The Spice Box

by Meera Sriram, Sandhya Prabhat (Illustrator)

A father and son share family stories through a spice box, handed down from generation to generation, in this tender picturebook.

Rishi's grandma arrives from India today, and he longs to cook curry alongside his Dad using the delicious flavors from his family's spice box. But this spice box is more than just fragrant spices in shades of gold and ruby. This spice box holds memories that are passed down from one generation to the next, as each found their place in this wide world. When Rishi drops the box that holds the family's heart and history, he draws courage and meaning from their treasured past to set things right.

Genres: Picture Books, Food, Family, Childrens, Cooking, Aapi, Fiction

40 pages, Hardcover

Published April 16, 2024

About the author

Meera Sriram draws from her life straddling the East and West to tell stories. She is an award-winning author of several picture books including A GIFT FOR AMMA, DUMPLING DAY, A GARDEN IN MY HANDS, and THE SPICE BOX. Her books have been selected Best Book of the Year by School Library Journal, APALA (Asian Pacific American Librarians Association), and Bank Street College, and have received starred reviews from Kirkus, SLJ, and Publishers Weekly. Her work has been included in several state reading lists, featured in The New York Times, and has been translated into many different languages. Meera loves woodsy hikes and urban murals, and lives with her family in Berkeley, California. For more information, please visit: http://www.meerasriram.com

Reviews

[Prisella Chinchilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Summary
Rishi, a young Indian boy, is awaiting the arrival of his grandmother from India. He wants to make her potato curry using his family’s spice box. As he opens the spice box, the fragrances of the spices elicit memories of his family. One memory is of his grandmother’s dream of becoming a chef when women were not allowed to work outside the home. The memory continues with his grandmother’s journey in search of her dream of carrying her beloved spice box. The memory ends with her being nicknamed “the wizard of spice” (Sriram, 2024) finally achieving her dream. The next memory described is of Rishi’s father moving away from India and his family where concerns of not fitting in plague his father’s mind. The father soon realizes that his new home has many different types of people and languages, putting his concerns at ease. Rishi then remembers when his father struggled to get the perfect spice measurements to create traditional Indian dishes but eventually succeeded at creating the perfect Indian dish, which made the grandmother nickname her son “the master of spice” (Sriram, 2024) during her last visit from India. Rishi then becomes excited and eager to call this spice box his own, but accidentally drops the treasured spice box on the floor. Rishi becomes distraught and sad over the now broken spice box but is quickly reassured when his father then helps Rishi fix the broken spice box and together they cook potato curry for his grandmother’s arrival. Rishi is then given the nickname “the prince of spice” (Sriram, 2024) as well as the family spice box making Rishi’s wish come true where he can continue dreaming and create his mark in the world.
Cultural Issues
The Spice Box tells the story of an Indian family that has followed their dreams and made their mark in the world. The grandmother aspired to become a chef during a time when it was unacceptable for women to work. This subtly raises awareness of traditional gender roles and women’s rights, implying that she had to work hard to achieve her dream in a male-dominated field.
Rishi's father had several concerns about moving away from his family and life in India, highlighting issues of fitting in, standing out, acceptance, and immigration. Fortunately, his apprehensions are quickly alleviated when he discovers his new home is full of diverse people. He also struggles with using the correct measurements to make traditional Indian dishes. After several attempts, he succeeds and earns his beloved nickname, demonstrating perseverance and the importance of not giving up.
Rishi's excitement about his family’s treasured spice box exemplifies the importance of honoring and continuing cultural traditions. Food plays a significant role in immersing oneself in one's culture, and many lessons and traditions can be learned from cooking traditional dishes. At the end of the book, an explanation of the spices and their significance is provided, along with Paati’s potato curry recipe. This allows the reader to deepen their understanding of Indian culture.
Illustrations
With vibrant colors, attention to detail, and various lines, The Spice Box immerses readers in Rishi’s world. The illustrations maintain engagement throughout the book, with vivid hues and diverse lines evoking the fragrant spices of India. Symmetrical to the text, the illustrations add depth and highlight intricate details. The facial expressions are detailed, emphasizing the characters' multitude of emotions. Both single and double-page spreads are used without borders, allowing space for maximum detail.
Author and Illustrator Background Information
Meera Sriram is an award-winning author, recognized with honors such as the South Asia Book Award and School Library Journal Best Book of the Year. She has written several books, including A Garden in My Hands and The Yellow Suitcase, and has published works in India. Originally from Chennai, India, Sriram moved to the United States to become an electrical engineer before transitioning to a career as a children's book author to promote diverse literature. Sandhya Prabhat, also from Chennai, India is an award-winning illustrator and animator who has illustrated books like A Garden in My Hands and Namaste is a Greeting. Now based in the Bay Area, Prabhat has also created animations for social media companies.
Recommendations
Pairing When the Stars Came Home by Brittany Luby, illustrated by Natasha Donovan, with The Spice Box helps exemplify and honor cultural traditions. Both books share family stories through treasured and potential heirlooms and address the complicated feelings that leaving home can provoke. Pairing these two books together will also help shine a brighter light on moving from your home whether it’s across town or the ocean. The Spice Box and When the Stars Came Home pay tribute to family stories and emphasize their importance in shaping one's identity.


