Description
Kim's mum is tough. Everyone says so. She can deal with unruly customers at the Red Rooster with a snap of her fingers.
Kim is tough, too. She doesn't need to wear a hat to keep her ears warm. And she can make soup all by herself, even without the stove.
Kim and her mum are tough.
But Kim is learning that sometimes toughness doesn't look like what you'd expect.
In this tender exploration of a mother-daughter relationship, Kim and her mother learn that in order to support and truly take care of each other, they need to be tough -- and that sometimes being tough means showing vulnerability and asking for help.
Author Bio
Lana Button is an early childhood educator and the author of more than a dozen books for children, including Brianna Banana, Helper of the Day, Stay My Baby, Tough Like Mum and the Kitty and Friends series. Her books have been shortlisted for the Blue Spruce Award, Shining Willow Award, IODE Jean Throop Book Award and Rainforest of Reading, and have been recognized as Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s Best Books for Kids and Teens, OLA's Best Bets and as an IBBY Outstanding Book for Young Children. Lana is a former actress who considers every read-aloud a mini performance. When not writing new stories, Lana spends her time traveling to schools and festivals to share her passion for social-emotional literacy. She lives in Burlington, Ontario.
Prizes
- SCBWI Crystal Kite AwardWinner 2022
Review Quotes
A Canadian Children's Book Centre Favourite Book of the Year (2021)
“Powerful in its vulnerability.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Mok offers simple, carefully shaded gouache and colored-pencil art, underlining this sensitive portrayal of the bond between one mother and child navigating difficult circumstances and whether to welcome help.” —Publishers Weekly
"Powerful stuff." —Wall Street Journal
"This tender tale imparts that asking for help shows toughness, too." —New York Times
“Lana Button gently explores the pressures that kids feel when they have to take on the roles that the adults in their lives can’t.” —Globe and Mail
“Readers should come away from the story realizing that staying ‘tough’ is not the only answer.” —Horn Book
Biographical note
CARMEN MOK is an award-winning illustrator with prior experience in product design, hand-lettering and graphic design. After studying studio art at University of Waterloo and design at Sheridan College, she decided to dedicate herself to children's illustration. She is the illustrator of Grandmother's Visit, written by Betty Quan, and Waiting for Sophie, written by Sarah Ellis. Grandmother's Visit was selected as the picture book honor title of the 2018-2019 Asian/Pacific American Award, and made the 2019 short list for the IODE Ontario Jean Throop Book Award. Carmen lives in St. Catharines, Ontario.
