Holiday Reading: Starry River of the Sky

My daughter (age 7) and I just finished reading Grace Lin's newest novel Starry River of the Sky (Little and Brown, 2012). This magical story is about a young boy, Rendi, and the people he meets--both human and mystical--in the small, remote Village of Clear Sky. Who is Rendi? Who are these people he meets? And where did the moon go? These are some of the questions that you will ask yourself as you read this mysterious tale.

Lin's book is considered a companion book to her 2010 Newberry Honor novel Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. Like her earlier book, Starry River of the Sky is full of Chinese legends, which have been adapted by Lin and told as stories by the main characters. Lin seamlessly alternates between Chinese legends and the plot unfolding at Village of Clear Sky. The effect is spellbinding and also gives the story a timeless quality--as if the story takes place in a time long past, but resisting to be tied down to a particular era (or dynasty).

Colorful, jewel-tone illustrations, which bring to mind traditional Chinese papercuts, mark the beginning of each chapter. And six full-color illustrations, resembling Chinese wood block prints, intersperse the story text.  The warm, vibrant illustrations are beautiful works of art by themselves. They bring to life in the reader's imagination a magical world the reader will be reluctant to leave.

My daughter was enchanted with the main characters in this story--Rendi, Peiyi, Madame Chang, Master Chao, and Mr. Shan. When we reached the last page, she asked me, with concern in her voice, "Is that it?" As a side note, she asks me this every time we reach the last page of one of Grace Lin's novels--I think this is a sign of an excellent book!

Starry River of the Sky would be a wonderful book to read with your child or grandchild over the upcoming holidays. Not only is it a page-turner, the magical story will be sure to provoke much conversation afterward.

Be sure to check out Grace Lin's website where you can view her mini-documentary "Behind the Story" and related activities--including instructions on how to make a toad lantern!

Celebrating Togetherness with Dumplings

The hustle and bustle that precedes Christmas has already begun, and if I'm not careful, I find myself lost in the busyness and missing out on the joy and thankfulness that marks this season.

Last year, I actually sacrificed treasured traditions (making gingerbread houses with friends and family, attending Christmas concerts) because I was too overwhelmed with unrealistic demands I was making on myself (homemade gifts and cookies for everyone!)

"This year will be different," I vowed to myself. I will prioritize time spent with family and friends, or tuántuán yuán yuán (团团圆圆)--which is a Chinese phrase often translated as "the family is happy and together," but I like to understand it as "togetherness."  

One of my "go to" togetherness activities is cooking.  Before Thanksgiving, my mother-in-law taught my daughter how to wrap dumplings (jiǎozi, 饺子).  It was a "win-win" activity for the two of them: they spent quality time together, my mother-in-law shared a Chinese tradition with her granddaughter, and my daughter gained confidence by learning a new skill.

Some things to keep in mind when you want to try this "togetherness" activity at home:

1. If you are working with pre-made wrappers (found in the freezer section of your local Chinese supermarket), choose your wrappers carefully. We found that using pre-made dumpling wrappers worked best when cooked by boiling, but we preferred wonton wrappers (they are thinner) for dumplings that are fried.

2. There are many different techniques for wrapping dumplings. My mother-in-law taught my daughter the pleat method (right). In this technique, each side of the outer wrapper is pleated toward the center. Pleats are then pressed firmly to the bottom wrapper. (See my blog post from last year, Jiaozi-making Party, for folding methods we created at our dumpling party last year, and also don't miss Beijing Gourmand's explanation of the "one fold" and "crimp and fold" techniques.)

3. No matter how you fold your dumplings, each method seems to require a little extra moisture for a tight seal (this seems especially true with frozen wrappers). Dip your index finger into a small bowl of water, and run your finger along the edge before starting to pleat the wrappers. 

*Chinese dumplings do not need to be eaten right away. They freeze wonderfully (in freezer bags, for at least a month). Make sure to date and label the bag! 

How will you celebrate "togetherness" with family and friends this holiday season?