Melissa Iwai

Gigi is very excited about picking her grandfather up from the airport and anticipating all the fun things they'll do together. However, she is disappointed when some cultural differences make her think her grandfather doesn't like the same things she does and maybe doesn't even care about her at all.

This is a very sweet book about a grandfather and grandchild. Gigi goes through many emotions from excitement to sadness, and she is appropriately comforted by her mother who explains some of the cultural norms that are new to Gigi so she understands her grandfather better. Gigi is allowed to express her emotions but is given explanations as to why the things she observed didn't necessarily translate to what she thought.

The book is great for diverse families and communities (and for those that need to see that!), with Gigi's father being white, her mother being Japanese-American, and her grandfather being Japanese. It's nice to see not only more Asian-American protagonists, but also those with mixed heritage, as that is often the case for many families. A handful of basic Japanese words are sprinkled into the text.

The gentle illustrations fit the tone of the book perfectly and help to convey parts of the story, both by supporting and supplementing the text. Speaking of text, it is generally kept straightforward enough for beginning readers to tackle this book on their own or with some guidance.… (mere)

Dumplings for Lili by Melissa Iwai is a lovely picture book!

Lili is over the moon when Nai Nai asks her to make baos. There are secrets to making baos though, so pay attention when reading this book! The secrets in this book make me smile, and also show me the incredible journey of making a bao (which I had previously seen in the Disney-Pixar short Bao, but who doesn't want to learn more?!).

This is a must read on my list! It's a fun tale about family and cooking. Who doesn't want a story about bringing people together?! And learning different foods from different cultures is probably the best bonus this book can offer. Learning is fun folks!

The illustrations are also fabulous! I enjoy so many different styles in picture books these days. I love how different everything has gotten. No one seems to follow one distinct look anymore - it's great!

Four out of five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, W. W. Norton & Company and Norton Young Readers for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.
… (mere)