Picture Book Friday

 

The Only Way to Make Bread by Cristina Quintero with illustrations by Sarah Gonzales

Oh, good times! Every once in a while, I come across a book that strikes a personal note—as a life-long bread baker—this was one.

 

Quintero’s celebration of all kinds of bread is also a celebration of cultures. Built on a framework of the process, the narrative unfolds from selecting a work space to breaking bread with a friend. There’s a delicious variety: Challah, Focaccia, Shokupan, Canadian Dinner Buns, Arepas, Puri—eleven in all described at the end. What’s your favorite?

And just in case this enticing list triggers a sudden need from some fresh, warm bread, recipes for Arepas and Pandesal are included, too.

Gonzales’s warm, soft-edged drawings pull the reader in to explore the rich depth of detail and create an intimacy paired with a sense of fun.

Loaves, rolls, buns—baked, steamed, or fried—hearty or delicate—stuffed or sliced…

Whatever your preference, make it your way.  And always add a pinch of love!

Here’s a wonderful story to share with young readers, introduce them to the language of food, and explore worldwide cultures.

Highly recommended for home and school libraries.

 

WINNER of the Ezra Jack Keats Best New Illustrator Award, 2024

PRAISE FOR The Only Way to Make Bread:

 

"You’ll want to make bread after reading this warmhearted book . . .  the story ensures nothing about this process comes off as precious except the time spent together. This is . . . a unifying addition to conversations around community and food literacy." —STARRED REVIEW, Booklist

 

"The art, combined with Quintero's graceful text, results in a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the ordinary, love-filled lives of individuals from various cultures." —STARRED REVIEW Shelf Awareness

 

"The warm tones and textures of Gonzales’s colored pencil illustrations evoke the feeling of being in a kitchen baking bread with loved ones. . . . A celebration of differences and the commonalities that unite us." —Kirkus Reviews

 

"There’s excellent chemistry between Colombian-Canadian debut author Cristina Quintero’s playful, immersive text and Filipino-Canadian illustrator Sarah Gonzales’s softly textured, coloured-pencil artwork with toasty ochre tones and steamy swirls of buttery yellow . . . The Only Way to Make Bread is perfect for savouring and sharing." —Quill & Quire

 

"This lively celebration of bread offers a welcome emphasis on diversity and collaboration. A warm and engaging read-aloud, it is also an excellent resource for caregivers and teachers." —School Library Journal

 

"The Only Way to Make Bread proves itself to be a new family favourite. With a timeless message and adorable graphics, this book is certain to be a good read no matter how old you are." —Young Adulting

 

"[A]s appealing as a warm, freshly baked loaf of bread." —CM: Canadian Review of Materials

 

"With softly coloured illustrations, children will explore different ways to make bread. . . . Recipes at the back of the book will have young chefs excited to try these delicious variations." —Calgary Herald

About the Author

CRISTINA QUINTERO is a first-generation Colombian-Canadian of both Afro-Colombian and Indigenous-Colombian descent. As a child of immigrants, she understands the importance of stories that go beyond trauma and struggle and instead highlight the everyday joy that is created within immigrant communities. She grew up in a neighborhood where one mama filled in for another, so while it was not always easy, her childhood was always delicious. Thus was born her lifelong love of food and ideas about community-building through food.

Picture Book Friday

 

If I Was a Horse by Sophie Blackall is a delightful romp.

 

Giddy-up and go along on this charming fantasy adventure as a child imagines being a horse for a day. The fun combines horsey nonsense with fanciful human activities. Galloping across meadows, rolling in rainy puddles, and giving rides are contrasted with relatable human activities. The true scale of silliness becomes boldly apparent once this massive creature moves indoors—helping itself to lunch, refusing to bathe in the cramped bathroom, and sleeping standing up on a too-small bed.

Blackall, a two-time Caldecott Medalist, lets her illustrations tell the story supported by a clean simple text of one or two short sentences on each double-page spread.

A personal favorite is the center spread with the horse, in a ruffled tutu and polka dot party hat, parading in circles in the living room led by the family’s youngest child. The detail in each page encourages a second look and a third.

Like every talented storyteller, Blackall surprises the reader with a charming twist on the very last page.

Recommended for home and school libraries.

 

 

Picture Book Friday

 Fox Has a Problem (My First I Can Read) by author/illustrator Corey R. Tabor

Follow Fox as he tries devise a plan to get his kite out of a tree. In the process, Fox’s problems go from bad to worse. Not only do his solutions fail, they create bigger problems for his friends—until at last, they all band together to save the kite!

Short, three-to-five-word sentences and simple vocabulary paired with action-packed illustrations makes this an appealing first reader.

Recommended for beginning readers.

