Sweet Savory Stories: Exploring Positive Food Relationships in Picture Books

Author’s Biography: Katiana Bagué (she/her/ella) is the Exhibits Associate for the University of Florida (UF) George A. Smathers Libraries. She has worked at the UF Libraries since 2016. She started as a student assistant at the Latin American and Caribbean Collection and has held other titles within the libraries, such as Bilingual Outreach Assistant for The U.S. Caribbean & Ethnic Florida Digital Newspaper Project and User Engagement and Communications Specialist for UF’s Library West. Katiana, the daughter of Puerto Rican migrants, received her B.A. in Art History from the University of Florida in 2018 and an M.A. in Latin American Studies in 2022.

Positionality Statement: I wrote this blog post on BIPOC (Black Indigenous People of Color) picture books depicting positive food relationships in my position as a Puerto Rican woman who has lived most of her life in Florida. Even within the diaspora, I was fortunate enough from a young age to learn how to cook traditional Puerto Rican dishes from my family. I view cooking as a positive way to explore my identity and family history.

Introduction

Even from a young age, I have always considered food, sharing a meal, and cooking with family and friends a love language. I associate so many dishes and food memories from my childhood with warmth and care. Whether it be memories of eating empanadillas (meat stuffed pastry) or learning to make arroz con habichuelas (rice and beans) from my mother, these moments hold a special place in my heart. They remind me that food not only nourishes our bodies but also provides opportunities for connection and learning more about ourselves and those around us.

As a young girl, I was drawn to children’s books with food-related themes and illustrations. One particular book that comes to mind that I remember reading multiple times was “Bread and Jam for Frances,” written by Russell Hoban and illustrated by Lillian Hoban. This picture book, published in 1964, is part of a series of seven books that feature a little badger named Frances. In “Bread and Jam for Frances,” Frances refuses to eat anything that isn’t bread and jam.

Book cover of “Bread and Jam for Frances” featuring an illustration of a badger holding a jar of jam and eating sliced bread topped with jam.

A page from the picture book “Bread and Jam for Frances” featuring an illustration of a badger jumping rope and waiting for the bus alongside text indicating that the badger is singing a song about their love of bread and jam.

^{Russell Hoban (author) and Lillian Hoban (illustrator), “Bread and Jam for Frances,” 1964. Harper & Row.}

Her parents, therefore, devise a plan and let her eat only bread and jam over a few meals. Frances eventually grows tired of bread and jam and realizes there are other foods she enjoys that she is missing out on. The conclusion has Frances eating other delicious foods alongside loved ones. In one scene, she shares a meal of spaghetti and meatballs with her family, and in another, she eats a yummy school lunch with her friend Albert. The story moreover provides a positive message to young readers about the value of exploring and enjoying different types of food.

A page from the picture book “Bread and Jam for Frances” featuring an illustration of a badger eating a plate of spaghetti and meatballs.

A page from the book “Bread and Jam for Frances” featuring an illustration of two badgers eating school lunch together.

^{Russell Hoban (author) and Lillian Hoban (illustrator), “Bread and Jam for Frances,” 1964. Harper & Row.}

While I am fond of Frances and her food tale, I wanted to dive deep into other picture books that highlight healthy relationships with food from more diverse perspectives that I didn’t have access to as a young child. I also wanted to find books showcasing how food can allow people to learn more about their roots, culture, and communities. With some help from the Diverse BookFinder, I was able to locate recent picture books that feature young BIPOC characters and their positive relationships with food.

“Watermelon Madness”

^{Taghreed Najjar (author) and Maya Fidawi (illustrator), “Watermelon Madness,” 2018. CrackBoom! Books.}

“Watermelon Madness” (2018), written by Palestinian-Jordanian author Taghreed Najjar and illustrated by Lebanese artist Maya Fidawi, centers on a young Arab girl named Noura. Through the text and vibrant illustrations, we learn about Noura’s immense love of watermelon. One day, over a family meal, Noura refuses to eat her plate of ملوخية (molokhiya; stew made from leafy greens) with chicken and rice and insists that she only wants to eat watermelon.

Pages from the picture book “Watermelon Madness” featuring illustrations of a family at a dinner table with text indicating that the young child refuses to eat her dinner and only wants watermelon.

