Description

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In the vein of Thank You, Omu! and Bilal Cooks Daal comes a lyrical and nourishing tale about the importance of food to a community—and value of community to the experience of cooking—as told through the eyes of a young girl helping her tía.

Every Saturday, Carina visits Tía Mimi in her barrio, which is always humming with life. There is música that hums from the windows, old cuentos floating on the breeze, and the honking of cars that creates the soundtrack of the morning. Every Saturday, she loves to make empanadas with her aunt, singing: “I like empanadas! I like you! ¡Me gustan las empanadas! ¡Me gustas tú!”

Not this Saturday though. This Saturday, Tía Mimi has gone to volunteer at the neighborhood food center and asks Carina to collect the ingredients all on her own. But maybe, with a little guidance from friends, Carina will be able to help Tía Mimi—and learn a little about what connects a community along the way.

About the Author

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Jackie Azúa Kramer studied acting and voice at New York University and earned her MA at Queens College for counseling in education. Jackie has worked as an actor, singer, and school counselor. Her work with children presented her with an opportunity to address their concerns, secrets, and hopes through storytelling. Now she spends her time writing children’s picture books. Jackie’s books include the award-winning The Green Umbrella (a Bank Street College Best Children’s Book of the Year), If You Want to Fall Asleep, The Boy and the Gorilla, and Empanadas for Everyone. Jackie lives with her family in Long Island, New York. When not writing, you’ll find Jackie reading, watching old movies, and travelling to her family’s roots in Ecuador, Puerto Rico, and Spain.

Lenny Wen is an author and illustrator who was born in Indonesia. She is the illustrator of several picture books, such as Cal Everett’s Halloween Is Coming!, Amy Robach and Andrew Shue’s Better Together!, and Jackie Azúa Kramer’s Empanadas for Everyone. Lenny currently lives in Austria. When she is not illustrating or writing, you might find her staring at the trees, contemplating story ideas, reading books, filling up her cup with coffee, or hugging her dog.

Praise For…

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"The importance of community and what unites its members shine through on every page. Friendly storefronts line the blocks. The music of the stories being told on the sidewalks mesh with car horns, kids’ laughter, and the made-up song that Carina and Tia Mimi dance along to while they cook: “¡Me gusta empanadas! ¡Me gustas tu!” Wen’s pleasant digital illustrations are done in warm browns and yellows, and the soft lines add to the cozy setting...[a] wordless spread featuring Carina and her new friends marching to the Meal Center with yummy snacks at hand, a display table, and a recipe for Puerto Rican empanadas will have readers’ mouths watering at the book’s close."
— School Library Journal 

"An ode to diverse communities, Kramer and Wen’s joint effort exudes compassion and generosity. Kramer overstuffs the narrative with lovely turns of phrases...full of warm colors like soft yellows and oranges, the artwork complements Carina’s adventure...a yum for the tum and heart."
— Kirkus Reviews