Here are 41 books that What Happens When You Eat? fans have personally recommended if you like What Happens When You Eat?. Book DNA is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of This Is What I Eat

Katherine Pryor Author Of Attack of the Hangries

From my list on getting kids excited about eating.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve worked as a good food advocate for almost 20 years and love getting people of all ages excited to try new things. One of my greatest passions is helping people access foods that nourish them and taste great, be it in a school, hospital, food bank, or on their home table. I try to write books that will both educate and inspire, but I especially love to write books that make kids laugh. Now please—go have a snack!

Katherine's book list on getting kids excited about eating

Katherine Pryor Why Katherine loves this book

I was on a panel with Aliza when this book came out, and I immediately bought a copy to take home to my kids.

It’s full of facts about various healthy foods, but also has spaces for kids to draw or doodle things like their meals, what their face looks like if they eat something icky, or their dream garden. It helps kids understand why colorful foods like fruits and vegetables make bodies feel good without being preachy.

It’s fun to see a non-fiction book where kids are encouraged to draw and write their thoughts. It almost feels more like a journal than a book, in the best possible way.

By Aliza J. Sokolow , Lauren Lowen (illustrator) ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked This Is What I Eat as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 3, 4, 5, and 6.

What is this book about?

This color-and-activity book from an award-winning food stylist is a playful introduction to healthy eating and engaging with our planet, perfect for your budding foodie or your picky eater!

In this bold and bright activity book, award-winning food stylist Aliza J. Sokolow shares her love of fruits, veggies, and all things yummy with kids just starting to explore their own dietary preferences.

This book is the ultimate journey for little foodies and picky eaters alike. With a deliciously global perspective and a focus on community and humanity, this activity book helps kids better understand not only what we eat, but…


If you love What Happens When You Eat?...

Book cover of What Does It Mean to Be American?

What Does It Mean to Be American? by Elad Yoran,

An engaging picture book for children that celebrates what it means to be American!

What does it mean to be American? Does it mean you like apple pie or fireworks? Not exactly. This patriotic picture book is perfect for Memorial Day, Independence Day, Election Day, or any day you want…

Book cover of It Takes Guts

Katherine Pryor Author Of Attack of the Hangries

From my list on getting kids excited about eating.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve worked as a good food advocate for almost 20 years and love getting people of all ages excited to try new things. One of my greatest passions is helping people access foods that nourish them and taste great, be it in a school, hospital, food bank, or on their home table. I try to write books that will both educate and inspire, but I especially love to write books that make kids laugh. Now please—go have a snack!

Katherine's book list on getting kids excited about eating

Katherine Pryor Why Katherine loves this book

This wild ride of a book guides readers as a bite of food makes its way from a mouth on a long journey to…the other end of the digestive system.

Every stop along the way gets a chapter full of interesting facts in kid-friendly language and gives kids enough weird facts to keep the pages turning. I recommend this to older kids and tweens who want to understand what’s happening inside their bodies but don’t want to ask. (Conveniently, it also works the same way for adults.)

By Jennifer Gardy , Belle Wuthrich (illustrator) ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked It Takes Guts as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?


Winner of the 2023 AAAS/Subaru Prize for Excellence in Science Books

An illustrated book about the digestive system and microbiome for young readers, from famous (and funny) scientist Dr. Jennifer Gardy.

Everybody eats, and everybody poops. Pretty ordinary stuff, right?

But what happens in between is far from ordinary! That's where your digestive system-also known as your gut-works its magic.

It Takes Guts is an excellent, science-based resource for classroom learning and home-schooling for kids age 9 to 13, with information about:
The surprising role that food and digestion play in your mood and immune system. The amazing tools your…


Book cover of Feeding the Young Athlete

Katherine Pryor Author Of Attack of the Hangries

From my list on getting kids excited about eating.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve worked as a good food advocate for almost 20 years and love getting people of all ages excited to try new things. One of my greatest passions is helping people access foods that nourish them and taste great, be it in a school, hospital, food bank, or on their home table. I try to write books that will both educate and inspire, but I especially love to write books that make kids laugh. Now please—go have a snack!

