It's Disgusting and We Ate It!

A collection of poems, facts, statistics, and stories about unusual foods and eating habits both contemporary and historical

Grade 3-6ASolheim appeals to the gross-out side of kids in this exploration of edible grub (larvae and otherwise) around the world, past and present, and it's more laughs than a barrel of monkey brains (the one delicacy he missed). Divided into three sections, the book begins with "People Eat the Wildest Things," a look at some of the less common foods eaten today, such as frog legs, earthworms, snakes, insects, flowers, and seaweed. "From Mammoth Meatballs to Squirrel Stew" considers strange fare from the past, such as a menu from a medieval royal feast in England (14 oxen and 50 swans, among other things), the rat stew eaten by sailors, and the robins popular in Colonial America. "If You Think That's Sick, Look in Your Fridge" takes a look at how many common edibles, such as milk, cheese, honey, and mushrooms, are grown or produced. Each double-page spread includes basic facts and lots of interesting trivia written in a wacky, off-the-wall style that children will love. There are also poems-amusing, tongue-in-cheek odes to unusual delicacies (a haiku celebrates sushi). Brace's cockeyed, whimsical illustrations, done with colored pencils and acrylic paints, are delightful. The pages are filled with colorful characters who make wry observations about the text. Fact-packed fun from beginning to end.AJoyce Adams Burner, Hillcrest Library, Prairie Village, KS
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Cleverly catering to kids' taste for the slightly gross, this three-chapter smorgasbook gives readers plenty to chew on. Part One offers a world tour of weird foods like earthworm soup and flower salad, plus an abundance of trivia (e.g., spiders are higher in protein than grasshoppers, termites and beef). Part Two identifies "hairy, scary foods throughout history," including a meaty menu for a medieval feast. Readers will appreciate Solheim's tongue-in-cheek tone; for example, describing early European sailors' fare, he adds a sidebar headed "Great Rat Cooking Starts with Quality Rats." The final section peeks into the modern fridge to find "bee sugar" (honey), "cow squirt" (milk) and hot dogs ("Why are you biting into that tube of pulverized meat scraps?"). Throughout, the author blithely blends silly poems, useful facts and graphs; even the index is fun to read (see "python in vinegar" or "crayfish, jellied"). Brace (The Krazees) creates a manic, multi-legged feast for the eyes. He crams every page with curious comestibles and googly-eyed critters who talk in hand- lettered voice bubbles. With enough information for several sittings, this compendium lives up to its title's rich promise. Ages 5-10.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Gr. 4^-6. Brace's zany illustrations, somewhat reminiscent of Lane Smith's, add a blast of color to this picture book of food trivia, which focuses on some of humankind's weird grub choices. Solheim's "menu" is a mishmash--from seaweed, which shows up in products ranging from ice cream to salad dressing, to horse blood and earthworm soup, which were enjoyed by various cultures in times gone by. The layout is busy and sometimes disjointed, with lists, cartoons, straight text, a selection of recipes, and poems (which tend to get lost in the mix). The facts, however, are fascinating and fun, and Solheim has included a good list of additional readings as well as a selected bibliography. Stephanie Zvirin