Come and Eat!

Gr 1—3—In this photo essay, Ancona takes readers on a culinary trip around the world. Different eating habits, celebrations, and foods are discussed. For example, people in India use two fingers and a thumb to eat. In Japan, long noodles are sucked up and swallowed. Tibetans eat meat dumplings known as momos. Muslim men and boys usually eat together on one rug, while women and girls dine on another. For Mexicans, "a tortilla can serve as a plate, a spoon, and even a napkin." The informational text is complemented by large, colorful photographs of people partaking of their meals and sharing festive celebrations. Pair this title with Patricia Lauber's What You Never Knew About Fingers, Forks, & Chopsticks (S & S, 1999), which looks at the development of eating implements from the Stone Age to current times. Come and Eat! is a worthy addition to most collections.—Anne Chapman Callaghan, Racine Public Library, WI