Dim Sum, Here We Come!

by Maple Lam

From author-illustrator Maple Lam comes a new picture book about a Chinese American girl and her younger sister as they attend their weekly dim sum family gathering. A celebration of the traditional Chinese customs passed on from generation to generation: togetherness, love, family--and FOOD!

Today is Sunday and that means its dim sum time with my whole family! I can't wait to see everyone, especially Grandma.

I'm going to eat lots of shrimp dumplings, rice noodle rolls, egg tarts, and my favorite--char siu buns. We will have to order enough for us all to share.

So what are you waiting for? Dim sum, here we come!

Genres: Picture Books, Food, Family, Childrens, Asian Literature, Fiction, Cultural

40 pages, Hardcover

First published January 3, 2023

About the author

Maple Lam loves creating characters and constructing worlds around them. When she is not illustrating or writing children's book, she is most likely reading books in a local Los Angeles library.

Reviews

[Bookishrealm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aww man! The foodie in me ATE this book up (you see what I did there? haha). This is my first book by author Maple Lam and I definitely enjoyed it. If you're a parent or educator looking to teach more about the cultural diversity that exists in food, this is definitely one to add to your collection. Dim Sum, Here We Come! isn't overly complex in it's storytelling and simply focuses on a young girl and her family as they visit a restaurant to have dim sum. There are fun illustrations and descriptions of food served at this traditional meal. It definitely left my mouth salivating! An enjoyable and quick read that isn't to be missed.

[Shoshanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm so hungry now!!!!!

[aftellemath · Rating 5 out of 5]

banger at the kids library display today

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this sweet family story and descriptions of all the food! The endpapers are so much fun too!

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm craving some Dim Sum after this book.

A young Chinese-American girl, her family, her grandparents and her extended family all go to a Dim Sum restaurant to be together and share in the food and customs from Chinese culture.

Char Sui buns? Egg tarts? Turnip Cakes? Spring Rolls?
How about one of everything? Don't forget to blow on the hot food or tea twice to cool it before you try it.

Super cute picture book about food and family by Maple Lam;

[Susan Dunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one made me really hungry! I family meets for dim sum every Sunday. Lots of details about what they eat. Cute and diverse - and don't miss the end pages!

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found this at the library around Lunar New Year, but dim sum is for all year round!

A beautifully illustrated and faithful depiction of family dim sum—waiting for a table, stamping the cards, and so many carts to choose from. But giving this only three stars because 10 plates for 12 people?! Definitely not realistic! Also, would have liked to have seen more Chinese used for the names of dishes (either pinyin or characters). (While there may be happy fish at other dim sum restaurants, at the one my family goes to, fish are food, so…)

[Connie T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this introduction to dim sum, the narrator and their extended family meet at a dim sum restaurant. Not only are different dishes mentioned, but the mechanics and manners of the restaurant are explained as well: how the food comes on carts, the way it's served, how the cards are used to record purchases, and tapping on the table to say thank you. This is a wonderful celebration of food, family, and culture.

[Brandi Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dim Sum, Here We Come is about a family's weekly Sunday meetups for dim sum. The illustrations show delicious dishes like pork dumplings, taro dumplings, turnip cakes, and of course the narrator’s favorite, char sui buns. Steam is shown rising from each dish and the pictures look tasty enough to get your mouth watering. The process of ordering dim sum is also explained, with the cart lady coming with bamboo baskets filled with food. Then you choose what you'd like. A card is then stamped to match how many dishes you've taken. The table the family is seated at turns like a lazy-Susan to facilitate sharing. Everyone must be patient and wait for each dish to rotate to them. The narrator shows her love for her little sister, by splitting her Char Sui in half and sharing. Cultural practices and traditions are also explained. I learned that tapping your fingers on the table means thank you, which the family is pictured doing as Uncle Jeremy refills everyone's tea. We also learn that kumquat trees mean good fortune and the waving cat statue means good luck. The dim sum is eaten family style, so everyone shares dishes. The interactions between family members are all respectful and I think it would be wonderful to gather with family weekly like this. Maple Lam is both the author and illustrator of this picture book. The unique illustration style is very cute and cartoony. The proportions of the characters are animated with large heads and mouths. These large mouths are perfect for showing happiness, excitement, and wonder. The color palette is relaxing in a soft, almost washed out. The images are pencil and watercolor style. Though the images are soft they are still vibrant and fun. Images of each dim sum option are shown on each endpaper with full baskets at the beginning and empty ones at the end. I found myself making a mental list of what I'd order. This book will get the reader excited to eat dim sum themselves.

