Books

Ahlberg, Allen, Running With Cutlery, Candlewick, 2006. (Grades PreK-3)

A little boy's meal gets a mind of its own and leads him on a chase.

Appleton, Julie, Do Carrots Make You See Better? Red Leaf, 2001. (Grades PreK-3)

Simple nutrition lessons taught through games, stories, science activities and more.

Auch, Mary Jane, and Herm Auch, The Princess and the Pizza, Holiday House, 2003. (Grades PreK-2)

When Princess Paulina's father surrenders his kingship, Paulina sets out for a neighboring kingdom to marry Prince Drupert. She sails through the traditional pea test, stays in the running after the glass shoe fitting, but faces real difficulty with the third trial. Paulina finds herself left with some flour, yeast, water, tomatoes, cheese and the threat of a beheading if she can't concoct a tempting feast. She tosses the fruits of her culinary labor onto the hearth and wins the admiration of the prince and his mother, the queen. But Paulina has other plans. She spurns marriage and opens a successful pizza palace.

Barton, Byron (Illustrator), Little Red Hen, HarperCollins Juvenile, 1997. (Grades K-3)

Simple, rhythmic text and bright, bold graphic illustrations combine in the traditional story about the industrious red hen and her very lazy friends who refuse to help her grow wheat or bake bread.

Basel, Roberta, From Milk to Cheese, Capstone, 2005. (Grades 2-5)

Bloch, Serge, You Are What You Eat and Other Mealtime Hazards, Sterling, 2010. (PreK and up)

Mealtime should be a piece of cake, but Roger eats like a bird. This drives his mother bananas because he really should have three square meals a day. Children will find the sayings puzzling at first, but Bloch's images make everything clear and will leave readers of all ages pleased as punch.

Bowen, Gary, Stranded at Plimoth Plantation, 1626, HarperTrophy, 1998. (Grades 4-7)

The fictional diary of a young Plimoth settler named Christopher Sears, who documents the trials and tribulations of the year 1626. Heading for Jamestown, but stuck in Plimoth for many months, Sears describes the struggle, hard work, deaths, and uncomfortable surroundings. His diary is decorated with woodcuts depicting scenes from daily life in the village as well as some images of Native Americans and their way of living. The woodcuts are rich, powerful images inked with colors suitable to the time. The diary entries comment on the extremes of weather, the tedious labor, the boredom of military practice, the bland food, and also on the joy of the many marriages and births at Plimoth.

Brown, Marcia, Stone Soup, Live Oak, 2004. (Grades PreK-2)

Old French tale about soldiers who trick miserly villages into making them a feast. This version won a Caldecott Medal when Brown retold and illustrated it in 1947.

Butterworth, Chris, and Lucia Gaggiotti, How Did That Get in My Lunchbox?: The Story of Food, Candlewick, 2011. (Grades PreK-2)

Introduces children to the concepts of natural, capital and human resources. Children learn about the role of farms, food processing facilities and transportation networks in producing the food in the lunchboxes.

Carle, Eric, Pancakes, Pancakes, Aladdin, 1998. (Grades PreK-2)

The barnyard rooster crows and Jack wakes up -- hungry, of course! What does he want for breakfast? A big pancake! But first, Jack's mother needs flour from the mill, an egg from the black hen, milk from the spotted cow, butter churned from fresh cream, and firewood for the stove. Will Jack ever get his pancake?

Carle, Eric, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Hamilton Hamish, 1994. (Grades PreK-2)

A beautifully illustrated narrative about a hungry caterpillar who eats his way from one food to the next, growing up to be a beautiful butterfly.

Carle, Eric, Today is Monday, Putnam, 1997. (Grades PreK-3)

Each day of the week brings a new food. When Sunday arrives, children from around the world gather to share their favorite foods.

Castaldo, Nancy, Pizza for the Queen, Holiday House, 2005. (Grades PreK-2)

Based on a true story, this picture book recreates the events which led to the creation of the Pizza Margherita, which represents the red, white and green of the Italian flag.

Ceffrey, Holly, The Inventions of Amanda Jones: The Vacuum Method of Canning and Food Preservation (19th Century American Inventors), PowerKids, 2003.

