Little Inventions: The Fork

The Greeks and Romans were the first to use a fork, but it was shaped like a claw and used in the kitchen for cooking, not for eating, which was done with their fingers. Later on, the Italians changed the claw to a spear-like fork with two prongs to pick up food, but they still used their fingers to eat. Over time the fork found its way to the tables of King Henri III and King Louis XIV, mostly as an ornament. By the end of the 17th century the fork looked like it does today and it was being used to eat. Now centuries later we have all kinds of forks for fish, cheese, salad, dessert.

Little Inventions by Raphaël Fejtö is a series of kid-sized books about objects that children encounter every day with little thought of how, where and when they were invented. In fact, the beginnings of these common objects are fascinating and their true stories are told here in amusing anecdotes and charming illustrations. Each book closes with a memory game, making them useful for early reader groups.

Raphaël Fejtö wrote his first book at school at 11 years old, and by 12 he had become a child actor. He went on to make films, including as co-star in Louis Malle's "Au revoir, les enfants" in 1987. He lives in Paris, where he has written and illustrated over 30 children's books.