Happy Belly, Happy Smile

by Rachel Isadora

Every Friday Louie sees the hustle and bustle behind the scenes at his grandpa's Chinese restaurant. The chef's hands fly as he chops vegetables, the delivery boy zips in for a pickup, and the waiters holler out order after order. Then it's time to eat. Grandpa offers Louie a whole fish and crabs. "No, thank you, Grandpa!" But the dumplings, egg rolls, and chow mein sure look good. No trip to the Chinese restaurant is complete without a fortune "Happy food, happy belly, happy smile." Caldecott Honor-winner Rachel Isadora brings a dynamic restaurant to life with beautiful cut-paper collages reminiscent of Eric Carle and Ezra Jack Keats.

Genres: Picture Books, Food, Childrens, Cultural, Family, Storytime, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 2, 2009

About the author

Rachel Isadora is an award-winning children's author and illustrator. She has written children's books on multiple topics including ballet, life in America and Africa, and has illustrated several Brother Grimm tales in an African setting. She is most well-known for her Caldecott Honor Award book "Ben's Trumpet". She was a ballet dancer before she became an illustrator and children's writer.

Reviews

[Nielson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Louie gets to visit his grandpa's Chinese restaurant every Friday night to enjoy all of the hustle and bustle. He looks forward to it each week and watches as the chef's prepare all sorts of Chinese culinary treats. The eye-catching illustrations are created using a blend of collage and oil painting. Using both text and illustrations, students will learn more about Asian dishes as well as cultural symbols.

[Marilyn Maldonado · Rating 1 out of 5]

The storyline is fine. Basically summarizing the boy gets to spend time in his grandfather's Chinese restaurant whereas a reader you're supposed to gain cultural awareness of authentic Chinese food and have a light-hearted time reading the book as more characters that work in the restaurant is introduced. Now the illustrations... this is what I'm not fond of. The eyes are to emphasized in being slanted and knowing that the illustrator isn't from the ethnic groups she's trying to illustrate shows the ignorance she has, due to her artwork. I am not from this community (Chicana in the house) but if I had an illustrator drawing in this style of my community I'd be insulted.

[Audrey's Picture Books · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the story, but, like some other reviewers, was disturbed by the stereotypical illustrations. Normally, Isadora is very culturally sensitive, and it seems to me she didn't mean to be disrespectful here, either. I'm not sure what happened. Given that it came out in 2009, someone should have noticed.

[Jo Oehrlein · Rating 3 out of 5]

Her trademark colorful collage illustrations give a sense of Chinese food and work in a Chinese restaurant where a little boy visits his grandfather every week.

Sad to admit that I didn't notice the eyes until I saw other reviews. They're right that the squinty/slanted eyes are very prominent on everyone of Chinese heritage. There's a huge contrast between the boy and his (black) friend.

[Auna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a little boy who goes to visit and eat at his grandpa's Chinese restaurant. He tries a variety of different foods and chooses what he likes and dislikes. Very good book to help introduce different cultures and the types of foods they eat.

[Erynne Bundt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is about a child who visits Grandpa's restaurant. The book describes many Asian dishes that are prepared there and the meaning of Happy Belly, Happy Smile. I would use this in my classroom library for the children to read on their own, as well as a read-aloud.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, now I want Big Bowl.

[Emily]

restaurant in Chinatown, illustrations remind me of Eric Carle

[Jay Daily Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simple storyline
Loved the art

[Thaz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the kid being a picky eater 😭

[Paige M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kid goes with grandpa to a Chinese restaurant.

[Courtney Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Louie loves Fridays because he gets to have dinner with his grandpa in China Town. He loves watching the behind-the-scenes action, like the chefs chopping up vegetables and the delivery boy rushing in and out of the restaurant. He loves the rice and eggrolls, but declines the fish and crab. After dinner, Louie receives a fortune cookie that says, "Happy food, happy belly, happy smile."
One major theme in this book could be the importance of working together. Louie gets to see how the restaurant needs chefs, delivery boys, waiters, and customers to run, and how everyone has has their own role.
One way I would incorporate this book into a lesson in my classroom would be to go back and look at the pictures again after reading the book and talk about how the details of the restaurant make it feel alive. Then, I would ask each student to think of their favorite restaurant and draw a picture of it, either of the inside of the restaurant or of the food they get there.
You could also spend a little time discussing the Chinese culture and their food, and then bring in a couple samples of the food for the students to try.

