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Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite
Mikey is about to celebrate his fourth birthday and he’s super excited. He’s looking forward to having his friends over and opening gifts. Then his mom points out that he can’t have a party without special food to mark the occasion. In Michael Yam’s Fried Rice and Marinara, Mikey realizes he has a difficult decision to make. Since he’s both Chinese and Italian, he can’t choose one ethnic dish over another because members from both sides of his family will be at his party. His friend Sophia gives him the bright idea to fuse two ethnic dishes into one. Will the flavors of his two choices work well together? It’s worth a try to bring diversity into his celebration. After all, what better way to bring people together than through food?
Michael Yam’s picture book, Fried Rice and Marinara, is a clever story about diversity and inclusion. Told in rhyming verse, using simple language, young readers will eagerly follow along to improve their reading skills. The illustrations are bright, bold, and colorful and add an interesting dimension to the unfolding plot. Mikey’s dilemma turns into a quest to find the best food for his party – quite a big adventure for someone who’s just turning four. As well as emphasizing the importance of recognizing and accepting diversity, the story also points out the importance of both friends and family and how everyone’s support is the power on which we thrive. The last line says it all: “Different is good!” And no truer statement has ever been shared because, when you think about it, we’re all different, unique in every way, and truly special.
