With a Pinch of Cinnamon

When life gives you love and cinnamon, magic is sure to follow.

Ever since she became pregnant at 14, Emoni Santiago’s life has been defined by making difficult decisions—one of them being to set aside her dream—and doing whatever is necessary to improve the lives of her daughter and her abuela. The only place she allows herself to be free is in the kitchen. There, she switches off her brain, listens to her intuition, and adds something magical to every dish. In her hands, flavors and spices are transformed into incomparable delicacies.

Emoni has always dreamed of becoming a great chef, but she knows there is no point wasting time chasing the impossible. Yet, despite the rules she has made for her life—and the rules of everyone else, which she refuses to follow—when her school begins to offer Culinary Arts classes, Emoni sees an opportunity to put her talent to use and, who knows, find the strength she needs to make her dream come true.

From the National Book Award winner comes a moving story of a girl with talent, pride, and a voice that will not be silenced.