[Mary Ledom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy Belly, Happy Smile is a book that every student will be able to relate to in different aspects. I really enjoyed this book because it presents the audience with new incite on Asian and Chinese culture. It is about a young boy who sees his grandfather work at a family owned Chinese restaurant. I think students would really enjoy this because the illustrations and the ideas of the book are very enjoyable. I think this would be a great book to have on the shelf and not necessarily a read aloud. The only time I would read this aloud would be if we were doing a lesson on different cultures, specifically Chinese. I would ask at the beginning of the book if any students want to share about their favorite food and why it is so special to them(mexican, asian, american, etc.) I would then read the book and after ask if any students have been in the same position as Louie before, with his family having a restaurant. I think this is great interaction with students about different cultures.
I really enjoyed this book and I know my students would as well.

[The Library Lady · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like the story idea. But Isadora's art style for this is scratchy and distracting. And as the wife of someone who is Asian American and the mother of two girls who are half-Asian, I really dislike the way she has drawn her Asian characters--lots of stereotypical slant eyes.

If you want a book about characters at a Chinese restaurant, I'd suggest
Big Jimmy's Kum Kau Chinese Take Out by Ted Lewin, which has much more realistic pictures and a similar story.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a sweet book that describes a boy's experience eating at his grandfather's Chinese restaurant. The mixed media illustrations are bold and colorful, and the textures are very interesting.

The story is simple, but I liked the fact that Louie didn't like all of the different foods at the restaurant. That's pretty realistic. His expressions when his grandfather offers him a fish and crab are priceless. And his excitement of seeing a friend at the restaurant is quite appropriate as well. I thought this was a very entertaining book and would be ideal for reading with preschoolers.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute book I read in my field placement following a little boy who lives in Chinatown and visits his grandfather's restaurant. Though it is a good description of the different food and how he and his friend share it, the illustrations give a stereotypical portrayal. I might find this appropriate in a Kindergarten or first grade classroom that can introduce kids to different foods and how they are cooked.

[Youth Services · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this book, Louie talks about how he loves Fridays because he visits his grandpa Sam, and has dinner with him in his restaurant in Chinatown. The illustrations are really interesting -- piecey bits of paint arranged into shapes, and kids will enjoy making them out as they hear this story.

Lisle Library Call #: E ISA

[Gwen the Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Rachel Isadora's newest multi-generational, multicultural offering. It celebrates the diversity of our world, our food culture, and shows how restaurants work. All of this is paired with Isadora's signature collage illustrations.

[MissInformation · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like a lot of Isadora books, and this one is a pleasant tour through a family chinese restaurant- but I have mixed feelings for some reaason. I love the paper collage illustrations, and the text is uber simple. Just need to balance this book with asain kids in other than restaurant settings....

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know many other picture books that feature Chinese and African-American characters, so that's kind of cool. Otherwise, the story was just OK. The artwork, of course, is great! Collage seems to be the in thing in picture books, and Isadora is a leader in this art. :)

[Kaitlyn Horvath · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like this book. The art was awesome in it and i think that will keep the kids interested. It is a good teaching book also, it gives food ideas and you can maybe have a party in the class with different asian food and customs.

[Margaux · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story of a little boy at his grandfather's restaurant. Introduces children to the realm of Chinese cuisine, and how it's prepared and eaten.

I wouldn't do this for a storytime... the illustrations (while great) are very hectic.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute! Reminds me of my kids, especially the last page. We would get ginger tofu and they love to do that too!

[Kim]

Cute book about going to a chinese resturant to eat.

[Abby Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful, beautiful illustrations for a simple story about dinner with Grandpa at a Chinese restaurant!

[Tracie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young boy visits his grandfather's Chinese restaurant.

[Kathi-Ann Busha · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art in this book is really nice. I like that it looks like it was cut out of paper. The story was also cute.