ClassX Video Lessons Youtube Channel Vooks Storybooks Storytime With Miss Jeneé: Fried Rice and Marinara! | Read Aloud
Hi friends! Welcome to Storytime with Miss Jan. I’m so happy you’re here today because we have a super fun book to read! The book is called “Fried Rice and Marinara,” written by Mikey Yam and illustrated by Laura Dong.
This story is about a boy named Mikey Yam. Mikey is almost four years old, and he’s planning a big birthday party! But there’s one big question: what food should he have at his party? Mikey’s family has two different cultures, so he has lots of yummy choices!
Mikey’s mom is from Italy, and his dad is from China. That means he can choose between Italian food and Chinese food. Yum! But Mikey can’t decide, so he asks his grandmothers, Babu and Nona, for help. Will he pick ravioli or dumplings? Let’s find out!
Mikey starts thinking about all the delicious foods. Pizza is great, tacos are fun, and burgers and hot dogs are easy to eat. But what about pork and fried rice? Mikey needs some help to decide!
Mikey asks his grandmother Babu, “What food did you have for your birthday?” She says, “In Hong Kong, we had Chinese food.” Then he asks Nona, “What would you choose?” Nona says, “I love Italian pasta!”
Mikey is still unsure, so he goes to the park. His friend Sophia sees him and asks, “What’s wrong, Mikey?” Mikey tells her he can’t decide on the food. Sophia has a great idea: “Why not have both? A Chinese-Italian mashup!”
Mikey loves the idea! He runs home and tells his mom, “I want fried rice and marinara sauce!” His mom smiles and says, “You’re the boss!”
The next day, Mikey is excited and a little nervous. His friends arrive, and they all help make the special dish. Mikey’s mom cooks the fried rice, and his friends make the marinara sauce.
When everyone tastes the food, they love it! The fried rice is savory, and the marinara sauce is sweet. It’s a delicious surprise! Everyone at the party shouts, “Different is good!”
And that’s the end of “Fried Rice and Marinara.” Mikey had a great idea for his party, don’t you think? I hope you enjoyed the story as much as I did!
Thanks for joining me for Storytime. I can’t wait to see you again soon! Bye for now!
Food Fusion Art: Create a fun art project by drawing or crafting your own food fusion dish! Think about two different types of food you love, just like Mikey did with fried rice and marinara sauce. Use crayons, colored paper, or playdough to make your dish. Share your creation with the class and explain why you chose those foods.
Cultural Food Exploration: With the help of a grown-up, explore foods from different cultures. You can start by asking your family about their favorite dishes or looking at pictures of foods from around the world. Try to find one new food from a culture you haven’t tried before. If possible, taste it and describe what you like about it. How does it compare to your favorite foods?
Decision-Making Game: Play a game where you have to make choices like Mikey. Create a list of different party themes and foods. Each child can pick a theme and then choose two foods that might not usually go together. Discuss why they made those choices and what makes them special. This will help you think about how combining different things can create something new and exciting!
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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[Music]
Hi friends! Welcome back to Story Time. I’m Miss Jan, and I’m so happy that you joined us today because we have a very fun book for you! Today’s book is called “Fried Rice and Marinara,” written by Mikey Yam and illustrated by Laura Dong.
“Fried Rice and Marinara” is a delightful story about our friend, young Mikey Yam. Mikey is about to turn four years old, but deciding what type of food to have at his party is creating a jumble of possibilities. Birthday parties are so much fun! The friends, the family, the games, the gifts, and of course, the food! But what type of food do you serve at a birthday party when your family comes from two different cultures?
Young Mikey Yam is having a hard time choosing between the Italian food from his mother’s side and the Chinese cuisine from his dad’s side. So, he turns to his Granny, Babu, and Nona for advice. We are going to learn some really fun things in this book, and I think you’re going to enjoy it! Do you think he will choose ravioli or dumplings, or maybe something else? All of these options are kind of overwhelming, so let’s dive into the book and see what he chooses. Are you ready? Let’s read “Fried Rice and Marinara.”
Young Mikey Yam danced to his front door. “Mom, do you know I’m about to turn four? All of my friends will come over and play. Then piles of presents will fill our driveway. We’ll have a huge cake, and my buddies will say, ‘Your party was perfect! Hip hip hooray!’”
Mikey’s mom smiled as he finished his speech. “Your plan is fantastic, my sweet little peach, but no celebration is ever complete until you’ve decided what you want to eat.” Her statement stopped him in his tracks. Food! Of course, every party needs snacks!
Well, pizza is something that everyone loves, but tacos fit in your hand like a glove. Burgers and hot dogs are easy to eat, but pork and fried rice is such a nice treat! He needed a guru, a trusted food guide. Maybe his grandmothers could help him decide.
“What food did you have for your birthday, Babu?” he asked. “In Hong Kong, Chinese food is all that we knew.”
“Nona, do you know what food you would choose?”
“My roots are Italian, so pasta can’t lose!”
Chinese or Italian—both are delicious! He remembered his cousin’s birthday dishes for the twins: rice and spice on their special day, while Joe had lasagna and ate a whole tray.
Mikey was stuck, not sure what to do. He couldn’t decide between the two: ravioli or dumplings, linguini or lo mein. All of these options were hurting his brain!
He rushed to the park to clear his head. His best friend Sophia found him and said, “Are you okay, Mikey? Why so much sorrow?”
“I can’t pick a dish, and my party’s tomorrow!”
“Your mom is Italian, your dad is Chinese. You’re free to choose food as unique as you please! Why not have both? Is that too outrageous—a Chinese-Italian mashup?”
“Yeah, Sophia! That’s it! I don’t have to choose just one!”
He bolted straight home; there was lots to get done. Mikey burst into the kitchen. “I’m ready to pick! I’ve made my decision. This isn’t a trick! I want fried rice and marinara sauce!”
That’ll be different, but hey, you’re the boss!
The next day, he woke up in a jittery mood. Friends were arriving—would they like the food? Mikey’s mom fried up a wok full of rice, added veggies, two eggs, and some spice. His friends helped squish the tomatoes and drizzled the sauce to complete the new dish.
Mikey tensed up as his friends took a taste, but the fusion of flavors lit up every face. Despite any doubts, the meal couldn’t be beat! The fried rice was savory, and the marinara was sweet. It tasted more scrumptious than they thought it could. The whole party shouted out, “Different is good!”
And that is the end of “Fried Rice and Marinara.” I hope you enjoyed it as much as we did! Little Mikey Yam came up with a pretty good idea for a party, don’t you think?
I love hanging out with you guys, and I hope you come back again soon for our next Story Time! This is Miss Jan signing out, and I’ll see you soon. Bye!
Oh wait, don’t forget! If you liked this book, ask your grown-ups to click the link below!
[Music]
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This version maintains the essence of the original transcript while removing any unnecessary or repetitive elements.
