Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

A family of Korean descent creates memories centered on a birthday tradition. Birthday girl Maia, clad in her purple bunny pajamas, runs down to greet her mother. Her excitement grows when she learns that Umma is cooking something special: miyeok guk, or birthday soup. The dialogue-heavy narrative expounds on the dish’s origins. Packed with nutrients, this seaweed soup is typically served to new mothers; Korean people traditionally eat the dish on their birthdays to honor their mothers. As Maia’s father, grandmother, and older brother chime in with their own memories and reactions, everyone pitches in to help cook. Kim’s deft use of bright blended colors and textures creates joyful scenes of Maia preparing the ingredients with her family. Portrayed with oversize round heads, they cut endearing figures in the cartoonish art. After reveling in the legacy and flavors of the soup, Maia decides to serve it to her friends at her party. Several aspects of Maia’s Korean heritage are represented: Her grandmother wears a hanbok, her relatives bring silk envelopes containing birthday money, and japchae and kimchi are served alongside pizza and tacos—and, of course, miyeok guk. Maia and her parents smile as her friends appreciate the soup—the perfect party! Maia’s friends are racially diverse. The book wraps up with two recipes for miyeok guk, including one from the author’s husband, restaurateur and TV personality David Chang. A celebratory tale embracing culture, identity, and of course food. (glossary, author’s note) (Picture book. 5-8) Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Publishers Weekly
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In this bustling domestic work celebrating a ritual rooted in maternal appreciation, a girl of Chinese heritage—excited to eat a special soup on her special day—learns about the food’s deeper cultural meaning. On the morning of her birthday, young Maia notices “a delicious smell brewing in the kitchen.” Her umma explains it’s miyeok guk, often called birthday soup because it’s eaten by new mothers for its vitamins and nutrition. And then, “every year on their birthdays, those children eat miyeok guk to honor their mothers.” With recipe-level granularity, conversational lines take readers through each step as Maia helps her family with the preparation, reflecting that “the love she puts into the soup is what makes it special,” and decides what to serve friends at her party. Chang insightfully conveys a child’s experience of learning to take part in an established Chinese custom, and steamy swirls throughout Kim’s digital pink, purple, and yellow palette tie together generations strengthened by birthday soup. A glossary, author’s note, and recipes conclude. Ages 4–8. (Sept.)