chickens, Jess might not have matured much beyond her twenties. She's still the woman who had in an earlier era survived queer dating fails and aughts-era pop culture moments-ultimately discovering that an illegal rave cannot heal a broken heart, and that vampire romance franchises are terrible dating manuals for a budding trailer park lesbian. Altogether, these are the makings of delightful material for this bawdy-and sometimes poignant, and daresay occasionally wise-new read"-- Provided by publisher.

"The Declaration of Independence depicted Native Americans as bloodthirsty savages, and from its founding the United States aimed to expand westward by seizing Indigenous lands. While white settlers saw these conquests as victories for 'true religion,' native people invoked the spirits in their own defense. Some claimed the powers of Christianity, while others drew on the English-language concept of religion to redefine their own ancestral traditions. As all sorts of people struggled to make their way within this new empire, a broad variety of new religious movements emerged. In this groundbreaking book, historian Tisa Wenger shows how the history of American religion unfolded on these settler colonial foundations. The imperatives of US empire, she argues, shaped the category and traditions of what we know as religion. Wenger also introduces the concept of 'settler secularism' to explain how white settlers defined and managed religion in their own image, in order to facilitate their own rule. She shows how the concept of 'religion' - whether as a special thing that requires protection or a mark of the primitive that must be transcended - has most often served the interests of those in power. Ultimately, settler colonialism organized American religion and created religious hierarchies that still influence the United States today"-- Provided by publisher.

"Francesca Albanese, the first woman to serve as United Nations Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, conveys the soul of a people through ten unforgettable stories of resilience and humanity. The spirit of a place lies in the people who inhabit it, in the stories that intertwine through its streets. And this is especially true of a land like Palestine, the witness to defining historical transitions and stage to one of the most painful chapters in contemporary history. With a voice both authoritative and deeply human, Francesca Albanese, who had been living in Palestine for many years while following the legal battles of numerous Palestinian families, takes on the role of narrator of the ongoing conflict, starting from the stories of the people she met. Albanese elegantly composes a gallery of stories, characters, and places that allow us to understand what Palestine was like until a year and a half ago, and what it has become today"-- Provided by publisher.

"A lyrical exploration that reimagines the cloudy stages of grief and challenges us to reexamine universal questions lodged deep within: how do we find comfort and meaning in a fevered world?"-- Provided by publisher.

"The term "mental load" has become more familiar in recent years, but the popular understanding of the concept often reduces it down to managing a list of household chores and logistics. Sociologist Leah Ruppanner reveals that for women, mental load actually goes much deeper: It's a complex form of emotional thinking that is invisible, boundaryless, and enduring. It's not just making sure tasks get done, it requires thinking five steps ahead, keeping relationships intact, creating experiences that keep all members of the family happy and thriving, and much more. Mental load burnout is the thing that makes women feel like they're running at top speed but barely moving forward. It's what makes even markers of success - new babies, jobs, or promotions- feel exhausting and overwhelming. And there's a double burden: Social standards set women up to be spread too thin, but most of us internalize the idea that our inability to keep up is our fault--it's all in our heads, or we need to let go of perfectionism. If only we could find more minutes in the day, or more time for self-care. In Drained, Ruppanner tackles the problem of women's mental load by asking us to see it through a fresh, paradigm-shifting lens. This book asks, what if we stop blaming ourselves and instead, make practical, impactful changes to our lives to prioritize our energy? With eye-opening, research-based insights, including the 8 most common categories of mental load that weigh women down, Drained offers a powerful toolkit to help women move toward the life they really want. The heart of the book is the Mental Load Audit, which helps readers assess where they are spending their time and attention, and shows them how to take steps to recalibrate effectively. Urgent and provocative, Drained will help women create richer, less overwhelming lives filled with more meaning and joy"-- Provided by publisher.

Most people don't know how to have a "good death"--but Jane Callahan does. Years after watching her mother's traumatic death in a broken health care system, Jane found herself working an unfulfilling job as a marketing writer for corporations, but on nights and weekends she'd volunteer with terminally ill people awaiting death in hospice. After training as an end-of-life doula, she has spent years witnessing how our culture's resistance to talking about death leads to preventable suffering. Jane supports her clients and their families through all stages of dying, from navigating end-of-life care to preparing emotionally for the moment of death and the grief that follows. In A Death Doula's Guide to a Meaningful End, she peels back the curtain on one of our most taboo subjects and walks readers through what happens when someone is dying. With vignettes that weave through patients' lives--and her own--she reveals to readers all the things they didn't know (or didn't know they needed to know) about our last great adventure. Along the way, readers will uncover knowledge on the raw realities of being mortal and learn how death positivity can take some of the anxiety and fear of dying out of the equation. Surprisingly funny and often cutting, this memoir meets end-of-life planning guide outlines practical steps for patients, families, and caregivers, while acknowledging that some questions don't always need answers. The account of Jane's up-close-and-personal experiences with the emotional, physical, logistical, and (dare we say) spiritual aspects of dying shows that when we talk about death, we're actually talking about life.

