As an Indian-American, Meera Sriram has lived almost equal parts of her life in both countries. Previously an engineer, she now enjoys writing for children, leading early literacy programs, and advocating for diverse bookshelves. She lives in Berkeley, California, with her family of foodies who love to read, hike, and travel. Learn more at MeeraSriram.com. Ines de Antunano is a Mexican illustrator and graphic designer. Her work is influenced by the beauty of urban chaos as well as arts and crafts, and has been published in several illustration catalogs and books in Mexico. Ines is inspired by her four-year-old son, who helps her rediscover the world around her with all the amazing things he says. Her artwork is created with gouache on paper and digital techniques.
“The aromas of homemade food sneak their way across an entire multicultural neighborhood as growling bellies wait to be filled with…dumplings! Recipes from Nigeria, Syria, China, Russia, Mexico, and more reveal tasty fillings tucked into doughs that are boiled, steamed, fried, and baked . . . Sriram’s simple rhyming story celebrating the unifying magic of food pairs well with the childlike naïveté of de Antuñano’s inclusive and diverse gouache illustrations” – Kirkus Reviews “Peppy, rhyming text; cheerful illustrations; and a counting element combine for an enjoyable introduction to 10 types of dumpling from around the world, spanning Nigeria to Russia to Japan . . . Vibrant, folk art style illustrations depict the multicultural families and expand on the inclusive message” – Booklist “Counting from one to ten dumplings, this culinary celebration visits families preparing for their town’s multicultural “dumpling party.” The folk art–style illustrations bring readers into bustling kitchens; the rhyming text packs a lot of cultural specificity into two lines” – The Horn Book Guide “In this mouthwatering story-counting book, ten ethnically diverse families make ten different kinds of dumplings for a neighborhood potluck . . . Carefully placed details establish a cultural context: a folkloric rug and throw pillows for Nigeria, Asian wall hangings for Japan, floral ceramic tiles and succulent plants for Mexico, Islamic mosaic patterns for Syria” – Jama’s Alphabet Soup