Noodle Magic

September 29, 2014
Mei’s grandfather Tu is a master noodle maker, and his noodles are not just for eating. They can be anything, from jump ropes to kite strings. When he says it’s Mei’s turn to make magic noodles for the emperor’s birthday, she’s baffled. “Magic must come from within,” he tells her. As Mei works, Grandpa Tu offers her encouragement, and after a tug-of-war with none other than the Moon Goddess perched in the moon above, Mei makes enough noodles to feed everybody: “The sky rained noodles.” So’s (Brush of the Gods) exuberantly drawn and tinted illustrations feature the curves of traditional Chinese architecture, vignettes of village life, and rhythmic movement, as noodles fall in fanciful, calligraphic curlicues. Thong’s (Round Is a Tortilla) text features two themes that seem at cross-purposes. One is the reality-based theme of passing down traditional knowledge, with an emphasis on sensory experience; the other is a folklore-style fantasy in which anything can happen. So while it’s a tasty morsel of Chinese culinary culture, the action can be hard to follow. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Natalie Lakosil, Bradford Literary Agency. Illustrator’s agent: Sally Heflin,
Heflinreps.

October 1, 2014
In this slurp-worthy picture book, Mei loves to watch Grandpa Tu create noodles spun out of dough, magic and plenty of heart. The emperor's birthday approaches, and Mei's village buzzes with preparations. Grandpa Tu, a master noodle maker, enchants Mei with show-stopping dexterity, as he slaps, kneads and stretches plain dough into wondrous noodles. Mei asks if he can make jump ropes or kite strings from noodles. He answers with poetic wit-"Simple as a sunflower seed" and "Easy as a sea breeze"-and works through the night with abandon. When it's time for the emperor's long-life noodles, a birthday tradition, to be made, the villagers are surprised to learn Grandpa Tu isn't making them. Instead, he says it's time for Mei to learn the art of magic noodle making herself. This intergenerational relationship endears from the start, and readers will want not only a plate of noodles, but a grandpa like Tu. Thong plants a playful, repeated rhythm to describe his technique ("SLAP, knead and stretch"), which grows organically with Mei's discovery of her own talents. So's rich watercolor illustrations radiate affection between the two, especially when they stretch noodles in a cats-cradle-like fashion or across the gutter in a vigorous culinary workout. And animal-shaped noodles, in the forms of cats, roosters and a dragon, add whimsy and elegance.Playing with your food has never been quite so enticing. (Picture book. 4-8)

COPYRIGHT(2014) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

September 1, 2014

PreS-Gr 2-Young Mei watches Grandpa Tu "make magic with his hands and a bit of dough" as he mixes the ingredients in the morning, then slaps, kneads, and stretches it into magical coils that take the shape of exotic birds, cats, and roosters-even kite strings for the village children. The day before the emperor's birthday, Grandpa insists that Mei mix the dough, and together they slap, knead, and stretch it. After the child spends a long, tiring night trying to replicate Grandpa's magic, the elderly man-patient and encouraging-helps her to stretch the dough and watches as she rolls it into a huge noodle ball and tosses it into the sky toward the Moon Goddess, who gives her the confidence to find her own magic-just in time for the emperor's celebration. So has used an array of vibrant colors in her lead pencil-highlighted folk art paintings of the small, bustling Chinese town where Mei and Grandpa Tu reside above the noodle shop, and she has filled each scene with captivating details of everyday life and customs. The Moon Goddess-a large, smiling, chubby-cheeked jinni of a woman-can be seen sitting in the crescent moon in every nighttime scene-even toasting young Mei at the end of the delightful fantasy. A sweet, magical tale of a child being raised by a loving and nurturing adult.-Susan Scheps, formerly at Shaker Public Library, OH

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.