Born Hungry: Julia Child Becomes the French Chef

Julia Child's grandnephew and coauthor of her memoir, My Life in France (2006), brings Child's zesty, larger-than-life persona to a story as exuberant as the extraordinary chef... engaging text... (and) lively, food-laden digital illustrations in vibrant hues capture Child's hunger for knowledge and general joie de vivre. An enthusiastic biography readers should relish--bon appétit! 

K-Gr 3—Beloved Julia Child is the subject of this delightful picture book biography, told with lively text and charming illustrations; these latter perfectly capture Child's gangly 6' 2" frame and expressive face (as well as delicious looking food). From a young woman who could only boil water and make toast, to the creator of a wartime recipe for shark repellent, Child only began to appreciate good food during a revelatory meal with her new husband in France, which was, as she described later, "The most exciting meal of my life!" She attended the famous French Cordon Bleu cooking school, the only woman in her class, and later opened her own school with two friends, teaching her students the importance of using fresh, quality ingredients and not rushing through recipes, which she had done in her youth (with disastrous results). Although the text does not cover Child's great success as an author or her many popular TV shows and guest appearances, these are included in an extensive author's note. Prud'homme, who collaborated with her on her memoir My Life in France, is Child's grandnephew. Back matter includes a bibliography of books by and about Child, websites, exhibitions, and a rather complicated recipe for French scrambled eggs. VERDICT So many life lessons here, including one about following passion where it leads, make this an exemplary offering for the biography shelves.—Sue Morgan

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Julia 'The French Chef' Child's fascinating life, lovingly remembered by her grandnephew...The book's unabashed celebration of Child's love of food and of her pure hunger for knowledge about cooking is joyous... By the story's end, there is no mystery left as to what made her beloved by so many around the world. Readers will salivate over this scrumptious and inspiring picture-book biography.

"Fun to read... the illustrations are colorful and often comical... Julia's message, to any kid who wants to hear it, is clear: 'Good results require that one take time and care' — for that plate of food in front of you and beyond."—The New York Times Book Review

★ Prud'homme, a grandnephew through the paternal branch of the Childs, presents a charming, intimate biography of Julia's discovery and realization of her culinary chops, interspersing plenty of quotations that illuminate her wit, common sense, and pedagogical skill that earned the all-American cook the moniker French Chef. Although this offering ends at the beginning of Child's professional career, excellent end notes with thumbnail photographs carry the story forward and supply useful references to her cookbooks and rich media history. Green's digital artwork affectionately celebrates Child towering over the dominantly male milieu of chefs in all her big-boned, strong-jawed, twinkling-eyed glory. This is a must for foodies-in-training, and for anyone who enjoys watching the ascent of unlikely media celebs.—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review 

Born Hungry is a vivid portrait of Julia in all her glory. Unpretentious, fun, direct, and honest, it describes her love of cooking and teaching throughout her career, from Le Cordon Bleu, to cookbook author, to television food icon. An enjoyable read. —Jacques Pepin, author, artist, celebrity chef, and a longtime friend and collaborator of Julia Child's