Patty Dreams

A story of finding familiarity in a new place, Patty Dreams by Nadia L. Hohn and Sahle Robinson is a delicious immigration story.

August’s father has a thriving bakery in Jamaica where he specializes in baking homemade patties. People come from all over Jamaica to eat his mouth watering savoury treats. When the landscape in Jamaica begins to change and people begin to leave, so too must August’s family. In Canada, August’s dad doesn't have the time to make delicious patties but when August forces the issue, they discover that they can still have their patty dreams in a new country.

This mouthwatering story by fan favourite, Nadia L. Hohn will have readers salivating from page one. Her delicious descriptions of the rich pastry and savoury filling will make even the pickiest eater hungry! Perhaps this story will even make them want to enjoy a patty themselves. I love how the story focuses on celebrating family food culture and shows readers that they can still have a taste of home, even in a place very far away.

August’s family must immigrate to Canada and Nadia L. Hohn shows readers that it can be hard moving to a new country and a new city and that it takes a lot of time to adjust to a new reality. I love how, through August, the family begins to infuse joy into their new community through their patty making and sharing the patties with friends, neighbours and classmates. Finally, the farmer’s market stand, Patty Dreams, is such a Toronto thing. From spring to fall you can always find a whole host of farmers market’s popping up all over the city to buy local produce and delicious delights from local vendors.

Sahle Robinson’s illustrations are a feast for the eyes! As delicious as the patties in the story, the illustrations transport readers from Jamaica to Toronto and reflect the joy that comes from cooking together with your family and sharing those delicious treats with a community.