THE BLUE BOWL

Max’s birthday is coming up—will he be able to enjoy the foods he loves?

Max, a young boy of Chinese descent, is adept at reading cues from the kitchen. Tonight he smells garlic, basil, and melting cheese and knows that the family will be having spaghetti and meatballs, his favorite. The next night, Max sets the table with blue-and-white bowls and smells ginger and sesame, all of which means his relatives will be coming, and they’ll probably be eating congee, “not-too-sweet” desserts, sizzling stir-fry, and dumplings. While he appreciates these Cantonese dishes, Max “can’t help thinking about other foods he likes,” such as tacos and pizza. On Max’s birthday, he wishes he could go to an Italian restaurant and eat cake with vanilla frosting and sprinkles, but the family’s plan for dinner at his grandparents’ place likely means they’ll be having Chinese food. Surrounded by loved ones, Max is pleasantly surprised by the meal his cousins have prepared: a fusion of Italian and Chinese cuisine, with a birthday mango cake complete with vanilla frosting and sprinkles—all served from the blue-and-white dishes his grandparents brought with them when they emigrated from Hong Kong. The straightforward narrative—a loving example of how young people can make room for multiple cultures—is accompanied by large textured blocks of colors layered with simple lines and shapes that add to the overall charm of the tale.

A heartwarming story of love and food.