What do you think?
Rate this book
Who Was . . . ? Series
Who Was Julia Child?
Born in California in 1912, Julia Child enlisted in the Army and met her future husband, Paul, during World War II. She discovered her love of French food while stationed in Paris and enrolled in Le Cordon Bleu cooking school after her service. Child knew that Americans would love French food as much as she did, so she wrote Mastering the Art of French Cooking in 1961. The book was a success and the public wanted more. America fell in love with Julia Child. Her TV show, The French Chef , premiered in 1963 and brought the bubbling and lovable chef into millions of homes. Find out more about this beloved chef, author, and TV personality in Who Was Julia Child?
112 pages, Paperback
First published October 6, 2015
54 people are currently reading
422 people want to read
About the author
Geoff Edgers
11 books30 followersEdgers is a reporter for the Living/Arts section of The Boston Globe, covering arts and culture. His beat ranges from music and museums to popular culture. His work has appeared in Wired, GQ, and Spin magazines, and he has published several children's books.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
October 27, 2017
Amazing book .. I had almost tears from this book .. you just need to keep doing what you love .. no matter what is your age .. 😍😍
June 2, 2024
Who Was ...? biography series for middle grade brings fun character of Julia Child who was a celebrity chef and best-selling author.
Julia McWilliams (1912-2004) from childhood was full of energy and adventure, clever and mischievous.
At school, she struggled with her classes, but she loved learning new things and making friends. After college, she took a job in NYC for a furniture company. She dreamed of becoming a writer for a famous magazine but nobody would hire her.
Later, when the US joined WWII, Julia wanted to do something to help. She got a position at one of the top secret agencies in the US government. This job gave her a chance to see different parts of the world, its people and foods.
It was also were she met her husband – Paul Child, who was well-travelled and knew a lot about food. He showed her that trying new foods was an exciting way to learn about new cultures.
After the war, they moved to Washington DC where Paul got a job for the US government. Julia decided to stay home and learn how to cook. When Paul received an offer to take a position in Paris, they accepted it.
In Paris, Julia fell in love with French food and culture. She signed up for cooking classes at the world-famous cooking school. After graduating, with two friends, they started a cooking school. Two of her friends, already started working on a French cookbook and asked her to help. Finally, they found a publisher.
After Paul retired, they returned to the US and settled in Cambridge, MA.
Four months after the book came out, she was invited to appear on a Boston television where she unexpectedly set a station to make an omelet. By next day, the TV station received many requests to see more of Julia. The first show debuted in February 1963 and was an instant hit.
This biography illuminates a woman who despite doing poorly in school showed how successful one can still be. Her friendly personality won her the school cup for the spirit of the school. And her spirit of wanting to serve during the war led her to finding the purpose in her life.
This illustrated biography series for young readers, ages 8-12, is presented in a relatable way, with simple sentences and enriched with insightful inserts.
Julia McWilliams (1912-2004) from childhood was full of energy and adventure, clever and mischievous.
At school, she struggled with her classes, but she loved learning new things and making friends. After college, she took a job in NYC for a furniture company. She dreamed of becoming a writer for a famous magazine but nobody would hire her.
Later, when the US joined WWII, Julia wanted to do something to help. She got a position at one of the top secret agencies in the US government. This job gave her a chance to see different parts of the world, its people and foods.
It was also were she met her husband – Paul Child, who was well-travelled and knew a lot about food. He showed her that trying new foods was an exciting way to learn about new cultures.
After the war, they moved to Washington DC where Paul got a job for the US government. Julia decided to stay home and learn how to cook. When Paul received an offer to take a position in Paris, they accepted it.
In Paris, Julia fell in love with French food and culture. She signed up for cooking classes at the world-famous cooking school. After graduating, with two friends, they started a cooking school. Two of her friends, already started working on a French cookbook and asked her to help. Finally, they found a publisher.
After Paul retired, they returned to the US and settled in Cambridge, MA.
Four months after the book came out, she was invited to appear on a Boston television where she unexpectedly set a station to make an omelet. By next day, the TV station received many requests to see more of Julia. The first show debuted in February 1963 and was an instant hit.
