Eat Your Words

July 1, 1999
Gr 4-8-After an introduction to the importance of food in our culture, Jones takes readers on a tour of gastronomical words and phrases. The first three chapters describe dishes with people's names (eggs Benedict), those named after places (Buffalo wings), and "Four-Legged Foods" that contain the names of animals (horseradish). "Eat, Drink, and Be Merry" looks at the etymology behind treats associated with parties and fun (canap s), while "What's in That Shopping Cart" does the same for a random sampling of groceries (eggplant, marmalade, po' boys). Phrases such as "couch potato" and "eat humble pie" are described in a chapter on favorite sayings. Jones also examines words that don't seem to deal with eating at all, but have food hidden in their histories (parasite comes from parasitos, Greek for "guests at a meal"). "Food for Thought" sections present fascinating trivia ranging from silly laws about edibles to food-related rituals. Appropriately, the author finishes with a history of the toothpick. The layout and accessible writing style make this book easy to understand and interesting to read. It is filled with anecdotes and amusing illustrations. This is a great title for browsing, and youngsters will want to share these stories with their friends.-Linda Wadleigh, Oconee County Middle School, Watkinsville, GA

Copyright 1999 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 1999
Gr. 4^-7. In this amusing exploration of food-related words and phrases, the author of "Mistakes That Worked" (1991) once again takes advantage of children's delight in finding the quirky in the common. Careful to distinguish between fact, legend, and speculation, Jones explains the derivations of a hodgepodge of expressions (couch potato, eat humble pie), food names (Buffalo wings, sandwich), and introduces some just-for-fun food-related trivia--including a roundup of goofy laws and a chronology of candy bars. One of the most interesting chapters is a sort of reversal. It showcases words that were associated with food or cooking but have evolved into something different--"precocious," for example, comes from a word meaning "to cook beforehand." John O'Brien's sophisticated cartoon illustrations are a nice touch. Fun as well as an intriguing lesson in the way language evolves and changes. ((Reviewed April 15, 1999))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 1999, American Library Association.)