It's Disgusting — and We Ate It!
Copyright © 1998
by James Solheim
Illustrated by Eric Brace
Simon & Schuster
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In this exploration of fascinating and truly gross facts about food
oddities, readers are taken on a journey around the world, throughout
history, and into their own refrigerators. True stories and amazing eating
habits are celebrated in a feast of facts, poems, charts, tables, recipes,
and a map. Full color. — from the jacket
I talked to people from all over the planet and combed through hundreds
of books in my search for the world's funniest foods. Research meant
picking violets for 500-year-old royal recipes, telephoning Australia to
ask if any people there eat worms (they do), and pondering deep
philosophical questions like "Which fried insects make the best
after-school snack?" (Aristotle recommends cicadas fat with eggs.) I
even talked to a scientist who ate meat from a 36,000-year-old bison
found frozen in Alaska. — from the author
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). ... With enough information for several sittings, this
compendium lives up to its title's rich promise. — Publisher's
Weekly
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. —
Booklist
This flavorful look at culinary culture is divided into three sections, the
first discussing the global breadth of tastes, the second describing some
startling dishes of history, and the third revealing some of the colorful
truths behind contemporary American favorites. Each spread is an
enticing gallimaufry of infosnacks, providing succinct descriptions
including region and era of popularity, sly poems, and a buffet of tidbits
about foods from worms to insects to rats to cheese. There are a lot of
interesting facts in here, ranging from the amount of protein in a ton of
roasted spiders to taste comparisons for unfamiliar foods (giant spiders
from New Guinea apparently taste like peanut butter, so be ready with
the jelly). ... Don't miss the endpaper world maps locating all manner of
hors-d'oeveres in their proper global place. — Bulletin of the
Center for Children's Books
An American Bookseller "Pick of the Lists." Facts, recipes, poems and
anecdotes all work together to describe countries and cultures through
the foods they eat. The stories and illustrations contain enough humor to
make the book an interesting read as well as an excellent educational
resource for children. Nonfiction readers will gobble it up, and teachers
will devour it for the wealth of information it contributes to their units
on
food. An appealing mix of science, art, history and social studies, this
picture book provides hours of fun through myriad anecdotes and facts
that will broaden perspectives and whet the appetite for even more
information. — American Bookseller
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Santa's Secrets Revealed
Copyright © 2004
by James Solheim
Illustrations by Barry Gott
Carolrhoda Books
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Warning: Top Secret! You’re probably wondering about this Santa guy. Who is he, and how
does he keep track of billions of children around the world? Well, I’ve got the answer.
In fact, I’ve got the answer to almost any question about Santa’s secrets you could ask.
When Stevie decides that he doesn’t believe in Santa Claus, he’s in for a big surprise!
Santa and his elves, eight flying reindeer, and Harry W Throckmorton the Dancing Cow
show Stevie that there’s more to Christmas than he thinks. There’s Gift Fulfillment
Centers, a string of satellites called PSSSSSST (Papa Santa’s Super-Secret Satellite
Team), and a Spacetime Scruncher. But even more importantly, Stevie discovers that
Santa is more than just satellites and science. — from the publisher
Children's Literature - Mary Loftus
For those adults who want books that perpetuate the myth of Santa Claus for their children, this one provides "proof" of his existence. Santa reveals his secrets to the dubious Stevie: elf scientists, reindeer with radar and the Spacetime Scruncher make it possible for presents to be delivered around the world on Christmas Eve.
— Children's Literature
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What the Critics Say
