What do you think?
Rate this book
Thukpa for All
Tsering can’t wait to taste his grandmother’s delicious noodle soup. He invites a string of friends and neighbours home. But as preparations get underway, there is a power cut and the house is plunged into darkness. Will Abi be able to put together the much-anticipated thukpa? Told from a blind child’s perspective, this tale by Praba Ram and Sheela Preuitt is accompanied by Shilpa Ranade’s stunning illustrations.
38 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2019
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
January 27, 2020
Thukpa for All seems a little bit like a folk tale, in the tradition of stories like "Stone Soup" or modern picture books like Oge Mora's
Thank You, Omu!
Set in India, it tells the story of a little blind boy and a dinner invitation that brings the whole community together.
Tsering is on his way home, looking forward to his grandmother's thukpa (noodle soup). As he encounters various people, he invites them home to share the meal. Eventually, it's a big party, but it's okay because each guest brings a contribution for the meal. But then the power goes out! How will Abi see to be able to cook the thukpa?
I really like the premise of this. And I like seeing a child with a disability featured in a role that highlights his skills and contributions. The setting is interesting, too; I don't think I've read any picture books set in the Ladakh region of India before. The way the story is structured works well, too; it reminds me of "Stone Soup" and its variations (although the overall message is different). The choice to make Tsering blind is interesting, and I really enjoyed the onomatopoeia that was included as a way of highlighting one of the senses that he does have.
Unfortunately, the book suffers from a couple of problems that really affected my enjoyment. The first is the writing. The characters "speak" with silent actions such as smiling and handing over a basket of peas. It wasn't just a one-time occurrence, either, so I took off a few points for that. Also, the illustrations give the impression that this book could take place a long time ago. There's little in the way of modern technology. So when the power goes out, it's jarring. There aren't even any electrical wires to be seen, so I'm curious as to how Ami's house is powered. Solar panels? Then why would one of the characters make mention of a "power cut", as if it's something that happens regularly with the grid? The stove itself is simply a rectangular box. Drawing an electrical cord might have helped the illustrations look they actually belonged with the text. (There's also the matter of the stove having a chimney in one illustration but not the others. That's a continuity problem that should've been caught.)
For all that, though, this isn't a terrible book. I always like reading about children's experiences in different parts of the world. There's also a recipe in the back for thukpa, which sounds tasty. So I would recommend this one (especially if you're not as much of a stickler for good grammar as I am).
Tsering is on his way home, looking forward to his grandmother's thukpa (noodle soup). As he encounters various people, he invites them home to share the meal. Eventually, it's a big party, but it's okay because each guest brings a contribution for the meal. But then the power goes out! How will Abi see to be able to cook the thukpa?
I really like the premise of this. And I like seeing a child with a disability featured in a role that highlights his skills and contributions. The setting is interesting, too; I don't think I've read any picture books set in the Ladakh region of India before. The way the story is structured works well, too; it reminds me of "Stone Soup" and its variations (although the overall message is different). The choice to make Tsering blind is interesting, and I really enjoyed the onomatopoeia that was included as a way of highlighting one of the senses that he does have.
Unfortunately, the book suffers from a couple of problems that really affected my enjoyment. The first is the writing. The characters "speak" with silent actions such as smiling and handing over a basket of peas. It wasn't just a one-time occurrence, either, so I took off a few points for that. Also, the illustrations give the impression that this book could take place a long time ago. There's little in the way of modern technology. So when the power goes out, it's jarring. There aren't even any electrical wires to be seen, so I'm curious as to how Ami's house is powered. Solar panels? Then why would one of the characters make mention of a "power cut", as if it's something that happens regularly with the grid? The stove itself is simply a rectangular box. Drawing an electrical cord might have helped the illustrations look they actually belonged with the text. (There's also the matter of the stove having a chimney in one illustration but not the others. That's a continuity problem that should've been caught.)
For all that, though, this isn't a terrible book. I always like reading about children's experiences in different parts of the world. There's also a recipe in the back for thukpa, which sounds tasty. So I would recommend this one (especially if you're not as much of a stickler for good grammar as I am).
