Lunch from Home

By: Joshua David Stein, Niki Russ Federman, Ray Garcia, Preeti Mistry, Mina Park

Narrated by: Joshua David Stein

What happens when a child’s favorite packed lunch is met with disparaging comments at the school lunch table?

In a classroom of sandwiches, four students stand out with their homemade, culturally-specific lunches. But before they can dig in and enjoy their favorite foods, their lunches are spoiled by scrunched noses and disgusted reactions from their sandwich-eating classmates.

Follow each of the four students as they learn to cope with their first “lunch box moments” in this audiobook that encourages empathy and inspires all listeners to stand up for their food! Inspired by the “lunch box moments” of four acclaimed chefs, Ray Garcia, Preeti Mistry, Mina Park, and Niki Russ Federman, this heartwarming story reminds us all that one’s food is a reflection of self and an authentic celebration of culture.

Critic reviews

Skipping Stones Honor Award - Multicultural & International - (2023)

Notable Social Studies Trade Book —National Council for the Social Studies and Children's Book Council (2023)

Amazon Best Book (2022)

"[Lunch From Home] touches on positive portrayals of diversity and inclusiveness and appreciating the connections between food, culture, and family traditions; the four kids in this story are based on real people, each of whom is a professional chef, which adds meaningful weight to their experiences. Bright, naturalistic art vibrantly depicts the kids in the classroom and, of course, their delicious-looking lunches." — Booklist

"[The] meals are lovingly described by Stein and depicted in vibrant color by Li in this epicurean picture book." — Publishers Weekly

"[A] layered tale about peer pressure and cultural pride around the lunch table." — San Francisco Chronicle