A Banquet for Cecilia

Relish in the savory, tangy, and sometimes spicy dishes of Cecilia Chiang, a revolutionary who changed the way Americans viewed Chinese food.

From an early age, Cecilia Chiang could be found delighting in the sounds and smells from her favorite room in her home-the kitchen. Little did Cecilia know that she would one day have to escape war and travel to a faraway country, destined to change Chinese cuisine in the United States forever.

Experience the dishes Cecilia Chiang enjoyed throughout her life as the seventh daughter in a large family to the owner of the famous Mandarin restaurant in San Francisco.

"Leung's straightforward and thoughtful prose never glosses over Chiang's difficult life but lingers instead on the poetry of cooking, which is expertly paired with Iwai's watercolors that offer heartwarming and mouthwatering details on every spread. An author's note provides photos of Chiang and additional information in this story steeped in foodways and family."--Horn Book
"Close-ups of the various dishes paired with sumptuous descriptions, along with maps of the regions where they originated, emphasize the richness of Chinese cuisine. Inspiring and delicious."--Kirkus Reviews
"A Banquet for Cecilia is a visual and textual feast for the senses and an important story of yet another way immigrants contribute to society."--Booklist
"Interspersed with images of Cecelia's life and travels, loosely rendered mixed-media artwork places dishes atop maps to situate their origins. The result is a lively food atlas that spotlights care as the finest ingredient."--Publishers Weekly
"Words and illustrations provide an excellent introduction to how one woman brought her love of fine Chinese food to the United States."--School Library Journal
Praise for The Fearless Flights of Hazel Ying Lee:

* "Through clear and concise text aimed at younger fluent readers, author Leung conveys Lee's verve and passion for both flying and life while also conveying the full import of Lee's accomplishments to both America and Americans of color.... The crisp lines and bright colors of Kwon's illustrations simply and gracefully depict a bygone era.... Another welcome biography of an Asian American contributor to U.S. history." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"[An] unsung hero from Chinese American history.... A moving tribute to this groundbreaking aviation pioneer." --Booklist

"A little-known Chinese American pilot is brought to life in this picture book biography.... Illustrations vibrantly complement the text.... A must-have." --School Library Connection

"Kwon's illustrations emphasize Lee's sparkle and determination." --BCCB

"Leung's poetic text vividly conveys Lee's fascination with and passion for flying and breaking boundaries without fear as well as her perseverance and optimism for a better world. Kwon's clear, earth-toned, full-bleed illustrations expand on the story.... An excellent portrayal of a fearless flyer." --Horn Book

"Inspiring.... Engaging.... An excellent picture book biography." --SLJ

Julie Leung is the author of numerous books for children including the Caldecott honoreeThe Truth About Dragons; APALA award-winning Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist, illustrated by Chris Sasaki; and The Fearless Flights of Hazel Ying Lee. She invites you to visit her online at jleungbooks.com.

Melissa Iwai is an author/illustrator of over thirty picture books, including Let's Party!: A DIY Illustrated Guide to 10 Fantastic Birthday Parties, Soup Day, Pizza Day, Dumplings for Lili, and Gigi and Ojiji, a Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor-winning series. When she is not creating, she can be found cooking and doing crossword puzzles with her husband, author Denis Markell, in Brooklyn. She invites to you visit her online at melissaiwai.com, on Instagram @melissaiwai1, and on X @meliwai

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