Sweet!: The Delicious Story of Candy.

Janet Collins is a freelance writer in Sechelt, British Columbia.

Call it what you will—sweets, bonbons, and dulce among other names—few things delight the taste buds quite like candy. In this book, Ann Love and Jane Drake do an admirable job describing the stories behind so many of the world’s favourite treats.

Starting with an explanation of where the major ingredients of the most popular candies come from, the authors move on to explore how those individual ingredients have been utilized in sweets over the centuries. Chances are few readers can imagine chewing on paraffin wax or tree gum, or would think that the stuff of gummy bears once made an appearance in cold medicines. Those and other facts make Sweet! as much an eye-popping read as a mouth-watering delight.

A timeline stretching across the bottom of each page clearly illustrates the development of candy worldwide since prehistoric times. Adding stories of famous North American candy makers, such as Vancouver’s favourite chocolatier, Daniel, helps bring the story closer to home. As if that weren’t enough of a good thing, readers can make their own candy, thanks to the inclusion of an easy recipe for vanilla fudge.

Colourful cartoon-style illustrations throughout add to the appeal of this tasteful tome.

This is a book that readers young and old will want to devour. Recommended.