^{Taghreed Najjar (author) and Maya Fidawi (illustrator), “Watermelon Madness,” 2018. CrackBoom! Books.}

She then sneaks into her kitchen before bedtime, takes the large watermelon lying on the table, and hides it under her bed. During her sleep, her dream of eating endless amounts of watermelon turns into a nightmare as she gets a stomach ache from consuming too much of the fruit.

A page from the picture book “Watermelon Madness” featuring an illustration of a young girl inside a watermelon with text indicating that they have a stomach ache.

^{Taghreed Najjar (author) and Maya Fidawi (illustrator), “Watermelon Madness,” 2018. CrackBoom! Books.}

The following day, we see Noura enjoying a breakfast of fried eggs and زَعْتَر (za'atar; a spice blend) with olive oil. Noura’s story is completely relatable, as we all have favorite foods that we sometimes can’t get enough of and take comfort in. The book can help bring forth thoughtful discussions with children about creating balanced eating habits. It emphasizes how we can enjoy the foods that bring us comfort while also making space for other foods within one’s culture or community and taking food risks.

Pages from the picture book “Watermelon Madness” featuring an illustration of a young girl eating her breakfast of fried eggs and za'atar with olive oil.

^{Taghreed Najjar (author) and Maya Fidawi (illustrator), “Watermelon Madness,” 2018. CrackBoom! Books.}

“What’s that?”

“What’s that?” (2021) touches on an experience known as the “lunchbox moment” that many BIPOC children go through within the cafeteria school setting. The lunchbox moment is a term that became popular in 2016 and refers to when BIPOC children, immigrants, or members of the diaspora open their packed lunches and are met with judgment and bullying from white classmates. The moment has been the subject of numerous forms of BIPOC and immigrant media, as Jaya Saxena explains in their essay “The Limits of the Lunchbox Moment.” Author and founder of indie publishing house Gloo Books, Karen Chan, and illustrator Basia Tran explore the lunchbox moment through the Chinese-American character Jaxon.

^{Karen Chan (author) and Basia Tran (illustrator), “What’s That?,” 2021. Gloo Books.}

Jaxon, on his first day of school, is excited to eat his packed lunch of 卤肉饭 (Lǔ ròu fàn; braised pork & rice) and 葱油饼 (Cōng yóubǐng; scallion pancakes) prepared by his grandmother. However, he notices that his lunch is not like the other white children’s lunches, who begin to ridicule him.

Pages from the picture book “What’s That?” featuring an illustration of a young boy looking sad and alone in front of their lunch box.

^{Karen Chan (author) and Basia Tran (illustrator), “What’s That?,” 2021. Gloo Books.}

Jaxon feels ashamed and alone until another student, Meena, sits beside him, takes interest in his lunch, and savors her meal of 'दाल' / دال (daal; stew made from simmered lentils, split-peas or beans) and rice. The two chat and bond over the foods of their own cultures and families, and Jaxon is able to enjoy his lunch without paying attention to the judgment around him. Rather than rejecting their own cultural foods and assimilating into whiteness, as is present in many lunchbox moments narratives, Jaxon and their new friend Meena are able to take pride in their cultures and identities.

Pages from the picture book “What’s That?” featuring an illustration of two children looking happy with the background showing a vibrant nature scene.

^{Karen Chan (author) and Basia Tran (illustrator), “What’s That?,” 2021. Gloo Books.}

“Soul Food Sunday”

^{Winsome Bingham (author) and C.G. Esperanza (illustrator), “Soul Food Sunday,” 2021. Abrams Books for Young Readers.}

“Soul Food Sunday” (2021) follows a young Black boy and his family arriving at his grandmother’s house as they partake in the family tradition of Soul Food Sunday. The book, written by author, soul food connoisseur, and master cook Winsome Bingham and illustrated by South Bronx artist C.G. Esperanza, beautifully portrays how food preparation and consumption can manifest love and connection among family members. In this tale, the young boy is finally old enough to wear his late grandfather’s Army chef jacket and help his grandmother cook in the kitchen.

A page from the picture book “Soul Food Sunday” featuring an illustration of a grandmother helping their grandson put on a chef jacket.

^{Winsome Bingham (author) and C.G. Esperanza (illustrator), “Soul Food Sunday,” 2021. Abrams Books for Young Readers.}

The reader gets a glimpse into the different steps and processes to prepare the dishes required for Soul Food Sunday, including grating the cheese needed for the mac n’ cheese, using lemon juice and vinegar to clean the greens, and prepping the meat for grilling.

