23 Sep / Boy Dumplings by Ying Chang Compestine, illustrated by James Yamasaki
Missing his usual buckets of left-out food (garbage, unbeknownst to him), a hungry Beijing ghost happens upon a plump little boy out too late with his lantern. The ghost traps his tasty morsel, hurries home, thinking he’s going to have a special feast. But the clever boy tempts the ghost with a recipe for delicious “boy dumplings” and sends the desperate ghost out to find the right fixings. With devoted anticipation, the ghost doesn’t notice the night passing … and when the roosters crow, the boy gleefully traps the ghost and saves himself!
Even with his stereotypical rice bowl-hair cut, the not-to-be-dumpling boy is one adorable hero, cuddly belly and all. Ying Chang Compestine, whose Runaway Rice Cake was one of my children’s favorites for years, brings another entertaining tale to young readers – with a toothsome recipe thrown in for parents, too!
Readers: Children
Published: 2009
Looks like the illustrator spared no stereotype!
Have you seen the book? I don’t know if you’d say that if you had … the bowl haircut, yes … but otherwise, it’s an adorable little adventure. Do check it out … Compestine always writes her kiddie stories with zestful fun.