Katherine's book list on getting kids excited about eating

Katherine Pryor Why Katherine loves this book

This is the first book I ever read that truly helped me understand food as a power source.

So often, we hear about “good” foods or “bad” foods, but this book talks about how different attributes impact how we feel and perform. Cynthia wrote it after watching her daughter’s soccer games and noticing how often other parents brought processed snacks and sugar-sweetened drinks for team snacks. She wanted the team to understand they could play longer better by eating and drinking differently.

While it’s written for tweens and teens, my husband used the strategies and recipes when he ran ultramarathons (why, yes—that was before we had kids) and needed to fuel up for long runs. I love recommending this to any kid in sports because it gives them tools to both help them both on the field and in life.

By Cynthia Lair , Scott Murdoch ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Feeding the Young Athlete as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Eat to win! Practice is only part of a winning sports strategy. Whole foods have to be part of the playbook to increase energy, endurance, and focus, both on and off the field. What to eat and when to eat, pre-game, during and afterwards? How much fluid do you need to be hydrated? What to eat when you’re on the road? These are critical answers to have for young athletes, competing on a demanding schedule and eating on the run.

In Feeding the Young Athlete: Sports Nutrition Made Easy for Players, Parents and Coaches, simple nutritional lessons are organized into…


If you love Emily Bone...

Book cover of Mamiachi & Me: My Mami's Mariachi Band

Mamiachi & Me by Jolene Gutiérrez,

Mamiachi & Me is a lyrical and empowering picture book about what it means to be a mariachi in an all‑female band.

Today, Rosa will take the stage next to her mami and play along with her popular mariachi band. But Rosa begins to worry. What if the audience doesn’t…

Book cover of How We Eat

Katherine Pryor Author Of Attack of the Hangries

From my list on getting kids excited about eating.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve worked as a good food advocate for almost 20 years and love getting people of all ages excited to try new things. One of my greatest passions is helping people access foods that nourish them and taste great, be it in a school, hospital, food bank, or on their home table. I try to write books that will both educate and inspire, but I especially love to write books that make kids laugh. Now please—go have a snack!

Katherine's book list on getting kids excited about eating

Katherine Pryor Why Katherine loves this book

I have never seen another book like this.

A board book designed for ages 0-6, How We Eat shows photographs of how a variety of kids eat. Some babies nurse or are nourished through feeding tubes; some kids eat with forks, chopsticks, hands, or specialized feeding devices. It features photographs of a diversity of kids, some with limb differences or specialized feeding needs.

The book is a celebration of eating, however you and your family do it. It is joyful, inclusive, and a really beautiful way to help kids understand that we are all a big, human family who loves to eat, no matter what our differences may be.

By Shuli de la Fuente-Lau ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked How We Eat as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 1, 2, 3, and 4.

What is this book about?

"★ Meaningful and inclusive." - Kirkus Starred Review

Mealtime just got a whole lot more fun! HOW WE EAT helps families and educators discuss ability, culture, and food at home and in the classroom.

Complete with family discussion questions and a guide detailing the foods, tools, and utensils seen on each page. Created with 0-5-year-olds in mind.

See kids using bottles, spoons, chopsticks, GI tubes, forks, cups, and their hands to eat. See families nursing, pumping, spoon-feeding, and checking ingredient lists for allergens. Join in as families celebrate birthdays and holidays with traditional foods. Learn about foods like sushi, arepas,…


Book cover of 1996

Luci Beach Author Of Happy For You

From my list on "then and now" relationships and second chances at love.

Why am I passionate about this?

