Kalamata's Kitchen

Kalamata's Kitchen

by Sarah Thomas, Derek Wallace (Contributor), Jo Kosmides Edwards (Illustrator)

'Dora the Explorer' meets 'No Reservations' in this delicious picture book debut! Follow Kalamata and her alligator sidekick on the first of many exciting food adventures in a charming story about facing fears and overcoming back-to-school jitters.

Genres: Picture Books, Food, Childrens, School, India, Fiction, Family

40 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 6, 2021

Reviews

[Jas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really cute book. I love that Kalamata thinks back to a time when she was brave and adventurous with food to help her feel brave and adventurous about doing something else new. Overall the story felt a little disjointed but I’m looking forward to the rest of the series since this was just an introduction. I think it’ll be great to introduce kids to new foods and encourage them to try new things!

[audy ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

aww this is so cute ^3^

[Lo Wayward Tomes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kalamata is so cute!

[Rainbow Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kalamata’s Kitchen is the first book in a series following a young girl named Kalamata and her sidekick, an alligator name Al Dente. Kalamata is nervous about the first day of school when she remembers how brave she felt during her trip to India, where she and Al visited the spice market and fearlessly tried new foods and flavors.

Luckily, Kalamata has a “magical” kitchen table that she and Al can climb under and transport anywhere they want to be. Kalamata and Al travel back to the spice market in hopes of finding their bravery, as Kalamata’s mother cooks in the kitchen, filling the house with the delicious smell of dal. By journeying back to the market in India, Kalamata is inspired to connect with the children at her new school through food.

The illustrations by Jo Kosmides Edwards are wonderful. The bright colors are fun, but I was most impressed by the way she portrayed the spices on the page. Taste and smell can be such a tough concept to convey though text and illustration, but I could practically taste the cinnamon, cumin, and turmeric on the pages!

The back matter is also quite extensive for a fiction book. Readers will find a recipe for dal, a glossary of culinary terms, and a map of India highlighting the country’s unique regional dishes.

Kalamata’s Kitchen is set to launch as a full brand, including an upcoming animated TV show and themed toys and activities on their website. I’m personally a big fan of the Kal & Al Pals, a set of Kalamata and Al Dente plushies that young readers will certainly love.

Thank you so much to Random House Kids for providing me with a review copy of Kalamata’s Kitchen. It was an absolute delight, and I can’t wait to see what other cuisines Kalamata and Al Dente explore throughout the series.

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[Riana (RianaInTheStacks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s a lot of things I really like about this book. First, I like that it shows how kids can use stuffed animals and other such things to express their feelings when they feel like it’s too hard to say the words from themselves. And the mom totally got that. Second, I love how Kalamata was able to feel braver and stronger after thinking about something so important to her and her parents culture. Third, the book did such a great job of really immersing all the senses as Kalamata returns to that Indian market in her imagination and smells the wonderful aromas, tastes the delicious spices, sees all the vibrant colors, hears the sounds of the popping oil cooking, and feels the soft texture of rice. There’s even a special place (under the kitchen table) that Kalamata loves to go to that can transport her anywhere she wants to imagine. Plus, I also love food, so I totally get this book on a deeper level haha.

[Erin *BookDragon_Library* · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5
A story about Kalamata being nervous about her first day in a new school. She goes under her kitchen table with her stuffed crocodile and imagines herself back in India at the spice market where she was nervous at first and had a good time. The book mentions different spices using them in scenes like "curry leaf forest" and it "rains" rice. At the end Kalamata makes a connection to food being an adventure and maybe she will find other kids who like food adventures too.

An ok book. I guess my experience with kids is that they often get teased for bringing anything with a strong smell or that looks "weird" like sushi to school. There are other picture books about kids getting teased for their lunch and even chapter books like "Save me a Seat" where the boy from India gets teased for his Indian food. There is another book where the girl gets teased for smelling too much like curry.


Notes: India, food, recipe in back, going to new school.

[Teonna Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

The night before Kalamata's first day at her new school, she realizes she is nervous and worries if she will make friends. When Kalamata's mom asks what would make Kalamata and Al Dente (Kalamata's stuffed alligator pal) feel better, Kalamata suggests going back to India. Surrounded by scents and the flavors of her mother's Indian kitchen, Kalamata and Al take an imaginary adventure back to India. While on this adventure Kalamata realized she had been scared to go to the Indian market. Fortunately, she remembered how fun the adventure had been and realized how being brave can be rewarding. This reminder melts her previous nervousness and emboldens her to look forward to her first day of school.

[Jo Oehrlein · Rating 3 out of 5]

About being anxious before going to a new school the next day and remembering a trip to India (and specifically the market in India). The aromas from her mother's cooking remind her of the things she learned from that visit and arm her for the new things the next day.

Can be a "starting school" book or a "moving in as a new kid" book.
Also good for reminding people that their heritage is a strength.

Read with El Cucuy Is Scared, Too! about another boy facing down fears about a new school.

[Dina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kalamata, the main character, is preparing to go to a new school, but was running into a case of the nerves. However, with the help of her friend, Al Dente (an alligator), she determines “being brave is delicious” like when she went into the Indian market during the summer. Kalamata “felt fearless” and was ready to go to school. Back matter includes what dal, turmeric, mustard seeds and blooming spices are (all of which are mentioned in the book) and a map of India. Overall, a good book with beautiful illustrations.

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

A first day of school theme story about Kalamata and her attending a new school where the culture and foods and language of her classmates will be unfamiliar. She isn't sure she should attend the new school where she doesn't know anyone and worries about being accepted and bringing her comfort food for lunch. She reminisces about the spice markets and eating comfort foods. Colorful illustrations and imagination she has for life in her old place, festivals, and coming to a home and school. A recipe for Dal in the back and a map of India and the languages spoken there is included.

