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The Search for Delicious
The Prime Minister is compiling a dictionary, and when no one at court can agree on the meaning of "delicious," the King sends his twelve-year-old messenger, Gaylan, to poll the citizenry. Gaylan soon discovers that the entire kingdom is on the brink of civil war, and must enlist help to define "delicious" and save the country.
176 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1969
114 people are currently reading
3100 people want to read
About the author
Natalie Babbitt
74 books1,362 followersNatalie Zane Babbitt was an American writer and illustrator of children's books. Her 1975 novel, Tuck Everlasting, was adapted into two feature films and a Broadway musical. She received the Newbery Honor and Christopher Award, and was the U.S. nominee for the biennial international Hans Christian Andersen Award in 1982.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 503 reviews
March 7, 2018
I didn't realize how much I was hankering for a good old-fashioned fairy tale until I started reading this book. There was so much I loved about "The Search for Delicious."
"There was a time once when the earth was still very young, a time some call the oldest days. This was long before there were any people about to dig parts of it up and cut parts of it off. People came along much later, building their towns and castles (which nearly always fell down after a while) and plaguing each other with quarrels and supper parties. The creatures who lived on the earth in that early time stayed each in his own place and kept it beautiful. There were dwarfs in the mountains, woldwellers in the forests, mermaids in the lakes, and, of course, winds in the air."
I learned delicious is sometimes more about who you are sharing the experience with rather than what you are eating.
"There was a time once when the earth was still very young, a time some call the oldest days. This was long before there were any people about to dig parts of it up and cut parts of it off. People came along much later, building their towns and castles (which nearly always fell down after a while) and plaguing each other with quarrels and supper parties. The creatures who lived on the earth in that early time stayed each in his own place and kept it beautiful. There were dwarfs in the mountains, woldwellers in the forests, mermaids in the lakes, and, of course, winds in the air."
I learned delicious is sometimes more about who you are sharing the experience with rather than what you are eating.
October 12, 2010
I read this book as part of a "literary discussion group" for my 5th grader's class. Each week the kids got together and discussed the reading. They had weekly assignments as well as a "discussion worksheet" that they filled out to help promote discussion. It was pretty cool to see these fifth graders start down the path of analyzing and really thinking about the books they were reading. Tons of fun.
As to the book, it's an entertaining read with some interesting themes and principles. The high level summary is that the prime minister in a kingdom is trying to write a dictionary for the kingdom. With each definition, he provides an example. He's reached the word "Delicious" and everybody has a different opinion as to what truly exemplifies the word....apples, nuts, pies, etc. So, the young hero Gaylen is sent out into the kindgom to take a survey of every citizen and determine, by majority, what is the most delicious.
The disagreements within the castle prove to have just been a microcosm of the kingdom at large and it quickly becomes evident that there won't be any common consensus. Added to the "delicious" problem, we have a power hungry man riding around the country stirring up trouble in hopes of eventually getting the kingdom for himself.
An intriguing parallel story thread starts with a prologue in which we're given definitions of mystical/magical creatures who still exist but have been forgotten or ignored by humans. We're presented the story of a mermaid named Ardis who had a magical key that opened and closed the door of a house at the bottom of a lake. The key was taken from her by a human and has been lost forever. Throughout Gaylen's journey across the kingdom, he learns more about these mythical beings and the part they may still play in the kingdom.
Overall, this was a fun and entertaining story. It's a simple tale easily accessible to children. And yet it has some themes and ideas that could be engaging to adults as well. It makes a point of showing how silly some of our arguments become and how outrageous our behavior is. It touches on the concepts of the creativity and imagination that's often lost as we transition from youth to adult.
This is a fun fairy tale that can be enjoyed together by parents and children.
****
3.5 out of 5 stars
As to the book, it's an entertaining read with some interesting themes and principles. The high level summary is that the prime minister in a kingdom is trying to write a dictionary for the kingdom. With each definition, he provides an example. He's reached the word "Delicious" and everybody has a different opinion as to what truly exemplifies the word....apples, nuts, pies, etc. So, the young hero Gaylen is sent out into the kindgom to take a survey of every citizen and determine, by majority, what is the most delicious.
