Devouring books

Grace Lin's brightly illustrated Dim Sum for Everyone whets my appetite, literally, as it parades before my eyes the quintessential dishes of one of my favorite ethnic meals. Lin's easy text invites readers to join a Chinese family as they pick and choose among the food carts that wind through the restaurant. Her pictures use shifting points of view to allow both a closeness with the family and overall apprehension of the dim sum experience. Simple outlines and cheerful patterns have immediate appeal, but they also suggest a deliberate naiveté which, like informal doodling, returns nostalgic adults to childhood. Meandering texts add to the ebb and flow of the meal experience. Lin's book serves at once as a primer for new dim sum eaters and an impetus for a trip down memory lane for seasoned foodies. She captures an ambiance that my grandmother call renao 熱鬧, literally warmth and noise. Even as Lin stirs a hunger, her book satisfies.

Grace Lin
Dim Sum for Everyone
Knopf, 2001