Where Does Food Come From

PreS-Gr 5—Did you know that honey is regurgitated food from a bee's stomach? Or that chicken meat is lighter than beef since the animal's muscle is used less often? Viewers will learn these and other fascinating facts about all types of food in this informative animated production. Fourteen different kinds of food, ranging from sugar and chocolate to seafood and meat, are highlighted in four-minute segments. For each food, Professor Weeman explains its source and then that information is presented again in an energetic and catchy song that has a unique beat and tune. The narrated explanations often include very technical jargon, such as myoglobin, methane gas, and carbon atoms. Definitions are simplistic and may leave children confused. (The explanation of saturated fat and unsaturated fat is particularly puzzling.) The colorful animation is very appealing and the bold graphics use color, space, and size to engage children. Bonus features include four unrelated short music videos, a five-question quiz for each food topic, and options for MP3 downloads and printing lyrics. A useful supplement for a curriculum unit about food.—Wendy Woodfill, Hennepin County Library, Minnetonka, MN