**Freeman Book Awards - Honorable Mention - Children's and Young Adult's Literature on East and Southeast Asia As a food scientist, she sought to reduce the Philippines' dependence on imported food, pioneering new ways to use local products. And that was before she became a war hero." - New York Times This delightful children's book follows the life of Maria Orosa-a pioneering woman scientist who studied food science in the United States then returned to a war-torn Philippines and created super-nutritious foods to help her nation in a time of crisis. A champion of native products from her homeland, Orosa is celebrated for her daring war exploits as well as her scientific inventions. Today she is honored and remembered for: - Sneaking food into World War II internment camps concealed in hollow tubes of bamboo - Working as an undercover agent in the underground forces fighting the Japanese occupation - Developing new ways to preserve seasonal products in a time of grave food shortages, including making vinegar from pineapples, flour from cassava and ketchup from bananas- all now staples on Filipino tables - Transforming vitamin-rich rice bran, previously a waste product, into tasty disease-preventing desserts - Organizing rural-improvement clubs, inventing the palayok or clay oven and developing delicious recipes for coconuts, soybeans and a range of native plants, vegetables and herbs This book celebrates the life and achievements of a daring daughter of the Philippines, war heroine, culinary scientist and bold freedom fighter who helped to feed the nation!"