Food and Cooking

Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage

Family 

Vooks A to Z

Cora loves being in the kitchen, though she always gets stuck with the kid jobs, like licking the spoon. But today, when her older siblings go out, Cora will finally get the chance to be Mama's assistant chef. Mama even lets her pick which delicious Filipino dish she wants to make. Cora chooses her favorite noodle recipe: pancit!

With Mama’s help, Cora does all the grown-up jobs, like shredding the chicken and soaking the rice noodles. She even stirs the pot while Mama supervises. But when dinner is served, will Daddy and her siblings know Cora did the cooking? Will they think the pancit is as good as usual?

A tale of cultural heritage, Cora Cooks Pancit brings the joyful art of cooking to life. The story walks through the steps for cooking Filipino pancit, highlighting themes of family, trust, and learning through experience. Written by Dorina K. Lazo Gilmore, illustrated by Kristi Valiant, and published by Shen’s Books.

When her older siblings go out for the day, Cora finally gets the chance to be Mama’s assistant chef.

Cora Cooks Pancit

Storyteller

Vooks Originals

Sick Day Stories

Everyone's Reading

Vooks at a Glance

Birthday parties are so much fun: the friends, the family, the games, the gifts, and, of course, the food! But what type of food do you serve at a birthday party when your family is from two different cultures? Young Mikey Yam is having a hard time choosing between the Italian food of his mother’s side and the Chinese cuisine of his dad’s. So, he turns to his grannies, Bahboo and Nonna, for advice.
 
“Ravioli or Dumplings? Linguine or Lo Mein? All of these options were hurting his brain.”
 
Join Young Mikey as he decides which type of food to have for his birthday party, and the important life lesson he learns along the way.

A Vooks Original, Fried Rice & Marinara is a rhyming story about two cultures coming together to create something special. Written by Mike Yam and illustrated by Laura Dong.

Young Mikey Yam is about to turn four, but deciding what type of food to have at his party is creating a jumble of possibilities!

Fried Rice & Marinara

Seasonal - Spring

Dreamscape

Little Star's soft feet tiptoed to the Big Mooncake. Little Star loves the delicious Mooncake that she bakes with her mama. But she's not supposed to eat any yet! What happens when she can't resist a nibble? In this stunning, heartwarming original story that shines as bright as the stars in the sky, Newbery Honor author Grace Lin explains the phases of the moon.

This gorgeous, whimsical origin story of the phases of the moon explains those phases in an easy-to-understand way that will comfort and educate children of all ages.

A Big Mooncake for Little Star

Elementary

Build Confidence

Kid at Heart

Spork sticks out. In his kitchen, utensils have a single purpose. Even though he tries to act more spoonish or look more forkish, he never gets picked at mealtime. Instead, he sits and watches while the forks twirl knots of noodles and the spoons scoop up mountains of peas. They even get to enjoy a bubbly bath in the sink when dinner is over.

He seems destined for a life in the drawer … until one day, a messy guest arrives. This guest doesn’t seem to care about cutlery customs. Spork wonders—could this be his chance to find his way to the table? Could his uniqueness make him the best solution for this problem?

A metaphor-rich celebration of hybrid identities, Spork is a “multi-cutlery” tale for anyone who’s ever felt like a misfit. Exploring themes of purpose, conformity, diversity, and finding your place in the world, Spork is written by Kyo Maclear and illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault. Published by Kids Can Press.

Spork never gets picked during mealtime. He seems destined for a life in the drawer… until an unexpected guest arrives.

Spork

Be Resilient

Be Brave

Biographies

Be Creative

Familius Presents

Camp Vooks

How We Work

Dream Big

S.T.E.A.M.

Women Who Changed the World

"The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time." -Thomas Edison

From the curiosity of Leonardo da Vinci to the dedication of Marie Curie, Inventors Who Changed the World is a young child's first introduction to the brilliant people who taught us the meaning of perseverance and innovation. Simple text and adorable illustrations tell the contributions of nine renowned inventors from around the world: Cai Lun, Leonardo da Vinci, Marie Curie, Thomas Edison, Orville and Wilbur Wright, Grace Hopper, Johannes Gutenberg, and Louis Pasteur. Inspire your own little inventor with the words of these inventive heroes who changed the world.

Inventors Who Changed the World is written by Heidi Poelman, illustrated by Kyle Kershner and published by Familius.

These heroes imagined and invented a better world. What kind of hero will you be?

Inventors Who Changed The World

All Seasons

Chelsea is so excited to be celebrating Chinese New Year with her family. That means she gets to stay up late, have a big feast, watch fireworks, and even see a parade with a dragon! The whole family joins in on the fun, and Chelsea explains each step of the celebration, including the rich traditions and meaning behind different parts of the holiday.

This fun, fact-filled story introduces and celebrates Chinese New Year in a way everyone can connect with. Chelsea’s Chinese New Year is written by Lisa Bullard, illustrated by Katie Saunders and published by Millbrook Press, a division of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.

Enjoy learning all about Chinese New Year, as Chelsea celebrates with her family!