"The universe gave rise to everything: stars and cells, minds and memories, purpose and pain. But it doesn't care about us. It follows its own rules. And now, according to Dr. Hakeem Oluseyi, we finally understand enough about those rules to ask the big questions like we mean it: Why do we exist? Are we alone? How did we get here? What comes next? And--perhaps most urgently--is there reason to hope? ... The story of existence can be told as a passage through nine interwoven realms--each revealing a new layer of cosmic truth"--Flap page 1 of dust jacket.

"For almost a decade, Roxana Jullapat has woken up in the middle of the night to start baking and fill the pastry case of her L.A. bakery, Friends & Family. Her rituals, and those of other bakers, infuse her new collection of recipes, all of which will expand your repertoire with 100% whole grain flour. Baking with whole grains means more sustainable farming and better health; readers will love Roxana's approach to quick breads (muffins, scones, biscuits, cornbread), all achievable in one hour or less, and she's done the work for you by crafting a Master Whole-Grain Croissant Dough that can be shaped endless ways including Espresso Pains au Chocolat or Bacon and Onion Blossoms. Beloved for her whole-grain breads, here she offers a classic sourdough loaf, fast flatbreads (e.g., Heirloom Masa Tortillas) and beautiful, Scandinavian inspired Dark Rye Rolls. Woven through her writing is an appealing California sensibility, an embrace of whole-grain bakes that start, as she does, in the morning hours. This is a book for home bakers wanting to expand to new flavors and ingredients, with gorgeous photography-including shots at Friends & Family-that invites you into the rituals and routines of professional bakers"-- Provided by publisher.

"Sara Hall shares the story of her record-breaking career and her unconventional path to motherhood via adoption, all while battling insecurities, injuries, and doubters. For the Love of the Grind is a love letter to running, and the story of Sara's growth as an athlete, wife, and mom. Through her unflinching honesty and keen introspection, readers will be inspired to chase their dreams, to reimagine what might still be possible, and to embrace their own love of the grind"-- Provided by publisher.

"For nearly four decades, Geneen Roth has been a trusted and beloved voice, guiding women on how to give up dieting, end compulsive eating, and tune into their intuition. Her books have sold millions of copies and her workshops have months-long waiting lists. But only recently, after surviving a devastating breast cancer diagnosis and realizing that she or her mother might die before repairing the rift between them, Roth decided to face the reality that her relationship to her body and the food she eats are inextricably bound to her relationship with her mother. And, Roth discovered, this is true for almost every woman. For years, Roth has been telling women to listen to the intuitive voice inside themselves. But what if that voice is not theirs at all-what if it is the voice of their mothers? And what if, though it professes love, it's actually harmful? Determined to learn to distinguish between the intuition that is her own and the deeply-internalized prodding, often critical voice of her mother, Roth began working with a ninety year-old spiritual advisor named Coco. Blind, nearly deaf, and preternaturally empathetic, Coco helped Roth to untangle her sense of self from her mother's judgement. For the first time, Roth was able to separate what her mother had led her to believe about herself from her truer inner-knowing. Now, living from that deeper place, the things that once kept her stuck, haunted, compulsive, or uncomfortable are set free. In Mothers, Daughters, and Food, Roth reveals how our mothers influence our beliefs about ourselves. She walks readers through a specific process to help them untangle those thoughts and she provides a roadmap to a healthier emotional and physical place. Written in her signature style--funny, self-aware, spiritually wise--Mothers, Daughters, and Food is a must-read for anyone seeking to heal their relationships with food, their families, and themselves"-- Provided by publisher.

"A daughter of the Asian American church wrestles with faith, exile, and belonging. Being a Christian has nothing to do with being Chinese American--that's what Kristin T. Lee learned as a child. A fissure between her identity and what she was told to believe opened wide. In We Mend with Gold, she asks: What if we can bridge the divide? Lee describes both the breaking of her young faith and the sacred art of repair. She examines how immigrant churches often assimilate to Western theology, even as they offer crucial spaces of belonging. Through lyrical storytelling about her upbringing in Asian immigrant churches as well as in white evangelicalism, Lee wrestles with history, ancestral stories, and what it means to follow Jesus. What might it look like to expand beyond the scripts we've been given and bring our questions to God--as well as building solidarity with the marginalized?Drawing on Black, Asian, and other minoritized theologians, Lee separates the theology of empire from what Jesus preached and lived. Writing of the fractures in our families, churches, and the world, Lee relies on the Japanese art of kintsugi to describe the resplendence of a faith that repairs but doesn't paper over. And she offers pieces of the Asian American experience--such as liminality, displacement, and exile--that attend to the breaking and the mending, the wounding and the healing. How might marginality bring us closer to God and others? What do we lose when we "make it"? And when we expand our notion of who belongs to our family, what do we gain? We can repair the seams between our cultural identities and our faith, Lee claims. By leaving room for mystery, we encounter God's love. We mend the fractures--between and within us--with gold." --

