Bao’s doll by Bo Lu

Bao’s Doll by Bo Lu. Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2024. 9781419769214






Rating:  1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 4



Format : Hardcover picture book



What did you like about the book?  Bao desperately wants the doll that her friend has – an expensive doll with blond hair that resembles one that may be familiar to readers. However, her Mama does not understand what Bao wants. In fact, Bao and Mama don’t understand each other much. When Bao actually tries to steal a doll from a store, the barrier between them grows so large that it is evoked as a huge boulder between them, taking up much of a two-page spread. Finally, Bao and Mama sit down and really listen to each other: Bao listens to Mama’s story of growing up with nothing, as an orphan. When Mama makes Bao a doll that looks like her, with straight, black hair, dark eyes and a curved smile, mother and child recognize how much they share.



This is a dramatic story of big feelings and the divide that can occur between children and their immigrant parents. The background is a restaurant where Mama is working. The striking, almost ethereal, digital art leans heavily into color to set the mood: deep tones of purple and crimson create the drama of emotions, and are almost somber at times. The colors lighten as mother and child work on their communication. The huge boulder is a most concrete evocation of a divide, and kids will be interested in that choice of metaphor. The doll that Mama makes for Bao helps her appreciate her background and her mother, and on the last spread, they are nestled together with the doll on a crescent moon. A note at the end explains that the author and her family immigrated from Taiwan to rural Kansas. I liked her statement: “I hope my book offers a space to forgive, understand, and connect with ourselves and one another.”



Anything you didn’t like about it? No



To whom would you recommend this book?  This book is perfect for early elementary classroom units on immigration. It would also work nicely in parenting collections on the topic of big emotions.



Who should buy this book?  Elementary school and public libraries



Where would you shelve it?  Picture books and parenting collections



Should we (librarians/readers) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? Near the top



Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City and State: Stephanie Tournas, Robbins Library, Arlington, MA



Date of review:  April 12, 2024