Asian Imagination + Books Like Us
When I was a kid, I lived by the library. While most of my “American” friends were sunning at the pool, I spent my summer days lost in my imagination through characters and book cover designs in the kid section of Napoleon Public Library’s air-conditioned lower basement. (My mom being a practical Filipino was a fan of fans, not central air-conditioning?!) Now granted, I didn’t quite relate to Charlotte in “Charlotte’s Web” or any of Judy Blume’s, Laura Ingalls Wilder’s, or Louisa May Alcott’s book characters since none of them looked like me or my Filipino-American blended upbringing. (Maybe this is when I started imagining, writing, and drawing pictures of my own.)
I was especially fascinated by the ol’ Dewey decimal system (Ummm, because, well — brilliant!) So began the love of storytelling and storysharing – seeing and dropping into histories, lives, and cultures that were very different from mine. I was enchanted by the power of words and pictures to create new worlds, or at least new ways of expanding my world, then and now.
So inspired seeing the magic, diverse beauty, and wonder from @asianlitforkids, where Other Brown Girls can find stories about childhoods, cultures, and families like ours to finally feel truly seen and celebrated.
Very special thanks to a few of my fave magical, multicultural, multi-talented artists + writers in light of Mother’s Day! Cheers and here’s to celebrating heritages and homelands that help us see ourselves and others with wonder and delight.
@joannahowrites, @dunghanhho
@juliaskuo, @lkblackburne
@ashokkbanker, @sandhyaprabhat
@harperkids @lantana_publishing
