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Yoko
Yoko
The charming, acclaimed book about a cat who is teased for the food she brings for school lunch—and that launched the beloved series about Yoko—is about accepting and embracing our differences.
Mmm, Yoko's mom has packed her favorite for lunch today--sushi! But her classmates don't think it looks quite so yummy. "Ick!" says one of the Franks. "It's seaweed!" They're not even impressed by her red bean ice cream dessert. Of course, Mrs. Jenkins has a plan that might solve Yoko's problem. But will it work with the other children in class?
"This brightly colored schoolroom charmer [is] a perfect book for those American-melting-pot kindergarteners who need to develop a genuine respect for one another's differences." — Publishers Weekly , starred review
Don't miss the other stories about Yoko, including Yoko Finds Her Way
Mmm, Yoko's mom has packed her favorite for lunch today--sushi! But her classmates don't think it looks quite so yummy. "Ick!" says one of the Franks. "It's seaweed!" They're not even impressed by her red bean ice cream dessert. Of course, Mrs. Jenkins has a plan that might solve Yoko's problem. But will it work with the other children in class?
"This brightly colored schoolroom charmer [is] a perfect book for those American-melting-pot kindergarteners who need to develop a genuine respect for one another's differences." — Publishers Weekly , starred review
Don't miss the other stories about Yoko, including Yoko Finds Her Way
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1998
14 people are currently reading
865 people want to read
About the author
Rosemary Wells
453 books380 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Rosemary Wells is an American writer and illustrator of children's books. She often uses animal characters to address real human issues. Some of her most well-known characters are Max & Ruby and Timothy from Timothy Goes To School (both were later adapted into Canadian-animated preschool television series, the former’s airing on Nickelodeon (part of the Nick Jr. block) and the latter’s as part of PBS Kids on PBS).
Rosemary Wells is an American writer and illustrator of children's books. She often uses animal characters to address real human issues. Some of her most well-known characters are Max & Ruby and Timothy from Timothy Goes To School (both were later adapted into Canadian-animated preschool television series, the former’s airing on Nickelodeon (part of the Nick Jr. block) and the latter’s as part of PBS Kids on PBS).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 195 reviews
April 29, 2021
Yoko brings sushi for her lunch and the other animal pupils bully her for eating something different. The teacher doesn’t help with this which is disappointing. Also disappointing is that the author describes sushi as raw fish which is a common misconception. Sushi is cold rice with vinegar often wrapped in seaweed, totally vegan. What the author was thinking of was sashimi which is raw fish. I didn’t like the illustrations or the message and it was a pity that a big part of the plot (the sushi) was confused with another dish.
Read on open library
Read on open library
March 7, 2015
I like the honest way Yoko depicts what it can feel like to be a child told you are weird or strange or unliked. To be outcast – for any reason – is hurtful, and children understand that experience, often very personally. (Though understanding what it feels like to be left out and understanding that you are excluding others are two different developmental abilities.) I also appreciate that despite the support of Yoko’s teacher and parents, she is still bearing the brunt of peer abuse and rejection. I think that’s a very realistic depiction. But, I am also so grateful that she DOES have the support of adults in her life – people that can help her navigate the struggles of feeling alone and lonely. In the end, Yoko makes one friend, Timothy, who is the only child character able to make the transition from ‘difference as exclusionary’ to ‘difference as normal, engaging, and valued.’ I appreciate that the story does not have a ‘now everybody loves Yoko’ conclusion; that’s not reflective of children’s (or adults’) real-life struggles. Yoko finds one peer who accepts her. And that is enough to change her outlook, to help her feel valued, and to make tomorrow seem brighter. Plus, it’s a story to which all children can relate on some level.
My only (minor) criticism of the story is that I have a pedagogical bone to pick with Yoko’s teacher (or perhaps Rosemary Wells, I suppose). In efforts to support Yoko, her teacher decides that their classroom will host an “International Food Day” (which is a fairly common educational practice). I love the idea of food as a way for people to come together, to share, and to build relationships, but educationally it is more appropriate and accurate (in so many ways) to have some sort of “Cultural Food Day” or “Family Food Day.” It is important for all families to recognize that they have a cultural history and heritage, that many (most) of us come from somewhere else at some temporal point in our family history, and that all of us are valued as part of the same community now. Sometimes things like an “International Food Day” highlights differences (the idea that these foods came from FAR AWAY) rather than highlighting the idea that many different people and foods often come together as a community in one place (the idea that ‘far away’ foods are also right HERE). While, on one hand, I’m being picky about one word, what I’m really talking about is the underlying message. Language matters; it reflects beliefs. And if we want children to embrace all people as valued equals our language needs to reflect that.
