Miyeok guk for everyone

Maya is excited and nervous to share her Korean family's tradition of birthday soup, or miyeok guk, with her friends at her birthday party. She has spent the day creating the soup from scratch with her Umma (mom), Appa (dad), Halmoni (grandmother), and Oppa (older brother) helping her.  There is lots of chopping, mincing, sizzling, hissing, and cooking. 

Birthday Soup is a story about how food and family recipes can connect us to our heritage and celebrate who we are today. As Maya learns about the history of miyeok guk, or seaweed soup, and why it is considered a birthday soup and reserved for special occasions, she feels the connection to her ancestry, her mother, her grandmother, and all those who came before.  

When Maya's birthday party guests arrive, they play freeze tag and celebrate with cake and presents, too.  The birthday feast includes all of Maya's favorite foods:  pizza, kimchi, japchae, tacos, and the special miyeok guk.  The soup is delicious and everyone thinks so.  The happy party ends with everyone singing and Maya blowing out birthday candles.

This is Grace Seo Chang's first children's book.  Included in the book is a recipe from the author's mom for miyeok guk with potato, and a recipe from the author's husband, David Chang, celebrity chef and founder of Momofuku.  Yum!  New York Times bestselling illustrator Jaime Kim has illustrated many books for young readers and works with a variety of mediums including gouache, watercolors, and digital tools.  Birthday Soup is colorful, vibrant, and full of the joy of celebration.