September 18, 2019
Making his way home one day, Tsering eagerly anticipates his grandmother's thukpa, or noodle soup. Greeting and helping each community member that he meets along the way, he invites them back to enjoy that delicious dish, arriving home with the news that quite a crowd is expected. His grandmother gets busy preparing for the guests, each of whom brings a contribution to the meal, but how will the thukpa be prepared, when a power outage leaves everyone in darkness? It turns out that Tsering, who is blind, knows just how to help...
Published in India, by the Chennai-based publisher Karadi Tales, Thukpa for All is the first story I have ever read that is set in the Ladakh region of northern India. It reminded me a bit of the recent American picture-book, Thank You, Omu! , in which an elderly woman prepares her delicious stew for all of her neighbors, each of whom also brings a contribution. Although there are similar themes of community and food in co-authors Praba Ram and Sheela Preuitt's tale, there is also a focus on the cook's grandson, and on the matter-of-fact way in which his disability is accepted by his friends and neighbors. I can see why this was included in the 2019 IBBY Catalog of Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities, as Tsering's blindness, far from being treated as a calamity, is accepted without comment by all, and actually proves an advantage in certain circumstances. The story is engaging, with plenty of onomatopoeia to keep young children listening, while the accompanying artwork from Shilpa Ranade is (although not my personal cup of tea) colorful and expressive. There is even a recipe for thukpa at the rear of the book! Recommended to anyone looking for new children's stories featuring community and sharing, characters who are blind, and an Indian/Ladakh cultural setting.
Published in India, by the Chennai-based publisher Karadi Tales, Thukpa for All is the first story I have ever read that is set in the Ladakh region of northern India. It reminded me a bit of the recent American picture-book, Thank You, Omu! , in which an elderly woman prepares her delicious stew for all of her neighbors, each of whom also brings a contribution. Although there are similar themes of community and food in co-authors Praba Ram and Sheela Preuitt's tale, there is also a focus on the cook's grandson, and on the matter-of-fact way in which his disability is accepted by his friends and neighbors. I can see why this was included in the 2019 IBBY Catalog of Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities, as Tsering's blindness, far from being treated as a calamity, is accepted without comment by all, and actually proves an advantage in certain circumstances. The story is engaging, with plenty of onomatopoeia to keep young children listening, while the accompanying artwork from Shilpa Ranade is (although not my personal cup of tea) colorful and expressive. There is even a recipe for thukpa at the rear of the book! Recommended to anyone looking for new children's stories featuring community and sharing, characters who are blind, and an Indian/Ladakh cultural setting.
October 18, 2021
A delightful little picture book.
November 14, 2019
Set in Ladakh region of India, the central character is a blind child who gathers friends together for a dinner of noodle soup. They all contribute something to the meal and Tsering is able to put it all together when the electricity goes out. The recipe for Thukpa is included at the back.
January 10, 2021
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This Karadi Tales offering takes a closer look at the cultural practices of Ladakh, the northern mountainous union territory of India. A young boy Tsering on his way home invites a motley crew of friends and neighbors to partake the delicious, chunky, spicy Thukpa ( traditional noodle soup) prepared by his grandmother.
As the grandmother sets about prepping for the Thukpa, she enlists Tsering's help to make sure she has enough to feed all those invited.
As a book about community bonding and sharing it is a winner. Where it actually excels and shines bright is in the depiction of Tsering's visual impairment. Early on in the story we are made aware of it but we soon get to know that it never stops him from leading an optimal life. He goes about his daily life with the same confidence and enthusiasm as any child his age. In helping his grandmother during the power outage, he shows the little reader how one's perceived disability is in truth their strength.
Thukpa For All leads the way for inclusive, culturally relevant children's literature from India.
This Karadi Tales offering takes a closer look at the cultural practices of Ladakh, the northern mountainous union territory of India. A young boy Tsering on his way home invites a motley crew of friends and neighbors to partake the delicious, chunky, spicy Thukpa ( traditional noodle soup) prepared by his grandmother.