(PS – In my classroom, we have used this book to talk about how it feels to be excluded and ways we can actively work to include others. Instead of making people feel left out because of what they eat, what they wear, how they talk, who they are, etc. we try to use those moments to realize that WE have things to learn. Also, we have used this book as a literary connection to support my students making sushi with the (Japanese immigrant) parents of a child in our class.)
My only (minor) criticism of the story is that I have a pedagogical bone to pick with Yoko’s teacher (or perhaps Rosemary Wells, I suppose). In efforts to support Yoko, her teacher decides that their classroom will host an “International Food Day” (which is a fairly common educational practice). I love the idea of food as a way for people to come together, to share, and to build relationships, but educationally it is more appropriate and accurate (in so many ways) to have some sort of “Cultural Food Day” or “Family Food Day.” It is important for all families to recognize that they have a cultural history and heritage, that many (most) of us come from somewhere else at some temporal point in our family history, and that all of us are valued as part of the same community now. Sometimes things like an “International Food Day” highlights differences (the idea that these foods came from FAR AWAY) rather than highlighting the idea that many different people and foods often come together as a community in one place (the idea that ‘far away’ foods are also right HERE). While, on one hand, I’m being picky about one word, what I’m really talking about is the underlying message. Language matters; it reflects beliefs. And if we want children to embrace all people as valued equals our language needs to reflect that.
(PS – In my classroom, we have used this book to talk about how it feels to be excluded and ways we can actively work to include others. Instead of making people feel left out because of what they eat, what they wear, how they talk, who they are, etc. we try to use those moments to realize that WE have things to learn. Also, we have used this book as a literary connection to support my students making sushi with the (Japanese immigrant) parents of a child in our class.)
February 6, 2020
Yoko brings sushi for lunch. The other kids bully her about her food and the teacher DOESN'T NOTICE. When Yoko is too sad to go out to play, the teacher decides to address the issue by having an international foods potluck and everybody has to try a bite of everything. Except she DOESN'T ENFORCE that everybody brings something from a different country nor that everybody tries a bite. All the kids are allowed to go out to play and nobody tried Yoko's sushi.
The moral of the story? You can't trust authority figures to look out for you or enforce even their own rules.
That's obviously not what the book wanted to be about, but that's the lesson that's there.
The moral of the story? You can't trust authority figures to look out for you or enforce even their own rules.
That's obviously not what the book wanted to be about, but that's the lesson that's there.
February 15, 2022
This was the first book I was ever able to read on my own as a kid. Yoko got me into books!
November 14, 2013
This is definitely a book to keep in the room, be it a classroom or a child's personal library.
Yoko, a sweet little cherryblossom of a kitten, is being made fun of in school because of her sushi lunches. In our class, we talked about having unique tastes because of your cultural heritage, and how we would feel if someone said "yucko!" to our favorite food. We also discussed good language to use when trying something new for the first time and not liking it, what to do when someone's feelings are hurt, and how to help everyone feel included. It opened up a lot of valuable discussion with the kids, so it gets a high rating because of that.
What the kids didn't pick up on, though (because they're 5), is that Yoko doesn't receive a universal acceptance by the end of the book. She gets one friend who understands her tastes and shares them, who even wants to sit with her and play restaurant. I feel like this is far more realistic than everyone gathering around Yoko, declaring their newfound love for sushi. Something that other reviewers have picked up on, too, is that the adults in Yoko's life are very aware of her situation and try to help. She's never alone in her journey to finding a friend.
So yes, overall, this is an excellent book. We have an extremely diverse population of students, so we're keeping this for sure.
Yoko, a sweet little cherryblossom of a kitten, is being made fun of in school because of her sushi lunches. In our class, we talked about having unique tastes because of your cultural heritage, and how we would feel if someone said "yucko!" to our favorite food. We also discussed good language to use when trying something new for the first time and not liking it, what to do when someone's feelings are hurt, and how to help everyone feel included. It opened up a lot of valuable discussion with the kids, so it gets a high rating because of that.
