The Antiracist Cookbook (juvenile)

The Antiracist Kitchen is a celebration of diversity and inclusion and that is definitely in good taste. It was first envisioned as a tribute to diverse "kidlit" authors in Canada. The need for such a volume became more urgent when during the pandemic marginalized communities experienced increased discrimination and violence and bore the brunt of harsh immigration laws. "I looked for ways of bringing people together across borders, around words. I began to think of this book as a collection of stories, diverse voices and a way to heal."
The book is as layered and rich as my lasagne. The pasta layer that basically holds the whole thing together is the recipes. They are written explicitly enough so even the novice chef won't have trouble following directions. The photographs are enticing and look like regular people made the dishes. And there is such an amazing variety of foods: bean soup, tortillas con queso, fried plantain, deviled eggs, kimbap, apple and guava cake, bison stew…surely something for everyone.
The sauce (with all those good spices and herbs) is the stories each author tells. Hasani Clayton tells about the day his daughter created her video game character with white skin and blue eyes to make her pretty. She is now a proud Black teen. Bryan Patrick Avery introduces us to the grandmother whose greens chased his blues away. Natasha Deen tells about her mother baking a cake for the boy who was bullying her child self.
The cheese (and meat if you wish to add it) is the back story of racism and the work that is being undertaken to combat it and the glossary of important terms.
This book is great for family time sharing the stories, discussing the concepts, and trying out the recipes. If you're really ambitious why not create your own book by soliciting stories from friends, family, and other members of your community.
Bon appetite!!!
On a purrrsonal note, back in the '60s and '70s when my mother chaired the English Department at Garland Jr. College the reading lists for most English classes in our nation were crammed with the works of dead white men. Mom created a class, America's Heritage in Literature, centered around the works of writers of color. It was an immensely popular class. And ever year everyone's favorite class period was when everyone brought in a large enough to share dish from their family's heritage for a festive dinner.
A great big shout out goes out to Mom who is sadly no longer with us.
Jules Hathaway