I've been meaning to write about this book for months... Shining Star: The Anna May Wong Story written by Paula Yoo and published last June from Lee & Low Books, is a children's book on the pioneering life and work of Anna May Wong, the first Chinese American movie star.
With stunning illustrations by Lin Wang, it tells the story of Anna May Wong's amazing life, from her humble beginnings working in her family's laundry in Los Angeles' Chinatown, to her determination to make it as a Hollywood actress in the face of struggles and discrimination.
What's great about this book is that though it's aimed at elementary school-level readers (grades 3-4), it doesn't shy away at all from talking about the issues of racism, stereotypes and "yellowface" that Anna May Wong struggled with in 1930s Hollywood. Very cool to see this in a book for young readers.
I'm a fan of Paula Yoo's previous books, like Sixteen Years In Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story
, and the young adult novel Good Enough, so I recommend checking those out as well. To learn more about Shining Star, visit the Lee And Low Books website here.
