Libraries, representation, and Joanna Ho: Eyes that Kiss in the Corners

I had the immense joy of reading to little ones this evening at the local school library and book fair. It was wonderful to see such a great turnout, and so many children interested in reading.

As a librarian and a volunteer reader tonight, it was an important opportunity to share both my love of reading and the stories of minority and underrepresented cultures. 

© Joanna Ho

I chose to read the beautiful “Eyes that Kiss in the Corners” by Joanna Ho. Her works are a favourite in my family, as her writing is known to be very lyrical with a vividness that is augmented by the beautiful illustrations of Dung Ho. This duo has teamed up and created some beautiful books.

In reading this story, it felt as though the very words on the page were kissing our eyes and smile lines with a poetic embrace that really celebrated the shape, quality, and ancestry of Asian eyes. To read such an expressive text about a child that learns to see the beauty in their own eyes by seeing it in the eyes of their family members is healing and so empowering.

Reading this story was impactful; the children and adults were captivated by the expressive story and art, and I felt so proud to be able to share the beauty of Asian culture with them in a library. 

Seeing adults and children alike be so interested in books was demonstrative of why libraries are so important for the access of information, and why browsing can be such a powerful way to discover new books that one might not have come across otherwise. Being able to gather the community and hold an event in a space where families can browse, buy, play, connect, and hold story time cannot be understated. 

To rephrase L.M. Montgomery: I’m so glad I live in a world where there are libraries.

Being able to share with the community a story about the beauty of Asian features and culture is not something that happened commonly when I was in school (some time ago, though I attest that I’m forever young). Literary representation is not just a way for publishers to show goodwill and market inclusivity; it’s the child that grows up seeing themselves and their families in the stories they read, thinking that it’s normal to be seen. It’s the adult sitting to the side in a busy library, quietly captivated by a children’s hardcover book about Diwali. It’s the parent that picks up the story about learning to count in Cree that is meant for children, but is bringing it home so that they can learn, too.

Tonight was important for many reasons; it was so meaningful to see the use of libraries as a space and all they have to offer, and to be able to share in the beauty of minority representation through literature.