The discovery of ramen

Gr 2-4-A red panda named Dao You takes students Emma and Ethan across the Pacific and back in time to learn the history of the noodles whose "savory scent" lures them away from their school field trip. Dao (whose full name means "tour guide" in Chinese, according to the helpful glossary) whisks hungry Ethan and curious Emma back in time to 19th century Japan where street vendors sold noodle soup from pushcarts. (Pulled noodles made from wheat flour were invented in northern China.) They leap ahead to the 20th century when Momofuku Ando, a Taiwan native, moved to Japan, popularized "instant noodles," and introduced chicken-flavored noodles in 1958. There's a side trip to a noodle factory where salt, eggs, and alkaline water are combined to make the familiar wavy, yellow product we know today. In the modern world, the travelers encounter varied flavors and toppings, learn about umami, and even watch a Japanese astronaut eating ramen in the space shuttle Discovery. Of course, Ethan has to slurp some noodles, too. The first title in the series, this profile a ubiquitous fast food should have broad appeal. The stylized cartoon characters and welcome diversity among the patrons pictured at noodle shops is echoed by the creative team who share a background in animation which is reflected in the story's design and pacing. VERDICT An entertaining and mildly informative title, especially for primary-grade food units.-Kathleen Isaacs, Children's Literature Specialist, Pasadena, MD © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Ethan and Emma follow their noses to a restaurant serving noodle soup. Then, red panda Dao, "guide to the many fabulous creations from Asia," takes them on a rather hokey tour of ramen's history, popularity, manufacture, and transformation into the instant variety. Calle's matte candy colors with grainy lines create a slick but energetic anime-esque style. Romanized Japanese words appear throughout the text. Glos. (c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

A time-traveling red panda gives two American schoolkids a tour of the history of ramen.In this first installment in the Asian Hall of Fame series, Emma, a girl with brown hair and light brown skin, and Ethan, who appears to be Asian, are on a school field trip when they meet Dao for the first time in a ramen-ya, or ramen restaurant. The talking red panda invites them to discover the history behind this delicious noodle dish, and with a bang on Dao's gong, all three find themselves in 19th-century Japan, where vendors are selling ramen from pushcarts. After World War II, ramen became even more accessible because an abundance of wheat drove the cost of production down. At a ramen factory, they watch how the noodles are made with salt, eggs, and kansui (alkaline water). Then they travel to the 1950s, when Momofuku Ando invented (and popularized) instant ramen, flash-fried noodles with seasonings already added. Today, 100 billion packages of instant ramen are sold annually, but fresh ramen is rising in popularity again, in the United States and all over the world. Calle's illustrations are undeniably adorable; cute characters and dynamic scenes elevate the sometimes heavy-handed and confusing text, which too often relies on didactic dialogue to provide the fascinating facts and information.A fun read that explores Japanese culture and culinary historyjust don't expect a literary tour de force. (glossary) (Picture book. 4-10) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.