Ventura, Piero. Food: Its Evolution through the Ages. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1994. Print.

Annotation: Tracing the history of people and food, particularly in the western world, this book addresses such questions as: How did people learn to hunt and fish? How did the foods of the New World change people’s eating habits? How might genetic engineering resolve the problems of world hunger? In amusing illustrations and clear, concise writing, author and artist Piero Venturo shows how both human inventions and accidents of geography and proximity brought us food. Facts and trivia are highlighted in boxes, while the captions explain the workings of such machines as windmills and factory ships. Ventura has won many awards, including the Society of Illustrator’s Award for Excellence. He has also drawn/written about Houses, Clothing, Communication, Transportation and Technology.

Rationale: The concept of the book celebrates human ingenuity in meeting a basic need. Ventura’s drawings are detailed and his writing is clear and concise. The reading level is for upper elementary/middle school students. Another great book about history and food.