" I Want My Mommy" 《我要媽媽》
*Languages: Traditional Chinese Text and English
Do you remember your first day in school? Did you fit right in? Or you were overwhelmed by the brand new world. Who helped you to bridge the home and school life?
This picture book is about a three-year-old girl's first day in her preschool. Her only desire was to be with her mother. Her strong will defied the patient teacher. This book is about love, patient, and prepare the preschoolers for their first day. The arrangements for the books align with most of the preschool's settings to include indoor and outdoor environments. The author intends to use this picture book to prepare the preschoolers for their first day of school while sharing one of her cherished memories with touches of humor.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jamie Chiahui Gao
Born in Taipei, Taiwan, ROC, grew up Zhu Bei, Xin Zhu
Gao received her BFA from Tunghai University, Taiwan, in Classical Chinese Painting, and an MFA from Tufts University in multimedia studies. Her artworks and films have gained several international awards. She has lived in four major cities in the United States. Gao has also left her footprints in over 20 countries. Professionally, she has worked in sales, art, education and more. She now lives and teaches in the Bay Area, CA. During her free time, she creates. She has published two other children's books, The Blue Balloon and I am I.
JAMIE'S WORDS:
About ten years ago, a teary, clingy three-year-old girl entered my preschool classroom with her mom. It was her first day. Like many children, she had a tough time adjusting, which was not new for me. I had not yet failed to entertain a new student and help them embrace school. Back then, I thought I had the magic flute, but I was proven naive later that day. This little girl channeled her sadness onto persistent demands for her mom. The impressive sound produced from her tiny body was awe-inspiring and didn't stop for the entire day. Well, she did crash after the nap time, for a 20-minute power nap. Once she woke up, she resumed her cries for mommy. I accompanied her for the entire day and tried to engage her with different activities, but she never caved in. I salute her. At the end of the day, I was exhausted and wanted to call my mom to pick me up. Despite my exhaustion, I secretly envied her unapologetic freedom to express herself in such a raw and yet authentic way. It's her right to demand the love she needs. Remember, you will never be too old to cry for your mommy.