Awards

• Short-listed for Bluebonnet Awards 2004

Overview

Few children (and few adults) know the fascinating history of chocolate. Found in tropical rainforests, the seeds of the cacao tree played an important role in the rituals of the Maya and the Aztecs. Then Cortes took them across the Atlantic, where chocolate become a fad with the smart sets of Spain and all of Europe. Finally chocolate traveled back to the Americas to become a treat for everyone. Kids will be thrilled to learn how the Aztecs served sacrificial victims a special drink, made of chocolate - mixed with blood. And they'll learn why the Spanish coined the word ""chocolate"" - they modified other words to avoid calling the tasty new drink ""cacalate."" They'll also discover how years of drinking chocolate as a fatty, frothy beverage finally gave way to the creation of solid chocolate, ready to become bars, chips, brownies, and other goodies (but first people tried mixing it with cheese). Did you know that all the Tootsie Roll factories in the world produce more than 49 million Tootsie Rolls every day? Did you know that you couldn't buy chocolate in the summer until after about 1915, when refrigeration became available to businesses? Did you know that American soldiers carry c

Full Product Details

9780810957343

Table of Contents

Reviews

Chocolate is more than just the favorite flavor of millions of people. To some it borders on addiction; ask any chocoholic. The Aztecs and other ancient cultures used the cacao seeds as currency. The Maya offered chocolate to their gods. Chocolate was only known in liquid form until the mid-19th century. At some point it became a symbol of romantic love. Using accessible, even chatty language, Burleigh has undertaken to present a history of chocolate consumption along with detailed explanations of the chocolate-making process as it has evolved over the centuries. It is a story filled with fascinating facts and anecdotes, as it encompasses much of world history, from the age of exploration to modern times. It contains elements of ancient civilizations, religious ritual, conquest, slavery, social and economic class systems, intrigue, industrialization, ecological exploitation, and more. Information is presented clearly, and with reasonable objectivity, including both positive and negative aspects of past and present chocolate production processes. Copiously illustrated with photographs, diagrams, and paintings provided by the Field Museum of Chicago, the format is visually and graphically interesting and appealing. Text is presented in varying sizes, fonts, and colors, and at times overlays, is surrounded by, or is incorporated into the illustrative material. A glossary is included that defines or redefines most of the terms used in the text. A well-conceived and executed work on a subject of great interest. (Nonfiction. 8-12) (Kirkus Reviews)

Author Information

Robert Burleigh has written a number of bestselling children's books--including O Captain, My Captain; Hit the Road, Jack; and George Bellows, Painter with a Punch!--that have received multiple starred reviews and awards, including the Orbis Pictus, Texas Bluebonnet Master List, CCBC Choices, and an ALA Notable. He lives outside Chicago.

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