The Yuckiest Lunch Box – Multicultural Picture Book #TheYuckiestLunchBox
Note: Thank you to Debbie Min for providing a copy to review. All opinions are my own.
When I was in elementary school, I was teased by classmates because my lunch was different than their typical American lunches. I ate chā sīu sandwiches. Chā sīu means barbequed pork in Cantonese, and it’s delicious. But to those unfamiliar, the pork looked like dark chunks of mystery meat instead of the uniformly-round bologna sandwiches that my peers ate.
For minority children from families with strong cultural food ties, fitting in when it comes to school lunches can be challenging. This is pretty universal based on conversations I’ve had with friends from diverse backgrounds.
A new picture book, The Yuckiest Lunch Box, tells the story of a Korean American girl who feels shame around her food but with the help of her mom and a cultural event at school, she learns to embrace her heritage. Author Debbie Min was inspired to write the book based on her own lunchtime experiences when she was 6 years old.
The story follows the protagonist, Nari, on her first day of first grade. Her lunch box consists of kimbap, her favorite Korean food. The other kids notice her different lunch and comment about how weird and smelly her food is. This causes Nari to tell her mom she only wants to bring an American lunch to school from now on.
A Cultural Appreciate Day at school provides Nari the opportunity to teach others about her culture and feel pride about her heritage — including Korean traditional foods. This uplifting story encourages young readers to be true to themselves and embrace their differences.
The Yuckiest Lunch Box is ideal for readers ages 5-8 years old. Find the book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and select booksellers online.
Enter The Yuckiest Lunch Book Picture Book Giveaway [CLOSED]
One lucky reader will win a copy of The Yuckiest Lunch Box picture book. Enter via the entry form below. The giveaway is open to entrants aged 18+ years old with a U.S. mailing address. Good luck!
