Eyes That Speak to the Stars

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Author(s)

Joanna Ho

Co-Authors / Illustrators

Dung Ho

Publisher

HarperCollins

Genre(s)

Age Range

Release Date

February 15, 2022

ISBN

978-0063057753

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A young Asian boy notices that his eyes look different from his peers' after seeing his friend’s drawing of them. After talking to his father, the boy realizes that his eyes rise to the skies and speak to the stars, shine like sunlit rays, and glimpse trails of light from those who came before—in fact, his eyes are like his father’s, his agong’s, and his little brother’s, and they are visionary.

Inspired by the men in his family, he recognizes his own power and strength from within. This extraordinary picture book redefines what it means to be truly you.

Eyes That Kiss in the Corners received three starred reviews and was embraced as "breathtaking," "lyrical," and "poignant." This companion volume is sure to be welcomed with equal joy.

Editor reviews

2 reviews

Powerful Message About Cultural Differences

February 03, 2022

Overall rating

5.0

Plot

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Characters

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Writing Style

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Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

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In EYES THAT SPEAK TO THE STARS, a little boy his upset when his friend draws his eyes as lines rather than open like everyone else's. When he questions his dad about this, he expresses how hurt he is by being drawn differently from the others. His dad comes back with an inspirational message about how his eyes look to the stars and can foresee a wonderous future. Just like his father and grandfather. They see through the darkness and guide them to a brilliant future.

The illustrations are stunning and luminous which make them appear as bright as a star. I love the inclusion of the Japanese culture and how it even goes back to the boy's ancestors. There are terms throughout the story too that are common to Japanese culture. Overall, the message is deeper than the boy's eyes appearing like stars, like I anticipated. Instead, it teaches about the importance of keeping your head held high and looking towards the future. It's also about holding on to your culture and staying true to who you are.

Final Verdict: This is a book that should certainly be in school libraries everywhere. It's also perfect for people of different nationalities to see how stereotypes, no matter how innocent they can be, can hurt someone's feelings. EYES THAT SPEAK TO THE STARS opens up the opportunity for parents to teach children about the differences between cultures, but how we're all human and hurt the same way.