The Discovery of Ramen - (Asian Hall of Fame) by Phil Amara & Oliver Chin (Hardcover)

About the Book

Enjoy the first English children's picture book on how Japan's ramen noodles were created! Amazingly illustrated, this storybook features a glossary of Japanese terms.

This is the first adventure in our series on cool inventions created in Asia. The cute red panda Dao makes history come alive by transporting the kids Emma and Ethan back in time. Together they learn how fantastic creations came to be and zip back to the future! This dynamic journey explores the invention of ramen.

This is like Chef's Table meets Back to the Future! The trio begins their trip in 1800's Japan. They travel from where pushcart vendors cooked to the growing capital of Tokyo. Witness the rise of instant ramen, Momofuku Ando's Nissin cup of noodles, restaurants, and celebrity chefs. Visit ramen factories and museums and even zoom to outer space! Kids and educators will appreciate the story's comprehensive scope and Japanese glossary.

Book Synopsis

Enjoy the first English children's picture book on how Japan's ramen noodles were created! Amazingly illustrated, this storybook features a glossary of Japanese terms.

This is the first adventure in our series on cool inventions created in Asia. The cute red panda Dao makes history come alive by transporting the kids Emma and Ethan back in time. Together they learn how fantastic creations came to be and zip back to the future! This dynamic journey explores the invention of ramen.

This quest is like Chef's Table meets Back to the Future! The trio begins their trip in 1800's Japan. They travel from the unpaved streets where pushcart vendors cooked to the growing capital of Tokyo. They witness the rise of instant ramen, Momofuku Ando's Nissin cup of noodles, and now four star restaurants and celebrity chefs. Along the way, Dao and the kids visit ramen factories and museums and even zoom to outer space! Kids and educators will appreciate the story's comprehensive scope and Japanese glossary.

Since nearly every city has a ramen restaurant, adults and kids will enjoy learning how their favorite noodles are made! Readers will discover how chefs use different broths and ingredients to boost the special flavor of umami (the savory fifth taste) to make delicious noodle soups.

Along the way, teachers and librarians will appreciate how students eagerly absorb Japanese food history, culinary culture, and key words. Fans of cooking shows and home cooks will delight in the dynamic artwork which render tasty dishes in mouthwatering color to the point where you can smell the aroma coming off the printed pages.

"Perhaps no dish says more about our hunger for Asian food today than ramen. This delightful tale shares the story of how this iconic noodle journeyed from China to worldwide acclaim as both comfort food and instant grub, beloved by bellies of all ages. Thanks for spreading awareness of Asian culture through its delicious cuisine!"
-- Danielle Chang, Founder of Luckyrice (www.luckyrice.com) and Creator of PBS TV series Lucky Chow

From the Back Cover

"Perhaps no dish says more about our hunger for Asian food today than ramen. This delightful tale shares the story of how this iconic noodle journeyed from China to worldwide acclaim as both comfort food and instant grub, beloved by bellies of all ages. Thanks for spreading awareness of Asian culture through its delicious cuisine!" -- Danielle Chang, Founder of Luckyrice and Creator of PBS TV series Lucky Chow

"Kids won't realize how much they're learning as they surf, fly, and slurp their way along the magical ramen trail in this dynamic, fun, and fact-packed story." -- Dr. Marjorie Coughlan, Editor, Mirrors Windows Doors

"A cross-cultural gem! What a creative and wonderful way to share history, culture and food. The delightful story and the adorable characters keep youngsters engaged from cover to cover."-- Lori Matoba, Deputy Director, Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California

Review Quotes

"Amusing anime-style illustrations show the magical, wide-eyed trio flying over China and Japan, tiptoeing past Taiwan, and floating into outer space on a fun, informative, and savory adventure." - Foreword magazine

"Aside from delivering a delightful story, 'The Discovery of Ramen' makes its contribution to children's literature by representing Asian topics, bringing more diversity to the genre. The book educates and informs, while engaging imaginations with its sprightly characters and dynamic descriptions, even providing a glossary of Japanese and Chinese terms. It is the first in the 'Asian Hall of Fame' series, highlighting notable contributions out of Asia. Whatever your age, 'The Discovery of Ramen' is an experience to whet your appetite with a subject worth savoring." - Sampan

"I really enjoyed reading about the history of ramen, and I suspect that whether your kids are already fans of these curly noodles in their various forms or not, this is a book that will definitely tempt their taste buds.... The Discovery of Ramen is also a wonderful and tasty way to introduce young readers to Japanese history and culture." -- Randomly Reading

"Take some ramen, add two kids and a talking red panda, mix in some time travel and super cute art and you have the recipe for a very tasty book." -- Dan Goodsell, author of Krazy Kids Food

"Now I'm hungry for noodles! My kids loved the book immediately when they saw it. My 8 year old wanted to read it on her own."-- Kaye Puhlmann, co-founder, Storybird

"This is a fantastically illustrated and brilliantly storified dive into the history of noodles and we definitely know what we'll be having for dinner tonight!! Sum this book up in a sentence: Another fantastic title from Immedium chronicling the history of something we largely take for granted, delicious ramen!" - Read it Daddy

About the Author

Phil Amara was an editor at Kitchen Sink Press and Dark Horse Comics, and writer of the The Nevermen comic book series and the book So, You Wanna Be A Comic Book Artist?: How To Break Into Comics! The Ultimate Guide For Kids. Currently he is a elementary school teacher in Massachusetts.

Oliver Chin is the author of the popular annual children's book series Tales from the Chinese Zodiac. This remains the only series in English on the animals of the Lunar New Year, which is increasingly celebrated worldwide. He presents at schools, libraries, and museums nationwide and teaches artists of all ages how to create their own comic books.

Juan Calle is a Science illustrator from UC Santa Cruz, and art director at Liberum Donum Studios, based in Bogotá, Colombia. Juan created Immedium's children's book Good Dream, Bad Dream and illustrated The Year of the Rooster. Liberum Donum has worked for Weldon Owen publishing and Capstone Press, on titles for young audiences such as Show me How series, Papermania!, How to be a Werewolf, How to be a Zombie, and How to Draw Incredible Dinosaurs. The team works for the advertising and entertainment industry, and creates 2D and 3D animation for movies and TV, and visual development and concept art for video games.