A page from the picture book “Soul Food Sunday” featuring an illustration of a young boy grating cheese.

^{Winsome Bingham (author) and C.G. Esperanza (illustrator), “Soul Food Sunday,” 2021. Abrams Books for Young Readers.}

The result is a heartwarming meal and a scene with the whole family in celebration. The picture book also features a mac n’ cheese recipe at the end, encouraging young readers to explore cooking alongside loved ones. In the final pages, we also see notes from the author and illustrator that highlight their positive relationships with cooking and Soul Food.

A page from the picture book “Soul Food Sunday” featuring an illustration of a family gathered at a table enjoying a meal.

^{Winsome Bingham (author) and C.G. Esperanza (illustrator), “Soul Food Sunday,” 2021. Abrams Books for Young Readers.}

I learned to cook over the phone. It was the time before the internet, so no YouTube or FaceTime, just a regular phone where you stuck your finger in the hole and moved the dial. My granny and aunties taught me how to cook… There are many ‘Grannies’ in the world teaching their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren how to carry on traditions and be self-sufficient.”
Winsome Bingham

The aroma of a traditional Soul Food dinner teleports me back to my Grandma’s house in the Forest projects in the Bronx on any Sunday in 1996…I hope this book will inspire magic moments between children and grandparents or the like for years to come. And also, more baked macaroni!”
C.G. Esperanza

“Plátanos Go with Everything”

^{Lissette Norman (author) and Sara Palacios (illustrator), “Plátanos Go with Everything”, 2023. Harper.}

“Plátanos Go with Everything” (2023) will have you craving plantains in all the ways they can be prepared. Written by award-winning poet and author Lissette Norman and illustrated by artist Sara Palacios, this bilingual story highlights how plátanos (plantains) are an important staple in Dominican cuisine. The book is told from the main character, Yesenia's perspective, as she contemplates the many ways her family enjoys plátanos. In the opening scene, Yesenia is seen cooking with her Mami in the kitchen. She states that she enjoys the stories Mami tells her about the Dominican Republic while they cook. To her, the stories her Mami shares "are the secret ingredient in all her yummy food."

An illustration from the picture book “Plátanos Go with Everything” featuring a mother and child cooking in a kitchen.

A page from the picture book “Plátanos Go with Everything” featuring bilingual text and an illustration of a kitchen scene.

^{Lissette Norman (author) and Sara Palacios (illustrator), “Plátanos Go with Everything”, 2023. Harper.}

This points to the idea that food does more than give us bodily nourishment. Food can help those far from their homelands living in the diaspora keep important memories alive, as seen throughout the book's pages. As mentioned before, food can also be a love language. Author Lissette Norman seems to agree as she has Yesenia saying how plátanos are like love poems and have the power to heal a broken heart. This book can give young readers the space to think about the foods they eat and how they can be a way to express love for themselves and others.

An illustration from the picture book “Plátanos Go with Everything” featuring a mother and child sitting on a bed sharing a dish of caramelized plantains and ice cream along with text stating that plantains can heal a broken heart.

^{Lissette Norman (author) and Sara Palacios (illustrator), “Plátanos Go with Everything”, 2023. Harper.}

Conclusion

These picture books that depict young BIPOC characters having healthy and positive relationships with cultural foods are extremely valuable, especially considering the lack of diversity still present in food media and nutrition resources.

In their article “Chew on this: The Bitter Taste of Disparities in the Presentation and Popularization of Food,” food columnist Stephanie Du comments on how food media is predominately white and how BIPOC food is unfortunately undervalued, considered cheap, or even exotified. Additionally, we find instances of food gentrification, where outsiders engage with BIPOC cuisines without proper care and respect or knowledge of its history. The gentrification of BIPOC food can also make them less accessible to the communities they originate from. An article from The Atlantic titled “The Table Stays White” discusses similar sentiments and the disparities in food media. Oftentimes, stories and food by BIPOC creatives and cooks are not given the attention they deserve and, therefore, remain on the sidelines.

Thus, the picture books highlighted, in some form or another, attempt to combat these issues by creating a safe space for young readers and even adults to take pride in their cultural foods or learn about cuisines outside of their own. These picture books can become sources of empowerment for exploring food in a mindful way and cooking and sharing meals with loved ones.

Articles and tips for promoting positive food relationships:

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