The surprising power of a good dumpling

Title:

Author:

Summary:

Anna Chiu has her hands full. When she's not looking after her brother and sister or helping out at her father's restaurant, she's taking care of her mother, whose debilitating mental illness keeps her in bed most days. Her father's new delivery boy, Rory, is a welcome distraction and even though she knows that things aren't right at home, she's starting to feel like she could be a normal teen. But when her mother finally gets out of bed, things go from bad to worse. And as her mother's condition worsens, Anna and her family question everything they understand about themselves and each other. -- Amazon.

Edition:

First US edition.

Physical Description:

271 pages ; 22 cm

Subject Term:

Mental illness -- Fiction.

Mentally ill -- Fiction.

Asians -- Fiction.

Chinese Americans -- Fiction

Restaurants -- Fiction.

Publisher:

Scholastic Press,

Publication Date:

2020

2019

ISBN:

9781338656114

Publication Information:

New York : Scholastic Press, 2020.

Call Number:

YA CHIM

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Item Barcode	Collection	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
33607003652099	Young Adult	CHIM	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

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Summary

An authentic novel about growing up in an Asian immigrant family with a mother who is suffering from a debilitating mental illness. Anna Chiu has her hands full. When she's not looking after her brother and sister or helping out at her father's restaurant, she's taking care of her mother, whose debilitating mental illness keeps her in bed most days. Her father's new delivery boy, Rory, is a welcome distraction and even though she knows that things aren't right at home, she's starting to feel like she could be a normal teen.But when her mother finally gets out of bed, things go from bad to worse. And as her mother's condition worsens, Anna and her family question everything they understand about themselves and each other. The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling is a heart-wrenching, true-to-life exploration through the often neglected crevices of culture, mental illness, and family. Its strong themes are balanced by a beautiful romance making it a feel-good, yet important read.

Author Notes

Wai Chim is a first-generation Chinese-American from New York City. Growing up speaking Cantonese around the house, she absorbed as much Western culture as she could through books, TV, and school. She spent some time living in Japan before making Sydney, Australia, her permanent home. In addition to her writing, Wai works as a digital producer/web developer for The Starlight Children's Foundation, whose programs offer entertainment, education, and technology to critically, chronically, and terminally ill children. Learn more about her at waichim.com.

Reviews (1)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 9 Up--Life isn't easy for Anna Chiu. She has to take care of her younger brother and sister while her father is busy working at the family's Chinese restaurant, and her mother can't get out of bed. With all the responsibility, Anna feels like she can't be a typical teen, until she meets Rory. He is hired as a delivery boy for the restaurant, and the two bond on the long rides home. When Anna's mom finally gets out of bed, things appear to look up, but actually go from bad to worse. Tackling family, relationships, culture, and mental health, this book is a fast-paced and fabulous read. The story takes place in Australia and features Anna and her Chinese Australian family. Rory and several other characters are white, and the other restaurant employees and some of Anna's peers are of Asian descent. This book shines a light on mental illness and how it affects not only the person who lives with it, but also their loved ones. Some aspects of the novel are on the darker side, such as learning Anna's mom used to hit her daughters with a feather duster, but they are handled gently. Some readers may be unfamiliar with the Australian and Cantonese terminology, but the lack of understanding won't take away from the story. VERDICT A good addition to any collection, but especially for those looking to diversify it.--Amanda Borgia, Uniondale P.L., NY