The shake-shake of maracas vibrates down to my toes. Ti Gran’s feet tap-tap to the rhythm.

Every year, Haitians all over the world ring in the new year by eating a special soup, a tradition dating back to the Haitian Revolution. This year, Ti Gran is teaching Belle how to make Freedom Soup just like she was taught when she was a little girl.

Together, they dance and clap as they prepare the holiday feast, and Ti Gran tells Belle about the history of the soup, the history of Belle’s family, and the history of Haiti, where Belle’s family is from. In this celebration of cultural traditions passed from one generation to the next, Jacqueline Alcántara’s lush illustrations bring to life both Belle’s story and the story of the Haitian Revolution. Tami Charles’s lyrical text, as accessible as it is sensory, makes for a tale that readers will enjoy to the last drop.

• Tami Charles was inspired to write Freedom Soup by her own family's history, particularly her grandmother-in-law's stories and family recipe. With an insider's view of a culture and country whose history resonates deeply with that of the U.S. in ways both important and timely, Tami Charles manages to deal with a weighty but somewhat difficult subject with charm and emotional depth that will hit home for young readers 
• While the picture book deals with Haitian history and hints at Haitian diaspora, at its heart Freedom Soup is a story about a young girl continuing her family’s legacy in a sweet “growing up” moment 
• Received starred reviews from Kirkus, SLJ, PW, and Shelf Awareness