This biography illuminates a woman who despite doing poorly in school showed how successful one can still be. Her friendly personality won her the school cup for the spirit of the school. And her spirit of wanting to serve during the war led her to finding the purpose in her life.
This illustrated biography series for young readers, ages 8-12, is presented in a relatable way, with simple sentences and enriched with insightful inserts.
December 1, 2022
I liked the overview of Julia Child's life. It would be a good read for young readers. That's who I would recommend read this book.
January 20, 2020
This is my third book of the "Who Was/Is..." collection, all three so far by Geoff Edgers (there are other authors in the collection). I'm getting the sense that the author loves his subject matters and it comes through on the page.
I have vague recollections of watching some Julia Child cooking show episodes but the timeline in the book doesn't match up with when my memories would have taken place. Perhaps they used to show reruns of her cooking show on TV. In any case, all I knew was that Julia had a cooking show and she cooked French foods.
Once again, I wish I had taken notes for random facts but some of the things that stood out for me were that Julia seemed like such a happy person, a very care-free nature, and one to not shy away from trying anything that she felt she wanted to learn about. She met her husband while working for the OSS as a spy. I thought that was a pretty cool fact, especially in that time and age that Julia grew up in. She was ahead of her time and not set by limitations. Her husband seemed to not only love her, but he encouraged her and supported her need to try new things.
I have vague recollections of watching some Julia Child cooking show episodes but the timeline in the book doesn't match up with when my memories would have taken place. Perhaps they used to show reruns of her cooking show on TV. In any case, all I knew was that Julia had a cooking show and she cooked French foods.
Once again, I wish I had taken notes for random facts but some of the things that stood out for me were that Julia seemed like such a happy person, a very care-free nature, and one to not shy away from trying anything that she felt she wanted to learn about. She met her husband while working for the OSS as a spy. I thought that was a pretty cool fact, especially in that time and age that Julia grew up in. She was ahead of her time and not set by limitations. Her husband seemed to not only love her, but he encouraged her and supported her need to try new things.
March 24, 2018
I like this book because it tells a lot about how their life was and because Julia was always happy cooking foods!
March 22, 2017
Who Was Julia Child? by Geoff Edgers and Carlene Hempel is a remarkable book about a remarkable woman. I always thought she was a cook forever, boy was I wrong. This book amazed me at what this woman did before she cooked for millions of us. I enjoyed the info and the illustrations. I got this book from the library.
September 27, 2017
I've read several of these "Who was/is" books with my daughter and we love them! She is nearly 5 so she doesn't understand everything but she asks me lots of questions. We read a chapter a day but it can easily be read in an hour. It's a great children's book but as an adult I find it very fascinating. And I hate to admit it but the ending made me cry. Julia Child seemed like such an amazing, kind, brilliant and thoughtful person. I, as well as my daughter, learned so much. I wish I would have had the could have had the chance to meet her. If you like biographies, I highly recommend it.
June 9, 2016
The reason I didn't like this book, was because it sounded like it was written in a hurry. Kind of like the author put of writing it until the last minute, and then had a final rush, right before his deadline. I feel like the series focuses more on quantity, then quality. They got the facts right though, and I got a good picture of what Julia Child was like.
July 20, 2021
This is the second book I have read from the Who Is/Who Was etc. series. I love the movie Julie and Julia so that is what inspired me to pick this book up. I was happy to see the movie is very accurate, and I loved learning more about her life after the cookbook was published. I couldn't believe her parents were so well off that Julia didn't have to work but chose to work for the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). Julia only knew her husband Paul Child for about two years before they got married. They were actually both in a car accident the day before the wedding but still went ahead with the ceremony. When they were first married and living in Washington, DC, Julia did not even know how to cook. Growing up, her family had their own cook prepare all their meals, so Julia never even knew the basics of cooking.
