Hungry? Bite into an Edible Book with UC Libraries

Once again, the University of Cincinnati Libraries will celebrate the International Edible Books Festival with an event scheduled for Wednesday, April 1, from 1-2 p.m., on the 5th floor lobby of Langsam Library.

At the event, nearly 20 participants will present their edible creations that represent a book in some form. There are few restrictions in creating an edible book - namely that the creation be edible and have something to do with a book. Submitted entries include edible titles such as

Lemons: A Global History.

Classic books

Fahrenheit 451

and

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

are represented along with nonfiction works with

Commentaries on the Laws of England

and

Bulls, Bears and the Ballot Box

. Contemporary fiction such as

Wild

and favorite children's books

Where the Wild Things Are,

Green Eggs and Ham

and

Click, Clack Moo

are among other literary greats at the festival.

As in past years, entries will be judged according to such categories as "Most Literary," "Most Delicious," "Most Adorable" and "Most Gruesome." In addition, the "Top Student Entry" and "Best Overall Entry" will receive a special prize. After the entries are judged they will be consumed and enjoyed by all in attendance.

According to the International Edible Book Festival website, the edible book was initiated by librarian and artist Judith A. Hoffberg during a 1999 Thanksgiving celebration with book artists. It became an international celebration in 2000 when artist Béatrice Coron launched the Books2Eat website. Traditionally, the event is celebrated on April 1st (April Fools' Day) to mark the birthday of Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826), a French lawyer and politician who became famous for his book,

Physiologie du gout

(The Physiology of Taste). You can see images of the 2014 edible books on the

Libraries Facebook page

.

The Libraries International Edible Books Festival is free and open to the public. Come to celebrate (and eat) "books good enough to eat."

Related Stories

2

Co-op broadens horizons for architectural engineer

August 17, 2026

UC architectural engineering graduate Jeremy Ackley turned his co-op rotations with CMTA, a national engineering consulting firm in Texas, into a full-time role, showcasing the University of Cincinnati’s national co-op footprint.

3

Emeritus professor honored for gas turbine research

August 17, 2026

Mark Turner has been part of the University of Cincinnati's College of Engineering and Applied Science for 25 years. His work in the field of gas turbine simulation and design continues to leave a significant impact on the industry. He was honored by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers with the International Gas Turbine Institute Scholar Award. Turner is part of the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics at UC.