When animal crackers were introduced in 1902 by the National Biscuit Company they were an instant hit with children.

The artwork on the boxes alone was enough to sell these magical cookies! The number and variety contained in each box has varied over the years.

In total, 54 different animals have been represented by animal crackers since 1902.

When Shirley Temple sang about them in the 1935 film Curly Top, she tells us about putting them in soup. It was used by many companies for advertising animal crackers.

Shirley Temple’s parents apparently had to defend the film publicly, as parents were writing in to complain that their children were dumping animal crackers into their soup and ruining perfectly good meals!

Her parents were quick to say that Shirley did not, in real life, put animal crackers in her soup as they were too sweet. Rather, she saved them for the end of her meal.

Have a look at this classic song in the clip below. And, be sure to check out the surprising facts you never knew about the child star right here!

I love watching Shirley Temple when I was a kid I wish I had all her movies so I can show my granddaughters the wonderful child that she was as an actor.