DARKE COUNTY — The Darke County Park District has announced a new program, the Down to Earth Book Club.

Each quarter the program will feature a different book, some by well-known nature writers, some about outdoor adventure, and even some about pioneers settling Ohio.

Everyone is invited to read the book and join them at the Nature Center to discuss the work, enjoy some treats, and suggest future books.

For the inaugural season, the Down to Earth Book Club will read “Pilgrim at Tinker Creek” by Annie Dillard, a Pulitzer Prize winning, nonfiction narrative of a year in Virginia’s Roanoke Valley. On foot, the speaker explores meadows, ponds, and fields; peers into the lives of monarchs, snakes, and even a coot; reflects on their intricacies and interconnectedness; and marvels at the meaning of it all.

This season’s book club will meet on Feb. 1 at 6:30 p.m. at the Shawnee Prairie Nature Center.

A limited number of books will be available in the Nature Center Gift Shop. Please call ahead to ensure the book is still in stock and to let them know you plan on participating in the book club discussion in February. The Darke County Parks Nature Center can be reached at (937) 548-0165.