posted on 05 Oct 2025

Mama’s Special Wonton Soup by Wai Mei Wong, illustrated by Xin Yue Zhu

The best picture books for younger children have repetition and rhythm at their heart as a sure way to keep their attention and to encourage joining in. They are also often about accumulating items of food from different characters along the way, which gently builds the plot as well as encouraging prediction and memory skills along the way. But the biggest test of success is whether the story and pictures work together to keep readers fully engaged - Mama’s Special Wonton Soup certainly passed with flying colours. 

Book covers are also important in capturing attention as well as conveying the mood of a story. I liked the way in which the confident looking girl is shown striding out, holding a basket with her dog running along just ahead. When I recently shared this story with a group of five-year-olds, a boy commented that it looked as if she was singing and another suggested that her mother was calling her to come back to help with cooking the fish that her dad had just caught in the lake. I think that this shows how important it is to spend time scrutinising a detailed book cover. Then we read the title and none of us were familiar with the word ‘Wonton’. After a few guesses, we agreed that reading the story might help.

The first double page spread shows Mama busy preparing leeks as she asks her daughter to help to buy meat at the market. The girl grabs a bamboo basket as we follow her out of the door. It soon becomes clear that she lives in a very friendly village with neighbours who are happy to contribute ingredients. Mrs Chen offers her some just picked radishes and Mr Li and his daughters give her freshly caught shrimp wrapped in giant banana leaves. On the way she passes Grandma and Aunt Ruby’s house where she stops for long hugs and some persimmons (another unfamiliar word), rice crackers and sweets for the basket. One of my little group wondered if all of those things were going to be included in the soup?

We really enjoyed her journey to market as she didn’t seem to be in a rush and had plenty of time to play and observe a group of old ladies chatting and gathering nuts. On her way home she passes a group of men playing chess beneath the trees and picks a blue flower to take to Grandma on her way home. I liked the portrayal of varied busyness by a range of people that contrasts with her careful placing of the flower in her Grandma’s hair as she naps in the rocking chair.  When she eventually arrives back, she tells Mama about her journey and the food that has been shared so generously. We spent some time looking at the pictures on the next two wordless pages that show her talking to these friends and family members. We tried to guess what she might be saying and agreed that she might be inviting them to share the Wonton soup. We were delighted to see that we were right as they all enjoyed a meal together at a big round table under the starry sky.   

I recommend this intriguing and thought- provoking picture book with its gentle illustrations that use a restricted but effective palette. It is a welcome addition to my own collection of books about Chinese culture and has inspired me to look out for more. We learnt new vocabulary that included the greeting ‘Zao an’ and ‘Xie Xie’ (thank you). The story could be used with young children to talk about the importance of independence as well as how family and community can help to achieve this. It might also inspire some discussion about favourite foods along with some soup making using different ingredients.  I am certain that they would also enjoy using their imaginations and physical skills to recreate the journey and to use the distinctive illustrations to create their own drawings.       

Available now from Lantana, you will be able to get a copy from your local independent bookshop – who will be happy to order it for you if they don’t have a copy on their shelves. 

Karen Argent

October 2025