Chelsea's Chinese New Year

It’s Chinese New Year, a holiday that’s like "Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day all bundled together!" When PoPo (grandmother) arrives to visit from China, she teaches her curious granddaughter all about celebrating an authentic Chinese New Year. PoPo’s Chinese-American granddaughter is excited to join in, even if it means being extra nice to her baby brother. Follow along as the young girl learns about and joins in on the traditions and vibrant customs of Chinese New Year.

This warm cross-generational story brings the traditions of Chinese New Year to life through the eyes of an excited young girl and the wisdom of her grandmother. PoPo’s Lucky Chinese New Year is written by Virginia Loh-Hagan, illustrated by Reneé Benoit and published by Sleeping Bear Press.

When PoPo comes to visit from China, she helps her granddaughter have an authentic Chinese New Year.

PoPo's Lucky Chinese New Year

Aneel loves when his grandparents visit. Most of all, he loves their stories. Today, Dada-ji tells Aneel the story of a lad from a village far, far away. The lad could wrestle water buffalo, tie two hissing cobras in a knot, spin trumpeting elephants by their tails, and touch the sky with his feet. The source of the lad’s tiger power? Hot, hot roti, prepared by Aneel’s Badi-ma herself!

Aneel asks his mother, father, Dadi-ma, and sister for help making roti for Dada-ji. But when no one can help, Aneel is left to make the recipe on his own. Will the roti turn out alright? And if it does, can it still give Dada-ji the power of the tiger? There’s only one way to find out!

Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-Ji tells the story of a bond between grandson and grandfather. The narrative features themes of cultural heritage, traditions, belief in one’s self, and the expression of love through cooking. Written by F. Zia, illustrated by Ken Min, and published by Lee & Low Books.

There once was a lad who could tie two cobras in a knot and touch the sky with his feet. His secret? Hot, hot roti.

Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-Ji

Friendship

Be Caring and Kind

Animals

Have you ever created a special cheer to encourage yourself? Like your very own personal pep talk?

This is what lovely Lili the Lioness does! Clever Lili invents her own power cheer because as Jungle School’s head girl, she has so much to do for her friends! Unfortunately, Lili is roaring her power cheer far too often, and loses her voice! This is very worrying because Lili has a special announcement for the students of Jungle School very soon!

Oh dear…what will she do?

A note from the creators at Love, Bonito:

Written, designed and produced at Love, Bonito, this impactful read highlights the importance of community and cheering each other on through life’s ups and downs – a reflection of what Love, Bonito stands for. The physical book is available for sale globally, while stocks last. Through the creation of this picture book, Love, Bonito is supporting the education of girls in historically low-income communities in Asia for a year — at a target goal of USD $30,000 — helping them to build skills to succeed in school and negotiate key life decisions. In partnership with Vooks and Finding Pictures, we've launched the animated video version of the book, exclusively available on Vooks' platform, to help raise awareness for girls' education.

When head girl Lili the Lioness loses her voice, her friends at Jungle School help her find strength and courage in adversity.

Lili the Lioness & Friends

Mindfulness

When the WiFi goes down, mommy and daddy are devastated. Their daughter, on the other hand, is not. She’s brimming with ideas and plans for things to see, places to explore. So, with her adventurous nana’s help, the girl drags her parents outside. They ride bikes. They buy pastries and coffee. They play soccer at the park. It’s a beautiful, internet-free day. Maybe a perfect day.

But what happens when the family gets home and the WiFi is still down? And how did the WiFi go out in the first place? Come along for a day unplugged from screens and find out just how much fun is waiting when we pick up our heads and put down the devices.

A wry look at the value of internet-free family time, The Manic Panic reminds us that a whole world is waiting outside of our screens. By inverting the parent/child relationship, the story explores screen addiction in an approachable, kid-centric way. Written by Richa Jha, illustrated by Mithila Ananth, and published by Creston Books.

When the WiFi goes out, a young girl drags her parents outside to remind them how to have screen-free fun.

The Manic Panic

Celebrate Black History

From Abraham Lincoln to Rosa Parks, Courageous People Who Changed the World is a perfect introduction to historical figures who stood up to make a difference in the world. The heroic true stories are told through simple text and engaging illustrations, sure to become an instant favorite for young audiences. Featured are William Wilberforce, Harriet Tubman, Abraham Lincoln, Susan B. Anthony, Mahatma Gandhi, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., and Malala Yousafzai. Each story will inspire courage, determination, and a belief that anyone can change the world.

Courageous People Who Changed the World is written by Heidi Poelman, illustrated by Kyle Kershner and published by Familius.

The perfect introduction to historical figures who stood up to make a difference in the world.

Courageous People Who Changed the World

Main Carousel

Numbers and Counting

Blue is a quiet color. He enjoys gazing at clouds and going with the flow. Sometimes, he wishes he was sunny, like Yellow, or bright like Green. But overall, he likes being Blue—except when he’s with Red. Red is a hothead who likes to pick on Blue. Yellow, Orange, Green, and Purple don’t like what they see, but what can they do?

When no one speaks up, things get out of hand—until One comes along. He shows the other colors how they can count on each other. In the end, when just one stands up for what’s right, it makes it easier for everyone else to stand with them.

