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“Luna eagerly anticipates the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival, particularly the delicious sticky-rice dumplings called joong. …She wants to make sure her little brother gets a lucky dumpling, as it’s the first time, he is old enough to eat them. But when he falls asleep and guests begin selecting dumplings without him, the probability of his success steadily diminishes. This lively installment in the “Storytelling Math” series seamlessly blends cultural tradition with accessible math concepts, offering young readers a concrete, visual way to understand probability. …A vibrant, culturally rich addition to math collections that engagingly combines storytelling and probability.”

—School Library Journal

Luna Picks a Lucky Dumpling

Written by Natasha Yim
Illustrated by Violet Kim
Published by Charlesbridge

Celebrate diversity, math, and the power of storytelling!

Luna and her cousin Mina are making sticky-rice dumplings for the Dragon Boat Festival. Hidden inside some of them is a lucky golden egg yolk. Everyone wants a lucky dumpling! Especially Bei-Bei, Luna’s youngest cousin. How can Luna and Mina improve little Bei-Bei’s chances of picking a lucky dumpling?

A playful exploration of probability, featuring Chinese American characters and a cultural note about the Dragon Boat Festival.

Storytelling Math celebrates children using math in their daily adventures as they play, build, and discover the world around them. Joyful stories and hands-on activities make it easy for kids and their grown-ups to explore everyday math together.

Primary ISBN: 9781623546601
Publication Date: May 2026
Available As: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook
Picture Book , Age 03 or older

Community Represented:

Themes: , , , , , , , , ,

Setting: United States

Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: Unknown Arrival

Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience

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