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Magic Ramen: The Story of Momofuku Ando
Inspiration struck when Momofuku Ando spotted the long lines for a simple bowl of ramen following World War II. Magic Ramen tells the true story behind the creation of one of the world's most popular foods.
Every day, Momofuku Ando would retire to his lab—a little shed in his backyard. For years, he'd dreamed about making a new kind of ramen noodle soup that was quick, convenient, and tasty for the hungry people he'd seen in line for a bowl on the black market following World War II. Peace follows from a full stomach, he believed.
Day after day, Ando experimented. Night after night, he failed. But Ando kept experimenting.
With persistence, creativity, and a little inspiration, Ando succeeded. This is the true story behind one of the world's most popular foods.
Every day, Momofuku Ando would retire to his lab—a little shed in his backyard. For years, he'd dreamed about making a new kind of ramen noodle soup that was quick, convenient, and tasty for the hungry people he'd seen in line for a bowl on the black market following World War II. Peace follows from a full stomach, he believed.
Day after day, Ando experimented. Night after night, he failed. But Ando kept experimenting.
With persistence, creativity, and a little inspiration, Ando succeeded. This is the true story behind one of the world's most popular foods.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published March 5, 2019
11 people are currently reading
1127 people want to read
About the author
Andrea Wang
16 books179 followersAndrea Wang is the award-winning author of Watercress (Caldecott Medal, Newbery Honor, APALA Award, Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor, JLG Gold Standard Selection, seven starred reviews), The Nian Monster (APALA Honor), Magic Ramen (Freeman Book Award Honor). Her debut middle grade novel, The Many Meanings of Meilan, was reviewed by the New York Times, has two starred reviews, and is also a JLG Gold Standard Selection. Her work explores culture, creative thinking, and identity. She is also the author of seven nonfiction titles for the library and school market. Andrea holds an M.S. in Environmental Science and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing for Young People. She lives in the Denver area with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 323 reviews
November 4, 2019
The history of the inventor of Instant Ramen noodles is told in these pages. Momofuku Ando lived the WWII and the bombings in Osaka. He was haunted by the long lines of hungry people waiting for Ramen soup. He spent over a year working on a recipe so people didn’t have to wait in line, all the while haunted by those lines.
I can’t imagine what that was like. It sure did push him to do something about it. That is extraordinary to me. I thought it was a fine story.
The nephew didn’t realize Ramen had to be invented. That tickled me. Biographies are never the nephew’s favorite, but he thought this story was ok. His sister loves cooking and so he thinks that’s ok. He gave this 2 stars. It wasn’t too bad.
I can’t imagine what that was like. It sure did push him to do something about it. That is extraordinary to me. I thought it was a fine story.
The nephew didn’t realize Ramen had to be invented. That tickled me. Biographies are never the nephew’s favorite, but he thought this story was ok. His sister loves cooking and so he thinks that’s ok. He gave this 2 stars. It wasn’t too bad.
May 15, 2023
This was such an enjoyable informational picture book. I’ve spent most of childhood and adulthood enjoying some form of instant ramen especially when times got rough. Unfortunately, I had no idea how it was created or the history behind it. It’s amazing that something that is so affordable especially when the economy is tanking was created to assist those who couldn’t afford to eat in post-war Japan. While I wasn’t a huge fan of the artwork, the story was intriguing and really illustrated that dedication that Ando had in creating an affordable form of food. It wasn’t easy and he failed for over a decade before getting it right. There is something to be said about perseverance and following one’s passions. I loved the messaging related to the dedication that Ando showed in wanting to make the world more peaceful through food. As stated in the book, “the world is only peaceful when everyone has enough to eat.” Definitely recommend checking this one out!
August 1, 2019
Sometimes, to train a child to be a reader with wide tastes and a full body of knowledge, it is imperative to train their parents at the same time. New parents today are often unaware of the sheer scope of topics they can read to their children. I sympathize. When we were kids you had your picture books, maybe your comic books (but almost never from the library) and then came the older stuff when you were able to read on your own. For nonfiction or informational books I can only clearly remember the “Childhood of Famous Americans” series, which probably wouldn’t pass muster as “nonfiction” in this day and age. Factual picture books existed but they were hardly numerous. These days, it’s an all-new ballgame. Never before have so many fun and interesting topics appeared on such a great grand scale. It is the wise parent that not only pairs their child’s interests to topics they already love (example: You like super soakers? Then read Whoosh by Chris Barton about its inventor!) but seeks out fun informational picture books on topics never before tackled in the juvenile reader realm. One such book landed just this year and it is so successful a venture that at least six librarians of my acquaintance have raved about it to me. Magic Ramen: The Story of Momofuku Ando looks like a simple tale about the man who invented instant ramen, but look closer and you’ll see that what the book truly is is a paean to the necessity of failure, the beauty of persistence, and the pleasure that comes after messing up 99 times only to get it right on the 100th.