References
Luby, B. (2023). When the Stars Came Home. LBC Young Readers. ISBN 0316592498
Prabhat, S. (2024, July 18). Sandhya Prabhat. About. https://sandhyaprabhat.com/about
Sriram, M. (2024). The Spice Box. Penguin Random House. ISBN 9780593427132.
Sriram, M. (2024, July 18). Meera Sriram: Children’s Writer. My Story. https://meerasriram.com/bio/

[Jilanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A young boy, Rishi, yearns to have a spice box, the one first used by his paati (grandmother), the box she passed down to her son. It's a box filled with dreams that came true. The grandmother became a chef at a time when few women worked. The father followed his dream to be a student in the U.S., taking the gifted spice box with him. Over time he learned to use its spices to perfection. When Paati is due to arrive from India, Rishi wants nothing more than to make potato curry to welcome her. But the eager boy spills the spices and breaks the box, essentially breaking the chain of memories it holds. So he must help to repair the damage, refill the box, and help his father make the curry. Success! His father pronounces Rishi the Prince of Spice and gifts the box to his son. I imagine Rishi will carry on the family tradition, make memories of his own, and pass the box down to his own child, along with all of the memories it holds. A beautiful intergenerational story. The cover under the jacket looks like the top of the spice box, so when you open the book up, the end papers show all of its spices. Brilliant!

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This picture book about a grandson who wants to try his hand at cooking to surprise his grandmother who is visiting from India and using the contents of a special box passed down from one generation to the next is quite spicy--literally. Rishi loves touching the box and smelling the spices inside, and he's quite aware of how important the spices and the box were to his grandmother when she ventured out on her own in India. As cherished as those spices are, the stories surrounding the box are even more so. In his eagerness to cook, Rishi accidentally drops the box, spilling its contents all over the floor. But his father simply helps him repair it and fill it with more spices. The warm, culturally rich digital artwork and text are full of heart and will make readers hungry for a taste of the potato curry that Rishi and his father prepared. YUM! Since there's a recipe in the back matter, they can try it out for themselves.

[Nicole Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book for my honest opinion.

Rishi’s grandmother is arriving from India and he is so excited to pull out the family heirloom, the spice box. In his excitement, Rishi drops the box, the spices spill across the floor, and the box breaks. Will Rishi ever make it up to his father and grandmother. I really enjoyed this book of mistakes, hard work, and dedication. Each of the characters has to overcome a hardship and the broken box is Rishi’s. I love that he is the first to grab the tools and doesn’t give up righting a wrong. I also appreciate this book as this is a realistic situation: a child admiring the work of their elders, trying to replicate, and breaking something because they are just being kids. I think its great that father is sad, but not angry, and doesn’t turn/punish Rishi for his mistake, only helps him and gives him another opportunity to succeed. A great story of passing along the tradition of traditions and how to never give up.

[I am Gnome Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I included this book in a "Families" themed Storytime. As a librarian that serves a wonderfully diverse community, I love books like this that represent the families that are our neighbors! This book did just that. I love how the language and illustrations work together in this book, you can almost smell the curry cooking! This would also be a great book to introduce children to why some objects hold special sentimental value to us. I enjoyed how the "problem" in this book was solved by the father and son working together, which led to another special memory being formed for this family around their Spice Box. While this book highlights Indian cooking and an Indian family, it is certainly relatable to folks from all different cultural backgrounds. I recommend this book for a preschool or early elementary audience, although I shared it to a mixed aged Storytime crowd and found it easy to engage younger readers by asking them questions about the pictures.

