Staying Connected, One Book at a Thyme
By Kena Hardin, MLIS, Children's Library Associate, Central Library
One of the best ways to connect with others is through food. Whether it’s cooking together, exchanging family recipes, or trying culturally diverse foods, sharing a table together can create special bonds! If you love books with characters that deal with real world situations like family matters, school life, or growing friendships, then you’re probably a Connector reader.
The month of March brought us Chocolate Chip Cookie week, and soon it’ll be International Waffle Day! Along with some fun food-themed celebrations that you can celebrate with friends and family, you can check out these “egg-cellent” books to read together! If you’d like to find more foodie books for kids, you can browse this booklist. Of course, feel free to ask library staff at your local library for more recommendations! Enjoy!
Apple Cake, written by Dawn Casey, is a sweet read about intentional gratitude for everything and everyone that played a part in the creation of a delicious apple cake that is shared amongst family and friends.
Food Truck Fest!, written by Alexandra Penfold, moves readers through the day of the Food Truck Fest in a festive rhyming pattern. A family gets ready to go, cooks are preparing the food, then everyone is ready to eat everything from kimchi tacos to frozen yogurt!
Punky Aloha, written by Shar Tuiasoa, is about a girl named Punky, and she is a brave adventurer. One day, her grandma asks her to get a key ingredient at the market that is needed for her famous banana bread, which Punky loves! Although she wasn’t always brave, this journey to the market helps Punky become the adventurer she now is! The illustrations in this book are super fun, too!
Saturday at The Food Pantry, written by Diane O'Neill, tells the story of Molly’s experience with visiting a food pantry with her mom. Molly spots a classmate, Caitlin, at the food pantry too, but Caitlin doesn’t want people to know she and her grandma go to the food pantry. With a gentle nudge, Molly’s mom asks her to draw pictures while they wait in line, then Molly asks Caitlin to help. The pictures they draw help everyone feel happy and focus on what matters the most – compassion. It is a story that gently reminds readers that everyone needs help sometimes.
