Laolao’s Dumplings
by Dane Liu; illus. by ShinYeon Moon
Primary    Godwin/Holt    48 pp.
12/23    9781250778192    $18.99

Millie visits her laolao (grandmother) in spring, and together they make Millie’s favorite dish—homemade dumplings. To get the right ingredients, the pair heads to Chinatown to visit several lively neighborhood markets, buying vegetables and shrimp as well as lychee for a special treat. Back home, they prepare the filling; fold and cook the dumplings; and share a tasty meal and a poignant moment. As the seasons go by, however, Laolao’s strength and cognition wane, and she becomes “too tired” for all that preparation. In winter, Millie leads her parents to the markets, and the three of them make dumplings for Laolao, accompanied by gifts from the shopkeepers—flowers, medicinal roots, a lucky scroll, and more. Eye-catching illustrations feature expansive double-page spreads of the neighborhood shops, drawing readers in to explore each tiny detail. The pictures resonate with love, complementing the predominant theme of family closeness and the book’s casual diversity (Mom is Chinese; Dad is Black). Between the warm palette and the close-ups of Laolao’s and Millie’s faces, it’s clear that joy comes through food for these two, and they share this special bond. This book does a gentle yet superb job of showing the effects of older family members experiencing age-related issues, but from the child’s perspective—what they see and feel and how they try to help as best they can. An author’s note provides background information and the author’s own (“no longer secret”) family dumpling recipe.

From the January/February 2024 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.