Noodles on a Bicycle (Caldecott Honor Book)

by Kyo Maclear Narrated by Sarah Skaer

Overview

A vibrant historical children's book about Tokyo's bicycle food deliverers, or demae, who balanced towering trays of steaming hot noodles on their shoulders while navigating crowded city streets.

When the deliverymen set off in the morning, the children wait for the flicker of pedal and wheel. It's the demae-delivery men-setting off to deliver steaming trays of noodles to hungry customers all over the city. They are acrobats: whizzing past other bicycles, soaring around curves, avoiding the black smoke of motorcycles. When the children see them, they want to be them. And so they practice with bowls of wobbling water stacked on trays. The day passes, and, finally, exhausted, the demae return home, to their families, and, yes, to steaming bowls of noodles.

This beautifully crafted story is sure to be adored by food lovers, young and old.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

★ "Lively language honors long-honed skills worth remembering, while ink and gouache spreads capture every detail, right down to labels hand-painted on the soba boxes, in this wonderfully specific snapshot." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ "A fascinating, loving snapshot of a gravity-defying artform lost to time." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ "With vivid descriptions of the sights and sounds of the city, the text sets readers right down in the middle of the scenes, while the writing makes for an animated read-aloud." —The Horn Book, starred review

★ “Delectably charming … The duo repeat their symbiotic success, nourishing readers with quotidian history ‘worth remembering and celebrating.’”
—Shelf Awareness, starred review
 
★ “Words and art come together seamlessly to reveal a world now long gone, in a loving, memorable tale that children will want to savor time and again.”
—BookPage, starred review

"This is a heartwarming tale with an engaging story and beautiful illustrations that are sure to entertain children." —School Library Journal

Kirkus Reviews

★ 2024-05-17
Impressive towers of noodles whiz through the city in this charming tribute to the hardworking deliverymen of midcentury Tokyo.

A gaggle of children wait patiently to catch a glimpse of the demae (deliverymen) as they set off from the soba noodle shop in the morning. The youngsters stare with wide-mouthed wonder as the men stack trays upon trays of ceramic soup bowls and wooden soba boxes on their shoulders. Arms steady, the demae mount their bicycles and weave their way through busy streets to feed a hungry city. The deliverymen “are artists. Architects. Tough talkers. Speedy spinners…and acrobats,” expertly navigating the curves and hills of the city landscape until they return to their families at night. Drawing on youthful memories of summers spent in Tokyo’s Nishi-Ogikubo neighborhood, Maclear crafts a compelling story from a child’s perspective, engaging the senses with rhythmic prose and onomatopoeia. Her author’s note explains that this delivery method—used from the 1930s to the ’70s—was eventually phased out. Perfectly complementing the text, Zhang’s illustrations use lively and expressive strokes of ink and gouache, each spread bursting with character. Readers will enjoy poring over the delightful details on each page. Maclear and Zhang have created an intimate and immersive experience that transports readers to the Tokyo of yesteryear, allowing them to bask in the sights, scents, and sounds of the busy city.

A fascinating, loving snapshot of a gravity-defying artform lost to time. (author’s note, glossary, photos) (Picture book. 4-8)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940193678823
Publisher:	Dreamscape Media
Publication date:	12/17/2024
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	Up to 4 Years

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