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Reviewed by: Taylor Coonelly, Elementary School Librarian Title: A Plate of Hope: The Inspiring Story of Chef Jose Andres and World Central Kitchen
Author: Erin Frankel Illustrator: Paola Escobar
Publisher: Random House
Year: 2024 Good for Grades: K-5 Genre/Type of Book: Picture Book Biography
Content Warnings, or things that other School Librarians should be aware of: No Recommended for a school library: Yes Reason(s) for choosing the book: Nominated for the Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction category for the CYBILS award
If you were tasked by the publisher with writing a short quote for the back cover of this book, what would it be:
José Andrés' story reminds readers that food can bring us together, create opportunities and strengthen our spirits.
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Review:
José Andrés' story reminds readers that food can bring us together, create opportunities and strengthen our spirits. In the biography A Plate of Hope, readers are following the life of José Andrés, a Nobel Prize nominee, author, chef, and creator of the nonprofit organization World Central Kitchen. The kitchen had always been a magical place for José, cooking with and for his family in Spain. His journey in the professional world began at the world-famous El Bulli restaurant in Spain, where he learned how food can become anything. Once immigrating to the United States, José began using his passion for food to fuel his humanitarian efforts at the D.C. World Kitchen, and then on to his own nonprofit, the World Central Kitchen. José traveled to sites of destruction, including earthquakes in Haiti and Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, to provide food and the message that these survivors were not alone. This inspiring story was one that I had never heard of before reading this book, and I am very grateful to now know of José and his incredible work. This story is beautifully illustrated, incorporating aspects of José's real life with that of subtle magical imagery to create a biography that is eye-catching. This biography not only highlighted José's story, but the idea that people can use their passions and interest to make the changes they wish to see in their world. I think that this book is age appropriate and fascinating for an elementary/middle grade audience, and could work well in a variety of curricular lessons regarding biographies, traditions, changemakers, and more.
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