My first published novels were light-hearted romances for teenagers, so when I started writing for adults, I couldn’t help exploring the youthful origins of my characters’ grown-up relationships. Then, it dawned on me that most of my favorite novels include an element of this, too. I love reading about couples who didn’t quite make things work as young people but rekindled their relationship later in life or those who have been together a long time and maybe need a refresher to remember what they ever saw in each other. These kinds of stories leave me feeling uplifted, cheerful, and hopeful, and I hope you’ll enjoy them too. Happy reading!

Luci's book list on "then and now" relationships and second chances at love

Luci Beach Why Luci loves this book

I adore the premise of this book: a vitamin supplement you can take to plunge you right back into your actual youth. Talk about rejuvenating! In this story, Anna is a food blogger who discovers she can return in time to the year she turned 16.

Imagine being a teenager with the knowledge and experience of an adult. Who could resist tracking down their now-partner as a youngster? I'm glad Anna decided to go ahead, as I found the resulting storyline absolutely fascinating to read. This is the first in a series of '90s flashback' books set on Australia's east coast, and I loved every part of it.

By Kirsty McManus ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked 1996 as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A magical romantic comedy from bestselling author Kirsty McManus!

When food blogger Anna Matthews takes a vitamin supplement that thrusts her back in time to 1996—and into her sixteen year old body—she is naturally a little shocked. But after a hasty re-assimilation, she decides to take advantage of this amazing second chance to view her teenage years from a more mature perspective.

But with the effectiveness of each dose only lasting twelve hours, and any new actions initiated in the past having no effect on the future, Anna wonders whether taking it again would serve any purpose.

Of course, curiosity…


Book cover of The Chicken Chick's Guide to Backyard Chickens: Simple Steps for Healthy, Happy Hens

Michelle Balz Author Of No-Waste Composting: Small-Space Waste Recycling, Indoors and Out. Plus, 10 Projects to Repurpose Household Items Into Compost-Making Machines

From my list on for aspiring urban homesteaders.

Why am I passionate about this?

For me, backyard composting is more than just a way to lessen how much waste I send to the landfill. When you compost you transform items that many people consider garbage into a valuable soil amendment for your garden. You are creating something with real value that can help plants thrive and act as a carbon sink to help reduce negative impacts of climate change. Composting is so easy and rewarding that I really want to see everyone give it a try.

Michelle's book list on for aspiring urban homesteaders

Michelle Balz Why Michelle loves this book

I love reading books by authors whose passion for a topic bleeds into their writing. You can tell when you read this book that Mormino loves her chickens and has spent a lot of time working with and thinking about how to best raise them. There are many books out there about raising chickens, but for me, Mormino’s book was just the right length and detail and covered all of the topics you would need to bring some feathered friends into your life.

By Kathy Shae Mormino ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Chicken Chick's Guide to Backyard Chickens as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The Chicken Chick's Guide to Backyard Chickens covers all aspects of keeping pet chickens in a beautifully illustrated, no-nonsense format. Kathy addresses everything needed to keep chickens simply, including coops, chick care, breed selection, chicken health, and beyond!

Internationally known as The Chicken Chick, Kathy Shea Mormino brings an informative style and fresh perspective on raising backyard chickens to millions of fans around the world. An attorney by profession, Kathy is the founder and one-woman creative force behind her wildly popular and award-winning Facebook page and blog, The-Chicken-Chick.com.

Now her practical, down-to-earth approach to chicken-keeping is available in book form.…


If you love What Happens When You Eat?...

Book cover of Serendipity

Serendipity by Maria de Fátima Santos,

Serendipity is a magical story told by a grandmother to a granddaughter, introducing us to the traditional way of living of the Scottish Travellers and their Cant language.

A fantasy tale for children of 8 years old and older inspired by three real places in Scotland. Serendipity takes us to…

Book cover of Natural Goat Care

Cheryl K. Smith Author Of Goat Health Care

From my list on keeping your goats healthy.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have raised miniature dairy goats since 1998 and encountered many health issues in my goats and those of friends. Only one mainstream book on raising my goats existed when I got them. I decided to write my own book. That plan was put on hold when I became publisher of Ruminations magazine. I frequently wrote about goat health care and reviewed new goat books as they came out. In 2009, I published my book, a comprehensive compilation of articles from Ruminations. Afterwards, I wrote Raising Goats for Dummies. Not many studies are done on goats, but each book has added to the body of knowledge regarding goat health care.

