What are your family’s favorite foods? What wonderful things do you prepare and eat at celebrations? Although most of us are familiar with our parents’ or grandparents’ immigrant journeys, have you ever thought about the food you eat? Or how have they traveled many miles with those who have come before us? What Did My Ancestors Eat? by Quinn Miller Murphy is a beautiful new release from Wheat Penny Press. It tells the story of one child in a multicultural household.
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The child tells how their favorite foods became part of the family’s life. Gorgeous illustrations dance across each page, giving us a delicious peak of the dishes. Stews thick with mushy potatoes and jollof rice rich with spices. Along with bannock brewed in a cauldron of Scotland to bountiful beignets from New Orleans. Each dish is magically connected to the ancestors of the child.
The Author of “What Did My Ancestors Eat?”
The author Quinn Miller Murphy has a Master of Science degree in Education. Her love and respect for children are evident in the stories she tells. In recent interviews, Quinn shared that being raised in a mixed-race household instilled a profound appreciation for how food traditions can exist harmoniously in any household. It can also show deep respect for ancestral roots and journeys. In fact, one of my favorite pages of this book has the main character saying: “When we make bread, potatoes, and rice, I feel like I’m cooking with family I never met.
This is a wonderful book to add to any classroom or home library for many reasons. Everyone loves to talk about favorite foods. Readers can discover more about their connections between food and ancestry through this story. The book’s title asks a fun and informative question for any family to answer: “What Did My Ancestors Eat.”
And if you are wondering about the author’s favorite food to prepare. The answer is… ratatouille.
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Inspiring Pacific Asian American Stories: Changing the Game Book Review
Why We Still Need More Diverse Children’s Books
Find more multicultural books and resources on the webpage of Read Your World!
Daria
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