Click on these
links to play
with Eric and
Sarah's friends.
Zachary
loves to read, especially books he borrows from the SNP Nutrition Library. See how
many of Zachary's favorites you can read this summer.
If you want to borrow some of these books, ask your parents to take you to your local public library or visit the Food and Nutrition Division Nutrition Library website. You can also call the library at
1-800-982-3261 (toll-free) or
512-420-2596 (in Austin)
Ask about story time at the Food and Nutrition Division Nutrition Library in Austin, which is located at 1106 Clayton Lane, Suite 125E.
Preschool
- Alexander and the Great Food Fight
Hawkins, Linda J. (2003) 39 p.
Alexander, looking for a snack that tastes great, meets his friends, the fruit in the basket on the kitchen table. They want him to eat a snack that is good for his body. The snacking choice becomes a heated argument between some feisty fruit about which is the best for Alexander's young, growing body. How the argument is resolved should entertain everyone.
Alexander and the Great Vegetable Feud
Hawkins, Linda J. (2004) 39 p.
Alexander, after accidentally kicking a ball into his neighbor's vegetable garden, comments that he hates vegetables when he is walking through the garden. All
the vegetables come to life and start arguing about who is the most nutritious of or growing a strong and healthy body. Find out how Alexander discovers that he is the winner of the vegetable feud.
Amelia Bedelia
Parish, Peggy. (1963) 28 p.
Amelia Bedelia, the new maid, was so eager to please, that she followed her instructions to the letter which ended in silly results. The illustrations in this book are entertaining.
Berenstain Bears and too much Junk Food
Berenstain, Stan. (1985) 29 p.
Mama decides the Bears eat too much junk food and changes their eating habits by offering healthy alternatives and encourages them to exercise.
Lower elementary school
- Blueberries for Sal
McCloskey, Robert. (1976) 55 p.
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This is another version of the folktale about a man who uses an ordinary stone to turn water into soup. This version is written in verse and is accompanied by detailed pictures.
Strega Nona
De Paola, Tomie. (1975) 30 p.This Italian folktale tells the story about what happens when Big Anthony tries to show the townspeople how Strega Nona's magic pasta pot works. This book has interesting pictures and has won many awards for children's literature.
This is the Way we Eat our Lunch: a Book About Children Around the World
Baer, Edith. (1995) 36 p.
This book relates in rhyme what children eat around the world. It includes colorful pictures, a simple map of the world, and a glossary of different types of food.
Too Many Tamales
Soto, Gary. (1993) 30 p.This story explains what happens when a young Mexican-American girl loses her mother's wedding ring while making tamales for her family's Christmas celebration. It has rich, colorful illustrations.
Upper elementary school
This is an excellent book for young children showing that animals and people can enjoy the same food. The story tells how Sal's mother collects blueberries for canning for winter use and how Bear and his mother eat as much as they can to be stored as fat for the winter.
Bread and Jam for Frances
Hoban, Russell C. (1964) 31 p.
Suitable for kindergarten and lower elementary. This
is a story about Frances, whose eating habits are monotonous since she eats primarily bread and jam.
Her parents encourage her to try new foods but she
refuses. Her parents begin to give her only bread
and jam for every meal until she grows very tired of bread and jam and wants some different foods.
Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain
Aardema, Verna. (1981) 26 p.
This book is based on an African folktale. It describes how rain is needed on the Kapiti plain to make the grass grow, which feeds many types of animal life, including humans. Colorful and informative illustrations of life in Africa add to the story.
Corn is Maize: the Gift of the Indians
Aliki. (1976) 34 p.
This book provides an excellent explanation of the story of corn or maize. Emphasis is placed on how the American Indians used corn and how they shared this knowledge with the new white settlers of America. Children will enjoy the information on planting, growing, and harvesting corn. The illustrations provide visualization of the methods used by the the Indians and today's farmers.
Fannie in the Kitchen
Hopkinson, Deborah. (2001) 30 p.
Marcia's mother hires a mother's helper. Fannie Farmer steps into their kitchen and produces excellent meals for the family. Fannie teaches Marcia all about cooking. This is the story of how Fannie Farmer invented the modern recipe and created one of the first and best-loved American cookbooks.
Lima Bean Monster
Yaccarino, Dan. (2001) 29 p.
This is the story of Sammy, who hates lima beans, despite the fact that he has never eaten a single one in his entire life. He has become a master of finding ways to avoid his lima beans. His latest and greatest scheme is sneaking them out of the house (in his sock) and burying them in a hole in the ground. When the neighborhood kids hear about it, they quickly join in, adding their unwanted vegetables. One night there is a terrible storm, and a monster is born. A monster made of Sammy's lima beans! Who will save the town? Who will save the "human beans" from the rampaging lima bean monster? Suggested for ages four to eight.
Mabel the Tooth Fairy and how she got her Job
Davis, Katie. (2003) 30 p.
A wonderfully entertaining tale about the tooth fairy. This is a story full of good humor with amusing illustrations to match the light-hearted tale of why Mabel decided she needed children's teeth and her adventures in obtaining them. This book offers a subtle message for children on the importance of tooth care. For children in kindergarten and lower elementary grades.
Stone Soup
McGovern, Ann. (1986) 32 p.
