50 Underwear Questions

February 1, 2012

Gr 5-8-Most kids might be surprised to find out just how much there is to tell about the part of their wardrobe they take for granted. Using a question-and-answer format, the book starts with ancient times and continues to the modern era and includes the garments and the culture and use associated with them. Sidebars include fascinating tidbits, e.g., people in medieval times soaked underwear in urine from a chamber pot to dissolve the dirt and added herbs to cover up the smell, and bits of history about what men and women wore. The book has an eye-catching design, with undergarments or cartoon characters wearing them pinned all around the pages. This will work as a fabulous booktalk for librarians looking for something fun and different to expand their nonfiction repertoire.-Esther Keller, I.S. 278, Marine Park, NY

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2011
Grades 4-7 Loincloths, panties, boxers, bloomersall different names for underwear. This extremely informative book takes a topic that is inherently interesting to kids and presents it in a manner that is both sprightly and nonsensational. The format, as the title indicates, is question-and-answer. Beginning with ancient undies, the questions cover everything from what's worn under certain kinds of dress to how the modern bra came into being, and reasons for wearing underclothes in the first place. But this is a book with panache, and the wording of the questions runs along the lines of: Can you battle in those breeches? Can we have some support here, please? What's the latest in loincloths? And, Did someone say wedgie'? Beyond the 50 questions, which take readers on a worldwide, historical tour, there's even more info in the numerous sidebars that offer anecdotes, games, and embellishments on each question. All this is illustrated in amusing cartoon-style art that isn't afraid to play up what's funny about the subject.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)