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bookph1le's review
4.0
4.5 stars
This book made me sooo hungry! Aside from the drool-worthy food, there was so much packed into it, all of it done in such a natural way. It raises challenging questions about cultural expectations and biases in an extremely thoughtful way. It also works so well as a narrative about an immigrant trying to feel her way in an environment that's so different from her own, while also dealing with typical adolescent issues around being accepted and finding your place. I also just loved the beautiful relationship between Cici and her grandmother, and the way the book handles her misunderstandings with her parents, as well as how Cici, her mother, and her father all grow and learn to understand one another in new ways. Now I just need to do some field research on all the yummy Taiwanese food the book highlights!
This book made me sooo hungry! Aside from the drool-worthy food, there was so much packed into it, all of it done in such a natural way. It raises challenging questions about cultural expectations and biases in an extremely thoughtful way. It also works so well as a narrative about an immigrant trying to feel her way in an environment that's so different from her own, while also dealing with typical adolescent issues around being accepted and finding your place. I also just loved the beautiful relationship between Cici and her grandmother, and the way the book handles her misunderstandings with her parents, as well as how Cici, her mother, and her father all grow and learn to understand one another in new ways. Now I just need to do some field research on all the yummy Taiwanese food the book highlights!
mehsi's review
4.0
A fun graphic novel about a girl moving to America and her love for cooking.
Cici was such a fun and delightful character and I loved what she did for her father and her grandmother. Joining a cooking competition in the hopes to win enough money for a plane ticket is just the sweetest!
I loved seeing Cici cook and I loved the cooking competition and all that was made during the show. She never gave up, kept practising, kept working hard, kept finding recipes to try out and studying hard to get them perfectly right. The cooking show was really extensive, we see the kids bake/cook, we see what everyone made, and we see them present it to the judges and get the judges to tell what they thought. At times it was a bit too long for me and I would have just liked to see their thoughts on Cici (and in the beginning Miranda). But I guess this did make it feel more a cooking show like you see on TV.
Next to that we see her adjust to school, correct people who call her Chinese or her food Thai. We see her try to make lunch that doesn’t smell to her classmates (which I just found sad to be honest as I would have rather seen her just do her own thing). We see her become friends and learn new things, but also find out that they have a lot in common.
Miranda (her partner in the first rounds of the competition) was an interesting girl. On the one hand I really liked her and loved how she was a magician with knives and cooking, loved how she had something else that she wanted to do and was finding the courage to tell her dad. But on the other hand she was really bossy.
I loved the video calls with grandma, while it also made me sad, because hello, they can only see each other this way, but I am also happy that they got this at least. In another time they would have had to write letters or call via phone and just hear each other.
The ending was super sweet and just had me smiling in happiness. The cooking competition, well it was no surprise who won, that is all I will say.
The only issue was the parents and how hard they pushed her to study and to get even better grades. I understand why, but come on, be a bit less harsh.
The art was great, I really like the style.
All in all, I had fun reading this one! Would recommend it if you love cooking and kids finding a place to belong.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
Cici was such a fun and delightful character and I loved what she did for her father and her grandmother. Joining a cooking competition in the hopes to win enough money for a plane ticket is just the sweetest!
I loved seeing Cici cook and I loved the cooking competition and all that was made during the show. She never gave up, kept practising, kept working hard, kept finding recipes to try out and studying hard to get them perfectly right. The cooking show was really extensive, we see the kids bake/cook, we see what everyone made, and we see them present it to the judges and get the judges to tell what they thought. At times it was a bit too long for me and I would have just liked to see their thoughts on Cici (and in the beginning Miranda). But I guess this did make it feel more a cooking show like you see on TV.
Next to that we see her adjust to school, correct people who call her Chinese or her food Thai. We see her try to make lunch that doesn’t smell to her classmates (which I just found sad to be honest as I would have rather seen her just do her own thing). We see her become friends and learn new things, but also find out that they have a lot in common.
Miranda (her partner in the first rounds of the competition) was an interesting girl. On the one hand I really liked her and loved how she was a magician with knives and cooking, loved how she had something else that she wanted to do and was finding the courage to tell her dad. But on the other hand she was really bossy.
I loved the video calls with grandma, while it also made me sad, because hello, they can only see each other this way, but I am also happy that they got this at least. In another time they would have had to write letters or call via phone and just hear each other.
The ending was super sweet and just had me smiling in happiness. The cooking competition, well it was no surprise who won, that is all I will say.
The only issue was the parents and how hard they pushed her to study and to get even better grades. I understand why, but come on, be a bit less harsh.
The art was great, I really like the style.
All in all, I had fun reading this one! Would recommend it if you love cooking and kids finding a place to belong.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
vtsarahd's review
5.0
Great for sharing during immigration unit and for fans of Kids Baking Championship!
alli_thebookgiraffe's review
5.0
This was such a cute story! I love seeing a book take such a fun twist on a middle grade immigration story.
bonnieebrown's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
amandalaynem's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
alice_wonders's review
5.0
Twelve year old Cici immigrates from Taiwan to Seattle & is trying to fit in at school & with new friends. She misses her grandmother terribly, so she enters a cooking contest hoping to win the prize money so she can buy a ticket for her grandmother for a surprise visit for her dad's birthday.
Such a cute & heartwarming book about food & family with great illustrations that make your mouth water, so don't read on an empty stomach!
Such a cute & heartwarming book about food & family with great illustrations that make your mouth water, so don't read on an empty stomach!