The Antiracist Kitchen: 21 Stories (and Recipes)

by Nadia L. Hohn (Editor), Roza Nozari (Illustrator), Ainara Alleyne (Foreword by)

Overview

★“Twenty-one kid-lit authors of color share a wide array of delicious recipes as well as personal experiences related to culture, race, and racism. Accompanied by vibrant illustrations, these story-recipe pairings demonstrate how intertwined food and identity are…The result is a thoughtful, beautifully designed work that fosters inclusivity and respect…A hearty meal that doles out both culinary delights and moving cultural insights.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★“A celebration of diversity in the form of a cookbook...Aspiring kid chefs will enjoy trying out these original recipes. The author asks, “What if talking about racism was as easy as baking a cake?” With this book, it could be. Recommended for all libraries.”—School Library Journal, starred review

An anthology featuring stories and recipes from racialized authors about food, culture and resistance

What if talking about racism was as easy as baking a cake, frying plantains or cooking rice? The Antiracist Kitchen: 21 Stories (and Recipes) is a celebration of food, family, activism and resistance in the face of racism. In this anthology featuring stories and recipes from 21 diverse and award-winning North American children's authors, the authors share the role of food in their lives and how it has helped fight discrimination, reclaim culture and celebrate people with different backgrounds. They bring personal and sometimes difficult experiences growing up as racialized people. Chopped, seared, marinated and stewed, The Antiracist Kitchen highlights the power of sitting down to share a meal and how that simple act can help bring us all together.

Featuring recipes and stories from S.K. Ali, Bryan Patrick Avery, Ruth Behar, Marty Chan, Ann Yu-Kyung Choi, Hasani Claxton, Natasha Deen, Reyna Grande, Deidre Havrelock, Jennifer de Leon, Andrea J. Loney, Janice Lynn Mather, Linda Sue Park, Danny Ramadan, Sarah Raughley, Waubgeshig Rice, Rahma Rodaah, Andrea Rogers, Simran Jeet Singh, Ayelet Tsabari and Susan Yoon.

The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781459833432
Publisher:	Orca Book Publishers
Publication date:	09/12/2023
Pages:	160
Sales rank:	215,973
Product dimensions:	7.10(w) x 9.50(h) x 0.60(d)
Lexile:	970L (what's this?)
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

Nadia L. Hohn is a multilingual, world-travelling, award-winning author of several books for young people, including the Malaika series and A Likkle Miss Lou: How Jamaican Poet Louise Bennett Coverley Found Her Voice. She is an “artivist” who wants to make sure that all young people can see themselves in books. Nadia teaches kids and adults in Toronto. When she is not writing or cooking, Nadia is most likely reading, enjoying music, watching plays or daydreaming about her next adventure.

Roza Nozari is a queer illustrator and writer of color. She is most known for her bold designs and diverse depictions of community and is a firm believer that we should all see ourselves meaningfully reflected in art. In her illustrations, she centers those often at the margins of the art world—BIPOC and 2SLGBTQ+ people, among others. Roza passionately illustrates on topics related to community, mental health and social justice. Through illustration, she envisions a world that is affirming, compassionate and uplifting to all. Roza lives in Tkaronto/Toronto with her partner, their quirky dog named Bones and their bonus kid, Ollie.

Ainara Alleyne is a 13-year-old elementary student from Hamilton, Ontario. Ainara curates the Instagram page @ainarasbookshelf, where she highlights books for young people whose authors and main characters are Black, Indigenous and People of Color, disabled and from other underrepresented communities. She believes that, by experiencing other cultures and perspectives through books, we can not only acknowledge our differences but also be able to understand and embrace them. Ainara was Hamilton Public Library's first Junior Librarian-in-eResidence. She speaks to student teachers at various universities and pedagogy symposiums, and she has been featured in the New York Times, as well as on CBC, CTV and numerous podcasts. Her TV show, also called Ainara’s Bookshelf, which she created, co-wrote and produced, aired on TVOkids and is currently available on YouTube.

What People are Saying About This

elementary teacher and doctoral student in Toronto - Rabia Khokhar (B.A.

“An outstanding anthology that shows us the power of community and our interconnectedness! Through the amazing recipes and stories shared, readers will learn that celebrating, listening and learning from each other is an intentional way to fight against racism. This anthology is a work of love and it feels like a warm hug.”

Monique Gray Smith

“This beautiful collection of stories and recipes will warm both hearts and bellies for generations to come.”

Kern Carter

“Nadia Hohn has done something incredible: she has taken our collective love of food and transformed it into a cultural and educational experience in anti-racism. What’s beautiful about this book are the stories and the simplicity. It’s not about elegant ingredients or elaborate menus. The Antiracist Kitchen teaches deeply profound lessons on self-love, discrimination and social struggles through a series of personal, intimate stories. Sometimes food is the lesson, other times food is the messenger. What you get out of this anthology, however, is a clear picture of what it means to belong and how not belonging can severely impact our lives.”

