Review: Cora Cooks Pancit Features Popular Filipino Dish

Pancit is among one of my favorite Filipino dishes – although I’ve only had it a few times in my life. The thin noodles…veggies…chicken…all mixed up in a bowl…I’m licking my lips right now!

Cora from Cora Cooks Pancit likes this delicious meal as much – or maybe more – than I do. She loves being in the kitchen and wants to be a cook when she grows up, but never gets to really do the cooking in her house. Being the youngest, she gets stuck with little kid jobs like licking the spoon. When her siblings are away, Cora’s mom surprises Cora. She lets her make pancit! Soon, Cora is stirring noodles, arranging vegetables, and learning about the history of her family, too.

One of the reasons I liked the book is because the main character is Filipino. I also thought it was nice to see a pancit recipe at the end of the book. I will definitely make it soon!

The book, by Dorina K. Lazo Gilmore with illustrations by Kristi Valiant, is very descriptive, describing everything from the pancit pan to the vegetables. For example, “The salty taste tickled her tongue” and “The smell of ginger mixing with garlic floated to her nose.” I could see and almost smell what the author was describing. (It made me very hungry, though!

I would recommend this book especially to Filipino girls and boys who don’t often see themselves in books, and to any reader ages 4 and older. But kids who are Filipino need to read this!

This book is so good! I rate it four out of four roses!