1946. World War II ended more than a year ago but Japan is still recuperating. One day Momofuku Ando walks along and sees a line of starving people waiting for horrendously overpriced ramen. The image burns itself into his brain and ten years later he still can’t keep from thinking about that line. What if it were possible to make ramen that was cheap and nutritious and delicious and fast? With those thoughts in mind Ando tries and fails to make the right noodles. Even as one solution appears, another problem rears its ugly head. Next he tries to figure out how to turn the broth into soup. When that’s solved he has to figure out how to make it instant. Though failure is constant, Ando finally comes up with the solution and as a result ramen noodles are a staple worldwide, helping hungry people, poor people, and busy people everywhere.
Now when I heard that this book was about the invention of ramen, I honestly thought that all ramen in the world was the instant kind. I’ve never been to Japan and my connection to ramen came solely through my college experiences with that big block o’ noodles you drop into a pot. Imagine my shock, then, when I see ramen mentioned on the third and fourth pages of this story. What can that mean? How can you invent something that already exists? I didn't understand. What I also didn’t understand (aside from the rudimentary differences between instant ramen and the kind you make painstakingly by hand) is that this book isn’t just a food book and isn’t just a picture book biography. It is a food-related INVENTOR book! For years, children in schools have been told to do reports on inventors. This is not, in and of itself, a problem except that in the past the majority of books about such people were filled with white guys. These days you have so many more options. After all, inventing food is something kids can completely understand.
As with any picture book biography, you have to determine how best to frame your subject. Since the focus of this book is Momofuku Ando’s discovery, where do you start? Do you find some significant fact about his childhood and start way back then? Do you try to show every minute of his life from birth to death and onward? Or do you let the discovery itself lead the story by the nose? Wang opts for the latter option and the book is better for it. We don’t actually need to know much of anything about instant ramen’s creator above and beyond his empathy for the hungry and his desire to make a difference. Bog it down with further ideas and you get a soggy story. Not appealing.
Of course, the truly great informational picture books can not only adhere to the truth of their subject matter, but also say something to child readers that, hopefully, they’ll understand on some level. In the case of Magic Ramen the message is about messing up. Failure is absolutely necessary when inventing something new. So it is that we see Ando attempt to solve his problem from all kinds of different angles. We see how he gets ideas for new solutions, and how even as he figures those out, new problems raise their ugly heads, making even more solutions necessary. And does the man fail? He does. Over and over and over again. The repetition, which serves picture book narrations so well in storytimes, does double duty here as a means of drilling home how Ando had to persevere in his vision, even when things got tough. Wang follows that old bit of writing advice, show don’t tell. At no point does she ever turn to the reader and say, “And that’s why it pays to be persistent, kids.” She doesn’t have to. Ando’s tale speaks for itself.
If there was an award to bestow upon a picture book for Best Title Page Spread, you know I’d be lining up to cast my ballot with Magic Ramen. The book begins with cheery endpapers featuring cooking oil, flour, eggs, woks, etc. Turn the page and a very different sight meets your eyes. Before you lies a devastated post-WWII Japan. Most of the houses are rubble and wreckage. Makeshift structures dot the landscape here and there, and your eyes are drawn to the little pinpricks of light coming from various windows and burning oil drums. Everything is gray and bleak and obliterated. In this way, Urbanowicz is doing what a great informational illustrator should always strive to do. She is setting the stage, and advancing the plot. Without really feeling what it was like to see Japan at this point, you wouldn’t be able to grasp Momofuku Ando’s burning certainty that there was something he could do to help people. In fact, the first time you even see a well-lit scene, it’s a two-page spread of people waiting in line for a bowl of ramen. The brightest source of light comes from that large ramen bowl, while all around people’s breath puff out into the cold night air. The connection is clear. Ramen isn’t just the food these people need and crave. It’s light and life and a path out of the destruction. All this told without a word.
Artist Kana Urbanowicz lives in Kanagawa, Japan, which helps to lend the book a look of authenticity. Insofar as I can determine, these seems to be her first book here in the States, and she is long overdue. That first double page title spread is so dark and devastating that it doesn’t prepare you for what is, essentially, a pretty light and bouncy story. Urbanowicz utilizes a drawing style that has certainly been influenced by manga, but doesn’t adhere wholly to the form. I was particularly taken with the ways in which she chose to break up the images on the pages. She handles the layouts like an old pro. You might get a page split in half vertically, showing Ando’s process, facing another page in which the images are split in half horizontally to the same end. And what does her page of Ando's victory look like? Well, the man doesn’t look all that different, holding up his bowl of ramen in triumph, but the artist places his studio against blooming cherry blossoms, giving everything a beautiful cast of pinks and purples. A book that is a pleasure to look at, as well as a pleasure to read, is a privilege.
If the book has a flaw it may lie in the endpapers. Wang takes a distinctly European attitude towards backmatter in a work of nonfiction. Which is to say, there’s not much there. No timeline, no glossary, no Bibliography or list of sources, none of that. There is an Author’s Note on Japanese surnames, a Pronunciation Guide, and an Afterword that contains pretty cool information, like that the first astronaut to eat ramen in space was Soichi Noguchi in 2005, or that ramen is given out to hungry people left homeless “through earthquakes, hurricanes, wars, and other calamities.” Alas, for some it will not be enough. Some teachers require that biographies cite their sources. Even so, I would give Magic Ramen extra points for failing to fall into the “fake dialogue” trap. So many works of picture book nonfiction fail to have the courage of their convictions and will fill their pages with words that were never said. Not ONCE does Wang ever do this, and the end result is a book more accurate than scores of other titles with fancy Timelines and Sources.
