Dumpling Days

Have you ever been forced to go on a family trip? Sometimes they can be fun, but sometimes you'd rather just stay home. That's how Pacy feels about her family's trip to Taiwan. To her mom and dad it's a trip to their homeland, but Pacy's home is back in America. And the worst part is that they have to stay the whole summer. A whole summer away from her friends in a country where she can't even understand what people are saying or read the signs if she gets lost. As if that wasn't bad enough, she finds out that her parents have signed her up for classes at the cultural center--classes during summer vacation! But when she gets there, Taiwan isn't anything like what Pacy expected. Her relatives are nice, the food is delicious, and she is determined to win the top prize in her painting class. Maybe the summer will be great, or maybe it will be a disaster after all. One thing is sure though--she'll never forget it!

Pacy is charming and I love the way she tells her story! The information about Taiwan is fascinating and left me wanting to learn more (and go eat some dumplings!) Lin weaves in brief stories throughout the main narration about Chinese legends or Pacy's family history. Lin is an excellent illustrator and she skillfully fits her drawings into the story as if Pacy is doodling in the margins of her diary. I'd give this to fans of novels that are written in the style of a diary with doodles like the Diary of a Wimpy Kid or Amelia's Notebook series.

Dumpling Days by Grace Lin

Erica's Picks
3rd - 5th Grade
Tags: Contemporary Fiction, Diaries, Family Life, People of Color, Summer Vacation

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