Fiction Books
My Cup Runneth Over: The Life of Angelica Cookson Potts
by Cherry Whytock
This is the true-to-life story of fourteen-year-old Angel, who believes she is just too big and desperately wants to lose weight. After a combination of unsuccessful attempts at dieting and exercise, Angel discovers that eating better could be the key. Angel also realizes that beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder. Also included are recipes of healthy ways to eat for teens and adults alike.
Grades 7-12 ISBN-10: 0689865511
Gregory, the Terrible Eater
by Mitchell Sharmat Gregory isn't like most goats. Instead of indulging in old shoes, boxes, and bottle caps, he prefers fruits, veggies, eggs, and fish. Disgusted, Mother Goat and Father Goat take him to see Dr. Ram, and when Gregory finally develops a taste for flat tires and broken violins, he's not just eating like a goat-he's eating like a pig!
Grades K-3 ISBN-10: 0545129311
Showdown At The Food Pyramid
by Rex Barron
In this dynamic picture book, personified foods fight a battle over good nutrition. Following the wisdom of the Great Food Guide tacked on the wall, the various edibles that form the pyramid have always tried to remain in balance. Then, dangerous interlopers overrun them and take over the top level ("They had strange names like Hot Dog, Candy Bar and Donut, and they liked to cause trouble"). The healthy foods almost give up trying to make things right again, but the problem is resolved when the pyramid is destroyed by its own excess; with all of that fattening stuff on top, it collapses "under its own weight." The foods then rebuild the structure, a process shown in a literal and amusing way, with sturdy starches supporting bright fruits and vegetables, and finally, way up on top, a few sweets and fats, which are allowed to return.
Grades K-2 ISBN-10: 0399237151
Dinosaurs Alive & Well
by Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown
A liberal mix of humorous dinosaurs and lively text create a unique treatment in health education. A regular dose of the Browns' lovable creatures is sure to become the enticement to a better and more healthful life. The smooth style of writing develops the theme across a broad span of coverage, giving information and advice about nutrition, cleanliness, illness, the value of exercise, and how to handle stress (child oriented!).
Grades K-4 ISBN-10: 0316110094
The Edible Pyramid
by Loreen Leedy
Leedy has updated her 1994 book to reflect recommendations offered by the USDA in its 2005 MyPyramid food guide. In the story, a group of elegantly dressed animals arrive for the grand opening of a new restaurant. A tuxedo-clad cat serves as host and introduces the menu as it relates to the vertical stripes on the pyramid. The following spreads offer examples of the food groups represented. Most illustrations closely resemble the originals, with the new pyramid replacing the old in the upper left corner.
Grades K-3 ISBN-10: 0823420744
Everybody Cooks Rice
By Noorah Dooley
Carrie travels from one house to another, looking for her brother at dinnertime. Each family invites her in for a taste of what they are cooking; thus, she samples the ethnic diversity of her neighborhood through the rice dishes they prepare. At home, her own Italian family is indulging in risi e bisi . All the recipes are included at the end of the book.
Grades 2-4 ISBN-10: 0395732336
The Vegetables We Eat
By Gail Gibbons
With so much national concern about child obesity and nutrition, this accessible, inviting introduction to vegetables, aimed at the picture-book crowd, is certainly timely. Following the tried-and-true formula found in her previous titles, Gibbons matches concise, simple text with bright, cheerful watercolor-and-ink artwork, and she adds more information in text boxes placed within the pictures.
Grades Prek-3 ISBN-10: 0823421538
Oh the Things You Can Do That Are Good for You!
By Tish Rabe
With the help of the staff and equipment at a Seussian spa, the Cat in the Hat explains the basics of healthy living, from eating right and getting enough exercise and sleep, to having a positive body image, to the distance and speed of a typical sneeze!
Grades K-3 ISBN-10: 0375810986
Describes the components of a healthful diet and explains why eating these foods are important for maintaining overall good health.
Grades Prek-3 ISBN: 0531165078
Non-Fiction
Eat Smart: A Guide to Good Health for Kids
by Dale Figtree, Foreword by John McDougall
Full of solid information on carbohydrates, fat, protein, water, fiber, and minerals, as well as the need for exercise. Colorfully illustrated with amusing sketches, this book contains a helpful question-and-answer section as well as many recipes that lead to healthier bodies.
Grade 6-12 ISBN-10: 0832904651
Diet Fads
This clearly written overview emphasizes the impact of super-thin celebrity images on general self-esteem, making weight loss seem like the answer to all kinds of personal problems.
Grades 4-8 ISBN: 1404219994
Nutrition Anyone?
By Kristin Petrie
This colorful book discusses what nutrition is, how what we eat affects our bodies, the importance of good nutrition, the digestive process, and more.
Grades 2-5 ISBN-10: 1591974046
Eat Healthy, Feel great
By William Sears
Eat Healthy, Feel Great gives kids the tools to make their own wise food choices. Quick and easy recipes that kids can make with adult supervision are also included.
Grades Prek-2 ISBN-10: 0316787086
Be Fit, Be Strong, Be You (Be The Boss Of Your Body)
By Rebecaa Kajander and Timothy Culbert
Tweens learn effective, easy-to-use skills to take control of their fitness and diet and develop healthy self-esteem. Whether they are underweight, overweight, or just the right weight, this book shows kids how to take a positive, holistic approach to their health and be the boss of their own wellness.
Grades 4-7 ISBN-10: 1575423073
Vital Vegetables
By John Burstein
This work helps you learn about the incredible variety of vegetables and vegetable products, the history of vegetables in the human diet, what is special about dark green and leafy vegetables, what changes occur when vegetables are cooked, vegetables grown around the world, and how many vegetables a person needs each day.
Grades K-3 ISBN-10: 0778750604
Glorious Grains
By John Burstein
This work helps you learn about the long history of grain cultivation, where grains are grown today, what types of food products are made from grains (i.e. pasta, rice, bread, etc.), the importance of eating whole grains, different grains grown around the world, and how much grain a person needs each day to keep healthy.
Grades K-3 ISBN-10: 0778750582
Delicious Dairy
By John Burstein
This work helps you learn about why dairy products are so important for healthy bones and teeth, the difference between whole milk and fat-free milk, how cheese and yogurt is made, what kinds of animals produce milk, different dairy products used around the world, and how much dairy a person needs to consume each day.
Grades K-3 ISBN-10: 0778750566
Fabulous Fruits
by John Burstein
This work helps you learn about the amazing amount of water in fruit, how fruit blossoms, why the tomato is considered a piece of fruit, the wide variety of products made with fruit, groves and orchards around the world, how worms get into apples, and how many fruits a person needs to eat each day. Grades K-3 ISBN-10: 0778750574
Marvelous Meats and More
By John Burstein
This work helps you learn that this group is made up of more than meat. It includes poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs and nuts. Children will also discover why tofu is part of this group, how this group helps build strong muscles, what different kinds of meats, poultry, fish, etc. are eaten around the world, and how much a person needs to eat each day from this group.
Grades K-3 ISBN-10: 0778750442
Outstanding Oils and Wonderful Water
By John Burstein
This work helps you learn why oils are essential to health, what foods produce oils, what oil products are consumed around the world, and how much oil is needed every day. Students will also learn about why drinking enough water is essential to good health and how much water they need each day.
Grades K-3 ISBN-10: 0778750469
Good Enough To Eat
By Lizzy Rockwell
This picture book about healthy eating begins at the beginning: food is necessary for one's well-being and it tastes good, too. Six categories of nutrients are introduced: carbohydrates, protein, fat, water, vitamins, and minerals. Digestion is described, as is the Food Guide Pyramid. Five recipes are given at the end.
Grades Prek-3 ISBN-10: 0064451747
Food and You: Eating Right, Being Strong, and Feeling Great
Written by a licensed psychologist, this book helps girls separate fact from fiction when it comes to food and fitness. Readers can learn how to make healthier food choices and find ways to make snacks both wholesome and tasty. Plus, the book includes quizzes, advice, and ways to get moving and have fun at the same time.
Grades 4-7 ISBN: 1593694156
Healthy Snacks
This is an excellent introduction to healthy lifestyles for all early elementary school students. This would be a good choice for elementary science classrooms, supporting the national science standards for nutrition and health.
Grades K-3 ISBN: 0736869271
The Quest to Digest
The full process of digesting a bite of an apple is described in excruciating detail. A small enzyme character wearing a striped tie and tennis shoes accompanies the apple piece (called a bolus) throughout the entire process.
Grades K-3 ISBN:1570916659
