In Erin Danielle Russell’s children’s book, Seoul Food, her protagonist is a young biracial girl named Hana with budding ambitions and talents in the kitchen.
When Hana’s mom tells her that both sets of her grandparents will be visiting together for the first time, she eagerly puts herself in charge of setting the dinner menu and cooking for the whole family.
Hana’s dad is Korean and her mom is Black. Her Grandma and Grandpa Williams are from South Carolina. Her Halmoni and Harabeoji (grandma and grandpa) are from South Korea. She has memories on both sides of her racial and cultural identies of enjoying spicy, exciting flavors from opposite sides of the world with her grandparents.
Hana gets to work noodling through different ideas as her parents throw out suggestions. Tacos? Too “blah” for this special occasion. French food? Too difficult. Casserole? Too “bleurgh!”
Frustration ensues for Hana. She may not be up for the task. She mulls over what her mom has told her: “Cook what makes your heart happy.” And what her dad says, “Don’t give up, Hana. You choose the recipe this time.”
She reflects on the flavors and the stews she has shared with each set of grandparents, and she combines them into one pot. As the pot bubbles, she exclaims, “My heart does a happy dance while I cook.”
The result is gumbo jjigae, and it’s a winner. (I hope that isn’t a spoiler!) Her parents help her set the table with the side dishes and sauces: kimchi, rice, cornbread, hot sauce and gochugaru, and the family dives into the stew together.
Published in early 2024 , this is Erin Danielle Russell’s second children’s book, and she says her inspiration for it came from her own family.
“I wrote Seoul Food while I was on my journey to becoming a mother. I’m Black and my husband’s Korean and I wanted to write a book my future child could relate to. Now that I have a son, I’m so glad I can read my book to him,” she said in an interview with Young Adults and Kids Books Central.
She also said she was delighted to do the necessary recipe prepping, planning and research for the book, which shows. There’s a detailed recipe for kimchi gumbo on the last page of the book, along with a glossary of food-related terms as well.
Artist Tamisha Anthony’s illustrations absolutely pop with color on every page. She gives special attention to the physical and emotional details of the characters, as well as to specific ethnic foods and displays of familial love.
Suggested age range for Seoul Food is ages 4 -8 years old; but it’s likely a book parents and kids will connect with strongly and keep on the shelf for a while.
