top of page

Mio - The Beautiful

Writer's picture: The Hafu ExperienceThe Hafu Experience

Updated: Aug 13, 2021



UPDATE: Kinota has kindly made the digital version of "Mio - the Beautiful" free to download here.


"Mio - the Beautiful" is a children's book about a biracial Japanese girl who with the help of her kind and caring teacher confronts racism and bullying at her elementary school in Japan. It is based on the true story of author Kinota Braithwaite's daughter Mio. We asked Kinota to share his motivation for writing the book and thoughts on raising a bicultural child in Japan.


「Mio - the Beautiful」は学校でイジメに合うハーフの女の子についての絵本です。作者Kinota Braithwaiteの娘みおが実際に肌の色でからかわれた時について書かれた本です。購入したのリンクは英語のインタビューの下に貼ってあります。


Hi Kinota, can you tell us about your background?

I was born and raised in Toronto, Canada and I moved to Japan to raise my children. I am an elementary school teacher and I teach at an international school in Tokyo. I have also taught in Canada, Czech Republic, and Austria.


What was your motivation for writing this book?

I grew up in Canada and I encountered racism and bullying because of my skin color. I wrote this book is to speak out against bullying, promote peace and nonviolence.


What do you hope to achieve with writing the book?

I want to convey an important message that all children are beautiful regardless of their skin color. Hopefully, my efforts will help children in Japan and the world to put an end to bullying and racial discrimination.


What do you wish parents understood about raising bi-cultural children in Japan?

Raising bi-cultural children in Japan requires a lot of patience and open-mindedness and the courage to speak out when you see injustices.


Why do you think bullying happens, in particular within Japan?

In Japan, there is a proverb that if the nail sticks out then we hammer it down. Therefore, children who look different from other children often become the target of bullying. I think in Japan people are encouraged to conform and it takes a lot of courage to be different.


Can you talk about the unique challenge of raising a child as a black parent?

One unique challenge of raising a child as a black parent is exposing your child to both cultures so they can develop a positive self-image. It is important in Japan, to expose biracial children to a variety of role models. It is also a good idea to meet other families with other children who are biracial to share your experiences.


What steps do you think parents should take if their child is bullied?

A parent should not have the attitude that this is going to go away and ignore it or think that your child will be able to handle things on their own. You need to speak with your child and then immediately speak with your child’s teacher on how the school is going to address the problem.


What are your hopes for the future of your own child as well as other bi-cultural children of Japan?

I hope that Japan can become a place where everyone can feel happy and be accepted for who they are.



Here's a cute video of Kinota Braithwaite and his daughter reading their book. ❤️



You can get your hard copy of "Mio - the Beautiful" here:



1,034 views0 comments

Comments


bottom of page