New Book Review: I feel Better with a frog in my throat: History’s Strangest Cures

By Carlyn Beccia

Call Number: J 615.88 BEC

Pages: 48

Best for grades 1-5

Pop-Quiz time!

Did any of these cures help with a cough?

A. Caterpillar fungus (Ancient China)

B. Frog Soup (Sixteenth-century England)

C. Cherry Bark (Ancient Native American)



In a multiple choice format “I feel better with a frog in my throat: History’s Strangest Curse” presents many common maladies like colds, sore throats, wounds, stomachache, fevers, and headaches with a verity of cures and treatments that people throughout time relied on. You’ll find out that some worked better than others.

My favorite was learning about how people throughout time cured and treated wounds: from moldy bread, honey, silver, puppy kisses, spider’s webs, mummy powder, maggots, a bulls mouth, and a dead man’s skill (ugh!—which apparently actually worked, who would have thought?!)

Each question is presented, and then each multiple choice option is explained with a “yes,” “no,” or “maybe” with comical illustrations depicting not only the curse, but also the dress , art, and architecture of the time and place from Ancient Egypt and China to Early twentieth century America.

“I feel better with a frog in my throat” is the sort of book that makes the non-fiction collection so much fun! Be sure to check it out!

Click here to view this title in the catalog.

Answers: A: maybe. B: No. C: Yes!



-JW-