Get ready to eat . . . It's kimchi time!

"Delicious fun." Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW

"Incorporating cultural and intergenerational knowledge, this delicious narrative shows how many hands make light work." Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW

On a cold day, Mina wants to warm up with a bowl of her Omma's kimchi stew. But when she slides to the kimchi fridge . . . It's empty! Text the aunties and neighbors, it's kimjang time! Soon Mina's home is filled with the warmth of laughter, family, and friendship as everyone gathers to make their own batch of mouth-watering kimchi. But when Mina realizes that her kimchi needs time to ferment and won't be ready to eat for months, what can she do to satisfy her craving?

From the author of Rice From Heaven and The Ocean Calls, comes a joyful, laugh-out-loud kimchi adventure filled with Korean food, k-pop dances, a great recipe, and a loving reminder that good things come to those who wait.

• Publisher: little bee books (October 6, 2026)
• Length: 40 pages
• ISBN13: 9781499819489
• Ages: 3 - 6

about the author & illustrator

Tina Cho is the author of The Kimchi Fridge, Rice from Heaven: The Secret Mission to Feed North Koreans, Korean Celebrations, The Other Side of Tomorrow, The Ocean Calls: A Haenyeo Mermaid Story and more. After living in South Korea for ten years, Tina, her husband, and two kids reside in Iowa where Tina also teaches kindergarten.

Cindy Kang is a New York-based illustrator from Seoul, South Korea. She has created artworks for a diverse array of clients in editorial, advertising, publishing, and children's books. Her works have received awards and recognition from the World Illustration Awards, American Illustration, The Society of Illustrators, and 3x3 Magazine, among others.

When not at her desk, she loves to travel, collecting small, meaningful items that hold special stories, and writing in her journal until she loses track of time.