A boy returns from school hurt that a friend drew a picture of their group and he has eyes like two lines stretched across his face. The others have big, round eyes with green, blue, brown or black irises. His Baba stood him in front of a mirror and said, “Your eyes rise to the skies and speak to the stars. The comets and constellations show you their secrets, and your eyes can foresee the future. Just like mine.” And so begins a realization that his eyes, Baba’s eyes, Agong’s eyes, and little Di-Di’s eyes are the same, and all look at the world in different ways, holding the wisdom of generations, endless possibilities, and the power of family.
This is a companion book to Eyes that Kiss in the Corners about a young girl who recounts how she shares her eyes with her mother, her amah, and her little sister. Both books are beautifully illustrated and written in rich, poetic text. Author Joanna Ho is passionate about equity and inclusion in books and illustrator Dung Ho focuses on children’s books with characters that have unique personalities. Their results are magical and affirming.