Reviewed by Kristie I. for Readers' Favorite

Grace Lin's latest installment of Pacy's adventures in her novel, "Dumpling Days" is an enjoyable read for older children/pre-teens. The story begins with Pacy wearing matching dresses with her sisters Lissy and Ki-Ki aboard an airplane heading to Taiwan for 28 days. The girls are not thrilled by the trip, but they are reminded by their dad that "Traveling is always important - it opens your mind. You take something with you, you leave something behind, and you are forever changed. That is a good trip." Each and every reader of this novel will be on this trip to Taiwan and be a part of the family throughout this novel and will be able to learn numerous things as a result. The family is celebrating the girls' grandmother's 60th birthday, but the trip turns out to be so much more than a birthday party. A new culture is learned, the girls meet new relatives, try new foods and live a different kind of life and at the end, Taiwan feels as much like home as New Hartford, New York, does.

Lin shares and teaches so much Taiwan in this novel based upon her own experiences she has had while visiting there. The young reader will enjoy this story, but will be becoming so culturally aware at the same time. Pacy is an enjoyable and entertaining character to read about and will be much loved by the reader. The little illustrations throughout the book are a great addition to the story and make it "child-friendly" along with the language and Lin's style of writing. I highly recommend this entertaining and educational novel for older children.