Great book for a classroom both for character diversity as well as a way to show parts of Chinese cultural and family traditions. The book also describes ways to show respect and kindness to family with sharing. Maplelam.com even includes a teacher guide with reading comprehension questions, writing activities, math and social studies connections, and printable activity worksheets.

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm practically drooling as I begin this book. Not even because of the food, but because I love to read about American families where immigrant culture is strong. Often, intergenerational visits include favorite foods from the old country. Yet a story like this one can reveal so much more.

Never in this book is this next fact mentioned. Nonetheless, it's true. After one or two generations in America or Canada, the kids won't speak the original language any longer.

Witness a fabulous article in "The Atlantic": "THE PARENTS TRYING TO PASS DOWN A LANGUAGE THEY HARDLY SPEAK." According to this article, from September 2023:

Linguists say that in many cases, a heritage language becomes all but extinct by the time a family’s third generation is living in a new country. The reason is simple, according to scholars I spoke with: A language stays alive when used out of necessity.

BACK TO THIS STORY

"Dim sum means everyone gets to share." And what a lot of yummy goodies are pictured here, including:

* Pork dumplings
* Shrimp dumplings
* Char siu buns (made of sweet pork)
* Taro dumplings
* Spring rolls
* Lotus leaf sticky rice

I LOVE THE CHILD'S PERSPECTIVE

Over the decades, very likely diners at the family meal will notice problems. Tensions will go escape, while others will contort themselves to "Keep the family happy."

But a childlike wonderment pervades this immigrant story. While the illustrations are absolutely delicious.

FIVE STARS to author and illustrator Maple Lam!

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

This year, 2023, is the Year of the Rabbit. The Chinese Lunar New Year began on January 21, 2023 and finished fifteen days later with the Lantern Festival. Every twelve years, the animal that is celebrated in a given year is highlighted again. Many years ago, this reader was born in the Year of the Rabbit. For this reason, rabbits have a special place in my heart, even when they enjoy eating in my gardens without an invitation.


Like many others, Chinese food is one of my favorite meals. When I am fortunate enough to go to a larger city near my community, I make sure to purchase spring rolls made fresh daily. This year to my delight, they were serving three types of bao. I am not sure if this is a new permanent item or just for the Lunar New Year. Regardless, yesterday I came home with Coconut Custard bao. (I am still figuring out how to best steam them.)

To be able to eat this delicious food on a more regular basis would be marvelous. This is one of several reasons Dim Sum, Here We Come! (Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, January 3, 2023) written and illustrated by Maple Lam is pure delight. Page after page, it is a joyous window into a world of family, food, and tradition, tied together with great affection.

Here is my full recommendation https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/...

[Roben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dim Sum is a traditional Chinese meal of both sweet and savory small plates. In this story, an extended family gathers every Sunday at a local restaurant to share a Dim Sum feast. You can tell that our narrator finds this to be a highlight of her week! She gets to see her grandparents, her aunts, uncles and cousins! Her favorite is Char siu buns. But she loves everything about this special meal with her family. She shares different things about her culture - that dancing fish is good feng shui; a kumquat plant shows good fortune; and tapping your finger on the table means thank you! Plus - that dim sum means sharing and sharing means love.
I really enjoyed the illustrations. The end papers at the beginning have plates full of different dim sum while the ones at the end have empty plates and containers. This would be a wonderful book to read before sharing dim sum with friends and family.

[Regina Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is about a young boy and his family who have a tradition of going to Dim Sum every Sunday. They all go and share a meal and enjoy each other's company. The main character learns the value in sharing with the ones you love. We also get to see that his act of kindness is given back to him later on in the story.

I enjoyed this story because it reminds me of some of my favorite experiences with my family. We don’t get to do it as often as the character in the story, however nothing brings me more joy than those experiences. This was such a sweet story and left me with a smile on my face.

I think this would be a good book for kindergarten to 3rd grade.I love the kindness that is shown in this book and feel that it is a great example of why it is nice to share with others. I also love that the kids who have not experienced Dim Sum can see examples of what it is.

[Mya Motley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dim Sum, Here We Come is a great window book for young non-Chinese children who want to explore other cultures, specifically Chinese culture. This book will also be enjoyable for young Chinese children who love to see their culture represented in books, movies, videos, etc. This book shares some insight into the culture through foods, traditions, language/vocabulary, and values. Some key themes in this book are tradition, respect, patience, kindness, and SHARING. This book will be featured in my future classroom because not only will it add some diversity to my book shelf but it will also remind students of my daily expectations: Be patient, wait for your tun and Sharing is Caring.