The disagreements within the castle prove to have just been a microcosm of the kingdom at large and it quickly becomes evident that there won't be any common consensus. Added to the "delicious" problem, we have a power hungry man riding around the country stirring up trouble in hopes of eventually getting the kingdom for himself.
An intriguing parallel story thread starts with a prologue in which we're given definitions of mystical/magical creatures who still exist but have been forgotten or ignored by humans. We're presented the story of a mermaid named Ardis who had a magical key that opened and closed the door of a house at the bottom of a lake. The key was taken from her by a human and has been lost forever. Throughout Gaylen's journey across the kingdom, he learns more about these mythical beings and the part they may still play in the kingdom.
Overall, this was a fun and entertaining story. It's a simple tale easily accessible to children. And yet it has some themes and ideas that could be engaging to adults as well. It makes a point of showing how silly some of our arguments become and how outrageous our behavior is. It touches on the concepts of the creativity and imagination that's often lost as we transition from youth to adult.
This is a fun fairy tale that can be enjoyed together by parents and children.
****
3.5 out of 5 stars
March 10, 2019
I enjoyed the writing style a lot more than I expected. While the premise seems ridiculous, the story had more substance than just adults being stupid. It showcased how propaganda could lead to rebellion and civil war. I also liked the ancient beings and their resulting indifference to the people around them. Gaylen didn’t grow much as a character, but he wasn’t annoying, which is a plus!
June 28, 2019
On the surface this story is like an old fashioned fairy tale, where a person sets off on a quest and has to do several things to reach the end. And all of that is indeed in here..but it's also about caring about others...about deciding to do something about a problem instead of just walking away and leaving the mess for someone else to deal with. That is one thing that is often lacking in the world these days. The theme comes through nice and clear. He could have walked away but instead he decided to try to help and by doing that he prevented a major tragedy.
The main character in this book is a 12 year old boy
He is sent on a quest to ask each person in the kingdom what their favorite food is. Of course no one can agree. The book teaches how easily fights can break out over the most silly of things, like a favorite food. Then it shows how wrong information can be spread, turning it into something even worst (telephone game). Before one knows it people are picking up arms and willing to fight each other just because of some dumb little thing. There is actually a lot of wisdom in this simple story.
Creatures in here include a mermaid, dwarves, the wind and a woldweller.
It's very well written and an easy read. I was feeling a bit sleepy when I started this book but as soon as I started reading the sleepiness vanished!
The main character in this book is a 12 year old boy
He is sent on a quest to ask each person in the kingdom what their favorite food is. Of course no one can agree. The book teaches how easily fights can break out over the most silly of things, like a favorite food. Then it shows how wrong information can be spread, turning it into something even worst (telephone game). Before one knows it people are picking up arms and willing to fight each other just because of some dumb little thing. There is actually a lot of wisdom in this simple story.
Creatures in here include a mermaid, dwarves, the wind and a woldweller.
It's very well written and an easy read. I was feeling a bit sleepy when I started this book but as soon as I started reading the sleepiness vanished!
February 12, 2023
Babbitt can do better, iirc. Even young me would have found the problem, and the solution of the quest, ridiculous. And some kids might get the impression that the world is even scarier than it really is, because adults are even stupider than they really are. Still, some lovely bits, an enchanting vibe, and delightful pen & ink drawings by the author.
January 31, 2021
Read this book to my 3 year old who is now in love with Ardis the mermaid! Beautifully written and enchanting, I can’t believe this story escaped my awareness, I would have loved this as a child as much as I do as an adult!!
December 20, 2016
We read this once for third grade Language Arts, and I thought it was the one of the greatest books in the world. I still love this book, it is definitely one to read again and again.
April 14, 2020
I am so excited to have read a book with the girls! It has been almost two years since we finished the last one, since I got pregnant with Orel. We've had the family read going, but I forgot how much I value this time with them, alone. And we had our first bookclub meeting since I got pregnant with any of these babies, maybe since we moved back from St. Louis. It was a hugely sentimental read, and pulling this book from Iris's treasure chest was a great stroke of good fortune. It's short, it's timeless, it is less simple than meets the eye, it's good for a wide range of ages, and it's tolerable for adults. I feel grateful for the excellent launch point in this next phase of our literary career together, would recommend to anybody needing a book to read aloud.