What the kids didn't pick up on, though (because they're 5), is that Yoko doesn't receive a universal acceptance by the end of the book. She gets one friend who understands her tastes and shares them, who even wants to sit with her and play restaurant. I feel like this is far more realistic than everyone gathering around Yoko, declaring their newfound love for sushi. Something that other reviewers have picked up on, too, is that the adults in Yoko's life are very aware of her situation and try to help. She's never alone in her journey to finding a friend.
So yes, overall, this is an excellent book. We have an extremely diverse population of students, so we're keeping this for sure.
March 8, 2020
Yoko has played an integral role in my life as a second-generation Japanese-American. When I was in elementary school, I would check this book out from the library over and over again because it made me feel less alone. I grew up isolated from people who shared my ethnicity, and I always felt a little different from everyone else in my community. Like Yoko, other children made fun of my lunches and aspects of my Japanese heritage. This book taught me that I was not alone and that there would be those in my life who would accept me as I was. I believe that Yoko played an important role in the development of my strength and in my ability to stand up for myself. I will carry its message with me always.
March 2, 2009
Why don't I like these books more!? I did appreciate this one in that it takes a somewhat superficial (albeit important!) aspect of culture ("weird food") and uses it to show how kids can be so narrow-minded and judgmental--seems like a good lesson for intolerance in the bigger aspects (i.e., religion)
July 12, 2015
I read Yoko to my Kindergarten students every year. It is a wonderful way to begin discussion of cultural differences in the food people eat. I am excited when they put themselves in Yoko's place. Empathy is a value I very much hope to encourage in my students. Yoko is a popular teachers' resource.
December 1, 2018
“Ending was too predictable. So I talked for the last half of it.” -Adelaide (6 months old)
September 3, 2008
For reasons I can't entirely put my finger on, I'm not a big fan of Rosemary Wells. The closest I can get to it is to say that I think she speaks downward to the child reader a bit too much, but perhaps I would feel otherwise were I a three year old. Certainly my three year olds enjoy Wells more than I do, but on the other hand they just love to read and enjoy most anything with words and pictures.
But in the case of 'Yoko', there is more to my distaste than that.
'Yoko' is a simple story of a child who doesn't fit in. But particularly, 'Yoko' doesn't fit in because she eats sushi.
From that I suppose we are to presume that she is different thereby.
The problem is my kids eat sushi and bean burritos and chicken korma and lasagna and shrimp lo mein and spring rolls and chicken schwarma and frankfurters and jerk chicken and well you get the idea, and they have pretty much since they were weaned. Are we to assume that they are Japanese, or Mexican, or Hindi, or Italian, or Chinese, or Thai, or Turkish, or German, or Caribbean or anything else? Of course not. My girls don't know and hopefully can't comprehend that eating sushi makes you different. I don't want it to enter into their imaginations that eating sushi makes you different. They have no basis for imagining that someone could be excluded no the basis of dress or what food they eat or what skin color they have.
What really annoys me is that in order to create this multicultural fairy tale, the first thing that it becomes necessary to do is stuff everyone into a sterotype and imagine that they are different. That is, in order for the story to make any sense, we must imagine that there is some specially unique experience to being a 'sushi eating person' and that this experience and set of perferences is held in common to all naturally 'sushi eating persons'. What a load of hooey. We might as well imagine that there is some unique experience you gain from having a particular skin color, and that you share this perspective with everyone who shares the same skin color. This is not a perspective on life I really want my girls to have.
But even more than that, do we really imagine that in eating sushi, or lasagna, or chicken korma or anything really that we obtain any gift of empathy or cultural understanding for anyone? Whether we eat sushi or lasagna or wear a fez or a cowboy hat or paint Buddha or the Christ is ultimately a trivial cultural difference. If there was no cultural gap larger than whether we liked our fish raw or fried, then we'd live in a world of mutual understanding and empathy and no barrier of belief or mode of behavior could possibly divide us. It is certainly true that our art, architecture, music, food, and so forth mutually enrich us, but it is equally true that these are both the most shallow manifestations of a peoples culture and the most easily borrowed and assimilated. The real things that divide are sadly much deeper, much more profound, and often cannot be borrowed because they are incompatible. I can decide to eat sushi one day and spaghetti the next, and doing so creates no real change in who I am. It's ultimately meaningless. But I can't decide that people of a different skin color are people one day, and then decide that they are not the next because this is a real change. I can't decide that real authority derives from a mandate from the people one day, and then the next decide that all property is vested in the state and that the people only have the usury of it. I can eat burritos and chicken shwarma at the same meal, and I can even take sushi and put a fruit compote on it and it none of it really effects who I am in any deep fashion. What I taste with my tongue isn't who I am in any meaningful way.
