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Mohrbooks Literary Agency
Sebastian Ritscher
Original language
English
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RA PU ZEL AND THE STINKY TOFU

Crystal Kung Ying Chang Compestine

A playful, feminist retelling of Rapunzel with a Chinese-cuisine twist.
The story of Rapunzel where she's being locked in a tower by a witch is a good one - but it's not totally the truth.

The real story is about a young princess in China named Ra Pu Zel who doesn't want to talk to princes or look proper. What Pu Zel wants is to cook and eat in peace, her long hair neatly braided to keep it out of her food. And when she gets tired of everyone telling her what to do, she locks herself in a tower with her dog Bao. Although princes from everywhere try to convince her to come down, it's not until a young chef arrives with an intriguing food to share that Ra Pu Zel finally has a reason.

Ying Chang Compestine is an award-winning author, speaker, and television host. She has written twenty-five books for adults and children, including the acclaimed novel Revolution Is Not a Dinner Party, which chronicles her experience of growing up in China during the Chinese Cultural Revolution. A leading national authority on Asian culture and cuisine and the former food editor for Martha Stewart's Whole Living magazine, Ying is frequently invited to lecture at schools and organizations around the world. She currently lives in the Bay Area with her husband and son.

Crystal Kung is an artist from Taiwan. She has BFAs from Shih Chien University and the California Institute of the Arts, and works as a character designer at Pixar Animation Studios. She lives in the San Francisco area. This is her first book.
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Book

Published 2024-01-02 by Rocky Pond Books

Book

Published 2024-01-02 by Rocky Pond Books

Comments

This creative retelling of "Rapunzel," that combines feminism, fairy tales, and food, will be enjoyed by all.

Kung's digital artwork is reminiscent of Chinese watercolor paintings, though with a modern sensibility and cinematic eye. The colorful, expressively detailed depictions of the princess' attempts to conform to expectations are a hoot, and her joy in being her best self in her tower is palpable... A delicious mashup of fairy tales and food.

In this "Rapunzel" retelling, Ra Pu Zel, who loves to cook but is scolded by the empress, locks herself in a tower until princes attempt to lure her out with delicious meals. Read more...

Kung's digital illustrations, which seamlessly merge traditional Chinese styles of art and architecture with dynamic Pixar design sensibilities are well-suited for Pu Zel's sumptuous tables and bold personality... Brimming with a love for both food and spunky girls who love food, this warm, inviting read will easily sate readers' appetites.

Affectionately told and vibrantly illustrated... [E]mpowering... Kung's richly hued scenes shimmer with golden-hour light and... that, combined with Compestine's well-paced story, makes for a tale that dishes up delight.

BOOK RIOT (2.6M UVM) included RA PU ZEL AND THE STINKY TOFU in a roundup of "12 of the Best New Children's Books Out January 2024" Read more...

Many kids know and love the story of Rapunzel - a long-haired princess who gets locked away in a tower by an evil witch. Families can enjoy a tasty twist to the classic tale by reading Ra Pu Zel and the Stinky Tofu. Read more...

A breathtakingly illustrated reimagining of a well-loved fairytale. The story of Ra Pu Zel is of a stubborn girl and her love of food, and of the cuisine that encourages her to leave her tower. Guaranteed to make you laugh and leave you hungrier than when you started. Read more...