What does it mean to be tough?
That's the focus of this book about a young girl and her mother. When she wakes up in the morning and her mom is still sleeping, the girl makes her own breakfast and lunch because she is tough like her mum.
She doesn't need to wear a hat in cold weather because she is tough like her mum.
Throughout the school day she hides her feelings - the good ones and bad - because she is tough like her mum.
When her teacher calls her over to talk about the field trip form and explains that her mom just has to check the box that says they can't afford to pay, she doesn't cry because she is tough like her mum.
After school Mum doesn't seem to be having a good day. The daughter makes cold tomato soup that she shares with her. The two end up laughing and then when the mom sees the field trip form, she puts on her tough face, checks the box and signs the form.
I'm still not sure what it means to be tough. Maybe it means that no matter how hard things are, you don't give up. Maybe it means that no matter how much you feel, you don't let the outside world know. I think it also means that when you love someone, you do what you need to do for them, even if it means asking for help.
I couldn't find anything about how Carmen Mok created the art for this, but after watching some of her videos, it looks like she sketches ideas and uses water colour pencils and crayons. I appreciate how much her images add emotional nuance to the story.
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