One is a story about how bullying doesn’t go away when it’s ignored—it only gets worse. And yet, when just one person takes a stand, it makes it easier for others to take a stand with them. The narrative touches on themes of individuality, gentleness, kindness, and bravery. Written and illustrated by Kathryn Otoshi. Published by Ko Kids Books.

When Red starts picking on Blue, things get out of hand—until One shows the colors how they can count on each other.

Nature

What can you do with your hands? Well, you could plant a tree—or an idea. You could touch a book, or someone’s heart. You could lift a bucket—and by doing that, you might lift someone’s spirit. You could stretch your arms out wide, or stretch someone’s imagination. And, of course, you could always reach out—for love, peace, truth, faith, hope, and dreams—or even just to take someone else’s hand in yours.

Every day, we make decisions about how we’ll use our hands. But what makes them beautiful isn’t how they look, it’s how we choose to use them. Now, the question is up to you. What will you do with your beautiful hands today?

An ode to the beauty of what our hands can create, Beautiful Hands pairs gentle language with illustrations made of hand and thumbprints. Written by Kathryn Otoshi and Bret Baumgarten, illustrated by Kathryn Otoshi, and published by Blue Dot Press.

There are so many things your hands can do—such as plant ideas, touch hearts, and stretch imaginations.

Beautiful Hands

Storytime Favorites

Early Childhood

5 Minutes or Less

Two fuzzy friends are in the middle of a playdate, when a new pal suddenly joins in. The trio tries playing together, but each friend feels left out at times, even trying to sabotage the newcomer. Will the new addition to the group be a third wheel? Or, will all three learn an important lesson: that they can all be friends and have fun playing together? 

This silly and heartfelt tale about (not) being friends features the characters from the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award winner You Are (Not) Small. We Are (Not) Friends is written by Anna Kang, illustrated by Christopher Weyant and published by Two Lions. Keep an eye out for other books in the fun-filled (Not) series on Vooks!

Fun fact: Christopher Weyant (illustrator) and Anna Kang (author) lend their voices to characters in We Are (Not) Friends!


Two friends are having a playdate when along hops a new pal. Can they all be friends, or not?!

We Are (Not) Friends

When two fuzzy creatures build a sandcastle on the beach, they agree that it’s pretty much perfect. But then two new friends show up—and they see some room for improvement. It needs a bigger wall. And then a wider foundation. More friends arrive with more suggestions. The castle could also use more towers, and arches, and (of course) windows. And what about a gatehouse and stairs? And a drawbridge—and a moat?

The whole crew decides to work together to make this sandcastle the absolutely most perfect sandcastle ever. But will it actually be perfect? Or will the entire project turn out quite a bit different than anyone expects?

It Is (Not) Perfect deftly explores how trying to change yourself to please others can end in disaster—while also showing how collaboration and a shared vision can bring friends together. Written by Anna Kang and illustrated by Christopher Weyant, It Is (Not) Perfect brings back the endearing characters from the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award winner You Are (Not) Small. Published by Hachette Children's Group.

When two fuzzy creatures build a sandcastle on the beach, it might (not) be as perfect as they think. Or is it?

It Is (Not) Perfect

When one fuzzy creature takes a break from the comfiest seat in the house, another fuzzy creature claims the spot. Soon, an argument breaks out over who gets the chair. One tricks the other. Then the other resorts to tickling. Tempers boil over into an all-out shouting match. In the end, will they be able to agree on who gets the chair? Or will their friendship reach a terrible, (un)-friendly end?

Join two—and possibly three—fuzzy creatures as they fight for the cushiest cushion around. It might be better if they both share the chair. Or maybe they should just take a break and let someone else have a turn.

This simple, giggle-inducing tale about (not) sharing and (not) being a good friend explores the complex feelings that can come with an argument, and how we might go about resolving them. Written by Anna Kang and illustrated by Christopher Weyant, That’s (Not) Mine brings back the endearing characters from the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award winner You Are (Not) Small. Published by Hachette Children's Group.

When two fuzzy creatures want to sit in the same comfy chair, an argument ensues. How will they decide on a winner?

That's (Not) Mine

Free Access

Two fuzzy friends take a trip to the amusement park and one thing is for sure: they are definitely not scared! After all, there are much scarier things out there than a roller coaster. Like snakes! Or hairy spiders! Or aliens with pink eyes and furry teeth! The friends soon discover that sometimes being scared isn’t quite as “scary” as it seems–and it’s even pretty normal too. With endearing illustrations and hilarious dialogue, I Am (Not) Scared is sure to be a hit with the entire family!

This giggle-inducing, silly tale about (not) being scared features the characters from the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award winner You Are (Not) Small. I Am (Not) Scared is written by Anna Kang, illustrated by Christopher Weyant and published by Two Lions. Keep an eye out for other books in the fun-filled (Not) series coming soon to Vooks!

Hairy spiders! Aliens! Hot lava! A ROLLER COASTER! Absolutely nothing to be scared of here…right?!

I Am (Not) Scared

A collection of books celebrating the stories and culture of Asian children and families.