[Roben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rishi eagerly awaits the arrival of Paati, his grandmother from India. He takes the spice box off the shelf and opens it. The wonderful scent of the spices awakens memories that he relates, each one beginning, "This is the box..." And as he lifts the box high in the air, it slips. And falls. And breaks. And all the spices tumble out. But it is OK. Rishi and his dad fix the box. They refill it with fresh spices. And Rishi gets to help his father make dinner for everyone, including Paati.

The author explains what a spice box is and provides the recipe for Paati's Potato Curry.

You might pair this with Broken by Fang. Or use when discussing cooking from different places or cultures. It's also a wonderful example of unconditional love. Rishi is not scolded for breaking the box. While his dad is sad that it was broken, Rishi's efforts to repair the box with his dad are eagerly accepted.

Peek under the dust jacket - the cover of the book looks like the spice box.

[Read Ribbet · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Spice Box is a beautiful picture book that celebrates the passing down of recipes and spices in an Indian family. Young boy Rishi is taken in by the family spice box that has been passed down from his grandmother to his father. The box not only contains special spices used to make potato curry but memories that have traveled miles and years. Sririan builds some repetition in the telling of the story with the repeated phrase "This is the box..." making the narrative a bit more accessible for young readers. Prabhat illustrations use a color pallet that captures the diversity of different cultures. The end pages identifies and defines the spices referred to in the book. The final page actually includes the recipe for Paati's Potato Curry.

[Kirsten Caldwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rishi dreams of using his family’s spice box to cook a meal. Passed down from his grandmother to his father, the spice box is a treasured symbol of their mastery in Indian cooking. Rishi is eager to try his hand at creating a classic dish, but when he accidentally breaks the spice box, he fears he’s ruined everything. Together, he and his father repair the box and prepare a meal, bonding over the process. By the end, his father crowns him the “prince of spice,” and Rishi beams with pride.

This heartwarming story celebrates the traditions and connections that come with a spice box, a staple in many Indian households, as explained in the back matter. Readers will also enjoy the recipe for potato curry, the dish Rishi and his father cook together.

[Kiera Beddes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rishi’s grandmother, Paati, is coming to visit all the way from India. To welcome her, Rishi grabs the special spice box that is a family heirloom, passed from mother to son. It’s full of spices, yes, but also so much more. What else will Rishi find inside?

This beautifully illustrated picture book about a family and their box of spices almost made me cry! The eponymous spice box serves as a collection box of memories and stories from generations. It’s a great way to show how food, language, and culture gets passed down from one generation to the next, and how important those cultural elements are.

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the end pages on, I was hooked on this story. Finding out the history of this intricate wood cut and beautiful spice box is a family story from the heart. Rishi is so excited for Paati's visit as he and his father prepare the house, they also prepare a recipe. There is so much love in food with cultural connections. Food that reminds folks of other places they have lived and welcomes them during a visit. Of course, this book ends with a recipe to try! The warmth of these illustrations is begging to be shared over and over again.

I read a lot of picture books, but this one is my favorite for this year so far!

[Mr. Lowton · Rating 5 out of 5]

2024 picture book. Indian-American author. Indian-American illustrator.
Rishi covets the family's spice box, which carries not just spices but family stories. Little does he know he's about to have his own spice box story!

What I liked: In retrospect, I should have seen where the story was going, but it totally caught me off-guard. The concept of family traditions, and stories passed down by way of items.

What I didn't like: Nothing! Loved it.

Overall, probably a definite purchase.

[Sabrina Shah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book i wanted on my book shelf. Not only for the striking illustrations but because I too had/have a spice box. Its a lovely insight into a south asian family and how family and traditions can revolve around food and all the importance and memories that are made and shared around it.

Young boy Rishi has the spice box that has been passed on down the family. It shares culture, recipes and with a cute refrain, we delve into their journey and the journey of the box.

A lovely story as a family read.

[Kelly {SpaceOnTheBookcase] · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Indian Spice Box is at the center of the story when a young boy thinks about all of the memories he and his family have surrounding the spice box and cooking together. I really enjoyed the bright and vibrant illustrations, it helped bring the story to life. I felt the length and concepts were perfect for the age group and I appreciated the recipe included at the end of the story. Perfect for young readers!

Thank you Random House Kids for the gifted copy to review.

