Katherine Cheng-Arif has officially published her all-new children’s book Jade’s Food for Thought: Delicious Discoveries through Diversity. Chen-Arif used her personal experiences growing up as a first-generation immigrant to the United States during the writing process to promote the wonders of distinctiveness and cultural appreciation.
Jade’s Food for Thought: Delicious Discoveries through Diversity tells the story of Jade, a young Taiwanese girl, whose family immigrated to the US. Jade is proud of her Taiwanese culture and shares it with her new school friends. The children learn about different aspects of Jade’s heritage and celebrate the diversity between them.
Cheng-Arif was inspired to write Jade’s Food for Thought: Delicious Discoveries through Diversity due to the lack of children’s books readily available featuring minoritized characters. Underrepresentation is a major problem in children’s literature. Children’s books in the US do not reflect the heritage, cultures, and identities of the population. Despite reports outlining the underrepresentation in children’s books over the last decade, little work has been done by book publishers to rectify the problem.
“As a child, the library lacked books with main characters that look like me,” Cheng-Arif said. “In my elementary days, there were very few opportunities to talk about culture and to celebrate the differences as people.”
Cheng-Arif chose food as the main component of her new book. Cuisine is a major cultural identifier and is one of the points of entry many people have to a new culture. Cheng-Arif knows how difficult it can be for a child to share their heritage through food. She experienced weird looks and negative comments at school while eating sushi from her packed lunch. Cheng-Arif felt ashamed and ate lunch alone, resulting in her becoming more introverted.
The experiences shaped Cheng-Arif’s life. She hopes Jade’s Food for Thought: Delicious Discoveries through Diversity will make a difference in the lives of kids going through the same experiences today.
“If this book helps one child to feel proud and brave enough to share their food and culture, then this whole experience was worth it,” Cheng Arif explained.
Jade’s Food for Thought: Delicious Discoveries through Diversity is available on Amazon. The children’s book was illustrated by Mohd Daud. Learn more about Katherine Cheng-Arif by visiting the Women’s Inflection Point.
Book Launch Details
The book launch will take place at Signature Manor 6968 Howell Sugar Land Rd Houston, TX 77083 United States on Saturday, May 20 · 11am – 2pm CDT
https://JadesFoodForThought.eventbrite.com
Event Highlights:
* Book Launch & Signing: Meet Katherine in person, get your copy of “Jade’s Food for Thought” signed, and receive exclusive insights into her creative process.
* Global Tasting Journey: Embark on a gastronomic adventure, savoring a medley of international flavors that will transport your taste buds to distant lands.
* Author Talk: Immerse yourself in fascinating discussions with Katherine as she shares the inspiration behind her book and the stories that influenced her diverse culinary explorations.
* Live Readings: Experience the magic of the author as she brings her words to life through captivating live readings.
* Networking & Community: Connect with fellow book lovers, food enthusiasts, and literary enthusiasts, forging connections and fostering a sense of community.
Limited free tickets available! Secure your spot now at EventBright. Click below to get your tickets today!
Media Contact
Company Name: Katherine Cheng-Arif
Contact Person: Media Relations
Country: United States
Website: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C1JB1T16?ref_=cm_sw_r_apin_dp_4YRKF8R96XSRZ36HRGCT
