Food is love in so many families. Making dumplings with Grandma, sharing a pot of stew with neighbors, or waiting for a dish that takes all afternoon: these moments are perfect material for picture books. Here are 12 picture books about food, family and culture to read together, and maybe cook together afterward.
1. Tofu Takes Time
by Helen H. Wu, illustrated by Julie Jarema; Beaming Books, 2022
Click, clack, whirrr! Lin and her grandma, NaiNai, are making tofu from scratch. As NaiNai works through each step, from blending soybeans to pressing the curds, Lin grows impatient.
2. Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story
by Kevin Noble Maillard, illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal; Roaring Brook Press, 2019
A joyful celebration of fry bread and of the family and community who gather around it, with a rich author’s note about Native American history.
3. Thank You, Omu!
by Oge Mora; Little, Brown, 2018
The smell of Omu’s thick red stew draws her neighbors one by one until the pot is empty, and then the community finds a way to say thank you.
4. Dim Sum for Everyone!
by Grace Lin; Knopf, 2001
A family shares a dim sum meal, and each person chooses a favorite little dish. A sweet introduction to dim sum for the youngest readers.
5. Bilal Cooks Daal
by Aisha Saeed, illustrated by Anoosha Syed; Salaam Reads, 2019
Bilal invites his friends to help cook his favorite lentil dish and discovers that the best things are worth the wait.
6. Watercress
by Andrea Wang, illustrated by Jason Chin; Neal Porter Books, 2021
A Chinese American girl is embarrassed when her parents stop by the road to gather watercress, until her mother shares a story from her childhood. Winner of the Caldecott Medal.
7. Hot Pot Night!
by Vincent Chen; Charlesbridge, 2021
A family gathers around a bubbling hot pot, and everyone helps get dinner on the table in this rhythmic, cozy read-aloud.
8. Dumpling Soup
by Jama Kim Rattigan, illustrated by Lillian Hsu-Flanders; Little, Brown, 1993
Marisa gets to fold dumplings for the first time for her big, multicultural family’s New Year’s Eve celebration in Hawaii.
9. Our Table
by Peter H. Reynolds; Orchard Books, 2021
Violet misses the days when her family gathered around the table, and she finds a creative way to bring everyone back together.
10. Soup Day
by Melissa Iwai; Henry Holt, 2010
On a snowy day, a little girl and her mother shop for vegetables and make soup together, step by step.
11. A Cup of Happy: Capybara Bubble Tea
written and illustrated by Helen H. Wu; CapyFun, 2025
For the bubble tea lovers: Join Capy, Cali and Cavin, three curious capybara friends from the peaceful planet Capyzenia, on a whimsical adventure on Earth. In this heartwarming story full of cute, kawaii art, the friends set out to make their own bubble tea, learning through hands-on experiments and teamwork.
12. Ping’s Perfect Pot
by Helen H. Wu, illustrated by Zihua Yang; Beaming Books, 2025
And one more for families who love making things by hand: Knead, mush, mash. When Ping and Grandpa bring home a tangerine tree for Lunar New Year, Ping decides to make the perfect pot for it. But making a pot is hard: the first is clumsy, the second crumbles and the third is too flimsy.
Looking for more? Browse all of my books on the Books page, or play free capybara games at CapyFun Play.
More picture book lists
- 16 Multicultural Children’s Books About Food
- 8 Picture Books to Celebrate Lunar New Year
- 14 Best Children’s Books about Cultures Around the World
- 8 Children’s Picture Books About Patience
Browse all of Helen’s picture book lists, or see all of Helen’s books.
