Wai Mei Wong Books

A gentle, feel-good tale about hospitality and the joy of sharing a meal, this is a good choice for looking at food, community or Chinese culture.

This story follows a young girl in a Southern Chinese village who is sent to the market to buy meat for Mama’s wonton soup. Her trip is full of classic childhood distractions, like splashing in puddles and trying to turn toads into princes. But it’s the kindness of her neighbours that really shines through. As she greets everyone with a zǎo ān (good morning), her empty basket is quickly loaded up with unexpected gifts like radishes, shrimps and sweet persimmons for the soup. In turn, she will share the food with the community once it’s ready.

There’s something a bit different about this book and it will add depth to your EYFS or KS1 collection. The earthy illustrations bring a warm-hearted community to life as well as connecting to the colours of the soup. It’s a lovely look at local life, community and the theme of ‘sharing is caring’.