Cheryl's book list on keeping your goats healthy

Cheryl K. Smith Why Cheryl loves this book

Many goat owners don’t have easy access to a veterinarian or veterinary medicines or just want to raise their goats naturally. This down-to-earth book suggests natural methods to keep goats healthy.

The author discusses various minerals and the types of problems that can be caused when a goat has a deficiency, even offering a checklist of diseases that can indicate such a deficiency. Its biggest strength is that it offers various ways to ensure that your goats stay in optimum condition, avoiding medical or pharmaceutical treatments. 

By Pat Coleby ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Natural Goat Care as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Goats thrive on fully organic natural care. As natural browsers, they have higher mineral requirements than other domestic animals, so diet is a critical element to maintaining optimal livestock health. In Natural Goat Care, consultant Pat Coleby shows how to solve health problems both with natural herbs and medicines and the ultimate cure, bringing the soil into healthy balance. Topics include: correct housing and farming methods; choosing the right livestock; diagnosing health problems; nutritional requirements and feeding practices; vitamins and herbal, homeopathic and natural remedies; psychological needs of goats; breeds & breeding techniques. An invaluable resource for anyone with goats.


Book cover of Words for War: New Poems from Ukraine

Sibelan Forrester Author Of Breathing Technique

From my list on poetry from Eastern Europe in translation.

Why am I passionate about this?

My first foreign language was French, so beautiful, but when I began studying Slavic languages I was drawn deeply into their rich vocabulary and marvelous word formation, which makes it possible to do all sorts of things with poetry. (Not to mention the richness of Estonian, which I have so far studied only a little bit.) I write and translate poetry myself, and I hugely admire the translators who bring poems into muscular or enchanting versions in English, whose prosody and word order are so very different. Eastern European poetry has had booms in the Anglophone world (Vasko Popa’s crow!), but it’s never too soon to mention some new wonderful examples in translation.

Sibelan's book list on poetry from Eastern Europe in translation

Sibelan Forrester Why Sibelan loves this book

Published in 2017, Words for War offers work by sixteen Ukrainian poets reacting to the earlier stage of the war there, translated by a number of poets and specialists.

Why is it important to get this kind of testimony to readers? The answer came in 2022—and the very various poems by writers young and old, women and men, in-country and émigrés, funny and tragic, give the reader both the vitamins of knowledge about the country and its people and the pleasures of beautiful, thought-provoking poetry about something you know is truly important.

By Oksana Maksymchuk (editor) , Max Rosochinsky (editor) ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Words for War as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The armed conflict in the east of Ukraine brought about an emergence of a distinctive trend in contemporary Ukrainian poetry: the poetry of war. Directly and indirectly, the poems collected in this volume engage with the events and experiences of war, reflecting on the themes of alienation, loss, dislocation, and disability; as well as justice, heroism, courage, resilience, generosity, and forgiveness. In addressing these themes, the poems also raise questions about art, politics, citizenship, and moral responsibility. The anthology brings together some of the most compelling poetic voices from different regions of Ukraine. Young and old, female and male, somber…


Book cover of Transition to Vegetarianism: An Evolutionary Step

Ron Pickarski Author Of The Classical Vegetarian Cookbook

From my list on vegetarianism, food history, health, and politics.

Why am I passionate about this?

A former Catholic, raised in the restaurant business, becoming a Franciscan, and with a passionate love of art, they collectively integrated and came to define my life. I was sent to culinary school. Suffering from a chronic lung condition and obesity, I learned that an animal-based diet was the primary cause and became a vegan in October 1976, regaining my health. Vegan culinary art, as my life’s passion, led me to compete in the International Culinary Olympics five times in Germany, winning Seven medals, including gold, writing for magazines, authoring four books, and working with the United Nations to help humanity improve its health with a plant-based vegan diet.

