A Vietnamese American girl named Thuy finds solace in nature and in her imagination after being teased by classmates about her two moms and her racial/ethnic origins.
After leaving school, Thuy stomps home in the snow; she imitates a cardinal and envisions flying away like a bird; she growls like a bear. Momma Arti and Momma Ngoc join her in pretending, “because we’re stronger together.” Momma Ngoc suggests a phoenix, which we learn in an afterward has both Eastern and Western origins, just like Momma Ngoc. Momma Arti suggests the “part lion, part bird” Sarabha from her Hindu heritage. Thuy then makes up her own creature—one that is “both a boy and a girl” and whose skin changes “from black to light brown to lighter and back to black—not to hide, but because it always wants to be different shades of pretty.” One could buy the book for that empowering line alone.
Author Bao Phi, a poet and author whose awards include a Caldecott Honor and an Ezra Jack Keats Honor, has crafted a lyrical tale about the power of imagination and finding strength in family and cultural heritage. Basia Tran’s illustrations are a lovely complement. The volume is also notable as one of few LGBTQ-inclusive picture books to focus on Asian characters. Consider this a must-have for any LGBTQ kids’ collection.
