Grace and Shu Mai: The Dumpling Dog

Ten-year-old Grace Stuart is having a perfect day. She got an A on her math test, she got the solo part in the dance recital, and it’s Friday. At dinner that night, however, her parents tell her that the whole family is moving—to Macau, China! Even though she will be living in one of the grandest hotels on the planet, Grace is still afraid and worried about leaving her home and everything she’s ever known. When they arrive, she is lonely and frustrated by all the new things about their new life—until her babysitter tells her about a box full of abandoned puppies that she had rescued a few weeks ago that are now at the local animal shelter. Grace can’t wait to meet one puppy in particular. She adopts the little puppy and names her Shu Mai, after the dumpling-like mark that appears on her chest. And the little dumpling dog helps Grace learn some very important lessons, helping to change not only their family but the whole community. In this novel for middle readers, a girl and her family move to China, where they adopt a dog and set out on the adventure of a lifetime.