Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao
“I see what’s possible when we recognize that we are one American family, all deserving of equal treatment.”
Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao by Kat Zhang is the story of a determined little girl, Amy, and her attempt to perfect the art of making bao. Amy’s bao is not immediately perfect like those her mom, dad, and grandma make. Eventually, she figures it out and improves her technique (read the story to find out how). To her surprise, she also discovered that the perfect bao and the not-so-perfect bao all taste amazing.
We love this sneak peek into this family’s home and meal-time tradition. It reminds us of cooking together with our own families. With the help of little hands sometimes the recipes don’t come out exactly right, but memories are made and (hopefully) the food is just as delicious. We may not be making bao, but the idea is the same. Families eating together and working through frustration is a common experience no matter who you are.
We are highlighting this book in light of the recent (but not new) acts of violence against our brothers and sisters in the Asian community. While this book is not about racism, we want to show an aspect of families that everyone can relate to. When children (and adults) read about cultures other than their own, they can begin to develop a sense of empathy and connection that may not have been there before. What we really want is for everyone to take action against hate in all its forms. We’ll start by making Asian families and their experiences more visible.
Read this short story from Learning for Justice at https://www.learningforjustice.org/magazine/fall-2020/min-jees-lunch. There are follow-up questions to help you navigate talking about anti-Asian racism. This piece serves as a great conversation starter about what is happening.
Some Things to Think About…
When have you tried something really hard? How did you feel when you failed? What did you do to overcome those feelings?
Sometimes people will say “mistakes are proof that you are learning.” How can mistakes and wrong answers be helpful?
At the end of the story, Amy offers her bao to her classmates. What do you think her classmates thought of that? Would eat it? Why or why not? What would you say?
What would you do if someone made fun of another person’s food because they were unfamiliar with it? How would it feel to watch someone get made fun of? Who can you turn to if you see bullying happen?
illustrated by Charlene Chua