Picture Book Friday

 

Peek-A-Boo Haiku: A Lift-the-Flap Book Board Book written by Danna Smith and illustrated by Teagan White

 

“in white winter coats/long-eared friends play hide-and-seek/moon says, ‘I see you’”

 Delightful riddles invite young readers to identify the hidden animals before lifting the flap to confirm their guess. The engaging text and adorable creatures in their woodland setting makes this book a real charmer that youngsters are sure to adore.

 The illustrations guide the reader through the seasonal changes in weather, environment, and the associated colors—pastels in spring, warm oranges and browns in fall. The satisfying result provides a variety of visual details to attract the eye and offer points of discussion about the natural world.

 Recommended for the very young readers in your life.

 

Picture Book Friday

The Truth About Dragons by Julie Leung with illustrations by Hanna Cha is a delightfully imagined story that delves into the mysteries of dragon lore from both European and Asian cultures through the eyes of a young biracial boy. 

Inspired by his mother’s bedtime story, the child enters into a quest through an elaborate world of hobgoblins and will-o’-the wisps. His search brings him to a wise woman who feeds him sugar cookies and apple cider while she regales him with a tale of dragons—fearsome and fire-breathing, who hoard gold in caves underground. “And that would be one truth about dragons.”

 This is only half the journey, his mother says. For in another forest of towering green bamboo, the young traveler will encounter nine-tailed foxes, converse with a white rabbit and come upon a palace overlooking a waterfall. There he finds another wise woman who serves him chrysanthemum tea in delicate porcelain and tells him dragons are majestic creatures who rule in the skies and rivers and command the rain to fall. “And that would also be a truth about dragons.” 

Leung’s two narratives weave a spell of enchantment all by themselves, but the true essence of this heart-warming story is revealed in the mother’s final words.  She reminds her child that many adventurers have only one story, but he has both worlds to explore. 

This celebration of dual cultures is beautifully enhanced by the elaborate illustrations that pair rich colors with vivid detail to create a tapestry worthy of this extraordinary tale.

Here is a splendid book (Caldecott Honor winner and Asian Pacific American Award for Literature winner) that shares the joy to be found in discovering diverse cultures.

Highly recommended for home and school libraries.

Picture Book Friday

 

I'm Going to Build a Snowman, written and illustrated, by Jashar Awan is a delightful winter treat that is sure to be a favorite read aloud.

"Mom! It snowed! You know what that means…” For this little boy it is building the perfect snowman. He imagines it will be easy. He knows all the steps—roll three perfect balls of snow and decorate to create the iconic top-hat wearing snowman who can sing, dance and fly!

But, as life often teaches us, perfection can sometimes be out of reach. Despite his determination and effort, the child’s creation falls short of his expectations…until he adjusts his goal to embrace the success of building the best snowman YET!

This ALA 2023 Notable Book is a charming reminder to find joy in the journey of creation regardless of the result.

Awan’s minimalist narrative utilizes simple vocabulary and short sentences to keep the text tightly focused and accessible for young readers. An imaginative use of onomatopoeia will be sure to bring forth giggles—”ziiiip” and “fwump” as he closes his jacket and pulls on his cap is later followed by “Sssssslump” as the snowman threatens to fall. Bold colors and high contrast imagery provides powerful visual impact with every turn of the page.

A perfect picture book for the season.

Highly recommended for both home and school libraries.

Picture Book Firday

 

When You Can Swim, authored and illustrated by Jack Wong, is a wonderful exploration of the many ways swimming can appeal to children.

It is also an invitation to encounter water in its varied forms. Inspired by the first line “When you can swim, first I’ll take you to the ocean” Wong offers the reader a thoughtful look at what each moment might entail. From sandpipers at the shore’s edge and water splashing only ankle deep to a long-distance swim to an island, Wong builds the narrative to highlight an ever-growing confidence with each new experience.

He brings a feast for the senses—the quiet bliss of floating, the enchantment of standing beneath a waterfall, the clinking of waves over a pebbled beach, treading water at dusk as fish leap in a pond to catch hovering bugs.

The characters bring a multi-generational and multi-ethnic richness to the narrative that feels all encompassing.

The vividly imagined illustrations add another layer of richness to the story as scenes appear in a variety of perspectives. A dragonfly hovers overhead silhouetted in marvelous detail against the sunlit sky. Movement fills the pages as swimmers dive beneath the surface or jump from above. A double page spread highlights a daring island swim. The final scene brings the story full circle with a young child at a public pool, probably for lessons, being encouraged with, “So swim, little one!”

Inspired by his own early fear of the water and lack of swimming skill, Wong taps into his experience and emotions and offers young readers an empathetic and encouraging invitation to discover the joy to be found by cultivating this skill.

Recommended for home and school libraries.