Its Disgusting and We Ate It: True Food Facts from Around the World and Throughout History

Cleverly catering to kids' taste for the slightly gross, this three-chapter smorgasbook gives readers plenty to chew on. Part One offers a world tour of weird foods like earthworm soup and flower salad, plus an abundance of trivia (e.g., spiders are higher in protein than grasshoppers, termites and beef). Part Two identifies ""hairy, scary foods throughout history,"" including a meaty menu for a medieval feast. Readers will appreciate Solheim's tongue-in-cheek tone; for example, describing early European sailors' fare, he adds a sidebar headed ""Great Rat Cooking Starts with Quality Rats."" The final section peeks into the modern fridge to find ""bee sugar"" (honey), ""cow squirt"" (milk) and hot dogs (""Why are you biting into that tube of pulverized meat scraps?""). Throughout, the author blithely blends silly poems, useful facts and graphs; even the index is fun to read (see ""python in vinegar"" or ""crayfish, jellied""). Brace (The Krazees) creates a manic, multi-legged feast for the eyes. He crams every page with curious comestibles and googly-eyed critters who talk in hand- lettered voice bubbles. With enough information for several sittings, this compendium lives up to its title's rich promise. Ages 5-10. (May)