Magic Ramen, for me, is the kind of book that can bridge that gap between kids that like fact and kids that like fiction. Luring fiction readers over to the world of informational texts is one of my great pleasures in life. It isn’t all that hard, if the book is interesting enough, the text fun, and the subject original. This is the book that can convince a child that real life is just as full of kooky stories as anything you could make up. So here’s to the little bio unafraid to try something new. And, unlike Momofuku Ando, it gets it right on the very first try.
For ages 5 and up.
1946. World War II ended more than a year ago but Japan is still recuperating. One day Momofuku Ando walks along and sees a line of starving people waiting for horrendously overpriced ramen. The image burns itself into his brain and ten years later he still can’t keep from thinking about that line. What if it were possible to make ramen that was cheap and nutritious and delicious and fast? With those thoughts in mind Ando tries and fails to make the right noodles. Even as one solution appears, another problem rears its ugly head. Next he tries to figure out how to turn the broth into soup. When that’s solved he has to figure out how to make it instant. Though failure is constant, Ando finally comes up with the solution and as a result ramen noodles are a staple worldwide, helping hungry people, poor people, and busy people everywhere.
Now when I heard that this book was about the invention of ramen, I honestly thought that all ramen in the world was the instant kind. I’ve never been to Japan and my connection to ramen came solely through my college experiences with that big block o’ noodles you drop into a pot. Imagine my shock, then, when I see ramen mentioned on the third and fourth pages of this story. What can that mean? How can you invent something that already exists? I didn't understand. What I also didn’t understand (aside from the rudimentary differences between instant ramen and the kind you make painstakingly by hand) is that this book isn’t just a food book and isn’t just a picture book biography. It is a food-related INVENTOR book! For years, children in schools have been told to do reports on inventors. This is not, in and of itself, a problem except that in the past the majority of books about such people were filled with white guys. These days you have so many more options. After all, inventing food is something kids can completely understand.
As with any picture book biography, you have to determine how best to frame your subject. Since the focus of this book is Momofuku Ando’s discovery, where do you start? Do you find some significant fact about his childhood and start way back then? Do you try to show every minute of his life from birth to death and onward? Or do you let the discovery itself lead the story by the nose? Wang opts for the latter option and the book is better for it. We don’t actually need to know much of anything about instant ramen’s creator above and beyond his empathy for the hungry and his desire to make a difference. Bog it down with further ideas and you get a soggy story. Not appealing.
Of course, the truly great informational picture books can not only adhere to the truth of their subject matter, but also say something to child readers that, hopefully, they’ll understand on some level. In the case of Magic Ramen the message is about messing up. Failure is absolutely necessary when inventing something new. So it is that we see Ando attempt to solve his problem from all kinds of different angles. We see how he gets ideas for new solutions, and how even as he figures those out, new problems raise their ugly heads, making even more solutions necessary. And does the man fail? He does. Over and over and over again. The repetition, which serves picture book narrations so well in storytimes, does double duty here as a means of drilling home how Ando had to persevere in his vision, even when things got tough. Wang follows that old bit of writing advice, show don’t tell. At no point does she ever turn to the reader and say, “And that’s why it pays to be persistent, kids.” She doesn’t have to. Ando’s tale speaks for itself.
If there was an award to bestow upon a picture book for Best Title Page Spread, you know I’d be lining up to cast my ballot with Magic Ramen. The book begins with cheery endpapers featuring cooking oil, flour, eggs, woks, etc. Turn the page and a very different sight meets your eyes. Before you lies a devastated post-WWII Japan. Most of the houses are rubble and wreckage. Makeshift structures dot the landscape here and there, and your eyes are drawn to the little pinpricks of light coming from various windows and burning oil drums. Everything is gray and bleak and obliterated. In this way, Urbanowicz is doing what a great informational illustrator should always strive to do. She is setting the stage, and advancing the plot. Without really feeling what it was like to see Japan at this point, you wouldn’t be able to grasp Momofuku Ando’s burning certainty that there was something he could do to help people. In fact, the first time you even see a well-lit scene, it’s a two-page spread of people waiting in line for a bowl of ramen. The brightest source of light comes from that large ramen bowl, while all around people’s breath puff out into the cold night air. The connection is clear. Ramen isn’t just the food these people need and crave. It’s light and life and a path out of the destruction. All this told without a word.
Artist Kana Urbanowicz lives in Kanagawa, Japan, which helps to lend the book a look of authenticity. Insofar as I can determine, these seems to be her first book here in the States, and she is long overdue. That first double page title spread is so dark and devastating that it doesn’t prepare you for what is, essentially, a pretty light and bouncy story. Urbanowicz utilizes a drawing style that has certainly been influenced by manga, but doesn’t adhere wholly to the form. I was particularly taken with the ways in which she chose to break up the images on the pages. She handles the layouts like an old pro. You might get a page split in half vertically, showing Ando’s process, facing another page in which the images are split in half horizontally to the same end. And what does her page of Ando's victory look like? Well, the man doesn’t look all that different, holding up his bowl of ramen in triumph, but the artist places his studio against blooming cherry blossoms, giving everything a beautiful cast of pinks and purples. A book that is a pleasure to look at, as well as a pleasure to read, is a privilege.
