Sankofa: A Culinary Story of Resilience and Belonging by Eric Adjepong (review)

Reviewed by: Sankofa: A Culinary Story of Resilience and Belonging by Eric Adjepong Sarah Sahn Adjepong, Eric Sankofa: A Culinary Story of Resilience and Belonging; illus. by Lala Watkins. Penguin Workshop, 2023 [48p] Trade ed. ISBN 9780593385944 $19.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9780593661727 $10.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R* Gr. K-3 When Kofi's teacher announces a classroom potluck, for which each student will bring a dish that represents their culture, Kofi's hesitation is twofold. He feels certain other kids who plan to to bring dishes like spaghetti and mac'n'cheese won't enjoy the Ghanaian food he typically eats with his family. He also, however, wonders if he has any real claim to Ghanaian culture at all—as the first member of his family to be born in America, Kofi has never even seen the homeland of his maame and paapa, his onuabaa (sister), and his nanabarima (grandfather). Thankfully, Nanabarima steps in to help Kofi with his dish: "We'll go to the market first thing in the morning and let the ingredients speak to us." Kofi is dubious, but when Nanabarima takes Kofi to each market stall, the ingredients and Nanabarima's stories transport [End Page 48] him: to a green field full of workers gathering spices; to gardeners picking perfectly ripe plantains; to a somber scene of Africans braiding rice into their hair before they are forced onto slave ships. Straightforward text is accompanied by colorful geometric art that moves readers through vibrant city scenes full of people, lovingly rendered family scenes, and sunny African harvests; more subdued tones are, appropriately, used for scenes of African enslavement. Based on his own experiences as a first-generation Ghanaian American growing up in New York City, chef and author Adjepong's debut picture book beautifully captures Kofi's complicated feelings of in-betweenness, seeing himself as not quite American enough and not quite Ghanaian enough, even as he tries to connect to his family's history. A recipe for jollof rice, the dish Kofi proudly shares with his class, is included at the end. Copyright © 2023 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois