This Is the Way We Eat Our Lunch: A Book About Children ... (ISBN 0590468871)

Food and geography for little ones:
This book is a whirlwind tour of eating habits of children around the world. In the first part of the book, we see and learn about regional menu items that North American children might eat for lunch, such as clam chowder or gumbo. In the remainder of the book, we visit other continents, and see lunches in countries such as Ghana, Israel, Italy, and China. There is a map at the end of the book, and recipes for fruit salad, hummus, and soup. There is a also a glossary of some of the new words used in the book. The text rhymes, and there are about 270 words.

A super exploration of lunch beyond peanut butter & jelly:
Edith Baer's rhyming text explores lunch the world over, going far beyond the typical American lunch of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. She uses simple couplets to cover everything from veggie burgers to tacos to fish chowder (in the United States) and then goes well beyond American borders to look at Colombia, Italy, Puerto Rico, Japan, England, Australia, China, India, and more. Not only do the lunches sound delicious (and teach children reading the book of the astonishing diversity of culinary habits the world over), but Steve Bjorkman's cheerful, colorful illustrations go a long way towards making the unusual seem utterly appetizing. This talented artist's work has appeared in national publications (he used to illustrate regularly for BETTER HOMES & GARDENS magazine, and I miss seeing his work there!). The simple lines and happy look of his pictures perfectly suit Edith Baer's text.

Great book for diversity lessons:
I used this book (in conjunction with 3 others) to make a lesson plan about the history of immigration in the United States and diversity. Children really enjoy learning about what other kids do (and eat). I think this is a wonderful book to teach children about different cultures and customs.