April 29, 2014
My 14 year old daughter found this on a shelf and had vague memories of hearing me read it years ago. It was a fun departure from our more serious, academically motivated read alouds. A sweet story about the importance of both language and water, topics close to our family's hearts. The vocabulary was not challenging for a 14 year old, though we renewed familiarity with 'lithe' and 'zephyr' and touched on spelling a bit as we went. I would recommend it as a fabulous family read-aloud for any able to listen without pictures. I remember choosing this for 2 genders separated by 4 years. I think I read it about 10 years ago, when I had a 4 year old girl and an 8 year old boy listening. We remember it as one of our all-time favorites!
December 14, 2017
A nice fun little story with a delightful quirkiness and intriguing plotting, but somehow a little lackluster. Overall, a nice read.
November 21, 2012
A wonderful tale about how everyone can come together and agree on something, even if originally they disagreed. In this story, Gaylen, a young boy, is sent to poll the kingdom on what the meaning of delicious is. Since everyone has a different opinion, fights often break out. But in the end, it's someone who previously had no voice that makes a difference, just by sharing the joy of water.
And after reading this and thinking about a long drive I had yesterday, it's very true. Nothing is more delicious than a cool drink of water when you're very, very thirsty.
And after reading this and thinking about a long drive I had yesterday, it's very true. Nothing is more delicious than a cool drink of water when you're very, very thirsty.
February 12, 2018
I first listened to this book on tape. Yeah, remember tapes? But then my library switched to CDs and ditched it. Now I have to settle for reading it, but it's not quite the same. The reader did such a good job on the voices, which is RARE in audio books. I think this book was the only book I actually listened too.
Anyway, I LOVE this book. I don't think I'll ever be too old to read it. Highly recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy and fairy tales.
Anyway, I LOVE this book. I don't think I'll ever be too old to read it. Highly recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy and fairy tales.
February 23, 2024
A delightful fairy tale that is not only scrumptious in its storytelling (believe me, this book ended up alwaysaming me feel hungry), but also subtle in how it deals with some complex issues.
It's simple on the surface but also handles the idea of politicizing ideas or taking well-intentioned things and using them to cause others to react in fear or with emotion. The book is also just a sweet, wholesome read.
It's a timely parable for today.
It's simple on the surface but also handles the idea of politicizing ideas or taking well-intentioned things and using them to cause others to react in fear or with emotion. The book is also just a sweet, wholesome read.
It's a timely parable for today.
July 9, 2022
I loved this book when I was a kid and I still love it.
March 28, 2024
Another children’s book I missed out on as a kid. This one was adventurous and funny. I loved it!
September 23, 2024
What a fun little book! I missed this one in childhood. I read it aloud with my 7yo daughter, but my 6yo son would have enjoyed it too.
The writing was delightful. The author says a lot with few words and has a subtle way of approaching complicated topics in an appropriate way for kids (or adults who have their guard up against more heavy handed messages). I especially loved the part in which Gaylen argued with himself. He wanted to leave civilization behind where people were ridiculous and cruel (he had been wronged and was discouraged), but recognized he wanted something else more. He wanted to do what was right and he took action to do it. I am absolutely sure I will pick up more things the next time I read it with my younger kids.
Also, the Epilogue was just sweet. The entire story had a fairytale quality. Recommend.
The writing was delightful. The author says a lot with few words and has a subtle way of approaching complicated topics in an appropriate way for kids (or adults who have their guard up against more heavy handed messages). I especially loved the part in which Gaylen argued with himself. He wanted to leave civilization behind where people were ridiculous and cruel (he had been wronged and was discouraged), but recognized he wanted something else more. He wanted to do what was right and he took action to do it. I am absolutely sure I will pick up more things the next time I read it with my younger kids.
Also, the Epilogue was just sweet. The entire story had a fairytale quality. Recommend.
May 12, 2020
Gaylen learns that all the stories about Woldwellers, dwarves, and Ardis the mermaid are true. Fun!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 21, 2024
Felt nice to read something nice. I’m biased since I loved this book as a kid but I think it’s still extremely sweet and cute!
August 24, 2017
Amazing! At first it gets "BORING" but if you read it, it is very, very, very, worth reading! I guess i'll rate it 4 :)
January 21, 2019
I really liked The Search for Delicious it was funny and exciting .
April 23, 2025
We really enjoyed reading this aloud as a family.
