Customer Reviews: Read 4 more reviews...
 Great concept, sub-par execution September 27, 2007
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
There is no real "story" to this book, except for the gimmicky premise that the protagonist's brother is loose and, given his reputation as a "moocher" (their word), she has to go find him by eating her way from one house to another. The idea of seeing what families of diverse backgrounds eat is a great one, and even more fun the idea that the staple food is a common one, but the plot is non-existent. Treat it more like a recipe book or a reference book, where each page is distinct, and you won't be so disappointed. Not very attractive illustrations.
 Breaking bread together. July 17, 2006
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I disagree with the reviewer here who complained about this book not showing cultural unity. How much more unified can you get than a boy sharing meals at his friends houses? If we want to promote understanding others cultures, you could hardly start at a better place than breaking bread together. Food is one of the ways we show love to our families and others. My children and I thought the book was great, and will be exploring other, similar titles.
 Nice attempt to address multiracial issues to youth, but... January 10, 2005
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
...the book fails to address our multicultural society as a whole contingent. The story follows a young white girl while she explores the diversity of her society, but does not work towards unifying the groups she meets together.
For some of you, my criticism might seem picky (which I admittingly will agree to), but as a person of color who has grown up in very diverse neighborhoods and has been collecting children's books on multiculturalism, there is a large absence of material that tries to unify people of color -- some of whom need a lot of healing and mending.
Other than that, the animation in the book is wonderful.
 Its True! March 4, 2003
5 out of 6 found this review helpful
This book shows children that we may all be from different cultures, but in the simplest ways we are very much the same. It is a good first day of school book, or good multicultural education book!
Want Your Kids to Eat Rice? October 19, 2001
14 out of 15 found this review helpful
Read this story to them. Then photocopy the recipe pages. Eating and preparing international rice recipes then become playacting, for this book is all about how, in a multicultural neighborhood, in one delightful evening, all of the households prepare special, spicy and indigenous dishes with this one simple staple. It is a story of our differences. It is a story of our similaries. Moreover, it is a celebration of how rice is the canvas upon which we paint our works of culinary imagination.
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