Meeker, Linda. What’s In a Dumpling, Grandma? Illustrated by Sandra Eide. Nashville, TN: Tommy Nelson, 2023.

Summary

From the creator of the TikTok sensation Grey and Mama (@greyandmama, 7.5M followers) and author of Thank You, Mama comes a Vietnamese American family story about a boy who loves to eat adventurously, comfort food, family tradition, and a grandmother’s love and wisdom.

Join Grey and his cousin Mila as Grandma teaches them to cook bánh loc, Vietnamese dumplings, and passes down her memories of sharing this heritage comfort food with other loved ones.

This warm-and-toasty picture book for 4-to-8-year-olds

• celebrates the relationship between a grandparent and grandchild,
• explores the importance of family history and cultural heritage through the act of passing down a favorite recipe,
• honors the past while expressing joy for today’s memories-in-the-making,
• features the bright and imaginative artwork of Sandra Eide,
• offers a recipe for Grey’s grandma’s famous fish sauce, and
• includes lots and lots of delicious dumplings!

What’s in a Dumpling, Grandma? is the perfect story

• for families eager to help young children find meaning in family history and tradition;
• for kids who are interested in cooking; and
• to give as a gift for a grandparent’s birthday, the holidays, Grandparent’s Day, and Mother’s Day.

This delicious story will leave your mouth watering and your heart full.

Purchase What’s in a Dumpling, Grandma? on Amazon

My Kid Review

What’s in a Dumpling, Grandma? teaches children a bit of Vietnamese culture with a few Vietnamese words thrown in. Linda Meeker tells the story of a Vietnamese Grandma teaching her grandchildren how to make dumplings. The procedure is not detailed enough to be replicated at home although Meeker does include a recipe of Ngaoai’s Famous Fish Sauce which is referenced in the book. I would have loved to see a recipe for the dumplings but you can probably find one online. 

Sandra Eide’s illustrations seem to be true to Vietnamese culture and will help children visualize parts of the story that are unfamiliar to them. 

What’s in a Dumpling, Grandma? would be a great addition to a unit on VietNam or on food of the world. It would make a good addition to a K-12 Christian school library’s picture book section.

I received a complimentary copy of What’s in a Dumpling, Grandma? This is my honest review. 

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