Janae Marks

“The Antiracist Kitchen nourishes both body and mind with its heartwarming stories, beautiful illustrations, and delicious recipes from around the world. This collection needs to be in every kitchen!”

Crystal Allen

“I give The Antiracist Kitchen five foodie stars for providing nutritional healing through inherited recipes that will satisfy more than physical hunger. This unique cookbook should be in every library and pantry!”

Tami Charles

“A delicious read, chock-full of love, pride, and a whole lotta spice!”

Sadé Smith

“Some of these stories will make you laugh, and some will make you cry. But all of them will bring you together in the kitchen.”

Editorial Reviews

A must-read for anyone seeking to broaden their culinary horizons, embrace cultural diversity, and engage in meaningful conversations about race and unity. It’s an invitation to transform our kitchens into spaces where differences are celebrated, conversations flourish, and delicious meals are shared with love and understanding.”

Canadian Cookbooks

[Offers] teachable moments and memorable anecdotes.”

YAdudebooks

Nadia L. Hohn’s latest creation is a testament to her work as an artivist… Illustrator Roza Nozari brings a colourful boost to the collection with her bold and bright artwork.”

Canadian Children's Book Centre (CCBC) Canadian Children’s Book News

Inclusivity, resistance, and the importance of sharing radiate from the pages of this book.”

BC Books for Schools

Purchase it for your school library: teachers of nutrition can use it in their classrooms, and it will provide food for thought (and the table, lunch-bag, and home kitchen) for students who are interested in the culture of food. The diversity of ethnic food cultures is valued, and the book reminds readers that we are what we eat, and who we are is affirmed by what we eat…bold graphics underscore the message that we should all be at the table, whoever we are. Highly Recommended.”

CM: Canadian Review of Materials

Nadia Hohn has done something incredible: she has taken our collective love of food and transformed it into a cultural and educational experience in anti-racism. What’s beautiful about this book are the stories and the simplicity. It’s not about elegant ingredients or elaborate menus. The Antiracist Kitchen teaches deeply profound lessons on self-love, discrimination and social struggles through a series of personal, intimate stories. Sometimes food is the lesson, other times food is the messenger. What you get out of this anthology, however, is a clear picture of what it means to belong and how not belonging can severely impact our lives.

Kern Carter

★ 09/01/2023

Gr 4 Up—A celebration of diversity in the form of a cookbook. This title includes 21 stories from many bestselling authors about growing up, family, cultural traditions, and bringing people together over food. Many of the stories include situations and microaggressions people of color have experienced throughout their lives. While some of the stories are sad, they end on a happy note and a delicious recipe follows. The book is broken down into four chapters based on the types of stories included: reclamation, resistance, restoration, and rejoicing. Some words and ideas may be difficult for younger readers to grasp, but with the help of an adult, and the glossary at the end of the book, they will likely understand. Attractive, cartoon illustrations accompany each tale to help readers understand events in the text. Pictures of the completed recipes are included. Aspiring kid chefs will enjoy trying out these original recipes. VERDICT The author asks, "What if talking about racism was as easy as baking a cake?" With this book, it could be. Recommended for all libraries.—Lisa Buffi

School Library Journal

★ 2023-10-07
Discussing racism isn’t a piece of cake, but this work offers key ingredients nonetheless.

In her introduction, editor Hohn notes that talking about bigotry and prejudice can be difficult, even painful, but emphasizes that food gives us an opportunity to do so—after all, “it’s a lot easier to listen and share when our taste buds are awake and our tummies are full.” Twenty-one kid-lit authors of color share a wide array of delicious recipes as well as personal experiences related to culture, race, and racism. Accompanied by vibrant illustrations, these story-recipe pairings demonstrate how intertwined food and identity are. Janice Lynn Mather’s recipe for Fusion Fried Plantain is preceded by a childhood account of not feeling Bahamian enough compared with her peers—her grandmother’s unique approach to the dish felt like yet another thing that set her family apart. Newbery Medalist Linda Sue Park puts a recipe for Fried Bologna—a food enjoyed by her Korean immigrant family—into historical context as she reflects on the time she introduced the dish to her Girl Scout troop. Alternative ingredients are sometimes offered. Deidre Havrelock (Plains Cree) notes that bison has traditionally been a staple for First Nations people but suggests substituting beef (or even wild meats such as moose) in her recipe for bison stew. The result is a thoughtful, beautifully designed work that fosters inclusivity and respect.

A hearty meal that doles out both culinary delights and moving cultural insights. (author bios, glossary, index) (Anthology/cookbook. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews