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Cultural Cuisine: 8 Food-Focused Children’s Books & 10 Book GIVEAWAY // #ReadYourWorld Book Jam 2024

 

Read Your World Celebrates Multicultural Children’s Book Day is thrilled to present our #ReadYourWorld Book Jam 2024 series in conjunction with The Children’s Book Council.

Keila V. Dawson kicks off our series with her list of 8 Food-Focused Children’s Books. We are giving away 10 copies of Yumbo Gumbo thanks to the generosity of Charlesbridge Publishing. To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter at the bottom.

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Children learn a lot about people through their food traditions and customs. These 8 food-focused titles explore cultural culinary practices that are central to identity, history, and the geography of our diverse world.

 

Cultural Cuisine: 8 Food-Focused Children’s Books

Yumbo Gumbo by Keila V. Dawson, illustrated by Katie Crumpton

In this intergenerational story, Annabelle is excited about her first gumbo cooking lesson with Papí and Mamí, but her family can’t agree on what kind to make! She uses math and social-emotional reasoning to solve the problem. Kids learn about Creole Louisiana and the multicultural roots of the state’s official cuisine from the author’s note. Includes a glossary. [picture book, ages 3 and up]

Kadooboo!: A Silly South Indian Folktale by Shruthi Rao, illustrated by Darshika Varma

Kabir is on a journey to deliver a sweet treat to his Amma, who will surely ask what it is. But distractions along the way keep him from remembering its name! This retelling is a fun way to introduce children to a South Indian folktale. Illustrations show what kids do for fun in the state of Karnataka and introduce them to spoken and written Kannada. Backmatter includes an author’s note, a glossary, and a recipe.[picture book, ages 4 and up]

Plátanos Go With Everything by Lissette Norman, illustrated by Sara Palacios

Yesenia loves plátanos! And she wonders why Dominicans love plátanos so much. Her mother says it’s because they remind them of home. In this ode, a child’s favorite food is used to honor her Dominican culture. Lyrical language and colorful images detail a family’s history of immigration and their love of food and family. [picture book, ages 4 and up]

Ramen for Everyone by Patricia Tanumihardja, illustrated by Shiho Pate

Hiro wants to make the perfect ramen like his dad, and his grandfather, did in Hawaiʻi. But when he tries to make it alone, it tastes horrible! With his father’s help, he discovers how to make the perfect ramen for each of his family members. Backmatter includes an author’s note and recipe.[picture book, ages 4 and up]

Sankofa: A Culinary Story of Resilience and Belonging by Eric Adjepong, illustrated by Lala Watkins

Kofi was born in America, but his parents and grandparents were born in Ghana. He’s supposed to bring a dish for the school potluck that represents his family’s culture. But which culture? Kofi’s never been to Ghana! When Kofi tells his family about the potluck, they help him connect to his Ghanaian heritage and history through the food they cook. [picture book, ages 4 and up]

Everyone Loves Lunchtime but Zia by Jenny Liao, illustrated by Dream Chen

Zia doesn’t like that the Cantonese food she has for lunch differs from what other kids bring. Instead of packing the sandwiches she asked for, her parents included a message about what makes each dish from her culture special. How clever! When positive things happen for Zia, she appreciates the meaning behind the traditional food from her heritage. Backmatter includes an author’s note, glossary, and recipe. [picture book, ages 3 and up]

Spicy Spicy Hot! by Lenny Wen

Lintang is excited about Nenek’s visit from Indonesia and can’t wait to eat her grandmother’s famous sambal. But with one tiny taste, Lintang declares she doesn’t like the spicy, spicy hot sambal! Everyone else does, so she tries different varieties until there’s one mixed with a mild spice and something sweet she can eat. Backmatter includes a recipe.[picture book, ages 3 and up]

Cooking Class Global Feast: 44 Recipes that Celebrate the World’s Cultures by Deanna F. Cook

Grab your passports! This international cookbook comes with recipes from different countries. Photographs of young chefs from around the globe guide cooks on the proper use of kitchen tools and different cooking techniques.Explore dishes served for breakfast, dinner, dessert, and more. Includes basic kitchen rules. Recipes come with a side of vocabulary and food history.[picture book, ages 5 and up]

 

Yumbo Gumbo 10 Picture Book GIVEAWAY!

We are giving away 10 copies of Yumbo Gumbo to 10 winners thanks to the generosity of Charlesbridge Publishing. To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter below. We can only mail to U.S. and A.F.O. addresses.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Keila V. Dawson is a two-time Ohioana finalist and former educator who writes fiction and nonfiction picture books. Her books have been featured on numerous best books lists, and state reading lists, and nominated for various awards. She is a coeditor of No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change, a companion title to the International Reading Association Children’s Book Award-winning title, No Voice Too Small: Fourteen Young Americans Making History, and the forthcoming No Brain the Same: Young Neurodivergent Activists Shaping Our Future. She is the author of Opening the Road: Victor Hugo Green and His Green Book, The King Cake Baby, and Yumbo Gumbo. A New Orleans native, Dawson has also lived and worked in different states, and abroad in the Philippines, Japan, and Egypt. She lives in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Find out more about her and her books at www.keiladawson.com. Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, and Bluesky.

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