Ten Little Dumplings

January 1, 2021
A girl with 10 brothers claims her place in both the family narrative and the world at large. Amid a pastoral Taiwanese setting, this picture book opens with a male-centered viewpoint touting the super specialness of a family blessed with 10 sons, whom their parents call "little dumplings," because dumplings are "auspicious, / Bringing prosperity and success." (Dumplings' oval shape intentionally resembles yuanbao--gold or silver ingots that were real currency in imperial China for over two millennia, a fact not, alas, shared in the author's note. The brothers' similar sizes also conjure the "Ten Brothers" legend in Chinese popular culture, which is.) Seemingly larger than life, these 10 brothers lack individuality when portrayed as a unit, doing "everything together" and becoming "ten fine men"--a desirable outcome that nonetheless hints at an in-group mentality that can marginalize those who do not conform. Readers need to look closely to find the girl Wume cleverly hides in each double-page spread: She dons the iconic school-uniform hat and is part of the action even when obscured. Then the perspective shifts: First writing herself into the story by forming 女 (female) with a calligraphy brush, she eventually, deftly reframes the narrative to assert: "I was there too.... // I listened. // I studied. // I learned." Eventually, she becomes a mother and celebrates her personal fortune for having a "wonderful girl"--her very own "little dumpling." (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.) Stepping out of the shadows: a gentle, persuasive #ownvoices take on a hitherto-untold perspective. (Picture book. 5-7)

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Starred review from February 1, 2021

K-Gr 3-In a Chinese village lives a family with 10 sons. The parents call them their little dumplings because they are round and because they are special. They are special because they are boys. The ten dumplings play together, go to school together, learn art, do sports, and all grow into successful young men. It isn't until almost two dozen pages into the story that the narrator reveals herself: their sister! Being the girl of the family means she has been virtually invisible. According to an author's note, the story is based on Fan's father. He was one of ten brothers, and the author did not know he had a sister for many years. Wume's ink and pencil drawings are colorful and detailed. Each of the ten little dumplings has a distinct personality, as do all the characters in the book, and Wume has done a brilliant job at blending the "hidden" sister into the backgrounds of the images. Only the most eagle-eyed reader will spot her on first read-through; after a first reading, onlookers will want to flip back through and find that she was there all along. VERDICT A sincere and beautiful story for all ages, and one that can gently introduce a serious discussion topic of rank and gender for older readers.-Chance Lee Joyner, Haverhill P.L., MA

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