Poh Poh's Sword
Julie’s Chinese grandmother—her poh poh—has a brave adventure to tell
Julie’s grandmother dances with a sword. She swirls and leaps to the sound of Chinese opera music. When she was young, Poh Poh left her home and everything she knew to travel across the ocean to North America—what they knew as Gold Mountain. The one thing she brought was her sword, but she did not use it to fight. She used it to forge a new life for her family.
Praise & Recognition
"Julie’s grandmother reveals the courageous history associated with her sword....A radiant, resonating homage to an immigrant grandmother’s bravery and enduring legacy."
Kirkus Reviews"Inspired by the author’s own grandmother, Poh Poh’s Sword highlights the often-overlooked history of Chinese cultural-arts workers through the empowering story of a determined young woman. Hune-Brown’s text consists of approachable language, which both elevates the history itself and encourages young readers to explore the story for themselves….An engaging history for readers of all ages.”
BooklistDetails
Publication Date: September 15, 2026
Reading Age: 6 - 8
Reading Level: M
Genre: Children's Fiction, Picture Book
Product Format: Hardback
Pages: 32
ISBN: 978-1-77260-467-2
Weight: 200
About the Author
Julia Hune-Brown
Julia Hune-Brown is a Chinese Canadian theater artist, teacher, and author. She based her debut picture book, Poh Poh's Sword, on a documentary she made about her grandmother for CBC Radio. As a theater artist, she won awards for her community-engaged theater work. She has directed and facilitated performance projects with diverse communities across Canada. Julia currently teaches in her hometown of Toronto, where she lives with her partner and their two young children.
About the Illustrator
Hayley Lowe
Hayley is an illustrator and storyteller living in Vancouver B.C. She enjoys exploring a range of media but is particularly drawn to pencil, charcoal, gouache and procreate. When not at her desk dreaming up stories Hayley can be found walking in the forest with her family and friends.
