British Chinese author Felicity Yeoh celebrates family--and the inviting food they share--in the rollicking, rhyming verses of her debut picture book, Yum Yum Dim Sum. Chinese artist Jasper Shaw captures the swirling energy throughout with memorable wit and humor.
"For Sunday lunch, my family meets/ to chat and share good things to eat," Little Shu explains. Most of the extended family is already gathered at the restaurant as "dumplings sizzle, steam, and fry./ Stacked with baskets, carts rush by." But Shu feels overwhelmed and nervous: "It's all so much--/ I feel so small." Auntie quickly notices and grabs Shu's hand, loading them onto an empty cart for a magical explanatory trip through dim sum. Friendly animals--who also happen to be the animals of the Chinese zodiac--act as culinary guides.
Shu greets a dog while bao (soup dumplings) appear: "Bao wow wow.../ You'll know those now!" A fluffy rabbit brings soft buns while Pig offers "a dish that flies"--a pancake stuffed with chives. A bejeweled dragon presents pearl-like har gow dumplings, an old goat shares wu gok (hairy taro dumplings), Horse offers crispy noodles, and Cow presents veggie dumplings. Auntie and Shu return to the family table riding a fully loaded cart. With everyone's plates brimming, Shu declares, "Look at us--a happy bunch,/ savoring our dim sum lunch." Most importantly, "I've found my place with everyone/ And I really love dim sum!"
At the heart of Yeoh's story is a young child's sense of belonging amid multiple generations of a large family. Shu finds affinity with a hip, younger auntie who immediately assuages Shu's anxiety by connecting them to the toothsome, adventurous aspects of their Chinese heritage: food and (zodiac) fun. Artist Shaw brilliantly depicts distinct characteristics of various relatives adorned with hints for the pages that follow--check out Grandpa's goatlike white beard, the monkey on the back of a cousin's shirt, and another auntie's cow barrette. Also notable is the menu/ordering ticket that Shu initially can't understand; Shaw duplicates the ticket across the top of each culinary spread, stamping the Chinese dim sum names as they appear: xiao long bao, char siu bao, cong you bing--all the way until the cart is full. At book's end is a deliciously illustrated guide to specific dim sum treats. Yum yum indeed! --Terry Hong
Shelf Talker: In delightfully rhyming verse, Felicity Yeoh helps a young child to find their place over a delicious meal shared with extended family.