l to r: Sarah Jane Conklin and Venus Angelica

What’s in Alanna’s Secret Sauce? by Sarah Jane Conklin and illustrated by Venus Angelica is a picture book in verse that tells the story of nine-year-old Alanna and her Nan, who are looking to make a sauce for the fall season. We meet Alanna sowing seeds of onions, tomatoes, garlic, chives, and herbs with Nan. They harvest, wash, and prepare the vegetables, making sure there is no waste. As Alanna toils over a bubbling pot, its alluring aroma wafts into the rest of the neighbourhood, and soon strangers come knocking. The sauce is famous in the area and people are understandably eager to try it.

As Nan keeps inviting everyone to dine, Alanna’s mouth waters and the reader may wonder along with Alanna: How will the sauce possibly feed everyone? Alanna is worried that there just won’t be enough, and more importantly: “But mostly, lots for me?” She thinks that because she worked on making the sauce – picking and cleaning the vegetables and stirring the pot – the results should all be hers.

Not only does Alanna need a lesson in giving, but she also needs to learn that the fruits of our labour are best shared. In contrast to Alanna’s “heart of steel,” Nan’s is full of generosity and compassion. Nan reminds Alanna that “It’s up to us” and gently challenges Alanna to “Imagine if our secret sauce / Could make the whole world smile!”

Illustration: Venus Angelica.

With autumnal illustrations that capture the delicious aroma of the food moving through the air and calling prospective diners, Angelica’s work brings to life the many colours of nature’s magic that surrounds Alanna. And there’s so much joy in the variety of shapes, sizes, and species of the supper guests.

The book asks what goes with the sauce – spaghetti, of course, but also whatever others are able to bring, including drinks, meatballs, and “prayers of thanks.” Everyone from different places, different families, and with different needs, arrives around the table with a diversity of contributions.

In addition to introducing children to issues of food security, the book dares readers to dream, and tenderly asks: Why can’t we feed the whole world?