Bon Appetit! The Delicious Life of Julia Child [Hardcover]

Jessie Hartland (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Release date: May 22, 2012

In a starred review, Publishers Weekly raves, "Chef and TV personality Julia Child likely would have delighted in and hooted over this wide-ranging picture-book biography.... Readers young and old will devour this fete pour les yeux."

Follow Julia Child—chef, author, and television personality—from her childhood in Pasadena, California, to her life as a spy in WWII, to the cooking classes she took in Paris, to the publication of Mastering the Art of French Cooking, to the funny moments of being a chef on TV. This is a comprehensive and enchanting picture book biography, told in many panels and jam-packed with lively, humorous, and child-friendly details. Young chefs and Julia Child fans will exclaim, "ooooh la la," about this book, which is as energetic and eccentric as the chef herself.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Jessie's Choice Top-10 Julia Recipes

1. Gallantine. Illustrated step-by-step in my book. Get out the minced calf's udder and the pickled tongue! Ambitious cooks will follow it with the recipe just below.

2. Chocolate log cake (bûche de Noël). An edible crafts project with the kids that calls for making meringue mushrooms and marzipan leaves.

3. Bouillabaisse. Say "boo-ya-BESS". See the Marseille page in my book for the last word.

4. Baked Alaska. Oohs and aahs all around. Save time and construct it with store-bought cake and ice-cream but coat it with home-made meringue. What to do with all the leftover egg yolks? Make....

5. Mayonnaise. Julia developed her own special technique and before publication in "Mastering the Art of French Cooking", guarded her secret recipe with skills learned in the OSS.

6. Boeuf Bourguignon. Classic beef stew.

7. Calf's brains in brown butter sauce (cervelles au beurre noir). Does eating brains make one brainier? I'll not be the guinea pig.

8. Rabbit stew (rabbit ragout). After the pet bunny has chewed through yet another electrical cord: a solution.

9. Plain French bread (pain Français). Hundreds of pounds of flour and thousands of hours of experimentation went into perfecting this recipe. "How can a nation be called great if its bread tastes like Kleenex?" asked Julia.

10. Crème brûlée. Rich custard dessert with crispy melted sugar crust. As Julia liked to say, "Every woman should have a blow torch!"

A Look Inside Bon Appétit!

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Review

Chicago Tribune, June 27, 2012:
"Hartland deftly portrays in both word and drawing the awkward grace, the passionate personality and the spunky gusto of her subject. At times, you can practically hear Julia's trademark trill leaping cheerily out of the pages.”

New York Times, June 15, 2012:
"...bursting with exuberant urban-naïf gouache paintings and a hand-lettered text that somehow manages to recount every second of Child’s life."

Wall Street Journal, August 4, 2012:
"A charming introduction to the woman and her career, told in cluttered-yet-delightful illustratinos and exuberant hand-lettered text."

Boston Globe, August 14, 2012:
"Author Jessie Hartland chronicles Child’s rise to fame in a unique way. The book has the look and feel of a scrapbook, with handwritten text and numerous doodles that make it a fun read."

Epicurious.com, July 13, 2012:
"Visually, it's just delightful; Hartland captures the boundless energy, the joie de vivre that I imagine Julia exuded in person. And just in time for Bastille Day, there's a crêpe recipe for you to try."

Starred Review, Publishers Weekly, March 19, 2012:
“Chef and TV personality Julia Child likely would have delighted in and hooted over this wide-ranging picture-book biography…. Readers young and old will devour this fête pour les yeux.”

Starred Review, Booklist, July 1, 2012:
“...achieves a feel that is a perfect match for Child’s personality and cooking style: exuberant, messy, gangly, and charming."

Kirkus Reviews, April 1, 2012:
"Lively tableaux deliver an affectionate tribute to this strong-minded woman…While these stories may be familiar to adult readers, they are here perfectly pitched to introduce the determined woman who became synonymous with French cooking in America.”

School Library Journal, May 2012:
"Books for young foodies are very popular, and this is one that any library embracing the trend should have...Hartland’s style makes for a quick but informative read that portrays Child as a fascinating, groundbreaking, but still grounded person. Children interested in food and cooking will get a lot out of the book."

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Schwartz & Wade (May 22, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375869441
• ISBN-13: 978-0375869440
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 0.5 x 10.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #86,911 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #14 in Books > Teens > Sports & Hobbies > Cooking

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful, wonderful book and illustrations! June 1, 2012

By AH

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book so adorable and unique! I really enjoyed the Julia Child biography "My Life in France," and this book brings that story to life with such charming detail, illustrations, and joie de vivre! I am an adult, and bought this book for myself, but would recommend for children maybe 10 to 12 years old and up. The text is sophisticated, yet playful, and older children will have fun learning geography, recipes, new words in French, and, of course, about an inspiring and pioneering woman and chef. I just LOVED this incomparable and wonderful book- highly recommend!!!

PS: The illustrations are so charming, I am purchasing a second copy to frame a few pages as 'prints!'

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Charming! July 17, 2012

By Amy B. Sherman

Format:Hardcover

This book is utterly charming. Lots of little anecdotes and stories add color and flavor to the life of one of America's most influential cookbook writers and culinary figures. It is equally appealing to adults as it is to children. It also includes some recipes. The illustration style will remind you of Maira Kalman.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Made us laugh out loud! September 30, 2012

By Ana Braga-Henebry VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

I did not grow up with Julia Child... and yet I feel as I know and love her! I've written a review on the also-wonderful Minette's Feast, which is for a younger audience and left me wanting more biographical information. The book tells of her interesting adventurous and good life, and all of her hard word and dedication ever before she managed to get her famous french Cooking book published. Also how her very popular TV show came into play! All of the little humorous bits, and the cute illustrations! My daughters 11 and 13 years old also read it from cover to cover and were equally delighted. If you want to meet Julia Child, and don't want a lengthy biography, this is it!