Italy
Tortellino
A little ring with a “belly button” hole.
Legend says it’s Venus’s belly button
A kids’ book in the making
The Dumpling Road
Thirteen places. Thirteen dumplings. One very long road.
A kids’ history of the world’s favourite food, reported along the old Silk Road and beyond by our whole family: two journalists and two kid reporters. For ages 8–12 and the grown-ups who read with them.
The book, by the numbers
13
dumplings
12
countries
6
months
4
authors
What’s inside
Social studies first, food second
- A big questionEvery chapter starts with one place, one dumpling and one question the kids set out to answer.
- History you can followMaps, trade routes and how-it-works drawings that make sense to a 9-year-old.
- Real reportingOur kids interview the people who make each dumpling, and ask the questions grown-ups forget to.
- Something to makeKid-tested recipes and things to try at home.
One for every chapter
Meet the crew
Poland
Pierogi
A crimped half-moon.
Sweet or savoury
Türkiye
Mantı
A tiny purse pinched into four points, served in yogurt with red pepper butter.
Small enough to fit on a spoon
Georgia
Khinkali
A pleated purse with a twisted topknot.
Sip the soup first
Uzbekistan
Samsa
A triangle baked on the wall of a tandir, sesame on top.
Best eaten hot from the oven
Nepal
Momo
A little half-moon with a braided edge.
Always comes with achar
China
Jiaozi
A plump crescent with its tips turned up, like a little gold ingot.
A Lunar New Year must
Mongolia
Buuz
A round bun pleated around a little open window on top.
Made by the hundreds for New Year
Japan
Gyoza
A pleated crescent with a crispy flat bottom.
Fried, then steamed
South Korea
Mandu
A plump half-moon with its two ends pinched together.
Some are square
Taiwan
Xiaolongbao
Round, with 18 pleats swirled at the top.
Full of hot soup
Hong Kong
Siu Mai
An open-top cup with an orange dot of roe.
A dim sum classic
Thailand
Chor Muang
Flower-shaped, and violet from butterfly pea.
Once made for Thai royalty
The authors
Why us?
We’ve spent 20 years reporting from around the world for outlets including National Geographic, The Wall Street Journal and the BBC. And our co-authors are 6 and 8, about the age of our readers, so every page gets tested on its toughest critics.