Kirkus Reviews

A compendium for curious budding cooks of every stripe.Multicultural residents living in an apartment block on Garden Street are cooking up a global smorgasbord. Mr. Ping (who appears Asian) stir-fries some broccoli, or "little trees" as his nephew Benjamin calls them. "Across the hall, Maria mashes avocados with a fork." Maria and her mother (they have olive skin, black hair, dark eyes and appear to be Latinx) are making guacamole. Mr. Melville (who appears to be white) raises his knife to fillet a fish for sole meunière. Elsewhere in the building, Josef (a white boy with light brown hair) and Rafik (who presents black) together prepare meatballs with turkey, zucchini, and feta. Other neighbors are making coconut dal, miniquiches, and baba ganouj. For each spread, author/illustrator Sala renders delightful full-bleed pictures that showcase residents in action on the left and a visual recipe on the right. Each of these has detailed drawings of ingredients followed by easy-to-follow written instruction. With no more than six main ingredients each, the simple recipes feature global culinary traditions and fresh flavors. From kid favorites such as spaghetti al pomodoro and peanut-butter-and-chocolate-chip cookies to dishes with ingredients not as common in many North American kitchens (think tahini and fresh ginger), there are recipes for every palate. Finally, "everything is ready. It's time to go downstairs." In the final spread, the diverse community—of families, single parents, elderly folks, millennials, etc.—all gather in the garden for delicious food and fun company.Part cookbook, part picture book, 100% delicious. (Cook/picture book. 5-10)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Sala opens with a portrait of a stately building with wrought-iron balconies and plumes of kitchen odor wafting from the windows. -Something smells good at n. 10, Garden Street. Delicious, actually!- Hand-lettered text introduces the building-s inhabitants, each one at work cooking, while opposing pages hold the recipes they-re making alongside vignettes of the ingredients. In one kitchen, Pilar makes salmorejo; in another, Mister Ping stir-fries small pieces of broccoli (-His nephew Benjamin calls them little trees-). Sixteen recipes, some vegetarian, are included in all. Sala-s portraits glow with domestic affection (decor adheres closely to the characters- backgrounds), and kitchen utensils, plants, and wall art create a quilt of comfort and reassurance. At the end, Sala reveals what all the cooking is for: a communal dinner in the back garden. Though the recipes aren-t really suited to young chefs, Sala-s illustrations are filled with wonderful objects to notice and a message that nothing draws people into fellowship like breaking bread together. Ages 6-9. (Sept.)

School Library Journal (Sun Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 2019)

Gr 1-4 -The neighbors at Number 10 Garden Street are cooking up something delicious. In their own apartments, the neighbors each prepare a homemade dish. From salmorejo to spaghetti al pomodoro, from coconut dahl to guacamole, and peanut butter &chocolate chip cookies and strawberry crumble, delightful dishes come from each household. Although the foods are different and hail from all over the globe, they all come together for a gorgeous garden party feast and time of fun and fellowship. This is a splendidly diverse picture book that also serves as a multicultural cookbook and culinary guide. Each spread focuses on a different apartment and its inhabitants cooking up a dish that feels like home. The verso shares a line about the characters and what they are doing and recto displays pictures of labeled ingredients and a recipe. The love that goes into the food preparation is evident in the way the characters are portrayed in the skillfully painted illustrations. There is much to be learned about each character by studying the rich details in each full-page picture. The highlighted foods are easily accessible and the recipes are family-friendly for eating and preparing. VERDICT A first purchase, this picture book and cookbook mashup celebrates community, food, and culture.-Amy Shepherd, St. Anne's Episcopal School, Middleton, DE