Ron's book list on vegetarianism, food history, health, and politics

Ron Pickarski Why Ron loves this book

Dr. Ballantine leads the reader through the transition process and nutritional elements of becoming a vegetarian. In his thoughtful approach, he addresses macro nutrition (protein, carbohydrates, and fatty acids) and the biological impact of consuming meat. I found it interesting how he addresses it, starting with red meat and proceeding on to poultry and finally fish as protein elimination phases to becoming a vegetarian. Radical changes to one’s diet may create biological abnormalities.

Dr.Ballentine’s dietary preference is primarily plant-based, with vegetarianism as the foundational principle. The Greeks, who initiated a vegetarian diet, ate eggs and drank milk. Their objection was the unnecessary killing of animals. Meat and dairy are very acidic (butter is an exception) and can contribute to respiratory congestion which compelled me to become a vegetarian and eventually a plant-based vegetarian..

By Rudolph M. Ballentine ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Transition to Vegetarianism as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This book explores the health issues surrounding vegetarianism and helps the aspiring vegetarian make the transition in a way that provides the greatest benefits. Well-researched and easy-to-read, this is an excellent resource for both seasoned and would-be vegetarians.


If you love Emily Bone...

Book cover of Marvelous Jackson

Marvelous Jackson by Laura Anne Bird,

Since losing his mom, thirteen-year-old Jack Wilson has spent most of his time seeing just how much trouble he can get away with so that he feels like a winner at something. But he takes his mischief too far and is faced with the possibility of unbearable consequences. He…

Book cover of The Essential Wild Food Survival Guide

Thomas J. Elpel Author Of Foraging the Mountain West: Gourmet Edible Plants, Mushrooms, and Meat

From my list on gourmet wild food foraging.

Why am I passionate about this?

Growing up, I spent summers and weekends with my grandmother, who introduced me to wild food foraging. Grandma Josie and I harvested purslane and lambs quarters weeds from her garden, dandelions and meadow mushrooms from the pasture, and watercress from a nearby spring. On daily walks we gathered peppermint, yarrow, and other wild herbs for tea. She cooked on a wood stove and kept a pot of tea warm at all times. Grandma nurtured my interest in wild plants, wilderness survival, and self-sufficiency. Inspired by her, I built my own stone and log house, teach survival skills and botany, and I still cook on a wood stove just like she did. 

Thomas' book list on gourmet wild food foraging

Thomas J. Elpel Why Thomas loves this book

The Essential Wild Food Survival Guide is full of surprises. Author Linda Runyon lived semi-primitively without plumbing or electricity for thirteen years and foraged for the majority of her food. As a vegetarian she was truly dependent on wild edible plants for survival and sustenance. I was taught that real survival required plants rich in carbohydrates, oils, and calories, but Runyon showed that it is possible to survive and thrive by turning salad plants into real food, such as drying and grinding wild clovers and grasses into flour. There is protein in these plants, like beans and grains, and Runyon proved that you can really live off of them. One hour spent reading Runyon's book changed my view of what's edible and how to truly live off wild edible plants. 

By 9780936699103 ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Essential Wild Food Survival Guide as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Author Linda Runyon lived off of the land in the wilderness of Upstate NY for years, feeding her family with wild edible plants. She has paid her dues and learned the hard way so you don't have to. With this book, you will learn how to see and use the abundance that surrounds us everywhere plants grow. You won't look at the world the same way again, and you will never fear hunger. The book is 320 jam-packed pages, profusely illustrated by the author. You will learn how to identify, gather, prepare, store and enjoy an endlessly nutritious and renewable…


Book cover of This Is What I Eat
Book cover of It Takes Guts
Book cover of Feeding the Young Athlete

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Interested in French travel, veterinarians, and vegetarianism?

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Vegetarianism 40 books