Tag Archives: Food

Sweet Pizza

Leave a reply

Fourteen-year-old Welsh-Italian Joe is passionate about his Italian heritage. He lives in Bryn Mawr, South Wales, where his family runs the café that his great-grandfather opened in 1929. Joe is desperate to save the café and bring the neighborhood back to life. He loves all things Italian, especially Italian opera, which provides the perfect accompaniment for the novel. Joe is quite a businessman, as he succeeds in bringing his diverse community together. Woven throughout the heart-warming and funny story is the astonishing history of Italian immigrants in Wales told through taped recollections from his grandfather, Nonno. Back matter includes a historical note, an author’s note on opera, and Italian recipes to try. mjw

Title: Sweet Pizza Author: Giancarlo Gemin (G.R. Gemin) Publisher: Nosy Crow Ltd.  London Copyright: 2106 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-0-85763-630-0  Paperback pages: 288 Age range: 8-12 Genre: Contemporary fiction, Historical fiction Book setting: South Wales Author’s ethnicity: Born in Cardiff, Wales, of Italian parentage Author’s residence: London Awards:  Longlisted for the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize 2016 Subjects: Grandfathers, Immigrants, Italian heritage, Opera, Restaurants, World War II

Megalopolis And The Visitor From Outer Space

This vertical story book, over 10 feet tall, excites readers as they journey through the layers of Megalopolis along with an alien visiting from outer space. Each page narrates the visit, then flips down to reveal colorful, full bleed illustrations of the magnificent town. Readers will love finding the hidden details in the illustrations such as 17 different species of flowers, 8 ghosts, 33 fish, and more. amo

Title: Megalopolis And The Visitor From Outer Space Author: Cléa Dieudonné Illustrator: Cléa Dieudonné Publisher: Thames & Hudson Copyright: 2016 Original Language: French Original Title: La Mégalopole Original Publisher: L’Argume Original Copyright: 2015 ISBN: 979-10-90743-30-4 Hardcover pages: 38 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Fantasy, Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: French Author’s residence: Berlin, Germany Illustrator’s ethnicity: French Illustrator’s residence: Berlin, Germany Subjects: Aliens, Animals, Cities, Games, Mermaids

Flicka, Ricka, Dicka And The Strawberries

Leave a reply

Swedish triplets, Flicka, Ricka, and Dicka, go off on an adventure through the woods to pick wild strawberries for their mother. They get lost and find the cottage of a poor family, and the little girl living there helps the triplets find their way home. Later, the sisters find a special way to spend the money they have earned. They buy gifts and a basket of food to share with the poor family. The watercolor illustrations are realistic in depicting a 1940s Swedish summer. This is one of nine Flicka, Ricka, and Dicka books. The author is also known for her Snipp, Snapp, and Snurr books about Swedish boy triplets. mjw

Title: Flicka, Ricka, Dicka And The Strawberries Author: Maj Lindman (1886-1972) Illustrator: Maj Lindman Publisher: Albert Whitman and Company, Chicago Copyright: 2013 Original Language: Swedish Original Copyright: 1946 ISBN: 978-8075-2499-9 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 4-7 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: Sweden Author’s ethnicity: Swedish Author’s residence: Lived in Stockholm, Sweden Illustrator’s ethnicity: Swedish Illustrator’s residence: Lived in Stockholm, Sweden Subjects: Charity, Helpfulness, Sisters, Strawberries, Sweden, Triplets

The Sandwich Thief

Leave a reply

Marin’s parents are foodies who pack him delicious, healthy sandwiches graced with his mom’s homemade mayonnaise. On Monday, at lunchtime, his ham, cheddar, and kale sandwich is missing, so he starts an investigation of the potential thieves. All week, his sandwiches disappear and he identifies more suspects – classmates, teachers, the janitor, and even the school principal. Eventually, his mother comes up with a way to find out who’s behind the missing sandwiches. The comic-style panels and sequential art, done entirely in orange, red, and black, with speech balloons, and the font, which is based on the illustrator’s handwriting, make this lunchtime crime drama engaging and entertaining. mjw

