Kao Kalia Yang is the author of the new children's picture book The Rock in My Throat. Her other books include From the Tops of the Trees. A Hmong-American writer, teacher, and speaker, she is based in Minnesota.
Q: Why did you decide to write this new picture book based on your childhood experiences?
A: As a trained memoirist, I live closely to my memories and experiences. Growing up, I was a selective mute. It was a lonely experience that has shaped me profoundly to this day.
The idea for this particular book came from Carol Hinz, my wonderful editor with Carolrhoda Books. It was Carol who asked me if I would be interested in writing about selective mutism. I was. I sat down and within an hour I had the draft done.
It is a story that I believe will be a friend to many lonely young people who struggle to speak, who live without the understanding of others on their side, and the adults and children around them, who care about them.
Q: How was the book’s title chosen, and what does it signify for you?
A: There was a rock in my throat and it stopped me from speaking in English and others from hearing the words inside of me. For me, it captures the loneliness and self-consciousness of the experience, the inability to speak--even if you want to be heard.
The title spoke to the truth of my experience, the metaphorical weight that a child feels when they are not capable of speaking for themselves.
Q: What do you think Jiemei Lin’s illustrations add to the book?
A: Jiemei Lin's illustrations highlight the emotional breadth and depth of the story brilliantly. The incredible thoughtfulness and sensitivity to the story is evident in the art. It is beautiful and hopeful and engages with the words on the page in a wonderfully complex and universal way.
Her artistry is muted, subtle, sophisticated, and so incredibly informative. In my humble opinion, Jimei Lin's art in this book is a Caldecott-worthy achievement.
Q: The Kirkus Review of the book called it “a compelling and heartfelt story that’s bound to resonate with anyone who’s ever struggled to express themselves or be heard.” What do you think of that description, and what do you hope kids take away from the book?
A: My favorite word in the Kirkus Review is "heartfelt." This is very much a book born out of heart (mine, the illustrator's, and the whole publishing team's).
We all know what it is like to not have the words to speak on our behalf in a thousand settings, in a thousand ways. This book does not shy away from the vulnerability and pain of feeling inexpressible. Kirkus described it beautifully.
My hope is that children who read this book understand that speaking is hard for some, listening is even harder for others, and that communication happens most successfully when we endeavor to be patient and kind.
Ultimately, this book is a testament to hope, the feather found, the bird on a finger, the friendship born of the page first.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: This year I have four books coming out. The Rock in My Throat is the first title out. Two weeks after that, I have my adult memoir, Where Rivers Part. In May, I have another picture book called Caged coming. In September, I will make my middle grade fiction debut with The Diamond Explorer. This is a big publishing year.
At the same time that I'm preparing to welcome these books into the world, I'm working on manuscripts for picture books, one about Christmas and another about Thanksgiving. I am also deep in an adult fictional proposal for my agent.
Next year, 2025, I will have three more picture books coming out. A very exciting run of books from Kao Kalia Yang awaits.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: One of the most exciting elements about The Rock in My Throat is that it will have an original musical composition by the great Jocelyn Hagen to accompany it into the world. I've never had a musical friend to any book of mine before.
I had an opportunity to listen to the beginnings of the piece and it is incredibly moving and beautiful. It'll be available on the Lerner site to download for educators and families interested. I'm so excited and intrigue by what the music will add to the experience of the book!
--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Kao Kalia Yang.
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