 The month of July is known as many different things: National Ice Cream Month, National Grilling Month, National Picnic Month, and many more. What all these different things have in common are good food and spending time with those you love, like your family. Food has always been one of the most important parts of cultural heritage. Each culture has its own unique foods that have been passed down through the ages, but every culture has one thing that’s similar. That’s the importance of food in community, whether through cooking together, eating together as a way to hang out, or special food for celebration of special events. Now, what better way to celebrate this month than to read these 10 books about cooking with family?  1. Soul Food Sunday - Written by Winsome Bingham, illustrated by C.G Esperanza A young boy is finally old enough to help cook the dishes at a family gathering. Assisting with tasks ranging from cleaning greens to grating cheese, he finishes the day by making his own contribution to this Sunday get-together. This book celebrates the importance of family and tradition, and the brightly illustrated pages are sure to invite you into the story right with them. Listen to a live read-aloud – click here  2. Bee-bim Bop! - Written by Linda Sue Park, illustrated by Ho Baek Lee This rhyming board book tells the story of a young girl and her mom making a traditional Korean dish called bibimbap. The two work together to make a wonderful dinner, emphasizing both their culture and the special moments that come from a family spending time together. Listen to a live read-aloud – click here  3. Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-ji - Written by Farhana Zia, illustrated by Ken Min Aneel’s grandparents have come to stay with his family all the way from India, bringing with them adventurous tales of his grandfather, Dada-Ji, when he was a young boy like Aneel. In these wild stories, Dada-Ji gets his power from hot roti, a type of fluffy bread served with a spicy sauce on the side. Aneel wants to see if Dada-Ji still has these powers, and sets out to make some in this lively story of family fun. Listen to a live read-aloud – click here  4. Ruby’s Reunion Day Dinner - Written by Angela Dalton, illustrated by Jestenia Southerland Ruby’s extended family gathers for a reunion once a year, and each member of the family has a signature dish that they contribute to the meal. Now that she’s old enough, Ruby wants to make her own signature dish and looks for inspiration in the world around her. Listen to a live read-aloud – click here  5. Salma the Syrian Chef - Written by Danny Ramadan, illustrated by Anna Bron Salma is a young Syrian girl who has just fled her country to seek refuge in Canada. She notices her mom has been down since leaving their home, and decides to cheer her up by making foul shamy, a traditional Syrian dish. Listen to a live read-aloud – click here  6. Cora Cooks Pancit - Written by Dorina K. Lazo Gilmore, illustrated by Kristi Valiant This story follows Cora, a young Filipino girl, who is finally old enough to help with the “grown up jobs” in the kitchen instead of the little kid tasks. The book is a celebration of Filipino heritage and foods, and shows the bond between mother and daughter even as you grow older. Listen to a live read-aloud – click here  7. Full, Full, Full of Love - Written by Trish Cooke, Illustrated by Paul Howard Sunday dinner at Grannie’s house is an experience full of love and tasty food for little Jay Jay. The story follows the special bond Jay Jay has with his Grannie and invites us into a home full, full of hugs, kisses, and a family that has so much care and affection for each other. Listen to a live read-aloud – click here  8. Abuelita and I Make Flan - Written and illustrated by Adriana Hernádez Bergstrom Little Anita loves making flan with her grandma, but accidentally breaks the special flan dish that her abuela brought all the way from Cuba. Anita doesn’t tell her and tries to be the best helper to make up for it, but has to come up with a solution when they need a dish to serve the flan. Listen to a live read-aloud – click here  9. Plátanos Are Love - Written by Alyssa Reynoso-Morris, illustrated by Mariyah Rahman This bilingual book follows Esme and her Abuela as Esme learns that not only are plantain dishes a delicious food, they are a representation of their ancestors, culture and love. They make these meals together, and find connection with their history and with each other. Listen to a live read-aloud – click here  10. Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao - Written by Kat Zhang, illustrated by Charlene Chua
Amy and her family love to make bao together and it’s one of their favorite family activities. However, Amy just can’t seem to make her bao right. This book follows her on her quest for the perfect bao that both tastes and looks beautiful. Listen to a live read-aloud – click here We hope that you’re able to spend time cooking with someone you love this month, and happy summer!
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We have some incredible news to share: our Co-Executive Director, Ashley Allen, has been named a 2026 MLS All-Star Hometown Hero by Major League Soccer and Black Players for Change!
This is a big deal! Four leaders were selected across the entire Carolinas and Ashley is the only honoree from anywhere in western North Carolina. At a moment when soccer's biggest national spotlight is landing in Charlotte for MLS All-Star Week, our community's representative on that stage is a Black woman from Asheville leading a literacy nonprofit rooted in equity and love for kids. This recognition comes with a $15,000 grant (matched dollar-for-dollar by the David and Nicole Tepper Foundation) to support our work. Ashley will be celebrated at the Hometown Heroes Showcase on July 27 in Charlotte. We are so proud! Click the button below to learn more about Ashley and the other honorees. |
About R2S
Read to Succeed Asheville/Buncombe (R2S) is a local, independent nonprofit on a mission to help close the Archives
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Read to Succeed is on a mission to help close the race-based opportunity gap through community-powered literacy programming that engages children, families, and community partners. |
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Phone: (828) 747-2277 Email: [email protected] Physical address (Cannot receive mail here): 16A Stewart St. Asheville, NC 28806 (*Note: Our office is located in the Pisgah View Apartments community) Mailing address: PO Box 18652 Asheville, NC 28814 |
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