Guest Speaker Joanna Ho

On May 10, the CDSBEO welcomed New York Times bestselling author Joanna Ho, who hosted a virtual session for our students in grades 1 through 8 as part of Asian Heritage Month. Joanna is the author of the children’s book Eyes that Kiss in the Corners, a poetic and heartwarming story which celebrates the beauty of treasuring your own uniqueness, honouring the importance of relationships, and celebrating culture.

Joanna discussed her own personal experiences with racism and bullying as a child and as an adult, and the importance of challenging the idea of “perfection” and the stereotypical image of what constitutes beauty. She brought focus to how the western standard of beauty is not reflective of reality, and how because of what she saw in books and movies growing up, she didn’t think she could ever be beautiful. The book speaks to where our features come from, and what they represent. Rich with symbolism, Joanna also discussed how the illustrations deepen the story.

Students were very engaged and asked the author many questions. We would like to thank Joanna Ho for sharing her insight and wisdom with our students through her book and personal experiences.