By Momma Braga Posted on

Laolao’s Dumplings Celebrates Family and Tradition

Laolao’s Dumplings is a heartwarming picture book that celebrates the bond between a grandmother and her granddaughter through the delicious tradition of making dumplings. A must read story!
~ Momma Braga

Synopsis

Millie loves to help LaoLao cook, especially her favorite dish. Dumplings! They gather fresh ingredients from Chinatown. Chives from Auntie Lim, shrimp from Uncle Lee, and juicy, fragrant lychees that make their days together so sweet.

As the seasons change, LaoLao feels more and more tired, too tired to make dumplings. But can Millie make them without LaoLao? And will her dumplings come out delicious, and make LaoLao happy, too?


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#MelAndNikkiReview

Laolao’s Dumplings is a heartwarming picture book that celebrates the bond between a grandmother and her granddaughter through the delicious tradition of making dumplings. Millie loves to help Laolao cook, especially her favorite dish: dumplings. They gather fresh ingredients from Chinatown, such as chives, shrimp, and lychees, and enjoy their time together in the kitchen. But as the seasons change, Laolao becomes too tired to make dumplings, and Millie wonders if she can carry on the tradition without her.
Dane Liu’s story is a touching tribute to the power of food, family, and community. She captures the joy and love that Millie and Laolao share, as well as the sadness and uncertainty that they face when Laolao’s health declines. Liu also explores the themes of identity, culture, and resilience, as Millie learns to appreciate her heritage and to cope with loss. The book is full of rich details and vivid descriptions that immerse the reader in the sights, sounds, and smells of Chinatown and the dumpling-making process.
Make sure to check out the “secret” Dumplings recipe at the back of the book and give it a try!
For this #MelAndNikkiReview, we give this book 5 dumplings out of 5! ShinYeon Moon’s illustrations are stunning and expressive, complementing the text with warm colors and dynamic perspectives. She portrays the characters’ emotions and personalities with skill and sensitivity, and creates a vibrant and realistic setting for the story. The illustrations also include some subtle hints and foreshadowing that add depth and meaning to the story.
Laolao’s Dumplings is a beautiful and moving book that will appeal to readers of all ages. It is a celebration of food, family, and culture, and a reminder of the importance of cherishing our loved ones and our traditions. It is also a story of hope and courage, and of finding joy and comfort in the simple things in life. Laolao’s Dumplings is a book that will make you hungry, make you cry, and make you smile.
If you would like to purchase a copy of this beautiful book, click here.

About the Author

Dane Liu believes in the power of stories to affirm, transport, and transform. Her debut for young readers FRIENDS ARE FRIENDS, FOREVER is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection, a Kids Indie Next Pick, and a Best Book of the Year from the Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books. It has been selected for national and international reading programs, including the Forest of Reading in Canada, the Panda Award in Asia, and the Gold House Book Club. As a writer, Dane hopes to empower young people to see the importance of their own stories and the beauty of sharing them.

About  the Illustrator

Shin Yeon Moon is a New York based illustrator. She received her MFA from the School of Visual Arts, where she now teaches. Her work has garnered accolades from esteemed illustration publications including Society of Illustrators and Communication Arts.

Until next time…Happy Parenting!

~Momma Braga

*Amazon affiliation links are included in this post. This book was sent in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are our own.

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