MaiStoryBook Library

MaiStoryBook: Eyes that Speak to the Stars + *My Eyes: Glowing Lantern Craft*

by MaiStoryBook

Introducing the empowering, Asian American companion book to “Eyes that Kiss in the Corners,“~ featured in the MaiStoryBook Library Collection:

“Eyes that Speak to the Stars” by Joanna Ho, Illustrated by Dung Ho

*~Click here to purchase your own copy of “Eyes that Speak to the Stars” to start on your own reading adventure!  (This is an affiliate link~ a small percentage of your purchase will go to MaiStoryBook to help create Reading Resources for your littles)*

Book Synopsis/ Review

A young boy questions the shape of his eyes when a friend draws a picture go him with slanted lines for eyes. Confused, he asks his Baba why his eyes are drawn like slits. Together, Baba, Agong, and Di-Di, three generation of Asian men, show the young boy that he has eyes that *rise to the skies and speak to the stars, shine like sunlit rays, and glimpse the secrets of comets and constellations.

Author Joanna Ho, together with one of mai favorite *Vietnamese Illustrators, Dung Ho, has created another visionary masterpiece, validating Asian Pride and brimming with Asian representation.  This book is a wave of appreciation and pride for Asian beauty, Asian heritage, and Asian multigenerational family. This book is for me, mai brother, and all the littles out there who desperately needed to see themselves affirmed and represented in the media~ here is the story of us.

Vocabulary

  • constellations (p. 6) groups of stars that make patterns in the sky
  • orbit (p. 18) to fly or move around in a circle
  • glimpse (p. 24) to quickly see something
  • destiny (p. 25) what will happen in your future
  • visionary (p. 28) using your imagination to picture the future

Themes/ Main Idea

  • Be proud of what you look like and your unique features. Power and strength come from within when we are confident in who we are.
  • We are connected with our family through our shared heritage, ancestry, and history. Explore your family’s story.

YouTube Video: Guided Shared-Reading Read Aloud Example

Example of a shared-reading, interactive Read Aloud of “Eyes that Speak to the Stars” – how to subtly introduce the vocabulary list words within the text, ask guided questions, and spark conversation!

Subscribe: MaiStoryBook Youtube Channel for more *interactive* read aloud videos!

*My Eyes: Glowing Lantern* Craft

If you’ve ever been teased for how you looked, or made to feel different, whether ill-intended or not, then you know that saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me”~ rings false. Words have powerful emotional effects. However, just as they can be particularly harmful, they also have the capability to be incredibly uplifting and empowering~ especially when we share words of positive affirmations with ourselves. Today’s featured read is a celebration of family, heritage, and culture, and pride for all of the history and people who have influenced and made us who we are today. Use these glowing lantern crafts inspired by the story to encourage your littles to acknowledge and share the beauty they hold within!

Materials

Directions

  • Choose a Cover Flap for your lantern. There are Color or Black and White options available.
  • There are 4 different label options: “_______Has Eyes that Speak to the Stars” , “I Have Eyes That…” , “_______ Has Eyes That…” , “_______’s Eyes”
  • Print out and color in your cover flap. Personalize it by adding your name to the blank in the label if you chose a personalized template.
  • Cut the cover flap in half on the dotted line. The two halves will be used as flaps to open your lantern.
  • Choose a Lantern Response Template. There are Black and White or color options available.
  • There are 4 different, differentiated response template options: Sentence Frames, Blank, All Lines, Lines and Picture Space
  • Print out, color, and fill in your response template. Fill in the sentence frames, or write/draw what makes your eyes special.
  • To attach the Cover Flap, Glue the two halves to the edges of the inner response template where it is shaded in gray and says “Glue.”
  • Line up the cover flap pieces to cover your written/drawing response, and so that they meet evenly in the middle.
  • Glue them on.
  • Open the flaps in the middle to reveal your response underneath in your lantern craft!

Enjoy Your *My Eyes: Glowing Lantern* Craft

  • Share your craft with family and friends to share what you cherish about your eyes.
  • Share your craft and ask family and friends to share what they love about their eyes.
  • Display your craft to remind you to be proud of your eyes and your features.
  • Display the crafts for an uplifting Lantern Bulletin Board that celebrates each student’s unique beauty and features.

*~ I hope you are enjoying plenty of *empowering* reading adventures this year, Mai Friends! Tag me on Instagram @MaiStoryBookLibrary or FaceBook , find me on TikTok, or contact me via email to share your own *Glowing Lantern* Crafts and your own reading adventures! I’d love to hear how you are changing the world!~*

Enjoy More Asian American Read Aloud Videos Here!

*~Until next time, Happy Reading