Artist Statement
I aim to make art that is a delightful experience through storytelling, and I think it’s important to share the voices and stories of my community. This story, The Perfect Gift, honors the Hmong New Year which celebrates the completion of the harvest season with festivities. As a kid and even now, I enjoy dressing up and being able to celebrate with friends and family. This book presents the story of a Hmong-American girl and the excitement she feels while searching for a gift.
Representation in books is important to me and it reinforces positive views of one’s potential as well as tells relatable stories. White characters and even animals are more represented than people of color within children’s story books. I am taking it upon myself to bring more diversity into books and intend for this book to resonate with Hmong people along with sharing a celebration of Hmong culture to others. My goal is to advocate for inclusivity as well as bring cultural representation and positive reinforcement to the space of children’s literature.
Growing up, I remember being captivated by the colors and content of storybooks and how they swayed my emotions. I express bright colors and textures to show celebration in my story and envision this to be able to engage with children and to catch the attention of a general audience.
I believe that the things that you see and experience as a child impact how you grow up. Many books that I read as a kid influenced me greatly and I want to be able to impact the next generation of kids just as the previous generation of storytellers has done for me.