"As populations fall and once-great migration multitudes wither away, the future of birds may seem grim. But surprisingly, from gnatcatchers and waterfowl to select groups of forest songbirds, some bird populations are soaring. Habitats and species that once neared extinction are now multiplying around the world because bird conservation is making things better. The Return of the Oystercatcher explores the recovery efforts that are not only preventing declines in bird population, but helping birds to thrive. From the spectacular recovery of North American raptors, whose numbers have tripled in the last fifty years, to the mind-bending resurgence of the Canada goose in Maine -- which increased its population by 146,000 percent during the same period -- Scott Weidensaul shares amazing stories of hope and progress in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. Weidensaul also depicts the initiatives at the heart of this recovery, from the hyperlocal to the hemispherically immense: wetlands restoration, raptor protection, and bans on harmful pesticides, as well as the US Farm Bill and the preservation of sovereign lands by Indigenous communities. The result is a roadmap of breathtaking environmental resilience in some of the most unlikely places, including a tiny island in the middle of the Pacific, the vast boreal forest that stretches across Canada, a hereditary estate in England, and a watery wilderness at the edge of a Ukrainian war zone. Because birds are so diverse, so ubiquitous, and cover virtually every square mile of the Earth's surface, the fight to save the birds is also one to save the world. The Return of the Oystercatcher is an inspiring story of what's working in bird conservation -- and what can work for the rest of the planet." --

"Whether it's our reality-television-star President or our expertly curated Instagram feeds, the line between fact and fiction--between what's real and what's fabricated for entertainment--has never been more blurred. Screen People explores what happens when we cede our reality to spectacle. Megan Garber explains how today's internet-inflected culture conditions us to see one another not as people but as characters in an ongoing show, and how some of our most chronic and harmful social conditions--loneliness, depression, mistrust, misinformation, cynicism--stem from our demand for diversion."

"Open your heart to the hidden wisdom and beauty found at the water's edge. Priest and fisherman Pete Nunnally loves to teach people how to fish for fish and, through that, how to fish for what their soul is yearning for: to come alive. In Catching Hope, he takes his readers fishing with him. Each chapter explores a different aspect of the fishing process--from preparing your tackle, to reading the landscape, to finally catching something (or not). But this isn't a book about how to fish. It's a book about the bigger and more profound truths about our lives that the act of fishing reveals. Along the way you'll learn how fishing connects the human condition to the divine presence in all things. And even if you never go fishing, this book will open your heart to the hidden wisdom and beauty found at the water's edge.Fishing is an exercise in hope. In a world where every answer is at our fingertips, fishing is transformative for its sheer unpredictability. You never know what is going to happen. While the potter knows they will make a pot, the fisherman knows only that they will be at the water's edge, watching and waiting, anticipating the moment when the pole bends and something wild joins the story. In an age when we are more removed from nature than ever before, fishing also reconnects and draws us into an ancient dance with the natural world, our true home. Let's walk to the edge of the water together, toss out our lines, and wait to see what happens next"-- Provided by publisher.

"An investigation of the forgotten trails of the Western United States"-- Provided by publisher.

"Most people today understand contraception as central to women's liberation, and when the birth control pill arrived in 1960, the media thought it would usher in a sexual revolution. But a surprising number of religious Americans in the mid-twentieth century also saw contraception as part of God's plan-a tool to create happy, prosperous American families in the post-World War II era. In God Bless the Pill, Samira K. Mehta traces the remarkable story of how mid-twentieth-century Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish voices promoted the use of birth control and made it more accessible for many Americans. They hoped birth control methods would curb divorce rates by encouraging sexually dynamic marriages and families unstrained by 'too many' children-thereby creating a postwar upwardly mobile middle class. Religious leaders also promoted this understanding of the family as tied to Cold War capitalism and encouraged neither racial nor gender equity. But then came the backlash, both from the Right-which failed to anticipate the feminist potential of contraception-and from the Left, where women, particularly women of color, sought to ensure that birth control was a tool of liberation rather than one rooted in patriarchal and racial oppression. Ultimately, Mehta offers compelling new insights into the way religion accommodates itself to social, technological, and medical change"-- Provided by publisher.

""Sew like a pro with any fabric or material! Discover how the right fabric, from the ordinary to the intricate, can transform any project! The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Fabrics & Unconventional Materials provides the essential information to cut, pin, sew, and finish 100+ difficult materials with confidence"-- Provided by publisher"--