SuitabookFrom the Stars in the Sky to the Fish in the Sea
Kai Cheng Thom
- Reading
- Read together and pause around Miu Lan’s changing forms or school experiences. Let your child lead; you could invite them to consider how a classmate might help someone feel accepted.
- Themes
- Gender identity and change: Miu Lan is unsure whether to be a boy or a girl and can imagine being many forms; school brings questions about who they are. The story presents Miu Lan’s exploration alongside a mother who says she will love the child regardless of who they become.
- Rhythmic fairy-tale form: Miu Lan’s transformations are presented in a magical picture-book world, with gentle rhythmic text and imaginative illustrations. The fairy-tale framing and recurring maternal song give the story a lyrical, imaginative structure.
- Worth knowing
- School interactions include inquisitive looks, difficult questions and difficulty finding friends who accept Miu Lan. These moments may prompt conversation about exclusion and how questions can feel to someone still exploring identity.