Dancing Dumplings For My One and Only

A young girl and her grandmother share a special bond. They practise Tai Chi together in the park, watch the leaves fall, and, most magical of all, they cook dumplings and share them as a symbol of their love.

But when her grandma falls ill, the girl must help her recover and adjust to her new, slower pace of living. Now, it is she who cooks the dumplings for her grandmother, but their bond of love remains just as strong. 

This is a poignant book about grandparent/child relationships and the emotions that can be brought to the surface as those we love grow frailer. The story does not dwell on illness overly, and the grandmother does recover, but it raises important issues and demonstrates how love and rituals can help people through difficult times. 

The text features lots of repeated refrains and onomatopoeic noises to encourage children to join in with shared reading, and there are beautiful depictions of Chinese family life and culture. Quek’s illustrations are deep and immersive with rich colour palettes and complement the story beautifully.