If the book has a flaw it may lie in the endpapers. Wang takes a distinctly European attitude towards backmatter in a work of nonfiction. Which is to say, there’s not much there. No timeline, no glossary, no Bibliography or list of sources, none of that. There is an Author’s Note on Japanese surnames, a Pronunciation Guide, and an Afterword that contains pretty cool information, like that the first astronaut to eat ramen in space was Soichi Noguchi in 2005, or that ramen is given out to hungry people left homeless “through earthquakes, hurricanes, wars, and other calamities.” Alas, for some it will not be enough. Some teachers require that biographies cite their sources. Even so, I would give Magic Ramen extra points for failing to fall into the “fake dialogue” trap. So many works of picture book nonfiction fail to have the courage of their convictions and will fill their pages with words that were never said. Not ONCE does Wang ever do this, and the end result is a book more accurate than scores of other titles with fancy Timelines and Sources.
Magic Ramen, for me, is the kind of book that can bridge that gap between kids that like fact and kids that like fiction. Luring fiction readers over to the world of informational texts is one of my great pleasures in life. It isn’t all that hard, if the book is interesting enough, the text fun, and the subject original. This is the book that can convince a child that real life is just as full of kooky stories as anything you could make up. So here’s to the little bio unafraid to try something new. And, unlike Momofuku Ando, it gets it right on the very first try.
For ages 5 and up.
March 31, 2019
I loved this SO SO MUCH.
It's the story of the inventor of instant ramen, Momofuku Ando, then this book is for you!
- Such a gem and tells the story of how Ando invented instant ramen, following the devastation of WWII.
- About persistence, trying over and over again and failing over and over again to achieve your goal and to help make people's lives better.
- Boasts gorgeous illustrations that were absolutely captivating and lovely.
- Perfect for kids who love biographical stories, or even adults who love picture books!
Thank you so much to the author, Andrea Wang, for sending me a copy of this book to read and review!
It's the story of the inventor of instant ramen, Momofuku Ando, then this book is for you!
- Such a gem and tells the story of how Ando invented instant ramen, following the devastation of WWII.
- About persistence, trying over and over again and failing over and over again to achieve your goal and to help make people's lives better.
- Boasts gorgeous illustrations that were absolutely captivating and lovely.
- Perfect for kids who love biographical stories, or even adults who love picture books!
Thank you so much to the author, Andrea Wang, for sending me a copy of this book to read and review!
October 30, 2020
I probably never would have picked this book up were it not for the high ratings here. The cover art didn't appeal to me at all and I didn't think a story about ramen would be particularly interesting. I'm glad I gave it a try. It's a great story and I most definitely recommend it.
So, mostly I've always thought of instant ramen as that "poor college student fare" and not particularly healthy. I never really wondered where it came from or why it was created. So, imagine my surprise when I learned that it sprang out of post-WWII Japan as a way to provide families devastated by the war with an affordable, easy and healthy meal! Momofuku Ando was deeply troubled by the long lines of hungry people shivering in ragged clothes, waiting to pay outrageous prices for a meager bowl of ramen soup (and that was the people lucky enough to be able to afford a hot meal--orphans scrounged in the garbage, the very poor ate bark and grass to survive). Ando couldn't get the images out of his mind or heart. "The world is peaceful only when everyone has enough to eat," he realized. So, he dreamed of ways to help feed people. This led to the creation of instant ramen! I loved the way he persevered in working on the recipe, pushing through setbacks, always trying to improve both flavor and nutritional value, never veering from his quest to keep it affordable to the masses.
If I have one quibble, it's that I would have liked a little more backstory about Ando -- what was his job prior to beginning to create "magic noodles"? did he have any cooking experience? did something from his past make him particularly sensitive to the needs of the poor or was it a kind of epiphany? From the Afterward, we learn that he was born in Taiwan and immigrated to Japan as a young man, but that's about all the background we get. Perhaps not much is known about his early life? No sources or suggestions for further reading are mentioned. Still, I apprecated the pronunciation guide as well as the author's note about the use of given name or surname in Japan.
The illustrations may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I actually ended up really enjoying them and think they are wonderfully suitable for the story. I've watched a lot of Studio Ghibli films ;-) and these illustrations really remind me of the why those human characters are animated. (Urbanowicz lives in Japan and works in animation.)