But I can't mingle what I taste in my heart and say that I haven't changed in any meaningful way. The fairy tale told is profoundly wrong and I can't help but feel it gets my children off on the wrong foot and would be - if they internalized it in any way - a real barrier to actual understanding.
But in the case of 'Yoko', there is more to my distaste than that.
'Yoko' is a simple story of a child who doesn't fit in. But particularly, 'Yoko' doesn't fit in because she eats sushi.
From that I suppose we are to presume that she is different thereby.
The problem is my kids eat sushi and bean burritos and chicken korma and lasagna and shrimp lo mein and spring rolls and chicken schwarma and frankfurters and jerk chicken and well you get the idea, and they have pretty much since they were weaned. Are we to assume that they are Japanese, or Mexican, or Hindi, or Italian, or Chinese, or Thai, or Turkish, or German, or Caribbean or anything else? Of course not. My girls don't know and hopefully can't comprehend that eating sushi makes you different. I don't want it to enter into their imaginations that eating sushi makes you different. They have no basis for imagining that someone could be excluded no the basis of dress or what food they eat or what skin color they have.
What really annoys me is that in order to create this multicultural fairy tale, the first thing that it becomes necessary to do is stuff everyone into a sterotype and imagine that they are different. That is, in order for the story to make any sense, we must imagine that there is some specially unique experience to being a 'sushi eating person' and that this experience and set of perferences is held in common to all naturally 'sushi eating persons'. What a load of hooey. We might as well imagine that there is some unique experience you gain from having a particular skin color, and that you share this perspective with everyone who shares the same skin color. This is not a perspective on life I really want my girls to have.
But even more than that, do we really imagine that in eating sushi, or lasagna, or chicken korma or anything really that we obtain any gift of empathy or cultural understanding for anyone? Whether we eat sushi or lasagna or wear a fez or a cowboy hat or paint Buddha or the Christ is ultimately a trivial cultural difference. If there was no cultural gap larger than whether we liked our fish raw or fried, then we'd live in a world of mutual understanding and empathy and no barrier of belief or mode of behavior could possibly divide us. It is certainly true that our art, architecture, music, food, and so forth mutually enrich us, but it is equally true that these are both the most shallow manifestations of a peoples culture and the most easily borrowed and assimilated. The real things that divide are sadly much deeper, much more profound, and often cannot be borrowed because they are incompatible. I can decide to eat sushi one day and spaghetti the next, and doing so creates no real change in who I am. It's ultimately meaningless. But I can't decide that people of a different skin color are people one day, and then decide that they are not the next because this is a real change. I can't decide that real authority derives from a mandate from the people one day, and then the next decide that all property is vested in the state and that the people only have the usury of it. I can eat burritos and chicken shwarma at the same meal, and I can even take sushi and put a fruit compote on it and it none of it really effects who I am in any deep fashion. What I taste with my tongue isn't who I am in any meaningful way.
But I can't mingle what I taste in my heart and say that I haven't changed in any meaningful way. The fairy tale told is profoundly wrong and I can't help but feel it gets my children off on the wrong foot and would be - if they internalized it in any way - a real barrier to actual understanding.
September 27, 2025
- The intended audience for this book is younger children ages between 4-6
- This book is about Yoko and her favorite dish Sushi. All her classmates judged her for it, even when the teacher asked everyone to bring one of their culture dish. She of course brought Sushi but only one person reached for the Sushi she brought and that’s all it took, one person to like it for her to feel better about having different likings.
- I choose this book for my library as it shows children different cultures and their dishes. It also shows them how being “different” is okay. It teaches the lesson of everyone is different in their own way, and accepting it as well.
- This book is about Yoko and her favorite dish Sushi. All her classmates judged her for it, even when the teacher asked everyone to bring one of their culture dish. She of course brought Sushi but only one person reached for the Sushi she brought and that’s all it took, one person to like it for her to feel better about having different likings.
