Ramen for everyone by Patricia Tanumihardja, illustrated by Shiho Pate

The story opens with a celebration of delicious ramen spreading across the endpages and leaping into the mouth of Hiro, who loves the mix of tastes and textures of a perfect bowl of ramen. Even more than he loves ramen, he loves watching his dad cook bowls of ramen on Sunday, just like the men of their family have done for generations, and as his grandfather taught his dad when he grew up in Hawai'i.

Hiro's dad is like a cooking ninja, chopping the meat, flinging scallions like throwing stars into the brother, and concentrating to get just the right taste for the broth. Hiro is sure he can repeat the process, from the noodles to the broth to the toppings, but when he tries it all goes wrong. Fortunately, with the encouragement and support of his family, Hiro learns that ramen doesn't have to be perfect to be special and with a little help he saves dinner and makes ramen that is just right for everyone!

Tanumihardja is a chef and her love of ingredients and cooking shines through in the playful text, finishing with the encouragement that Hiro can't cook the perfect ramen - YET! but he can still make ramen that is just right and shows his love for his family. The story ends with a history of ramen, some rules for cooking safety, and a recipe.

Pate's exuberant illustrations show a loving relationship between an energetic father and his son and a supportive family enjoying a meal that is not only delicious, it's an important part of their family history and culture. Words explode across the page, with Japanese characters mixed into the art and doubling under the text, celebrating the fusion of cultures in one delicious bowl.

Verdict: For older readers and listeners, pair with Magic Ramen by Andrea Wang for a deeper exploration of the history behind this tasty dish and be prepared to experiment both with ramen and other family dishes to help young children connect to their families, develop resiliency when things don't go right, and enjoy the extra fun of cooking for others!

ISBN: 9781665904353; Published March 2023 by Atheneum; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library