Umar is one of the Alphabet Kids, a group of kids from the Alphabet Afterschool Center who have fun learning about the languages, celebrations, food and music of one another's cultures. In this story, Umar and his friends learn all about bread: the varieties that other cultures eat, what ingredients go into it, and different ways to bake it. Has your little one ever seen or smelled bread baking? Do they know how many different types of bread there are? The illustrations are high gloss, computer-colored pictures with vibrant, fun color contrasts. The book is also a convenient small size, perfect for an outing.
Each of the Alphabet Kids brings bread representing their culture: Allegra brings Italian bread, Elena brings Spanish tortillas, Isaac brings a braided Jewish bread called challa, Oni brings an African corn bread, and Yang brings Chinese steamed buns called Mantou. Umar's father comes to school and teaches the whole class how to make a sun-baked Arabic bread, called khubez (pita) from scratch. You could bake bread (or cookies!) with child to help and make connections from the story to real life. You can introduce them to recipes and measurements, while they can help by stirring, licking the bowl clean, and helping with clean up - just like the Alphabet Kids do!
Sam, my three year-old friend, was more interested in this book that I ever would have guessed. At the end of the book, Umar tells his father that he wants to be a baker like him. Sam likes it when I ask him what he wants to be when he grows up. The answer frequently changes, but my favorite was "You." I have a feeling that may change again.
--Audra