Magic Ramen: The Story of Momofuku Ando

Written by Andrea Wang

Illustrated by Kana Urbanowicz

New York, NY: Little Bee Books, 2019. Biography Picture Book

I'll bet the last time you slurped up instant ramen noodles, you didn't think about where that perfectly tasty and warm cup of soup came from. The story is much more heart-warming than you'd expect.

Momofuku Ando lived in Osaka, Japan just after World War II had ended. He saw the devastation that lingered years after the terrible war. It left people hungry and poor. Ando wanted to help those in need. The thought motivated him to come up with a simple solution to feed people and he worked for twelve years to perfect his recipe for ramen noodle soup that would only take a couple of minutes to cook and required no more than hot water.

This beautiful, Japanese-styled picture book takes us through the journey of one man who wanted to help the war-devastated people of his country. Now, decades later, his products are known around the world and his company feeds the poor and homeless who have suffered all kinds of calamities.

Comments

Funny Farm by Mark Teague 2009

There are things I liked about Mark Teague's newest book, Funny Farm , and things I didn't like. Where should I start? I'll do the "didn'ts" first. The illustrations show animals personified. Well, some of the animals are. The main characters, Edward, and his farm family relatives, all dogs, are humanized. They stand upright, do farm chores, eat at a table, wear clothes, knit (yes, with paws) and sleep in beds. Most everybody else on and around the farm, who are also animals, act like animals. They are outside, roll in mud, live in the barn, and require care from their owners. It struck me the most on the page spread where there are pigs playing in puddle in the rain and Edward, a black and white boxer, watches from inside the house. I thought "You're a dog! Go play with them!" But, alas, he can't, seeing as how he goes through his entire visit to the farm wearing a suit and red bow tie. Another picture that bothered me was the maple syrup pa...

Dude, That's Rude! (Get Some Manners) by Pamela Espeland & Elizabeth Verdick

If there's one book today's kids need to read, it is Dude, That's Rude! (Get Some Manners) . The authors provide a fun format for teaching etiquette to children. They discuss proper behavior at home, at school, at other people's homes and in public places. The information is completely up-to-date with cellphone manners and netiquette included. Fun, cartoony illustrations are on practically every page giving the book great visual appeal. This book is perfect for boys and girls in the fourth grade or older. WARNING: Bodily functions are discussed.

Faces of the Moon by Bob Crelin

Faces of the Moon by Bob Crelin Illustrated by Leslie Evans Charlesburg; 2009; unpaged Faces of the Moon is a short nonfiction book that describes the different phases of the moon and why the moon appears like it does on certain nights. This book is short and sweet so even the youngest of moon lovers will enjoy it. The layout is simplistic and easy to follow. I don’t know much about the moon so I found it very interesting.

Provo Library Children's Book Blog

Search This Blog