Our Little Kitchen - by Jillian Tamaki

Book Synopsis

A lively celebration of food and community from Caldecott honoree Jillian Tamaki, this lively, rousing board book tells the story of a crew of resourceful neighbors who come together to prepare a meal for their community.

Eisner Award Winner for Best Publication for Early Readers

"Visually brilliant. . . . Convey[s] the power of thrift, collective action, and community-building."--Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

Tie on your apron! Roll up your sleeves! Pans are out, oven is hot, the kitchen's all ready! Where do we start?

With a garden abundant with produce, a joyfully chaotic kitchen, and a friendly meal shared at the table, Our Little Kitchen is a celebration of full bellies and looking out for one another.

You can almost smell the veggies on the stove! Ingredients and steps for making vegetable soup precede a swirl of steam that leads into an introduction to a small community kitchen. Here a diverse group of friends, family, and neighbors unite to prep the meal with "what we've got, what we've grown, what we've kept, been given, and bought!"

The group prepares soup, chili, apple crumble, salad, warm bread, and more. The sounds of the kitchen "sizzle, chop, glug, slice, peel, trim, toss, splash, squish." Helpers serve as neighbors wait and anticipate the joy of sharing in a time of need.

Our Little Kitchen's bright, full-color illustrations, speech bubbles, simple words, varying perspectives, and exciting action encourage young readers to jump from page to page, making this a perfect read-aloud story.

Bonus materials include recipes for vegetable soup and apple crumble, and an author's note about the volunteering experience that inspired the book.

Review Quotes

**STARRED REVIEW**
"A sense of effervescent improvisation pervades the tale, through its cookery details and the text's rhythm and design... Exudes vibrancy, warmth, individuality, and purpose." --The Horn Book

**STARRED REVIEW**
"By making the collaborative meal preparation visually brilliant, Tamaki injects energy into this life-giving celebration... Convey[s] the power of thrift, collective action, and community-building."--Publishers Weekly

**STARRED REVIEW**
"Loving ode to community... The sense of fellowship around making and sharing food is sure to hit home, and the undercurrent here--that not everyone can get the food they need--is an important reminder."--Booklist

"Tamaki's latest is a delight for the senses, bursting with bright colors, enticing scents, and effervescent prose."--Kirkus Reviews

"Whether for appetizing story hours, classroom cooking, or inspiration to do good works, this book flows with a love for food and community."--School Library Journal

About the Author

Jillian Tamaki is an illustrator, author, and comics artist living in Toronto, Ontario. She is the cocreator, with her cousin Mariko Tamaki, of the young adult graphic novel This One Summer, which won a Caldecott Honor in 2015. She makes books and comics for people of all ages, including They Say Blue, a picture book about looking and thinking.