- I choose this book for my library as it shows children different cultures and their dishes. It also shows them how being “different” is okay. It teaches the lesson of everyone is different in their own way, and accepting it as well.
July 21, 2016
Yoko brings sushi, seaweed and red bean ice cream to school for lunch, but her classmates’ teasing makes her very sad. Luckily, she discovers a new friend in Timothy, as they end up sharing lunch treats and creating their own restaurant. A favorite story that helps kids look at acceptance and friendship.
September 11, 2018
Summary:
Yoko's mother packs her favorite foods to bring to school for lunch. When Mrs. Jenkins rings the bell for lunch time, Yoko takes out her cooler with sushi in it. The other kids in her class make fun of what she is eating and laugh at her. When it is time for recess, Yoko does not want to go out to play. She is crying because her classmates were making fun of her food. Mrs. Jenkins says the other students will forget about it by snack time. However, Yoko's classmates make fun of her for eating red bean ice cream at snack time. Mrs. Jenkins sends home a note telling the students' families that they will be having an International Food Day at school, and that everyone must try a bite of everything. Yoko's mom prepares sushi for the class. When it is time for recess, all the food is gone, except for the sushi. No one had tried Yoko's sushi. She sat in the corner and heard someone using chopsticks. It was Timothy. He eats all the sushi, and asks her if she can bring more the next day. At the bus line, he shares a coconut crisp with her. The next day at lunch, the two push their desks together to create a restaurant during lunch.
Evaluation:
The book has a simple plot and utilizes some Tier 2 vocabulary. It is a book meant for early readers and can be read up until 3rd grade. The story has a moral of kindness and a willingness to overcome differences.
Teaching Idea:
Yoko could be used to teach students about bullying and how to be kind to those others. This can be done by conducting an interactive read aloud with students. The teacher can ask the students questions about how Yoko is feeling when her classmates laugh at her food and call her weirdo. The students can also do a turn and talk to discuss how they would help Yoko and how they can help students who are being bullied.
Yoko's mother packs her favorite foods to bring to school for lunch. When Mrs. Jenkins rings the bell for lunch time, Yoko takes out her cooler with sushi in it. The other kids in her class make fun of what she is eating and laugh at her. When it is time for recess, Yoko does not want to go out to play. She is crying because her classmates were making fun of her food. Mrs. Jenkins says the other students will forget about it by snack time. However, Yoko's classmates make fun of her for eating red bean ice cream at snack time. Mrs. Jenkins sends home a note telling the students' families that they will be having an International Food Day at school, and that everyone must try a bite of everything. Yoko's mom prepares sushi for the class. When it is time for recess, all the food is gone, except for the sushi. No one had tried Yoko's sushi. She sat in the corner and heard someone using chopsticks. It was Timothy. He eats all the sushi, and asks her if she can bring more the next day. At the bus line, he shares a coconut crisp with her. The next day at lunch, the two push their desks together to create a restaurant during lunch.
Evaluation:
The book has a simple plot and utilizes some Tier 2 vocabulary. It is a book meant for early readers and can be read up until 3rd grade. The story has a moral of kindness and a willingness to overcome differences.
Teaching Idea:
Yoko could be used to teach students about bullying and how to be kind to those others. This can be done by conducting an interactive read aloud with students. The teacher can ask the students questions about how Yoko is feeling when her classmates laugh at her food and call her weirdo. The students can also do a turn and talk to discuss how they would help Yoko and how they can help students who are being bullied.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 17, 2025
Yoko by Rosemary Wells, is a colorful representation of varying culturally specific foods. This book is intended for young readers and allows readers to see their cultures represented in print media. The book’s illustrations are intricate and detailed, with animals as characters. The author is known for her animal characters with lovable and diverse personalities. The story follows Yoko; a cat whose favorite food is sushi. When she goes to lunch one day at school, she is made fun of for her lunch and snacks. The other students pick and tease her and ultimately make her feel bad about the food of her culture. The simple yet unique images do a great job at setting up this scene of the tense classroom dynamic that Yoko faces. The key ideas and themes of this story show kids that not everyone is the same. It tackles the common struggle that a lot of diverse students tend to face around the foods they bring for lunch. If it is not a common food like PB and J or a turkey sandwich it is often frowned upon by other students. This book highlights the importance of diversity and respecting your peers. I really enjoyed this book as it is a childhood favorite of mine. Growing up, I really resonated with this book and think other students will too. I would definitely use this book in my future classroom. It promotes diversity and allows students to see themselves and their cultures in the books they read.
