No matter where you live or where you grow up across the world, preparing and sharing a meal with others has the ability to bring people closer together.
The following picturebook selection highlights connecting with others and building interpersonal relationships in families of all shapes and sizes through preparing, baking, cooking and sharing food.
For this list, BookPlate spotlights books from Lebanon, Palestine, the USA, Canada, Great Britain and more!
Bee-bim Bop!
By Linda Sue Park & Illustrated by Ho Baek Lee
Clarion Books, USA (2005)
Bee-Bim-Bop (“mix-mix-rice”) is a staple of Korean family life. In rhyming text, a child helps her mother make the dish: from shopping, to preparation, setting the table, and of course – eating! With charming child’s-eye illustrations and catchy verse, this book is perfect for young sous chefs everywhere.
Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story
By Kevin Maillard & Illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal
Roaring Brook Press, USA (2019)
Fry bread is food. It is warm and delicious, piled high on a plate.
Fry bread is time. It brings families together for meals and new memories.
Fry bread is nation. It is shared by many, from coast to coast and beyond.
In linked verse, Fry Bread explores issues of family, tradition, and identity as they relate to one significant food in Indigenous North American cultures. Jubilant illustrations depict Indigenous characters with a wide range of hair and skin colours. An extensive afterward presents teachers, parents, and librarians with information on how to prepare to use this book with young people, delving into the historic context.
2020 American Indian Youth Literature Picture Book Honor Winner
Ana w abi w al chocolat (Me, My Dad and Chocolate)
Written by Grace Abou Khaled and Rola Saade & Illustrated by Farah Mar’ai
Yuki Press, Lebanon (2009)
A boy who loves chocolate connects with his dad while trying to create different recipes using chocolate. A delicious book to read that includes many recipes to try!
Baking With Dad
By Aurora Cacciapuoti
Child’s Play, USA/Australia (2016)
A girl and her dad bake a cake together in this joyous romp through the kitchen. They choose the ingredients, mix, pour, and wait for it to bake. It’s a bit messy and a whole lot of fun. A big-hearted celebration of the bonding power of time spent together in the kitchen.
Who Ate My Ice Cream?
Written by Rania Zaghir & Illustrated by Niloufar Afnan
Al-Khayyat Al-Saghir, Lebanon (2016)
A witty girl wonders how best to devour her ice cream cone. She is presented with suggestions and input from imaginary animals – all too willing to help her out by eating a bit of the ice cream themselves. Will she find the best way to eat her cone before it’s too late? A story that helps children navigate choices and building their identities.
Peeny Butter Fudge
Written by Toni and Slade Morrision & Illustrated by Joe Cepeda
Simon & Schuster, USA (2009)
Grandchildren get to spend a big day with Nana. They dance, play all day and make Nana's secret peanut butter fudge. Written in a playfully rhyming text, Peeny Butter Fudge is celebration of family connections. Fudge recipe included.
Tomatoes for Neela
Written by Padma Lakshmi & Illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal
Viking Books for Young Readers, USA (2021)
Neela loves cooking with her Amma (Mum) and writing down the recipes in her notebook. It makes her feel closer to her Paati (Granny), who lives far away in India. On Saturdays, Neela and Amma go to the market. Today they are buying tomatoes to make Paati's famous sauce. As Neela and Amma cook together, they find a way for Paati to share in both the love and the flavours of the day. Includes facts about tomatoes, treasured recipes, and an endnote about the importance of farm workers and providing them with safe and fair employment.
Wild Berries
By Julie Flett
Simply Read Books, Canada (2013)
A young boy and his grandmother spend a day picking “wild berries / pikaci-minísa” in the woods, encountering wildlife along the way. When their buckets are full, they say “thank you / nanaskomowak” and leave an offering for the birds. A gentle story about being out on the land written in English with Cree words (n-dialect, or Swampy Cree) by award-winning Cree-Métis author/illustrator Julie Flett. Pronunciation guide and wild blueberry jam guide included.
Also available in an n-dialect Cree edition.
Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature Best Book of 2013
Jalapeño Bagels
by Natasha Wing Illustrated by Robert Casilla
Atheneum Books for Young Readers, USA (1996)
Pablo's parents own a bakery. His mother is Mexican-American and his father is Jewish. When Pablo needs to bring a dish to school for International Day, he wants something that represents his dual heritage. But what? He explores various delicious options as he helps his parents at their bakery on Sunday and finds the perfect choice: jalapeño bagels! Inspired by a real bakery and café in Arcata, CA, the book includes words in Spanish and Yiddish, a glossary, and two recipes.
My Pop Pop and Me
Written by Irene Smalls & Illustrated by Cathy Ann Johnson
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, USA (2006)
Grandson and Grandpa cook a delicious lemon cake together. Full of fun and silly rhymes, My Pop and Me showcases building intergenerational relationships. Recipe included in the back of the book.
The Zucchini Story
Written by Samah Idris & Illustrated by Yasmeen Ta’an,
Dar Al Adab, Lebanon (2004)
Osama really hates zucchini. He is trying so hard to finish his plate as his mom promised to give him ice cream after he finishes his lunch. His meal is interrupted by calls from his friends, and his zucchini plate seems endless. A funny story with a surprising ending that highlights power dynamics between adults and children.
Do you have a favourite book about food and family? We'd love to hear from you! Leave us a comment below.
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