I had the chance to visit Tokyo for the first time in the last month. I can still remember the creamy carbonara udon I had for lunch while shopping in Shibuya. As I was reminiscing meals of trips past and searching for a topic for this blog, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that March is National Noodle Month—yes, apparently, it’s a thing!

It’s a little too early to revisit Japan, so I’ll share some books and movies you can enjoy with the Libby and Kanopy apps at home.

We’ve got to get the basics down before digging in, so for our first course, we’re hitting the books. Just where does our enjoyment and understanding of noodles today come from? How can I spice my cup noodle lunch up and why does cooking feel like a form of therapy for me?

Take a look at these books on the Libby app that highlight the historical, cultural, and emotional aspects of this stringy delight.

On the Noodle Road by Jen Lin-Liu

A food writer travels the Silk Road, immersing herself in a moveable feast of foods and cultures and discovering some surprising truths about commitment, independence, and love.

Let’s Make Ramen! by Hugh Amano & Sarah Becan

Noodle lovers will enjoy this comic book cookbook with accessible ramen recipes for the home cook, including simple weeknight bowls, weekend project stocks, homemade noodles, and an array of delicious accompaniments, with insights and tips from notable ramen luminaries.

One Hundred Spaghetti Strings by Jen Nails

Since Steffy was little, she and her older sister, Nina, have lived with their beloved Auntie Gina. But when the girls' dad comes home to live with them, everything changes. So Steffy does what she does best: She cooks her way through the hardest year of her life.

Our second course serves some movie titles on Kanopy that’ll show you that noodles are so much more than just a carb-blessed bowl of heaven. They’re livelihood. They’re family history. They’re even a higher power for some.

These titles will give you a taste of our relationship with pasta and noodles and how, for some, it can speak to their purpose in life.

The Taste of Pho (2019), directed by Mariko Bobrik

A Warsaw-based Vietnamese cook struggles to fit into the European culture, which his 10-year-old daughter has already embraced as her own. A story about love, misunderstanding, and food.

Ramen Shop (2018), directed by Eric Khoo

Masato, a young Ramen chef, leaves his hometown in Japan to embark on a culinary journey to Singapore to find the truth about his past. He uncovers a lot more than family secrets and delicious recipes.

I, Pastafari: A Flying Spaghetti Monster Story (2019), directed by Michael Arthur

With millions of believers worldwide, The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (FSM) is the world's fastest growing religion. I, Pastafari is a story about a few brave Pastafarians evangelizing the message of the FSM, while confronting intolerant skeptics for the freedom to access privileges in law granted to other "real" religions.

And a shout out to Udon Iroha for their noodles that inspired this blog post.

*Access to films and books varies by country and library.

Download the Libby and Kanopy apps to get started and subscribe to Libby Life for more great recommendations delivered to your inbox weekly.

RELATED READ: 20 cookbooks to inspire you in the kitchen