Except if you’re in Florida.
Dim Sum for Everyone! is a children’s book written and illustrated by Grace Lin, a NY Times bestselling author and illustrator.
She won the Newbery Honor for Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and the Theodor Geisel Honor for Ling and Ting. Her novel When the Sea Turned to Silver was a National Book Award Finalist, and her picture book A Big Mooncake for Little Star was awarded the Caldecott Honor.
Grace Lin has made important contributions in diversifying children’s literature and advocating for Asian American representation. Her books are loved by so many, including my kids and I.
But they’re not loved in Florida. Dim Sum for Everyone! violates the state’s ban on discussion of race in schools and has been banned.
Well, pardon my French, but fuck Florida.
Credit to @_everylibrary_
Okay, maybe I’m a bit more peeved because I AM Asian American + my kids ARE Asian American + my family really LOVES dim sum. But Florida is removing millions of books, not just books uplifting the delicacy of dim sum and Asian American representation, but books that highlight civil rights heroes like Rosa Parks and sports legends like Roberto Clemente.
And I am angry about it all.
Florida is one of the 18 states that have passed laws restricting lessons on race and racism, and classroom discussions about gender identity and sexual orientation. Both the “Stop W.O.K.E. Act” and the “Parental Rights in Education” law have made it difficult for librarians and teachers to keep books like Dim Sum for Everyone! on their shelves. And despite what lying-DeSantis says, the empty shelves in classrooms and libraries are not a hoax.
As the saying goes, if it looks like a duck, and it quacks like a duck, then it’s a duck. And if book bans look like censorship, and acts like censorship, then it’s goddamn censorship. Children deserve access to literature that is reflective, inclusive, and expansive, like the world they live in. Our nation contains many cultures, many races, many genders, and many stories. They deserve to be shared.
And honestly, who doesn’t love dim sum? There’s always at least one little dish (if not more) that you can’t wait to have.
A progressive mom’s musings,
Edil Mari De Los Reyes
P.S.
If you live in a state that is currently restricting access to diverse books AND/OR you have the means to curate your own library for your littles, check out my family’s favorite subscription box, OurShelves.
