An Encyclopedia of More than 1,000 Delicious Things to Eat
October 1, 2021
Grades 4-8 This celebration of food invites readers to feast on more than 1,000 edible items. After a brief introduction, detailed pencil drawings rendered in soft, muted colors fill every page. An entry on mushrooms shows nine varieties, ranging from the rare Piedmont white truffle to the blewit, a common wild variety found throughout Europe. Each image is numbered, and corresponding brief captions, usually a few sentences, provide bits of information such as how the item tastes, how it's used in cooking or recipes, or its nutritional value. Selections are grouped into five broad categories: ""Fruit,"" ""Vegetables,"" ""Meat, Fish & Other Protein,"" ""Flour, Pasta, Rice & Other Starch,"" and ""The Pantry."" A final section suggests recipes for food pairings. The only way to discover any of this is to peruse the entire book, since there's no table of contents or index (also no source notes, but there is a glossary and list of further reading suggestions). Not great for research, perhaps, but this is a visual treat for browsers, chefs, and foodies.
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February 1, 2022
Gr 5 Up-Aspiring foodies will slowly devour this beautifully illustrated, oversized compilation of food-related facts and insight. This work covers over 1,000 types of food, with each section focusing on a different type, such as "Fruits;" "Vegetables;" "Meat, Fish, and Other Protein;" and "Flour, Pasta, Rice, and Other Starches." Each major section contains an informative lead-in as well as short explanatory entries for the highlighted foodstuffs. Ranging in length, the food content entries cover descriptive information, cooking use, origins, and alternative names. There is a noticeable effort to include a diverse array of food from around the world; for example, the "Cheese" section highlights ricotta, halloumi, labneh, paneer, and brunost. Following the main collection is a series of short and simple recipe suggestions titled "10 Ways to Eat..." that focus on different fruits, vegetables, proteins, meats, and pantry ingredients. Realistically rendered, the colored-pencil illustrations dominate the pages, drawing the eye throughout. However, the frequently small text size (especially for the food entries and short recipes) may put off teens looking for more easily digestible content. The lack of an index or table of contents makes it hard to navigate the book quickly. VERDICT Best suited for readers with the time and interest to skim rather than those on a fact-finding mission. Purchase for large collections.-Pearl Derlaga
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