March is National Noodle month - and who doesn't love noodles? Pasta is the quintessential ingredient in a lot of comfort foods - macaroni and cheese, chicken noodle soup, lasagna, ramen. Noodles aren't a new food by any means - they've been a staple in many cultures' cuisines for about 2000 years. In 2005, archaeologists unearthed a preserved bowl of noodles that was over 4,000 years old! Do you know where they found them? Not in Italy - though that may be the first place a lot of people think. It was in China at Lajia on the Yellow River! Similar to Pompeii, it seems Lajia was struck by a sudden catastrophe (possibly an earthquake) and then flooding may have helped preserve the area.
I've gathered some books about noodles below. I don't have a ton in nonfiction, but I definitely encourage you to look up cookbooks of all different cultures, as a lot of them have a type of noodle in their cuisine. If you're feeling something more Middle Eastern, try cous cous! Pearl cous cous (also known as Israeli cous cous) is larger than the standard, so it definitely feels more like you're eating pasta (as opposed to like a grain - like bulgur wheat or quinoa). If you want something European (but not traditionally Italian), try spaetzle from Germany. If you're looking for something Asian, try ramen, udon, or soba noodles! Africa and Central/South America have their own takes on noodle dishes as well, so you can go on a culinary adventure without leaving your kitchen!
Juvenile Fiction
One Hundred Spaghetti Strings by Jen Nails - Since Steffy was little, she and her older sister, Nina, have lived with beloved Auntie Gina. But when Steffy and Nina's dad comes home to live with them, everything changes. So Steffy does what she does best: she cooks her way through the hardest year of her life. But sometimes her life feels like a kitchen-sink meal--too many ingredients that don't quite work. All Steffy wants is for her family to be whole again. Can her recipes help bring them back together?--Provided by Publisher. - (Baker & Taylor)
Stick Dog Slurps Spaghetti by Tom Watson - When they come across spaghetti in their search for a tug-of-war rope, Stick Dog and his hungry friends go on a quest for more pasta that sees them scale their suburb's tallest mountain and sneak into a restaurant filled with humans. - (Baker & Taylor)
Nonfiction
Noodlemania: 50 Playful Pasta Recipes by Melissa Barlow - Presents fifty kid-friendly recipes for appetizers, 
Pizza and Pasta by Claudia Martin - From the long, thin strands of spaghetti and the fat ribbons of tagliatelle to the short, spiral-shaped pieces of fusilli, ravenous readers learn all about Italian cuisine. Later on, they will put their knowledge to use with the sample recipes included in this book. After learning about pasta, they'll explore the world of pizza: an Italian dish and a popular American comfort food. Equipped with new skills and ideas for the kitchen, readers will be able to prepare their favorite dishes in no time. Buon appetito. --Amazon.
Picture books
Daddy Makes the Best Spaghetti by Anna Grossnickle Hines - Not only does Corey's father make the best spaghetti, but he also dresses up as Bathman and acts like a silly dog with pajama legs for ears. - (Houghton)
Dragons Eat Noodles on Tuesdays by Jon Stahl - While two monsters argue over how the story they are telling should go, Dennis, a very hungry dragon, is listening nearby--and he has very definite ideas about how this story should end. - (Baker & Taylor)
Everybody Brings Noodles by Norah Dooley - The block party was Carrie's idea, but when it arrives she can only think about two things: the talent show and the delicious noodle dishes from many countries that her neighbors are bringing. - (Baker & Taylor)
Noodle Magic by Roseanne Thong - A story written in the style of a Chinese folktale follows the experiences of a young girl who learns how to make her grandfather's famous family noodles and struggles to understand their mysterious magic in time for the emperor's birthday celebration. - (Baker & Taylor)
Noodle Man: the Great Pasta Superhero by April Pulley Sayre - Al Dente's invention of a portable pasta machine turns him into a super hero and helps to save the family fresh pasta business. - (Baker & Taylor)
Noodlephant by Jacob Kramer - Famous for her pasta parties, Noodlephant is shocked when the law-loving kangaroos decide noodles are only for them! - (Perseus Publishing)
Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun by Maria Dismondy - Lucy's grandpa has always taught her the importance of treating others the way you would want to be treated, and that it's okay to be different. When Lucy's classmate Ralph starts teasing her at school, Lucy makes a very courageous decision to stand up for herself and what she believes. - (Baker & Taylor)
Strega Nona by Tomie DePaola - When Strega Nona leaves him alone with her magic pasta pot, Big Anthony is determined to show the townspeople how it works. - (Baker & Taylor)
Tony Baroni Loves Macaroni by Marilyn Sadler - Tony will eat nothing but macaroni and cheese for breakfast, lunch, and dinner but Nana Sophia persists in tempting him with a variety of other good, homemade foods. Includes list of mealtime activities and chart of pasta shapes. - (Baker & Taylor)
Originally Posted by StephanieT on March 20, 2021