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 diversity.
We had the pleasure of chatting to author Joanna Ho about her debut picture book, Eyes That Kiss In The Corners, which features illustrations by Dung Ho. Joanna speaks about her love of writing, resolutions, book recommendations, and so much more!
2020 was an incredibly bizarre year, and it’s rolling on into 2021. Have you set any resolutions for the year?
I’m one of those people who LOVES setting new year’s resolutions. I write them down on a piece of paper and I put the paper on my wall. Each year when it’s time to write new ones, I look back at the resolutions from the previous year and take stock of what goals I completed, made progress on, or forgot completely. Some goals I have for 2021 include: redesigning the spaces in my home to reflect the changing structure of my family, writing and revising a middle grade novel and at least 3-5 new picture books, going on more outdoor adventures and hopefully somewhere on plane, and visiting friends and family I didn’t get to see in person in 2020!
When did you first discover your love for writing?
My love for writing comes from my love of story. I was that kid who signed up for the library summer reading challenge and read a billion books every summer. I think academic writing in high school and college really inhibited the connection between story and writing for me as a student. I struggled to write essays and often spent hours trying to craft a single sentence for a five-page paper. I did, however, always love journaling.
It wasn’t until I became a mom that I started to see writing as a way to tell stories, to have my voice heard. I started a blog to capture moments and thoughts I wanted to share with my kids when they grew up and this, coupled with my desire for more inclusive children’s books inspired me to begin writing books of my own. Writing gave me a voice.
Your debut book, Eyes That Kiss In The Corners, is out January 5th 2021! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Girl becomes empowered through family.
Now tell us a little more! What can readers expect?
Eyes that Kiss in the Corners is about a young Taiwanese American girl who wishes for big eyes and long lashes, like the ones she sees in books and movies. But, through loving relationships with women in her family, she comes to realize not only that her eyes are beautiful, but that she has power to create change for the future.
What was the inspiration behind this novel?
I wrote EYES THAT KISS IN THE CORNERS for myself when I was young and for my daughter who was in my belly when I wrote the first draft. Growing up, I used to wish for differently shaped eyes. I remember standing in front of the mirror and pulling up my eyelids to see what I would look like if my eyes were bigger. I envied girls with big eyes and long lashes, thinking I need those things to be beautiful. Every image of beauty, every animated movie, featured someone who looked totally different than me. It wasn’t until I was almost 30 and traveling in Taiwan that I had an epiphany in the middle of a 7-11 while standing in line to purchase snacks. I picked up a magazine, flipped through it, and was struck by all the Asian faces on the pages. Beautiful faces. With eyes and noses and hair like mine. It was a powerful moment when I realized I could be beautiful too. Ultimately, I wanted to write a book that was about more than just recognizing one’s own beauty; I wanted to write a book that could point people to their own power and ability to define the world around them.
What was the illustration process like?
Magical! Every time I got to see sketches or drafts, I teared up. I feel so fortunate that I was able to work with Dung Ho on my first book. Her art is beyond anything I could have dreamed up myself, and I could see in her art that she truly understood the story I was trying to tell. She added layers of meaning that I still discover now even though I’ve flipped through the book’s pages so many times!
What do you hope readers take away from your story?
I hope readers recognize that they don’t need to fit a narrow, unrealistic definition of beauty to be beautiful. That learning to recognize our beauty in a world that tells us opposing messages is truly an act of resistance and revolution. That we have power to change the societies in which we live.
What’s next for you?
I hope I get to keep telling stories! I have a second picture book out in the fall of 2021 titled, PLAYING AT THE BORDER: A STORY OF YO-YO MA, and I’ve been working on revisions for an upcoming YA novel titled, THE SILENCE THAT BINDS US. I have a few more picture books coming out soon too.
I just recently started my first MG novel, and I’m excited to dive into a new project and see where it takes me!
Lastly, what are you currently reading and what 2021 book recommendations do you have for our readers?
I just finished THE BOYS IN THE BACK ROW, by Mike Jung, and I’m currently reading DEAR GIRLS, by Ali Wong. I highly recommend both! Ali Wong’s books has my stomach hurting from laughing so hard.
I’m part of a picture book debut group, @Forever21PBs, and I’m excited for every single picture book coming from this group. I’m also excited for I DREAM OF POPO by Livia Blackburne, it’s also a story of a Taiwanese American girl and it is so beautiful.
