Our Ancestors’ Kitchen is a gorgeous children’s book about how food can connect us with our past and memories of family.

The love and level of detail that went into every illustration is amazing. As soon as I finished the book I immediately started it again just to fully take in all of the pictures.

The recipe in the back was also such a nice added touch! I can’t wait to try making this ice cream with my children.

Thank you NetGalley, Annic Press, and Willie Poll and Shaikara David for the early access copy of Our Ancestors' Kitchen.

Our Ancestors' Kitchen is a beautifully illustrated children's book that tells the story of a young girl learning how to make her grandfather's favorite recipe with her grandmother. As the ingredients are listed, the readers go on a journey of past ancestors with the ingredients. The illustrations are stunning, showing the symbolism of the story clearly and beautifully. The language and illustrations also do an amazing job of showing the culture.

This will be a great tool for elementary school libraries to show Indigenous culture, love of the land, and impact of the cooking experience.

"Our Ancestors' Kitchen," highlights the crucial role food plays in every culture, illustrating how it has the power to unite people—whether they are family or strangers—and serves as a bridge for sharing cultural traditions. The author eloquently explores the deep connection between humans and the plants and animals we consume, emphasizing how harvesting food fosters a bond with the natural world. However, the book also touches on the impact of colonization and modern farming practices, which have threatened to sever these vital connections. With a focus on indigenous agricultural practices, this book educates readers of all ages about the importance of preserving these cultural traditions while also encouraging reflection on the foods and lands that once nourished our ancestors. The inclusion of a delicious recipe adds a tangible element to the narrative, and the rich use of imagery makes this a visually and emotionally engaging read for both children and adults.

This book is a celebration of the cultural importance of food, with a particular emphasis on Indigenous traditions. There is even an easy, but intriguing, recipe at the end of the book that is worth trying.

Sweet and inspirational.

What an enchanting tale that captures the hearts of young readers! From the moment you open the book, you’re transported into a world. The illustrations are absolutely stunning, bursting with color and detail that complement the story beautifully. The storytelling is engaging and age-appropriate, with just the right balance of excitement and heart. Young readers will love following along.

Honoring our loved ones through the foods we share.

A sweet reminder that our memory of our loved-ones lives on through us and our shared connection with food. Blue spirits dance as a young girl recalls the stories and the land tied to the dish she prepares. Cooking with grandma helps her honor those who came before her and remember them with love and gratitude.

Thanks to NetGalley for sharing this DRC with me for an honest review.

This is a sweet story about a girl and her grandmother cooking and all of the culturally significant memories that the ingredients and the meals bring up for them.

A solid choice for primary grades especially during autumn, winter, or indigenous units.

The illustrations are cute, love how they tied into her memories, but some were almost a little anime-esque. My child had some difficulty r understanding what was happening because the emotions displayed were a bit over the top.

Thank you to NetGalley and Annick Press for the advanced copy.

A moving children's book about indigenous food and heritage. I liked the illustrations and the story here! I think this would be a good book to add to classrooms to add to a more diverse selection of books.

Our Ancestors Kitchen teaches children that food is so much more than something to eat quickly - food is nourishment for the body, mind and soul. Food brings family and communities together, it creates memories and builds a relationship between people and the land/animals. I love the story of an elder passing down a recipe along with the traditions of the family to a young child. It's truly beautiful. I look forward to sharing this book with friends and family.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read the free ARC of this book..

A beautiful story about food and our senses. The story weaves together Indigenous foods and their connection to senses and memory as a young girl creates a meal for her family.

A young girl and her grandmother are cooking a special meal for the entire family, and with each new ingredient, our main character is reminded of their ancestral land and her ancestors before her.

What a beautiful message of tradition and reverence, with gorgeous illustrations! The back pages have a lovely prompt of reflection about our individual foods and families, as well as what looks like a delicious recipe for nuwish (soapberry ice cream!)

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This beautiful children's book explores the relationship with food and how that connects one to their ancestors.

I think it is an important book for students from all cultures, especially when living on indigenous land.

The pictures are adorable and the text is easy to follow. I think my students will enjoy it.

Thank you to Net Galley and Annick Press for the eARC!

The main character is this story is learning how to make the favorite dish of her grandfather, who has passed on. Each smell, each ingredient, reminds her of times she spent with her grandfather, as well, as stories she has heard of her ancestors.

Her grandmother explains that their heritage, their food was very important, and that at one time, the government, in this case Canada, tried to remove the Indigenous people from their food, and their language.

Very easy to read picture book makes it easy for children to see how important food is to culture.

There is even a recipe at the end to make one of the dishes mentioned in the book.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is coming out the 1st of April, 2025.