As the grandmother sets about prepping for the Thukpa, she enlists Tsering's help to make sure she has enough to feed all those invited.
As a book about community bonding and sharing it is a winner. Where it actually excels and shines bright is in the depiction of Tsering's visual impairment. Early on in the story we are made aware of it but we soon get to know that it never stops him from leading an optimal life. He goes about his daily life with the same confidence and enthusiasm as any child his age. In helping his grandmother during the power outage, he shows the little reader how one's perceived disability is in truth their strength.
Thukpa For All leads the way for inclusive, culturally relevant children's literature from India.
August 3, 2020
A beautiful tale set in India.
Tsering is walking down the mountain, on his way home for dinner. He just happens to be blind, so uses his senses of feeling, hearing, and smelling to navigate his way. Along the way, he meets several friends and relatives, inviting them all to join the dinner of thukpa, a traditional Tibetan noodle soup with vegetables. When he arrives home, he tells Abi-le about all of their guests. While preparing dinner, the power goes out leaving the house pitch black. Tsering comes to the rescue to help prepare the thukpa, handing Abi-le all of the ingredients she needs.
Backmatter includes some facts about life in Ladakhi, a state of Jammu and Kashmire in India - the setting for this story, a short glossary of Indian words used in the text, and the recipe for thukpa.
The text by Praba Ram and Sheela Preuitt is simply told. Illustrations by Shilpa Ranade do a wonderful job of showing this area of the world, including many unique details.
Highly Recommended for PreSchool-grade 3.
Tsering is walking down the mountain, on his way home for dinner. He just happens to be blind, so uses his senses of feeling, hearing, and smelling to navigate his way. Along the way, he meets several friends and relatives, inviting them all to join the dinner of thukpa, a traditional Tibetan noodle soup with vegetables. When he arrives home, he tells Abi-le about all of their guests. While preparing dinner, the power goes out leaving the house pitch black. Tsering comes to the rescue to help prepare the thukpa, handing Abi-le all of the ingredients she needs.
Backmatter includes some facts about life in Ladakhi, a state of Jammu and Kashmire in India - the setting for this story, a short glossary of Indian words used in the text, and the recipe for thukpa.
The text by Praba Ram and Sheela Preuitt is simply told. Illustrations by Shilpa Ranade do a wonderful job of showing this area of the world, including many unique details.
Highly Recommended for PreSchool-grade 3.
October 30, 2019
A charming story about a boy and a community and soup. That he is blind is never a big deal, just a part of who he is and everyone is excited when he invites them over to his grandmother's home for soup. A little bit "Stone Soup"-esque in that everyone brings something to contribute to the meal. Overall, this is just a nice story about community, family, and food that happens to be set in a place and culture that most people have likely never even heard of. It is a good choice for themes of food (especially soup!), community, and all-around useful for special needs and cultural awareness and understanding.
December 28, 2020
This was such an interesting book for my toddler who has grown up in America. There were new sights, descriptions, and I could see for some reason she was very interested in the book visually. That being said this book gets top props for having a character who is blind, and not having it be a book about showcasing how kind and helpful others are to this character. What works better still, the blind character was able to benefit from their condition and help *others*. While I understand this isn't necessarily the reality in most every day situations, it was really refreshing to read something unexpected. I picked this up simply because I really love the publisher Karadi Tales.
February 11, 2022
A little long for a storytime, but a sweet story of community and food nonetheless. Tsering walks home one day, inviting others to dine with him and his grandmother on noodle soup. It's not until a power outage threatens the meal preparation that I even realized Tsering is blind. In hindsight it should have been obvious, as he walks through his village with a cane. The little hungry group navigates the brief power outage and has a great time sharing a meal.
Shot through with onomatopoeia and little rhymes, the story celebrates family and community and care.
Recipe for noodle soup included.
Shot through with onomatopoeia and little rhymes, the story celebrates family and community and care.
Recipe for noodle soup included.
