Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
When her grandmother, Nenek, visits from Indonesia, young Lintang tries to eat her "famous sambal" but runs into the titular experience in this picture book. In a solid author-illustrator debut, Wen skillfully establishes the setup through precise childlike gestures ("Lintang is so excited she can't keep her hands from clapping") and appealing sensory details ("Nenek's hug smells like a mixture of cinnamon and coconut"). After Nenek arrives and begins cooking the sambal that "Papa can't stop talking about," Lintang takes her first bite. On one spread, time-lapse vignettes show the child's reactions--gasping, throat-clutching, mouth-puckering, plunging her face into a bucket of water--before, after feeling "left out" at dinner, she declares, "I am not afraid.... You're not too hot for me!" and tries again. Reaction-oriented storytelling that moves toward an appropriately tender familial moment is matched by homey gouache and colored pencil images that are digitally finished. A sambal recipe and chili warning conclude. Ages 4--8. (Apr.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3--Lintang is super excited for Nenek, her grandma, to arrive for a visit. Since Nenek speaks very little English, Lintang's father does most of the translating. When Nenek hands Lintang a little sambal to try, the child discovers it is, "Spicy! Spicy! Hot!" and runs immediately to a bucket of cold water to dunk her head. Determined to try this chile-filled dish again, Lintang prepares mightily as Nenek gives her a bit more, with different additives each time. But every time, her eyes are watering, and her mouth is gasping for relief. Lintang feels left out from her family, as her white mother and Indonesian father both enjoy it so much. Only when Lintang tries sambal by dipping perkedel kentang into it is she at last able to eat the delicious delight. This picture book demonstrates that love and family know no obstacles when Grandma is in town. Written in the third person, it will have readers laughing at all the antics Lintang goes through to cool the peppery spice. Brightly colored gouache and colored pencil illustrations that are digitally enhanced will appeal to everyone. An illustrated and detailed recipe rounds out this spicy read. VERDICT A fierce and funny addition to children's collections.--Tracy Cronce
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
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) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
