In this adorable picture book for fans of Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao and Bilal Cooks Daal, Hiro aspires to make a bowl of ramen as delicious as his dad’s—and runs into some surprises on his first attempt!

Hiro loves ramen. Every Sunday, Hiro’s dad makes delicious, perfect ramen for dinner, using a recipe passed down from his dad. There’s nori seaweed, briny like the ocean; nitamago egg, the yolk golden like the sun; and chashu pork so tender, it melts in your mouth. Yum!

Hiro’s dream is to make his own perfect bowl, and he’s sure he can do it after watching his dad and taking notes. But when he gets started, things don’t go according to plan. The seaweed crumbles! The eggs slip through his fingers! The pork falls apart! Hiro is worried he’ll never be a real ramen chef…but thanks to his father’s wise advice and his own creativity, Hiro discovers that every person’s perfect bowl of ramen is unique.

"Get ready for ramen, handmade to order and delightful to devour! . . . Tanumihardja’s simple yet evocative prose draws readers into the drama and tension of the ramen making and brings to life Hiro’s loving, understanding family. . . . A celebration of the complexity and care that go into making this Japanese staple." - Kirkus Reviews

"A hearty serving of Japanese cuisine, resilience, and family fun." - Booklist

"Tanumihardja’s picture book debut encouragingly, practically shows how much hard work goes into the food’s preparation, leaving room for Hiro to try, try again, and at last put a personal spin on the traditional dish. Pate’s sumi ink, pencil, and digital illustrations reproduce packaged ramen’s colorful, cartoony designs, establishing a cheerfully chaotic tone across action-oriented panels."  - Publishers Weekly