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Cora Cooks Pancit, by Dorina Lazo Gilmore and illustrated by Kristi Valiant, was reviewed in the Winter 2009 edition of Multicultural Review:

Cora is the youngest child in a Filipino-American family. She longs to do things her older brother and three older sisters do. One day when her older siblings are all gone, she sees her chance. This is the day she helps her mother make pancit, a chicken, vegetable, noodle dish. As Mother and Cora cook together, Mother tells stories of Lolo, Cora's grandfather, who migrated from the Philippines to California. The pancit is served for the evening meal with five children, Mother, and Father all enjoying this special dish. As Cora observes the dinnertime scene, she replaces the doubt she had about her contributions with pride in her work.

Both story and illustrations capture the frustration of being the youngest, while it celebrates a close family with a loving and understanding mother. And the story not only tells of the immigrant experience, it provides the very pleasant way of experiencing culture through oral family stories and food. A glossary reviews the Tagalog words used, and the recipe for pancit is on the final page.

Cora Cooks Pancit (by Dorina Lazo Gilmore and illustrated by Kristi Valiant) is reviewed in the November, 2009 issue of School Library Journal!

LAZO GILMORE, Dorina K. Cora Cooks Pancit. illus. by Kristi Valiant. unpaged. glossary. CIP. Shen's. 2009. Tr $17.95. ISBN 978-1-885008-35-0. LC 2008045836.

PreS-Gr 3--When Cora's Filipino family cooks together, she's always stuck doing the "kid jobs." Then one day when her older siblings are out and about, Cora gets her chance to bond with Mama in the kitchen. She even gets to choose her favorite dish, so the two of them make a large bowl of noodles, chicken, and vegetables called pancit. Clear expository prose explains how to perform kitchen tasks. For example, Mama tells Cora, "Open the package of rice noodles and put them in this bowl of water." Then she engages her daughter by asking her, "Do you know why we soak them?" These scenes effectively model how adults can introduce children to cooking. The simple, direct style also makes the book equally well suited as a read-aloud and for newly independent readers. The artwork nicely complements the text, as Valiant's warm hues of gold, red, and orange highlight the family's loving relationship. They also capture Cora's feelings through facial expressions. Wide eyes and smiles show the child's joy at cooking with her mother, while a downcast mouth and arched eyebrows illustrate her anxiety that her family won't like her pancit. Although this dish is unique to Cora's culture, children of all backgrounds will share her feelings at being allowed to help cook a meal for the first time. A solid choice for schools and public libraries, especially where family-based programming is popular.--Mary Landrum, Lexington Public Library, KY

Papertigers has published a review of Cora Cooks Pancit in their August online issue. Here's what they had to say about it:

Dorina K. Lazo Gilmore adds another sensitive book about the immigrant experience for children to her growing catalog that includes Children of the San Joaquin Valley and Stone Soup: A Hmong Girl's Journey to the United States.  After a few generations, it is clear that Cora's Filipino-American family is right at home in the United States and proudly maintaining cultural heritage as part of their identity.

Kristi Valiant's warm and colorful illustrations invite readers into Cora's clean and welcoming suburban home to share the sunny afternoon with Cora and her mother.  The walls are brightly painted and adorned with paintings of tropical fruit.  Brightly colored ceramics line cabinet shelves.  The sun coming through the windows evokes a peaceful feeling, and personality is beautifully expressed in the clothing and gestures of the characters.

Cora Cooks Pancit is a lovely story about home, family, food, culture, growing up, and how all those things fit together.  A glossary of terms and, of course, Lolo's pancit recipe are included at the end of the book, making culture come alive in the kitchen while empowering kids to participate.

Click here to read the entire review at Papertigers.org.

Terry Hong of the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program Blog, BookDragon, has posted a wonderful review of Cora Cooks Pancit, by Dorina Lazo Gilmore and illustrated by Kristi Valiant.

Hong writes,

"Gilmore, who grew up in a Filipino Italian kitchen, tells a heartwarming tale that illustrator Valiant captures with the perfect combination of whimsy and action. You can actually feel Cora's longing as she watches her siblings in the kitchen, her wonder as she listens to Mama's stories about Lolo, her worry that her pancit might disappoint, and her beaming pride when the whole family enjoys the meal she so lovingly helped to create. This is one treasure of a family book. Delicious, too!"

Click here to read the entire review.