Time for something a little bit different today! A big thank you to Storygram Tours for sending the little and I a copy of Kalamata's Kitchen, created by Sarah Thomas and Derek Wallace, and illustrated by Jo Kosmides Edwards.

I actually met the creators at Alt Summit back in 2020 so I was thrilled to be part of this book tour.

Kalamata has a magical kitchen table that transports her, and her alligator sidekick Al Dente, all around the world. Kalamata's first day of school is tomorrow and she's feeling particularly nervous so she climbs under the table and is transported back to the Indian spice market they visited last summer.

Thinking back to the spice market reminds her how brave she can be and that new experiences don't have to be something you're scared of.

The illustrations are just beautiful too, and this is a book we've already read dozens of times at our house. I can't tell you how nice it is to find a book that both mum and kiddo don't mind reading over and over.

Synopsis:

Grown-ups never seemed to notice, but Kalamata's kitchen table was magical. Under her table, she and Al Dente could transport themselves anywhere....

Tomorrow is Kalamata's first day at a new school, and she's nervous! What if the kids aren't friendly? Or worse, what if they don't like alligators!? If only Kalamata and Al Dente could go to back to the Indian spice market they visited this summer, then maybe she'd remember how to feel brave when new experiences seem scary.

Luckily for Kalamata, all the magic required for her journey is right in her own kitchen! As Kalamata and her alligator friend, Al Dente, transport themselves to a magical land filled with tasty ingredients, she realizes being brave is exciting! And most importantly, she learns that when we're nervous about trying new things, food can comfort us and remind us to stay curious, courageous, and compassionate.