Title: The Sandwich Thief Author: Andre Marois Illustrator: Patrick Doyon Publisher: Chronicle Books, San Francisco, California Copyright: 2016 Original Language: French Translator: Taylor Norman Original Title: Le Voleur de sandwichs Original Publisher: Les Editions de la Pasteque Original Copyright: 2013 ISBN: 978-1-4521-4659-1 Hardcover pages: 160 Age range: 7-9 Genre: Fiction Author’s ethnicity: French Author’s residence: Canada Illustrator’s ethnicity: Canadian Illustrator’s residence: Canada Awards: Governor General’s Literary Award for Illustrated Children’s Literature – French Language Subjects: Comics, Detective stories, Graphic novels. Lost articles, Mystery, Sandwiches, Schools, Stealing, Thieves

Tua And The Elephant

Leave a reply

While looking around the Night Market in her hometown of Chiang Mai, Thailand, ten-year-old Tua (Thai for “peanut”) sees an elephant being mistreated and knows she must rescue her from the abusive mahouts (elephant trainers) who own her. Tua is a clever, courageous, and big-hearted girl who bonds with the elephant she names Pohn-Pohn. The villains are evil, but also inept and Tua repeatedly outsmarts them. Other characters include her loving and hard-working single mother, the funny Auntie Orchid (the finest actress in Thailand –at least in her eyes), and many lively and colorful family members, farmers, and Buddhist monks who help Tua on her adventure. All ends well as Tua finally gets Pohn-Pohn to the sanctuary of an elephant refuge. Charcoal, linoleum block print, and photo- shopped illustrations in golds and purples reveal much about the culture and people of Thailand. mjw

Title: Tua And The Elephant Author: R.P. Harris Illustrator: Taeeun Yoo Publisher: Chronicle Books. San Francisco, California Copyright: 2012 Original Language: English ISBN: 978- 0-8118-7781-7 Hardcover pages: 208 Age range: 8-12 Genre: Fiction Book setting: Chiang Mai, Thailand Author’s residence: Shanghai, China Illustrator’s ethnicity: Korean Illustrator’s residence: New York Subjects: Adventure, Animal rescue, Animal sanctuaries, Animal welfare, Asia, Asiatic elephants, Elephants, Thailand

Greenling

Leave a reply

Mr. Barleycorn finds what looks like a giant artichoke under a railroad trestle near his remote Australian farmhouse and comes home with a bright green baby. His wife is wary, but Barleycorn takes it in, nurtures it, and it becomes part of its natural world until fall when it disappears. Melons twine through the kitchen, apples grow in the living room, and grass sprouts from the phone. Nature runs wild – the greenling is nature’s bounty personified. A haunting final double-page spread shows wind turbines instead of power lines and grass and flowers growing, but no humans. The intricately detailed, surreal watercolor and gouache paintings include Australian animals and the rhyming text will certainly invite discussion. mjw

Title: Greenling Author: Levi Pinfold Illustrator: Levi Pinfold Publisher: Templar Books, and imprint of Candlewick Copyright: 2016 Original Language: English Original Copyright: 2015 ISBN: 978-0-7636-7598-1 Hardcover pages: 40 Age range: 9 up Genre: Picture Book Book setting: Australia Author’s ethnicity: English Author’s residence: Cornwall, England Illustrator’s ethnicity: English Illustrator’s residence: Cornwall, England Awards: Author/illustrator has won 2013 Kate Greenaway Medal Subjects: Ecology, Fable, Fantasy, Fruit, Nature stories, New baby, Science, Vegetables, Vegetation

