Noodle Magic by Roseanne Greenfield Thong, illustrated by Meilo So
After such a bountiful weekend, food might not be the first thing on your mind this Cyber Monday morning … but how about a bit of magic to add to the rest of this holiday season? Meet Mei … who’s about to receive quite the family inheritance!
Every day, Mei’s Grandpa Tu “make[s] magic with his hands and a bit of dough.” His noodles are not only irrefutably delicious, but they also do double duty as jump ropes, or kite strings, or even cloud catchers. “Mei knew no one could spin magic like Grandpa Tu!”
As the emperor’s birthday fast approaches, “everyone was making something special – everyone except for Grandpa Tu.” How could that be? No birthday can be complete without long-life noodles! Surprise, surprise, because the day before the big natal celebration, Grandpa Tu announces, “‘This year, it’s your turn to make magic noodles.'” Pressure much? Initially “terrified,” Mei quickly rises (and kneads and stretches, too!) to the occasion: a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do! And do it fabulously, of course!
Roseanne Greenfield Thong’s celebration of nurturing empowerment is a resonating reminder about the enduring bonds of family. Artist Meilo So brings her swaths of whimsy to every page, swirling with movement (dancing dough, never-resting noodles) and winking with unexpected details (a curious little face in the window, a sort-of imaginary kitty with a not-quite runaway real mouse). Spun together, the result is … well, in a single word … magic, not to mention a nourishingly toothsome treat for the soul.
Readers: Children
Published: 2014
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