A warmhearted and tender true story about a young girl finding beauty where she never thought to look.
Drawn from author Kao Kalia Yang's childhood experiences as a Hmong refugee, this moving picture book portrays a family with a great deal of love and little money. Weaving together Kalia's story with that of her beloved grandmother, the book moves from the jungles of Laos to the family's early years in the United States.
When Kalia becomes unhappy about having to do without and decides she wants braces to improve her smile, it is her grandmother―a woman who has just one tooth in her mouth―who helps her see that true beauty is found with those we love most. Stunning illustrations from Vietnamese illustrator Khoa Le bring this intergenerational tale to life.---from the publisher
32 pages 978-1541561915 Ages 5-9
Keywords: refugees, family, grandmother, Asia, Asian and Asian American, diversity, diverse books, love, hardship, immigration, immigrants, overcoming adversity, multigenerational, inspiration, values, cultures, multicultural, 5 year old, 6 year old, 7 year old, 8 year old, 9 year old
Minnesota Book Award Finalist, ALA Notable Children's Book, New York Public Library Best Book for Kids, NPR Best Book of the Year
