FOOD AND FAMILY IN PICTURE BOOKS…PLUS A GIVEAWAY!

Guest Post by Patricia Tanumihardja

Chances are you’ve read a picture book or two with food themes in the last year. While they’ve been around for a while, Dorina Gilmore’s “Cora Cooks Pancit” (2014) and Jama Kim Rattigan’s “Dumpling Soup” (1998) are two examples, there’s been a proliferation of diverse stories braided together with food, family, and cooking recently.

As a food writer and cookbook author, food has always played a major role in my life. And that has spilled over into my children’s book writing as well. In fact, two out of three of my picture books this past year are related to food!

Ideas come from everywhere
As an immigrant, food was a way to keep me rooted to my culture and traditions when I was growing up. Naturally, many of my ideas hark back to my childhood experiences. I inevitably snuck my favorite Lunar New Year treat, kue nastar (pineapple tarts) into “The Sugar Plum Bakers!”

Charlotte has happy memories of baking with her grandma in her kitchen as a young girl in England. Now baking challah for the holidays brings a timeless tradition into her house. One evening years ago, she sat down and wrote what would eventually become “Challah Day!”, not with the intention of publishing it, but simply to celebrate the joy of baking challah.

Alyssa’s abuela inspired her to become a writer. She told stories that captivated everyone’s attention and often roped Alyssa into telling stories too. These moments, as well as time spent in the kitchen together, are some of her fondest memories. “My love of my abuela, her stories, and the food we made together inspired “Plátanos Are Love.”

The heart of the story
Finding the heart of a story is always a challenging part of the writing process for me. I used to think it was a fluid and organic process. However, I’ve come to realize it has to be intentional. And once you find it, your story will come together.

“Plátanos Are Love” started out as a nonfiction book about plátanos around the world. The book explored how different countries and cultures eat and enjoy plátanos (plantains) all over the world. When told it didn’t have enough heart, Alyssa “went back to the drawing board and thought about what plátanos meant to me growing up, and instead focused on recreating family memories of cooking with my abuela.” After adding her grandmother to the narrative, the heart poured in, and the text was so much better.

Intention is key to finding the heart of Charlotte’s stories. When writing, she scribbles her ‘why’ at the top of the page. For example, “Challah Day!” was written to celebrate the joy baking challah with her kids brought to her life. This tactic is a constant reminder to tie everything in her story back to this theme. “When you write from the heart, it can’t help but show up in your writing,” she says.

Getting started…
Want to write a food-themed story? I like to mine my childhood, and you should too! Think back to your childhood and make a list of your favorite foods, activities, events and interests. Revisit the memories and things that won’t leave you alone, maybe even pair them up and see what magic happens!

Similarly, Charlotte suggests mashing up two things that don’t typically go together as a way to create something unique. Outlining the plot first is also one way to go. There are many options and there is no single right way. “Try out different methods, experiment with structure if your current one isn’t working, and give yourself room to play and tell the story in a way that feels authentic to you.”

Alyssa wants you to do your research: What is the food you want to incorporate? Has it been overdone? What makes your version unique and different? Then ask yourself WHY you are incorporating food themes into your story. Is it absolutely necessary to move the narrative forward? Once you answer these hard questions, you’re ready to write!

With so many food-themed picture books flooding the market, I often wonder if there’s room for more. Then I remind myself that good picture books–unique books with dynamic illustrations and engaging plots that ignite children’s imaginations– are always in demand. If a food-themed book has these qualities and more, there will always be room at the table.

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Now for the Giveaway!
Tundra Books is offering a copy of Dim Sum Palace by X. Fang to a lucky reader. To enter the raffle, please leave a comment below. If you share this post through X/Twitter and Facebook, mention that in your comment and you’ll earn another entry. The Giveaway closes in one week, on December 12, and is open to US and Canada residents only.