A Plate of Hope

By Erin Frankel and Paola Escobar

Informational Resources:

Author Information:

Erin Frankel’s Website

https://www.erinfrankel.com/

Illustrator Information:

Paola Escobar’s Website:
https://www.harpercollins.com/blogs/authors/paola-escobar

Activities & Resources:

World Central Kitchen
https://wck.org/

DC Central Kitchen’s website

https://dccentralkitchen.org/

Geography:

Spain

https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/geography/countries/article/spain

Haiti

https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/geography/countries/article/haiti

Puerto Rico
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/geography/states/article/puerto-rico

New York
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/geography/states/article/new-york

Washington D.C.
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/geography/states/article/washington-dc

Dishes Mentioned:

Paella

https://kids.kiddle.co/Paella

Flan

https://kids.kiddle.co/Flan

Sancocho Stew

https://kids.kiddle.co/Sancocho

MakerSpace Activities:

Make a placemat craft (4:15)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6W---m5j9I

How to draw the American Flag (12:22)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NGecEjMDew

How to make a chef hat (1:30)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khkYdsPlt_0

Kids can cook pasta (4:23)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPlP_-5_WF8

Discussion Questions:

How did José Andrés help his father cook?

What did José cook with his mom?

What stories can you tell with food?

How does cooking lead to possibilities?

José cooks on a boat for a year. Who does he serve? How does this experience shape his future?

How does food speak to José?

What words inspire José to feed many people? How do they inspire him?

Where does José travel to help after an earthquake? What does he do there?

How could you help in a big event like a hurricane or earthquake?

What do you think pride tastes like?

How does the American flag remind José of possibilities?

How does José’s food help the people of Puerto Rico?

What is the importance of looking at a problem and seeing opportunities?

How is a plate of food a plate of hope?

The Stars on the American flag remind José that together we shine more brightly. What does this mean to you?

Do you have a hobby or talent you could use to help others?

What is your favorite food or recipe?

What is your favorite thing to cook or help cook?

Why do you think the author wrote this story?

Book Talk Teasers:

Read the reader’s theater for A Plate of Hope: The Inspiring Story of Chef José Andrés and World Central Kitchen by Erin Frankel.

Watch the book trailer on the Texas Bluebonnet Award website.

Read Alikes: 

Gottesfeld, Jeff. Food for Hope: How John Van Hingel Invented Food Banks for the Hungry. John van Hengel started the world's first food bank in 1967 and went on to create a network of food banks through Feeding America. The concept of getting food that would otherwise be wasted to people who are hungry has spread throughout the world. (NoveList Plus)

Paul, Miranda. Right Now! Real Kids Speaking Up for Change. Presents short profiles of 11 young people from all over the globe who didn’t wait until they were adults to speak up about things that matter to them and change the world for the better. (NoveList Plus)

Salazar, Aida. In the Spirit of A Dream: 13 Stories of American Immigrants of Color. In the spirit of a dream, many immigrants of color set out across continents, oceans, and borders, traveling to the United States in pursuit of opportunity. Celebratory, triumphant, and inspiring, In the Spirit of a Dream is a tribute to thirteen immigrant stories, from world-famous trailblazers to local heroes. You will read about astronaut Anousheh Ansari; Paralympic athlete Alejandro Albor; surgeon Ayub Khan Ommaya; jazz musician Candido Camero; dancer Conceicao Damasceno; businessman David Tran; basketball player Dikembe Mutombo; author Edwidge Danticat; politician Ilhan Omar; comic artist Jim Lee; environmental activist Juana Guttierez; cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and the Undocupoets, a group of undocumented poets from around the world. (NoveList Plus)

Unger, David. Jose Feeds the World: How A Famous Chef Feeds Millions of People in Need Around the World. The true story of Jose Andres, an award-winning chef, food activist, and founder of World Central Kitchen, a disaster-relief organization that uses the power of food to nourish communities after catastrophe strikes. When a terrible earthquake hit Haiti in 2010, chef Josâe Andrâes knew he needed to help. Within a few hours of the disaster, he had gathered friends, they flew to the island, and they began cooking rice and beans for the hungry locals. This trip changed the life of the successful chef and led him to found World Central Kitchen, a disaster-relief organization that has fed more than 200 million people affected by natural disasters, the COVID pandemic, and war. (NoveList Plus)

Wilson Sirkovsky, Dianna. Just One Pebble: One Boy’s Quest to End Hunger. One day, on his way to the store, Braeden Mannering sees a man sitting by the side of the road. He has no home, no belongings, and no food. “Somebody should help him,” he tells his mom. “You’re somebody,” she replies. Braeden thinks about it. Maybe he can help! (NoveList Plus)

Reviews:

Booklist (January 1, 2024 (Vol. 120, No. 9))

Grades 1-3. Readers will be encouraged to think big and make connections between their dreams and the needs they encounter in this story of a Nobel Peace Prize–nominated chef. Both as a busy boy and a professional chef, José Andrés never accepted things as is. When he made paella in his Spanish hometown, “No es solo el arroz”—it wasn’t just rice. And when he was invited by a friend to help cook for Haitian earthquake victims, it wasn’t just a trip. Instead, it made cooking a way for Andrés to spread nourishment, with the tale ending with the chef's World Central Kitchen charity serving almost four million meals in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. This optimistic, jaunty text can serve multiple needs: it’s a story of an immigrant making it in the U.S. and elsewhere; a tale of kindness and giving; and a look at how perseverance and hope can conquer tough obstacles. The colorful digital images of Andrés, his family, and his work sometimes show stilted expressions, but overall, this will be a fun addition to social-studies shelves. Simultaneously publishing in Spanish, un plato de esperanza.