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Mami Tales is glad to be a part of this Blog Tour for the charming children’s book written by Sandra L. Richards and illustrated by Megan Kayleigh Sullivan, Rice & Rocks, coordinated by BeachBoundBooks. The tour will run from August 23 – September 13, 2016.
About the Book
Title: Rice & Rocksl | Author: Sandra L. Richards | Illustrator: Megan Kayleigh Sullivan Publisher: Wise Ink Creative Publishing | Publication Date: August 23, 2016 Genre: Children’s Picture Book | Number of Pages: 32
Book Description:
Tradition takes flight in Rice & Rocks, a picture book celebrating culture and diversity.
Giovanni’s friends are coming over for Sunday dinner, and his grandmother is serving rice and beans. Giovanni is embarrassed he does not like ‘rice and rocks’ and worries his friends will think the traditional Jamaican dish is weird. But his favorite Auntie comes to the rescue. She and Giovanni’s pet parrot, Jasper, take him on a magical journey across the globe, visiting places where people eat rice and rocks. This exciting story celebrates the varied traditions of every culture while also highlighting the delicious similarities that bring us all together.
My Review
Who knew that a simple dish such as rice and beans could unite cultures and places? That is the premise of this beautiful picture book, that manages to give us a little trip around the world (literally and figuratively) using this dish and its traditional meaning as a way to unite and celebrate culture, family and friendship.
On top of a fantastical giant talking parrot, Giovanni and his aunt travel the globe seeing how many cultures use the same base dish to gather and celebrate, from Jamaica to Japan. When I was little I lived in Nicaragua for a little bit, and in Central America the dish is called Moors and Christians (if I remember correctly — I was only 5 at the time). In Mexico we don’t have a specific name for the dish, but a good Mexican meal is never complete without rice and beans. This fantasy journey makes Giovanni learn about his roots, about traditions all around the world, and allows him to be proud of his own roots, which is a really great lesson for any kid with a mixed race-or mixed cultural background. This great story is paired up with beautiful and vibrant illustrations, which follow the theme with the colors, styles and details of each place our party goes to visit.
I recommend this book wholeheartedly, especially if you have children with a diverse cultural background living in the US or any other country. It will show them in a very beautiful way how to treasure what makes them different and unique from a very early age. Kudos to the author and the illustrator both! I can’t wait to get a hold of a paper copy of this book to share with my 3 year-old preschooler.
NOTE: I received a digital copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review. All opinions are mine.
Take a look inside the book…
About the Author: Sandra L. Richards
Sandra L. Richards is the debut picture book author of Rice & Rocks. With Rice & Rocks, Sandra brings a unique contribution to the world of children’s books. An American-born daughter of Jamaican immigrant parents, she hopes the book will serve as an educational resource for families seeking to teach their children the value of their heritage and the importance of cultural diversity.
Learn more about Sandra at www.sandralrichards.com.
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About the Illustrator: Megan Kayleigh Sullivan
Megan Kayleigh Sullivan graduated from Rhode Island School of Design in 2012 with a degree in Illustration. She is currently working as a freelance illustrator and storyboard artist, and aspires towards a career in the film and animation industry as a concept artist, character designer, or visual development artist (or d., all of the above). She enjoys traveling, writing, telling stories, and hula-hooping.
Visit her at www.357meg.com.
Blog Tour Giveaway
Prize: One winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card or $25 PayPal cash prize, winner’s choice
Giveaway ends: September 13, 11:59 pm, 2016
Open to: Internationally
How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.
Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, Sandra L. Richards and is hosted and managed by Stacie from BeachBoundBooks. If you have any additional questions feel free to send an email to stacie@BeachBoundBooks.com.
Rice & Rocks is such a beautiful story about diversity. Thank you for sharing your review and memories from your childhood. Food seems to always bring people together! 🙂
It does, indeed!! I was just listening to a kitchen sister’s program the other day on NPR about the kimchi diplomacy, and it was exactly that!
Loved your review and shared memories. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much!! I’m very glad you enjoyed it!