After spending the weekend eating way too much, I still have food on my mind. So today I’m sharing a few of my recent favorites that celebrate all kinds of delicious food, so grab a snack and let’s dive in!
The Whole World Inside Nan’s Soup by Hunter Liguore, Illustrated by Vikki Zhang
“There’s something special bubbling in Nanni’s big metal pot. And it smells delicious! What ingredients might be inside? When Nanni lifts the lid on her soup, she reveals the whole world inside: from the seeds that grew into vegetables, to the gardeners who lovingly tended to the plants, to the sun, moon, and stars that shone its light above them. And, of course, no meal is complete without a recipe passed down generations of family, topped and finished with a Nanni’s love.
In this tender tale by award-winning author Hunter Liguore and artist Vikki Zhang, readers will marvel in how a community and world can come together to put on an unforgettable meal between a granddaughter and her Nanni. Perfect for fans of Thank You, Omu and Fry Bread.”
Dinner On Domingos by Alexandra Katona, Illustrated by Claudia Navarro
“This magical home turns a normal Sunday into domingo: the best day of the week.” Warm memories wash over a first-generation Latinx American girl as she experiences a typical Sunday night dinner at her Abuelita’s house. As Alejandra thinks about all the good times her family has had there, she decides that she wants to be brave and try speaking Spanish with Abuelita so that they can deepen their bond. A timely #OwnVoices tale that reflects the experience of many American families.”
Soul Food Sunday by Winsome Bingham, Illustrated by C. G Esperanza
“At Granny’s, Sunday isn’t Sunday without a big family gathering over a lovingly prepared meal. Old enough now, our narrator is finally invited to help cook the dishes for the first time: He joins Granny in grating the cheese, cleaning the greens, and priming the meat for Roscoe Ray’s grill. But just when Granny says they’re finished, her grandson makes his own contribution, sweetening this Sunday gathering—and the many more to come.
Evocatively written and vividly illustrated, this mouthwatering story is a warm celebration of tradition and coming together at a table filled with love and delicious food.”
Gloria’s Porridge by Elizabeth Laird, Illustrated by Toby Newsome
“Gloria is making a delicious porridge, but she’s too hungry to share it with the cat. When Gloria goes to fetch some water, cat eats all the porridge . Angry Gloria shakes her spoon at the cat, and the scared cat runs away, starting a chaos around her. A retelling of an Ethiopian folktale by acclaimed author, Elizabeth Laird.”
Dumpling Day by Meera Sriram, Laurel P. Jackson, and Inés de Antuñano
“Savor a rhyming celebration of one of the world’s most universal foods! Readers follow ten diverse families as they cook dumplings inside their homes in preparation for a neighborhood potluck. Dumplings are added to plates one by one, encouraging children to count with each new addition. Authentic recipes for all the dumplings and a map showing their regions of origin are included in the endnotes.”
Dumpling Day features dumplings from the following regions:
- India
- USA (Pennsylvania Dutch)
- China (Cantonese)
- Nigeria
- Japan
- Israel
- Mexico
- Syria
- Russia
- Italy
A Feast For Joseph by Terry Farish and OD Bonny, Illustrated by Ken Daley
“Joseph misses sharing meals with lots of people like he did back in the refugee camp, so when the neighbors finally come over, it’s a feast! A companion book to Joseph’s Big Ride, described in Kirkus as “a joyful, upbeat tale.”
When Joseph and Mama lived in a refugee camp in East Africa, everyone cooked and ate together. And Joseph could always hear someone playing the awal. It’s much too quiet and lonely in his new home. Though Whoosh, the girl who lives upstairs, is friendly, Joseph misses having more people around, especially his grandmother, who still lives across the ocean. So he invites his relatives in the city to come for dinner, then he invites his teacher, then Whoosh and her mami — but everyone is too busy.
Ever hopeful, Joseph picks the last greens from the garden. At least he and Mama will be ready to cook if someone comes. The next night Whoosh and her mami appear at the door with a big cake, and Whoosh and Joseph cook up a feast.
A touching story about adjusting to a new home and the pleasure of cooking and sharing food with friends.”
I hope these books made you hungry for more (sorry, I couldn’t resist the awful pun) because I definitely want to revisit this subject with even more titles! Keep your eye out for more books about food!
mutuallyinclusivebooks.com 