Corcoran, Mary K., and Jef Czekaj, The Quest to Digest, Charlesbridge, 2006. (Grades PreK-3)

This graphically appealing, colorful and fact-rich story describes the importance of food to the body by following an apple as it goes through the digestive system.

D'Amico, Joan, and Karen Eich Drummond, The Science Chef: 100 Fun Food Experiments and Recipes for Kids, Jossey-Bass, 1994. (Grades 3-6)

This book examines the science of food, while instructing children on the science behind various cooking reactions. Answers such questions as "How does bread rise?" and "Why does popcorn pop?" Includes over 100 simple, quick recipes that can be made with easy-to-obtain ingredients and standard kitchen equipment.

dePaola, Pancakes for Breakfast, Voyager, 1990. (Grades PreK-1)

With visions of pancakes dancing in her head, a little old lady goes to great lengths to procure the necessary ingredients.

Dobson, Christina, Pizza Counting, Charlesbridge, 2003. (Grades PreK-2)

The math concepts of addition, large numbers and fractions are illustrated with artfully decorated pizzas depicting a smiling face, a cat, a flag, etc. The ingredients are counted in the text. Numerals are used to show the total of two items. Another pie is symmetrically decorated with 100 garnishes and duplicated 10 times on one page and 100 times on the next to illustrate the numbers 1000 and 10,000. Millions and billions are demonstrated by citing the number of pizzas needed to circle the globe and reach the moon. The book concludes with pies divided to show fractional concepts.

Durant, Alan, and Mei Matsuoka, Burger Boy, Clarion, 2006. (Grades PreK-3)

Burgers are the only thing Benny will eat. His mom warns him he will turn into a hamburger if he doesn't watch out, and that is just what happens. His mom feeds him veggies to get him back to normal, then warns him he can't eat just vegetables, either, because he might turn into a vegetable. Cute story to teach the importance of a varied diet.

Ehlert, Lois, Eating the Alphabet: Fruits and Vegetables From A to Z, Voyager, 1993. (PreK)

An alphabetical tour of fruits and vegetables, featuring vibrantly colored collage illustrations, large capital and lowercase letters of the alphabet, an A to Z glossart of produce and a pronunciation guide.

Ehlert, Lois, Growing Vegetable Soup, Red Wagon, 2007. (Grades K-2)

In brightly-colored collage illustrations, a father and child share the simple joys of planting, watering, and watching seeds grow in their garden. Then they cook them all up into a delicious vegetable soup, the recipe for which is included.

Fandel, Jennifer, Louis Pasteur and Pasteurization, Capstone, 2007. (Grades 4-6)

In graphic novel format, the book tells the story of Louis Pasteur's invention of the pasteurization process, including information about food-borne illness and the discovery of microorganisms.

Fields, Terry, and Sherry Rogers, Burro's Tortillas, Sylvan Dell, 2007. (Grades PreK-3)

A corn tortilla version of the Little Red Hen story.

Green, Emily K., Fruits: The New Food Guide Pyramid, Bellweather, 2006. (Grades 3-6)

Green, Emily K., Grains: The New Food Guide Pyramid, Bellweather, 2006. (Grades K-3)

Green, Emily K., Meat and Beans: The New Food Guide Pyramid, Bellweather, 2006. (Grades K-3)

Green, Emily K., Milk: The New Food Guide Pyramid, Bellweather, 2006. (Grades K-3)

Green, Emily K., Vegetables: The New Food Guide Pyramid, Bellweather, 2006. (Grades K-3)

Hawkes, Nigel, Genetically Modified Food, Copper Beech, 2000. (Grades 3-8)

Student-friendly format and colorful graphics help introduce students to the science behind and issues surrounding the production of food using genetic engineering. Stimulates discussion.

Hawkins, Linda J., Alexander and the Great Food Fight, Turner, 2002 (Grades PreK-3).

Alexander's afternoon snacking choice becomes a heated argument among some fiesty fruit about which is the best for Alexander's young, growing body.

Head, Honor, Salad (On Your Plate), Franklin Watts, 2007. (Grades PreK-3)

Introduces young children to the variety of food we eat, including where it comes from and how it is prepared and cooked.

