"Animal lovers and aspiring vets or nutritionists will have plenty to feast on with this fun and informative book."
"Unique...a great book for students fascinated with nonfiction and those who are reluctant readers. Recommended."
School Library Connection
"The lively writing style will capture and hold reader attention throughout while the information presentation surprises and delights... Worms for Breakfast would be useful to share with a young person before or after a zoo visit, or to help kids think about the close and constant relationships we share with animals on a daily basis. Highly recommended."
Canadian Review of Materials
"Written in a conversational, engaging way. It is appealing even for my picky readers."
US National Science Teachers Association
"This book is a ticket to a different sort of zoo tour."
"While the tone is light and Boake's photo-collage illustrations zany, Becker doesn't avoid the tough stuff: though conservation and species protection are important jobs zoos do, animals kept there aren't always happy. Still, this inside look at zoo work is fascinating, and the gross-out appeal of the recipes is undeniable. Kiddos desperate to learn more about the zoo will scarf this down."
"Fascinating and entertaining...disarmingly fun...a perfect book to read with a class before a trip to a local zoo, aquarium or animal sanctuary."
Canadian Children's Book News
"I love this book! ...We could probably eat the gorilla cookies without the monkey chow in them. We could eat the dead ants. People could eat the "Digger's Delight" recipe, but I wouldn't want to eat out of a log. People who like animals and people who want to open a zoo should read this book."
03/21/2016 Showing that even animals can be foodies, Becker reveals actual recipes served to animals in world zoos, including “Flamingo Chick Formula,” which contains egg yolks, shrimp, and oily fish, and “Presto Pesto Sauce—Koala Style,” made from eucalyptus leaves and soy-based infant formula. Boake’s off-kilter photo-collages suit the mix of silliness and science (in one image, nocturnal pangolins, bat-eared foxes, and sugar gliders raid a fridge for midnight snacks), and Becker also profiles zoo nutritionists and includes details about the animals’ dietary needs. The spectacularly gross recipes (“Kelp Tank Goulash,” anyone?) should provoke giggles—though Becker wisely advises readers not to try them at home. Ages 7–10. (Apr.)
"Playful...helps children relate to animals through food and cooking...fun."
A Junior Library Guild Selection "Fascinating and entertaining...disarmingly fun...a perfect book to read with a class before a trip to a local zoo, aquarium or animal sanctuary." —Canadian Children's Book News "Unique...a great book for students fascinated with nonfiction and those who are reluctant readers. Recommended." School Library Connection "This book is a ticket to a different sort of zoo tour." Ithaca Child "Animal lovers and aspiring vets or nutritionists will have plenty to feast on with this fun and informative book." Quill & Quire "Boake's off-kilter photo-collages suit the mix of silliness and science...should provoke giggles." Publishers Weekly "The lively writing style will capture and hold reader attention throughout while the information presentation surprises and delights... Worms for Breakfast would be useful to share with a young person before or after a zoo visit, or to help kids think about the close and constant relationships we share with animals on a daily basis. Highly recommended." Canadian Review of Materials "Animal lovers, especially the reluctant readers among them, will delight in the browsable approach and the window into zookeeping." The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books "With fascinating facts and a lively design, this is a surprisingly nourishing treat." Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW "While the tone is light and Boake's photo-collage illustrations zany, Becker doesn't avoid the tough stuff: though conservation and species protection are important jobs zoos do, animals kept there aren't always happy. Still, this inside look at zoo work is fascinating, and the gross-out appeal of the recipes is undeniable. Kiddos desperate to learn more about the zoo will scarf this down." Booklist "Great for libraries in need of fun, browsable animal books." School Library Journal "Written in a conversational, engaging way. It is appealing even for my picky readers." US National Science Teachers Association
04/01/2016 Gr 2–5—Ever wondered how to feed a gorilla, an ostrich, or a skunk? Look no further than this recipe book for zookeepers. While readers aren't likely to need to feed a partula snail, it's fascinating to learn they eat a ground slurry of oats, dried grass, fish pellets, and cuttlefish bone. Fantastical digital collages give viewers plenty to puzzle over, such as a tiger relaxing on a pool float while eating a "Predator Popsicle." Each spread covers a different topic relevant to zoo animal conservation (feeding babies, storing food, dealing with picky eaters) along with a fun, though not always practical, recipe. While lacking report level information, this selection serves budding zoologists a treat to chew on. It provides a glimpse of the intricacies of feeding a menagerie of wild animals with diverse dietary needs. VERDICT Great for libraries in need of fun, browsable animal books.—Heather Acerro, Rochester Public Library, MN
★ 2016-01-20 Monkey chow, mealworm mush, and predator popsicles, yum yum. Here's a lively introduction to the foods zoo and aquarium animals eat and some people who choose and prepare them. Becker opens her zoo cookery book with a recipe for an appetizer—platypus party mix (crayfish, earthworms, mealworms, and fly pupae, all live and wriggling—and a table of contents labeled "Menu." Each double-page spread is a chapter. There's a puzzle asking readers to match plated food with pictured animals and a spread describing a zoo kitchen. Further pages present additional surprising recipes, introductions to zoo nutritionists, and explanations of feeding methods—from formula for newborns to special treats for picky eaters—and parties, puzzles, and games mimicking feeding activities in the wild. The description of fish-feeding includes a shoutout to the Monterey Bay Aquarium's seafood guide, and the author emphasizes the conservation mission of today's zoos. Boake's humorous computer-generated illustrations look like animal photos set on animation cels. One spread features seven nocturnal animals helping themselves to midnight snacks from the refrigerator. Superimposed on the final image of humans and the primates who are our relatives are suggestions for supporting animals inside and outside captivity. With fascinating facts and a lively design, this is a surprisingly nourishing treat. (glossary, puzzle answers, index) (Informational picture book. 7-10)