May 25, 2021
Lovely tales of a young boy looking forward to eating thukpa (noodle soup) his grandmother is making for their meal. He invites friends he meets along the way to visit and have some, too! His grandmother is caught off guard, of course, but the community comes together to create a wonderful meal! Littles will enjoy this wonderful tale and learn about another culture t the same time, The story ends with the recipe for the soup. It would make a nice addition to a library needing some diversity.
I received a Kindle arc from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
I received a Kindle arc from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
March 24, 2021
Similar to Thank you, Omu. A blind child in India meets numerous people on his way home to his Abi, and he invites them all to enjoy her Thukpa, Tibetan Noodle Soup (recipe included). Everyone shows up with additional ingredients and other contributions and everyone enjoys the food and company. At one point, the power goes out, but our hero knows exactly where everything is and the cooking is a complete success. Great story about a culture of generosity and community.
May 22, 2020
Loved that this book was about Tibet, sharing, and it not being a big deal that the narrator is blind. However, there were quite a few words and names that were unfamiliar that it was hard to stay focused on the narrative while trying to sort that out. I would also love to know how to say "thukpa" properly.
June 16, 2021
A lovely story about a young man who goes home and helps to make soup. The main character, Tsering, is blind, though that is never stated outright. The story does a fabulous job of using other senses and clues to show us this. At a climatic moment the lights go out, but Tsering is able to save the day because he doesn't need the lights.
June 17, 2020
Tsering is a wonderful boy
I would love to meet Tsering. An author is successful when they bring something to life as they did here. It is a wonderful story of giving, community, and ability. It is almost as if I could smell the stew myself.
I would love to meet Tsering. An author is successful when they bring something to life as they did here. It is a wonderful story of giving, community, and ability. It is almost as if I could smell the stew myself.
November 22, 2021
This book is about a family preparing a traditional meal for their community. It has a lot of great cultural elements. Also, it is told from a unique perspective as the narrator is blind. Published 2019. International project. Fiction.
October 6, 2019
A lovely portrait of a tight-knit, caring community in the Ladakh region of India.
November 20, 2019
I love how Tsering jumps in and helps his grandmother with cooking the noodle soup during the power outage. I will use this story during free time.
December 11, 2019
Lovely story about a voyage and gathering to enjoy thukpa, a rich soup. Includes a short glossary and a recipe for thukpa as well.
Want to read
February 2, 2020Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.
September 16, 2020
As blind Tsering walks along the mountain path from the temple to the home he shares with his grandma, he invites their neighbors to join them for thukpa - Ladakhi noodle soup, while demonstrating his ability to navigate his neighborhood, interact with members of his community, and help cook, while showing readers what it’s like to live in the mountains of the Ladakh region of India.
We see a cooperative community of simple means, apparently authentic to the Ladakh region and recognizable to the cultures nearby, such as the Tibetan Buddhist Americans who enjoyed this story at our library.
Onomatopoeia and a repeating pattern of inviting neighbors works well to carry the attention of younger audiences toward a predictably comforting conclusion, with an inclusive twist.
Full-page illustrations using cheerful crayon lines and brightly colored markers depict a cozy mountain environment, with friendly farm animals and unique regional specifics including traditional clothing, architecture, furniture, and prayer flags.
When the lights go out in a power outage, Ranade shows a pitch-black room, with light only from the stove below the pots - effectively allowing young readers to feel “blind” while the blind character feels empowered.
The Indian authors’ and illustrator’s apparent familiarity with both the culture depicted and Westerners’ assumptions makes them valuable interpreters, giving readers the details and format they need to be receptive to the uniqueness, universality, and child-appeal of this story.
The brief glossary unfortunately lacks a pronunciation guide, and the soup recipe assumes there is no difference between Ladakh and Tibet, but these are minor quibbles in a book that will work well for storytime.
This review originally submitted to The Association of Children's Librarians of Northern California, in January, 2020.
We see a cooperative community of simple means, apparently authentic to the Ladakh region and recognizable to the cultures nearby, such as the Tibetan Buddhist Americans who enjoyed this story at our library.
