Illustrated by Charlene Chua
4 stars
A delightful and delicious story full of family, food, and love. Jin is disheartened when his sisters are asked to help prepare the family’s Lunar New Year’s feast and he never is. When he asks to help, his aunties only shoo him away, assuming he will just get in the way. But his grandmother welcomes him into the kitchen to learn more about his family and their recipes.
Gorgeous illustrations. Bright and colorful, they perfectly capture the excitement of the holiday, the deliciousness of the food, and the joy of spending time with those you love.
This is such a sweet story. I love the representation of a family member being open and accepting, encouraging a child to follow their interests and do what they enjoy. A lovely way of embracing opportunities to learn from each other and grow closer as a family.
At the back is a recipe for Peranakan Pongteh chicken. There is also an Author’s Note that discusses Peranakan Chinese heritage and some of the cuisine and traditions.
Lovely themes of being open to change and not holding too strictly to traditions. A beautiful representation of the bonds that can form when we allow people to be themselves and do what they love.