In the nonfiction picture book adaptation of Kurlansky’s New York Times bestseller, Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World, a younger group of readers will be exposed to the significant history of this very ugly fish. The book traces the influence of cod in the lives of Europeans and Americans from prehistoric times to modern day. A time line along the bottom of each page highlights important events (many familiar) that relate to cod. Did you know that cod allowed Vikings to cross the Atlantic to North America, helped new world settlements to become prosperous, and made many a man very rich?! Yet, there are some dark parts to the history of cod as well, such as the fact that it was a crucial component to New England based slave trade. As students read page after page about people throughout history gorging themselves on cod, they might begin to wonder about the sustainability of such actions. The last two pages include harrowing facts about declining fish populations, and leave readers with the question: “And what will happen to man if there are no more fish?” Kurlansky actually answers that questions in another of his books for grades 5-12—World Without Fish. Both of the titles are relevant in the classroom NOW! Great for connecting current events and environmental studies to history! Lastly, S.D. Schindler’s illustrations tickle the funny bone and are also informative visuals.

If you're interested in eating or learning about cod then this is the book for you. It follows cod fish through the times and how things have changed. However, this book was not one of my favorites. Nevertheless, the illustrations were quite charming. There is a lot of surprising information in this book.

Very informative look at the importance of cod to people of the past and present. Includes how the development of different preparation techniques helped humanity travel farther, or introduce fish to peoples who wouldn't otherwise get it.

Though I learned a lot about cod, I was not always a fan of the author's tone, as it bordered on "preachy" several times (mostly in reference to the evil humans). Yes, we do need to be stewards, good stewards of the natural world around us. No, this should not mean that we stop using the resources we have, we simply need to use them better and try to replenish them whenever possible. (While the author goes into detail on the dangers of extinction and slightly mentions laws that have been passed to protect the cod, he does not put forth any effort to suggest any way to fix the problem, or what people are already doing to fix the problems mentioned. One sided arguments always annoy me.)

Anyway! If you need a fishy book, you could do worse; you could probably also do better.

No overt content issues; already mentioned my main quibble.

Another excellent book by Mark Kurlansky detailing the life and times of cod. This is a book for young people, but it contains very interesting information for adult readers.

You will enjoy this Kurlansky effort.

A multi-genre model. It is more research based than the -ology multi-genre books.

A streamlined version of his Cod book for adults intended for middle schoolers. A lot of interesting tidbits that made me want to read his adult book so I could learn more. Some hard issues are glossed over, hence the three stars.

Took issue with some of his tone when he seem to be of a different idealogical perspective. However, overall I like the book and find the pieces of history quite interesting and I also like how you hear bits of other books that this author has done woven in with this one.

Who would have thought that the history of cod fishing would make such fascinating reading? But the way Kurlansky tells it, it does. As in his book The Story of Salt, Kurlansky talks about how the availability of cod affected various cultures in Europe, the Caribbean, and America. I didn't know that the Basques were such expert fishermen, and that they were fishing off American shores as early as the late 15th century. Because they never established a colony in the New World, however, they never made the cultural impact that the Dutch, English, and French settlers did. I must read more about the Basque people. I also found the effects of the end of slavery in the Caribbean on the cod industry interesting. Cod was cheap food for the slaves. When slavery ended, a huge market for cod was lost. The information about the endangered state of the cod population now was alarming. Maybe I should stop eating cod! I think now I'll have to read the adult version of this book. Very interesting and recommended!

Just like the big kid's version, only far more adorable.

**طالعت الكتاب المترجم إلى الصينية**

بشكل العام القصة خفيفة والرسومات أكثر من ممتازة لتعليم القارئ الصغيرة مسيرة الصيد وحياة هذه السمكة -- اعتقدت من الرسومات في البداية أنها سمكة شبوط، ولكنني لست متأكدة من ترجمة cod

آمل أن أقرأها مرة أخرى بفهم أعمق للنص.

Fascinating. I love seeing a bigger picture of the history of the world. The adult version of the book, Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World, may be an interesting read.

As fascinating as the book Cod that Kurlansky wrote for adults, The Cod's Tale is a great non-fiction book for elementary children. Great illustrations and engaging text.