Please welcome author Charlotte Offsay today with her list of food-themed picture books about other cultures. You don’t have to be Jewish to love Jewish food, especially challah! Have you ever tried it for French Toast? Delicious! I get my challah at my local (non-chain) bagel shop, Rosenfeld’s Bakery. My daughter’s college roommate, however, baked their own! And it’s better than anything you can buy. I will be sure to gift a copy of Challah Day to them to read to their beloved nephew and niece!
We are giving away a signed and/or inscribed copy of Challah Day! To enter, please use the Rafflecopter at the bottom.
7 Food-Themed Picture Books About Other Cultures
Challah Day by Charlotte Offsay, illustrated by Jason Kirschner
Yeast and sugar – water’s warm,
mix and watch those bubbles form!
Crack the eggs – one… two… three… four
Extra if some hit the floor.
Challah Day is a rhyming ode to the timeless tradition of challah baking. It features a happy family gathering together in the kitchen to bake delicious braided egg bread for their Friday night Shabbat dinner. Backmatter details the cultural importance of Challah, Jewish traditions, and a challah recipe. Challah Day encourages readers to head to the kitchen and enjoy the
messy delicious sweetness that comes from baking together as a family. [picture book, ages 3 and up]
Ramen for Everyone by Patricia Tanumihardja, illustrated by Shiho Pate
Hiro wants to make the perfect bowl of delicious ramen just like his dad. He has observed and taken notes, but unfortunately, things don’t go to plan – his seaweed crumbled, his noodles are soggy, and the broth is bland. Hiro is frustrated but with encouragement from his dad and a little imagination, he finds his own way to make delicious ramen all of his own. A heartwarming story of family, embracing the learning process and creativity. [picture book, ages 4 and up]
The Perfect Sushi by Emily Satoko Seo, illustrated by Mique Moriuchi
Miko likes everything in her life to be tidy and perfect. She plans to make the perfect sushi for her Babi’s (grandma’s) birthday but when it turns out lopsided and she just can’t get it exactly right, she decides to replace it with perfect sushi created by a restaurant robot instead. Miko comes to find that food brings the most joy when it is made with kokoro (heart) rather than perfection. This book embraces imperfection and shows that gifts from the heart are the best gifts of all. [picture book, ages 4 and up]
Plátanos Are Love by Alyssa Reynoso-Morris, illustrated by Mariyah Rahman
As a young girl and her Abuela make plátanos, they discuss how plátanos provide so much more than nutrition. Abuela explains the history of the recipes, her ancestors who made them and passed them from generation to generation, and how making them really says, “I love you.” A celebration of family, food, culture, and connection. [picture book, ages 4 and up]
A Sweet New Year for Ren by Michelle Sterling, illustrated by Dung Ho
Every year Ren watches her family getting ready for their Lunar New Year celebrations and wishes she was big enough to help. Finally, this year she gets to join in and help make pineapple cakes. A beautiful story of family and tradition, complete with a heart-squeezing relatable story of wishing you were big enough. [picture book, ages 4 and up]
What the Bread Says by Vanessa Garcia, illustrated by Tim Palin
Every Saturday, a young girl heads to her grandfather's house to bake a different kind of bread with him. They bake baguettes and learn about Paris, Challah and learn about the Jewish people, Cuban bread, and a bit about her own grandfather’s history. They explore life and the world and connect with one another as they bake. An intergenerational story that is sure to cook up smiles and a desire to bake with loved ones. [picture book, ages 5 and up]
Tofu Takes Time by Helen H. Wu, illustrated by Julie Jarema
A young girl struggles to find patience as she makes tofu with her NaiNai. Step by step she wonders how much longer it will take as she helps and learns all that goes into their delicious meal. A story of family, tradition, and an important reminder that the journey is often as meaningful as the result (if not more!). This intergenerational story highlights the simple special moments together. [picture book, ages 4 and up]
Signed/Inscribed Challah Day Picture Book GIVEAWAY!
We are giving away a signed and/or inscribed copy of Challah Day! To enter, please use the Rafflecopter below. We can only mail to U.S. and A.F.O. addresses.
CHARLOTTE OFFSAY was born in England, grew up in Boston, and currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two small children. Through her work, Charlotte hopes to make children laugh, to inspire curiosity, and to create a magical world her readers can lose themselves in time and time again.
Charlotte is the author of The Quiet Forest, illustrated by Abi Cushman (Paula Wiseman Books, 2024), Challah Day, illustrated by Jason Kirschner (Holiday House, 2023), A Grandma’s Magic, illustrated by Asa Gilland (Doubleday Books for Young Readers, April 2022), The Big Beach Cleanup, illustrated by Kate Rewse (Albert Whitman, 2021), and How to Return a Monster, illustrated by Rea Zhai (BeamingBooks, 2021).
Learn more about Charlotte’s work at charlotteoffsay.com and follow her on Twitter and Tiktok at @COffsay and on Instagram at @picturebookrecommendations. Charlotte is represented by Nicole Geiger at Full Circle Literary.
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My books:
Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World
- Junior Library Guild Gold selection
- Selected as one of 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023 by dPICTUS and featured at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair
- Starred review from School Library Journal
- Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
- Imagination Soup’s 35 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 for Kids
Amazon / Barefoot Books / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Scholastic / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Jabari Jumps is my favorite book about learning to swim because it has a great message. Too Many Tamales is one of my favorite books about food because it is relatable and culturally inclusive.
Thank you for sharing all these titles.
A delightful food themed picture book is, Cora Cooks Pancit, by Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young and illustrated by Kristi Valiant, in which a girl who learns from her mother to cook pancit, a tasty Filipino dish.
Thank you for the book suggestions. I love all of them. Thank you for a diverse collection.
My mom makes the best homemade challah! The readers at my school love Thank You, Omu with its message about community.
Thank you for this blog post!
Food for the Future is one of my faves of your books! Thank you for being the most amazing MCBD queen and for your unwavering support of multicultural kidlit.