It was Ramona Quimby who first made me aware of the extreme wonderfulness of gummi bears — though it was hard to find the highly coveted red cinnamon ones she loved so much. Sydney Taylor’s All-Of-A-Kind Family series made me aware of the sweet, salty, and sour delicacies of the Lower East Side in New York City, (an eating expedition that I still take at least once a month), and I almost cried when I bought horehound candy at Disney World, because it tasting nothing like the sweet delight that Laura Ingalls had described. There are some books that make me immediately think of feasting, of treats; I find it hard to read any book without a snack beside me — sometimes a healthy one, but more often than not, well…I recently added Jane Brockett’s fantastic CHERRY CAKE and GINGER BEER: A GOLDEN TREASURY OF CLASSIC TREATS to my embarrassingly large “children’s book cookbook” collection, and while “Pursey’s Comforting Boiled Eggs” (from DANCING SHOES) bring back pleasant memories, and yes, I love a good egg — proper Elevenses, with chocolatey hot cocoa and Marmalade Buns, perhaps even with my ancient stuffed Paddington Bear beside me…now that’s a treat that deserves a great book!

“I can’t think about THE BOOK OF SALT by Monique Truong without thinking of omelets and butter.”
Shadra Strickland, BIRD

“If I’m being *good*, baby carrots and green tea.”
Denise Jaden, LOSING FAITH

“Sliding on the Edge definitely has a creative-snacky connection. How does “Ketsup soup” sound as a main course? Yum.”
C. Lee McKenzie, SLIDING ON THE EDGE

“I eat handfuls of frozen mini-peanut butter cups from Trader Joe’s during SEA edits and JADE draft(s)… Oh and TONS of Lattes. Is that a food group?”
Verdict: I’m on a diet!
Heidi R. Kling, SEA

“One of the comic touches in MUDVILLE is that the dad is a horrible cook who concocts things like spam manicotti, chili dog pie, and green bean chili. The week my book was released, to celebrate, my wife treated my to nothing but meals featured in the book.”
Kurtis Scaletta, MUDVILLE

“I love to snack on ginger candies or sugared tamarind candy. Oh, and the old favorite, chocolate. ”
Karen Kincy, OTHER

“In my desk drawer, I have a stash of candy cigarettes, blow pops, candy necklaces, peppermint patties, and caramel cremes. Great for getting in touch with my inner child. A fun food read is CANDY FREAK by Steve Almond. Make sure you run to your local candy store and buy the candy bars he writes about. Fun to eat and read!”

Anna M. Lewis, award-winning toy inventor working on several projects in toy and publishing land.

“A large mug of Earl Grey tea with milk and at least three dark chocolate kisses. Such sensory overload is inspiring and gives me a little jolt.
If I’m being good, green tea (cold) with honey, please.”
Amy Brecount White, FORGET HER NOTS

“Assorted nuts and trail mixes keep me going on a slow writing day”.
Guadalupe Garcia McCall, A MESQUITE IN THE ROSE GARDEN

“An earthy chewy tortilla filled with warm honey and soothing butter!”
Jennifer Cervantes, TORTILLA SUN

“I’m going to face my shame and misery and admit it: cheesy gordita crunch, and Mountain Dew.
I know. What can I say? Sometimes I bike to the Taco Bell. That’s gotta be good, right?”
Steve Brezenoff, THE ABSOLUTE VALUE OF -1

Where do you make book/food connections? Share your favourites in the comments below!

About The Author

Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich is the daughter of a Jamaican mother and Nigerian father, and married to a man of Croatian descent. So, that’s what’s up with the name. She’s worked as a freelance writer and contributing editor at various magazines, and has developed educational materials geared to educators and students. Olugbemisola has worked extensively in youth development, at community organizations and New York City schools. She was twice awarded a public service fellowship by the Echoing Green foundation to work on a creative arts and literacy project with adolescent girls. She received her M.A. in Educational Communication and Technology, with a concentration in Adolescent Literacy and English Education, her B.Sc. from Cornell University, and is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. “I spent a number of my younger years in different communities across the globe. I attended public, private,’international’, and religious schools. These experiences have had lasting benefits as I was exposed to many languages, traditions, customs – new and thrilling worlds. And each move brought with it both an opportunity and a struggle surrounding identity, which is a recurring theme in my work.” She lives in New York City where she is also an enthusiastic if not particularly skilled crafter.  Read more about Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich.

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3. Faves on a Friday: The Unforgettables
4. Faves on a Friday: From Page to Screen
5. Faves on a Friday: From Page To Screen, Part II