[Patricia N. McLaughlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Being brave is delicious!” Kalamata discovers how to use her imagination to reframe her first-school-day jitters into a culinary adventure through the healing power of traditional Indian spices. Front pages include the Taste Bud Pledge, and endnotes feature a tasty dal recipe, information about common Indian spices, and a map of India.

“Taste Bud Pledge: I promise to keep my mind open and my fork ready, to try each new food at least two times, and to share what’s on my plate when someone doesn’t have enough.”

[Katie Hutchison Irion · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kalamata’s Kitchen by Sarah Thomas is a bright, happy story about a young girl who is starting a new school and is very nervous. She just wants to stay with her parents and travel to India again and smell the smells of the marketplace there and eat the food that feels like home. In her fear, she crawls under her table and imagines that she is brave. She thinks about the spices and smells that make her feel confident and emerges for dinner with a new heart and courageous attitude. This is a lovely book about loving culture and trying new things and digging into yourself to find courage!

[Elle Tangvald · Rating 3 out of 5]

This sweet story is a delightful children's book that takes young readers on a culinary adventure around the world. Through the eyes of the adventurous character Kalamata, the book introduces diverse cultures and foods, promoting an appreciation for global flavors and the joy of trying new foods. The vibrant illustrations and engaging narrative make "Kalamata's Kitchen" a fun and educational exploration of food and cultural diversity for children.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this ownvoices story featuring an Indian-American girl who is afraid about starting a new school and finds comfort in her mother's kitchen and the amazing food she's used to making. Gorgeous illustrations and a relatable message any child can connect with. Highly recommend this new picture book, especially for fans of Salma the Syrian chef.

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kalamata shows concerns about attending her new school, so with the help of her mother's kitchen and the spices within, Kalamata and her stuffed alligator pet, Al-Dente take on a magical adventure of remembering as they sit under the table, and let the smells whisk them away to a time and place where they both felt brave, and tried new and different things,.

[rad librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a cute book with beautiful art work. I love the Taste Bud Pledge that you are greeted with when you open the book. It is a beautiful and sweet pledge. Short read, beautiful images, highly recommend read for kids when teaching them about trying new things, being brave, and using your imagination.

[Emily Carlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most inventive and wonderful way to write about school nervousness. I didn't read too much about the story before I read it, and I am so pleasantly surprised. "Being brave is delicious!" And I admire that Kalamata created her own space right under the kitchen table, to bring about the calmness and clarity she needed.

[Bethany Camera-Schley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I loved the journey Kalamata took with her stuffed alligator back to India. I loved the artwork in the book. I had to stop the read-aloud in order to take in all the details. I'm glad Kalamata was able to think of a solution to her problem. Sometimes when we stop and think. We can see the problem from a different angle and realize there is something that can be done about it.

[FM Family · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one didn't really do it for me. Great to see representation in kids books, but the story didn't really make a lot of sense - why does she have an alligator named Al Dente? It all just felt disjointed and like I was picking up in the middle of a series, but nothing much actually happens in the book. Felt more like a mission to achieve something than it was an actually good or engaging story.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the idea of this book, I just thought the writing was too wordy for the intended audience. I adore that Kalamata is an Indian girl who knows and loves the spices in her favorite foods. I love that Kalamata figures out how to be a fearless adventurer.

Story: 3
Illustrations: 4
Read-aloud: 3

[Kelly Mangan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this more, especially since the premise was supposed to be adventurous eating & trying new foods. It’s even in the pledge at the front of the book! But Kalamata’s adventure was more about naming various spices from her memory— spices she finds familiar & comforting— than trying new foods. In fact, she didn’t try any new foods at all! I think this story is a little confused about what it wants to be. I see that the book as both a writer and a “creator”? Maybe that’s the reason the narrative seems so confused: two different narrative visions.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kalamata is nervous about starting school tomorrow, but she's able to remember another time when she was nervous and managed to be brave anyway. This helps her to face her fears. The illustrations are beautiful and the length just right for K-2, or you could paperclip a couple spreads together and use it with preschoolers, since it's a little long.

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

Unique and diverse (Indian American child) back-to-school story. Kalamata is afraid of attending a new school, so she uses her memory of an Indian market and all of its spicy smells to comfort her (and her alligator stuffie Al Dente). A recipe for dal and an Indian language guide is included in the back.

[Nadia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable book about a little girl and her stuffed alligator exploring the world of food and taste and learning the meaning of being brave in the face of new things/experiences! Can't wait to read more of these!

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the colorful illustrations and language of this beautiful book. The sensory details made it possible to smell and taste the spices. The story felt a little disjointed to me. I loved her adventure of the imagination, but the conclusion she drew from it to solve her problem felt misplaced.

[Viviane Elbee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little girl is nervous about her first day at school. While her mom prepares dinner, she tries to think of a place where she felt brave, and remembers a trip to India to the market. There, she tried all kinds of flavors & spices and had a fearless food adventure.

[deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful and sensory adventure that explores both food and being brave all in one go. Although the main message gets a little muddled towards the end, I think plenty of readers young and old will have fun going on this under-the-kitchen-table trip with Kalamata and Al Dente (who is adorbs!!).

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little girl named Kalamata is afraid to go to her new school. But imagining all kinds of food with her stuffed alligator "Al" dente makes her feel brave. Great illustrations. Kind of odd way to make the point, but I still liked it.

[Nazneen Akbari · Rating 2 out of 5]

I want to like this book but nah....

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute way to explore being brave and celebrating a comfort food. We loved the illustrations