BAO’S DOLL: A PICTURE BOOK, by Bo Lu, Abrams Books for Young Readers, June 18, 2024, Hardcover, $18.99 (ages 4-8)
Distant memories help an immigrant mother and daughter connect in Bao’s Doll, a picture book by Bo Lu.
Whenever Mama says, “when I was a little girl in Taiwan, we had nothing,” Bao stops listening. Mama does not understand Bao, and Bao certainly does not understand Mama.
So when Bao desperately wants a doll—specifically, the beautiful, blonde All-American Artist Amanda doll that everyone else has—Bao takes matters into her own hands and steals Amanda from the store. After getting caught, Bao’s chest feels heavy like a giant rock. But gradually, the awkward silence between Bao and Mama shifts to honesty, and eventually, a deeper understanding of what binds them. —Synopsis provided by Abrams Books for Young Readers
Bao’s Doll was born out of author/illustrator Bo Lu’s own childhood experience trying to steal a Barbie Doll. Like, Bao, Lu was an immigrant who dreamed of being like other kids. However, Lu’s mother never talked about the incident. Lu wrote Bao’s Doll in hopes of offering space for forgiveness and connection.
The heartfelt picture book is deceptively simple. Instead, it’s a master class on emotional intelligence. Lu’s illustrations have an almost dreamlike quality to them, and her use of color supports the theme. It’s a beautiful look at a relationship between a daughter and her mother.
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