A tasteful foray into foodie history, covering everything related to the cultural and nutritional aspects of eating. The bold, sweeping illustrations are good enough to eat!
This is the third book in Ola Woldyńska-Płocińska’s non-fiction nature series, following Beastocracy and Trashopolis. This time she has devoted her humorous style of sharing facts and figures with kids to the subject of food and nutrition. The book begins with a historical perspective on what people used to eat in prehistoric times and the lengths they would go to in order to secure food for their communities. The cultural aspects of eating and feasting are a pillar of this project, including explanations on why people eat certain foods in certain places, why religions allow or forbid certain foods, what it means to fast and how our culinary customs help us bond with other members in our family and community. A good chunk of the book is devoted to nutrition and the importance of a balanced diet. More complex topics are also covered, such as hunger, malnutrition and food waste. The writing style is perfectly suited to a young reader and delivers a great deal of information in an entertaining burst of prose, punctuated with a brilliant illustration style that works up a hunger for a good meal… and lovely books.
Łucja Gawkowska, translated by Charles Kraszewski
