8 delicious picture books about food

Food has always been joy for me. Growing up in a Jamaican household, rice and peas wasn’t just dinner; it was Sunday, it was family, it was who we were. 

Now, as a mum of three, I see the same spark in my kids when we cook together or when they pick up a book and spot food they recognise on the page. 

That’s what inspired me to write My Rice Is Best (illustrated by Maxwell A. Oginni) and why I love stories where food takes centre stage. They’re fun, they’re full of flavour, and they make children feel proud of what’s on their plates. 

One of the first books my children grab off the shelf is My Rice Is Best, the book I wrote because I wanted them, and children like them, to see their food and culture celebrated. 

Rice has always been close to home for us; it’s on our table in so many forms. From Jamaican rice and peas to Nigerian jollof, Chinese fried rice to Trinidadian pelau, My Rice Is Best celebrates the many ways rice shows up around the world. 

When we read it together, my kids argue over which dish is the best, and I just love watching them see themselves in a story that feels so familiar and proud. 

Another favourite is Baby Goes to Market by Atinuke and Angela Brooksbank. It’s set in a bustling Nigerian market and it’s pure chaos in the best way. Baby is secretly handed food everywhere he goes – bananas, biscuits, chin-chin – and Mama has no clue. 

My children crack up every single time because the basket just keeps getting heavier and heavier. It’s one of those books where you can almost hear the noise and smell the food while you’re reading. 

Of course, you can’t talk about food in picture books without Handa’s Surprise by Eileen Browne. It’s a classic for a reason. 

Handa sets off with her basket of tropical fruit, and cheeky animals pinch each piece along the way. My eldest loved guessing which animal would strike next and she always wanted to try the fruits afterwards. Mango, guava, passionfruit – it’s a book that makes you hungry while you read. 

Then there’s The Best Jollof Rice Ever! by Onyinye Iwu. If you know, you know that jollof sparks big debates about who makes it best. This book leans right into that. 

Kwame and Kamsi try to prove their point by cooking, and it all goes sideways when they start adding ridiculous things. Ants! Nettles! My kids howl with laughter at that page, but what I love most is the message: food tastes better when it’s shared. 

Bilal Cooks Daal by Aisha Saeed and Anoosha Syed is another one I adore. Bilal is so excited for his friends to try daal, but he’s also nervous. What if they don’t like it? The waiting while it simmers is torture, and you can feel it. 

My children always ask, ​“What’s daal, Mummy?” and I love that the book opens up conversations like that. It’s about pride in your own food and also inviting others to join in. 

Lima’s Red Hot Chilli by David Mills and Derek Brazell is just brilliant. We’ve all had that moment when we bite into something far spicier than expected. 

Lima sneaks a chilli, and the look on her face is priceless. My kids fall about laughing at that page. It’s light, it’s funny, and it always gets us talking about spices in our own kitchen. 

I also have a soft spot for Every Cake Has a Story by Christina Tosi and Emily Balsley. It turns baking into pure imagination. Cakes become wild inventions and stories in themselves. 

My daughter loves baking with me, and after reading this she always comes up with mad ideas for cakes we should try. It’s playful, colourful, and makes you want to grab a mixing bowl. 

And finally, What’s Cooking, Jamela? by Niki Daly. Jamela is cheeky, bold and hilarious. Her mum brings home a chicken for Christmas dinner, and Jamela decides it would make a better pet. Chaos follows! My children adore her, and I love how it shows family traditions in all their messy, funny, loving glory. 

From jollof to daal, from fruit baskets in Kenya to busy Nigerian markets, these books show that food is never just food. It’s love, pride and culture. 

For me, the best part is seeing my kids’ faces light up when they spot a dish they know from home. That pride is everything. It’s why these stories matter, and why I’ll always celebrate them. 

My Rice Is Best by Selina Brown, illustrated by Maxwell A. Oginni, is out now.