Is your belly full?
One little kitchen can't give us
all we need, but ...
Would you like seconds?"
Oh, to be in this 'little kitchen'! It is filled with kind people who care about their community and spend every Wednesday gathering and cooking what is needed to feed its members. Filled with charm and as uplifting as it can be for those who will share it, it is Jillian Tamaki at her best.
It is a tiny, welcoming spot where everyone who can contributes what they have to make a communal meal. The ingredients might come from the fridge, the nearby garden, home pantries, or the food bank. Bringing those foods to the table will determine what the meal of the day will be. There is not a doubt that it will be eaten and appreciated.
The joy found in the camaraderie and work it takes is evident on every spread. The pages burst with enthusiasm, color, inviting smells, and a diverse group of people willing to share their cooking skills and their wish to help their friends with a well-made meal. The warmth found in this kitchen emanates first from the people present, and then from the oven. Everyone talks, everyone works hard, and everyone partakes of the food they so lovingly prepare. They are thankful for each other at every step. All the people who sit down for dinner are filled with gratitude for a chance to enjoy such a meal every week. They leave promising to be back.
After a short stop for a warm drink and whatever food is left to share, the team is refreshed and the time has come to do the CLEAN UP! Next week, they will do it all again. Energetic, filled to the brim with compassion and ever-changing perspectives, this book needs to be in every school library and classroom.
Endpapers provide simple recipes for vegetable soup and apple crumble. In an author's note, Ms. Tamaki explains that she was once part of a volunteer community kitchen that provided a Wednesday meal for those in need.
If your senses aren't on overload when you finish reading this book, you must have just eaten.
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