Dumpling Soup - by Jama Kim Rattigan (Paperback)

About the Book

A young Asian American girl living in Hawaii tries to make dumplings for her family's New Year's celebration.

Book Synopsis

This gorgeously illustrated classic picture book celebrates multicultural families and is "as warm and comforting as homemade soup" (Publishers Weekly).

Marisa's family members hail from many different cultures--Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Hawaiian--but they have one thing in common: They all love dumpling soup! On New Year's Eve, they come from all over Oahu to gather at Grandma's house, and this year, it's Marisa turn to help make the dumplings. But it's a big responsibility! Will anyone want to eat her funny-looking mandoo? Set in the Hawaiian islands, this beloved story celebrates differences as well as the delicious shared traditions and abundant love that truly make a family.

Review Quotes

A girl helps her "chop suey" (mixed up) family make the dumplings for their traditional New Year's Eve meal, in this slice of Korean-Chinese-Japanese-Hawaiian-Anglo life. "As warm and comforting as homemade soup," said PW. Ages 4-8. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.--Publisher's Weekly, PW

About the Author

Jama Kim Rattigan, a third-generation Korean-American, was born and raised on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. After receiving a master's degree in English from the University of Hawaii, she taught for several years and then began writing full time. The inspiration for Dumpling Soup grew out of her vivid childhood memories of celebrating the New Year with her extended family was well as her desire to convey the rich cultural diversity of Hawaii to young readers.

Lillian Hsu-Flanders was born in Camden, New Jersey, and attended college and graduate school in New England. As a child, she enjoyed many Chinese family gatherings much like the one described in the story, and continues to make, eat, and love dumplings today.