Summary
This book is about a young boy who is made fun of in school because he is Asian and his eyes are different that other kids in his class. When he comes home sad from school, his father helps him appreciate his background and come to love the way he looks through empowering stories from his ancestors. He is inspired to appreciate his background and embrace the differences he sees in himself.
Theme(s):
Self Love, Culture, Empowerment
Personal Response
I thought this was a really powerful book that came to teach kids to celebrate their differences. It makes me emotional to read because it is so powerful. The stories they share and illustrations make the book even more moving for the reader. I love that this is a story that young Asian American kids have that they can read to make themselves feel better if they are ever down about their differences.
Teaching Ideas
For this book, I would have students do a writing activity to reflect about their differences. I would have students choose one thing that makes them different from their peers. This difference may be physical, internal, or something about their personality of their choosing. They will then write using descriptive language and share why this difference is something that is good for them. It will help students celebrate their differences and improve their writing skills.
Recommended Reading Level
Birth-PreK, Grade 01, Grade 02, Grade 03
