Orange Peel's Pocket - Rose Lewis

This is a charming story about a girl nicknamed "Orange Peel", because she always tried to eat orange peels instead of the orange itself when she was little. One day, in kindergarten, her classmates begin to ask many questions about China and what it's like. Everyone, of course, turns to Orange Peel, who is determined to find out the answers to their questions. She visits the tailor who speaks about silk, an antique store owner, Mrs. Liu at the flower shop, Mr. Yu's noodle shop, and an ice cream shop, where she learns ice cream was invented in China. She can't wait to tell the kids at school, but first she discovers a number of gifts that have been slipped into her pocket by the store owners: silk, a poem, a small peony, and a noodle soup recipe. Orange Peel is happy as the treasures she's found link her to the place where she was born.