Mother's Day is approaching, and I have a question for you. How do you show your love to your kids? Is it the same way your mother did? Is it the same way your friends do? Or your children's friends' parents do? Today I get to share with you a wonderful book about a Chinese American girl realizing there are different ways to show love and one is not better than others. The book is Mama's Love Language: Sometimes Love Tastes Like Hainan Chicken Rice by Elisa Stad and illustrated by Ry Menson. There is a giveaway at the end of this post.
About the Book:
Mama’s Love Language: Sometimes Love Tastes Like Hainan Chicken Rice
Written by Elisa Stad and Illustrated by Ry Menson | Ages 5-10 | 31 Pages
Publisher: Ginger Lotus Press | ISBN-13: 9798988378518
Publisher’s Book Summary: Jade is a girl who lives in two worlds and, coming from a multicultural family, she’s on a quest to understand her identity and where she truly belongs.
She is trying to find her place in the world but feels different from the other kids at school. Back home, Jade’s parents have their unique approach to love and care. Sometimes Jade is embarrassed by Mama’s accent and she can’t understand why she is not just like any other mother she knows.
The real adventure unfolds when Jade starts rebelling against her mother’s traditional ways of showing love, especially through food. It’s a struggle that takes her on a path of discovery, as she learns about her family’s rich heritage and her mother’s challenging past in Vietnam and as an immigrant.
Jade then discovers that even though Mama doesn’t hug or say I love you, the healing aroma of ginger, green onions, and chicken broth does.
“Mama’s Love Language” is a heartwarming children’s book that addresses the universal theme of belonging and the beauty of cultural diversity. Through Jade’s story, children will learn that being different is not only okay but something to be celebrated, and that love can come in many shapes and forms.
Purchase Link:
About the Author:
Elisa Stad, for the majority of her career, was a brand and international business executive for luxury goods and consumer product companies. After experiencing working in over 40 countries, she acquired a passion for globalization and the sharing of cultures based on her experiences. Elisa is also focused on inspiring the youth through her efforts in healthcare inequities through Stad Center of Pain, Palliative, and Integrative Medicine and serves on college boards at USC, UCSF and Harvard.
Elisa grew up in a mixed-race household, as a daughter of a Vietnamese refugee mother and American father. She grew up in a multicultural home, searching for identity. She also moved homes often in her childhood including to Asia and within the US to Idaho and California.
She always wanted to share with other young children the beauty of humanity and how we can celebrate our unique gifts. You can find her enjoying ballet, visiting local Asian street markets, practicing yoga, and focusing on her spiritual practice. Elisa lives in Southern California with her husband, 3 children and a bernedoodle.
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From Me:
What a beautiful book! It captures that feeling of trying to fit in. Jade doesn't like that her mother doesn't give her hugs like the other kids at school. She is embarrassed that her mother can't pronounce her name correctly or be understood at the grocery store. She is embarrassed that she doesn't look like her classmates. She wants to be blonde and blue-eyed. Do you remember being young and just wanting to be like everyone else? You want to stand out as amazing but want to be just like everyone else too. This is where Jade is. She is embarrassed by her mother and even though her white father works long hours she loves getting hugs from him and how he tucks her in and makes her feel safe. One night Jade throws a bit of a tantrum at dinner over rice and trying to say she is not Chinese. Her father checks on her and helps explain a bit about her mother to Jade. Her mother also shares a bit about her own childhood and why she cares so much about Jade eating and not wasting food, doing her schoolwork and such. Jade finally realizes that many of the things that drive her crazy about her mother is actually her mother making sure Jade is having a better childhood than she had. and showing her love for her.
I love how this book describes some of how love can be shown differently in different cultures, different families and just differently. I love that Jade finally sees her mother's culture and how her cooking and caring for her is her love. It is not saying "I love you," but actually taking care and making sure Jade has what she needs to have a better childhood than she did back in China. It is a story of coming to terms with who Jade really is and learning that love can look different depending on who is giving it. This book is perfect to learn about different cultures, different families and situations and it is also perfect for the upcoming Asian and Pacific Island American Heritage Month starting next week!! It shares a bit of love language for kids just like there are books about love languages for adults and couples. It is a wonderful story to read as a family and discuss how each person in the family shows love. It is also a wonderful story to read in a class to show some different family situations. Plus, it is a wonderful book for Mother's Day to talk about a mother's love for her kids.
Giveaway:
Enter the giveaway for the chance to win a copy of Mama’s Love Language: Sometimes Love Tastes Like Hainan Chicken Rice, signed by Elisa Stad, and a $50 Amazon gift card! Good luck!
