As a Children’s Librarian, I am lucky to get interesting opportunities that expand my concept of what books can do and be. Last year I was invited to a Roxhill Elementary School Family Night. As I set up my table with free books and Library swag, the coordinator came by and insisted that I eat some of the food. It turned out that the theme of the family night was multicultural celebration and the food was outstanding. Tamales, samosas, dumplings and casseroles… then I saw something familiar, but unexpected. It was scotch eggs. My mom used to make those when we were young, a British tradition passed down from her mother and grandmother and great-grandmother. Seeing them there reminded me why food was such an important part of culture and identity, and how important books about food are.
While checking in new books, I came across several wonderful picture books that explore culture and identity through food.
Empanadas for Everyone by Jackie Azúa Kramer
From dumplings to samosas, this picture book shows how different cultures have their own take on empanadas. When I saw this book, it instantly made me think of a conversation I had with my husband. He said, “everyone has a dumpling,” speaking from a Chinese American perspective. It is amazing to see that almost every culture has some kind of starch-wrapped protein.
Meatballs for Grandpa by Jeanette Fazzari Jones
This book pulled at my heartstrings, having had several relatives with various levels of memory loss. In this story, Grandpa has trouble remembering things sometimes, but cooking their traditional family meatballs is one way his family can still bond with him.
When We Gather (Ostadahlisiha): a Cherokee Tribal Feast by Andrea L. Rogers
I love how this book showed Cherokee traditions, such as serving elders first and eating together as a community. This book proves that food is not just the content of the meal, but also how it is served and who it is served by.
Other recent books I enjoyed:
- Seoul Food by Erin Russell
- Sam and the Incredible African and American Food Fight by Shannon Gibney
- Papa’s Butter Chicken by Monica Saigal
- Sankofa: a Culinary Story of Resilience and Belonging by Eric Adjepong
- Spicy Spicy Hot! by Lenny Wen
- Plátanos Go with Everything by Lissette Norman
For more information or to put these books on hold, check out this booklist exploring culture through food in picture books!
What food from your childhood would you love to see on the pages of a picture book? For me, it would be a book about a little girl helping her mom make scotch eggs for the first time. She would misinterpret the directions her mother gave her to put a dozen eggs in boiling water by diligently cracking each egg into the pot. Not that this happened… ahem… to me.
~posted by Amanda H.
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