Empanadas for Everyone — Jackie Azua Kramer

In the vein of Thank You, Omu! and Bilal Cooks Daal comes a lyrical and nourishing tale about the importance of food to a community -- and value of community to the experience of cooking -- as told through the eyes of a young girl helping her tía.

Every Saturday, Carina visits Tía Mimi in her barrio, which is always humming with life. There is música that hums from the windows, old cuentos floating on the breeze, and the honking of cars that creates the soundtrack of the morning. Every Saturday, she loves to make empanadas with her aunt, singing: “I like empanadas! I like you! ¡Me gustan las empanadas! ¡Me gustas tú!”

Not this Saturday though. This Saturday, Tía Mimi has gone to volunteer at the neighborhood food center and asks Carina to collect the ingredients all on her own. But maybe, with a little guidance from friends, Carina will be able to help Tía Mimi -- and learn a little about what connects a community along the way.