A foodie’s delight, though with occasional half-baked morsels.
A food writer revels in the wonders of local markets worldwide.
“Be bold and be curious!” Originally published in Spanish, this enthusiastic, though occasionally awkwardly worded, celebration of markets and their wares (mostly the edible sort but with a few glances at other types of merchandise) invites readers to not only savor with all their senses the bounty of familiar types of fresh foods, but also to be open to new experiences—like dried Greenland shark (hákarl) from Reykjavík’s Kolaportið Market (which gives off a “terrifying stench” to the uninitiated) and fried spiders at the markets in Skuon, Cambodia (“crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside”). Though Sucarrats never mentions online or financial markets and refers only vaguely to markets organized by “Native Americans” (depicted generically sporting feathered headbands and rowing canoes) and Australian Aboriginal people, he expands tremendously on Ted Lewin’s classic Market! (1996) by specifically naming more than 40 active sites (all of which are located on a numbered map at the end). Also, along with crowing over distinctive products offered at many markets, he rightly highlights their double nature as both commercial and social centers whatever form they take. Sofroniou follows suit by blending glimpses of select actual locales with luscious spreads of different sorts of foodstuffs in roughly equal measure and populating indoor and outdoor scenes with a racially and culturally diverse mix of sellers, buyers, laborers, and browsers. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A foodie’s delight, though with occasional half-baked morsels. (index) (Informational picture book. 7-10)Pub Date: March 7, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-63819-130-8
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Bushel & Peck Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 15, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2022
Statistically fascinating.
When the world’s population is reduced to 100 people, similarities and differences become dramatically visible.
Budding mathematicians, economists, sociologists, and ecologists will all find something useful in this percentage-based look at human life on Earth. Reducing the world’s population of (roughly) 8 billion humans to a community of 100 souls allows readers to wrap their heads around some pretty big concepts: genetic diversity, geographic dispersal, and humanitarian themes such as living conditions (20 people don’t have safe homes), access to clean water (29 people don’t have such access), and wealth distribution (just 10 people control 85% of the world’s wealth). Each of 11 double-page spreads discusses a specific topic, and a final spread helps readers consider questions about our future. A colorful cast of unibrowed characters representing the world’s population fills each page, and the range of skin tones, hairstyles, garb, abilities, weight, and age will help readers understand just how diverse the human population can be. Astute readers will note that the same characters do not appear on every page, and some illustrations present noticeably fewer than the titular number. Educators may find the book a useful addition to their shelves, and the book may serve as a springboard for discussions or projects. A bibliography of digital sources appears at the front of the book to aid readers in understanding how the statistics in the book were compiled. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Statistically fascinating. (Informational picture book. 7-10)Pub Date: July 6, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-31070-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: May 18, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2021
Visually attractive but incomplete and weakened by cultural insensitivity.
A plethora of facts about the U.S. states and territories for young information browsers and trivia surfers.
The highly visual, energetic layout of this guide keeps a dense mix of photos, graphics, and typefaces clear and accessible and packs in plenty of information about curious state-specific phenomena. Each state’s four-page section spotlights, among other things, a map silhouette, a dessert, a state food, a ride (most often in an amusement park), and some state facts (including bird, nickname, and date of statehood). Flags are not included. Also included are facts labeled the “Oldest in America” (mostly European settlements and structures) and “Spookiest Spot.” “Horrifying History” features natural disasters, accidents, war, and violent human tragedies. Mostly missing are scientific inventions and discoveries—other than geological or paleontological—as well as celebration of racial diversity (Chinese and African Americans are mentioned in the context of tragic massacres). While many state names originate from Indigenous languages, this is not consistently acknowledged. More troubling is the casual positioning of Indian names as humor—Kickapoo, Louisiana, for instance, is presented as a “Funniest Town Name”—or worse. Slaughter Beach, Delaware, is given the same label, followed by an explanation that it may refer to the killing of Native residents. The 9-foot statue of Duke Kahanamoku in Waikiki is given as Hawaii’s “Weirdest Roadside Attraction.”
Visually attractive but incomplete and weakened by cultural insensitivity. (index, illustration credits) (Nonfiction. 7-10)Pub Date: May 18, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-62795-167-8
Page Count: 216
Publisher: Shelter Harbor Press
Review Posted Online: April 13, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2021
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