Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday, Everyone!
If you can relate it to a holiday at all (which is a bit of a stretch 🙂 ) the book I’ve chosen to share today is a little more Thanksgiving-y than Halloween-y. But even though Halloween comes first and is less than a week away, this book is too good not to share now 🙂
Title: Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story
Written By: Kevin Noble Maillard
Illustrated By: Juana Martinez-Neal
Roaring Brook Press, October 22 2019, nonfiction
Suitable For Ages: 3-6 (but older kids and adults will find the back matter very interesting!)
Themes/Topics: heritage, tradition, family, community
Opening: “FRY BREAD IS FOOD
Flour, salt, water
Cornmeal, baking powder
Perhaps milk, maybe sugar
All mixed together in a big bowl”
text copyright Kevin Noble Maillard 2019, illustration copyright Juana Martinez-Neal 2019 Roaring Brook Press
Brief Synopsis: A celebration of how this no-single-recipe-fits-all community food draws families and friends together and provides continuity from generation to generation.
text copyright Kevin Noble Maillard 2019, illustration copyright Juana Martinez-Neal 2019 Roaring Brook Press
Links To Resources: the back of the book contains extensive additional information that teachers and parents can use to round out the use of the book at home and in the classroom and that older readers will enjoy. Topics include a recipe for the author’s own unique version of Fry Bread as well as information on Indigenous people, geography, history, and more.
Why I Like This Book: the text is simple, powerful, and accessible to readers of all ages, telling the story of how Fry Bread brings families and communities together and encourages tradition. The back matter adds another layer with a great deal of very interesting information about a wide range of connected topics. The art is warm and appealing, adding its own element to the story with illustrations of Native bowls and baskets, a wide array of physical appearances that can all be Native American, and a map that lacks the usual delineations in order to show how Indigenous people are in every population. Beautifully done, and a wonderful addition to any library!
text copyright Kevin Noble Maillard 2019, illustration copyright Juana Martinez-Neal 2019 Roaring Brook Press
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 🙂
For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.
PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific links (and any other info you feel like filling out 🙂 ) to the form below so we can all come see what fabulous picture books you’ve chosen to share this week!
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!! 🙂
And get those Halloweensie entries finished up! The contest opens Monday!!! WOOHOO!!! 🙂
Susanna Leonard Hill 
This one looks like a great book about family and tradition! I love the fact that there’s a recipe, too!
I’ve heard about this one & have been looking forward to finding it. And perfect timing – between Canada’s Thanksgiving Day & US Thanksgiving.
Fry Bread. I will look for it. Family tradition stories are powerful and fun.
Love the illustrations. Love how recipes are fluid. And how much familial love and food are so intricately intertwined. I was first introduced to fry bread when I lived in Tucson and attended the U of A in the mid 80s. Scrumptious, but definitely not lo-cal like so many treats. Will put this lovely book on my TBR pile. Thanks for the rec, Susanna!
I just bought this book. I LOVE it.
I can’t wait to read this book! Fry bread is SOOOO delicious! Especially with butter and huckleberry jam. Mmmm.
I love to picture books that share family cultural traditions — especially food. Sweet illustrations!
Love everything about this picture book, Susanna! Will try to grab a copy!
I’ve been wondering about this book ever since I heard about it. Thanks for reviewing it. It sounds like something I should read with my children. 🙂
What a beautiful looking book. Sounds very interesting. Hopefully it’s winging it’s way down here. Thanks Susanna.
I love the map without boundaries and the idea that fry bread spans nationality! I can’t wait to read this book. Thanks!
This sounds like a wonderful book! I am going to have to find a copy for myself… traditions and family and food bringing everyone together.
What a beautiful book, Susanna 😀 OH, how I miss being here (and lots of other places) regularly. I know I’m missing SO much! I hope you’re well 🙂 And I’ll definitely be on the lookout for this one. LOVE the illustrations! ❤
The moment I landed on the page, the illustrations touched me with their warm colors and a visual illusion that if you could feel the art on the page, they’d be soft to the touch.
I love this concept for the topic and enjoy things that share about the beauty of traditions, family and community.
Wonderful selection! Thank you for sharing 🙂