Magic Ramen: The Story of Momofuku Ando

From School Library Journal K-Gr 3—When Momofuku Ando sees long lines of people waiting for food near his home in Osaka, Japan, shortly after World War II, his dream is born: to create the perfect bowl of noodles to feed hungry communities around the world. Realizing that "the world is peaceful only when everyone has enough to eat," he spends months testing recipes for the ideal noodle soup: tasty, perfectly seasoned, comforting, and preparable "anytime, anywhere." Each attempt at the perfect bowl of soup yields a different result: noodles that are too soggy, too brittle, or too soft. Despite personal and financial setbacks, he keeps the needs of the hungry and disenfranchised always at the center of his mission as he aims to maximize nutrition and nourishment. After trying and failing several times over, his "magic ramen" recipe is finally born: a perfectly fried noodle-broth combination that can be made in minutes by simply adding water. His invention is a success, making ramen a worldwide sensation and recognized household favorite. The author's tribute to one of history's most important inventors is complemented by digital illustrations, which separate well-paced text and add strong visual appeal to this exceptional biography picture book. An afterword is provided, giving readers additional insight into Ando's life and legacy and its connection to food history and popular culture, especially the creation of the widely recognizable Cup Noodles. VERDICT An inspiring story of persistence and an ideal purchase for any collection.–Natalie Romano, Denver Public Library An inspiring story of persistence and an ideal purchase for any collection. ― School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW Eaters of all ages will enjoy learning about the history of this popular food gone global. ― Kirkus Reviews Magic Ramen , for me, is the kind of book that can bridge that gap between kids that like fact and kids that like fiction. Luring fiction readers over to the world of informational texts is one of my great pleasures in life. It isn't all that hard, if the book is interesting enough, the text fun, and the subject original. This is the book that can convince a child that real life is just as full of kooky stories as anything you could make up. So here's to the little bio unafraid to try something new. And, unlike Momofuku Ando, it gets it right on the very first try. -- Betsy Bird ― School Library Journal "Warning: Reading this on a cold, snowy day will give you a serious hankering for the stuff[ramen]. Just ask my five-year-old...As Publisher's Weekly notes, 'Starry-eye as it may sound, the goal ofpeace through food seems important - and possible - by the story's end.'" ― Smithsonian Magazine "Vivid artwork by debut artist Urbanowicz uses a clear line style to combine documentary seriousnesswith humor, drawing Ando eyeing a piece of his wife's tempura, wondering whether deep-frying thenoodles will allow boiling water to penetrate them. (It does.) Persistence is at the heart of this successstory as Ando presses on despite numerous setbacks. And, starry-eyed as it may sound, the goal ofpeace through food seems important - and possible - by the story's end." ― Publishers Weekly Andrea Wang , the Newberry Honor and APALA Award winning author of the Caldecott Medal winning Watercress , loves noodles, food, and noodling about food. A former environmental scientist, she appreciates Ando's scientific spirit, persistence in the face of failure, and passion for making the world a better place.Andrea lives in Colorado with her family and their dog, Mochi. Sometimes they have instant ramen for breakfast. You can find out more about Andrea at andreaywang.com. Kana Urbanowicz works mainly as an illustrator and likes to draw people eating delicious food. Apart from illustration, she also creates animations, comics, and even clay figurines. She lives in Kanagawa, Japan, with her artist husband. By a lucky coincidence, there is a Momofuku Ando museum nearby, so she went there for some inspiration and noodle fun. After reading Ando's biography, Kana is happy that she could take part in making this book happen! Read more about her works at tekumushi.com. Read more