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Celebrating Asian Pacific Heritage Month with Picture Books & Self-love
Picture book authors Shelly Anand + Joanna Ho discuss self-love in celebration of Asian Pacific Heritage Month
Laxmi’s Mooch
A joyful, body-positive picture book about a young Indian American girl’s journey to accept her body hair and celebrate her heritage after being teased about her moustache.
Laxmi never paid much attention to the tiny hairs above her lip. But one day while playing farm animals at recess, her friends point out that her whiskers would make her the perfect cat. She starts to notice body hair all over–on her arms, legs, and even between her eyebrows.
With her parents’ help, Laxmi learns that hair isn’t just for heads, but that it grows everywhere, regardless of gender. Featuring affirming text by Shelly Anand and exuberant, endearing illustrations by Nabi H. Ali, Laxmi’s Mooch is a celebration of our bodies and our body hair, in whichever way they grow.
Shelly Anand
“I was born and (mostly) raised in Georgia by immigrant parents from India. I am a civil and human rights attorney fighting for immigrants and workers from marginalized communities. I live with my husband and two super kewt, super badmaash kids, who don’t put up with any bakwaas. No pets because my husband and son are allergic to everything. Laxmi’s Mooch is inspired by my own experiences growing up and having a mooch that other kids noticed. I hope kids (and adults) reading the book can celebrate their mooches and body hair!”
A New York Times Bestseller and #1 Indie Bestseller
This lyrical, stunning picture book tells a story about learning to love and celebrate your Asian-shaped eyes, in the spirit of Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry, and is a celebration of diversit
A young Asian girl notices that her eyes look different from her peers’. They have big, round eyes and long lashes. She realizes that her eyes are like her mother’s, her grandmother’s, and 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. This powerful, poetic picture book will resonate with readers of all ages.
Joanna Ho is passionate about equity in books and education. 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. Homemade chocolate chip cookies, outdoor adventures, and dance parties with her kids make Joanna’s eyes crinkle into crescent moons. Her books for young readers include Eyes That Kiss in the Corners. Visit her at www.joannahowrites.com and @JoannaHoWrites.