[Paula Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

From author-illustrator Maple Lam comes a new picture book about a Chinese American girl and her younger sister as they attend their weekly dim sum family gathering. A celebration of the traditional Chinese customs passed on from generation to generation: togetherness, love, family--and FOOD!
I would read this book while learning Asian cultures, expanding our word meanings wall, or before a cultural fair to decide what kind of foods we might make to represent Asian food. I would also display this book in our classroom library.

[Sylvia Chen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Illustrated with spreads of delicious dim sum, action-packed settings with delightful details, and all-out joy for the most adorable and heartwarming characters, DIM SUM, HERE WE COME! is a most craveable picture book full of energetic and oh-so-excited voice. I love the fun onomatopoeia and the turntable as a savvy story mechanism. This is such an irresistible story showcasing yummy dim sum, family traditions and signs of love and respect, charming cultural insight, how sharing is truly caring—and can even serve as a clever tutorial of the dim sum experience. Love!

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little girl shares about her family's weekly dim sum get together with their grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

This introduces how to order dim sum a little (it can differ by restaurant) and one spread shares some common dim sum food items. I like the emphasis on sharing, and how kind the girl and her younger sister are to each other. This reminds me a bit of Grace Lin's Dim Sum for Everyone though I feel like that was a better intro to eating at a dim sum restaurant for novices and this is more a celebration of family.

[Skyler Norton]

This story is about a young Asian girl and her family that has a tradition of going to Dim Sum every Sunday. The family goes and they share a meal and enjoy each other's company. This tradition gets passed down from generation to generation. I would love to include this book in my classroom library because it portrays Chinese-Asian culture and helps children see and understand different cultures from their own.

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Following an extended family on their weekly trip to a restaurant for Dim Sum. This joyful story is a celebration of culture as well as a celebration of family. Maple Lam's illustrations invite us in from the endpages and keeps our attention in the details on every page. Simple text offers a very large picture of the place of food in family events. I personally love the sharing theme throughout this story!

[Dana Alsharbini · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is written for grades K–2 and centers around Chinese food culture, family, and traditions. I chose it because it’s fun and shows a family enjoying a meal together while teaching kids about dim sum. I loved how colorful and playful the story was. It would be perfect to read before a food-themed project or cultural celebration in the classroom. Plus, it might make students curious to try new foods!

[Margaret Boling · Rating 4 out of 5]

6/3/2023 ~ In addition to introducing the reader to the family tradition of Dim Sum, the narrator makes a point of highlighting the idea of sharing with others.

I did notice that all the members of the extended family who gathered for the meal have a "traditional" family composition - mother, father, + 1-2 children.

[Jocelyn Boop]

I chose to read this book because it does a great job of showing a family interact.
I liked this book because it showed different generations of a family spending time together and showing respect for each other.
I would use this book in a future classroom when the class studies all cultures of families and about sharing.

[Dawn Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun, fun, fun!! A great way to introduce Asian culture through the ritual of Sunday dim sum time! The cheerful illustrations exude with the pleasure of sharing food with family.

However, reading the book made my mouth water 😋 shrimp dumplings, egg tarts & chive dumplings sound delicious!!

[Mother Goose Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a sweet story about a little girl who loves Sundays because she and her family share dim sum together. It can be hard to wait your turn but it is a sign of respect and sharing is love. The illustrations are superb and the end pages add more to love about dim sum! Highly recommended.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's something wonderful about sharing a meal with family. The book goes through the process of going to a Dim Sum restaurant, noticing décor and taking turns passing dim sum around the table to share.

[Priscilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

The illustrations are a delight. Los Angeles readers will appreciate the house number and grandpa's baseball cap. This book wonderfully depicts the culture of dim sum and seamlessly explains the tea pour knuckle tap. This is my new go-to gift and latest favorite addition to my home library.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's Sunday! For a young girl and her extended family it's time to gather at their favorite restaurant and share Dim Sum. it's a time for family, fellowship and love, sitting around a table filled with food.

[LS Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a great story. I didn't appreciate the slit/line eyes for most of the characters.

[Clementine · Rating 4 out of 5]

nice blend of cultural traditions with story. the illustrations are great and made me hungry

[Kelly]

While not amazing, it is a sweet story about love, sharing, and dim sum.