Book Finder

Can winning a cooking contest allow 12-year-old Cici to bring her Taiwanese grandmother to the U.S. for her 70th birthday? Will it interfere with her parents’ inviolable motto of “good grades, good college, good job”? Readers are sure to see themselves and their families in this engaging graphic portrait of an immigrant family and an aspiring chef who is bridging two cultures.

Popcorn is a healthy snack, right? Not if you’re Ellis. She’s banned from having her daily portions of popcorn, so she secretly tries to pop some. One kernel, however, comes alive to upset her life in this very funny (and a bit peculiar), illustrated novel that was first published in the Netherlands. This is likely to be the first in a series, so stay tuned for more about cowboy-hat-wearing (Popcorn) Bob!

A child is embarrassed when parents stop the car to harvest wild watercress. Illustrations in sepia, however, show why this is such an emotional moment for the Chinese American family as it recalls an earlier time. Inspired text and stunningly detailed watercolors provide insight into one family’s history and a glimpse of their life before coming to the United States.

Two girls from very different backgrounds each struggle with different issues. But Sara, a Pakistani American, and Elizabeth, whose mother is British and father American, come together in a cooking class. There they discover friendship and more revealed from both girls’ perspectives.

Energetic illustrations capture the cheerful and productive frenzy in a community kitchen as a diverse group comes together to prepare a meal. The tale is told in rhyming text which is enhanced by conversation bubbles from the team working together.

When Thomas misplaces the basket of dried fruit he needs to make his seasonal wintercake, friends old and new come together to save the day. This holiday tale is full of surprises and gentle humor, and a book about holiday traditions and why they matter. It’s also a story about making mistakes and how mistakes can sometimes lead to wonderful things!

When the gong rings at the gompa, Tsering takes off for home knowing that hot, hearty, spicy thukpa awaits him. He invites others as he meets along the mountainous path. When the power goes out, Abi worries she won’t be able to see to complete the thukpa. But Tsering is accustomed to the dark as he’s blind. Alliterative, onomatopoeic language complements the childlike illustrations. Information about thukpa and a recipe are included.

What is fry bread? It’s food, shape, sound, art, history, and more — so much more. It is an American Indian tradition shared by a member of the Mekusukey Seminoles. A varied group of children and elders are depicted contributing to the recipe as the text describes its complex role in American history. Additional information is appended to create a book that can be used in both simple and complex ways.

Several generations of a family prepare for a meal together. Told in the cadence of a familiar rhyme, each member — from the youngest to the oldest — contributes to the celebratory occasion. Bright, childlike illustrations capture the fun and food for a festive meal shared “around the table that Grandad built.”

The sea turtle, pufferfish, octopus and other sea creatures do what they do; crab bakes cakes. One day, however, there’s a huge splash and sunshine no longer reaches the bottom; crab bakes a cake. Fortified by cake, the sea critters turn the tide on polluters in a droll, dramatic, and effective tale told with visual elements of a graphic novel. Final resources include links to information about oceans and pollution.

They may appear similar but can really be different. Think noodles and pasta are the same? What about a clementine and a mandarin orange? They’re similar but different. Readers will encounter seemingly same pairs and discover what makes them unique in this handsomely illustrated and fact-filled volume.

The delectable smell of Omu’s thick red stew wafts through the neighborhood. She shares it with neighbor after neighbor until she has none left for her own dinner. But her generosity is returned when the community brings a potluck supper to thank Omu. Semi-abstract illustrations in muted tones and an engaging telling create a warm story.

Tasty treats create shapes which turn into an array of creatures with just a few additional lines and a lot of creativity. Baklava Squirrels are made from the edible Greek parallelogram; oval jelly beams make colorful butterflies, and more in this original – and appetizing – look at shapes.

John’s mother thought cooking was more important than beauty in this gently humorous riff on a traditional tale. Here, John finds perfection in a batch of perfectly prepared black-eyed peas. A tasty looking recipe concludes this colorfully illustrated tale told with a distinctively Southern flavor.

Mama and baby go to a colorful, crowded market to buy fruits and other staples. While Mama is busy, baby is so curious, cheerful and funny that each vendor gives the baby something a little extra for Mama’s basket. Expressive illustrations and rhythmic text make a tale to share again and again.

Yoomi loves her grandmother’s Korean cooking; that is, everything except kimchi. Her older siblings say it’s because she’s still a baby. But Yoomi’s grandmother is wise and comes up with a tasty solution: kimchi pancakes! A recipe for this is included and other dishes mentioned are pictured and labeled on endpapers for an international feast.

Jasmine is only 8 years old but wants to do what the boys do. It’s her family Japanese tradition for the boys to pound the rice for mocha at her family’s New Year’s celebration. But can she really handle it? Readers of all backgrounds will empathize with Jasmine’s dilemma and see themselves in her. 

Since little is known about the real Amelia Simmons, the author invites readers to imagine what became of her after her father’s death. Amelia would become a “bound girl,” to work for others. She may have made an Independence Cake perhaps tasted by General George Washington! The colonial period is clearly imagined here in illustration and lively text, complete with a cake recipe.

Harry and Horsie may have solved the problem of how to reach the cookie jar when they create CookieBot. But building the most amazing cookie-grabbing robot ever may have created a new problem. How will they stop CookieBot from eating all the cookies in town? Delightfully illustrated with a retro-modern feel. 

As the weather warms farmers’ markets begin to open. Celebrate the start of the season through lively illustrations and short poems that allow communities from large cities to small towns to “…teem with farmers and their goods — /tasty transformations.”

Fanny is a girl who knows a lot about food and cooking since she’s grown up in and around the famous restaurant Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California. Join Fanny as she helps cook a huge bouillabaisse in Provence; learns how to make fresh cheese from a shepherd high up in the Pyrenees mountains; hunts for  wild oysters off the coast of Bordeaux, and discovers how one chicken can feed nine people, if served a certain way. 

Lots of different types of “vores” lived during the Mesozoic era: insectivores, piscivores, even dinovores. The names suggest what each type of creature ate in this informal look at the different types of eating habits. Cartoon illustrations make this an informative, entertaining first look at the period and its inhabitants.

A pudgy brown and white dog looks everywhere for a treat — from granny’s bedroom to the baby’s crib. Nothing … until the girls offer a special treat to the greedy canine. Cartoon illustrations and the word “treat” in different fonts in a comic book format move the slapstick humor along to a satisfying conclusion.

A seafaring cook named Hanson Crockett Gregory is credited with inventing the sweet fried treats we know as doughnuts. Lighthearted, rounded illustrations combine with a humorous narrative to explore the fact and fiction of Hanson and his tasty innovation.