Noodles on a Bicycle
by Kyo Maclear (Author) Gracey Zhang (Illustrator)
A vibrant historical picture book about Tokyo's bicycle food deliverers, or demae, who balanced towering trays of steaming hot noodles on their shoulders while navigating crowded city streets.
When the deliverymen set off in the morning, the children wait for the flicker of pedal and wheel. It's the demae-- delivery men-- setting off to deliver steaming trays of noodles to hungry customers all over the city. They are acrobats: whizzing past other bicycles, soaring around curves, avoiding the black smoke of motorcycles. When the children see them, they want to be them. And so they practice with bowls of wobbling water stacked on trays. The day passes, and, finally, exhausted, the demae return home, to their families, and, yes, to steaming bowls of noodles.
This beautifully crafted, visually exciting story by a powerhouse author and illustrator team is sure to be adored by food lovers, young and old.
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Publishers Weekly
Dynamic spreads by Zhang pulse with energy as they capture the casual grace of Japan's demae--cycling food deliverers--who, from the 1930s to the 1970s, per an end note, balanced stacked trays loaded with "ceramic soup bowls and wooden soba boxes" on one shoulder while piloting their bicycle with the other hand. Maclear describes their feats via the voice of a group of neighborhood children who look up to the cyclists, taut lines echoing the tension behind their work: "They are artists./ Architects./ Tough talkers./ Speedy spinners.// But mostly, / they are acrobats." The children try balancing trays and dishes themselves, only to "Rattle, / wobble.../ clatter, / crash!" As the day wears on, the figures cast long shadows that underline the job's difficulty: "What is it like to work outside all day, / cycling for a living, / the dusk air hot and heavy and/ sticky like honey?" At dinnertime, the appearance of another deliveryman brings a surprise. In this buoyant work from the previous collaborators (The Big Bath House), lively language honors long-honed skills worth remembering, while ink and gouache spreads capture every detail, right down to labels hand-painted on the soba boxes, in this wonderfully specific snapshot. An author's note concludes. Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Jackie Kaiser, Westwood Creative Artists. Illustrator's agent: Hannah Mann, Writers House. (Aug.)
Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.
School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 2--Maclear's book is a glistening blend of imagination and innocence, perfectly capturing the wonder of childhood exploration. Children watch, amazed, as the delivery men set off every morning, delicately balancing their stacks of noodles while they traverse around the city on bicycles. The children try to put themselves in the delivery men's shoes by balancing bowls of water on their own bicycle, but find it is not so easy. The delivery men are painted as acrobats, able to weave around the dangers that might make them lose their noodles, and yet in the end, they come home, and they are just human. Zhang's ink and gouache illustrations are the perfect match for the story, providing vibrant and muted colors as appropriate that bring the world to life and show all of the beauty of the city and the delicate balancing act of the delivery men. VERDICT This is a heartwarming tale with an engaging story and beautiful illustrations that are sure to entertain children.--Jessica Clark
Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Kirkus
A fascinating, loving snapshot of a gravity-defying artform lost to time.
Hornbook
With vivid descriptions of the sights and sounds of the city, the text sets readers right down in the middle of the scenes, while the writing makes for an animated read-aloud.
Marion Arbona was born in France in the early eighties. After obtaining an animation film diploma from the Ecole Nationale des Arts Decoratifs of Paris, she settled in Montreal. Thanks to a pair of good winter boots, she endures the cold weather and devotes herself to her art. She has illustrated more than thirty children's books, including, most recently, Sam's Pet Temper, and her work has been honored in several international competitions. Visit her online at marionarbona.com.
JUV050000 - Juvenile Fiction | Cooking & Food
Japan
Bicycles and bicycling
Noodles
Tokyo (Japan)
