Carbonated Beverages

Gr 5—8—While these titles promise disgusting stories, the books actually present straightforward information about why various junk foods are unhealthy without resorting to extreme gross-out factors. The books contain a breakdown of the foods' components (chemical additives, high calories, fat, salt, etc.), insight into how they are processed, and both short- and long-term effects of consumption. Though there are rare preaching moments like, "No one would eat take-out chicken or pizza if they saw how animals were raised to make chicken pieces or pepperoni sausage for pizza" (Fake Foods), the writing overall shies away from being alarmist or sensationalized. Knowledge about ingredients and eating in moderation is the consensus of all of the books as evidenced by the last chapters that cover healthier practices and alternatives to snack food. Readers may or may not be disgusted, but they will definitely learn a thing or two about smart eating habits.—Joanna K. Fabicon, Los Angeles Public Library