Born Hungry: Julia Child Becomes "the French Chef"

Junior Library Guild Selection
How did Julia Child become one of America's most celebrated and beloved chefs? Her grandnephew reveals her story in this picture book that Jacques Pepin calls a "vivid portrait . . . an enjoyable read." Julia's kid-friendly recipe for Oeufs Brouillés (Scrambled Eggs) is included!
Julia Child was born hungry, but she was not born a chef. In fact, Julia didn’t discover her passion for cooking until she had a life-changing luncheon in France and became determined to share her newfound love of food with everyone.
In Paris, Julia devoured recipe books, shopped in outdoor markets, consumed all kinds of foods, and whipped through culinary school. And although she wasn't always successful in the kitchen, she was determined to "master the art" of French cooking. Through perseverance and grit, Julia became a chef who shared her passion with the world, making cooking fun, and turning every meal into a special event.
Alex Prud'homme's firsthand knowledge paired with Sarah Green's vibrant and energetic illustrations showcases Julia's life and celebrates her enduring legacy.
From School Library Journal
K-Gr 3-Beloved Julia Child is the subject of this delightful picture book biography, told with lively text and charming illustrations; these latter perfectly capture Child's gangly 6' 2" frame and expressive face (as well as delicious looking food). From a young woman who could only boil water and make toast, to the creator of a wartime recipe for shark repellent, Child only began to appreciate good food during a revelatory meal with her new husband in France, which was, as she described later, "The most exciting meal of my life!" She attended the famous French Cordon Bleu cooking school, the only woman in her class, and later opened her own school with two friends, teaching her students the importance of using fresh, quality ingredients and not rushing through recipes, which she had done in her youth (with disastrous results). Although the text does not cover Child's great success as an author or her many popular TV shows and guest appearances, these are included in an extensive author's note. Prud'homme, who collaborated with her on her memoir My Life in France, is Child's grandnephew. Back matter includes a bibliography of books by and about Child, websites, exhibitions, and a rather complicated recipe for French scrambled eggs. VERDICT So many life lessons here, including one about following passion where it leads, make this an exemplary offering for the biography shelves.-Sue Morganα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.