Aliens for Lunch
Etra, Jonathan. (1991) 63 p.
When their bag of microwave popcorn explodes and a space alien emerges, two young boys join him on a top-secret interstellar mission to save the desserts of the universe! This is a fun book that young adults will enjoy.
Book of Pigericks
Lobel, Arnold. (1983) 48 p.
This is a children's book of limericks or poems about pigs. Some of the limericks refer to food and eating and all are humorous and entertaining.
Burp! The Most Interesting Book You'll Ever Read About Eating
Swanson, Diane. (2001) 40 p.
This is a very entertaining book on the subject of eating food. It covers what kinds of nutrients bodies need as well as the digestive process. Side bars with interesting bits of information are scattered throughout the book. Information such as how foods are prepped for advertising and the senses enhance the enjoyment of food are samples of additional information. Activities provided are designed to reinforce information provided in the book. This is a fascinating book for 9 to 14 year olds to read.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Dahl, Roald. (1964) 162 p.
This humorous fictitious tale of a magical chocolate factory can be used in classroom settings to discuss food choices and their nutritional value. Young readers will enjoy the story of Charlie and his reward for proper behavior in Willie Wonka's chocolate factory.
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Barrett, Judi. (1978) 30 p.
This book for children tells about an unusual town with a sky that supplied foods and beverages for everyone. The townspeople were quite content with the constant food supply until the weather became very unpredictable and excessive.
Hey, Remember Fat Glenda
Perl, Lila. (1981) 168 p.
This entertaining book is about Glenda, an overweight junior high girl, who finds the willpower to lose weight through exercise and dieting. By the end of the book, Glenda has begun to feel genuinely good about herself.
How My Parents to Eat
Friedman, Ina R. (1984) 32 p.
A young girl tells a story about her parents in this cute children's book. Her father is American, her mother is Japanese. They were afraid to have dinner together because of the very different food customs. After the father learns to use chopsticks and her mother learns to eat with a knife and fork, they are able to have dinner together.
How to Eat Fried Worms
Rockwell, Thomas. (1973) 116 p.
This entertaining book tells the story of a young boy who decides to win a fifty-dollar bet by eating fifteen worms. In spite of the texture, nausea, and rejection by friends, he continues the bet by eating a worm a day for fifteen days. The worms get eaten in a variety of ways from raw, to fried, to boiled and topped with sauce.
Jelly Belly
Smith, Robert Kimmel. (1981) 155 p.
This tale about an overweight fifth grade boy and his frustrating experiences at a weight reduction camp will be of interest to a wide variety of readers.Self-motivation is the final key to successful weight loss for this unhappy boy. Peer pressure, family eating habits, and the importance of exercise are discussed.
Nothing's Fair in Fifth Grade
DeClements, Barthe. (1981) 137 p.
This very useful story is about the life of a fifth grade girl and her overweight classmate. The story lends insight into the relationship between the girls and their parents, as one girl overcomes her prejudices and helps her classmate see her own self-worth.
Middle school
Hunter's Stew and Hangtown: What Pioneer America Ate and Why
Perl, Lila. Fry: (1977) 156 p.
This is a well-written book that presents a cultural tour of the United
States as colonists and later immigrants settled the country. Dividing the
country into five major regions, each region gets a thorough treatment from
the standpoint of how food played a pivotal role in the lives of early Americans.
Some recipes are included.
Popcorn Days and Buttermilk Nights
Paulsen, Gary. (1983) 100 p.
This book is about a fourteen year old city boy who spends the summer in a small Minnesota farming community in the 1940's. The boy grows into young adulthood with the help of his uncle and his relatives. The title refers to the time of year between summer and early fall. Although there is no nutrition message in the book, readers will enjoy this story.
Cookbooks
Cody Coyote Cooks: A Southwest Cookbook for Kids
Skrepcinski, Denice . (1996) 84 p.
This cookbook features over forty-five recipes for kids ages 7 to 12. Also included are menus, cooking safety tips and techniques, authentic crafts, Southwest trivia and stories featuring Cody Coyote.
Cooking Wizardry for Kids
Kenda, Margaret. (1990) 314 p.
This is a cookbook for kids, filled not only with recipes for great tasting food, but also packed with fun experiments. Included are experiments showing the properties of kitchen ingredients, as well as food psychology experiments that demonstrate how color and temperature affect ideas about taste. The book is full of good recipes and interesting activities.
Kids Cooking: A Very Slightly Messy Manual
Klutz Press. (1987) 77 p.
This recipe book provides simple recipes that children will enjoy preparing. Recipes are included for breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner with some for salads and desserts. A brief section on non-edible items such as play dough, face paint, and soap bubbles is included. Don't forget adult supervision when cooking.
Pizza Book: Fun, Facts, A Recipe, the Works
Krensky, Stephen. (1992) 30 p.
This is a clever book about a popular food. It gives the history of pizza and includes a recipe and step-by-step directions for making pizza.
Science Chef: 100 Fun Food Experiments and Recipes for Kids
D'Amico, Joan. (1995) 180 p.
This attractive book teaches basic science through fun, easy-to-perform cooking projects that may be eaten when finished. All one hundred recipes and experiments require only common ingredients and standard kitchen utensils. Rules for kitchen safety and cleanup, as well as a complete nutrition guide, are included.