It Began With A Page

This picture-book biography of Gyo Fujikawa is extremely important for those of us who admire diversity in children’s books. Gyo, an American artist of Japanese origin, was tasked with illustrating picture books for children and she drew “an international set of babies”. But in the early 1960s, the idea of babies of all hues on the same page was unheard of. Publishers rejected her book, but Gyo persisted and “Babies” was finally published in 1963 – a giant leap towards inclusion.

This book is multilayered, and readers will find themselves at an intersection of rights of immigrants, segregation, internment camps, acts of resistance, culture and more, providing thoughtful threads for discussion.

Ideal for Grades 3+ and a must-have for all supporters of diversity & inclusion. Available in public libraries in Singapore!