What Do We Eat?: How Humans Find, Grow, and Share Food

Gr 3-7–This cheerful, informative title explores how humans have learned to grow, cook, and consume the food we eat. With engaging text, colorful photos, and a design-heavy treatment, this short nonfiction book approaches this kid-friendly topic by focusing on the utility of food—why we need it for nourishment and how many of the food-related discoveries occurred out of necessity. Explorers hoping to avoid scurvy, astronauts flying in space, and people in wartime have given rise to creative ways to consume for survival. The book highlights some of these issues and how groups overcame them with a “Challenges” sidebar, indicating what obstacles they faced in that specific event, and a “Menu” sidebar listing the foods that helped them be successful. These topics often expand to explore even more food-related threads. Interwoven throughout are intriguing tidbits about the history of food like how nutritional science and the knowledge of vitamins’ impact on the body developed over time. Sometimes the text meanders, but kids will be so fascinated, they won’t mind. The climate crisis and the importance of addressing the growing scarcity of resources are consistently addressed, making this a very relevant work for young people. Additional images include photos, charming illustrations, pithy chapter headings, and dynamic design. Back matter includes tips on how kids can explore food and help in the climate crisis, further reading, a glossary, and an index.