Eyes that Kiss in the Corners by Joanna Ho, illustrated by Dung Ho, will be published January 5th. While this is Ho’s debut, she has already sold three additional children’s books to HarperCollins Children’s to release in 2021, 2022 and 2023! This lyrical and stunning picture book tells a story about learning to love and celebrate your Asian-shaped eyes, in the of spirit of Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry.
A young Taiwanese girl notices that her eyes look different from the eyes of those around her. They have big, round eyes and long lashes. She realizes that her eyes are like her mother’s – and her mother’s eyes are like her grandmother's, and grandmother’s eyes are like her little sister's. They have eyes that kiss in the corners and glow like warm tea, crinkle into crescent moons, and are filled with stories of the past and hope for the future.
Drawing from the strength of these powerful women in her life, she recognizes her own beauty and discovers a path to self-love and empowerment.
I had a chance to interview the author to learn more.
Why did you write this book?
I wrote EYES THAT KISS IN THE CORNERS for myself when I was young and for my daughter who was in my belly when I wrote the first draft. Growing up, I used to wish for differently shaped eyes. I remember standing in front of the mirror and pulling up my eyelids to see what I would look like if my eyes were bigger. I envied girls with big eyes and long lashes, thinking I need those things to be beautiful. Every image of beauty, every animated movie, ads in the media featured someone who looked totally different than me. It wasn't until I was almost 30 and traveling in Taiwan that I had an epiphany in the middle of a 7-11 while standing in line to purchase snacks. I picked up a magazine, flipped through it, and was struck by all the Asian faces on the pages. Beautiful faces. With eyes and noses and hair like mine. It was a powerful moment when I realized I could be beautiful too. Ultimately, I wanted to write a book that was about more than just recognizing one's own beauty; I wanted to write a book that could point people to their own power and ability to define the world around them.
I've never heard the term "kiss in the corners" but it's lovely - where does the term come from?
When I write, I often think of the story or lines in my head before putting them down on paper. I had written a loose outline of the structure of EYES THAT KISS IN THE CORNERS and I was trying to think of a way to complete the descriptive sentence, "My eyes..." One night, I was putting my snuggling my 2 year old son to sleep, trying to think of ways to describe an eye shaped like mine, one that turned the derogatory "slant" descriptor into something beautiful. As I played with words in my mind, this phrase came to me and I pulled out my phone and typed it into my notes right away so I wouldn't forget it. I used to wish my kids would fall asleep faster, but the truth is, I've come up with a lot of lines, phrases and plot arcs while putting them to bed!
Why is it so important for children of all backgrounds to see themselves in book illustrations? Why is it also important for kids to see people in books that don't look like they do?
The books we read are our eyes to the world. When we don't see ourselves through these eyes, the message is pretty clear: we don't matter. We learn to define our lives and experiences through someone else's lens and that lens does not value us. The saddest part is that we don't even realize that we've internalized messages of inferiority, marginalization and abnormality; we don't even know things could and should be different. This myopic perspective of the world doesn't just harm children who have been historically pushed to the margins, it harms all children because we all internalize these negative messages about those who have been silenced or ignored. When people with power - white, male, straight, able-bodied, neurotypical, etc - internalize these messages about everyone else, they act in ways that further perpetuate these damaging and false narratives.
I've never been into fashion magazines, but when I saw that magazine at 7-11 in Taiwan, I didn't just realize, people like me can be in magazines! I also realized the media I've been exposed to my entire life has shown me a vision of the world that completely excludes people like me and I thought that was normal. Seeing ourselves in books, media, movies, news affirms and validates our experiences and humanity. It's empowering. And, it helps all kids begin to dismantle the lopsided, biased narratives that have shaped our world so far. It allows everyone to take steps toward change.
Joanna Ho is passionate about equity in books and education. The daughter of immigrants from Taiwan and China, she has been an English teacher, a dean, and a teacher professional development mastermind. She is currently the vice principal of a high school in the San Francisco Bay Area. And mom to two energetic kids. Homemade chocolate chip cookies, outdoor adventures, and dance parties with her kids make Joanna’s eyes crinkle into crescent moons. Learn more at www.joannahowrites.com and follow her on social media @JoannaHoWrites.
Additional forthcoming titles include:
· Playing at the Border: A Story of Yo-Yo Ma, illustrated by Teresa Martinez (Picture Book, Fall 2021) – a timely and timeless story that honors immigrants and inspires action, recounting Ma’s performance of Bach’s cello suites at the border between Texas and Mexico in 2019.
· The Silence That Binds Us (YA, Summer 2022) - After her popular older brother’s death by suicide, racist accusations are hurled against 16-year-old May, her Chinese American parents, and other Asian families for putting too much “pressure” on their kids. May attempts to challenge the racism and ugly stereotypes through her writing, only to realize that she still has much to learn and that the consequences of speaking truth to power run much deeper than she could have foreseen.
· One Day, illustrated by Faith Pray (Picture Book, Winter 2023) - a tender ode from mother to son that weaves in nuanced themes of anti-toxic masculinity that will empower both readers and listeners to be more fully themselves.
About the Illustrator:
Dung Ho was born and raised in Hue Imperial City, Vietnam, where she studied graphic design at the Hue Arts University. She finds inspiration in nature—the beauty of plants, flowers, and leaves. She also loves to draw interesting characters with unique personalities. Now she lives in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, where she continues to learn and develop her art, something she loves doing. When she’s not drawing, she loves spending time cooking (eating), watching movies, and tending her plants.
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