Spicy Spicy Hot!

by Lenny Wen

Overview

A heartwarming and humorous story about one girl determined to embrace the spice of sambal in order to connect with her grandmother and heritage—perfect for fans of Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao and Thank You, Omu!

When Lintang finally gets to taste her nenek’s yummy, mouthwatering sambal, she’s delighted! But when she takes a bite it’s . . . SPICY! 

Her lips burn, her mouth feels like it’s on fire, and her taste buds are crying for help. Desperate to fit in with her family, Lintang tries many different types of sambal, but they’re . . . HOT!

With a little help from Nenek, will Lintang find a way to beat the heat and connect with her Indonesian heritage?
 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316281027
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	04/25/2023
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	9.70(w) x 9.85(h) x 0.65(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Lenny Wen loves to draw whimsical, spooky, and heartwarming illustrations. Born and raised in Indonesia, Lenny now lives in Austria with her husband. She is the illustrator of Halloween Is Coming! by Cal Everett, Old Friends by Margaret Aitken, and How We Say I Love You by Nicole Chen. Spicy Spicy Hot! is her author-illustrator debut. Lenny invites you to visit her at lennywen.com or follow her on Instagram @lunartcy.

Editorial Reviews

A Junior Library Guild Selection
A Chicago Public Library Best of the Year Selection
A Bank Street College Best of the Year Selection

*“This cozy story of familial warmth is a treasure….A deeply satisfying celebration of cultural identity, intergenerational relationships, and delicious sambal.”

—Kirkus, starred review

“Reaction-oriented storytelling that moves toward an appropriately tender familial moment.”—Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

★ 2023-02-08
A young biracial girl looks forward to her Nenek’s visit from Indonesia.

Not only will Lintang meet her paternal grandmother for the first time, but Nenek will be cooking Indonesian food, including her famous sambal. But the chili paste is too spicy for Lintang. Even with reassurance from White-presenting Mama, who tells Lintang she had the same reaction to sambal years ago; Papa; and Nenek, Lintang feels left out. She’s determined to prevail over sambal, but every kind that she tries is too spicy for her. Nenek, who does not speak much English, quietly works to find a sambal that Lintang will be able to easily eat. This cozy story of familial warmth is a treasure. Wen’s digitally edited gouache-and–colored pencil illustrations on hot-pressed paper are bursting with cultural detail, from rattan chairs to the tikar mat on the floor to Nenek’s kebaya, and the Indonesian language is deftly incorporated. Nenek is a lovingly crafted character who’s keenly aware that Lintang feels that not being able to eat sambal means she doesn’t belong—and who helps her forge meaningful connections to her heritage, food traditions, and family. Wen makes clear, too, that despite language and geographic barriers, Lintang and Nenek can communicate in the ways that matter most, and their bond will last far longer than this visit. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A deeply satisfying celebration of cultural identity, intergenerational relationships, and delicious sambal. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews