It's time to shout out another book birthday—yay! It hits the shelves tomorrow, but that's definitely close enough for me. The moment I saw today's read, I snatched it up. Yellow just happens to be my favorite color, so it caught my eye. Also, lemon cake sounds amazing, right now. Add the content girl smiling away and this invites to calm, enjoyable hours outside in the shade. Lemon tree shade, obviously. So, what's not to like?
I'm betting that this one will rotate around family goodness...although it might hold some surprises??? I have no idea. The only way to find out is to open it up and take a look!
SUNDAYS UNDER THE LEMON TREE
by Julia Busuttil Nishimura
Illustrated by Milo Yim
Scribble US
Picture Book
36 pages
ages 4 to 8
A heartwarming picture book celebrating family, tradition, and culinary adventures.
Julia Busuttil Nishimura, known for her acclaimed cookbooks and heartwarming food stories, teams up with talented illustrator Myo Yim for their debut picture book collaboration, Sundays Under the Lemon Tree. The book, filled with family moments and culinary discovery, will captivate readers of all ages.
Sundays Under the Lemon Tree follows a young child’s memorable Sunday, with the smells and sounds of family cooking, the adventure of collecting seawater to make ricotta, and the triumph of learning to bake a special family apple cake. Busuttil Nishimura’s prose and Yim’s illustrations bring to life the comforting rituals and loving bonds that make Sundays special.
With themes of connection, heritage, and simple pleasures, this collaboration between Julia Busuttil Nishimura and Myo Yim celebrates the multigenerational bonds between food and family history. The book will also include the cherished apple cake recipe and promises to be a beloved addition to any child's bookshelf.
MY TIDBITS
Family traditions and togetherness warm with the thoughts of sunshine, ocean water, and a lemon tree.
It's Sunday, and that means it's time for the extended family to meet under the lemon tree and share food and time together. Mother is already cooking in the kitchen, father is watering the plants, and grandmother is podding the peas. Too bad the little girl isn't allowed to help, but everyone claims she's too small. Then, something extraordinary happens and her father asks her to help him get a bucket of ocean water to make the fresh ricotta for the apple cake.
This is a warming read in so many ways. Every page is as bright and cheerful as a lemon tree. Then, the strong bonds of family act like a caring embrace as everyone works together. Even when the little girl feels left out, she's right in the middle of the lively atmosphere and surrounded with love and care. Young listeners/readers will understand her feelings and connect with the situation. When she does, finally, get the opportunity to assist her father, a little tension and uncertainty grab in before the book slides into more family goodness. To round the entire experience off, the author has included the apple cake recipe at the end so readers and caretakers can also work together and create the warm treat.
The illustrations are bright and bring across the family excitement nicely. It's easy to sink into the familiar scenes. A little humor is also built in as necessary and the details give plenty for listeners to discover when they flip through the book on their own. The text makes a lovely read-aloud and works for those readers, who are mostly sure of their words.
And here they are...
Julia Busuttil Nishimura is the bestselling author of four cookbooks. She writes for Good Weekend Magazine and Gourmet Traveller. Julia's work celebrates the joy of family meals, drawing inspiration from her Maltese heritage, time spent living in Italy and Japanese family. Sundays Under the Lemon Tree is her debut children's book.
Myo Yim has worked as an illustrator of children’s books. Her work has appeared in more than fifteen books, including Wilder Child, Dorothy, Shoes Off, Please and Rajah Street. Originally from Seoul, South Korea, Myo now lives in Byron Bay, Australia, with her husband and two boys.
(Biographies take from publisher's website)
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