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Watch the author, Joanna Ho, read her story Eyes that Kiss in the Corners. 


BIBLIOGRAPHY

Ho, Joanna and Dung Ho. EYES THAT KISS IN THE CORNERS. New York: Harper Collins Children’s Books, 2021. ISBN: 978-0-06-291562-7.

PLOT SUMMARY:  A young girl observes that her eyes are different from other girls.  Her eyes are like her Mama’s, eyes that kiss in the corners and glow like warm tea.  Her Mama’s eyes tell the girl how much she means to her Mama just like her Mama means a lot to her.  Her Mama’s eyes are like Amah’s eyes, her grandmother.  Amah’s eyes kiss in the corners and even though her eyes do not work the same, her eyes still tell many stories.  The girl’s sister, Mei-Mei has the same eyes that kiss in the corners and glow like warm tea.  They all have the same eyes that are just beautiful.

ANALYSIS: This young girl recognizes the beauty in her eyes and the eyes of the women important in her life.  She knows that her eyes hold many stories from the past as well as new stories in the future and that they will guide her through everything that she does.  Her eyes are a big part of who she is. 

SETTING: The setting of this story takes place in her house where the young girl is transformed to different places as her Amah tells her stories and as she sees herself in various places that her eyes will take her.  Her eyes take her places that portray her Chinese culture.

ILLUSTRATION ANALYSIS:  The illustrations in the books were created digitally.  The use of a variety of colors and patterns make the illustrations match the lyrical tone of the book. 

THEME:  The theme of this book is self-acceptance and love for one’s family.  The author presents how this young girl realizes how her eyes look different from other girls, but they are special and unique in their own way.  The love in the family is shared by special moments the young girl has with her Mama, her Amah and her young sister throughout the story. 

CULTURAL MARKERS: 

Author’s qualifications:

The author Joanna Ho is Asian American.  She is very passionate about inclusion and antiracism which lead her to start writing.  Her writing is focused more on lyrical social justice themed books.  Her personal experiences guided her in writing this book.    

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/itspersonal-iii-joanna-ho-chats-eyes-that-kiss-in-corners/id1433551931?i=1000505477516

CONNECTIONS:  This story is about accepting who we are and realizing what makes each of us special.  Students can make a self-portrait to see each other’s uniqueness. 

 


 


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