{"product_id":"mountain-chef-isbn-9781580897112","title":"Mountain Chef","description":"The true story of a Chinese American mountain man who fed thirty people for ten days in the wilderness--and helped inspire the creation of the National Park Service.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Tie Sing was born in the mountains. The mountains were in his blood. But because he was of Chinese descent at a time in America when to be Chinese meant working in restaurants or laundries, Tie Sing’s prospects were limited. But he had bigger plans. He began cooking for mapmakers and soon built a reputation as the best trail cook in California. \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e When millionaire Stephen Mather began his quest to create a national park service in 1915, he invited a group of influential men—writers, tycoons, members of Congress, and even a movie star—to go camping in the Sierras. Tie Sing was hired to cook. \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Tie Sing planned diligently. He understood the importance of this trip. But when disaster struck—twice!—and Tie Sing’s supplies were lost, it was his creative spirit and quick mind that saved the day. His sumptuous menus had to be struck and Tie Sing had to start over in order to feed the thirty people in the group for ten whole days. His skills were tested and Tie Sing rose to the challenge. \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e On the last night, he fed not just the campers' bodies, but also their minds, reminding them to remember and protect the mountains.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Today, you can hike to Sing Peak, named for Tie Sing, in Yosemite National Park.Themes of racial discrimination, saving nature, and food and cooking are  braided seamlessly in this picture-book biography. At the turn of the  20th century, Chinese men—whether immigrants or American-born—had little  choice when it came to work. Most ended up as cooks in restaurants or  laundrymen. But Tie Sing \"had dreams as big as the country he loved\" and  made correspondingly expensive plans. Fueled by a love for the outdoors  and a passion for cooking, he soon earned a reputation as the best  trail cook in California. In 1915, Tie Sing was hired by millionaire  Stephen Mather, who had invited a special group of men to go camping in  the hopes of convincing Congress to protect the country's natural  wonders. For the first few days, Tie Sing kept everyone well-fed with  sardine hors d'oeuvres, sizzling steaks, and fresh-baked sourdough  rolls. Unfortunately, disaster struck, not once but twice, and Tie Sing  lost much of his provisions but tweaked the menu to carry on. Tie Sing's  talent and resourcefulness played a huge part in the success of  Mather's mission, and within a year, Congress created the National Park  Service. Pimentel's lyrically told account is to the point, explaining  that \"America was a tough place to be Chinese\" before zeroing in on Tie  Sing's culinary wizardry. Lo's illustrations have an appropriately faded  look, neatly evoking both the times and the craggy wilderness. A  frontier adventure that spotlights one of the many significant roles  ethnic Chinese played in American history.\u003cbr\u003e- \u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/i\u003eThis picture-book biography features a little-known Chinese American  who ingenious meal planning was instrumental in the ultimate success of  the National Parks Service. During a time when Asians in America had few  or no rights, Tie Sing aims high. He takes \"a job cooking for mapmakers  as they tramped through the mountains, naming peaks,\" and his  reputation for excellent cooking gets the attention of millionaire  Stephen Mather, who hires Tie Sing to cook high-class, restaurant-style  meals for 30 men on a backcountry tour of what is now Yosemite National  Park, in an effort to secure political support for a federal parks  program. Tie Sing's creature solutions to the problems of cooking on the  trail are fascinating, and stories of minor disasters on the Yosemite  tour highlight his ingenuity and resourcefulness. Paragraphs of  straightforward text are more advanced than typical picture books, but  the soft, expressive watercolor illustrations, some of which are based  on historical photos, are a pleasing accompaniment. Ideal for the  classroom, particularly this year, when the NPS celebrates its  centennial.\u003cbr\u003e- \u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Yosemite's Sing Peak honors Nevada-born backcountry chef Tie Sing.  Chosen to be the chef for the Mather Mountain Party in 1915, Sing had to  feed 30 men, some of whom were being wooed to back a plan for a  national park service. Pimentel sets the stage by introducing readers to  the inequality Chinese immigrants and Chinese Americans faced at the  hands of white Americans. She fictionalizes, but modestly. This title  stresses both Sing's foresight and his resourcefulness--resilience being  necessary in this era of legal anti-Chinese discrimination. final pages  provide extra historical information with period black-and-white  photos. The illustrations are well suited for a read-aloud: lively,  expansive (usually spreads), and with a bright magenta vest identifying  the hero. Considering the overtly positive nature of the work, adult  readers might stress that while Sing overcame the immediate setback of  accidents, he could not be expected to defeat the systemic prejudice  that deprived him--and other Chinese Americans and Chinese  immigrants--of countless opportunities, no matter how big his dreams.  Only two or three mules are depicted (not possibly enough for the job).  Overall, this pencil and watercolor illustrated and eloquently written  account of a Chinese American will satisfy every taste. For any library  wishing to enhance its diversity and inclusion collection.\u003cbr\u003e- \u003ci\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/i\u003eAnnette Bay Pimentel’s articles for children have appeared in Appleseeds and Highlights for Children. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRich Lo is the author and illustrator of Father’s Chinese Opera (Sky Pony Press), an honor title for the Asian\/Pacific American Award for Literature in the Picture Book Category.Tie Sing was a frontier baby, born high in the mountains in Virginia City, Nevada. Growing up, he breathed crisp Sierra air and scuffed through sagebrush. He learned to write in both Chinese and English. \u003cbr\u003e     America was a tough place to be Chinese. Bosses paid Chinese workers less than white workers. Townsfolk spat out Chinese names like they'd swallowed river gravel. Most people with Chinese names ended up cooking in restaurants or washing clothes in laundries. Tie Sing, though, had American dirt under his fingernails—and dreams as big as the country he loved. Cramped shacks weren't for him. He made plans—big plans.","brand":"Charlesbridge","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48233404236005,"sku":"NP9781580897112","price":16.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9781580897112.jpg?v=1767733013","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/mountain-chef-isbn-9781580897112","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}