Much like the movie shows, only two years into their marriage, they moved to Paris for Paul's job. She tried several hobbies such as making hats but disliked all of them. When she finally discovered cooking at Le Cordon Bleu, Madame Brassart really did dislike her. However, once she got going she obviously excelled. Her first cookbook took almost ten years to publish but was indeed a classic like she hoped. Then she started her Boston tv show, The French Chef, which went on to film over 200 episodes and ended up airing in almost 100 tv stations. Since her show was filmed live, she did occasionally make mistakes, but she was honest about recovering and picking it back up. "If you're alone in the kitchen-who is going to see?" (83).
She ended up publishing a second volume of her cookbook in 1970, writing almost another 20 books, and filming several more shows and specials (87). Julia kept working even after Paul passed away, but she started to lean against the counter when they weren't rolling. She actually donated her house, where she filmed, to Smith College which she had attended. Her last book, My Life in France, was published after she passed away with the help of Paul's grandnephew Alex Prud'homme. Her cookbook rose back up to the number one spot of the New York Times bestseller list after the movie was released.
After reading this book, I would love to visit the Smithsonian Museum and see her kitchen. While this is a quick read, it gives you good background information and gets you interested in learning more about the person. I am not typically a nonfiction reader, but I want to read more about her because of this book. The timelines and bibliography at the end are perfect resources for kids and adults to continue reading. I would recommend reading this book first to get started and see if you want to read longer nonfiction books such as My Life in France.
Much like the movie shows, only two years into their marriage, they moved to Paris for Paul's job. She tried several hobbies such as making hats but disliked all of them. When she finally discovered cooking at Le Cordon Bleu, Madame Brassart really did dislike her. However, once she got going she obviously excelled. Her first cookbook took almost ten years to publish but was indeed a classic like she hoped. Then she started her Boston tv show, The French Chef, which went on to film over 200 episodes and ended up airing in almost 100 tv stations. Since her show was filmed live, she did occasionally make mistakes, but she was honest about recovering and picking it back up. "If you're alone in the kitchen-who is going to see?" (83).
She ended up publishing a second volume of her cookbook in 1970, writing almost another 20 books, and filming several more shows and specials (87). Julia kept working even after Paul passed away, but she started to lean against the counter when they weren't rolling. She actually donated her house, where she filmed, to Smith College which she had attended. Her last book, My Life in France, was published after she passed away with the help of Paul's grandnephew Alex Prud'homme. Her cookbook rose back up to the number one spot of the New York Times bestseller list after the movie was released.
After reading this book, I would love to visit the Smithsonian Museum and see her kitchen. While this is a quick read, it gives you good background information and gets you interested in learning more about the person. I am not typically a nonfiction reader, but I want to read more about her because of this book. The timelines and bibliography at the end are perfect resources for kids and adults to continue reading. I would recommend reading this book first to get started and see if you want to read longer nonfiction books such as My Life in France.
December 20, 2018
Yes! Yes but..I enjoyed reading this inspiring bio for early teens and tweeners, and it gave me exciting ideas for engaging further, for exploring who we are and what work and purpose we are all called to, BUT there are 118 books in this series, of which just 30 are women. We need to inspire our girls. We need to tell them stories of women.
February 20, 2017
Julia Child is a very fascinating woman. I was unaware of her work with the government, and how she was fortunate to travel the world, which blossomed her interest in cooking. Now, I want to go on a trip to D.C. to check out her exhibit at the Smithsonian.
January 15, 2016
My oldest daughter (6 years old) enjoyed it and we immediately had to go and cook something.
July 9, 2017
I've always been intrigued by Julia Child and had fun reading this book.
Julia was born into a wealthy family and thanks to that she grew up without many worries. She always tried to have as much fun as possible.
When WWII hit Julia wanted to help out. She applied for the Office of Strategic Services. It was an agency that covertly gathered info for the war effort. She eventually got promoted and was sent over seas. She met another operative, Paul Child and they eventually got married. At first she didn't think anything would come from their relationship. He was shorter than her and she wasn't interested, but eventually they fell madly in love and had a very happy life together.
When Paul and Julia were in France, Julia wanted something to do so she signed up for a French cooking class. She threw herself headlong into it and excelled. She painstakingly compiled a book of French recipes that became a best seller in America.
When she and Paul moved back to America she started her famous cooking show. You can see her kitchen in the Smithsonian.
Julia was born into a wealthy family and thanks to that she grew up without many worries. She always tried to have as much fun as possible.
When WWII hit Julia wanted to help out. She applied for the Office of Strategic Services. It was an agency that covertly gathered info for the war effort. She eventually got promoted and was sent over seas. She met another operative, Paul Child and they eventually got married. At first she didn't think anything would come from their relationship. He was shorter than her and she wasn't interested, but eventually they fell madly in love and had a very happy life together.
When Paul and Julia were in France, Julia wanted something to do so she signed up for a French cooking class. She threw herself headlong into it and excelled. She painstakingly compiled a book of French recipes that became a best seller in America.
When she and Paul moved back to America she started her famous cooking show. You can see her kitchen in the Smithsonian.
August 17, 2021
Julia Child brought the idea of French cooking to the average American house hold. She converted the measurements that the French used to suit that of the average American cook. She made the style of cooking popular through her show on television. She was well received from the first episode and loved through the remainder of her life. This book summarizes her rise in American households and shows her willingness to teach anyone how to cook.
August 4, 2017
I love the who was books, this is a great introduction to this interesting lady. I love that she defied stereotypes. She was older, super tall, and not Hollywood glamorous and yet was able to become a star. She had a great attitude and lived life to it's fullest. Who was books are a great place to start when learning about someone. They are wonderful for kids ages 6 and up.
October 28, 2017
My daughter's, 10 & 8 years old, came across Julia Child and were excited to discover that, like their mom, she likes to cook. This book series has become my go-to for expanding their knowledge of people, places, and world events that happen to catch their interest. The books provide a great basic overview and frequently inspire further and more in-depth research.
July 5, 2018
I really enjoyed this quick read. I learned some new info about Julia I didn't know. Great book for those young chefs! They will enjoy reading about her. I love that she never gave up when others told her no! :)
July 23, 2020
I enjoyed this so much. I want to go watch some of her old shows. I never watched her growing up, but she sounds like she was very likable. Maybe I'll get her cookbook as well and try to make some of her recipes.
July 27, 2021
Did you know that Julia Child was in the OSS (precursor to the CIA)? I didn't.
I also didn't know she was 6'2".
I didn't know she was born to money and had to learn to cook in her 30s as an adult.
I loved it. Yay, Julia and Paul!
I also didn't know she was 6'2".
I didn't know she was born to money and had to learn to cook in her 30s as an adult.
I loved it. Yay, Julia and Paul!
January 9, 2022
I love The Who Was biography books My students are completing a biography research project and I alway encourage them to choose one of these books. So much information, easily readable, and well done.
May 25, 2022
I really enjoyed this book about Julia Child. Though written for children it was so well written that I as an adult loved it. It was very informative and I learned so much about Julia Child and now would love to go to the Smithsonian and see her "Kitchen". A great informative book.
March 28, 2024
I just love reading the who was book series! This one might be in my top five books that I’ve read in this series!!! I had no idea about the amazing life that Julia Child had way before she became a cook. It definitely has me more interested in finding out more about her story!
June 11, 2017
Ok I am inspired to cook a pot of French onion soup.
Bon Appetite!
Bon Appetite!
July 7, 2017
Borrowed this book from the library and enjoyed learning about Julia Child.
February 26, 2018
I really enjoyed this biography. Many things I didn't know about Julia Child.
April 12, 2018
Hero's come in different forms.
December 15, 2019
Very informative book about Julia Child. Very appropriate and approachable for middle readers, just enough vocabulary challenges. Factual without being dull.
February 27, 2020
i think this book is great! good descriptions,and lots of good facts! now it feels like i"m relative to her!
A+!
A+!
September 13, 2020
I was picking up some "Who Was" books for my books at the library and grabbed this one for me. It's a super quick read and a good overview of Julia Child's life.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews