Tag: food

Ramen for Everyone (Patricia Tanumihardja)

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Hello, friends! Our book today is Ramen for Everyone, written by Patricia Tanumihardja and illustrated by Shiho Pate, a charming tale of culinary tradition and creativity.

Hiro’s dad makes ramen for dinner every Sunday, and Hiro always watches closely and takes notes. His dad’s cooking and their family’s recipe – which has been passed down for generations – combine to make the most delicious ramen, with toppings perfectly customized to each family member’s taste. After much studying, Hiro makes a decision on his seventh birthday: it is time for him to attempt the ramen recipe. Yet despite all his preparation, there are more than a few stumbles in the kitchen that leave him disheartened. Can Hiro concoct a ramen that does his family proud?

Marvelous. Combining Japanese culinary tradition, dynamic manga-inspired illustrations, and a heartwarming story of perseverance, this story manages to deliver some exciting highs as well as some poignant quiet moments. It was a great choice to have Hiro fail his first solo attempt, as it assures young readers that they may not always get things perfectly right the first time, yet he finds a good balance in the ending that allows him to express a special talent with the support of his father’s expertise. The art is fantastic (and looks scrumptious!), especially the cooking sequences. Length is perfect for a storytime, and JJ and I both loved this one. A wonderful and tasty tale, and we absolutely recommend it – Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

Kobe Eats Pizza! (Ashley Wian)

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Hello, friends! Our book today is Kobe Eats Pizza!, written by Ashley Wian with Cate Berry and illustrated by Joy Ang, a sweet story that shows one is never too young to develop their culinary skills.

Based on the popular social media star of Kobe Eats, the reader meets young Chef Kobe, a toddler who has taken early command of the family kitchen. He has a staff consisting of two dogs and a parent helper, and he cooks all by himself… mostly. With assistance from mom, Kobe prepares some dough, spreads some sauce, and assembles a pizza, with lots of fun along the way. The result is delicious, but one final touch is needed – after all, good food is best when it’s shared with family.

Simple yet charming. Having a little chef of our own, we know the fun that can be had when kids are allowed to help in the kitchen, and Kobe’s story is a sweet, if not particularly innovative, celebration of culinarily-inclined kiddos. Wian’s simple text is great for reading aloud or early readers, and Ang’s wonderfully warm illustrations bring loads of personality to Kobe, his family, and his pet dogs (plus, she makes the food look scrumptious). Especially nice to see is body modification representation; both of Kobe’s parents are heavily tattooed, something that adults are rarely depicted as being in picture books (unless they’re bad guys), and it will surely make inked caregivers feel seen. Otherwise, the length is great for a storytime, and Chef JJ really enjoyed it. A thoroughly enjoyable culinary tale, and we recommend it – Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

Anni Dreams of Biryani (Namita Moolani Mehra)

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Hello, friends! Our book today is Anni Dreams of Biryani, written by Namita Moolani Mehra and illustrated by Chaaya Prabhat, a sweet story of tasty food and determination.

Anni lives with her ma and grandma in an apartment in the “Little India” of an unnamed city, right across the way from the most delicious dish in town. At the Biryani Café, a taciturn man named Mr. Arif – though everyone calls him “Uncle” – makes a biryani that must be tasted to be believed. People come from all over the city and beyond to try his incredible recipe, and Anni and her family eat dinner there every Friday as a special treat. Inspired by Uncle and her love of the dish, Anni resolves to cook a biryani just as delicious. She plies Uncle for clues, asking a new question about the ingredients and preparation every Friday, using his gruff and grumpy answers to tweak her own recipe. Yet despite her efforts, and even successful attempts at biryani, she simply can’t make hers taste as good as Uncle’s. Is Uncle using a secret ingredient? Will he share it? Or will Anni never make her dreams of biryani come true?

A feast for the senses. Mehra weaves a lovely story of culinary exploration and curiosity that brims with a passion for making and tasting food. Combined with Prabhat’s rich and colorful illustrations, and reader’s mouths will be watering by the final page (and fear not, more information on biryani, including a recipe, is in the backmatter). Anni is the type of plucky and resolute character that is just delightful to follow in a story like this, and while Uncle’s abrupt and implacable manner is a little off-putting, and he probably owed Anni an apology by the end that was never extended, it can’t be denied that he is accurate to the type of chef who closely guards a special recipe meaningful to one’s culture and family. The length is great for a storytime, and JJ really liked this one; she was eager to try biryani for herself afterwords. Overall, a delicious read, and we recommend it – Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by a representative of the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

Alice Waters Cooks Up a Food Revolution (Diane Stanley)

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Hello, friends! Our book today is Alice Waters Cooks Up a Food Revolution, written by Diane Stanley and illustrated by Jessie Hartland, a look at one of the innovators behind the farm-to-table movement.

As a child, Alice’s family had a garden in the warm months that provided them with fresh produce – fruits and veggies that tasted so good that Alice never forgot them. Spending a college semester in France ignited her passion for the French methods of food preparation, which involved using all-fresh ingredients. After college, Alice decided to open a restaurant in Berkeley, CA that served food in a revolutionary way: a different fixed menu every night that only used “the freshest local ingredients.” This concept ended up being a hit for Alice and her restaurant, Chez Panisse, and helped start a food movement that continues to this day.

A unique story that nicely explores current themes. As younger readers are being more educated on subjects like sustainability and responsible agriculture, books like this do a great job of explaining why these practices are so important in child-friendly terms. For instance, while other reasons for supporting small farms and fresh produce are given, the main one that this title drives home is a simple concept for kids to grasp: it tastes better. Stanley does well at integrating concepts with Waters’s life story, though some pages can drag a bit or veer off-topic (though JJ absolutely cackled at a superfluous account of Waters’s friend, director Werner Herzog, having to literally eat his own shoe at the restaurant after losing a bet). Hartland’s folksy gouache illustrations are perfect for the book’s theme and do an admirable job of making every meal and ingredient look delectable (with the exception of the aforementioned shoe). An afterward including an account of “Alice’s Edible Schoolyard” is not to be missed, and it’s a shame it is only covered visually in the main body of the book. Length was fine for an elementary storytime, and we enjoyed this one. Definitely worth a look, and Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

Jazz for Lunch! (Jarrett Dapier)

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Hello, friends! Our book today is Jazz for Lunch!, written by Jarrett Dapier and illustrated by Eugenia Mello, a toe-tapping, finger-snapping musical, culinary romp.

A young boy has a lunch date with his Aunt Nina, and she’s taking him to the hottest and tastiest jazz club to enjoy some music and eats. Unfortunately, as great as the music sounds, the crowd forces Nina and her nephew to the back – they can’t see the band, the dancers step on their toes, service is taking forever, and its far too hot. Cutting out early, Aunt Nina promises a surprise for the next day: a jazz-inspired, home-cooked lunch. Nephew and aunt prep and cook together, listening to vinyls of the jazz greats and naming their culinary creations after them. And once lunch is ready, one more surprise is on the way – one that will lift this musical meal to a new level.

Electric. First, Dapier’s phenomenal rhythmic text is an absolute joy to read aloud, and metered perfectly to emulate the syncopation and tempo of an upbeat jazz tune. Mello’s illustrations are bright, colorful, and full of ecstatic life, perfectly melding musical and food imagery to fit the theme; they also feature a fantastic diversity of skintones, genders, hair textures, and body types (have I mentioned that I LOVE seeing kidlit with diverse body types?). Endpapers give twenty mini-biographies of the jazz legends mentioned within the story, a wonderful touch and well-integrated. The length is perfect for a story time, and JJ and I had a blast reading it. This is a entertaining title that is a wonderful way to introduce young readers to a new art form – jazz, cooking, or both! Highly recommended, and Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)