YES, WE HAVE BANANAS

An inviting plethora of little-known facts about the origins, history, biology, travels, and cultivation of bananas, pineapples, grapes, berries, and melons—the unlikely but worthy stars of this entry in the Plants We Eat series. The question, “Don’t bananas grow on trees?” is answered in the opening chapter with a full explanation of banana growth, life cycle, harvesting, and production, as well as a look at bananas throughout time, on their way to America, as business or for enjoyment, and for their role in promoting good health. Each fruit is examined thoroughly; a discussion of grapes includes a history of wine and winemaking, while a look at cranberries takes readers to a bog and reveals the legend behind the name. Each chapter has clear, colorful photographs and illustrations, recipes, fun facts, nutritional information, and little-known tales. Science meets history—Napoleon ate bananas, Gilgamesh relished melons, and Roman soldiers drank vinegar—in a text especially useful in the curriculum that includes foods across time and cultures. (diagrams, glossary, further reading, index) (Nonfiction. 10-13)