Today Is Different

Description

Standing together makes all of us stronger. Mai, a young Hmong girl, and Kiara, a young Black girl, are best friends. They do everything together--riding the bus, eating lunch, playing at recess. But one day Kiara misses school and Mai goes looking for answers. When she learns that her best friend is protesting an act of police violence against the Black community, Mai decides to join the protest too. Her parents at first want to protect her by keeping her at home, but she shows them that standing together makes all of us stronger. Written by author and actor Doua Moua, who played Po in Disney's live-action Mulan, this picture book provides an inspiring look at the value of allyship and solidarity with Black Lives Matter.

Doua Moua is an actor and writer based in Los Angeles, California. Moua recently played Chien Po in Disney's live-action remake of Mulan. As a writer, he has received recognition for his movie script The Harvest on the Cape List/ Black List, a We Screenplay Finalist, and an Academy Nicholl Fellowship Semi-Finalist. Today Is Different is his debut picture book. Kim Holt is an artist and children's book illustrator. Her passion for art and drawing started at an early age, fueled by her family's love for the arts. She received her BBA in Marketing from Howard University and her BFA in Animation from the Academy of Art University. Her goal as an artist is to create images that bring back memories and create pictures that make children wish they were inside the scenes. She lives in Maryland with her family.

"Seven-year-old girls Mai (who is Green Hmong) and Kiara (who is black) are best friends. They do everything together, from riding the bus to attending school to returning home from school and playing. But today, Kiara is not on the bus, or at school. And when Mai gets home, she isn't encouraged to play outside, but to go inside right away. Her parents are afraid for Mai's safety as "Black Lives Matter" protests spread in their community. But older brother Tou feels silence is wrong. After talking about the event that precipitated the protests on their street, the children decide to make a poster and join the march. Faced with the children's desire to stand together with their community, the parents join them in walking together. Moua and Holt join forces on a tour de force call to action for friendship, connection, solidarity, and justice. An Author's Note at the book's end provides context for the story and explains that the goal is to help "bridge the generational and language gaps between the Asian and Black communities so we can stand together, in solidarity, and work together to address systemic racism and injustice." A list of Words to Know includes words that will be helpful for guided discussion on this topic. Readers also will find guidance on five Ways to Be an Ally. Children can feel overwhelmed by acts of injustice; this book provides a good place to start figuring out how to help. An excellent discussion-starter for a family or a classroom. Recommended for collections focused on diversity, inclusion, and social justice. Reviewer Rating 5"--Children's Literature -- "Website" (7/29/2022 12:00:00 AM) "Seven-year-old Mai is Hmong American, and she spends every day with her best friend, Kiara, who is African American. One day Kiara is not at the bus stop or in class. Mai sees people marching with signs, but her mother hurries her into the house and up to her room. Mai's big brother, Tou, explains that people are protesting because a Black man has been hurt by the police. Despite their parents' desire to keep the children safe and away from the action, Mai and Tou make a protest sign and go out to join the protesters. This inspires their parents to join the march, where Mai and her family meet up with Kiara and her parents. Inspired by the murder of George Floyd, this gentle story's main point is that, together, people can make a difference. The illustrations feature characters with expressive faces and, along with the text, offer insights into aspects of Hmong culture. This offers a reassuring and relatable narrative for kids who have been confused by recent news coverage."--Booklist -- "Journal" (3/15/2022 12:00:00 AM) "When a Black man is 'hurt' by police and Black Lives Matter protests are staged in her community, 7-year-old Hmong protagonist Mai knows that 'today is different.' Then Mai's Black best friend, Kiara, misses school; the two girls usually do everything together . . . 'but not today.' Seeking to understand more about race, Mai questions her teenage brother, Tou, and learns that 'in Hmong culture, there are Black Hmong, White Hmong, Green Hmong and many more.' Although their parents want to shield them from the unfolding events--'It doesn't have anything to do with you'--the siblings make a protest sign, and Mai uses colored pencils as an object lesson to show her parents that 'if we all stand together, we will be unbreakable.' She and Tou run away to a Black Lives Matter rally to march in solidarity with Kiara's family and are pleasantly surprised when Mom and Dad join them. The book focuses on racism against Black Americans, but Dad and Tou board up their house's windows, a potentially confusing detail that the story glosses over. Though risking oversimplifying how children process racial trauma, Moua positively portrays a cross-cultural friendship and explores how racial violence impacts children. The backmatter explains the historical discrimination against Hmong people in many countries and emphasizes the importance of African American and Hmong communities uniting to fight injustice. Colorful but mediocre digital paint illustrations add little to the telling but realistically portray urban diversity. An important story about how marginalized groups can work together for social justice, but some elements feel ill-conceived."--Kirkus Reviews -- "Journal" (2/1/2022 12:00:00 AM)