BE MY YUMMY ABC

From the sweet to the savory, delicacies from various cultures introduce letters of the alphabet.

“I could just eat you up!” With this tasty treat, Wan offers caregivers a litany of creative ways to convey that familiar message. A different anthropomorphized food takes center stage on each page, paired with loving affirmations addressed to little ones. A is for “my warm APPLE PIE, / just you and me,” while B is for “My BURRITO baby, / snug as can be.” Other dishes include a “swirly, whirly DOSA dream,” a “cutie-patootie / potatoey KNISH,” a “squishy MANDU,” and a “WONTON wonder.” This alphabetically arranged feast is followed up with backmatter that lists each food’s pronunciation, its country of origin, and a brief description. The eye-catching, apple-cheeked, emojilike foods beam up at readers, while details in the art occasionally reference the dishes’ ingredients or cultural origins. The empanada stands in front of a tomato, a hunk of cheese, and a pepper, while the gyoza is depicted with a pair of chopsticks. Though some may find the illustrations saccharine, with their abundance of hearts, rainbows, and sparkles, the sentiments expressed are lovely, conveyed in simple rhymes with some downright delicious wordplay. A foldout poster featuring all the letters and corresponding foods is included.

A scrumptious, intensely adorable look at the ABCs.