From award-winning author Candice Iloh and New York Times illustrator Bea Jackson comes a warmhearted picture book celebration of traditional Nigerian home cooking and the surprising joys of trying new things, from the perspective of a boy on the autism spectrum.

Emeka’s favorite food is jollof rice. He eats it every day. “Emeka, come and try this egusi!” Mama and Papa urge. But orange rice is what Emeka knows. He doesn’t want anything different.

Then one day, Emeka comes home from school to find Mama in the kitchen waiting for him to help her cook egusi. One by one, new things go into the pot. There are so many colors and smells and sounds! And Emeka is a great helper. Could it be that trying something new might actually be…good?

Candice Iloh is a first-generation Nigerian American writer whose books center home. A National Book Award Finalist and two-time Printz Honoree, their young adult novels include Every Body Looking, Break This House, and Salt the Water. They are a proud alum of the Rhode Island Writers Colony and have earned fellowships from Lambda Literary, VONA, Kimbilio Fiction, and the PEW Center for Arts & Heritage. Currently a lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania and formerly a high school creative writing teacher, they have taught young people of every age. Emeka, Eat Egusi! is their debut picture book. Visit Candice online at CandiceIloh.com.

Bea (Brittany) Jackson is the New York Times bestselling and award-winning illustrator of Parker Looks Up and Parker Shines On. She attended the College for Creative Studies and was a grand prize winner of the L. Ron Hubbard’s Illustrator of the Future Contest. In addition to her work as a children’s book artist and a character and concept artist, Bea’s art has been featured on books and comic covers as well as in various magazines. She lives in Detroit, Michigan. Visit Bea online at BeaGifted.com.