EMEKA, EAT EGUSI!

A young boy of Nigerian descent knows what he likes and what he doesn’t…or so he thinks.

“Emeka knows a lot”—that his older brother will walk him home every afternoon, that every evening at 6:00 Mama will serve him two big spoonfuls of jollof rice, and that he’ll stick to his beloved rice, despite Papa’s encouragement to try Mama’s egusi (a traditional Nigerian soup). But one day, Mama tasks Emeka with helping her prepare egusi. Together, they assemble ingredients—among them bitter leaf, beef, and crayfish—and add them one by one to the simmering pot. Enveloped by the dish’s enticing aroma, Emeka takes a bite. And tonight, the whole family—Emeka included—happily dines on egusi. Iloh’s methodically paced story is as warm and flavorful as the titular soup. Inspired by their younger sibling, they offer a loving portrait of a child on the autistic spectrum who’s supported by family members eager to meet him where he is. Emeka’s adherence to routine is never framed as a negative; instead, Iloh emphasizes his strengths: his curiosity and sense of wonder. Jackson has a rare gift for capturing emotion through body language and facial expression. Her digital illustrations rely on multiple angles, photorealistic depictions of the foods, and masterful use of light and shadow—all of which adds up to both an utterly immersive culinary experience and a tale of familial bonding at its best.

A delicious introduction to new food and old traditions.