Onomatopoeia and a repeating pattern of inviting neighbors works well to carry the attention of younger audiences toward a predictably comforting conclusion, with an inclusive twist.
Full-page illustrations using cheerful crayon lines and brightly colored markers depict a cozy mountain environment, with friendly farm animals and unique regional specifics including traditional clothing, architecture, furniture, and prayer flags.
When the lights go out in a power outage, Ranade shows a pitch-black room, with light only from the stove below the pots - effectively allowing young readers to feel “blind” while the blind character feels empowered.
The Indian authors’ and illustrator’s apparent familiarity with both the culture depicted and Westerners’ assumptions makes them valuable interpreters, giving readers the details and format they need to be receptive to the uniqueness, universality, and child-appeal of this story.
The brief glossary unfortunately lacks a pronunciation guide, and the soup recipe assumes there is no difference between Ladakh and Tibet, but these are minor quibbles in a book that will work well for storytime.
This review originally submitted to The Association of Children's Librarians of Northern California, in January, 2020.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 28, 2019
This one is a 3.5 for me, and I was particularly impressed by the book's message and the colorful images that suffice the book's pages. Tsering eagerly anticipates his grandmother's noodle soup, and as he heads home, he invites various neighbors to join the family for a meal. At first, readers might be concerned that there would not be enough to share, but as it turns out, every invited guest brings along something for the meal. Before Abi can finish her preparations, though, the electricity goes out, and Tsering saves the day. Since he's blind, something readers might not have realized at first, he relies on his other senses, and the soup turns out to be delicious. Back matter includes a glossary, information about Ladakh, where the story is set, and a recipe for Thukpa, Tibetan noodle soup. I was impressed with how all the invited guests made contributions to the meal and how welcoming to all of them Tsering and Abi were. If I'd been in their shoes, I'd have been scampering around in search of something else to serve.
Read
December 22, 2020Set in the Ladakh area of India (there's a little contextualizing backmatter), this story has an old folktale feel to it, so the electricity cutting out may be jarring (as one GR reviewer notes).
Tsering's blindness isn't made a big deal of, but on the very first page we read, "Tsering treks with his stick, sweeping it left and right." The text highlights sounds a lot -- which makes sense, given a blind protagonist.
On his way home, excited for his aunt's thukpa, Tsering invites various friends and family members to join for dinner. His aunt worries she won't have enough to feed everyone, but (spoilers) everyone brings some food of their own (shades of the stone soup story). The power goes out, heralding the third act of the story -- in which Tsering is able to help finish making dinner since he doesn't need light to see by.
Tsering's blindness isn't made a big deal of, but on the very first page we read, "Tsering treks with his stick, sweeping it left and right." The text highlights sounds a lot -- which makes sense, given a blind protagonist.
On his way home, excited for his aunt's thukpa, Tsering invites various friends and family members to join for dinner. His aunt worries she won't have enough to feed everyone, but (spoilers) everyone brings some food of their own (shades of the stone soup story). The power goes out, heralding the third act of the story -- in which Tsering is able to help finish making dinner since he doesn't need light to see by.
January 15, 2024
It is a quick read, I could finish in 20mins. Some parts are a little confusing without giving the details of the background/context. Interesting ending where it shows how the person has mastered the dish Thupka. Good part is that recipe is given in the end , which I definitely want to try.
August 13, 2024
What a beautiful idea, plot and execution. Simple, sweet and powerful all at the same time. A child (and an adult) can learn so much from this storytelling. Plus, a peek into Ladakhi culture is just a bonus. A keeper!
February 5, 2020
The story reminded me of "Stone Soup." But it had its own individual flair.
August 15, 2022
A brilliant book with a unique and relatable perspective into the life of a differently-abled boy and the strong bonds of community that characterize life in Ladakh.
April 15, 2020
An elementary and up picture book about a boy headed home for dinner and inviting many of his neighbors along the way. Will there be enough?
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews