Description

SHORTLISTED FOR THE INCLUSIVE BOOKS FOR CHILDREN AWARDS 2024.

A Caribbean celebration of family and food – with a spicy twist!

There is not a better smell in the world than Ajee’s Cook-up rice. The kitchen fills with the smell of coconut, garlic and spices. Faruq loves his grandmother Ajee, and he loves her cooking. In fact, Faruq would like to cook too – he wants to be a chef, but Ajee says he has to be a doctor like his father.

But one day when Ajee is too ill to make the family feast, with the help of his neighbour Mrs Joseph, Faruq picks some hot wiri wiri chilli peppers and cooks up a banquet. Preparing food for his family fills Faruq’s heart with love – and sets a different course for his future.

This sumptuous story celebrates Caribbean culture and food through Sophia Payne’s distinct voice that is reflective of her Indo-Guyanese heritage and is brought to life by Sandhya Prabhat’s beautiful artwork. It also includes a recipe for Guyanese Lime cookies for you to try at home!

Publisher Review

This colourful picture-book celebration of Guyanese cooking - including hot wiri wiri peppers - features a little boy desperate to learn to cook, and the joy of sharing food with family. -- Imogen Russell Williams * Guardian * As he watches his grandma prepare her traditional Guyanese cook-up rice with garlic, coconut, and wiri wiri peppers, Faruq dreams of being a chef. With vibrant and exciting illustrations and rich descriptive language, this picture book for younger children is bound to spark an interest in cooking and a love for family mealtimes. A lovely book to read and share. -- Tom Tolkien * School Reading List * This colourful picture-book celebration of Guyanese cooking - including hot wiriwiri peppers - features a little boy desperate to learn to cook, and the joy of sharing food with family. * The Guardian * A Caribbean celebration of family and food - with a spicy twist! There is not a better smell in the world than Ajee's Cook-up rice. The kitchen fills with the smell of coconut, garlic and spices. Preparing food for his family fills Faruq's heart with love - and sets a different course for his future. This sumptuous story celebrates Caribbean culture and food through Sophia Payne's distinct voice that is reflective of her Indo-Guyanese heritage and is brought to life by Sandhya Prabhat's beautiful artwork. It also includes a recipe for Guyanese Lime cookies for you to try at home! * Books for Topics *