Bao's Doll

A stolen doll leads to unexpected understanding between a mother and daughter.

4.3 Goodreads · 157 ratings

40 pages· 329 words· Est. 3 min read-aloud· ~350L

$18.99Save 5%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

Bao yearns for the perfect doll, but her desire leads her to steal it, creating a rift with her immigrant mother. As tensions rise, Bao and her mother must navigate their differences and find common ground. Can they bridge the gap between their worlds and discover the ties that truly bind them? This heartfelt tale explores the journey from misunderstanding to empathy, revealing the power of connection and heritage.

From the publisher

Bo Lu’s picture book Bao’s Doll is a moving story of empathy, forgiveness, and connection about an immigrant mother and her daughter who discover they have more in common than they ever knew. Whenever Mama says, “when I was a little girl in Taiwan, we had nothing,” Bao stops listening. Mama does not understand Bao, and Bao certainly does not understand Mama. So when Bao desperately wants a doll–specifically, the beautiful, blonde All-American Artist Amanda doll that everyone else has–Bao takes matters into her own hands and steals Amanda from the store. After getting caught, Bao’s chest feels heavy like a giant rock. But gradually, the awkward silence between Bao and Mama shifts to honesty, and eventually, a deeper understanding of what binds them. Inspired by the childhood of debut talent Bo Lu, this poignant picture book brings emotional layers to the story of a parent and child learning to connect with their heritage and each other.