Little Bookworm and I love spending time in the kitchen together, and there are so many lessons to be learned by cooking as a family. So we were excited to pull together this list of new kid’s books about food & cooking!

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Little Dumplings

Written by Jekka Kuhlmann, Krissy Kuhlmann & Haley Hazell and illustrated by Manita Boonyong

This adorable board book celebrates dumplings all over the world! Lots of cultures have a dumpling dish in their cuisine and the rhyming text and brightly colored illustrations in this book celebrate a lot of them. From Momo and Fufu to Ravioli and Empanada, the stuffed treats in this book may be familiar or may be new to you, but they are all enjoyed by someone! The back of the book includes more information about the many dumplings included in the book including a pronunciation guide and their place of origin.

P is for Pastrami: The ABCs of Jewish Food

Written by Alan Silberberg

This cute board book explores Jewish foods from around the world through the letters of the alphabet. Each page features a different food or two paired with a letter of the alphabet. The cute cartoon illustrations bring the foods to life and there are little jokes sprinkled throughout as well!

The ABCs of Perrsian Food

Written by Sunny Sanaz Shokrae and illustrated by Ly Ngo Heisig

In this colorful picture book, readers are introduced to Persian dishes for each letter of the alphabet. Each brightly colored page includes a large illustrations of the dish, and the name of dish in both English and Persian. The back of the book includes an explanation of each food item pictured throughout the book, as well as the name and pronunciation. There is also a note from the author explaining her inspiration behind the book.

Related Post: More Kid’s Books about Food & Cooking

The Runaway Dosa

Written by Suma Subramaniam and illustrated by Parvati Pillai

This cute book uses Indian folklore and a beloved Tamil rhyme to put a spin on the tale of “The Gingerbread Man”. When Akka triggers a magical spell that brings the last dosa to life, she and Krishna head out to try and catch it. Along the way they come across all kinds of creatures from Indian folklore. In the beginning of the book there is a glossary of Tamil words and mythological creatures, and the back of the book includes an author’s note exploring the creatures in the story, as well as instructions for making Dosa.

Ra Pu Zel and the Stinky Tofu

Written by Ying Chang Compestine and illustrated by Crystal Kung

This spin on the tale of Rapunzel imagines a princess who isn’t interested in the normal princess duties. All she wants to do is cook! When she gets tired of all the adults telling her what to do, she locks herself in the tower and only lowers her hair to get baskets of food. Will a smart chef finally be able to coax her out of her tower with a new dish? The back of the book includes an author’s note about her inspiration for the book, as well as a recipe for Non-Stinky Pan-Fried Tofu.

Just the Right Cake

Written by Christina Tosi and illustrated by Emily Balsley

Phil is a young boy who loves baking cakes with his mom and dad. But when his mom and dad get divorced, suddenly his favorite recipes don’t taste the same anymore. If he takes a bit of each of their favorite desserts and puts them together, could a new recipe help him adjust to this new way of life? This book has a great message for little ones going through big life changes, and it even includes the recipe for Phil’s delicious sounding new cake!

Related Post: Children’s Books about Food & Eating

Sunshine Pie

Written by Sarah Edmonds

When a little girl named Olive goes to visit her Aunty Jen, they decide to make a pie together As they gather ingredients, Aunty Jen informs her that they will be making Sunshine Pie! With the help of Aunty Jen, Olive learns how the fruits in their pie are full of the rays of sunshine and the rain drops that help them to grow. The story celebrates farm fresh fruits and ingredients, as well as community. The back of the book includes a recipe for Sunshine Pie so readers can try it for themselves as well!

I Want to Be Spaghetti!

Written by Kiera Wright-Ruiz and illustrated by Claudia Lam

When a pack of Ramen decides that they want to be as beloved as spaghetti, they think that they need to change in order to be accepted. With some help from new friends like Narutomaki, egg, and Nori, Ramen learns how good it feels to be themself! This book has a great message about learning to be yourself, and includes a note from the author at the end about her inspiration behind the story.

Just Try It!

Written by Phil and Lily Rosenthal

This book, from the star of Somebody Feed Phil, follows Lily and her Dad Phil as they go to a food truck festival together. Lily is a little girl who knows what she does and does not like, but her dad wants her to try new things. Could a mustard accident change how she looks at things? This book has a good message to try something before you say no to it, both for kids and adults. The brightly colored cartoon illustrations feature large pictures of different types of food, and showcase the intense emotions from both Phil and Lil.

Related Post: Book Based Snacks Inspired By Kid’s Books

Seoul Food

Written by Erin Danielle Russell and illustrated by Tamisha Anthony

Hana is a young girl who wants to cook something delicious for all of her grandparents who are coming to visit. But no dish seems just right. When she starts reminiscing about cooking Korean food and Southern dishes with her grandparents though, she may be able to come up with a dish that will please everyone and celebrate their relationships. The back of the book includes a glossary of words used in the book, as well as a recipe for Hana’s fusion dish.

The Spice Box

Written by Meera Sriram and illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat

Rishi’s grandmother Paati is coming to visit, and he wants to help make her a delicious curry. So he opens the precious spice box that once belonged to Paati and now belongs to his Dad. As he reminisces about all the memories associated with his box, an accident happens. But Rishi and his dad are going to make new memories with it now. The back of the book includes a glossary of traditional Indian spices and a recipe for Paati’s Potato Curry.

Churro Stand

Written by Karina N. Gonzalez and illustrated by Krystal Quiles

This book follows a  young girl named Lucia and her brother as they head out on a hot summer day to help their mother sell churros. When a rain storm hits and their customers are chased away, they have to come up with a creative way to save the day. This a very sweet story that celebrates food, family, and ingenuity! The back of the book contains a note from the author, as well as a call to action and a glossary of terms used in the book.

Home in a Lunchbox

Written by Cherry Mo

Jun is a young girl who just moved from America from Hong Kong. She doesn’t know a lot of the language and she is uncomfortable at school. When she opens her lunchbox and finds her favorites, she feels more at home. Soon she is able to use those foods to make new friends. This sweet story is accompanied by beautiful, lush illustrations that celebrate the strong emotions Jun feels and the delicious foods she eats. The back of the book includes a translation of the words Jun uses in the book, as well as an explanation of the foods she eats.

Boys Don’t Fry

Written by Kimberly Lee and illustrated by Charlene Chua

It’s almost Lunar New Year and Jin is a young boy who wants to help prepare food for the family reunion dinner. His aunties shoo him away, because he is a boy and they think he will get bored. But Jin knows that he belongs in the kitchen, and his grandmother thinks there is nothing wrong with him learning. The back of the book includes a note from the author as well as a recipe for Peranakan Pongteh Chicken.

Let Me Fix You a Plate: A Tale of Two Kitchens

Written by Elizabeth Lilly

Join a young girl and her family as they travel on a long road trip to visit both sides of their family and enjoy delicious dishes together from two distinct cultures. From the mountains of West Virginia to sunny Florida, they enjoy all kinds of yummy foods together while also visiting with loved ones. This is a sweet celebration of food, family, and tradition that all families can appreciate.

Welcome to Our Table

Written by Laura Mucha and Ed Smith and illustrated by Harriet Lynas

This fact filled book celebrates food and eating all around the world. From what we use to eat our food, to the foods we eat, there is a ton of information in this book. The beginning of the book offers an introduction and a table of contents, outlining all of the topics covered in the book. Meanwhile, the back of the book includes a glossary of ways to say “delicious” and “goodbye” in languages explored in the book, as well as a map and list of countries featured in the book.

What are your favorite new kid’s books about food & cooking? Share them in the comments below!

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