| 9781481467070 |
| 1481467077 |
Available:*
Library | Material Type | Call Number | Shelf Location | Status | Item Holds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Searching... East Library | Children's Book | 641.5092 CHEN | Children's-J-Biography | Searching... Unknown | Searching... Unavailable |
Searching... Library 21c | Children's Book | 641.5092 CHEN | Children's-J-Biography | Searching... Unknown | Searching... Unavailable |
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Summary
Summary
"Through appealing digitally rendered illustrations and upbeat rhyming text, Clickard celebrates the life of Chen in a way that entertains and informs." -- School Library Journal
"A fascinating historical character is presented in terms easy for young children to appreciate." -- Kirkus Reviews
In this inspiring, mouthwatering story, get to know Chef Joyce Chen who is famous for popularizing Chinese food in the northeastern United States.
How far can an apron,
a bowl, or a book
take one small Chinese girl
with a passion to cook?
From peach blossom Beijing,
to crisp Cambridge snow,
how far will her dumpling dreams
help Joyce Chen go?
Carrie Clickard's delectable rhymes tell the story of how Joyce Chen, a girl born in Communist China, immigrated to the United States and popularized Chinese cooking. Illustrator Katy Wu brings this inspiring story beautifully and deliciously to life.
Author Notes
Carrie Clickard is the master of rhyming nonfiction. She is the author of Dumpling Dreams , which School Library Journal called "a charming addition." Kirkus Reviews called it "a fascinating historical character is presented in terms easy for young children to appreciate." She is also the author of Magic for Sale , which received a starred review from Kirkus Reviews , and Thomas Jefferson and the Mammoth Hunt . She lives in Gainesville, Florida. Learn more at CLClickard.com.
Katy Wu has worked in the animated feature film industry as a sketch artist and assistant art director, as well as in the tech industry as a "Doodler" for Google (creating the artwork and short films showcased on Google's landing page), where she created the Google "Doodles" for Nellie Bly and Nelson Mandela. Katy currently works as a freelance art director and designer on various animation projects. She has illustrated many nonfiction books for young readers, including Dumpling Dreams by Carrie Clickard and Born Curious by Martha Freeman. Learn more at KatyCWWU.Tumblr.com.
Reviews (3)
School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2-A picture book biography about Joyce (born Liao Jia-ai) Chen, who is credited with bringing the dumpling to the United States. Through appealing digitally rendered illustrations and upbeat rhyming text, Clickard celebrates the life of Chen in a way that entertains and informs. The narrative begins with Chen's life as a child in China and then quickly transitions to her early adulthood as she marries, has children, and moves to the United States, eventually settling in Cambridge, MA. The text gently touches on the Chinese Communist Revolution: "The heart of China split in two." (This may prompt students to ask about Chen's family leaving China, but further information about the time period can be found in the time line in the back matter.) Her name change is also glossed over. Chen would go on to first popularize Chinese cuisine in her community through a restaurant and then in the larger United States through a cookbook and TV show. A recipe for making dumplings at home is also included in the back matter. Fans of Lynne Barasch's Hiromi's Hands, Susanna Reich's Minette's Feast: The Delicious Story of Julia Child and Her Cat, and Jacqueline Briggs Martin and June Jo Lee's Chef Roy Choi and the Street Food Remix will find much to enjoy here. VERDICT Though picture book biographies with a culinary theme are many, Clickard's title is a charming addition.-Celia Dillon, The Brearley School, New York © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Joyce Chen (born in Beijing in 1917 as Liao Jia-ai) made a name for herself in Cambridge, Mass., and later across the U.S. through her restaurants, cookbooks, and TV show, Joyce Chen Cooks. In chirpy couplets, Clickard follows Chen's childhood infatuation with cooking, her later move to the U.S. with her husband and growing family, and her expanding culinary empire. Wu's brightly colored digital artwork maintains a cheerful mood, even during moments of nervousness or uncertainty. The clipped verse can't always do justice to major events in Chen's life ("Troubles come. War in the news./ The heart of China split in two./ Days of worry, nights of fear-/ even dumplings taste of tears"), but a detailed timeline fills in some context, along with other resources. Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Tricia Lawrence, Erin Murphy Literary. Illustrator's agent: Jennifer Mattson, Andrea Brown Literary. (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
As a child growing up in pre-Communist China, Jia learns to make dumplings, noodles, and sweet rice balls. As a schoolgirl, she is known as Joyce. After marrying Thomas Chen, she becomes Joyce Chen, a name she will later give to restaurants and food-related businesses. Credited with popularizing Mandarin-style cooking in America in the 1960s and '70s, Joyce opens her first restaurant in Massachusetts after her egg rolls are a hit at her children's school bake sale. She later hosts her own television cooking show and in 2014 appears on a U.S. postage stamp. The rhyming text and brightly colored digital illustrations maintain an upbeat, positive tone appropriate for a young audience, even as they allude to serious topics, such as war in China causing Joyce's family to relocate to the U.S., and the difficulties of adapting to a new culture. A glossary effectively explains many elements pictured but not detailed in the text, while a time line at the end fills in historical context. Includes dumpling recipes for those eager to taste for themselves.--Whitehurst, Lucinda Copyright 2017 Booklist
