Magic Ramen

Book excerpt: World War II was over, but in Japan, lines for a simple bowl of ramen noodles wound down the sidewalk. What Momofuku Ando did next would change food forever. Andrea Wang, author of Watercress (a Newberry honor book and winner of the Caldecott Medal), tells the true story behind the creation of one of the world's most popular foods. "An inspiring story of persistence and an ideal purchase for any collection." School Library Journal, STARRED review 2021 Nutmeg Book Awards Nominee Winner of the 2020 Sakura Award Read Across America Book of the Month, May 2021 Center for Multicultural Children's Literature Best Book of 2019 List Smithsonian Magazine '10 Best Children's Books of 2019′ List Every day, Momofuku Ando would retire to his lab--a little shed in his backyard. For years, he'd dreamed about making a new kind of ramen noodle soup that was quick, convenient, and tasty for the hungry people he'd seen in line for a bowl on the black market following World War II. Peace follows from a full stomach, he believed. Day after day, Ando experimented. Night after night, he failed. But Ando kept experimenting. With persistence, creativity, and a little inspiration, Ando succeeded. This is the true story behind one of the world's most popular foods.