Bao’s Doll
Written by Bo Lu
Illustrated by Bo Lu
Published by Abrams Books for Young Readers
Bo Lu’s picture book Bao’s Doll is a moving story of empathy, forgiveness, and connection about an immigrant mother and her daughter who discover they have more in common than they ever knew.
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.
Inspired by the childhood of debut talent Bo Lu, this poignant picture book brings emotional layers to the story of a parent and child learning to connect with their heritage and each other.
Primary ISBN: 9781419769214
Publication Date: June 2024
Available As: Hardcover, eBook
Picture Book, Age 04 or older
Community Represented: Taiwanese/Taiwanese American
Themes: Cultural Empowerment, Cultural Empowerment & Joy: Family, Cultural Empowerment & Joy: Identity, Cultural Empowerment & Joy: Storytelling, Family Relationship: Parents, Generation: 1st, Generational Differences, Immigrant: Economic, Own Voices/Lived Experience, Trauma & Healing: Intergenerational
Setting: Unspecified
Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: 1st Generation
Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience
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