March 15, 2017
This picture book, Yoko by Rosemary Wells, illustrates how a child can be teased in school by their peers because of cultural diversity. The story follows a kitten named Yoko who is super excited when her mother packs her favorite lunch, sushi, for lunch that day. But when she gets to school, her peers do not think that that lunch looks so yummy, and they make fun of it. This story can help teach kids empathy and understanding of differences. Students can also discuss with the teachers food eaten in different cultures and countries. Eventually Yoko's peers try the sushi, showing young readers that is important to try new things.
The main character Yoko is a cat, which I think makes the story a little lighter for younger children. Younger children can still relate to how the kitten is feeling when the other classmates tease her. The illustrations are very soft and cute, making the subject matter seem a little lighter. The colors are also very happy colors. The illustrations can be described as whimsical and entertaining. I really enjoyed the illustrations in this picture book.
The main character Yoko is a cat, which I think makes the story a little lighter for younger children. Younger children can still relate to how the kitten is feeling when the other classmates tease her. The illustrations are very soft and cute, making the subject matter seem a little lighter. The colors are also very happy colors. The illustrations can be described as whimsical and entertaining. I really enjoyed the illustrations in this picture book.
April 26, 2022
I would rate this 2.5 stars, but because I can't, I bumped it up to 3 because even if I am disappointed in the teacher in the book, the author gives us a lot to discuss. Poor Yoko. Her mother packs her delicious lunches with extra love, but other students yuck on her yum. The teacher is a little clueless about how to handle it. We do see Yoko's resilience and in the end, she finds Timothy who is open to trying the sushi and Yoko even shows him how to use chopsticks.
I felt this was a worthwhile book because there are lots of opportunities to talk about how Yoko might be feeling and how people could be kinder and how we might act instead.
I felt this was a worthwhile book because there are lots of opportunities to talk about how Yoko might be feeling and how people could be kinder and how we might act instead.
October 7, 2019
Yoko goes to a multicultural school that is celebrating food from each student`s culture. Students bring fruits, meats, and drinks. Yoko decides to bring sushi. The other students make fun of food from her culture- saying things like, "Ick! It`s seaweed!" or "Yuck-o-rama!" It made me think of when I was younger and another student made fun of my lunch. Throughout the book students are trying new things and discovering things that they like. I love the book though because it reminds readers to try everything because you never know what you`ll love.
November 29, 2021
We talk a lot about how we don't yuck on someone else's yum in our house & this is a perfect example as to why we say "no, thank you" & "I'm still learning to like that". Tastes grow and change & you don't know what you like or don't if you've never tried something or haven't tried it in a long time. Did everyone in the book change their mind about Yoko's sushi? No. But that's real life. Sometimes you find a friend because they were the one willing to try, you can be a good friend by being the one willing to try. However, I do wish the teacher had not blown off the original bullying at lunch.
July 24, 2023
Kait loved this, because sushi. It’s fairly dated because I can’t imagine any of the kids here thinking sushi was gross - most of them eat it and the ones that don’t still see it as a pretty standard food - and I wouldn’t call this small town all that diverse.
That said, it wasn’t a terrible plot. The teacher clearly struggles to deal with the situation, but tries hard, and the efforts don’t pay off in an unrealistic ending but fairly true to life where one kid has found a new food love and that’s enough to make Yoko feel better.
That said, it wasn’t a terrible plot. The teacher clearly struggles to deal with the situation, but tries hard, and the efforts don’t pay off in an unrealistic ending but fairly true to life where one kid has found a new food love and that’s enough to make Yoko feel better.
February 26, 2025
This was one of my favorite books as a child. The illustrations are sweet and poignant. I feel inclined to defend this book from some common criticisms:
"But where was the teacher in all this!?"
In real life, authority figures are often not willing or able to intervene in bullying situations. It's valuable for kids figure out how to hold their own navigating difficult social situations and not let their self esteem be contingent on what others think of them. Yoko was able to get through this conflict by making a friend who liked her and her sushi. Cultural sensitivity and inclusion are noble themes, but a similarly valuable lesson presented is "sometimes not everyone will like or understand you and that is okay!".
