Edible Schoolyard: A Universal Idea, by Alice Waters

In 1995, celebrated chef Alice Waters joined forces with the principal of a public middle school in Berkeley to found The Edible Schoolyard, an on-site organic garden that allowed students a chance to explore food as a scientific and social experience. This process was documented by Waters in Edible Schoolyard: A Universal Idea. Ignore that lofty subtitle: most of Edible Schoolyard consists of Waters's highly personal account of the history of the program, supplemented with pictures of the spaces and kids involved.

I confess, I picked up this book mostly because I liked the cover (which is gorgeous; images online do not do it justice). The official description claims Edible Schoolyard features "a visionary model for sustainable farming and childhood nutrition and a call to action for schools across the country". That is a massive stretch—there is very little practical advice here to separate this book from any other glossy, self-congratulatory memoir. (It cries out for recipes, garden plans, tips on how to recreate this project elsewhere, etc.) As it is, Edible Schoolyard is beautifully packaged and readable enough, but it was meant to be the featured article in a expensive magazine, not a $27 hardback.