Beginning their history of sweets in 6000 BC—when primitive cave dwellers drew pictures of people scooping honey from trees—to the present day, authors Ann Love and Jane Drake explore the universal fascination and love of sweets, particularly candy. The book is chock full of “sweet” facts that will give readers insight into the who, what, where, when, and how of candy. Claudia Dávila’s humorous illustrations, informative maps, and time lines are the “eye candy” for the book. 2009 Hackmatack Children’s Choice Book Award (English Nonfiction Winner). ak

Through time and across continents, stories of sweets and their inventors intrigue and entertain us. Learn about primal sweets — from honey, sweet milk, and nuts to sugar candy, chocolate, and “sweet” stories of success.

Sweet! The Delicious Story of Candy takes us through history from 4,000 B.C., when islanders in Papua New Guinea cut sugarcane for its sap, and 2,600 B.C., when the first-known beekeepers produced honey to embalm the dead, to 500 A.D., when the Chinese made pear and plum syrups from unripe fruit, and all the way through to the world’s first chocoholics and modern-day candy factories.

From cravings to the scoop on ice cream, Ann Love and Jane Drake present a comprehensive and irresistible story of candy through the ages, complemented by a detailed timeline and playful illustrations from artist Claudia Dávila.