Appearing in Tent #2 | 1:30 pm
About the author
Yevgenia Nayberg is an award-winning author/illustrator, painter, and theatre designer. Her paintings, drawings, and illustrations are held in private collections worldwide. She has received multiple awards for her picture book illustrations, including three Sydney Taylor Medals. Her debut author/illustrator picture book, Anya’s Secret Society, received a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection Award. Her latest picture book, I Hate Borsch! was published this year. Born and raised in Kiev, Ukraine, she now lives in New York City.
MFOB featured book: I Hate Borsch!
All Ukrainians are supposed to love borsch—but what if you hate the red stuff? A young girl despises Eastern Europe’s most beloved soup, and not even the grandmothers of Kiev can persuade her to change her mind. But when she immigrates to the United States, American food leaves her feeling empty. One day she discovers borsch recipes in an old suitcase. Maybe that disgusting beet soup deserves another chance…
Imaginatively illustrated with splashes of borsch-bright red, this book captures the complicated experience of rejecting and embracing one’s culture. A recipe and author’s note provide further ways to interact with the story. Witty and poignant, I Hate Borsch! will encourage readers to ponder how history, heritage, and food can shape our identities.
