Written by Lyla Lee, Illustrated by Dung Ho, Published by Aladdin, 2020. (Realistic Fiction, 6-9)
I was really struck by the honesty of this book. Lee does a wonderful job in addressing hard issues such as the loss of a loved one, grief, moving to a new school, and microaggressions. She also does this all while keeping the tone and the characters hopeful and upbeat. Ho’s illustrations also bring more depth to each scene. On a personal note, I really connected with Mindy when her new classmates made fun of her lunch!
BEST FOR
Mindy is Korean American and is dealing with a lot. Not only has she moved across country with her Dad, they are both grieving the recent loss of her mom. It is not long before she makes plans to fix all their problems. #Ownvoices
PAIR WITH
Mindy Kim and the Lunar New Year Parade
Mindy Kim and the Birthday Puppy
WHERE TO PURCHASE
Recently I was lucky to get back in touch with some of my cousins. We enjoyed our time reminiscing of shared childhood memories. Some memories were tied to navigating a new home and culture. Realizing the diversity in my own family I wanted to highlight that reality for many families with this comfort read.
There are a lot of families out there that want to talk to their children about race, but don’t know where to start. This book is written by three psychologists who have worked at the Emory University School of Medicine serving children and families in Atlanta. Not only does the story lay out racism in a clear way for children, but the afternote provides detailed information for parents engaging in meaningful discussions with their kids.
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