Yoko

Yoko's mother packs all her favorite things in her lunch, but most of her classmates are grossed out by the seaweed-wrapped "secret treasures." The teacher, Mrs. Jenkins, designates an International Food Day, but still, everyone avoids the sushi Yoko brings...except Timothy. Timothy and Yoko make plans to "push their desks together and open a restaurant the very next day."

Sometimes you don't have to win over everyone - just one person will do.
Also a good lesson in "don't yuck my yum."

I liked this book for the characters. Despite the characters being animals, they are well developed and cover a variety of cultures. With a variety of cultures, there is a chance that a reader could relate to one of the characters. There are characters with Japanese, Mexican, Jamaican, Nigerian, Brazilian and Irish cultures presented in this story. I also like that the story pushes readers to think about tough issues. The story will make readers think about what they would do in Yoko's situation. What would the reader do if they heard someone was making fun of a friend for their lunches? The big message of this story is to keep an open mind and being sensitive to others cultures.

I enjoyed this book because it took a very relatable concept (a lot of school-aged children's social life occurs during lunchtime) and taught a lesson about it. I liked the characters in this book because they expressed very realistic actions (although they were animals). It is normal for people to be reluctant to try new things. I thought that the illustrations were only average. They were true to the story and followed the plot well but did not add anything special to the text. The moral of this story was not to be quick to judge; you never know if you like something until you try it.

Summary: This cute story is about a kitten named Yoko who brings sushi to school for lunch, but her classmates make fun of her food. Feeling sad and excluded, Yoko’s teacher comes up with a plan to celebrate different foods from around the world. Through this experience, Yoko finds understanding and friendship. The story highlights themes of cultural appreciation, kindness, and the importance of embracing differences.
Comments: I thought that this story was very fun to read, and the pictures were absolutely adorable as well. I think that what this kitten goes through at school would be very relatable and understanding for many children. I remember children making fun of me when I was younger, because of the various foods I brought for show more lunch. I think adding this story to a classroom would promote a more understanding and less judgemental environment. show less

Another great read for your emergent and beginning readers. This book will teach children not to judge a book by its cover. Yoko is very different from her first grade peers, and even with her teachers support most of the students are unsure about Yoko and her school lunch choice (sushi). Although the students were unsure of Yoko's lunch choices, after they have an International food day the children's views change and they all learn to accept one another.

Yoko brings sushi for lunch and is made fun of for her cultural meal by her classmates. In order to combat this problem, her teacher decides to host an International Food Day, where everyone tries everything. Her classmates eat the sushi and end up liking it. This was one of my favorite books when I was little and I still think it is so sweet. I love the message it sends about cultural diversity and not judging people. I think this would be good to read to a class on one of the first days of school.

Summary:
Yoko, a young cat of a Japanese background, brings a sack lunch of food such as sushi to school. She begins to be teased because of the sack lunch that her mom packs for her. The teacher decides to fix the problem by hosting an International Food Day for her class. The students are to bring a dish from their cultural background so the they can share and try new foods. At the end of the day, one of Yoko's classmates decided to try her sushi and he loved it. The day got the students to appreciate other cultures.

Personal Reaction:
I really liked this book because I could definitely relate. My mom is Mexican and my dad is American. Growing up, I was raised on a mixture of Mexican and American dishes. However, I thought that all show more families were like mine and ate tortillas, enchiladas, and tacos most of the time. As I got older I realized that I was very different and I learned to appreciate my culture a lot more. This book is a great way for the children to learn more about themselves and their classmates.

Classroom Extension Ideas:
1. I may also host an International Food Day for my students to learn about other cultures of their classmates.
2. I will have my students draw a picture of their favorite dish that their parents make. show less