Where There Is Love: A Story in African Proverbs

by Shauntay Grant Illustrated by Letícia Moreno 5 stars A delightfully cozy story of a young girl’s visit to Nana’s house filled with good food, good music, and good conversation. Nicely written with straight-forward text. I love how the proverbs are worked into the story as the girl shares what she has learned at Nana’s…

Read More

Himouto! Umaru-chan Vol. 1 by Sankakuhead

Translated by Amanda Haley 4 stars Adorable and hilarious. To the outside world, Umaru is the perfect high school student: talented, smart, and kind. But at home, she’s a completely different person. Around her brother, she’s lazy, slovenly, and addicted to manga and video games. Taihei does his best to keep up with her antics,…

Read More

Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz

5 stars A love story to San Francisco and a new take on the sci-fi genre. I never knew I needed a cozy sci-fi story in my life. This is such a sweet book. Staybehind wakes up to find that he and his robot coworkers, Cayenne, Sweetie, and Hands, have been shutdown and the restaurant…

Read More

Two-List Thanksgiving by Christine Whan

Illustrated by Sienna Youngsun Kim 5 stars An adorable story about a family coming together for a Thanksgiving meal. A young girl helps her mother shop for Thanksgiving. They have one list for the Korean market and one for the local market. It isn’t until they are all together enjoying the meal that the girl…

Read More

Food-Related Stories by Gaby Melian

3 stars A little book with a lot of heart. A sweet collection focusing on the power of food and connection. Follow Melian in this mini-memoir as she discovers her love of cooking, explores all her senses, and revisits memories of food and family. A nice look at the meaning we place on food, cooking,…

Read More

The Secret of the Jade Bangle (The Nguyen Kids #1) by Linda Trinh

Illustrated by Clayton Nguyen 4 stars A heartwarming story of family, tradition, loss, and connection. In the first book in The Nguyen Kids series, we follow Anne, the eldest Nguyen sibling. After the passing of her beloved grandmother, Anne inherits her iconic jade bracelet. But this bracelet has a secret. Follow Anne as she uncovers…

Read More

Off Menu by Oliver Gerlach

Illustrated by Kelsi Jo Silva 3 stars A nice story of a community coming together to fight unfairness and corruption. Soup grew up in The Brazen Manticore, a restaurant run my the infamous Trysil Heldritch. She loves cooking and being a chef in its kitchen, but when she sees a different side of her boss…

Read More

Waffles + Mochi: Follow That Food! by Christy Webster

Illustrated by Sarah Rebar 5 stars An absolutely adorable introduction to Waffles and Mochi. Once upon a time the two best friends lived in the Land of Frozen Food where all they ate was ice. One day they climb aboard a truck and find themselves in a super market. With the help of some new…

Read More