Shining Star

Review
By Angry Asian Man

With stunning illustrations by Lin Wang, [Shining Star] tells the story of Anna May Wong’s amazing life, from her humble beginnings working in her family’s laundry in Los Angeles’ Chinatown, to her determination to make it as a Hollywood actress in the face of struggles and discrimination. What’s great about this book is that though it’s aimed at elementary school-level readers, it doesn’t shy away at all from talking about the issues of racism, stereotypes and “yellowface” that Anna May Wong struggled with in 1930s Hollywood. Very cool to see this in a book for young readers. —Angry Asian Man