Banana; Sweetcorn; Honey; Rice

This is a well thought out picture book series on the story of common foods from seed to table. The photographs used to illustrate the books are stunning and support the text which builds cleverly with repetition and pace. They also help to clarify some difficult concepts. The information is clearly laid out and pitched at infants and lower juniors although some of the vocabulary means that support will be needed.

Different methods of food production from small family plots to factory processing is shown. Robson carefully covers the main issues including contentious ones such as the uses of fertiliser and insecticides as well as the destruction of wildlife habitat but she goes no further - those reading the books with children will have to develop such topics to the level that they feel appropriate.

The books each have a helpful glossary and index. A big thank you to the publisher for also showing the Dewey classification number - a good teaching point but also so helpful to busy teachers trying to classify in the lunch hour; please note other publishing houses! If future titles are planned it would be nice to have a couple of recipes to round off each book. The photographs of Banoffi Pie, Tacos and Corn Muffins etc. look so enticing that we are trying to find our own simple recipes!