Worms for Breakfast

Helaine Becker

Kathy Boake

Ever wondered what zoo animals eat?

Feeding time is one of the most popular events at zoos. It also prompts a smorgasbord of questions: what do different animals eat? How much food do they need to stay healthy? Where do zookeepers get all that chow? And what constitutes a special treat?

New in paperback, Worms for Breakfast answers all these questions and more in a cookbook-style primer packed with facts from experts at zoos and aquariums. Covering everything from regular animal nutrition to feeding babies to mimicking how animals hunt and eat in the wild, this book explores the eating habits of carnivores, omnivores, herbivores, and insectivores. Inside, you’ll also find real-life recipes from zoos around the world for meals like eucalyptus-leaf pesto, kelp tank goulash, and mealworm mush. Beware! You probably don’t want to eat any of it yourself.

Written in a plucky, conversational tone with delightfully wacky illustrations, a glossary, and tips for zoo animal care, this book is bound to appeal to picky readers.

Helaine Becker, Kathy Boake
Regular price $9.95
Regular price Sale price $9.95

SKU: OB400163n0nn1nWWW | ISBN: 9781771475983

"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

"Animal lovers, especially the reluctant readers among them, will delight in the browsable approach and the window into zookeeping." - The Bulleting of the Center for Children's Books

"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

"Boake's off-kilter photo-collages suit the mix of silliness and science...should provoke giggles." - Publishers Weekly

"Animal lovers and aspiring vets or nutritionists will have plenty to feast on with this fun and informative book." - Quill & Quire

A Junior Library Guild Selection, 2015

Nominated for the 2017 Silver Birch Nonfiction Award, 2017

Canadian Children's Book Centre's Best Books for Kids and Teens

Nominated for Hackmatack Children's Choice Awards in Atlantic Canada

Nominated for the 2017 Saskatchewan Willow Awards

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Publication date

March 15, 2023

Number of pages

36

Curriculum

Needs and Characteristics of Living Things; Growth and Changes in Plants and Animals; Habitats; Communities

Interest age

From 7 to 10