It Began With a Page: How Gyo Fujikawa Drew the Way by Kyo Maclear (kids'read aloud, no video inset)

It Began With a Page: How Gyo Fujikawa Drew the Way by Kyo Maclear was one of the most eye-opening picture books I have read in a while. This book tells the biographic story of Japanese American Gyo Fujikawa, an artistic and literary pioneer who paved the way for diverse children’s books. Facing immense obstacles before, during, and after World War II, Gyo still managed to build a successful art career before becoming solely a children’s book author and illustrator, publishing against all odds the first book with illustrations of all different races and kinds of babies appearing together on the same pages. Despite the controversy that these books caused, Gyo was steadfast in her determination to publish these books, and they eventually became best sellers (here is the link for her very first and most controversial book, Babies: https://amzn.to/3Z5O3um)
This is a book that should be read in classrooms, in homes, and among authors and illustrators everywhere. Gyo Fujikawa was a trailblazer, fighting for the right for us all to co-exist in equality in the pages of books and in life.

If you like this book and would like to add a physical copy to your library, here is the link (I may earn a small commission from this at no cost to you):
https://amzn.to/3FDDTdd

Follow me on Instagram for more AAPI book recommendations and reviews @aapireader