June 28, 2025
Tuck Everlasting gets all the glory because it's about the Big Topic of Death (and may be the last of Natalie Babbitt's books still readily findable in print editions as well as digital ones, as far as I can tell), but this heavily symbolic and enjoyably odd fairy tale is still my favorite. (As a kid, I recommended it to my mother, who wound up reading it to her fourth-grade class every year until she retired from teaching.)
Like so many Natalie Babbitt books, this one has a strong central moral message that I didn't even realize I was absorbing as a kid, and that feels clever to me as an adult: In a broadly medieval-ish kingdom, the court casually disagrees over what food should be used to illustrate "delicious" in a dictionary that communicates concepts with examples. Except the casual disagreement turns cantankerous, and before long, a young boy is dispatched to poll the kingdom and settle the matter, which just causes upset across the kingdom.
There are magical and fairy-tale aspects to all of this, but it reads much like a James Thurber novel (The Wonderful O comes to mind) in terms of introducing the magical without it being a central aspect of the story. Really, this is a book about how easily fights start, how superficial wars can be, what really unites humanity, and how easily one malevolent person with a hunger for power can manipulate self-righteous, self-important, and intolerant people. This book is as timeless as any fairy tale, but it seems particularly relevant at the moment.
Like so many Natalie Babbitt books, this one has a strong central moral message that I didn't even realize I was absorbing as a kid, and that feels clever to me as an adult: In a broadly medieval-ish kingdom, the court casually disagrees over what food should be used to illustrate "delicious" in a dictionary that communicates concepts with examples. Except the casual disagreement turns cantankerous, and before long, a young boy is dispatched to poll the kingdom and settle the matter, which just causes upset across the kingdom.
There are magical and fairy-tale aspects to all of this, but it reads much like a James Thurber novel (The Wonderful O comes to mind) in terms of introducing the magical without it being a central aspect of the story. Really, this is a book about how easily fights start, how superficial wars can be, what really unites humanity, and how easily one malevolent person with a hunger for power can manipulate self-righteous, self-important, and intolerant people. This book is as timeless as any fairy tale, but it seems particularly relevant at the moment.
January 2, 2016
Twelve year old Gaylen is an assistant to the Prime Minister in a fantastical medieval era England. The king, on the recommendation of his PM, chooses Gaylen to go on a journey to survey all the kingdom's residents, asking them what's the most wonderful food they can think of. The most common answer will be chosen as the synonym / definition of delicious in the kingdom dictionary. Problem is, no two people seem to give Gaylen the same answer, so how is he to choose? While on his journey, Gaylen uncovers some issues far more serious than food. He gets word of someone close to the king planning to overthrow him. Doesn't take long for everything in Gaylen's life to start running amok!
I found this to be a brilliant way for young readers to see how silly, immature and out of hand adults can get when people get caught up in greed. It also looks at themes such as how quickly serious wars can start from the most inane origins, how problematic circumstances can escalate when people just wash their hands of one another. The way Galen's journey turns from one goal toward something else also felt similar to modern times, the way news sources can throw out a smaller story they know will get people riled up so that their attention is off of bigger issues that some may want going under the radar. Lots of wonderful topics for discussion starters in this little story, not to mention Babbitt's great bits of humor thrown in! Good fun here!
I found this to be a brilliant way for young readers to see how silly, immature and out of hand adults can get when people get caught up in greed. It also looks at themes such as how quickly serious wars can start from the most inane origins, how problematic circumstances can escalate when people just wash their hands of one another. The way Galen's journey turns from one goal toward something else also felt similar to modern times, the way news sources can throw out a smaller story they know will get people riled up so that their attention is off of bigger issues that some may want going under the radar. Lots of wonderful topics for discussion starters in this little story, not to mention Babbitt's great bits of humor thrown in! Good fun here!
