Bao's Doll

A moving story of empathy, forgiveness, and connection about an immigrant mother and her daughter

Whenever Mama says, “when I was a little girl in Taiwan, we had nothing,” Bao stops listening. Mama does not understand Bao, and Bao certainly does not understand Mama.

Inspired by the childhood of debut talent Bo Lu, this poignant picture book brings emotional layers to the story of a parent and child learning to connect with their heritage and each other.

So when Bao desperately wants a doll—specifically, the beautiful, blonde All-American Artist Amanda doll that everyone else has—Bao takes matters into her own hands and steals Amanda from the store. After getting caught, Bao’s chest feels heavy like a giant rock. But gradually, the awkward silence between Bao and Mama shifts to honesty, and eventually, a deeper understanding of what binds them.

Starred Review

"An immigrant story that heals wounds present and past."
—Kirkus

"A deep emotionality to a resonant debut that affirms family as well as cultural heritage."
—Publishers Weekly

"Lu skilfully juxtaposes simple but poetic language with expressive digital illustrations...Her judicious use of hue and composition...creates a clear visual of the characters’ internal emotional landscapes and the evolution of their relative distance and intimacy."
—Horn Book Magazine

Author Bio

Bo Lu

Bo Lu moved from bustling Taipei to suburban Kansas as a little girl. Before English words made sense, the world of picture books welcomed her in. It was in those pictures that she found comfort in her new beginning. As an author and illustrator, she hopes to create a safe space to explore big feelings through images and stories. Bo also finds comfort in slurping noodle soups, exploring the Bay Area Redwoods, and dancing with her girls around their dad at the dinner table. Bao’s Doll is her debut picture book, for which she won an Ezra Jack Keats Illustrator Honor.