Yoko - Picture Book & KID KANDY

Yoko
Written & Illustrated By Rosemary Wells
(Scholastic Inc., 1998)

Cats as storybook characters? Works just fine for this feline fan.

Yoko is perfectly happy with her bamboo wrapped lunch box filled with tasty rice rolls and chopsticks. Until kids at school make fun of her food and say it is gross.

Thank goodness for Mrs. Jenkins, the teacher of this diverse group of children, er, characters (furry mammals). Suddenly, she must figure out how to encourage children from different cultural backgrounds to respect and enjoy each other. Welcome to International Food Day!

Yoko is a wonderful example of a fun picture book that shows the importance of getting along and respecting others regardless of how different they are. I love the illustrations and the solutions offered in this timely picture book.

KID KANDY:

Make International Food Day a weekly activity!

~ As a family, or a classroom, choose one day a week to celebrate International Food Day. You could also choose one day a month.

~ On that day, prepare one meal from an international menu - stir fry with rice, burritos, hummus on pita bread, or Greek salad.

~ Or go out for a meal or snack at a restaurant that serves international cuisine.

~ Proudly display the world globe or map. Put a sticky note on each country you visit (through eating food from that region of the world). See how fast you can cover the world!

~ Make it as simple or as elaborate as you like. You can dress in clothes from different countries, check out computer images from a specific area of the world, invite friends to join you, host a neighborhood international potluck, or decorate your table to resemble décor in other places.

~ Have fun! The world is your limit.


Angie Quantrell loves international days. She will taste almost anything (unless it is moving or has six legs). Angie loves picture books that teach but don't preach.