July 2, 2019
Babbitt fell a bit short on this one. The story was a bit too didactic--she seemed to be aiming for fairy tale with a bit of humor and I think the best she got was a moralist's fable with some tongue-in-cheek jokes for the parents reading it to their children. The magic was underdeveloped for me as it isn't really clear what the role of the magical creatures in the world is--Ardis is in some sense responsible for water, but it isn't clear what her motivations or powers actually are (other than wanting her doll back). The adventure is pretty good; fast-paced and fun and I like the idea of a world where they want to create the dictionary by analogy and need to take a poll to make sure that the word is defined according to the way people use it. Conversely, I thought the actual explanation of the how and why was somewhat unclear for everyone except Hemlock, and I wanted to see more development of the relationships between Gaylen and the Prime Minister as well as the various people he meets on his journey. For the first time in a while I think I've read a children's book that is significantly hurt on a really serious level by my not being a child--I think you need a certain lack of familiarity with more complex plots and characterization to really enjoy this book.
April 22, 2019
I enjoyed Natalie Babbitt's fantasy about a kingdom where mythological creatures hide away from ignorant and contentious humans and where a 12-year-old boy bridges the divide.
The orphan Galen loves the Prime Minister who raised him and is a loyal subject of the King, so he doesn't hesitate when the King bids him take a poll of everyone in the Kingdom about what is the most delicious thing in the world. He soon learns that in his land there is no tolerance for diversity of tastes. No one can agree on what's most delicious, and nearly all residents get angry in defending their view.
Galen begins to understand at his impressionable age that humans are generally ridiculous, always arguing about the silliest things and going to war over nothing -- and that nature and a belief in wonders beyond the human ken can provide escape and renewal.
The orphan Galen loves the Prime Minister who raised him and is a loyal subject of the King, so he doesn't hesitate when the King bids him take a poll of everyone in the Kingdom about what is the most delicious thing in the world. He soon learns that in his land there is no tolerance for diversity of tastes. No one can agree on what's most delicious, and nearly all residents get angry in defending their view.
Galen begins to understand at his impressionable age that humans are generally ridiculous, always arguing about the silliest things and going to war over nothing -- and that nature and a belief in wonders beyond the human ken can provide escape and renewal.
November 30, 2015
3.5 rating
I really enjoyed the fantasy and fairy tale elements and how the plot progressed. The writing was also lovely and embodied the fairy tale atmosphere. I don't really have much to say about this book other than that it was a fun read, but I felt that the cause and catalyst for the progression of the plot was a little too silly for me. I would highly recommend this to any child or middle grade reader.
I really enjoyed the fantasy and fairy tale elements and how the plot progressed. The writing was also lovely and embodied the fairy tale atmosphere. I don't really have much to say about this book other than that it was a fun read, but I felt that the cause and catalyst for the progression of the plot was a little too silly for me. I would highly recommend this to any child or middle grade reader.
December 17, 2024
I may have forgotten most of the story, but to this day I never forgot, delicious is a cool drink of water when you've been thirsty.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 12, 2025
Rounded to 4 because I love the author’s style and this has a good theme to it.
The author is such a whimsical writer. And this has so many interesting elements to it!
Obviously as a kids book there isn’t a huge amount of depth, there was some silly parts, but I appreciated the almost fairytale vibe! And the very real way things can escalate and rumors can start over the most ridiculous things.
Adis was adorable and the minstrel and the dwarves made me happy.
This wasn’t my favorite of the author’s but it still makes me want to read more!
Yay for a library book sale score!
The author is such a whimsical writer. And this has so many interesting elements to it!
Obviously as a kids book there isn’t a huge amount of depth, there was some silly parts, but I appreciated the almost fairytale vibe! And the very real way things can escalate and rumors can start over the most ridiculous things.
Adis was adorable and the minstrel and the dwarves made me happy.
This wasn’t my favorite of the author’s but it still makes me want to read more!
Yay for a library book sale score!
March 27, 2023
Read after Anne finished it for school. It was just perfect fantasy book that made you think and was so clever. It is filled with kings and queens and mermaids and dwarfs and woldwilds and wandering minstrels. The prime minister is making a dictionary for the king ( such a clever dictionary and totally want to read the full version) The definition of delicious causes the controversy within the kingdom threatening war.
The ending definition for delicious was perfect… just so clever!
The ending definition for delicious was perfect… just so clever!
January 12, 2021
Cheers to finding my first official "favorite book". It might very well still be, as it was the start of a long adventure of book reading. I still remember reading this the first time back in 4th grade.
Now to figure out that other favorite book from elementary school, with the doll ladies that lived in the attic...
Now to figure out that other favorite book from elementary school, with the doll ladies that lived in the attic...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 503 reviews