Smart About Chocolate: A Sweet History

by Sandra Markle, Charise Mericle Harper (Illustrator)

Our unique, kid-friendly Smart About series continues with something for your sweet tooth! Smart About Chocolate is "chock-full" of fun facts about the history of chocolate, from the Mayans to Milton Hershey! Kids will learn how chocolate comes from beans of the rain forest's cacao trees and how candymakers in England and Switzerland first produced the chocolate we know and love today. Includes recipes and recommendations of classic books about chocolate.

Genres: Picture Books, Nonfiction, Childrens, History, Food

32 pages, Paperback

First published December 29, 2004

About the author

Sandra Markle is the author of more than two hundred children's books, which have won numerous awards, including Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book, IRA/CBC Children's Choice, NSTA/CBC Outstanding Trade Books for Children, NCTE Orbis Pictus Recommended, and ALA Notable Books for Children. She lives in Lakewood Ranch, Florida and frequently travels to schools sharing her program "Sandra Markle's Books Are REAL Adventures."

Reviews

[Karla · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ku - KAH - o ?? --- it should be kuh- kao or ka - KOW

This book is written from the point of view of a global north child. There are small inaccuracies that bother me slightly. Like the one above, like ancient people made it with cocoa powder (nope most likely a paste created on something like a metate), Aztecs did not live in Mexico (there was no Mexico then, it is now Mexico, etc. It completely skirts colonialism and portrays it as though Cortez cordially had some cacao and took it to Spain.

[Pamela Hatch · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this title while working on a homeschool curriculum for chocolate and included it in the section on Language Arts showing how to write a report. Also could be featured in the History section because of the facts presented.

SUMMARY: Ms. Brandt has assigned the class a writing assignment for something that has special interest to each of her students. Garrett has chosen the topic of chocolate where he explores its history, how its manufactured, and why people has a love for this special treat.

What is different about this book is that it is in the format of a school report including illustrations that look like a kid did them. Great inspiration to readers to do their own research and report. Includes scientific experiment: Why Does Chocolate Melt In Your Mouth?

Steps to writing a report:

1. Pick a subject
2. Find resources
3. Keep notes of your findings
4. Organize your notes
5. Write your report
6. Edit your report
7. Add illustrations or pictures
8. Share with others

ACITIVTY: Pick your own topic within the world of chocolate and write and illustrate your own report. Refer back to this book for ideas on how to organize your information, present your facts, and add illustrations. NOTE: Information can be shared like a science fair if there is a group of participants. Oral presentations could also be included to give kids practice in public speaking.

[Ramanda Flannery · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a little girl who is given an assignment to write a report on anything of her choice. She chose chocolate. She found many interesting facts about chocolcate. She wrote about cocoa trees, what the beans on the trees look like, and that most of the cocoa beans came from Africa. She also wrote about how chocolate used to be very rare and only rich people could afford them. She also wrote that the Myans were the first chocoholics, that the Aztecs used it as money, and that chocolate is both bad and good for you.
This is an interesting book. I would use it in my class as an example of a report, which they would be writing very soon. I would tell them that they could also choose their own topic and that as they has seen in this book, they could make a good report on just about anything.

[Ms. Mielke's Class Make sure you post how your sheets tell you to!!!! · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is actually very informational the cover doesn't look very informational but like they always say don't judge a book by its cover It actually taught me a lot of things about chocolate I definitely recommend this book to anybody that doesn't know a lot about chocolate because this book really tells you a lot. AV

This book is a pretty good book it tells you a lot of information. What I liked the most about this book is that it tells you how chocolate is made and I didn't know that. The thing that surprised me most was how it was made out of coco beans. I recommend this book who loves chocolate it is very good. SS

This book is very good. It tells the history of chocolate way back to the time of the Mayans. It tells how chocolate is made and about the town of Hershey. I recommend this book to everybody that likes chocolate.
-AH

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set up like a child's report for school, this is a breeze to read through. I go back and for on this sort of NF--it's fun, but doesn't have that authentic, NF feel. The whole thing is too, I don't know, casual.

That isn't to say kids won't like reading it. I'm certain they will.

So, still interesting. My favorite bits of trivia:
1) chocolate was used as money
2)Milton Hershey was a pretty awesome guy. When he built his town, he kept workers in mind. He included parks, schools, a zoo, a community center, and a hotel. Also, each worker house was individualized. Can you even imagine someone doing that today for factory workers? Gotta say I'm a fan.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

We love chocolate too so when I saw this book at the book fair we had to get it. Whit likes to read it and Ryan likes to eat chocolate every time we read it. Interesting thing we learned was that the Swiss are the biggest chocolate eaters in the world. They eat 22lbs per person. Wow!! Of course this doesn't count the chocolate that Jean's mom sends to me!!! I am sure this distorts the total. Lots of interesting facts about chocolate.

[Gordon Pennington · Rating 3 out of 5]

Smart About Chocolate: A Sweet History is a very informative book concerning everything chocolate. The book is set up like a student's project, which gives it an easy and smooth transition between topics, as well as a sense of humor. The book is age appropriate and full of many different facts. I would recommend anyone of any age to read this, as there is sure to be some (chocolate) nugget of wisdom that the reader was unaware of.

[Shelbi Bishop · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book, you learn lots of fun facts about the history of chocolate, from the Mayans to Milton Hershey! Kids will learn how chocolate comes from beans of the rain forest's cacao trees and how candymakers in England and Switzerland first produced the chocolate we know and love today.

This book is written as if a student had written it, making it easy for students to understand and take interest in. I would use this book to introduce informative writing to a group of students.

[Melissa Sommer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book told the history of chocolate and where it came from. It starts out with a young girls report she did about chocolate. I loved how creative and well written the book was. The book kept my attention also. I liked that you could use this book with just about any subject in your class, there are so many uses for this book.

[Stephanie Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is written as a girl giving a report about chocolate. This book could be tied into many different topics not only chocolate. It discusses ancient civilizations, economics (chocolate money), recipes and much more.

[Brittney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book based on the history of chocolate. I enjoyed this informational book. I would love to read this to my class. It is historical and informational. It shows the students how chocolate was discovered and where it stands today.

[Andria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book taught even me things about chocolate that I had no idea of before. Very interesting way to teach children about things that they have in their lives but about things that they might not know.

[Kayla Schum · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an informational book about the history of chocolate. I think that it would be great to use in the classroom because most children and even adults dont know much about the history of chocolate.

[Katie Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book that introduces the history of chocolate in the point of view of a young student reading her class report. A good book for children in third grade and up that gives fun information about the history of a favored snack.

[Rose]

641.6 Mar

[Sruti Kanthan · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is a really young-person-friendly book! it really came in handy when i had to write a report on chocolate...
the book uncovers never-before-seen secrets about chocolate...(dramatic music)....

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really think this book is great for kids. It tells the story of chocolate in a nice kids' way like a book report. A nice book for the classroom.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this "Smart About Chocolate" book. It was amusing and informational and mixed the two together in a great way. I may have to look into this series and get a few sets for my classroom. :-)

[Katie Morris · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is the report on chocolate a young girl wrote for a class project.
I would use this book to introduce a writing project and for presenting facts and the history of chocolate.

[Amy Burch · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun way to give information. This book is written to look like a girl's report on chocolate. IT has a lot of interesting statitics. A great book to read for almost any subject.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was all about chocolate. It goes into the history and science of chocolate. It is written as a little girl's journal so it is an interesting read.

[Hannah Cobb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Colorful graphics, bright colors, and images of plenty of tasty treats accompany this thorough elementary-grades appropriate history of chocolate.

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yummy book! Loved the history of chocolate and all the cool information.