The Tea Party In The Woods

Leave a reply

Kikko’s father forgot the pie he was going to bring to Grandmother’s house. Kikko runs through the snow-covered woods to give her father the pie before he reaches the home. Unfortunately, Kikko trips and ruins the pie. Although she is dispirited, she still plans on giving her grandmother the pie. As she continues to follow what she believes to be her father’s footprints, Kikko comes across a house she has never seen before. She meets speaking, clothed, and upright woodland creatures who invite her to their tea party. The mostly black and white charcoaled and penciled illustrations have touches of color and bring this enchanting tale of unexpected friendship and kindness to life.  ema

Title: The Tea Party In The Woods Author: Akiko Miyakoshi Illustrator: Akiko Miyakoshi Publisher: Kids Can Press Copyright: 2015 Original Language: Japanese Translator: Kids Can Press Original Title: Mori no Oku no Ochakai e Original Publisher: Kaisei-Sha Publishing Co. Ltd. Original Copyright: 2010 ISBN: 978-1-77138-107-9 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 3-7 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Japanese Author’s residence: Tokyo Illustrator’s ethnicity: Japanese Illustrator’s residence: Tokyo Awards: A 2015 Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book of the Year Winner Subjects: Acts of kindness, Grandmother, Party, Pies, Tea, Winter, Woods

A Pig Called Heather

Leave a reply

Heather, the Duroc pig, lives on a lovely 300-year-old farm in Scotland, loves and can identify apples of all kinds, and has Isla, the farmer’s daughter, as her best friend. When the barn is destroyed in a fire and Isla and her father move to London, the new owner, Mr. Busby, has a commercial promoting farm life shot at the farm and Heather is “discovered.” She is whisked off to London to become a national celebrity and the star of an advertising campaign. At a photo shoot, Heather escapes and finds Isla. A pig living in a flat in London proves challenging and Heather ends up finding a home in the London Zoo. Heather’s animal friends are brilliant, perfectly personified, and completely believable. However they don’t talk to humans. Heather and Isla communicate by snout scrunching. The writing is imaginative, fast-paced, and contains fun Britishisms. The ending hints at the two sequels, The Return of A Pig Called Heather (paperback 2014) and Heather’s Piglets (2015), where Heather has more zany adventures. mjw

Title: A Pig Called Heather Author: Harry Oulton Publisher: Holiday House, New York Copyright: 2105 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-0-8234-3290-5 Hardcover pages: 128 Age range: 8-12 Genre: Fiction, Animal Fantasy Book setting: Aberdeenshire, Scotland.  London Author’s ethnicity: British Author’s residence: England Subjects: England, Farm life, Human-animal relationships, Pigs, Voyages and travels

The Feast For The King

Leave a reply

Tarantula created an amazing meat cake for King Lion’s birthday, but a problem arises. The centerpiece of his cake, an extra tender piece of meat, is missing! Tarantula is determined to find the thief who thoughtlessly ruined his masterpiece. He examines each animal’s mouth to find the criminal and is surprised by what he finds. The book’s festive characters and illustrations are perfect to create a classroom discussion about the characteristics of various animals. ema

Title: The Feast For The King Author: Marlies Verhelst Illustrator: Linde Faas Publisher: Lemniscaat Copyright: 2015 Original Language: Dutch Translator: Lemniscaat Publishing Original Title: Feestmaal voor de koning Original Publisher: Lemniscaat  Original Copyright: 2014 ISBN: 978-1-935954-44-6 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 3-7 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Dutch Author’s residence: The Netherlands Illustrator’s ethnicity: Dutch Illustrator’s residence: The Netherlands Subjects: Birthday, Feast, Party, Theft

When The Earth Lost Its Shapes

Leave a reply

One day, the Earth loses all of its shapes and nobody knows how or why they have gone. Triangles, rectangles, ovals, circles, and squares have all disappeared. Maybe it was a thief or giant aliens? Vibrant acrylic artwork shows eggs that are scrambled, oranges that are squeezed, sandwiches that are squished, and kites that look windswept. The only shape left is a little dot. She declares that she must do something and teams up with the other dots to save the world from shapeless confusion. Soon, everything is shipshape once again. The author is Co-founder and Publishing Director of Karadi Tales Company, an independent children’s publisher in Chennai. mjw

Title: When The Earth Lost Its Shapes Author: Shobha Viswanath Illustrator: Christine Kastl Publisher: Karadi Tales Company Pvt. Ltd.  Chennai, India Copyright: 2011 Original Language: English Original Copyright: 2008 ISBN: 978-81-8190-192-7 Paperback pages: 36 Age range: 3 up Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Indian Author’s residence: Chennai, India Illustrator’s ethnicity: German Illustrator’s residence: Germany, France, and India Subjects: Environment, Size and shape

In Andal’s House (Tales Of The World)

Leave a reply

Young Kumar is invited to his classmate Andal’s house to watch the fireworks for the celebration of Diwali, India’s 5-day Festival of Light. Andal is a high-caste Brahmin and his family is wealthy. Kumar’s family had been Dalit, outcasts or untouchables. Kumar thinks he has been invited because he is the best student in their class, but when he arrives at Andal’s house, Andal’s grandmother sends him away. He cannot join the festivities. Disappointed, he returns home, where his grandfather explains how things used to be and that India is changing. Men like Mahatma Gandhi and Doctor B.R. Ambedkar have helped to outlaw discrimination against the Dalit, or the broken people. The story ends with Kumar feeling hopeful about both his and India’s future. A Glossary helps with unfamiliar words and an Author’s Note provides more information. Colorful folk-art illustrations in pencil crayon and watercolor ink depict the Diwali celebration and everyday life in contemporary India. mjw

Title: In Andal’s House (Tales Of the World) Author: Gloria Whelan Illustrator: Amanda Hall Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press.  Ann Arbor , Michigan Copyright: 2013 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-58536-603-3 Hardcover pages: 40 Age range: 6-10 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: Gujarat, India Author’s ethnicity: U.S. Author’s residence: Michigan, U.S. Illustrator’s ethnicity: English Illustrator’s residence: United Kingdom Subjects: Castes, Diwali, Gandhi, Prejudice, Social classes, Untouchables

Shooting Kabul

Leave a reply

Twelve-year-old Fadi and his family are illegally leaving Afghanistan for asylum in the U.S. in 2001. As they hurriedly board the escape truck, Fadi’s six-year-old sister Mariam lets go of his hand and is lost. As the Taliban is patrolling, there is no going back. They arrive in San Francisco to begin anew, but they are heart-broken and are constantly searching for Mariam. Fadi joins and finds comfort in the photography club at his middle school, with the hope that he can win a photo competition. The prize is a trip to India. Since Afghanistan is close to India, he thinks he can go there and find his sister. Fadi’s family also has to deal with the September 11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. Kids at school assume Fadi is responsible for what happened and make him fearful and miserable. A clever and satisfying ending will encourage readers to move on to the Glossary, Author’s Note, Suggestions for Further Reading, and Reading Guide. A map is also included. This story about family relationships, with realistic detail about the immigrant experience and Afghani (particularly Pukhtun) culture, is based on the author’s husband’s personal history of fleeing his home in Soviet controlled Afghanistan in the 1970s. One note: “shooting” in the title is a reference to photography, and not violence. mjw

Title: Shooting Kabul Author: N.H. Senzai Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers Copyright: 2010 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-4424-0194-2 Hardcover pages: 273 Age range: 8-12 Genre: Fiction Book setting: San Francisco.  Afghanistan Author’s residence: U.S.  Has lived in Saudi Arabia and England. Awards: 2010 Middle East Outreach Book Award for Youth Literature, 2011 CBC/NCSS Notable Children’s Book Subjects: Afghan-Americans, Bravery, California, Cameras, Emigration, Immigration, Love, Perseverance, Photography, Prejudice, Tolerance