A Spoonful of Time by Flora Ahn
Available from the Richland County Library in print format.
Maya’s grandmother, Halmunee, may be losing her memory, but she hasn’t lost her magic touch in the kitchen. Whether she serves salty miyeok-guk or sweet songpyeon, her stories about Korea come to life for Maya.
Then one day, something extraordinary happens: one delicious bite transports Maya and Halmunee into one of Halmunee’s memories. Suddenly they’re in Seoul, and Halmunee is young.
This is just the first of many secrets Maya will uncover: that she and her grandmother can travel through time. As Maya eats her way through the past, her questions multiply—until a shocking discovery transforms everything she thought she knew about family, friendship, loss, and time itself.
Brimming with heart and interspersed with seven family recipes that readers can make themselves, this is a story to savor by rising Korean American author Flora Ahn.
Target Audience: Ages 8-12.
A Spoonful of Time celebrates the power of women’s leadership and women’s empowerment through the character of Maya’s grandmother, Halmunee. Despite her memory loss, Halmunee’s magic touch in the kitchen and her ability to transport Maya through time not only preserves their family’s heritage but also showcases the strength, wisdom, and resilience of women across generations. Through their shared culinary journey, Maya discovers the importance of her own voice and the significance of the stories and traditions passed down by the women in her family, inspiring young readers to embrace their own heritage and explore their potential for leadership.