MAMI KING

A rags-to-riches true story about a legendary entrepreneur renowned for his noodle soup.

The narrative begins in 1918, as Ma Mon Luk (1896-1961) sorrowfully bids farewell to his sweetheart, Ng Shih, whose parents have deemed him too poor to marry. “The rich and the poor, like oil and water, [don't] mix.” Determined to prove Ng Shih’s parents wrong, he leaves Canton, China, for the Philippines to make a name for himself. While wandering the bustling streets of Manila’s Chinatown, he’s inspired to make his own version of his hometown favorite, chicken noodle soup. “Clink, clank, clink!” Day after day, he carries his jangling wares with a bamboo pole, selling noodles to rich and poor alike. His hard work and perseverance pay off, and his soup, known as mami—“‘Ma' after his name and ‘mi’ for noodles”—becomes famous. Over time, his success allows him to give back to the community and reconnect with his love. He opens a restaurant “where rich and poor people, unlike oil and water, [mix].” The lightly textured illustrations gracefully support the emotional resonance of the tale, contrasting bright, warm colors against a muted palette to heighten moments of success, longing, and nostalgia. Chio-Lauri’s use of short sentences, onomatopoeia, and repetition breaks up larger sections of text and will keep readers engaged in this compelling success story about the Mami King.

As heartwarming and satisfying as a bowl of noodle soup.