[Suma Subramaniam · Rating 5 out of 5]

We tried Paati’s potato curry recipe in Meera Sriram and Sandhya Prabhat’s The Spice Box today with our own passed down “yezhu arai petti”, seven-room box that is over forty years old. It took my parents down the memory lane and spice markets as they bought the spice box for their newly formed family as soon as they got married. We loved the bright illustrations and beautiful story that the author drew from her own family.

#thespicebox #picturebook

[Cierra Simmons · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book, the story demonstrates a lot about Indian culture with an Indian cuisine and spices. The little boy Rishi’s grand comes to visit from India. He loves to learn to cook from his father. His father has a spice box. Box is passed down from generation to generation. It is the families heart and history can use this book to explain to children that every family is different and that they will learn about their families, history and culture through their family.

[Jyoti Gopal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Created by the same duo that made A Garden in my Hands, The Spice Box is not just the story of a spice box with its delicious spices and lentils but a story about dreams, perseverance and the passing down of cultural traditions. It holds memories and stories from generations before that inspire generations to come. Heartwarming and so relatable, The Spice Box is another winner from Sriram and Prabhat. I loved everything about this book, including the fabulous back matter.

[Avani Dwivedi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story hit close to home for me because, like Rishi’s dad, I too arrived in a new place with a familiar box of spices. Through her vivid writing, Meera evokes the rich aromas and vibrant colors of the spice box that continue to keep me connected to home. She beautifully captures the curiosity of a little boy eager to take part in a family tradition. Sandhya’s expressive, colorful illustrations make the story blossom even more. This is a must-read!

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young boy reflects on the stories shared about this special spice box that passed from his grandmother to his father. It serves as a reminder to keep going and believe in yourself. When he tries to use it to cook for his grandmother's visit, he accidentally breaks it. I love the way his father and he work together to fix it and refill the spices. A beautiful look at a family's love and connections with a focal point for memories and plans for the future.

[Madison LibraryBookFamily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rishi loves the small spice box that his grandmother used when she left home. She used it to make delicious curries and food. When his Dad left for America, Rishi's grandmother sent the spice box with him. The spice box helped him feel connected to his roots and make delicious food. Rishi can not wait until he is the Prince of Spice and can use the spice box on his own to make scrumptious food.

[D'Anne Mosby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rishinwants to hold the spice box as he awaits his grandmothers arrival. The box reminds him of the tale of his grandmothers journey as a chef. And the journey of his father. Then the box falls. Told in a repetitive manner like “this is the house that Jack built,” the story recounts how spices are important to Indian cooking. Recipes included in the back matter.

[Natasha Khan Kazi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Spice Box by Meera Sriram and illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat is a warm, intergenerational story about food, family, and tradition. When Rishi accidentally breaks his family’s treasured spice box, he works with his dad to fix it and ends up creating something new. A sweet celebration of heritage, memories, and the magic of making a meal together. Highly recommend!

[Augusto Jose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spoilers!

I loved the illustrations and the story! Rishi and his father repairing the broken spice box together is meaningful to me. Their tradition, culture, and family history is not being discarded, after all the journeys that the family has lived through, carrying the treasured and repaired spice box is a hopeful and in the end, a joyful one.

[Shruthi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love spice boxes. They evoke all kinds of feelings (and memories) - and this PB is exactly about that. Love the structure of the story (the way the author has chosen to narrate it) and the illustrations are rich and gorgeous.

[Cara Byrne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely book about the ways in which food (curry, specifically) and spices can connect us to our family members and their stories. It was a perfect addition to my children's book list on immigration.

[Elaine Fultz, Teacher Librarian, MLS · Rating 3 out of 5]

MC and Dad use a traditional Indian spice box for cooking. When the box is dropped and all the spices are spilled, there are logical consequences and a learning opportunity when all the spices are obtained an organized, and the box's legacy continues.

[Mrs Heidrich]

This is a great book about cooking and connections to family and culture. Love the recipe in the back along with some information about the spices that you would find in a spice box as well. Fabulous illustrations!!

[Sandhya Acharya · Rating 5 out of 5]

A warm intergenerational story of a young boy learning to use his family's spice box to cook up a meal for his grandma, with his Dad's help, and thus continue the family's traditions. Illustrations are gorgeous and dreamy.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Real, homemade food with spices is something wonderful that can be passed down from generation to generation, and it can be shared with friends and transcend cultures. This book incorporated all those thoughts as Rishi pondered his father and grandmother.

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute book about a different kind of family heirloom and the memories that come with it. With a lovely curry recipe in the back that I can't wait to try

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

So sweet and colorful! I loved this!