The ABCs of Persian Food A Picture Book

Learn all about Persian food and culture in this ABC book sure to feed young learners’ minds from author Sunny Sanaz Shokrae and illustrator Ly Ngo Heisig.

From Anar to Zereshk, this boldly colored picture book proves that the way to anyone’s heart—and appreciation of a new culture—is through their stomach! The ABCs of Persian Food introduces a Persian dish for each letter of the alphabet, with the aim of teaching phonetics and conversational Persian to pre-readers.

Examples of the dishes include: F is for Fesenjan, a slow-cooked chicken stew with toasted walnuts and pomegranate molasses; L is for Lavashak, a fruit leather snack Iranian kids love; and R is for Reshteh polo, a special rice and noodle dish served on the Spring Equinox. With graphic art sure to catch the eye of young readers as well as their caregivers, this picture book is a delightful new way to teach the alphabet. Nooshejaan!

Extended back matter includes a glossary for English-speaking readers, complete with phonetic pronunciation, Persian text, and a tantalizing description of each featured food.

Sunny Sanaz Shokrae is a writer and photographer who was born in Tehran, raised in Southern California. The ABCs of Persian Food is her first picture book. After becoming a mother, she couldn’t find enough resources that celebrated her Iranian background in simple yet clever ways. Perhaps it is her upbringing as an Iranian in the US, a California girl in New York, a perpetual outsider with one foot in each culture that inspires her to bridge all the gaps she experienced growing up. She hopes The ABCs of Persian Food will speak not only to food lovers and small children, but also build confidence in kids who take their Persian food to school to open their lunchboxes and confidently boast about what’s inside. Nooshejaan! (The Persian equivalent to “bon appetit!”) Sunny currently resides in New York City. Ly Ngo Heisig is a multidisciplinary designer and artist who was born in Southern California, raised in Portland, Oregon, and made her career in New York City. She is fascinated by the ways food culture brings families of different backgrounds together. She hopes to bring joy and wonder to kids all over the world by sharing stories through personal narratives, an exploration of cultures, and a celebration of what makes each of us unique. Ly currently lives in Paris, France, with her partner and their children.