Book Review: Hiromi's Hands

I enjoy looking at the World Cultures & History section in the Children’s area of the local library.  I recently found the book Hiromi’s Hands by Lynne Barasch. 

This book tells the story of a Japanese American girl named Hiromi, whose father worked hard to become a sushi chef in Tokyo.  After many years of training, he was given the opportunity to work at a restaurant in New York.

Eventually, Hiromi’s father was able to open up his own Japanese restaurant, get married, and have his little girl.  She went to regular school, as well as Japanese school.  She celebrated Japanese holidays and respected Japanese traditions.  She wanted to spend more time with her father and begged him to let her join him at the fish market.  Then, she began to work at the restaurant.  At first, scrubbing the floor, then making the rice, then cutting the fish.  Eventually, Hiromi began to make the sushi.  Now, she is a sushi chef, too.     

I like how the book introduces the reader to Japan and to sushi-making, while emphasizing the years of hard work and training involved in becoming a success.  The book also shows pictures of different types of sushi, what they’re called, and what they’re made of, which was fun to learn.  Overall, a lovely storybook.

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