  | Curry means more Author: Marianayagam, Maria | |
| Price: $23.28 | ||
Summary:
When Shirin's friend Charlotte asks what curry is, Shirin realizes she's not sure--she's tried many curries and they're all so different. So Shirin's mom invites them to explore the fragrant world of curry by helping her cook a curry dish. Over the course of the afternoon, the girls discover that the dish isn't just a form of sustenance--it's the scent of home, a piece of wisdom shared between generations, an art open to invention, and it's flavored with love.
| Illustrator: | Ladi, Geeta |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (07/15/25)
Booklist (09/01/25)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 09/01/2025 Shirin loves the various curries that Amma, her mother, makes, but when her friend Charlotte asks what curry is exactly, Shirin has trouble explaining it. They ask Amma, who prepares a curry dish for them. As they add each ingredient to the pot, joyful, sensory-rich text conveys its importance to the dish as well as the feelings and memories it elicits. A refrain-like sentence that begins with “Curry was” lyrically sums up each addition to the pot. Watching mustard seeds react to the ghee, for instance, reminds Shirin of her beaded sari and twirling in it like a Bharatanatyam dancer. “Curry was a bead, popping and swirling,” she observes. Vibrantly colored illustrations that incorporate cultural details beautifully reflect this blend of the present and memories of family traditions. In the process of making curry, Shirin realizes it’s not an exact concoction but a “creation, open to invention” and adds her own ingredient. Back matter includes a recipe for Shirin’s chicken curry and offers more information about curry, its global differences, and the spices Shirin used. - Copyright 2025 Booklist.