So, mostly I've always thought of instant ramen as that "poor college student fare" and not particularly healthy. I never really wondered where it came from or why it was created. So, imagine my surprise when I learned that it sprang out of post-WWII Japan as a way to provide families devastated by the war with an affordable, easy and healthy meal! Momofuku Ando was deeply troubled by the long lines of hungry people shivering in ragged clothes, waiting to pay outrageous prices for a meager bowl of ramen soup (and that was the people lucky enough to be able to afford a hot meal--orphans scrounged in the garbage, the very poor ate bark and grass to survive). Ando couldn't get the images out of his mind or heart. "The world is peaceful only when everyone has enough to eat," he realized. So, he dreamed of ways to help feed people. This led to the creation of instant ramen! I loved the way he persevered in working on the recipe, pushing through setbacks, always trying to improve both flavor and nutritional value, never veering from his quest to keep it affordable to the masses.
If I have one quibble, it's that I would have liked a little more backstory about Ando -- what was his job prior to beginning to create "magic noodles"? did he have any cooking experience? did something from his past make him particularly sensitive to the needs of the poor or was it a kind of epiphany? From the Afterward, we learn that he was born in Taiwan and immigrated to Japan as a young man, but that's about all the background we get. Perhaps not much is known about his early life? No sources or suggestions for further reading are mentioned. Still, I apprecated the pronunciation guide as well as the author's note about the use of given name or surname in Japan.
The illustrations may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I actually ended up really enjoying them and think they are wonderfully suitable for the story. I've watched a lot of Studio Ghibli films ;-) and these illustrations really remind me of the why those human characters are animated. (Urbanowicz lives in Japan and works in animation.)
August 11, 2021
We learn about the creation of popular instant ramen in this inspiring picture book about Momofuko Ando. Momofuko lived in Osaka, Japan, and was walking home from work one day about a year after World War II ended. People were hungry and he saw many people waiting in a long line for ramen. He could not get this picture out of his mind and believed there must be a way to create ramen that would be inexpensive, accessible and require minimal preparation. Readers of all ages will enjoy learning about the life of Momofuko Ando and how he created instant ramen. There is an Author’s Note, Pronunciation Guide and an Afterword. This title is a 2022 Monarch Award nominee.
Reviewed by: Liz Glazer, Youth and School Services, Vernon Area Public Library
Reviewed by: Liz Glazer, Youth and School Services, Vernon Area Public Library
August 8, 2024
I thought this was going to be about David Chang's famous restaurant - boy was I wrong! Very interesting history about post WWII Japan and the history of instant ramen.
May 14, 2019
A picture book biography of Momofuku Ando who invented instant noodles.
I love how this picture book biography really brings across all the trial and error of invention and the ways that failures are part of the process to success. I also had no idea that the creator of instant noodles was inspired to create something cheap that anyone could afford to help alleviate hunger. Make sure you read the further info in the back of the book about how Ando kept on inventing even into old age, even inventing food for astronauts. Instant noodles are pretty ubiquitous here in Asia, even moreso than in the US (where they are still pretty prevalent), so I love that this book introduces the person behind this meal/snack that our students enjoy on a regular basis and the heart behind his invention. Highly recommended to kids who are tempted to give up easily, instant noodle lovers, immigrant story fans (Ando was a Taiwanese immigrant to Japan), and those looking for stories of inspirational people.
I love how this picture book biography really brings across all the trial and error of invention and the ways that failures are part of the process to success. I also had no idea that the creator of instant noodles was inspired to create something cheap that anyone could afford to help alleviate hunger. Make sure you read the further info in the back of the book about how Ando kept on inventing even into old age, even inventing food for astronauts. Instant noodles are pretty ubiquitous here in Asia, even moreso than in the US (where they are still pretty prevalent), so I love that this book introduces the person behind this meal/snack that our students enjoy on a regular basis and the heart behind his invention. Highly recommended to kids who are tempted to give up easily, instant noodle lovers, immigrant story fans (Ando was a Taiwanese immigrant to Japan), and those looking for stories of inspirational people.
May 17, 2019
A fascinating biography/ history of how instant ramen came to be. Inspired by the lines of people waiting for food in post WWII Japan, Momofuku Ando made it his life mission to make ramen noodles both quick and easy for anyone to make. It took a year of experimenting, but he finally achieved the right texture of noodle and the right amount of flavor. Beautiful illustrations, some cultural lessons, and the ubiquity of Ramen noodles make this a successful book. Fun fact: the indentation on the noodles is designed so that an egg can be poached at the same time as the noodles cook!
December 11, 2018
A beautifully told and illustrated story of Momofuku Ando and his invention of ramen noodles. The art has an anime and graphic novel style, and story about Ando's struggles to bring a tasty and easy-to-make noodle soup to poor people after World War II is fascinating and inspiring.
January 14, 2021
Over the course of 10 years, with the help of his wife's tempura-cooking, and a drive to help feed the war-weary, starving country of Japan, Momofuku Ando makes the first Instant Ramen.
Eventually it would become his business, including Cup of Noodles, and providing the first Space Ramen.
Cool biography! Fun illustrations! Proof that you can do anything you set your mind to!
Eventually it would become his business, including Cup of Noodles, and providing the first Space Ramen.
Cool biography! Fun illustrations! Proof that you can do anything you set your mind to!
November 8, 2021
What a neat story! And now I want ramen.
January 23, 2023
[Reading Prompt: 'Read a Picture Book']
An absolutely adorable picture biography of the inventor of instant ramen and Nissen Instant Noodles. Honestly this gets 5 stars for the art alone.