Hoberman, Mary Ann, and Marla Frazee, The Seven Silly Eaters, Sandpiper, 2000. (Grades K-3)

A rhyming picture book about a family of picky eaters who drive their mother frantic. As each baby is born, it makes its rigid nutritional tastes known through bellowing demands. For example, Peter wants milk, but it must be warm, not hot, not cold. Mary Lou has to be fed "soft and squishy homemade bread. Jack - all he'll eat is applesauce. One twin wants poached eggs, the other fried. The line-and-color illustrations extend the silly fun as the comfortable house gets more and more cluttered and chaotic.

Hoflander, Kay, The Chautauqua Kids and The Fuddy Duddy Daddy: A Tale of Pancakes and Baseball, AuthorHouse, 2007. (Grades 3 and up)

Austin Maxwell liked the nickname Mom gave him. She called him "Pancake" because that was his favorite food. Richard's favorite sport was baseball. When Richard's mom visited his grandparents for a week, Pancake complained to his sister that it would be an awful week with their "Fuddy Duddy Daddy" in charge. Could Richard survive the week with Dad cooking his pancakes and playing baseball?

Holub, Joan, and Lynn Cravath, The Pizza That We Made, Puffin, 2001. (Grades K-1)

Young ones learn to make pizza from scratch. The rhyming text follows three friends as they collect ingredients, mix and knead the dough, add the toppings, bake and then clean the kitchen.

Ichord, Loretta Frances, Hasty Pudding, Johnnycakes, and Other Good Stuff: Cooking in Colonial America, Millbrook, 1998. (Grades K-3)

Facts about America's culinary heritage covering such topics as manners, food preservation, and culinary staples such as corn. Ichord also includes a section on regional diversity and one she calls "Soul Cooking," which focuses on the unique cuisine created by slaves. Recipes for popular dishes, updated for modern kitchens and accompanied by clear directions and discussion of how the same dish would have been prepared by colonial cooks, conclude each chapter. Children will need adult help when they prepare the food, but they'll have fun learning the history and making such dishes as johnnycakes, pumpkin soup, and, of course, hasty pudding.

Johnson, Sylvia A., Tomatoes, Potatoes, Corn, and Beans: How the Foods of the Americas Changed Eating Around the World, Atheneum, 1996. (Young Adult)

What do tomatoes, chocolate, beans, corn, pepers and peanuts have in common? Johnson gives a straightforward overview of these and other foods that are native to the Americas, with a discussion of their early use, methods of preparation and how they were transported and adapted beyond American borders.

Junior Master Gardener, Health and Nutrition From the Garden, Texas Agriculture Extension, 2002. (Grades 4-6)

Kalbacken, Joan, Food Safety (A True Book), Children's, 2008. (Grades 3-5)

Covers various health concerns related to the food we eat and explains and discusses ways to avoid them. Personal responsibility for food safety and the importance of hand washing are stressed.

King, Hazel, Carbohydrates for a Healthy Body (Body Needs), Heinemann, 2009. (Grades 4-6)

Describes what carbohydrates are, what types of foods contain them, how they are digested and used to produce energy, and their role in a healthy diet.

Katzen, Molly, Salad People and More Real Recipes: Cookbook for Preschoolers and Up, Tricycle, 2005. (Grades PreK-3)

Kid-friendly recipes with detailed, step-by-step instructions for adults with a second set of instructions for kids. Includes color pictures of dancing produce. All the recipes have been preschooler-tested.

Kohl, Maryann F., and Jean Potter, Snacktivities: 50 Edible Activities for Parents and Children, Robins Lane, 2003. (Grades PreK-2)

Simple instructions help parents or older children guide young ones through the preparation of fun and nutritious snacks, including tomato towers, alphabet sandwiches and dinosaur eggs. Instead of disguising healthy food with cheese sauce or syrups, children learn that eating foods that are good for their bodies can be enjoyable and creative.

Lee, Brenda Cartee, Lunch at the Zoo, Little Cottage, 2003 (pre-K-3).

