French Toast

Simply told and cleverly imagined, French Toast is a great starting point for talking to young children about race, diversity, and respect.Quill and Quire Starred Review Phoebehalf Jamaican, half French-Canadianhates her school nickname of French Toast. So she is mortified when, out on a walk with her Jamaican grandmother, she hears a classmate shout it out at her. To make things worse, Nan-Ma, who is blind, wants an explanation of the name. How can Phoebe describe the color of her skin to someone who has never seen it? Like tea, after youve added the milk, she says. And her father? Like warm banana bread. And Nan-Ma herself? She is like maple syrup poured over...well... In French Toast, Kari-Lynn Winters uses favorite foods from both of Phoebes cultures to celebrate the varied skin tones of her family. Franois Thisdales imaginative illustrations fill the landscape with whimsy and mouthwatering delight as Phoebe realizes her own resilience and takes ownership of her nickname proudly.