An absolutely adorable picture biography of the inventor of instant ramen and Nissen Instant Noodles. Honestly this gets 5 stars for the art alone.
November 17, 2020
This is such a great fun book. Everyone loves Ramen Noodles right? Well this is the story of the person who invented it plus his name is really fun to say!
April 18, 2019
In the aftermath of World War II, Osaka remains devastated. Food is scarce with bad harvests and rationing. The luckiest people stand in long lines for bowls of ramen. When Ando sees this, he realizes that something must be done to help people. He decides to dedicate his life to food, first opening a salt business and eventually following his memories of those hungry people to figure out how to make instant ramen. It was a long process of invention, trial and error. Once he created the perfect noodles, he moved on to trying to figure out how to create the broth too. He tried many things and continued to fail until he saw his wife frying tempura and was inspired to fry his noodles first. Eureka!
This nonfiction picture book offers a frank and fascinating look at the process of the invention of instant ramen. From the original inspiration through all of the mistakes and trials to the final result. The book has a great pacing, lingering over the more touching moments of inspiration, zooming through years where Ando had other priorities, and then slowing once again to explore the experimental process of invention.
The illustrations are completely appealing and often have a broad sense of humor included. They have a sense of motion and cinematic approach, particularly while Ando is inventing the ramen. Using panels, the ideas flow quickly and fail just as fast. The result is a cleverly designed book that inspires.
Just as satisfying as a warm bowl of ramen, this is a delicious read. Appropriate for ages 5-8.
This nonfiction picture book offers a frank and fascinating look at the process of the invention of instant ramen. From the original inspiration through all of the mistakes and trials to the final result. The book has a great pacing, lingering over the more touching moments of inspiration, zooming through years where Ando had other priorities, and then slowing once again to explore the experimental process of invention.
The illustrations are completely appealing and often have a broad sense of humor included. They have a sense of motion and cinematic approach, particularly while Ando is inventing the ramen. Using panels, the ideas flow quickly and fail just as fast. The result is a cleverly designed book that inspires.
Just as satisfying as a warm bowl of ramen, this is a delicious read. Appropriate for ages 5-8.
January 1, 2022
Momofuku Ando saw the lines of hungry people after World War Two and was inspired to create a food which could provide sustenance to everyone. It took over a decade but eventually he came up with instant ramen. Most inspirational stories are about people who triumph over adversity (which I'm not dismissing, mind you) but there's something that resonates with me in this story of a person who led a relatively comfortable life but whose conscience and empathy drove them to dedicate their life to improving the human condition.
It's not perfect. The story gets a little laggy in the middle. There are hints that Ando came up with other things on his way to instant ramen, which I would have liked fleshed out more. His revelation on how to make instant ramen came from his wife's cooking, so I would think a modern writer would give THEM BOTH the credit, even if it was only Momofuku Ando's name on the box at the time.
But overall I found this charming and moving. Like I said, this one really resonated with me.
It's not perfect. The story gets a little laggy in the middle. There are hints that Ando came up with other things on his way to instant ramen, which I would have liked fleshed out more. His revelation on how to make instant ramen came from his wife's cooking, so I would think a modern writer would give THEM BOTH the credit, even if it was only Momofuku Ando's name on the box at the time.
But overall I found this charming and moving. Like I said, this one really resonated with me.
March 17, 2021
Post World War II left much of Osaka, Japan, in ruins and people were very hungry. Momofuku Ando wanted to make something that would be more nutritious than the ramen noodle soup that people had to wait and wait for while it cooked. With that in mind for years, he created nutritious foods for people. Eventually he tried over and over to make noodles that were just right, and after a year's efforts he came up with what people called Magic Ramen. It is what we now can buy as instant noodles with vitamins and vegetables in it, a healthy meal that is distributed all over the world.
This is a very well told and interesting true story with great illustrations.
This is a very well told and interesting true story with great illustrations.
May 17, 2019
How am I supposed to see a book called Magic Ramen, and NOT read it?
Answer, I'm not.
I saw this book as an On Order book in my libarary's catalog and put it on Hold straight away.
It's a fun little book, with wonderful illustrations. And it's a great way for kids (and adults!) to learn more about Momofuku and where Instant Ramen came from.
I liked it because not only are we learning about the history of these delicious noodles, it also is a good story about using perseverance, and not giving up, even things keep going wrong.
Answer, I'm not.
I saw this book as an On Order book in my libarary's catalog and put it on Hold straight away.
It's a fun little book, with wonderful illustrations. And it's a great way for kids (and adults!) to learn more about Momofuku and where Instant Ramen came from.
I liked it because not only are we learning about the history of these delicious noodles, it also is a good story about using perseverance, and not giving up, even things keep going wrong.
February 18, 2019
I have eaten a LOT of Ramen in my life and I never thought about who invented it! It's pretty amazing to think someone spent so much time lovingly creating a product to help others--something as simple as noodles, in fact. Proof that we can always find a way to make a difference in other people's lives. I really enjoy that this biography shows us a specific time in a man's life, rather than a cradle to grave approach, and the action is present. Great storytelling and beautiful art.
