The Story of Salt, by Mark Kurlansky

It's a rock. It has been traded for gold. We need it to live, and so do most animals. It is one of the reasons that food tastes so good to us. Have you guessed what it is? It is salt. The author has transformed his adult book Salt into an entertaining and highly informative non-fiction book for children. What may seem at first to be a mundane subject becomes a fascinating story. The clever illustrations and interesting maps reveal the long and important role that salt has played in human history. After reading this book, never again will you "pass the salt" without a new appreciation for it; the book could be the basis for a terrific science/history discussion. A timeline is included at the back of the book; unfortunately, it only extends to 1924. 2006.

M. Cooney