I Feel Better with a Frog in My Throat: History’s Strangest Cures by Carlyn Beccia
Have a symptom? Look it up in this book, but beware! Some of the cures listed just may not work. It’s up to you to try to guess which ones would actually help and which might really hurt. What would help a cough? Caterpillar fungus used in ancient China? Frog soup used in 16th century England? Cherry bark used by ancient Native Americans? Readers turn the page to discover which of the three would help. The reasons behind the use of the cure and then the real results are offered, giving a readers a fascinating tour through medical history. Happily, some of the cures are gross. That and the way the information is presented as a guessing game make this book appealing to children, including reluctant readers.
Beccia has taken a cheerful approach to what could have been a very dark book. Instead the tone stays rather merry, talking about the nutritional boost of frog soup, the healing power of spider webs, and much more. Her illustrations add to the fun with images like maggots with smiling faces and stinky socks tied around the neck. They have an interesting blend of macabre and silly.
There are some misses in the book. At one point, a woman of the 19th century is shown in a short skirt, looking very modern except for her cap. The book maintains a great pace and tone, but falls short at the end where the healing power of mother’s kisses takes on an overly sweet tone. I also have concerns about the imagery of the mothers and children, because the only one with darker skin is prehistoric. The only Asian faces are ancient. It is a frustrating misstep in a book that is good overall.
Get this into the hands of reluctant readers who enjoy gross things and you too will get to talk about maggots at the dinner table! Appropriate for ages 7-9.
Reviewed from library copy.
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Waking Brain Cells 