Mountain chef How one man lost his groceries, changed his plans, and helped cook up the National Park Service

This picture-book biography features a little-known Chinese American whose 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 creative 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.--Lock, Anita Copyright 2016 Booklist

Gr 2-5-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. VERDICT For any library wishing to enhance its diversity and inclusion collection.-Patricia D. Lothrop, formerly at St. George's School, Newport, RI © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

This biography focuses on the ingenuity of Tie Sing, a Chinese American trail cook who in 1915 accompanied millionaire Stephen Mather and a group of influential people on a California camping trip designed to encourage the creation of a national park service--which it did. Lo's pencil drawings and colorful watercolor washes enrich the serviceable story. Photographs and further information are appended. Bib. (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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.       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. Excerpted from Mountain Chef: How One Man Lost His Groceries, Changed His Plans, and Helped Cook up the National Park Service by Annette Bay Pimental, Rich Lo All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.