pasta picture books

Bucatini, capellini, spaghettini, tortellini!

Molto delizioso!

Italian pasta names make me happy. Joyful, lyrical, rhythmic — saying them is almost as good as eating them. Hungry? Time to put on a bib, grab a fork, and feast on Pasta Pasta Lotsa Pasta by Aimee Lucido and Mavisu Demirağ (Beach Lane Books, 2024).

Mangiamo!

In this lip smacking celebration of all things noodle-y, a family of picky eaters gathers for dinner. Their names just happen to rhyme with where they’re from as well as their pasta preferences. Told from a young girl’s point of view, the story begins with the arrival of her grandmother:

Ring-a-ding, the doorbell rings, and oh!/What did my Nonna bring?

Nonna Ana (who’s from Catania and only likes to eat lasagna) wheels in her chicken and some eggs. The girl and her mom get busy making the lasagna from scratch — combining ingredients, rolling out the dough and then cutting it into thin layers.

The next minute, the doorbell rings again. Nonno Titi arrives with a bag full of fresh veggies. “Nonno Titi from Tahiti only eats our spaghettini.” Papa and Mamma proceed to slice and cook the spinach, zucchini, eggplant and onions to go with the spaghettini.