Humor, zoo animals, bright illustrations and the escapades of a little boy named Bubba teach children to choose a healthy diet of fruits and vegetables over unhealthy junk foods.

Leedy, Loreen, The Edible Pyramid: Good Eating Every Day, Holiday House, 2007. (Grades PreK-3)

A group of elegantly dressed animals arrive for the grand opening of a new restaurant. A tuxedo-clad cat serves as host and introduces the menu as it relates to the vertical stripes on the USDA Food Guide Pyramid. The bright, clear pictures show breads and grains, pasta in amazing shapes, fruits and vegetables in delicious colors, an abundance of beans and more. The final pages show the animals having fun exercising.

Levenson, George, Bread Comes to Life, Tricycle, 2008. (Grades 1-3)

The story of wheat in a rhyming poem with excellent photos. The baker sows the seed in his backyard and sowing and threshing are done by hand rather than by modern methods.

Macaulay, David, The Way We Work, Houghton Mifflin, 2008. (Grades 4-6)

Illustrated tour of the digestive system.

McClure, Nikki, To Market, To Market, Abrams, 2011. (Grades PreK-3)

With her distinctive cut-paper artistry, McClure follows a young boy and his mother on market day when they shop for apples, kale, honey, smoked salmon and other green-market items and traces each to its source. Kids will love learning how milk is curdled and honey collected from hives.

McPhail, David, Piggy's Pancake Parlor, Dutton, 2002. (Grades 1-3)

Piggy and Fox are both the runts of their litters. They open a pancake parlor together. Realistic facial features run to gamut of emotional expression.

Mecozzi, Maureen, The Uncanny Can (Shockwave: Science), Children's, 2007. (Grades 4-6)

Micucci, Charles, The Life and Times of the Peanut, Sandpiper, 2000. (Grades 2-5)

What are peanuts - are they peas or are they nuts? Do they grow above or below ground? Who invented peanut butter? This fascinating picture book, with its concise, detailed text and abundant illustrations, ranging from the humorous to the scientific, offers a spirited introduction to the life cycle, many uses, and historical influences of the peanut.

Miller, Edward, The Monster Health Book: A Guide to Eating Healthy, Being Active and Feeling Great for Monsters & Kids, Holiday House, 2008. (Grades 4-6)

Featuring a friendly, rotund green monster determined to make healthy choices, this book presents basic information about food, exercise and health. Each topic is introduced in one or two paragraphs; additional facts appear in boxes, sidebars, lists and diagrams. Silly jokes are tucked everywhere.

Murphy, Frank, Thomas Jefferson's Feast, Random House for Young Readers, 2003. (Grades PreK-2)

Tells of Thomas Jefferson's trip to France in 1784 and all the exotic foods he learned about and then brought back to America, including ice cream, macaroni and cheese and tomatoes.

Paulsen, Gary, and Ruth Paulsen, The Tortilla Factory, Sandpiper, Brace, 1998. (Grades K-3)

Paulsen tells young readers how a corn seed eventually becomes a tortilla. "The black earth sleeps in winter . . .," but in the spring, it is worked by brown hands that plant the yellow seeds. Seeds become plants, and then the corn is ground into flour and sent to the tortilla factory. The flour disks come off the machine, are packaged, and eventually arrive in kitchens -" to be wrapped around juicy beans and eaten by white teeth, to fill a round stomach and give strength to the brown hands that work the black earth." This circular telling works nicely with the strong, attractive paintings that get texture from their linen surface.

Powell, Jillian, Fats for a Healthy Body (Body Needs), Heinemann, 2009. (Grades 4-6)

Discusses what fats are, how they are absorbed and stored in the body, how the body uses fats, and health problems caused by fats.

Prelutsky, Jack, Pizza, Pigs and Poetry: How to Write a Poem, Greenwillow, 2008. (Grades 3-6)

Prelutsky relates personal anecdotes and then shows how he created poems from them, in most cases by using comic exaggeration to suit his artistic purposes.

Reed, Janet, Everyone Eats Bread, Red Bricklearning, 2003. (Grades PreK-2)

Early reader with excellent photographs good for teaching about culture and meeting human needs.

Reidy, Jean, and Genevieve Leloup, Too Pickley!, Bloomsbury, 2010. (Preschool)

Raisins are too wrinkley, tomatoes are too squishy, fruit is too fruity. Slimy, slurpy and bumpy things are no good. Even lollipops are too licky and rice too sticky. But suddenly, on the last page, something is yummy enough to finish to the last crumb.

Reilly, Kathleen, and Samuel Carbaugh, Food: 25 Amazing Projects: Investigate the History and Science of What We Eat (Build It Yourself Series), Nomad, 2010. (Grades 4-6)

Activity guide summarizes the history, science and culture of what kids eat day after day, demonstrates how certain foods evolved as well as how modern technology plays a part in food production, packaging and delivery. Also illustrates the traditional route from farm to table, the impact of eating locally grown foods, the importance of nutrition and the role of food in ancient times.

Reiss, Mike, and Xeth Feinberg, City of Hamburgers, Inkwater, 2003. (Grades PreK-3)

Jeffrey is tired of the same old fairy tales and wants to hear about Grandma's life growing up in the old country as a Hamburger.

Robbins, Ken, Food for Thought: The Stories Behind the Things We Eat, Flash Point, 2009. (Grades PreK-3)

Robbins presents a cornucopia of information about apples, oranges, corn, bananas, tomatoes, potatoes, pomegranates, grapes and mushrooms. In addition to sharing interesting bits of trivia, the author offers brief descriptions of related events from history, such as the Irish Potato Famine, and/or short synopses of the item's appearance in mythology.

Royston, Angela, Proteins for a Healthy Body (Body Needs), San Val, 2003. (Grades 4-6)

How many amino acids can your body make? Are nuts a healthy snack? What are antibodies?

Royston, Angela, Vitamins and Minerals for a Healthy Body (Body Needs), Heinemann, 2009. (Grades 4-6)

Discusses what vitamins and minerals are, how they are digested, absorbed and used by the body and the role of these substances in a healthy diet.

Royston, Angela, Water and Fiber for a Healthy Body (Body Needs), Heinemann, 2009. (Grades 4-6)

Discusses what water and fiber are, what foods they can be found in and how the body absorbs, digests and uses these ingredients.

Russ, Ayon, Angela, We Eat Food That's Fresh, OurRainbow, 2009. (Grades PreK-3)

A whimsical chef introduces young children to fun food experiences that stir up their interest in fruits and vegetables

Schaefer, Lola, and Geoff Waring, Just OneBite: 11 Animals and Their Bites at Life Size, Chronicle, 2010. (Grades K-2)

Life-sized introduction to what animals eat, how they eat it and how much they eat in a single bite. Good for discussions of portion size and measurement.

Sherrow, Victoria, and Alan Marzilli (editor), Food Safety (Point/Counterpoint), Chelsea House, 2008. (Young Adult)

Well-organized volume discusses many of the questions teens may have about food production, including the use of chemicals, hormones, genetic engineering and more. The relevant laws are explained and the pro and con arguments are presented factually using text that is easy to read. Excellent resource for reports.

Showers, Paul, and Edward Miller, What Happens to a Hamburger?, Collins, 2001. (Grades PreK-3)

A journey through the human digestive system into mouth, down the gullet, into the stomach and finally into the small and large intestines, showing what the body does to help transform the food you eat and what it does with what's left over.

Smith, Alexander McCall Smith, The Perfect Hamburger and Other Delicious Stories, Bloomsbury USA Childrens, 2007. (Grades 4-6)

When a snazzy fast-food chain moves into town, business at Joe's favorite hamburger restaurant begins to suffer. He gets an idea that is sure to bring back the diners, but the secret recipe for the burgers is missing. Can Joe figure out the ingredients to recreate the perfect hamburger before it's too late?

Solheim, James, and Eric Brace, It's Disgusting and We Ate It! True Food Facts from Around the World and Throughout History, Aladdin, 2001. (Grades K-3)

Divided into three sections, the book begins with a look at some of the less common foods eaten today, such as frog legs, earthworms, snakes, insects, flowers, and seaweed, considers strange fare from the past, such as a menu from a medieval royal feast in England (14 oxen and 50 swans, among other things), the rat stew eaten by sailors, and the robins popular in Colonial America. "If You Think That's Sick, Look in Your Fridge" takes a look at how many common edibles, such as milk, cheese, honey, and mushrooms, are grown or produced. Each double-page spread includes basic facts and lots of interesting trivia.

Spinelli, Eileen, and Joanne Lew-Vriethoff, The Dancing Pancake, Yearling, 2011. (Grades 4-7)

Told entirely in verse, the story relates the experiences of sixth grader Bindi whose mom and dad separate. Bindi and her mom move to an apartment above The Dancing Pancake, a cafe opened by Bindi's mother and aunt. The cafe is populated with interesting staff and customers who help Bindi learn about friendship and empathy.

Stevens, Janet, Tops & Bottoms, Harcourt Brace, 1995. (K-4)

Hoping to rise above his level of poverty, clever Hare strikes a deal with a rich and lazy bear in which Bear will contribute the land while Hare will provide the labor for a profitable harvest.

Taus-Bolstad, Stacy, From Grass to Milk, Lerner, 2004. (Grades 3-5)

Simple sentences describe the process from cow to milking and processing. All the images are of modern farm equipment and modern processing operations. Includes a short glossary.

Taus-Bolstad, Stacy, From Wheat to Bread, Lerner, 2002. (Grades PreK-3)

Taylor, Thomas, and Jill Barton, Little Mouse and the Big Cupcake, Boxer, 2010.

When a little mouse discovers a tasty treat that's even bigger than he is, he must learn the importance of sharing and appropriate portion sizes.

Treuille, Eric, Bread, DK, 2007. (Grades 6-Adult)

Moves beyond the basics of how bread is made and explains how cultures interpret bread and how bread impacts culture. It explores a wide variety of bread from across the globe and explains the characteristics of each and what its name signifies.

Trumbauer, Lisa, Eating Well, Red Bricklearning, 2003. (Grades PreK-2)

Wellington, Monica, Pizza at Sally's, Dutton Juvenile, 2006. (Grades PreK-3)

Early each morning, with her orange-striped cat at her side, Sally opens up her pizzeria. Before her customers arrive, she chops, stirs and simmers her sauce; measures, mixes and kneads her dough, and then assembles the delectable pies. Cheerful, precisely composed gouache paintings accented with photo collages of fresh ingredients add warmth and humor to the story.

Wagner, Lisa, Cool Pizza to Make and Bake (Cool Cooking), Abdo, 2007. (Grades 4-6)

Easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions take readers from dough to sauce to toppings to completed pizza. An overview of necessary cooking tools is included, as is an index and glossary.

Weston, Tamson, and Stephen Gammell, Hey, Pancakes, Harcourt, 2003. (Grades PreK-2)

Three lively kids make pancakes for breakfast. Mixed-media illustrations with variegated pastel scribbles and color splotches in the background convey the children's action. Simple poem with onomatopoeic phrases and catchy rhythm.

Wong, Herbert Yee, Hamburger Heaven, Sandpiper, 2005. (Grades PreK-3)

Pinky Pig adds variety to the burgers at the diner where she works by catering to her customers—a snailburger supreme for Hedgehog, a burger with worms lightly fried for Mole, a termite-infested burger for Aardvark and a Burger Deluxe, with three kinds of bugs.

Worley, Rob M., The Pizza Mystery (Boxcar Children Graphic Novels), Albert Whitman, 2010 (reprint). (Grades 4-6)

The Aldens are having a delicious time helping out at a pizza parlor. They toss dough in the kitchen and even invent a new kind of pizza. But when a blackout and other problems hurt business, they begin to wonder if someone is trying to shut down the pizzeria.

Zemlicka, Shannon, From Milk to Cheese, Lerner, 2003. (Grades 2-4)

Simple sentences describe the process from cow to milking and processing. All the images are of modern farm equipment and modern processing operations. Includes a short glossary.

Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom is a program of the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry and the Oklahoma State Department of Education.

Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom

Ag-Related Books for Children and Young Adults

Food and Nutrition