August 9, 2019
delightful! this little history of instant ramen is beautifully illustrated in a manga-like style, and shows Momofuku Ando hard at work solving the challenge of making a quickly made ramen that would be cheap and accessible to the poor. I loved the endpapers that show whole ingredients at the beginning of the book and the finished product at the end.
And NOW I need to go fix myself a bowl of ramen.
And NOW I need to go fix myself a bowl of ramen.
August 20, 2019
This type of story falls under my favorite type of biographies. The text is not as sensational as many will know what the ending becomes. However, for students it is an interesting way to be introduced to a person and learn as they might not know or realize the ending. I have quibbles about some of the pictures depicting scenes, yet on a whole the artwork helps to add an excellent cultural touch.
March 5, 2019
Who knew Instant Ramen was invented for charity? I already liked ramen but this is pretty freaking great.
Easy to read and easy for kids to understand the science and actual story as well. The illustrations are super cute.
Easy to read and easy for kids to understand the science and actual story as well. The illustrations are super cute.
May 1, 2019
Lively and engaging story of the inventor of instant ramen and his efforts to bring good, nutritious food to the Japanese people after WWII and its hungry aftermath. Delightful illustrations and effective use of graphic novel panels to move the action along.
March 5, 2019
A delicious tale (in text and art) about Momofuku Ando's inspiration and journey in inventing instant ramen in post-war Japan to feed the hungry. I love this book!
March 15, 2019
This book is so interesting! I had never heard of the history of ramen before. What an awesome person! The illustrations were fun and really helped tell the story.
November 4, 2019
A fascinating portrait of the man who created instant ramen. Perfect for units on inventors or whenever a books about perseverance is needed. Great illustrations accompany a compelling story.
August 15, 2019
Never knew the true story behind instant ramen. Loved the illustrations and story of why he wanted to create the product. Remarkable.
August 21, 2019
Great picture book biography, always fascinating to see where these ideas originated and how they came to be what they are today
April 21, 2025
The children's book, Magic Ramen: The Story of Momofuku Ando, by Andrea Wang is an adorable and simple way of showing the backstory of how instant ramen came to be. This biography was originally published in 2019 and has won the 2020 Sakura Medal Picture Book Award and is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection. The author, Andrea Wang has won eleven awards for her work including, the Newbery Honor Award, the Chinese American Librarians Association Best Book Award, the Reading the West Award for Picture Books, and so many more well deserved awards.
This book was so well written and fun to read, having me on the edge of my seat while Momofuku experimented in his kitchen. The book delves into the aftermath of World War Two and depicts how Momofuku watched his community stand in long lines and pay outrageous prices for a bowl of ramen noodles. Momofuku finds himself thinking in the book,” The world is peaceful only when everyone has enough to eat.”(Wang Pg5) He sets off on his goal to make ramen noodles accessible to everyone, no matter how much money or time that they have. Throughout the book Momofuku experiments in the kitchen trying to find the perfect instant ramen recipe that he can provide to his community. Momofuku finally finds the perfect recipe with a little help from his wife and shares it with the community, finally finding the peace that he had been looking for by keeping everyone fed.
A big theme that this book represents is the idea of persistence. Momofuku never gave up, no matter how hard it got, in order to find the perfect instant ramen noodle recipe for his community. He wanted everyone to be fed whenever they wanted without having to stand in lines or pay too much. This goal helped him persist and put in the effort to come up with his delicious recipe. Another theme is the idea of peace. Momofuku wanted to help his community find peace after the war. The only way he knew to do that was make sure everyone was fed. Momofuku used accessibility to food for everyone in order to help everyone around him find true peace after the war.
Andrea Wang represents her writing craft by her beautiful ability to make accessible language and word choice catered towards children. She broke down a complex and historical story into easy and understandable words for kids to comprehend. She helped children learn about the story of Momofuku through a fun easy to read book while also preserving the culture and history behind the story. This is a great quality and craft to carry as a writer but especially a children’s book author. Andrea Wang also used a lot of different types of figurative language throughout her book. She used personification when writing,”The noodles seemed to dance in the pot”, she used imagery as well,”The steam from the pot curled up into the air like a cloud”, and she also used a simile when discussing Momofuku's feelings,”He felt as if he was a small fish in a big pond.” The author did not just stick to one type of figurative language but found a way to incorporate many types.
This cultural representation displayed through the imagery, and Momofuku's compassion and empathy for others, would deem this book an amazing example of a diverse anti-biased children's book. This book was realistic and gave the readers a true and authentic story about how the ramen that they love today, originated from a hardworking and loving man from Asia.
I would recommend this book to any children in PreK to 3d grade, but truly anyone who wants a fun and entertaining way to learn more about Momofuku Ando should read this book. The illustrations in the book done by Kana Urbanowicz reminded me of comic books that I used to read when I was younger. I love the way that the drawings jump out at you on the page as if it were a graphic novel. I was looking forward to seeing the drawings on each page and they kept me engaged in the book with the amount of detail put into each piece.
