Staff Picks: David Sack's “True Africa” and the Philadelphia Zoo's Rock 'n' Roar Concert Series

PLUS: The Runner’s World Big Book of Marathon and Half-Marathon Training

The Philadelphia Zoo’s Rock ’n’ Roar Concert Series

Lions, tigers and bears share the day with talented musicians for this family-friendly outdoor concert series, featuring popular kids’ acts Joanie Leeds (shown) on Aug. 7 and Steve Pullara and His Cool Beans Band on Aug. 21. Both have a knack for keeping little ones engaged and captivated, so parents can relax and enjoy the fun. The 11 a.m. shows are free with zoo admission, and they move indoors if it rains. Visit philadelphiazoo.org. —Tara Behan
 

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True Africa

Photo by Jared Castaldi. David Sacks (Schiffer Publishing, 192 pages)

Loyal readers may think they already know what this award-winning Main Line Today contributor is capable of. True Africa is likely to be a stunner regardless. Capturing the plight of orphans in Sub-Saharan Africa with a vivid artistic sensibility that lends a surreal beauty to the most brutal realities, Sacks salvages boundless humanity from the chaos. His style appears so effortless that it obscures the intense planning and effort that went into every shot—including the one on the cover, which he executed in the extreme heat while running behind the subject. —Hobart Rowland
 

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The Runner’s World Big Book of Marathon and Half-Marathon Training

Jennifer Van Allen, Bart Yasso and Amby Burfoot (Rodale Books, 304 pages)

Take it from a girl who just did her first half-marathon: There’s no shortage of useful advice on how to best put one foot in front of the other. Sounds simple enough, right? Well … Bryn Mawr’s Jennifer Van Allen and her team of RW specialists tell you what you never knew you needed to know about long-distance running—everything from battling snowy conditions to treating blisters, to what to do when you really want that glass of wine with dinner before race day. (Hey, we’re all human.) —Emily Riley
 

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