Fried Rice Surprise!
by Patricia Tanumihardja, Shiho Pate
$19.99 • 40 pages • POB • Ages 4–6 • ISBN:978-1-63655-1-838 • Available October 10, 2026
From the creators of Ramen for Everyone, comes a warm, flavorful picture book about friendship, family, and the joy of cooking, where Fern learns that a little bit of this and that makes for some scrumptious magic.
Fern loves opening her lunchbox―sometimes it holds something colorful, sometimes sweet and spicy, but always delicious. When she learns about the Japanese tradition of “mottainai”―never wasting what’s too good to throw away―Fern is inspired to create a meal to share with her friends. Together with her mama, she stirs up a wok of fried rice filled with everyone’s favorite flavors: curry spices, carnitas, pilaf, bok choy, and more. With lively, joyful illustrations by Shiho Pate and a heartfelt story by Patricia Tanumihardja, this picture book celebrates food, friendship, and the magic that happens when different ingredients―and people―come together.
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Patricia Tanumihardja
Patrica was born in Jakarta and raised in Singapore, where she developed a love for food and stories. She is the author of multiple cookbooks and has written several children’s books, including Ramen for Everyone, that weave together themes of food, culture, and connection. She now lives in Northern Virginia with her husband and son. Visit her at ediblewords.com.
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Shiho Pate
Shiho is a Japanese-born children’s book illustrator now based in Southern California, who after a decade in the indie gaming world in New York turned her playful, warm art style (mixing gouache, watercolor, and digital) into storytelling through picture books. She is the illustrator of Ramen for Everyone and the beginning readers series The Rescues, which is published by Red Comet Press. Visit her at shihopate.com.