"Why were her classmates so weird about eating sushi!? Everyone likes sushi! This is unrealistic!"
This book was published in 1998 before most Americans had ever tried sushi.
"This is not a culturally accurate portrayal of Japanese sushi!"
I think Rosemary Wells did okay, especially given the time period. You couldn't just go out and get sushi wherever in the US in 1998. Iirc the food portrayed is indeed sushi, not sashimi, as another reviewer argued.
"But where was the teacher in all this!?"
In real life, authority figures are often not willing or able to intervene in bullying situations. It's valuable for kids figure out how to hold their own navigating difficult social situations and not let their self esteem be contingent on what others think of them. Yoko was able to get through this conflict by making a friend who liked her and her sushi. Cultural sensitivity and inclusion are noble themes, but a similarly valuable lesson presented is "sometimes not everyone will like or understand you and that is okay!".
"Why were her classmates so weird about eating sushi!? Everyone likes sushi! This is unrealistic!"
This book was published in 1998 before most Americans had ever tried sushi.
"This is not a culturally accurate portrayal of Japanese sushi!"
I think Rosemary Wells did okay, especially given the time period. You couldn't just go out and get sushi wherever in the US in 1998. Iirc the food portrayed is indeed sushi, not sashimi, as another reviewer argued.
November 3, 2021
No doubt, Yoko is a Japanese name.
No doubt, sushi (sushimi - to be precise - when raw fish is one of the ingredients) is a Japanese staple food that is already mainstream.
So Yoko - a cute little child - doesn't fit in.
Why?
Because she eats sushi and red bean ice cream for lunch.
Timothy is there to help but where is the teacher - the authority figure kids trust - in this fairy tale type of book?
Pretty shallow...
No doubt, sushi (sushimi - to be precise - when raw fish is one of the ingredients) is a Japanese staple food that is already mainstream.
So Yoko - a cute little child - doesn't fit in.
Why?
Because she eats sushi and red bean ice cream for lunch.
Timothy is there to help but where is the teacher - the authority figure kids trust - in this fairy tale type of book?
Pretty shallow...
November 7, 2017
I will always remember this book. As a teacher working in an international school I know the power it can have when talking about cultural and gastronomic diversity, open mindedness, inclusion and much more. Also my boyfriend read it for me at the National American History Museum in Washington DC. :)
January 19, 2020
Yoko struggles at school when the other kids think her sushi lunch is strange. The adults help give the kids a chance to bring in foods from their various cultures. It sounds like a not-so-subtle message about accepting differences but it is done in a realistic and sweet way. The cute kitty helps sell it for sure.
April 29, 2021
3.5 stars. Not a bad book about understanding and embracing differences, but there are so many better ones out there. Maybe it's because this was published in 1998, but food differences (Yoko brings sushi to eat for lunch) don't seem to be as big of a deal now. Even my 8-year old born and raised in Utah has had sushi.
July 26, 2021
Yoko brings sushi for lunch and her classmates are disgusted by it. Later her teacher announces that they will have an International Food Day to celebrate and try foods from around the world. Excellent picture book about overcoming food fears and embracing classmates from different backgrounds from your own.
November 24, 2021
Books for Bean and Wee-Wy.
Yoko is SO happy. Her mother has made her sushi for her school lunch!! She loves sushi. But when lunchtime arrives Yoko is in for an unpleasant experience.
A book about how our very familiar things can be strange to others. And how not everyone is comfortable trying new things at first. In the end these can become our favorites too! Food adventures.
Yoko is SO happy. Her mother has made her sushi for her school lunch!! She loves sushi. But when lunchtime arrives Yoko is in for an unpleasant experience.
A book about how our very familiar things can be strange to others. And how not everyone is comfortable trying new things at first. In the end these can become our favorites too! Food adventures.
May 31, 2017
Oh, I haven't read this book in a long while, but I do remember enjoying it!I'm thinking first generation children will relate to this story! I certainly could. Rosemary Wells writes such wonderful tales and love the illustrations! So bold and bright!
February 18, 2018
All the kids make fun of Yoko's lunch. Teacher decides to have everyone bring in samples from other countries. No one tries her snacks. Then one boy does. He loves it. They decide to open a restaurant together.
July 27, 2019
This was my favorite book as a child. I remember I used to make my mom point to all the characters when the book spoke about what everyone brought. I love reading it to children, and doing the same thing with them.
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