The information that is found in this book should be shared with anyone you know who loves instant ramen. It is such a fun way to share the facts of the history behind the food but also show people the thought and love that went behind the creation of instant ramen. The backstory gives me a whole new perspective on instant ramen because now I understand the origins behind what I am eating.
Children and adults should all read this book to get a perspective on where their food comes from and the history behind what they are eating. This book teaches children about instant ramen and its origins in a fun and creative way. Children can also learn to never give up when it comes to helping those around them. Momofuku Ando struggled in the kitchen to create instant ramen but he knew that he would help so many people if he figured it out. With determination and persistence, Momofuku helped his community and this book will teach children these lessons.
This book was such a WOW book for me because I never knew that there was such a moving and beautiful backstory behind the instant ramen that we find in almost all college dorm rooms. I loved the illustrations and the detail put into them along with the messages that the book shares with the world. The book was fun to read while still being informative which at times is difficult to accomplish as a writer. I recommend this book to everyone of any age group.
This book was so well written and fun to read, having me on the edge of my seat while Momofuku experimented in his kitchen. The book delves into the aftermath of World War Two and depicts how Momofuku watched his community stand in long lines and pay outrageous prices for a bowl of ramen noodles. Momofuku finds himself thinking in the book,” The world is peaceful only when everyone has enough to eat.”(Wang Pg5) He sets off on his goal to make ramen noodles accessible to everyone, no matter how much money or time that they have. Throughout the book Momofuku experiments in the kitchen trying to find the perfect instant ramen recipe that he can provide to his community. Momofuku finally finds the perfect recipe with a little help from his wife and shares it with the community, finally finding the peace that he had been looking for by keeping everyone fed.
A big theme that this book represents is the idea of persistence. Momofuku never gave up, no matter how hard it got, in order to find the perfect instant ramen noodle recipe for his community. He wanted everyone to be fed whenever they wanted without having to stand in lines or pay too much. This goal helped him persist and put in the effort to come up with his delicious recipe. Another theme is the idea of peace. Momofuku wanted to help his community find peace after the war. The only way he knew to do that was make sure everyone was fed. Momofuku used accessibility to food for everyone in order to help everyone around him find true peace after the war.
Andrea Wang represents her writing craft by her beautiful ability to make accessible language and word choice catered towards children. She broke down a complex and historical story into easy and understandable words for kids to comprehend. She helped children learn about the story of Momofuku through a fun easy to read book while also preserving the culture and history behind the story. This is a great quality and craft to carry as a writer but especially a children’s book author. Andrea Wang also used a lot of different types of figurative language throughout her book. She used personification when writing,”The noodles seemed to dance in the pot”, she used imagery as well,”The steam from the pot curled up into the air like a cloud”, and she also used a simile when discussing Momofuku's feelings,”He felt as if he was a small fish in a big pond.” The author did not just stick to one type of figurative language but found a way to incorporate many types.
This cultural representation displayed through the imagery, and Momofuku's compassion and empathy for others, would deem this book an amazing example of a diverse anti-biased children's book. This book was realistic and gave the readers a true and authentic story about how the ramen that they love today, originated from a hardworking and loving man from Asia.
I would recommend this book to any children in PreK to 3d grade, but truly anyone who wants a fun and entertaining way to learn more about Momofuku Ando should read this book. The illustrations in the book done by Kana Urbanowicz reminded me of comic books that I used to read when I was younger. I love the way that the drawings jump out at you on the page as if it were a graphic novel. I was looking forward to seeing the drawings on each page and they kept me engaged in the book with the amount of detail put into each piece.
The information that is found in this book should be shared with anyone you know who loves instant ramen. It is such a fun way to share the facts of the history behind the food but also show people the thought and love that went behind the creation of instant ramen. The backstory gives me a whole new perspective on instant ramen because now I understand the origins behind what I am eating.
Children and adults should all read this book to get a perspective on where their food comes from and the history behind what they are eating. This book teaches children about instant ramen and its origins in a fun and creative way. Children can also learn to never give up when it comes to helping those around them. Momofuku Ando struggled in the kitchen to create instant ramen but he knew that he would help so many people if he figured it out. With determination and persistence, Momofuku helped his community and this book will teach children these lessons.
This book was such a WOW book for me because I never knew that there was such a moving and beautiful backstory behind the instant ramen that we find in almost all college dorm rooms. I loved the illustrations and the detail put into them along with the messages that the book shares with the world. The book was fun to read while still being informative which at times is difficult to accomplish as a writer. I recommend this book to everyone of any age group.
May 8, 2024
This book is a great early reader nonfiction story for 2nd and third graders. Younger children would appreciate this story too, even though the reading level is definitely higher, and they probably need some assistance with terminology and long sentences, even though the content would be appropriate and understandable to younger audiences.
Sensei Ando really made a difference in his community and in the world fight against hunger with his inventions of instant ramen and cup of noodles. I loved the attention to detail of the different colors and textures of ramen throughout.
Sensei Ando really made a difference in his community and in the world fight against hunger with his inventions of instant ramen and cup of noodles. I loved the attention to detail of the different colors and textures of ramen throughout.
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