Stories can inspire, comfort, and inform. They can entertain and delight. They can also combat hate…in the most beautiful way possible.

The genesis of a children’s book is not always a happy event. Motivated by the increased violence and cruelty against Asians and Asian Americans at the onset of the pandemic, Bao Phi came to us with an idea for a picture book initially titled You Are Not a Virus. By offering words as salve and balm and armor, he hoped to undo at least a bit of the hurt he knew children in his community were feeling.

Read Bao’s Author’s Note below to learn more about the story behind You Are Life.

—Kristen Mohn, Managing Editor

Author’s Note

By Bao Phi

Unfortunately, anti-Asian violence is nothing new. It is a part of history, usually invisible. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, the sudden attention given to anti-Asian hate crimes allowed a window into that hurt, that struggle that Asian Americans are all too familiar with.

Unfortunately, many Americans, of many different races, did not understand that racism against Asians is something that exists, so there was an erasure of our experience to go along with the violence. During that time, as a father to an Asian American child, there were so many emotions surging through me: anger, sadness, fear, resentment, exhaustion.

But also, a glimmer of wanting to offer something hopeful, something that said, yes, this happened to us, we must mark this history. At the same time, we must celebrate our lives . . . life in the multitudes of how we exist, outside the boxes that we are all squeezed into.

And so, this poem to young children came into being. To those who are not Asian American: thank you for taking the time and effort to read and learn about an experience outside of your own. To Asian Americans: you are not alone, and you are loved. Thank you to the many Asian American friends who lived through this experience together, and who checked in with one another during these difficult times. Thank you to the kidlit community and everyone at Capstone, especially Dr. Sarah Park Dahlen and Krissy Mohn. And of course, thank you to Hannah Li, for the beautiful illustrations.

Preview You Are Life, publishing in September 2022!

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