‘The history of eating utensils and customs from the ancient world to the present. Beginning with the use of small spears to pick meat out of the fire, Giblin follows the development of utensils through the controversial introduction of forks and the casual eating practices of today. Well-organized and spryly written.’ —SLJ. Notable Children’s Books of 1987 (ALA) 1987 Children's Editors' Choices (BL) Notable 1987 Children's Trade Books in Social Studies (NCSS/CBC) Children's Books of 1987 (Library of Congress)
Author
James Cross Giblin was an author of biographies and history books for children and younger readers, as well as some history books for adults. In his own words, he was "shy, bookish, and a little spoiled." He loved comic books and drew his own comic strips. Giblin worked on his school newspapers and wrote a play while he was at Western Reserve University. That play, My Bus Was Always Late, was published in 1954. He worked hard at writing plays, but disappointment followed. After receiving his MFA in creative writing from Columbia University, he went to work at the British Book Centre, which proved to be his doorway into the publishing field. An associate editor at Lothrop, Lee & Shepard from 1962 to 1967, Giblin then moved to Seabury Press as editor-in-chief of its children's division, Clarion Books. In 1989, he stepped back to the position of contributing editor so he could focus on his writing career. The Truth About Santa Claus and Chimney Sweeps: Yesterday and Today were named ALA Notable Books. Walls: Defenses Throughout History received an SCBWI Golden Kite Award. The Secrets of the Sphinx was given the Orbis Pictus Award. Most recently, The Life and Death of Adolf Hitler received a Sibert Award in 2003.
